II/XVI

Between the Laws of Nature

*warning for violence

 

After wiping his sore eyes, Jongdae lifts the box previously filled with chocolate bars and shuffles to the back room. He destroys the box and plops down in a plastic chair. He’s been on the job for six hours now, having snuck out immediately after classes ended. The shift ends at eleven, and since that hour is near Jongdae automatically glances to the clock. Eight more minutes.

Stretching his arms to the roof, Jongdae feels his joints pop. The tension in his back, neck, and shoulders feels a lot lighter, and Jongdae sighs contently, leaning back in the plastic chair. The backrest of the chair is probably straining him as much as standing and carrying was, but Jongdae can’t find it in himself to care. His legs really need some rest.

As the door is slammed open, Jongdae immediately jumps to his feet, knowing that even in the last minutes his manager wants him to work. It turns out to be his human friend and coworker Luna, who gives him a knowing look after catching him so ruffled.

“What’s up, goat legs?” She asks teasingly.

Only the manager and Luna know he’s a half-blood. Unfortunately, half-bloods are looked down upon. In a workspace that is so open to the public, being a half-blood can put you in danger. The reason half-bloods are so despised is simply because they are not normal. They are not human enough, but also not magical enough. Their supernatural abilities and abnormal looks keep them divided from the humans, and their weakened magic keeps them divided from magical creatures. Jongdae has never experienced any harassment other than the occasional name-calling, and he’d like to keep it that way, thus hiding his status.

Only after he fully trusted Luna he told her of his status. She barely batted an eye, which, in all honesty, is exactly what Jongdae expected her to do. Luna cares about nothing but getting out of this small town. The manager knew right from the start, but the man is also not a human with a lot of care. The only thing he wants is his shop to be run well. He is well aware of the discrimination some half-bloods suffer, and thus helped Jongdae keep it a secret. He is not exactly the most pleasant boss, but at least he understands Jongdae’s situation.

“Six-hour shift?” Luna asks, crouching down on the floor beside him.

“Yeah,” Jongdae answers groggily. “I’m beat. Can’t wait to go home.”

“Me too.”

“You just got here,” Jongdae commentates with a grin.

“Well, I’ve got the nightshift and I’m not exactly looking forward to it.”

Jongdae nods understandably, but slowly dozes off, eyes half-lidded as he watches the hands on the clock. The minute hand closes in on the twelve too slow for Jongdae’s liking. He squeezes his sore legs one last time before getting up and ridding himself of his work shirt. The clock has struck eleven, a nasty electronic beep filling the storage room.

“Well, that’s my cue to leave.” Luna yawns as she slowly rises to her legs.

“Good luck,” Jongdae mutters softly. He feels a jab of empathy for Luna. The nightshift is a real killer.

Luna waves him off and makes her entrance into the shop.

Meanwhile, Jongdae has already packed himself up in his scarf and coat. The autumn weather isn’t exactly kind at night. As he steps through the back door, his feet immediately hit brown leaves. The leaves are illuminated by the horrible TL-lights that serve as an indication as to where the back door is. The brightness makes the streets and the woods extremely dark, and Jongdae feels a bit uneasy.

With a nasty feeling harboring in his stomach, Jongdae pushes his hands in his pockets and quickly makes his way across the street. Firstly, he will need to go to the parking lot of the gas station. Behind the fence is a path that leads back to school. The silence of the night is both pleasant and unnerving. Half of the lampposts are broken, which makes for quite an eerie pathway.

When Jongdae finally arrives at the gas station, the entire parking lot is lighted by those same horrible TL-lights, but at least it’s not dark anymore. He crosses the parking lot with a lighter feeling than before.

Just as he wants to step onto the path, a soft voice calls out.

“Hey, goat boy.”

Jongdae freezes. Immediate panic surges through his body, causing his heart to pump harder and his limbs to shake.

“I’m talking to you,” the same voice calls again.

