Summary: It was really laughable. The idea that Jeon Wonwoo had a nemesis. And yet there it was. The clear proof that all his life, like a nagging dull ache, Kwon Soonyoung had stepped all over his plans without ever really acknowledging him.
And maybe it was wrong for Wonwoo to seek him out but all he wanted was answers at first. He had never imagined they would stand opposite each other, fingers on triggers, his death in his nemesisâs hands and vice-versa.
Author: qvestchen
Status: Ongoing
Chapters: Home, Previous, Next.
Nemesis // Soonwoo SVT
Chapter 5: You can just date me
Avoidance.
Soonyoung had woken up at the medical center to find the Dean, Mr. Lee Yu Jin, waiting for him.Â
âAh, Kwon Soonyoung, is it? You had us all worried for a bit there, my boy,â Mr. Lee said, his smile not really warm.
Soonyoung tried sitting up and felt a drip attached to his hand pinch slightly.
âOh, no need to greet me. Take rest. The nurse told me youâre exhausted. The second student from drama club to end up here in the past couple of days I have been told. As President, you should really tone the drama club activities down a bit. We donât want our rising club to fail because of overwork, right, my boy?â
Soonyoung nodded slowly, not really understanding why the Dean was here at all.
âYou all should have fun too. Rest, have fun, study, and so on. I must say, I would appreciate it if you donât party at my house in the future.â Mr. Lee laughed, seeing Soonyoungâs panic at the revelation. âDonât worry. I know my son, Chan, hosted the party. He doesnât listen to his father at all.â He got up and handed Soonyoung his card. âLet me know if there is anything you need. I feel responsible for what happened on Chanâs behalf.â
âItâs no problem. He wasnât involved,â Soonyoung said.
Mr. Lee muttered something that sounded suspiciously like âIt would do him well to not get involved, for once.â
Soonyoungâs curiosity was piqued but he didnât ask further.Â
Avoidance.
His friends asked him all sorts of questions. He chose to laugh it out.
âReally, I have no memory of what happened after entering the party. I had taken a shot of some weird tasting drink from Jihoon earlier so that must be it.â He laughed. âI really shouldnât trust Jihoonâs wine cabinet from now on.â
Jihoon made a move as if to choke him. âHey, my wine cabinet is exquisite, okay?â
Seungcheol laughed. âDidnât you buy it off someoneâs garage sale? It must have lots of expired items in it.â
âWow, you had food poisoning? Cheol here nearly murdered a guy over your food poisoning, dude,â Junhui said.
Junhui continued, âAnd that too when I was about to exchange numbers with that guyâs friend. Now, I have no date.â
Jihoon pushed Junhui. âOi, priorities?â
Soonyoung tried to joke and smile again. âYou can just date me, Junnie.â
Jun made a gagging sound. âIâm not that desperate, ugh.â
Joshua looked unconvinced by the banter. Soonyoung knew he wasnât buying any of this. He also knew his friend had been crying. It hurt him to see the pale redness at the edges of Joshuaâs eyes. He wanted to talk to him, to thank himâŚhe didnât.
Avoidance.
When he was fourteen, his therapist had told him he had trouble with facing his problems.Â
âSoonyoung, you canât avoid your problems forever. Avoidance breeds toxicity.â
What was he supposed to say?
Facing his problems had led him here.
âNow, will you tell me what is bothering you?â
He didnât.
Avoidance.
When he was discharged from the medical center and alone in his dorm room for a bit, he opened his inbox to see if he had contacted him.
There were several messages.
There were messages from his drama club members.
âHey, Iâm sorry you fainted. Hope youâre feeling better now, Hoshi. Wonwoo wouldnât have hurt you. Heâs a nice guy. He just looks scary.â --Seungkwan.
âHoshi! Please get better soon. We need our Tiger back.â --DK
âWonwoo got off on the wrong foot. Heâs a friend. Iâm sure he didnât mean any harm.â --DK
And messages from random people.
âHEARD YOU GOT BEAT UP?â
âAre you okay?â
âYou owe me 15 dollars! Donât die yet!â
And calls from his parents.
He wondered who had told them. He sighed. There was a part of him that wanted to call them right now and tell them that he had been right all along. Jeon Wonwoo did exist. He was here in the university where he was studying. They, apparently, even had common friends. He wanted to shout and scream. He wanted to be comforted because he had been wronged all these years.Â
Instead, he messaged, âMom, Dad, Iâm well. Donât worry. Iâll call in the morning.â
Avoidance.
Wonwoo was walking beside Mingyu as they made their way to the language building for their respective electives. The crowd was louder than usual today. There were still whispers but they seemed to be more about Wonwoo than Mingyu today.Â
Did you see him--yes, that one there--he beat up Hoshi--yes, the dark haired one--he beats up kids often--whatâs Mingyu doing with him--oh, he even blackmails people--yes, he beat up Hoshi over nothing--the boy was hospitalized--heâs going to be expelled--his parents must be rich--he doesnât even feel guilty--look at him--he beat up Hoshi--stay away from him--heâs a punk--poor Mingyu, for having such friends--he needs some sense knocked into--
Wonwoo tried to grin. âI donât think youâre the center of attention anymore, Mingyu.â
Mingyu didnât smile back. âTheyâre all so wrong. How can people spread lies like this?â
âYou shouldnât wander around with me or your reputation will get tarnished too.â
Mingyu slipped his hand around the crook of his elbow. âThen, let it.â
Minghao appeared from nowhere. His windswept hair suggested that he had been running. He wordlessly placed his arm around Wonwooâs neck.Â
âWhat?â he asked, looking at both of his protective friends.
Minghao rolled his eyes. âAt least Mingyu and I are just doing PDA. Seungkwan is fighting everyone and Seokmin is trying to get Hoshi to tell everyone youâre innocent.â
Wonwoo decided he liked the name Hoshi better. It didnât knock the air out of his lungs every time it was uttered. Hoshi...he could nearly pretend Hoshi wasnât Soonyoung.Â
Avoidance.
When Wonwoo had got a call from the Persian Department, he had been surprised.Â
âWait, does that mean Iâm in?â he had asked.
âYes, someone backed out of the course. We have one seat open. Do you want it?â the clerk sounded just as bored on the phone as he did in person.Â
Wonwoo was beyond grateful. He didnât have any elective as a back-up. âYes, yes, Iâll take it. Thank you.â
âCome to the office and collect the syllabus and course materials.â
But when he dropped off his friends at their electives and finally reached Room 67, he was met by a commotion.
