My favorite single from Gregg Nice and Smooth Bee. It had to be when WBLS had this on heavy rotation thanks to “Hip-Hop Junkies” earlier in the year. Countless weeknights at home after East Middle were spent hearing this in the basement getting many rounds off the pinball table adjacent from a 27″ t.v. that was always on, and a missing panel of a black-and-green checker-boarded floor revealed a 1907 Indian-head penny that I still have to this day. Three hours of homework were always due but the pale skinny blue-eyed girl with the straight blonde ponytail was always on my mind. Don’t worry, Christmas was on its’ way and so was Boogie Down Productions’ “Duck Down” (’92), Naughty By Nature’s “Everything’s Gonna’ Be Alright” (’91), X-Clan’s “Fire & Earth” (’91), and Grand Puba’s “Fat Rat” (’91), too. Spin them all and you’ll know why time machines have never been sought after for heads to escape from this trash era of Skittles-rappers we have now.
Words: 3,303
Member/Pairing: Monsta X, Jooheon/OC, Wonho/OC, Minhyuk/Hyungwon, Kihyun/I.M
Genre: Alternative Universe, inspired by “All In”
Warning(s): mentions of drug-use (the flower from “All In”), slight implications of violence, language
Book One - Chapter Four
July 31st, 2018
It was hard going about my day as if nothing had changed within me. Every single one of my senses was heightened to the point that it gave me a raging headache by the time I tucked into bed at night. The pounding in my head lasted for hours until I could finally shut my eyes and try to act like everything was wholly normal.
While I hated the painful side effect, the increased vision and reflexes were welcomed. I was quick and light on my feet, getting orders out at a rapid pace during the day. At night I was lifting boxes easier and processing my stock with a keen eye. I felt stronger, borderline daring as if I could take over the world.
The flower also gave me a new consciousness that helped to reign in my constant anger and paranoia. It was almost addicting how carefree I felt when the saccharine sweet voice whispered in my ear. I hadn’t seen any of the X-Clan members since the ritual, but every morning I was roused by the sound of padded feet and whispered goodbyes. The flower gave me increased hearing, and I was now wholly privy to Jooheon sneaking out in the early hours of the morning. Rather than get angry at the revelation, the flowery voice in my head lulled me back to sleep and promised me that Jooheon meant no harm to my sister and me.
It was like the dark voice inside my head was effectively silenced and I was thankful for the respite.
I was exceptionally thankful for the silence during moments that tested my total resolve. The last two days had been filled with rowdy men and the promise of eventual graduation from training. All of the specializations were close to discharging groups of trainees into society, and somehow that gave them all big heads that could block out the sun. Everyone was excited and teeming with anticipation, all of which made my job harder.
I was thankful for the silence when a group of prissy medical trainees was demanding specialized rations of food and testing my every nerve. I was thankful for the silence when some political trainees demanded to see my license and permits. I was especially thankful when two military trainees tried to proposition me for the night.
The town was in an uproar, but the beautiful petals of the flower muffled my ears so I couldn’t hear the droning.
-x-
I was clearing the tables from the dinner rush when I heard the door open. “We are closed,” I called out, silently praying that the late customer would simply leave and disregard the signage on the door. We weren’t closing for another hour, but I was hoping for an early night in because the pounding behind my eyes was growing.
“We aren't here for service.”
The voice as deep and familiar, and I turned to meet the smirking faces of Hyunwoo and Changkyun. They were a welcomed sight and I appraised them with a large grin.
“Don’t tell anyone I’m closing early,” I said with a wink, ushering them to the bar and pouring three glasses of left-over rationed water. I handed the cups off to them and we all cheered each other before drinking greedily. Changkyun was still in his trainee uniform, bright eyes and vibrant in a way that had my heart clenching for him. Hyunwoo looked less pristine in a flour smacked shirt that hugged his every muscle. He still had a bit of remnant powder on his face and he looked tired. “What can I do you for boys?” I asked, taking the final gulp of my water and putting the glass in the automated cleanser.
Hyunwoo finished his glass, sliding it forward for me to take with a lazy smile. “I just wanted to see how you are holding up?”
