TRIPLE UPDATE!

Kyuhyun kick the pebbles on the way home from part time. Madam Yuna treated him dinner after knowing about his absence and said to eat as much as he want. Funny for him, as time passes the young lady seemingly to become a mother and sister figure. Even though they are five years apart, he has no problem with that. At school his 4 days absence questioned the class to the point they gave him a long stare when he got in today’s morning. Perhaps some were glad the smart one is back, while some not and instantly gave up on reaching that position. He could just file an absent for another two whole week and anticipate for the greater reaction.

“What grandpa told me hasn’t really changed anything…”

He felt a hand touches his shoulder and he turns around abruptly to find Changmin standing, grinning like a kid. “Yo, Kyu.”

“You’ve been following me?”

“Yes. I told you we’d go home together but you ran off like cheetah…” Kyuhyun stare at him as if he’s mad. The boy didn’t follow him from school and wait until his part time was over, did he? “There’s a place I’d like to go with you. Follow me.” Without word Kyuhyun did as he was told, following to where his best friend go.

“Out of all places, Han River Bridge?”

Changmin fake a frown, “You don’t like it?”

“What’s there to like about this spot?” Kyuhyun speaks softly, suddenly feeling heavy. “I know we can see a beautiful view from here but…Every time a person wanted to end their life they would go here… It’s better if you take me somewhere else.”

“I want to tell you something.”

“Is something bothering you again? What is it this time? Another girlfriend?” Kyuhyun scoffed. “You better stop playing around with girls Chang.”

“I broke up with her a week ago.” Changmin scratch the back of his neck, “I was the one who started but also the one ending it. But that’s not what I wanted to talk about. The reason why I broke up with her was because I finally realize one thing.” Changmin extend his hand to hold Kyuhyun’s, “I’ve been holding this for two years…The truth is I…like you, not as best friend but as a…”

Kyuhyun knows what Changmin wanted to talk about but they were averted when he saw a lady standing on top of the bridge hand, looking down while crying. It was an appalling sight to see. How the hell did she get there? Kyuhyun had no idea but he’s not going to witness a suicide attempt at this cold night.

“Kyuhyun?”

“No!” His body subconsciously made a run approaching the lady and about to pull her down when she slipped, making him climb up and catch her hand tight in time before she completely falls to the river. “Please don’t do this. Hang tight I’m going to pull you up.”

“Let me go.” The lady begged, “Please let me go…! I hate this life!”

“Yah Kyuhyun, what are you doing?! Get down!” Changmin yelled. “Why the heck are you still standing?! Get down right now! You’re gonna fall like that!”

Kyuhyun tried pulling her up but he doesn’t have enough strength, while Changmin came over and try pulling the lady up altogether again with Kyuhyun. The lady only struggle and hit their hands. He may not know her at all but she needs to live. He needs to save her. “My legs can’t hold much longer.”

“That’s why…Just let her go! Damn it! Just do as she told…”

“I can’t.”

Slip.

Kyuhyun’s feet slipped. His back bone and head hits hard the bridge’s hand yet it’s a miracle he’s conscious when his body falls to the deep river. His body hits the water and he immediately search for the surface to breathe. Not far from where he’s balanced, he saw the lady’s arms waving the surface and he struggles to reach her however he felt his body getting heavier as if something’s trying to pull him down. Until he’s out of breath and couldn’t reach the surface, he screamed inside as fear consumes him whole to where darkness subsists.

-

--

Heaving a smirk, he was quite satisfied with everyone’s reaction. If 4 days made them like that, how is it going to look when he filed a month of absence? He kicks more pebbles further and skip through the strangely silent street. “What grandpa told me hasn’t really changed anything…” Somehow he got a feeling Changmin would approach him from behind. He left his friend earlier since he’s late for the part time. Just as he’s humming he felt something touch his shoulder and a voice calling his name but when he look back there’s no one. A sense of déjàvu fills that he felt a shiver down his spine.

He planned to stop by the small store nearby his house. As he arrived he’s puzzled by the advance change. It wasn’t a small store anymore. The old ice cream fridge was replaced by a drink vending machine. He doesn’t see any broken lamp near the flower vase nor did the old looking fan hang on the store’s front ceiling. When the store did get renovated? He just stopped by there yesterday to get his favorite ice cream. “Is this the right store?”

He went inside and greeted by an unfamiliar man. “Welcome.”

“Oh… Yes.” Kyuhyun nods. “Uhm…”

“Is there anything I can help you with?”

“Is Mr. Jang here?” Kyuhyun refers to the old man who owns the store. “I need to see him.” The man look confused at first but suddenly lets out a sad smile.

“I’m sorry to say this but… He passed away three years ago.”

“Eh?” Kyuhyun froze, “What are you talking about?”

“You are referring to this store’s previous owner?”

“Yes…”

“He passed away three years ago and I bought this store a month after.” Weird, he doesn’t understand what he’s hearing. He just met the store owner yesterday and now the new one said he died three years ago? He knitted his eyebrows as he look back at the store’s main door. Somehow he felt something was missing but can’t remember what it was.

