CHAPTER FOUR

Laboratory and The Student Council President

“YOONGI, I TRUST that you could take care of yourself, your sister and Jungkook while were gone,” Mr. Min said to his son as he loaded the last suitcase in the car’s trunk. It was a Sunday afternoon and the couple was off to a three-week vacation out of town which Yoongi found very odd. Why would they take a vacation in the middle of the year? The boy was itching to ask questions regarding the conversation that he and Haeyoon overheard the other night but decided against it. His gut is telling him that their parents are keeping a terrible secret from them and that it somehow greatly concerns him and his sister.

“Yes, dad, you can trust me on that,” he replied though his mind was still reeling from all the events happening around them.

Mrs. Min soon came out of the house with Haeyoon and Jungkook in tow. “Yoongi, please refrain from staying out unless necessary,” she said before turning to the two younger people. “You, too, Haeyoon and Jungkook, since you’ll start going to school this coming Monday, unless it was school-related, please keep yourselves from going out. It’s not safe, not with all the attacks and…the things currently happening around us.” She paused with a very worried look on her face. They all know that she was talking about the recent murders happening around the city and the fact that most of the targets are high-schoolers made the matter worse. “Please, tell me you’ll be safe, I really hate to leave you all but…” the woman trailed off when her husband placed a hand on her shoulder.

“They’ll be safe, have some faith in them. Yoongi can handle this,” he comforted his wife as he exchanged looks with his son.

“Yeah, mom, don’t worry and just enjoy your vacation, we’ll be fine and we’ll call everyday,” Haeyoon beamed as she hugged her mother.

“I love you, princess,” her mother whispered, eyes b with tears.

“Aww, I love you, too, mom, but it’s just a three-week vacation…right?” she said but even she knows that deep down, it’s not just going to be a simple vacation. She doesn’t know why but her mind is telling her something big is going to happen. Maybe it was the hushed conversation of her parents, maybe the black book, maybe Jungkook and the mark or maybe even her friends’ strange acts but all she knows is that she wants answers.

“Yes, of course and we’ll be home before you know it,” with that said they bid each other goodbye before her parents drove off and disappeared from their sights.

THE THREE OF them were eating dinner that night with a rather glum expression on their faces. There was no other noise except for the variety show blaring out from the television. There were a few more minutes of silent dinner when the oldest of the group snapped.

“We’ve searched every nook and cranny in our house but nothing!” Yoongi sulked over his dinner that was generously cooked by his cute sister.

“Maybe they’ve brought it with them,” Jungkook tried reasoning out and Haeyoon was relieved to see that the boy was slowly opening up to others besides her. She thought that he needed to get used to other people if he’s going to high-school.

“I think he’s right, Yoongi,” she uttered after a swallowing a spoonful of rice. “If they really don’t want us knowing something, they’d be careful enough not to leave any source of information.”

The brown-haired boy pursed his lips, face looking paler than usual. “Do you think they’re going to that Lucere place or something?” he mused then an idea suddenly hit him like a brick. “!” he blurted which earned him a nasty glare from his sister and saying that it’s not nice to curse in front of food. “I’m sorry I just thought of something, anyway, think about this…if that book was actually real then Lucere will be real and if that’s the case…then is mom and dad some kind of sorcerers?”

There was a dead silence where you can drop a push pin and actually hear it. Yoongi looked at the two other people on the dining table, waiting for some kind of reaction.

“Uh, I don’t think so,” Haeyoon shook her head.

“It’s a possibility, right?” Yoongi argued.

“But that would make us sorcerers, too, which we know we're not,” she retorted, waving her fork in the air for added emphasis.

Understanding his sister’s point, Yoongi rested his case as he continued finishing his dinner. “I can’t believe we’re going to have to wait for them to tell us what’s actually going on. I don’t like being kept in the dark.”

“No one does…” Haeyoon sighed when she thought about the reactions her friends made back at the café when they saw the mark. It’s like they know something but won’t tell her anything, just like their parents. She’s beginning to get desperate for answers.

“ALL YOU HAVE to do is to press this button to be able to call us, okay?” Haeyoon instructed Jungkook as they were getting ready to leave for school. Her parents bought him a phone before they left and she’s teaching him how to use it. “Just make a call if something happens.”

Yoongi was already at the doorway way when he said, “My number is in speed dial as well as Haeyoon.” 

