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The train station is less crowded than Renjun expected, which makes attaining a last minute ticket out of Seoul easy.
Renjun rests his chin against his propped up palm and gazes out the clouded window. Foggy days are best for quiet escapes.
But his heart aches and twists up inside his chest as the last bell for boarding sounds. What he’s leaving behind he can never get back to.
“You’re a danger to him,” Daewon had said, “Staying will only result in him getting hurt.” Renjun hadn’t been able to hide the fear in his eyes when Daewon had said that. Of course he had already known his powers were a danger to those around him—especially the one closest—but admitting that wasn’t in Renjun’s willpower. All he could do was take action and run. Hopefully Haechan stays clueless of his disappearance long enough for a substantial amount of distance to be put between them.
The train slowly chugs out of the station, picking up speed. Renjun watches the trees and rundown houses pass by, his heart still hurting from his choices.
Haechan’s fist connects straight with Daewon’s nose, a distinct crack sounding upon impact. Daewon screams and stumbles back. Jeno grasps at Haechan’s arms but he flings him off. He spits at the ground next to where Daewon lays and kicks the guy for one more good measure. He’ll deal with him further after getting Renjun back.
“Don’t tell me you’re going to do what I think you’re going to do,” Jaemin says nonchalantly. Jaemin doesn’t look up from his book, he simply crosses his legs and continues reading.
“Ha,” Haechan grits his teeth, “are you going to try and stop me?”
Jaemin shrugs. “If we did, Renjun would kill us.”
Haechan scoffs and picks up his leather jacket from its hook. “I’ll be going then.”
“You better not die!” Jeno yells after him. Haechan raises a hand in the air as he walks from their base camp towards the train station.
Now, Haechan may not be as powerful as Renjun, but he does still consider his ability a cool one. Honestly he hasn’t told anyone in the group that he even has an ability yet because it’s kind of useless; except at times like these.
Time. For a brief moment, Haechan can slow time. But he can still move as fast as he wants. It takes energy and strength, often leaving him hacking up blood or sleeping for 48 hours, but he can still do it. That’s what makes him weaker than the others; they all have control over their abilities while he’s stuck being ripped apart trying to use his.
Renjun is worth it, though. So second after second Haechan uses all his might to set the world on brakes while he rushes forward, trying to catch up with Renjun’s train. His muscles strain to push both him forward and the world backward, but with enough effort Haechan makes it to the bridge crossing. In one minute, that train will come barreling underneath where he stands.
In one minute Haechan is going to jump onto a moving train to get back the man he loves.
The scenery has become boring for Renjun, and painful. Each new city they pass is a tender reminder of what he’s giving up. He can feel the cold rising in his bones, climbing up his body as if it’s a cliff and digging it’s gear into each rocky ledge. Renjun does his best to stay calm, he reminds himself again and again that this is for Haechan’s sake; for Haechan’s safety.
“Excuse me sir?”
Renjun turns his head and a middle aged man greets him.
“Sorry to bother you but do you speak Mandarin? I sit behind you and I need some help with my papers but I’m not very good at Korean yet.”
Renjun smiles at the man and sits up properly. “I’d be happy to help,” he says in Mandarin. The man’s shoulders drop in relief and he sits down, setting the papers on the tray.
After successfully making it onto the train, Haechan had to knock out a few security guards. And some workers. And some troublesome passengers. They weren’t too injured, just passed out with perhaps a few developing bruises.
He opens the door to the next boxcar and steps in, surveying the faces turning to stare at him. Another train worker approaches him.
“Can I help you sir?”
Haechan scans the passengers once more before meeting the worker’s eyes. “Yeah. I’m looking for a friend of mine who boarded this train. Huang Renjun.”
“I don’t think your friend is in this car but I can check…” The employee peers behind Haechan at the wide open door to the car in front of them. It’s not a passenger car, nor is it one open to people other than the staff. “Sir, may I see your ticket?”
Haechan sighs and pushes past him, but someone grabs his wrist. Stopping in his tracks, the light from the windows goes dark as they pass under another bridge. With flashes of light, Haechan punches the employee and disappears into the next car as the light returns.
Renjun turns around to the seat behind him where the man he helped sits. “Do you know which direction the snack car is?” The man points to the front. “Thank you.” Getting up from his seat, Renjun stretches. Hopefully they have something sweet. Jisung always gushed about the warm cookies they offered; maybe he’ll try one if they have it.
“Oh shoot,” someone exclaims. Renjun looks over and notices an old man struggling to bend down. A mess of papers spewing out from a file on the floor taunts the old man as he can’t quite reach down to pick it all up. Stepping to the empty seat next to the man and out from the aisle, Renjun squats down.
“I can help you,” he says, offering his smile to the man.
“Thank you so much young man! I’d hate to be a bother to you.” The old man has a raspy voice, but it’s tone is sweet and genuine.
Already with a stack in his hands, Renjun shakes his head. “It’s no problem.”
The boxcar door opens. Some of the papers slide further underneath the seat and Renjun curls himself further under as well, grasping them just before they go under someone else’s chair. As he stacks them in the folder with the rest of the paper’s he’s gathered so far, someone passes in the aisle, walking briskly. The jingle of chains attached to a belt ring in Renjun’s ear. The heavy boots pounding against the floor remind him of someone he’s trying to forget.
