Synchronization 100%
Word Count: 4764 [AF]; 4741 [MS Word] [I know, weird right?]

---

I groaned.
 

I was barely listening to my English professor explaining how Academic Writing should be done following the proper ‘Writing Process’. My face probably looked bored because out of nowhere my professor called me. “… and Mr. Lee, since you don’t appear to be listening to what I have been saying would you be so kind and tell the class what the first part of the writing process would be, again?”

 

I sighed as I stood up. This was easy. “Pre-writing, Mrs. Kim.”

 

The teacher gave a satisfied hum and I took it as my cue to sit down. I had heard this lecture a lot of times already and I was tired. I knew this already. I’m pretty sure that I could actually speak almost perfect English because of the hundreds of years studying and learning the same things over and over again.

 

Yes, hundreds of years.

 

I’m immortal, you see. I was cursed before by an ex-lover and had to find the one that would break the curse. This was back in 1615. It was already 2015. It had been 400 years and I still haven’t found the one that would break it.

 

So what was I doing, spending my time in a university instead of actually looking for ‘the one’?

 

Waiting. Yes, I was waiting for him. Or her. I didn't really know, didn't really care.

 

When I was cursed, the one who cursed me, Ravi, said that the one that would break the curse would be from the university we were both studying at during that time. He had been kind, actually. Who would actually tell the cursed who would break it? But I guess it was okay, since I haven’t succeeded yet.

 

I was dragged back to my classroom from wherever my mind went when the bell signalling that the period was over rang. It was currently 11 in the morning, and my next was class would not start until 1 in the afternoon so I have two hours for lunch. I stood up and grabbed my bag, placing it on top of my desk and putting my notebook inside it. After closing the bag, I swung it over my shoulder, took my binder and left the classroom.

 

I took my time walking to my locker, which was on the second floor of the building. Since I was coming from the first floor, it was fairly a good distance. People were rushing past me; either going to their classes on the upper floors of the building, or running down the stairs to meet their friends and have lunch outside at the campus car park.

 

As I was only a few steps away from my locker, someone caught my eye. He was coming out of the dean’s office looking so confused that I had to chuckle silently. But that was not why he caught my eye. He looked familiar, from where I stood- which was a bit far from him. I blinked my eyes and went back to my original destination which was my locker, and put the binder inside. When I closed the locker I gave out a small shriek because the stranger I saw earlier was there, waiting for me to notice him. “Gosh you scared me,” I mumbled. I still hadn’t turned to him when I added, [I was looking down on the ground, trying to calm myself] “May I help you?”

 

“I’m sorry to bother you,” he started. Wait, that voice…“but you’re the only student left in this corridor.”

 

I finally looked up and saw the stranger’s face. My eyes widened, and my jaw almost dropped to the floor. It couldn’t be, could it?

 

Before I further embarrassed myself –I must’ve looked funny- I quickly offered the stranger a friendly smile before asking. “What is it that you need? Oh and my name is Jaehwan.”

 

The stranger looked like he just realized something. And by what he said next, he probably did. “Oh, how rude of me. I apologize for not introducing myself first. I’m Kim Wonsik. I just transferred here and that is what I need help for.”

 

I knew it. He wasn’t Ravi. Ravi was dead. But he and Ravi looked so similar. Even the way they talked was the same. “What do you need my help for?”

 

“Uhm well you see, I don’t really know what to do,” he said while scratching his nape. It was cute. He handed me a piece of paper and as I scanned it I found out that it was his schedule. “The people at the dean’s are nice, but they didn’t explain everything to me so…”

 

He had the same schedule as me which meant that I would be spending my every day with this Ravi look-a-like. Great. Not wanting to be rude I offered to show him around the university. This was a new thing for me, since I really didn't hang out with people. He eagerly agreed, looking really grateful for my offer. Since it was lunch time, I decided to take Wonsik first to the “carpark” where all the food chains were. We ate at Coffee Avenue per his suggestion, and got to know each other a bit while eating. I found out that his birthday was on February 15th, just like Ravi. He liked anything horror, and liked to write songs when he had time.

 

With the remaining time we had, I took him to the Benavides Park or what was popularly called by students as “Lovers’ Lane”. We found a spot on the lawn and sat down. I told him which college belonged to which building; I told him that the big church looking building wasn’t actually a church but was the building that housed the College of Science.

