WHAT WAS MEANT TO BE

“WHAT THE !” 

Ravi shot up from his seat, grabbing Hongbin and Hyuk by the shoulders. “Where’s Jaehwan now?!”

“A-at the airport?” Hyuk replied, alarmed by Ravi’s reaction. “He’s catching a flight back- “

He froze, his eyes widened in shock. “Wait…I-Innocent? Number Fifty??” He shrieked, recalling Hakyeon’s words. He snatched the book from Ravi’s hands. “Don’t tell me- “

From his screen, Hakyeon bit his lip. It all boils down to today, he thought.

“That…scoundrel,” Hongbin seethed in horror as he stared at the page, taking in the small text inscribed in the yellowed paper. Beside him, Hyuk silently clenched his fists as he felt his heartbeat increasing rapidly.

“When is this gonna take place??” Ravi screamed at Hakyeon. He reached for Hongbin’s phone on the desk and hurriedly searched for Jaehwan’s contact.

“I’m sorry, Ravi,” Hakyeon sighed. “But it’s right now.”

The three men turned to look at Hakyeon in horror.

“But don’t worry,” Hakyeon continued, his eyes cold. “I’ll help you guys get there.”

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Jaehwan stared at Leo, not knowing what to say.

“H-how are you?” he finally muttered.

Leo did not answer.

“You…OH MY GOD,” Jaehwan backed away in fear, pointing at the man’s face. “Y-your…eyes…”

“I’m…sorry, Jaehwan.”

He flicked his wrist, and in an instant, the background chatter was reduced to silence.

“W-what?” Jaehwan glanced around, noticing that time seemed to have stopped. Around them, everyone was frozen in his tracks and not a single thing moved. “What’s…happening…?”

Leo bit his lip and gingerly raised his arm. He let his fingers hover before Jaehwan’s face before suddenly clenching his fists closed.

“I- “

The sudden coughing and choking fit caught Jaehwan off-guard.

He grabbed his own throat. “You…you’re…strangling me…”

“I’m…not,” Leo said quietly. “It’s your own muscles that are contracting uncontrollably.”

“You…” he glared at Leo’s outstretched fist, where blue light spilt through between his tightly-clenched fingers. “You’re…a ing…monster.”

Leo kept silent. He watched as Jaehwan fell to his knees, gasping for his last few breaths.

“I’m sorry…it’s already one of the quickest ways,” he mumbled. “It’ll be over soon.”

Jaehwan cast him a last look. His face turned purple and he shut his eyes, struggling to take in any last bit of oxygen he could.

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Ravi pushed past the crowd, not even stopping to wonder why every single person seemed to be frozen in place.

I was so busy feeling sorry for the forty-nine he had taken, he thought. I forgot about the fiftieth.

He recalled Jaehwan’s words.

Life is such an amazing and profound concept, he had said.

Every day, there are people who wake up living their last days. It hurts to think that beyond that, they will have lost their ability to love and to be loved, to care for and be cared for.

Ravi blinked back his tears.

“He treasured life more than anyone did,” he growled. “And you chose to take that away from him.”

He passed the helpdesk, and an undescribable pain filled his chest as an image floated into his mind. He recalled the time Jaehwan had come running to him, waving his phone in his hands like an excited child.

You can’t…do that, Jung Leo. Not him, please.

He clutched his chest and clenched his teeth, his legs working tirelessly as Hongbin and Hyuk followed closely behind.

“It’s all my fault…” Hyuk mumbled, his voice breaking. Hongbin looked back at him helplessly, watching for the first time as the younger one teared up.

It all makes sense now, Hyuk thought. The bad feeling he’d always had about that man.

He turned to Hongbin.

“Why…why didn’t I listen?” he choked. “Why didn’t I listen when hyung had told me he wanted to stay away from Jung Leo…?”

Hongbin bit his lip, not knowing what to say. He reached out and gripped Hyuk’s hand tightly.

This time, he thought. My best friend has really turned into a monster.

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Jaehwan collapsed onto the ground.

Leo retracted his hand and watched as his life seeped away from his motionless body.

“I…you’re right, Jaehwan,” he said quietly. “I am a monster.”

He lifted his head and gazed at the ceiling above.

“Is this enough,” he called. “My hands have already been stained with the blood of fifty.”

The silence infuriated him.

“Are you satisfied!” he screamed, his fingers trembling. He fell to his knees and hit the ground with his fists. “Are you satisfied with what I’ve become…?”

The silence was broken. He spun around to the sound of footsteps, his gaze meeting the very pair of eyes that he had been longing to see for ages.

“R-Ravi…?”

Saying his name stung his heart.

Ravi stared back at Leo in horror and stood frozen in his spot. “It…it’s been so long, Leo.”

Hongbin and Hyuk caught up, the sound of their footsteps snapping Ravi out of his trance. He blinked twice, his gaze falling upon the body that lay a few feet behind Leo.

“J-Jaehwan…!” he shrieked, dashing over. He turned to Leo, his eyes lit with fury. “Why…?”

Leo stared at Ravi in shock. “You…know him- “

He winced in pain as Hyuk kicked him in the stomach.

“You…you were furious, weren’t you!” Hyuk yelled. “I disclosed your secrets so you decided to punish Jaehwan hyung to get back at me??”

