Chapter 3

Burden

“I said I didn’t know Mom! I already told you, I was all the way up when he landed on the floor with a thud. I didn’t know what to do with his heavy body and all the rats down there, so I went to get you and Dad to aid him instead… I didn’t know he ended up banging his head against one of the steps.” Misun was still unforgiving.

Donghwa rolled his eyes and fought the urge to glare back, he turned towards the hospital’s vending machine and mumbled, “Gee, just have to blame everything on me, even though the doctors said he and the baby were fine!” He grabbed a cola for himself and left his mother to grab her own, and then sulked away from her sharp eyes. 

Misun scoffed, blinking hard at being ditched rudely by the youngest man she’d ever raised, trying to shake off the shock. “Hey! Lee Donghwa, get yourself right here, right friggin’ now!” she demanded, furious, but Donghwa never spared her thought, he continued walking down the corridor, his steps steady as if he weren’t even bothered by her loud pitch.

“That spoiled brat!” she cussed under her breath. Once again, her spoilt son attracted unnecessary attention and brought the questioning eyes people to look at her like she was a mad woman. Her eyes met the old man’s who was sitting on a wheelchair and she gave a weak smile, but the elder seemed to stare longer into her soul. Misun bowed, embarrassed, and made an attempt to leave, but the man’s words stopped her.

“Stop treating this kid like he was inferior to his other siblings, because if you treat one better than the other, then that other will, surely, try to find appreciation somewhere else.” “I…” Misun tried to say something, but the old man had cut in again before she’d gathered her thoughts in a line.

“Listen young lady, I’ve ran away from home long ago because I had a mother like you — I don’t see a reason why this young man won’t take the same route, so be careful what you do to your kids, or you might not like the consequence very much. I know you cherish him, and I suggest you show him some of that love before it’s too late.”

Misun was speechless, luckily for her, she didn’t have to say anything because the old man had wheeled away from her, appetite long lost as he watched the Déjà vu of the scene. In the end, Misun too had to retreat so others could use the machine. She went back to check on her elder son, though her mind was torturing her with the thoughts of Donghwa and what he thought of her as a mother.

* * * *

Daniel stomped the floor a couple of times as he walked the second floor, testing the wood’s strength, seeing how hard it is. He didn’t want his pregnant son to encounter any more accidents; it was such a burden, having him hurt his head in the basement. Daniel made sure to call the exterminators over and have them ridding the house of its big, ancient rats and insects. Daniel knew trouble hasn’t even started by the look on Donghae’s face as he examined his eight-month-big bump, in worry. 

“Is everything okay, son?” he asked, coming to Donghae’s side to offer him assistance, but Donghae kindly rejected the offered arm and smiled. “It’s kicking,” he admitted, embarrassed. Daniel’s mouth formed a small ‘o’, as he wasn’t sure how to react to that as a father who wasn’t exactly happy about the whole abnormal occurrence, in the first place. Instead of saying anything embarrassing or hurtful, Daniel opted to try and joke about the matter. Patting Donghae on the back, he smiled and said, “Well… it isn’t as hard as hitting your head at least! Bet your Mom will kill me for saying this joke at such a timing; she usually think’s me to be as funny as a dead pigeon.”    

“Ha-ha.” It was the first time in years Daniel had Donghae laughing about anything he’d said. His smile brightened as he watched Donghae twist over in laughter, one hand hitting at Daniel’s shoulder as he went at it. Daniel tried to not act awkward around his soon again, for he really wished for that mood to stay alive between them. Hooking one arm over Donghae’s shoulders, he made sure not to put any of his weight on his son, as he led Donghae to his room so the kid could rest the night.

With a content sigh, Daniel tucked his son in bed and watched his smiling face for a little bit before touching Donghae’s fringe lightly, about to tell him how much he missed being so friendly with him. Another sigh and Daniel retreated, suddenly realizing how hard it is to get the words out. Instead, he pointed at the door, and told Donghae that he has to leave before Misun really turn him into a dead pigeon. Donghae chuckled and then nodded, and though Daniel knew his jokes weren’t all that funny, he was just glad his son was at least reaching a hand for him to take again. This time though, Daniel promised himself to do it right.

This time he promised not to chase Donghae’s happiness away; this time he’ll help his son find it, even if it meant delivering him to his ill-souled fiancé, since he is the exact definition of happiness in Donghae’s eyes — even when he’s his .

* * * *

Donghwa got up and snatched his mother’s wallet, not even saying a word in her direction for he was obviously still mad at her for overreacting and taking things a little bit overboard with him at the hospital. “What are you doing with my wallet in your hands, Donghwa?” she asked a bit irritated, though not as irritated as she always is — Heavens know how much she tried to tame her beasts! “Taking money… I’ll order take-outs, if that’s okay with you.” Irritation colored his voice and he tried not to make any eye contact with her or his brother, who was shocked watching him act so out of it.

