After a few more minutes of small talk Jonghyun, though he seems very curious, apparently senses Kibum doesn’t have the energy to talk too much about fate threads and Guardians at the moment. Kibum assures him he can go back to his book and Jonghyun watches him for a second before he scoots closer and holds the book out between them so they both can read.

“Since you already read a bit of it over my shoulder the other day,” he says to Kibum's confused glance.

A laugh bursts out of Kibum. Jonghyun grins back and they settle in to read.

It takes another hour and a half of them reading together, stopping sometimes to make a comment about what they just read, before his mother calls again to tell Kibum that the Guardians and his father have been called to an emergency meeting and it’s safe to come home. Jonghyun puts his book down and watches him intently, concern forming a dent in his forehead, though he says nothing. Kibum ends the call and sends him a faint smile before he stands up.

“I can go back home now,” he tells him. “Thank you for keeping me company.”

Jonghyun stands up too, his book clutched tightly in his hands. He opens and closes his mouth a few times and Kibum waits patiently for him to find the words he needs.

“I was serious before,” he says finally. “I can go with you and tell them the truth.”

Kibum bites his lip and glances around. No one is paying them any attention so he lets his invisibility drop. Jonghyun blinks a little.

“Thank you,” Kibum says softly.

Jonghyun smiles and motions for him to lead the way. None of them feel the need to talk and they walk in comfortable silence to the empty bus stop. Kibum is about to tell Jonghyun which bus they’re taking so he’s ready when it comes, but all he gets out is half a syllable before his world falls apart again.

There, where the cluster of fate threads has been everyday for the past week, now lays a severed fate thread. The edges of the now separated thread look charred black as if it has been burnt off, and it quickly spreads up along the ends, leaving nothing but faint smoke in its wake and no trace of the thread it’s corroding.

Kibum ignores Jonghyun's confused call as he runs over and falls to his knees. He grabs at the broken thread with a sinking heart, his fingers trembling and his body going cold.

“No, no, no,” he pleads, his voice agonized. “Please.”

But the thread doesn’t listen to him and soon it dissolves out of his grasp, and he is grabbing at thin air. His heart is beating painfully fast with horror now and he feels nauseous. He can’t decide which side of the thread to go to first so he is stuck to his spot in the middle, numbly watching them disappear right in front of his eyes, his chest heaving with uneven breaths.

He doesn’t notice he’s crying until Jonghyun kneels in front of him and holds out a napkin.

“I’m sorry,” he says quietly.

Kibum leans forward over his knees, trying to breathe and keep off the urge to throw up, and Jonghyun puts a hand on his shoulder.

“They’re gone,” Kibum whispers. “Just like that.”

He hears Jonghyun take a breath to say something but his head snaps up as a thought hits him and Jonghyun's moth snaps shut.

The thread dissolved as fast as an ice cube in boiling water. Which means that the perpetrator can’t have made it far since the thread had just been severed when Kibum found it.

“Kib–,” Jonghyun begins but cuts off as Kibum shoots to his feet and dries his cheeks.

“They must be close by,” Kibum says.

“What?” Jonghyun asks, confused. “Who?”

Kibum searches the surrounding area and Jonghyun stands up next to him.

“Did you see how fast the thread dissolved?” Kibum says. “The person who did this must still be around here somewhere. They shouldn’t be far.”

He hears Jonghyun draw in a sharp breath.

“Oh,” he says and takes a few steps forward, his head swiveling left to right as he begins searching as well.

They decide to split up and spend nearly three hours wandering around the area, looking for any suspicious activity. Kibum's mother calls several times, but he doesn’t answer because he has no idea what to say to her, nor does he want to waste valuable time by being on the phone.

Nothing stands out and the longer Kibum looks the more dread he feels. He passes a man walking his dog, a woman inspecting a bottle she’s holding, children running and laughing, ignoring their mother calling them, but nothing that stands out.

Doubt fills him. What if there is no perpetrator and this is just happening naturally? Is that even possible?

When Jonghyun and he meet by the bus stop again, neither of them have any good news. Kibum sinks down onto the bench with a heavy sigh and a lump in his throat. He lets out an angry sound.

“God, I feel so helpless!” he growls. “How is this happening?!”

