The young man opened his eyes slowly. His whole body ached.
He winked once, twice… and the pain was gone.
Maybe he had slept in the couch again…

Looking around, he saw the place he was at.
That was definitely not his house, so he had not slept in the couch… but then, where?

He got up, to see what he had used as a bed this time. Maybe he had fallen asleep on the floor…

Yang Seungho gasped.

What had happened? What was going on? Why was there a person who looked exactly like him laying on that hospital bed, and what was that annoying beep beep?!

Panic.

“Finally…” – he heard from behind.

“Who are you?!” – Seungho asked, turning around– “what’s going on?! What happened?! Am I dead?!” – he shouted. His voice breaking, scared tears on his eyes.
It could only be a nightmare…

“Who I am is none of your concern. I am here to take you…” – the other person spoke with a dark tone.

“To hell?” – Seungho asked nearly breaking into tears.

“It’ll depend on you, foolish boy.” -  the visitor said, finally revealing himself: a person as tall as Seungho, wearing a black overcoat. His face covered by a hood.

 

Suddenly, way too suddenly, everything turned dark and, as soon as it had got dark, it got light.

Seungho was now facing his girlfriend’s house’s front door.

“Nana…?” – he asked himself. How was that possible?

“Yes…and no.” – that person wearing a hood spoke, from next to him.

“I’m just saying that you should go!” – they heard, as Seungho and Nana exited the house. Both with slight angry expressions.

“Am I asking too much?” – she spoke. Her voice with hints of anger. – “I just wanted us to spend some time together!”

“I know…but I can’t.” – Seungho replied, hugging his girlfriend. – “I’ll make it up to you”.

Those things had already happened.
It had been a year ago.
Mr. and Mrs. Im, Nana’s parents, were celebrating their 20th anniversary and Nana had invited her boyfriend.
He didn’t want to go though.

"I'm not a perfect person
There're many things I wish I didn't do"

“Were you saying the truth?” – the one who had taken Seungho there asked.

He didn’t answer.

“Do you know what happened that night, during the party?” – the person spoke again.

He didn’t answer.

He knew. He remembered it well.
Nana’s mother had had a heart attack during the party. It had been too much emotion for her heart to take it.
She had left her husband and only daughter inconsolable.

Seungho had not been there to comfort his girlfriend. He hadn’t even attended to the funeral.
He had spent one week at a friend’s house, getting ready to watch a rock concert.

He looked really selfish under his own view, now that he had seen it through a different perspective.

“There’s something else I want you to see.” – the person wearing the hood said.

Everything turned dark again, and as soon as it had turned dark, it turned light.

They were both standing in Nana’s living room.
She was sat on the couch, holding her cell phone.

“Isn’t Seungho coming?” – her father asked.

“He said he would, but… I think something showed up.” – Nana answered half smiling.

It was her birthday. Her first birthday without her mother.
Mrs. Im had set everything for her daughter’s birthday party, and that had been the only reason the girl had celebrated.
Seungho had been the only guest, as everybody understood the Im family needed time for themselves, and still, he had not been there. He had not called, nor anything.
It had happened six months ago.

“Do you remember where you were?” – the person wearing the hood asked.

Seungho didn’t answer.

He did remember.
He had been to a friend’s bachelor party. He had drunk and danced all night, while his girlfriend, as he could see now, prayed nothing bad had happened to him.

"all the pain I put you through
I wish that I could take it all away"

“Why are you doing this?”- Seungho finally spoke, bitter.

He knew he was not the best boyfriend ever, and that he had flaws, but doesn’t everybody?!

“I had to show you these things.” – that person answered. His voice was calm. – “You had to see where your actions would lead you. Life is not a playground, Yang Seungho. It’s time you learned it.”

Once again, everything turned dark, and as the previous times, it had turned light just as suddenly.

“Where are we now?” – Seungho asked. It was all too fast, too sudden…

“Don’t you recognize it?” – the other person said, pointing at the bed, where Seungho’s body laid lifeless.

He stared at the bed.

“Do you see her?” – the person wearing the hood asked. His tone calm as usual.

“Who?” – Seungho asked, looking around. – “There ain’t anybody here.” – he completed, looking at the one who had asked him that silly question.

There wasn’t anyone there. He was completely alone.

“You were never there for her…” – the person wearing the hood spoke apathetically. – “Did you really think she’d be there for you forever? She moved on, buddy…”

It was true. Nana had always been there for Seungho.
When his parents moved to the Philippines, she had given him support when he said he wanted to stay.
She had helped him clean the house, once he wasn’t very organized; she had helped him find a job, because his parents were not willing to feed a bum forever…
She had indeed always been there for him. And he had perhaps never done anything for her, especially when she had needed him the most.

“What do you think you deserve now?” – that person asked, walking on Seungho’s direction.

“I…” – he started, but was soon interrupted.

The person wearing the hood had taken it off.
Seungho saw himself turn into a hideous creature.
An enormous creature that had a lion’s body with a tail that ended with a snake’s head, and a goat’s head that arose from the center of its back.

When the chimera jumped to devour him, Seungho closed his eyes.

“NO!” – he screamed.

“…so don’t forget an umbrella, ladies and gentleman!” – He heard, opening his eyes right away.

It was the TV.

That was his house, he was lying on his couch… he was alive.
He was alive!

Seungho got up, touching his face. He was really alive.

Reaching for the phone, he dialed Nana’s number.

“Hello?” – he heard her voice.
It was so amazing to hear her voice.

“Nana…do you wanna, I don’t know…have dinner?” – He asked. His eyes tearing. – “It’s been a while we don’t enjoy ourselves…”

“Yeah, why not…” – Nana answered. She was completely clueless. – “Drop by at seven.”

“six!” – Seungho spoke, allowing himself to smile – “And, Nana…I love you.” – he completed hanging up.

"I've found a reason for me
To change who I used to be
A reason to start over new…

knock knock

Somebody knocked on the M door.

“Yeah?” – Mr. Im opened the door. He had a firm, but soft expression.

Seungho froze.
There so many things he felt he should apologize for…

“I…I’m really sorry and I do know I was a jerk and…and I don’t deserve your daughter, but… i…I will work hard, sir. I’ll work hard because I… I love your daughter and I want to make her happy and…and…yeah, that’s it” – he spoke fast, without breathing, looking into Mr. I’m ‘s eyes.

Mr. Im didn’t say a thing.
He eyed the guy his daughter had chosen.

“Come here, son.” – He finally spoke, giving room for Seungho to enter.
“You see those?” – Mr. Im asked, pointing at the shelf, the one with his many wrestling trophies.

Seungho gulped.

“Make my daughter cry and your neck’ll be so broken, that you’ll be able to bite your own nape. You got it?” – Mr. Im spoke with an exaggerated dark tone.

“Yes, sir.” – the younger man replied. He was as pale as his perfectly clean shirt.

“Let’s go!” – the two heard from upstairs. Nana was ready.

She kissed her father goodbye and the two young lovers left in silence until they reached a tree, the one close to the pole.

“What did he say? Dad told me he would tell you some words…” – Nana spoke, rolling her eyes.

“He’s just taking care of his most precious thing.” – Seungho answered. – “and I will as well.”

“…and the reason is you"