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As I regained consciousness, a harsh breath escaped my lips, and I surveyed my surroundings. The room exuded a comforting warmth, in stark contrast to the cold sweat that clung to my skin. My body, a canvas of wounds from our daring escape, was reluctant to respond fully.
"Where am I? Where's everyone?"
"M-Minho? Jisung?" I tentatively moved my aching body, taking note of the still-bleeding cuts. The room was a fusion of unfamiliarity and coziness, a place that seemed pulled from the pages of a storybook.
"Hey there, mate. Are you awake? Your friends are in the kitchen with Miss Peregrine and Changbin." The voice belonged to Felix, the same friendly face from the market. Slowly, he guided me to stand, a helping hand that belied his underlying strength.
"F-Felix, right? I should be thanking you for letting us stay here for the night."
"The night? That's nonsense; you are staying here forever!" Felix's enthusiasm, infectious and genuine, accompanied me to the kitchen. He promised an explanation once everyone had settled, and my curiosity blossomed.
"But I don't want to cause any—" / "And you are not. We will explain everything once your friend calms down a little." I nodded hesitantly, wondering what awaited me beyond the threshold of that kitchen door.
Entering the kitchen, a scene unfolded that defied explanation. Jisung, in animated discourse, calmly sipped tea with Miss Peregrine, detailing the horrors of the prison. Meanwhile, Minho, a sleek black panther, hissed at a boy—presumably Changbin—who stood behind Miss Peregrine's chair, seeking refuge from the unpredictable feline.
Changbin, as Felix had mentioned.
Observing Minho shift into a wild hippo to intimidate and chase a frantically cursing Changbin, I couldn't help but groan internally. Jisung, in hot pursuit, screamed at Minho, desperately trying to stop the chaos and lecturing him, "Where are your manners, Minho!"
Felix laughed at my discomfort, and I shot him a pleading look, hoping for an escape from the pandemonium. Unfazed, he chuckled, leaving me to sigh in exasperation at the lively spectacle.
A discreet cough caught everyone's attention. Minho growled at Felix to release my hand, promptly shifting back to his human form to envelop me in a protective hug, with Jisung joining in the merriment, thrilled to see me on the path to recovery.
Miss Peregrine, the calming presence in the room, intervened. "Why don't you three have a seat so I can explain in detail what we are? You too, Changbin and Felix."
"I'll sit the heck down when that shapeshifter learns to calm his heckin' self! I won't hesitate to burn him to ashes; it's just that I promised Felix I won't!!!" Changbin's fiery declaration hung in the air, met with a relentless glare from Minho.
Seating ourselves, Jisung and I settled in front of Miss Peregrine, with Minho between us to better control his fidgety energy. Changbin and Felix took their places flanking Miss Peregrine, facing us. "Now, let's introduce ourselves first. I'm Miss Alma LeFay Peregrine. I can transform into a peregrine falcon and manipulate time. Don't even question my age."
"Like I said before, I'm Lee Felix. Just like you guys, I am also born with unique powers that allow me to turn my skin into steel."
"Why am I here??" Felix promptly slapped Changbin's arm, a silent warning accompanied by a sharp gaze. Changbin sighed, finally addressing us with a semblance of decorum, under the unwavering stare of Minho.
"Changbin, Seo Changbin. I have the ability to control and manipulate fire. AND! Felix is my boyfriend; keep your dirty hands off him!"
I could sense the remark was directed at me, an acknowledgment of Felix holding my hands for support. I mumbled a quiet "noted," pledging to pacify the fiery youth. The kitchen buzzed with an unspoken tension, a prelude to an explanation that awaited us, unraveling the mysteries of our newfound haven.
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