Jonghyun takes a seat beside him and lets out a deep breath, leaning back against the glass.

“Do your people know how to make new threads?” he asks.

Kibum rubs his face and leans his elbows on his knees, fingers clutching his hair.

“No,” he says. “Like I said, this has never happened before. The threads of fate are supposed to be indestructible.”

A shadow falls over him then and he looks up into the hard eyes of councilmember Lee, one of the most esteemed Guardians. His grey-speckled hair, usually so immaculately put in place, is coming loose and the wrinkles around his eyes are even more pronounced in his anger. He is a little fuzzy around the edges, which means he’s invisible. Kibum glances at Jonghyun, who stares at the newcomer with trepidation.

“Kim Kibum,” he says, voice dark and serious. “You are hereby under house arrest and are immediately to return home while we investigate this atrocity. If you attempt to flee we will see it as a confession and judge you accordingly.”

Kibum's stomach drops and he feels cold all over. He’s so shocked this is actually happening he can’t find a single word to say, so he simply nods mutely. In the corner of his eye he sees Jonghyun turn to him with wide eyes. Then his jaw sets.

“Now, wait just a moment!” Jonghyun protests and scowls at Lee. “Who the hell are you and why are you accusing Kibum of destroying the threads?”

Lee shifts in surprise and looks at Jonghyun curiously.

“You see me?” he asks.

Jonghyun narrows his eyes.

“That’s beside the point,” he says. “The important thing is that I am Kibum's witness and I will testify for him.”

Kibum gapes at Jonghyun. Sure, he said he would help out, but actually going against an authority such as a councilmember is taking it to a whole new level. Though, Jonghyun doesn’t actually know who Lee is.

Lee looks back at Kibum. He stares at him, still unable to find anything to say.

“Very well,” Lee says. “You will be kept under house arrest with Kibum and given the chance to testify when the hearing begins.”

“Fine,” Jonghyun bites out.

Lee narrows his eyes and Kibum looks back at Jonghyun worriedly, but Jonghyun simply clenches his jaw and shoots Lee the stink eye. Kibum wants to laugh.

“Now,” Lee says and motions behind him to a black car with tinted windows. “If you would be so kind as to get in the car. I will take you back home where you will stay for a few days.”

He turns without waiting for their response, expecting them to follow. Kibum sighs and stands, Jonghyun following quickly. He gives him a weak smile.

“Thanks Pinkie,” he murmurs and Jonghyun grins.

“No problem,” he says.

The ride back home is weighed down by awkward silence. Lee is sitting across from Kibum and Jonghyun in the backseat, studying them both intently, while they try not to meet his eyes.

Lee has always wanted to find a reason to punish Kibum, since he hates the fact that Kibum wants to be free of the duties of the Guardians. Ever since Kibum can remember, Lee – an otherwise quite tolerable man – has been nothing but cold and spiteful towards him. There has never been a good enough reason for him to penalize Kibum but he may just have found the perfect chance to take out his frustrations with Kibum's neglect on him.

Relief fills Kibum when they finally turn onto his street and he very nearly bolts out of the car before it comes to a full stop. He doesn’t stop to bid Lee goodbye or to check if Jonghyun has managed to follow him. Jonghyun must have been as eager to get out of the car as he had been because, as Kibum stops at the elevator, he is just two steps behind.

“Talk about awkward,” he laughs and Kibum manages a smile.

“I never liked him,” he says. “And he’s always hated me.”

Jonghyun rolls his eyes with a shake of his head.

“He sure knows how to intimidate, I’ll give him that.”

“You stood your ground against him though,” Kibum says.

Jonghyun snorts.

“Part of growing up an orphan is standing your ground against prejudiced s.”

The elevator dings and the doors open. Kibum grimaces a little to himself as they step inside and he presses the button for the tenth floor.

“Why would people judge you for being an orphan?” he asks as the elevator begins moving.

Jonghyun shrugs.

“Some people are just idiots,” he mutters. “Think they’re all that because they have two parents and are supposedly brought up right because of it. Everyone always thinks I’m a thief or a liar because I have no parents.”

Kibum frowns.

“That’s dumb.”

Jonghyun laughs.

“Yeah.”