“I was so busy speaking up for you, hyung,” he continued, his glare boring a hole through Leo’s soul. “I was so busy protecting you, I forgot to be wary of you.”

Leo buried his face in his hands. “What do you know, Hyuk?”

“I was running out of time,” he glanced at Jaehwan. “And he happened to fit the bill…”

“Enough, Jung Leo,” Hongbin seethed, grabbing him by his collar. “Turns out I was never wrong about you. You’re indeed a heartless cad.”

Leo shook his head and looked away.

“Ever since I took the first Innocent, Hongbin,” he said quietly. “My heart had already turned into stone.”

“I’m sorry,” he added, looking at Hongbin in the eye. “To have disappointed you again.”

“I never expected that you’d go after someone you knew!!” Hongbin yelled.

Leo fell silent, turning to look at Ravi.

“I’d do anything for you,” he said. He eyed Ravi as he cradled Jaehwan’s face in his hands, sobbing uncontrollably.

“REVIVE HIM!” Ravi screamed back. “Please…just take my life instead.”

Leo shook his head, his eyes turning cold. “I-I did everything for you, Ravi. I did everything to protect your life. I will never take it.”

“Please…Leo,” Ravi cried. “There is no point.” He grabbed Jaehwan’s lifeless hands and intertwined his fingers in his. “There is no point in me living if he’s dead.”

“I-I’m sorry,” he added, biting his lip. “But…Hakyeon is right. I…I’ve already…”

Leo felt a sharp sting in his chest. “You…” he began, his voice breaking. His narrowed his eyes and his voice fell to a soft whisper. “So…so this is what your heart has chosen.”

Ravi shut his eyes. I’m sorry, Leo.

He felt as the warmth from Jaehwan’s skin slowly seeped away. “Don’t, please,” he begged. He turned back to Leo. “Do it now, please. While he still can, exchange my life for his…quick.”

Hongbin was speechless. So this was what Hakyeon intended? Is…is there really no other way out…?

Leo did not move a muscle. He stared dazedly at the ground, as if in deep thought.

“QUICK!” Ravi yelled. He ran towards Leo and shook him out of his stupor. He grabbed his hand, attempting to arouse the divine power that flowed in his veins.

“No,” Leo pushed him away in shock. He stared, wide-eyed, at Ravi, slowly cracking into a smile as tears simultaneously brimmed in his eyes.

Ravi stared back at him in horror. “Please don’t smile…like that…”

“So…so this is what my Punishment is,” Leo began, turning to Hyuk. “This is what I’m supposed to serve to atone for my horrendous sins…I didn’t know what it was going to be, Hyuk. I didn’t know when they’d enforce it on me.”

He glanced at Ravi. “But I guess this is it.”

He lifted his palm over his own chest and closed his eyes. As blue flames extended from the tips of his fingers to his ribs, he bit his lips and shut his eyes tighter to contain the pain.

“No…” Hyuk gasped. “What are you doing!”

“Exchanging my life, Hyuk,” he smiled, opening his eyes a little and gazing at Ravi. “For his happiness.”

Ravi felt his heart drop. “What…no!”

Leo shook his head. He edged over to Jaehwan and grabbed his hand tightly. He smiled as the colour slowly returned to Jaehwan’s skin.

“No…” Hongbin cried. He ran to Leo, wrapping his arms around him. “Th-there must be a way out…”

“No, Hongbin. I’ve sinned so greatly. This is the only thing I can do now,” he replied, looking at Hongbin in the eye. “Just promise me…that we’ll still be best friends in our next lives...”

Hongbin did not answer. He shook his head, feeling as Leo’s body slowly became limp beneath his embrace. “I’m…so sorry…for everything…”

Leo cast him a last grin. With all the energy left in him, he looked up at Ravi. “This…this was what was meant to be, Ravi… a deity’s life for the fiftieeth Innocent. This was what they wanted all along. Promise me, that you’ll live on with this life of yours…this life of yours that I’ve fought so hard to keep. Promise me, that you’ll treat it as a gift and cherish it.”

Ravi was at a loss for words.

Quick, Hyuk urged him, his eyes red and his face wet with tears. Promise him…

Ravi reluctantly nodded, his vision blurred from all the tears.

Leo smiled. He looked back down at Jaehwan. “I give you both my blessing.”

A bright blue glow spread out from his body in all directions, blinding the three men momentarily.

Hongbin felt the last bit of warmth disappear under his touch, until all he was left holding in his arms was air.

“No…!” he screamed, and Hyuk ran over, hugging him tight.

Ravi stood frozen in his spot, trembling. Why did it have to end like this…Why...??

He grabbed Jaehwan’s hands, feeling a tingling sensation. He tightened his grip and felt a steady pulse under his soft skin.

He wiped his tears from his face and cradled Jaehwan’s face in his hands, forcing a small smile.

“I…I’m glad you’re alive, at least…”

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(A/N: This is obviously not the end...didn't expect this to be such a short chapter. There're also a few formatting hiccups. Stay tuned for the last chapter - there'll be more to be addressed. P.S. I dunno why but I'm not feeling Raken here...I feel so bad for Wontaek. Yet I'm the writer...)