“I need a room for two,” Junhong told the receptionist as he stood in front of the counter, hands in the pockets of his pitch-black coat.

“Please wait for a moment, sir.” The receptionist told him as she walked behind the counter to answer a phone that was ringing.

5.47 p.m.

Those were the numbers that were displayed on Junhong’s watch. It wasn’t that late but the roads were empty. It seemed like no one had gotten out of their house. Maybe it was because of the bad weather.

Junhong craned his neck to look back and saw Himchan sitting on a stool placed near the entrance. Himchan was staring outside, watching the rain silently, as always. He seemed dead from afar, Junhong thought. His pale complexion stood out so much that it made him look like a zombie.

He was sick.

“Here’s the key to your room sir. Enjoy your stay at our humble motel.” The receptionist handed Junhong the key and gave him a polite bow, followed by a smile.

Junhong smiled back reluctantly and turned around to get Himchan when he realized that the man had disappeared. Forehead creased in confusion, Junhong scanned the lobby but saw no sign of Himchan.

Where did he go?

Junhong ran out of the motel and was about to call out his name when he saw Himchan standing in the rain, looking up at the dark sky.

“Hyung, it’s raining. You’ll catch a cold.” Junhong held out his hand and grabbed him by the sleeve.

Himchan didn’t say anything else. He only nodded but had his eyes fixed on the sky. Junhong stared at the sky too before he led Himchan to their room but he found nothing that interested him.

♦

“A man in his 30’s was found dead after he went missing for three days. According to the police, he had been murdered at another place and his body was then transferred to an old warehouse…”

Junhong switched off the TV and tore his gaze away from the screen. Then he buried his face in his palms and heaved out a sigh.

“Junhongie?” Himchan’s voice sounded far away but Junhong could hear it clearly. “Don’t you want to ride a Ferris wheel?”

Junhong stared at Himchan confusedly but then noticed the newspaper in the latter’s hand.

“There’s a carnival in Busan. It’ll last this whole November.”

“Well do you wanna go there?” Junhong smiled.

“It sounds fun.” Himchan looked at the boy and smiled too before he turned his attention back to the newspaper. It wasn’t long before he started talking again. “Junhongie?”

“Hm?”

“Do you think they’ll find us?”

“They won’t. We’re far away from home anyway,” Junhong turned around to look at Himchan who was sitting on the bed, the duvet pulled up to his waist.

“What if they do? Will they kill me?”

Himchan’s eyes were dark but they held nothing in them. No fear, no hatred. Just pure blankness.

“No they won’t,” Junhong furrowed his eyebrows and bit his lips. “They’re not gonna kill you, hyung. And I won’t let them take you away.”

Himchan closed his eyes and rested his head against the headboard. Junhong thought that he was asleep but then he heard Himchan humming to himself. It was a tune that he used to hum to whenever he was in the kitchen, preparing for breakfast, lunch, dinner or anything that he wanted to make.

Junhong smiled upon hearing the familiar tune and he closed his eyes too, lying on the bed opposite Himchan’s.

For a moment, Junhong felt at ease.

♦

A sound of wheels coming in contact with the wet ground caused consciousness to seep back into Junhong’s head. Junhong opened his eyes and was greeted by darkness. He turned to his side and let out a sigh of relief when he saw Himchan’s figure on the bed.

Someone opened a door of a car and tried to close it softly but Junhong heard everything.

“Hyung, wake up,” Junhong walked over to Himchan and shook him awake.

“What? What’s wrong?” Himchan groaned, rubbing his eyes.

“We have to get out of here now.”

A few knocks came from the door of their room. Both of them stared at each other in panic and scrambled to their feet as fast as lightning.

“Sorry to interrupt but can you open the door?” a muffled voice came from the outside.

Junhong opened the window of the toilet and helped Himchan to climb out of it.

“Hello?”

 When it was Junhong’s turn to escape, the door burst open and two officers stormed into the room. The first one had arched eyebrows and long body while the other was quite chubby in the cheeks and was shorter.

“Sir they’re escaping!” the chubby officer pointed at Junhong who had half of his body through the window.

“Junhong, hurry!” Himchan pulled at Junhong’s wrists and managed to get him out before the officers could grab the boy’s legs.

“Kyungsoo don’t let them out of your sight!” the tall officer shouted.

Junhong quickly got to his feet and took the lead. He ran towards the forest, glancing back once in a while to make sure that Himchan was still following him.

“Stop!” the officer named Kyungsoo ordered.

He seemed weak. Junhong debated in his mind whether he should take the man down. They wouldn’t be able to lose them if they kept on running like this. They had to do something to stop them from chasing them.

Junhong heard a scream coming from Himchan and when he turned around, he realized that the tall officer had threw himself on Himchan, causing both of them to roll on the ground. Junhong skidded to a halt and quickly fetched a dead branch. Then he swung it to the back of the officer’s head, putting him to unconsciousness instantly.   

“Yaa!” Kyungsoo shouted at Junhong.

