⇔

“I think we can help him remember noona.” Changhyun held her hand, trembling as her eyes glared into his. “Noona, he can remember. He is the same boy, I know it. Please there must be a way.” Her snarl was loud and repulsive as she slapped Changhyun right in the face. Whereas the sound of her fingers smacking against the latter’s skin bounced off the bar’s wall, gaining attention and keeping everyone watching silent. 

“Don’t you understand?! Yoo Changhyun, you are nothing but a threat to him now. His flesh remembers of course, but you’re nothing but a sign of danger. That’s why you can never come close anymore.”

“We’re foxes, and foxes don’t run like wolves. We don’t confront anything that brings us death, we hide from them.” her gleaming blue eyes were as cold as ice as she sat down, sighing deep to ease her flaming anger. Yoo Changhyun would just keep on trying even when it was useless, she thought and it reminded her of someone - her own brother. “Don’t you see, you, my dear mortal are nothing but a threat to Changjo. If you think he would remember you and return, then you’re mistaken. The greatest gift you can give my brother is a world without you in it”

She explained as her finger reached his shoulders and caressed them lightly. “Don’t you think ruining him once is enough? We’ll take care of him now Ricky. It’s okay.” Changhyun swept her fingers away and gulped a shot of vodka, tearing up at his burning throat. His blank eyes were lost inside the empty shot glass as they sat there for hours, allowing silence to consume their hearts. 

“Noona, you’re right. But he never gave up on me, I know that now. So I won’t too. Please give me some time. I love him, Choi Jung.”

“More than any of you can imagine.”

⇔

With a bit of force, Changhyun knocked his head on the brisk, pealing wall again. He couldn’t sleep, no, not when he was left alone in the carcasses of the huge mansion with nothing but darkness and silence filling the air. He could barely even breathe. He remembered everything too clearly and it made him mad, because there was a definite logic within the woman’s words. Making Changjo remember was the ticket to the world of danger he was still, very deeply in. 

He was agonizingly torn. 

♦

“You know my child, his words are very convincing. Its heartbreakingly similar to someone we know…” The elder woman mumbled as she walked closer and stood in front of Choi Jung. In her hand was a cup of steaming hot tea, stirred lightly as the scent rose up into the air. “Don’t you think?” she asked, putting down the cup and looking right at her daughter. 

“What are you trying to say, mother?” she glared up to the woman with her eyes blazing with mixed emotions. The older woman took a deep breath and silently, started to stir the cup again, watching a piece of the green tea leaves swirling around. “Are you planning to let this happen?! Like he haven’t suffered enough?!” Choi Jung’s voice was trembling, as it sounded like nothing more than a labored whisper. “DON’T YOU THINK I KNOW THAT?”

Her hand froze as she spoke coldly, her warmth as a mother completely diminished by her offended emotions. 

“But what if Changhyun is right? What if, he could return?” her voice was calmer, softer as she sipped the hot tea. “You’re right Junggie, we’re not wolves. We run from danger and avoid every threat intelligently. It’s programmed in our DNA.” She elaborated, this time while balancing the cup and consequently stirring it along. 

“But he’s not a true blood. A part of him was human.”  

“And so he might just remember…”