Handling a rehabilitation and protection for wielders is hard, Jihoon have always thought every time he wakes up in the morning.

Lee Jihoon's ability is a passive type called Locate, meaning he can track other wielders through seeing yellow, blue or red dots (depending on what type of the ability is; passive, active, unstable) in maps. They don't always have to be located, nor Jihoon has a need to get them and transfer them in his facility, but nevertheless his ability is somewhat useful. Red dots don't show up right away, Jihoon had learned that it only dawns on him randomly. These red dots are the bane of Jihoon's existence, as they are usually the ones that were classified as "unstable wielders". He had met quite a few, like Wen Junhui with Mentifery, Choi Seungcheol with Deconstruction (a very long history that Jihoon tries to forget about) and his very own twin cousins Min Yoongi and Yoonji with Scorch and Frostbite, respectively.

So yes, handling a rehabilitation and protection for wielders is hard, but nevertheless, Jihoon loves doing his job.

In the morning, he visits the patients and stay with them for an hour or so, and then he comes back down to do paperwork and make calls with the other bases around Korea. His is in Jeju Island, there's one in Daegu handled by his cousins, a small one in Seoul under Kim Seokjin (a Chronos wielder, Jihoon had seen him use it once and it was... unsettling) and one in Gyeonggi-do under Park Jihyo (a Permeation wielder, although Jihoon hasn't met her in person, Jihyo seems nice). Passing his facility off as a regular one is pretty easy, since it's literally an asylum above and this is the part of Jeju where not much people come to. It's near the beach, yes, but away from the tourist spots.

It was another one of those regular days where all Jihoon does is review paperwork on the patients and possible wielders that are in the island that his team had scouted. To Jihoon, a so-called regular day would be like this: wake up, check patients, paperwork, eat lunch, occasionally break fights between his team, paperwork, check patients, eat dinner, more paperwork until he falls asleep and then repeat. A regular day means his team would constantly interrupt said routine, like Mingyu.

"Hey, hyungnim! How are you?" Mingyu, with his towering height, stands over Jihoon's work table and peers through the papers scattered around the desk. "Do you want coffee? You look tired."

"I'm always tired, what's new?" Jihoon replies, not bothering to look up at the giant. He stifles a yawn, evading a lecture from his dongsaeng. "But, uh, coffee. I want some."

"Right away, hyungnim!" Mingyu disappears, and it's silent for a while. Jihoon is thankful for recruiting Mingyu, even though the boy is too much of a hyper puppy for Jihoon, he's one of the people who listens and is there for him. He thinks without Mingyu, Jihoon would've passed away out of exhaustion if not for Mingyu's constant care.

Said boy is back with a mug in hand and a plate of Jihoon's favorite home-baked egg pie. "I had this just out of the oven, hyungnim. I hope you like it." Mingyu shows his signature smile that makes Jihoon smile in return. He sips on the coffee and sighs in contentment, then takes a portion of the pie to his mouth. The cream melts on his tongue, giving him a roll of sweetened after-taste.

"Thanks, Gyu. What's for lunch?" He sees Mingyu say something, but he doesn't hear it.

Jihoon's head starts to ache, then he feels his body getting hauled over in the air, wind picking up as he shuts his eyes tightly to stop his head from spinning more. A set of coordinates etches in his mind, in a university in Seoul. Once the gusts of wind had stopped, he opens his eyes to a recreational hall. There are people moving around him, but they were all blurry except for one. A boy dancing to an upbeat song, fluidly moving to the beat. Jihoon can't see his face yet, as he's facing his back and wearing a snapback. His frame is noodle-y under a sweaty white shirt and joggers.

Prophet, his mind supplies as he watches the boy dance. His aura is yellow, which means he's a passive type wielder. But the way he moves, just as blazing like fire, like a recipe for disaster. Jihoon frowns. Passive types aren't in need of his help, so why did his ability trigger?

