CHAPTER SEVEN

Mysterious Pianist

“You’re a Guardian,” Haeyoon said in a daze as if she can’t still believe that she had found another one. “I…I found another Guardian. .” She looked at Kyungsoo who was staring wide-eyed at her. “I can’t believe that you are a Guardian.”

Stars had started dotting the sky and the last of the sun can be barely seen behind the horizon. The night will fall upon them in just a matter of minutes but neither of them noticed as they sat on a bench at the empty park a few blocks from the convenient store.

“I’m guessing that Suho already explained things to you,” Kyungsoo’s voice was so deep and it summoned goose bumps on her skin. They hardly had any interactions at school but talking to the boy felt almost natural to Haeyoon and she found it strange.

“Who’s Suho?” she asked, her arms instinctively wrapping themselves around her as the chilly wind blew past them.

“Joonmyeon’s real name.”

“Oh…yes, he told me a lot of things but it’s still overwhelming to see a Guardian like you using his powers,” she cracked a small smile before her eyes went wide as if a realization hit her. “Wait, are you a werewolf?”

“No, no,” the boy chuckled at her reaction. “It’s just one of the forms that I could turn into. You see, I control the Earth and transforming into land creatures are one of my powers.”

“Wow, cool powers you have there,” she said. “Joonmyeon would be really happy to see you.”

Kyungsoo’s face turned into one of pure longing, relief and happiness. “I knew the moment I saw him that he looked so familiar. When I still can’t remember anything, I felt a strange pull when I saw him the day I transferred school. Then I saw you together and decided to follow you to the pond…and that’s when I saw him using his spirit.”

“That explains your name pin lying on the ground,” she mused to herself.

“During that time, I still can’t understand the odd feeling whenever he’s around, like something is pulling me to him but now I know why…” he trailed off as a small smile danced on his heart-shaped lips.

Kyungsoo was staring in front of him with a soft look on his handsome face, giving Haeyoon the liberty to stare and appreciate his beauty. He got thick perfect eye brows that complemented his wide bright doe-like eyes. He also got a smooth face, straight proud nose and a pair of pink plump lips. He’s really a pretty boy.

Was she so busy being creep out by him before that she failed to notice all of this? Haeyoon laughed inwardly at herself and can’t help but wonder what the other Guardians would look like.

“It’s the bond,” Haeyoon was pulled out of her thoughts when Kyungsoo spoke again. “We, Guardians, are created with a special bond that binds us to one another. That is how I felt Suho’s presence.”

“Your powers never cease to amaze,” she told him.

“And it’s because of you that I can use them again,” he smiled warmly at her. “Thank you for lifting the seal and bringing back my memories.”

“Well, I don’t really know how I did that for the second time but, yeah,” she shrugged. “I think we’re even now, you saved my life back at the alley.” She tightened her arms around her body when the terrifying image of the man in cloak popped in her head. She just hoped that it won’t haunt her in her dreams. “By the way, how were you able to find me?”

Kyungsoo’s brow furrowed as he thought to himself, “It’s really strange but I felt the same pull so…I followed you and when I saw you being attacked, it felt like something snapped in me before my memories came back.”

“H-how is that even possible?” she asked in bewilderment. “The pull and all, it’s weird.”

He shook his head and said, “I don’t know. But maybe my brother knows.”

Haeyoon was about to open and say something when the boy spoke again. “They’re coming.”

“What?” she panicked for a moment, thinking that it was the man in cloak again. “W-who’s coming?”

“Your brother and the other boy,” he glanced at her. “I can feel them through the ground.”

Haeyoon released a sigh of relief. “You scared me for a moment there.” A thought crossed her mind and she said, “Maybe that’s how you felt me, too, through the ground?”

“No…I felt their presence because of my Earth spirit…” he trailed off as he looked intently at her. “But with you…it’s a pull similar to what I felt with Suho…”

“Maybe we should really ask him tomorrow at school,” she suggested though she wanted to ask him more question about the thing—because she was certain it wasn’t a human though she preferred to call it ‘man in cloak’ in her mind—that attacked her. But she reckoned that it would be better if Joonmyeon would be involved, too. 

Kyungsoo stood up and surprised her when he took one of her hands and tenderly kissed the back of it. “I will forever be indebted to you, Min Haeyoon.” He smiled affectionately at her before he walked away, leaving her blushing ten shades of red at his random actions.

A few minutes later, she could hear her name being called out.

“I’m here,” she called back at them.

The tight painful knot in Yoongi’s heart was released once he saw his sister safe and sound. But it didn’t stop him from scolding and yelling at her. “What the hell, Haeyoon? Are you really trying to give us a heart attack?!”

Seeing her brother and Jungkook’s worried faces immediately made her feel guilty. She didn’t mean to forget about them. “I’m so sorry…” she said as sincerely as she could.

The older male heaved an exasperated sigh before reaching for her and pulling her into his arms. “Sorry for yelling…I’m just so freaking worried. Please, don’t disappear like that again.”

“I’m sorry,” she murmured against his chest, wrapping her arms around Yoongi’s waist. For now, she decided to not tell him a thing about what happened. It might make him worry more.

