[CHAPTER 10]

“ Melted “

Hongbin went back to Moirae’s Edge in order to escape his heart. It was painful to know that he was feeling something he shouldn’t be feeling at all. It’s the first time he’s felt this kind of pain or even care for anyone in particular. But just because he was new to these feelings didn’t mean that he should break the rules of fate.

He and Hakyeon were never supposed to meet.

“Why’d you come back if you’re just going to laze around in the corner all day long?” Wonshik came to the library to see how Hongbin was doing.

“None of your business,” Hongbin ignored him.

“Says the one who calls us friends when he was talking to Hakyeonie,” Jaehwan popped behind Wonshik to join the surprise visit.

“Fr- you… you guys read the book?” Hongbin felt embarrassed.

“Of course!” Jaehwan giggled.

“We had to make sure you were still following the rules and didn’t mention anything unnecessary to those on Earth, especially to Cha Hakyeon,” Wonshik’s lecture made the atmosphere feel very heavy suddenly.

Hongbin let out a sigh.

“I know, I know. Just get off my tail for once, would you?”

Wonshik grumbled at Hongbin’s laidback attitude and shook his head.

“So, have you discovered anything else about Hakyeonie’s fate while you were on Earth?” Jaehwan asked curiously.

“No. Not yet. Everything up to this point is still very straightforward and clear. There’s nothing unusual about him one bit,” Hongbin informed.

“Nothing? Or were you too love-struck to find out anything?” Wonshik glared.

“Shut up. It’s not like that.”

“Then what is it? You’re just moping around here like before because you can’t stop thinking about that guy aren’t you?”

Wonshik was sharp indeed. As expected of someone who has known Hongbin since they were children.

“You two need a time out. Gosh, every time you guys are put together, all you do is bicker. Can’t you play nice for once?” Jaehwan lectured the two younger ones.

Both Wonshik and Hongbin obeyed and kept quiet.

“So when are you going back to Hakyeonie?” Jaehwan asked.

“Hakyeonie… hyung, why are you calling him with such familiar terms. You haven’t even met him yet,” Hongbin finally realized.

“Well, it’s because we’ve been reading Hakyeonie’s story so many times that I feel like he’s my friend too,” Jaehwan laughed. “Are you jealous?”

“N-no!” Hongbin denied.

Hongbin’s return to Moirae’s Edge was strange for himself. Suddenly, he found his surroundings rather strange and unfamiliar. Being on Earth for so long has made him forget that he didn’t belong on that side of the universe. Though attending the bookstore was still a bore, Hongbin wasn’t exactly hiding from people like he would back home.

He went out a lot and wasn’t afraid to talk with strangers or neighbors. Why was that? Is it because he knows he won’t meet them for long after he’s find his answers? Or is it because he’s strangely attached to each of the characters that have appeared in Hakyeon’s book?

Despite the time he had spent on Earth already and trying to find an answer to Hakyeon’s mystery, the older’s fate remained the same. Pitch black and unpredictable.

Hongbin initially wanted to leave for just a few days and then head back to Earth but his duties inside of the facility piled up. Seo In Guk left a bunch of recordings for Hongbin to do while he, himself, left the facility to perform other duties. So, Hongbin was left to perform the job for two.

Could it have been revenge for Hongbin’s absence of being ‘terminally ill’ like Jaehwan had helped him lie about?

Every day, he attended the library and took care of each of the books inside of it. He recorded all the new and old ones just like before as a Keeper. Each day that went by, he would secretly stare at Hakyeon’s book and tempted read what the older was up to while he was away.

No, I can’t. If I open the book now, I’ll really want to jump back inside, Hongbin was trying hard to resist the temptation.

It took a lot longer than he had initially planned but eventually, his supervisor returned and Hongbin was able to excuse himself again from the facility. Seo In Guk simply thought that Hongbin was being lazy and always submitting a temporary withdrawal but of course, that was not the case.

“Just watch what you do or say while you’re back on Earth, would you?” Wonshik warned. Even though it was obvious he wouldn’t be able to convince Hongbin to not go back, he tried his best to care for his friend in his own way.

“Kong-ah!” Jaehwan shouted.

“What is it hyung?” Hongbin halted a bit before the pen touches the page on Hakyeon’s book again.

Jaehwan rushed towards Hongbin and gave him a big hug.

“H-hyung, what is it?”

“I know it’s hard on you and it’s only going to get harder from now on but I really believe that you should follow your heart,” Jaehwan said as if he was watching his own child leave for another long journey. “Whether it is right or wrong, I want you to see the universe for what it is and learn about your feelings. But always know that Wonshik and I will always be here when you want to come back home, okay?”

