Through The Storm: Chapter 5
Title: Through the Storm Chapter 5 Rating: Mature (Some adult themes) Contains: Slow burn, PTSD, Trauma, Underaged drinking/smoking, some violence Characters: Mingi, Fem OC, Jongho, Yunho AU: Aged up Military!Mingi, Aged up Professor!Yunho, Aged down Teen!Jongho Masterlist | Ao3 | AFF | Wattpad Previous Chapter - Next Chapter Synopsis: Areum is a college student trying to keep her life together. Between school, her part-time job, and taking care of her younger brother, every day feels like a blur. She doesn’t have much time to think about herself or the things she’s been through. She just keeps moving forward. Then she meets Mingi, someone who somehow makes everything feel a little lighter. He’s easy to talk to, easy to be around, and before she realizes it, he starts becoming an important part of her days. Through him, Areum starts to find a bit of peace in the chaos, learning that maybe it’s okay to lean on someone else once in a while. But as she begins to rebuild her sense of peace, she soon realizes that some truths can’t stay buried forever and that her parents’ deaths might not be as simple as it seemed.
Waiting at the entrance of the fairgrounds, Areum scanned the crowd of people weaving in and out. Families carrying popcorn and snacks, children hanging onto balloons, and couples walking by hand-in-hand. She was early, but Mingi had invited her out, and she didn’t want to risk being late especially when this had been her first time going out since the loss of her parents.
A sudden grip landed on her shoulders. She gasps and instinct takes over, her elbow shot back, connecting solidly with someone’s gut. Something her brother taught her for self-defense.
“Fuck, Areum!” a pained groan followed.
She spun around, eyes widening as Yunho doubled over slightly, one hand clutching his stomach.
“Oh, Professor! I’m so sorry—oh my god, are you okay?”
He straightened slowly, waving her off with a grimace. “Don’t be sorry. I probably deserved that. Shouldn’t have tried to sneak up on you.” A faint chuckle escaped him as he gave her head a light pat. “You’re stronger than you look.”
She blinked, still flustered. “You’re here for the festival too?”
“Didn’t Mingi tell you?” Yunho asked, a grin tugging at his lips. “He told me about your plans and invited me along. Thought it might be fun.”
“I did not invite you. Actually, you invited yourself.”
Areum and Yunho turned toward the voice.
Mingi stood a few steps away, impossible to miss. His military green compression shirt clung to his chest and arms, showing off his build, showing more detail than she’d ever seen before. Black baggy jeans hung low on his hips, casual and loose, while the chains hanging from his neck glinted under the lights. Silver rings covered his fingers, and his sunglasses gave him an edge that made him look untouchable. Areum’s cheeks warmed before she realized she’d been staring. She bit her lip and quickly turned away, embarrassed at herself.
That’s when her eyes caught what Yunho was wearing. His white button-down shirt, sleeves rolled to his forearms, fit neatly beneath a gray vest. The black tie at his chest was loosened just enough to make him look effortlessly relaxed, though the vest still emphasized the lines of his shoulders and his slim frame. He had on black cargo pants and a studded belt that added a rougher edge that clashed in the best way with his clean style.
Standing there together, the two of them couldn’t have been more different. Mingi was bold and untouchable, Yunho composed and sharp.
She had already learned Mingi could dress when she saw him at the café, but Yunho caught her off guard. She never imagined he had style, she always pictured him as the type to dress like a book nerd.
Now she found herself standing between the handsome men, both tall, both striking in their own way, and she could not ignore the contrast. It left her flustered. To make matters worse, she felt completely underdressed next to them. At least, that was how it seemed to her.
She shifted on her feet, suddenly aware of her own outfit. A white cropped tank top peeked out from beneath the oversized brown knit cardigan she had thrown on that morning. Paired with loose-fitting blue jeans and her old high-top sneakers, her long hair up in a high pony-tail with her bangs let loose. Casual and comfortable.
Standing between the two of them now, her simple clothes felt almost childlike compared to how sharp and put together they looked.
Despite what she thought, both of them actually found her appearance nice and refreshing. It was a change from her usual look of shorts, sweats, and hoodies, always with long sleeves.
Mingi, especially, couldn’t seem to take his eyes off her. Her style was simple but refreshingly cute, and the way she had matched her makeup to the outfit gave her a warm, natural glow that drew his attention to her.
“What?” Yunho tilted his head when he noticed how she was looking at him.
She shook her head and smiled.
“Nothing, I was just thinking, you two look like models right now.” They really did, they looked like they belonged on the cover of a magazine and if they were she was sure the magazines would sell out fast.