Renjun gets all the papers in the file and hands it back to the old man who thanks him again. Only two rows away from the open door, Renjun exits the car without looking back.
There’s only four cars left. Haechan pushes open the door to the next one, exhausted from searching and using his powers. He scans, vision slightly blurry. All he can see are empty seats, several families with young children, two students with bags under their eyes, one elderly man who seems very close to death, and one middle aged man fumbling with some papers. No Renjun. At least there isn’t any security in this car. Haechan paces down the aisle, ready to head to the next box, but the middle aged man catches his eye. He slows down and sees a bag in the seat in front of him. Then his eyes flicker to the man who is reading over boarding documents. He might know if this seat is Renjun’s. Haechan steps closer, but his heart almost stops as he notices a writing on the paper that is so, so familiar to him. The hangul is blocky in shape but the individual lines are bubbly curves.
“Renjun,” he gasps. The man looks up at him and tilts his head. Haechan dashes down the aisle, bounding into the next car. He’s sure to find Renjun down here.
Renjun returns to his seat with a bag of pretzels in hand. Jisung must have been lying because there were no cookies at the snack bar, not even anything close to a cookie.
Grumbling with a few pretzels in his mouth, Renjun receives a poke on his shoulder.
“I think someone came looking for you,” the middle aged man says.
“What?” Renjun shoots up.
“Yes, he knew your name.”
Renjun drops the pretzels. He can’t be here. There’s no way? How would Haechan even catch up to the train? Maybe it’s just Jaemin or Jeno or Chenle or Jisung or someone else. His heart begins to beat so furiously it echoes in his ears. “Where did he go?” The man points and Renjun is already gone.
He flies through the following boxcar. Slamming the door open to the next, he sees the leather jacket first.
A team of security has Haechan stopped and surrounded, but even amidst the circle of people Renjun can hear that sweet voice clearly.
“I’m not leaving until I find him!” Haechan shouts. He pushes one of the employees back and the others reach out to hold him back.
“Haechan!”
With tiny steps, the crowd separates and Haechan turns. Renjun’s insides do flips and he wants to cry just seeing the golden boy in front of him. But his feet are glued in place, fear also plaguing inside his chest.
“Renjun…” Haechan says softly, a shining in his eyes: reflections from the tears forming. He takes one step forward, but Renjun immediately holds up a hand.
“Stop. Stay back.” The words hurt.
But how can words hurt if they’re only a sound.
It’s his soul that hurts, having to command something he doesn’t want. His heart is screaming, asking to be reunited and given to the one it belongs to. But the words of Daewon keep him in place.
Haechan takes another step and Renjun takes one back. “Why?” The question is filled with air and formed with an agony both understand.
“Because I could hurt you… I don’t want to hurt you…” Renjun backs up into the closed door, but Haechan doesn’t stop his advancing. Renjun begins to panic, he can feel the icy darkness inside him slithering up again, wanting to crawl out and devour everything. Tear droplets fall from his eyes and freeze as they touch his skin. They fall to the floor as crystalized gems and shatter on impact.
“You are hurting me right now,” Haechan says. He’s two steps away from Renjun.
Renjun breaks. He flings himself forward. Haechan catches him in his arms and swings him around, Renjun’s feet lifting slightly off the ground.
“I’m sorry Haechan, I’m so sorry. I don’t want to hurt you.”
Haechan pulls him in closer, tighter, and strokes his hair. “I know, I know.”
Renjun looks up, the cold inside him gone now. All he can see is Haechan’s perfect eyes and perfect nose, his perfect trails of dots and perfectly tanned skin. He places his forehead against his and takes a deep breath.
“I love you.”
Haechan’s eyes widen and he hovers slightly away, before forming a soft smile and leaning in just above Renjun’s lips. “I wanted to say it first.”
So close but not quite touching yet. “I’ll let you kiss me first then.”
Haechan chuckles. “This is why I love you.” He presses his lips against Renjun’s. They gently taste one another with sweet, interrupting giggles. When they pull away from each other for a longer time, the security guards come from behind and grab Haechan’s elbow.
“I’m sorry to ruin the moment but we’ve been told this man snuck on the train so we’ll have to hold him in custody until the next stop.”
As he’s pulled back, Haechan winks at Renjun. Renjun bites his lip but nods, then, he lets a wide smirk take over his face. “Yeah, you won’t be doing that.” He flicks his hands up, shadows rising around the room and from the floor. The air chills and bites at everyone inside the cart before striking the security team. Their bodies writhe and raise, limbs twisting in every direction. Their eyes flicker about in unnatural ways as silent screams come from their mouths as the icy darkness chokes out their lives.
Renjun drops his hands and the bodies thud to the floor, some lifeless, and some still spasming with the last of their life. Haechan wraps his arms around Renjun’s waist and nudges his head into the boy’s midsection. They close off the door to the car and return to Renjun’s seat, lost in each other’s eyes and arms.
Haechan snuggles into Renjun’s lap, happy to be in the boy’s arms once again. He’ll make sure nothing ever separates them again. As long as he has his love, everything will be fine. Letting the exhaustion from earlier catch up to him, Haechan falls asleep peacefully as Renjun strokes his hair and hums sweet lullabies.