“Heh, what are you? My mom?” Hongbin laughed but deep down inside, he was touched by the older’s consideration. “Thanks though.”

Then, Hongbin sat back at the desk of the chamber and lifted the pen once more. Soon, he reentered the world he did not belong in. A place called Earth and a story named Cha Hakyeon.

“Are you sure that was wise to say something like that to him?” Wonshik asked Jaehwan as soon as Hongbin went back inside the book.

“You want to say the exact same thing as I do, don’t you?” Jaehwan teased. “You’re such a bore you know that Kim Wonshik? Always trying to show a strict side towards the poor kid. You care about him way more than I do and we all know that. If you didn’t, you wouldn’t have stayed by his side and even help him get into Moirae’s Edge. You even monitor Hakyeon’s book more than me just so you know what is going on with Hongbin on the other side. Why can’t you be more honest?”

“I… I just don’t want him to stray and end up nowhere. Even if I know how he feels about Hakyeon at this point, there are just somethings we need to be cautious about and prevent. What if he gets hurt?”

“Then, the both of us will be there to help him,” Jaehwan smiled confidently.

*  *  *  *  *  *

“Hongbin-ah!” Someone rushed through the doors and shouted at him.

The moment he returned inside of the bookstore, Hongbin was bombarded by Hakyeon’s sudden visit.

“Where have you been?!” The older said in obvious concerns.

Why do you care? Hongbin wondered.

Little by little, as Hongbin watched the older rant on about his worries, he couldn’t help it but break all the rules of fate.

Is there really no going back? He asked himself that night after returning back to his own apartment. He’s done something he clearly knew he should not have but he reacted on impulse, especially when the older was blaming himself for everything. Hongbin couldn’t bear to hear anymore of such words from the older’s mouth and kissed Hakyeon.

Hongbin sighed as he thought back about what happened last night. He opened the door and ready to head off for the morning, and as soon as he did, Hakyeon was getting ready for work as well.

They caught each other by surprise.

“G-good morning,” Hakyeon said nervously.

“Morning. You’re off to work?” Hongbin asked in an indifferent tone.

“Mhmm,” Hakyeon nodded shyly and unable to meet with the younger’s eyes.

Hongbin looked at the older being bashful and tried to ignore how endearing the older appears in front of him. This was the face of Cha Hakyeon, who had obviously fallen for the younger. But Hongbin was reminded of not breaking the rules and tried to act cold. Except, it was difficult.

He noticed Hakyeon fidgeting around with his fingers, looking bashfully down onto the floor yet every second he could, he would try to steal a glance at Hongbin.

“W-well, I’ll be off to work now, see you later!” Hakyeon finally decided to movie so that he would erase the anxious feeling inside of him.

“W-wait!” Hongbin held Hakyeon by the wrist on impulse.

“Hm?” Hakyeon turned even redder.

Hongbin didn’t know why he held Hakyeon back except he did. His body reacted before he could even think of a reason why. He let out a sigh and pulled Hakyeon a bit closer to him.

“Don’t work too hard. I’ll be waiting for you at the bookstore,” Hongbin said as he gently caressed Hakyeon’s cheeks before letting the older go.

Even though Hongbin clearly knew he should have forgotten the kiss they shared last night and pretend as if nothing happened, he couldn’t bring it himself to act coldly towards Hakyeon after all.

Wonshik is going to kill me later, Hongbin thought of the consequences.

*  *  *  *  *  *

Hakyeon started to hum to himself as he sat at the rooftop of their school for lunch. The breeze was nice, the rain finally stopped and only the bright blue sky was above him. He couldn’t help the fact that he was feeling happy again as his legs started to rock back and forth in his spot.

“You look happy, hyung,” Sanghyuk found the older eating alone on the roof.

“Oh~ Hyogi-ah, lunch too?” Hakyeon said in a smile.

Sanghyuk suddenly felt strange to this side of Hakyeon.

“Hy-… you haven’t called me that in a long time,” Sanghyuk told the older.

“Yeah but it’s weird calling you Sanghyuk after all. Come, sit and let’s eat together,” Hakyeon patted the spot next to him for the younger to sit.

Sanghyuk stared at the older and couldn’t help but question why the sudden change in attitude in Hakyeon. Not too long ago, it seems as if Hakyeon didn’t even want to see Sanghyuk’s face but now, it felt like the happy hyung he’s known since he was a child came back.

“You seem really happy today. Did something good happen?” the younger was curious.

“A bit~”

Hakyeon’s smiling face and happy hums really brought back some old memories for Sanghyuk. He couldn’t help but think of the times when Hakyeon was still his tutor and would follow the older around because he looked up to Hakyeon.

“Hyogi-ah,” Hakyeon said as he finished up the last bite of his food.