Yunho’s mouth curved into a smug grin as he straightened his shoulders like he was posing. “Models, huh? I’ll take that.”
Beside him, Mingi adjusted his sunglasses with mock seriousness, but there was a flash of amusement tugging at his lips. He crossed his arms over his chest to pose.
She shook her head and rolled her eyes before grabbing them both by their arms and tugging them along inside.
“Don’t let it get to your head though, that’s the last time I give you a compliment. Now let’s get inside. I really want a churro.”
Yunho laughed under his breath, letting her pull him along without resistance. “One compliment and you’re already regretting it? That hurts.”
Mingi shook his head, amusement flickering behind his sunglasses as he allowed himself to be dragged forward. “Guess we better savor the moment then.”
Unknown to either of them, her sudden craving for churros had less to do with sweets and more to do with saving herself, from the heat of her own thoughts, from the way they looked standing there together, and from the danger of staring any longer than she already had.
The three of them wandered through the fair together, weaving from one attraction to the next. They sampled snacks and sweets, tried their luck at game stalls where bright lights flashed and prizes dangled overhead, and paused often to snap pictures, sometimes of each other, sometimes all together. A few rides drew them in, laughter spilling out as the world blurred past in quick jolts of color.
Everywhere they went, performers filled the air with music, acrobatics, and dancing, making Areum nostalgic of her childhood days.
Areum walked a few steps ahead, brochure in hand as she tried to figure out where they should stop next. Just as she looked up, a sudden burst of fire shot into the air, close enough that the heat brushed across her skin. Her chest tightened before she even realized it, breath picking up, hands trembling as she froze.
For just a moment she was no longer there, but somewhere else, surrounded by flames.
“Areum!”
She was pulled back to reality as a pair of hands found her, pulling her into their chest, grounding her before the panic could take hold. She blinked rapidly, trying to slow her breathing as the crowd around them cheered and clapped. It was just a fire-breathing performer, nothing more. The fair carried on with music and laughter, reminding her she was safe.
She looked up to see that Yunho was the one holding her.
She hadn’t expected him to step in like that but the warmth helped steady her and she was thankful for it.
Meanwhile, right beside them stood Mingi, confusion flickering across his face. He hadn’t seen what startled her, only turned in time to find Yunho holding her close, steadying her like she might fall apart. His chest twisted unexpectedly, a dull ache settling in as he stared, wondering what he had missed and why it bothered him so much to see her in someone else’s arms.
The feeling came out of nowhere. He pushed it down before it could linger.
Areum soon pulled away, looking up at Yunho, whose hand settled gently on top of her head.
“You alright?”
She nodded, offering him a small, reassuring smile.
“Yeah, I’m fine. Thank you, Yunho.”
“What happened?”
The two of them looked over to Mingi, who was still staring, trying to piece together what he’d just seen. Yunho glanced back down at Areum, silently asking if it was okay to explain.
She gave a small nod.
“She has a fear of fire,” Yunho said calmly. “She’s fine with small, controlled flames, but sudden bursts or anything big can catch her off guard.”
The confused pinch in Mingi’s expression eased into concern. He didn’t press for details, only tilted his head slightly. “So… like a phobia?”
Areum gave him a quick, sheepish nod, her smile faint but steady. “Something like that. But I’ll be okay.”
After Areum had regained herself and the two were sure she was okay they continued their day normally, this time Yunho was leading the way to make sure Areum didn't run into any more fire breathers. Mingi and Areum ended up walking side by side as they followed Yunho around the fair grounds.
Occasionally their hands brushed as they walked, neither of them pulling away, though the small contact left both a little shy.
At some point, Mingi’s phone started ringing. Despite him rejecting the calls again and again, they kept coming for a while. His irritation grew more obvious with each buzz, and when Yunho and Areum told him he could take the call, he shook his head.
“Not a call I want to take,” was all he said.
Areum couldn’t help but worry. She could see the tension in his expression, even though he tried to mask it. Wanting to distract him, she challenged him to a few of the games scattered around the fair.
It worked for a little while, though soon Yunho jumped in and took over her spot, getting competitive with Mingi in the next few rounds. She stood behind them, laughing quietly to herself as she snapped a few photos of the two acting like overgrown kids.
“Remind me, how old are you again?” she asked once they finished.
Yunho widened his eyes dramatically and pouted, holding up five fingers. “I'm five!” he shouted in a childlike tone.
Areum laughed softly.
“Not me,” Mingi said, crossing his arms over his chest, standing with pride. “I am fully aware and not embarrassed by my childish behavior at the ripe old age of twenty-nine.”