âWhat do you mean you gave my seat to someone else? How can you do that?âÂ
Wonwoo frowned. What was happening?
The clerk was explaining coldly, âYour name was crossed out. There was one person in the waiting list so we gave it to him.â
âHow am I supposed to find a new elective now? All courses are probably closed. Besides, I didnât cross out my name. So, why should I suffer?â the student said.
âWe canât help you, Iâm afraid. The other student was already informed--Oh, there he is! You can ask him if he can give you his seat? Itâs really not my problem anymore.â The clerk yawned to emphasize his point.
The student turned around and his mouth dropped on seeing Wonwoo.Â
Wonwoo recognized him immediately and took a step back.Â
Soonyoungâs gaze went cold after the recognition. He closed his mouth and sighed, mumbling, âOf course, of all people...it had to be him.â
âH-Hoshi,â Wonwoo finally said.
âNever mind,â Soonyoung told the clerk. âIâm not interested anymore.â
âWhat is happening here?âÂ
Both of them turned to look at the newcomer.
The clerk stood up quickly. âOh, Professor Nusrat. Uh there has been a small misunderstanding.â
Professor Nusrat was middle-aged and stood remarkably straight. Her clothes were beautifully embroidered and complemented her nails and jewellery. She quirked an eyebrow and asked in a dangerously strict voice. âReally?â
Soonyoung was the one who spoke up. âThis guy stole my seat for the elective and now Iâm left without an elective even though I signed up earlier. The clerk refuses to help me now.â
Wonwoo gaped at him.
He stole so much from me. This is the least I can get back, Soonyoung was thinking, suddenly seething with anger. All those years spent searching and doubting himself. Those years, Wonwoo had stolen from him. And now suddenly, he was here stealing his life again. Iâm not going to let this happen.Â
Wonwoo said, âProfessor, I donât know what his problem is but I got a call from the office that I got the seat. I didnât steal anything.â
He was so annoyed. He had been patient with the rumours. No, he had been patient all along. He had avoided all the signs. He had patiently let go of everything that had been poisoned by Soonyoung but as the scar on his knee itched again, he couldnât help but think no more, Iâm not going to settle anymore.
Professor Nusrat looked at both of them. âAre you sure this is about the seat?â She didnât wait for an answer. âAnyway, I didnât know our elective was getting so famous suddenly. I canât believe people are fighting to join it. Pleases me no end. You both can join. Itâs not an issue.â
The clerk made a protesting noise.
Professor Nusrat repeated. âNot an issue. Come along. The class has already waited long enough because of the noise.â
There was, however, only one empty seat at the back of the class.Â
âMinseok, get a chair from my room. Woojin, come to the front. You both,â she said to Soonyoung and Wonwoo, âcan take those two at the end.â
Wonwoo was making his way to the freshly vacated chair, followed by Soonyoung, when he tripped over someoneâs bag. He grasped at air, feeling himself fall forward, eyes widening--
And then suddenly, he wasnât falling anymore. A strong hand caught his arm and pulled him back. Still, unable to balance, Wonwoo fell slightly back, into Soonyoungâs chest.Â
He was already apologizing when he turned to look at Soonyoung and his heart seemed to clench almost painfully.Â
He was so close to Soonyoung, he could see the flecks in his eyes, the slight quiver of his lips forming a word, his breath catching sharply, the way his skin was reddening so perceptibly as he felt Wonwooâs gaze upon him.Â
Someone coughed and now, Soonyoung was pushing him slightly.Â
Wonwoo regained his balance and wordlessly moved ahead. He knew his ears were burning hot, he could feel his heart hammering in his chest and there was an almost hysterical laugh building in his throat.Â
Because, in that moment when Wonwoo had stared back at Soonyoung, feeling him so close to himself, he had nearly done something he could have regretted later. He had nearly said, âYouâre beautiful.â He had no idea where the thought had come from. It was certainly not his usually level-headed brain.Â
He was glad he had avoided the silly statement.Â
But he didnât know.
He didnât know that in another classroom, Joshua was tugging at his burning bracelet which was warning him of something.
Something that Joshua knew but tried to ignore, something that Soonyoung and Wonwoo still didnât know.
Jeonghan was on the terrace of his dorm. He wondered when they would find out that no one could avoid fate.Â
Thank you for being so patient! Hope you enjoyed the update. The next chapter will have a few revelations so please look forward to it :)
Summary: It was really laughable. The idea that Jeon Wonwoo had a nemesis. And yet there it was. The clear proof that all his life, like a nagging dull ache, Kwon Soonyoung had stepped all over his plans without ever really acknowledging him.
And maybe it was wrong for Wonwoo to seek him out but all he wanted was answers at first. He had never imagined they would stand opposite each other, fingers on triggers, his death in his nemesisâs hands and vice-versa.
Author: qvestchen
Status: Ongoing
Chapters: Home, Previous, Next.
Nemesis // Soonwoo SVT
Chapter 4: Tigers donât fly
âIâm Wonwoo, by the way, from the History department and those over there are my idiot friends who told me playing darts was a good idea.â
Joshua felt his heart stop as he watched Wonwoo introduce himself to Soonyoung. He lunged forward unthinkingly, not even having a plan. He had to separate them. He couldnât allow the sworn nemeses to meet.
But before he could reach Soonyoung, someone stepped in and put an arm around his elbow. âJust a second, Jisoo.â
Jeonghan.
Jisoo or Joshua? Which do you go by these days? Jeonghanâs hold around his elbow was firm.
Joshua could hear over Jeonghanâs thoughts, Soonyoungâs voice, reacting slowly to Wonwoo, âYouâre him,â and he knew this was the beginning of the end.
Or Joshuji? Would you like that, Joshuji?
Fuck off. Joshua shrugged out of his hold.
Jeonghan leaned forward, stopping by his ear. âYouâve already lost this one. Go home and tell your masters that you failed. Maybe youâll get a reprimand and a new assignment.â
âNothing is over yet,â Joshua hissed. He nearly ran to Soonyoungâs side. âHey, I donât feel well. Maybe we should head backââ
His words might as well have been thoughts because right at the moment a very loud boy jumped between Wonwoo and Soonyoung, drowning out his words. âWonwoo! You met Hoshi,â Seokmin said, beaming with delight.