“Can’t stay long,” Changkyun said with a sly look, “but we wanted to make sure you didn’t lose your mind yet.”
I couldn’t help but let out a loud laugh into the empty restaurant. It felt good to laugh genuinely for once and I was thankful that Changkyun was the one to draw it out. “I lost my mind a long time ago,” I giggled as I relaxed against the bar. “But overall I feel fine. I do keep getting a headache by the end of the night. It’s nothing I can’t handle.”
“Good,” said Hyunwoo. “That means that the flower is working. It will go away eventually.”
“Eventually,” I mocked with a jest, and Hyunwoo smiled wider at my joke. As promised they both didn’t stay long. One glass of water was drunk and a few jokes were shared between us. It was strange to feel at ease around the two considering how apprehensive I was when I had first met them.
Changkyun was slowly becoming a soft spot and I could feel my affection for the young boy grow. He was so innocent yet so wise at the same time. Everything about him exuded wonderment as if he saw our world not as it is, but how it could be. Hyunwoo, on the other hand, was wholly wise and yet so kind. He was warm in an almost paternal way that allowed me to open up to him easily.
Normally my mind would be screaming at me to put my guard up. It would be telling me to not trust them because nefarious deeds are often hidden by seemingly good intentions. However this wasn’t a normal circumstance, and my head was muffled by soft blue petals that told me to trust them.
And so I did.
-x-
August 2nd, 2018
Like clockwork, the bell of the shop dinged just as I was wiping down my final table. Taking the dirty rag in my hand, I turned to tell the customer off. However, the words died in my throat when the literal bane of my existence strolled through the threshold with a borderline arrogant gait.
“Jooheon,” I said curtly, returning to my closing chores as he strode to the bar and took his usual seat.
“Jae,” he replied, watching me with sharp eyes as I flitted around and prepped to close. Soon enough the till was closed and the floor was clean, the silence stretching between us. Throwing my apron in the back I grabbed my keys and bag, giving him a raised brow in question.
“Would you like to join us again tonight?” Simple and to the point, Jooheon left the proposition hanging in the air. I internally battled with myself on the pros and cons of joining them again. The headaches were the only major negative effect, but I could also subtly feel my body screaming for a fix of the flower. Hyunwoo told me that the effects would eventually fade away, but was it worth partaking in again if I could get another fix? The heightened abilities were nice, but was this whole thing addictive?
I had seen what happens when someone becomes addicted to an altering substance. Hell, I’d sold and contributed to many peoples addictions to the bottle. I always told myself I would never be dependent on anything like that, not only for my sake but also for the sake of Mina growing up.
Would partaking in the flower cause me to break that promise? Was it even worth finding out?
“Tempting,” I drolled as I moved towards the door, Jooheon hot on my heels. “But I think I will pass. I don’t want to impose.”
“You wouldn’t be imposing. Changkyun, Hyunwoo, and I want to extend the offer.”
“Is that so?” I questioned as we stepped out into the warm night. Closing up completely, Jooheon and I started walking away from the row. We didn’t make it far before I stopped in my tracks, choosing to go the opposite direction before I could change my mind. “Tell them I said thank you, but I think I will just go home for the night.”
“Get back safe, Jae.” He gave me a small smile before turning on his heel and walking in the direction of the village’s edge.
“Jooheon,” I called out into the still darkness. He turned to look at me, continuing to walk backward and getting further away with each step.
“Yeah?”
“Promise me two things. One, Mina never finds out about the flower.” He paused at the mention of my sister. Slowly nodding, I could see his eyes flash and his shoulders tense. It was as if the mere mention of her turned the annoyingly intelligent man into a shy schoolboy. “Second,” I said moving away and into the night, “Stop leaving your shoes messily by the front door. If I trip on them one more time I’ll set them on fire.”
I didn’t stay long enough to see his reaction, choosing to take the path home and promptly passing out from exhaustion and the pounding headache.
Sure enough, the next morning there was a dirty pair of men's shoes tucked away by the front door.