Yunho had noticed the sun was setting and it was beginning to get dark. He checked the time on his watch before placing his palms against both of their backs.
“Should we head back now?” he asked, already nudging them toward the exit.
Areum blinked, confused, while Mingi immediately protested.
“Wait, what about the fireworks? That’s the best part!”
She burst out laughing at the sight of him. Broad-shouldered and intimidating to anyone who didn’t know better, but here he was pouting like a small child. The contradiction was too much.
Still, she found herself agreeing with Yunho. “Maybe we should call it here.”
Mingi stared, scandalized.
“You’re just gonna let her miss out on the fireworks?”
“She doesn’t like fireworks,” Yunho said matter-of-factly, already steering them forward. “Now come on, I’m hungry. Let’s get some samgyupsal.”
Areum’s laughter spilled over again as Mingi groaned in defeat, following Yunho's lead.
As they left the fair grounds together, Areum couldn’t help but feel a warmth grow in her chest when she looked at them. She felt lighter, like the weight that was settled on her chest had finally come off.
She was glad that she decided to let Mingi convince her to come out and even happy that Yunho had joined them.
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The smell of burning wood stung her nostrils, smoke filling her lungs with every breath. The haze made it hard to see anything beyond the flicker of flames closing in on all sides. She coughed, stumbling as she tried to find a way out, but every turn was met with a wall of dancing fire.
“Areum.”
She spun toward the voice. Nothing.
“Areum!”
She turned again, heart hammering, but there was no one.
“Areum.”
“Areum!”
The voices echoed from nowhere and everywhere at once. Her throat tightened when she tried to scream for it to stop, but no sound came out. She tried again. Nothing.
“AREUM!”
Her eyes flew open.
A tall shadow loomed in the corner of her room, its presence heavy, suffocating. Her pulse thundered as panic surged through her. Her breaths came fast and shallow as the figure started moving toward her. She tried to get up, run, but her body wouldn’t obey.
Flames suddenly engulfed the figure, a low, guttural laugh rumbling through the room.
Move. Move.
Her lips parted, but only a broken whimper escaped. Tears streamed down her face as she strained against her unresponsive limbs.
Then, finally, something snapped. Her body jerked into motion, and the figure vanished. Gasping, she pushed herself upright, every muscle heavy and sluggish, fighting to drag her back down.
She clutched her chest, taking shaky breaths. “It wasn’t real. It was just a dream,” she reminded herself. “Not real… not real.”
Once she was calm she turned on the bedside lamp, the warm light chasing away the darkness as she reached for her phone.
3:45 a.m.
With a soft groan, she dropped her head back against the headboard, staring at the ceiling. “No way in hell I’m getting any sleep now.”
For a while, she just sat there in the silence of her dimly lit room, replaying the dream. Whatever that thing was, she knew she hadn’t actually seen a demon. She unlocked her phone and started typing into the search bar.
“Sleep paralysis, huh?” she muttered, scoffing. “Great. Guess I’ll never get any sleep.”
The next few nights were sleepless for Areum. Fear kept her from closing her eyes, and on the rare occasions she did drift off, her anxiety jolted her awake soon after. She filled the long hours with schoolwork, reading ahead for her classes, or taking quiet walks to clear her head. The exhaustion was slowly wearing her down, but she refused to admit it, let alone acknowledge just how much it was taking a toll.
It didn’t go unnoticed by Yunho. He saw how tired she looked, each day worse than the last.
During his lecture, his eyes kept drifting back to her. Her head would nod forward as she fought to stay awake, her gaze unfocused and distant. The dark circles under her eyes were deeper than he’d ever seen them.
When class ended and the students began filing out, Yunho called her name. She didn’t respond. He called again, louder this time, and when she still didn’t react, he stepped closer and gently placed a hand on her shoulder.
“Areum?”
She gasped softly and turned to him, relaxing her shoulders once she realized it was him.
“Oh, what’s up, Professor?”
“Where’s your head at? Did you not hear me calling you?”
She tilted her head and blinked, shaking herself out of her daze.
“Sorry, I didn’t hear you. Did you need something?”
“Yeah. You. In my office. We need to talk.”
She followed him to his office, already bracing herself for the scolding she knew was coming. There wasn’t much she could get past Yunho. He was sharp, always observant, and good at catching the things others missed.
They sat down on the leather two-seater sofa in his office, and he turned to face her. “When was the last time you slept?” She shrugged, pulling her legs up and crossing them, hands folded in her lap. “Three… maybe four days. I don’t remember.”
He raised a brow, leaning closer as he brought the back of his hand to her forehead to check for a fever. “You don’t seem sick, so what’s going on? Have you tried anything to help you sleep?”
