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Yes, I'm HeroIndex:
(BH) – Baekhyun speaking
(DO) – Kyungsoo speaking
(DH) – Daehyun speaking
(YJ) – Young Jae speaking
(HC) – Himchan speaking
(BY) – Yongguk speaking
(HS) – Hyosung speaking
(SJ) – Sungjong speaking
(TF) – Tiffany speaking
(JU) – Jongup speaking
(SU) – Sunny speaking
(K) – Jongin speaking
(Z) – Zelo speaking
(JI) – Jin speaking
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Standing there in front of the mirror, Jin stared at his reflection blankly for a moment before focusing onto himself. He stood there wearing black slacks, black dress shoes and a black pea coat over a white button up shirt. His hair had been styled so that his bangs were moved off to the side, giving him a bit more of a cleaned up look. He wanted to look good specifically for this occasion, but part of him wondered if it was really okay.
“You can do this… Just… one step at a time…” (JI) Jin took in a deep breath before slowly letting the air out of his lungs. Today was Taehyung’s funeral, which was probably the only reason why he would dress like this with his current mood. However, he knew that he was going to have to pick himself up sooner or later. Moping around and doing nothing isn’t going to get him anywhere, so… it might be best to at least try to pick himself up today.
Turning around, Jin began making his way to his destination.
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“Hey… don’t worry too much, okay? It’s okay to be sad.” (DH) Jongup nodded as he looked out the window. Daehyun worried for Jongup, but he wanted to believe that Jongup and everyone else affected would be able to make it through. A week or so before the funeral, Jongup had explained everything to him. From meeting Taehyung at the restaurant up until Taehyung’s death, Daehyun now knew everything. Yes, Jongup hadn’t been there to witness Taehyung’s death, but Daehyun did know that not everyone could cope with everything. Plus, regardless of whether they were there or not, a person's death could still scar or even traumatize a person.
“Do you think that... I can say goodbye to him at the funeral?” (JU) Looking back at Jongup, he could see that Jongup was looking back at him once more. With a smile, Daehyun answered Jongup’s answer with a nod. Jongup couldn’t help but smile back as he leaned back in his seat. “That’s good. I didn’t get to say anything to him before.” (JU)
“Well, now’s your chance.” (DH)
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Standing there in the hallway, Young Jae patiently waited for Tiffany and Hyosung to finish getting ready. He would’ve gone to the funeral with Daehyun and Jongup, but Tiffany had called him and asked if he would accompany them. So here he was, simply waiting for Tiffany and Hyosung. The servant who had led him to their room had asked him to wait out in the hallway, so he just assumed that Tiffany or Hyosung was going to come out and ask him to come inside once they were fully dressed at the very least.
Folding his arms, Young Jae leaned against the wall as he let his thoughts begin to wander. How did things end up the way they were? Was it his fault? No… it was Kyungsoo’s fault. Yes, Kyungsoo wanted the attention of their parents all to himself, but if he had managed to learn to share that attention, then maybe none of this would have happened. Young Jae would have loved to actually get along with his brother for a change, but it seemed like that opportunity had passed. Was there something different he could’ve done though?
“Young Jae! We’re ready.” (TF) Young Jae turned his head just in time to see Tiffany and Hyosung leaving the room. Tiffany seemed to be the same as usual, but judging by Hyosung’s red face as well as the handkerchief held up to her eye, it was apparent that the poor woman had been crying for quite a bit. It was a bit surprising, considering the fact that Hyosung wasn’t even close to Taehyung, but he did recall her to be the kind of person who truly lets their emotions show.
“You okay?” (YJ)
“M-Mhm… It’s just so sad that… Taehyung died…” (HS) Dabbing at the tears that threatened to fall once more, Hyosung took in a deep breath. She held the air in for a few seconds before letting it all out. Quietly, she folded the handkerchief that she held and placed it in her purse before looking at her friends. “Okay… I… I think I’m ready to go.” (HS)
Once Tiffany signaled that she was ready as well, Young Jae led the way.
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During the funeral, Daehyun remained quiet. His gaze was constantly towards the ground and if anyone spoke to him, he merely hummed in response, almost as if he wasn’t paying attention to them. The reason behind this was because Daehyun hated funerals. Losing his parents made him feel isolated and attending their funeral wasn’t any better. Being here reminded him of that and as much as he wanted to be supportive for everyone else, he just couldn’t… at least, not right then and there.
