Key’s Point of View

I look at my reflection in the mirror and my body shivers and it has nothing to do with the cold. After a week, after weeks of thinking that everything is done. That I am done with the crazy phase of my life- the truth is written in blood on our bathroom mirror. Thankfully, Taemin is not here, he will be dressing up with the other performers. What the hell does this mean? 

WATCH YOUR BACK. 

why is this message relayed to me?? Its been weeks with no notes and i was finally able to go back to a normal life. Why send me this now? Is it because of the event tonight? Will something go wrong? 
For the first second, i automatically picked my phone and dialled Onew. But i closed it at once. STOP DEPENDING ON HIM. He does not need you and your whines. Making up my mind, I wash it off and walked out the room. Ignoring this won’t solve my problem but for now, I just need this out off my head. 

“ Key! You look good! ” Nicole greets me warmly, she just came from the dinner. Unlike the other members of the council who were able to catch a dinner with VIP guests- i have to enter the event on the time of the concert and student auction on the school grounds. 


“ not as good as you though,” she smiles at me and hands me the folder that listed the programme and everything that should be done. I nod my head and Made my way to the sign up table. But i nearly knocked off all the papers and flowers in the table when he entered. 

Naturally, he was not looking at me. He is looking further away, he was also from the dinner. Onew, and beside him is Luna. They looked so right with each other that i want to just pass out and wake up curled in my bed. But I can’t. I have to face this. And how can I keep my eyes away from him? How can a suit look that good on one person? 

“ good evening, ” I greeted them and Onew like I was the best host on earth. Luna looks worried and relieved at the same time as she sees my condition. He does not even look at me. 

“ you look really good Key! Im glad you feel better,” she smiles sweetly at me and checks their names on the list. As much as i want to portray her as the bad witch in my own story, I know that I can’t. She knew Onew eversince they were young and come on, she controls the wind! How can I be better than that? Trying my best to not hang up and be depressed, I keep my front up. 

“ I love your dress, its suits you well.”

Luna beams at me and tugs at Onew who seems to be busy studying the crowd. Is he expecting someone? Expecting something to happen? I shouldn’t over react. Finally, he turns to me and nods in my direction. in nods in my direction, what am I? A PROFESSOR? But i offer him a smile in return. 

The pair walks off and I suddenly want to stop working in this desk and call in sick. 

“ KEY! ” Jonghyun sits beside me and he is in his performance clothes. 

“ whew! Rockstar much?” I chuckled and he snickered. He changed into his performance costume sooner than the others. His blonde hair is messier than usual and his arms are too distracting for my taste. 

“ That suit made me itch man, I had to quickly change after that dinner.”

“ how was the dinner by the way?” i asked, trying to make small talk as the other guests came in. 

“ uptight. Weird, hey! Did you see professor K?”

“ Hm, he has not checked in here yet. Was he not on the dinner?”

“ NOPE. ” he quipped and tapped his fingers repeatedly. 

The host was now calling for SHINEE and jonghyun tells me that its time for him to go to the stage. They will be opening this concert event and i nod at him. For the next minutes, students from here and out started pouring in. No more folders for sign up are required now cause they just gave us their tickets and in exchange we give them arm bands for entrance. 

Chancing a glance at the stage, I hear the crowd erupt with joy as they entered the stage. At times like this, i put my guard down, with all the morbid emotions from the past months.. I could use some happiness for my emotion bank. 

“ we are shinee! ” Jonghyun shouts and the crowd goes wild. 

I spot Onew, tuning his guitar and he looks totally different. He looks better in casual clothes like this. I watch them perform and i have to say they sound really well. I wish he could sing to me too. But more than that, I wish he was a normal person. If we were to meet in a cafe downtown, would it be different? My mind had been conjuring scenarios when we will meet someplace and I will just be kim kibum- and him, Lee Jinki. I will be a populat council student and him a nice and welcoming sophomore. We will talk and be friends, I will smile every morning and think of him inbetween classes. That is how its supposed to be- in movies. But damn it Key, this is not a movie. My phone vibrates on my pocket as the chorus kicks in and I have to pull myself away from the crowd. 

“ yes?” I answer immediately. 

“ Key, its professor K. ”

“ oh. Hi- ”

But he cuts me off, “ meet me at the science laboratory, we have to talk. Now. NOW.”

