Chapter Text
Breakfast was quiet. Honestly, Kihyun expected a silent meal. He looked at Hyunwoo seated across from him. His older friend ate quietly, focused on his plate. A cell phone rang. Kihyun looked at Hyungwon, curious. His younger brother reached into his pocket and took a look at his phone screen.
"It’s mom, and dad,” Hyungwon said.
Kihyun nodded silently. Hyungwon answered the phone. Kihyun wondered why their parents were calling Hyungwon so late. He expected their parents to call as soon as they noticed them missing. Then again, they traveled late at night. Their parents probably didn’t realize they were missing until morning.
“Mom, please don’t cry,” Hyungwon said. “Really, I’m fine. I’m not alone. Yes, he is with me. And he is fine as well.”
The sound of a popular song filled the atmosphere. Minhyuk sighed as he answered his phone. Kihyun watched his brother and friend talk on the phone. When he left home, he turned off his cellphone. He didn’t want his parents to convince him to come back. It was too dangerous for him to return.
“What?” Hyungwon said. “They set a date for the ceremony?”
Kihyun froze.
“Why the heck would they need to do all that? Didn’t they already succeed? Kihyun left. Can’t they just leave him alone?” Hyungwon asked. “Why do they need Kihyun to do that stupid ceremony anyway?”
Kihyun pushed around the food on his plate, heart in his throat. He thought the ceremony wasn’t necessary. Maybe he had been stupid to think he could leave. He really thought he could skip the humiliation. He really thought he could find answers.
“Mom, it’s Kihyun,” Minhyuk said. “What did you want me to do? Just let him leave? I know you’re scared but you have to understand.”
“What do you mean they are going to put you in prison, Dad?” Hyungwon asked, standing up. “Is it because you cared about your son and wanted to protect him? You and Mom did nothing wrong! That’s so freaking stupid! Yeah, okay, yeah, I can tell him but it’s so stupid!”
Kihyun dropped his fork.
“Hyungwon, give me the phone,” Kihyun said.
Hyungwon nodded, handing him his phone. All he could hear over the phone was his mother crying. He could just barely hear his father giving him details about their situation. He could taste the bile in his throat as his father talked about the letter that showed up in the family kitchen, sealed by the elders. When he missed school, the teachers became suspicious and quickly informed the elders. Unfortunately, it seemed like Kihyun was running away from the consequences of his magic loss. It was true he ran but he didn’t think it mattered.
“Maybe I should come back,” Kihyun said, heart breaking. “After I left, nothing seems to be going right. I—what do you mean you don’t want me to come back? You just told Wonnie they were going to put you in jail.”
In their community there were a few instances of misconduct. There were times magic folk let powers go to their head. In those situations, they would lash out, wielding their magic for evil. Sometimes magic folk who acted unruly would have to be locked away. It wasn’t a common occurrence, but it happened. Kihyun has seen enough news stories through the years about the issue.
“What? No,” Kihyun said, listening to his father. “I’m not going to run. I can’t leave you and mom like that. What do you mean? Dad! Dad!”
Kihyun’s eyes widened as he repeated ‘Dad’ over and over again. The call suddenly dropped. He didn’t like it. He didn’t like what happened at all. Kihyun pushed his plate to the side and got up from the table.
“I have to go back,” Kihyun said, glancing around the table frantically. “I have to go back. I think Mom and Dad are in trouble.”
Hyungwon got up, nodding.
“No,” Hyunwoo said, looking up. “I don’t think you should go back there.”
“What are you talking about, hyung? I’m sure you heard our phone conversations?” Kihyun asked. “They are going to put my parents in jail they are—”
“And you ran away from the ceremony,” Hyunwoo said. “The same ceremony that’s been part of our society for years and years. You ran, Kihyun. No one has ever run before, but you did. What do you think they’ll do if they catch you back home?”
Kihyun shook his head.
“I don’t know. I’ll have to participate in the ceremony, and I don’t care. Honestly, I only left because Mom and Dad were trying to hide me from the elders. They were trying to risk their lives and I thought it would be better if I just left myself. I had no idea leaving before the ceremony was a big deal. I just didn’t want to participate in something so ridiculous.”
“I have a bad feeling,” Hyunwoo said. “I may not have magic anymore, but I still have my judgment. Your parents may have the right idea. You need to stay away from there at least until this all is over. I know that’s what your parents would want. They told you themselves.”
“Over? What does that mean?” Hyungwon asked, looking at Hyunwoo. “What do you mean by over? Our parents will still be in jail.”