As the procession commenced, Daehyun remained far in the back with his gaze towards the ground. He only wanted to listen to the speaker, but the sound of crying from the front kept drawing his attention. Daehyun wanted to get up and just wait outside or something. However, despite the fact that he had only spoken to Taehyung maybe once or twice, Daehyun wanted to respect Taehyung and stay for his funeral. So, he had somehow managed to keep himself seated where he currently was.
A few rows in front, Young Jae fought the urge to turn around and look for Daehyun. He had hoped to sit next to Daehyun during this, but he hadn’t even had the chance to see Daehyun yet ever since arriving here. Young Jae did manage to at least talk with Daehyun on the phone, but otherwise, he hasn’t made any other contact. “Psst. Your anxiousness is showing.” (TF)
“Huh?” (YJ) Young Jae barely looked away from the front as he glanced over at Tiffany, who was sitting between him and Hyosung. She spoke in a hushed tone, making sure that she wasn’t bothering anyone around them. With a small smile, Young Jae rubbed his arm a bit as he looked forward once more. “Sorry… I haven’t seen Daehyun since this morning.” (YJ)
“Oh? Wait until after the funeral then, at the wake.” (TF) Young Jae slightly nodded as he decided to push his thoughts of Daehyun to the back for the time being. Right now, it was Taehyung’s time. Taking that away from him wasn’t fair. After all the trouble he had gone through, Taehyung definitely deserved, at the very least, his attention.
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“Hey! Where were you during the funeral?” (YJ) Daehyun looked to his right to see Young Jae standing next to him. Looking back down, Daehyun continued to get his food as he attempted to figure out what to say. Should he give an excuse or... should he just tell him the truth? Young Jae frowned slightly as he grabbed a plate and began getting food as well, but he couldn’t help but worry. “Is everything okay?” (YJ)
“Yeah… I’m fine. I was sitting in the back.” (DH) Young Jae slowly nodded, though he was now curious why Daehyun decided to sit in the back. If he recalled, Daehyun left the house before he did, so Daehyun could have managed to get a seat somewhere in the middle at the very least. Whether it was Daehyun’s preference or not, Young Jae didn’t know, but he decided that it probably wasn’t really worth the effort to figure out why Daehyun sat in the back. At least he was there, right?
“So… um…” (YJ)
“Hm?” (DH) Despite the fact that he had started speaking, Young Jae didn’t really know what to talk about. They could talk about food, the weather, the meaning of life, but nothing seemed to be the right topic to talk about. If it wasn’t for the fact that they were currently at a wake, Young Jae probably would have been able to think of something to talk about. “Hey…” (DH)
“Y-Yeah?!” (YJ) Young Jae quickly pursed his lips as he covered his mouth, but Daehyun seemed to either not notice his sudden outburst or he simply didn’t mind it. Though, once he looked at Daehyun’s expression, he could tell that whatever Daehyun was thinking about must have been important.
“You… said that your father died… right?” (DH) Young Jae hesitated for a moment, more or less confused about why Daehyun brought up his father all of a sudden.
“Yeeeaahh…? Why do you ask?” (YJ)
“Did you… go to your father’s funeral?” (DH) Now that he thought about it, he never did get a chance to attend his father’s funeral. He didn’t even know where his father was buried, assuming he was buried instead of cremated. His gaze shifted towards the ground as he fiddled with the plate he held, a hinge of guilt now toying with his emotions.
“No… I never got a chance to.” (YJ)
“Oh… sorry…” (DH) Young Jae quickly lifted his gaze as he looked at Daehyun, surprised that he had apologized.
“You don’t have to apologize. I mean… I didn’t even realize until now that I didn’t get to go. Maybe now… I can find my father’s grave and visit him.” (YJ) Any regret that had coursed through Daehyun’s veins was immediately replaced with curiosity and relief. If he truly did something good, then he didn’t feel too bad about bringing up Young Jae’s father. Sure, he still felt like he shouldn’t have touched on a subject like that, but Daehyun did feel better knowing that Young Jae could have gained something from this.