“What is it…?” Kyuhyun murmurs. Out of blue his mind replays the scene when someone poked his shoulder and when he look back there was Changmin smiling and asking to follow him somewhere else. However it was different with what he remember earlier when he looked back but there was no one. Both of them walking by the Han River Bridge and the latter told him something. Unexpectedly he was distracted by a lady who was standing at the bridge’s hand and he made a move to approach her. Kyuhyun wanted to save her but it didn’t end well. His feet slipped and both fell to the river. He struggled to save the lady but the next thing he remember he was pulled down and everything turns black.

He was supposed to drown and now here he is, standing alive and well side by side with the man who told him the previous store owner died three years ago.

“Do you have today’s newspaper? May I take a look?”

“I don’t see many youngsters still willing to read newspaper these days…” The man smiles as he gives Kyuhyun the news paper. Trying not to look frantic, Kyuhyun take the news paper and flip the pages as his eyes search for the date. When he found it written on the corner page, his eyes went wide and sweat trails down to his neck despite the cold air. He almost dropped the news paper but managed to give them back to the man and leave the store to where he should be.

Han River Bridge.

Kyuhyun sighs, halting his steps in the middle of Han River Bridge when the city lights caught his attention. “It doesn’t change that much… But I’m so far away now…” It’s been a while since he sees stars beautifully showing at the night sky. He still can’t believe they’re 6 years apart from where he originally came from. “What should I do…?” His grandpa told him that time moves constantly and wherever a traveler travels, they will stand in one ground with the other them from different time space. It’s possible to accidentally saw or cross path with the one living on that current space and he has to avoid it at all cost, despite not really understanding the reason. “How am I going to return...?”

An idea hits him.

Will doing the same open the path for him to return? Kyuhyun thought as he climb’s up the bridge’s hand. No one would saw him at this night or probably no one will care. There are many suicides here and most people tend to ignore them which never to his liking. People like that need to be stopped, otherwise others might follow the same unjustified path. Kyuhyun tries to balance himself as he spread his arms wide and look down the river. He can do this, he won’t faint in midst of falling. He was conscious earlier when he was about to save the lady.

“Ready…” Kyuhyun slowly lift his leg, ready to step the air when—

“What a crazy little—“ When suddenly he was pulled back hard to the ground. “I know what you will do but why? Is your life that worthless? Is ending it the best choice? For a young boy like you?” Surprised by the outburst, Kyuhyun stared at the stranger puzzled also by the false blame.

“What- excuse me? Old man, I’m not ending my life.” Kyuhyun scoffed.

“Not the right excuse, stand up.” The stranger orders and he oddly obeyed, wiping off the invisible dust from his pants as distraction. “You are standing on top, what more can you say for me to believe you?”

“I said I’m not ending my life!” Kyuhyun raised his voice at the same time thinking of an excuse to clear out the misunderstanding. There’s no way he would say ‘I accidentally travelled back from the past! I’m from eight years ago!’ No one would believe such crazy truth. “I’m not the suicide type! How many times do I need to say it?! Besides, who are you to into my damn business? You’re just an old man looking for attention!”

“Then are you going to stay still if you saw someone standing on top while looking down like what you did?” The stranger stated and the memory of him attempting to save the lady appears.

“No. Instead, I will ask that person nicely instead of pulling them to the ground like that!” In fact, he was the one to climb and clutch on the lady and ended up falling together. Here he is with no one to blame. “Age aside, isn’t that considered rude? You see, what if you broke my back bone or injured my head? I’m still a student. You may have to compensate me. I’m sure you don’t want that.”

“A student like you should be home by now. Your parents must be searching for you.” Kyuhyun doesn’t have parents but he’s sure his grandpa and uncle would be waiting for his return.

“I know, that’s why I… Tch…It’s really not a suicide attempt.” Kyuhyun said in verge of crying. Whom could he reach at time like this? “Whatever you do just don’t report me. I’m not leaving and…” His eyes caught a car parked on the side, must be because the man was worried. He felt bad for it. “Isn’t that illegal parking there?”

The man flashed a small handsome smile while looking back to his car, “You’re right kid.”

“I guess that’s my fault there, sorry about that old man.” Kyuhyun said, scratching the back of his neck.

“Go home, don’t make any more attempts kid.”

“You bet I will.”

The man drives away and Kyuhyun walk his way home. It took him about half an hour to get back to the neighborhood. One important thing his grandpa told him kept replaying on his mind like broken tape. That is, not to cross path with himself from another timeline. It would be troublesome, his grandpa said. Kyuhyun is going to obey his words despite not knowing what would happen if he were to meet himself that’s living on the current timeline. However, his grandpa didn’t say a thing about not to meet someone you know from another line.

“They’re the only one who I can reach out to…” Kyuhyun murmurs. Beside the noodle restaurant there’s a small corner space where Old Golden Brown stands. He’s curious whether or not the clock shop still look the came compare to six years ago. Uncle Donghae could be the new owner. He’s more than happy to be greeted by them and he’s prepared to hide if he sees himself (future) in charge for the store. One step closer to his grandpa’s shop—

Eyes widen, he fell on his knees as everything feels heavy. The old looking shop wasn’t there instead, replaced by another small path for people to walk by. “How…Why…” Tears form in his eyes and he sobs quietly, wishing to at least see the glimpse of the store. But all he could see was that small path.

“What should I do…Grandpa…Uncle…”