CHAPTER ELEVEN

Street Commotion

“SHE NEEDS TO be home at exactly six, Joonmyeon,” Yoongi told the young man as he gave him a long hard stare. It wasn’t on purpose but his voice came out stern as well. No one could blame him though; it’s his sister they were talking about and entrusting her to a friend is still a little hard.

“Don’t worry, I’ll bring her home safe and sound,” Joonmyeon nodded his head with a reassuring smile.

“I’ll be fine, Yoongi,” Haeyoon followed up with a cute smile of her own. Another reason why he let her go with Joonmyeon was her unintentional adorable way of convincing, there’s no way in hell that he can resist that. He was always such a goner when it comes to his sister. “I’ll be home just in time to cook dinner. I can’t let you kill both yourself and Kookie with your cooking skills.”

Yoongi cracked a smile. “Yeah right.” He reached out to ruffle her soft hair. “Go now before I change my mind.”

“Bye, good luck with practice!” she grinned and waved at him before walking away with Joonmyeon.

He entered the gym and was greeted with the five scowling faces of his friends. Jimin, Hoseok and Namjoon were also part of the school’s varsity to which he was the captain. Taehyung and Seokjin were there in the gym because they were supposed to be walking his sister home.

“I can’t believe you let babydoll go,” Jimin huffed and sulked like a five –year old kid.

“What can I do?” he retorted, walking over to the benches. There were just a few minutes before practice starts. “He needs her ideas for the upcoming school fest.”

“I could’ve come with her,” Seokjin piped up with a small pout, “But you didn’t let me.”

“You’re not needed there, Jin,” he shook his head. “After all, it’s Joonmyeon we’re talking about. He’s a good guy.”

He felt someone nudged his side and turned to see Namjoon. “Look at the boy,” he said and pointed at Taehyung who sat two benches away from them with a deep frown. “You broke his heart.”

Yoongi snorted, an amused smile playing on his lips. “It’s his battle not mine.”

“Well, I think it’s not just his heart,” the boy had a knowing grin on his own face. “Look at Jimin; he looks like he’s ready to throw a tantrum.”

The captain craned his neck and saw a seemingly pissed Jimin dribbling the ball a little too hard with Hoseok laughing at his side.

“Now I have nothing nice to do,” Seokjin plopped on Yoongi’s other side. Apparently, he’s not yet done whining. “And you’re the one to blame.”

He rolled his eyes before turning to his other friend, “Are we going to make that three hearts, Namjoon?”

The blonde let out a chortle. “Perhaps you have to make that four,” he said, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively. “You know how much I adore Haeyoonie.”

It took a moment before the implied meaning of the boy’s statement sank on Yoongi. The shocked face he made was so priceless it made Namjoon laugh out loud. “No , Namjoon!”

“Kidding, dude!” the boy raised both hands in the air as if he’s being arrested. He was still cackling in amusement. “I’m just kidding! You should’ve seen your face!”

“ you!” the captain smacked his teammate on the head. “You got me there, you freak!”

Namjoon continued chortling. “Oh, trust me; I love Haeyoonie just like how you love her.”

“What are you two talking about?” Seokjin butted in, shooting his friends a weird look.

“Nothing,” Yoongi shrugged before he stood up and hollered, “Okay, warm-up time’s over!”

Seokjin turned to the blonde who was coming down from his laughing spree. “What was that about?”

“Nah, were just talking about how much you like Haeyoon,” he told him before getting up from the bench as well.

“W-what?” Seokjin sputtered, his face turning ten-shades of red.

“I FEEL SO GUILTY,” Haeyoon mumbled as they were walking down the streets towards Baekhyun’s dorm together with the other Guardians.

Joonmyeon, who was walking beside her, ruffled her hair affectionately. “Hey, it wasn’t a lie at all because I really need to talk to you about your idea for the fest. It’s the best fund-raising activity suggestion so far.”

Haeyoon bit her lip as she still felt a little bad for not telling Yoongi that they were going to Baekhyun’s dorm, to a Guardian’s dorm. But she deemed it a wise decision. Something’s telling her that it’s not yet the right time to tell her brother about the Guardians and the other supernatural things that she had learned these fast few days.

“Cheer up, sunshine,” Baekyun chirped from her other side. “You’re going to meet our brother and I’m sure you’re going to like that happy virus.”

A small smile made its way on her lips seeing how lively the brothers are. Tao was talking nonstop about their adventures in China eliciting laugh from them everytime.

