Recap: Taehyun is mourning after the 'death' of Mino and his friends, now staying with Minzy, Jongin and Hanbin, he is trying to cope up. And then, a man came to give him a mysterious letter for Hanbin.

Chapter Twenty-Two

Mino is smiling down at him, hands soothing the strands of hair on his forehead.  His head is on his lover’s lap, and they are out for picnic date.

“Do you still want to have a house on Jeju?” Mino asked, his voice is softer than before.

“Of course, I want to inhale the fresh breeze there every day.” Taehyun answered.

Mino smiled. “We’ll make it happen.”

Taehyun pulled himself up from Mino and looked around, he saw all of his friends running around; he also saw Dara noona carrying a baby on her thin arms, Jaejoong standing beside her with a proud smile. The headmaster is also there, sitting in one of the benches.

He saw Jinhwan flirting with a girl.

Jinwoo and Seungyoon being lovey-dovey, feeding each other ice cream.

Everyone is happy. All smiling.

The pale boy turned back to his lover.

Mino is staring at him with pure adoration in his eyes.

“I love you.” The other mouthed.

Taehyun should have known it is just a dream.

He hastily stood up from his bed, eyes scanning around his room.

Yep, just a dream. A wonderful dream. A bitter smile automatically spread through his lips.

With a heavy heart, he went to his bathroom to fix himself.

Facing his remaining friends is another hard task for him. Don’t get him wrong, he is happy that at least MInzy, Kai and Hanbin is still there and alive. But he can’t help but to remember his other friends.

Jinwoo, Seungyoon, Jinhwan, Dara-noona and Jaejoong hyung.

Plus his new friends, Kris and Kyungsoo.

They are all gone.

He slips quietly beside Hanbin in the dining table.  Today they are going to formulate some plan regarding the mysterious man who gave him a letter. Hanbin assured him that nothing is wrong, instead—the letter is actually good news.

“Taehyun and I will go somewhere.” Hanbin said, breaking the tense silence around them.

“Well…” Minzy said, not sure where the conversation will lead to.

“You and Kai shall go back to where the academy is. Don’t worry, the ‘X’ is not there.” Taehyun loved over to his friend. He wanted to ask what is happening and why does Minzy and Kai should go back to that tragic place, and why is he so sure that the ‘X’ already abandoned the area.

But he bit his lips to keep himself from asking too much questions, he knows that there is a right time for that.

“If that’s what you want then… but what are we going to do in the academy?” Kai asked.

“You will go there week from now, we will meet you there. Taehyun and I just have to fetch someone who will help us fix everything.”

Minzy and Kai looked at each other, then nodded towards Hanbin.

“We trust you Hanbin. Now, when will both of you leave?” Minzy asked.

“Tonight.”

“Oh, okay… let me just prepare you some stuffs for your journey to wherever you’re going.” Taehyun smiled at Minzy.

The girl left, followed by her lover.

“Okay… do you mind telling me you plan?” Taehyun asked, eyes searching for some answer.

“Do you believe that we have a soul?” Hanbin asked back. Taehyun frowned but nodded afterwards.

“Do you believe that once we die, our soul will be out there somewhere.”

“I guess so…”

“Do you believe that the living can communicate to the dead? To the souls?”

Taehyun nodded. It is true, even when he was young he believed that human have souls, plus he believe in super natural (heck, he is super natural himself).

“My ability is to communicate with the dead.” Hanbin blurted out.

Taehyun nodded.

Wait.

Wait what?

“…you are saying that you can, like talk to the dead? Ghost?”

“Yes.” The latter smiled.

“Can you, perhaps… call out Mino?” Taehyun doesn’t know what he is saying already. All he have in mind is the fact that his friend can communicate to the dead. Meaning he can call out Mino.

“I’ve tried. I really tried, and I am still trying, but I can’t communicate to those who don’t want to be contacted.”

“What does that mean?” Taehyun frowned.

“It means, Mino is not answering me. You see, my power works like a cellphone. I call out, and the souls have to answer to my call. I can’t call them out and force them to talk to me.”

“Have you tired our other friends?” Taehyun can’t help but to ask.

“Yes, the only one who answered is Jinwoo. And the only decent message I received from him is the words ‘there is still a chance’. I can’t call out any more souls as of the moment, I am running out of chakra. One annoying thing about the souls is, somehow they ended up being like a puzzles. Maybe to preserve the boundaries of the living world to the dead ones.”

“You just talked to Jinwoo-hyung.” Taehyun repeated, dazed.

“Ugh, yes…”

“Ghost.”

“Uhu?” Hanbin shook Taehyun.

