There was a boy he used to spend time with, Howon thought. One with dark and penetrating eyes that seemed to stare into your soul. It made him look a bit like a serial killer, or someone who probably spaced out a majority of the time, he couldn’t decide what it was exactly. It was like astral projection: his body was physically there, but his soul was off flying somewhere else. He thought it was creepy at first, but his younger brother Sungjong seemed to find it cute, so this particular boy (and his loud-mouthed best friend) eventually became a permanent fixture on their walks home, as well as his companion during lunch period.
As he grew closer to the slightly younger boy, he started to find those traits endearing, along with the other expressions this friend usually made. That first look though, was something that stuck to Howon’s mind for a long time.
It made Myungsoo seem otherworldly, and in a way, he was.
And it was that otherworldliness that urged Howon to disappear from Kim Myungsoo’s life – he had to.
Past. (16)
It had started with the Superhero Registration Act, no, way before that. Several incidents had occurred, the worst including The Hulk going on a rampage throughout Las Vegas. Each incident had led to mass destruction of property, as well as the loss of several lives: men, women, hell, even children. With the rate things were going, superheroes were as dangerous to mankind as the very evils they fought.
That was where the S.R.A had come in; Any person with superhuman abilities had to register with the federal government as a human weapon and undergo proper training to prevent any future incidents from happening. The concept of a secret identity would be no more, forcefully given up to the authorities, their work now almost similar to that of the police and soldiers.
While the law had its supporters, it also had those against it. Led by Captain America, these heroes did their best to fight the law, not wanting to give up the liberties the law had now restricted. Those fights ultimately led to more deaths, as well as a stricter implementation of the new law.
His father had been in favor of the law, a proud man who served as a top-ranking scientist in Python, the official branch of the government that was in charge of hunting rogue superheroes. Python was studying the metagene that often occurred during puberty, bringing something extra along with the usual flare of hormones. This study had been introduced as a way of figuring out how superpowers were gained, as well as coming up with an effective way to kill it and ensure the normalcy of a person. He told stories every night to an awed Howon and Sungjong, his tales of narrowly escaping death and bringing people to justice. Howon had wanted that life when he was younger, one filled with excitement and adventure. To him, his father was his hero, and that’s why it hurt to come home and find his father being arrested.
Python had gone rogue, and the government had wasted no time in tracking down some of the members that had been named by the Infinity League, a group of heroes that continued to fight against the S.R.A.
Howon felt like it was all part of a badly-written action movie, but that wasn’t relevant right now. What was relevant was to make sure that Sungjong was okay. He remembered yelling for his younger brother, shoving away the officers who tried to placate him by saying that he and his brother would now be placed in the system since their father was to be declared unfit to raise them and their mother long dead.
But Sungjong hadn’t gone home. Even after all the police had cleared the house and Howon had sat down on the couch, watching the clock like an anxious parent.
Sungjong had disappeared.
Present. (23)
Howon bolts upright, sweat pouring down his temples as he tries to calm himself. Dreaming about the past is nothing new for him, but these dreams have started to increase as of late. He is in his apartment with its plain walls and messy clothes, the only attempt at personalizing the room being the picture of Sungjong and himself that’s perched on his bedside table.
My name is Lee Howon, he repeats to himself in an effort to regain control. I’m twenty-three years old. I have a younger brother, Lee Sungjong... Sungjong’s not around anymore, he scolds himself. I live in a two bedroom apartment with his roommate, Nam Woohyun.
“Can’t sleep?” Speaking of the devil.
Howon snorts, giving the other a wry look. “What do you think?”
Woohyun is unfazed, heading over to plop down on Howon’s bed. “You were thinking about Sungjong.” It’s a statement, not a question, and it makes Howon sigh, leaning back against the headboard. “Yeah.” His roommate remains silent, which is unusual in itself since he hardly stops talking, so he takes it as a cue to go on. “It’s just.. hard, not knowing where he ended up. If he’s still alive.”
“He is.” Woohyun nods firmly. “Look, you’re an annoying partner, but you’re good at what you do and from what you’ve told me, you’ve taught your brother how to get by.”
“You would feel the same if Boohyun hyung suddenly vanished.” And that’s the thing that ties them both together, that concern for their loved ones and the determination to see them alright.
“Yep.” Woohyun leans back against the headboard as well, staring up at the ceiling. “But you know, Sungjong sounds like a tough kid. He’ll be alright.”
How can you be so sure?, Howon wants to ask. How are you so calm? “You sound so sure of yourself. Almost like you know where he is.” He’s joking, he really is, but he wishes life is as easy as Woohyun sometimes makes it sound.
