“We’re not alone on this planet,” Si Cheng said as soon as he walked into their living area that day after getting out of work and having talked to Yuta.

“Well hello to you too,” Ten said, settling his phone down besides him, only mildly interested in what the other had to say.

“What do you mean by that?” Kun asked, although he was only as interested as Ten. 

“I mean Yuta walked into my coffee shop today wearing metal bracelets,” Si Cheng spoke as if he had said the most consequential thing ever. He took a seat down besides Xiao Jun on the couch while the others exchanged confused looks.

“So. . . He likes jewelry?” Yang Yang asked, not understanding what the older was getting at.

Si Cheng looked around, seeing how everyone had the same blank expression on their faces, including Ten and Kun. He sighed, rolling his eyes. “No, stupids, I mean he had metal bracelets - the kind that freeze your powers, which means his powers kicked in and they’re powerful enough to need the bracelets. And do you guys know where bracelets like that come from?”

At that, Si Cheng finally got the reaction he had been waiting for: Ten’s face dropped and Kun’s hands went up to his head to rub his temples, already feeling a headache coming in. The youngers didn’t show much reaction except for Lucas who went, “oh,” because they were all still not at the age of receiving powers, thus their lack of knowledge.

“There’s a..." Ten closed his eyes with a look disgust evident on his face, "Gladiolus on Earth?! Seriously? As if we can’t get enough of them back home, we have some here? Oh who is it, do you know? Because I want to give them a piece of my min-”

“Hold on, how do you know it's a Gladiolus? Why would the metal bracelets give that away? I’m confused,” Xiao Jun interjected, scratching the back of his neck as he tried to process everything. “Also, why does Ten hate them? Aren't we allies with them?”

“Because they’re our competitors in the solar system we come from,” Si Cheng began to explain while Ten continued rolling his eyes. “For a long time we have been at peace with them but Ten,” He paused, glancing at the guy who was still too annoyed, “Has a grudge against some of them for reasons. Especially-”

“Don’t say his name! I can't stand him.”

“Anyways, lately - before we left - things have been shaky between that planet and ours, and after the whole incident it is very likely that our planet will go to war with them. But what lets us know that one of them may be on Earth are the metal bracelets that Yuta was wearing, because they were something that the Gladiolus would manufacture and trade with us for crystal powers. But you know, after Ten-”

“Don’t talk about the crystal! They know the story!”

“Right. You know the rest.” Si Cheng finished off.

“So, what are we going to do about this?” Hendery asked.

Kun sighed once again, leaning back in his seat. “The only thing we can do. Hope we don’t run into them if they really are here on Earth.”

“Do Young, what a pleasure.”

The guy rolled his eyes at the other’s words. “Shut up, Jung Woo.”

“Just being friendly,” The younger smiled with a shrug in an act of innocence.

“Do you have it?” Do Young asked, getting straight to the point.

The other sighed, taking off his backpack and pulling out a file of pictures. “Do all of our conversations have to be so formal? I thought after so many business meetings we would be closer.”

“We are close,” Do Young said, taking the file and glancing around, scanning the area, before stuffing it into his backpack. “But when it comes to the business setting it’s best if we keep our personal lives out. We can be less formal when you come over for tea this weekend.”

“Fine,” Jung Woo said, rolling his eyes in annoyance. “Anyways, where’s my file? This won’t be a fair trade if you don’t provide.”

“Here,” Do Young said, taking out his own file and handing it over. Jung Woo immediately reached out for it and opened it up - so information hungry as always. “Yeah," the older scoffed at the younger's reaction, "enjoy it. You don’t know what it cost me to find it.”

“I keep up with the news,” Jung Woo said, not as interested in the conversation anymore now that he had what he wanted. “Actually, I cover the news. I know all about Doctor Death and his crazy adventures against-”

“Shh, would you keep your voice down?!” Do Young hissed, glancing around once again to make sure there was no one around. “People might hear you. And no, I didn’t get this through Doctor Death. I got it undercover.”

“Doctor Death, or undercover Do Young, aren’t you all the same?” Jung Woo said, closing the file, growing disinterested with the conversation. “In the end you just cause more chaos and get me some worthy content to cover.”

