The Frequency of the Wind

Chapter 3

“Hyung, you should go home. It’s already so late and your shift is over.”

Seungcheol turned his head over to the person next to him as he rubbed his eyes, sleepiness began to attack his conscious. Yawning, the raven haired man stretched his arms, making the other rolled his eyes for the older’s obvious intention.                   

“But I can’t just leave you here alone, Seokmin.” He mumbled weakly, sneezing in process. He might just get some cold for the works he had finished off today. Besides, autumn had come and he did have nothing to wear as a coat, considering the tight economic state his family had. He only wore his usual sweater—which he had hoodie attached on it—and simple black sweatpants. Okay, maybe sweatpants weren’t the best thing to wear when you go to work, but it sure was more comfortable and warmer than the ripped jeans he kept in his closet.

Seokmin only laughed at the older as he shoved something at Seungcheol’s chest. Seungcheol caught it spontaneously only to realize it was money that Seokmin gave. It was about fifteenc thousand won.

“Really, if you only stay here waiting for your salary to increase, I could just lend you some money, hyung.” He continued before Seungcheol could voice a protest. “I don’t really need that money anyway. I don’t live in a dusty mansion and a drunk single parent to begin with.”

Seeing Seokmin genuine smile, Seungcheol could only mutter a thank you. It was one of the reasons why he couldn’t dislike the other. Seokmin was generally in a wealth family; his dad was a pilot while his mom had the most popular coffee shop in town. But he chose not to rely in his parents and began to do a part-time job in a small market that opened for 24 hours. Though Seungcheol was curious why Seokmin wanted to get a shift near midnight instead of the daytime, because he knew Seokmin was still in high school and working midnight is not good for your health. Seungcheol shrugged off the thoughts as Seokmin patted his back gently.

“Now go home before your brother arrive because I think he prefers to see you asleep than see you off your home in midnight.”

“As if.” Seungcheol muttered, he knew his brother wouldn’t want him to be home. He had been a bastard of a brother after all. Hell, why do you even want a brother that laze himself at home, never done the laundry, never washed the dishes or even taken a good care of his own father, despite the one who worked for their money is the younger brother himself? Well the truth was, Seungcheol had a reason why Hansol had to work so hard as a celebrity although Seungcheol had a part-time job too—even though it’s an obvious secret to his family.

He had to carefully play his role as a trashy son and brother. Or he would be doomed. His family would be broken, more than before. His father would probably kill himself, and Hansol could maybe blame his being for the rest of his life. Well, it was the truth anyways. The truth that made his burden to go even larger. The truth that kept him in his brain to think any good solution that never comes to his minds. The truth about everything he wished he never had opened up that damn Pandora Box of his stepmother, the one who ruined his family’s life. He regretted that day of his life. Why should he be all that curious about something unnecessary? He was confused as well.

“Well then, I’ll see you tomorrow at work, Seokmin.” Seungcheol trailed off to the back door, the exit that passed the locker room where he kept his beanie. He then stormed out after he had put his working vest in his locker.

The night was extremely cold, that was the only thing Seungcheol thought in mind when he felt the tingling feeling at the back of his neck. He soon put up his hoodie to cover his head from freezing, followed by his hands that stuffed into the pocket on his sweater. He really had to buy coat now or later or he would be dead by the temperature that targeted him to be crazy by the coldness that overwhelmed him. He scoffed, his ears were getting red too it was irritating for him to relate.

Walking down the quiet and silent street, Seungcheol felt himself being covered by his own anxiousness. He didn’t know what was on his mind when he had a bad feeling at that second. It was making him trembling. He wondered why was the bizarre instinct of him telling him not to go further and further. Why were his legs so heavy to just lifting a step forward? He was curious to his beating chest, waiting for a reason to answer his uneasiness. Getting even frightened, he then stopped his track, right in front of a zebra cross which would lead him across the empty streets.

He took a glance to the left and right, there was no vehicle passing at that moment. He looked up to the traffic lights. It signed that it wasn’t his time to cross over yet. He knew it wasn’t a good idea to break the rules, especially the rules you should obey when you are on the streets because when you tried to cheat it, it could be death for you. Nonetheless, he didn’t care about things anymore and all he did want was to go home and placed down his back on his bed, without any problems creeping his beings. Oh he really wished he could forget all his sorrow. It was unbearable sometimes, when he remembered he had life to take a good care of.

He actually and secretly desired to hang himself at many moments. Like, he had a messy and ruined family to begin with. He had no one to rely on. He had no actual friend that he could share his problems with. Although Jeonghan and Joshua was his ‘said’ high school best friends, he never said once about the dark side he had always kept. He didn’t want them to leave him. He was afraid they would hate him for being this pathetic, this miserable. He had no love to share with. His love was always in vain, always be erased for every reasons could be made. He had no talent whatsoever. He only had a good physical that would lead him to a sport star. But sports couldn’t make much money if he had no specific skill that could make him shine brighter than others. It was frustrating. He had no idea why God let him live.

