* * * * * *

Everything was beginning to fall apart.

The two pieces of the Moon were weeping in pain and sorrows. The battle between the two loved ones were not something anyone could have predicted. Why did it have to come to this? Is this the only way to end such a tragedy?

Hakyeon allowed for Taekwoon’s blade to pierce through his body. He was too drained, both physically and mentally. So tired of everything that he wish to end it all. He held the blades with his own two hands, to let it sink deeper inside of him. But, he still had so much left to say. To convey his final messages to Taekwoon.

‘Taekwoon-ah…’ he tried to call the latter’s name and make the other come back to his senses.

With the boy’s unique and sad tone, Taekwoon saw the light again. He found the path back to reality and came back to his senses. Yet, he almost didn’t want to return. He saw his own blade piercing straight through Hakyeon’s small and weakened body. Taekwoon’s hands began to tremble in fear.

‘Hakyeon… no… what have I done…’ Taekwoon’s tears began to fall as he found a way back to consciousness.

As Hakyeon’s body fell to the ground, Taekwoon rushed by his side and helm him tightly in his arms.

‘Hakyeon-ah. No… We need to get out of here now! We have to get you treated right away!’ Taekwoon cried in distress. Not knowing what else to do.

Hakyeon took Taekwoon’s trembling and cold hands in his own. He wanted to explain everything to Taekwoon finally. This was the only time he found the courage to say anything as he was dying away. Blood streaming along the floor.

The once white marbled flooring was dyed red with Hakyeon’s blood.

‘It’s okay Taekwoon-ah. This is what I deserve. I’m sorry for hurting you so much even though you’ve given me your all since the beginning. I was too blinded by my own selfishness and doubts that I couldn’t see anything in front of me. I’m sorry for everything.’

Why has it taken me this long to find the words to say? They’re so simple yet so hard to convey. Can you hear my voice Taekwoon-ah?

Taekwoon could hear it all. Hakyeon’s voice and the latter’s heart. It was as if the both was finally becoming one. One body and one mind.

‘I’m sorry Taekwoon-ah. I’m sorry for turning you this way. If only I wasn’t so stupid back then, this would never have had to happen. Ever since the beginning, there’s been so much I should apologize for. So much you didn’t know about…’

Since the beginning, the thoughts I had about you… how much I hated ‘you’… all of it, I should apologize for. I should have never existed, days were always so hard to endure and it went by too slowly for me to continue. Whose sake was it that I continued on living though? Did I really think I’d find a way to survive before I drown back into my own dark world?

‘Each day I had wished I was someone else. Something more… beautiful. Someone who wasn’t me. Then, you appeared before me Taekwoon-ah. You were everything I wished I was but couldn’t become.’ Hakyeon said as he caressed gently on Taekwoon’s sad expression.

I never once thought you were actually real in the beginning and for nine whole years, I’ve only been a liar in front of you. Telling you how much I cherish our time together, how great it was to meet you and more. But in reality, I wish to hate you. I thought you were the uglier half of who I was. Who I didn’t want to be and who I hated the most. But in the end… I couldn’t bring myself to hate you after all.

‘Until you decided to appear before me… I’ve always wanted to hate you. Because I thought you were me…’

‘What are you saying… Hakyeon-ah, don’t speak anymore. We need to get you out now.’ Taekwoon pleaded.

‘No. Please, let me continue Taekwoon-ah.’

If I don’t say it now, I don’t think I’ll ever get the chance to say it again later.

‘I can’t hate you Taekwoon-ah. I can’t fight you. How can I when you’re so perfect? When you’re… Jung Taekwoon. My Taekwoon.’

You have only given me your all and loved me for who I was despite the fact that I couldn’t even love myself. I was too afraid that the more I loved you, the harder it was for me to run away. I didn’t want you to find my imperfections. I wanted to hide them all. I wanted to run away. I’m a cowardly liar since the beginning. There was nothing beautiful about me. You deserved so much more, so much better. I lied to you, and to all those around me. I thought I could fight until the end but I’m too weak and tired to go on any longer.

‘I’m tired Taekwoon-ah. I’m sorry I loved you. ‘

I’m sorry for everything. I fell in love with a fantasy that shouldn’t have existed in the first place. I fell in love with my other half, my more beautiful half. Jung Taekwoon.

‘No matter how much time, how many worlds and how many lives we come across… I think I’ll always love you.’

* * * * * *

The rumbling of the worlds stopped. The Underworld remained still once against. The night sky remained quiet once again but it felt emptier and darker than before.

The world of the dead, the world of the Gods cried on this very night. The night sky that had lost its other half. An incomplete Moon that weep for its lost and the full moon was kept away.

The Moon was once full no long ago. But it’s light were too blinding at night and too powerful for even the Sun to endure. The Moon was forced to split into two, no allowing it to find its other half. Its light was suppressed and brought upon darkness into the worlds. In order to maintain the balance of the three worlds, light and shadow must exist. There should never be too much light yet never too much darkness either.

* * * * * *

Taekwoon froze in his spot. Holding dearly onto Hakyeon’s cold body in his own. If only he was warm enough to bring back the other to life. The one person who he resented the past five years have finally met his end, covered in red and breathless. Should he have rejoiced from this night that’s finally here? Finally free and finally able to breathe again?

No.

His heart was being tormented from the pain and aching of losing his beloved.

‘Hakyeon-ah… Hakyeonie? Please wake up… answer me… I forgive you already so please… don’t leave me alone…’

Tears fell and didn’t know how to be stopped. He wanted to continue calling for the boy’s name, waking him from his slumbers but the words were dried up in his throat.