“Guys.”
Kihyun shot a look at Minhyuk, anxiety building within him.
“What?” Kihyun asked.
“I’m so sorry but I have to tell you this,” Minhyuk said. “Mom hung up after saying she just saw a large group of people leading two people through the street. She said it was your parents. And mom literally told me not to come home either. I think they’ve connected the dots and realized I was trying to help you as well. I—I don’t know if they’ll come after my parents too. I’m so worried.”
“Did you tell your parents about what you were planning?” Hyunwoo asked.
Minhyuk shook his head.
“Then your parents will be fine,” Hyunwoo said.
“How are you so calm about all this?” Hyungwon asked.
Hyunwoo got up from the table.
“I have to be calm. We need to be calm while we travel.”
“Travel?” Kihyun asked.
Hyunwoo sighed.
“You, us, we can’t stay here. If the elders are mad that you left and want you back, I believe they’ll probably try to bring you back by force. Who knows what plans they have for you?”
“That’s dumb,” Minhyuk said, anger dripping from his voice. “Kihyun has suffered through enough. They are even taking his parents to jail. The ceremony is literally unnecessary.”
“I didn’t make the rules, Min,” Hyunwoo said. “All we can do is leave, keep moving. I have no idea how we’ll solve this but staying around and waiting is the wrong choice to make. So, let’s not waste any time.”
Kihyun glanced at his phone, worried. He was tempted to turn his cellphone on and try to contact his parents again. The moment he touched his phone Hyunwoo gave him a warning look. Kihyun put his phone away.
Kihyun bit his lip. Perhaps, he shouldn’t have run. Maybe he should have just stayed for the dumb ceremony. There were things far worse than being kicked out of his home and losing his magic. He wished he had thought things through a little more. He wiped a tear from his cheek, heart breaking in two.
Kihyun sat in the driver’s side of Hyunwoo's car. The drive was quiet. He had no idea where they were going. His mind wandered to his parents. He hoped they were okay. Kihyun wished he hadn’t been so reckless. Maybe the council would have just kicked down the door and dragged him to the ceremony and spared his parents. He frowned, glancing out the window.
“What are we going to do, Ki?” Hyungwon asked from the back seat.
“I don’t know, Wonnie.”
“Will mom and dad be okay?”
“I hope so.”
“This is just excessive,” Minhyuk said. “Just because someone loses their powers doesn’t mean you should go to all this trouble. And the Yoo family is literally one of the legendary families. You’d think they would ignore everything if it’s a legendary family. It’s like that doesn’t even matter anymore. I remember how much it used to mean something.”
“It doesn’t matter to the elders,” Hyunwoo said, eyes on the road. “I’m from a legendary family too. It really doesn’t matter. You lose your powers, they don’t want anything to do with you. Legendary or not.”
As they stopped at a red light, Hyunwoo turned around to look at them.
“We’ll make a stop,” he said. “We’ll try to keep the stops to a minimum so we can stay on the road. I don’t know if they’ll send people to follow us. I’m hoping their extreme hatred for non-magical people will keep them away, but I don’t know.”
“Are you sure we should stop?” Hyungwon asked. “I’m worried.”
“We’ll be okay, Wonnie,” Minhyuk said. “Plus, I’m getting hungry. We’ve been driving for a while.”
Hyungwon nodded. Kihyun gave his brother a reassuring smile and gave him a pat on the back. He knew how worried he was about everything. Kihyun couldn’t blame him. His anxiety about the situation was getting worse. At the next light, Hyunwoo turned right into a small shopping complex. There were a few food selections, but they decided to grab a quick bite at a sandwich place.
After their meal, they left the sandwich place. Hyunwoo suggested they get back on the road quickly. Minhyuk pointed to a small convenience store nearby. He said they should stock up on snacks so they wouldn’t have to stop again. Hyunwoo agreed, reluctantly. They headed over to the store. Inside they glanced around, searching for random snacks. Hyungwon held up a bag of shrimp chips, grinning.
“Hyungwon, at least get snacks we all can share,” Kihyun said, arms crossed.
Hyungwon pouted.
“Who said I wasn’t going to share?”
“You know I don’t like those,” Kihyun said, amused.
Hyungwon rolled his eyes.
“Well, that’s just you. I’m getting these.”
A heavy sigh escaped Kihyun’s lips as he headed out of the store. He had seen a bakery next door, so he told the others he wanted to check it out. Hyungwon followed closely behind, eager to grab more snacks. He chuckled at the small plastic bag in Hyungwon’s hand. He bet the bag had three bags of shrimp chips.
