TURN BACK (Time)

CHAPTER 12 - I

                It was sixteen minutes past five in the afternoon. The sun was already setting giving the sky a pale pink and orange shade. Birds fly over Banpo bridge (downtown Seoul) as cars pass by. Seoul’s night life was taking place, with people rushing on their way to work.

                While the world was busy buzzing, Sehun was laying on his back on a slope at the edge of the Han River. With hands behind his head and eyes closed, Sehun hasn’t come back home ever since earlier that morning.

                The wind blew softly around him, comforting him as if it knew how desolated he felt. But somehow it made him smile. “Back then, people thought clouds were these distant.. impossible to reach things..” He held his palm up to the sky, looking at his fingers.. imagining he was grasping the unreachable clouds. “But then.. people learned how to fly.”

                The winds blew in agreement.

                Sehun’s tranquil contemplation was disrupted by the sounds of a motor’s engine. He ignored it, thinking it was only passing by. But then he realized the motor was heading his way. He’d recognized that presence anywhere.

                The engine stopped, and Kai stepped down from the motor, removing his helmet.

                “Hyung.” Sehun said with his eyes still closed. He had been waiting for this. "What's with the motor bike? Saving evergy?"

                Kai skidded down the slope and landed flawlessly with perfect posture. His lip curved into a smirk. "Something like that."

                Sehun opened his eyes. “I thought you’d never show up.”

                “I need to tell you something.” Kai said looking rather...impatient.

                Sehun sat up and stretched his arms up casually. It's as if he was purposely trying not to look pissed. In truth he wasn't so pleased with Kai barging in his house and grabbing Sunghee out like that. No. He was more than pissed. But he had to control himself, right? There are more pressing matters as of the moment. “Hyung, don’t you think you at least owe me an explanation?”

                “I do.” He admitted. Kai’s eyes were lined with pity and guilt as he walked up to Sehun. He sat down. "Alright, go ahead. Ask away."

                “My first question.” Sehun picked up a pebble from the ground and held it in his hand. So much questions popping through his head, but he had to pick only a few spesific ones. He began with the most important question. “How in the world did you manage to turn back time?” Playing with the pebble in his hand and tossing it up and down he said, “Something like that could have killed you from just trying.”

                 Kai’s eye looked out along the vast Han River aimlessly. He expected this. Sehun was a smart kid. Of course he'd have suspected this already. He began his answer. “That night—The moment I caught Sunghee in my hands—Instantly, I knew she wasn’t human. With just a touch of her skin, I could feel her power surging.. it was building up.. as if any second she would explode in so much power suppressed inside her.

                 I tried to teleport, because as you remember, they were after both of you, but somehow I couldn’t. I tried so hard but nothing was happening. For a second, I was scared that I actually lost my powers but that’s when I wondered. Sunghee wasn't human. Then I came to a conclusion that her ability was—It was nullification. Even though she was unconscious, energy was leaking out of her, it was contradicting with my powers. So all I could do was run.

                 I called everyone for help. But you know how it is—we can’t kill. Joonmyun forbids it. He'd rather have us all die than kill. I don't blame him for that. The man's almost a saint. So, thing’s got a little messy. Gun shots everywhere.. They surrounded us like a pack of hyenas. We were running out of options. But there was only one reasonable option left.. I only saw one way out.

                 I asked Tao to hold onto Sunghee—use all the excessive energy leaking out of her.. and turn back time. It was a risk I was willing to take. I gambled and thank God it worked impeccably.

                 It brought us two years back. All of us.”

                 Hearing the story...Sehun realized all his theories were right. They did turn back time. But there was one more thing. Somthing he couldn't quite grasp. “Second question.” Sehun threw the little pebble into the river and picked a bigger one off the ground. “Why can’t she remember? How come no one else lost memories?”

                 Kai went on. “After all that, I realized what had happened after. Everyone asked Sunghee if she was alright. She said she was perfectly fine. She was fine as if she doesn't even remember what happened.  That's when we asked if she remembers you. And she just laughed. She thought we were all pulling pranks on her.

                 I realized when we tried to utilize some of her energy, it probably could have almost drained her, literally the life out of her... but the process was reverted—It was like her powers resisted being drained.. prevented it.”

                 “You’re saying?” Sehun didn’t understand. He only understands how much he hated Kai right now. How could he risk so much without knowing the costs of his actions!? What if Sunghee had died? What if none of that worked at all! He was lucky everthing worked out because if it hadn't, Sehun would be after Kai's head right now.

                 “I’m saying her body’s natural instincts acted up to defend her. It wouldn’t let her powers drain up.. So it had to give something else up.”

                 “It gave up the memories instead.” Sehun finally caught up.

                 Kai nodded silently.

                 Sehun threw the last pebble violently into the river making only little splashes. 

[TO BE CONTINUED . . .]