"Jae Rin-ah! Can you pass me the milk?"

            Jae Rin rolled her eyes from the sink, elbows deep in soap suds. After a full day’s work, she was too tired to make a snarky comment. Wordlessly, she looked to the fridge and it opened, milk levitating out. She shut the door and sent the bottle to Dongwoo before turning back to the sink.

            "Thanks!"

            She grunted in return, her motor skills rendered useless in her fatigued-drunken state. The last of the customers trickled out of the store and The Haven was finally locked up. With the open sign turned off, the pair scrubbed down the tables and sticky countertops, remnants of a busy day running tables and serving snobby customers.

            “Do you mind locking up the store on your own? A couple of the guys invited me out for some drinks, unless you want to tag along?” Dongwoo wrung out the dish rag, unraveling it before setting it on the counter. He looked up at her for a reply.

            “Nah, go ahead. I still have a lot to do. Besides, I’m not much of a drinker anyway. Have fun with your friends.” She smiled slightly and continued cleaning the espresso machines. An unconscious, laboured sigh escaped from her lips as she fidgeted with the metallic parts.

            Why aren’t you cooperating today? Damn machine... She sighed yet again, this time it was heard by Dongwoo. He watched as she pulled on the handles, twisting and turning in every direction, trying to pull them off for a thorough rinse. Despite it only being a month or so since she had started, he couldn’t deny the fact that she was probably one of his best, and most hardworking, employees. Even his partner’s skill levels couldn’t compare to hers. He knew she was being overworked and he felt bad, but he couldn’t do anything else since they were understaffed.

            I can’t afford to hire another worker, he thought, but I can let her have a week off to rest. Her powers have drained the life out of her and, I have to admit, I miss her sarcasm. Gathering the last of his belongings, Dongwoo headed for the counter, placing an extra set of keys to the store on top of the cash register.

            “Jae Rin-ah, I’m going now. The keys are on the till. Oh, and don’t worry about coming in tomorrow, or for the rest of the week, in fact. Take some time off. You deserve it. I’ll see you in a week!” Before she could even process his words, he was out the door and had flown off in his bird form.

            What the hell? I guess I’m off for a week then...Sweet... She grabbed all the pieces of the machine and headed to the sink.

--

            “Hey guys, what’s so important that I had to ditch my employee?” Dongwoo joined his friends in the booth. Their table was in a secluded corner, away from the busy restaurant and suspect eavesdroppers. They needed their privacy for what was about to go down.

            “You’ll know by the time we finish talking,” Woohyun mumbled, eyeing the patrons sitting near them.

            “For now, I advise you to eat and get a few drinks in your system before we tell you what’s up,” Sunggyu said, handing him a menu. Dongwoo stared at his friends with a raised eyebrow. He couldn’t figure out what had made them so antsy and be suspicious of everyone around them, but whatever it was, it had to be important, possibly dangerous.

            Their orders arrived and they ate in silence. Woohyun peeked at other diners once in a while, eyes glazing over periodically. It was a tell tale sign that he was reading their minds. Voices filled his head as he opened up his psyche to their thoughts, soaking them in like a sponge. Money, power, family, love, arbitrary wishes voiced themselves from every direction. Common desires...he grimaced at the hopeless yearnings of the common folk.

            A permanent frown had pasted itself onto Sunggyu’s face as images flashed through his head. Prominent futures, deadly futures, blank futures, they all rushed through like a broken film strip hastily taped together. The images weren’t subsequent to its predecessors, nor were they in any particular chronological order. They came and went, revealing the futures that would uphold, that only he could read.

            Their plates were finally cleared and their coffee brought out.

            Silence.

            “So, what is it that you wanted to tell me?” Dongwoo spoke up first, initiating the conversation that could change everything.

            “Now, before you do anything stupid and run off, please listen to the both of us first,” Sunggyu warned. They, all of Infinite, had to keep an open mind when they find out later. Dongwoo held out a hand, urging him on. “So, we all know Hoya travels, yes?” He waited for a nod. “We also know why he travels, even if we all don’t agree with him, correct?” Another nod. “Also, you know how Woohyun and I can’t read his mind nor see into his future, right?”

            “Where are we going with this, hyung?” Dongwoo asked with a sigh. “I have an early start tomorrow since I let Jae Rin have a week off. She’s been working non-stop and is exhausted from using her powers so often.”

            “I’m glad you brought her up. She’s the main reason why we are here,” Woohyun spoke up. “Dongwoo hyung, do you find Jae Rin-sshi a little bit, I don’t know...strange?” he asked.

            “Strange? What are you talking about?”

            “Well, aside from her sarcasm, her powers, I guess. Don’t you find it unusual that she could control numerous things at once? Even a master telekinetic can’t do that. Hold on...we have us an audience...” Woohyun’s gaze shifted to the table next to them. The family at the table had taken note of their odd behaviours and were tuning in to what was supposed to be a classified conversation. He cast an invisible shield upon the family, their eyes dulling as he took control of their thoughts. Any traces of what they had heard were erased from their minds, completely wiped clean. As it should be. He closed his eyes and concentrated his shield on the entire restaurant, grasping onto the diners’ and workers’ subconscious. We are not here...we do not exist...this table does not exist...we are invisible... He opened his eyes with a satisfied smirk. “Now, we can talk comfortably.”

