Chapter 2: Trigger warning.

When do I get the memories back?

Nirvana – a place where people who doesn’t have the access to go to heaven yet, remains. People are told to figure out the broken pieces of their past and reflect on it before deciding whether they’ll be given another chance to live on earth or to finally enter the gates of heaven. Nirvana, unlike its counterpart, the Purgatory – where bad people who needs to reflect on their sins stays—is a place where you can find peace and the people who stays there have the potential to enter the big gate and it only depends on them whether they’ll do good or bad.

All of this information came from Seunghoon, the gatekeeper. Before fully leaving the two of them in front of the big gate, Seunghoon gave them a pep talk about Nirvana and even if Jieun had been told that it’s up to the people if they’ll do good or bad, she was still surprised when she saw a man holding a knife ready to stab Minho.  It’s not just the usual stab in the back, the man pointed the knife in Minho’s heart ready to plunge the knife deeper.

Jieun knows she couldn’t risk getting caught by the man so she quietly went inside the house, trying not to get caught and Jieun made sure she was close enough to the man before doing her plan. Yelling at the man to avert his gaze on her, Jieun grabbed a vase she found on the table and hit it on the man’s head. Jieun doesn’t really like violence but if it’s needed to save a person, especially someone she knows, she’ll gladly do it.

The man ended up lying unconscious on the ground and Jieun immediately tried to wake Minho up, praying that what she just did wouldn’t add to the ‘bad-things-Jieun-did list’ although she’s pretty sure it would. She still can’t believe that a man tried to kill Minho and she doesn’t even know why Minho was unconscious in the first place. Jieun contemplated whether she should call Seunghoon for help but she can’t just leave Minho because something might happen so she didn’t. Jieun patted Minho’s cheeks but he still wouldn’t wake up so she gave up and just prayed that Minho would wake up sooner.

When Minho woke up, his head was pounding and he wasn’t home. He sat up and saw Jieun slumped over the table, sleeping. He was in a different house and almost everything in it was white. He stood up, head still pounding, and went to the sleeping Jieun.

“Hey.” He patted Jieun cheeks and she scrunched her nose in return—something Minho finds cute. Jieun might have exploded on him earlier, which he should still be angry about, but it doesn’t really hide the fact that Jieun looks like a kid sometimes and he suddenly found her face familiar, so familiar that memories came flashing back immediately and Minho found it hard to process everything. He ended up lying on the floor, gripping his head in pain.

Jieun woke up, startled when she heard Minho scream in pain. She hurriedly stood up and went beside him, Jieun was never good when it comes to comforting people so she doesn’t know what to do when she saw how Minho looked. Jieun knows she has to do something to make Minho feel somehow better so she grabbed Minho’s shoulders and guided him for a hug, rubbing his back hoping it would help.

Minho didn’t know what was happening but he was seeing broken images on his head, like a broken video record was playing and it’s making his head ache badly. It went on for a few minutes until it suddenly stopped. Minho opened his eyes, wide in shock and he was panting. He couldn’t exactly get the whole picture but he saw Jieun in it and it’s making him confused.

“I… I saw you… in the picture.” Minho said and Jieun looked at him, confused.

“What do you mean?” Jieun asked. Minho buried his face in his hands, he can’t really understand what had just happened. Jieun saw the way Minho looked so she decided not to ask questions for the meantime.

“Hey, it’s okay. Maybe you should rest, we’re in Seunghoon’s house by the way. I saw you lying on the floor unconscious and a… a man tried to kill you so…” Jieun trailed off. Minho didn’t seem shocked so Jieun assumed he remembers what happened.

And Minho does remember, a man suddenly broke in his house but he couldn’t remember who. The man suddenly covered Minho’s nose and lips then he’s out, he doesn’t know what the man wants from him though and why he wanted to kill him.

“I’m home!” Seunghoon exclaimed as he enters his house, he wasn’t alone though. He was with a man whose long hair parted in the middle, with droopy eyebrows and a white complexion. Jieun widened his eyes upon the realization that this was the same man who tried to kill Minho. Jieun immediately stood up, eyes wide in shock and pointed an accusing finger at the man.

