chapter four  ; 
                intruiging.

"Leo! Put that down!"

Hakyeon hurried towards Leo, swatting the cutter off his the latter's hand. Leo seemed so shocked upon seeing the tanned other make his way hurriedly towards him. Of course, he hurriedly lets go of the cutter, eyes still widened. "Hakyeon, I was trying to open the package." Leo softly says, eyeing his best friend worriedly. "I'm not going to hurt myself, you know. I'm still sane."

Hakyeon breathes deeply before he straightens up and looks at the seemingly expressionless male standing in front of him, scowling. Leo needed no words to know what the other was thinking and hurriedly, he bowed his head, mumbling a faint "sorry". "What're you sorry about?" Hakyeon frowns, looking at him by the eyes.

"I'm worrying you too much." Leo says. "I suppose those past incidents kind of traumatized you to the point you get all worried and crazy whenever you see me holding any kind of blade or sharp object."

Hakyeon wasn't one to blame. He was too caring and would be the one to see Leo at his worst forms. All broken and blood covered. Hakyeon's fingers aren't definitely enough to count how many times Leo tried ending his life, despite knowing that he couldn't. Leo was living a deathless life afterall, therefore, it had no end and will never have one. 

Hakyeon had seen Leo bleed nearly to death. The first was when Hakyeon received a call from Leo one rainy night. He did not expect Leo to be bleeding from the wrist, a knife laying silently beside him. Hakyeon nearly fainted that time but managed to calm down just to treat his friend's wound.

The next was with a blade, and Leo actually collapsed due to blood loss.

The third was Leo trying to hang himself.

The fourth was Leo trying to jump off from the building.

The worst was when Leo tried stabbing himself.

And the most recent one was with Leo cutting himself again. To be frank, Hakyeon could say that he's traumatized whenever Leo would hold any sharp objects or even hold a bottle of pills, fearing that they could be any deadly pills Leo might intake. 

Those sharp-edged objects made him fear that Leo would start cutting and bleeding again.

"It's your fault, so fine, apology accepted." Hakyeon smiled before he ruffles Leo's hair. "I wouldn't be like this if you aren't so suicidal and all, Jung Leo. I only became like this because I went paranoid over you trying to kill yourself and with me saving you."

"I know that." Leo retorts. "But really, I'll be fine."

Hakyeon remains there, eyeing Leo, who picks up the cutter to open the package. Once he did, he peeks inside and pulls a few objects out. The box isn't really that big so not much is in there. A few letters, a few pictures, a few more decorations either for Leo or Hakyeon's office or residence. Through the two's perspective, the delivered package wasn't only attractive but one of a kind.

"He would always have a unique taste on things, don't you agree, Leo?" Hakyeon smiles as he held a miniature carving of an angel holding a scroll. If one observes it, it's one of those unique carvings made out of glass that has been sold in a very high price. It won't be a surprise if things like glass sculptures interested people. 

Leo could only nod as he saw a few more delivered materials. There was one snow globe that displays a similar scene of New York during Christmas. Another was a cutely designed Japanese couple wearing traditional Japanese clothings, a scroll that translates to "Everlasting Love" held by both characters. Most of them were fragile scultptures of either faceless people posing or angels. Some were jewelries that both Leo and Hakyeon held a deep meaning for the sender and them.

Leo smiled faintly at the thought.

"It's been forever since we last saw each other yet you two seem to have not changed! What's the secret, hm?"

Hakyeon and Leo sat together, a man dressed in a rather formal suit sitting across them, a smile imprinted on his fair face. His brown hair was rather combed neatly and those black orbs were obviously filled with joy. 

Han Sanghyuk.

"It's been exactly a year and five months since we last saw each other, Sanghyuk." Hakyeon smiled as he eyed the latter. "You've indeed grown into a quite good looking man as we've predicted before!"

"Flattering." Sanghyuk grinned as he leaned back. "How's your life? Promotions rolling smoothly?"