“You sure are one to talk about being two-faced,” Do Young scoffed.

“So what if I act innocent when I’m just power hungry, is that a crime?” Jung Woo asked, batting his eyelashes with a pout.

“I was talking about you being a shapeshifter, but yeah your fake innocence is definitely something to brag about.”

“I know you’re being sarcastic, but I’m going to take that as a compliment anyway.”

“You’re such a headache.”

“But you love me so.”

“No, I really don’t.”

“So, what is up with you and Mark?” Ren Jun asked when it was just him and Hae Chan in their shack-like room. “You like him but then you ice him out. Also, you two have been up and down since that time I walked in on you the other day.”

Hae Chan sighed, stuffing his face into his hands. “I really am tempted to take you up on that offer, you know.”

“Conceal your emotions? I would have no problem doing that, if you truly wish,” Ren Jun responded, looking a little too enthusiastic to take the emotions right out of Hae Chan.

“No offence, Ren Jun, but your powers completely freak me out,” Hae Chan blatantly confessed.

Ren Jun shrugged and Hae Chan wasn’t sure if he didn’t feel offended because he was using his powers or if he really just didn’t care. “It’s okay. I know they seem weird, but I guess it comes with the whole no emotion equals a sociopath thing.”

“Are you-”

“A sociopath? No. But I do tend to use my powers on myself so often sometimes I forget what feeling is like. I feel things, trust me, I do, but I have made it to where my powers only let specific things affect me. That’s why I hate being around Jae Min so much. He radiates so much happiness and emotion with his powers, it physically pains me.” Ren Jun shrugged.

“That sounds like an au.”

“A what?”

“Nothing. Anyways, about Mark, I think it is just so much easier to avoid him at all costs. Liking him blinds me and makes me do crazy things and then I say mean things but really, I just wish he would toughen up because I care about him and he used to be such a nerd in middle school and most of high school, and I don’t like seeing him get pushed around and- Damn, I’m whipped.”

“Apathy is still an option.” Ren Jun jumped in, trying to crack a joke until he saw the look Hae Chan gave him and he gave up and rolled his eyes. “Look, I may not know much about the whole feeling thing, and I’m not a mind-reader like Jeno, or an empath like Jae Min, but even I can see that Mark is different with you.”

Hae Chan perked up, seeming a little too interested in what Ren Jun was saying.

“By that I mean he’s patient with you-”

“He’s patient with everyone, it’s part of being Mark.”

“And he’s nice to you-”

“He’s nice with everyone.”

“And he puts up with everything you do, including all of your rude remarks-”

“Again, he’s nice.”

Ren Jun groaned, growing frustrated with the guy. “Look, all I’m saying is be nice to him and maybe he’ll like you. He already is so patient with you and treats you kindly, imagine if you were nice to him? He might actually like you.”

“It’s not like I plan on being mean to him, trust me, he’s just so nice and I walk up to him and he’s all goofy and grin-y and it’s stupid because he’s such a nerd and I just have to insult him because liking him is such a weakness and what exactly is he so happy about?”

“Hae Chan.”

“Yes?”

“You’re crazy.”

“Is it just me or is Hae Chan hanging out with Ren Jun a lot often?” Jae Min asked, watching closely to see what Mark’s reaction would be. But to his disappointment, he didn’t show much expression.

He seemed to only think about it before shrugging.

What is he thinking? Jae Min mouthed at Jeno who only shrugged in response.

Nothing much. Jeno responded through telepathy. He’s just focused on eating. I can’t go any deeper into his thoughts without straining myself.

Your powers are useless.

Okay, I don’t see your powers working either.

Stop communicating with me already, maybe he thought something important and you missed it!

I don’t- wait. His mind is working.

Well, what is it?!

Nevermind. He’s just wondering why we’re not saying anything.

Oh.

“Oh,” Jae Min accidentally said out loud, making Mark turn to him with a frown and making Jeno face palm.

“Were you two just mind-communicating?” Mark asked.

Jeno and Jae Min exchanged a look, quickly shaking their heads in strong denial. But Mark wasn’t stupid.

“What were you two talking about behind my back? Or should I say, out of my mind?”