I hear a click and he’s gone. My brain tells me to ignore it and wait for their set to finish but a part of me wants to do this all alone. The professor helped me a few times in controlling my power. Teaching me how to influence others and to put my walls up when needed. He says i need more practice, but I stopped going anyway. 

I looked around and decided to go. All on my own. I mean, what could go wrong?


Minho’s Point of view

He just finished his dance performance with the crew and i won’t be doing him justice when i say that I was amazed. I admit, he’s got talent when I watched him that day in the practice room. But he shines right now and Jino keeps on coughing and slapping me. I think i can hear him say words like, “stop gaping” and, “be careful or your drool will be all over the place”

But I do not care anymore. For weeks, I haven’t cared much about what other people told me. I understand their reservations towards him. Even suggesting that he might be a ploy from the resistance. How absurd. Isn’t it possible to have someone who looks like you? We see that everyday. Its not like, a million and one chance. Twins are not uncommon as well. I am tired of questions and as Taemin made his way towards me continued dancing like we were not there , i decide that the answers do not matter anymore. 

They are not really that alike, 

Taeyeon was not really into dancing, she was an excellent singer. 

She is not stubborn and keeps to herself when she has a problem. 

She does not push her opinions on me. 

How can they be so different and look so much alike in appearance? I relax as the performance ended and i catch his eyes. I gestured towards him that we should meet as soon as he exits the backstage and he smiles back. I wait for him for awhile and my mom approaches me. Its too crowded and she is not handling a bunch of teens and young adults going crazy. 

“ what time are they going to sell you?” she shouts at me. I know that she has to meet up with friends of hers but I jail her here. 

“ its called auction- Mother, don’t make it sound like a flea market.” I complain to her and she fixes my clothes. 

“ the suit looks so much better on, but i guess these types of clothes are popular nowadays. ” she looks at my street clothes like it were some specimen that she doesn’t want to see anymore. 

“ i will be on the last batch of auction, like, less than an hour from now?”

I know her reaction and she matches what i think when she suddenly bursts into protest, “ but my friends are waiting for me! Your aunts are there!”

As she explained to me the gravity of her night-out, I wave at taemin who is now approaching me. My mother quickly spotted Taemin and I know that she senses hoe important he is for me. Her lips form into a smile and she crushes taemin to a hug. 

“ im happy to finally meet you!” My mom tells him and Taemin is staring at me with wide eyes. I mouth a : ‘she’s always like that’ to him and he relaxes. 

“ nice to meet you too.” He bows and my mothes is on over drive as she pulls out her check book and shoves it in Taemin’s hands. He looks surprised and my mother explains, “i need to go, i have the signatures and all, just don’t let anyone take my son away okay Taemin?”

“what?!” I almost laugh at his face but i act like im surprised as well. 

“ just write whatever amount, make sure you go home with Minho! ” 

She is gone in a flash and Taemin is pale and stunned but I hold his hand. 

“ HEY! Don’t go all slow there kid, you need to make sure i won’t end up in the wrong hands. ” I smile at him and he relaxes. 

“ im just- surprised- you know, ”

“ She really likes you, i think. ” I offer and our heads turn towards the stage. Kyuhyun hyung is singing. 

“ so- I really liked your set! Amazing, really amazing! Everyone went wild.” 

“ thanks. ” I quip and continue listening to the music. We don’t talk that much but i feel pressure on my shoulders. Like someone is leaning against me. I glance to see Taemin, leaning against me with his eyes closed and breathing slower than usual. 

“ hey, are you okay?”

“ just tired, just tired. ” he whispers and i seriously feel like he will fall asleep on me. I put my arms around him and I direct him towards the council room. Seated on a chair, his eyes fly open. 

Then I see her. Her eyes. I could not be wrong. Then he speaks to me. 

“ Minho, everyone is in danger. ” His voice is serious and urgent. I have never heard him speak like this before and an unfamiliar chill traveled to my body. This is no longer Taemin. I know it sounds crazy, but infront of me is another person. But familiar. 

“ taemin, what are you saying?” I hold his hand and he grips mine, 

“ i’ve seen it before, Minho- you have to tell them. Onew-Oppa!” 

This is getting weirder by the moment, Oppa? He sees my confusion and he stands up. He forms a smile that is so familiar, I have memorized it and pulled me close to him. 

“ Its me, Taeyeon.”