Wonwoo raised his eyebrows, looking at his near-victim with renewed interest. So this was the famous drama club president Hoshi who had saved the failing club last semester. His eyes followed the slight pout of his lips, his adorable nose and the soft-looking hair. Truth be told, this Hoshi guy looked a bit stunned still, no doubt reeling from the after effects of nearly being hit by a dart, but even then he was radiating a certain endearing warmth. Wonwoo found himself grinning. âOh, you are Hoshi? I have heard so much about youââ
But Soonyoung was pulling away. Looking definitely green in the face, he could suddenly feel the bass pumping in his head. Unable to breathe, he felt like the roof was crashing on him.
Someone was calling his name out, a dull sound against the party, but he didnât stop. He needed to get away.
Finally, he found himself outside. Having escaped the loud party and him, he hadnât even taken his first gulp of air and he was throwing up, retching against the ground, nearly doubling over.
âHoshi?â
Someone was rubbing his back, repeating his name in a soft voice. âItâs okay. Youâre fine. I got you. I got you, Hoshi.â
âI got you, idiot. You can do it.â
âI canât do it, Wonu.â The small boy stared at his friend, both kids staring at the swings in the playground.
âAre you scared?â Wonwoo asked, furrowing his brow as he looked at his new friend who was still contemplating playing at the swings.
Soonyoung pouted. âWhat if the swing is too powerful and I fly off  into space?â
âIt is not. I try it every day. I will catch you if you start flying, Soong.â
Soonyoung stared at the swings with sudden determination. âI wonât fly. Tigers donât fly.â
Wonwoo nodded. âTigers are basically cats and cats land on all fours.â He added quickly with a proud eye-roll, âI read it in a book.â
âYouâre so smart, Wonu. Okay, Iâm going for it.â
âI got you. You can do it!â
And he could. He laughed happily, earning a thumbs-up from his friend. No, his best friend. Because even though they had just met, he knew they were going to be friends forever.
But the next day, Wonu was gone.
âDad, can I stay longer today?â
âItâs already dinner time. You should come home like the other kids. Playgrounds are not fun after dark.â
âIâm just waiting for Wonu.â
âWho is Wonu? Did you find a cat or something to play with? You know we canât take strays home.â
âHeâs my best friend.â
âWe moved here a day ago. You already have a best friend?â
âYes,â Soonyoung said, shining with pride. âHeâs very smart and reads books. Do you know a cat always lands on all fours. They canât fly. Tigers too.â
âOkay,â Dad looked amused. âWell, how about we meet your friend tomorrow? I donât think he will come today.â
Soonyoung could hear them talking in low voices.
â...have asked every parent with kids in the playground. Theyâve asked their kids. No one knows any Wonu.â
âSoonie will be sad.â
âWe just need to educate him about imaginary friends. We all have them when we are young. Heâll understand. Heâs very intelligent. He started reading illustrated books, you know? Our boy is going to grow up into a fine man.â
âHe takes after me.â
âHoney, surely youâve never read anything beyond the syllabus.â
âHey, donât be mean.â
âLetâs go home, Soonie.â
âNo!â
âWe already talked about this.â
âHeâs not imaginary. Heâs real. He is real!â
âGet away from me,â Soonyoung gasped, as he gained some control over his body.
âItâs me, Wonwoo. We just met but...uh, here, you can use my handkerchief. Stay, Iâll get some water for you.â
âJihoon! Cheol!â Soonyoung shouted, instead.
âWoah, calm down, dude.â
âStay away from me! Youâre not real. Heâs not real.â Hoshi closed his eyes as he backed away, still calling out for his friends. âJoshua! Cheol! Help me! Junhui! Someone, help me!â
Wonwoo watched in shock, taking a step forward but Hoshi backed further, prompting him to stop.
Someone ran past, a blur really. âSoonyoung, stop!â
And Soonyoung felt arms grab him almost too strongly. âIâm here. No one can hurt you.â He opened his eyes and found himself staring in Joshuaâs eyes and something like fire glared back. The fire was spreading now, an invisible shield enveloping him, searing him almost but as the world began to darken at an alarming rate, he felt a comfort in its burn. Joshua was real. Not likeâ
He grabbed at Joshua desperately, the hold tightening  when he saw Wonwoo still standing in the same spot.
His voice was hoarse from shouting when he whispered, âCan you see him?â
But there were more people now. A very angry Seungcheol already grabbing at Wonwooâs collar. âWhat did you do to him?â
Wonwoo staring at him in shock and trying to escape from Seungcheolâs grasp. âI swear, I-I didnât...He just started shouting. He was sick so I was justâŚHoshi, I-IâŚâ
Junhui and Minghao, recently acquainted over mutual appreciation to find someone from back home, had arrived to see Seungcheol nearly murdering Wonwoo but when Junhui caught sight of Joshua holding his friend, he ran forward forgetting his initial impulse to separate them.
âSoonyoung?â he shouted, panic tearing at his voice. âWhat happened? Is he hurt? We need to call an ambulance.â
Wonwoo stopped struggling at the name. Soonyoung?
Minghao was already on the phone. He sent an SOS to both the medical center and Mingyu. âDone. Now, leave my friend alone.â The last part was aimed at Seungcheol.
âHe hurt my friend.â
Minghaoâs jaw was clenched. âDid you see him do that? No? Then, we donât know shit. Leave him right now or IâllâŚâ
âOr what?â Seungcheol squared himself up. âYou will fight me?â
Joshua narrowed his eyes at the exchange. âSeungcheol, donât.â
âNo, but I will and I took boxing classes all my life.â Mingyu appeared on the scene, somehow managing to avoid tripping on the water hose in the garden. He pulled Wonwoo behind him, wedging himself between Seungcheol and Wonwoo.
âOh, yeah?â
Soonyoung couldnât hear the exchange following that. All he could hear was Joshuaâs uncontrollably loud heartbeat against his ear and his own thoughts. Yes, there was comfort in this too, he thought. He was real, he had always been real.
But that meant everything else had been real too.
He smiled and then the shadows swallowed him up.
âSo, if I had managed to hold you inside the party for two more minutes, Soonyoung would have stepped on the electric cable intersecting the water hose, and you would have been free by now.â Jeonghanâs taunting voice echoed in the hospital bathroom, lilting over the running tap at the end.