“Hmm?”

“I think… I think I’m going to move on.”

“What do you mean?”

“I want to move forward and forget about the past. That person, my family and everything back in Changwon… I want to forget about it and start fresh here in Gwangju after all.”

“You sure?”

“Yeah. I’ve been held back for the past few years since that person left. I thought I’d never be able to move forward and will never forget but I think it’s time to change that. The people I’ve met here in Gwangju, my job and my students, I’ve gained so much that I think it’s time to accept them.”

“I think that’s a good choice hyung,” Sanghyuk supported the older. “No matter what you decide to do, I’ll always be here to support you. All I want is to see that you’re happy again.’

“Thanks Hyogi!”

But can you really forget about that person? Sanghyuk didn’t dare to ask the older as he saw how happy Hakyeon have become. The older have finally recovered after all these years and Sanghyuk didn’t want to see the older unhappy again.

“Goodbye Mr. Han!” The students waved to the young teacher as they made their way back home.

“Goodbye. Remember to do your homework,” Sanghyuk smiled as he saw his students off.

Honestly, Sanghyuk never thought he would come as far as to being where he is now if it wasn’t because of Hakyeon. Ever since he was a child, Hakyeon have always taken care of him as his private tutor. Though the older was rather different compared to Sanghyuk, he still looked up to the older. Hakyeon had a goal, he had a dream and that was what made Sanghyuk look more into his future. He wanted to know what it feels like to be working towards something he was passionate about. He’s always admire Hakyeon as his tutor and when he heard that Hakyeon was going to be a teacher, he too wanted to become one. Hakyeon was his role model and Sanghyuk will always look up towards the older.

The only thing Sanghyuk was uncertain about was just how much has Hakyeon moved away from the past. The older said it was time to move on and forget but can he really do it? Is it really that easy? Hakyeon says that that person has given him everything but Sanghyuk knew very clearly that Hakyeon sacrificed a lot to be with that person as well. When that person suddenly left Hakyeon, Sanghyuk saw Hakyeon falling into depression except during that time, Sanghyuk was still too young to understand how to comfort the older.

When he was signing up which school he wanted to do his practicum in, he saw Hakyeon’s high school on the list and without a second thought, he wrote to be in the same school as the older. Sanghyuk wanted to see Hakyeon again after the older moved away from Changwon. It’s been years since Hakyeon left and it took a lot of effort for Sanghyuk to hear anything about Hakyeon at all since the older was hiding himself.

Sanghyuk was simply worried about the older and just wanted to confirm whether or not Hakyeon was alright again.

“Goodbye Mr. Cha!”

Sanghyuk heard some students shouting outside through the window. He peaked over to see Hakyeon getting off work and leaving the school grounds. Just then, he noticed Hakyeon walking a bit faster towards the gates.

Hakyeon looked as if he was rushing to see someone and as the older walked out the gates, Sanghyuk saw someone on a bicycle and waiting for Hakyeon.

Who is that? Sanghyuk wondered.

Hakyeon waved towards the other man in such happiness that Sanghyuk knew immediately why Hakyeon might have changed again. Is that person the one who’s brought back Hakyeon’s smile?

“Oh~ it seems like those two made up,” Minhyuk popped up next to Sanghyuk and watched Hakyeon leaving in the distance.

“You know who that is?” Sanghyuk asked Minhyuk.

“Yeah. That’s Lee Hongbin. He’s the clerk of a bookstore around Hakyeon’s neighborhood. Those two have become really close and Hakyeon goes to the bookstore often to read books. Those two have been having dinner together too in order to share the expenses.”

“They’re that close?”

“Haha guess so. Hakyeonie was so depressed when Hongbin suddenly went back overseas for a week. Guess everything is okay now.”

Lee Hongbin… Sanghyuk would remember that name.

As this person have replaced that person in Hakyeon’s heart. Sanghyuk who has always paid close attention to Hakyeon knew in an instant that the older must have fallen in love with the person named Hongbin.

It wasn’t as if Sanghyuk was being nosy about Hakyeon’s life or his choices but rather, he was worried about the older getting hurt again. He wanted to make sure that this person was the right one for Hakyeon.

So, he began to be curious about what type of person Hongbin was. Sanghyuk first entered Hakyeon’s neighborhood and started to look for the rumored bookstore around the secluded corner. It took him a very long time to find the place but eventually, he came across a plain old building that had big bold fonts as the store sign – BOOKSTORE.

You’ve got to be kidding. What kind of naming sense is this? Sanghyuk looked at the store sign ridiculously.

He peeked inside the store a bit to see whether or not this was the right place.

Just then, he saw Hongbin sitting at the counter and talking with a few girls. They were students from his school and some were in his class too.

