"Brother mother father father mother brother he's no longer--" Zico kept on singing..

?

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Chapter 1: "Are you there Taewoon?"

Word Count: 1519

Rating: R for killings, and a few cuss words too

Requirement: Have a brain and read well.

Summary: How would Zico be the death of himself? Was he digging a hole for his own funeral? 

-Start of chapter 1

"How would you react if I said I saw your death, Taewoon?" 

"What? You shouldnt take your dreams seriously. You're just stressed from work.  Relax."

"How are you sure that they're from my dreams?"

And just like that, Zico manages to cut their conversation indirectly.

Taewoon was the only family Zico had left. Taewoon was the father, mother, and brother to Zico. 14-years , but they still stuck with each other like glutinous rice. Zico and Taewoon's father died after being stabbed to death by 2 people, 9 years ago.

His father was on his way to pick-up Zico and his close friend Ji-Wu from school. Ji-Wu lived next door to Zico, so Ji-Wu's parents had asked if he could just carpool with Zico's father. Waiting a block away from the school, Zico's father parked his car. 2 guys run up to him and start stabbing him. For what reason? No one knew. Their family was simple, and as far as they were aware, they never made any enemies. It was all over the news. Since they lived in a province, nothing was really censored.

The images were disgusting. Zico's father was stabbed in the weirdest places. The experts and investigators figured out that he was stabbed 18 times. Two knives were used, recovered from the incident area. The investigators concluded that the murderers stuck the knife through his eyeballs first, but it wasnt deep enough to kill him. His father struggled and tried to fight back, but losing blood made him groggy. The murderers also specifically targeted his father's ribcage. The stabs were precisely placed to hit the bones, but to not go deeper. His father actually died of blood loss, and not from the stabs... 

Zico waited for his father, but he never came. He was still unaware that he was basically waiting for nothing. After losing patience, he and Ji-wu walk home, all 14 kilometers of it.

"How could this happen to him?! Why did it have to be our family!!"

Zico overheard his mother screaming. He rushes inside and Taewoon tries to tell him what happened. But his mother was crying non-stop, asking God if she had done something wrong. His mother's screaming sounded like random blabs. He couldnt understand what his mother was saying. After Taewoon finished telling Zico what happened, Zico was completely zoned out. He was motionless... and emotionless. He basically stood there like a statue, in complete shock of what happened.

The next day, the news has already spread throughout their village. No one wanted to deal with their family, afraid they'll be targeted next. Taewoon and their mother were like zombies, tired from crying all night. Zico wanted to talk to someone. The weird thing was, Zico still hasnt let a single tear out. Though he wanted to talk to them about his confused emotions, he knew they werent the right people to talk to. So he runs to Ji-Wu. 

"WOAH.."

Zico was shocked...

"I kept crying all night.. I couldnt stop the tears.. It's like a part of me died when I heard the news.. I'm so sorry, Zico" 

"How the? Woah! What happened to your arm?! Why is it bandaged?"

Zico was puzzled as to why Ji-Wu was already at their doorstep. Nonetheless he was glad to see his friend. 

"Are you alright, Zico? The news is everywhere. I'm really sorry for what happened Zico.."

They talk outside. Zico explains to Ji-Wu how he hasnt cried, let alone be sad, once he heard his father died. Ji-wu starts thinking that he was playing with him. But Zico reinstated that it's the truth. Zico lets out a small chuckle, and just then Zico tells Ji-wu, "I can't believe I'm saying this... I think for some reason.... I've predicted it happening. I'm not sure how, but I have been desensitized after seeing this in my dream."

Ji-Wu doesnt say a word and lets him continue. "I'm not sure if thats how it went, but I've had a dream like this. And the freaky thing is, in my dream, it was also my father. It was brutal. I saw him being killed. After re-watching the news, the only differences from my dream and the news were that only 1 person was stabbing him in my dream, and that the location in my dream was in an endless field with orange flowers."

"How exactly do you manage to make stuff up like that at a time like this, Zico? Do you not realize, your father is dead? He is gone. Forever. Stop making jokes like that. How could I be the one crying for your loss? Youre E D  U P."

Everything that Zico expected from the conversation didnt happen. He wanted Ji-Wu to understand his point of view, his non-existent feelings and why everything felt... weirdly... right. Ji-wu walked away, but it's not like he wouldnt be seeing Zico, theyre neighbors. 

Zico walked around in circles. And since he had an obsession with numbers, he counted how many full circles he made. "12..13..14.. Ah, 14 circles.  I still don't understand how I feel. I can't talk to my mom, she's a mess. My brother is staring blankly at the wall, and my bestfriend probably hates me. How could no one understand? Isnt it possible that maybe, just maybe, I've seen it happen before that I already cried tears before?"

Zico was starting to feel like no one in the world understood him. But life is a train that doesnt stop for anyone. So, as with everybody, Zico and his family moved on. Why would he keep on wondering for nothing?

Three years pass by, Zico went back to school, like a regular teen, study study study, and a little k-popping along the way. Zico is an excellent student. Not the top of his class, but he's well-balanced. He was friendly, but not everyone approached him after the incident. People alienated him, marking him as someone you shouldnt talk to. He never knew a lot of people in his class, aside from Ji-Wu who was always by his side since they were young, and his other friend Kyung, whom he met at highschool. They clicked quickly, since they both like math.

Zico had a certain liking for algebra. He felt like everything should be calculated, just like in algebra. He had a specific habit of counting how many times he does something, like how many seconds it takes to boot up his computer, or how many steps it takes to get from one room to another. 

One semester passes by, and he starts noticing something. Ji-wu stopped attending classes. He was nowhere to be seen. He timidly asks his classmates if they know anything about why Ji-wu stopped going to classes. His classmates shrug him off saying "Who is Ji-Wu anyways? off, we don't want our family to die too"

Rather than being hurt at the comment, he was worried. Ji-Wu just stopped attending classes. After class, Zico rushes home. Since he no longer had his father to pick him up, Zico always brought a blue bicycle with him. 

"How could he not tell me?"

Those were the only words that came out from Zico's mouth.. Ji-wu moved out of the province without telling Zico. He was bothered by it. Ji-wu and Zico grew up together, played together, they were basically like 2 legs of an octopus, different people to signify the different legs, but connected to one body and brain, signifying that they were like twins who knew each other so well. Apparently, Ji-wu moved a year ago, but Zico never had time to notice. He only found out from a young boy who kindly told him after hearing him scream. The young boy in blue comes up to Zico and says "excuse me mister.. im sorry to bother your screaming.. but the people who live in that house moved out a long time ago.." 

Zico was frozen.

"Are you there, Taewoon? I need to ask you something! Why didn't you tell me that Ji-wu moved out!!" Zico knocks on Taewoon's door heavily. Taewoon comes out and asked him what the hell was he talking about. Taewoon was tired from his job and was trying to rest. So he quickly closes the door and locks it.

"Ji-wu! Why didnt you tell me he moved out! Damn it!! Damn you!" Zico was clearly frustrated that his brother wasnt answering him. 

He tries to calm himself down by drinking a bottle of Soju from the fridge. His mom sees him and asks if something's bothering him. He tells her how Ji-wu moved out and how Ji-wu never bothered telling him. He cries while telling her how they used to spend so much time together, how Zico always had Ji-wu to come and sleepover, how his mother used to bake brownies just for them, until suddenly his mom's eyes widen as she hears this and suddenly cuts him from speaking..

"Ji-wu?! I've never met a Ji-wu before!"

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End of chapter 1.

Tell me what you think - @yanipopo on twitter 

-December 4, 2011, 3:51 AM-