Woohyun opens his mouth to speak some more, only to be interrupted by both of their phones ringing. Time to go.
If you had asked Howon six years ago, he would never have been friends with someone like Nam Woohyun. He’s too cocky, too full of himself – too competitive like Howon really, and having too brash a partner has a high chance of getting in the way of their job. But Nam Woohyun is good at what he did, a perfect ten just like his codename, and as a team, they always get the job done. Now would be no exception.
Past. (16)
Howon never really paid much attention to Kim Myungsoo, the boy who sat near the window in the first row. He was quiet save for the times he would talk to his seatmate, a lanky boy named Lee Sungyeol who was also Myungsoo’s best friend.
Howon sat near the window as well, in the last row where he often spoke with his friends about dance whenever the teacher wasn’t looking. He never had any reason to notice the people in front before, most especially Kim Myungsoo, considering that they didn’t really have anything in common.
That changed when Sungjong met up with him one day after school, tugging a very flustered Kim Myungsoo behind him. “Hi, hyung.”
“Hello.” Howon said awkwardly as Myungsoo fidgeted a bit. “Hi.”
“This is Myungsoo-hyung, he’s in the camera club and he needs more pictures for his portfolio...”
“YAH!” A voice behind them screamed, and to no one’s surprise, it was a pretty out of breath Sungyeol. “Jerks, you left me behind!”
“It’s not our fault Kim-seonsaengnim called you at the last minute.” Sungjong said slyly, making Myungsoo laugh a little. It was the first time Howon’s seen Myungsoo so animated up close, and well, it’s more than a little weird. Cute, but still weird.
“Anyway,” Sungjong rolled his eyes at Sungyeol’s less than impressed expression, turning to Howon. “Hyung, the flappy one is Sungyeol hyung, my partner for our drama club assignment. Myungsoo hyung is his best friend, and he needs some pictures for camera club.”
“We know him.” Now it was Sungyeol’s turn to roll his eyes, arms folded across his chest. “He’s in our class--- ow--!”
“Is he usually this loud?” Howon turned to Myungsoo, who was busy fixing the slightly smaller bag draped over his shoulder. It only dawned on him now that that was his camera.
“He’s usually louder.” Myungsoo said off-handedly, ignoring Sungyeol’s indignant squawking and threats to hide the hair straightener next time he visited. “You’re… Sungjong’s brother, right?”
“Yeah.” Howon tried to think of something else to say, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. “So um..”
“We’re going to leave you two if you don’t follow.” Sungjong said in a singsong voice, already nearing the gates with Sungyeol. Howon snorted at that, looking at Myungsoo before gesturing towards the pair. “Shall we go?”
The smile that Myungsoo gave him was kind of dorky, and Howon figured that Myungsoo was probably one of those types not to realize how good-looking he actually was (he’ll admit it now, the boy was attractive), but he was definitely still cute. And weird. Cute but weird, yeah.
Present. (23)
Howon pulls his mask over his face, peering out of his hiding place as he waits for the sirens to pass him by. He sighs in relief once they were gone, having already loaded his rifle. Woohyun is covering any aerial pursuits while he takes care of the things on the ground. He has to be on his guard, especially since they’re expecting some interruptions for tonight’s job. He makes sure not to make any noise, especially since he’s already at a disadvantage for not having any superpowers to combat their uninvited guests. It’s only him and his firearms.
Sure enough, a boy steps out into the open; with a slender build and a familiar set of eyes. Sungjong’s eyes.
“Sungjong?” He whispers, and the boy turns to him, a playful smile on his face. Howon could faintly hear Woohyun asking him for a status report over the comm link, but that doesn’t matter right now. What matters is that his brother is here, alive and so grown up and if he just reach out out, he would be able touch him ...
The boy reaches out for Howon’s hand, grasping it firmly. Howon almost wants to sob in relief, looking right into his brother’s eyes.
And that’s when he could feel himself falling; hook, line and sinker.
Past. (17)
Howon liked Myungsoo, liked how he made the strangest faces and how he laughed too hard at jokes that weren’t even funny. It was a welcome change to see Sungjong exasperated, expression fond as opposed to the glum boy who wanted their father to come home more. He had to thank Myungsoo for that, really.
Plus, he had to thank Myungsoo for cheering him up too.
It was free period for the second years, so Howon, Myungsoo, Sungyeol, and some of their other classmates had gone out to enjoy the outdoors, finding various places to just relax for the next fifty minutes. Sungyeol was in the middle of checking his phone, frowning a little as his eyes skimmed over an article. This did not go unnoticed by Myungsoo, who promptly tugged on his friend’s sleeve. “What’s wrong?”
