[CHAPTER 36]

"Broken"

Sanghyuk slept for two days straight after coming back home. As he thought, being drenched in the rain while he was still sick was a horrible idea. His fever came back and he was in the worst condition that he could be. 

Beep. Beep. Beep.

He took out the therometer - 39 degrees Celsius.

Ugh, he grumbled a bit as he tossed the therometer off to the side. Even without seeing the temperature, he knew he wasn't doing so well. Should he go to the hospital after all? But he doesn't feel like getting up and going all alone... Should I call Hakyeon-hyung? But... he'll see Taekwoon-hyung if he comes... 

It wasn't because the younger didn't want the two of them to meet but it's because Hakyeon specifically mentioned that he didn't want to see Taekwoon at all. 

I wish they would just tell me what the hell is going on... Sanghyuk couldn't help but feel bothered by the fact that he didn't know anything and was somehow caught in between the two. If only he knew what was going on, then maybe he could actually choose a side between all of this. That being said, Sanghyuk already knew that he would choose Hakyeon's side no matter what happens, even if the older is wrong but then again, when is Hakyeon ever wrong about anything? Something really bad must've happened between Hakyeon and Taekwoon for their relationship to suddenly turn out this way. 

Sanghyuk let out a deep sigh. His head was pounding and he honestly didn't know what to do about everything that was happening. Let's forget it, was the only thing he could tell himself. 

Knock. Knock.

Sanghyuk turned around and Taekwoon walked in.

"How are you feeling?" Taekwoon asked. 

Sanghyuk was completely dumbfounded. Is he crazy to think that Taekwoon was actually caring for him? 

It's not that Sanghyuk didn't want to respond but his throat hurted too much to even speak. Taekwoon walked into the bedroom and carried a tray of something with him. He settled the tray down next to the younger's bed.

"Eat this. You haven't eaten all day long," Taekwoon said.

"You... made this?" the younger was trying hard to find the words to come out of his mouth. He was in disbelief.

"Just eat it. After you finish, make sure you take your medicine."

Sanghyuk sat up from his bed and ate the soup that the older made. He couldn't refuse the older's sudden kindness but he also couldn't help but to question it either.

"It's not poisoned is it?" the younger joked a bit.

"... it's not," Taekwoon said.

"What's with that hesitation? I'm just kidding," Sanghyuk had to reassure the older for some reason as if Taekwoon couldn't take the joke. 

Taekwoon didn't leave Sanghyuk's side the entire time as the younger ate though. It was awkward and totally unexpected for both of them but Taekwoon couldn't deny it anymore, he felt guilty. He wants to do something to make up for it but what can he do? The situation has already gotten worst and nothing has been resolved yet.

Sorry... Taekwoon couldn't only repeat those words in his head but couldn't find the courage to say it aloud.

He watched Sanghyuk eat the food he made in silence and the entire time, Taekwoon could only watch helplessly as the younge'rs health deteriorate day after day.

~

The four of them swallowed in disbelief. 

The book of Han Sanghyuk's and Cha Hakyeon's were in completely different situations, completely reversed from before. 

"Is this really Sanghyuk's fate?" Jaehwan asked.

"I'm afraid so," Hyoshin answered.

"How can that be? Taekwoon only rewrote his memories and now it's like this?" Wonshik questioned.

"We don't fully understand why either but it's as if Cha Hakyeon's fate have swapped places with Han Sanghyuk's now. Though Hakyeon still doesn't have an ending, the pages of his book are now clear again as if they're new but Sanghyuk's on the other hand..." 

They couldn't believe what they saw when they found Sanghyuk's book of fate. They thought that they would never find it but eventually after searching through the entire facility, InGuk and Hyoshin came across it in Taekwoon's room in the facility's dormitory. But it wasn't in a condition that they thought they'd find the book to be in.

The book was warping and smudged in black just like how Hakyeon's book used to be. But what's worse was the fact that whoever touched it, the ink would spread out as well. As if it was some sort of contamination or infection, enveloping everything that comes in contact with it. InGuk had to place it inside a glass casing in order to keep it safe and from whatever was emitting from within the book. It was horrifying for those that saw the book and even Hongbin who heard about it could only imagine how bad the situation was becoming. 

The problem was, they couldn't figure out the cause of everything that's happened thus far. 

Having no answers was frustrating for those involved especially when they were troubled by the fact that Taekwoon is now on Earth and that they have to bring him back so that they can forever close the gate between the two dimensions.

"What should we do? Can't we just force Jung Taekwoon to come back here?" Wonshik suggested.

"We can try but he'll definitely put up a fight and try to resist us. If we force him to come back, he'll try to do something to prevent us from stopping him, for sure," InGuk mentioned. 