“I hate ghost, but…but I wish I can see at least Jinwoo-hyung.”

Hanbin’s eyes soften. “It’s just like a blur figure though. It took a lot of chakra to contact a dead person. That is why I am very discrete with my power. I can’t use it always.”

“The letter… does it have something to do with you powers?”

Hanbin looked at the dirty envelope on his hand.

“Ah yes, yes… you see, we are all somehow related to each other. Given that we are all gifted. There is theory about our origin. And he or she is said to be the most powerful of all, that no one in this millennium, no one from us can outstand him/her. Even Junsu. In this letter, it just says that it is possible for me to contact our origin.”

“What?”

“Our origin. The first one to obtain an extraordinary gift. We are still not sure if he/she is dead or alive. Most likely dead, and that’s where I’ll come, I think I have to call him/her. It will be a tough task to do, I’ll be needing as much as chakra as I can. I will be summoning a person who is dead for who knows how long.” Hanbin said.

“But what if that person is alive? It is possible for he/she is immortal right?” Taehyun said.

Hanbin touched his chin, smoothing is as if he has a beard.

“That is possible.”

“So… how can we talk to him/her if ever that person is still alive?”

“The letter contains an address. I am assuming it is where the origin is living or used to live.”

“May I know where that is?”

Hanbin glanced at the paper. “Nothing biggie, just in Italy.”

Taehyun’s jaw dropped on the floor.

Taehyun knocked on Minzy and Kai’s shared room.

“Come in.” Replied a voice from the other side of the wall.

Taehyun gently opened the door and saw Minzy reading a book.

“Hey.” Taehyun greeted.

Minzy smiled and patted the space beside her.

Taehyun nodded and sat on her right side.

“I already prepared your stuffs, plus other documents for your travel. So Rome huh?” Minzy said.

“Yeah, I never thought I’ll be going so far.”

“Hanbin knows what he is doing, sooner or later—we will have the justice and peace we all deserve.”

“Actually, I came here to say sorry.” Taehyun murmured.

Minzy frowned. “For what?”

“The way I acted, I didn’t think of you guys. You and Kai are also suffering from the loss of your friends. I enclosed myself, thinking I am the only one in pain.” Taehyun can’t look at the girl beside him, he is too ashamed. He acted like a selfish person, when the truth is…each and every one of them is suffering.

“I can totally understand why you acted like that. You don’t have to say sorry. Now, I am just happy that at least, you are socializing with us again. Always remember, you don’t have to cry alone. We can cry together…after all, we only have each other now. We need to be by each other’s side.” Minzy smiled.

“You’re right.” Taehyun said, a tinge of light can be seen in his eyes.

“Let me hug you.” And with that, the two hugged each other. Taehyun didn’t notice that he is already crying.

“I want him back.” He kept saying. Minzy nodded and patted the latter’s back.

“I was the one who is supposed to die, not him. In my visions, I am the one dying not him. So why…” Taehyun trailed, he can barely form any words anymore because of his tears.

Minzy knew better than to say anything as of the moment. She knows that what Taehyun needed is just to have someone who can share his pain. Taehyun have been mourning all by himseld.

Kris and Kyungsoo died, those two are like a family to Minzy. She cried, almost every night, but at least there is Kai to help her out. Crying with someone makes everything better.

After a few minutes, Taehyun had calm down. Minzy gave a tissue to him.

“I dreamed of Mino last night. He is alive, we are happy…it is as if nothing happened. I am trying to convince myself that maybe it is a vision. But, how am I having a vision with someone who is already…de-gone.” Taehyun can’t say the word ‘dead’. Just thinking about it gives a painful shock inside his chest.

Minzy opened , but no words came out.

“I better keep going, thank you for everything Minzy. We will see each other again soon neh?” Taehyun smiled.

Minzy nodded. Then hugged each other once again.

“So, what if he/she won’t answer to your call… does that mean our effort is wasted?” Taehyun asked while eating potato salad that was served by the stewardess.

They are both sitting in a business class (and even though Taehyun is itching to ask Hanbin where he got the money to buy such an expensive plane ticket—he decided not to).

“Apart from my ability to communicate with them, I can actually see them. I’ve done a few researches, my power is stronger if I am in a place that is very close to the certain person or soul that I am trying to contact. Maybe I can see his/her ghost in that address.”

“Let’s just pray he/she is not yet at peace.”

Hanbin raised his shoulders.

It is a ten hour travel time, and Taehyun feels like he will fall into pieces any minute now. His limbs are numb, neck aching and head spinning. He is just plain tired.

The airport is buzzing with tons of people, kids laughing while adults trying to stick together their family. Taehyun can hear several languages that he can’t understand.