"To be frank? I've only got one promotion this entire time!" Hakyeon complained. "And it was just two or three positions above my previous. At leat the salaries went up like crazy though." he laughs. "Leo here? He's got one of the best positions in the company, thanks to his hardworking attitude. How about you? How's your life been?"

Sanghyuk pauses as he digs deep under his memory lane. He smiles afterwards, a rather interesting story popping out of his head. "Life's been a lot nice to meet these past few days." he began, the smile remaining in his face as he speaks. "I've been running the company quite well, thanks for asking. Sales are coming quite smoothly too."

Leo could only watch as Hakyeon and Sanghyuk talks about their life's gifts to them. His eyes never left the younger. He continuously observed Sanghyuk, memories flooding back.

Right before the eighteenth century started, Leo met this guy, just a few years younger than him. One trait that he can never forget about that friend of his was his bubbly side. That guy always found reasons to smile. He was pretty opitmistic and as others say, he always saw the silver linings in every cloud. He would always see the good sides of things no matter how down to earth the situation is. Leo loved that trait of his and that's what made him befriend him in the first place.

Alas, unlike him, this friend of his wasn't deathless. He died at the age of ninety-two, dying due to old age and heart complications. Leo witnessed them all and even this dear friend's funeral. That was only one of the most painful things he had witnessed in his immortal lifes– witnessing a friend die. 

And in the modern era, Leo had found a doppleganger of this dear friend of his... Han Sanghyuk. Not only did he take the looks of his dear friend, but also his personality. What surprised him the most was finding out that Sanghyuk shares the same blood line with this friend of his. Leo, since then, looked after Sanghyuk as if he was his own brother, just like before.

"How's your condition though, Sanghyuk?" Leo worriedly asks, eyeing the younger. 

Sanghyuk's smile slowly grew faint, making Leo feel guilty of even pulling that topic up. He knew that Sanghyuk had suffered enough of his "condition" but worry ruled over him, being someone who truly cares for the younger. He felt the same worry Hakyeon felt towards him and his suicidal habits. "I suppose I'm doing well, hyung." Sanghyuk softly replies. "Therapy's doing it's thing."

Both knew that this bubbly male sitting across them with a wide grin suffers extreme agoraphobia. Sanghyuk never did well in crowded areas, having constant agressive panic attacks if ever he is trapped in such. Thankfully, after a year and five months, the two were able to hear that Sanghyuk was doing well with his therapy sessions.

"Here's your ordered teas, sirs." a dimpled waiter says, offering everyone their own hot cup of tea. Everyone eyed the waiter, the name tag showing his name clearly.

"What a hardworking employee you are, Hongbin." Hakyeon comments before he takes a sip from his cup of tea. "Good job, you adorable angel."

Joining the group, Hongbin smiles and chats with everyone, a smile never leaving his face.

Like Sanghyuk, Hongbin kind of resembled someone from his past. During the same year he met Sanghyuk's ancestor, he also met Hongbin's, which turns out to be the dimpled angel's great uncle. Hongbin resembled this friend of Leo's greatly, from his dimpled smile to his actions and personality and like Sanghyuk's ancestor, Leo witnessed Hongbin's uncle's death. At an age of sixy-four, Leo got the news that Hongbin's uncle passed away due to an unfortunate accident. Leo literally broke down upon learning that.

Back to this time, the Hongbin living as of now suffers severe asthma. He can't work out of his limit line or he'll be having bad asthma attacks. Despite this, Hongbin would always be working overtime in this cafe he works in, just to get a high salary to support himself. 

"I heard Ravi sent you guys a package?" Hongbin asks as he eyes both Leo and Hakyeon.

"Mhm! He did send us intruiging things again, as per usual." Hakyeon smiles. 

"Hold on, he's online." Sanghyuk says as he grabs his phone, clicking here and there. Hongbin was sure that the younger male clicked the "video chat". After a few rings, the other line finally answers and there, a red headed male answers, glasses on his eyes. "Hyung!" the youngest greets happily upon seeing the familiar red headed male in his screen.

