Jung Daehyun was born with an unusual gift. He seemed like a normal, healthy baby boy at first. But, as he grew in to childhood, his parent's noticed a particular aspect of him, a strange aspect that none of the other children seemed to have.

At the tender age of 4, he would often be found by himself, alone. At first, you would think he was just enjoying some time to himself, but it wasn't really like that. He would mumble words, almost as if there was someone else beside him, he talked back as if the imaginary person had responded to what he was saying.

"Do you want to play ball?" he would turn to his right, looking and talking to nothing but the thin air "Okay!" little Daehyun would respond excitedly.

No one would really play with him since they all got weirded out by him, but he didn't mind. He thought that he had friends of his own.

Daehyun's parent's got more and more worried. They even tried to confront him about it a numerous amount of times, but it would be the same thing over and over again. They had classified (or hoped it would be) a phase that their son was going through and that he would grow out of it soon.

"Daehyun," his mother would begin "It's okay having imaginary friends, but, one can only get too serious in to believing that they actually exist"

"I don't understand, mommy"

She sighed "Maybe you should try meeting new kids your age"

Daehyun's mom confronted the teacher about his particular ability to 'see' things that others can't, and his teacher can't help but notice the same. His parent's wanted the best for him.

"Daehyun, meet Sungmin and Yuhan" his teacher introduced him to the two little boys at the kindergarten, but when the teacher turned around, Daehyun was already in the corner of the classroom ranting on to his imaginative figure that only his mind creates.

Being annoyed, his teacher commanded him to sit down on a chair in the corner for five minutes as punishment, keeping his mouth shut. But Daehyun didn't understand; in fact he wasn't doing anything wrong. He was always confused as to why people scold him whenever he talks to his 'friends', but little did he know that other's didn't have the ability to do the same as he did.

"But Mrs.Kim, Youngjae is right there, can't you see him?"

She sighed "Stop being ridiculous, Daehyun. There's no one there." Her voice sounded frustrated

In his mind, all he was doing is talking to his friend; a friend that doesn't exist. And Daehyun called him Youngjae.

"I don't understand, Youngjae," little Daehyun sobbed "is there something wrong with me?" tears dropped endlessly from the corners of his eye, his imaginary friend, Youngjae, was there beside him.

"No," little Youngjae smiled "there's not."

"B-but people say there is, I even heard my own omma and appa talking about it last night"

"Don't worry, Daehyun," Youngjae said in a sympathetic manner "I'll protect you. Always."

-

As time fled past, he grew up to be an extremely handsome young gentleman who was already in his second year of high school. Girls had dropping themselves at his feet whenever he walked past when he was new to the school, but, unfortunately, that habit of his never left. He would often be found quietly whisphering or talking to himself, this led to people, even the girls, to back off from him.

Growing up, he learned a lot of things, but he also learned that no one really liked it when he talked to himself like that. They would still often scold him.

"Daehyun, eat"

"Sorry. Youngjae was just talking to me about this new video game we might play later on"

His father sighed in grief "You know I don't like it when you talk to yourself like that, Dae. Eat."

It was those moments that made Daehyun shut his mouth whenever there were people around him or whenever he was in public. Though it's hard, because if you put yourself in his position, you would walk around in the street with someone beside you constantly talking, and you have to try to ignore them even if you don't want to.

Especially someone who you have known for since kindergarten.

Overtime, Youngjae grew up with him too. He felt as if Youngjae was his other half, always  beside him whenever he needs him. Even though Dae had other imaginary friends that came and went, Youngjae never left. He was, what he assumed, his  'best friend'.

Dae's parent's relaxed their worried faces because judging by their observation, they thought that their son had overcome his little 'phase' and grew out of it, but he didn't.

In secrecy, Daehyun would talk to them in his own time.

He felt as if they were the only escape from the world and their do not's. He hated the fact that they didn't disapproved of what he is able to do. Daehyun didn't really see himself as having a mental illness, because to people who have mental illnesses, things like hallucinations and visualising imaginary things, all seem normal.

They dont know its in their imagination. You cant see the world through their eyes.

Especially if you've been doing so ever since birth. You and your mind gets used to it.

Daehyun was lying on the bed, his head on the pillow, staring up at the ceiling after dinner. He was up to it again.

"I don't understand, Youngjae," he's been saying this ever since he was young "Am I special? Is talking to people like you special? Or is it not normal?"

