Part One's Epilogue

Kibum didn't know how long he had been running. Hell, he didn't even know when he had started running. It was so blurry around. Kibum blinked, sweat falling down his face. The air was hot, it was suffocating. Kibum heard himself panting, his legs moving automatically as if he was being dragged.

His ears were filled with the sound of cawing. It was annoying but for some reason, it soothed him a little. Where am I? He thought as he kept running. The sun was too high and too bright, he couldn't bear to look upwards; it blinded him. So he looked to his left where an enormous expanse of yellow grass seemed to surround him. He looked to his right and saw a white house. It looked like the white house was hovering over him. Is it following me? It was impossible right? But the more he ran, the more the house felt closer.

Kibum felt scared. No, he knew he was scared. He was so alone.

As if someone had heard Kibum's thoughts, his hand was unexpectedly filled with another, a darker one. Suddenly, Kibum's eyes were no longer blind. Someone was running ahead, his hand intertwined with Kibum's. They were running together and for the first time in his life Kibum felt protected, he felt safe.

His eyes couldn't really distinguish the figure before him, the sun made it completely dark; but Kibum knew who it was, he had always known it. "Jonghyun…" he called for him. The grip on his hand grew stronger as if Jonghyun was acknowledging him silently. They were running away together.

Suddenly, he felt a dry bang echoing in his head. His eyes immediately turned to the right by reflex. There was no white house no longer. Instead, a man in black was watching them. Kibum recognized him. It was the one who slapped him in the face. It was the one who had called him a . I am not a . Kibum thought, his feet moving faster and faster. They needed to escape from him.

The man was running after them. Kibum was frightened. The gun in his hand was getting larger and more threatening. Kibum hated guns. They killed people; nothing should ever have the ability to kill people. Not even people themselves.

He felt sweat covering his face completely. No, it wasn't sweat. Tears were falling down his face. How many more times does his face have to be ripped and spoiled by tears? Kibum-ah…don't cry, it was Jonghyun's voice. Kibum looked up at him, he was not dark anymore. Kibum could finally distinguish all his features, all the features he had come to admire, to love. He loved Jonghyun.

All of a sudden, no man was chasing after them anymore. Where is he? Maybe he was gone for good. Jonghyun must have sensed it too because his legs slowly came to a stop and Kibum followed suit. He realized only then that he was out of breath, all he wanted to do was collapse on the yellow grass.

Instead, he felt warm hands all around him, embracing his tiny, soft body. Kibum's head collapsed on Jonghyun's neck, his eyes were no longer filled with tears. They were smiling. Jonghyun was patting his head and Kibum could feel his breath hovering close to his ear.

The bang echoed again. Harder this time. Both of them jumped. Jonghyun pointed to an old house. Let's hide there, he said. Kibum nodded; he hadn't seen the house until now.

They made their way to the house. It was very old and ugly. Compared to the white house, it was black and spoiled. Kibum looked up and saw a crow looking back at him. The crow was completely silent but it was very aware. Jonghyun hadn't seemed to notice him as he guided Kibum inside.

Well, there was no "inside" behind the door. The house was so old that the wind and the rain must have destroyed it. They couldn't hide there. Kibum was trembling. He felt cold and humid. What were they doing there?

Bang. They had no chance. Jonghyun guided him to a corner, the only one that seemed safe. They sat there and Jonghyun embraced him from behind, rubbing his hands up and down Kibum's arms to make him feel warmer. It will be alright, Jonghyun reassured. Kibum nodded, trusting Jonghyun.

However, something changed. In one moment, Kibum was leaning against Jonghyun, and the next, he was suddenly faced with the wet, humid wall. Jonghyun was kneeling in front of him. Kibum didn't like the look on his face. Kibum was aware of what Jonghyun was telling him with his big eyes. I need to go, I need to kill him.

Kibum shook his head. No. He didn't want Jonghyun to leave him. Don't go, don't leave me… Tears streamed down his face. Jonghyun leaned closer and kissed his forehead, sweetly and lovingly. I'm not leaving you. I'm coming back. I promise. And Kibum could do nothing about it. How could he not believe Jonghyun?

What if you don't? Kibum's lips trembled, hard. Jonghyun kissed and away the tears on Kibum's cheeks before placing his lips onto Kibum’s, reassuring him. He kissed Jonghyun back, raw and passionate. Jonghyun deepened the kiss as he caressed Kibum's jawline tenderly. I will, he said, pulling away. Soon, I will come back to you.

Promise me you won't move. No matter what, you are not leaving this place. Did you hear me? Kibum nodded and soon, Jonghyun was gone. Kibum started shaking again; he was freezing without Jonghyun's body around him. He missed him. He couldn't wait to see him come back.

He couldn't wait, but he did. Kibum didn't know how long he waited, but it felt like an eternity. His eyes were closed; he could only hear the crow cawing in the distance. The noise didn’t help. Crows were never happy birds, were they?