 

In return for the lunch that was well-spent he bought me ice cream from Icebergs. Since we only had fifteen minutes before our next class started we decided to head back to our building. Fellow students from AB – I was enrolled in the Faculty of Arts and Letters and so was Wonsik- were looking at us weirdly. Wonsik looked confused, but I wasn't. I knew exactly why they were staring at us. "I guess you're wondering why they're looking at us like that? Well you see, I don't really have friends." I laughed bitterly. "I tend to isolate myself and don't really talk or hangout with anyone. And everybody in the faculty knows about that. So seeing me with you is something they don't see every day."

 

"Well they better get used to it," Wonsik said, beaming. I looked at him and saw that he was beaming at me. "You too because this rare sight will be a regular occurrence from now on."

 

I couldn't help but smile at that. Those were the exact words Ravi told me when we first met.

---

Days led to weeks and weeks led to months. Over that period of time, Wonsik has adjusted and adapted well to the environment that was his new university. He also stayed true to his word because he never left my side when we were at uni. He would even walk me home. It was safe to say that we were now best friends.

 

It has now been five months since he first transferred and I found myself "sinning", as I would call it. Without really knowing when or how it happened, I found myself falling for this guy. He was really kind and sweet, often taking care of me even if he didn't have to. He was fun to be with and would always be there when you needed him.

 

Him looking like Ravi didn't help as well.

 

As time passed and we spent more time around each other I discovered the other similarities Wonsik had with Ravi. They both yawned all the time; their height and weight were exactly the same; their curfew on weekends was at ten in the evening; hell they both have a younger sister named Jiwon.

 

We were at our usual spot at Lover's Lane; I was studying for a quiz while Wonsik was lying on the grass, his head resting on my lap. He was done studying and was now resting, while I was cramming because I wasn't able to study the night before.

 

"Hyung," his deep voice called. I looked down at him to see that he was staring directly at me.

 

“What is it?” I asked. He smirked as he sent me a knowing look. What did that look mean? Did he know about my feelings? Was I obvious? What if he knew that I was cursed by someone who looked and sounded like him? Thoughts like these came into my mind which made my eyebrows knit in confusion and fear. This in turn resulted to me looking funny because Wonsik started chuckling.

 

“What’s with the frown hyung?” he laughed. “I haven’t even said anything yet.”

 

“I’m sorry,” I said, my smile reflecting my thoughts of me being an idiot for thinking those things earlier. “What was it you wanted to say?”

 

“Well,” he started, not making a move of getting up. “You know how we’ve been friends for five months now, right?”

 

I nodded.

 

“And you were my first and only friend in this university. You were the first one who treated me well when I first transferred. So thank you.”

 

I chuckled. “Why the sudden expression of gratitude, Wonsik ah?”

 

His expression turned serious. “Because I wanted to confess, hyung. I’ve liked you ever since that day I saw you at the second floor of our building. I lied, in case you didn’t notice you weren’t the only student left in that corridor but I chose to ask you so that we could be introduced. It was also a plus that I got to be your classmate which meant that I would get to spend every day with you. I don’t really know hyung if you’d accept my feelings or not, and I’m risking our friendship by asking this, but hyung will you be my boyfriend?”

 

That, I did not see coming.

 

I was silent for a few moments, contemplating whether this was really happening or not. Maybe this was just a daydream, and I’d wake up to find us in the same position but no confession.

 

“Hyung, say something.”

 

That was the only thing I needed to confirm that this was not a dream and that he really shared my feelings for him. Now I weighed my options. If we were to be together then I would have to tell him about the curse [yes I haven’t told him about it] and then about Ravi and how they were very similar. And then Wonsik would think that it was because of Ravi that I liked him. Which wasn’t true. Okay yes that contributed to it, but the more that I spent time with the younger, the more that I wanted him to be the one that would break the curse so that we could be together without having to worry about anything bad happening to him.

 

If I were to not accept his feelings not only will I be ruining me and him, I would also be ruining our friendship. And I didn't want that to happen.

 

I guess I would have to explain my situation to him first, before giving any answer. That way, at least if he knew, and changed his mind, I would understand.

 

“Wonsik, look, I’m not rejecting you, okay? But I have to tell you something first. After this, I’d understand if you don’t want to date me anymore, or even be friends for that matter.”

 

Wonsik looked confused. “What is it, hyung?”

 

“I’m not who you think I am.”

 

“What do you mean? I feel like I’ve known you all my life, hyung. What are you trying to say?”

 

I sighed. ”I’m cursed, Wonsik ah. And if we were to date, you won’t be able to kiss me, nor would I be able to kiss you, on the lips.”