Jongdae turns around stiffly. He holds his breath, eyes wide as he faces three boys around his age. At first they seem like regular people, but then Jongdae catches a whiff of a flowery scent. He studies the boys further, and finds pointed ears, clear eyes and softened features. A certain calmness comes from them, but Jongdae knows better.

Nymphs.  

The race that hates half-bloods the most. It is well-known nymphs are closely connected to nature and are extremely disapproving of anything that isn’t made by nature – anything that isn’t pure. Hate crimes towards half-bloods are almost exclusively committed by nymphs. Jongdae has a bad feeling about this.

“Wh-what do you want?” Jongdae stammers, clenching his fists.

The guy in the middle smiles, and while to any passerby he would look like a deity, Jongdae knows it’s sinister. “You look a little pale, goat boy.”

“How do you know me?” Jongdae asks breathlessly, heart hammering in fear. His hands are sweaty and his lip trembles.

“Lovely Luna from the shop talks too much.”

Jongdae’s breath stocks in his throat – Luna? She would never. Jongdae is drowned in confusion until he hears the hearty laugh from the nymph. Their scent alone can get even the most introverted people to talk for hours.

“What do you want?” Jongdae repeats, this time with a bit more bite.

“Originally, we just wanted to steal some seaweed snacks… but when pretty Luna started talking about payday and about her half-blood coworker who just went home, we decided to do mother nature a favor.”

The wicked expressions that then paint the nymphs’ faces terrifies Jongdae. He stumbles back, wanting to escape, but before he knows it, he is slammed against the fence.

“Where’s your paycheck?” The same nymph questions.

“I-I don’t have it on me!” Jongdae cries, trying to push away the hands that are holding him down.

“You’re lying. The girl told us today is payday.”

“I don’t have it, I swear!” Jongdae gasps. His jaw is suddenly gripped by a strong hand and Jongdae feels as if he will not survive this. “Today is payday but I have no check! The manager transfers the money digitally on my request! Please, let me go…”

As tears of terror roll down Jongdae’s cheeks, the nymph loosens his grip, sharing a look with the guy on his right. The other two nymphs let him go of him as well, and Jongdae sinks to the floor, sobbing softly.

For a while there is nothing but the humming of the TL-lights and Jongdae’s dampened cries. Then, as Jongdae gazes up, a boot closes in on his face, kicking him straight on the nose. Jongdae falls down on his side with an agonizing groan. Then more boots clash with his body – his stomach, chest, and head are prime victims.

The beating does not last long, but Jongdae feels as if every nerve in his body has been assaulted. When the nymphs leave, Jongdae is groaning for another five minutes before he finally gets himself up. He steadies himself against the fence, his face bloody all over and one eye shut completely. Releasing his grip, Jongdae takes one step, but his knees immediately buckle, ripping another groan from his throat.

Every step he takes is excruciatingly slow, unbearably painful, and seems to only worsen his condition. It takes him an awfully long time, but eventually he makes it to the school’s grounds. He drags his feet to the dormitory and steps inside, hoping not to meet anybody with his face like this. His wish is fulfilled and he stumbles into his room without having met anyone.

Collapsing as soon as the door is closed, Jongdae immediately catches Baekhyun’s attention. The latter gasps in shock, a horrified expression pulling on his features.

“Wh-what happened?” He asks, crouching in front of Jongdae to examine his face.

“I got… attacked.” Jongdae groans again, trying to get up. Baekhyun helps him up, carrying most of his weight to get him to the bed.

“I’m going to get the nurse,” Baekhyun says.

“No! They’ll know that I’ve been off the grounds.”

Baekhyun bites his lip. “Then I’ll get someone who knows healing spells. Wait here.”

Jongdae nods, closing his eyes in pain. He leans back against the headrest of his bed, and lifts a shaky hand up to his face. His trembling fingers trace the edges of a crack on his nose. When coming in contact with the wound, it stings, and Jongdae pulls his hand back, wanting to cry.

“What are you doing in this dorm?! You should be in class!”