Kibum opened his eyes. He saw the black crow on the rugged floor, staring at him. Again. What was it trying to tell him? Maybe the crow was there to replace Jonghyun until he came back. Yes, it must be it. Jonghyun was coming back. He kept waiting, the crow never left its position before Kibum's eyes.

BANG. The crows cawed hard and strong and it felt different. Someone had been shot. Kibum was trying hard not to move and go outside. Jonghyun is alive, he is coming back. He is alive…he is… His eyes closed once more.

The door banged open and Kibum jumped. The sun was blinding but he could see a dark figure slowly approaching him. Jonghyun…? It was really him, right? He promised…

The figure snorted and Kibum could distinguish a smirk. That smirk. Kibum trembled hard and curled on the floor. Jonghyun, this man was not Jonghyun. He was…

Hello, kitten. Lee Changsun hovered over him and surrounded him with darkness. Kibum screamed hard.

-----

Kibum opened his eyes, screaming. His whole body was covered with sweat, he was panting so hard he thought he was having a respiratory crisis because he felt all the oxygen gone from his entire body.

When he finally regained his breath, he let his eyes wander: he was inside a room; everything looked clean and tidy. It looked like a luxury room with a four poster bed placed in the middle. He was terrified when he looked back at himself through the big mirror opposite the bed he was laying on; he looked devastated. His eyes were red from too much crying, his blond hair—no longer lucid and beautiful—was stuck to his face. Even his complexion, which normally looked white and milky, looked almost transparent. Am I dead? he ended up thinking.

He tried to remember how he arrived there, but his mind was a mess of blurry images. He remembered being inside a house in the countryside. He remembered Jonghyun's plump and hot lips on his. He remembered his words, his promise. A promise Jonghyun hadn’t kept. The , Changsun, was the one to find him inside the abandoned house, he had laughed hard as he was telling Kibum about Jonghyun's unfortunate death. He had been shot right through the heart. Kibum didn’t want to believe him at first but Jonghyun never came back. He was gone. And he was dead. He had abandoned Kibum, once again, forever.

He had probably fainted because the next thing he knew, he was here. It wasn't his old room at the Kim's household; it was a completely different place and atmosphere. "You woke up," a voice interrupted his train of thoughts. Kibum looked at the figure of a young man standing at the door. His arms were crossed, his whole body leaning against the doorframe. He was the prettiest man Kibum had even seen in his life. His gentle features were emphasized by his straight, glossy and blonde hair: the total opposite of Kibum's dull one.

The young man—who looked more like a grown kid, really—resembled an angel. If it weren't for his black clothes, which made him look even skinnier than he already was, Kibum would have asked him if he really was an angel.

Maybe he was a fallen angel. Kibum swallowed and found that his throat burned terribly. Despite this, he still opened his mouth. "Who are you?" his voice came out raspy and dry, as if he hadn't been talking for days. The man didn't reply, at first, but he walked towards Kibum, his steps echoing in the silent bright room. "You have no idea where you are, do you?" the man asked, his voice sounded so gentle and kind but the expression he wore was the total opposite .

Tentatively, Kibum shook his head. The only thing he knew was that Jonghyun was not with him. That was the only thing that mattered to him. "Do you…"

"Work here? Yes, I do. And you do too, Key." Kibum's eyes widened. What was the boy talking about? His name was not… "My name is not Key, it's Kim Kibum." He figured that the boy must have gotten the wrong information. "Oh, but it is. Your name is Key. Your only name that matters here is Key. Your stage name." Kibum swallowed hard, his throat hurting even more.

"How am I working here? I don't even know where I am or who you are!" He was getting worked up by all of this. He wanted to go home, he wanted to see Minho, he wanted to… To go to Jonghyun's funeral. The thought pained him more than anything else.

"Since you seem so eager to find out, I'll tell you. My name is Francesco but you are only allowed to call me kkamagwi, or crow, that's my stage name. My job is dancing." He stopped and looked at Kibum, who was speechless. "But my main job is to satisfy any kind of ual fantasy for rich, old men. In other words…"

"You are a ," Kibum continued for him. Francesco, Crow, smiled, "We are . You have been appointed as our master's personal pet, effectively replacing my place. Now I am just a "normal" , if you can call a normal."

Kibum had a difficult time digesting all the new information. He really hoped that this was all a dream, a nightmare, but he knew it wasn't. This was real. "Our master…who is our master?" he asked, but deep down, he already knew the answer. The person had told him this a thousand times, You are just a .

"Kim Young-Woon."

If only Jonghyun had kept his promise.

❞

HA. I told you I would write and post the Epilogue soon and for once I've kept my promise~ Seems like things are sooo bad (yes, I love tragic so much LOL). But I also love HEA

Part Two is gonna be full of drama (from unexpected characters as well) and full of... interactions I hope? I have the whole story planned, but I make up chapters as I write them, so nothing is definite yet^^

Btw, hope you will follow me to Part Two as well! (which, will be continued here). 

Guys, let me know your thoughts about this Epilogue and the whole story^^ I'll appreciate any kind of comment ;;