"I think you're the only mortal to have such a gift, Dae. It's different, but I reckon it is special"

"Hey, do you-" Daehyun shot up from his bed and turned around, Youngjae was gone.

This often happens to him. Sometimes, they only appear when you need them or when you need someone to talk to. Since he's mostly alone, he almost always needs someone to talk to. To him, Youngjae was the only person he felt as if he could actually trust, despite what people say about them not being real.

He sighed and stood up. Dae looked at himself straight forward in the mirror and he saw his reflection, he noticed others as well, but, to you and me, it is only him that is present in the room.

"You're not real," he said "i'm just imagining you. I'm crazy, stupid, that's what I ing am. This has been the one thing that's been bothering me my whole life!" Daehyun grabbed the mirror that was hanging on the wall and clenched the frame firmly with his hands, he saw his imaginations together with his reflection.

All of a sudden, his anger rose to the point where he couldn't take it anymore. "Daehyun..." they said

"Shut up, shut up! Go away!" He yelled vigorously at the top of his voice, and then, he raised the mirror above his head and threw it with great strength right in to the floor, smashing it in to the most odd shapes and pieces. Bits of glass flew towards his face creating minor, small cuts on his face. Daehyun closed his eyes tightly in an attempt to not let them hit his eyes. He then broke down and cried, covering his face with his hands.

He lifted his head and saw a piece of glass that had a perfect sharp point to it. Immediately, he grabbed it with his hand and started gliding the sharp end across his forearms, making cuts that stinged and bled slightly.

"Daehyun," he looked up from the floor and saw Youngjae look down on him "what are you doing?" Daehyun was so lost in speech that his words ended up sounding like he was about to die. "Calm down, it's okay. Breathe." but he just couldn't, he seemed so distraught about what had just happened that beads of tears were streaming from down his face and you could hear his heavy yet short breaths.

He finished off with a final of a cut before giving out a final heavy breath.

Youngjae kneeled down next to him and examined his cuts. "Damn, Dae, you're really bleeding. That must have been sharp. Quick, get a first aid kit or something, or some wet tissues."

"No" he responded

Youngjae looked at him in surprise "And why not?"

"I don't want to; just let me bleed"

"Stop being so ridiculous, you-"

"No! Stop, just stop, okay?!" he screamed

All of a sudden, he heard the sound of heavy footsteps coming up from the stairs. Oh no. "Daehyun..!" he heard his mother's yelp

"Crap" he muttered under his breath.

The door swang open and his parent's stood there in shock, to their grief and horror they were unable to speak as they had laid there eyes on the scenery. Broken glass on the floor and blood and cuts on their son's forearm.

His mother screamed. "Daehyun!" she ran and knelt down next to him, holding his hand, not caring if she stepped on any of the broken glass. "Get something, quick!"

His father ran out of the room and came back with a first aid kid. His mother took him to the bathroom to wash off the excess blood before wrapping his forearm with a large bandage.

"What were you thinking?" his father exclaimed

"We were so worried!"

His mother sighed, "I didn't want to have to say this but I think- I think that you need some help. I might refer you to a counsellor or a therapist."

"But-"

"It's for the best. Clearly, your mind isn't stabled right now. And I don't want to have to worry about you like this."

He took a deep breath in. 'Maybe I do have something wrong with me' he thought.

"Daehyun, I have an appointment for you right after school; it's with your school counsellor so you don't have to go anywhere after school." his mother said from the other room

"Okay, omma," he replied whilst doing the buttons on his shirts one by one before picking his bag up to say goodbye to his mum in the next room "Omma, i'm going now"

His mother approached him, she noticed that his collar was sticking up so she fixed it before placing her hands on his shoulder, she sighed heavily "You're my only son, Daehyun. I love you, and it hurts me seeing you like this. Listen, I know you might not really agree with this decision but it's for the best, honey. Trust me."

"I know, omma."

She kissed his forehead before bidding farewell "Have a good day"

"So, you're going counselling then? Just like that?" Youngjae asked whilst he was beside him

"Pretty much," he replied whilst dragging a stick against the rails as he walks to school hurriedly in the street "I trust them with their decision, though. Maybe I have gone a bit mental."

"Don't say that, Dae"

"No, it's the plain truth Jae. The sooner I get help the sooner I can be...normal"

"Remember what I said last night about how you might be the only one who can talk to us?" Daehyun nodded his head "Well, don't just ditch that ability. What if after you supposedly get 'cured', you can't see me anymore?"