They called out a taxi and went on a half an hour trip towards a hotel.

Taehyun just wished Hanbin is not using tons of money, to be honest he is afraid that his friend might go bankrupt even before they will be able to find the origin. He is worried that they won’t be able to go back home in Korea.

The pale boy gushed out a happy sigh before plopping himself on the bed. The room has two bed, he took the one that is nearer in the window, since he just loves the view. Hanbin went out for a while to buy food.

They will start their search after they have their needed rest. Both of them are in no condition to do anything as of the moment.

Slowly, Taehyun drifted to dreamland.

It is like a Victorian house, it is magnificent.

Taehyun is standing on its threshold with Hanbin and just before they were about to knock, the door opens, revealing a man.

Taehyun can feel the chills while Hanbin squinted his eyes.

“You are not dead.” Was all Hanbin said.

Taehyun opened his eyes. He saw Hanbin already sleeping on the other bed, he took his pillow and threw it on his poor friend.

“WHAT?!” The latter shriek.

“We have to go. Now.” Taehyun firmly said and Hanbin just nodded, getting the idea that something has happened to Taehyun.

The went to the address that was written on the paper, both of them are feeling nervous. Taehyun is not sure if what he saw is a vision, but the moment the stepped out of the cab—everything just screams déjà vu.

“So, this is it.” Hanbin let out a heavy sigh before walking down the porch of the house. Taehyun nodded and stood behind his friend.

Lo and behold, just like in his dream, a man opened the door just before they managed to knock.

“You are not dead.” Hanbin said and Taehyun rolled his eye, indeed what he saw in his dream is a vision. Well, it is good that his power is still working.

“We are expecting you Taehyun and Hanbin.” The man said. Taehyun is not actually sure if the man before them is the so called origin. He would be thankful if it is indeed the man they are looking for—because he does not want to have any deal with a dead person.

As they walked inside the house, the two of them looked around and their posture is rigid—they need to be sensitive in the new surroundings, who knows what will happen if they let their guard down.

Taehyun nudged Hanbin, eyes searching or some answers.

“I am not the one you need.” The mysterious man said, he looks—kind.  He has the eye smile, and his movement is graceful, though Taehyun knows that he should not be fooled by the appearance.

“You are not the origin?” Hanbin asked.

“No. I am just his friend.”

“Where is he?”

“I guess the right question is, where was he.”

Taeyun gulped.

“Is he—is he dead?” The pale boy asked.

“Ten years ago, you see…he has the chance to be an immortal but that is not what he wants. He wants peace, especially for our kind. As long as he lives, there won’t be peace—there would killings, here and there since a lot is after his power.”

“Are you talking about Junsu?”

“Yes, and others. So he might as well be dead, and take his power with him in the grave.”

“I am here to contact him. Who are you.?” Taehyun looked at his friend—Hanbin seems to be calm.

“You have nothing to worry about. I am a friend. Now, I will leave you here; feel free to roam around the house. Do what you need to do.”  The man smiled at them, the two decided not to ask the man anymore.

The watched the man leaves the house. To where? They don’t know. They have more important things to do than persuade the man on giving them his personal information. He said he is not the origin, that’s what matters the most.

“I will try to see if there is someone here in the house.” Hanbin said.

“uhmm.. Like a, like a dead person?” Taehyun asked.

Hanbin nodded.

“I’ll come with you.” Taehyun immediately said, hands gripping tightly on the hem of Hanbin’s shirt.

The latter raised a brow. “Nam Taehyun, don’t tell me you are scared?”

“I don’t technically like some paranormal stuff.”

Hanbin chuckled as he led his friend on the second floor of the house. The structure is still new, looking decent and doesn’t look like it was abandoned for a long time. There are only few appliances such as the sofa, coffee table, a flat screen TV. And even though the house looks magnificent on the outside, it is rather simple when it comes on the inside.

Thank goodness all the lights are on, that saves Taehyun from fainting.

They roam around the second floor, going inside the three bedrooms. Hanbin can’t feel anything, until they arrived at the last room—located on the farthest part of the floor.

Taehyun whimpered. He doesn’t like ghost. No. He does not want anything that concerns with the dead.

“I want to go home.” He unconsciously said, his friend tried not to laugh.

The room only have a bed, a closet and nothing else. The windows are closed.

And it is cold.

Be brave Taehyun, you are doing this for Mino and for your friends. it up. Taehyun hkept repeating the sentence inside his mind.

Hanbin stood in the middle of the room while Taehyun stayed on the doorframe.

After a few minutes of agonizing silence—Hanbin let out a contended smile.

