03.03.2009

1:03 AM

Third Person POV

Jaejin sat quietly outside the Emergency Operating Room. The tears were long gone now, his eyes bloodshot, and hands shaking with fear as he waited for the doctor to emerge from those double doors.

Suddenly he hears footsteps in the distance and turns his head towards the sound only to be greeted by a frantic Seunghyun. Like Jaejin, his eyes were bloodshot and swollen from the crying.

“Hyung…”

“Seunghyun…”

“How is he?”

“I don’t know. He’s been in surgery ever since we got here…”

“Hyung…wh – “

His sentence was muffled as tears began to fall down his face and soon he broke down, kneeling in the middle of the hallway, crying, like a boy wishing for someone to wake him up from this nightmare. Seeing Seunghyun cry, Jaejin’s resolve quickly crumbled as tears began to form in his eyes once again. Gently, he hugged Seunghyun, patting his back like a mother would her son, hoping to provide Seunghyun with whatever comfort he could.

“Shhhhhhh Seunghyun shhhhhhhh…”

“Hyung…sniff…Jonghun hyung?...”

“I’m sorry Seunghyun.”

They remained like that for a while until they both got up and settled themselves into the seats, tears still fresh on their face.

“Seunghyun…Jonghun hyung…before he passed he…he made me promise me something…and I want you to promise this same thing to me too…”

“Sniff…What did he want you to…Sniff…promise him?”

“Before he passed, he wanted me to promise him to make sure that Hongki would be happy and now I want you to promise me that. Promise me that you’ll help me make Hongki happy…”

“I…Sniff…promise hyung – I promise you that I’ll help you make Hongki happy.”

At that moment, the double doors to the operating room opened and a masked figure emerged, his gown and glove stained with blood. Jaejin quickly rises from his seat and greets the doctor.

“Doctor – How is he? Hows Hongki hyung?”

“Well to begin he still hasn’t regained consciousness. Upon examining his body, it’s evident that he was but not by one person – it most likely was a group. Furthermore, we’ve located multiple bruises and lacerations on his body. We managed to suture the lacerations but he’s lost a lot of blood and he’s getting transfusions right now.”

“When will he wake up?”

“We can’t say for sure. Normally patients wake up after the transfusions are complete, however, that varies with the patient. Granted the amount physical trauma on his body, there is a possibility he might not regain consciousness for a while.”

“Thank you.”

With that, the doctor went back into the operating room. Jaejin and Seunghyun were both about to sit back down when they heard someone call their names.

“Jaejin! Seunghyun!”

The pair turned their heads towards the sound only to find Jonghun’s parents approaching them, their faces swollen from grieving over their lost son. The mother quickly embraced the two of them into a tight hug. Although they were not her blood children, she cared for them as if they were her own even having them call her ‘mom’. Both parents were fully aware of the bond the four shared, especially the one shared between Jonghun and Hongki. Although they were disapproving at first, they learned to support their son over time. They truly were nice people.

“Oh I’m so glad you guys are okay. Are you guys hurt anywhere?”

“Mom…hyung…Jonghun hyung…”

At this, tears began to fall down her face and she began to cry, somehow managing to continue consoling the boys in between her tears.

“Shhhhh baby shhhhhhhh. It’s okay. It’s okay Jinnie…”

“Sniff…but –“

“Shhh Jinnie. He’s in a better place now…he’s…”

And with that, Seunghyun, Jaejin, and Mrs. Choi began to cry, grieving over the loss of Jonghun. The father, unable to watch, turned around and held his head to look at the ceiling. If anything, he wanted to cry right there beside him but he restrained himself from doing so. He was the man of the family, and like a proud lion, he refused to cry in the presence of anyone else. Jonghun had inherited this from him. After several minutes, the three managed to regain their composure. As Seunghyun helped Jaejin and mother get up, he saw the man, standing strong, like an unmovable pivot.

“Dad…”

“It looks like it’s going to rain Seunghyun.”

Slowly a tear made its way down the father’s face.

“Yeah. It’s definitely raining.”

“Dad….”

2:08 AM

All four of them, Seunghyun, Jaejin, Mr. and Mrs. Choi were all in Hongki’s room, looking onto the unconscious boy, hoping that he would wake soon. Suddenly, Mr. Choi called for Jaejin.

“Jaejin. See me outside for a minute.”

Both exited the room promptly.

“Jaejin. Mrs. Choi and I will be moving to America soon. It’ll be too hard to stay here in Korea with everything that’s happened. Before I go, I want you to do me a favor.”

“Anything dad.”

“Does Hongki know?”

“No. He was unconscious ever since we arrived at the warehouse.”

“Then let’s keep it that way.”

Jaejin’s eyes grew wide in shock.

“Why?”