She shook her head. “It’s not that I can’t fall asleep. I just have a hard time staying asleep… or wanting to…” Her voice dropped to a quiet mumble at the end.
Yunho wasn’t sure he heard her right. “You don’t want to sleep?”
Her half-lidded eyes met his, and she nodded. “The nightmares have gotten bad recently.” She chewed on the inside of her lip.
“Worse than when you first had them? Have you been seeing your therapist at all lately?”
She stayed silent, gaze falling to the floor. Shame flickered across her face as she avoided his eyes.
Pinching the bridge of his nose, he let out a soft sigh. “Areum… you promised me you’d be consistent with your visits.”
She hugged her knees to her chest, shoulders shrinking in. Yunho placed a comforting hand on her head. “What’s got you so scared to sleep? What have your dreams been showing you?”
“Demons…” she mumbled.
“Huh?”
“I got sleep paralysis for the first time. It was one of the most terrifying things I’ve experienced. I couldn’t move, couldn’t scream… I don’t want to see it again.”
He shifted closer and pulled her against his side, wrapping an arm around her. “I won’t push you to do anything, but can you at least start telling me these things instead of carrying it all by yourself?”
She nodded quietly.
“If you’re gonna cry, don’t mess up my shirt. I’ve still got another class later.” His tone turned playful, teasing.
“I’m not gonna cry.”
“It’s okay to cry, Areum. Just let it out. I’m right here.”
She nudged him with her elbow and rolled her eyes. “Not gonna cry.”
He started patting her head. “Shh, it’s okay, stop fighting it.”
“How about I give you something to cry about instead?” she shot back playfully, pulling away and glaring.
He let out a laugh, giving her back a light pat. “Go home and get some sleep, Areum.” He reached out to poke her forehead. “And take the day off tomorrow. You shouldn’t be working when you’re in this condition. You could get yourself hurt. So take the day off and rest. This is an order, not a request. Got it?”
Areum rolled her eyes and stood, grabbing her bag.
“Areum, please answer me.”
She sighed and gave a small nod. “Fine, fine. I’ll see you later, Professor.”
He stood and walked her to the door, but she paused and turned back to him.
“Oh, I almost forgot to ask… what happened that summer?”
Yunho’s brow furrowed, his head tilting slightly. “Which one?”
“Back in 2022. I’m curious.”
His eyes widened as realization hit him. “Fuck, he told you about that?” He cursed under his breath, pressing his fingers against his temples. “I’m seriously going to kill this guy. Tell him to look forward to that.”
He gently nudged her out of the office and closed the door behind her.
Even as the door clicked shut, she could still hear him muttering curses to himself inside. She didn’t understand what had just happened, but his reaction was so unexpectedly dramatic that it made her chuckle.
Turning away, she made her way out and headed home, telling herself she would pry the answers out of them later when she wasn’t so sleep deprived.
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Today was like any other day for Mingi. Wake up. Get ready. Work out. Meetings. Lab.
He worked alongside his team, everyone focused on their individual tasks. The team had been making great progress lately, and Mingi was proud of them. He even came up with the idea to throw a little party for the interns as a way to show appreciation and give them some encouragement. After discussing it with the supervisors and the other leads, everyone agreed and pitched in to bring cake and snacks. The plan was to surprise the interns toward the end of the shift.
Everything was running smoothly as Mingi made his rounds, checking in on everyone. That is, until he reached Areum.
He had noticed it the moment he walked in. The dark circles. The bloodshot eyes. Her pale face. She was zoning out more than usual, and it set off alarms in his head. When she nearly dropped a vial, Mingi caught her hand just in time.
“Maybe you should go take a break. Get some fresh air, yeah?”
Areum looked up at him, her eyes lifeless. “But—”
“That’s an order. Please go and take a break.”
He couldn’t tell exactly what was going on behind her distant gaze, but when she nodded and gave in, he exhaled softly, relieved that she didn’t argue.
Things continued as usual. Some time had passed since Areum had gone on her break when Mingi glanced down at his smartwatch and saw Yunho’s name flash across the screen. Stepping outside, he answered the call.
“What’s up, Yunho?”
“Well, first off… did you tell Areum what happened that summer?” A deep chuckle rumbled from Mingi’s chest.
“Ah, so she talked to you about it? What’d you say?”
“Song Mingi! You fuck! I didn’t tell her anything. What did you tell her, that’s the real question?”
“Nothing, nothing. I just wanted to tease you a bit. I only told her to ask you about that summer. Nothing else, I promise.” He laughed, clearly enjoying himself.
