Resolving Conflict | Ateez Superhero AU

Trapped

Seonghwa sat on an outdoor bench, staring into the woods. He was surrounded by the most original form of nature, something peaceful and undisturbed. Yet somehow the environment did nothing but accentuate the unrest in his heart.

"Worrying about the others?"

Seonghwa looked back to see Hongjoong standing behind him. He smiled before facing the woods again.

"A little bit."

Hongjoong let out a small chuckle. That prompted Seonghwa to turn his head again with an arched eyebrow, so he explained, "I thought I was the one worrying. I must've looked scary the past few days whenever I said I would move away no matter what."

Seonghwa nodded. His eyes found the trees again, and this time he let some peace be found inside him. "Even I was scared. You looked so stern..." His gaze wandered to his hands on his lap. "Why are you so against the idea of trusting the government?"

"Other than the fact they took San and intruded our old base to threaten us?" Hongjoong said, but he wasn't sarcastic. He stood in silence for a long moment, considering the question seriously. "I have a bad feeling. That this would make a deep wound in our team's morale."

Seonghwa tensed, taken aback by the leader's dismal statement.

"I...actually have something to tell you." Seonghwa got Hongjoong's attention now.

"I had a vision a while ago, even before the celebration, when we caught the thieves trying to rob a bank." Seonghwa stood up and turned around so his back was facing the woods. "I think we'll..." He struggled to find the right word, so he settled for the first one that came to mind. "There might be a battle among us, and I know it's about what we're going through now. I just don't know exactly what the triggering point is."

If Hongjoong was surprised, he didn't show it. "What do you think is the best way to change this?"

On the other hand, Seonghwa seemed even more anxious than Hongjoong. He recalled the vision again, but it didn't get any easier to see the future. They were fighting with their powers, and there were injuries and destruction everywhere. The image haunted him for many nights, but there was one seemingly straightforward solution he could think of.

"I'm trying my best not to create conflict within the group. I encourage others to do the same. There might be some tension between us, but I don't think there's hatred." Seonghwa paused, then gritted his teeth. "Yet."

Hongjoong nodded, but there was still something he wanted to know. "And you think it's ok for Yunho and the others to stay with the government?"

There was a sliver of doubt in Seonghwa's eyes, but his voice was steady. "I didn't see anything relating to the government." He didn't mention that his vision was like scenes cut from a film and messily put back together.

"And logically speaking, I don't think the rest of the group is in danger. If the government really had intentions to hurt them, they would've done it already, because why would they risk keeping a group of people with supernatural, powerful, abilities?" Seonghwa took a deep breath, making sure he didn't sound like he was only comforting himself. "But Jongho was on the phone with Yunho, so we don't have to worry."

Hongjoong mirrored Seonghwa's uncertainty in his own eyes, but he decided it was the best they had to go with.

Seonghwa glanced sideways at the trees, eager for some peace in his heart. Surprisingly, some came. He remembered what Yunho told him not long ago. Just let fate play out by its own this time. It felt really naive back then, but Seonghwa was really starting to agree with Yunho. The younger followed its instincts, so why shouldn't he? Everyone was fine now, so why don't go one step at a time? It was tiring to keep pursuing the best version of the future.

Seonghwa's lips curled up slightly. "Let's focus on the present, Hongjoong."

Then he patted the leader's shoulder two times and walked inside the house.

Dinner time came and Hongjoong took the opportunity to explain their next steps with only half the team left.

"I think we should stay low for a while. There's no good in drawing attention to ourselves by going out there and chasing criminals."

Jongho and Mingi took a moment to go through the logic.

"So we stay here. Until when?" Jongho asked.

Hongjoong looked at Seonghwa for help. He wasn't very good at delivering the truth in a positive way.

"We don't know yet, but for now let's just focus on the fact that we're safe. Everyone, including those who aren't here with us." Seonghwa looked at Jongho as he said the last words.

"Won't the government find us eventually?" Mingi eyed the members uneasily.

"They don't know where we are," Hongjoong replied. His voice was steady, but he knew what he said wouldn't be true for long. After all, they were intruded in their old base.

Mingi saw the flaw in Hongjoong's statement. "Yunho, San, Wooyoung, and Yeosang do."

Jongho's head snapped towards Mingi. "Yunho won't tell those people anything." His voice was very deep and hoarse, almost aggressive like a growl. "And he won't let San, Wooyoung, or Yeosang do it."

Affronted, Mingi rebuked. "You don't know that. It might look like everything's fine for now, but things change. What if Yunho is threatened? What if Yunho thinks-"

A nearby window slammed open and a strong breeze invaded the warm kitchen. Shivers ran down everyone's spines. "You don't know what you're talking about!"Jongho was visibly fuming now. He knew Mingi only used Yunho's name as a way to provoke him further.

Hongjoong and Seonghwa shared worried and panicked gazes. They needed to think carefully. What they would say could calm the storm, but it could also add fuel to the fire.

Mingi was glaring at Jongho with malevolent eyes. His jaw was clenched due to the strong wind that was starting to turn icy. His shirt rippled and flapped against his skin as if it was angry itself. "You shouldn't have shouted at me like that."

Jongho's clothes were still, and he was heating up from trying to hold in his rage. They were both too angry for coherent words, but Jongho thought for a split second that he could easily overpower Mingi with his abilities. His eyes widened. The notion - the fact that he would use his powers to hurt others - scared Jongho, and he wavered, loosening his fists and eventually losing control over artificial wind in the room.

Now he looked like he wanted to cry. "Yunho hyung would never do it." Jongho's voice was quiet. Mingi softened his composure. Hongjoong and Seonghwa relaxed.

"He always put others in front of himself. He would never do something that would hurt us, or pull us down." Jongho paused to take a deep breath, so he wouldn't stutter. "He really wanted to leave us and train, to control his powers well, before coming back. He didn't want to hurt us. He thought, and probably still thinks, that he did the most damage during our missions."

Jongho's voice broke towards the end. He stared down at the table.

Seonghwa signaled to Mingi.

"I'm sorry," Mingi said. "I'm just nervous. There are too many uncertainties."

Jongho nodded, but didn't reply.

"It's getting late," Hongjoong said. "We should get some rest. We have to be awake and alert at all times from now on, in case the government finds us."

"Goodnight," Seonghwa said. He exited the kitchen.

Mingi and Hongjoong followed, but Jongho stayed, letting his thoughts accompany himself in the empty room.

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Mingi doesn't seem to trust Yunho, but no one knows if he's right in doing so. The team has just went through a drastic change and it's hard to say which side made the correct choice. Things will start to become clearer in the next few chapters!

Btw, thank you so much for 300 reads! And since a lot of things are happening in different parts of the world right now, I hope you're all doing fine! We're all fighting together, so let's hope things will get better soon :)

- KCGG_Goddess