“Listen we all know that Jonghun wanted nothing but absolute happiness for Hongki, even go so far as to sacrifice his life for him. If we tell Hongki now, he’ll have a mental breakdown and fall into severe depression, maybe even turn suicidal. Do you think that’s the best way to make him happy?”

“But – “

“No buts. When Hongki wakes up, tell him Jonghun went to America to care for his mother who’s terminally ill. He’ll be sad at first but eventually he’ll understand.”

“But that’s like putting a band-aid on a severe wound. You can’t – “

“I won’t hear any objections. Now give me your word that you won’t tell Hongki - that you won’t let my son’s sacrifice go to waste.”

It was an unreasonable request but Jaejin knew where the man was coming from. More than anything, he wanted the most to see his son and Hongki happy together. Although Jonghun met an unfortunate end, he was determined to keep Hongki happy, just like Jonghun wanted, by any and every means necessary.

“Promise me Jaejin.”

“I – I promise sir.”

“Good.”

Some time later, Mr. and Mrs. Choi announced their plans to immigrate to America and began to make their leave, Mrs. Choi giving each of the two boys a hug before leaving.

“Take care of Hongki for me ‘kay?”

“Yes mom.”

“And call me if you need anything. I’ll fly right over.”

She smiled at the two boys before making her prompt exit with her husband. After seeing them off, Jaejin and Seunhyun made their way back into Hongki’s room, promptly settling themselves into their respective seats.

“So hyung, what did dad want to talk to you about.”

“Seunghyun. I need you to listen to me carefully. What I’m about to say right now never happened, understand?”

Seunghyun nodded.

“Dad doesn’t want us telling Hongki about Jonghun’s death.”

Seunghyun’s eyes widened in shock.

“But hyung – why?”

“He’s afraid that if Hongki finds out he’ll fall into depression or turn suicidal. As far as he’s concerned he wants us to tell Hongki that Jonghun had to leave for America for some time to take care of mom as she has terminal illness.”

“But Jonghun hyung died for Hongki! We can’t just act like nothing and lie to him that mom is dying! He deserves to know the truth! It’s too cruel to lie to him like this!”

Seunghyun was furious. More than anything, he thought it was ridiculous that Hongki would have to be kept in the dark about Jonghun.  

“Calm down Seunghyun.”

“I can’t calm down hyung! I can’t lie to Hongki hyung like that!”

“Song Seunghyun.”

Seunghyun had never heard his hyung talk that sternly before. Reluctantly, he recomposed himself before speaking again.

“So that’s it then hyung?”

“Yes. As far as Hongki’s concerned, Jonghun left for America to care for mom whose terminal.”

“And this is dad’s way of honoring Jonghun hyung’s last wish?”

“He just doesn’t want to see Hongki hurt Seunghyun. He wants Hongki to be happy because that’s what Jonghun hyung wanted.”

Hongki’s POV

Jonghun. . They took my phone and called him saying that they’ll have ‘fun’ with him too. I try to move but pain starts to resonate throughout my whole body. Damn it. Why do I always have to screw things up?! Why?! It’s all my fault. I should have just bit down on my tongue and killed myself instead of cowering and clinging onto this pathetic excuse of a life. I’m so sorry Jonghun. I’m so sorry. I – I promised myself to you and only you and yet I – I let them touch me. I don’t deserve to be your boyfriend. I deserve to die.  I’m filth. Scum. lower than trash. I don’t deserve to live.

“But hyung – why?”

Is that Seunghyun? That’s Seunghyun’s voice. Wait. Where the hell am I? I try moving again but the pain is just too great for me to handle.

“He’s afraid that if Hongki finds out he’ll fall into depression or turn suicidal. As far as he’s concerned he wants us to tell Hongki that Jonghun had to leave for America for some time to take care of mom as she has terminal illness.”

That’s Jaejin’s voice. What are they talking about? I try to open my mouth and say something but nothing comes out.

“But Jonghun hyung died for Hongki! We can’t just act like nothing and lie to him that mom is dying! He deserves to know the truth! It’s too cruel to lie to him like this!”

Jonghun’s dead? No. No it can’t be – it can’t be. No. They must be joking. Why?! Why?! No Jonghun can’t be dead. He can’t be dead. Why?! Why did he come?! Why did he die for something filthy like me?! I should have died! Not him! Please. Please tell me this is some kind of joke! Please…please…Jonghun can’t be dead. Not for something like me. I should have died. It’s my fault…

“He just doesn’t want to see Hongki hurt Seunghyun. He wants Hongki to be happy because that’s what Jonghun hyung wanted.”

I feel my consciousness fade away from me. Everything is going dark. It’s all my fault. Jonghun died because of me…because of me…I should have died – not you….how do you expect me to carry on Jonghun? How do you expect me to be happy knowing that you died for like me…I’m so sorry Jonghun…I’m so sorry……

-Flashback END-