For once, Joshua didnât have any response. Nothing to bite back, to argue, just his own heart-wrenching sobs wracking his body. As soon as he had felt the guardian bracelet heating against his skin, he had pushed Jeonghan away, making his way through the crowd of people dancing on the floor. When he had seen his friend backing away, unaware of the mortal danger behind him, the sparks of the torn cable, licking against the water collecting outside the water hose, he had felt as if someone had kicked him in the chest. What were the chances of an incident like this? Always bordering 100% on his job. He hated this job. He hated the nemesis complex. He had forgotten everything, commiting the crime of performing magic in front of humans, to run to his friend. Not his assignment. His friend.
As he cried his fear out in the empty bathroom, he was reminded that his first crime had occurred much earlier. As a guardian, he was supposed to remain objective. He wasnât supposed to become emotionally involved. He wasnât supposed to be crying in a hospital bathroom.
âBut, you know, there is something I donât understand. You didnât raise a finger to protect the other one. You know, Soonyoungâs nemesis, Jeon Wonwoo. He was in danger too because of our friend with anger management issues. I really think Seungcheol should lessen the macho concept but I donât really care about that. I am just interested in the fact that you seem to be guarding one and not the other. If I didnât know better I would say your loyalties are biased.â Jeonghan stared at Joshua with interest.
That hurt. Joshuaâs mind flickered back to Wonwoo. The scared boy standing in shock, trying to defend himself against everyoneâs questioning eyes. With Soonyoung in his arms, Joshua had forgotten Wonwoo. Jeonghan was right. To think that even the Warlock was better at this than him.
The way you are behaving people would think that someone died. Chill, Joshuji, he just passed out from shock. Anyway, from what I can sense, he is about to wake up in 3...2...Jeonghan smiled as Joshua pressed past him.
âI swear, I didnât do anything,â Wonwoo said tensely, as he paced outside the medical center. He had been told pretty bluntly by Seungcheol and someone called Jihoon to not even dare to come inside.
Seokmin looked at him in worry. He was still processing what had happened. The rumour at the now dispersed party was that Wonwoo had beat up Soonyoung, the Uniâs most adorable guy. They had all been thrown out by Dino who had threatened to call the police for creating a ruckus at his house which also turned out to be the Deanâs house. Everyone had scampered off quite quickly after it.
Beside him, sat Seungkwan nursing a black eye from having got into a fistfight with someone while defending Wonwooâs âname and honour. Stop lying about Wonwoo, he wouldnât hurt a flyâ.
Mingyu grabbed Wonwooâs hand. âHey, we know you didnât. Just sit for a moment. Heâll be fine. Youâre worrying too much.â
Wonwoo seemed to break out of a trance and looked at his friends. He took a deep breath. âSorry.â
The little puzzle in his brain, the strange feeling that there was someone out there whom he kept meeting but only side-stepping, his fears, the eerie feeling of being followed by a shadow, details of this other person he didnât remember in fullâthe back of the head, the swing of the shoulder, a fraction of a cheek, the turn of the ears, the confident walk, the angle of the shoulders and that one time he had seen a quarter of a smileâhe had a feeling that the puzzle with all its incomplete bits was unravelling.
Kwon Soonyoung.
He was there, within reach.
He winced as the scar on his knee pulsed with pain at the memory of that other encounter with the name. It felt like a lifetime ago, a remnant of a nightmare. Out of a habit that he had thought he had outgrown, he pressed his knee with his hand as he sat down.
Before he could speak, Minghao and Hansol appeared, walking down the steps. Hao spoke up, âHeâs fine. The nurse said itâs just shock. They said a lot of students have issues at the start of the term, course pressures and so on. They gave him something for it. He should be up and about in a few minutes.â
Wonwoo knew it wasnât âcourse pressures and so onâ. The shock had been because of him. He had seen fear in Hoshiâs--no, Soonyoungâs--eyes.
Because it had turned out to be him. The smiling, friendly Hoshi had turned out to be the shadow from his past.
So much for Mingyu and Seokmin dragging him to a party to keep his mind off his worries. He had met the source of them head-on, without even realising it.
But he was okay, at least. He gave a sigh of relief.
âSo, it wasnât Wonwoo, see!â Seungkwan said, jumping up. âIâm going to report everyone at that stupid party to the admin for defamation. Especially those thugs, Seungcheol and Jihoon.â
âLetâs just go home,â Wonwoo said, getting up.
hello everyone! it has been ages since we last updated, we apologise. if you're still reading this fic thank you so much. we love you. we will try to update more often now. please be safe everyone!
Summary: It was really laughable. The idea that Jeon Wonwoo had a nemesis. And yet there it was. The clear proof that all his life, like a nagging dull ache, Kwon Soonyoung had stepped all over his plans without ever really acknowledging him.
And maybe it was wrong for Wonwoo to seek him out but all he wanted was answers at first. He had never imagined they would stand opposite each other, fingers on triggers, his death in his nemesisâs hands and vice-versa.
Author: qvestchen
Status: Ongoing
Chapters: Home, Previous, Next.
Nemesis // Soonwoo SVT
Chapter 3: Felt like you teleported
"Who was it? Someone asking for Wonwoo from you?" Mingyu asked Jeonghan when he finished talking on the phone.
The three of them were sitting in Wonwoo and Mingyu's dorm room. Jeonghan and Wonwoo had just returned from their strange but unfruitful trip to the uni hospital, something Mingyu was still having trouble grasping.
"It was Soonyoung," Jeonghan said. "He was asking about you, Wonwoo. What is happening? Do you know each other?"
Wonwoo had not said a word since they had returned, obviously disappointed over something.
He isn't even playing his game. What happened? Mingyu had asked, only to get no answer.
But now Wonwoo looked up quickly. "Kwon Soonyoung? What did he say?"
"Alright, calm down, dude. Care to tell me what is going on or am I just talking to myself here?" Mingyu asked.
Wonwoo ignored him, clutching at Jeonghan's arm. "What was he saying? Can we go meet him?"
Mingyu sighed, turning away. "Okay, I see how it is. Replaced by a fairy today. Don't mind me. I'm fine. I always loved Seokmin more."
Jeonghan said, "Uh, well, he didn't really say much. He asked if I had a friend with your name and I said, yeah, he's here with me, want to talk? And he cut the phone saying...uh, some choice words."
Wonwoo was quiet.
