#phxjongkook

@phxjongkook

The smoke still swirled in the sky, the fires spreading like greedy claws, taking everything. HaHa wanted to run, wanted to follow Hayi home. But he’d given her a spare key instead, making sure she was safe to go.

He couldn’t leave without making sure Jongkook hyung was fine. He was terrified, but he just couldn’t run. He had to be brave. He had to keep breathing, keep walking. He waited until Hayi was out of sight and dropped the illusion of being Eunhye, knowing Jongkook woud be looking for his actual appearance. And he could use all the concentration he had.

Just breathe, just breathe.

What if he was already too late? His hyung was a hired for protection after all, what if he got hurt? What if they had figured he was at the wrong side and attacked him? But no, no, that’s impossible, his hyung was invincible, he was stronger and better and smarter than anyone else in the whole world, he would be fine. He had to be. He had to be. HaHa couldn’t make it without him.

He carefully hid behind anything he could find, pressing himself tightly against walls to scan the corners. When the coast was clear, or seemed clear, he quickly sprinted out, taking shelter behind something else.

Just breathe, just breathe.

He could do this. He would find his hyung and then he’d be safe. Everything would be fine. Everything would be fine.

Just breathe.

Slowly, but surely, he scanned the area, spotting a familiar figure in the distance. Was it his hyung?

He looked at the figure, concentrating. It was a familiar feeling, like coming home, that washed over him as the telepathic link set in.

The dark had fallen like an axe, a heavy, gruelling, piercing thing, splitting the day. HaHa stumbled in the dark, pressing himself against the wall of an abandoned alleyway.

He was all alone, and all around him things kept changing. The world shimmered around him, all day, all night, things there and not there, his thoughts manifested in the strangest of ways. They did something to him, there in that metal, bare room. The world had shimmered there too, the world had --

But this new found... ability, wouldn’t do much for him. Not if he couldn’t slow down and think. That’s right, he just -- he just had to think. But how could he? In the dark, alone, and everyone on the island caught in a monsterous panic, in that kind of dreadful slow-burn despair that made morality as askew as his reality. That made people attack you at the drop of a hat.

He needed to think, and he needed a lie. Something to hide behind.

No. He needed a hero.

He slumped down against the wall, his leg finally giving out, fear and exhausted washing over him now adrenaline washed out. That’s when he heard the footsteps and he swallowed to sob that dared to escape.

It seemed to be a guy, the kind of guy he wouldn’t be able to take unless it was by suprise, quick and swift and -- and HaHa couldn’t do it. Well, if you can’t beat ‘em, let them join you.

He took a deep breath, concentrating, making the world shimmer and changing himself into a cute, petite, hurt little girl, the least intimidating thing he could find. And the amp it up a little -- the guy hadn’t noticed him yet, he was still too far off, he projected the illusion of two men, intimidating, but obviously the kind the man approaching him could take, menancinglty walking towards him.

And then he finally, finally allowed himself to cry, like he wanted to.

“Please, please, don’t hurt me,” she sobbed, his voice distorted with pain and fear, but perfectly feminine and cute, cowering away against the wall as her own projections advanced on her.