            “As he was saying, don’t you find her abilities strange?” Sunggyu continued. Dongwoo stared out the window in thought. It hadn’t occurred to him that the dexterity of her powers were uncommon, even though his friend with the same affinity could not even dream of controlling things like she could.

            “Now that I think about it, I guess it’s a little strange. For all we know, it could be a rare ability?” He had a hard time convincing himself that.

            “Well, you could be right. However, what I’m about to tell you now, will rebuke that thought instantly.” Dongwoo stared at Woohyun, eyebrows furrowed. “We all noticed at Yeol’s birthday that Jae Rin-sshi was similar to Hoya, right? What if we told you she’s not just similar to him, but almost exactly alike?”

            “What? Are you trying to say she’s on a mission as well? Did you read her thoughts? See into her future?”

            “That’s the thing, Dongwoo-ah, we can’t read her. Like how we can’t read Hoya’s thoughts or see his future, we can’t see hers either. Woohyun tired to read her mind at the dinner, but he hit a mental wall,” Sunggyu explained. “I tried to read her future as well, but she zapped me. It was like her mind stung me with a taser gun. Hoya’s has a similar reaction, but it doesn’t hurt as much as hers does.”

           “So what you’re trying to say is...” Dongwoo felt a headache coming on as he tried to comprehend their facts.

            “What we’re trying to say is, she’s not who we think she is. Not being able to read her, it’s too similar to Hoya....it’s like they’re twins. Maybe, maybe she’s what he’s looking for...” Woohyun frowned. Although he didn’t want to believe it, it seemed logical in its own twisted way. Hoya had always told them he was looking for someone, someone who was just like him. Someone who could possibly be stronger than he was, because they had taken something from him. Something extremely important. Something that was a part of him. And he wanted it back.

            The trio exchanged wary glances as the thought sunk in. It was possible that she could be the one whom their friend was seeking for. The characteristics, the powers, they were all too alike. Sunggyu and Woohyun were convinced she was hiding something, yet Dongwoo couldn’t seem to believe it.

            “I don’t know, guys. We could be jumping to conclusions. Besides, if she’s like Hoya, she must have another power. Hiding it would be difficult seeing as he can’t conceal his for more than an hour. I think you two are worrying over nothing. Also, haven’t you come across a few people who you couldn’t read as well? Maybe it’s the same with her.” Dongwoo finished off his drink and checked his phone. “It’s late, I’m going to go home first. You guys shouldn’t worry yourselves too much about this. It’s not our problem anyway.” He placed some bills on the table and gave them a salute before sliding out of the booth and leaving the restaurant.

            “I guess he has a point. Anyway, I’m going to leave first. Don’t fuss too much over this, it’ll only give you a headache.” Sunggyu pat his friend on the shoulder before heading out as well.

            Woohyun released his hold on the people and called for the bill. Even though his friend didn’t believe him, he was still convinced there was something going on with her, and he was going to find out.

--

            One week is finally up. Now I can do something with my non-existent life. Jae Rin “happily” skipped down the street to The Haven. Having had a week’s rest, she was re-energized and ready for work.

            The familiar bells chimed as she entered the store, inhaling the strong scent of freshly roasted coffee beans. Dongwoo looked up from the counter and grinned. His saviour was finally here.

            “Oh, thank goodness you’re back. It was so dead without you here. My regulars aren’t ‘my’ regulars anymore. They all want you,” he whined in her ear and she shoved his face away.

            “Quit complaining and get ready. I saw a lot of people on my way here. Well, what do you know, they’re already lining up,” she dryly laughed as a large group of customers entered the store and greeted the two warmly. “Boss, guess what time it is?”

            “What time is it?”

            “Showtime.”

--

            They ran for hours, scrambling to fill out the orders that constantly piled themselves up. Jae Rin was stuck behind the counters, rushing through each order as fast as she could, trying not to screw up or miss an ingredient. That left Dongwoo to man the register and run tables. He was sweating buckets by the time the rush ended.

            “Ah, kill me now. Maybe I should’ve taken two weeks off,” Jae Rin groaned from the table. Her head rested on the cold glass, cooling down her warm cheeks. All that running drained her energy. Aish, all that rest for nothing. Now I’m even more tired than before. She mumbled in pain as she stretched out her aching back. I wonder where the Animorph is...

            “Remind me never to wear these jeans ever again,” Dongwoo growled, coming out of the restroom holding his black skinny jeans.

            “I thought you would’ve figured out by now, Boss. If those pants are tighter than mine, you shouldn’t be wearing them in the first place. When will men learn? Oh, I know, when they discover that their count has decreased significantly because of those oh-so-tight pants they chose to wear,” she chortled. He stuck his tongue out at her and stretched out his cramped legs.

            “They’re fashionable.”

            “They’re dangerous,” she said with all seriousness.