Jeonghan chewed his lip. "Are you okay?"
"No," Mingyu groaned. "My best friend replaced me for a new guy."
Wonwoo cleared his throat. "It's obviously a mistake. Sorry, guys, I'm feeling tired. I'm going to turn in for the night."
Jeonghan and Mingyu exchanged glances and then, the latter mouthed, Out, now!
Once outside the door, Mingyu turned to him. "Look I don't really interfere but care to tell me what is going on? He is behaving strangely."
"I don't know. I at the cafeteria earlierâ"
"I thought the other guy called you," Mingyu said.
"Oh did he?" Jeonghan scrunched his forehead thoughtfully before shrugging. "Well, that's not important. I don't even know you guys properly to be honest. I'm just as lost as you. Your friend just heard that Soonyoung's friend had an accident and demanded to accompany me to the hospital. It happened in front of you all. Don't blame me..." his voice trailed off as he looked at the floor. "I...I just wanted to be friends with you. Seokmin was so nice to me and..."
Mingyu's gaze softened. "No, no, you're misunderstanding me. I'm not blaming you. I'm really sorry if you felt that way. I was just..."
"I understand." Jeonghan smiled. "You're just worried."
Mingyu returned the smile, beaming. "Yes, exactly. And he's not big on communicating so I thought it's better to ask you."
"I guess, they have some history together. Wonwoo seemed like he knew Soonyoung and I've just recently got to know Soonyoung too so I can't say what exactly it is but seems like Soonyoung knows him too."
Mingyu looked at the closed door beside them. "I suppose we'll know if they ever meet."
Jeonghan's face was determined when he answered. "When they meet." Not if.
He had waited till it was well past two before getting up and walking across his room. He opened the dorm room but didn't step out into the corridor outside. Instead he stepped into hospital wing, walking noiselessly to Joshua's bed.
Yoon Jeonghan stared at the sleeping boy, watching almost in fascination as moonlight lit parts of Joshua's peaceful expression. His eyes followed the turn of his lips, the slant of his nose and stopped at the tired dark circles beneath the eyes. He made a face.
He stood for a moment, as if silently debating something and then reached for Joshua's wrist, fingers grazing the bronze bracelet. Something like wild electricity crackled at the touch and Joshua moved slightly, sighing almost in relief whilst still asleep.
"You're weak," Jeonghan said, a sneer rippling across his features, and turned away, disappearing as silently as he had appeared.
Behind him, Joshua's face looked healthier than before.
"Wait, are you sure it's okay for him to be discharged so quickly? He fainted yesterday!" Soonyoung argued with the nurse.
Joshua smiled. "Soonyoung-ah, I'm totally fine and kind of embarrassed so drop it. Let's go before we miss our first class."
"You're not going to any class as far as I am concerned. We're going back to our dorm room where you will lay in bed and I will baby you around until you get better."
Joshua's eyes crinkled up as he laughed. "Okay, Mom. Let's just get out of here. I hate hospitals."
Soonyoung and Jun looked at each other at the mention of 'mom' but didn't say anything. Later, the message was clear.
But at the dorms, Joshua shooed them all away. "I'll stay with Jihoon. He doesn't have early morning classes and you all can go study."
Soonyoung and Jun left finally, promising to attend the first so Joshua didn't have to feel that they were missing out on their "absolutely important education". They walked out of the door in silence but soon Soonyoung spoke up, "I'm worried about him."
"Me too. All he does is work on his laptop and study. I don't even remember the last time he did something apart from studies and drama club. It's burning him out," Jun said.
"The nurse said he is exhausted and he looks it too. Maybe we should let his paâ"
"We should help him have some fun."
Soonyoung and Jun jumped at the sudden voice.
"Ah, did I startle you?" Jeonghan smiled, his eyes sparkling with charm. "I came to see Joshua but I heard you two first."
"You have a really soft tread." Soonyoung laughed.
Jun nodded. "Felt like you teleported here."
The three of them burst out laughing.
"But seriously," Jeonghan said, as they settled on the park benches near their dorm, "I feel like he needs to have some fun, take his mind of studies and maybe date someone nice. I don't know, maybe I don't even have the right to say all this. I really want to be there for him but sometimes I feel like he doesn't like me..."
Soonyoung looked at him with pity. Jeonghan's eyes were downcast and he was fidgeting with his sleeves. "Jeonghan, that'sâthat's not true."
Jun puffed out his chest. "In fact, according to my shrewd judgement, he has the hots for you."
Soonyoung spluttered. "Jun!"
"What?" Jun raised his eyebrows. "I know sexual tension when I see it."
Jeonghan coughed. "Jun, you're really funny. But coming back to what we were talking about, how about we host a party for him?"
"A party?" Soonyoung contemplated.
Jun's eyes immediately lit up. "A Glad you're okay and we love you to bits party? Can we have a proper huge party with good drinks and games and a DJ and a huge guest list because there's this guy I really want to ask out?"
"Exactly," Jeonghan reacted with equal excitement. "Let's go big!"
Soonyoung interjected. "How will we host a party when all of us are broke?"
The other two nodded, shoulders slumping.
Jeonghan looked around the campus park and he smiled. "Maybe we won't need to host one at all. Get everyone ready for the best Friday night party of your lives!"
"Waitâ"
But Jeonghan was already gone, shouting "Dino-ya! Dino, hey, wait up!" to someone walking out of the park.
"Isn't Friday today?" Jun asked.
Soonyoung sighed.
"And why are we going to this party again?" Joshua asked, making a face, as Soonyoung fussed with his jacket one last time.
His friend stood back and looked at him, obviously happy with his work of stealing Seungcheol's faux leather jacket and having Joshua wear it. He messed up his hair a bit. "You look like you're going to steal a few hearts tonight."
Joshua rolled his eyes. The jacket felt odd on him and he wished he was wearing a band t-shirt over ripped jeans like Soonyoung minus the choker that his friend was obviously happy wearing.
"We are going because our friend Dino is hosting a Friday night party and the average college student attends parties on Friday nights so here we are!" Jun grinned.
Jun looked drop dead gorgeous and confidence flashed out of his excited smile. He did a turn, his jacket and jewellery glittering against the moonlight.
"That reminds me. Since when did we have a friend named Dino. You all are such liars," Joshua said, trying to turn back.