“Isn’t he the man who tried to kill Minho?” She exclaimed. Seunghoon looked confused for a while before realizing what Jieun meant. Minho had his eyebrows furrowed but did not make any attempt to say anything.

“Oh, him? Yeah he is. He’s name is Nam Taehyun and… he’s here to explain himself.” Seunghoon said. The man didn’t move, head hung low and Jieun went near him. You see, Jieun is a curious person and she always wants to know everything. She remembered one time when she followed her boyfriend, well ex-boyfriend, to see if he was doing something suspicious and he was. He cheated on her with a girl he met at one of the parties he always attends to, but the things is, she always get in trouble for it. Either she gets caught by the person or by someone else so her ex ended up knowing that she was there, begging for her to listen to him but Jieun was having none of it. She had enough of the pain he had caused.

“Hey, you don’t need to be nervous or scared or whatever you’re feeling, we’re not going to do anything bad.” Jieun said softly. Even though he’s the man who tried to kill Minho, she’s pretty sure he’s guilty of doing it and he doesn’t mean it.

“I… I’m—I’m sorry, really I am.” The man, Taehyun, said. “I don’t know what has gotten into me and… I… I’m not really like this…” He added.

“It’s okay, man. Just… never do it again.” Minho said. Minho knows it’s a bit crazy to say ‘okay’ to the man who tried to kill him but he wouldn’t turn himself if he wasn’t guilty and hey, at least he didn’t kill him.

“Taehyun has a split personality so basically that’s the reason why he tried to kill you and you might want to take note of that because we don’t know what he could do, no offense Taehyun.” Seunghoon said and Taehyun looked pretty much used to what Seunghoon said.

Minho suddenly thought whether everything that is happening to them here in Narvana has a connection to their past because if Minho wants to know about his past might as well start now.

“I’m Mino, by the way.” He said and the man lifted his head up and nodded.

“Jieun… well, you can actually call me IU but Jieun is fine.” Jieun said, smiling awkwardly.

“IU?” Minho asked.

“Yeah, it’s a nickname given by my friends.” She replied and Minho nodded.

“Okay, once again 5pm duty calls. I’m going to leave you here, if ever you’re going to leave my house please close the door and make sure no one gets in, thank you. Bye.” Seunghoon said as he immediately left the house.

There was an awkward silence after that, Jieun not knowing what to do, stood silently in front of the two boys who were facing each other.

“Uh… so, how long have you been here?” Taehyun asked.

“A week.”

“A day.” Minho and Jieun said at the same time and Taehyun looked at them, amused.

“Oh… so that means you don’t know anything about the well?” Taehyun asked and the both of them looked at him curiously.

“What well?” Minho asked.

“There’s a well near the forest of dreams and nightmares, it’s inside an abandoned house.” Taehyun said.

“What does it do?” Jieun asked, curiously.

“It’s a well that shows what’s happening on earth. Not everyone knows about this well so I wasn’t really surprised when you didn’t know but it’s also because you haven’t been here long enough to figure it out. If you want, I can show you where it is.” Taehyun said.

“Uh, no offense man but you just tried to kill me. How are we so sure you aren’t going to kill us if we come with you?” Minho asked.

Taehyun doesn’t seem surprised, he was used to it. Ever since he got inside Nirvana, people would often distance their selves from him, afraid that he’ll do something bad. At first, Taehyun was really affected on how people would treat him, and some people are even asking why he’s here in Nirvana because why would a person who has a split personality stay in a place where the good people live, but the longer he stayed here, he learned to ignore the side glances and remarks thrown at him and he figured he wouldn’t be here if he’s a bad person so he learned not to take it by heart.

“I know you have a bad first impression of me but I promise you I won’t do something vicious again.” Taehyun replied.

“Well, it wouldn’t hurt to go.” Jieun said and Minho looked at her, alarmed.

“Alright, I’ll just wait for you outside.” When Taehyun got out, Jieun followed but she was stopped by Minho who was looking at her worriedly.

“Are you sure we should be coming with him?” Minho asked.