 

“Cursed?” he asked. “Those things are real?”

 

I nodded. “Unfortunately. And I’m old.”

 

He laughed at the last part. “Of course you are.”

 

“No really, I’m 400 plus years old.”

 

“And so?” Wonsik looked at me with a poker face.

 

I looked back at him, confused. “You don’t care?”

 

He shook his head. “’Course not. What difference does it make? Plus I fell in love with the 400 plus year old you so.” He shrugged. “Now tell me about that curse of yours.” He rolled over so that he was now lying on his stomach on the grass, his head supported by his hands.

 

[I was supposed to do a full on flashback but I’m extremely late I’m sorry. :(]

 

“Well, it was 400 years ago and I was dating this guy named Ravi. We were the perfect couple, our friends would tell us. Ravi was exactly like you Wonsik, from head to toe; your voice, your personalities, even your sisters’ names were the same. But Ravi had a bit of a temper.

 

“Well you see that temper of his was what led to the curse. He misunderstood what he saw me doing. He thought that I was kissing someone else when in fact I wasn't. I had a guy pinned on the wall and my face was only a few inches in front of his but I wasn't kissing him. I was actually warning him. He had been badmouthing Ravi so I thought I'd teach him a lesson. But Ravi thought that we were kissing.

 

"He wouldn't let me explain; he just stormed off. I tried chasing him but he snapped. He told me that I will never be able to kiss anyone ever again. If I do, the person will die. This was his curse. For it to be broken, I'll have to wait for the breaker to come along, here in the university. He didn't say for how long, hence I'm still here.

 

"At first I didn't believe him. So one day I kissed him, full on the lips. I thought nothing happened because he didn't drop dead.  The next day we found him hanging in his room. There was a note by his table that read "I can never forgive you Jaehwan". Ever since then every time I kiss someone, they die. That's why I told you that even if I wanted to date you I wouldn't be able to kiss you." I finished.

 

For a few moments Wonsik didn't say anything. I took that as a sign that he was going to take back his "will you be my boyfriend" bit. I smiled sadly. I knew it was too good to be true.

 

" for you hyung," he then said while laughing, his deep voice loud that people started looking at us. Then his laughter turned into chuckles. " for me then, too."

 

I looked at him confused. "Why?"

 

He faked a pout. "Because then I won't be able to kiss you." He then beamed. "But that's okay. Having you as my boyfriend is enough."

 

I looked at him in disbelief, but the smile I had on was clearly showing that I was happy. "What makes you think I'd be your boyfriend?"

 

He smirked. "Well you wouldn't tell me all that stuff if you didn't want to." He wiggled his eyebrows. "Plus you said it yourself, 'That's why I told you that even if I wanted to date you I wouldn't be able to kiss you.' You said you wanted to date me."

 

I rolled my eyes when his voice went annoyingly high as if imitating how I said what I said. Wait, I said that?

 

"So hyung," he said. "I'm going to ask again, just for the fun of it, since I already know your answer. I just want to hear it from you. Will you be my boyfriend?"

 

I've never nodded this fast in my four hundred years of living. "I'd love to."

---

"So hyung," Wonsik said one afternoon. We were again at Lovers’ Lane, him writing something on his notebook – I guess they were lyrics or something- while I was sketching him. The look of concentration on his face was so cute that I just had to draw it.

 

"Hmm?" I replied.

 

"Tell me about Ravi."

 

I frowned, but didn't look up from what I was doing. "Why?"

 

"I'm curious. You said he was exactly me. How is that possible?"

 

"I don't know," I said absentmindedly, still not looking up from my work. "Reincarnation?"

 

He chuckled. "That doesn't work that way, hyung."

 

I chuckled as well. "Whatever. Anyways, that's just it though, Wonsik. Ravi is exactly like you. The looks; your birthdays; the way you guys speak; the way you walk; everything. Except the temper. Unless you have a temper?" I ended in a questioning tone.

 

"As far as I know, I don't."

 

I smiled because my sketch was perfect- no I'm not a narcissist- and because at least there's a chance that Wonsik would be patient with me. It has been a few days since I told him about the curse and he was really okay with it. He didn't mind it and I was really thankful for that.

 

"That's great, then."

 

I just wish that he was the one to break it so that we could be together without restrictions.

---

Months have passed and we were still together. Staying strong, actually. He still didn't mind that he couldn't kiss me, and I was still grateful for that. I could see that he really wanted to, but he was understanding and tried to come up with ways to make up for it.