Jeno sighed, shaking his head as Jae Min began to pull out some random excuses out of his . “And that is why I had to ask Jeno through his mind; to spare him the embarrassment.”

Mark didn’t look like he bought it, but he didn’t question any further than that. They didn’t blame him. Jae Min and Jeno were odd.

What a great excuse, Jae Min.

Oh shut it, Jeno, it’s not like you could come up with a better one.

The two boys began to go at it in their minds while Mark remained silent, thinking by himself while he focused on his food. Until he decided to speak up right when Jeno and Jae Min were sending each other some looks, and forcing them to stop and turn to look at him.

“Guys, I need to tell you two something,” Mark spoke up after a lot of debating with himself, “And I don’t know how this is going to sound because I know you two are more Hae Chan’s friends than mine, but, I also think of you two as my close friends and I don’t really know where else to get advice and-”

Jae Min lit up, sending Jeno a quick look of excitement and anticipation which the other returned before they both turned back to Mark, waiting for what he was going to say, thinking he was going to confess to them about his true feelings for Hae Chan.

But Mark didn’t say anything. Instead he remained quiet, as if re-thinking his choice to tell them whatever it was that was troubling him so much.

If I tell them Hae Chan and I got an offer to join another superhero team, would it be betraying Hyuck?

Jeno gasped at the thought that ran through Mark’s head, making the other two turn to look at him. Mark was alarmed.

“Are you-” Jeno couldn’t find a way to words his thoughts. “Are you planning on leaving us? The team?”

Mark sighed, eyes closing as his hands went up to cover his face. Jae Min was looking perplexed, eyes shifting back and forth between his two friends. “What? W-what do you mean? Mark wouldn’t lea- what?”

After what seemed like an eternity of trying to put his thoughts together, Mark looked back up at the two who were staring at him with wide, expectant eyes. He took a deep breath.

“I didn’t want you to find out by reading my thoughts.”

“So were you going to tell us if I didn’t?” Jeno asked, though he knew it was wrong of him to be mad when he did invade the other’s privacy.

“Eventually, yes. That’s what I wanted to tell you guys, but then I remembered that Hae Chan was also involved and it is something that would come best from the both of us.” Mark sighed once again, seeing Jae Min and Jeno’s anticipating looks. “So, do you guys remember when we helped Captain J? And then we got rescued by those two guys.”

“Are they the ones who offered you a spot on their team?” Jae Min asked.

“Yes. The Johnny guy thinks we’d be great on this superhero team he is creating but the thing is he wants us as a duo and-”

“You want to join, and Hae Chan doesn’t,” Jeno finished, not even needing to read his mind again to understand.

“Yes,” Mark nodded. “I don’t want you guys to think of it as betrayal, trust me, I love our team, I really do and-”

“You don’t have to explain yourself,” Jae Min mumbled softly. His eyes didn’t meet Mark’s when he looked at him for an explanation. “I can feel your distress.”

“I’m sorry, guys.”

Jeno shook his head. Very much like Jae Min, he was also not meeting Mark’s gaze, instead looking down at his plate as he also seemed to be in deep thought. “Don’t apologize. If you’re telling us now it means you value our opinions and feelings. I guess - well - this new superhero team must sound very promising which makes me-" Jeno paused, sending Jae Min a glance "-makes us feel like our team is, I don’t know, weak?”

“Our team isn’t weak, guys, you know we are so strong together, but this superhero team-” Mark didn’t know how to word his thoughts. He sighed, looking down at his hands. “Johnny made it sound like they have an in on a lot of things, and I want to be able to do the best I can for the people with my powers.”

Jeno and Jae Min looked at each other, not having to say anything to understand how they both felt on the situation (and not just because of their powers). And they both turned to Mark once again.

“We understand. Are we sad? Yes. But we understand.” Jeno spoke. “So, how are you and Hae Chan going to deal with this?”

“That’s the problem.”

“We need to talk.”

“We need to talk.”

Hae Chan and Mark both frowned that afternoon when they both walked up to each other outside of Ji Sung’s dad’s shop saying the same thing.

“Okay, who first?” Hae Chan asked before disallowing the other to answer. “Never mind, I’ll go first. I’m sorry for being such an .”

