chapter twenty       
✧✦Recovery✦✧

Leaving JungMin's house, DongHae looked around for where HyunJoong could have gone. He didn't have to look very far, seeing the familiar limo parked a little further down the street. Blinking, DongHae jogged to reach it, wondering why HyunJoong hadn't left already.

The door opened before DongHae even got close, HyunJoong glancing at him before scooting in. "Thought you'd like a ride home," he said, a drink already in hand. "I miss anything?"

"Lots of talking," DongHae said, climbing into the limo. "You were waiting here the whole time?"

"Didn't really have anything better to do," HyunJoong shrugged, motioning for the driver to go. "Not going into work today, and I didn't feel like going home to an empty apartment."

"Well...I don't mind keeping you company," DongHae smiled, looking out the window. "...You're first on that list, you know. And if SungMin's really been replaced, you're in danger. So I told the others I'll protect you."

"I don't need protecting," HyunJoong made a face at that. "I have plenty of security."

"Against drunk people, maybe. Against professional assassins?" DongHae crossed his arms over his chest. "No, I'm gonna protect you."

"And just how are you going to protect me?" HyunJoong sighed. "What can you do that others couldn't? That I can't?"

"It's what I can't do. I can't die." DongHae's expression was serious. "Not by a bullet, not by a car, not by decapitation. Best bodyguard around."

"That doesn't..." HyunJoong blinked and looked at DongHae strangely. "What would happen if you got decapitated? Would your head and body be alive while separated... that's kind of gross."

DongHae laughed a little hysterically at that, shaking his head. "I...don't remember, I was in too much pain, but I was definitely still alive. My body heals very fast, but it still hurts." He covered his neck with one hand before looking out of the window. "But if someone tries to hurt you...I won't let it happen."

"I appreciate you wanting to help," HyunJoong said, starting to add to that sentence but changing his mind. Putting his arm around DongHae's shoulder, he pulled the other man closer. "You're just lucky I like you enough to keep you around."

DongHae grinned, relaxing. "So I'm your new bodyguard from now on, okay?"

"No, and I refuse to call you that," HyunJoong said. "You will keep me company, because I get lonely when no one's around."

"But I can be your bodyguard and keep you company at the same time," DongHae looked up at HyunJoong.

"You'll keep me company," HyunJoong nodded. "I don't want you working for me anymore... I mean your job, at my company."

"Huh?" DongHae pulled back, confused. "Am I not doing my job properly? What am I doing wrong, I can fix it!"

HyunJoong laughed, patting DongHae's shoulder. "No, you're not doing anything wrong. Truthfully I don't really need you there. And if you're going to be a... be keeping me company then you don't have time to do that work anymore."

"Ah...okay," DongHae nodded slowly. "Does that mean I'll be with you in your office all day while you're working?"

"Can't protect me if you're not near me right?" HyunJoong said, giving him a wink.

DongHae grinned widely. "Right! I won't let you down!"

HyunJoong just rolled his eyes, shaking his head as he looked out the window at the street. "You know that means you'll have to pretty much move in with me."

"Oh...does that bother you? I don't want to intrude," DongHae shook his head. "I can walk you to and from work."

"Doesn't bother me a bit," HyunJoong said. "As long as it doesn't bother you."

"I'll have to ask KiBum first...since he's my roommate," DongHae thought about that. "But I guess it could work."

"Good, and if he's worried about you paying rent I'll take care of it," HyunJoong said. "You know, I had so many things I wanted to say to SungMin when I saw him... but I couldn't bring myself to say anything."

About to protest HyunJoong taking care of the rent, DongHae quietened. "Like what?"

"Not that important," HyunJoong said, shaking his head a little. "Some things are just better left unsaid, but I think we both know that it was over the second I found out who he was."

Nodding, DongHae looked down. "If you want to, you know, talk about it...he was your boyfriend for two years, right? That's a long time."

"He wasn't my boyfriend," HyunJoong said. "He may have been a lot of things to me, but that wasn't one of them. It was never that I was too busy to take him out, to do things with him... I just didn't want to."

"Oh...you're not into that sort of thing?" DongHae blinked. But HyunJoong had taken him out a couple of times already, and he hadn't even known the man for that long.