“Why are you here, anyway?” he asked as soon as he pulled away from her.

“I…I saw a lost little girl then helped her find her mother,” she half-lied, because she really did see a little girl though she turned out to be a frightening man in cloak. 

Her brother released a defeated sigh. “Min Haeyoon, you’ll be the death of me.”

The girl can only manage a sheepish smile before they resumed their way back home. They were almost at their neighborhood, with Yoongi leading the way, when she felt a warm hand slipped into hers. She looked up and saw Jungkook looking back at her with his wide expressive eyes.

“Your hands were cold,” he quietly said in wonder as if it was such a discovery for him.

A smile graced her lips. “And yours warm…” She felt him grip her hand a little tighter and, oddly, she understood his small gesture. “You were worried, too, right?”

The boy meekly nodded his head.

“Sorry…I’ll try not to do it again,” she squeezed his hand back earning herself an endearing smile from Jungkook.

HAEYOON WAS LEANING against the railing of their front porch as she watched the clear dark sky like a canvas beautifully peppered with silver glitters. 

Do Kyungsoo....He's a Guardian like Joonmyeon.

She was still reeling from what she had learned and she can’t wait to talk to Joonmyeon…together with Kyungsoo.

However the silence of the night was interrupted when her phone rang. She checked it and saw Jackson’s name on display. She swiped her thumb across the screen before putting it up to her ear. “Hello?”

“Sweetcake!” Jackson exclaimed in a high-pitched voice from the other end of the line. “Oh my stress! How are you? Why aren’t you answering your phone earlier?! We thought you were kidnapped or something!” Then she heard some shuffling, like the phone was being passed to someone else. “Yah! I’m still talking to sweetcake!” She chuckled upon hearing Jackson’s protest before another sweet voice drowned it. “Hi, princess! Are you okay?”

“Hi, Jr,” she greeted back. “I’m fine, no need to worry.”

“You home yet?” he asked.

“Yes,” she replied as she looked over behind her shoulder and through the sliding glass door. Yoongi and Jungkook was lounging on the living room and watching tv with bowls of icecream. “We’re actually done with dinner.”

“That’s good.”

There was another shuffling and protest before JB’s smooth voice was heard. “You’re with you’re brother, right?”

“Yes,” she smiled to herself. “I bet I’m on loud speaker.”

“Uh, yeah,” he answered and Haeyoon could almost imagine him rubbing the back of his neck. “We, uhm, just wanted to check if you’re alright. You know, with the bad things happening around, we just wanted to know if you’re safe.”

“I’m fine,” she nodded as if they could possibly see her. “You, guys, should be careful, too.” A shiver ran down her spine when she remembered her terrifying encounter earlier. 

If it wasn't for Kyungsoo... 

She shook her head, hoping to push away the horrible image of the cloaked figure that she thought might haunt her even in her sleep. 

“Oh, Haeyoonie, we’re perfectly fine,” it was Bambam’s voice. “We can protect ourselves because we have pow—,” The rest of his words were muffled and Haeyoon can’t help but laugh.

“You have what?”

“Nothing,” Youngjae answered. “We have…nothing but our abs and hotness to fight the bad guys!”

The girl rolled her eyes. “Yeah, right, as if you have abs to begin with.”

“We have!” they chorused. “Come here and I’ll gladly show you mine, sweetcake!” Jackson hollered, making her giggle. 

“Gross, Jack, gross!” she heard Yugyeom complained. “Always be careful, Haeyoon; it’s not safe to be outside especially around this time.”

“Hello, to you, too, Yugyeom,” she giggled, imagining his usual cute poker face. “I’m in the safe confines of my own home, don’t worry.”

There was another shuffling again, a small thud, and then it became quiet.

“Hello?”

“Hey,” a deep voice could be heard from the other line. She smiled, assuming that the person had gone to another room to avoid his friends’ ruckus and noise.

“Mark.”

She glanced at the door again and saw Yoongi raising an eyebrow at her to which she only smiled in return.

“Haeyoon…” there was an undeniable softness in his tone when he spoke her name.

“Yes?”

She heard a soft sigh before Mark spoke again, “Just…please, be safe always, okay? Call me if something happens.”

“I will, don’t worry and be safe, too. You and the guys.”

“Haeyoon…” A pause. “I wanted to tell you something…”

“Sure, what is it?”

“Haeyoon, I…I…” her brows pinched together when he didn’t continue.

“What?”

There was another sigh yet again. “…Uhm, nothing, never mind, maybe some other time.”

“O-oh, sure…” she replied rather unsurely. Mark sure is acting weird over the phone.

“Goodnight, Haeyoon…” he said, voice dropping an octave lower.

“Goodnight, Mark,” then she hung up first like she usually does when she’s talking to Mark.

“Who’s that?” her brother asked once she entered the living room.

She placed her phone on top of the coffee table and gathered her bowl of icecream that was slowly melting down. “Mark and the others.”

The boy groaned and said, “You know that I don’t like them, right?”