“They’re talking about a stricter implementation of the S.R.A.” Sungyeol said, expression grim. Myungsoo’s face fell a little, and Howon looked between his two friends. “And? What else does it say?”
“Basically, they want to test people for metagenes or mutations in order to weed out anyone that could be a ‘possible threat to society.” Sungyeol scowled and quickly closed the article, putting his phone down in disgust.
Howon raised an eyebrow at that, still a little confused. “Why though? Not everybody is going to turn into a masked-wearing vigilante and prowl the city attacking villains.”
Sungyeol opened his mouth to say something, but Myungsoo beat him to it. “They’ll turn them into lab rats, experiment on them until they find out what makes them tick... then try to cure it.” His expression was troubled, looking at his food as if he suddenly didn’t want to eat it.
That was another sign; Myungsoo never turned down or left food untouched. Howon was baffled, to say the least. “Am I missing something?”
The other two looked at each other for awhile before Sungyeol spoke again. “Nah. But it just seems wrong to experiment on people, just because of a sudden flare of hormones that brings about an ability like say... controlling fire.”
Howon snorted, flicking a pickle at Sungyeol. “Yah, I’m pretty sure controlling fire could potentially destroy the city if left unchecked. And the cure thing sounds plausible.”
“Yes, but this is,” Sungyeol mouthed the next word, which made Myungsoo sigh and Howon sit up a little more attentively. “Python we’re talking about. There have also been rumors about them experimenting on the people they’ve gotten as guinea pigs.” He leaned in some more, lowering his voice so they wouldn’t be heard. “One scientist was even rumored to experiment on his children regarding the metagene.”
It was only when they were on their way home that Howon noticed that Myungsoo had gotten quieter since the talk about the S.R.A. His expression was even more blank than usual, and he barely responded to Sungjong’s chatter about today.
They soon reached the Lee household, Sungjong heading inside first to start dinner while Howon turned to Myungsoo. “Uh.;. do you want to come in? We’re having kimchi stew for dinner if you end up staying.”
The mention of Myungsoo’s favorite food made him smile a little, which in turn made Howon feel slightly better. “Okay. But only because you mentioned kimchi stew.”
The silence stretched on for a few more seconds before Howon decided to just ask the younger what was troubling him. “So.;. are you okay? You’ve been zoning out more than usual since lunchtime.”
“I’m fine, really.” Myungsoo felt the need to add the last word at Howon’s raised eyebrow, nodding vigorously. “I just.;. the thought of the S.R.A just throws me off in general. I mean, doesn’t it seem like it would do more harm than good?”
“What people fail to understand is the fact that superheroes go around saving people at the cost of property damage, as well as treating other civilians as collateral damage.” A new voice said, and Howon turned around to get a good look at the speaker, mouth falling open. “Dad! You’re home early.”
“I’m afraid not.” Mr. Lee smiled apologetically, still in his lab coat, hair mussed and clothes disheveled. “I have a meeting tonight, and I just popped in to grab some fresh clothes.”
“Sungjong’s making dinner.” Howon said, motioning to Myungsoo. “Dad, this is… Myungsoo.” He trailed off, his father having already darted inside. He turned to Myungsoo, expression apologetic. “I’m sorry, he’s not usually like this.”
“I get it, Howon. Your dad seems really busy.” Myungsoo was staring at the front door where Howon’s dad had gone through, fingers gripping his camera bag. “Where does he work?”
“He works... at Python.”
Present. (23)
Howon wakes up with a start, trying to calm himself by taking a few deep breaths. He swears he’s dreaming, only it feels much too real to actually be a dream. The warehouse is gone; instead, he’s surrounded by pitch black.
Fuck, how could he fall for such a basic trap?
“You’re awake.” A voice speaks, and that’s when Howon realizes his wrists and feet are bound, not by chains but by shadows. Oh. No wonder that voice sounds familiar.
“It’s been awhile.” Howon replied to the speaker, gesturing to the binds around his wrists. “You have a better handle on your powers now. Didn’t know you could create illusions though.”
“That wasn’t me.” Myungsoo steps into his field of vision, his hood and mask covering most of his face. A fleeting image of Myungsoo in his costume pops up in Howon’s mind, a memory of their first encounter as enemies making its way to the forefront of his mind. He tries to ignore the blood streaming out of Myungsoo’s shoulder in the mental image, focusing instead on the wall behind him.He isn’t supposed to care, not at all.