Onew’s Point of view 

“ Onew! Here, have some drink,”

There he goes again, looking around like he is looking for someone when we both know he is much better off locked up and safe. What was he thinking? I can’t believe that he planned with the others behind my back. Did he think i was not good enough to protect him? We have been avoiding each other for the past couple of days though I have no clue why. After his little stunt, i pulled away from him. Add the fact that there are no more notes but i know its not the end. A part of me wants him out of this. Out of my world, he deserves more than this. He deserves someone better than me. 

“ the crowd loved you! Oh! Why did you not join the auction! Its supposed to be fun.”

I can tell that he wants to go somewhere but he is tied down with his duties. He is playing with his phone and his eyes are shifting. Then he runs away and i can’t see him anymore. Where did he go? 

“ onew, are you there?” I look up to Luna who seems concerned and i smile at her. 

“ i spaced out for a bit, ” I lied and try to relax. She excuses herself for a moment and I catch a sight of Minho and Taemin talking. He still is not giving this charade up? I see Taeyeon in him too, physically. I glance at my phone, no one is contacting me. Luna comes back immediately and forces me to stand up. Something is wrong. 

“ Onew, Tiffany escaped from the capsule.”

She tells me as calmly as she can but my heart is beating a mile a minute. Tiffany is gone, she will definitely go back here and put down our shields. 

“ where is the professor?” I quickly ask. 

“ he is not answering Onew, i already found Jino and Jonghyun.”

“ Let’s go, before something goes wrong. ”

I make my way towards the laboratory, leaving Luna behind to protect the crowd outside. Jino immediately flew to the Palace. Jonghyun is with me and we quickly opened the door. 

“ what the hell is happening?” I greet the room as I see Professor K with his eyes closed and Key’s hands on his shoulders. Almost calming him. They do not realize that I am inside. Seeing the zone the professor is creating, I realize he is strengthening the barrier. But what is Key doing here? 

“ what is happening?” I repeat myself and the professor’s eyes open to take a look at me. Key is startled upon seeing me. 

“ I told you, he is an empath, I had been teaching him to influence emotions . ” He looks around, weighing the barrier. “ and i needed a deeper sense of calm to create a stronger barrier, more time for us to leave before tiffany brings us all down. ”

“ she won’t be getting here, the palace is on high alert. ” I respond to him and I chance a look at Key who looks nervous. I hate seeing him like this, I tug at his hand and move him closer to me. To my surprise, he does not protest and his hands are closed. 

“ are you with me?” i whisper in his ear and he just nods at me. 

“ what do we do now? We have to take these people out of here? The VIPs are already gone,. The people in here are all students who came for the concert. ” Jonghyun explained.

“ we are not going anywhere- Jiyong got confirmation that the healer is to be traded in here, ”

“ what are you talking about? They are not that stupid! This place is ours, its the covenant’s grounds!” I reason out and Professor K sits down calmly and looks out the window. 

“ This town, this university is where the covenant started. This is where the first Manor was built. The first family stayed here Jinki, this is supposed to be the strongest place on earth for our kind. ”

Ofcourse, I know the history of this place. This property is crawling with energy from the covenant. Hundreds of years have passed for this town and always, the heroes of the covenant always held residence here. Its the reason i had no other dream than to study and spend my college years here. Heroes were supposed to come out from each of us. 

“ I know that, but we can’t risk their lives. The civilians,” Jonghyun answered back.

“ they will be doing the exchange in the old burned building. ” the professor offers and I know what we must do next. We must go there and get the healer or die trying. 

“ how sure are we?” Key suddenly joined the conversation. 

“ Tiffany left us a note when she left the capsule, she told us that she will see us soon, and i remember that we had our practices in that building. It was her favorite place.”

I am handed a letter with the seal from the palace, it contains the news about tiffany’s escape and a photo of the note she left us. 

I will see you soon, 
You trained me so well in that place, it was always my favorite.
Wait for me, 

It was not a threat at all, Its like she just wants to go back to that place and see us once more. I read the letter once again and there is the report about the healer once more . So, this is why Jiyong is not in this event, TOP as well. This deal with the healer is out of hand and we do not know what is their real goal. Its like- they want us to get the healer. They want us to fight for the healer. 

“ we are not prepared for this! ” I threw the letter and sink in my chair. It will not only be tiffany, im sure of it. VI will be here too, if i am right. He will come for Luna once again. 

“ I received a message on my bathroom mirror, written in blood ” Key begins to speak and face me, “it said, watch your back. I don’t know how they got inside. ” His eyes are downcast and he is keeping his emotions in check. 