Kihyun opened the bakery door and then frowned at the commotion he heard around the back of the bakery. Hyungwon looked at him, confused. Kihyun peeked around the corner, frowning. His eyes widened as a distant memory came to his head.
Hyunwoo’s ceremony wasn’t the only one he remembered. It was just the most recent. Actually, four years ago, the elders had a ceremony for a very young magic wielder. At the time, Kihyun didn’t know it was possible to lose magic so young. It was shocking.
Kihyun hit the ground, his vision blurring. He groaned as he lay on the ground, trying to catch his breath. Once his vision was clear, he spotted Hyungwon standing with both his hands up. His younger brother shouted, eyes narrowed.
“Kihyun?”
Kihyun looked at Minhyuk, eyes wide. Minhyuk grabbed his hand, helping him to his feet. His friends’ eyes turned toward the three standing several feet away from Hyungwon. Kihyun’s eyes grew wider as one of the three teens shot up from the ground and dropped several feet away.
“What the heck are you doing? That’s my friend! He literally has no freaking powers, you idiot!”
Hyungwon lowered his hands, rage burning in his eyes.
“My brother literally has no powers either. You could have killed him!”
The other teen frowned, lowering his hands.
“Wait—Hyungwon?”
Kihyun winced as Minhyuk held on to him. Hyunwoo joined them shortly after. Their older friend looked at him, eyes shining with concern. He gave his older friend a smile that he hoped was reassuring.
“Jooheon?” Hyungwon asked, confused. “Jooheon!”
Kihyun thought he recognized all three of the individuals and he had been right. Somehow they had run into Jooheon, Hoseok, and Changkyun. He thought he would never see them again. He truly thought he would never see them again.
“Wait, oh my gosh, Changkyun,” Jooheon said, turning around.
Kihyun and Minhyuk walked over to a stunned Hyungwon. Kihyun reached out, placing a gentle hand on Hyungwon’s shoulder. His younger brother looked at him, eyes filled with worry. Kihyun smiled softly.
“Are you okay?” Hyungwon asked, voice soft.
“I’m fine. And I have to say, Wonnie.You were impressive. You used to have trouble with that particular technique. You’ve really improved.”
Hyungwon laughed, tears in his eyes.
“You idiot! You were attacked and all you care about is my skill level?”
Minhyuk rolled his eyes.
“Leave to Kihyun to be focused on the magic. You sure you are okay, Ki?”
Kihyun nodded, wincing.
“Yeah, going to bruise but worse could have happened. It’s a very elementary move really. If it had been me, I would have focused on using what was around me, something bigger like a trash can.”
Kihyun turned around and analyzed the floor. There was a small section of the ground that was raised higher than the rest. It was clear that Jooheon had made the ground uneven with his power. He guessed the teen wanted to use his power to push Kihyun and have him trip over the bump in the ground. Although the push and uneven ground made his fall worse, the trick was still very elementary.
“Oh, by the way,” Kihyun said, giving Hyungwon a slap on the back. “Never call me an idiot again.”
Hyungwon winced.
“Really? I literally protected you just now. They could have attacked you again. They were going to attack you again but I stopped them. And the thanks I get is a slap to the back?”
Kihyun smiled softly.
“I know, thank you.”
“Kihyun?”
Kihyun turned toward Hoseok, a tiny smile on his lips.
“Hey,hyung.”
Hoseok’s eyes widened.
“Kihyun? What are you doing all the way out here? What’s going on?”
“Forget about that,” Changkyun said, leaning on Jooheon. “Gosh, did you have to throw me so hard, Hyungwon? I don’t even have any magic. Why would you do that?”
“I didn’t recognize you all at first and didn’t know who started it. I was kind of running on adrenaline,” Hyungwon said. “I thought you all were going to attack my brother again.”
“Look,” Hoseok said. “Emotions were high just now. Why don’t we all have a seat and just talk. I’m curious to know what is going on.”
“I think my wrist is broken,” Changkyun said, looking at his swollen wrist.
Jooheon frowned, taking Changkyun’s wrist in his hands.
“It’s okay, Kyunnie. I’ll help you.”
Kihyun winced at the high pitched shriek that left Changkyun’s mouth. It wasn’t easy to heal more extreme injuries. It normally hurt the receiver a ton. It was painful for magical people to heal their own injuries as well.
Hoseok sighed, heavily.
“Let’s go have a seat somewhere.”
Everyone nodded, following Hoseok into a coffee shop.