“Why are you asking? You’re the one who sounded like you really trust him earlier and now you’re doubting? And besides it wouldn’t hurt to know what’s happening on earth and I’m pretty sure Taehyun wouldn’t try to do something bad again. C’mon, if you really want to know about your past, you would want to go there and check it out.” Jieun said. Minho seemed to think about it and eventually, he nodded.

They left Seunghoon’s house but not before checking to make sure all the windows and doors are closed then Taehyun led them to the other side of the forest of dreams and nightmares. They didn’t exactly go inside the forest and Jieun was relieved, she doesn’t want to experience what happened to her when she went there for the first time.

When they got there, all Minho saw was an abandoned house practically in the middle of nowhere. It was dark and the house showed no signs of a person living in there but Taehyun doesn’t seem to be fazed.

“Are you sure this is where the well is?” Jieun asked.

“Of course I am, don’t worry we won’t get in trouble.” Taehyun replied. He unhooked the gate’s lock and went inside with Minho and Jieun following behind.

To say Jieun was scared is an understatement, she was being too close to Minho clutching his coat, looking everywhere to see if there is someone in the place. It was too dark for her liking and the thought of ghosts – if there is – scares her. Minho, on the other hand, was trying to figure out what Taehyun is thinking even though he himself thinks Taehyun wouldn’t probably do something bad but he still does just to make sure.

“So here we are.” Taehyun said, opening a small gate. When they went inside, the color seemed to come back to life and it wasn’t dark anymore, in fact, Jieun could see how beautiful the garden was. There were a lot of flowers planted and a well placed in the middle, the garden was so beautiful you wouldn’t think that the house was abandoned.

“It’s beautiful isn’t it?” Taehyun asked and Jieun could only stare in awe.

“Nana… she owns this place. She had been here in Nirvana for a hundred years already, she lives alone and she doesn’t want people talking to her that’s why she made her house looked like it was abandoned and the only place she kept alive was the garden.” Taehyun explained, smiling.

“Why doesn’t she want to talk to people?” Minho asked.

“Because—“

“What are you doing here?” The three of them turned around to see a lady standing near the gate with a cold stare and a blank face, holding a basket full of apples. She resembles the witch from the fairytale Snow White with apples almost as red as blood but she was beautiful, she could make everyone fall in love at first sight, if only her eyes were shining.

“Nana.” Taehyun said. The lady looked shocked but her expression immediately went back to a cold one.

“How many times do I have to tell you not to come here?” She said, her expression blank. She looked at Minho and then at Jieun.

“Lovebirds?” She asked and Taehyun looked at her, confused.

“What do you mean? I was going to show them about the well…” Taehyun said and Nana smirked, something that Taehyun couldn’t catch why.

“Taehyun, do you know her?” Jieun asked, softly.

“Well sorry for not introducing myself, you came here without warning. I’m Nana, the owner of the house. Taehyun is an acquaintance I met a few months ago.” Nana said and Jieun smiled.

“I’m Jieun and this is Minho.” Jieun said and Minho nodded. Nana didn’t do anything but look at the two of them, like she knew something but she wouldn’t tell. Jieun was starting to get uncomfortable by the gaze but she decided not to speak.

“Apples?” Nana suddenly offered, snapping out of her intense gaze and causing Minho and Jieun to break away from their thoughts.

Jieun politely declined.

“So what brings you lovebirds here?” She asked and once again, they were confused.

“Lovebirds?” Minho asked and Nana wanted to laugh, she always liked messing with people.

“Oh, so you haven’t figured out your fate yet.” Nana replied.

“What do you mean by that?” Jieun asked.

“Oh no, pretend I didn’t say anything. Just, let’s forget about it right, Taehyun?” Nana said, turning to look at Taehyun. There is something about the way Nana acts that Taehyun knows she know something about the future. Minho and Jieun’s future. He decided to ignore it and just ask her about it later.

“Uh yeah, so anyways, let’s take a look at the well?” Taehyun said and he led the two near the well of Dana.

I'm back!!! omg im so sorry for not updating for soooo long :((  i haven't made time to update all my stories bc of school ;n;

i hope you understand tho; this is sort of a filler since it will probably take a lot for me to write some action between the two of them but i hope you will be patient.

sorry for grammar mistakes and please do tell me if there are errors.

enjoy xx