"Didn't say I wasn't," HyunJoong corrected, looking at him. "But I didn't want to with him. I wouldn't have been able to enjoy myself while sitting across a table and trying to talk to him. That wasn't what I wanted out of our relationship."

"Oh," DongHae intoned again, nodding a little as he looked down at his lap. "At least you don't have to worry about him annoying people in the office anymore?" he tried sheepishly, not sure what to say.

"Well that's a bright spot," HyunJoong snorted. "Let's move on from sad things... what should we have to eat tonight?"

"I don't know...oh! Maybe I can take you to the jjigae house nearby, do you like jjigae?" DongHae brightened.

"Sounds good," HyunJoong nodded, smiling a little at him. "My treat of course."

"No, it's my turn to take you out," DongHae shook his head.

"If you insist," HyunJoong smiled, pulling DongHae close again and resting comfortably in his seat.

"Yongsheng?"

Blinking, JungMin looked over his shoulder towards his bedroom window. He and YoungSaeng were out on the roof again, the day sunny and slightly breezy. Plus KyuJong was at work with KiBum, and therefore not around to panic at them being out on the roof. Yixing was waving at them from the window. "What's he want?"

"He wants to start practicing," YoungSaeng said, arms encircling his knees. "To help with my control so I'm not the crazy precog hobo anymore."

"Ah." JungMin looked back at YoungSaeng. "You'll always be our crazy precog hobo in name though. Want to go see him?"

"No, but Zhou Mi is going to come up any second and tell us to come in," YoungSaeng said, already getting up to his feet. "He's kind of bossy."

JungMin snorted, standing as well. "Just a little. Are you...going to be okay? I can stay in the same room."

"If you're there, will be distracted, and it won't work," YoungSaeng said, shaking his head as he started for the window. "Can't be distracted... need to focus, need to focus for us."

"All right," JungMin sighed, Yixing stepping out of the way of the window so they could get back into the house. "I'll be in the next room over then."

"Hi," Yixing smiled widely at YoungSaeng.

YoungSaeng smiled back at the telepath before looking to JungMin. "Will be fine JungMin, just be careful not to trip. Watch out for the diamonds."

"What diamonds?" JungMin blinked, heading to the door. No sooner had he stepped out than he crashed right into Zhou Mi who was taking the corner, nearly ending up on his as Yixing cracked up laughing.

Zhou Mi had nearly taken a tumble down the stairs, though his feet did end up over his head when he fell backwards.

"You never listen to me ShatterWave," YoungSaeng scolded, raising his voice over Zhou Mi's loud complaints in Mandarin.

"Yixing, work on his clarity while you're at it!" JungMin shouted over them both, helping Zhou Mi back to his feet. "Keep an eye on them, I can't be around for this."

"I'll do my best," Zhou Mi said, patting JungMin's shoulder as he left. Closing the door, he took a seat somewhere out of the way as YoungSaeng sat down on the bed. Zhou Mi asked Yixing something quietly in Mandarin.

Yixing smiled and nodded to Zhou Mi's question. He sat down on the bed next to YoungSaeng, making himself comfortable facing the older man. The telepath started to talk, pausing after each sentence so Zhou Mi could translate into Korean.

"I need to look inside your power before I will know how to help. Relax, take deep breaths and close your eyes." Yixing held out his hands palm-up to YoungSaeng.

"You'll be fine, he promised," Zhou Mi said, giving YoungSaeng a reassuring smile.

"I know," YoungSaeng said, doing as asked and closing his eyes.

Yixing took YoungSaeng's hands before closing his own eyes, shoulders relaxing. There was silence for a few minutes as his power slowly flowed through their joined hands into YoungSaeng, the Chinese man taking a good long look at the center of YoungSaeng's power. The silence was punctuated only by the occasional soft murmurs to relax, to let him in.

After a long search Yixing withdrew, eyes opening as he started to speak. "There is no barrier between your power and your mind," Zhou Mi translated his words. "There should be, but there isn't. I can fix this, but it will take more than one day to teach you how to reach your power safely. If you use your power before then, with no control, the result will be bad. Do you understand?"

YoungSaeng nodded, looking a little nervous. "Had control, before," he said, looking at Zhou Mi who was translating and then back. "The darkness broke me... you put me back together."

Yixing nodded slowly. "I see the damage," was his translated reply. "Your power is poisoning your mind, so you can't heal...if it gets worse, you know what will happen."