 

But of course, humans would always be humans.

 

And they couldn't really keep their curiosity to themselves for too long.

 

"Hyung," Wonsik called one day. We were at my house -surprise surprise we weren't at Lovers' Lane- sitting and lying on the couch. This time it was him sitting while I was the one lying down, my head on his lap. I was reading a book while he was playing with my hair.

 

"Hmm?"

 

"How do we know who'll be the one to break your curse?" He asked. I knew it was about time he began asking.

 

"I don't actually know." I really didn't.

 

"Well what if I was the one Ravi talked about?"

 

I closed my book and put it down on the coffee table at the front of the couch. "That would be great." I beamed at him.

 

"Do you want to find out?"

 

Now I knew where this was going. "I-I don't know. I mean, what if it isn't you? I don't want you to die, Wonsik."

 

"I won't die hyung."

 

He said that so confidently that I almost agreed. "How are you so sure?"

 

He shrugged. "I just am."

 

I sat up and faced him. "Can we just not? Yet. I'm still worried. I don't want to lose you, Wonsik. What's wrong with us now? At least we're together for as long as we like, right? Why the sudden-"

 

"Jaehwan hyung stop worrying," he said as he put his hands on my shoulders, his voice trying to reassure me that everything was okay.

 

"But-"

 

I got cut off by a pair of lips on mine. I haven't been kissed for a long time that it felt a bit foreign to me. It took me a few seconds before everything to sink in and when they did my eyes widened.

 

Wonsik was kissing me.

 

He shouldn't be kissing me.

 

What if he dropped dead when he pulls away?

 

Why was I not pulling away?

 

Why were my eyes closing?

 

Why was I kissing back?

 

He pulled away when I assumed he ran out of breath. He put his forehead against mine as he tried to catch his breath. It was the gentlest yet sweet kiss I have ever received that even Ravi wasn't able to give me. I wanted it again, but I stopped myself from doing it because what if Wonsik wasn't the one? I didn't want him dying on me as well.

 

"So?" He asked, forehead still not leaving mine.

 

"So what?" I asked back.

 

"How was it?"

 

"How the hell do you want me to answer that?" I hissed, a bit embarrassed. I felt my cheeks heating up and I avoided his eyes that were staring straight at me. I just then realized that his hands were on my neck. When did those get there?

 

He chuckled. "I don't feel anything hyung. So maybe I'm the one?"

 

I pulled away from him and hit him on the shoulder. "Yah! Don't say things like that!"

 

He kept on chuckling. "What? You don't want me to be the one?"

 

"Of course I do. That's why I don't want to think that because I don't wnat to believe it then end up hurt because it might not be true."

 

"You're such a pessimist, hyung."

 

I smiled at him as I hugged him. "You still love me anyway."

 

"I do." He hugged back, and I missed the sad and apologetic expression his face suddenly made. "So much."

---

I ran.

 

I ran as fast as I could to the university’s hospital which was a good distance away from the AB building. I didn’t care if I bumped into students or even professors. I just had to get there fast if I wanted to see him alive.

 

I knew it. My gut told me that it wasn’t him. He might’ve looked like Ravi but I knew- I just knew that it wasn’t Wonsik that was supposed to break the curse. I knew yet I didn’t want to believe. I was stubborn. I wanted him to be the one to break the curse. And now look where it led.

 

Where was Wonsik? It was very unusual of him to be late. He only had ten minutes to get here before class started. The last text he sent to me was thirty minutes ago, saying that the jeep he was riding on was stuck on traffic at España and so he got out and would walk from there.

 

It was already 1:05 and still no Wonsik. I began worrying. What if something happened to him? What if he wasn’t the one, and we kissed. He was going to die!

 

Luckily we had a free-cut, as our professor had texted our class president that he wouldn’t be able to go to class today. At around the same time, I my phone rang, and when I checked it was Wonsik’s cousin that works at the university’s hospital.

 

“Hello? Taemi ah?”

 

“Jaehwan!” she half – whispered, half – yelled. Her voice sounded frantic, and she sounded like she was crying. “Y-you have to come here, quick!”

 

What was going on? “Why? What-“

 

“It’s Wonsik.”

 

My blood ran cold. I didn’t even bother with my bag. The moment I heard his name I was out the door of the classroom and was running out the main entrance of the building. Thank god for having our classroom at the first floor.

 

“He was hit by a car at Lacson,” I heard Taemi continue. “The guards and other students helped bring him here. Hurry, Jaehwan.”