They’re silent the rest of the ride up, thought it’s not awkward like in the car. Kibum has to take a moment outside the door to his apartment to steel himself. After giving Jonghyun a glance and receiving a small smile, he reaches for the handle and pulls the door open. They barely manage to step inside before his mother rounds the corner to the kitchen and hurries over to them. She pulls Kibum into a tight hug that threatens to break his ribs.

“Mom,” Kibum groans out. “I can’t breathe.”

She lets him go and pulls back. He sees the tears well up in her eyes and swallows around a growing lump in his throat. His mother cups his cheek and smiles weakly. Then her eyes shift behind him and Kibum remembers Jonghyun. He clears his throat and turns.

“Mom, this is Jonghyun,” he says and motions towards him. “Jonghyun, this is my mom.”

Jonghyun smiles and holds out his hand.

“Nice to meet you, Mrs. Kim,” he greets her.

She glances back at Kibum, her eyes questioning, but takes Jonghyun's hand.

“Nice to meet you too, Jonghyun,” she says slowly.

Jonghyun continues smiling and rolls on his feet a little while Kibum's mother looks at Kibum expectantly.

“He’s under house arrest with me,” he explains. “He told councilmember Lee he would be my witness.”

His mother’s eyes widen and she looks back to Jonghyun.

“You are a Guardian?”

Jonghyun wrinkles his nose.

“No,” he says. “I didn’t even know something like Guardians existed until, like, a week ago.”

His mother frowns.

“But,” she says, “you can see the fate threads?”

He nods and her frown deepens.

“Who are your parents?” she asks.

Jonghyun's expression falls and Kibum bites his lip.

“Uh, mom,” he begins.

“I’m an orphan,” Jonghyun cuts him off. “I never knew my parents.”

Kibum's mother’s face goes blank and she stares at Jonghyun as if she has seen a ghost.

“Oh, you couldn’t be Kim Jonghyun, could you?” she whispers.

Both Kibum and Jonghyun stare at her in bewilderment.

“What?” Jonghyun asks, voice breathless. “My last name is Byul.”

Kibum's mother shakes her head and motions for them to come inside.

“Let’s sit down in the living room,” she says. “Do you boys want anything?”

They both shake their heads and Kibum’s mother nods. She leads the way over to the two couches they have and sits down on one of them. Kibum and Jonghyun sit down on the other.

Kibum's mother watches them for a silent moment, mostly inspecting Jonghyun, who squirms under her gaze. Kibum has the urge to grab his hand to reassure him but refrains.

“What is this about, mom?” he asks instead.

His mother lets out a heavy sigh and folds her hands in her lap. She stares at them for a moment before she answers.

“How old are you, Jonghyun?” she finally says and looks up.

Jonghyun looks as if that was the last question he expected and throws Kibum a confused look. Kibum shrugs at him.

“I’m twenty-three,” he answers. “Or twenty-two. I’m not entirely sure.”

Kibum's mother closes her eyes and nods.

“I thought so,” she says, more to herself than them. She looks at them again. “Do you know how you ended up at the orphanage? Or why your last name is Byul?”

Jonghyun looks even more confused.

“I… well,” he clears his throat. “I don’t know how I ended up at the orphanage, the matrons said I just turned up on the doorstep in a baby car-carrier one afternoon. As for my last name, one of the matrons gave me hers, since I was never adopted.”

Kibum's chest constricts at this piece of information, but his mother simply nods again.

“Have you seen the threads of fate your entire life?”

“Yes?” Jonghyun says, but it is so uncertain it sounds like a question.

The urge to take his hand and reassure him grows stronger, so Kibum bumps his knee to Jonghyun's. He casts him a grateful look.

“Excuse me, but can you tell me what this is about?” Jonghyun asks.

Kibum's mother takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly, which she always does whenever she’s thinking or contemplating what to say.

“Twenty-one years ago, two Guardians disappeared,” she explains. “And they had a son named Jonghyun.”

Kibum hears Jonghyun's breath stop and looks at him worriedly. His full attention is on Kibum's mother.

“I remember, because I had just befriended the mother of the little boy and we had planned a play date for him and Kibum,” his mother continues, motioning in Kibum's direction. “Although Kibum was only one and the other boy was two we thought they could become good friends. They disappeared about a week before that play date.”

