his shield

016

jaehwan lets his guest inside and i just take a seat at the dining table and begin to eat my pasta.

"did you make pasta?" sanghyuk asks as jaehwan leads him into the kitchen.

i just smirk to myself as i watch jaehwan run a hand through his hair.

"no, i'm making other things. don't ask why you can smell pasta" he tells sanghyuk.

the younger just nods as though this is a regular occurrence.

"why are you sitting there?" jaehwan exclaims at me. i just look at him then too sanghyuk who was about to sit beside me.

"you want to sit somewhere else?" he asks his friend, confused.

"no, sit. i'm going insane just don't mind me at all" jaehwan exasperates before serving the food.

he takes a seat opposite me and sends me a glare, telling me to keep quiet and to not distract him in anyway.

"so how's the new place been going anyways?" sanghyuk asks him, genuinely curious.

"really well. the new bed was delivered a few days ago and it's really comfortable. i've been liking this place a lot more than my old one."

"good" sanghyuk grins and so does jaehwan. it makes me happy to see him smiling the way he is.

it isn't often that i get to see that smile in person.

jaehwan notices my gaze and makes eye contact.
'stop' he mouths. sanghyuk is too busy eating to notice.

"and why would i? i'm not even doing anything. your just picking on me" i state the facts and he scowls at me.

he looks at his friend to make sure he is still distracted before looking at me once more.

'you know what i mean. your distracting me' he mouths.

"i can't help that i'm just unbelievingly attractive" i chuckle and he just rolls his eyes.

"you really are going insane huh?" sanghyuk smirks and jaehwan sighs in frustration.

"oh only if you knew" he mutters beneath his breath.

suddenly i feel a shooting pain in my head. i wince and push my chair away from the table.

jaehwan notices but he can't say anything because of sanghyuk.

hongbin is calling for me. he needs help.

"i have to go" i gasp at jaehwan.

before he has the chance to say anything i leave the table and hurry into another room.

i draw the symbol on the wall and head to the institute.

i arrive to find hongbin pacing in my room. i walk inside and he immediately grabs my shoulders when he sees me.

"taeyong is in trouble" he tells me.

"what? why?" i scrunch my facial features in confusion. i told jeonghan to leave him alone.

i told him that i would take on all of his punishments.

"jeonghan requested to see him about an hour ago. taeyong came back a few minutes later with only 1 day left on his time" hongbin explains.

"what?!" i exclaim and hongbin frowns.

"the only way that jeonghan will give him more time is if you manage to get him to pass the shield test within the next 24 hours."

"why does he want taeyong to pass so suddenly?"

hongbin lets go of me and walks over to the window.

"because then there will be no loose ends when jeonghan decides to punish you."

i see the look on his face and i know that my punishment will be death.

"where is taeyong?" i ask quietly. he slowly turns to face me once more.

"in the training room. i told him you'd meet him there."

i smile at him sadly before heading to meet taeyong.

i get to the training room to see him practicing his aim with a dagger and a small target.

"do you think your ready?" i ask him as i walk over to him.

"as ready as i can be in this little time" he stares at the ground as he turns towards me.

"i will warm you that jaehwan is the most clumsiest person on the planet. it took hongbin two goes. we do have time if you don't succeed the first time" i explain.

"just do it" he says and makes eye contact with me. his eyes are red, he's been crying.

"you'll be fine. you are nearly as good as i am" i assure him but the smile he gives me doesn't reach his eyes.

i do the process and all of jaehwan's senses become his own.

he closes his eyes and clenches his hands into fists as he looks over what is meant to happen over the next 24 hours.

"tell me what you see."

"he is going to try and call you again. he is going to threaten to cut his wrists."

"ah that's easy. that's probably the thirtieth time that he's done that. you'll be fine" i wave it off and taeyong opens his eyes and looks me in the eye.

"i'm sorry" he mutters.

"why are you sorry?" i fold my arms over my chest and listen for his response.

"because of me, you are going to die. it's my fault and i'm sorry. you have a future here yet i ruined it."

"oh believe me i was going to cause my own demise quicker then you would ever get the chance. i have fallen for my person taeyong, there's only a matter of time before i am killed for that. yes what you have done has probably sped up the process but you did not cause this. i did. don't blame yourself."

i just shake my head at him as i pat his shoulder assuringly.

"lets go and save jaehwan."

A/N - what is going to happen to wonshik?
next chapter will have a RAKEN moment in it...

thanks for reading!!