“—and there was a time when I made Kris stay outside the bathroom as I take a bath because I was so scared.”

The group erupted in laughter again at how childish Tao was while Kris groaned at the memory. “That is the last time I’m doing that for you, Tao.”

The group stopped in front of a pedestrian lane along with a few number of people and waited for the traffic light to turn red. Every one was busy talking amongst themselves and no one noticed the little boy who suddenly went after his ball that rolled to the street…except for Haeyoon.

Her eyes widened in shock and fear clawed in her chest when she saw a speeding car that was headed towards the child.

Everything happened so fast.

In a heartbeat, Haeyoon made a mad dash in an attempt to save the kid but the car was going really fast and she knew that it will hit them no matter how fast she haul them both to safety. 

She won’t make it on time. 

With the few seconds she had, all she could do was to hug the child tightly to her chest and twist her body in a way that the vehicle will hit her back first instead of the child. In that way, the chances of the little boy being unharmed was high.

...Five seconds…

She shut her eyes tight and gritted her teeth, bracing herself for the impending impact. In those few breath-stopping seconds, all she could hear was her heart crazily throbbing in her ears.

…Three seconds... 

She didn’t hear the desperate horrified screams of her friends and the people. She didn’t see how the Guardians’ faces crumpled into mixed emotions of shock, horror, regret and desperation.

…Two Seconds...

She didn’t see nor hear how their heartbreak.

…One...

Silence.

A soothing voice was the first thing she heard and for a moment, she thought that she died a painless death. But what it said made her realize that she was still alive. 

“You can open you eyes now. You’re safe.”

The child’s loud frightened cry was what she heard next as her eyes fluttered open. She was still utterly bewildered and frozen in her place—in the arms of her savior—and she could barely register the things going on around her. They sat on the other side of the road, unscathed. 

The boy struggled in her arms and broke free to run towards a middle aged woman who had tears in her eyes. She looked so shocked but happy and relieved, nevertheless.

“Oh my god,” she was breathless as she held her child dearly to her chest. “Thank you so much for saving my child.”

The other Guardians came running towards them.

“Haeyoon!” Kyungsoo was the first to reach them and he immediately pulled the dazed girl into his protective embrace, not paying any attention to the guy previously holding her. The last few terrifying moments fleeted in his mind and his heart clenched in the most painful way. He don’t want to know what he would’ve felt if that car was able to hit the girl. “Thank goodness, you’re safe.”

The Guardians had a look of utter relief on their faces, their focuses trained solely to the girl in Kyungsoo’s arms.

“I knew we would meet again,” the boy who saved Haeyoon spoke, catching the attention of the Guardians. “But I didn’t expect it to be this way.”

They looked up and got a good look on the person and their eyes almost bulge out of their sockets.

That familiar smirk and eyes.

“Kai.”

TO SAY THAT they were surprised at the sudden turn of events was an understatement. The appearance of Luhan, Kris and Tao was a total shock itself but Kai’s unexpected show was another story and it threw them over the edge. After their small heartfelt moment of reunion, they proceeded to Baekhyun’s dorm.

“I have a feeling that whenever my life would be in danger, a Guardian will appear,” Haeyoon remarked from her seat on the plush couch. She had recovered from her yet again near-death experience and learned that Kim Jongin whose real name was Kai had been the one to save her. He used his power to teleport them to safety just in the nick of time. The boy was also unfortunately sealed just like Kyungsoo and Joonmyeon. “And I’m not exactly sure what to feel about that.”

“We were lucky Kai was there to save you on time,” Kyungsoo, who was sitting beside her, said. He suddenly had this strange urge to stay close to the girl after what happened.

“It was a really weird feeling, you know,” Jongin mused as he leaned back on the wooden chair he’s sitting at. “I had this sudden need to take a walk and that’s when I saw Haeyoon ran towards the streets and it felt like everything went in slow motion for me as my memories came back. I didn’t even think and before I knew it, I was saving her.” He paused. “It’s…like an instinct.”

All at the same time, the other Guardians in the room thought of their feelings for the girl and they realized that the pull is only getting stronger. They can’t explain the raw fear and helplessness they felt when they saw her in danger and the extreme relief and happiness that washed over them when she was saved. They had only known her for quite a while now but they felt like they had known her since forever.