“It was me.” Another figure appears in Howon’s line of sight, another male. However, unlike Myungsoo, this male’s costume is navy, the cut almost reminiscent of the superhero Nightwing right down to the placement of the mask. The only differences are the lack of any symbol on the person’s chest and the shockingly blonde hair of the owner. The newcomer’s also slimly built, and his stance is one of ease, almost as if he’s taunting Howon. “I had to get your attention somehow.”
“By letting me see one of my more painful memories?” Howon snorts. “Yeah, sure.” Myungsoo - L, Howon corrects himself - and the newcomer exchange a look, the latter sighing immensely as he reaches for his mask. “I’m sorry I had to do that, but this was the only way to get you alone.” He finally pulls off his mask, and Howon nearly forgets how to breathe.
“Sungjong?”
Past. (17)
He saw the armored cars as soon as he got home. Dance practice had run too late, and Sungjong had wanted to go home earlier in order to study for a test. The lights could be seen from about a mile away, Howon rushing towards his house as two men led his father to one of the cars. “Dad!”
His father didn’t turn around, not even as he entered the car that would serve as his transportation to prison. Prison, Howon thought wryly, was now the place he and Sungjong could name when they would be asked about their father’s whereabouts.
Oh shit, Sungjong--
He headed for the front door, only to be blocked by two more police officers. “I’m sorry, but civilians are not permitted to enter...”
“I live here.” His voice was desperate, fighting to get in and find Sungjong. “My brother, he went home early-- he’s supposed to be in here--” He finally broke away, dashing inside the house with the cops on his tail, hoping to hear the familiar voice of his brother.
More police officers were inside, with the chief of police looking up and shooting a disgruntled look towards Howon. “Who let a kid in here?” He barked, making the others shrink away a bit. Howon opened his mouth to speak, words tumbling out in a rush. “I live here, sir. My brother, he’s supposed to be here with my dad…”
The chief studied Howon’s face for awhile before finally speaking. “Lee’s eldest son, then? We didn’t see anyone else. We came with the warrant, your father was the only one home and we’ve checked every inch of this house. Your younger brother isn’t here.”
This wasn’t happening, Howon chanted inwardly, he probably went to the library or something... yeah.
But no matter how long he waited, Sungjong didn’t come home.
Days passed, then a month, then two.
Howon felt like he was suffocating inside his house, there were too many memories of both his father and brother, and it made him feel cold. He was lying on his bed, cup noodles on his bedside table and his phone somewhere in his room.
“Howon!” A voice called from outside, making Howon sit up and peer outside. Myungsoo.
He lay back down, covering his face with a pillow. He wasn’t in the mood for people, not even his friends.
“Yah, Lee Howon!” Oh god, he brought Sungyeol along. Maybe if he ignored them, they would think he wasn’t home.
“We can see a light on!” Damn it.
A few more minutes passed before he heard the door open, sighing. He knew he shouldn’t have told them where the spare key was.
“So this is where you spend your free time…” Sungyeol said, flopping down on Howon’s bed and sniffing the room. “Uh… interesting scent.”
“You didn’t come to school again.” Myungsoo carefully picked up a few of Howon’s shirts that lay on the floor. “We were worried.”
“I’m fine, you know.” Howon replied, voice muffled from the pillow.
Sungyeol rolled his eyes, swatting Howon’s leg. “Yes, and I was ridiculously hot dressed as Hyuna for Talent Night.”
“Well, that’s true--” Myungsoo whined when Howon’s other pillow hit his face.
“The thing is,” Sungyeol continued. “We know you’re upset. But you’re also hiding yourself away from other people who care about you, and that’s not okay with me and Soo.”
Myungsoo finally managed to pry the pillow covering Howon’s face, sitting on Howon’s other side. “Don’t think that you’re in this alone, because you’re not.”
It was difficult to deter his friends when they were in that state. He’d do it though. For them.
Present. (23)
He likes to think that he works best alone. He’s been doing it for years, and while he can work with others, he’s more comfortable when he’s by himself. The silence of being alone helps him think better.
Now isn’t one of those times.
“Hey hyung.” It looks like Sungjong, Howon thinks, it sounds like Sungjong too, so it must be Sungjong. But at the same time, it felt like it isn’t.
“You... you’re alive.” Sungjong rolls his eyes, and Howon thinks that it’s such a Sungjong reaction, he almost sighs in relief. Almost.
“I was never really dead in the first place.” He wants to reach out, pull Sungjong in for a hug and maybe mess up his hair for scaring him like this, but of course, his hands ar0e still bound. Sungjong notices this and turns to Myungsoo, who continues to stare at Howon as if he’s just seeing him for the first time. “Hyung..?”