-x-
August 5th, 2018
I was definitely feeling the absence of the flower by the time the tenth day rolled around. I felt normal in an almost odd way. There were weights on my shoulders and feet, slowly dragging me down and making me sluggish. To others, I looked like I was moving normally, but I felt like a snail. The only positive was when my hearing returned to normal. I was no longer roused by Jooheon sneaking out in the morning, rather the alarm on my watch was my wake up call. I couldn’t hear the chatter of customers vividly, nor were colors any brighter.
I had effectively returned to normal and my body was craving the blue petals.
My suspicions had been confirmed, and I was thankful that I didn’t succumb to the addictive temptation.
The morning of my tenth day was hotter than all the others. Humidity and heat mingled together to coat the whole village in a layer of sweat. Men, women, and trainees trudged to work miserably under the glare of the sun. Silently like zombies, we all moved in tandem, going about our bleak lives in service to the Jeongs.
It took me longer to get to the restaurant than usual. My slow footsteps were emphasized by the drops of sweat from my brow and I could already tell that today was going to be a miserable one.
My negative prediction was proven to be true when I saw Jooheon pacing outside the door like a man possessed. He had a crazed look in his eye and I was almost apprehensive to approach him. I was close to turning around and heading home, but before I could move he saw me and called out.
“Jae! I need your help!” He rushed forward and took hold of my wrist to drag me closer to the door as if it would get me moving faster. I retched out of his hold, giving him a glare that had him slightly stepping away.
Placing my key in the lock, I gave him a once over and took in his frazzled appearance. He looked anxious and rushed, something that greatly contrasted from his nonchalant persona. “You better not have done anything stupid Jooheon,” I hissed, turning the lock and making my way inside with him hot on my heels.
Before I could even get my bearings he was slamming a pile of notes on the counter. “I need a gun.”
I hesitantly took the notes, counting the sheer amount of them with strangely curious fingers. “You want something nice, huh?” He shook his head quickly, avoiding my suspicious eyes. I was so close to rejecting the offer based on the sheer amount of knowledge I had on the boy, but the money was too good and it would help Mina and I pay the rent for the next few months easily. “I may have something, but it could take a few days.” Pocketing the money, I made a mental note on what to ask my supplier for.
“I can’t wait for a few days. Just give me two of what you have now.” The urgency in his voice took me back.
I looked at him skeptically, contemplating what exactly he would be planning. “I’m going to be pissed off with whatever you are planning on doing, aren’t I?”
“Probably.” He glanced towards the door, willing it to remain closed so he could be in and out quickly. Flitting between the door and me, Jooheon’s anxiety was rolling off him in waves.
Narrowing my eyes, I asked him the one question that was plaguing me. “Is Mina involved in whatever you are about to do? Because if she is you know I won’t hesitate to kill you.” The last words came out with a dark growl.
“Absolutely not.” He said it with such resolve that I almost, almost believed him. With a sigh, I resigned myself to the allure of the money. Taking the notes, I stuffed them away before heading down to the storage room. Grabbing two handguns, I brought them up and slid them to him in a small black bag. Just as he slung it over his shoulder the first two customers of the day strolled in, no doubt trying to find an escape from the heat.
Jooheon didn’t say anything, choosing to simply run out of the restaurant with haste, earning a glare from the few customers that got in his way. I didn’t have time to chase after him or do anything else before the filling of tables took all my concentration away. Throughout the day any spare thought I had was focused on Jooheon and his suspicious actions, but I couldn’t do anything without looking complicit or suspicious. After all, I was the one who sold him the weapons.
The lunch rush came and went in a flurry. I welcomed the small gap between lunch and dinner, resigning myself to tidy up and make sure I wouldn’t get too behind once the dinner patrons came in. It was monotonous, as every day usually was, but it was a good distraction from Jooheon’s sketchy behavior a few hours prior.
“Sweeping? Check. Mopping? Check. Rinsing down the bar?” I checked the water rations of the restaurant and saw plenty of water left over. “To-do,” I hummed and set to the task. Between the gushes of water from the handheld hose, the door opened and I didn’t notice the patron come and sit at the bar.
“Jae,” they whispered, causing me to jump about a foot in the air.
“Holy shit!” I dropped the hose, splashing water all over my clothes and the floor. I was started by the onslaught of cold water, but all that went out the window when I saw the distress on Minhyuk’s face. He had dirt dusted over his cheeks and they were streaked with dried tear tracks. His eyes were red and puffy, practically screaming at me that he had been crying.