As if the guy can sense him, he stops dancing and turns to where Jihoon is standing. He has weird eyes. They're small like his, but pointing a little upwards. Twinges of orange strands peek under the brim of his cap just above it. He grins, his eyes turning into happy crescents as if seeing Jihoon is like a present on Christmas.  "Hello, Lee Jihoon! It's great to see you! I'm looking forward to our meeting on exactly..." He glances at his wristwatch, then back at Jihoon, "two-thirteen in the afternoon! I'll be at Young Pourever cafe near campus. Mingyu will spill coffee on your clothes in seventy-four outcomes, so I suggest you do the remaining two outcomes where you didn't bring him and we'll see where it goes on." The boy waves, "See you later, Hoonie!"

"What?" Jihoon manages to croak out before he blinks and he's back in his office. Mingyu is hovering over him, watching worriedly.

"You were in the middle of asking what's for lunch, hyungnim. I told you it's lamb chops and seaweed soup, then you went glassy eyed and said some numbers. I called Seokmin-ah in here and he had it encircled on the map." Mingyu points at the large map on the wall, with Seokmin leaning on it while holding a marker. There's a bold red circle beside him, around a yellow dot moving around. There are other dots outside the circle, mostly blue, but he also notices the lone red among them. Who is that?

"Hyung, you were out for two minutes. What's their ability?" Seokmin asks. Mingyu shifts, seemingly wondering the same thing.

That never happened before. Usually when he finds wielders, he's like a spectator, only watching them do their thing (whether it be good or bad). But this guy looked and talked to him, he even called Jihoon by full name. He can inform Seokjin about this since it's in Seoul, but then again, Seokjin already have the Null and Psionic wielders with him. Jihoon is sure he can handle another passive one. After all, this guy can be useful.

"His is called Prophet. He can predict the future." Jihoon sighs, rubbing his temples. Why is this ability have to be random then gives him headaches? "He knows my name and he told me not to bring Mingyu because he's going to spill coffee on my sweater."

Seokmin laughs, head tipping back. "Like that's new!"

Mingyu makes offended noises, but Jihoon ignores him. He stares at the red circle on the map. He'll ask Junhui to make a portal for him in a restroom near the place later. For sure, he can't possibly arrive there at exactly 2:13 in the afternoon, right?

His brother puts the marker back on the table, sitting right on top of Jihoon's desk full of paperwork. The older grimaces, but doesn't say anything. How can he ever stay mad at his little brother when he always has that blinding smile on his face? Seokmin drums his fingers on his lap, raising brows at his brother. "So you're going alone, hyung?"

"I should. He didn't say anyone else other than Gyu." He taps his fingers on his lap, "I think he's a good guy, I mean why else would he warn me about this guy messing up my clothes?" Jihoon throws a look at Mingyu, who only pouts.

"Hyungnim, you're so mean."

Jihoon only shrugs, smiling a little. He glances at the clock on the wall, seeing he has three hours to spare. Lots of time to prepare. He feels like he doesn't need to be nervous, but he is for some reason. Being with this guy who probably knows more than what Jihoon does is aggravating and scary. As such, he still needs him. Their shared silence is cut through by Mingyu again, who managed to teleport by the door with Seokmin or maybe Jihoon isn't paying enough attention right now. After all, Mingyu is Thermal and Seokmin is Techno. "Food is ready, hyungnim. If you want, I can just bring it here. I'm sure Hansol already inhaled some of it."

"No, no. I'll be down there with you guys, I just need to clear my head for a bit and make a call." He says, waving his hand to dismiss them. Seokmin looks like he wanted to protest, but grabs Mingyu's arm anyway and leads him out.

This isn't a regular day, then.