Mark opened his mouth to respond before realizing what the other said and closing it. He frowned once again. “What?”

“I just apologized,” Hae Chan said as if it wasn’t just the craziest thing ever. “Look, I know I act like an sometimes, but I do realize when I am being one and I can own up to it. So, here I am, apologizing."

Mark didn't say anything and Hae Chan began to shift around from one foot to the other uncomfortably. "I think this is the part where you accept my apology."

“I guess I accept your apology,” Mark mumbled, still completely taken back. “Uhm, is that all you wanted to say?”

“No, I also wanted to say that,” Hae Chan took a deep breath, “I think I can accept Johnny’s offer with you.”

Mark found himself taken back all over again. “Really?” He asked in disbelief. “What changed your mind?”

“Well, I was talking to Ren Jun and-”

Mark frowned. Again. “You told Ren Jun?”

“What? Of course not. But I was talking to him about - things - and he went on about how I need to be nice and called me crazy and whatever, even though I think he’s the one that is completely crazy- I mean, have you heard him talk about his powers- and I guess I realized that I am an and I thought about the offer more and-” He was rambling. He took another deep breath. “I think I can see things your way. So I am willing to accept Johnny’s offer with you. Anyway, what did you want to say?”

Mark was really at a loss of words at this point. He never imagined the Lee Dong Hyuck could ever own up to his mistakes like this- and he was honestly very impressed. “Uh,” He had forgotten what he wanted to say. He shook his head, trying to remember what he had been so sure on telling Hae Chan, until it snapped. “Oh, I wanted to say that we should talk to Johnny, you know, to know more about the deal. I was thinking and I don't want to leave the others, so maybe deal where we can do both would work.”

“I don’t want to leave them either.” Hae Chan sighed. “I don’t know how we’re going to tell them.”

“About that,” Mark spoke up, avoiding Hae Chan’s gaze, “Jae Min and Jeno may already know.”

“Mark!”

“Jeno read my mind!”

“So you just went up to a pair of kids at the park and asked them to play basketball with you and then asked them to join your superhero team? Johnny, you’re like six feet tall, that’s creepy,” Yuta said as he put his book down and began to shake your head.

Johnny rolled his eyes, setting down his fork and knife. “I’m not creepy.” There was silence at the table and he looked over at Jae Hyun who avoided his gaze, focusing on his plate of food instead, and then at Tae Yong who took a sip of his drink. “Am I really creepy?”

“Well, honestly, you were kind of intimidating at first,” Jae Hyun spoke, looking up at Johnny before quickly avoiding his gaze once again. “I mean, not in like a bad way-”

“But intimidating is bad!” Johnny whined.

“Yeah, but not anymore! I mean, you’re like, really cool and kind of a big dork,” Jae Hyun tried to reassure.

“I don’t know which one is worse,” Johnny sighed. “Tae Yong, what do you think?”

“I think I’m done eating,” Tae Yong said with a firm nod before getting up and walking over to the sink with his plate.

“Me too,” Yuta said, tossing his dishes into the sink before heading out to his room with his book still in hand, leaving behind Johnny and Jae Hyun who remained talking about weird things.

And it wasn’t until Yuta walked into his room that he realized he was smiling at the situation that had just occurred. A genuine smile - he didn't have many of those lately. He didn’t really know or understand how, but in some way, through the time he had spent there, it seemed like he was actually comfortable and happy. Suddenly there was a wave of guilt that slipped into his mind, making him feel bad for feeling at ease even though his best friend was gone, but he tried to shake it off. He didn’t have to feel guilt for feeling happy, right? Lately he hadn't thought that way.

Yuta sighed, sitting down on the edge of his bed as he stared at the blank wall. Johnny had said they were free to decorate their rooms however they wanted, but Yuta was just too busy with school and training, and he also didn’t feel the motivation to start decorating his new room when he was still in mourning. So, he was left with nothing but a bed and a mirror and a very disorganized closet. Perhaps it was time that he stopped mourning. Though he still felt the grief, did he really have to show it?

It was funny how someone could get judged for a thing as such. If someone didn’t mourn did that mean they did not grieve? No. But it just didn’t seem right. Perhaps that was why he disallowed himself from going down to the coffee shop again over that past week to see that boy.

