we the cursed, nct dream ✔

part thirty-three

⇉ the one with more kissing.

part thirty-three

"Do you believe in superpowers?"

Taeyong swivels around in his chair to face her as she wordlessly places a paper cup of coffee on the table in front of him. He takes a grateful sip, then reverts his mind back to her strange question. "What?"

"You know." Yiran settles into the chair opposite him. "That certain people can be born with the ability to do superhuman things."

He quirks a brow. "Sure I did. When I was five."

"That's not what I mean." Yiran's frustrated. "So yesterday, on my day off, I was binging all the Avengers movies when-" At Taeyong's look, she bristles defensively. "What? They're comforting, okay?"

Taeyong levels a gaze at her. "Detective Huang, we might need to have a conversation about the importance of separating fiction from real life-"

She frowns, missing his tiny smile. "Anyway, I started thinking about this case. Death by electricity? Very strange. But then I had a crazy dream and woke up thinking, what if our killer is going about it this way because they have some sort of power or ability they're using?"

"Huh?"

"It's completely crazy; I'm aware. And yeah, superpowers don't exist... as far as we know." Taeyong still seems skeptical, so she presses on. "It's like how Dr. Strange can create spells and stuff. Perhaps our UNSUB can make electricity?"

Taeyong remains silent, and Yiran slumps back against the chair. "You're right. Even I know I sound insane."

"Listen." He sets the cup down. "I get why this might be keeping you up at night. I'd be lying if I said it wasn't bothering me too. But people are dying. We need to figure out what the hell is going on here before more do, and to do that, we need to keep our heads straight. Stay rational."

She nods, albeit begrudgingly. "Fine, fine, you're right. Ignore everything I just said." She chuckles. "I wish Renjun was here; I just know that smartass would've figured something out by now."

"We'll be able to see him and Jeno in under a year." Yeah, what are the odds that their younger siblings were best friends who somehow ended up in the same correctional facility? The world really is quite small. "Use that to keep you going, if you need to."

Yiran glares. "I do miss him terribly, though. Don't you worry about your brother?"

"Sure I do, but it's out of my hands. If the no-outside-contact policy is put in place to help them recover..." Taeyong shrugs. "Well, at least they're all together. I know they won't get into any trouble."

▸

"You got in trouble?"

Juno's foot taps repeatedly on the floor. "Yeah, Mr. Ahn got really pissed and kicked me out of class." She grimaces. "It was so embarrassing."

"That's unlike you," Chenle remarks, clutching a pillow to his chest as he lays on the bed.

"I know!" Her leg is actually beginning to ache from the relentless tapping, but she can't seem to stop. Haechan finally kicks her foot, glaring pointedly. Juno meekly folds her legs into a crisscross position atop the seat of the chair. "This week has been terrible."

"Yeah, I bet." Jisung narrows his eyes at her. "You've been really hyper for the past few days. How much sleep have you been getting?"

"Two and a half entire hours in total this week," she declares.