perfect something ;; xikers

twenty six

Junmin stared at the small window displaying the second floor corridor camera, a small smile forming on his lips as he watched Hunter and Minjae hug one another. "About damn time, jeez..."

Upon noticing that the two would do a bit more than just hug each other, he quickly swiped away to another camera - Junghoon's storage room. K and Junghoon were hunched over the table, poking and prodding mechanical components with screwdrivers and cables. They seemed to be having a lively conversation, too - maybe K was more helpful than he thought.

"I saw him flirting with you."

Junmin instinctively grabbed the pistol on his desk, but placed it down when he realised it was only Jinsik that stepped in. "Oh, it's you."

Jinsik chuckled as the door closed behind him. "You and K are friends now, huh?"

"Not really," Junmin muttered, looking down at the screen as he opened a diagnostics screen for the Jackal scanner. "I mean... he's okay. He's not a bad guy, I think. I'd like to trust my judgement of him."

"Do you like him?" Jinsik asked excitedly as he sat across from the other. Junmin made a face and Jinsik laughed, hitting his hands against the table in excitement. "You do! Junmin hyung, you... you like someone. Minjae hyung's big brother, though?"

"I don't like Yudai-chan!"

"Yudai-chan?! Oh my God, you're smitten-"

"I don't like him!" Junmin exclaimed weakly, crossing his arms when Jinsik laughed cheekily, raising his eyebrows suggestively. "I... got to know him a little bit. He's nice."

"And you like nice boys," Jinsik teased, pointing his finger excitedly as Junmin looked away in embarrassment. "Why him, though? Sumin wants to shoot him, and I don't particularly trust him, either. You seem to like him, though - and so does Junghoon. They're working well together."

"Junghoon's just glad that he's finally heading somewhere with his new project - I monitored them as they went to Ghosteye's warehouse, but I had no tap into audio."

"But I'm sure some cameras around there would have audio."

"Not at a drifter group base's warehouse," Junmin said, shaking his head. "People want to be as secretive as possible, especially as coercive group such as Ghosteye. Well... not that Ghosteye exists anymore."

"Do you want to start your own drifter group with him?"

"Shut up, oh my god..."

"You even call him Yudai-chan," Jinsik teased, causing the other to roll his eyes. "You're the only one that calls him that, hyung. Well, you and Minjae hyung."

Junmin sighed in exasperation as he findlly turned to face Jinsik. "You have things to do, last time I checked. Retrieve the spare signal connectors in my storage room for the drone. While you're at it, monitor Yechan's health for your boyfriend while he's gone."

"Why should I do Sumin's job?"

"Fine, don't monitor Yechan's vitals."

Jinsik glared at the other as he stood up to walk out the main room. Junmin shook his head as he focused on the screen in front of him again. His eyes fell on the diagnostics screen of the drone, but he felt his gaze wandering to the camera feed of Junghoon's storage room. He was tempted to force audio input, but sighed and returned to work.

"Don't be weird, Junmin..."

•

"You want to know more about Junmin hyung?"

K nodded as he put down the clear lens. "I want to be his friend. He seems cool, but awfully shy, so give me some tips."

"Well, don't invade his space - that's one tip," Junghoon said with a cheeky laugh as K glared at him. "I'm kidding. In all fairness, I don't think Junmin hyung is particularly close with anyone here. He's on good terms with everyone, but we don't know too much about him. He's similar to Minjae hyung, now that I think about it..."

"Would he ever push someone like me away?"

"If anything, he's been the most accepting of your past mistakes," Junghoon hummed, finally looking up at K. "He was the first of the members to forgive you. I think Jinsik has been teasing him all day about wanting to be your friend. Just... talk to him. Treat him like a human - like a friend."

"Do you think he likes me?"

"Probably. He's an open book, but he's also very secretive," Junghoon shrugged. "Pass on the connectivity module. We need to test this thing out. Let's head to the basement."

"Wait, I think we miscalculated the receptor count," K said suddenly. "And... I have a better idea of what we can make for Yechan. I need to ask him some questions first, though."

"Oh...? Let me hear it."

"A device that can utilise Maki and tame it," K answered, causing Junghoon to frown. "We can do something that can give it its own physical form while still relying on Yechan for its life force. Maybe it won't hurt him anymore. But I digress - I'm not an expert in demon signets."

"Only in regular signets?"

"I didn't even know about the Magenta Signet until recently through an anonymous source," K said with a chuckle. "Universe-made signets that adapted to societal developments, such as Minjae's Crimzone Signet, were common knowledge. There's four of them out there and Minjae's was the closest - which is why I wanted to take it from him. I don't know much about Demon Signets and I know nothing about the man-made Signets."

"Demon Signets are... complicated. Not even the sages can understand them that well, despite being specialised in controlling them," Junghoon replied. "Apparently, they form on old spirits and form something like the universe-made Signets. They form from different cultures and religions - Maki being created from an old forgotten Japanese pagan belief. It apparently haunted those of unpure heart until it ate away at their life force. Victims often died of shock."

"Is that what Maki is capable of...?"

"That was its ability as a living demon back in its day - now it just makes Yechan stronger," Junghoon shrugged. "I understand it less than the sages do, so maybe you should talk to Yechan. Maybe get him to let Maki's spirit out for a couple of moments to talk to it."

"I heard from Minjae that Maki is a little more harmful than simply 'letting it out'," K hummed. "It... took out one of the old members of XIKERS, didn't it?"

Junghoon fell silent for a moment. "We don't speak about the accident. I don't mean to sound angry or whatever, but... you caused it. When Maki went berserk, it was your doing. We had to blame someone for that accident and we couldn't say it was Yechan - he has no control of Maki's actions."

K was quiet as he stared down at his hands. "Looking back at everything I did, I... caused a lot of pain for XIKERS, didn't I? Your past member's death, Jinsik's injuries, Minjae's questionable bloodlust - it's all my fault, isn't it?"

"Hey, Minjae hyung is an extremely accepting guy. Sure, he'd do everything in his power to protect us, but he'd solve conflict first before taking a life. By allowing you in, it shows that he trusts you. Minjae hyung means a lot to us and he never steered us in the wrong direction."

"I'm sorry about your past member."

"... I know you are. You're clearly changing your ways, too," Junghoon smiled as he put a hand to K's back. "In any case, talk to Yechan - and talk to Junmin hyung. I'm sure he'd like to be your friend."

K smiled at the other. "Let's first finish this up."