Consequences

I started teaching again and having the kids makes me less anxious. Although I’m still picking up some pieces of my identity; I still continue acting as a good son in my family and I’m still trying to conceal who I really am in front of Beomgyu hyung.

“Good morning,” I heard his hoarse voice and a tighten hug greeted me early in the morning with a morning peck of kiss on my lips.

“Good morning, hyung,” I greeted him back and buried my face on his chest. “How’s your sleep?”

“Always better whenever you’re with me,” he replied, eyes closed.

I let out a chuckle, “Too early to say cheesy, hyung.”

“Sorry,” he laughs. “Let’s do our best today, okay?”

“Yes,” I agreed and move to look at him. I reach his face and kiss his lips as well. “Thank you, hyung…”

“For?” he asks, smiling.

“Everything…”

Beomgyu hyung and I started our day with the kid’s breakfast and went to classes right away. After my time, I went back to our room to change clothes then I noticed the teddy bear on hyung’s closet.

“You’re still here,” I whispered. “Was the scarf able to give you warm, huh? I hope hyung uses this too during winter,” I added a chuckle at the end.

I’m sorry if I took long enough to come back. I didn’t know what’s really going on but once I’ll figure it out, I’ll make sure to clear everything and start new.

I still have a lot of free time so I decided to meet Woo Hyun—or should I call him Jaechan from now on— in the Downtown’s port. I brought some cold drinks with me as I waited for him. I sat on the seawall while facing the ocean.

“Taehyun,” I heard him call my name, omitting the ‘hyung’ since I know he already figured it out as well. He sat next to me and said, “Whoa! You’re scary, you know that?”

“And why is that?” I frown.

“Well, things are just so accurate,” he answered. “How are you? Until where you can remember?” he asks.

“I still have long way back,” I answered and take a sip of my drink. “Why didn’t you visit me right away when I wake up?”

“I’m busy,” he replied and my brow rose. “Hey! Don’t you know how many 90-day contracts I’m handling for five years? This is all your fault, punk,” he complained.

I laugh at it since it’s so weird hearing him rants while in his child form. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know about that,” I apologized instead. “But I’m curious, why did I plan my accident?”

He made a pause and stares at me for seconds. “I don’t know? Why Taehyun? Why were you so desperate to get hit by a car?” he asks me back.

“Hey, I’m serious,” I warned him.

“Same here,” he answered then looks away and inhales. “You were eager to save someone. You said that was the last resort,” he said.

“Who? Beomgyu hyung?” I guess.

“Maybe? Maybe not? Can be him or can be yourself,” he pauses and look at me. “Maybe it’s someone else.”

“Hey stop playing around the bush and tell me already! How am I supposed to plan things out when I can’t remember anything?” I scolded him.

He just sighs, “It was your last condition,” he stated. “You wished for three times in different years, remember your wishes?”

“I-I did? Why?”

“Hey! How would I know about it? It’s between you and Deity!” he yelled at me in annoyance. “You two agreed on something, can’t you remember—”

“I’ve been telling you that I can’t, you punk,” I hit the back of his head and he glares at me. “So you’re telling me that I was also in a 90-day contract with Huening?”

“90-day contract, my foot,” he reacted and scoffs. “You’ve been contracted with him since you were eight. Eight years old,” he even repeated. “It wasn’t just 90 days, it was like a whole-life contract.”

Me? Why?

I scratch the back of my head and then I heard him open his drink. There’s a silence between us and I can only hear the waves hitting the rocks below us.

“You never fail to amaze me,” I heard him states. “You planned everything… perfectly.”

“I did?”

He nods slowly and sips once more. “I don’t really know about all the details but I approved why Deity chose you out of all people,” he added.

“What are you talking about?” I continue to frown at him.

He blandly look at me and knitted his brows, “Remember it all first then make up your mind. About Beomgyu… if you’re going to leave him or continue things with him,” he said.

I sigh, “That… I don’t know. I’m filled with guilt. Leaving him for I don’t even know reasons,” I replied.

“You have your reasons,” he said and stands up on the sea wall. “You have enough reasons to do it.”

I left Beomgyu hyung with valid reasons? What was that? I need to think of it as well. There is so much in plate and I don’t even know what I should do with it.

“You should come to the clinic, someone’s waiting for you,” Jaechan said.

I did what he said and I almost went out of Dr. Kai’s clinic when I saw who’s sitting inside the office. “What an ill sight,” I commented right away.

Yeonjun hyung scoffs, “Whoa, you’re really back. Kang Taehyun is back!” he suddenly shouted in sarcasm and I’m just staring at him with my poker face. He takes a stand and come closer to me. “Are you ready?”

“With what?”

“Your fate,” he replied. “Aren’t you curious?”

“Of what?”

“Why you’re still alive?”

My eyes widen when he said that. I don’t know but I really felt chills in me when I heard him stated. “W-what are you talking about?”

“Five years ago, weren’t you supposed to be dead?” he asks and I keep quiet because I didn’t know anything. “But Deity put you in a coma and rest your soul in the Borderline while removing all of your memories,” he pauses and stares deeply in my eyes. “Then whose body turned into ashes that your mother carried back home?”

Mother?

“Weren’t you supposed to be punished for breaking the law of committing relationship with the wisher?” he continued and scoffs. “It must be lucky having Deity by your side.”

“What are you talking about?” I ask while gritting my teeth and my hand forming a fist.

“Choi Beomgyu… weren’t he the condition of your first wish many years ago… that’s why you’re trying to undo things?”

“B-Beomgyu hyung…?”

“That’s why you were eager to save him because your fate suddenly became his because you involved him, right?” he continued.

Tinnitus. I can hear static and earful sounds that’s messing my head. Again, there are voices inside my head—kids. There are voices of kids laughing in my mind.

“Well, you’re right…” Yeonjun hyung continue to speak and walk away from me while I’m already pressing my head as if it can help me ease the pain. “Beomgyu should really recent you… because imagine him being at peace with his grandmother… then you messed it up so bad.”

“Are you really Deity? Then can you help me with my birthday wish?”

Whose voice is this?

“What’s your wish then?”

Hueningkai? The Deity?

“I want to die.”

“Argh! D-damn it,” I cursed and felt how my nose bleed in too much tension inside my head. Then I heard Yeonjun hyung called me once more.

“Taehyun, what are you going to do? Once Beomgyu found out that his fate got entangled to you because of your wishes?”