"So you were at the museum," Minseok asks, nodding. "I need you to tell me everything that happened."

"Um," Taekwoon replies - Minseok still has an iron grip on his wrist, which is irritating since he doesn't like being touched unless it's Hakyeon and also because his grip is probably actually iron, considering. "Um, we were - I was on the second floor with a friend when the...explosion...happened, and -"

"How close were you? Not that it matters - did you see the Terrigen crystal up close? Or anyone by it?" Minseok asks, voice desperate.

Taekwoon racks his brain for an answer - not that he's ever heard the word Terrigen before. "Maybe?" he answers. "There was a...a boy and he was alone, I think. Looking a-at some necklace."

"So you know his face. Thank god." Minseok lets go of Taekwoon's wrist. "That boy is who we're looking for. He's...important to me. And - god, I'm sorry about this. He's been gone for two days and - and I'd hate to find out something happened to him, you know?"

Taekwoon raises his eyebrows and nods - he thinks, about how terrified he's always been about somebody finding Hakyeon and taking him to a lab, and about how after this mysterious explosion he's developed whatever menekinesis is, and it makes perfect sense. "S-so where are you looking to find him?"

"I checked the museum and all around it and the entire standard route to the bungalow," Minseok replies. "You actually will be able to help me out with your powers, thank god - we're checking this stretch of woods near the bungalow before we head over. It gets pretty dark there, so - so if it's cool with you can you shine light on our way?"

Taekwoon nods - he's got a million questions, but he says none of them. "A-and if - when we find him?"

"I'll take you both back to the bungalow and Joohyun can explain everything to you from there." Minseok pauses. "What's your name, anyway?"

"Jung Taekwoon," Taekwoon replies, wishing his voice wasn't so quiet when he wasn't around people he was comfortable with. "I-I'm Jung Taekwoon."

"I'm really sorry about this," Minseok says, turning as he walked into a wooded area that Taekwoon's never seen before. Taekwoon turns around, just to see how far they'd strayed from the outside of his apartment - sure enough, his surroundings are unfamiliar. "But hey - it's always nice to meet another inhuman, you know? I always end up thinking that we aren't as rare as we think."

Inhuman. The word sends a shiver down Taekwoon's spine. "Y-yeah," Taekwoon replies, and Minseok's smile is almost as bright as Hakyeon's. 

They're sixteen, staring up at the stars on the hill outside of Hakyeon's house, fingertips brushing every once in a while. It's quieter than the news outside, and even Hakyeon's being quiet, which means he's worried. Taekwoon's quiet, too, but only on the outside; he's trying to think of words to say and crossing out every missed word mentally.

On the news, they're talking about a registration act for superhumans. Taekwoon's got the proposed act memorized - all superhumans must register, and all superhumans can be used as soldiers whenever the government needs them. Bills like this get proposed every few years, and every single time, Taekwoon worries about his best friend being taken away. 

Hakyeon speaks, eventually, and his voice is quieter than Taekwoon's ever heard it. "Taekwoon, you gotta promise me," he says, turning his head to face Taekwoon. 

"...What?" Taekwoon replies, avoiding Hakyeon's gaze.

"If they end up...if the act passes and I get taken away, you gotta promise me, alright?" 

"Jesus, Hakyeon, cut to the chase."

"Okay." Hakyeon clears his throat. "And you gotta listen to the end and not say anything! Anyways. If the act passes...if the act passes and they end up registering me, when I leave -"

"No," whispers Taekwoon. "No. Don't do this, not right now."

"Taekwoon, if that happens, I just want you to wait for me. Because I promise you, and you have to promise me too," says Hakyeon - he turns his whole body around to face Taekwoon and gestures for Taekwoon to do the same, which he does - "Promise me you'll wait for me, alright? And if something happens that's worse, just forget about me."

Taekwoon wants to cry. There's so much in his chest that he wants to scream in Hakyeon's face - How am I supposed to ever forget you and I just want you to be safe you're my best friend and I love you and he can't bring himself to do anything but nod. 

And then, maybe it's worth it - Hakyeon smiles brighter than any star and grasps his hand and Taekwoon's heart skips a beat, but - but at least Hakyeon is smiling. That's the only thing he can think of past his concern, but at least it's something to hold on to.

They find Hansol within the hour; his hair is disheveled and he looks a little beat up, but he's there. Minseok runs to the younger boy and hugs him tightly - ", Hansol, do you have any idea how worried we've been about you?"

