Super Seventeen

Chapter Twelve

For Mingyu, the honest answer would've been no, I've never heard of you, but out of courtesy and pity for the children, he managed to feign a look of shock and some degree of recognition. He was pretty sure that the same went for his friends.

NCT Dream, huh? So probably a subdivision of NCT - but I honestly doubt that they're any of the people we've talked about before. Also if they really are the people behind everything we've dealt with so far, I will actually die of embarrassment. Nothing worse than getting defeated by a whole bunch of teenagers.

"NCT Dream, huh?" Seungkwan pretended to look impressed. Mingyu could tell that he was about to plan something. He just wasn't sure if it would be be good or bad.

"Yes." One of them looked slightly suspicious at their behaviour, but seemingly did nothing about his suspicion.

"Yeah, and we're probably going to kick your asses -" Another one said.

"Stop swearing!"

"We get it from you."

"Where?"

"You say 'long-ass ride' all the time, Mark."

Mark? So that's the name of the one who's wary about us.

"I'm a bad role model, don't do anything I say." This elicited a plethora of snickers from the rest of them.

"There's some kids sitting in the back." Woozi frowned, trying to see the faces behind the ones that were standing. It was now that Mingyu realized the people standing in front were very conveniently positioned in a way that they were creating a protective barrier, practically mimicking the one that was surrounding the Midnight Diner.

"They probably have powers like you." Hoshi nudged Woozi. "We always try to keep you in the back."

Woozi raised his eyebrows in an expression that Mingyu interpreted as unimpressed. "I was thinking of Wonwoo and Joshua, but I guess that works too." Of course he'd think of you first, dumbass.

"But if it's a power like Wonwoo and Joshua, it's unlikely that they'd even bring them here," Mingyu cut in (he had to yell a bit since DK and Seungkwan had now started an argument with one of the NCT Dream members regarding the significance of profane language). "On the action field, I mean. If they are here and in the back, they probably have more importance than just knowledge. And I doubt they'd do something to reveal their powers as obvious as sit down... why are you looking at me like that?"

The two had been giving him a look of something between shock and admiration, which definitely came unexpected from Woozi. "Yeah, he's definitely been spending too much time around Wonwoo," he mumbled to Hoshi, inflicting a flush of heat to flood his cheeks.

"It's nothing." Hoshi gave him a smile, clearly unaware that Mingyu had, in fact, heard Woozi's not-so-subtle statement. "We're just a bit... surprised, I guess? I'm not really used to you reasoning like that."

"You're right, though." Woozi pointed down at the Midnight Diner. "My best guess is that they're responsible for what's going on down there."

"So we need to get to them first." A wide grin spread across Hoshi's face. "Piece of cake."

"I don't like that grin," Mingyu said, but in reality his own face was replicating the look of utter mischief on his comrade's.

"Oh, you may not like my grin, but you'll definitely love my plan." Hoshi then rested his elbow on Woozi's shoulder. "Ready to create the biggest, best diversion of the century?"

~~~

"No offense, but this is slightly underwhelming."

"Yeah, this wasn't quite what I had in mind."