"Lost..." YoungSaeng nodded, looking down. Zhou Mi looked between them, feeling more than a little lost himself. "Time to begin," YoungSaeng spoke up, lifting his eyes to Yixing's. "Ready."

The younger man smiled, nodding. "Be...relax," he said in slow, awkward Korean, squeezing YoungSaeng's hands before closing his eyes. His power slowly entered YoungSaeng's body again, sinking deeper and taking YoungSaeng with him; they needed to do this together.

YoungSaeng's mind and power were so intertwined it was hard to tell where one started and the other ended, Yixing patiently going through and separating the vine-like strands of power that had sunk into YoungSaeng's mind and distorted his reality. It seemed to take forever to divide them completely, showing YoungSaeng as he went what he was doing.

Finally the precognition power was separated completely from YoungSaeng's mind, Yixing containing it behind a wall. Pulling back, Yixing opened his eyes and looked at the clock. It had been two hours. He spoke to Zhou Mi before trying to stand, his legs giving out under him.

Zhou Mi was at Yixing's side immediately, making sure he didn't fall off the bed. "He says that the power is contained," Zhou Mi said, glancing at YoungSaeng who had his head down and breathing slowly. "Are... are you okay? JungMin!"

JungMin was back in the room within seconds, hurrying to YoungSaeng's side. "YoungSaeng? How did it go? Are you okay?"

"Yixing said it went fine," Zhou Mi said quietly, pulling the telepath up to his feet and speaking quietly into his ear.

"JungMin..." YoungSaeng lifted his head, dark eyes looking up at the other man. "I... it's gone," he whispered.

"...Is that bad? Good?" JungMin sat down beside him, wrapping his arms around the other man. Yixing leaned against Zhou Mi for support, nodding mutely at whatever the man was saying.

"Good... it's good," YoungSaeng said, smiling hesitantly. "I can still feel it, just there if I... reach... but my mind is clear." It didn't even register to him that Zhou Mi was leading the telepath from the room, leaving them alone.

JungMin grinned widely in relief. "That's...that's fantastic. See, you're going to be okay," He hugged YoungSaeng tightly. "It's over now?"

"No, not completely," YoungSaeng shook his head, resting his head against JungMin's shoulder. "Need to work on... control. Control like I had before. Could take a while."

"Okay," JungMin nodded in understanding, slowly running his hand along YoungSaeng's back. "Are you alright? Do you need to lie down?"

"I think I just want to stay like this for a bit," YoungSaeng said, closing his eyes. "I'm a little disoriented."

"Then that's what we'll do." JungMin kissed the top of YoungSaeng's head, shifting so they were both comfortable and circling his arms around the other man's waist.

The rest of the afternoon at JungMin's house was quiet. The few that were there, stayed in the basement as one was still healing from being shot, and the other needed to rest. The only one who was awake in the house was Zhou Mi, who fretted nervously about everyone and brought people tea.

By the time KyuJong and KiBum arrived home from the flower shop, Zhou Mi was just so excited to have people who were awake and talking to him that he didn't even see the other two who they had brought with them.

"Where's JungMin and Saeng?" KyuJong asked when Zhou Mi had finally moved out of the doorway to let them in.

"Upstairs, YoungSaeng had his first session with Yixing," Zhou Mi said.

"How did that go?" KiBum asked, taking off his shoes and getting out of the way of the entranceway that was quickly becoming crowded. He didn't hear anything coming from elsewhere in the house, meaning everyone was asleep.

"Good, far as I know," Zhou Mi said. "YoungSaeng was too out of it to say much of anything. He's upstairs right now, probably asleep, JungMin's with him..." he trailed off when he saw two more faces coming in after KiBum.

"Are you kidding me? How are we all going to fit in this sardine can," one of the newcomers huffed.

"Nice to see you too HeeChul," Zhou Mi said, shaking his head. He turned his attention to HeeChul's companion and smiled brightly, launching into rapid Mandarin.

HeeChul eyed them both suspiciously before looking at KyuJong. "Why is he here? Now they're going to sit here and talk about me in that damn gibberish," he said, adjusting his sunglasses and brushing past KyuJong and KiBum into the living room. "Why is this house so small?"

