CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE

Sanghyuk wakes up with a jolt, his forehead wet with sweat. He looks around and notices that he was on a train, Jaehwan sitting next to him and Hakyeon opposite him. The older male notices Sanghyuk and gives him a small smile before seeing the younger male’s troubled look. “Is something wrong?” he asks, closing the book he was reading.

Sanghyuk furrows his eyebrows, hesitating on whether to tell Hakyeon or not. He has always known of this ability but he never really gave much thought about it since he usually doesn’t get much sleep and nothing usually comes out. Besides, these kinds of abilities were the norm for them and the ‘dreams,’ or ‘premonitions’ he usually has aren’t of any importance but this time, he has a really bad gut feeling. “I-,” Sanghyuk hesitates. He lets out a long sigh and looks at Hakyeon. “They’re erasing their memories. I don’t know why but-,” he pauses when he sees no change in Hakyeon’s expression.

“You-you knew, hyung, you knew that this was bound to happen. You knew and you didn’t tell us? Why-,” he pauses when he sees the conflicted look on Hakyeon’s face but doesn’t drop his guard. He senses Jaehwan who was now awake and was eyeing the two of them.

Hakyeon finally sighs as he looks out the window. The city was no longer in sight and all he could see were rows of trees and mountains. “It’s not that I knew. I suspected that it would happen, sooner or later. I saw Wonshik just before I met up with Jaehwan. He looked different. His eyes were unfocused and it looked like he wasn’t in control of his body,”

“And that was when he shot you?” Jaehwan who was keeping his silence finally talks, his eyes boring holes onto Hakyeon’s tilted head. Hakyeon grits his teeth but doesn’t say anything to either deny or affirm what Jaehwan said.

Sanghyuk, on the other hand, couldn’t hide the surprise on his face. He looks at Hakyeon’s side and sure enough, there were traces of blood. The wound itself had healed but there was still a faint scar on where the bullet should have been. “He really did shoot you,”

Hakyeon finally looks at the two younger boys, a smile plastered on his face. “Don’t worry about me. I’m fine. A shot like this won’t kill me, I mean, not that any shot would but I’m fine. Besides, it’s not like this is the first time I’ve been shot, right?” he jokes, attempting to lighten the mood.

Sanghyuk frowns. “Well, it’s the first time you’ve been shot by one of us,” he mutters loud enough for the two older boys to hear him. Hakyeon doesn’t say anything; knowing full well that Sanghyuk was right; at least, on a certain level. There were still some things they didn’t know and Hakyeon hesitates on whether or not he should tell them. In the end, he decides it was the time for them to know.

“A few years back,” he starts, gaining the attention of the two boys. “Wonshik had shot me in the heart. We were young and back then, only me, Hongbin and Wonshik were living there. It was Wonshik’s first assignment and he went out of control and shot me in the process. Back then, I didn’t have the ability to quickly heal myself. Unlike you, I developed it late. I almost died and Wonshik kept on blaming himself for it. Even until now,”

Jaehwan and Sanghyuk’s eyes widen, unable to fully process Hakyeon’s story. “I didn’t blame Wonshik back then nor do I blame him now. I’m fine and I know that he didn’t mean it. Which is why I don’t want the two of you to hate the other boys. Whatever they do, if ever they hurt us, just know that it wasn’t them but the voice telling them to do something they don’t want to do,” Hakyeon says, reminding the boys.

“I just hope you’re right,”

I finally updated! This is to commemorate VIXX's INKIGAYO WIN last Sunday and SHOW CHAMPION WIN earlier today. Also, let's celebrate Leo's blonde hair! Hooray! Hooray! Anyway, the truth is, this chapter was just soemwhere in my documents, unfunished. But because I am happy today, voila! I present you chap 21. I can't believe I reached 21 chapters already. Wah. As always, thank you for your support! :)