Jihoon put a firm grip on his arm. "I hate to be here but there's no way we're going back." He had turned up in a hoodie and sweatpants, looking the picture of annoyance, and Joshua wondered how they had convinced him.
"Let's go!" Soonyoung said, opening the door and walking in.
Joshua sighed and followed his friends inside. He was the last to enter but he felt the room's energy shift into something darker as something whistled through the air towards Soonyoung. He lunged forward to pull him back but he knew he was already a second late. There was a sickening sound of an object hitting a hard surface and he closed his eyes fearing the worst as several voices screamed out.
The DJ stopped the music.
"Well, fuck, that was a near save."
He opened his eyes at the voice and looked at Soonyoung who was smiling weakly, pointing to a dart lodged into the wall beside, a dart that landed a considerable distance away from the dartboard, a dart that had narrowly missed Soonyoung's eyes, missed them by a hair's breadth...Joshua felt like he couldn't breathe.
From somewhere in the crowd, Seungcheol could be heard saying loudly, "Which idiot threw that?"
Someone walked up to Soonyoung and said in a shaky voice, "Are you okay? I am so sorry. I don't even know how it went there. I promise I'll never even touch a dart from now on. This was actually my first time. Oh God, are you okay?"
"Nothing happened so it's all cool. No worries," Soonyoung said, smiling, as the colour returned to his face. "Though you should stay away from darts for a bit." He stretched out his hand. "Should we just introduce ourselves and pretend like we didn't meet over my attempted murder?"
The DJ turned on the music again and the crowd went back to dancing and talking, seemingly disappointed that there was no drama.
The other boy reached out to shake his hand. "Really sorry and yeah, I would like that. I'm Wonwoo, by the way, from History department and those over there are my idiot friends who told me playing darts was a good idea."
Soonyoung's smile slipped. "You're him."
hi! so sorry it took ages to update but we were busy with work and studies.
hope you all liked this chapter. there is so much going on and lots of little easter eggs scattered across the story for our lovely readers so let us know how you are liking the story so far and what you think might happen next?
Summary: It was really laughable. The idea that Jeon Wonwoo had a nemesis. And yet there it was. The clear proof that all his life, like a nagging dull ache, Kwon Soonyoung had stepped all over his plans without ever really acknowledging him.
And maybe it was wrong for Wonwoo to seek him out but all he wanted was answers at first. He had never imagined they would stand opposite each other, fingers on triggers, his death in his nemesisâs hands and vice-versa.
Author: qvestchen
Status: Ongoing
Chapters: Home, Previous, Next.
Nemesis // Soonwoo SVT
Chapter 2:Â But he is cursed
Soonyoung was laughing, totally immersed in a joke that his friend, Junhui, was narrating when Jihoon scoffed loudly.
âHave you two even signed up for your electives yet?â
Soonyoung and Jun stopped laughing and threw him a dark look.
âJihoon, loosen up when youâre at the drama club,â Soonyoung said, whining slightly. âWe still have till tomorrow to decide.â
Jun nodded. âA decision made at the last minute is the best.â
Seungcheol who was lazily watching the three of them while going over Jihoonâs new music with Joshua grinned at Joshua and Jihoon. âShould I break it to them?â
Jihoon smiled. âLet me do the honours this time.â He straightened up from his position on the floor and cleared his throat. âTodayâs the last date for applying for electives. Good luck getting any because Iâm pretty sure all of the courses are filled up by now. The good ones, anyway.â
Soonyoung frowned, still disbelieving, reaching for his phone to check the date. âYouâve probably mixed up your daâoh shit, Jun, we got to rush. Itâs today!â
The two of them scrambled up quickly jumping down from the cool stage, looking for their bags.
âJoshua, what happens if two fools donât choose their electives?â Seungcheol asked, laughing fondly at his friends.
Joshua pretended to think. âApart from the immediate embarrassment? I would say, failing the semester, seeing everyone else pass and ooh, or worse, expulsion?â
They laughed as Jun flipped them off.
Jihoon got up too. âIâm going to the studioââ
âYou mean your dorm room,â Seungcheol corrected.
âWhatâs in a name?â Jihoon said, gathering his things. âGot to go, folks. Inspiration calls. Wait up, you two. Iâm coming up.â
âIâm planning to go to the cafeteria too,â Joshua said. âIâll grab a sandwich and finish my essay.â
Soonyoung, who was waiting for Jun at the door, said. âI donât understand how you like the cafeteria food so much. Especially when now we have Jeonghanâs cooking to sample.â
Joshua visibly stiffened. âIâll see you later.â He left without looking at Soonyoung.
âWhatâs up with him?â Soonyoung asked Seungcheol as they locked the drama club.
âHe doesnât like the new club member.â
âJeonghan? He has barely known him for a couple of days. How serious can it be?â He said, looking at Joshuaâs retreating figure.
Seungcheol shrugged. âI have no idea. Heâs usually very welcoming to the new members.â
Jihoon said, âHeâs probably just worried about his essay. Heâs been writing it in the cafeteria since the start of semester.â
Jun cut across. âYouâre all wrong. Itâs the sexual tension.â
âO-kay, thatâs our cue to leave,â Soonyoung said, dragging Jun to the Language and Literature block.
There was a huge line of students at the Chinese department so Jun suggested that Soonyoung should go ahead. âUnless you want to take the class with me which would be amazing, to be honest.â
âYouâre Chinese. Youâre going to ace it but itâs a bit too heavy an elective for me. Intro to Persian is famous for being a light elective. Let me just rush and sign up for it and come back for you.â
Soonyoung walked outside the department room and was immediately hit by the sound of students loudly discussing plans but the noise died out as he left the English and Chinese language departments behind and climbed upstairs to the quiet, dusty corridor which housed the small, air-conditioned room that worked as the reception of the Persian department. He knocked at the glass door and waited before poking his head inside. âMay I come in?â
The man at the small reception desk looked up from the computer screen with intense dislike at having been disturbed from his solitary afternoon ruminations. âSince youâre here, you might as well.â
Soonyoung walked inside quietly, smiling a bit awkwardly. âI could come back later if youâre busy.â
Truth be told, the great âangelâ of the drama club who was famous for being loud, boisterous and confident, the friendly Soonyoung was, outside his drama club and otherwise small group of friends, a shy, polite person especially in front of people he didnât know. Right now, he was a stark contrast to his popular image (Jihoon often joked âit is the Gemini in himâ) but the fact was that he was all of this together, a complex person, a bit forgetful at times but an easily endearing person, the kind who made people feel at ease.