“No, you may not; if that’s the tone you’re taking with me.” Misun couldn’t stop being pissed off at Donghwa for more than a second, and she knew it. She tried to remind herself of the old man’s words and not lose it, but with Donghwa’s attitude, it was really hard. Speaking of attitude, Donghwa smacked her wallet shut and threw it at his mom, the object, luckily, landed on the cushion beside her instead of her face — must be his guardian angel that did that, otherwise he would’ve spent the day with an icepack on his face, and Misun wouldn’t have even felt sorry.

After the staring match, which Misun lost at anyway, she took her wallet and then took her leave, telling Donghae that she needed to visit the neighbors and make friends with them because she didn’t want to be rude and turn down their invitation. He nodded at her and then watched her put on her heels before storming out the house. He shifted his eyes to Donghwa and watched him cool down for a second. “I’ll give you the money you need,” he said as he shifted around to find his wallet.

Donghwa stared at him, speechless. “You really did hit your head—didn’t you!” he finally said. Donghae shook his head, waving the bill at Donghwa to come and get. “You’re trying to impress me, then?” Donghwa suggested as he came closer, eying his brother with much unnecessary caution before taking the money, counting them.

“Mom means no harm, you know.” Donghae stammered. “She didn’t say what she said at the hospital, just to disrespect you; she told me so — and I can assure you she was feeling guilty for taking it out on you, when it wasn’t even your fault.”

Donghwa nodded, and shortly after, so did Donghae. “Alright, come back fast. It’s a bit eerie to be left alone in this creepy house. My legs are still shaking from the incident down the basement that I can’t even go back to my room,” Donghae said with a dark chuckle. He didn’t like admitting that he has become a coward because of what happened to him in the old house. He didn’t know if he can survive another supernatural attack, upon being left alone, considering his current case too.

“If you don’t want me to leave, I’ll stay and we can order something by the phone,” Donghwa said, taking a seat next Donghae, on the couch. Donghae nodded, squeezing Donghwa’s thigh, thankful. “I don’t want to be left alone ever again, though they make me sleep alone,” he confessed sadly.

“Why?” Donghwa’s eyebrows knitted closely. “I thought you were person-shy now, considering you’ve been by your fiancé, no?”

“It was not my fiancé. How many times do I have to repeat myself?” Donghae said calmly, even though his voice sounded hollow even to himself.

“Some up force, I forgot… but it’s still Eunhyuk’s body!” Donghwa reasoned.

Donghae sighed, he had to reveal this to his ghost-loving brother, otherwise Eunhyuk’s image with always be stained. “Look, it happened even before Eunhyuk arrived to save me. Something invisible tried to molest me. I was pushed down the bed and even before Eunhyuk got there, and after that, we tried to run away from the haunted house, but it turned out to be I’m the haunted one, and the thing possessed my lover and me again when we went to hide in a motel. Are you following me, Donghwa?” the other nodded, speechless.

“You’re the only one I’m trust won’t call me crazy because you’re the only one who believe in that other world talks. I tired telling the cops this story but they shut me down and thought I was traumatized just because Eunhyuk is my fiancé and I couldn’t overcome the shock, or so they said... but that’s not the case—it was not back then, and it’s not right now! So do you believe me, brother?”

By the time Donghae finished his narration, Donghwa’s mouth was slightly agape, and his eyes were empty as he thought this through. His brother sure made sense, but only to him. It was not a wonder why the police never believed what he was saying, for they’ve never even spoken to the ghost- before, unlike himself.

“But he told me he wouldn’t hurt you…” Donghwa muttered, absentmindedly.

Donghae nodded, “Eunhyuk-ah never wanted to hurt me. He told me that with tears in his eyes, and I believe him. He wouldn’t have done it if he weren’t forced.”

There was no reply because Donghwa was spacing out again. Donghae thought he’d given his brother too much information that’s indeed hard to digest, and thus kept quiet, giving his brother the time he needed to understand all this.

His eyes darted around the big room. Golden afternoon sunlight poured in through the windows. Suddenly, Donghae shifted his head and looked at the stairs a bit too quick as if he heard something fall up there. Donghwa was alerted by his brother’s action, but didn’t say anything, just watched Donghae closely.

When he registered his brother’s eyes upon him, Donghae setteled back in his chair, smiling weakly, “I thought I heard someone talking up there… too bad we have no T.V. to blame that on, right now.”   

“I heard nothing,” Donghwa said, shrugging. But who were he to talk; he wasn’t even paying attention to Donghae just now. Donghae swallowed, “Maybe my fall in the basement really was worse than I’d thought, then!”

“Maybe so,” Donghwa agreed, not wanting to frighten his brother of their new house, but he really didn’t hear anyone speak up there, and he was somewhat a ghost’s medium. “Don’t worry, hyung-nim. If there are ghosts in here, I’ll know before anyone get to even feel their presence, and by the time you get to feel their presence, we’ll be already signing up a contract for a new place, alright?”

It was not alright, for Donghae knew they cannot just move out whenever they feel like there’s a ghost haunting them. In fact, most of their fortune had been put into this crappy house, and it will take them a lifetime to make up for the money they’d lost in it. Donghwa’s plan was already y, and all that Donghae could wish is for this house to be ghost-free. It will be better for everyone if it was. He shook his head and looked up at the second floor’s landing again. He could’ve sworn he heard someone talking up there.