“I’m not releasing him.” Myungsoo says flatly, and Howon’s eyes automatically focus on the younger’s shoulder.
“He’s my hyung!” Sungjong shoots back, to which Myungsoo replies, “It doesn’t change the fact that he’s the enemy.” Sungjong opens his mouth to speak, expression unreadable. “Why?”
“Well, why did you disappear then?” Howon avoids looking directly at Myungsoo, focusing only on his brother. Maybe then he could get a clearer picture of why he’s with the Infinity League, of all things. Sungjong sighs, about to speak when a muffled bang comes from outside. Myungsoo swears under his breath as he concentrates on strengthening the shadow barrier that surrounds them. “Sungjong, we need to go—“
“But Howon hyung—“
“He’s one of them—he’ll be fine, but we won’t!” Sungjong looks from Myungsoo to Howon before grabbing a hold of Myungsoo’s hand, the two promptly vanishing into the shadows. The binds that hold Howon immediately disappear, which makes him take a deep breath as Woohyun calls off the others, hurrying to where Howon currently is. “What the hell happened?”
“Two of them showed up.” Howon says as he struggles to get to his feet. “The shadow boy and a new kid. His powers are purely mental and he can make you see ...” Woohyun raises an eyebrow at his partner, prompting the other to go on. “See what?”
“See stuff you don’t want to remember again. Ever.” Woohyun doesn’t press the subject further, he simply reaches out to help Howon up. “We’ll have to add this new kid to the database, as well as inform the higher-ups about his powers. The others also came up against new members along with the originals Light, Gecko, and Soul. We need to have the upper hand against their powers as well.”
Howon is barely listening, to be honest. The only things on his mind at this point are Sungjong and Myungsoo, Sungjong’s reappearance and Myungsoo’s reaction to him. He knows that Myungsoo’s reaction is perfectly reasonable, but it doesn’t lessen the sharp sting he feels when he thinks about it again.
The Infinity League had obviously gotten to the latter already, filled his mind with all that crap about being a vigilante. But then again, he had chosen to let Myungsoo go, decided to drop out of the other’s life. He had no right to interfere with Myungsoo’s decisions at all.
Honestly, when did his life get so messed up?
Past. (18)
Two months passed, and still no sign of Sungjong. Howon didn’t know what to think anymore, and he would have gone off the rails much sooner if it wasn’t for Myungsoo.
“The police will find him soon... you already filed the report, right?” Myungsoo tried to soothe him, placing on arm on his friend’s shoulder. He didn’t like seeing Howon so upset, so... lost.
“Bullshit.” Howon snorted, turning to the younger. “There’s foul play involved, and I’m going to find Sungjong whether the cops help me or not. What if something happened to him and I’m not able to protect him? What if...?” He’s dead? He thought desperately, a new wave of panic filling up inside of him.
“Howon.” He was startled when Myungsoo suddenly grabbed onto his wrists, looking at him earnestly.
“Look, you said so yourself that Sungjong was smart, that he knew how to get himself out of a tough situation... you need to have faith in Sungjong... that he’s ali— that he’s okay.”
Another month went by before he received a visit from a boy his age, with full lips and a hooked nose, posture full of the confidence and swagger that Sungyeol sometimes teased him about having. Howon had already parted ways with Myungsoo and Sungyeol on their way home, and he really wasn’t in the mood for people right now.
He hated him on sight.
“So, you’re Lee Howon.” He especially hated the smirk on the boy’s face, as if he knew something the other didn't.
“Whatever you’re selling, I’m not interested.” Howon said flatly, walking past him. He was more than ready when the stranger grabbed his arm, immediately throwing out a punch towards the other’s face.
Howon was caught off-guard when the other caught it easily, grabbing his arm and twisting it behind his back. “For someone whose father is a genius, you’re pretty predictable.”
The mention of his father angered him, and Howon never wanted to punch someone as badly as he did right now. “Who the hell are you?”
The boy laughed, Howon’s arm still caught behind his back. “If you let me explain, will you promise not to be too violent?”
“No promises on that.” Howon muttered, wincing when the boy twisted his arm a notch. “F-fine—fucking hell—“
The boy promptly let his arm go, that damn smirk still in place for awhile before his expression turned into something a little more serious. “Since I know your dad, you pretty much know where I’m from.”
“What do you want with me though?” The boy shook his head, laughing a little.
“Not me, but my boss wants to make a deal with you. He says that you interest him.”
“Is that how he got you?” Howon snorted at that, he felt a lot better when he saw the boy scowl at his words.
“Look, I’m just the messenger and if you want to spend all day bitching at me, then fine. He’ll just keep sending people to relay the same message until you give him an answer.” He didn’t like the sound of that, at all.
