Code Red || lee felix

33

Claire

"You never told me about this!"

Jeongin looked at me with disgust, "Will you shut up already?"

I frowned as we found ourselves in a perplexed situation: we got teleported into another place. I remember this forest—it's my hometown. The male sighed as he dusted off his blazer. Jeongin explained that Jaemin was no ordinary agent but a supernatural being like those in fictional stories—werewolves, vampires, ogres, etc.

"I have no idea why we're summoned here? I mean he clearly dislikes the squad!" Why would he try and summon us here? It's not like the two squads are close. "I have the same question. Jaemin hates us." Jeongin started to look around in the muddy forest. Our thoughts just made it a lot confusing since the heated discussion between the two squads has not been resolved yet.

"Claire." He called out and reached his hand to me. "I'll be dead if I lose you here." He joked but I took his hand as we walked down the steep ground. Did he mean him?

"It's not like I'm not familiar here, you forgot? I grew up here."

"But I don't trust you alone."

"Makes sense."

Jeongin smirked in victory as we bent down in the bushes. There small houses nearby and some shops as well. People were few like the old days, happy and simple life. As if this place never changed, it looked the same.

"This is where you scraped your knee, innie." I pointed at the old tree in the center of the playground. He looked away and blushed, "Don't remind me."

"C'mon it was a good memory!"

"It's not!"

"You're just shy. We're old now and why are you embarrassed?" I recalled that time when Jeongin fell off the swing too far after Chan pushed his seat too much. He sat up sobbing.

adorable.

"What's funny of looking ugly with a wound?!"

"You're just cute and where are we heading?"

"Somewhere." His tone changed as we reached an old cottage by the river. The place looked warm and cozy for the season. It was almost unreal. Jeongin let go of my hand as he started a bonfire by the front of the cottage. The oven (?) was a bit big and he began preparing vegetables as if he was cooking something.

"Whatcha cooking?" I peeped behind him.

"Dinner."

"How spontaneous." I watched closely at how he chopped the vegetables—precise and clean. The jitters ran down my whole body as I took a step away from him. I looked around the area—there was no town but trees and owls hooting at each other. "Claire, why you mind—why are you standing there?" Jeongin looked confused as he turned around.

"Hmm. Who am I?"

He broke into laughter as he put down the knife, "Bang Chaein—Claire. Chan's younger sister."

I clicked my tongue, "Birthday?"

"October 31st." He slowly took one step towards me. The breeze tells me that this wasn't feeling any right. "Who is my first love?"

He stopped and sighed, "Are we going to play this game? I grew up with you."

"Of course." I smiled slightly. "And I just want to reminisce what we had in this town."

"Isn't it me?" The light glimmered against his serious expression.

"You're not Jeongin." I concluded. Jeongin will never be flirty around me. He is known for his clumsiness which is why he doesn't cook. "Claire, I am Jeongin."

He grabbed my wrist and started dragging me towards the huge oven he started. "Who are you?!"

"I'm Jeongin!" His voice changed into a deeper and modulated tone. With all my strength, I tried to break away from his grasp until thunder clapped above us. It grew dark as night—he stopped moving as he noticed fireflies around us.

"Let go!" I raised my knee and hit him into his gut. He stumbled behind which gave me a chance to escape from the front.

"Claire!" He yelled as his hand reached my hair—

A silhouette quickly wrapped its hands around me as I heard a clash of metal behind my back. Just now—I was on someone's chest, someone I knew well by scent. "Not this time, shapeshifter."

"Claire?" I looked up to see Jeongin's concerned smile. "I'm sorry I'm late." He chuckled softly. His eyes were glowing orange with a hint of gold. Behind him is nine transparent tails—of a fox in a very faint form, almost like gas.

"A fox. I have never seen one for 4000 years of my life." The faker Jeongin said. Jeongin is a fox (gumiho) ? He held my arm and pulled me behind him. "This human is my responsibility so run along before I send you to hell." He threatened the shapeshifter with his sword.

"No thanks. Now I got your face—I'll be unstoppable." He cackled as mocked him. It started to pour slowly on us. Jeongin remained on the offense position.

"I doubt that." The 3 of us glanced at the blue haired male which I quickly recognized.

"They're under my protection shifter." Jaemin crossed his arms. The shapeshifter just snickered and charged towards Jeongin.

Jeongin pushed me away as his blade and his claws clashed against each other. Jaemin caught me just in time rambled a latin spell that made the shift reveal his true self—an adult man in his 50s. Jeongin kicked the geezer towards the stone table and stabbed his heart.

"I should apologize—you got your souls teleported here. A perverted world." Jaemin dusted off my blazer.

"With all respect sunbaenim, where are we?" Jeongin's blade dissolved into fire. "This is far dangerous for a human like Claire to be transported into a perverted world."

"True and this is my prison."

"Prison?" I repeated. Jaemin nodded sadly as he picked up a stick and started to draw something on the ground. "You see—I found Jeongin's energy  while I was looking for loopholes in this world. A gumiho's energy is very distinct when he's coming of age or that's how I describe it." He mumbled.

"Who trapped you?" Jeongin asked.

"I don't know but for sure I've been here for 2 years."Jaemin sighed. "I need to send you back out before my captor will foresee your existence here. I can't let that happen."

"How about you come with us?" I suggested.

"Nice try but I'm bounded here. I tried doing that with any breaking spell I know but no progress." He looked sad. He must've been lonely. "I need you guys to help me—help me regain my body. That Agent Jaemin you have interacted is a fraud."

Jeongin and I exchanged glances—we were talking to a fraud? "But wai—"

"Off you go! I hope to hear from you." With that, Jaemin snapped his fingers and we were gone like thin air.

——
happy new year and im so sorry for the late update.