“He responded.”

And then, a man stood on the corner of the room.

Taehyun let out a shriek.

“I am not expecting that one.” The man said, massaging his ears.

“Are you…are you the origin?” Hanbin asked.

“You called me right? Actually, I am waiting for both of you already.”

The man is wearing a suit. And Taehyun took a note on how the man is sporting really well the silver hair. Looking at it, he looks like a corpse. A handsome corpse.

“So, why did you call me young man? I am getting the idea why but I want to hear the reason from you—directly.”

“Someone said you can help us regarding our friends and Junsu.”

“AH! Junsu! That trouble maker, I swear if he doesn’t exist I might still be partying right now. Too bad, he is well and alive so I just have to hang around the other world. Anyways, you want me to help you guys? I assume you want your friends to be back? Or not?” The man cocked his head, as if he is testing Hanbin.

“We want them back and we want Junsu dead.” Hanbin answered firmly.

“Ooooh, straight forward, I like you. But thing is, I can help you with that—but I am not pulling off some charity here. Nothing is free.”

The atmosphere is tense and Taehyun wanted to cry. He’s about to lose his mind thinking what the origin wants in return.

“I am dead, I don’t have a physical body. I can’t use my power.”

“Use mine then.” Hanbin said.

“No, you are my connection on the world of the dead, I need you conscious.”

“Me. How about me?” Taehyun doesn’t know where he got the courage to speak.

“Of course, Nam Taehyun. I saw your beloved, but he is not exactly pleased to talk to me. I guess he knows what both of you are up to. What you are asking comes with a great price.”

“Wait… you talked with, with Mino?”

“Of course, he is actually the one who said that I should answer Hanbin’s call.”

Hanbin and Taehyun stared at each other. They felt like they are already one person away from their departed friends.

“What do we need to do for them to be back?”

“I do not know if you are aware of my abilities, but thing is…I can control the time. I am not a stealer, I gave up on that ability long ago since it gave me nothing but a curse. I am also a telepath, everything…since I am the origin right? I just passed my abilities to those people who is worthy of it. Your parents, or should I say your ancestors and they are automatically passed on to you. I am not young as what my appearance told you so—I don’t even know my real age anymore. And when I realized that some of the people—the ones who I trusted to use their powerful abilities into nothing but goodness, started to abuse it—he even went against me! Junsu, he became too powerful…I am beginning to feel weak, I believe I was poisoned. Their aim is not to kill me with it though, they just want me to frail so that when Junsu is powerful enough he can took me down and steal all of my abilities—especially controlling the time.”

“Who poisoned you?”

“Some of my trusted friends that turned out to be under Junsu’s influence. I am the only one who can control time. I did not pass it to anyone, thank goodness. It is a powerful weapon. One does not simply play with time.” The last sentence lingers in the air.

“So would you still help us?”

“I am not doing this just to help you. I am correcting my wrong doings. I should have brought those abilities to the grave.”

“What do you need me to do Sir?” Taehyun asked, advancing towards the man.

“I need you to be my host. You will sleep all throughout the process, while you Hanbin; you will try to call out your friends. Do not worry about your chakra, I will give you some.”

The other two nodded.

“I will turn back the time. I will not make the same mistake again, your ancestors will not inherit anymore special abilities from me. What I am about to do will change everything. And I am really sorry to say this, all your memories regarding your time being gifted will be removed. You will be both mortals, living normally. After tonight, the Academy will not exist. No telepath, no shape-shifters, nothing.”

“It is as if, you will create a whole new timeline, a whole new universe.” Hanbin whispered.

“True, and this is for the better.” The man smiled.

Taehyun choked.

Memories.

His memories with Mino and his other friends will just be like an imagination.

Or, to put it painfully—it won’s exist.

“My memories. Mino.” Taehyun whispered.

“Do not fret young man, if your love is true…then both of you will find your way back into each other.”

Taehyun nodded, eyes b with tears. The man took his step towards the pale boy. Hanbin gulped, he can already feel the surge of chakra flowing to his body, and from the corner of his eyes he can see a couple of blur figures.

Jinwoo and Seungyoon. Hanbin smiled, they never left.

Taehyun closed his eyes as he felt the tiredness spreading through his body.

“Are you ready?” The origin asked.

“Yes.” Taehyun said.

Mino, soon…we will see each other again. 

Author's Note: Sorry for the late update, but here you go guys! And, please bear with my grammatical errors (spelling etc) :> I am now also writting some Percy Jackson AU Namsong, I will be posting the first chap right after I finished this one (or maybe I should post it already?)

Thank you! and join me in prayers for an immediate WINNER COMEBACK.