“An answer or the answer he wants?” The boy shrugged, hands sliding inside his pockets. “A little of both, I suppose. So... ?”
He agreed to listen. For now, anyway.
Present. (23)
“Your life has turned into one of those dramas on television.” Woohyun says, helping himself to some more beef. He and Howon are currently off-duty, so they had gotten out of headquarters after more status reports and are now wolfing down take-out. It amazes Howon really, how normal they could sometimes be when the things they do were far from it.
“That’s not helpful at all.” Howon flicks a piece of corn at Woohyun’s nose, snickering when it hits its target.
“I wasn’t trying to be helpful.” Woohyun is sorely tempted to flick bean paste at Howon’s face, but he doesn’t really want to be kicked out of the restaurant. He likes it here too much. “It’s more of a statement.” He picks up a piece of meat with his chopsticks, pausing before he could actually bring it to his mouth. “But it sounds suspicious. The son of a former employee turns up with a mutation and allies himself with the enemy.” He’s silent for a few more minutes before he looks at Howon once more. “Howon.”
“Yeah?”
“Have you ever wondered… ” Woohyun’s voice falters, and Howon knows what he’s was going to ask.
“He was an idiot, yeah. But he never experimented on me or Sungjong.” He wouldn’t... Howon knows that much.
But Howon also knows that his father never likes getting his hands dirty, so he probably doesn’t know much at all, now that he thinks about it.
“Not that.” Woohyun says quickly, his eyes serious as they bore into Howon’s. “It’s more about.. being in Python. Doing what we do.”
Howon stills at that, thinking it over. “Are you having an existential crisis?”
“No-- kind of. Maybe.” Woohyun sighs, taking a swig of his drink. “You know my backstory. I’ve been doing this for a long while, not because I like it, but to keep certain people safe, you know?”
Howon nods, listening intently. “You’re such a filial son.” His partner snorts at that. “My strength and weakness, I suppose. But maybe I want something different. Something where I don’t have to hurt people.”
Hearing Woohyun talk like this, it makes him nervous, to be honest. His partner, who always has everything under control and who practically grew up in Python, is having doubts about being in it. It’s… He’s...it makes Howon question his own motives for staying.
He’s scared; he doesn’t want to think Sungjong, his dad, Myungsoo.. all of it. He’s tried so hard to forget, training until he passes out and taking on all the missions he could. He’s supposed to be ruthless, Python’s Jaguar - fast, efficient, fearless.
It only takes one meeting with his supposedly missing brother to make him remember that underneath it all, he is still a terrified Lee Howon, swimming in the middle of the ocean with no raft in sight.
Past. (18)
His first mission was recon. The Infinity League had gotten some new recruits and they had already been sent out on missions of their own, and Howon had suited up, gotten his assignment of who to observe, as well as his partner.
It was the same annoying boy who had first visited his house, making Howon scowl. “You again?”
And there was that familiar smirk Howon hated. “Now, now, I’m hurt. You should show me some respect. I am your sunbae after all.”
Oh god, this guy was annoying. “Woohyun-sunbaenim.” Howon said in the most polite voice he could muster. “Stop being such an annoying prick.”
Woohyun rolled his eyes, reaching out to flick Howon’s forehead. “It’s Ten, you ass, and there’s a good reason why I’m called that. Now come on, we have some rookies to check up on.”
Woohyun was good, Howon thought grudgingly. He was one of those partners who relied on their gut instinct, and no matter how annoying he sounded, he made sure to include Howon in the plan.
They had been assigned to the east end of Seoul, where a new member of the league would patrol with a senior member. Their other comrades had been sent to their locations as well, in order to get information on each new recruit, especially a handle on their powers in order to create something that could neutralize it. If they could catch them, it would be much better, their superior had advised. They were close to finding a cure, and they needed as many samples as possible in order to create a cure that could combat any ability.
Howon was already in his hiding place, an old abandoned apartment with rotting paint and the stench of garbage. It wasn’t the most sanitary, but it would hide his scent in case they had to deal with someone with heightened senses.
Woohyun was stationed on one of the rooftops, positioned near the crates. He was short enough to not be seen, as well as fast enough to run down the fire escape should he need to assist Howon. All they had to do now was wait.
An hour passed before Howon heard the sound of soft footsteps, peering out of the window to get a good look. There had been nobody in the alleyway across his hiding place, but someone was definitely there now, dressed entirely in black with a hood covering his face. It was like looking at a lanky grim reaper.
“Do you see anything?” Woohyun’s voice came over the comm link, Howon ducking his head to avoid being seen.
