[CHAPTER 18]

“ Fate is Cruel “

The worst possible scenario.

The worst enemy to have encountered. Everything was falling apart and it was the end for Hongbin. He didn’t think he would have gotten caught and especially by his own rival, Jung Taekwoon.

“What’s going to become of me now?” Hongbin asked as he sat behind the bars, imprisoned and waiting for his punishment.

“I… don’t know. I really don’t,” Jaehwan said, trying to hold back his tears as he watched the younger being held captive. “I’m sorry.”

“About what?”

“I was the one who suggested you to go see him… I didn’t think he would end up being the same person as Jung Taekwoon.”

“Why are you sorry? It’s just like you said, you didn’t know. You did nothing wrong hyung. Stop blaming yourself.”

“But Kong, I—”

“It’s alright. I’ll be fine.”

Jaehwan could barely see Hongbin in the eyes, he felt guilty for throwing Hongbin in the fire and now, there was nowhere to run or hide.

“Jaehwan-hyung.”

“Hm?” Jaehwan looked up.

“How is Hakyeon doing?”

“We don’t know. His book is still warped and illegible. The counsel has confiscated the book and waiting on what to do with it.”

Hongbin clenched his fist.

Please, be alright, he couldn’t help but pray.

*  *  *  *  *  *

Being caught was not something Hongbin had in mind. At least not until it happened. He knew it might happen sooner or later, but he really didn’t think it would happen so soon and at such a bad timing. He didn’t even get to say goodbye to Hakyeon. Now, he’s trapped and waiting for his punishment.

No one has ever dared to defy the laws of Moirae’s Edge or of the three Goddesses, so Hongbin was nearly the first one. No one can predict what would happen to him and all he could do was wait.

“Get up,” someone said in a stern and demanding tone.

It was Taekwoon.

Hongbin tried to ignore it as he feints his sleep. He did not want to see the man at all, especially when he was trying to fall asleep to forget everything.

“Don’t make me repeat myself again. The Director is waiting for you,” Taekwoon said once more.

Hongbin didn’t want to but he honestly had no choice except to obey. He sighed and dragged his feet out of his cell.

Taekwoon glared at him silently and cuffed Hongbin in case the younger makes a run for it.

“Is this really necessary?” Hongbin snarled.

“It’s just precautions.”

“Then you should cuff yourself as well.”

“What?” Taekwoon was irritated at the younger’s attitude towards him.

“I’m imprisoned because I went into Hakyeon’s story and met him. So, what? What about you? You met him before me. Are you going to tell me that it was legal for you to make him fall in love with you?”

Taekwoon kept quiet. Hongbin hit the mark and was obviously irritated by Taekwoon’s indifferent attitude.

“So, what is Hakyeon to you? A lab experiment? A trophy for your position? Did you use him so that you can be where you are today?” Hongbin threw his bold remarks at the older.

Taekwoon turned around furiously and grabbed him by the collar.

“You don’t know anything,” he said.

“You’re right, I don’t. But what I do know is that Hakyeon suffered a lot when he thought you died. He thought he was the one that drove you to the edge. Do you know how much he’s been through since he met you and since you left him?”

Taekwoon remained silent. He didn’t respond and let go of his grip.

As they continued to walk down the long facility hallways, they finally reached their destination. Back in front of the greatest man of Moirae’s Edge’s doors. The Director of the facility, Park Hyoshin’s doors to be exact.

“I’ve brought Lee Hongbin, sir,” Taekwoon said as he entered the room and pushing Hongbin inside forcefully.

“Come in,” Hyoshin said. “You can go now, Taekwoon-ah. I must speak with him alone.”

Taekwoon nodded and left but just as he passed Hongbin, he glared at the younger once more. So, Hongbin glared at him back in exchange.

“Sit,” Hyoshin offered.

Hongbin sat down nervously in front of the man and fiddled around with the chains on his cuffs.

“You know what you did right?” Hyoshin asked.

“... I guess?”

The man sighed.

“Do you still remember what I said to you when you first came to this facility?” Hyoshin asked.

Hongbin swallowed. Yes, he remembers every single word of it too.

“The position of a Keeper is a strange one. Not many ever gets to be in it nor do anyone wishes to be in that position. But you were chosen by the Goddesses themselves to become a Keeper. I have no idea why they chose you and why you decide to go against the rules. In the usual cases of breaking the facility’s law, you are to be severely punished for your actions but there is just that one problem I do not understand. Why did the Goddesses choose you for that position? As if they wanted you to break the rules…” Hyoshin said.

But even Hongbin could only shrug. He really doesn’t know.

“I said it before, didn’t I? That there is no such things as coincidences in this universe. Everything is set in place by the three Goddesses who weaves the strings of fate in humanity. Yet, that being said, we are not always bound by fate. So, are you trying to defy it?” Hyoshin asked.

“I… I don’t know,” Hongbin sighed. “I didn’t think it would become this way. It wasn’t my intention in the first place. When I first found Hakyeon’s book, it was all out of curiosity to figure out what his story was so different from everyone else’s. I was simply curious… I was going to come back once I found the answer but…”

The younger bit his lips.

“You fell in love,” Hyoshin said the words for him.

“I… I’m sorry,” Hongbin could only reply in an apology.

“Hongbin-ah, you are a talented young man. I’ve heard many stories about you before from both Jaehwan and Wonshik before you attended our facility. They often say that you have much potential and many strengths, yet doesn’t have the will or the passion to discover your goals. You are much brighter than you look and I believe that. For you to break the rules due to your curiosity, it simply proves that you have found something that interests you finally. Even if it means falling in love with someone you’re not supposed to.”

Hyoshin got up from his seat with a frowning expression, helpless even in his position.