Then he marched towards the boy and dodged his punch with ease. Junhong tried throwing another punch but then the officer grabbed his arm and flipped him to the ground swiftly. Junhong gasped in pain when his back hit the ground.

“Hah, you think you can beat me?” Kyungsoo laughed at the boy, kicking him lightly. “Don’t mess with black belt, kiddo.”

Before the officer could bend down to cuff Junhong’s hands, a tattered scarf wrapped itself around the officer’s neck and his eyes widened in terror when the scarf tightened. Junhong watched speechlessly as Himchan tugged the scarf around the officer’s neck harder.

“P-please…” the officer wheezed, grabbing at the scarf with sheer desperation as he stared at Junhong pleadingly.

Before Junhong could open his mouth, Himchan twisted Kyungsoo’s neck with his bare hands. The cracking sound echoed in the forest.

Silence ensued.

No sound could be heard other than the sound of crows cackling in the sky and Junhong’s heavy breathing.

“Hyung…” Junhong muttered after a while, eyes on the dead officer.

“They can’t catch us now,” Himchan said, lips in a tight line. Then he approached the unconscious officer who lay a few feet away from them and grabbed the dead branch which Junhong had used previously. “If they’re dead, they won’t be able to take me away from you.”

“No!” Junhong ran towards Himchan and grabbed his wrist before he could pierce the dead branch through the officer’s throat.

“Junhong, let go!”

“Hyung, I’m not gonna let you kill another person. You’re not a murderer!”

“I am!” Himchan screamed, tears b in his eyes. “I’ve killed once and it doesn’t make any difference if I kill another person.”

“No,” Junhong tightened his grip around Himchan’s wrist when the latter tried to break free. “Hyung, please. This is not you. You need to wake up.”

Himchan held his breath and blinked a few times. Then he put his trembling hand over his forehead and closed his eyes. He dropped the dead branch and Junhong quickly pulled him into a hug.

“I’m sorry,” Himchan whispered.

“You’re not a murderer, hyung.”

♦

A thunder growled.

Kris opened his eyes and squinted in the darkness. He could feel the pain at the back of his head and he groaned in frustration when he realized that he was tied to a chair. He scanned the place and noted that the interior was made out of wood. When he stared outside the lone window in front of him, he could see the forest.

He was in an abandoned cabin.

“I’m sorry,” a faint voice from the corner of the room startled the man.

Kris strained his eyes to look at the person and he frowned when he recognized who it was.

“Choi Junhong.”

“You know my name?” Junhong blinked.

The officer ignored the boy’s question and instead asked, “Where’s Kim Himchan?”

“He’s in the room, sleeping,” Junhong pointed at a room behind him as he approached the officer, carrying a lantern with him.

“Where’s my partner?”

“H-Himchan hyung killed him,” Junhong answered hesitantly. “I’m sorry.”

Kris shut his eyes and gritted his teeth. He didn’t expect that to happen. They were supposed to catch both of them and return to the station safely. What would he have to say to Kyungsoo’s family when he gets back?

He could just imagine Kyungsoo’s family breaking down in front of him, especially his mother.

“Why are you helping Himchan? You know he’s sick.”

“I know,” Junhong nodded. “But he’ll get better.”

“Better? He’s killed five people, Junhong. No, since my partner is now dead then that makes it six. Do you realize what you’re doing?”

“I know,” Junhong nodded again, fumbling with his fingers. “I know it’s wrong but can you please let us go? I promise you that Himchan hyung won’t kill anyone anymore.”

“I can’t do that Junhong and I won’t,” Kris answered sternly. “Look, I know you care about him but think about it first. You can turn him in. We’ll let him live in a better place. He can recover. We can help him. We know how to help him, Junhong. You can’t do it alone.”

“I don’t want you to take Himchan hyung away from me,” Junhong narrowed his eyes at the officer, the guilt he had on his face a moment ago disappeared instantly. “He’s all I have.”

“I get that,” Kris sighed. “There’s no use running away. Even if you kill me now, the others will catch you eventually. You can’t run away. There are only two of you and dozens of us.”

“Please let us go just once,” Junhong pleaded, staring right into the officer’s eyes.

The officer stared back, noting how desperate the boy looked. It was unfortunate that he’d gotten himself into such trouble. He was so young. What had turned him this way? And why would he try so hard to protect Kim Himchan?

“Junhong, we can fix Himchan for you. Just turn yourself in.”

“I told you I don’t want you to take him away from me!” Junhong kicked a chair and curled his hands into fists.

“He’s mentally ill.”

“Maybe he is but he’s getting better, I know it.”

Junhong turned away from the officer and headed towards the room where Himchan was. Before he entered the room, he shut his eyes and sighed.

“Or maybe I am the crazy one.”

♦

“Hyung, I’m home,” Junhong stepped inside the house and put down his backpack on the couch.

When there was no answer, Junhong went into the kitchen and called out for Himchan once again.

“Hyung, where are you?”

Junhong heard Himchan’s voice coming from the backyard. He was muttering by himself. It didn’t sound like he was complaining—a thing which he’d always done—but it was more like he was talking to himself, reassuring himself about something.  When Junhong stepped into the backyard, he saw that Himchan was kneeling on the ground, gathering soil in his hands and dumping it to a certain spot.

