Resolving Conflict | Ateez Superhero AU

Believe

The four newcomers looked exactly like Hongjoong, Seonghwa, Mingi, and Jongho. They looked worried too, but their expressions soon turned into ones of confusion when they, too, spotted their doppelgangers.

There were 2 Hongjoong, 2 Seonghwa, 2 Mingi, and 2 Jongho. It wasn't possible.

"Who-who are you?" Hongjoong no. 1 said to the second group - their "identical twins".

"Who are you?" Hongjoong no.2 shot back. "We came to check on our teammates. They might get in trouble with the government."

Wooyoung cursed loudly. "Who's the real one?"

"Shouldn't you be more worried about how this is possible?" Yeosang looked back and forth between the two groups of identical people frantically.

Yunho ignored Yeosang, still furious that his teammates - fake or not - tried to attack them. "Which one threw the barrel just now?"

"I would never do that." Both Mingis spoke at the same time.

Yunho blinked at them and let out a long sigh as he rubbed his face with both of his hands. "This is not going to work." He turned to Wooyoung, San, and Yeosang. "Let's go. Before we get attacked again."

Wooyoung and San nodded, but Yeosang walked in front of Yunho and blocked his path. "Are you even seeing this?! Forget about our disputes for one second and open your eyes! There are 2 of each of our teammates. Duplicates. Isn't that enough evidence for you?"

"Yes. Evidence that they are messing with us," said Yunho flatly.

Yeosang widened his eyes, ability of speech momentarily taken away. He blinked repeatedly to get a better look at the person in front of him. Then he felt a bump on his shoulder and broke out of his trance to see Yunho walking past him.

"Wait!" Seonghwa no. 1 shouted. "We'll explain. We'll make you understand why we came."

Yeosang knew that Seonghwa was ready to tell Yunho all the suspicious things Yeosang saw and learnt in the past few days. But Yunho didn't know about it, so he didn't give Seonghwa a chance.

Yunho kept walking. He didn't even slow down.

"Hyung, please give us a chance!"

Yunho stopped at the sound of his brother's voice. He could hear two people talking, but one of them was real and that was all Yunho needed to know. "I did. I let you go. You almost killed us without even blinking an eye and I let you go. I already gave you a chance."

No one spoke. Biting his lips to keep in his tears, Yunho turned around and faced the group. "You don't even deserve a chance." This time the 'you' was plural. "You think this is all my fault. You could've tried harder to keep me but you waited until this moment to take it all away from me."

"We're not trying to take anything away from you," said Hongjoong no.2. "We're just trying to tell you that you're working with dangerous people so you can walk away yourself. Mingi and Yeosang saw things that make the government very suspicious."

Yunho looked at Yeosang. Then back at Hongjoong no.2. He only knew which one it was because the second group stood closer to a container. "Yeosang?" Realization hit him. "You two were working together behind my back?!"

"Wait, no, it's not how you think it is." Yeosang waved his hands to show Yunho he meant it. "We were just worried-"

"Stop saying that word!" Yunho had to clench his fists to stop him from unleashing his powers. "You're not worried, you just don't believe me!" After those words left his mouth, Yunho's anger dissipated slightly to reveal a deep pool of sorrow. "Yes, I worked with the government because I wanted to learn to control my powers. But I also did it so you guys can live normal lives without having to worry about being arrested."