"Can you keep your voice down please?" KyuJong sighed heavily. "There are people sleeping here."

"What's all the shouting for?" JungMin had appeared at the top of the stairs (there was no way he could have ignored the door slamming shut, or HeeChul's voice for that matter). "And why are there more people in my house? Especially loud people?" He pointed at HeeChul.

"For protection," KiBum said simply, deciding it was safer to stay out of the way.

"Oh, right. Damn."

"Excuse you? I am not loud," HeeChul said, flouncing his way to a couch and draping himself over it. "I am... eccentric."

"Loud," Zhou Mi corrected.

"Sorry to wake you Min," KyuJong said. "Everything okay up there?"

"Yeah, YoungSaeng's down for the count. So everyone talks quietly or I'll duct tape their mouths shut." JungMin headed down the stairs. "How did you pick up Medusa and..." He eyed the second arrival. "Who is this?"

"HanKyung," HeeChul said, wrinkling his nose at JungMin.

"Han Geng," the other new arrival said, frowning at HeeChul. "Please, call me Han Geng."

"Who wants some tea?" Zhou Mi asked, smiling brightly at everyone.

"HeeChul, why don't you and Han... er... your friend, go put your things downstairs," KyuJong said smoothly.

"Fine, I'd better have my own room," HeeChul said, getting to his feet. "You have no idea how loud that Chinese man gets." Han Geng sighed a little as he followed HeeChul from the room.

"You're lucky to even have your own bed," JungMin called after him, scowling as he went to drop down onto the couch. "How many people are here now? Do we even have enough room for them all here?"

KiBum watched HeeChul and Han Geng go. "It'll be tight. Is there any more coming in?"

"We have enough beds for people to sleep," KyuJong said, sitting down on the arm of the couch. "I don't know if there any others coming here. KiBum and I got the word out, other safe houses are being set up."

"Good, hopefully they're bigger than this place," JungMin shook his head. "Is there any news on what's happening out there? We're going to be vision-less for a while."

"Not really, people are staying quiet," KyuJong said. "People are scared, even citizens are starting to notice something is wrong."

"Which means it won't be long until the criminals notice it too," JungMin grumbled, covering his eyes with one hand. "And we can't do anything with YoungSaeng in the middle of regaining control, and KyuHyun refusing to even come here."

"That's his choice," KyuJong said, lips thinning a little. "I don't agree with that choice but there isn't much we can do about that. He would rather stay with SungMin than help us, and unless YoungSaeng says different, I don't think it's good to have SungMin come around."

"I agree with you, I just wish KyuHyun would come by at least every now and then so we can make sure he's still alive," JungMin sighed heavily. "We hear from HyunJoong more than him, mostly through DongHae, but still."

"If he needs us, he'll come to us," KyuJong said. "Not like we see much of DongHae either now that he's taken it upon himself to be HyunJoong's body guard."

"Yeah," JungMin glanced at KiBum, who had wandered closer. "You hear from him often?"

"DongHae calls or texts several times a day," KiBum said, frowning. "He hasn't been sleeping in our apartment, he's staying with HyunJoong full-time."

"I'm not sure I'd like to be a fly on the wall in that apartment," KyuJong said. "No telling how those two are getting along."

"DongHae's probably driven him nuts by now," JungMin rolled his eyes.

KiBum frowned at him. "How much do you know about DongHae? He's not the idiot you make him out to be."

"He talks too much."

"So do you."

KyuJong rolled his eyes at the two of them, glancing up at the top of the stairs before nudging JungMin. "I don't think we were quiet enough," he said softly.

"Huh?" JungMin looked towards the stairs, seeing YoungSaeng. "...Saeng? Is everything okay?" He stood up.

"I didn't know where you were," YoungSaeng said, holding onto the railing tightly. "I thought I heard other voices... what's going on?"

"Medusa and another Chinese guy showed up, the whole place will be talking in Mandarin soon." JungMin walked to the bottom of the stairs. "You should be sleeping."

"Can't, feel like half my head is missing," YoungSaeng said, starting down the stairs slowly. "Need to adjust to this."

"It just takes time, that's all," JungMin frowned, waiting for YoungSaeng to reach the bottom of the stairs before wrapping one arm around his shoulders and leading him towards the couches. "It'll be less weird after a while."