“I’m sorry, hyung,” Jooheon said, looking at Kihyun. “Honestly, if i remembered it was you, I would have never attacked you. It is just you were listening in on our conversation. I was worried.”
Kihyun smiled softly.
“It’s fine. I’m fine.”
Hyungwon looked at Changkyun.
“I’m really sorry, Kyun,” he said. “How is your wrist?”
Changkyun looked at Hyungwon.
“It’s way better.”
"So, I'm curious to know why all of you are all the way out here?" Hoseok asked. "Very far from home."
"Well, you know why I'm here," Hyunwoo said.
The others nodded sadly.
“Kihyun, Hyungwon, Minhyuk, why are you three all the way out here?” Hoseok asked.
Kihyun sighed.
"I lost my magic."
Hoseok, Changkyun, and Jooheon’s eyes widened. Kihyun frowned. Every time he shared his current status it always made his heart hurt even more. He wondered if that would be his new normal. It hurt to think the rest of his life would be a magicless existence.
Hoseok reached out placing a hand on Kihyun’s.
"I'm so sorry. It isn't something I would ever wish on anyone."
Kihyun nodded.
"Wait," Hyungwon said, looking at Jooheon and Hoseok. "I remember they put out missing person reports for the both of you. But all this time, you all were out here?"
"There was no way we were going to abandon Changkyun,” Jooheon said. “Right after the ceremony, Hoseok hyung and I left. We packed our things and headed out. We made a promise to each other that we were in this together no matter what."
Kihyun remembered the shocking news. The morning after Changkyun’s ceremony, Hoseok and Jooheon disappeared. He remembered the daily reports on the news. It didn’t occur to him that they would follow Changkyun out of town.
“I understand that,” Hyungwon said.
Kihyun glanced at his younger brother and sighed.
“Well despite everything,” Hyunwoo said. “We’re glad to see you all seem to be doing well.”
Hoseok nodded.
“We are trying our best to help Changkyun.”
Changkyun smiled softly.
“It’s just ridiculous,” Minhyuk said. “Why should this practice even be a thing? Can’t we just embrace differences? Why do we have to kick people out of our world after they lose their powers? It still doesn’t make any sense to me.”
“Well, it’s an easy way to avoid future conflicts,” Changkyun said, annoyed.
Hyungwon frowned.
“What do you mean?”
A heavy sigh escaped Changkyun’s lips.
“There is a lot I discovered during the time I was losing my powers,” Changkyun said. “Unfortunately, I discovered these things too late and was unable to help myself or anyone else.”
Kihyun looked at the younger teen, confused.
“There is nothing you could have done,Changkyun. I realize now there isn’t a solution. We’ve lost our powers. It’s permanent.”
“It’s not,” Changkyun said, eyes narrowed. “They want us to believe it’s permanent but it’s not.”
“They?” Hyunwoo asked.
“The elders,” Hoseok said.
“The elders? Wait, I’m confused,” Hyungwon said.
“The elders are the reason we’ve lost our magic, hyung,” Changkyun said. “The elders did it on purpose.”
Kihyun shook his head, arms crossed.
“That doesn’t make sense. Why would they want to make their own citizens powerless? They are very proud of the magical citizens and their abilities. The elders even enjoy coming to the school to see the students in Magic class. They encourage and praise everyone for doing well. Why would they do that?”
“Because power means authority,” Changkyun said. “And the elders want to be the only authority.”
“But who is even trying to take away their position?” Minhyuk asked. “Who would ever want to be a shadowy figure creeping around? It’s not my idea of a good time.”
“The legendary families pose a threat to their authority,” Changkyun said. “So, they wanted to make sure there wouldn’t be a threat any longer.”
“Recently, most of the people who have lost their magic are the sons and daughters of legendary families. Isn’t that strange?” Jooheon asked, arms crossed and a single brow raised.
“I noticed that,” Hyunwoo said.
“Changkyun lost his magic, Hyunwoo hyung, and then Kihyun hyung,” Jooheon said. “All members of legendary families. The Ims, The Sons, and the Yoos. There have been other legendary families as well that have been impacted by this.”
“Anytime a particular child in a family excelled beyond expectation, it troubled the elders,.They decided to do something about it,” Changkyun said.
Kihyun shook his head.
“No, that’s impossible,” he said. “Why would they do all that when no one was trying to challenge them?”
“Because only the most powerful people can be elders,” Hoseok said. “Other citizens have started to talk about the sons and daughters of the legendary families being the new authority. Many have expressed interest in seeing them rise above a normal lifestyle. They want the legendary families to have some say and not the elders.”