            Seconds later, they both burst into laughter. She clutched her aching stomach and doubled over, gasping for the air. Tears streamed down her cheeks as she hiccupped with glee. It felt good to laugh without worries, something she had never been able to experience on her run. Life isn’t so bad after all.

            “Okay, enough fun. I’ve got to make a quick grocery run. We need more milk and some cream.” Dongwoo untied his apron and shoved it under the counter. “I’ll be back in a bit. Be careful! Don’t let some guy come in and harass you!”

            “Great, you jinxed me! Now it’s really going to happen,” she scowled and punched him. Worry etched on her face. It always happened to her. For as long as she could remember, whenever someone had mentioned something about harassment or getting mobbed, it would somehow end up happening to her. Prone to jinxes, awesome. Now I gotta stay on my toes. I’m just that lucky.

            “I’m sure you’ll be fine. Besides, if a guy did try to rob you, you’ll probably whoop his into the next century.” With one last wave, he left the store.

            She was alone.

--

            Dongwoo whistled softly as he swung the bag of milk and cream to his beat. The night was silent, as he made his way back to his cafe, wondering if it had been busy when he left. Considering the fact that people were demanding her services, I think so. He chuckled and picked up his pace.

            The silence of the night was disturbed by the sudden sound of shattering glass. Dongwoo froze as his eyes scanned his surroundings, searching for the source. Up ahead, he noticed two figures in a physical brawl. A big, burly figure up against a tiny one, an all too familiar tiny one.

            Jae Rin... His eyes widened in fear and his legs rooted themselves. He couldn’t move, paralyzed in alarm. He watched as the man lunged for her, lashing out with a shiny foreign object. It looked like a blade, but it wasn’t. Upon closer inspection, he noticed it was an extension of the man’s arm. A Ferrokinetic...

            The blade sliced through the air as Jae Rin ducked out of the way. She was pissed. Damn tin man. Why did Boss have to jinx me? She slid under his legs and leapt into the air, launching herself onto his back in one swift movement. The man came crashing down, face first into the hard cement. He smirked and shoved her off as he rolled over, swinging his arm around. His fist made contact with her shoulder and they both felt it pop out of its socket. She grimaced and set it back in, taking mental note to give Sungjong a visit later.That’s it...I’ve had enough.

            She stood up tall, a shadow casting itself over her body. You picked the wrong time to mess with me, buddy, for I am in my element. Welcome to Hell. He eyes darkened as she rushed forward, black mist engulfing her fists. The robber was taken back, startled by the sudden change in her attitude. The smoke from her hands threw him off and he stumbled.

            “What the hell is that?” He reached forward and his blade extended towards her. She smirked and kept running at him. Bad move... She touched his blade and it immediately disappeared into a black shadow. He looked at her, panicked, and tried to pull it back, but it wouldn’t move. Even when he tried to retract his arm, it stayed stuck in the black mist. “Let go of me!” He became frantic when shadows slowly crept up from the pavement and began wrapping themselves around his legs and arms, making their way up to his torso. All that was left visible of him was his head. He couldn’t move. The shadows immobilized him.

            “I warned you when you came into the store, don’t mess with me or else bad things could happen to you. But, you didn’t listen. Now let me give you a little advice for the future,” she whispered into his ear, “beware of the shadows.” He let out a blood curdling scream as the mist overtook him, sealing him into a dark void. She held him for several minutes before releasing the shadow. He fell forward, knocked out cold. It didn’t seem like he was going to be waking up anytime soon. “Now, let’s get you to the police station where you belong.” She whipped out her cell phone and dialed the station, informing them of the attempted robbery, cleverly leaving out the fight. They arrived in haste, collecting his limp body and drove off. I wonder where the boss is... She glanced around and saw nothing. Shrugging her shoulders, she went back into the store, bringing out a broom and dustpan to clean up the broken glass.

--

            Dongwoo stood frozen, jaw hanging open in shock. Did I really see that, or are my eyes deceiving me. What the hell just happened?! Images of her dark powers blazed in his mind, forever branded. The extent of her powers was mind blowing and at that point, he knew. I guess Sunggyu hyung and Woohyun were right after all...

Ohhhh, things are starting to pick up. Now that Dongwoo knows, what's going to happen? Will he tell the others? Will he keep it to himself? Find out in Chapter 7!

Anyway, I was just wondering....did any of you get the Animorph jokes right away in this and last chapter? Or is it too old for you to know? Sigh...why do I suddenly feel so conscious of my age >_> Who knew without checking...anybody? >_<

* Ferrokinetic - user has the ability to control/manipulate metal. Metal mimicry allows users to create metal armour/turn skin into metal.

- source Superpower Wiki

COMMENT REPLIES

@ JuzzMee91: hehe thanks for reading and commenting!
@ kpop_fan_1998: Running Man is my religion....LOL ijoke. But honestly, I love watching Running Man! Only on ep 90 since I dl from isubs. Hahaha, the mobius symbol has a significant meaning to me, even before Infinite came to be. So, when they debuted, I thought it was some sort of sign and I don't regret following them LOL *sappysappy*

See you in the next Chapter!

-greenninjapanda GNP-