The three younger members were confused at the current situation as they watched Taekwoon from behind.

‘The very first one? Taekwoon-hyung, what are you saying?’ Hyuk asked.

‘You’re not just some shadow that was created by Hakyeon’s darkness but you… you’re also Cha Hakyeon aren’t you? An original one that is.’ Taekwoon said.

This Hakyeon remained silent from the interrogation.

‘Though I can’t explain why either but I can tell by instincts that you’re not just darkness. You say you love me and you cling onto me but those few weeks that we were together, there would be times when I feel like you aren’t looking at me who is in front of you. You’re feeling anxious, doubtful and insecure. As far as I know from Soo-ah’s stories, the very first Cha Hakyeon from the past was quite similar as well which is why he fell into the darkness and supposedly created you. But that isn’t the case is it? Please, I want to know your story as well. I don’t want to hurt you. Because you are ‘Hakyeon’ as well.’ Taekwoon said.

Taekwoon and the members waited for an answer but Hakyeon remained silent. The binding spell would eventually ware off but Taekwoon waited patiently until the latter was willing to speak.

But the others were worried.

‘Taekwoon-hyung…’ Hyuk worried,’ Maybe you should-‘

‘You’re right.’ Hakyeon finally spoke.

Everyone looked at Hakyeon. The spell has completely wore off but he did not take the advantage to strike at the other members. Instead, he looked as if he had given up the will to fight any further.

‘I am Cha Hakyeon. The very first one but only when I was still a child…’

His eyes began to tear, but he was holding them back forcefully. He wanted to look strong in front of the members but he couldn’t. He went on to explaining to the members his struggles and desperation for his existence.

~

(The ‘Dark’ Hakyeon’s POV)

Ever since I was born, I knew I was born from the darkness.

But I tried desperately to ignore that fact and hoped to erase that darkness within me by trying to please others. I did everything I could in order to make others happy, I thought that by being able to bring light to other people’s worlds, I would eventually gain something from it in return. But I was wrong.

Everything I did, all the compliments I received, I should have felt content enough with the love I was given yet I wasn’t. There would always be this empty feeling inside of me in which I could not understand.

I wanted more. I wanted desperately to feel complete but I didn’t know how. So, eventually I began to hate myself. I felt ‘ugly’ inside and out. I despised my appearance, the tone of my voice, and everything about me. There were so many times in which I just wanted to fade into the darkness where I belong and vanish forever.

Why do I exist?

Why must I feel this way?

But then, I met you.

Jung Taekwoon.

A voice from the other side of that mysterious door in which I discovered in that lonesome forest. You were quiet and mysterious. You never talked about yourself yet you would always listen to me talk instead. You were patient with me, you listened to my stories and you were always there by my side. But I couldn’t believe in the fact of whether you were real or not. You could have just been an hallucination in which I created from my desperation to finding a way to love who I am. However, I thought it didn’t matter because you and our secret base was my haven. You saved me from my salvation. I just never thought… that I would fall in love with you instead.

The feelings I had for you, I finally felt real for the first time in my life. I was happy and delighted each time we got to meet and talk. You became a light that helped to light up my world. I began to accept who I was but I forgot… I am darkness. I can’t exist unless I’m within the shadows. That is who Cha Hakyeon really is.

From a father who was human and a mother who was the Goddess from the Underworld, I was given birth into the mortal realm. My mother concealed the truth from me thinking I would never find out, but I did. I knew and I also knew that due to those circumstances, my survival was darkness itself. I just didn’t want to admit it.

The more I learned to love myself, the weaker I became. Eventually, I really vanished from the world. It was as if nothing had truly happened, as if I was never there. No one knew that the young Hakyeon and the grown up Hakyeon were two different people sharing the same body. He retained all the most beautiful memories of my past, future and present. Yet all I could do was watch from the shadows.

Why is it not me who is out there receiving the love that I missed so much? That should be me instead!

I grew impatient, envious and frustrated just watching him live my life for me. I fought hard to try and return to the world where I belong in but I had no powers to do so. My mother had sealed my powers as a God since birth.