“Don’t worry, the feelings mutual for them,” Haeyoon shrugged, eating a spoonful of chocolate mint goodness. “But you know what? You guys think alike in more ways than one.” Glancing at Yoongi, she can’t help but shook her head in disappointment. “And I can’t understand why you’re so against each other.”

“It’s a guy thing, dear sister, guy thing,” Yoongi said with a nod of his head as if he’s really satisfied with his reasoning before turning to Jungkook. “You get that, Jungkook? Guy thing?”

“Guy thing?” Jungkook innocently tilted his head to side, having no idea of what the older boy was talking about.

The girl snorted. “Oh, sure, whatever you say, dear brother,” then she mumbled to herself, “Even if that’s the exact same thing that Jr said.”

THAT DAY, HAEYOON went to school an hour earlier than usual. She decided to meet with Joonmyeon and Kyungsoo before their respective classes start. She was on her way to the student council room when a sweet melody stopped her in her tracks. She blinked and she realized that it was coming from a piano…from the auditorium.

‘Déjà vu,’ she thought to herself as she listened intently to the beautiful tune that filled the peaceful morning.

The girl didn’t know why but she found herself wondering if it was the same guy from the other day. When her curiosity finally got the best of her, she crept inside the auditorium just like what she did the other day.

The scene was so familiar to her; the handsome boy sitting in front of the piano, eyes closed and fingers gracefully pressing over the keys. But he was playing a different piece this time; it was less angst-y than the previous song he played.

Haeyoon noticed that the drapes were drawn this time and the only sources of light were the overhead lights and the spotlights located on the edge of the stage. She made sure that her steps were noiseless as possible as she descended down the stairs to avoid distracting the pianist. She stopped a good ten feet from the platform and continued watching him from there. She was sure that the moment he open his eyes, he would see her but she didn’t mind; she only wanted to hear his voice. There was something about him that drew her in everytime. Whether it was his angelic voice or the mysterious aura he carried around him, the girl wasn’t sure.

Even if I seem strong, even if I'm smiling,

I spend a lot of time alone. 

His voice was as gentle and soothing as the first time she heard it and she can’t help but close her eyes and let his song reach her heart.

Even if I seem like I never have any worries

I have a lot I want to say.

I was so drawn to you in that first moment

So I said it all without really thinking things through.

A smile spread on her lips. It was a sweet song of confession.

The answer is you, my answer is you.

I tried showing you all of me.

You are my everything, I was sure of that.

Haeyoon’s eyes fluttered open when the music and his singing voice stopped all at once. Her eyes went wide when she saw that the stage was empty.

A gasp escaped her lips when the spotlights on the stage went off, plunging the whole stage in darkness. Haeyoon took a step back and she felt herself bump into something…

“Hello there.”

…Or someone.

She whirled and found herself face to face with the mysterious pianist.

“H-how…” words left her the moment he caressed her face with his own warm hand. Her heart started hammering in her chest and she didn’t know if it was because of fear or entirely something else. She can’t deny the fact that he was more beautiful up close and also the fact that she was so crept out by his action.

“We’ve been searching for years,” he uttered softly. “But you found two of them in just a matter of days.”

“W-what are you talking about?” she stuttered as she froze in her spot, his face just a few inches away from her own. She realized that she wasn’t really scared but rather, surprised and confused by him. He was a stranger but Haeyoon can’t feel any danger from him.

“You’re a human but…” he trailed off as his beautiful eyes roam over her features, like he was searching for something. “There was something in you...”

Haeyoon swallowed hard as she felt , as well as her lips, getting dry. “Who are you?”

A smile danced over his defined lips. “Who are you?” he asked her back, his voice laced with genuine curiosity. “How were you able to lift their seals? And why are they…coming for you?”

“What?” she breathed. She was getting flustered from all his mind-boggling statements and it’s not helping that he was so close to her, they were almost inhaling the same air. “Who’s coming for me?”

As if on cue, they heard frantic footsteps and she saw Kyungsoo and Joonmyeon emerge from the door, behind the pianist. They were standing at the top of the stairs with tensed and worried faces.

“See?” the boy smiled even wider. “They’re here to save you.” He retracted his hand away from her face and took a step back. “They felt my presence but it’s funny how they took me as a threat to you.” He spoke more like to himself than to her.

The overhead lights started flickering and she noticed a blue symbol glowing just behind his left ear. She let out an inaudible gasp when she realized that he was one of them.

“Haeyoon!” she heard Kyungsoo shout. 

Then the lights went off.

She was blinded for a moment and she felt an arm s around her waist before the lights went on again. She was now facing the two boys and the pianist was standing behind her with his arm around her.

“Come on now,” he said and she felt his chuckle rumble through his chest as he was pressed against her. “I meant no harm.”

There were flashes of different emotions on both Kyungsoo and Joonmyeon’s faces; it went from worried to confusion before it became recognition and finally realization. Their eyes were wide open and their mouths were slacked.

“What? Still can’t remember me?”

“Baekhyun,” the two other males uttered in unison.

“Long time no see, dear brothers.”

Author's Note:

Say whuut? Quite a rushed chapter. I wanted to finish this as soon as possible before I get busy with work. I hope you still like this chappie. Stay tuned!

PS. Can you guess the song? LOL!