Jongdae opens his eyes again and finds Kyungsoo in the doorway. Kyungsoo’s eyes rake over his beat-up form before he storms up to Jongdae and takes his face in his hands.

“Who did this to you?!” He yells. “I could smell your blood on the third floor.”

Jongdae looks away from Kyungsoo’s exasperated expression.

“Do Kyungsoo, I have to ask you to return to your—”

Joonmyun and Minseok now stand in the doorway, their faces twisted in shock. “Wh-what happened to you?” Minseok asks.

More humiliation washes over Jongdae and he faces away from everyone in his room. Baekhyun then returns with empty hands, but seems delighted at the presence of Joonmyun and Minseok.

“Do you have any healing abilities, Joonmyun?” Baekhyun asks.

Joonmyun shakes his head in shame.

“I do,” Minseok speaks up, raising his hand.

“Can you heal Jongdae for us?”

“Why don’t you go to the nurse?” Kyungsoo asks.

“Because then the teachers will know he was off the grounds!”

“You were off the grounds?!” Joonmyun squeaks.

“That’s not important right now.” Baekhyun waves it off, dragging Minseok to Jongdae’s bed. “Come on, Jongdae. Show us your face so Minseok can heal it.”

With reluctance, Jongdae turns his head, once again shocking everyone in the room. Minseok then chants a few words before an orange light glows from his right hand. He hovers it over Jongdae’s bruises and gashes, healing them within seconds. Jongdae has seen this restoration spell performed by other students, but it has never looked this bright, nor did it heal so quick. Before Jongdae knows it, his face is back to normal, only blood still plastered on his skin. After wiping the blood off with a wet tissue, he hands it to Kyungsoo, who takes the scent in with delight.

Joonmyun gives them a weird look at the interaction, but the concern soon returned to his face.

“What exactly happened?” He asks softly.

“I was walking home from work and suddenly these three… nymphs show up.” A thick silence falls over the group, tension painting their features. “They demand my paycheck… say something about doing mother nature a favor, and when I said I didn’t have it on me they started beating me.”

Jongdae feels a calming hand land on his thigh. Kyungsoo is trying to give him a reassuring look, but Jongdae sees the hurt behind it. Eyes darting around, Jongdae sees everyone wearing a desolate expression.

Their school is supposed to be a safe haven. A place where half-bloods do not need to worry about judgements based on their blood. So, the fact that the hate has followed them here, is more than just depressing. Jongdae feels like there could never be a safe place for half-bloods, that they will always have to feel uncomfortable in their skin, and that they can never be who they truly are. The others are thinking it too – Jongdae can see it in their eyes.

“Thank you, Minseok.” Jongdae then utters. “For healing me.”

Minseok gives him a brief smile, “No problem. We really ought to get going now. And you too, Kyungsoo.”

Kyungsoo ignores Minseok’s statement and buries his nose in the blood-soaked tissue again. Minseok is already out the door before Jongdae registers it, but Joonmyun stays by the doorway for a few more seconds, an empathetic, sad expression on his face. Jongdae directs his eyes away, engaging in a conversation with Kyungsoo instead.

---

Some nights later, Baekhyun decides to cheer a still dejected Jongdae up.

“It’ll be fun,” he says, naught twinkling in his eyes. The expression on his face promises no good, but Jongdae knows it will be a good distraction. “We’re just going to have a walk around school.”

Just a walk?” Jongdae questions, raising an eyebrow.

A sweet, innocent smile then stretches Baekhyun’s lips. “Just a walk,” he confirms.

Jongdae trudges behind Baekhyun with slight reluctance. The previous times they’ve been in at night it ended in detention or a hilariously successful prank still followed by detention. The school is far from abandoned with the night classes being held, but it’s easier to snoop around since Joonmyun and Minseok won’t be there to interrupt.