Haeyoon smiled a heartfelt smile to Jongin. “Thank you, really.” She turned to Joonmeyon and Kyungsoo. “You, guys, keep on saving my life.”

The three boys bashfully smiled back at her.

“You told us earlier that you already met, right?” Baekhyun asked Jongin and Haeyoon and they nodded at him. “Hmm, it seemed like fate to me.”

“Honestly, I really thought that Jongin might be a Guardian when I first met him but I dismissed the thought…” she looked at the boy with mirth in her eyes, “Only to find out that I was right all along.”

“What we felt when we shook hands was anything but nothing,” the boy shot her a knowing smile while the other Guardians could only look at them with curious faces.  

“So, it’s really true that Haeyoonie was the reason why the seals were lifted,” Tao commented as he was perched on the window sill.

“It’s still a mystery to me but yes, it’s true,” Joonmyeon replied. “It already happened three times and it was enough proof that it wasn’t just mere coincidence.”

“Wait, guys,” Haeyoon piped up, making them all turn to her. “It’s been bothering me since we got here but what about the people who saw Jongin using his magic?”

“Oh, that,” Kris was the one who spoke. “I made Tao stop the time right when you were safe and Luhan messed with their minds a little, making them forget what they saw.”

The girl nodded in relief and understanding before an endearing warm smile spread on her beautiful face. “There are only four of your brothers left before you’re all reunited once again. I’m really happy for all of you.”

“We couldn’t have done it without you,” Luhan’s lips curved into a soft smile. Even if it was just a while since he met Haeyoon, he already had this unexplainable attachment to her. “You brought back my brothers.”

“Speaking of brothers…” Jongin trailed off as he threw a look at the door. “When is that Chanyeol coming back?”

“His shift on the coffee shop must be over now,” Baekhyun said from his comfortable place on the beanbag. “So, I think he will be here—,”

The loud slamming of the door startled them.

“Ayo, Baekhyun!” a deep booming voice echoed through the house. “I’m home!”

“—now.”

Haeyoon craned her neck and saw a very tall boy with platinum-blonde tousled hair. Just like his other brothers, he had the looks to die for; gorgeous eyes, straight nose, smooth skin, and a striking smile. Yes, his smile was what got Haeyoon most; he looked like someone who came out straight from a toothpaste commercial. He’s got a really bright smile and the girl found herself shamelessly staring at the boy.

“Whoa,” Chanyeol’s smile faded as he halted in the living room’s threshold. His eyes blinked rapidly when he realized that there were people staring back at him. Baekhyun did tell him that he met D.O and Suho but he didn’t tell him that he would bring them today and their other four brothers as well. He was beyond astonished and glad when he saw his long lost brothers but what caught his attention the most was the girl sitting between D.O and Joonmyeon.

Her caramel-brown orbs felt like they were staring deep into his soul and he was mesmerized by them. His breath hitched in his throat when he felt a zap went through his body, leaving pleasant warmth on its wake. He felt an odd sense of contentment and familiarity as he stared back at the beautiful girl. He started wondering if he had seen her before but his thoughts were rudely interrupted when someone tackled him.

“Chanyeol!” Jongin exclaimed as he engulfed the tall boy in a fierce hug. “Damn, bro, you’ve gotten taller!”

His other brothers said their greetings, too, but his attention was still on the girl.

“You okay, Chan?” Baekhyun asked when he saw the bewildered look on the guy’s face.

“Who’s she?” he asked no one in particular.

D.O was the one who answered him with his heart-shaped smile. “This is Haeyoon. She’s the one who lifted the seal from us.”

If there’s one thing Chanyeol was proud of, aside from his height and pearly white smile, it was his sharp memory. But the name ‘Haeyoon’ didn’t ring any bell and he got more confused.

When his brothers released him, he took a few steps towards her. “Have we met before?” he asked Haeyoon.

“I…don’t think so,” she replied and her sweet voice made his fire spirit burn even brighter deep inside him.

“It’s a strange feeling at first,” Joonmyeon spoke. “But you’ll get used to it.”

Chanyeol shot his brother a confused look, prompting him to elaborate.

“We’re also feeling what you’re feeling right now,” this time, Kyungsoo was the one who explained. “The familiarity…and the pull.”

He nodded absentmindedly, eyes never leaving Haeyoon’s pretty face.

“So…what is your…power?” the girl wanted to know.

“Fire,” he uttered, fighting the urge to walk over to her, touch her and feel if the pleasant feeling would grow stronger. “I control the fire spirit.”