The man at the desk seemed to consider his words. âHow can I help you today?â
Soonyoung smiled warmly. âI came to sign up for the âIntroduction to Persian Language and Cultureâ course. Wait I have my ID copy and registration form somewhere here.â He rummaged in his backpack, apologetically. âAh, here it is.â
He was handed a sheet. âYouâre lucky. We just had one spot left. Fill in your details, name, course, email and so on and sign here.â
âOh wow,â Soonyoung said, writing down his name, âI am so grateââ His phone rang, a hip-hop number filling the small room. His eyes widened and he apologized, looking at his phone. It was Joshua probably calling to tell him that the cafeteria had some semi-edible delicacy. He silenced his phone, filling in the details and signing with a flourish, before picking up the phone. He nodded to receptionist. âThank you for everything. Iâm looking forward to the classes.â He winced as he heard Joshua nearly screaming out of his phone. âHello, Joshua. You sound excited. Whatâs up? Yes, I just finished signing up for the Persian elective. No, no, I donât want to change. I would love to study English but I would probably fail, see everyone else pass and ooh, or worse, get expelled?â He laughed his characteristic loud, happy laugh, swinging outside the door, not even realising that someone was standing right outside. If he had realized that he had nearly crashed the door into a very annoyed student he would have no doubt stopped and apologized profusely but as it was, he was totally immersed in the call with a frantic Joshua who, unsuccessfully, wanted him to change his elective for some inexplicable reason.
After Joshua mysteriously said a sudden goodbye, Soonyoung reunited with Jun in the Chinese department who was still standing in the queue. âYou wonât believe it but I made it just in time.â
Jun said, âI hope I get lucky too. Thereâs so many people that Iâm worried the course will get filled by the time my chance comes.â
As they waited, Soonyoung wondered aloud about Joshuaâs strange call and recent behaviour in general. âI hope heâs okay.â
Jun assumed a saint-like expression. âIâm telling you itâs Jeonghan. I think Joshua is experiencing a crush for the first time ever.â
Joshua was, in fact, experiencing something totally different. After having reached the cafeteria and spotting Seokmin and Hansol, he had placed himself within earshot at a table nearby, pretending to work on his essay. He hadnât expected to hear much but instead he got to know that Wonwoo had decided to take Persian.
He had been unable to stop himself from exclaiming in pure shock. âWhat!?â No, no, that could not happen. He could not allow that to happen. Soonyoung and Wonwoo could not be allowed to cross paths. As if on cue, the bracelet around his wrist heated up, the runes no doubt signalling impending disaster. He gathered his things into his backpack and between rushing to get up and calling Soonyoung simultaneously, he tripped and fell.
The loud exclamation and following fall alerted Seokmin and Hansol to him and Seokmin even began to reiterate the information but he was already rushing out of the cafeteria, nearly shouting in his phone.
He was crossing the threshold of the cafeteria when something in the corner of his vision seemed to slow down time.
A flash of blonde hair.
Yoon Jeonghan.
Maybe time did slow down because it must have been fraction of a second but Joshua could feel his heart drop as Jeonghan returned his gaze, a taunting smile foretelling his failure to stop things from happening. Still smiling, Jeonghan tilted his head in a greeting and then, time sped up again and turning back, Soonyoungâs voice sounding through his phone, Joshuaâs heart dropped as he noticed Jeonghan walking to Seokmin and Hansolâs table.
He had been right. The Warlock was here to stay.
The scene vanished as he tumbled suddenly into a quiet classroom instead of walking out of the cafeteria. âUh, Soonyoung,â he continued to speak in his phone, âplease, donât take the elective. How about you take English with me? Or, I donât know, Geography, Iâve heard they still have seats.â But Soonyoung had already cut the line.
He jiggled his bracelet which was warning him of unauthorised magic use but at the same time burning with an urgency that he knew well to read. Soonyoung and Wonwoo were going to cross paths and here, his teleportation magic was shortcircuiting as usual. He groaned aloud. âIâm doing it for them. Iâm not using magic for myself.â
He let out a breath, trying to calm himself down. Okay, one more try. He walked to the classroom door and turned the handle, closing his eyes as he walked out.
The air shifted around him and suddenly, he could smell old paper and musty air-conditioning. He sighed in relief on opening his eyes and found himself in the Persian department.
The man at the desk made an irritated noise at seeing him. âThe course is closed.â
Joshua walked up to him with a small smile. âYou are sleeping right now. I am a figment of your imagination. How about you move on to another dream?â He clenched his fist as his bracelet shuddered with the magic use. He wondered if it would work. Even if it did, it would only work for mere seconds. His magic was limited by the bracelet, taking a physical toll on him to work. Suddenly, a thought of Jeonghan crossed his mind. That one did not have a bracelet. He must be immensely powerful. Immediately, he shook his head. But he is cursed.
His magic seemed to be working for the receptionist eyes glazed slightly, eyelids drooping and his head lolled to the side as slight snores filled the air.
Joshua got to work. He crossed off Soonyoungâs name and details from the list, not even needing to check the list above the last name. Opening the folder beside it, he took out Soonyoungâs ID copy and registration form, stuffing them in his pocket. It took him less than five seconds and the receptionist had already begun to show signs of waking up. He walked to the door, turning one last time to mumble an apology and then, he was walking out.
The air shifted and he was wrinkling his nose, knowing already that his teleportation had messed up again. He was in the washroom beside the cafeteria. Not as offtrack as it could have been though, he reasoned, checking the runes on his bracelet. It was cool again, no warning signs. Disaster had been averted. Soonyoung and Wonwoo had been steered clear of each other.
He noticed that his hands were shaking and pursed his lips before walking out of the cubicle. He caught his reflection in the mirror. His face was ashen. The magic always took a toll, even if he used it for the right purposes. He washed his face and patted it dry with a tissue before walking out confidently.
If anyone had seen him walk out, they wouldnât have thought him any different from any other student. That gave him comfort and he had even begun to smile a bit, feeling happy with his quick thinking when he walked into the cafeteria. His smile dropped as he found himself under the attention of everyone at the table he had earlier been eavesdropping on. He felt like he was suffocating as he saw Jeonghan sitting alongside Wonwoo.