"You need anything Saeng?" KyuJong asked, watching him worriedly. He could feel the nervousness and anxiety coming from the precog.

"No, I'm fine," YoungSaeng shook his head, sitting down on the couch. "I don't want to interrupt whatever it was you were talking about... weird not knowing what that was."

JungMin sat down beside him, keeping YoungSaeng close. "You'll get to stumble along with the rest of us for the next little while. Hey, look at it this way: you're talking in full sentences." He at trying to cheer people up, but he was trying.

"Silver lining I guess," YoungSaeng chuckled, closing his eyes. "Is... Yixing okay?"

"Uh...I think he's resting downstairs," JungMin looked around for Zhou Mi. "Zhou Mi wasn't freaking out so I guess he's okay."

"Good," YoungSaeng murmured. "Didn't see him being hurt, but don't know for sure so... have to check."

JungMin frowned lightly, running his hand along YoungSaeng's arm. "You're like a ball of nerves right now, relax a little. Everyone's fine."

"Fine for now, but doesn't mean they'll stay that way," YoungSaeng said. "I'm so scared JungMin... more scared than I have ever been in my entire life."

"This is just until you have your control back," JungMin glanced at KyuJong before looking back at YoungSaeng. "Kyu and I made it this far without having a clue what was going to happen in the future...have some faith."

"I'm allowed to be worried about the safety of others," YoungSaeng murmured, relaxing against JungMin. It wasn't as if his fears were that unfounded considering what was happening.

Across town in a tall glass skyscraper, HyunJoong decided he was done with work for the day. Maybe even for a lifetime. "You want to go out tonight?" HyunJoong asked, straightening the papers on his desk, glancing at his 'bodyguard'.

DongHae looked up from the large sketchpad he'd brought with him; it wasn't as if there was much for him to do while HyunJoong was working, other than stare out of the window. "Sure," he grinned, flipping the pad closed and stuffing his pencils and coloring markers back into their cases. "Where to?"

"No idea, you pick," HyunJoong shrugged. "I'd like to stop home first, change. I have a feeling anything you decide to do would be hell on my suits."

"I don't know what you mean by that," DongHae laughed, standing and carefully putting everything back into his backpack. "It's not like I'll pick a skatepark, though that would be awesome. Do you skateboard?"

"Do I look like someone who skateboards?" HyunJoong gave DongHae a speculative look. "I buy thousand dollar suits, I don't even own a pair of jeans. What about me says skateboarder?"

"Who knows, maybe you were a daredevil back when you were a villain," DongHae grinned, slinging his bag over his shoulder. "Oh...I need to go tell KyuHyun about being your bodyguard, he still doesn't know, he took off early from JungMin's house."

"KyuHyun didn't come to work today," HyunJoong said, sliding his chair back and getting to his feet. "I have a feeling he won't be working here anymore."

"Oh...why?" DongHae blinked. "Did he send an email or something? Why would he stop working here just like that?"

"You said he left with SungMin the other day," HyunJoong said. "And hasn't been back since? My guess is he's thrown his lot in with SungMin for now, and since SungMin isn't coming back here to see me, then neither will KyuHyun."

"That's...a little weird," DongHae frowned. Not only had KyuHyun hated SungMin's constant presence at work not that long ago, but he was refusing to see his longtime friends because of the assassin. "I'm worried about him."

"Don't be," HyunJoong said, starting for the door. "He'll realize he's made a mistake soon. Hopefully before he ends up dead."

"That's not the way to go about things like this," DongHae protested, following him. "Mistakes shouldn't get people killed. And he's a friend, I can't let him get into trouble."

"You can't save everyone DongHae," HyunJoong said, glancing back at him when he opened the door. "As much as you'd like to."

"I can at least try," DongHae retorted, chin up stubbornly. "You can't save anyone if you don't try."

"Well you let me know how that works out for you," HyunJoong rolled his eyes. "At least you can't die trying, so you've got that going for you."

"I'll show you," DongHae muttered under his breath as they left the office and headed towards the elevators. He couldn't help but look towards KyuHyun's empty desk as they passed. He'd show all of them.

The ride back to HyunJoong's condo was quiet, HyunJoong sipping at his drink and just relaxing. He could tell he'd irritated DongHae, the usual chatterbox was quiet. Sighing a little, he smoothed out one of his pant legs and leaned back against the seat. "So, did you have someplace in mind for us to go tonight?"