Haeyoon’s eyes twinkled in delight and Chanyeol’s heart stuttered. “Wow, that was even cooler than Baekhyun’s light spirit.” 

It was a thoughtless harmless comment but it made Baekhyun frown and Chanyeol grin. The rest of their brothers just laughed in amusement.

“Ouch, sunshine,” Baekhyun’s lower lip jutted out, sulking like a kid denied of his favorite lollipop. “I’m hurt that you prefer that giraffe over me now.”

Haeyoon realized what she said and she turned a pretty shade of crimson. “N-no—I mean, it’s just, I d-didn’t mean it t-that way!”

The boy shook his head petulantly. “I’m still hurt. Now, you have to kiss me to make the pain go away.”

The girl turned a brighter shade of red and before Baekhyun knew it, four pillows flew and smacked him square in the face courtesy of Joonmyeon, Kyungsoo, Chanyeol and Jongin.

HAEYOON WATCHED IN amusement as Chanyeol cut the vegetables in an expert manner. They were preparing an early dinner and surprisingly, Chanyeol and Kyungsoo knew how to cook. 

“Wow,” the girl said in awe as she leaned against the kitchen counter. “You’re like a professional chef.”

The tall boy chuckled as he sneaked a glance at the girl. He was right, having her so near him felt so nice that it made him melt on the inside. Her comfortable presence made him want to curl in a ball and fall asleep. The fire inside him was consistently burning in a soothing warmth and he never felt so relaxed.

“I lived long enough to learned cooking like the back of my hand,” he told her.

Haeyoon raised a curious eyebrow at his statement. “What do you mean? You sounded like you already lived a hundred years.”

He let out a chortle. “I am over two hundred years old now, Haeyoonie.” He smirked, “As well as my brothers.”

The girl’s eyes almost popped out of their sockets at his revelation. “Really?!”

“Yes,” Chanyeol nodded as he deposited the sliced carrots on the container before grabbing another one. “King Zardus created us the same time he took over the throne of his father and that was a long long time ago.” He explained. “He needed someone who would help him protect the kingdom as well as his future family. Not just ordinary sorcerers but powerful ones. So, with the twelve strongest spirits guiding over Lucere, he crafted us and gave us life.”

“But before you became Guardians...are you someone else?” Haeyoon asked, tilting her head to the side.

“Yeah, but we’re pretty much worthless outcasted youths,” he told her, hands gracefully cutting the vegetables. “We had no family, no home, no food, and no nothing. We don’t even know what powers we originally had because no one bothered to educate us. We lived off by stealing from other people and we usually ended up on the castle’s dungeons and that’s when the king decided to gave us new life.” He sighed wistfully. “King Zardus became our father. He created stronger and better sorcerers out of us and gave us new purpose in life and that is to protect Lucere and the royal blood line, the Saperians.”

Haeyoon said nothing as she continued to listen to his story.

“Peace was kept and after another hundred years, King Zardus was married to the most beautiful and kindest woman in Lucere, Queen Maya. Years later, she gave birth to a beautiful baby girl and a year after that, she gave birth to a boy…” Chanyeol trailed off, his grip on the knife tightened. “And that was the time when Magos declared a war…that killed many Lucerians including our king and queen.” He gritted his teeth in regret and anger. “We had sworn to protect the royal family with our life but we failed them…” he let out a humorless chuckle. “It made me realize that we are still useless after all.”

Haeyoon’s heart twitched painfully when she saw how the boy was condemning himself. “Chanyeol…” she put a gentle hand on his shoulder. “Your prince and princess are still alive out there somewhere, aren’t they? And it’s because of you and your brothers. I’m sure the king and queen wanted you to save their children. I have a feeling that they were good persons and I bet they don’t want to see you, guys, blaming yourselves for what happened to them.”

Chanyeol looked at Haeyoon and he felt himself getting lost in her warm caramel eyes.

“Everything will be fine, okay?” she said with a reassuring smile. “You have your brothers…you have me.”

A sincere smile curved up his lips and Chanyeol knew he had found her angel.

Author's Note:

Okay, how did Chanyeol got the last say in this chapter? LOL! Not so action-filled chappie but I hope you still liked it. ^_^

We’re slowly approaching the main plot…just four more Guardians and we’re up.

Thank you to those who subscribed and to those who keep on commenting. ^_^ A reader’s words were source of inspiration for us writers.