They were all disheartened by the possibility. 

"So what can we do?" Jaehwan asked in worry. "We can't just leave this alone either right? Even now, Kong hasn't decided whether he's going to stay on Earth with Hakyeon or come back here... he's going to have to make a decision soon or else he'll be trapped on Earth without an existence."

As much as they didn't want to separate Hongbin from Hakyeon or Earth, if worst comes to worst, they might not have any other choice but to do so unless Hongbin makes his final decision. Even so, their problem wasn't Hongbin but Taekwoon instead. Taekwoon was reluctant and hiding from those sent out to retrieve him and if Jaehwan or Wonshik goes to confront Taekwoon, Sanghyuk might end up getting hurt instead. They didn't want to involve the innocent younger man in their problems even if Sanghyuk's fate have already become involved. With Sanghyuk's book looking the way it is now... there's no saying what kind of future might await them all.

If they have a future that is... 

~

"Calm down, Hakyeon-ah," Hongbin held the older back at tightly as possible. "There's no use going there to fight Taekwoon!"

"Let me go! I need to get Hyuk out of there," Hakyeon begged and cried to get away from Hongbin's desperate grasp. "I need to... save him..."

Hakyeon's knees felt weak. He broke down in tears just knowing that Sanghyuk's outcome have been determined. Unlike Hakyeon's future which could not be foreseen, Sanghyuk's future was bound to end because his time was nearing its end.

"It's all my fault," Hakyeon continued to blame himself. "If only I did something about Taekwoon instead of let him out of my sight. I kept running away from him because I can't help but hate him but now... he's... as if taking my life wasn't enough, he's trying to take the things I care for away as well."

"Hakyeon-ah..." Hongbin knelt down and wrapped his arms tightly around Hakyeon's trembling body. 

The older was hurt on the inside, breaking apart and blaming himself once again. Even Hongbin could tell what was going on in Hakyeon's mind without the older saying it. 

"I know you're hurting but you can't act on impulse. We can't solve anything that way," Hongbin reminded the older.

"Then what can we do?!" Hakyeon shouted in distress. "Why does this keep happening? Why can't I just live normally... why...?"

It's because you met us... people who you shouldn't have met or known about in the first place. If only we never came into your life, then you would've led a normal life like everyone else on Earth. This is why the Goddesses didn't want our kinds to meet you. Even if your book of fate gave us a million questions, we shouldn't have tried to change the course of fate... maybe your unwritten future was your fate after all. If so, what am I doing here? Hongbin swallowed in the small guilt he felt as he held Hakyeon tightly within his arms. It pained him too much to see Hakyeon so broken and lost once again. Just when he thought he was able to save Hakyeon, he realized that rather than saving, he was continuously meddling with the older's fate. 

It took a long time for Hongbin to finally put Hakyeon to sleep. Even in his sleep, Hakyeon had tears remaining from the corner of his eyes. That's just how broken Hakyeon have become because of Sanghyuk's situation. 

Hongbin sat next to Hakyeon and the older's hair gently, trying to ease the older in his sleep but Hongbin could feel his hands becoming cold just from thinking about everything that's happening. 

"Sorry," the younger muttered and bent down slightly to give Hakyeon a kiss on the forehead. 

Hongbin was determined to set things back to the way they were initially because that's the only way to bring Hakyeon's smile back. Just as how much happiness Hakyeon brought to Hongbin, the younger wanted to do the same and the only way to do that is to set things straight again. 

Don't worry Hakyeon-ah. Just give me a little more time. I promise I'll make it up to you and your life will go back to normal again.

~

Taekwoon set the dishes into the sink and the water. It took a minute or so to get the hot water running as he washed the dishes and rinsed them dry. After he placed the dishes back to where they belong, he took out a cloth and started to wipe down the counters and kitchen space he used to prepare the meal for Sanghyuk. 

His condition is really getting worst... the younger's state flashed back in Taekwoon's mind from earlier. Sanghyuk's complexion was horrible compared to the day before and he could tell how weak the younger was becoming. 

Taekwoon let out a deep sigh. Even if he wanted to forget, he couldn't because even now, whenever he tries to go to sleep at night, he couldn't. How can he fall asleep peacefully at night when he's sleeping under the same roof as the person who he's slowly killing inside because of his actions. 

Dammit! He threw the cloth harshly onto the counter and finished up cleaning the place. 

"Hyung," Sanghyuk appeared out of his room to see a stressful Taekwoon looking so dark and gloom in the kitchen. "What are you doing?"

"Nothing," Taekwoon simply replied. "Go back to your room."

"It feels too stuffy being there all the time," Sanghyuk uttered the words as he walked towards the living room to sit down.