 

 

 

 

 

When the guy said 2:13pm, he wasn't kidding. Jihoon arrived at the cafe at exactly at that, even after he did some paperwork and got distracted by the mess the kids did in the greenhouse. ("Minghao, how many times do I have to tell you not to grow mandrakes?" "It's the only thing that'll make Jeonghan leave my tree!" "Don't make me ban you from your own garden, mister.") Junhui told him to holla at him when Jihoon's done and convinced the guy to come with him, but didn't really specify how (should he just yell "Come get me and the cute boy, Jun" or text him?) and said he'll go somewhere first as he waits. Going places with a use of portals had always been an advantage thanks to the Chinese male, since the facility is remotely located in Jeju Island but Jihoon can't help but feel afraid by its method. Jihoon is kind of a traditional type, one who rather use planes and buses than portals, even though they're just literally going to walk through random doors to get to places. ("Kinda like the movie Monsters Inc., you know?" Junhui once said. Jihoon didn't know what he was talking about.) Right now, he isn't even sure if he only timed it right, but the second he planted his on a chair across the prophetic guy, he had second thoughts.

"Hello, Jihoon-ssi." The guy grins. Jihoon finds it endearing. He's about to ask something when he speaks up again. "I know you'll ask how my ability works and all that, to tell you I can see the future and also the possible outcomes simultaneously, even as we speak and—oh, if you're wondering where Junhui went, he took Minghao to Tampa, USA for a rave— then if you actually brought Mingyu with you, you will order an Americano with two sugars and he would've knocked over your shoulder as he fixes his coat and spills the coffee on your sweater. You'll say it's fine, but he'll say sorry eight times then stops when you give him a glare. If you didn't bring him, which is happening right now, it'll rain insanely hard in fourteen minutes and I'm gonna have to take you back to my place and you'll stay the night since well, Junhui is occupied and he won't be able to get you back right away but if not," He points over Jihoon's shoulder, "in sixteen seconds the piece of strawberry cake that the girl two tables over from us will be wasted 'cause she'll trip on the stool on the way to her table. She'll sit up and frown as the barista races beside her and asks if she's alright. The barista will then offer her a free one in exchange."

I... what? Jihoon gives him a confused expression from all that word vomit. Is it bad he didn't get to absorb anything after he mentioned his supposedly ruined sweater?

He turns his head to see a girl paying for a strawberry cake. She takes the tray and walks back to her table, but does trip on a foot of a chair jutted on her way. The cake falls to the floor and she indeed sits up, frowning at the sweet slice beside her.

The barista comes over by her asking if she's alright, and she nods. "Yeah, but the cake."

"It's fine, it was an accident." The barista says, offering a hand to the girl. "I'll get you a new one."

Jihoon is at a loss for words. It's not like he doesn't believe this guy can predict the future, but he still went and proved it. He averts his gaze and back to the guy, who has his chin resting at the back of his hand. The leader opens his mouth to say something, but nothing comes out. The guy cheekily smiles at him.

"Like I said, I see stuff happening in the future. Been doing it since I was fifteen, thought it was just random thoughts. Sometimes it feels like a déjà vu to me. Most significant events I see are—" He takes a deep breath, "—bad. Like, horribly bad. Except some events that you're in it. I've been waiting two years to meet you."

"What's your name?" Jihoon still can't grasp what's going on. This guy, he needs this guy to come back with him right now. He needs to know these bad events. There's a tug in his gut saying he has to have him close to Jihoon. Even if it means... something else.

His smile never fades, in fact, it's seem to shine brighter. "Kwon Soonyoung. My best friend calls me TenTen because of my eyes, while my dance troop calls me Hoshi."

"What can I call you, then?" Anything. My baby, cutiepie, light of my world even. This is totally breaking my code on not crushing on wielders, but I'm more than willing to risk it all. Jihoon is already whipped. He will never admit it out loud (except maybe to his brother when he gets home).

Soonyoung's smile widens that his eyes crinkle and his nose scrunches. Jihoon finds him super attractive and it's really frightening him. "Hm. You'll take me to the facility and immediately your little brother Seokmin will call me Soonie. I don't know, you tell me, Jihoon-ssi."

"I..." Jihoon doesn't know, really. Soonyoung tilts his head in expectation. Does he know Jihoon is in an inevitable doom right now? Does he know Jihoon is having an internal emotional breakdown? Does he know that Jihoon is crushing on him so bad that he's getting crushed? "I guess I'll call you Soonyoung."