Haeyoon unconsciously smiled upon seeing her brother being concerned for Jungkook as well but she won’t dare comment about it, because knowing her brother, he might probably deny it. Yoongi wasn’t really a showy and warm person but when it comes to his little sister, he becomes all sweet and overprotective. The guy has a soft spot for the girl. “You’ll be okay here, right?” she asked Jungkook as she placed a comforting hand on top of his.

The boy looked up at her with an angelic sweet smile that seemed to be especially reserved for the girl. “I can manage; I…don’t want to be too much of a burden,” he murmured shyly before turning his hand so that he could lace his fingers through Haeyoon’s. The girl softened as she saw the look on his face. She knows that he’s still struggling to get over his mother’s death and that he’s still sad and hurting. Haeyoon kinda felt guilty for the boy because he didn’t even get to properly mourn over his mother’s death with all the things happening with her family. Her parents apologized for not having a proper funeral for Mrs. Jeon because of their hectic schedule but Jungkook said that it was fine and he was thankful because they gave her proper burial.

“Don’t ever think that you’re a burden,” she gave his hand a squeeze. “You’re part of the family now and family protects, love and care for one another.” Jungkook repeated the word family as he gripped her hand tighter and from then on, he bowed to protect Haeyoon with all of his heart.

THE BELL FOR lunch break rang throughout the hallways and the students happily rose from their seats while some stayed and chatted with their friends.

“They are already waiting at the usual spot,” Taehyung informed her, slinging his back pack over his shoulders. “Jin texted me.”

“Just a sec,” Haeyoon mumbled as she desperately searched her bag for her chemistry notebook and when she found it gone she looked up at the orange-haired boy and said, “Maybe you could go ahead, I think I left my chem. notebook back at the science lab.” They had chemistry as their second to the last subject before lunch and she needed to retrieve before she could even forget. “Tell them I have to go search for it first, I’ll be quick.”

“Want me to come and help?” her bestfriend offered which she declined knowing that he’d been complaining that he was hungry since the start of their English class. Before the boy could even say anything more, she already dashed out of the room.

On the way to the west wing of their building where the science lab was located, she bumped into their handsome senior student council president, Kim Joonmyeon. The boy is easily one of the heartthrobs in their school who had a fair share of fangirls drooling over him. They see each other outside of school because Yoongi, Taehyung and the others occasionally play soccer with him and his friends. And being one supportive sister and best friend, she was always there to watch them play.

“Hey, Haeyoon, long time no see,” Joonmyeon offered her a high-five which she returned but as soon as their hands touched, current shot through her hand making her recoil immediately. “Oh, we have a spark,” the boy joked as he clenched his fist.

“Uh, I guess,” she let out a small laugh but she was thinking how this was so similar with what happened with Jungkook.

“Anyway, where are you going?” Joonmyeon asked with his charming smile. “You seemed in a hurry.”

She let out a gasp when she remembered why she was in a rush. “I forgot my notebook in the science lab.”

Joonmyeon chuckled at the girl’s cuteness before he said, “I’m on my way there, too, to get some files for Ms. Bae. I’ll help you search for it.”

They reached the lab in no time and in her haste, Haeyoon forgot that the doorknob accidentally broke earlier in the morning and that it shouldn’t be closed or else it will be impossible to open it from the inside. It was too late when she remembered it because when she turned around, Joonmyeon already pushed the door closed.

She groaned and said, “We’re locked.” The boy gave her a puzzled look and after she explained what happened earlier that morning, he sported the same worried look but remained calm.

“You have a phone with you?” he asked. “’Coz I’ve left mine in my bag.”

Haeyoon was about to say yes when she remembered that Gaeun borrowed it earlier because she left hers back at their house. She squeezed her eyes shut while pressing her good fingers against her temple. “My classmate borrowed it.”

The boy heaved a deep breath. “Someone does know that you went here, right?” Upon receiving a positive answer from the girl, Joonmyeon continued, “The best we could do now is to wait for people to notice our absence and decide to find us.”

“Right,” Haeyoon agreed, finding his suggestion logical enough since there’s no other way they could open the door and seeing as it is a thick metal door, shouting for help is also not an option. “Let’s just find the things we're here for.”

After a few minutes of searching, they both got what they’re looking for. “It’s almost thirty minutes and still no one’s searching for us,” Haeyoon sighed worriedly as she perched herself on one of the high-stools.

“I’m sure Yoongi will search for his beloved sister even before lunch time ends, trust me,” Joonmyeon winked at her as he sat across her. “Oh let’s also not forget the alien and the other knights, I bet they’re getting worried now that you haven’t showed for lunch yet,” he joked, trying to lift Haeyoon’s mood. He even called Taehyung alien like how he remembered Hoseok does sometimes just to make her smile.