‘Hak…yeon…’

The four saw the horror in front of them as they struggled to get back on their feet. They were trying to grasp the reality and tragedy at the same time. They were weakened from the battle but weaker from their sorrows. They thought they could return to the way it used to be, even happier than before but the battle only brought upon such an ending.

How many years, months, and time have they spent with the boy named Cha Hakyeon? Why weren’t they strong enough to prevent this from happening?

He was a bright and energetic friend for Jaehwan. He allowed Jaehwan to fall in love with the human world that he once despised so much of.

He was a role model, a friend, and someone who brought Hongbin back when he was trapped in the world of mistrust.

He was a story, a mystery but a warm presence for Ravi who had heard endless stories about until he finally met the boy.

Nine years, along with his precious master, he was a friend and companion as well as family for Hyuk.

And…

A lifelong friend. A lover and his other half for the cold-gazed man named Taekwoon.

* * * * * *

Time flew by. Years went by.

Everything was seemingly still and back to normal. Back to place. The worlds were at peace again and Pinewoods returned to the happy town it once was. Everything and everyone had returned to their rightful places.

‘Wonshik-ah! Come help me out here. There’s too many customers for me to handle alone right now! Sorry, can you please wait a minute?’ Jaehwan called out to Wonshik while busily trying to finish up an order.

‘Coming!’ Wonshik shouted back.

He hurried down the stairs and found Jaehwan bombarded with customers who were trying to make their daily purchases of baked goods.

‘Thank you. You two are great help as always.’ An old man came out to help with the situation.

It was Hakyeon’s father.

‘No problem sir! This bakery is like our home after all!’ Jaehwan assisted the man to his seat. ‘Right Wonshik-ah?’

Wonshik nodded bashfully. ‘Yes sir. Thank you for taking me in as well.’

‘Haha. Don’t worry about it. You’re a friend of Jaehwan’s and a friend of my son’s. You’ll always be welcomed here.’

The door of the bakery rang open.

‘’Good afternoon sir! I just got more orders from the Capital for you, please take a look.’ Hongbin came in frantically with stashes of paper in his arms.

‘Kong-ah!’ Jaehwan ran up to assist Hongbin.

‘Thanks.’

‘Thank you Hongbin. I’ll have a look at those.’ Hakyeon’s father received the papers.

The bakery was once again running. With the boys’ help, business was better than before. Hakyeon’s father got back up on his feet and his health had returned to normal as well.

Hongbin looked around the room in search for someone.

‘Where’s Hyuk?’ He asked.

‘He’s probably up at the Water Mills,’ Wonshik responded. ‘With the other two again.’

Everything returned to the way it should have been.

The crying nights were kept away and the story was set again at the place it should have been.

~ Epilogue ~

‘Hyung! Se-jun hyung is look for us.’ The younger shouted out.

‘What for?’

‘I don’t know. He said he has something to tell us.’

‘Okay. Let’s go. Thanks Kong.’

‘Don’t… call me Kong.’

The two went into the office of the small building, looking for the person that was calling for them.

‘We heard you were looking for us?’

‘Yes. You guys have been training really hard lately and debut will be just around the corner but I’ve been taken in a few new potential trainees and I want you two to help them be familiar with the environment. Hakyeon-ah. Since you’re one of the oldest amongst the trainees right now, I hope you can be a good leader and teacher for them as well.’

‘Sure. No problem! Leave it to me!’

‘Oh. Also, one of the trainee is the same age as you but he’s quite… unique? Quiet actually. Anyways the other younger trainees aren’t too comfortable around him since he seems intimidating but he’s talented and I want you to help him out. Especially since the two of you are the same age.’

‘Unique huh?’ Hakyeon scratched his head and looked questionably at Hongbin as well. Hongbin gave him a shrug as he haven’t seen the trainee either.

‘Uh, yeah… anyways just do your best. If you need help in anything, don’t hesitate to ask for my help okay?’

‘Okay.’

The two of them exit out of the office and made their way to the dance room.

‘Must be someone real special if the CEO is so concerned about him. What do you think hyung?’

‘I think Se-jun hyung is just exaggerating. There’s no one I can’t handle.’ Hakyeon smirked.

‘Sure sure. Whatever… but it’d be nice if we can just debut already.’

‘Mhmm.’

‘It’d be better if we can debut in the same group too.’

‘I feel the same way Kong-ah~’ Hakyeon ruffled in the younger’s long messy hair. ‘So when are you getting your hair cut?’

‘Stylist noona told me not to touch it. At least not for now anyways. It’s so inconvenient though.’

The two entered the dance room and saw many new faces gathered around together, practicing hard in choreographies and doing stretches as well.

Ah! That must be who Se-jun hyung was concerned about.

Instantly, someone caught Hakyeon’s attention. A boy was sitting alone in the corner of the studio, away from the rest of the trainees and warming up by himself.

‘Kong-ah, you go warm up with Jaehwan or Wonshik first.’

‘Huh? But I always do my warming up with you. What’s wrong?’

‘Nothing. Just thought I’d introduce myself to a new partner. Remember what Se-jun hyung said earlier? Helping out a certain unique trainee is now a part of my job description. Now go on~’ Hakyeon patted Hongbin’s and shooed him off on his way.

Hakyeon approached the quiet boy in caution. The latter was too preoccupied in whatever music he was listening to in his earphones to realize that someone else was walking up to him.

Hakyeon bent down and looked straight into the boy’s eyes, trying to get his attention. It surprised the latter.

‘Hi! I’m Cha Hakyeon. Do you want to be my stretching partner?’

The boy was stunned by the sudden offer and didn’t know how to reply.

‘You’re Jung Taekwoon right? It’s nice to meet you!’

Hakyeon offered his hands to the quiet boy.

It’s nice to meet you. Hello again…

* * * * * *