“Yeah, a grim reaper.” Howon replied wryly. “How are things on your end?”
“Shit, they sent out two new kids. I can see the other one from the other end of the street.” His partner’s tone was grim, and Howon grimaced. This wasn’t good, not at all. Now they had two wildcards in their midst.
“Okay, this new kid’s powers look like they have something to do with the dark. One minute the alleyway was empty and he shows up the next time I look there.”
Howon glanced out of the window once more, startled that his object of interest had quickly disappeared. He took that as an opportunity to sneak outside, not wanting to lose sight of the stranger.
And that was his first mistake.
Howon tried to step out through the door, but his feet were still planted firmly to where he was standing. The apartment was mostly dark, but the streetlamps cast long shadows near the place and fuck, were those shadows moving around his ankles?
He quickly turned around, only to find himself face-to-face with the hooded hero, gritting his teeth and breaking out of his bonds. He hadn’t trained enough to get a full grip on his powers yet, Howon realized, cocking his gun and pointing it at the rookie. “Don’t move.”
The stranger was shaking, panting heavily as if he had just run a marathon. Howon wasn’t much better, he just did a more passable job at hiding it. He hadn’t expected to go up against a league member, and a rookie at that.
That was when something knocked him off-balance, making him fall face-first into the floor as he heard something growl – was that a panther – The rookie took that chance to escape, and Howon scrambled to get to his feet, catching a glimpse of the animal slinking out of the building. A shape-shifter.
He quickly raced out of the apartment, tearing after the two and managing to catch up to Woohyun, who had gone down when he had seen the figures running in the middle of the empty street. “What did I tell you about stealth?!” His expression was more than annoyed, and if it was any regular day, Howon would have snarked back. But not now, this was the real deal.
“Yell at me later, they’re getting away!”
Howon was gaining speed, and both of the rookies were slowing down. From the looks of it, the shadow boy needed to concentrate more in order to use his power, and him chasing them was not helping at all. What was the protocol when your recon mission turned into a capture mission? He pulled out his gun, aiming it for the pair before firing.
An anguished cry filled the air, Howon stopping in shock. Did he really just...?
The shadow user’s shoulder had been shot, where blood was now streaming from the wound. His hood had fallen off, giving Howon a view of his face-- he knew that face, with its familiar eyes, the nose, and his mouth. Howon had thought about that face and its owner a few times, wondered when they had started becoming so distant. He knew he had sacrificed a lot by joining Python, but this...
“I just.;. the thought of the S.R.A just throws me off in general. I mean, doesn’t it seem like it would do more harm than good?” Myungsoo had asked once, frowning at Howon. They had talked about the law that day, along with Sungyeol. He felt foolish for not realizing it sooner.
Myungsoo could control shadows. Myungsoo was a part of the league.
The panther immediately started changing form – he probably couldn’t control his shifting that well either – growing slightly lankier, taller, until another young boy pulled Myungsoo onto his back, running off with his partner before successfully shifting back into the panther. The shifter had turned away much too quickly, but Howon had still gotten a glimpse of another familiar face. Sungyeol.
An icy cold filled his body, and he slowly backed away, running, running and signalling for Woohyun to turn around as well and cease fire. He couldn’t do this, not now.
What was the protocol, when the people you were supposed to capture were your friends?
It ate away at him, the guilt of pulling the trigger, hurting Myungsoo. But underneath that, he felt hurt, hurt that his friends had kept such a huge secret from him. Myungsoo and Sungyeol were members of the Infinity League.
You kept one from them too, his conscience argued. You grew distant when Sungjong disappeared and they tried to help you, but you wouldn’t listen.
He couldn’t do this, he couldn’t, he didn’t want to go to school and pretend that he didn’t just shoot Myungsoo. He wasn’t that kind of person.
So he chose to disappear. No matter how many times Myungsoo or Sungyeol called, texted, or visited his house, Howon refused to make any type of contact. He had to do this, for their sake and his own. He knew that if he kept silent, they would eventually stop.
Because nobody wanted to keep calling out to someone who would never return.
Present. (23)
Five years pass before he sees them again, well, in the flesh that is. He has kept track of the league’s whereabouts over the years, even when Python sends him on covert missions out of the country. They claim it to be in his best interests, but he’s a lot sharper than they give him credit for. They know something, something that could potentially make him leave Python, and Howon is determined to find out what it is. Which explains why he’s here in his old house, sitting on the floor like he and Sungjong used to while they were younger. He checks his watch, waiting for midnight to arrive.
