A/N: You can play the song that I attached (maybe in low volume) while you read :)


 

~*~

 

"If you let me, I can try to do something about it." Taeyong said.

I stared at him blankly. "What do you mean?"

"It's best if I show you." He said and was about to take my hand.

I quickly moved my hand away from him. 

"I'm sorry." He said.

"The last time I trusted someone I ended up in the restraining chamber." I mumbled.

He stayed silent for a few second. "I care not about people's affairs. I don't intend to dwell in anyone's business." He said as we watched the blue waves. "The bending world, the gods— I'm also sick and tired, of everything about them." His voice was tired and bitter, like he has been holding grudges on something.

"So, you might be the enemy of the Fire Nation, or a bounty hunter, or an assassin, or even the enemy of my father— I don't care." He said. "I don't think you are any of what I've just mentioned but, if you are, I don't care."

"What if I'm your enemy?" I asked.

"Then I'll kill you," he said while he glared at me, then his expression softened in a matter of seconds. "But you are not my enemy. I know my enemy when I see one." He said.

I looked at him in surprise and shuddered. "Fine." I said. I might have just made the second mistake. "So, can you take away my fear?" I asked.

"Uh... I don't think that's a good idea." He said. "I know how we sometimes want to not fear something, but fear makes us more aware; because if you fear something, you'll unconsciously plan a way to deal with them when you have to face them— you'll be prepared. It's one of our most crucial survival instincts."

"Even fear of spiders?" I asked.

He chuckled lightly. "That, it's good to have that gone." He turned to look at me in the eye. "I wouldn't want to take away your fear, not until I see what it is. Trust me when I say it's sometimes good to fear something. Like the fear of failure, because you fear of failing, you'll work harder to prevent such thing from happening."

I blinked at him, wondering why his voice was more soothing than the sound of the ocean. 

"But I'm sure I can do something to make the feelings less intense."

I stared at him; his eyes, nose, then his lips, and back to his eyes. "Why are you doing this?"

Taeyong brought his eyebrows together and looked at me, "why wouldn't I?"

I stared at him, not knowing what to say anymore, still wondering why would he help a stranger?

He held his hand in front of me, "give me your hand." He said as he positioned himself so that he was facing me.

I put my hand on his palm. The cold of his hand sent shiver from the tip of my fingers to my entire body.

"Now close your eyes." 

I did what he told me. Then the cold breeze brushed my face.

"I think the Sirens are gone." He said. 

I felt his body moving closer to mine. He put my hair behind my ears. I felt his touch on my ears as he took the earplugs out.

"Now can you focus on my voice?" He said, softly.

How can I not focus on his voice? It's the only thing I could hear at the moment. The sound of the sea and the birds faded away as soon as he spoke.

I just nodded as an answer.

"Okay. I just want you to relax, you might experience flashes of memories you don't want to remember. They're going to be the memories that you fear the most, or that may cause the fear itself. Are you ready?"

I nodded again.

Then, it was as if I was into my own mind. I was running, through the dark woods again. But this time, heading back to the institute. 

I was inside of the library, reading the book about the Avatar. I saw myself frowning as I read it and closed the book in anger. 

The image changed and I was in the clinic, laying on one of the beds. Victor was sitting beside me, arguing with me. I felt the emotions I felt when it happened: disappointment, anger, and fear.

The image faded away and I saw myself being held by the guards, holding me from coming closer to Jaemin and Renjun. I saw Victor made a call to take them away. I trashed around and the ground started to grumble. A wave of strong wind blew everyone away from me. Then everything was black.

I saw Hendery. Then I saw Renjun and Jaemin trying to hold back their tears. I was back inside of the small cabin in the woods somewhere in Atlanta. Then I realized this was when Mai...

I wanted to get out of whatever it was Taeyong was doing. I didn't want to relive this horrible moment. 

"Stop resisting, everything will be alright." Taeyong's soothing voice said.

Then the image changed again. I saw myself hugging Renjun.

No, this has to stop.

Then I saw a lot of flashes of images of the things I tried to forget. Burning Renjun, then burning Mai's garden, the bullying in school. Then I saw myself as a kid, and Mai was trying to get closer to me.

then a shot of pain ripped the image away.

I opened my eyes to see Taeyong was no longer holding my hand, he was holding his head in pain instead.

"Are you okay?" I held his shoulder.

He nodded as an answer. He looked up to me and stared at me with unreadable expression. "You—you're..." he stammered and shook his head. Like he was surprised to have found out who I was.

"What is it?"

He hesitated to answer. "There's a strong curse on your mind guarding you from your own memories." 

"Yeah, I knew." I mumbled. "You didn't tell me that you were going through all of my mem