The two of them sneak inside through one of the lesser known entrances, somewhere along the south wing. This part of the building is rarely used, only when the north wing has no free rooms. The school itself was originally not meant to be a school, rather just a castle that was passed down from generation on generation until it landed in the headmistress’s lap. Being a half-blood herself, the headmistress decided to make it into a school. Since the school is for half-bloods only, the government considered it a private school and refused to fund it.

Once they are inside, the cold breeze felt outside stays with them, causing Jongdae to shiver. His eyes fall to Baekhyun, who is wearing short and a tank top again, completely unbothered by the weather, and Jongdae scoffs. Lucky bastard.

“So… what are you planning to do?” Jongdae asks as Baekhyun is just staring down the hallway.

“Well, someone showed me this turd prank. It’s fairly easy and guaranteed to make some teachers scream. Basically, you make this turd out of an empty toilet paper roll. I want to place a few in the teacher’s office and in Mrs. Yun’s classroom,” Baekhyun explains with a grin, before his face twists back to blank and he stares into the hallway again.

This time, Jongdae follows his gaze, and sees the unlit hallway leading to the east wing. There’s about five lit chandeliers before the hallway is drowned in complete darkness, giving out an uncomfortable feeling.

After Baekhyun peers off for another minute or so, Jongdae grabs him by the shoulder. “So, are we going to do it or not?”

“Yeah, yeah. Just…” Baekhyun pauses, his attention back to the darkness. “I want to see what they’re hiding in there. If they’ve even stopped lighting the candles there must be something in there they want us not to see?”

“I think they don’t want us to see it for a reason,” Jongdae tells him, crossing his arms.

Baekhyun scoffs, “You sound like Kyungsoo.”

“I think any wise person would not want to go there.”

“Come on, Jongdae! We should check it out! What if they’re housing a unicorn or something? They won’t keep anything dangerous in there, not in the middle of a school. That would just be stupid. It’s probably something valuable they don’t want any of the students to get their hands on.”

“I really think we shouldn’t go there,” Jongdae mutters, but Baekhyun doesn’t hear him.

His friend is already strolling into the darkness. Jongdae quickly sprints to his friend, staying right behind him.

“Baekhyun, we really shouldn’t do this! I’m all up for your pranks but this could really get us in bad trouble!”

“There’s nobody around, stop worrying!” Baekhyun hisses.

As the two of them step away from all light, Jongdae feels queasy with worry. He holds Baekhyun’s upper arm to keep himself steady while trying to squint in the darkness.

“Do you even know where you’re going?”

“Of course I do! Infrared vision, remember?”

Oh right, the bastard can see at night. Another one of his snake perks.

“Do you have a flashlight? I have no reptile privileges, unlike you.”

“Oh, shut up.”

A silence falls, but moments later a source of light comes from the palm of Baekhyun’s hand. It is a little flame, coming from a lighter. Jongdae takes it without a word, silently grateful.

The two of them arrive at the grand doors leading to the east wing and immediately pass them, knowing this is not the way to get in. Opening those doors will make a sound that could be heard on the other side of the world. Instead, Baekhyun and Jongdae head to a smaller door that one could easily overlook. Its position is behind a pillar, barely visible, and so poorly placed the door can only open halfway before it hits the concrete pillar.

Jongdae shines the light on the handle as Baekhyun messes with it, knowing a good shaking and a firm grip will eventually open the old door. When the moment comes where the door should open, it doesn’t budge, and Baekhyun steps back, baffled.

“I think it’s locked…” he mutters, placing his hand on the handle again to try and make it work.

“They’re serious about it, aren’t they?” Jongdae wonders, eyes focused on the keyhole.

“Yes, Kim. You’re right about that.” The two students turn around to find a light shining from Minseok, who is right next to Joonmyun. How did they find them here? Shouldn’t they be sleeping?  “This is a serious situation and you two have violated a very serious safety protocol.”

“What protocol?” Jongdae asks.

“The safety protocol that will be enforced tomorrow,” Joonmyun explains, crossing his arms.