Kibum watches Jonghyun swallow harshly and glance at him. He opens and closes his mouth a few times, but no sound comes out so Kibum decides to ask the question he’s sure is on Jonghyun's mind instead.

“And you think Jonghyun is that boy?” Kibum says, tearing his eyes from Jonghyun's pale face to his mother’s worried expression.

“I…” his mother hesitates. “I am almost certain Jonghyun is the same person as that boy. It certainly coincides with the time. And he can see the threads of fate.”

Kibum bites his lip and Jonghyun takes a shaky breath, finding his voice again.

“Is there anyway to know for sure?” he asks.

Kibum's mother smiles gently.

“We Guardians do keep a database of every member, so I would think we could see if your DNA matches the one we have in the database for the boy.”

Jonghyun takes a deep breath.

“So, um,” he continues and looks at Kibum. “I would know my real birthdate? And where I came from?”

Kibum nods.

“Yes,” Kibum's mother says softly and they look back at her. “Though I believe that has to wait until after Kibum's hearing.”

Kibum's stomach drops and he fights the urge to let out a distressed sound. This time it’s Jonghyun who bumps his knee against Kibum's and Kibum can’t help giving him a faint smile. Then he looks at his mother, who is glancing between them.

“I’m sure they’re even less inclined to believe anything I say since councilmember Lee found me just where another thread had been severed,” he says. “He’s probably ecstatic.”

“Yes, I heard,” she sighs. She looks at Jonghyun and smiles a little. “It’s good you have a witness.”

Then she stands up and looks at the clock.

“Your father will be home from his emergency council meeting soon,” she tells them. “I’ll start dinner. Jonghyun, will you stay here until the hearing?”

Jonghyun shrugs.

“They said I was under house arrest too,” he says. “But they never specified where. I could go back to my dorm if I’m in the way.”

Kibum's mother waves a hand at him.

“You’re more than welcome to stay,” she says and leaves the living room.

Jonghyun lets out a deep breath and falls back against the couch cushions. Kibum leans back beside him and watches him close his eyes. There’s a frown on Jonghyun's forehead and he wants to smooth it out with his fingers.

“Are you okay?” he asks, voice quiet. “That was a lot to take in.”

Jonghyun opens his eyes and turns his head to meet Kibum's eyes, cheek pressed against the couch.

“Yeah,” he whispers. “It’s just so surreal. Do you think maybe I’ll find a relative?”

Turning his eyes to the ceiling, Kibum considers for a moment. It was certainly possible, but then wouldn’t his mother have already told them if Jonghyun had a living relative? Then again maybe she wants to wait to be absolutely certain Jonghyun is who she thinks he is before telling him.

“I think,” he murmurs and looks at Jonghyun again, “that once we have looked you up in the database we can track down any relative you might have.”

After searching his face for a moment, Jonghyun smiles softly.

“Okay.”

Kibum smiles back and sits up.

“Do you want to learn how to go invisible?” he asks.

Jonghyun's eyes widen.

“I can do that?” he says, incredulous.

Kibum laughs.

“Of course,” he says. “If you are a guardian.”

Jonghyun sits up as well and looks at him expectantly. Kibum smiles and holds his hands out. After hesitating for a moment, Jonghyun grabs them.

“So, I’m going to help you the first few times,” Kibum explains. “Just so you get the feeling for it. Then you can try on your own.”

It seems Jonghyun isn’t paying attention, however, but instead is staring at his right hand. Kibum clears his throat.

“Jonghyun?”

He looks up.

“Yeah?”

“Are you ready?”

Jonghyun rolls his lips together and stares as if he has never seen another human being before. Kibum is about to ask but Jonghyun nods and motions for him to begin. Frowning a little, Kibum squeezes his hands.

“Is everything all right?”

Jonghyun smiles and nods.

“Yeah, I just got sidetracked for a moment thinking about potential relatives.”

Kibum's heart clenches and he squeezes Jonghyun's hands again. Jonghyun squeezes back.

“Okay. So, try concentrating on the feeling you’ll get once I make you go invisible,” Kibum says, hoping this will take some of Jonghyun's worries of his mind for a moment. “Once you can bring that feeling out yourself you should be able to go invisible without my help.”

