his shield

015

"come back soon."

three words to make sure that i will return to him. it's funny to think to no one has said those words to me before.

i spoke them to taekwoon plenty of times near the end.

i knew that jeonghan was going to kill him, i just didn't know when or how.

every time taekwoon left on a new task, i would always tell him to come back to me.

i always prepared myself for the worst. i never knew for sure whether he would be returning or not.

yet jeonghan surprised me by doing it in reverse.

i came back too late. he did that on purpose. because he knew that would make me beat myself up over and over again.

and he was right. that goddamn man is always right and that just makes me hate him even more.

arriving back at the institute, i receive many glances filled with sorrow and pity.

no doubt they know that i have shown myself to jaehwan. no doubt jeonghan has filled them in on everything.

i just ignore the looks and head straight to the training room where i expect to find taeyong.

i gave him the day off but i know he would not have taken it. a fool would have taken it. he is no fool.

just as i had expected, taeyong sweats profusely as he practices hand to hand combat with hongbin.

i silently look on as the two fight. hongbin is hardly breaking into a sweat yet taeyong looks as though he has been swimming.

"you need to work on your stamina" i speak my thoughts out loud. "hongbin has not even begun to tire yet your energy is nearly dead."

the pair immediately stop after i speak. hongbin makes eye contact with me and bows his head.

taeyong does the full 90 degree bow.

"what has become of you wonshik?" hongbin suddenly asks me. i look at him with a slightly confused expression.

"everyone knows. you are falling for jaehwan. you continue to show yourself to him. jeonghan is not happy."

i just shrug at him and take a seat where they have placed their bottles of water.

i chuck one at taeyong and he mutters an excuse about needing to be somewhere else before leaving the room.

i look around at the few others who are here and they quickly leave.

"so what if he isn't happy? i can't be the perfect wonshik that everyone expects me to be for my whole time as a shield."

"yes you can wonshik. you have to be. there is no room for rebelling in this reality." hongbin snaps at me.

"i am not rebelling like some lousy mortal boy." i say through gritted teeth.

"i don't think you realise how serious the situation is. jeonghan is now using you as an example of what not to do. he is this close to killing you."

i sigh and raise myself to my feet. i take the two steps which separates hongbin and i and look him in the eye.

"why do you care so much? huh? it's my life on the line, it doesn't affect you one bit."

"are you seriously that naive to believe that your death would not affect anyone else?" his expression turns to one filled with hurt.

"why should i think otherwise?"

"because i care about you wonshik! you have been there for me ever since i was brought to this shit place! you have always stood up for me before jeonghan, and you continue to help me with my person. more then all of that you are the only friend i have in this institute. i don't know how i would be able to successfully work here if you were gone."

that surprises me. i knew hongbin looked up to me but i did not realise i had made that much of an impression.

"oh" is all i mange to say. what else do i say?

"maybe think of that before you go on your suicide missions." he speaks before storming out of the room.

•

i received several messages from different shields, telling me to go straight to jeonghan's office.

of course, i ignored all of them and left the institute.

i went to jaehwan's place instead. the one place which hongbin does not want me to go to.

i received a note soon after out talk stating that he is going to ask to have my person changed.

let him try. a shield's person can only be changed by the shield itself.

not even someone as strong as jeonhan can do that without my consent.

jaehwan is preparing dinner for himself and sanghyuk.

his friend is due to come over at 7 o'clock. it is currently 6.

i step into the kitchen and remove my glamour.

jaehwan who was immersed in a song, turns and screams when he sees me.

"you people don't like to knock do you?" he states and i smile at him.

"why are you here?" he asks, realising i'm not going to say anything.

"i brought my own food. i've come to have dinner" i say simply and his jaw drops in surprise.

"sanghyuk is coming over tonight" he informs me and i just nod before waving my hand over the stove, turning it on.

i then grab a pot and place it on the burner before putting in my pasta.

i touch the side of the heating pot and it fills with water.

"he won't see me" i say simply as i begin to stir the pasta.

"but i will?" he tries to wrap his head around what i just said and i nod slowly.

"you wanted to have dinner with me so here i am."

"this was not what i meant" he grabs my arm to gain my attention.

"i thought it would be just the two of us."

"yeah well, i may not have much time left so what can you do?" i shrug him off and he runs his hands through his hair.

"this is crazy" he exclaims and i chuckle under my breath.

"what do you mean you may not have much time left?" he suddenly picks up on what i said earlier.

"that is a tale for another time. it is a long and complicated tale about how i am not allowed to see you or like you but i really do not want to explain when your friend is about to arrive. we do not have nearly enough time."

"like me?" he continues to grow more confused by the minute.

the doorbell rings which is good in a way.

i quickly glamour the pot so not even jaehwan will see it.

he will only see me. sanghyuk will not see anyone.

this is going to be an interesting night.

A/N - what is going to happen at the dinner? was hongbin justified in what he argued?

thanks for reading!!