 

I didn’t want to believe the last thing Taemi said to me.

 

“He’s dying.”

 

I pushed open the hospital doors and immediately looked for Taemi. I spotted the girl by the emergency room entrance and immediately went to her. “Where is he?” I demanded.

 

I was right, Taemi was crying. She led me through the room and to a ward where a bloody student wearing an AB uniform was lying motionlessly. I needed not to inspect the student. I already knew who it was. My Wonsik. I turned to Taemi, and yelled, “Why is nobody attending to him?”

“He said he didn’t want anybody to,” she answered.

 

“What?” I snapped. I went over to Wonsik and saw his bloodied face. Gosh why did this have to happen to him? “Wonsik ah?”

 

He slowly opened his eyes. “H-hyung?”

 

I grabbed his hands and bent over the bed so that I was near him. I caressed his face as I whispered, “It’s going to be okay Wonsikie. It’s going to be okay. You just have to let them attend to your injuries and you can heal-“

 

“It’s okay hyung,” he cut me off. “I’m sorry hyung.”

 

“What are you being sorry for?”

 

“For not being the one able to break the curse.”

 

I looked at him in disbelief. “No, no there’s nothing to be sorry for Sik ah. We just have to let the doctors do their jobs and it’ll be alright.”

 

“N-no hyung. I already knew that I wasn’t the one you’re waiting for. When we kissed, I don't know how, but I saw something. I saw that I was going to die. I'm sorry I didn't tell you. B-but I really really really love you so I didn’t want you to be stuck with me, thinking that I’ll be the one to free you. Knowing that I’ll die when I kiss you, I-I took that risk, and made it look like I was the one, and kiss you a lot of times more, so that when I die, I can die in content because I was able to express my love for you. And now you’ll have the chance to find the one really meant to free you. I really wished that it was me that you were waiting for, but it would’ve been selfish of me to lead you on.”

 

“No Wonsik ah don’t do this to me, please.” I was crying. He knew all this time? He knew, yet he kissed me. He shouldn’t have done that!

 

His eyes were beginning to close and I tried desperately to keep him awake. "Wonsik ah, don't close your eyes! Stay awake, please."

 

“Hyung,” he called. “Before I go, could you do me one last favour?”

 

“Anything.”

 

“Kiss me. One last time."

 

And I did, as if it would stop him from dying. I didn’t let go, until I felt him go limp while I held him. I cried harder, not letting go of his now lifeless body. He was gone, and it was all because of me. I killed him. I’m sorry Wonsik ah. Thank you for everything.

---

I laid on my bed, staring up at the ceiling, contemplating on life.

 

It has been a while since I’ve dealt with the death of a loved one. Too long that I’ve forgotten the feeling of grief.

 

So this was how it felt.

 

It was vile. Losing Wonsik was like losing Ravi again. But worse.

 

Why can’t I just die already?

 

"Hyung, have you ever tried looking for other ways to break the curse?"

 

Wonsik and I were at Coffee Ave, eating cake and drinking Italian Soda while studying for our prelims. It was one of the times where Wonsik out of nowhere asks questions regarding the curse.

 

"Of course I have." I sipped my kiwi-cucumber soda. "Obviously none of them worked."

 

He had on a thinking face, which made me laugh because he looked funny. "What did you try doing?"

 

"Well I tried to kill myself."

 

"I'm sorry, what?" He asked, his voice full of disbelief and his eyes looking at me as if I were crazy.

 

"Relax. As you can see I'm still alive. Apparently being immortal doesn't only mean you don't age; you couldn't die either."

 

"Well that's good then." I looked at him with an eyebrow raised, telling him to elaborate. "Because then  I wouldn't be able to date you and call you my boyfriend and be the luckiest man alive."

 

I scoffed playfully as I hit him with my ASN201 readings. "Oh shut up and study."

 

He laughed. "I love you hyung."

 

"I love you too."

 

Damn you Ravi for this ing curse.

 

I smirked.

 

Just you wait with Wonsik, Ravi ah. I’ll be seeing you soon.

 

Because if I can’t find this curse breaker of yours, I will look for ways for me to die. I won't stop until I succeed. I don't care how long it would take me. I will find a way for me to kill myself.

 

And when I do, you better be ready. Because I can assure you that you will be hearing an earful from me.

 

Got it?

 

---

I HATE YOU FOR ASKING ME TO DO FLUFF -_- =)))

Kidding. :))