As he continued getting food, Daehyun’s gaze somehow managed to drift over to Young Jae’s plate. From what he could see, Young Jae had gotten a small portion, but judging by the serving spoon in his hand, he clearly wasn’t done getting his food. Looking up at Young Jae’s face, he could see him both shocked and in deep concentration. Daehyun turned to look over to where Young Jae was looking at, but nothing really seemed to stand out to him. “What’s wrong, Young Jae?” (DH)
“It’s…” (YJ) Daehyun looked back at Young Jae, but his expression only seemed to get worse. It looked like he had just seen a ghost or something, which only worried Daehyun even further. However, just as Daehyun was going to pry for more information, Young Jae continued to speak. “Should I look for my birth mother also…?” (YJ)
“Your birth mother? She’s still alive?” (DH)
“I don’t really know… I haven’t seen her since…” (YJ) Daehyun hummed a bit as he tried to think for a moment. Would that be a good thing to do? Now that he thought about it though, he realized that Young Jae hadn’t really told him much about his birth parents. Well, either that, or he had completely forgotten what Young Jae told him. Either way, Daehyun wasn’t sure if that was a good idea.
“Do you want to see her?” (DH) Young Jae remained silent as his grip tightened on the handle of the serving spoon. Half of him seemed to revert back to his childhood, back to when he constantly sought out his mother’s approval, but the other half of him was telling him to scold the woman for giving him up. He wanted to yell at her, both in a way to make the woman see the wrong in her actions as well as to see why she had given him up so easily. But… he wasn’t sure if he was ready to face her if the time came.
“I don’t know…” (YJ)
“Well… don’t force yourself. Just wait until you’re ready to see her.” (DH) Young Jae nodded as he slowly turned his gaze back towards the food. Just… wait until he was ready. How was he supposed to know if he was ready or not though? Taking in a deep breath, Young Jae pat his cheeks a bit before he went back to getting his food. Daehyun smiled a bit, but he did hope that Young Jae made the right choice.
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“What is that…?” (BH)
“Ouija board! I heard you can talk to the dead with it.” (JU) Baekhyun couldn’t help but stare with a dumbfounded look on his face at the wooden device that lay between him and his friends. He has seen Ouija boards constantly in movies and such, but to actually see one in person was actually… terrifying.
“Should we give it a try?” (K)
“Of course not!” (BH) Baekhyun was going to take the Ouija board and toss it, burn it, or bury it, but he didn’t want to touch it and risk being cursed. He took a step back as he folded his arms in an attempt to hide his discomfort. “We should get rid of it. Messing with spirits is the last thing you want to do.” (BH)
“But if we can talk to the dead, maybe we can speak to Taehyung.” (JI) Baekhyun raised a brow as he looked at Jin, whom had gotten closer to the Ouija board. Judging by the expression he currently held, it was rather obvious that he was interested in the device. Why, however, was another mystery that he’d have to solve at a later time.
“And risk pissing off another spirit? It’s not worth it.” (BH) Jin looked up at Baekhyun, though he could tell that Baekhyun wasn’t going to, at the very least, participate. They could have just as easily used the board without him, but Jin did also believe in this kind of stuff too. If they ended up pissing off another spirit, who knows what may happen?
“Okay, okay… Let’s just get rid of it.” (JI)
“Wha-?! But I wanna try it!” (Z) Zelo took hold of the planchette, but the second he did so, Jin snatched it out of his hand before taking the Ouija board. Getting up to his feet, Zelo jumped forward before latching onto Jin, whom had managed to turn just in time. Of course, it probably didn’t make things much easier as Zelo clung onto his back, his hands trying to pull the board free from Jin’s grasp. While Jongup and Jongin watched, Baekhyun couldn’t help but feel… well, annoyed with their actions.
“Can you two STOP?! We’re at a wake! You’re not supposed to be acting like this! HEY! ARE YOU LISTENING?!” (BH) Baekhyun kicked randomly at the two, not caring which one of them he hit. The scene was chaotic as noise continued to emanate off of the three. Jongin was having a bit of fun watching, but once he looked around and noticed that there were people looking into the room that they were currently in, Jongin got to his feet and walked over to the three before somehow managing to pull all three of them into a huge hug.
“Hey now! Uh… we gotta… just hug it out…” (K) Despite his attempts to remedy the situation, Jongin couldn’t help but feel awkward doing so. He wasn’t really the touchy-feely type, so he was definitely out of his element at that moment. Of course, he also wasn’t the type who liked having people stare at them, so he had to do what he had to do.