My eyes shot towards him with this revelation. They are still after him? He didn’t tell me once again? 

“ when are you planning to tell me that?” I ask, 

“ look, i know you are doing alot more- and- i did not want to burden you-”

I am definitely pissed with his attitude. “ Key- please. We have been over this alot of times before. I can’t let anything bad happen to you and that won’t happen till you start talking and accepting- ”

“ accepting what??? That I am not a normal person? That Its true- what my mother said before? That I am a freak??! ” 

Stunned by the sudden turn in his emotion, I chance a look at jonghyun who looks interested and professor K who looks like he knows this information already. He had reached his boiling point, I knew it. At one point another, people like us will start to question why this happened to us. This breakdown happened to me countless of times and i understand him. 

“ you are not a freak Key, don’t ever think about that- ”

“ but I am, my own mother. My own mother thinks about that too! When i was a kid, she knew what I had. Thank god it disappeared then this thing came back again before i got here.” He tells me and he heads out the door. 

“ go after him, we will figure out what to do. Calm him down first and we will head out.” The professor instructs me and jonghyun nods, telling me that minho is coming over and Jino is returning. 

Making my way to run after him, I see him in the hallway before the crowd outside. The auditorium is already closed and everyone was already on the field dancing and drinking. We should be with them right? Getting wasted and living the life? 

“ I actually thought that this was over. ” He looks at me and I want to tell him that it is. That when he wakes up the next day, he will forget me. He will forget everything. But I haven’t even found someone who can do that. Maybe no man was really fortunate enough to have the luxury of that. 

“ Key, I know that you’ve been hiding what you really are from me even before and i understand. But what you did there was good, because of you, the barrier is stronger, we can protect the people here. ”

“ but- why did it ever come back? It was already gone! ”

“ what do you mean? Powers can never be gone till you die. ” I answer him and he comes close to me, finally illuminated by the light. 

“ i discovered it when I was about six then one day before my seventh birthday- I had a big black out. My mom said it was a flu.” He does not look at me, trying to remember. “ and it was gone. I could not feel anyone. But in my junior year in high school, it came back. It came back that day I went for a tour in this university. The professor tells me that this place maybe, maybe was a trigger. But-”

“ Key, i don’t have any answers for you and i am sorry, but I am here for you. We all are, i don’t guarantee that things will be easy.” He is still looking at me and somewhere inside me, for the first time, I want to be a part of his life even if he is practically a stranger. He is not part of the palace, not someone i know from the manor. But still, the pull towards him is undeniable. 

“I know that one morning, like now, you would want to run away from me and from everyone. But trust me, I will run after you and find you. I will always find you. ”

His lips form a smile and he extends his hand to me for a handshake and I grip his hand, 

“ so don’t bother running,” I smirk at him and he chuckles. 

“ this is insane, how did tiffany get out and why are they doing the healer exchange in here? ”

“ im not sure, but i have a feeling that they want a battle to start in here. They want atleast one of us dead. ”

This is a common tactic, they won;t give away that information quickly. They want to be found, they want to be intercepted and a big fight will start. I wonder who they want dead? 

“ Onew! ” 

Jiyong is running towards me, with TOP walking casually behind him. 

“ we need to go the building now, the first layer of the barrier is gone.”

“ tiffany, VI and three more are here. ” TOP spats out and I see that he is clearly not liking this. Although we are not outnumbered, they will have the healer. How can they slip? One of the teenagers in here is the healer. Probably dancing outside or maybe coming to the burned building. 

“ Let’s go.”

The four of us make our way to the laboratory and i spot Minho with Taemin. My eyes narrow as he approaches me and hugs me tightly.

“ Oppa! Im glad to see you! ”

“ huh? ” I almost push him back and Key is as surprised as me. Minho tries to explain but fails miserably. 

“ i don’t know, he tells me that he is taeyeon.”

“ I AM!” Taemin flings his arms in the air, a gesture that taeyeon always does whenshe is frustrated. “well, this body is not mine but Taemin’s. I do not really know how i was able to transfer to him, i thought it was not possible. Im not even sure how it is triggered. I guess, its when you guys are in danger.”

I am not the only one whose jaw is about to drop by this revelation. Professor K is rather impressed (but thats how he always is, impressed by the weird occurences.). Jonghyun is looking at taemin with wide eyes. Jino is shifitng. TOP’s lips are curled and Jiyong has some interest in his eyes. But all the more, Minho is in between smiling and plain going crazy. 