Haeyoon started smiling which made the boy smile, too. “Yeah, you’re rig—,” she was cut off when a medium-sized black spider jumped in front of her on the table making her yelp and lean back in utter surprise, knocking the chemical-containing beakers and test tubes on the table with her elbow. The liquids quickly crawled down the length of the table until it spilled on the edge, near the wall and dripped on the electrical plugs and outlet. It sparked at once and ignited flame that caught the white drapes in no time.

“!” Joonmyeon cursed before jumping down the chair and pulling the shocked girl to his side protectively. It all happened too fast and before any of them could react, the fire started spreading to the other curtains and through the room. The other flammable chemicals started exploding because of the sudden rise in temperature, making the fire faster, angrier and larger, flames the walls and the roof. The president shrugged his blazer off, soaked it under the faucet and covered it on top of Haeyoon’s head. Every minute that passed made it harder for the both of them to breathe as the smoke became thicker and the temperature went higher.

“F-fire extinguisher!” Haeyoon said in between labored coughs and pointed at the other side of the room where the small red tank hangs on the wall. However, the tables and chairs lit with raging fire made it hard to cross the room. Haeyoon’s lungs were slowly giving up because of too much chemical-filled smoke and Joonmyeon was getting worried as hell. He held her tighter against him, arms wrapped around her in a protective shield. The boy was sweating profusely and his breath was already coming out in staccato but he refused to give up, not when Haeyoon was still in his arms.

“,” he cursed under his breath and even though the fire is going on for only two minutes now, the room was already in too much fire and Joonmyeon wondered desperately how longer it will take for someone to notice that the lab was on fire.

Suddenly, Joonmyeon’s whole left fore arm glowed so bright under the sleeve of his white shirt, surprising both him and Haeyoon. Somehow, he managed to roll the sleeve up to his elbow and saw his arm glowing even brighter. It was a gleaming light blue and Haeyoon immediately recognized it, making her thought for a moment that the same mark as hers would appear on his skin but she was proved wrong. The glowing gradually subsided until it concentrated on the middle of his fore arm, just three inches below his hand, before a mark revealed itself. It looked like a drop of water or something with other shapes drawn inside of it and for a moment, it shined in light blue until it became black like a tattoo.

Haeyoon’s eyes widened in awe as she looked up at Joonmyeon who had a daze look on his face. She shifted under his arms to look closely at his face only to find his eyes glazed and blank. He seems totally out of it and it alarmed the girl. “Joonmyeon! Joonmyeon!” she called while giving his shoulder a shake. “What’s wrong, Joonmyeon?!” She started panicking when the boy didn’t respond and continued standing there like a statue despite the fire around them. After a few terrible heart-dropping seconds, Joonmyeon took a long and deep drag of air as if he just came out of the water, eyes blinking rapidly as he looked around him in a disoriented manner. “Joonmyeon…” Haeyoon called and her voice seemed to bring the boy back on the situation at hand. She didn’t have the time to react when he released her and pulled her behind him. Haeyoon was confused and scared, thinking that they might die in there and she was on the verge of her tears when something incredible and magical happened.

“Oh my god…” she gasped, falling open at the sight in front of her. She would’ve been dreaming but the heat of the room burning her skin was enough reminder that she was awake and that seeing their student council president control and create water with his bear hands was not a hallucination. “Oh my god…” she repeated breathlessly as Joonmyeon put out the fire while the mark or symbol or whatever in his arm was glowing beautifully, heck, the boy himself seemed to glow as he gracefully maneuver the water, making it obey his every command.

When the fire was completely out and the room thoroughly drenched in water, Joonmyeon rushed to her side and pulled her into an embrace. “Thank you, thank you for bringing my memories back,” the boy thanked her, confusing her to no end before pulling back to stare at her face. “I’ll be forever in debted to you, Min Haeyoon.”

“Er…you’re welcome?” she said rather unsurely. “But would you mind explaining how did I bring your memories back and how did you lose it and how were you able to control water like…like…like magic?!” she rumbled which made the boy chuckled.

“I guess I owe you an explanation then,” he replied. “But first, we should get out of here.”

Then as if on cue, the metal door swung open, revealing the bewildered and worried faces of the school’s guard, Ms. Bae and Haeyoon’s friends. The teacher immediately bombarded them with questions which were all answered by the president while Haeyoon was fussed over by Yoongi and the other five boys.