Soonyoung lets an amused sound, leaning back on his seat. "Okay, Jihoon-ssi."

Jihoon-ssi? What the hell? We're probably the same age, if not younger! "I know you know I'll tell you to call me Jihoon, none of that ahjussi crap. I'm not that old. I also know you know things that I have yet to know, and that slightly terrifies me."

"Hm, yeah. Actually I know you have... " Soonyoung hums, flashing a smirk that makes Jihoon's cheeks flare. No way. "... cousins in Daegu. Min Yoongi and Yoonji, both have warm hearts hiding behind intimidating stances. You will introduce Yoonji-noona to me in a Skype call tomorrow morning, unless Bae Joohyun-noona does turn up earlier than expected in the Daegu base or an emergency comes up."

"What emergency?" Under the table, Jihoon fidgets with his phone, attempting to message Junhui without looking at it. Soonyoung's eyes flicker downwards before going back to Jihoon's irises. Of course, he knows what Jihoon is doing.

Instead of answering Jihoon's question, he suppress a snicker. "Check your phone, Jihoonie. I'm ninety-nine percent sure you're messaging Seungkwan. It's fine, you don't have to be discreet around me. I'm coming with you anyways."

"Oh." What a reply, Jihoon. "Uh, cool." Even stupider.

The way the prophet smiles utterly turns Jihoon's insides into mush, it's just comforting. Like Soonyoung is bound to be with him. (Technically, he is, 'cause why else would the dancer see Jihoon in his visions two years ago?) Jihoon lowers his head, half-embarrassed and half-trying to actually text Junhui. He finds random letters on the message bar ready to be send to Seungkwan, for which he can feel the fit the Songbird will text back. He quickly erases everything and taps his and Junhui's chat bubble.

 

---

Chat:  ヾ(￣ー￣(≧ω≦*)ゝ

[woozi] and [moonhui]

 

[14:28]

woozi: please pick us up right now

moonhui: ok imma just drop off haohao back home╰(*´︶`*)╯

woozi: no it's ok if you bring him along, I need emotional support

woozi: I feel like I'm about to implode from being alone with this boy

moonhui: aw the boy's a cutie? I sense tea ( ͡° ͜ʖ├┬┴┬┴

woozi: Jun.

moonhui: LMAO okii we're coming, as soon as i find hao in this crowd..

woozi: you lost Minghao?!

moonhui: um it's hard to see in the dark w strobelights blindin you (￣▽￣*)ゞ

moonhui: give me 20 mins~

woozi: I hate you.

moonhui:ε=ε=┌(;￣▽￣)┘

 

---

 

He scoffs and pockets his phone, facing Soonyoung again. The boy is staring at him with a cute close-lipped smile. His cheeks boil under the stare, but he forces not to break eye-contact. For some reason, Jihoon reminds him of a hamster. "He said he'll be here in twenty minutes."

"Ah, then is it okay to buy you a drink while we wait?"

Jihoon blinks. "What?"

Soonyoung chuckles, sliding himself off to stand and brush his hands on his jeans. He's wearing a black shirt under a green bomber jacket, tight jeans with ripped holes on the knees and sneakers. Honestly, Jihoon didn't pay attention to what Soonyoung was wearing a while ago because he's too caught up with the adorable smiles and word vomit, but Soonyoung is definitely Jihoon's type. Jihoon ignores the nagging in his mind about his code and what he's here for. "I'll buy you coffee."

"Y-you don't have to, it's okay." That's right, Jihoon, play your cards.

"I'm not going to spill it on you, I swear. Americano with two sugars and a glazed doughnut, coming right up!" The prophet then leaves him to order. Jihoon flushes more on the thought of Soonyoung spilling coffee on his clothes, though most of the time he would be pissed off, he'd probably take that action as a sign of flirting instead. He shakes his head. What are you thinking? This is business we're doing! Saving Soonyoung and protecting him, not trying to wed him! Get it together, Ji!