“Fuck you, Mingi. Seriously. You had me stressing…” Yunho sighed heavily into the phone.
“Anyway… did she come to work?”
“Yeah. Why?”
“I knew it. She wasn’t going to listen… send her home, Mingi. Please.”
“I was already considering it, honestly. But now I’m curious, why are you asking me that?”
“She hasn’t slept in days. I told her to take the day off and rest before she loses her mind.”
Mingi’s brows knit together. That explained a lot. He had already picked up on her exhaustion from the way she looked and acted, but hearing it confirmed made his concern settle deeper. He agreed with Yunho that sending her home was the right call.
When the call ended, Mingi had headed out to find Areum. She wasn’t hard to find. She was in the garden at one of the picnic tables, she sat with her head resting on her folded arms.
As he approached, he saw her eyes were closed, her breathing slow and steady. Her back rose and fell gently with each breath. The way she looked in that moment, peaceful and vulnerable, softened something inside him.
A small smile tugged at his lips. He decided not to wake her and quietly took a seat across from her. Propping his elbow on the table, he rested his chin in his palm and simply watched her.
When a breeze swept a few strands of hair across her face, he reached forward and carefully brushed them back behind her ear, his movements slow and gentle so that he wouldn't disturb her.
For a while, he just sat there, watching her sleep.
Then the screen of her phone lit up, followed by a soft vibration. Realizing it was an alarm, he quickly reached over and silenced it before it could ring and wake her.
He let out a quiet breath of relief and relaxed, watching her a little longer. He wanted to let her rest as much as she could before he had to wake her.
Not too long after, her phone went off again. This time it was a call. Mingi muttered a quiet curse at whoever was interrupting.
Areum stirred with a soft groan, grabbing the phone and bringing it to her ear without lifting her head. She hadn’t noticed his presence yet.
“Hello?” she answered groggily.
A second later, her eyes shot open and she lifted her head. “He did what?!”
As she listened to the voice on the other end, her gaze shifted and finally landed on Mingi. Her eyes widened once more. He gave her a small nod in greeting.
“Sh– I mean, I’m so sorry, I’m at work right now. I’ll head there as soon as I can get permission to leave… thank you… goodbye.”
She ended the call and stood from the bench in a rush. “I need to leave early, I’m so sorry. It’s my brother,” she said, pleading with her eyes.
Mingi stood as well. “I was going to send you home early anyway. Go grab your things so I can drive you there.”
“I–” She started to protest. She hated being an inconvenience to anyone, but this time was different. It was urgent. “Okay… I’d like that. Thank you.”
Mingi smiled at her response and walked her back to the building. He sent a quick text to his supervisor, explaining her family emergency and letting him know he would be giving her a ride. Then he waited outside for her to grab her things.
Once she reappeared, they walked together toward the parking lot.
“Is your brother okay?” Mingi asked.
Areum let out a soft scoff. “Oh, he’s okay. Let’s just hope the kid he beat up is okay, though.”
Mingi raised a brow. “He got into a fight?”
“Sounds like it,” she replied. “He’s pretty strong compared to the other kids. He used to take MMA classes, so I’m worried about how bad the beating was.”
As they neared the parking lot, a sudden buzzing noise broke through the quiet. Mingi’s head turned toward the sound, his brows knitting in confusion.
Before he could process it, a sharp crack and a burst of light erupted from a nearby fuse box. A split second later, a loud boom rang out, the force of it sending a rush of hot air across the lot.
Mingi instinctively flinched at the noise, adrenaline spiking as the sound echoed off the surrounding buildings.
Then he heard it. A scream, sharp and sudden, followed by the dull thud of something hitting the ground.
His eyes snapped toward Areum.
Something was wrong.
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The room was dimly lit, the air thick with the smell of coffee and cigarettes. Papers and folders lay scattered across the table in messy stacks, some edges curling from use. Outside, rain tapped steadily against the windows.
“The evidence is still out there,” the first voice said. “We need to find it and get rid of it.”
“If someone had caught him sooner, we would not be in this mess,” another snapped. “I told you to put me on it.”
“Fuck you,” the third cursed. “You think you would have done any better? You are not some top tier spy. None of us are.”
The first voice cut in, hard and calm. “Both of you, shut up. We are not here to argue.” He leaned forward, palms flat on the table as if steadying himself. “Focus. Find the documents. Retrace his steps. He likely left them where he thought they would be safe.”
There was a pause. Paper rustled. A pen clicked against the wood.
“Now get out there, and do not screw this up again.”
They moved like shadows then, pulling on coats and disappearing into the rain, leaving the building.
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