Hansol beams. "Hyung, you gotta see what I can do. It's amazing," he informs Minseok. "I've got a healing factor for one thing, otherwise I'd probably be dead. Also, super jumping." He frowns. "The practice was probably what got me up here, and I couldn't move my legs and then I was tired. Also, who's this?"

Taekwoon opens his mouth to speak, but Minseok does it for him. "This is Jung Taekwoon. He terrigenated at the same time you did - thing is, he didn't have us to guide him through it." He pauses. "So, anyways - let's get back to the bungalow, shall we?"

"Back to the bungalow," Hansol agrees. Minseok smiles at Taekwoon again and motions for him to follow with a calculated jerk of his head, and Taekwoon follows without even thinking about it.

Hansol runs into the bungalow and hugs the other two people in there - a girl younger than Taekwoon and a girl who looks about his age - and immediately plops down on the couch afterwards.

The older girl - her hair is dip-dyed red, Taekwoon notes - crosses her arms. "You brought home a stray. Who is he?" she asks, glaring.

Minseok laughs. "Bae Joohyun, I hate to admit this - you know how much I hate to admit this - but you were right. This is Jung Taekwoon and he terrigenated at the museum."

Her eyes widen. "Oh! Oh. Wow, I didn't even think I was right. Nice job, me. Anyways - Taekwoon - what powers d'you get, huh?"

"M-menekinesis?" Taekwoon replies, shrugging slightly. 

"I'm thinking he might have full-blown light manipulation, though. He's an asset," Minseok says. "Taekwoon - this is Bae Joohyun."

"I'm Kim Namjoo," adds the younger girl, with a friendly smile. 

"N-nice to meet you," Taekwoon says. "U-um, anyways - c-can you explain...?"

"Yeah. It's kinda weird for newbies, but it'll all make sense. You might want to sit down," Joohyun says; she haphazardly moves some climbing magazines off of the couch she's sitting on, and Taekwoon sits down, nervous.

"Okay. So - you're an inhuman, or you've got inhuman blood, which is more likely," Joohyun explains. "The closer you are to a pure inhuman, the stronger your powers are - hence, Namjoo could kill you with a thought and I'm stuck making ice sculptures."

"...That's not helping t-the amount of questions I have," Taekwoon explains. "W-what's terrigen....terrigenation?"

"Ah. That." Joohyun sighs. "Well, we inhumans get our powers after terrigenesis, which is when you're exposed to terrigen mists, which happens when a terrigen crystal breaks. The museum explosion was supposed to be a small, contained thing. It did not end up this way." She pauses. "Anyways, terrigen mists kill normal humans, but they empower inhumans. Sometimes they enhance mutant powers, too. Which is how you can control moonlight at least."

"O-oh. This is kind of a lot to take in," Taekwoon says. "A-and I have to go home pretty soon, too, it's late."

"I'll drive you," offers Minseok, shrugging. "Think of it as my apology for the whole dragging-you-here thing."

"Thanks." Taekwoon stands up and jams his hands in his pockets. His awkwardness is palpable and all he wants to do is call Hakyeon, to explain, even though he's gotta record the second he gets home since this week's video is late, anyway - but he's grateful, at least, that he's getting a ride home. 

"I'll give you my number, too," Minseok adds - Joohyun lets out a groan and Taekwoon tries not to blush bright red. "Just so you can call us if you need us."

"Y-yeah," Taewoon agrees, and stares pointedly at the floor. 

He turns on his camera and picks up his guitar and turns on his filming lights; the melody comes to him easily, and it's a song he's been meaning to cover for a while. There is an unread message on his phone from Hakyeon about something Sanghyuk said in class today, but he doesn't read it. Instead, he sings - maybe Hakyeon will see the video when it's up, or even better, maybe Hakyeon will understand, even with his shaky English. 

"And I don't want the world to see me, 
'Cause I don't think that they'd understand.
When everything's made to be broken,
I just want you to know who I am."

He edits the video at the speed of light and uploads it and texts Hakyeon something snarky in response; then, he goes to bed and stares at the ceiling instead of sleeping.

a/n: i am so sorry this is short ;A; it's more like an exposition chapter, anyway, i promise more will go on in the next chapter i'm sorry ;; there's some other stuff (including more fanfics) i'm working on and it's been taking my time up. next will be longer i promise ;A;

also, iris by the goo goo dolls. <3333