153

Kyungsoo has heard more about Suho via the news than from his friends, which is quite a feat considering how often, and how randomly, that name pops up conversation.

He understands why Chanyeol and Baekhyun, the heroic duo known only to the public as Loey and Nuyh (how their true identities remain a secret to this day is a mystery to Kyungsoo because Loey and Nuyh is about as good a cover as Superman and glasses) would discuss their archenemy, especially after another victory, but why always?

“Can’t we have one night without mentioning him?” Kyungsoo groans. “Please.”

Baekhyun gasps in (mostly) mock outrage. “Suho is the reason an entire building collapsed today!” He growls at nothing in particular. “I don’t understand how he manages to escape every damned time. He’s beaten, defenceless – he could be bound and gagged, pinned down, and still he’d just smirk, infuriating bastard, and slip away. How?”

“Perhaps the city needs new heroes,” Kyungsoo muses.

Baekhyun pins him with a withering glare. “Or perhaps we need to stop playing nice. Perhaps the only way to stop him is to kill him.”

“No,” Chanyeol cuts in, ever the fairytale hero to counteract Baekhyun’s realistic cynicism. “We can’t kill him, Baekhyun. We would be no better than him.”

“His life does not outweigh the ones he has taken,” Baekhyun gripes, hand curling into a fist atop the table. “We cannot keep this up. To catch him, we might need to hurt him.” He swallows. “You might need to hurt him.”

“My powers are nullified by his,” Chanyeol murmurs.

“So do it the old-fashioned way,” Baekhyun says, and mimics pulling out a gun. He takes aim. “Bang. Dead.”

“Or incapacitated,” Jongin offers, eyeing Chanyeol carefully as Yixing hums noncommittally next to him.

Kyungsoo sighs and resigns himself to another evening spent discussing Suho.

109

Don’t get him wrong: Kyungsoo cares about the city and its citizens. He worries about Chanyeol and Baekhyun, never knowing if they’ll return from saving the city with only bruises or in a body bag. Chanyeol, in particular, may take great care to not hurt anyone, but Suho has no such qualms.

The news is showing live footage of them chasing Suho through the city. It sickens Kyungsoo, and sometimes he cannot bear to watch them get hurt, but he usually stays on the channel because he needs to know.

In the end, Suho narrowly escapes, Baekhyun glaring at the cameras in his face and Chanyeol looking off to the side to wherever Suho disappeared.

Kyungsoo turns off the TV.

44

“Chanyeol isn’t coming,” Baekhyun announces upon arriving at Yixing’s apartment for their weekly get-together.

“What?” Yixing calls from the kitchen. “Why not?”

Baekhyun shrugs and makes a beeline for the couch after kicking off his shoes. “Dunno. Said he had something to do. Didn’t ask.”

Kyungsoo narrows his eyes at Baekhyun. “He has been quieter these past few weeks, you know.”

Baekhyun sighs. “I know. Not much I can do about it. He just fobs me off whenever I ask.”

Kyungsoo purses his lips, but Baekhyun’s right.

27

Kyungsoo happens to be on the way home from work in the aftermath of another fight between his friends and Suho. There is nothing unusual about this, really, except he passes an alleyway and has to pause, because the two men he sees are unmistakably Chanyeol and Suho.

And Suho has Chanyeol pinned to the wall, which would have Kyungsoo moving if not for the very obvious fact that they aren’t unfriendly.

“Junmyeon,” Chanyeol moans against Suho's lips, “please - yes -”

Kyungsoo flees.

18

Kyungsoo’s eyes are glued to the television the next time Suho strikes.

He hasn’t breathed a word of what he saw to anyone, not yet knowing what to make of it.

Chanyeol’s absentmindedness, his stubborn refusal to hurt Suho, his long(-ing?) glances… It seems obvious to Kyungsoo, now, as he watches their interactions on screen, but he knows that’s probably just him reading too much into it. There’s something, certainly, but Chanyeol’s mounting frustration as one hour stretches into two and they’re still on the chase, the desperation in his gaze as he pleads with Suho to turn himself in … All of that is classic Loey, the hero who so earnestly believes in the villains’ chance at redemption.

But now Kyungsoo also sees the hero who, somewhere along the way, somehow, caught feelings for the villain.

Faintly, Kyungsoo realises, watching Suho’s lips widen into a mocking smirk as he whispers to Chanyeol’s pained face, “I’d rather burn,” this won’t end well.

9

Jongin is twiddling his thumbs. “Does Chanyeol seem… sad? To you?” he eventually asks into the silence.

Baekhyun has been uncharacteristically quiet lately, as well. “He is. Something is weighing him down, but he insists it’s nothing, that he’ll deal with it himself.”

Kyungsoo opens his mouth to finally reveal everything, to ease the weight on his shoulders, but he clams up almost immediately and bows his head.

Is it his place to out Chanyeol like this? He knows Chanyeol would rather die before he lets himself join the dark side, but when said dark side has sweet-talking Suho…

Kyungsoo knows Chanyeol. They have been friends since before Chanyeol decided to team up with Baekhyun to use their powers for good, right about the same time Suho decided to use his for evil.

Kyungsoo fears this is just a game to Suho. Chanyeol wouldn’t let Suho ruin him, would he?

Kyungsoo grows less sure by the day.

0

Kyungsoo, for a chance, is watching from the sidelines rather than through his TV as Baekhyun and Chanyeol corner Suho.

Suho is already starting to smirk, his gaze intent on Chanyeol, and Kyungsoo realises – this is it. Chanyeol is too close, standing closer to Suho than to Baekhyun in his earnest attempt to convince Suho to hand himself over. Baekhyun won’t be able to react in time if Suho –

As all this passes through his mind, Kyungsoo sees Suho start to move, and he himself instinctively steps forward even though he would sooner be a hindrance than a help, and then –

A gunshot rings through the air.

Suho collapses, and the gun drops from Chanyeol’s hand, his face stony even as Baekhyun rushes towards him, even as the crowd cheers and cameras flash.

-1

The news in the morning officially reports Suho dead after Loey’s heroics.

Unofficially, Chanyeol stayed the night at Kyungsoo’s and wept.