“Not until he gives me the Ouija board back!” (Z) As the group began quietly arguing amongst themselves, Jongup took a moment to decide what to do. Despite the fact that one or two of them wanted to use it, there was still at least one person who was against using the Ouija board. So, since he was the one who brought it, it only made sense for him to get rid of it.
Quietly, Jongup made his way around before creeping up close to the group. When he was sure that neither one of them noticed that he was there, Jongup somehow managed to pull the board from out of Jin’s grip before running off. Even when he heard the sound of his name being called, Jongup didn’t look back.
His mission now was to get rid of the Ouija board.
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“You… have your info… Now leave Zelo alone.” (BY)
“My my my~ I’ll have to think about it my little pet.” (SJ) In an instant, Yongguk pinned Sungjong against the wall as he glared angrily at the man. At first, a small wave of worry had passed through Sungjong, but Sungjong placed an amused grin on his face as he laughed a little. “A wild dog thinks it can hurt me? Don’t forget, one wrong move and Zelo is feed for my friends!” (SJ)
He pressed his arm against Sungjong a bit more before, reluctantly, Yongguk released Sungjong as he took a step back. Yongguk looked away, annoyed and disgusted by Sungjong. If he spoke to Zelo, then maybe he would be able to find out what it is that Sungjong keeps talking about. “Look who’s a good boy! Maybe you need a little treat.” (SJ)
Sungjong crouched down and crept a little closer. Since they were in an alleyway and well hidden from the public’s view, the ‘treat’ that he had in mind wasn’t much of a problem for Sungjong. Just as he reached up, however, much to his disappointment and amusement, Yongguk took a step back. “I only want you to stay away from Zelo.” (BY)
“Is that all? Tch… How boring… Buuuut fine! I’ll stay away from the pastry.” (SJ) Jumping to his feet, Sungjong raised his arms into the air and stretched as he turned here and there. Since Yongguk clearly didn’t want the big boy treat, it at least let Sungjong save some time… not that he cared about saving time anyway. He had all the time in the world, so it wasn’t any problem of his if he spent it doing certain things. “Okay. Now take me to him.” (SJ)
“What?” (BY)
“I have to speak to him! Come come, hurry up! Go get your car.” (SJ) Yongguk hesitated for a moment, but reluctantly, Yongguk turned and left the alleyway to do as he was told. Sungjong grinned happily as he put his hands behind his head and began walking. Sooner or later, Yongguk wasn’t going to be a very obedient puppy, but until then, it was always nice to have his fun.
As Sungjong followed rather closely after Yongguk, unknown to the two men, they were spotted from a distance. Himchan narrowed his eyelids at first before certainty took over. Though, once he realized it was definitely Yongguk with Sungjong, suspicion began to course through his body. “What’s Yongguk doing with Sungjong…?” (HC)
“Sungjong? I thought they weren’t friends anymore.” (SU)
“I thought so too. Should we follow them?” (HC)
“They’re getting into a car though…” (SU) Sunny folded her arms and shifted her weight a little more onto one leg as she tried to think. It was definitely suspicious, but it’s not like they’d get much answers by following them anyway. “You’re dating Yongguk, right? Why not ask him about it later?” (SU)
“You think he’ll tell me?” (HC)
“You’re Himchan! When have you ever been denied an answer?” (SU) Himchan nodded, though he still wasn’t sure if that was a sound plan. Whatever his thoughts may be, however, he still had to at least give it a try. They haven’t spoken to Sungjong in years; at least, not willingly anyway. Then suddenly, Yongguk is seen walking out of an alleyway with Sungjon- Wait. Why were they in an alleyway? Were they… doing things?
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“So, how’s your studying going?” (TF)
“It’s going okay. Daehyun has been strict with the lessons.” (YJ) It was surprising to see Daehyun go from this caring and usually forgiving person to someone who refuses to even let someone go to the restroom unless they finished the assignment first. Yes, Young Jae appreciated Daehyun’s dedication, but Young Jae wasn’t exactly superman.
“Oh…! Are you happy spending time with him though?” (TF) Young Jae was about to respond, but quickly caught himself. Raising a single brow, Young Jae looked at Tiffany, whom gave a smile that told him that she was up to something. He shifted his stance a bit before speaking.