Kihyun’s eyes widened.
“It’s true,” Jooheon said. “I’ve heard a lot of talk. People are talking about the oldest sons and daughters being the new future authority.”
“No way,” Hyungwon said. “They really want the elders to step down?”
“Yes,” Changkyun said. “There has been talk for awhile but in recent years there has been even more. Actually, it’s not just talk anymore. The citizens want change.”
Kihyun had no idea. He thought the elders were respected and appreciated for everything they had done for the magic community. However, there must be something he missed over the years. He wasn’t a huge fan of the elders but they seemed to be leading the community well.
“Honestly,” Minhyuk said. “I agree with everyone else. Let the legendary families be in the spotlight.”
“Are you sure that the elders are behind this?” Hyungwon asked.
Changkyun nodded.
“I’ve always been an inquisitive person, hyung,” he said. “Naturally, it often leads me to somewhat dangerous situations. But I’m certain of what I heard and saw. The elders are behind the loss of powers.”
“So wait,” Kihyun said. “I’m still trying to wrap my head around this. Does that mean all this time they have been removing powers from people?"
Hoseok shook his head.
“No, based on what Changkyun said, it isn't just anyone,” he said. “Early on I think people were just randomly losing their powers. However, recently there have been more legendary families and their oldest children losing powers.”
Kihyun thought about the ceremonies he had seen over the years. His heart froze. It was true. Over the years there had mostly been legendary family members losing their magic. He wondered why he had missed such an obvious pattern.
“So, what happens now?” Minhyuk asked. “What is the plan?”
“Well, obviously we get our powers back,” Changkyun said. “It’s the only plan.”
“But how?” Kihyun asked. “I can’t just walk up to the elders and demand I get my magic. I mean–they’ll deny they are involved.”
“You are right,” Changkyun said. “You can’t do anything. That's why we are all going to help each other. We’ll need some magic for this to work. Hoseok and Jooheon hyung are very skilled and I know Hyungwon and Minhyuk are as well. If we work together, then we can get back what is ours.”
“I don’t know,” Kihyun said. “The elders ordered my parents to be jailed. I don’t know what they’ll do if I barge in demanding powers. They have my parents.”
“I know it’s scary, hyung,” Changkyun said. “But this is the only way. We have to face them if we want things to go back to normal.”
Hyungwon nodded.
“I’m in. Whatever you need from me, I’ll try my best to do it. Anything to help my brother.”
Minhyuk smiled.
“I refuse to leave Kihyun’s side, so I agree! I’m in!”
Changkyun grinned.
“Great,” he said.
“But I think it’ll be too dangerous for us to work together,” Kihyun said, realization dawning upon him. “I think they’ll come after me for skipping the ceremony. I don’t want to complicate things.”
“Hyung, no,” Jooheon said. “We’ll work together. We’ll fight together. You won’t be alone.”
Kihyun sighed heavily.
“Okay.”
“Perfect,” Changkyun said. “Well, I think we should head back to my place and get some rest and then we can figure out how to face the elders.”
“I think that is a good idea,” Hyunwoo said. “It was a stressful morning. A night of rest will be very helpful for us. Plus, I’m trying my best to process this shocking information. I’ll need time.”
“Excellent! Just follow us,” Changkyun said, getting up from his seat.
Kihyun nodded, getting up from the table. Hyungwon, Hyunwoo, and Minhyuk got up as well. They followed the three toward a parking lot. Kihyun was still shocked. He was certain he lost magic naturally. However, when he realized it was a purposeful thing, he was even more ready to fight back.
Hyunwoo led them to his car and then they followed the other car holding Hoseok, Jooheon, and Changkyun. Kihyun was curious to know what was next for them. He hoped there was a solution in sight. He truly believed in Changkyun, but at the same time he was still very worried.
“This is great news, hyung,” Hyungwon said.
“Yes, but now we are going up against the elders of the magic community,” Kihyun said.
“Oh, yeah that’s–yeah,” Hyungwon said.
“But like Changkyun said, we aren’t alone,” Hyunwoo said, following behind the car in front. “Let’s just be optimistic.”
“Yeah,” Minhyuk said. “I’m looking forward to making those elders pay. They better be ready!”
A tiny smile formed on his lips. Kihyun was grateful that he didn't have to face his problems alone. He turned his attention toward the scenery out the window. A heavy sigh escaped his lips. As they traveled down the road, Kihyun hoped everything would work out for the better