NCT : The Dream Lab

XV : The 7th Sense

Stage 4 : Empathy phase.

Jaehyun was standing in the middle of a very warm and cozy room with a wooden floor, dried flowers everywhere and a lovely sight over a lush valley. It felt like this place could heal you from all your pains. The moment he stepped closer to the window to admire the landscape, he flinched, discovering an unconscious silhouette curled up in a ball in the corner of the room. The doctor squinted his eyes, observing the other's clothes intently. While he was wearing the very simple outfit he fell asleep with, the stranger wore lavish colorful silk, embroidered with golden thread...almost as if he was from another age.

An idea popped up in his mind, but his rationality refused to fully acknowledge it. Was it an effect of the time dilation ? Could people from centuries ago visit the Neozone ? How to explain that ?

All of a sudden, Chittaphon jolted awake gasping for air desperately, which probably meant that his consciousness had just traveled from reality to his astral body that was able to act in dreams. When he glimpsed the intimidating man towering over him, Chittaphon muffled a scream, hurrying to get up but was hindered by various wounds on his body. His whole face was swollen and bruised, which testified of a pretty violent fight.

-I don't mean any harm ! Jaehyun exclaimed.

Suddenly, a spark shone in the stranger's eyes : he had finally understood what the doctor's presence implied.

-Taeyong accomplished his first 7th sense awakening !

At that precise moment, Taeyong entered the house, looking more ethereal than ever. Now that his health had significantly improved, his skin glowed gracefully. His slicked-back hair gave him a more mature aspect, almost making him intimidating. He exuded a magical aura, almost divine, dressed in a very elegant white suit with prominent shoulder pads and extremely refined details that enhanced his slender figure. The flared sleeves were slit to the elbows, revealing his very delicate forearms, but more importantly a massive black circle around his left wrist marked under his skin.

Taeyong gently smiled at Jaehyun and then gave Chittaphon a gray pile of new clothes to replace his damaged ones.

-I see you listened well to my recommendations and even upgraded this place a little, Taeyong.

-Yes, I seem to master my abilities unusually well ever since I dilated time. I wanted you to live in a nice place. Please, make yourself at home. Here is Jaehyun, he is a friend of mine.

Chittaphon bowed respectfully and then excused himself to get changed. As soon as he left, Taeyong started bouncing all around his friend, completely overexcited.

-Wowowowow Jae I can't believe you're finally hereeeee ! It's beautiful, isn't it ? Don't you want to stay here forever ?

The doctor smiled blissfully until the younger moved his mouth so close to his ears that he could distinctly hear him breathe.

-I have a surprise to celebrate your arrival !

Jaehyun glanced at him interrogatively as Taeyong was wiggling his eyebrows in a comedic way. His mature attitude from a few minutes ago had undoubtedly vanished. Once Chittaphon was changed in the outfit Taeyong had created especially for him, the two dreamers followed their impatient leader. They walked to the hill, in which a heavy metal door was carved. It looked like a futuristic bunker. In front of it, ten human figures draped in wide black uniforms stood still. Their faces were all hidden by a mask that imitated the traits of a human but fully black with a white stripe in the middle. Their stares were all devoid of the slightest emotion.

-Tadaaaa ! Taeyong sang, waving his hands to his brand new creations.

Chittaphon was the first to dare approach them, mouth half opened. Those individuals were inexplicably scary, but fascinating at the same time. And most importantly, they were so different from what he witnessed where he used to live.