“DON’T YOU EVER do this again, Min Haeyoon,” Yoongi said sternly as he paced in front of her sister’s clinic bed. Haeyoon and Joonmyeon were immediately brought to the clinic to get treatment as soon as they were discovered. The doctor said that they were fine with only minor bruises and slight burns but he still made them rest and skip classes. The boys decided to spend the rest of the break making sure that the girl was fine.

“Do you want anything, babydoll?” Jimin asked Haeyoon as he sat beside her on the bed, wrapping an arm around her petite shoulders. “Just name it.”

“Can you make him stop pacing like a cat who’s about to give birth?” she looked at her brother who kept on pacing back and forth. “I would really appreciate that.”

“Let him be,” Namjoon said from her other side, gently caressing her bandaged hand. She didn’t realize until she was treated that she had obtained quite a number of slight burns and bruises on some part of her arms and face. “It’s his way of venting his stress. He almost got crazy when he found out that you were trapped in a flaming laboratory. Well, all of us are worried-sick about you, you almost gave us a heart attack.”

“I’m sorry for worrying all of you,” she said a little too loud so that the six of them could hear but not loud enough to wake Joonmyeon who was resting on the other side of the room.

Jin softened when he heard the girl apologize and said, “Aww, it’s okay, princess; It’s an accident, it’s not your fault.”

“Yeah, but promise me that nothing like this will happen again, okay?” Hoseok said as he shoved a whining Jimin out of the bed only to claim the place before wrapping his own arm around Haeyoon and kissing her hair.

A minute later, the nurse came and told the boys to go back to their classes. The boys reluctantly left the room but Yoongi stayed behind for a few moments more.

Yoongi sat beside her before taking one of her hands into his. He studied her face for a while with pair of worried eyes before he sighed and said, “Two of your hands now are injured, you’re such a trouble-magnet, you know?” She chuckled at that but didn’t say anything as her brother continued, “I…I’m so sorry I wasn’t able to protect you like how I promised.”

She was touched when she saw how worried Yoongi was. “You came just on time, Yoongi. You let us out of the lab, so, please, don’t blame youself.”

“But still…you’re hurt because I’m not there to protect you,” he murmured with regretful eyes.

“Stop it,” she said, pulling her brother into a hug. “You can’t keep me from getting hurt twenty-four seven, okay? Besides, I’m perfectly fine now.” She pulled away to show him a smile. “Cheer up for me, brother.”

Yoongi cracked a small smile before planting a kiss on her forehead. “Rest well, princess. I’ll pick you up when the classes end.” With that said, he also left the room.

Haeyoon was about to lie down when the door opened again. She thought that it was Yoongi so she was surprised when a very solemn Taehyung entered the room. “Hey, I thought you left already?” She asked the boy who had been awfully quiet since they were rescued. He hadn’t uttered a single word but his face clearly says that he was worried as hell. Haeyoon watched him fidget for a while at the foot of her bed before he walked up to her and suddenly pulled her into a tight warm hug. “I’m okay now, Taehyunggie, I’m fine,” she said as she patted his broad back comfortingly. 

“I’m just so glad that you’re safe,” he breathed against the crook of her neck. “I had never been so scared in my life.” Haeyoon don’t know what to say so she just returned his hug instead. After a few moments, her best friend pulled away to peck her on the forehead. “Don’t scare me again like that, best friend, hmm?” He smiled at her and gave her one last hug before leaving the room.

Haeyoon can’t help but smile to herself as she thought of how lucky she was for having friends like them and a brother who would look after her all the time. She was grateful for having caring people around her. And speaking of being grateful, she thought of Joonmyeon who saved her from being toasted inside the laboratory. Her eyes travelled to his sleeping form and she felt guilty upon seeing the wounds he sustained because of protecting her. She should definitely thank the boy properly once he wake up and she would also probably ask a few questions about him and the supernatural things that happened during the fire and maybe, just maybe, he could also answer the questions that’s been bugging her lately.

Author's Note: This chapter is on fire! LOL! Pretend I didn’t say that. Anyway, another character revealed! Ohorat! Maybe some light will be shed with the help of Suho, or not? keke~ stay tuned so you’ll find out. :D

Hmm. The parents are out. Another guy with an unusual symbol and magical powers appeared…Hmmm…What exactly is happening? Let’s find it out on the next chap, shall we?

PS. Not proof-read as usual. Too lazy. Meh.