"You can barely walk. Why don't you go back to your room?" Taekwoon suggested.

"Hyung."

"W-what?"

"Why are you doing all of this?" Sanghyuk asked.

"What do you mean?"

"Not too long ago, you didn't even care about whether I was sick or not. But now... Cooking? Cleaning? What are you thinking?" 

"I'm not thinking about anything. I live here too right now."

Taekwoon found it almost impossible to find the words to tell his lie. He didn't think that lying would be such a difficult thing especially towards Sanghyuk, who's memories were written to be a lie in the first place.

Sanghyuk looked at the older, obviously suspicious about Taekwoon's actions and everything he's done so far. 

"It's as if you feel bad about something... that's why you're doing all this for me. I don't get it, what are you thinking?" the younger asked directly.

"..." 

Taekwoon was speechless because he couldn't deny it. He's trying to make up for something that he did and despite not being able to erase the reality placed in front of him, he wanted to do something to fix it. Even if the end has already been predetermined.

"You're overthinking," Taekwoon finally said.

"Am I?"

"Yes because you're sick," Taekwoon pulled Sanghyuk up. "Go back to your room."

"I don't know what's going on with you Taekwoon-hyung but whatever it is, both you and Hakyeon-hyung... the two of you are confusing me and I hate it. This feeling of not knowing anything... you doing all of this for me suddenly... is it because you did something wrong? Is that why Hakyeon-hyung warned me to stay away from you?" the younger revealed.

"He told you that?" Taekwoon didn't find it hard to believe though.

Because now... he feels like he would say the exact same thing to Sanghyuk.

"That's right," the younger nodded. "What exactly did you do? Why should I avoid you?"

"I did something... I shouldn't have... and I regret it..." Taekwoon found himself stuttering and choking from his words little by little. A part of him wants to continued concealing the truth but another part of him wants to hide it forever. Should the younger know after all or is it better that he doesn't know anything in the end? Maybe that way, he would be able to rest peacefully without knowing...

"If you did something bad, shouldn't you make it up to Hakyeon-hyung then? The two of you used to love each other so much... and Hakyeon-hyung's entire world revolved around you that even I knew I didn't stand a chance. For the two of you to suddenly become this way... it's not just a simple misunderstanding or fight like you said, is it?" Sanghyuk looked sharply at Taekwoon for the answer.

The younger's piercing gaze, the strong tone in his voice despite his ill-state... it torn Taekwoon apart even more.

Just how much longer can I hide it? Taekwoon asked himself.

"You're... right," Taekwoon gulped. "It's not just a simple misunderstanding... it's... my fault. You have all the right in the world to hate me for it..."

"Me? Don't you mean Hakyeon-hyung?"

"I'm sorry..."

"What are you saying?"

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

The guilt finally broke him. It was more painful then he would have ever imagined it. He was being consumed by the guilt he felt inside and as he continued to live under the same roof of Sanghyuk who ended up being the victim of his greed, Taekwoon found himself being unable to forgive even himself. 

"I... don't get what you're saying... why are you apologizing to me?" Sanghyuk continued to ask in confusion as he saw Taekwoon break down in front of him.

Taekwoon's legs fell weak, he's lost all of his reasons to continue this lie. 

Despite having the powers to rewrite someone's fate to however he wanted it, he never imagined that having the power to do so would make him resent those powers at the same time. He ruined not just one person's life but now... he's ruined another person's fate.

The power he wield eventually proved to caused chaos, just like how the Goddesses once feared. He should've known better especially since he was once someone who could hear the Goddesses's voices. Taekwoon thought he was special. He thought he would eventually be the new facilitator as he was one of the chosen ones like Hyoshin but he wrong...

He carried out the Goddesses's and council's mission to determine an ending in Hakyeon's story. In doing so, he thought he would achieve all the greatest powers he could get and despite his position changing in the facility, he was not happen. Instead, he's found himself in misery, full of regret and resentment for his powers. When he took over the new position as a Supervisor, he thought his missions were finally over and everything he's done would be forgiven. 

But not long after returning to the facility, he's lost the ability to hear their voices. They no longer chime their songs to him or ask him to do anything. Taekwoon could no longer hear the voice of the Goddesses. 

Not only did he lose the ability to hear their voices, he's also lost Hakyeon to Hongbin and now... he's about to lose Han Sanghyuk.

A/N: For all those waiting for my NAVI fanfic, just a heads up that I will be finishing this story first before I put my full attention to the other one. I really want to put an end to this sotry , as sad as that is... but work has been really crazy for me so it's been difficult to release multiple chapters all at once. Please be patient and wait for the ending :))