"Hm?" DongHae looked away from the window towards HyunJoong. "Oh...I don't know," he shrugged, glancing back out the window at the buildings passing by. "Somewhere they don't sell hundred-dollar drinks...do you like games? Or movies?"

"Depends on the game, and I haven't had time to watch a movie in a long time," HyunJoong said. "I was always more of a people person... get out and interact with people."

"How many people do you interact with in a VIP room at a club?" DongHae blinked at him. "We can go to a club or something, but not an...expensive one again."

"I meant before, before I even became the Sworn's arch-nemesis," HyunJoong chuckled. "When I was still trying to figure out who I was."

"Ah," DongHae nodded in understanding. "Trying to figure out who you are?"

HyunJoong just smiled, looking out the window as the car slowed in front of his building. "This shouldn't take long, I'll take a shower and change, then we can go?" he said, opening up the door and stepping out onto the sidewalk.

"...You really like changing the topic," DongHae grumbled, following him out of the limo. If it weren't for the fact a limo was safer than taking public transit, he would have suggested it by now, cars were not his thing. "Okay, if you think of somewhere you wanna go, let me know, I can go anywhere."

"I thought I told you that you would pick," HyunJoong said, starting for the front doors. "I mean it."

"But I don't want to take you somewhere you won't like," DongHae frowned, following him. "We have very different interests."

"Don't know if I'll like it if I never try it," HyunJoong said, stopping at the elevator and pressing the call button. "I want to spend time with you DongHae, whatever it is you want to do. I know you wouldn't be happy being cooped up with me in my apartment all night so this is about you having fun."

"Why do you want to spend time with me though?" DongHae asked, watching HyunJoong.

"Why wouldn't I?" HyunJoong replied with a quirked smile, stepping into the elevator. "Do you not want to spend time with me?"

"I didn't say that," DongHae followed him, looking up at the numbers as the door closed behind them. "I just don't get why. Kinda thought you'd be sick of me by now."

"If I was sick of you, you'd know it," HyunJoong said. "You wouldn't be allowed in any of my buildings."

DongHae winced. "Oh...okay, glad to clear that up. I'll try not to piss you off then."

"That's a good rule for life," HyunJoong said, glancing at DongHae out of the corner of his eyes. "Don't piss off former villains."

"Trying not to piss off anyone is a pretty good rule too," DongHae looked back at HyunJoong. "Not just former villains."

"Then hopefully we won't have any problems," HyunJoong nodded. Stepping off the elevator when the door opened, he walked a short way down the hall and pressed the security code into the door lock. "I like having you around, you're nice to look at. I'd hate to have to ban you from the building."

DongHae frowned, waiting behind HyunJoong. Was that the only reason HyunJoong liked having him around? "I don't think I've been banned from anywhere since high school. Would you have guards patrolling the hallways to keep me out?"

"No, you wouldn't be let in the building," HyunJoong said, already undoing his tie as he stepped in. "I won't be long, just want to take a quick shower. Think about where you want to go."

"All right," DongHae sighed, going to drop his backpack by the couch. He took off his shoes and jacket before dropping onto the couch, flicking at the backpack zipper glumly.

Pushing aside thoughts of the conversation, HyunJoong got ready for his shower, tossing his clothes onto the bed to be take care of later. The heat from the shower felt good on his neck and shoulders, letting his head drop to his chin to soothe away the stress knots that had formed.

Eyes closed and ears full of the sound of the thrumming water, he didn't notice the linen closet door opening and a shadow slipping out. By the time he did notice something was wrong, it was far too late. A thin cord wrapped around his neck, yanking hard so he toppled over in the slippery shower, nearly cracking his head on the porcelain. Unable to breathe, let alone call for DongHae, he struggled helplessly against his assailant, his vision darkening at the corners of his eyes.

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@Forest_pixi: MiWook? What MiWook? ;D Don't know what you're talking about~~~ And maybe KyuHyun would be better to help you with your power? If you get JungMin to help, he might just make it worse LOL, KABOOM!

@katiemae01: LOL Sorryyyy for the wait, I try to update fast but so so busy now >o<;; More MinSaeng for you~~ and complete chaos elsewhere in the city.