Because seeing him made him happy - which was crazy because they had just met - and he didn’t think it was right to be happy. And it was wrong of him to feel like he couldn’t be happy because he had to mourn and show his grief, and he knew that. He just felt so much guilt and-

Han Sol wouldn’t like seeing him so troubled over his death.

He knew that.

But why did he feel like he didn't? As if he couldn't move on.

Yuta sighed once again, looking down at the metal bracelets around his wrists. They were starting to seem more and more like cuffs with each passing day; He hadn’t realized until the boy pointed them out the other day. Would he ever be able to take them off? He wondered.

Why don’t you try now?

The single thought was enough for him to clutch his right wrist, ready to strip away the bracelet. But then he remembered what had happened that one night and what Tae Yong had told him about his powers. Fear struck him once again and his hand slipped down.

His powers and his mourning- it was all the same.

But Han Sol wouldn’t want it that way.

No, he thought. Han Sol would not want it that way. And with that in mind, he took the bracelet off, flinching as he brought his hand up as if it literally wasn’t attached to him. And he examined it, turning it around as he massaged the spot where the red marks were left. His hand seemed so harmless, as if it hadn’t destroyed an entire building just weeks ago.

Slowly - scared of what could happen - he began to flex his hand. Holding it wide open in front of him before slowly closing it up as he thought about control. Control over his powers. Control over his emotions. And like that night, the blue fog appeared. It began to float around his hand until his hand completely clenched and it vanished.

Yuta unclenched his hand once again; He was slow and tactful with his moves, scared that one wrong move could have Johnny’s home vanished. And slowly, he began to move his fingers; his thumb lightly brushing up against his other fingers while the index one pointed up. And that blue substance once again began to appear, floating around in a wave like a flame.

It was so scary, but he remained calm. He didn’t know what would happen if he didn’t.

What exactly was that blue substance? A fire? His powers charging up?

Yuta looked around the room for something that he wouldn’t miss too much if it turned to ashes. There wasn’t much in the room but he spotted a crumpled piece of paper on the floor and began to focus on it.

He pointed his hand at the ball and with slow and calculating moves, began to move his fingers once again, and then his hand as a whole. And the paper began to levatate. It didn’t just outright float up at first, though. It shook a little and slowly, but surely, levitated off the ground.

Yuta almost smiled. His powers didn’t seem so dangerous then. So, like any other adult who just discovered their superpowers, he began to play around with them. He practiced with the crumpled piece of paper; turning it around, making it float this way and that way and-

He flicked his wrist towards left and the paper went flying in the blue fog, hit the wall - and it comepletely crashed against it, creating a hole in the wall. Johnny, who had just been walking down the hallway, completely froze as the crumpled piece of paper flew just past him, before he looked through the hole in the wall to see Yuta quickly putting his bracelet back on.

“So, uh,” Johnny spoke as he continued to look through the new hole in the wall. Yuta only looked at him sheepishly. Johnny sighed. “I should have made this house superpower proof when I decided to turn it into a home for superheroes.”

And he didn’t say anything else before continuing his walk down the hall as he shook his head.

And Yuta was left behind, also shaking his head as he muttered a small, “Nope. Not doing that again.”

--

Last week was death, and this week was finals, but I am done and will be working on more chapters now.

So, this chapter we finally got... Jungwoo !!!! We have been teasing it for a couple of chapters already but I don't think anybody noticed? His name is usually cut off before he can be fully introduced and he is usually the news reporter talking about, well, the news; or he's shown talking to Doyoung. But I guess no one got the small hints. Anyways, I really like his character and he plays a big part in this story so look out for him in future chapters.

Sidenote, this story is so heavily based on the MCU, so I just wanted to say we watched Endgame (I watched once with friends and then again with our family, so Nae only watched it once with the family), and yes, we cried. I still cry. That's all.

Oh. The movie also might influence some things in this story.

-J

I love you three thousand 

J I am sorry for not putting in more effort sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry to eveone sorrry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sorry sory sorry sorry sorry

~Nae

Also, WayV are not alone on Earth. Who else do you guys think is also an alien?

Stream WayV!