"I don't know, Youngjae. I don't know."

Youngjae looked at Daehyun's arm, which was still wrapped around with a bandage. This sorely reminded him of last night. "Do your cuts still hurt?" he asked

"Yeah," he replied "they sting like hell"

"Ouch"

Daehyun stopped when he arrived at the gateway of his school. "See you later, Dae" Youngjae said and then disappeared, leaving Daehyun on his own again.

Daehyun didn't really have any friends in school. In fact, he was more or less, alone. People would often find him whisphering to empty desks or by himself, when clearly there was no one there.

People got freaked out by him so they stayed clear of wherever he walked, other times he would get picked on and beaten up for being the way he us. But he was used to it. It's something he's been going through since the start of his life, so all his cares have now vanished.

Stares were coming from his fellow classmates as he took his seat to his class, this made him feel slightly uncomfortable. The girl who was sitting next to him shifted her desk a few inches away from him.

"Good morning, class" the teacher came in

"Good morning, sunsaengnim"

Daehyun felt like groaning at the sight of his teacher and his class. He despised school. He felt as if it was just another place people could and make fun of him; making him even more depressed.

"Alright, so today we're going to..."

Blah Blah Blah

His ears blocked out everything the teacher said as he was just not up to it today. Of course, he still felt distraight about what happened two nights ago and that his mother recommended him to counselling.

"Daehyun." The calling of his name from his teacher made him immediately snap out of it

"H-huh?" he said, sounding confused and puzzled

"Did you just listen to what I was saying?"

"N-no, sir" he replied honestly

"I appreciate your honesty, but you really need to keep yourself focused here"

Daehyun didn't really care about school. He wasn't interested, in fact he was hardly interested in anything.

"Psst" Daehyun looked to his right to see NaRi, one of his imaginative figures, sitting beside him "everything alright?" she whisphered

He shrugged in response "Where's Youngjae?" he asked, she mouthed an 'I don't know' in response

"Daehyun," the teacher called on him again, making Daehyun face the teacher "Pay attention" the teacher turned around to carry on scribbling chalk on the blackboard, but when Daehyun turned to his right again, NaRi was gone. He turned his head to scan each and every corner of the room to search for her or Youngjae, but none of his friends were really to be found.

"Excuse me, Mr. Kim, may I have a word outside with you for a moment?" the headmaster proded his head in to the classroom and their teacher, doing as he was told, stepped outside for a moment looking nervous. As soon as the door slammed shut, every head in the room turned to face Daehyun. All eyes on him.

"He was doing it again," a student said "talking to his imaginary friends"

"Such a creep"

"I know, right?"

All these word's coming from their mouthes were like knives piercing Daehyun's ears, penetrating more and more in to his mind building up more and more pressure until it would finally reach it's limit. Their voices were like echoes that wouldn't stop repeating theirselves. He was fed up.

Daehyun clenched his fist and buried his head in to his desk whilst his arms covered him, trying not to let his anger get the worst of him.

All of a sudden he felt someone kick his desk and his blood immediately boiled so he looked up to find an enormous guy towering over him, his face clearly showed that he was just unhappy as Daehyun. He kicked his desk again, making Daehyun even more furious.

"Stop it, will you?" Daehyun demanded sharply, standing up to face him

"And what will you do if I don't?" he threatened back "you're such a weirdo, always talking to yourself"

Immediately, Daehyun snapped. He violently pushed him away so that he would at least stand a metre away from his face. "Just off!"

But, after seeing the expression written all over him, Daehyun immediately regretted it afterwards. He knew what fate lies in store for him next. And it wasn't looking good.

"How about I help you not see your little imaginary friends again?"

All of a sudden, the boy rammed in to Daehyun with a clenched fist and hit him directly in his eye, making Daehyun immediately cover it with his hands whilst he fell to the ground due to agony and seering pain. He blinked his eyes, but all he could see was absolutely blurred and not at all clear.

"Oh my god! Get some help!" someone screamed

"Yah! Hyung, that was too much!"

"Daehyun, Daehyun!" he recognised that familiar voice, and all of a sudden saw Youngjae crowding around him along with the rest of the crowd. His vision wasn't clear, it felt like he was about to black out.

"Wake up," said Youngjae "wake up"