Resolving Conflict | Ateez Superhero AU

Eavesdrop

Yunho stepped forward, forcing Seonghwa to retreat into the living  room. Now much more visible under the moonlight, Hongjoong saw the stony  expression on the younger member and immediately made sense of the  situation.

Before Hongjoong could say anything - not that he had any idea what  was the right thing to say - Yunho asked, "Can I have a private word  with Seonghwa hyung?"

Hongjoong gave Seonghwa a questioning look. Seonghwa nodded. The  leader hesitated for a moment, wondering if he should interfere further,  but decided that his body needed rest before that and traipsed into his  room quietly.

"You were going to tell me, right?" Yunho asked as soon as he heard the door clicking shut.

Seonghwa had to try hard not to flinch at Yunho's accusing tone. His  first instinct was to reply with a white lie, but his virtuous heart  instantly made me think twice. He parted his lips but stumbled over his  words, haven't yet made up his mind on what to say.

Yunho got the incoherent message anyway and his face softened to a point where it looked like it might break at any time.

Suddenly both of the members seemed to have lost their words. A  pregnant silence filled the room, almost tangible under the weak beam of  moonlight aimed right between them.

"We just didn't want you to get upset, or scared," Seonghwa said. He  tried to act like his usual caring self, but he ended up sounding unsure  of himself as he tried to gauge whether the other liked what he was  saying.

Yunho took a sharp intake of breath. "And you think hiding it from me will not upset me?"

Seonghwa heard the hurt under the deep layer of anger in Yunho's  voice and felt his heart ache from immense guilt and regret. He knew he  could have done better.

Staring straight into Yunho's eyes, Seonghwa chose his next words  carefully. It was a matter of improving the situation or worsening it to  a point of no return.

"I don't want you to think that you have to train to be accepted as part of us. You are good enough the way you are."

"So why did you opt me out of the mission?" Yunho raised his voice,  unable to contain his emotions. "If I'm good enough, why won't you let  me go?"

A soft thump interrupted the conversation. It sounded like it came  from one of the bedrooms. Someone might have knocked something off of  their bedside table, or they might have rolled off the bed and landed on  the floor. The team was full of fitful sleepers, and these noises were  no surprise during the night.

But somehow, it sounded much more sinister this time.

"Because the last thing we want is the government getting more angry  at us," explained Seonghwa. He was patient, but he lowered his voice  even further to prompt Yunho to do the same.

Yunho rubbed his hand over his face exasperatedly. "So you're scared,  too. I don't understand. If you don't want the government to come after  us, why can't we do what they want us to do?"

"That wouldn't be the right thing to do for the benefit of the team."

Yunho seemed unfazed by the sudden sternness in Seonghwa's voice. Instead, a shadow as dark as his eyes passed over his face.

"I disappointed you, didn't I?" Yunho licked his dry lips."You trusted me to do the right thing for the group, remember?"

Seonghwa's confusion melted away, revealing somber eyes. "I'm not  disappointed in you," Seonghwa said. But his composure slipped due to  his fatigue.

A bitter smile formed on Yunho's lips. "I'm sorry, anyway."

Seonghwa frowned, but he wasn't sure what was the feeling that bothered him so much. Frustration? Anger? Despair? Sorrow?

"It's not your fault. Everyone has different opinions. I get it. It's hopeless thinking, but I just don't want conflict."

"You should've told us," Yunho said.

"What?" The room seemed colder all of a sudden. Seonghwa shivered.

"That night after the mission. We were outside, talking. I thought  you were a bit drunk, but you weren't." Yunho's voice was heavy. "You  something was going to happen. That's why you told me to not do anything  stupid." He paused, his breaths thunderous in the silence. "But I did.  Or I'm going to."

Seonghwa felt his gut twist. He understood now why Yunho wanted to talk to him alone.

"I did see something. Something bad happening to our team. There were  fights. Arguments." The words came flowing out of his mouth like a  broken tap. Seonghwa couldn't control himself now that someone found  out. "But I don't know why. I don't know what triggered it." His lips  trembled. "That's why I'm not forcing you to agree with Hongjoong and I.  Because I don't know what is the correct choice."

Yunho was too tired to be shocked. He pondered for a moment before  forming a reply. "No one knows what the correct choice is." This time,  his voice was barely audible even in the silence. "Are you going to tell  the others?"

"No," replied Seonghwa. But that was just an instinctive answer. "No.  I don't know." A while ago it was Hongjoong who doubted himself. Now  Seonghwa could experience the same feeling of hopelessness that clung  onto him like an extra weight.

"Just let fate play out by its own this time," Yunho suggested  carefully. You're always trying to change the future, and I understand  why. But you have to think for yourself, too."

Seonghwa sighed and shook his head. It was too late to be talking  about this. "You know what? Maybe you're right." He managed a weak  smile. It didn't hurt to believe in something that could comfort him  even if it was just for a second. Even if it was near impossible.

Yunho raised his hands and stared into his palms. "I don't think I  should let my powers take control of me. But I'll try my best to keep a  good relationship with the team. They are my friends, after all. You get  what I mean?"

"Yea."

Yunho nodded and walked over to the kitchen to get a cup of water.

Seonghwa stayed looking for a while, but eventually headed into the  dark hallway and returned to his bedroom, where he would toss and turn  on his bed  for a whole night.

⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶⊷⋆⊶⊷⊶⊷⊶

(Part of) Seonghwa's vision is finally revealed! It will be hard to reveal it to everyone any time soon, though.

Sorry for the slightly shorter chapter xp

- KCGG_Goddess