They’re older now, the logical part of his brain tells him as they soon materialize from the shadows, but their faces haven’t really changed one bit, both still soft and untainted from the horrors he knows they must see. Their eyes however, tell a different story; they’re as haunted as all the others, but they’re not going to let it consume them. “Hey.”
“Hi hyung.” Sungjong’s voice is steady, but he’s still holding onto Myungsoo’s arm in case they need to make a quick escape. “It’s been awhile, right?” Myungsoo is tense, but he’s not looking at Howon in that blank, half-dead way anymore, so it must be a positive sign.
“It has.” He couldn’t turn the lights on, but he’s already more than weary of the shadows being cast around the room. There’s a big chance that Myungsoo would use them to trap him if he tries anything suspicious. They’re both still wary, not wanting to let their guards down. Howon understands why, he is on the other side after all.
“Look, I’m not... I came alone.” He places his weapons down, sliding them away from him as he looks at both of them. “You said you had information for me.”
Sungjong seems to recover more of his resolve, standing up a little straighter as he regards Howon with a closed off expression. He understands that too, even if it hurts to see that from his brother. “It’s about... where I’ve been for the past five years.”
“It’ll be better if you read this.” A new yet familiar voice speaks up, and Howon’s eyes widen in shock when Woohyun steps into the living room. He gets a good look at Howon’s expression, holding his hands up. “Yell at me later, read the file first.”
Howon picks up the folder with trembling fingers, the words ‘Project Ares’ stamped boldly on the cover. Inside are files of various teenagers, all from various backgrounds, with a form detailing their progress reports. Several are stamped in red, with the words ‘unstable’ staring Howon in the face. Sungjong’s page is second to the last, with a picture of his brother sleeping in some sort of pod. He feels an abnormal surge of anger just looking at it, tearing his eyes from it in disbelief. “They... you...”
“I did go home to study that day.” Sungjong explains, hands clenching into fists. “Dad had me go out to buy eggs though, so I went out. The van was waiting two blocks down, and they brought me to the labs.”
“But... how did you...?” Woohyun steps in this time, hands sliding inside his pockets. “I overheard my dad talking... and it wasn’t that hard to find out. I broke into the labs and got him out. I knew that he would be in danger once he went missing, so I... I called Light, the leader of the Infinity League. He got Morpheus, or Sungyeol, to help with infiltration, and he got Myungsoo on board. ” He falters when the other three look at him strangely. “I have my ways, okay. Anyways, after injecting the new subjects with the metagene, Python usually uses electric shock therapy to condition them into being their personal soldiers. Most of the subjects never survived the injection, and most that did were eventually driven insane by the electric shocks. ”
Howon stares at Woohyun for awhile before his gaze returns to Sungjong, who says, “Look at the last page.”
He complies easily, and what he sees makes his chest tighten painfully. His own picture stares back at him, his form filled with observations during his trainings and the progress reports written by his superiors. “What in the actual fuck...”
“Woohyun managed to break Sungjong out before Python could run more tests and find out about his ability. All they knew was that the metagene experiment had been successful since he had survived. After researching some more on Project Ares, Sungyeol and I thought that their next choice would have similar DNA. That made you the obvious choice.” Myungsoo pipes up, his gaze falling on Howon. “And since they already recruited you, it would be much easier to mess with your head. Also, the metagene would enhance your current abilities, making you into some sort of super soldier.”
The room is quiet for awhile, Howon especially. It’s a lot to take in, and he can’t help but ask, “So you came here... to tell me this and... what?”
“We need to bring Python down.” Sungjong says firmly, Myungsoo nodding in agreement. “They’ve hurt too many people and won’t stop until all superheroes and metapowered humans are gone.” Sungjong pauses a little, his expression softening a bit. “And... I’d quite like for my hyung to not be a brainless lackey in their clutches. It hurts, seeing you not knowing, and I don’t want you to end up like the rest of the test subjects.” Howon opens his mouth to protest, but Woohyun spoke up as well. “We need to stop them from hurting more innocent people.”
“Careful there, Woohyun.” Howon snorted. “You almost sounded like a hero there.”
“Maybe because I’m tired of having to hurt people just to help Python gain what they want.”
Myungsoo’s still staring at Howon, lips pursed. He’s seen that expression on the younger’s face before, when Myungsoo would think too hard about what to do. “Myungsoo?”
Myungsoo notices that everyone’s looking at him, waiting for him to speak, and Howon’s nervous about what he might say, he can’t help it. That’s why he can’t help but sigh softly in relief when a small smile tugs at the corners of Myungsoo’s lips. “It’s about time you come back to us, Lee Howon.”
Howon doesn’t think twice about his choice.
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