Donghae was sitting in the cafetteria. They had just been told that a class got canceled so he had some free time till the next one. But he was there alone. Until Hyukjae entered.

His eyes followed the other as he went to get some food. Every table was free but Hyukjae was staring back at him for quite a long time before eventually walking over to him. Donghae felt nervous. He had accepted by now that he was currently in a wrong version of his life but there was still some hope that maybe he would remember.

"May I join you?" Hyukjae asked and sat down after an approving nod. They both started eating in silence then Donghae spoke up. "So how are you?" There was silence again for a little while. "I am fine, thank you." Donghae was looking down at his food making sure his face was hidden because a gentle smile showed on his lips. This was just like when they had first met. By now he knew that Hyukjae had been thinking about saying 'I'm not doing too well' or just go with the usual 'I'm fine'. But at the same time it made Donghae frown faintly. Was Hyukjae as lonely as he had used to be years ago before they had met?

"And you? I don't mean to seem like I'm observing you or anything but I kind of noticed you seem to be ... A little lost lately?" Donghae chuckled lightly with a heavy sigh. "I guess you could say so." A little lost in his own life. "But I am fine, thanks." They both continued eating when he remembered something else, the bad joke he had told the first time they had met and it had been Hyukjae's favorite ever since. Maybe it would work again? "You know what shoes a thief wears?" He looked confused at the random question but shook his head as a response. "Sneakers."* The pun needed to settle down for a moment before a grin grew on Hyukjae's face and he laughed. Just like Donghae remembered. "That was awful." - "But you laughed."

They remained silent for the rest of their lunch. Hyukjae had had to laugh a couple of times probably remembering the bad pun. But the bell rang eventually. "See you around." Hyukjae got up and left. Donghae was sitting there for a while then realized he was late and rushed to class. Only to realize something else, due to the weird happenings lately he had totally forgotten to pay attention to school. To important dates. Like today, he had an exam. Obviously he hadn't studied at all but now it was too late to back out.

His mood had been ruined by that exam and so he decided to go home. Oh, actually, not home. He would go to that shop he had found online. For the supernatural. Donghae honestly didn't believe in such things but he avoided saying or thinking bad things about it, just in case. 

A few bus stops later...

Donghae had been walking down the road for a while now. The bus stop was far away now and the amount of buildings got less. At the end of the street there was an old building, part of it obviously closed and empty but the other half wasn't. There were thick dark purple curtains pulled closed in front of each window but above the door it said Caecus. After inhaling deeply and hesitating for a second he carefully entered, immediately noticing how warm it was inside. The warmth made the smell just more intense which immediately surrounded him. It was like torn grasses and herbs. There were so many lights. Lamps on shelves, lamps on the ground and of course hanging from the ceiling and yet each light bulb seemed to be so dimmed that it was almost dark inside the store. 

He had stopped only a step after entering. The store was stuffed. With a lot of plants and whereever there weren't hanging any leaves down the shelves there were cards or sculptures. On the right side there was the biggest shelf that went along the full length of the wall. There were books, plants in between. There was a board with weird small figures placed on top. It were like tiny sculptures, like a chess game with so detailed and spooky figures. Next to it was a jar with a dirty yellow string wrapped all around it as if in an attempt to tie it as safely as possible. Inside was a really dark liquid so that he couldn't really make out what there was inside. If there even was anything inside.

"Hello." Donghae jumped on the spot, startled by the sudden voice. A small woman had come up so close to his side without even making any sound. Her eyes narrowed at his frightened act. He could hear her snort before she walked away, disappearing behind another shelf. That was just an old lady. No need to freak out. Donghae walked after her. "Good day, ma'am." But she had disappeared out of the aisle that the two shelves had formed. Why was she so quick? She looked really old, deep wrinkles had been the first thing he had noticed. "I have a question." He said even though he couldn't see her. But at the end of the room there was a counter so he was walking towards there. Glancing to the left and right he saw a small glass cage like an aquarium full of spider webs, the black little insects resting inside. There was an old looking, no, almost ancient looking jewelry as well.

Once he arrived at the counter there was the old lady again. Sitting in a chair that was at least as old as she looked. "Ask." She said. He had been thinking about how to ask during the whole bus ride but he still didn't know. "It's kind of weird..." His gaze wandered off again. There was a cat gracefully walking over the counter towards him. A grey one. Beautiful and young. Glancing back at her he saw her sceptical expression. Saying weird in this store was probably ironic. "It's like.. A few days ago I hit my head. Passed out and woke up again. Everything was fine but suddenly my whole life has changed. Not all but... The girl I've been dating she doesn't know me anymore. My parents have divorced after an accident but I remember that accident and I remember that they did not divorce."

It actually felt nice to finally say all those things out loud. "Like an alternate reality." His gaze dropped down but just then the cat tapped his arm with its nose. He looked at it. The grey beauty looked like it wanted to be pet, its tail slowly moving, twirling in the air. "What is your question?" The lady caught his attention again. What was his question? The cat walked pass him. "I want to know what this is. Am I supposed to just go with 'Oh, an alternative reality, great, kay'.?" He sighed heavily, looking at the cat that jumped off the counter and wandered off. He looked back at the woman. She was not just small but almost tiny. Her face looked like it consisted of wrinkles only.

"It does sound like you've slipped into an alternate reality. But I can't tell you what you are supposed to do with this new reality." She looked so calm as she was just sitting there, not minding to be staring at Donghae in silence. She hadn't taken her eyes off him not once. Donghae on the other hand felt awkward when staring at someone in silence. So he continued talking. "I don't understand.. How? I can't just continue normally?" - "But there is no way back." She exclaimed as if he had been supposed to know. "Young man, listen. These things do not happen for no reason. You have to find the differences, realize the chances you have messed up in your first reality and figure out which one you're supposed to fix in this reality."

Donghae turned silent, staring back at her. Eyes locked but he was lost in thoughts. He had found a lot of differences to his former reality. But was anything that important to restart? Things had only turned worse. His parents were divorced, Hyukjae was still sad and Jihyun. Well he could care less for Jihyun. The only chance he could think of that he had messed up was being with Hyukjae. Not just that but also to come out. To come out to everyone and know that at least one person would certainly stick to his side and protect him. 

The cat pushed its head against his legs, catching his attention once again. He watched it rub itself against his jeans. "Thank you." He said looking back up at the lady. Donghae slipped his backpack off a shoulder and fished out his wallet, placing some money on the counter. "Goodbye." He bowed deeply then left the store.

The sun seemed even brighter now after he had spent some time in that store. It was so cold though and windy as well. It felt weird walking out of the shop, chills rushing down his spine and he glanced back. Someone moved the curtains but he couldn't really see who. It didn't seem to be the old lady though. He turned back to the front and hurried back to the bus stop. Lets get away of there.

A couple of hours later...

He was lying in his bed, it was late but his mind was busy. Donghae was trying to figure out all of the difference to his former reality. All of the things he could do better now but Hyukjae was all he could think of. They hadn't ever talked before. They could get back together and Donghae could come out as gay. Biual in fact but he didn't care about that so much because he just wanted Hyukjae. He opened facebook on his phone. Should he message Hyukjae?

Eventually he put the phone down, no messages sent, and went to sleep. Tomorrow was another day. He didn't need to do everything in one day.

*pun taken from