The girls were chattering with Hongbin happily and it seems like the man was entertaining them quite a bit just with his looks alone.

This player… Hakyeon likes him? Sanghyuk felt rather annoyed as he watched Hongbin talking with the other girls. For Hakyeon’s sake, Sanghyuk felt that he should confront Hongbin immediately but just before he did, Hongbin escorted the girls towards the front door.

 In surprise, Sanghyuk rushed to the corner where he wouldn’t be caught or seen.

“Now, now, it’s getting late. So go home for today okay? I need to close the store,” Hongbin said in a convincing smile.

“Aww~~ just a little longer?” One of the girls whined.

“Your parents are going to kill me if you guys stay here any later. Now go on.”

“Good night Hongbin-oppa!” The girls said and ran off happily.

Hongbin waved them farewell and as soon as the girls disappeared into the distance, he let out a sigh of relief.

“Finally, some peace.”

Just as he turned around, he saw a figure peeking around the corner.

Sanghyuk flinched back and hoped that he wasn’t caught in action.

“And who are you?” Hongbin caught him snooping after all.

“Um… I…” Sanghyuk stuttered as he felt rather embarrassed to be caught in such an act. “My name is Han Sanghyuk.”

“Sanghyuk?” Hongbin repeated the name. Suddenly, the name had a ring of familiarity in it. He’s that kid in Hakyeon’s story…

“Yes. I’m an acquaintance of Hakyeon-hyung’s and also a practicum teacher at the same high school,” Sanghyuk finally mustered his courage to speak more confidently.

“If you’re looking for Hakyeon, he went home for night already because he has a lot of prep work for school left to do,” Hongbin told him.

“I…” Sanghyuk began to stutter since his purpose wasn’t exactly to look for Hakyeon.

Hongbin stared at Sanghyuk for a minute and almost knew that the young man wasn’t here to find Hakyeon.

“Come inside first,” Hongbin said and opened the door for Sanghyuk.

Sanghyuk went inside the bookstore and gazed around the place that Hakyeon often frequents.

“So? What is it? You’re here for me aren’t you?” Hongbin got straight to the point.

“I am,” Sanghyuk said truthfully. “How long have you known Hakyeon-hyung?”

“A little more than half a year, why?”

“Um, Hakyeon-hyung means a lot to me and I really look up to him as someone important. I know the two of you are very close and Hakyeon-hyung likes you a lot. But…”

“But?” Hongbin felt a sudden annoyance at Sanghyuk.

“But if you ever hurt Hakyeon-hyung, I won’t forgive you!”

“Hmph. And what will you do if I do hurt him?” Hongbin said without having the actual intentions of hurting Hakyeon. It’s not like he could ever do such a thing.

“I’ll make sure Hakyeon-hyung won’t get anywhere near you! You don’t know how much he’s been through and how much hurt he’s felt in the past. I can’t allow for someone else to hurt him just when he’s hoping to forget and move forward!”

“And what gives you the right to say that? Are you his guardian or something?” Hongbin didn’t like Sanghyuk a single bit. Something about him was irritating and he didn’t like how precious Hakyeon was in Sanghyuk’s mind. “Just because you’re from the same town as him and know about his past doesn’t make you anymore special, you got that?”

“Wait… you know about me and Hakyeon?” Sanghyuk was surprised. He thought Hakyeon didn’t want anyone to know about what happened back in Changwon.

Shoot! Hongbin realized he accidently let the words slip through his mouth through his irritation.

“Anyways, you can rest assure. Even if the whole world turns their back on him and tries to hurt him, I will never do that. So you can save your worrying for something else,” Hongbin said while trying to erase the fact that he accidently let the words slip out.

Sanghyuk glared at Hongbin and Hongbin stared back intensely at the other.

Neither of them could see one another eye to eye but it was obvious that Hongbin really meant what he said. He was irritated at how much Sanghyuk knew about Hakyeon in person and though Hongbin knew of Hakyeon’s story from the beginning, he didn’t personally know about Hakyeon until very recently. In fact, if Hongbin didn’t forcefully enter Hakyeon’s book, the two would never have met in the first place.

“I’ll keep my eye on you so don’t you dare hurt Hakyeon-hyung,” Sanghyuk said in a threatening tone and left the bookstore. There was no point in arguing any further especially to someone he has just met.

Damn that kid, always going on about Hakyeon-hyung this and Hakyeon-hyung that!

Hongbin couldn’t help it. The fact that someone of Hakyeon’s past came back to Hakyeon’s life. He was jealous and envious at the same time. How he wish he could have met Hakyeon much earlier instead and how he wish that the person who have always been in Hakyeon’s heart was him and not that person.