Seungcheol waited for the traffic light to change into the green one, but it sure took the longest time he had been waiting for. He reached out his headphones, and put it in on his ears, hip-hop music flowed through his brain as he stared at the pavements ten meters ahead him. He really liked how music turned his mood and recovered himself from fear. It seemed like a magic thrown to him, it was rather comforting. His eyes closed to feel the song and he unconsciously tap his foot to support it. He did like how hip-hop began to make itself the best part of his life. He didn’t know why he liked it when he heard a singer rapped and sang touching and inspirational lyrics to describe their souls, with a fast tone and pumped background song to compacted it. He never really thought about singing as a profession although his younger brother is a rapper himself. He thought it was impossible for a man like him to have potential in music. He knew his boundaries, so he preferred to stay inside than to get out from his comfort zone.

Finding the lights turned into green for once—after a long three minutes—he stepped on the zebra cross and walked slowly as he followed the rhythm played on his headphones. But too much feel he gave to the song, made himself to drop the phone that was in his sweatpants. He sighed, and bended down, taking his phone on his held before he checked the pocket in his sweatpants. It got hole in it and he couldn’t urge not to heave a sigh in disappointment. Now he had to get a new one.

Suddenly—in no more than a second—a flash of light passed by the edge of his eyes followed by a loud holler of a horn. He couldn’t move a finger when he turned his head to his right, finding a truck making its way fast to his figure. He never did know why he had been stopping there in the middle of the street with his hoodie on, and his headphone still attached on his ears the whole time. But all he did know was the impact to his whole body, his broken headphones, and the face of his younger brother telling him to always keep his own safety. Screaming in his own head, he fell into the darkness; which enveloped him into pain and misery.

All he saw was black. And dark red that pointed he was soon to meet the death he had been wishing for this entire long.

+++++++++++++++

Seungcheol woke up to see a black cat staring down at him from the side stairs of a building. He was laying on an alley without any lights shone on him. His head was aching and all of his body was in incredible pain he didn’t hope he had to move it forever. It was like he was paralyzed. But strangely, his instinct told him to get up already though his body felt similarly to corpse. He began to raise his back and sat up, trying to release the migraine on his head as he massaged his temple. He soon stood on his foot.  His legs were so weak at that moment he couldn’t find his balance. He leaned on to the wall, his shoulder rely on the cold brick while he stepped forward to the source of light in front of him.

He was met by a crowded streets with noisy sirens rang everywhere. He blinked his eyes. How did the usual empty street become so stuffy like this? Seungcheol tried to increase his strength and moved forward, carefully not to bump people in process. It seemed like the people pooled over something in the middle of the road. He furrowed his eyebrows. Why the people gathered there? As he approached the road, he flinched at the siren sound that came closer at him and spotted an ambulance making their way to the circle of people. He instantly wondered what really happened. Was there an accident occurred? He walked to the center of attention. He couldn’t help but gasped.

All the people he just saw suddenly were gone like shadow as he passed by. His eyes were attached to the sight facing his body. No. His soul. Tears began to form when he gazed down to his hands that went transparent. He lifted his chin, it was unbearable. He was trembled by the scene.

There he was, lying on the ground, with his eyes opened wide and blood scattered beneath his figure. His headphones were broken. His hoodie fell off his head. His sweater was soaked by red color. His phone was thrown and forgotten. He was unmoved. He was silent. He was pathetic.

He was gone in this world.

+++++++++++++++

“Choi Seungcheol, have you realized what you’ve been through now?”

I don’t know why my body and soul were separated at that time; I was just too speechless to answer millions of questions running in my head. It was unbelievable. It wasn’t possible. It was too imaginative. No one would be alive in his soul and dead in his body.

I didn’t think straight when I saw a black cloak with scythe called me out from my thoughts. I couldn’t saw his face. All I could see was dark in his cloak. It was scary. I didn’t dare to look inside. He approached me in mile second and there he was, in front of my delusional figure, lowering his gaze at my heights. He was tall, he was as thin as a stick, and his voice wasn’t the most beautiful one you would ever heard. You wouldn’t want to meet him all your life.

I couldn’t move my lips; it was too sealed tight because of my fear towards his deathly aura. He took a step forward to my face, and I gulped.

“I said, have you realized what you’ve been through now, Choi Seungcheol?”

My mouth was trembling too much, but I managed to let out the words I need to answer. The answer that I wished never come from my mouth.

“Y-Yes. I-I’m dead, right?”

+++++++++++

Finally an update! It’s been more than a month… I deleted the first one because there was an error in aff, so I waited to be normal again…  I’m sorry that I’ve been working on my other fic, but please still anticipate this story! Next time we meet, Jicheol time~~ XD