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"B-but what about Xiao-"
"It's alright, Yangyang," the boy whose name was almost spoken joined Hendery's side, giving a soft smile to the others. "I spoke wrongfully. Hendery has chosen to help so I won't interfere."
Yangyang felt astonished as his dark eyes blinked a few times, not used to this side of Xiaojun showing. Jeno felt his heart thumping as he tried to figure out what was going on while looking between them, hoping that what this meant was that there was finally a working method to save Jaemin.
"We should hurry," Hendery cut through the awkward silence, locking eyes with Jeno as he gave a soft nod. Still in a slight daze, Jeno kicked the shin of Donghyuck and caused him to realize something was going on. He tore himself from his conversation with the blonde and they stood up along with Renjun.
Without saying any words, Jeno gestured to the hospital entrance with his head to signal they were going back inside. The three spotted the unfamiliar face and looked curiously, but nonetheless followed back inside.
Jaemin grabbed onto Jeno's arm and caused the older to look back at him. A sparkle was present in those dark eyes of his, one that held hope but also fear at the same time. Jaemin felt giddiness rise through his transparent body at the look, not having seen so much hope in Jeno's eyes for a while.
They all reached the door to Jaemin's room, but Xiaojun stopped in his tracks and prevented anyone from walking through. He then turned with a stern look on his features.
"What are we waiting for?" Chenle asked from the back of the crowd and jumped slightly to see.
"You guys can't come in while we help him. It's very dangerous-" Xiaojun began to explain, but was cut off when Jisung wove his way to the front and gave him a scary look.
"Just exactly what are you going to do to my brother?" he asked and pointed a finger. "We were never told what this Hendery boy even can do."
Xiaojun looked from the youngest one and around at the others who nodded, also wanting an explanation. I mean, you can't blame them since this is a very serious thing that could change Jaemin's fate for better or for worse.
Hendery looked to the ground, making sure his hands were still covered. "I have a power such as you guys do... but I don't exactly have the best control over it. And it could put everyone at risk if you are close to me while I'm using it."
Jeno was taken aback by this. Why won't he just tell them what his power is if it's this dangerous? "What-"
"What is this power," Mark cut the dark haired off and moved his way to the front now as well. He stared deep into Hendery's eyes, making him uncomfortable as all the answers came to his head.
Mark backed away, biting his lip as Jeno stared at his best friend. The blonde met eyes with him and shifted his feet. "It's a nullification power... except it takes powers away forever. And he has no control of how far he takes it and needs to be stopped while using it. If any of us were to touch him we'd lose our powers."
Jeno's eyes widened and he backed up a bit. "You mean you're taking Jaemin's power away??"
Xiaojun nodded and folded his arms. "It will get rid of the vine around his heart and he'd no longer be slowly dying from it. It's the safest option."
Jaemin's ghost felt his eyes widen momentarily, looking at Jeno who pursed his lips together tightly and bit the inside of his cheeks. Jaemin soon slacked and nodded his head, willing to lose his power if it meant his life would be saved. Jeno looked to him with saddened eyes. He didn't want to have to do this to the boy, but there was really no other option.
"Alright... just please save him," Jeno said helplessly, causing Xiaojun to nod and open the door for Hendery. He followed the dark haired behind and glanced one last time at the power squad.
Jeno stared at the two through the door with Jaemin on his left and Mark on his right. The others just nervously waited while peeking in occasionally, but Jisung found himself unable to watch as fear bubbles in his stomach.
The dark haired watched as Hendery stepped on the far side of Jaemin's hospital bed, looking over the unconscious boy nervously before looking to Xiaojun. Jeno squinted his eyes as the spirit next to him tried to get a better look.
"Hey, what exactly happens if he's not stopped while using his power?" Jeno suddenly whispered to the blonde next to him.
Mark could only keep his eyes trained on the two inside, not wanting to have to worry Jeno like this. But hey, he couldn't keep this from him especially under the circumstances.
"Well, if he's not stopped, it could erase more than just his power," Mark whispered his answer, Jeno snapping his head to the other. "It can start erasing anything associated with the power, including Jaemin himself if held long enough."
"What the hell?!" Jeno said loudly, startling the others who were sitting in the waiting seats. Mark gave him a still but worried look as Jeno stared back into the room with a lot more on his mind now.