"Sanghyuk, my man!" Ravi, the red headed male, greets back with a grin. "Hey! Haven't talked to you for a while! How's our adorable bro?"

"Ravi!" Hakyeon waved as he crashed on Sanghyuk and Hongbin. "You awesome star, thakns for the great package you've sent us! Me and Leo really appreciated it!"

"Hey, Hakyeon!" Ravi chuckles. "No probs, anything for you two!"

"How's your world tour going? Where are you as of now? Are you doing well?" Hakyeon's questions shot continuously at the red haired male on the screen, who simply laughs on how Hakyeon sounded like a mother or so. Everyone could agree that the position of being a mother would suit this tanned male well.

Leo, despite being shown in the video chat, only smiled upon seeing the red hair. He only had a few seconds to observe the guy but that smile faintly appearing on his face made him assured that the young rapper was doing well in the music industry. He knew that when they were in their college days, Ravi barely kept a grip on his studies and future. Thankfully now, Ravi is one of those people who has an extravagant life as of now.

It was nice seeing someone from his past once again. Like the other two, Ravi seemingly shared a few resemblance with a friend of his back in the past. No, they are not relatives and their personalities didn't match neither. It was plainly their appearance, and that made Leo feel a bit closer to this guy before.

"Hongbin! Order at table seven please!" 

That angelic voice caught Hakyeon's attention within a milli-second. The female was dressed in a casual waitress outift, carrying a tray with a piece of strawberry shortcake and an order of a Cappuchino drink walked up to their place. A small smile was patched on her face upon seeing the dimpled male's company, gretting them niceley. 

Hakyeon's eyes grew wide before he turned around to Leo, who was twice as shocked as he was. 

The girl standing in front of them was the lady Leo claims to be Minhwa's doppleganger. 

The same smile Leo used to describe her.

The eyes Leo had told him to sparkle beautifully at those sunny days.

An angelic and innocent aura embracing the whole entity of this lady.

"Ah, I got carried away, didn't I?" Hongbin chuckles before he stands up and fixes his top. "Sorry, I don't get to hang out with my friends like this. Much more when they appear out of no where." he smiles.

"Tell that to the boss, not me." Jinae laughs, nudging the smiling male. Upon noticing a familiar face, Jinae's face lit up and bowed once again, greeting Leo a fair "good day", a smile on her face.

However, Leo reacted none. Hakeyon soon averts his attention to Leo, who was very silent and was seemingly avoiding eye contact. He was rather worried on how Leo was feeling. Anxiety? Fear? Surprise? Disbelief? Who knows what's running in this guy's mind?

"Is she that girl you're telling me about?" Hakyeon questioned softly, somewhat whispering as soft as he can to the silent seatmate. Leo could only nod, an emotionless expression placed on him. Hakyeon nods back, recalling a painting Leo had done himself before. The painting had a lady dressed in a colorful hanbok and a blooming rose on her head, red as blood. A small smile was drawn perfectly on her lips. Her eyes were filled with life that he could see the longingness Leo had imprinted on this painting.

And that lady was no other than Seo Minhwa.

Jinae, the female in front of them, looked exactly like her. Hakyeon couldn't believe his own eithers neither. It was like that painting was brought to life, or that deceased woman Leo loved greatly was alive once again.

"Hongbin-hyung! Who's this beautiful lassie?" Sanghyuk asks as he eyes the waitress standing next to him, who was having a quite fun time nudging Hongbin and teasing him lightly. 

Everyone eyes the two.

Leo knew something was coming, and it's not good.

Hongbin slowly smiled as he eyed Jinae. 

And when he pulled her closer to him, an arm swinging around the female's shoulder, Hakyeon and Leo knew that there was something off.

The next words that spilled out of Hongbin's lips made Leo feel like he was being stabbed.

"She's Seo Jinae, my girlfriend."