“If the protocol will be enforced tomorrow, we can’t possibly have violated it,” comes Baekhyun’s snarky comment.

“Let’s see if the headmistress thinks the same.”

The moment Baekhyun and Jongdae enter the headmistress’ office, a sigh is heard. The pale woman crosses her arms, leaning back in her chair. The light hits her never-aging face and Jongdae feels intimidated. Mrs. Kang is a just, powerful woman, but she has made clear before that she really doesn’t wish to see Baekhyun and Jongdae in her office again. Irritation is clear in her body language; the thinning of her lips and the stiffness of her posture.

“Mrs. Kang,” Joonmyun begins, putting up his good boy act. “I found these two trying to sneak into the east wing.”

With a sharp movement, Mrs. Kang immediately directs her eyes towards Jongdae and Baekhyun.

“What were you two doing there at this hour?”

Jongdae feels Baekhyun’s alarmed look on him, but he continues to stare at his fumbling fingers.

“Mrs. Kang, I believe they were trying to—”

“Hush, I want to hear it from them.”

“We go there more often, Mrs. Kang.” Baekhyun’s voice sounds a lot more innocent than normal. “Just to hang out.”

“You know the east wing is off limits, right?” Mrs. Kang asks, peering at Baekhyun from under her glasses.

Baekhyun stays silent.

Another sigh comes from Mrs. Kang, who is now taking off her spectacles and pinching the bridge of her nose. “I don’t have the energy to deal with this. Joonmyun and Minseok, please these two back to their room and make sure they don’t sneak out again. Lock it if necessary.”

Baekhyun obediently follows Joonmyun and Minseok out of the room, but Jongdae stays still, his brain processing some thought before he abruptly turns around, facing Mrs. Kang.

“Is there really something dangerous hiding in the east wing? Is that why you’re enabling a safety protocol?”

Mrs. Kang gives him a sharp look before gazing at the paperwork. “Any answers I have for you now will be announced tomorrow. Wait until then, Jongdae. And don’t get yourself in trouble again.”

Still confused, Jongdae trudges behind Baekhyun, missing the worry flashing across his headmistress’ face.

 

---

 

A/N: well that turned dark fast lol
I wrote this update in like 2 days but I had to wait for my beta since shes busy hahaha
I hope you are all enjoying it!!!!!! please leave a comment if you did!!!

 

what do yall think they be hidin in that east wing???? i know but i aint telling ya aaaaahahahahha

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please look forward to the next chapter :D

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GrassMower
thanks for over 35 upvotes!!! <3

Comments

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o3villem
#1
Chapter 16: And I loved baeksoo ty for writing them🥺
o3villem
#2
Chapter 16: And I loved baeksoo ty for writing them🥺
o3villem
#3
Chapter 16: I also had my suspicions on Minseok after he smirked when JongDae entered the washrooms. Hehe, smart I am 😂
I enjoyed this fic.
All_Time_Music
#4
Chapter 9: Kyungsoo is adorable here ofnbsja and i have a bad feeling abouy minseok hmmm
AhRa92
#5
YES BAEKSOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1
Rb2012 #6
Chapter 16: Awwww cute chapter
vronvron
#7
Chapter 16: i really really liked this~~~ it was such a good story, development was awesome, i was never bored nor was i overwhelmed by anything, nothing really confused me and i just loved this!!
<3333
luv_kero
2415 streak #8
Chapter 16: I really enjoyed reading this story! :D It was so unique with the half-blood concept and I'm a huge er for high fantasy, so this was right up my alley. It was great to witness Jongdae and Joonmyun's growth throughout the story, because they both learned so much and it culminated in that last fight which they rightfully won. ^^ All in all, great piece! :)
Kpoplover0399 #9
Chapter 16: I feel you Baek, I'm definitely not against that either XD
adrenochrome
#10
Chapter 16: Yes!!! I'm so glad that everything ended on a positive note, and i'm definitely happy about that bonus! Thank you so much for writing such a unique piece <3