“Hyung? What are you doing?” Junhong bent down beside the man and looked down at a big hole Himchan had dug on his own and oh he was wrong to do so.

Inside, lay a dead man who had his throat slit. His eyes were opened with a look of terror and his chest was littered with deep wounds, as if he had been stabbed continuously. Junhong recognized the man. He was the mailman who used to deliver letters to their house and now he was dead.

Dead.

Junhong turned away and fought back the urge to throw up.

“I had to do it,” Himchan muttered, tears rolling down his cheeks. “He tried to kill me.”

“H-hyung…why?” Junhong placed a trembling hand on Himchan’s shoulder.

Himchan turned to face him, eyes as dead as a night sky.

“They’re going to kill me. They know what I did Junhong, they know.”

♦

“Junhongie?”

“Why is the door locked?”

“I can’t open it.”

“Junhong!’

Junhong stared at the door and bit his lips. Himchan kept on slamming his fists on the door.

“Junhong, let me out!” Himchan screamed. “Open the door!”

Junhong stared down at the dead officer who was lying on the floor and brought his hands to his face.

Everything was messed up.

Junhong didn’t mean for it to happen. He didn’t mean to kill the officer. The man had surprised him that night. Junhong didn’t know that he had somehow untied himself. When Junhong was about to offer him dinner, the officer had jumped on him.

Junhong fought. He fought hard and he had seen the handgun that was strewn across the floor. He didn’t remember clearly what had happened during the struggle but the next thing he knew, the officer had succumbed to the floor, one hand over his bleeding chest.

Junhong didn’t mean to kill him. He made him.

Himchan was still sleeping at the moment and Junhong was afraid that the man would see what he had done so he’d blocked the door. He didn’t want Himchan to see him as a murderer.

“Junhong, I’m scared.” Himchan’s voice sounded fragile.

It reminded Junhong of the days when Himchan was on the verge of losing himself. Himchan had been paranoid of his surroundings, telling Junhong about someone watching his every move and that he was going to be killed.

Junhong thought that Himchan would get better after taking him to the psychiatrist, in hope for full recovery but it doesn’t fix anything.

Things got worse.

Junhong’s hopes shattered into useless fragments and the next thing he knew, he was already knee-deep in the ground, slowly being consumed by hell.

“I’ve messed up,” Junhong muttered, resting his head against the door. “I’m so sorry hyung.”

“What happened?” Himchan asked. “Please let me out, Junhong.”

Junhong let out a sigh and finally, gave in. He unblocked the door and opened it. Himchan stared back at him with teary eyes. Before he could shift his gaze to the dead body, Junhong wrapped his arms around him and cried.

“I just want to live peacefully with you,” Junhong said. “I can’t stand watching you like this. I want nothing but to see you in peace. This is not you anymore, hyung. This is not us. We’re messed up.

“I wish I was still in school and you were still working happily with your circle of friends. I wish you would still be waiting for me at the school gate to pick me up, just like the old times, when we were normal.”

“Then we can just run away again,” Himchan suggested, a light chuckle escaping his lips.

Junhong took a step backwards but had his hands on Himchan’s shoulders. Himchan gazed at him, eyes glinting with something Junhong couldn’t comprehend.

“We can start a new life, how hard can that be?”

Himchan's lips curled up into a disturbing smile even though there were tears in his eyes. 

This was wrong. Everything was wrong. 

“You’re right…” Junhong smiled sadly.

“We can ride the Ferris wheel in Busan.”

“The Ferris wheel,” Junhong chuckled.

He stared down at the floor for a while, deep in thought. Before Himchan could ask him what was wrong, Junhong spoke up.

 “Tomorrow, I’ll wake you up and we can go to Busan to ride the Ferris wheel. I promise.”

 “Let’s do that.” Himchan nodded, followed by a yawn. “We should really go to sleep now. It’s already late.”

“Yeah.”

Junhong draped a worn out blanket over Himchan’s body when the latter had settled himself on an old mattress. He watched Himchan silently as he closed his eyes, slowly drifting to sleep. His breathing was steady and his face showed no sign of anxiety.

He looked peaceful.

Junhong held out a hand and touched his hair. A smile crept over his face when Himchan scrunched up his face upon the contact.

“You look so much comfortable like this, hyung. I wish I could take your paranoia away from you forever. I want nothing but peace for us.”

Junhong lay down beside Himchan and stared at him for as long as he could, hand Himchan’s hair in a slow motion. He caught the date glowing on his watch and pretended that he didn’t see it but it was too late, it was already embedded in the core of his mind.

30 November 2013.

A/N:

I keep telling myself that killing people in my stories is bad but I keep on doing it. keke. But hey, it wouldn't be fun to read stories with deadless people, right? You agree with me? No? Was it disturbing? I don't care :P

Some of you might not understand the ending so here's a hint; the title of the story itself is the ending. kekeke. 

Thanks for reading gorgeous earthlings~