Nervousness shook Jeno's body as he stared at Hendery now rolling up his sleeves, the boy himself looking scared over his own power. Even though they may have found a way out of this, why did it still have to jeopardize Jaemin?
"J-Jeno," a boy whispered from beside him, catching his attention as he turned to Jaemin. But something was off with him besides being translucent, and that was the fact his hands were slowly deteriorating and moving through the wall. "I think I'm-"
"Going back to your body," Jeno said with wide eyes and Jaemin smiled widely at him. "It's working..."
Jeno watched the boy fade entirely and looked back into the room. There was dust whirling around in the air like a million fireflies, then entering the limp body with hands now hovering over it. The dark haired boy felt his blood race with anticipation as his eyes traveled from the faint glow slowly disappearing in the dim light, up to the boy whose hands were hovered over Jaemin's chest.
Xiaojun has taken some thick winter gloves from his pocket as he made sure all of his skin was secure so as to not lose his own power. The sight of the nervous Hendery brought memories to mind last time he used this power of his, painful ones that will forever haunt him. But maybe Hendery was right, maybe this would make up for the time he almost killed someone, because now they were prepared.
He remembers walking down the street with Hendery from a day at middle school, chatting about useless things and just enjoying the bright sun and cool breeze. Unfortunately, Hendery wasn't as lucky as Xiaojun was and didn't have very many friends, or a good family for that matter. People managed to find out about this at school and his poor best friend became an outcast who only got pity from others. But Xiaojun was always there for the boy, never missing a beat to comfort him when he needed help or to hang out and have a blast.
Unfortunately on such a lovely day, a kid from their school who particularly did not like Hendery, crossed their paths and stopped them in place. The kid had a power like them and could electrocute people on free will which made him think himself powerful.
The next thing Xiaojun knew was being pulled into an alley, the kid torturing them with sparks of electricity almost like lightning. His friends chuckled at their helpless states from behind and didn't do anything. Hendery had had enough, the weight of his life already weighing heavily on his shoulders as he grew tired with this bully. He used his nullifying ability, strangling the kid while doing so. Hendery lost control as he continued to pin the kid down, only for an adult to find them and tear the dark haired boy from the other.
After that, the bully had changed completely. His memory was almost fully wiped that he couldn't remember his own name. After that, Xiaojun was frightened that Hendery would only become more powerful and accidentally hurt the ones he loves. That's why he had locked him away for so long, to protect others from Hendery, but most importantly, Hendery from himself.
Xiaojun looked to the other through the dim light of the hospital room, giving him a confident nod that told the other that he finally believed he could do this. Hendery nodded back, closing his eyes as a faint red light emitted from his hands. His eyes fluttered back open to show them glowing red as well, mind totally taken over by his ability. Hands gently lowered and pushed two fingers on the unconscious boy's forehead, and two fingers right over his heart.
Jeno gulped and rested his hands on the cold door, staring intensely at Jaemin and Hendery. A red glow began to form itself under the honey haired's skin, almost like someone was shining a very bright flashlight through his body. His foot tapped anxiously against the ground as it became harder and harder to stay still, but this had to be done.
A ghostly hand suddenly placed itself onto his shoulder, causing the dark haired to look to his side and see his mother where Jaemin once stood. She smiled at him, feeling proud that they actually found a way to get Jaemin to return to his body. It really crushed all of her previous doubts.
Her presence calmed Jeno down as he returned the smile, knowing exactly what she was thinking just through that expression. They were making their way out of this, and before Jeno would know, everything would be put back to normal.
Everything.
Right?
Jeno looked back into the room and suddenly grabbed the door handle, Mark noticing this and looking up to him with a surprised face.
"Jeno-"
"I'm going in to make sure nothing happens. Sometimes I need to just focus on the present and stop worrying about the future and past. And right now, I know I have to make sure Jaemin pulls through this at all costs."
Mark blinked as the door opened in front of his face, then slowly falling closed as his mind raced. He had no idea what the older meant by that, but Jeno was really willing to go in there for Jaemin and risk everything he had. The boy had guts, he'd give him that. Mark inhaled deeply and sighed, continuing to watch from the window.
Jeno's mom drifted through the wall and entered the room, feeling a bittersweet feeling overcome her. For so many years Jeno hasn't moved on from her death, and now, now he finally had someone to replace that loneliness he feels. And she supports her son all the way, inwardly cheering for Jaemin to wake up any second and make her son the happiest alive.