“Are you up to something?” (YJ)
“Huh? Me?! Up to something?! Of course not!” (TF) It was kind of obvious to Young Jae that Tiffany was being sarcastic. Whether she knew it or not was a different story, but it at least confirmed that she was most likely trying to get some sort of information out of him.
“Well… yeah, I am happy to spend time with him. Why do you ask?” (YJ)
“It must be nice! What’s it like being with your significant other?” (TF)
“It’s ni- Wait! What do you mean significant other?! We haven’t even gone on a date yet!” (YJ) Young Jae couldn’t help but display a flustered look as he attempted to hide his face by turning his head off to the side. Tiffany laughed a bit as she lightly nudged Young Jae’s side.
“You clearly think otherwise! So, you’re almost done with school right?” (TF) Young Jae took a moment to think about it. If he recalled, he still had quite a number of years left before he was actually done with school altogether. However, he was at least almost done with his classes this semester.
“Sorta. Why?” (YJ)
“Well, the little vacation everyone was planning is coming up! You HAVE to go! It’s the perfect getaway for you and Daehyun!” (TF) Young Jae scratched the side of his head as he tried to figure out why that would be. Considering the fact that almost everyone was going, there would be no way for them to truly have a ‘getaway’. Though, if she meant getting away from school and most responsibilities, then that would most certainly be the case.
“I guess.” (YJ)
“You GUESS?! You could spend so much alone time with Daehyun! Teaching him how to ski, teaching him how to snowboard, or… you could really spend that time getting to know him!” (TF) Again, Young Jae didn’t necessarily understand the last part. He was fairly certain that he knew Daehyun enough. What else would there be to get to know?
“You make no sense. I’m going to go eat.” (YJ)
“But you already ate!” (TF)
“I’m eating again!” (YJ) Young Jae quietly chuckled to himself as he made his way back over to the food table. He knew that Tiffany wasn’t going to just leave it at that, but if he could stall this conversation for even a moment, then maybe he would be able to figure out what Tiffany meant.
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A delectable little smirk played along his lips as he sat there, staring at the empty shell of a man that had once seemed so proud. It brought forth such delight to see this man so broken, unable to even lift his gaze up to meet his. Had it not been for the fact that he was more attracted to his more dominating personality, there may have been a little hope for taking advantage of this man. “Tsk tsk tsk… Moping because you got caught?” (SJ)
Nothing. Who knew the big shot Kyungsoo was such a damn weakling? This was a bit more of a turn off, but nothing that couldn’t be fixed. Of course, Sungjong didn’t have his eyes set on becoming romantically involved with anyone right now anyway. What he wanted was one little thing and it was clear that Kyungsoo wasn’t going to aide him with his quest. “Come on, now! Talk even a little bit. I made suuuuch an effort to come visit you!” (SJ)
What was with him? Yongguk didn’t tell him what had happened, but clearly it was enough to effect Kyungsoo to the point that he was a basically a mindless puppet. Well… no, that was incorrect too. If he were a mindless puppet, then Kyungsoo would’ve at least did what Sungjong demanded him to do. With an annoyed sigh, Sungjong shifted in his seat as he crossed his right leg over his left one. “You’re so damn annoying. You’re supposed to keep your end of the bargain.” (SJ)
“… Go yourself.” (DO) Chills instantly ran down his spine the second the sound of Kyungsoo’s voice violated his ears, but the sensation came to an end as Kyungsoo got up from his seat and walked away. Sungjong scoffed, unable to accept that Kyungsoo had just left him there like a disposable toy… just without the beforehand.
Once he was on his feet, Sungjong couldn’t help but hold an amused smile as he began walking. Well, if Kyungsoo wasn’t going to give him what he wanted, then he was going to have to obtain it through different methods. Luckily, he had quite a number of back up plans just in case something like this ended up happening. So, for the time being, it seems like Yongguk was going to be stuck being his little pet for a while longer.
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[[ My Own Thoughts:
Okay!
So it took a while buuuut here it is!
I've already started the next chapter.
I think I'm about half way through with it.
So hopefully I won't take so long to update.
Comments are loved!
I love talking with everyone.
It's also nice to know how I'm doing with each chapter.
And no, I am not copy and pasting that every single time.
Just in case you were curious.]]
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