“Are you okay?” There was a genuine concern in my voice, something that even surprised me. But the shaking of his shoulders brought out that maternal instinct that gravitated towards Mina and, lately, Changkyun.
“Jooheon told me that I c-could come here if I needed help.” His voice sounded defeated, almost broken and each word was a glass shard in my chest.
“He said that?” Looking around, he simply nodded his head as fresh tears gathered in the corners of his eyes. “I mean, sometimes. I can get you something that you… yeah—”
Cutting me off he leaned in closer, practically leaning over the bar. “Can you get me rations? Or do you only have weapons?”
“I have both.” The question took me off guard as Minhyuk was one of the last people I’d expect to come… buying.
“Gas? Do you have gas rations?” Urgency swam behind his eyes, and for the second time today I was questioning if I should tell a customer yes or no. The X-Clan were proving to be the total bane of my existence.
“Y-yeah I do, but they are easily traceable so I don’t usually sell them.” He looked absolutely defeated as if I took any and all hope from him. He leaned back on the stool, shoulders slumped and eyes downcast. There was a complete cloud over him that seemed to even dull his bright hair and eyes. It was at this moment that I saw the similarities with Hoseok.
Despite being brothers, they looked relatively dissimilar. The only major indicator of their parentage was arguably the rare white of their hair and almost ethereal looks. However, now that I was seeing the younger up close and personal it was easier to see the little ticks and movements of his face that paralleled that of his insufferable older brother. They both had eyes that portrayed emotions like a television screen, flashing from one feeling to the next and displaying their state for all the world to see if one just took the time to look.
I’d seen rage, disbelief, and curiosity in Hoseok’s eyes. I’d also seen them blown out with euphoria. This time around I was seeing the other Lee brother hang his head in disappointment with pain swimming through the dark irises. It was something that I knew I didn’t want to see again.
I let out a tired sigh and mumble, telling him to stay put before hanging up a closed sign, locking up, and heading down to the storage room for the second time that day. The cold room welcomed me with frosty arms and I discreetly wished that the X-Clan would leave me in peace for one damn day.
I grabbed a ration of gas and, after double checking that it was full, headed back upstairs. In an instant, Minhyuk seemed to shed his forlorn attitude once he saw the ration in my hands. Like a mother handing her child a toy, I gave the ration to Minhyuk when he eagerly reached for it.
Long gone was dull look in his eyes, rather it was replaced by a new determination that brought color to his cheeks. He looked angry and resolved all at once.
“Just take it and go.” He all but sprinted out of the store, getting stuck behind the locked door for a moment and fumbling with the lock. Rounding the bar I unlocked the door for him, but before he could leave I grabbed his shoulder and forced him to look at me. “Be careful, okay?” Once last fleeting nod and a curve of his lips were all he gave me before running out into the midday sun.
As I watched him go I realized that the X-Clan was becoming a little too comfortable with me. In the span of ten days I’d seen Jooheon twice— not counting the nights he spent in my home—and three other members at least once. Granted I had a growing soft spot for Changkyun but the visit from Minhyuk was a shock because he and Hyungwon were arguably the last people I expected to come to me. We’d exchanged only a few words, virtually none up until the morning after I first took the flower with them. He and the tall, beautiful boy were usually in their own world together.
The sheer fact was that they were arguably growing bolder and bolder just by coming to me so casually. But I knew with every fiber of my being that this increasingly bold attitude would end up coming back to bite me in the ass.
Despite knowing how precarious of a situation I was in, why was a feeling exhilarated?
A/N: So this chapter is shorter and boring, but it leads up to the climax of the next two chapters. AND THEN after that, we get into the fallout and the end of Book One. I’m so excited! As always, thank you to my amazing beta and soulmate @wonheonie for helping me with this chapter and keeping me going. If there is anything, in particular, you’d like to see happen send me a message. Also, please let me know how you are liking this series, it’s my baby but I honestly feel like I’m losing inspiration. I keep rewriting the ending and Book Three and I’ll end it there so I’m not fishing for reviews.
