A man in a dark pinstripe suit stumbled down the chilly unforgiving streets of the city. He was desperate, and his friend had told him about a place that would give him what he needed. He found that very place, wedged between a family restaurant and an abandoned barber shop.

As soon as he stepped through the door, a little bell dinged, signaling someone had entered. The cramped little room had deep violet colored walls, and a heavy incense scent situating the dimly lit space.

“H-Hello?” The man called out and squinted, when he saw someone emerge from behind the glimmering gold beaded curtain.

“Welcome.” A man in a graffiti print t-shirt and black jeans approached him.

“A-Are you the…fortune teller?” The man in the suit asked in disbelief. He was expecting an elderly lady in a robe with rings cluttering her fingers. Not this rather young looking man who looked more like he belonged on the cover of a magazine with his dark hair, sharp features and slightly muscular frame.

“That’s me, Nam Woohyun.” The fortune teller grinned charmingly, before gesturing to the circular table in the center of the room. “Come sit.”

The man in the suit eyed him suspiciously, but complied and took a seat on a creaky wooden chair.

“So, what brings you here today, my good sir?” Woohyun asked, as he folded his hands over the blood red cloth covering the table.

“Isn’t this where you…predict one’s future?” The man asked.

“Oh yes, of course.” Woohyun nodded, and got out some cards. “Ah, but you have to tell me your name first, and pay as well.”

“Shouldn’t you already know my name?” The man shot him a skeptical glare, as he got out his wallet.

Woohyun grinned, as he accepted the money, quickly pocketing it after checking if the amount was right. “I can only predict the future. Reading your mind costs you extra.”

“S-Seriously?” The man gasped.

“I’m kidding.” Woohyun chuckled.

“Oh…” The man frowned. “Well my name’s Lee Woobin.”

“Woobin-sshi?” Woohyun smiled, before shuffling the cards for a bit. Woobin watched anxiously, as Woohyun turned over a couple of cards. But then he noticed something.

“Wait.” Woobin piped up. “Aren’t those just regular playing cards?”

“The cards don’t do the work I do. Besides each card holds a special meaning.” Woohyun explained, as he pointed to one of the cards: the ten of spades. “Like this for example….” He looked up at the other man. “Woobin-sshi, could it be you’re someone who frequently gets in trouble with the law?”

Woobin’s eyes widened. “W-What’re you saying?”

“Well, this card means possible imprisonment in your future. And this one…” Woohyun held up the four of clubs. “Means there will be betrayal of some kind.”

“Y-You’re lying!” Woobin suddenly shot up.

“The cards don’t lie.” Woohyun shrugged helplessly, and glanced at the next card: the seven of hearts. “Ah, and this one…there’s someone who’s going to be unfaithful to you. Could it be a girlfriend—?”

“T-This is bull!” Woobin shouted, pointing a finger at Woohyun. “Give me my money back!”

“No refunds.” Woohyun gestured to the sign at the window.

“Oh yeah? Well how about you give me my money back and I don’t kick your ?” Woobin threatened.

Woohyun sighed, and leaned back in his chair, folding his arms, not feeling intimidated in the least. “You could do that…but then I guess the cards were right. You know, about imprisonment being in your future…though I didn’t think it meant the immediate future—.”

“You’re gonna pay for this!” Woobin shot Woohyun a deadly glare before storming out.

Woohyun snorted, and fished the money out of his pocket, and began leafing through the notes. “Actually Woobin-sshi, it was you that payed for it.” He chuckled, and then pursed his lips, deep in thought. “With this...I only need to make a bit more.”

He was dragged away from his thoughts, when he heard the entrance bell ding again.

“Another er….” Woohyun smirked, and folded his hands on the table, taking on the appearance of a humble, yet charming fortune teller. “Welcome—.”

The man at the door immediately sank down at the chair previously occupied by Woobin, and dumped a cargo duffel bag beside him on the ground. His hair was messy and black, and his small eyes were dark. He was wearing a ragged leather jacket, with a dirty white t-shirt underneath that had numerous rips in it, allowing a peek at his pale skin underneath. His black skinny jeans were ripped as well, and on his feet were worn combat lace up boots. He leaned over the table, eyes downcast, and hands shaking slightly.

Woohyun was honestly kind of freaked out. He was used to high school girls, gossipy ahjummas, or nervous office workers as customers, not intimidating, possibly unstable strangers. But nonetheless, he kept his cool.

“So, what brings you here today—?”

“When will I die?” The man interrupted, still not making eye contact.

“Uh…” Woohyun paused. “E-Excuse me?”

“Y-You can predict the future right?” The man questioned, in a quiet tone.

“Yes, but—.”

“…Then tell me if I’ll die soon.” The man looked into Woohyun’s eyes, with a piercing stare, that made Woohyun shiver.

“Y-Your name…?” Woohyun gulped.

“Why?” The man shot him an anxious glance.

“B-Because…” Woohyun blinked, completely flustered and more than a little frightened. “I need your name to read your future.”

“Oh…” The man nodded, and then got out a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket and pushed it forward across the table.

Woohyun hesitantly opened up the paper and read it.

Kim Sunggyu, twenty-five years old.

Woohyun read it over, wondering why this man had his name and age prepared on a piece of paper, and why he couldn’t just tell it to Woohyun.

