NINE

The chapter would be start from the flashback last night, hope you won’t confuse J

            Baekhyun blamed his long nap that he couldn’t sleep that night. He was tossing and turning for many times already, but his mind just didn’t let him to fall sleep yet. It is already one in the morning when he gave up and decided that glass of water would help. So, he took his slipper and went to the kitchen.

            He looks at the bright shining moon again, cursing it, because it reminds him of his long nap, the reason why he couldn’t sleep. Tomorrow, he will wake up like a panda. As he finished his drink, he went back to his room and found Suho’s room slightly open. He furrowed his eyebrows as he couldn’t stop the curiosity. Thus, he sneaked up on his brother’s room, and waited outside.

            Well, he didn’t expect that Jongdae would be there as his back blocked the view. Therefore, Baekhyun moves quietly to see clearer. The moonshine is surprisingly help him. From the gap, he could see that Suho nervously sat on his bed. Baekhyun widened his eyes as he saw the window is slightly open, and he could see Kyungsoo stood by there.

            When did Kyungsoo come to his house?

            There is also a bucket of water in front of Suho. Baekhyun is confused at first, but soon clap his mouth with his hands to avoid unnecessary voice. The water starts to move along with Suho’s hand gesture. Baekhyun understood what is happened in the room.

            There is a mix of feelings in him. Baekhyun feels lost. His brother who neglected all the fact of those nonsenses about Kingdoms and all, now believe it.

            He feels betrayed. He feels left. He feels alone.

            Baekhyun tried hard not to sniff. Moreover, when he saw Suho smiles after, somehow, succeed on moving the water. It looks like Suho is happy of what he finally earned.

            This only means one thing for Baekhyun. That his brother is, indeed, a King, and Baekhyun is, indeed, not his brother. Baekhyun is a lover of someone that they despise in their life.

            As Baekhyun decided to leave, and hate the world to let him find out, he saw Kyungsoo patted Suho’s shoulder before leaving them and jump out from the window. Jongdae approached Suho and they seem to talk about something. Baekhyun didn’t want to hear anything as he already guess it would be something like leaving him.

            But he couldn’t move either as he wants to hear Suho’s answer.

“I know what you want to say Jongdae. You want me to back and fight this King of Eclipse or whoever he is, right?” Suho said, looking down at the water as if it talks to him

Jongdae sighs “It is the only way to get rid of him. With our powers combined, we could get rid of him, and perhaps make Chanyeol realizes his wrongdoings”

“Didn’t you say that this Chanyeol is like your King and Baekhyun’s fiancé?” Suho frowned

Jongdae shook his head “He isn’t. He used to be my King. He was my King. But for now, he isn’t. Ever since he believes that Baekhyun is dead, and attack all of you, he isn’t my King anymore. To lose both of his guardians, he actually failed being a King”

“Being a King without his guardians is pain as hell” Jongdae continued as he looks at the bright moon outside “-but he makes everything possible through pain and anger. I know you concern about your life here, and Baekhyun’s. But Minseok is also my lover, and your guardian. He is alive somewhere here. He is nice, sweet human being. He believes that Chanyeol is just controlled by that evil man, is put under illusion and blinded from everything, as we witness everything”

“Minseok- he believes that Chanyeol would realize his wrongdoings, and back to us. After all, it is our fault” Jongdae looks down as he suddenly broke into tears and surprised Suho “At the certain point of my life, I believe Baekhyun is dead because of us. I should stop him for swiping places with me. Minseok could save him at the Southeast. We are all failed, and he is dead in the hand of that evil man”

“-but that evil man blames Minseok and your Kingdom. Telling Chanyeol to kill your father to protects his guardian, ruin the harmonies once the Northern Earth Kingdom helps. We fight against each other, Suho. Minseok is not caught at that time, the prince of Eastern Water Kingdom saves his critical state. But being Minseok, knowing that no one other than him could take the blame, he surrendered to Chanyeol”

“Chanyeol knows he is my lover. Chanyeol knows that we are written to be together. Indeed, he kept torturing Minseok because of the illusion that evil man put on him. Chanyeol blinded by his love and puts us on danger. In the end, everything is because of Baekhyun’s death. Once Minseok is captured, I blame Baekhyun and detested our friendship” Jongdae looks at Suho in the eyes, sadness fills his eyes as he continued

“I hate him for being alive here, peacefully, happily. There are so many times I want to kill Baekhyun here, so that I could put my sanity back, so that I could be fine. Baekhyun deserved to be tortured, not my Minseok. But when I saw his eyes, those fill with no anger but innocents. He is Baekhyun, my friend. I couldn’t just do that. So, Suho- please- I know it is wrong to leave Baekhyun here, but here is the safer place for him”

“Minseok is alive and Baekhyun is safe. I know the chance of win is as thin as a paper sheet and I am the traitor to my King but- we could do that. Let us put everything back together. It is not your business to begin with, but Suho, please, I beg you”

            When Jongdae suddenly kneels in front of Suho, Baekhyun couldn’t stand his sadness and leave the house. He ran away from the house, secretly hoping that he could vanish into thin air. He didn’t know where to go but he is sure that everything is happened because of him. Tears are welling up as he blames his self for their misery.

Jongdae didn’t deserve this. Minseok shouldn’t be tortured. Suho’s family is meant to be safe.

            He should not be alive here, peacefully, happily-

            Baekhyun just arrived at the bridge, already put one leg on the railing. In the night witness by the bright moon, above cold ground blew by the strong breeze, the water seems welcoming. Just one step and everything would be forgotten.