“ sorry if i don’t believe this ultimately, but - ”

“ I know, I know. But please- I have seen this in my dreams again. In the burned building, they will be there with the healer.” 

“ we have no time, lets figure this twilight zone out after” TOP calls out and i snap in my confusion. We all head out for the door but Taemin pulls me towards him. 

“ and Onew, i did not tell them this. Key will die tonight. ”


Key’s Point of View. 

Looking at Taemin who claims to be Minho’s dead girlfriend is creepy beyond anything else. He is talking like a completely different person and warns them of impending doom . how can that happen? I don’t even talk to him cause he looks at me like im some stranger. They are heading out for the burned building that I do not even know existed. Taemin whispers something to Onew and he approaches me. 

“ you need to go back there,” he orders me and i suddenly feel angry.

“and who are you to tell me that?”

“ I am serious key, you shouldn’t be involved anymore. If you don’t go, they won’t harm you-”

“i am in this already okay? Don’t try to exclude me, i won’t run away from this. I also want this to end.” I said, with my voice shaking for a bit. I am scared too, i will be an easy target compared to them. But I am tired of hiding, i need to face them , whoever they are that are after me. But Onew won’t back down, he seriously wants me out of the way. 

“ Key, please listen to me. Do not go with us, go back outside, find Luna and tell her about this. She should protect the civilians together with minho and jonghyun. Professor k will be repairing the damage too. ”

“ what if i don’t want to do that?” My anger flared up with the mention of Luna. I know that this irrational, to the point of no return. But i cannot help it, I need to be there for him, i am stronger now. He notices that I won’t budge and he does the unexpected. 

He takes my hand and tugs at me, pulling me towards him. Before i could react, I am in his arms. The warmth his body gives me is inexplicable and as much as i want to pull away and ened the torture. I cannot. My body is drawn to him like a moth to the dangerous fire. This is the closest we have been and it does not help the emotions i am having. 

“ Key, please- just do what i say. This one time. Please. ” I have never heard him plead. Jino once told me that Onew never pleads. But he is now, 

“ okay you git, but you won’t get rid of me.” I tell him and he releases me. 

He is now walking away and i feel an unknown sense of fear in the pit of my stomach. The feeling that I have to run after him ands top him. But i disregard it and walk on different direction. I am greeted by an overzealous donghae. 

“ you’re up for the auction! Did you see jonghyun?”

“ ah- no. I think he is with Onew.” I quickly replied. I see Luna from afar and she looks at me and relief is written on her face. She probably thinks that the worst is over, but she is wrong. 

“ can you believe Minho’s mom gave us a blank check? That was a cheat for minho’s part as he handed it to me awhile ago, but still- ” Donghae told me as he assisted me towards the stage. 

Luna approaches me and the worry is written all over her face. 

“ where are they? ”she whispers. 

“going to the burned building. He wants you to take jonghyun and minho to thelp the professor in putting the barrier together, ”

She breathes deeply and closes her eyes, trying to focus. “ it will be fine, just- be safe Key. The barrier is weakening.”

I nod meekly and once again i am dragged by Donghae. The crowd is cheering and i can see students waving their money. Damn it. Onew is about to battle it out with some people and i don’t know if he will be alive after. But here I am, infront of the student body, about to be auctioned. I want to run away and god knows what i can do to help him but i cannot stay like this. 

“ KIM KIBUM!” Nicole shouts and she smiles at me , trying to relax me. I hear a fair amount of me money going on for me. 300,000 USD? Did someone really say that? 

I do not care anymore, I need this auction over and find a way to help Onew. I promised not to go there but i need to, i have to. Maybe i can use what professor K told me and influence their emotions. I can do this. With eyes closed, i hear more cheering and Nicole is practically shaking me. 

“ OMG! SOMEONE IS BUYING YOU FOR 500,000 USD!”

“ WHAT? ” I practically screamed. 

Then i hear a man say it again in a clear voice. “500,000”

The whole crowd went wild and my eyes are directed towards the man in question. I freeze in my place as i realize who it is. I can feel the warmth all over my body, not the comfortable warmth. Its scorching me alive. Burning me. Everyone is oblivious and nicole just directs him towards me,

“fancy seeing you again, it seems like you are mine.” He tells me as he shakes my hand. I can’t believe it. His hands are about to scald mine but i do not pull away.

Standing infront of me, Its VI.