A concentrated dent appears on Jonghyun's forehead and he nods. Kibum takes a breath and begins going invisible, channeling the tingling feeling over to Jonghyun through their linked hands. Jonghyun gasps and looks at Kibum with his mouth hanging open while he grows blurry around the edges, starting from his hands and moving up his arms, then to the rest of his body. Then he laughs, an exhilarated sound, and Kibum grins.

They spend about an hour doing this and just as Kibum thinks Jonghyun is ready to try on his own, the front door opens and his father arrives. Kibum suddenly remembers everything that has happened that day and he grows cold all over. He’d been so focused on Jonghyun everything just slipped his mind.

Will his father be angry? Disappointed? Even if Kibum's mother doesn’t suspect him, he can’t be as sure about his father’s feelings and thoughts. Ever since Kibum grew old enough to rebel against him they don’t talk all that much or often. And he might love Kibum but that doesn’t mean he can’t suspect him.

Jonghyun must sense the change in Kibum because his grip on Kibum’s hands tightens. Kibum tries to give him a reassuring look, but is too nervous to manage anything but a grimace as he hears his father move towards the living room. His mother comes out of the kitchen to greet him in the hallway. Kibum can hear her murmur something to his father and soon they have both made their way into the living room. Both of them raise their eyebrows as their eyes fall upon Kibum and Jonghyun sitting cross-legged on the couch, holding hands.

“Kibum,” his father says and Kibum swallows.

“Yes?” His voice shakes and he tries to quietly clear his throat.

Giving his hands a last squeeze, Jonghyun lets go and stands up.

“Your son is not the culprit, sir,” he says, confident and even.

Kibum's father appraises Jonghyun curiously, much like councilmember Lee.

“And you are?”

“Jonghyun, sir,” Jonghyun says. “Kibum's friend. And I will also be his witness at the hearing.”

Kibum's father nods.

“Thank you, Jonghyun,” he says. “I don’t believe Kibum is behind this either.”

Kibum blinks. Not that he thinks his father would willingly accuse him of something like destroying fate threads, but he did think his father would at least be a little suspicious and question him as soon as he got home.

“You really don’t?” he asks.

His father looks at him sharply.

“When will you understand that as much as you infuriate me sometimes, you are my son and I would never believe something like that of you?” he says calmly.

A lump lodges itself in Kibum's throat and he can’t find anything to say.

“Oh,” he whispers.

Awkward silence falls for a moment. Kibum is staring at his feet, not able to look at his parents in fear of bursting into tears. He has learned more about their love for him today than ever and suddenly he is filled with fondness for them. It is a little sad that it had to basically take a disaster for him to realize this.

“Jonghyun?” his mother breaks the silence. “Would you like to help me set the table?”

Jonghyun must have nodded because soon they both are gone, leaving Kibum alone with his father. Silence still hangs heavy in the air, until his father sighs heavily and comes over to sit down beside Kibum. He puts a hand on Kibum's shoulder.

“Kibum,” he says, more gentle than Kibum has ever heard him. “We will get to the bottom of this and I promise you I won’t let them imprison you or hurt you in any way.”

Kibum's vision blurs and soon tears drop into his lap. His father doesn’t notice until he lets out a small sniffle.

“Thank you,” Kibum whispers. “Dad.”

His father sighs again and pulls him into a one-armed hug. Kibum hesitates. He hasn’t hugged his father ever since he was six. He decides that it doesn’t matter and puts his arms around him. His father lets him cry against his shoulder until his mother calls that dinner is ready. Then he pats Kibum's head and tells him to go wash his face before coming to the dinner table.

Jonghyun is seated in the chair beside Kibum's, which usually stands empty, and he smiles at him as Kibum sits down. They all make an effort to talk about other things than the destroyed threads, the impending hearing or anything to do with Guardians and Kibum feels a little better. He is sure that the truth will be found out eventually, it always is, and then everything will go back to normal.

Except maybe, Kibum may actually take his Guardian duties a bit more seriously and try to be a good son.

A/N: Yes, so, another chapter :) If anyone's still there haha! Majorly un-edited though, so please excuse the mistakes. And I'm sorry it took some time, but I got stuck :(

I hope you liked this chapter, though! Things are happening and yeah... things.

Okay, love and bye~ <3