He knew already that his efforts today were only temporary. Now that Soonyoung and Wonwooâs lives had a thin common factorâJeonghan. The warlock seemed to sense his thoughts and raised an eyebrow in challenge.
Jisoo, wonât you come meet my new friends?
His eyes bulged as he recognized the smooth, taunting voice in his head. Jeonghan knew his name. How did he know it? What else did he know?
Get out of my head, Jeonghan. He turned around and walked out of the place, finding himself inadvertently walking into the Chinese department where Soonyoung and Jun were still waiting for Junâs turn at the registration.
âJoshua? What are you doing here?â Soonyoung asked, brightly.
He looks so happy, he thought, he doesnât know what Iâve done. He wanted to say sorry for denying his friend his chosen elective. Maybe he could sign him up here. He opened his mouth to suggest it in some subtle way but no sound came out.
Jun clapped. âYouâre joining this elective too? What made you change your mind?â
Joshua wanted to say something but his mouth had gone dry and even as he walked to his friends, his body was leaden. He could see their expression drop right before the world spotted and darkened.
The last thing he heard was Jun screaming.
It was, in fact, Soonyoung screaming. Together the two of them managed to haul him to the medicâs room in the building while a teacher rang up the campus hospital.
âIs he okay?â Soonyoung asked the nurse, his face stained with tears, after they had settled Joshua down a bit. It had only been minutes but Jun and him had panicked and called everyone. They were all on the way, including Jeonghan who had called Soonyoung and caught him crying.
The nurse smiled warmly at the two of them. âItâs exhaustion and probably stress but heâll be fine. Donât worry.â
âAre you sure?â he asked again. He looked at his friend who was now on the hospital bed. He looked tired, slight dark circles beneath his eyes and pale, blotchy skin.
âMaybe we should call his parents?â Jun said, worriedly.
They looked at each other, suddenly realizing they had no idea how to contact Joshuaâs parents.
Soonyoung picked up Joshuaâs jacket. âIt will be on his phone.â He unlocked the phone easily, priding himself at knowing the passcode, but frowned when he looked at the contacts. He just had four numbers saved. Soonyoung, Seungcheol, Jihoon and Junhui.
Jun who was beside him looked surprised too.
âWell?â the nurse asked.
Soonyoung kept the phone back. âYou could say we are his family. Iâll stay with him here tonight.â
âOkay, how about you get these medicines from the prescription here and get him and yourself a change of clothes and toiletries?â the nurse said.
Soonyoung was reluctant to leave but Jun nodded.
âGo. I wonât leave. Donât worry.â
And so he was walking out of the hospital when someoneâs heavy backpack knocked into his chest. He lost balance and grabbed at air, eyes widening as he realized that he was heading straight for the open window.
A hand caught his t-shirt and pulled him back.
âWatch where youâre going, will you?â Seungcheol said, steadying him. âIf you fell from here, you would probably die.â He pulled shut the window pane, securing it firmly, after glaring in the direction of the person who had collided with Soonyoung. âIâm going to complain to the admin about these windows here.â
âItâs okay,â Soonyoung said, rubbing his chest. âI wasnât seeing where I was going. You go ahead. Iâll just get these medicines andââ
âJihoon is getting nightwear and other stuff so donât worry. Should I get the medicines?â Seungcheol asked.
âThank God for Jihoon. Iâll get the medicines though. You go ahead.â
When Soonyoung returned, he found his friends waiting outside the room. âWhat happened?â
âHeâs sleeping right now so thatâs fine,â Jun said.
Jihoon looked furious. âThe nurse kicked us out because we were crowding the place.â
âWe arenât even that many,â Soonyoung said.
âJeonghan dropped in with a friend. Remember the idiot who nearly killed you near the window here. Thatâs his friend, Jeon Wonwoo. I nearly told him off. Anyway, I politely thanked them but knowing Joshua wouldnât be happy to see Jeonghan when he woke up, I somehow managed to get rid of them for now.â
The packet of medicines slipped from Soonyoungâs fingers.
Jeon Wonwoo?
âD-Did you say Jeon Wonwoo?â No, what he wanted to ask was, he is real?
He felt sick. The name was echoing in his head like a ghost haunting his veins. Wonwoo. Wonwoo. Wonwoo. The spectre which followed him only to disappear. Soonyoung had thought he had got over him. He had spent a good part of his high school life chasing after this name. Only to find nothing. He had sworn himself to let go, to forget, convinced himself that there was no such person, that everything that happened, every little incident, every whisper, was nothing, had told himself to stop looking for that glint of spectacles, that soft head of dark hair, that once-heard deep voice, because they were all red herrings.
âYes, do you know him? He was kind of weird. I mean, he said he saw Joshua at the cafeteria when he was with you guys.â
And yet there it was. The name and the person.
He dialled Jeonghanâs number hurriedly. âHey, isâis someoneâŚthis is going to sound weird but do you knowâŚdo you have a friend named Wonwoo?â
hello, hope you enjoyed the new chapter!
lots of things happened, we got to see a bit more about soonwoo's relationship of sorts, more about joshua (and his powers and limits) and jeonghan, and we met soonyoung's friends! what did you think of the chapter? are you ready for soonwoo to meet next chapter?
side note: "Introduction to Persian Language and Culture" is an elective course i took in uni. this is a little bit of a background story for this fic but in our uni this course was immensely popular among the students because it was supposed to be easy to score marks in. and it turned out to be true lol because of the structure of the course (rather than the content or anything else) and the fact that we only did basic language in the course. i actually enjoyed the course and loved learning the language and about the culture. persian is a beautiful language. unfortunately, my classmates and i, did not, even after a year of the course, become fluent. idk i thought this would explain this bit of the fic and some of the references that i'm using. most of the uni scenes in this fic are going to be typical uni student lives but with seventeen.
thank you for supporting <3 love, positive vibes and great friendships!
omg a soonwoo fic???? based on those pictures???? i know its going to be fav already i've read "juice cartons" and seriously it's my utl jaeyong fanfic of all time SO I CAN'T BELIEVE i'm going to get a fanfic for my svt ship now thank you for writing, op!
yes yes YES! OH MY GOD THANK YOU FOR BEING SO EXCITED i literally thought nobody will be willing to read it :( and wait, you read juice cartons thatâs so sweet. Thank you, you are so kind <3
i hope youâll enjoy this one as well itâs up btw you can read it on here xx