Chapter 3 – Banished

As I reminisced the past I slowly fell into deep sleep. All these thinking have made me so tired. After dozing off for a couple of minutes I felt a small tap on my shoulder. I glanced up and I saw Yunho kneeling beside me.

“How are you feeling?” He asked putting a hand on my shoulder.

“Weak,” I told him. He smiled. He offered his hand and helped me get up from the ground.

“What brings you here?” I asked him as I brushed away the dirt on my pants. He hesitated before he answered. His hesitation gave it away.

“He’s looking for me isn’t he?” he nodded his head slowly. I guess I don’t really have a choice but to go. There’s no point of resisting anyway. I was about to leave when I remembered Maki. I glanced back at her grave one last time. “I’ll be back” I whispered softly in the air.

“I’m really sorry Jae,” Yunho said. I shook my head and continued to walk towards him. Within a second we both vanished into thin air.

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When we arrived at the Ankokugai (underworld) we exited through a small door and in to the portal room. It's been a really long time since the last time I came  here. Changmin was the one who welcomed us there.

“How have you been hyung?” He said giving me a warm hug.

“Not so good,” I told him sheepishly. After our hug Changmin escorted us all the way to the castle. The castle hasn't changed at all since I left. Everything was still in its place. We stopped just right in front of the door leading to ‘his’ room.

Slowly, he opened the huge heavy doors. When Yunho and I were fully inside he slowly closed the door behind us. The room was dim. We can only see shadows and the flickering fire on the wall. The heels of our shoes clanked as we walked on the concrete floor. At the end of the room, a figure sat staring directly at us. I could barely see his face and his expression. We stopped just a few meters away from him.

“How have you been?” The man asked, his voice echoing throughout the room.

“I feel like ,” I told him sarcastically. He snickered at my comment. “What do you want with me?” I asked him. I just want to get this over with so that I could go back to her side. I have no time for his lecture.

“Nothing much, I just wanted to know how you’re coping with your loss.” His grin faded and his expression became serious. I turned my gaze away from him for I didn’t want to show him my agony. I know how he gets when he sees me in pain.

“You must be in so much pain right now, huh?”

I glared at him. He laughed when he saw my reaction. “Why would you care how I feel? After all you did banish and abandoned your only son.” I could feel myself becoming teary. I bit my lower lip to hold in the tears

“So you’re still moping about that matter, huh?”

I ignored him, for I know he was only toying with me. He never cared about me and he never will. I hated him for what he did to me. I knew I did a bad thing but it’s no reason for him to throw me away like that. Besides, I’m his only heir to his throne.

“I’m sorry,” I heard him say. My head immediately jerked up. When I met my father’s gaze, I saw sympathy in his eyes. He really looks like he regretted what he did to me.

“Daijobu (It’s alright).” I said him. “After all, banishing me was the best thing you’ve ever done for me. If you didn’t banished me, I would have never met her.” I smiled at him. Soon memories of the past began to flood back in my mind. It seemed like it was just yesterday when he banished me…..

[Flashback]

I sat alone in my chamber, my head leaning on the huge rectangular backboard of the bed. Suddenly, Yunho barged into the room. He was panting.

“Jae, he’s calling for you.”

I pursed my lips in annoyance. I knew he would be looking for me. I’ve done some pretty bad things in the past, but this one tops it all. I gathered myself from the bed and followed him out into the corridor. When we arrived at my father’s room, he left giving us privacy. I walked slowly towards my father’s chamber. I could hear the heels of my shoes clank as I take a step. I could see my father’s figure become bigger and bigger as I walk closer to him.

I stopped just a few meters away from him. When he turned around I could see rage in his eyes. “JAEJOONG YOU BASTARD!!!” he yelled out. His voice echoed inside the room scaring the bats that were sleeping on the ceiling.

“WHY DID YOU HAVE TO GO AND RUIN MY IMPORTANT INVESTMENT!?” he growled at me as he stood from his throne. Then he began walking hastily towards me. Without any warning he landed a punch on my cheeks. My jaw cracked at the huge amount of impact that his punch created. I stood motionless with my mouth bleeding. I grabbed my distorted jaw and cracked it towards the other side, fixing it.

“I didn’t do it on purpose.” I told him as I glared at his reddening eyes. He smirked and he began walking back towards his throne. He stopped just in front of his seat.

“I’ve had enough of your immaturity. Yunho! Changmin!” My father called out. In an instant, his two henchmen came in.

“Send him to Earth.” The three of us stood there shocked at my father’s command. No matter how much trouble I’ve created he never ever resorted to this kind of punishment. Usually I would just get a beating or they would just starve me.  I can’t believe he’s sending me to a terrible place such as—E-E-Earth!!!

“E-E-Earth?!” I stuttered to say.

“Jaejoong. From now on you are BANISHED from here!” I walked towards. I got on my knees and begged him.

“Dad, you can’t send me to Earth. Please! Anything but that place—” I grabbed onto his pants, but he just pushed me away. “Yunho! Changmin! What are you two waiting for?!” The two glanced at each other and then at me. Without another word the two of them grabbed my arms and dragged me out of the room.

They dragged me into the portal room which contains the entrance to the mortal world. They let go of my arms and stood there with their head low trying to avoid contact with my eyes. “You two are not seriously going to send me there? Are you?” The two of them remained quiet. “You’ve got to be kidding me?!” I glared at them but they continued to avoid my eyes.

“We’re so sorry Jae,” Yunho apologized. Without a warning, the two of them pushed me into the portal.

“AAAHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!” I stretched out my hand towards them hoping that they would grab my hand, but they just stared at me.

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When I woke up I found myself lying on a wet asphalt floor. I was in a dark alley. I could feel a stinging pain on the back of my head. When I touched the back of my neck I felt a wound. I could feel my blood oozing out.

“Damn!” I cursed under my breath. I waited for a few minutes for my wound to fully heal. I got up from the ground and walked towards the end of the alley.

When I reached the end of the alley a stinging ray of light blinded my eyes. ‘Stupid sunlight!’ I thought . I covered my eyes and I began heading to the opposite direction of the sun. I walked and walked, but I didn’t quite know where I was. So I stopped a guy and asked him where I was.

“This is Tokyo.” He explained.

Tokyo? Japan? I read about this place in one of the books I had at home. This was supposed to be the busiest area in all of Japan.

For the past two weeks, I just wondered around the streets of Tokyo. As days passed I could feel myself become weaker and weaker. I expected this because I haven’t drunk blood in a while.

One day as I was walking my body began to feel hot and I began to sweat. My legs felt wobbly and my vision was becoming a little blurry. I tried to hide inside an alley. But before I could take another step my legs gave in and I collapsed onto the wet ground.

My vision became blurrier and I couldn’t see anything clearly. Suddenly, a pair of boots appeared in front of me. I tried to see who it was, but everything was beginning to disappear. Within seconds I lost consciousness.

TO BE CONTINUED………

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A/N: Hey guys! I hope you liked this chapter. And thanks everyone for commenting. I'm glad you guys are enjoying it.

Comments would be very much appreciated! Pls stay tune for chapter 4!!! =D

Chapter four: Otousan or Oniisan?

(8/20/09)