“Uh ok…Sunggyu-sshi.” Woohyun slowly got out his cards, and shuffled the deck. He had no idea what he was doing, since most of the time he just picked random cards, and lied that they actually meant something about the person’s future. But, he didn’t know how to respond to this man’s question since it was a pretty heavy thing to even think about. He nervously placed several cards in a row on the table and began flipping them over one by one. The first was a six of hearts.

“W-What does that mean?” Sunggyu asked, shifting around in his seat restlessly.

“Good luck…” Woohyun explained. “That someone will help you out with something.”

Sunggyu shook his head. “That’s a lie.”

“What?” Woohyun frowned. “No it’s not. The cards don’t lie—.”

“No one would help me with anything.” Sunggyu stated darkly, averting his gaze. “It’s a lie.”

Woohyun stared at Sunggyu, confused for a moment. “This isn’t something that’ll happen right now. But in the future someone might help—.”

“It won’t happen...” Sunggyu cut him off. “Ever.”

Woohyun pursed his lips, and reached for the next card. He didn’t even bother to look at it closely and just wanted this strange man to go away. “Oh! Look at this! It means you’ll live a happy, long life!” He lied, hoping Sunggyu would take it and leave.

“Which is it?” Sunggyu questioned.

“W-What do you mean—?”

“A happy life or a long one?”

“Both—.”

“You can’t have both.” Sunggyu stated, solemnly. “When life is too long…a person can’t be happy.” Woohyun paused, at the words the other had said. For some reason they sliced through him like a knife. He didn’t even know this strange man, and he had no idea why he was talking like this, but a part of him felt concerned.

“…Y-You—.”

“Forget it.” Sunggyu stood up. “You’re obviously a fraud.” He muttered, and turned to leave.

“W-Wait.” Woohyun found himself standing up and following after the other man. He grabbed onto Sunggyu’s arm, causing the older to hastily pull away. But not before Woohyun spotted the red gash on Sunggyu’s wrist.

“W-What’re you doing?!” Sunggyu hissed and pulled his sleeve to conceal the mark.

“Y-You…” Woohyun took a step forward, with worried eyes. “T-That was—.”

“I-Its nothing.” Sunggyu murmured, and pushed open the door to leave, but Woohyun wouldn’t let him. He hurriedly grabbed onto Sunggyu’s arm and pulled him back into the store. The fearful feelings he had initially felt towards the taller man had all but vanished, as concerned ones took over. This was all too familiar to him. The way this man was acting now, reminded him so much of his older brother Boohyun.

“S-Stop it!” Sunggyu shouted, as Woohyun dragged him into the back room, which also doubled as Woohyun’s living quarters. There was nothing much there except a small couch to one side, and a mini kitchenette right across from it. “What’re you—?” Suddenly Woohyun shoved Sunggyu onto the couch and pushed himself on top of him.

“Take off your jacket.” Woohyun commanded with a serious gaze, as he straddled Sunggyu.

“N-No!” Sunggyu blushed, and struggled to get away, but Woohyun just grabbed his wrist and yanked his sleeve down. Sunggyu bit his lip and looked away, as Woohyun’s eyes went wide over the site before him. Aside from the gash Woohyun had spotted on Sunggyu’s wrist before, he also had several more cuts across his skin. Sunggyu pulled his arm away from Woohyun’s grasp, and immediately pulled his sleeve back over it. “G-Get off me.” He warned in a low voice.

Woohyun was staring at him with those worried eyes again, and refused to move.

“D-Do you want to talk about it?” Woohyun asked quietly, as he finally got off the other man. Sunggyu immediately pushed Woohyun away as he stood up.

“No. I don’t want to talk about my personal life with some creepy—!”

“Do you have someone to talk to?” Woohyun interrupted, grabbing onto Sunggyu’s wrist. “Please tell me you—.”

“Just get away from me.” Sunggyu huffed, and stomped out of the back room. “What I do is none of your business!”

“Please,” Woohyun followed after him. “Just tell me you have someone to—.”

“If I had someone…” Sunggyu froze in his steps, his back to Woohyun. “Do you really think I’d be like this?”

At that Sunggyu pushed open the door, and he was gone.

♥ ♣ ♦ ♠

Woohyun paced the room for an hour after Sunggyu had left. He wanted to chase after the other man, and make sure he wasn’t going to do anything dangerous. But he couldn’t leave his business unattended.

 He slumped down at the round table used for his readings, and noticed the paper with Sunggyu’s name on it. He picked it up, and raised it in the air, contemplating his next move, when he noticed there was something written on the other side. He turned it over to see an address, most likely for an apartment complex. It read:

Haeng Bok apartment complex

Elevator B to the second floor

Last door across the hall

Part on the rooftop

Woohyun studied the paper for a moment. He found it strange how the words were written like directions except for the last line.

“Part on the rooftop?” Woohyun bit his lip. “What does that mean? Is there a specific section of the rooftop or…?”  Suddenly Sunggyu’s strange question about when he would die ran through Woohyun’s mind again. “Part…like part ways? Like part from this world?” Woohyun shot up, with a panicky expression. He still didn’t understand why Sunggyu had decided to word it that way, and looked over the paper once more, and then it hit him. He read the first letter of each sentence down.

It spelled out the word: HELP

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