 

---

Chat: ヾ(￣ー￣(≧ω≦*)ゝ

[woozi] and [moonhui]

 

[14:34]

woozi: did you find him yet?

moonhui: i'm tryin and he's not answering my texts (￣ ￣|||)

moonhui: can you chill and wait?

moonhui: just talk some more. get to know him!

woozi: I'm here to take him home, not go on a date.

moonhui: take him home huh ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

woozi: WEN JUNHUI

---

 

"Here you go!" Soonyoung places down a tray consisting of two glazed doughnuts, a cup of Americano and a Matcha latte. He sits back down on his seat, grinning at Jihoon as he passes the food.

"Thank you." Jihoon takes the Americano and tentatively sips, indulging on the satisfying bittersweet taste. He's had three cups of coffee today including this one, but he's not complaining. The glowing smile he receives in return is far more satisfying.

He must've seen Jihoon texting again 'cause he glances at the door to the cafe's restroom and says, "Junhui and Minghao will be here in eight minutes and thirty-four seconds. Text Junhui that Minghao is by the bar stand, about to punch someone in the throat for trying to grind on him."

If he's this convenient, Jihoon will never take back what he sent to Junhui. He'll take this guy home. Jihoon does send a quick text to his friend, before clearing his throat. Might as well make small talk. "So uh, what's your major?"

"Performance arts, plus I minor in psychology if my dancing career blows." Soonyoung munches on his doughnut as he talks about the life of a dance major, how hard it is to practice all day while keeping his social life and his Neuroscience grades, which honestly would have been disgusting for Jihoon to listen to someone talk with their mouth full but he doesn't mind. He learns that Soonyoung is a few months older than him ("I don't want you to call me hyung!") and had his parents taken away by the government since they had abilities too.

"I was eight years old back then, I didn't show signs of having an ability so they didn't take me. My best friend's aunt took me in and I grew up with her and Wonwoo." Soonyoung looks out to the window, biting his bottom lip.

Jihoon nods, taking this in. He, too, was left by his parents along with Seokmin. But not because by force of the government... it's just their parents handed them into their hands. Eleven year-old Jihoon woke up with only a nine year-old Seokmin, a luggage of their clothes and two thousand won. At first, Jihoon didn't understand why he's with other people in all-white rooms and machines hooked up to him everyday. He wasn't showing signs of having an ability and so did Seokmin for a few months. One day, he passes by a map of Korea and saw dots all around them, moving and glowing. His mind started announcing out different types of abilities and that's when he realized that it's the pressure of being here triggered his ability. Jihoon decided to it, let's run away and never come back to Busan, then built a facility for wielders in Jeju after meeting the trio of Yoon Jeonghan, Choi Seungcheol and Hong Jisoo, who has Transfer. He had seen and heard stories of wielders losing themselves from the government, having no freedom and forced into experimentation. Jihoon doesn't want anyone to experience what happened to him and those people, and vowed to protect wielders he has come to find.

"Hey," Jihoon breathes out and Soonyoung turns back to him, "you'll be safe now. I'll protect you no matter what, okay? They will never take you away." Not from me.

Soonyoung's face changes from sullen to the happy crescent-grin that Jihoon had adored for the past few hours. "Okay. I trust you, Jihoon."

Jihoon misses a door opening and closing, and he jumps at the sight of a smirking Junhui and Minghao standing by their table. Junhui waves, throwing a smile at Soonyoung. "Hello! We've come here to you guys back! I'm Junhui, and this right here," he motions to his companion, who gives a shy smile that emphasizes his busted lip, "is Minghao. He had a fist fight with a dude at a rave, but he's cool."

"He grabbed my , what do you want me to do?"

Jihoon rolls his eyes at the two, focusing on how cute Soonyoung is as he introduces himself to the Chinese duo. He thinks, yeah, this is okay. He's okay. He watches Soonyoung already warming up to them, his energy lighting up the whole room and yeah, Jihoon will be okay.