            Just one step then Baekhyun closed his eyes. Regrets come through his veins. He is being coward by leaving them. But if his presence just postponed their goal, he would do that. He would kill himself thus none of them would strain their hand with his blood.

            He already threw himself to the water if only someone didn’t hold him right away. They both fell to the ground, rolling to the middle of the street. Honks heard everywhere from the busy midnight street. As he opens his eyes, the tall- gorgeous man, groaned under him.

            It is the same man he meets this afternoon.

“A-are you alright?” Baekhyun immediately asked, helps the man to stand up but he only gets a glare and the man started to yell at him

“Are you insane? Have you gone out of your mind?” the man gripping Baekhyun’s shoulder and widened his eyes in anger

Being scolded by a stranger, all Baekhyun could do is breaking into tears, he cried “I just want to die, why just why the hell you save me?”

            They ended up sitting on the bench in the park, with hot coffee in the hands. Baekhyun is still a sobbing mess.   Being a nice man, the man is there, sitting beside him, trying hard to convince Baekhyun that everything will be okay.

“So, you tell me that you just ruin your friends and your family’s life?” the man giggled as Baekhyun glared at him

“Nothing is funny, and I am serious. Why the hell you are there, and if you excuse me, I’ll go” Baekhyun stood up but the man immediately holds his hand with concern on his eyes

“-and trying to kill yourself again? That is not how it works. I am sorry” the man said “If you really regret everything, you shouldn’t run, you should help them to put everything rights”

            Baekhyun didn’t know why but he feels like that man is talking to himself as both of them staring at each other. But then, Baekhyun realized that he is being confused. He slapped the man’s hand and shouted.

“It is none of your business. Don’t talk like you know me”

“Talk to yourself. I face the same problem here” the man smirked, towered Baekhyun as he crosses his hands and look down at Baekhyun then said “-and I did the wisest choice I have. I beg you the same”

“You don’t understand. I didn’t know why I need to explain this to you. It feels stupid, but listen-“ Baekhyun pointed his finger on that man and yelled “Everyone is suffered because of me. If you asked me to put everything right, the right thing is to kill myself. My presence caused all of this messes. They actually would kill me, but they couldn’t so-”

Then the man sighs, put his hands on Baekhyun’s shoulder while getting closer to his face “Killing is not the answer. You are just not in the right mind to think about it, kid. If your death would end their misery, like the hell it is actually won’t, they will kill you long time ago. But, they didn’t do it, right? Think about it, they care about you, a lot. They didn’t kill you because they wouldn’t, who the hell would kill such an innocent like you. They didn’t kill you because they don’t want to, because you are not the one who caused their misery” the man smiled at Baekhyun “to put everything right, sometimes waiting and doing nothing is the best choice”

“Pardon me, you asked me to wait and do nothing? You didn’t-“

“I didn’t know” the man bit his lips as he hold his self to say something “I didn’t know. I know. You make it clear just few minutes ago”

            For brief moments, Baekhyun stare at the man right in his eyes. There is something in his eyes that pulls Baekhyun. It is just like that afternoon. The invisible magnet attracts them.

“You are just a stranger” Baekhyun mumbled his voice as the man laughed at him, loosening the tense

“I am not” the man said, offered his hand as he introduced his self “I am Park-“ Baekhyun eyes twinkled when he heard the name but soon the man continued “Chanhyun. If you are live here, then I am your new neighbor. Just move recently” he smiled

            Baekhyun snorted.

“Baekhyun. Kim Baekhyun” he took the hand

“Kim Baekhyun? Then you are the brother of the famous Secretary Kim who lives nearby, Kim Suho? No wonder he wants to kill you because you are out at this time” Chanhyun jokes as Baekhyun squinted his eyes

“I swear if you say something to my brother, I will kill you”

That makes Chanhyun laughs uncontrollably. Baekhyun tried hard to stop Chanhyun for waking up everyone thus Chanhyun wipes his tears, suppressed his laughing. The latter didn’t know why this man laughing so hard at his threatened.

“Well, that because I heard that a lot from everyone, but not you”

“We just meet” Baekhyun mumbled as Chanhyun continued

“I know. I know. You are just way too familiar with someone I know” Chanhyun said “But you are right. I should stop before everyone else wake up”

Baekhyun hummed, sipped his already warm coffee and said “Why everyone likes to threaten you? Were you that bad?”

“I am” he sighs “But like I have said, I try to put everything alright”

“With waiting and doing nothing?” Baekhyun asked thus Chanhyun nodded

“Not exactly doing nothing as I wait for someone to clear my name” Chanhyun explained “You could do the same. You said that they try to do something behind your back, not wanting you to know, but to clear the problem within them. You might help them with taking a little action, with it? Right?”

“Helping quietly?” Baekhyun’s eyes sparks thus Chanhyun smiled proudly

“Yes, that would help. Something comes up in your mind?”

            Then, Baekhyun smiles, one of the things Chanyeol misses so much.

***

Back at the cafeteria in the college, hope you won’t confuse J

            Kyungsoo elbowed Jongdae to start the talk as the King of Western Air narrowed his eyes as he looks at the two men in front of him. They want to do it fast. Jongdae learns from Kyungsoo that the King likes to talk on point. But the thing is, he isn’t sure whether Sehun remembers him or not.

            It would be bad, if Sehun remembers him. Because Kyungsoo has never met Sehun before and Jongdae comes from Southern Fire Kingdom. But it is also good, if he did remember him as he is the one who suggested all of them to cross the dimension. If Sehun didn’t remember anything, it would be greater. He would just explain the thing from the start.