WHO ARE YOU?|ATEEZ FANFIC

Chapter 49|Burning Illusion

»What the hell?« Shock and confusion shook the young man with the two-tone hairdo, who stood frozen in the middle of a courtyard. Water splashed in a small fountain behind him. The sun, which was just about to rise, was already burning his skin and every second it seemed to be getting two degrees hotter around him. He was standing on stony ground decorated with pretty, colorful mosaics and was surrounded by a building that would place him technically in the desert, which would also explain the heat around him. What he couldn't explain was why he was there. That and why seven other boys were lying unconscious on the ground around him. A handsome undercut black haired guy was lying on his back on the floor not far from Hongjoong, two other boys, a mint haired guy with a lovely unique birthmark near his eye and a tall black haired guy were lying a little further away from them. Another black-haired boy and a blond boy were lying quite close to the building wall, next to them was a second, quite tall boy with black hair and blue highlights. The last boy lay revhts from him not far from Hongjoong either. He also had black hair like most of them and had a pretty mole under his left eye. He was wearing just black, denim pants, a t-shirt and a leather jacket over it, which looked really cool but didn't quite suit the weather conditions around them, but looking around none of the boys looked particularly appropriately dressed for a nap in the desert. An uncomfortable feeling spread in the chest of the black and white haired. A wave of concern and anger built up inside him, even if he didn't quite understand the feeling. He turned back to the boy he had seen first. Hesitantly he took a few steps towards him, wanted to crouch down and reach for him when he suddenly heard a noise. Startled, he backed away from the boys and stared in the direction the sound had come from. There, right in front of him at the building entrance in the shadows, suddenly there was a person. Hongjoong froze and looked nervously at the strange figure in front of him. He didn't know why, but his shape frightened him. It appeared to be a man about his height but slightly smaller than him. Appearing a year and a half younger than himself, he wore an all-black outfit, with a black hat and in his left hand he held a small hourglass, which he kept spinning between his fingers so the sand could run through it. Hongjoong hesitated. This person made Hongjoong feel strange. He couldn't see his face. The shadow of his hat hid more than half of his face, but something about him looked familiar.

»Hongjoong.« when the person opposite suddenly said his name, a shiver ran down his spine and he clenched his fists. Although he didn't know why, the sight of the man dressed in black put him into defensive mode. He felt he had to fight for his safety and that of the seven other boys. He hesitated.

»Who are you? What do you want?« he asked, intimidated by the dark figure in front of him, who suddenly took a step forward and revealed his face to the rising sun. Hongjoong froze. How could that be? What was going on here?! The person dressed in black looked just like Hongjoong. He had the same pointed nose, his eyes were the same shape. He was Hongjoong's spitting image.

»W-who are you?!« the boy repeated his question. Sweat ran down his forehead. It had gotten so hot, Hongjoong thought he would burn to death if he didn't do something. His doppelganger took a step closer so that he was now finally out of the shadows. He was very pale and almost looked transparent. Like a ghost or a hallucination.

»Wake up, Hongjoong.«

Startled, Hongjoong opened his eyes and jumped up. He was breathing heavily and his shirt was soaked with sweat.

»Just... Just a dream...« he breathed in relief. He remembered the first moment after waking up, but there hadn't been a Halateez there then. He actually went straight to the members to check on them. Only when he was sure that all seven of them were okay, did he go inside the building and although it had been extremely hot when he woke up, his dream had been exaggerated a bit. Now, however, despite the fact that he was awake, he was extremely hot again. He wiped his forehead, which was covered with sweat, and then looked around, a little confused.