blind star // txt taegyu

lit up the sky

Beomgyu was almost afraid to go to school again. He had been training at Aenix Labs for a few days already, yet hadn't manifested a physical style. He was okay with it, though, because he didn't want to fight yet. He was afraid half the people he was friends with turned out to be Schers — harmful ones, too.

A new gift he discovered was being able to detect Scher energy. He couldn't pinpoint it, but he could sense when a Scher was nearby — and that feeling occured more than he'd like. He was no longer an informant for Anti-Entropy, but actually became an agent-in-training. Taehyun had become one as well, and were put into the legion of their district.

Beomgyu arrived at school, having already been to his locker. Kids were looking at him funny, so he couldn't help but wonder what had happened while he was gone. He frowned, stalking off to Ryujin's locker. She was standing there, one hand in her pocket while the other handled her phone.

"Ryujin-ah! Hey, thanks for giving Taehyun his h—"

"Oh my God, Choi Beomgyu, you're alive!"

She seemed shocked, almost dropping her phone. Beomgyu was confused, wondering why should react in that manner. "Uh… are you okay? Of course I'd be alive, why would you think otherwise?"

Ryujin was quiet, gulping nervously. "Y-you were marked as a casualty in the news. The fact that you were killed by the Sixth Herrscher was everywhere." She sighed, pushing her hair back. "M-maybe I'm just imagining things. Maybe you're a ghost and I'm just grieving or something. Oh my God, I can see spirits—"

"Ryujin, I'm not dead," Beomgyu said quickly, a small laugh escaping his lips. "Look. I'm alive. See? Didn't Taehyun say anything?"

"No, for some reason," Ryujin said, shaking her head. "Wait, I'm still not sure if you're alive."

Beomgyu laughed, holding his arms wide open as an invitation for Ryujin to hug him. She seemed heistant before just poking her arm, flinching in surprise when Beomgyu tried to scare her. "Wah!"

"Ah, don't do that!" she yelled, punching his arm. Beomgyu grinned, rubbing the spot she had punched. "Well, you're really alive, it seems. Only Beomgyu can be such a little shit. Where were you this whole time, though?"

"I'd like to tell you, but we have to say it in private," Beomgyu said, his voice falling lower. "I'll tell you during lunch in the library. It's pretty important, and if you tell anyone, Anti-Entropy might come for you."

"Anti-Entropy? Why?"

"I said I'll tell you during lunch," Beomgyu repeated, crossing his arms. The bell rang and he sighed heavily. "Right, time to face everyone after being declared dead, wish me luck."

•

"Due to the recent outbreak of Scher attacks across Seoul, we now have an Anti-Entropy unit in the school. This unit is here simply to keep things in order, and make sure no student is harmed. We cannot disclose who they are, but everyone is aware of Kang Taehyun being the Seventh Herrscher of the Star. Remember the PTA meeting this evening, students."

The intercom buzzed and the school bell went off, indicating the start of lunch. Beomgyu picked up his backpack, throwing itnonto his back and standing up. He bowed with the rest if the class and quickly left, making a beeline to the library. He had no idea if Taehyun was at school, he had lost his phone amidst the fight and they hadn't exchanged new numbers since they saw each other every day at Aenix Labs.

"So you survived."

Beomgyu flinched, turning around quickly and seeing a student standing behind him. It was someone from his class — someone he wasn't too familiar with. "Uhm… hey, Junseo. Are you good?"

Junseo scoffed, looking down at his feet. "There's no way you'd get out alive after being around a Herrscher. It's too good to be true. Sure, you have Kang Taehyun — but this is just a little too strange."

"Hey, what's your problem? I managed to survive, okay? Just like everyone else that managed to escape. What's your deal anyways?" Beomgyu grew more frustrated with every sentence he said. He tried to remain calm to make sure his Scher energy didn't go crazy, since he didn't know how to control his energy output yet, but it seemed that Junseo knew.

"… you're one of us."

"Listen here, you've never spoken to me before and I don't know what your deal is, but I need to leave—"

"I want to help."

Beomgyu was quiet, frowning at the boy in front of him. "Help? With what?"

"Look, I'm smarter than the others," Junseo replied with a little laugh. "You're practically joined by the hip to Kang Taehyun, and it was revealed that he is a Herrscher. Then they said that there's an agent working beside Taehyun. It's painfully obvious that it's you — and with the news earlier, I'm guessing that you and Taehyun are part of the secret unit here."

Beomgyu didn't want to deny it, because he was a bad liar. He sighed, crossing his arms before looking around. "Are you a Scher, then?"

"Not a bad one."

Beomgyu glared slightly. "I'll have to keep my eye on you—"

"Listen, I'm serious," Junseo said, his tone firm. "I've never consumed a soul before. The only times I've used my style is to ward off Schers from entering my neighbourhood. I want to protect humans as well. I want to work under Anti-Entropy — it's my dream, actually."

Beomgyu hummed as he nodded, looking around to check if anyone was listening in. "Come with me. I need to know if you're lying to me or not."

"Just read my Scher energy — I don't have a lot," Junseo said. "Please believe me. I'm just curious about everything that happened that day and how you're still alive."

Beomgyu seemed to believe him, because Junseo didn't have a lot of Scher energy about him. "It's all top secret stuff, but… just come with me. We can't talk in the open like this."