But then, I saw the golden opportunity. When that foolish Hakyeon grew more desperate and doubtful then I ever was, I saw that he was falling in to the darkness instead. When he decided to break up with Taekwoon, I saw a chance. A chance to relive the life that I could not.

The further he falls into the abyss, it meant that I could rise again and become the light. Light and darkness cannot coexist in a single body and in order to exist, there can only be one of each. If he chose to fall into the darkness, that meant that I would become the light instead.

I waited patiently again, day by day while I watch him fall. When he stepped into the Underworld and discovered who he really was, it became the signal for me to strike.

The more I played with his mind, the weaker he became. It was time for my revival.

~

The members stood there and could not believe what they had heard. This was the first Hakyeon who was in front of them. He wasn’t just some ‘Dark’ half of the real Cha Hakyeon but he too, was a Cha Hakyeon at one point.

‘Then the reason why you only accept Taekwoon-hyung is because he resembled the previous Taekwoon right?’ Wonshik asked.

Hakyeon nodded.

‘But I don’t get it. Why do you hate us so much? What did we do to you?’ Jaehwan asked.

‘That’s because… you’re all friends that the other Hakyeon made while I watched from the shadows. They are friends of the other Hakyeon, not mine.’ He said yet unable to face the members.

This Hakyeon felt alone.

No one knew that the Hakyeon in front of them was also the real Cha Hakyeon. No one even knew he existed because ever since he was young, he had to put on a mask of who he wasn’t in order to please the people around him. He had to make others happy yet the one who turned out the most miserable was himself. Everyone had thought that this Hakyeon was a dark entity that was created from the original Cha Hakyeon but instead, he was also an original Hakyeon.

‘Hyung… I don’t know what to say…’ Hyuk looked at the other in sympathy.

‘Save it. I don’t need you to feel sorry for me.’ Hakyeon grunted.

‘But- ‘ Hyuk teared up which also gave Hakyeon a surprise.

‘This finally explains why you would only accept Taekwoon-hyung even though he isn’t the same one as he was in the previous life…’ Wonshik said.

Hakyeon looked at Taekwoon and though he was upset about the latter’s betrayal, he also knew they weren’t the same person. Even his feelings for the previous Taekwoon was only unrequited.

‘If you’re the original, what about the Dark Taekwoon-hyung?’ Jaehwan asked.

‘How do you guys know about him?’ Hakyeon asked.

‘That’s because I’ve been watching you two since the beginning of time,’ Soo-ah said.

‘Who exactly are you?’ He asked still confused as to where the voice was coming from.

‘My name is Kwon Soo-ah. I was born the same time as you were and was once a friend of Hakyeon’s until the Dark Taekwoon took me into the Underworld.’

‘You’re… that girl.’

‘Yes.’

‘That Taekwoon’s circumstances are different from mine. I don’t really know anything about him. I was just desperate to get back to reality that I didn’t question his story much when he offered to help me.’ Hakyeon said.

‘But why? Don’t you hate him as well? The both of you once fought for the throne to the Underworld.’

‘I was desperate! I know the Taekwoon I loved isn’t that cruel and scheming like that Darker Taekwoon but I was desperate! Being banished into Limbo and wandering around like a soulless life… it was far worst than when I could only watch from the shadows.’ Hakyeon cried.

Because this Hakyeon’s existence was unknown to all, he was treated as an evil like the Dark Taekwoon. So, he was sealed away along with the other Taekwoon and banished into Limbo. He could no longer watch Hakyeon’s everyday life from the shadows as he did so before but rather, he was forced to wander about through the nothingness.

He felt empty.

He was lost and had no where to go.

But after wandering for many centuries, he ran into the Dark Taekwoon once again inside of Limbo.  

* * * * * * A/N * * * * * *

The Dark Hakyeon was introduced a lot more after Side Story I: Cha Hakyeon in its prequel as well as throughout the rest of that fanfic when they entered the Underworld. There were many times in which I used Hakyeon's inner voices to illustrate the Dark Hakyeon playing with the other Hakyeon's mind as well. 

This chapter was a lot shorter than my other ones because I didn't want to put the next part with this chapter since it didn't flow as nicely if I did. I'm enjoying writing this story a lot so I hope you all be patient with me as I hope to get as many questions answered as possible throughout this journey :)