“Unfortunately, as much as I want to stick up for you, the council will not permit me to do so. They require an explanation and a punishment.”

“W-what kind?” Hongbin feared.

“Here at Moirae’s Edge, we do not resort to violence or execution. Those are just brutal acts and there is no need for that, however, the punishment for you might be no different from being executed. First, you will be banned from nearing the facility and will be unable to join any of the departments in the future. And lastly,” Hyoshin took a deep breath, “your existence will be erased from Hakyeon’s story.”

“W-what?”

“His story, his fate, have been messed with over and over again by encounters that he should not have. He met people he shouldn’t have which caused his future to become unpredictable. In order to set things right again, your existence will be erased and everything the two of you went through together will be gone from his memories as well as everyone who knew you.”

“I…” Hongbin gulped, thinking whether or not to say anything more but it wasn’t fair if he didn’t say it after all,” what about Jung Taekwoon? What about him?”

Hyoshin looked at Hongbin for a minute and sighed. “He too will be punished but his existence will remain in Hakyeon’s story as he has already passed away in Cha Hakyeon’s memories. He is of the past and not of a future.”

“That’s not… fair.”

“I know and I can only apologize for that but please think of this as something good for Cha Hakyeon. His life remains the same, their time on Earth will continue to move forward. The only difference is—“

“I won’t be there,” Hongbin completed his sentence for him.

“One unfated encounter was enough to throw Hakyeon’s life in turmoil. We simply cannot have another bring in more danger into Hakyeon’s story. If he were to remember you, what do you think he would do to himself if you were to never return? He would end up the same way he did when he blamed himself for Taekwoon’s death, don’t you think?”

Hyoshin was right. Forgetting was the best thing for Hakyeon yet it was the most punishing for Hongbin who will always remember.

“I’m sorry, Hongbin-ah but this is the only way,” he said regretfully once more before he dismissed the younger from the facility.

*  *  *  *  *  *

Even though Hongbin was obviously unsatisfied with the outcome of events, his life was spared. He was forbidden to approach anywhere near the facility and his life returned to how it was before.

Knock. Knock.

“Kong-ah, I know you’re home,” Jaehwan shouted from outside the house.

There was no answer.

“Still nothing?” Wonshik asked the older as he accompanied Jaehwan to visit Hongbin.

But now that Hongbin could no longer attend Moirae’s Edge, his life went back to how it was before. He was never interested in anything and now, it remains the same. He’s shut himself even more so than before in his room and no longer answered to even his friends.

Both Wonshik and Jaehwan have been trying their hardest to get Hongbin outside but nothing have worked. They knew that the latter was having a hard time on his own and even if they want to persuade Hongbin to not be so down about everything, they can sympathize with what the latter was feeling at the same time.

“There’s no point, let’s come back another time,” Wonshik said.

“But…” Jaehwan really didn’t want to leave Hongbin behind.

“It’s fine. He just needs time. Let’s go.”

Hongbin could hear the two from his room. He knows that they meant well but he was not in the mood to see anyone. He just wants to be alone.

His days went back to how it used to be.

He stared blankly on the television screen and watched the nothingness on display. He rolled around his bed and stared at his ceiling until the sky turned dark. How was he able to spend all his life like this, he has completely forgotten. His life was boring, the usual and nothing much ever going on until he found Hakyeon’s book.

I miss him, he thought to himself over and over again in his mind. Words that were even forbidden to be said now.

And even if he missed Hakyeon so much, the older has now forgotten him.

Just thinking about that, brought him to tears.

Hakyeon was his first love and the first one to bring him to tears. He’s barely known the older during the time since he first went to Earth but it was enough time to make Hongbin fall so deeply for someone he wasn’t supposed to fall in love with. Now that he could no longer see Hakyeon again, he regrets that he was ever curious in the first place. If only they didn’t meet, if only he didn’t take the first step, then none of this would happen.

“Why did I have to meet you? Why couldn’t I control myself? Why… why does it hurt this much?” his tears fell and his heart ached uncontrollably. It was all too much for him to handle at once.

It hurt so much when he fell in love but it hurt more now that he was forced to fall out of love. But can he really forget these feelings so easily? Even if Hakyeon has forgotten, Hongbin hasn’t. It wasn’t fair to only erase Hakyeon’s memories of him, they should’ve taken his memories away too so that he didn’t have to suffer so much in this agony.

“Hakyeon, Hakyeon… Hakyeon… Cha Hakyeon,” he repeated the name and engraved it in his mind as he fell asleep.

Our lives are like stories. Each with a determined path to be taken. Each story was weaved by the threads of fate.

So why is fate this cruel?

A/N: This is such a mean chapter to release on Hongbin's birthday but um... HAPPYKONGDAY?

So as you all know, I'm currently in Tokyo as an English instructor. And the other day... when VIXX's Japanese album was released, I bought about 10 copies for me and my friends. They were having hitouch scratchcards for the purchase of the CDs and guess what? 10 scratchcards to the hitouch! I... I... I... I'm still shaking just thinking about the best experience I had during that event. I got to touch all five members five times each! I wrote a long af fanaccount on my twitter for anyone interested xD But omg I will never forget that experience EVER. 

I told Kong 'Happy Birthday' (in Japanese ofc), and he smiled with his dimples with a really sweet thank you! *tears* Oh btw, did you know that Tent A is NBIN?? So when I saw them together... I kept thinking about this fanfic at the same time. The best hitouch I had was with Kong and Jaehwannie who actually grabbed my hand *faints* and then Hakyeonie who slided his hands across mine, we literally didn't let go and when I was walking away, his eyes followed me cuz we just didn't want to separate LOL He's such an angel ~ I love him so much? I love them all so much!