When Jeno entered the room, Xiaojun heard the door click and looked shocked at the newcomer. Jeno stood like a deer in headlights as the one who spotted him gave him a shocked look.
"What are you doing in here?" he whisper-yelled, then moving his eyes back to Hendery to make sure he didn't get out of line.
Jeno inhaled to speak and explain himself, but was ultimately cut off upon noticing something strange. There was suddenly a different hue of light in the air.
His dark eyes glimmered and reflected the subtle sky blue light as it swarmed up the ceiling in twists and curls. Jeno blinked, feeling like he was hallucinating for a moment, until he realized just what the blue was coming from.
Mixed with the red glow at Jaemin's heart, colors of all kinds stretched up to the sky like vines of a flower, some short and some long, but each being as unique as a snowflake.
All the breath ran away from Jeno in that moment as he stood frozen in place. The sight was absolutely beautiful.
Watching the swirls stretch along the walls, suddenly stopping as a teardrop shape formed at the ends, then opening and spreading their fluttering petals like the flowers Jaemin has grown many times. Some of them creeped along the floor and reached Jeno's feet, then climbing up his body and wrapping around his entire being.
Jeno breathlessly raised a hand and watched a blue and pink swirl climb around his arm, then opening as sparkly little flowers that shimmered brighter than the stars in the sky.
The corners of his lips tugged upwards as he studied the transparent things, feeling something warm in his chest begin to fill his entire being. Who knew.
Who knew he'd be able to see the ghost of flowers, out of all things. The thought made him chuckle.
Jeno could watch in amazement as memories of these flowers flooded his mind. If it weren't for Jaemin's ability, who knows if they would have even met one another. Who knows if they would even become this close if Jaemin hadn't needed him to help with his flower business.
He would miss this adorable and astonishingly beautiful ability of his, but there also wouldn't be much of a future if it weren't for getting rid of it. Even though bitter, the thought of his ability finally gone made relief flood through his bones and cleanse him of stress.
The flowers had disappeared as soon as they came, and Jeno had looked over to his mom who had witnessed the beautiful sight too. Hendery kept his hands pressed into Jaemin's limp body, the red in his eyes and around him becoming brighter and brighter as his hands began to shake.
Xiaojun quickly noticed this and knew that their work here was done. Hendery did it, he saved this boy and finally redeemed himself. The brown haired smiled and reached over to grab his arm, tugging lightly at first but not feeling him budge.
Jeno watched intently as Xiaojun began pulling hard on his arm, sudden panic filling his eyes as Hendery wouldn't budge. He just kept his strong stance by the side of the bed, light getting brighter and face turning insane.
"Stop! Hendery! STOP!" Xiaojun yelled and huffed as he tried with all his might to pull the other, but Hendery just shoved his elbow into his side and caused Xiaojun to crash into a side table.
Jeno felt his breath hitch as his eyes moved from the boy now on the floor, up to Hendery and Jaemin. Any second it looked like Jaemin was going to burn to a crisp from the blaring blood red.
The dark haired panicked and remembered what Mark had said. There's no way he could let this continue.
Not even thinking about his next movements, Jeno launched himself at Hendery and grabbed his arm, pulling and making the boy trip. Xiaojun got up and pulled at the same time, finally tearing him away from Jaemin and breaking the red glow.
But it didn't stop there when Hendery looked seethingly towards Jeno, grabbing his hands with his and getting right into his face with his empty red eyes.
Jeno stepped back and tripped to the ground, the other leaning over him as teeth dug deep into his lip. Jeno yelled at him to let go of his death grip around his fingers, but it was to no avail.
"Jeno!" said boy heard the warped voice of a woman call, glancing over and seeing a scratchy image of his mother. He blinked a few times and saw her image solidify, but only for a moment until he couldn't see where she went.
Hendery laughed and caused Jeno to squeeze his eyes shut, trying his best to wriggle away from the frightening boy. By now his pants were probably covered in dirt from scraping at the floor.
The sight was frightening. One you would pull right out of a horror comic and place right in front of your face. Jeno could only keep his eyes closed, the realization being one he had wished would not creep upon him.
Even just through one touch, Mark had said it can erase one's power.
This couldn't be happening.
💐💐💐
*internal screeching*
Happy 14k beautiful people!!!!!!!!1!!!
I'm seriously way too emotional rn :,(
Anywho I hope y'all have an amazing day <3