"Eric, you can't blame yourself forever... Even if you think you were the one to kill Hyesung."

            My blood froze. Darkness consumed every ounce of my being.

            Yes... I killed him...

            I ing killed Hyesung...

            At Minwoo's words, Hyesung's eyes went dull and blank, and his arms fell limply to his sides. Seeing the severe horror expressed on his face was more excruciating than a bullet through the chest.

            I had been so happy that Hyesung had been resurrected in my life that I had nearly forgotten the reason why I had so desperately wanted to die. Suddenly, the ecstasy of his reappearance evaporated to be replaced by familiar torment.

            Now you know the truth, Hyesung. Now you will hate me forever.

            Biting back the pain, I reached out to grab the phone from Hyesung's inert hands.

            "... M-Minwoo?" I spoke lowly, attempting to control my unstable voice.

           "Eric! Oh, my god! Eric!" There was gleeful screaming on the other line. "It was you! I knew it! I knew you would call me one day--"

            "I didn't," I stated flatly as I stared intently at the man in front of me. To my dismay, he still looked as ghastly as ever. "It wasn't me who called."

            "Huh? What do you mean--"

            "Minwoo," I cut in, not having the energy to explain further. "Let's... meet. We need to talk." I witnessed the slightest bit of movement as my words rang throughout my living room, the tense clenching of his jaw. Before I continued on, I swallowed down the anxiety building up inside. "You can come to my place."

            "O-Okay," Minwoo answered nervously. "Can you give me your address?"

            "Oh, yeah," I mumbled, having forgotten that nobody really knew where I lived anymore. I listed the address of my apartment to him slowly so he could write it down.

            "I would rush over right now, but I have an important shoot." A shoot... I could hardly recall the flashing of lights and clicking of cameras that had been so constant in my previous life. "I'll definitely visit right after though. It'll probably be late at night, is that okay?"

            "Yeah. Sure," I replied.

            "Okay, I'll see you then."

            "Yeah. See you."

            "Oh, and Eric," Minwoo said right before I hung up the phone. "Thanks. Thanks for calling."

            I let out a heavy sigh. "Don't thank me for doing something I should've done years ago." I found my throat extremely dry. Something tugged at my heart uncomfortably. "I'm... sorry..."

            "... It's okay. You're back now." Although the you was referring to me, I couldn't help but eye the man that sat as still as a statue on my couch. "Eric... Everything's gonna be okay."

            "Eric, everything's gonna be okay. Even without Hyesung... We'll be okay."

            I hung up quickly without a goodbye and clutched the phone tightly in my hand, remembering a distant time my old friend had spoken the same exact words. No... Minwoo had been dead wrong. Nothing had been okay without Hyesung.

            But he was here now. He had returned from the grave somehow.

            He was back.

            "Hyesung..." I continued watching him carefully. I wanted to reach out to him, but I was afraid he would reject my touch.

            After all, I had been the one to kill him.

            "Hyesung..." I called again when he didn't respond. I was afraid he would remain rooted to the ground forever. "Are you... mad?"

            Are you upset that I'm the one at fault? Are you furious that I'm the one to blame?

            It seemed to take a century for his eyes to meet mine. There was only anger and spite within the sea of dark brown.

            ... Shin Hyesung was seriously pissed.

            "Y-You..." His low voice quivered in resentment. "H-How... D-Dare... Y-You..."

            I found myself inching back from the black flames surrounding his presence. "H-Hey... I-I'm sorry..."

            "," he cussed wrathfully under his breath. At that moment, I could've sworn his eyes glowed red. "Do you ing think a ing apology will cut it?"

            "Hey, hey!" I cried out desperately as I raised both of my arms in surrender. "You said you don't even remember how you died... At least hear me out--"

            My pitiful whimpering died as the enraged demon went straight for my throat. In an instant, I felt sudden pain shooting throughout my whole body. My lungs screamed as the wind was knocked out of me.

            While my vision was a blur, my ears caught some of the words being hurled at me.

            ". YOU. ING. BASTARD. . . ."

            When I regained clear sight, I found myself on the ground with the man fuming on top of me. His chest rose and fell drastically as he attempted to recollect himself.

            "Hyesung..." I murmured hesitantly, not sure if talking would set him off again. To my relief, he remained quiet, his body still searching for air. "I'm really sorry..."

            "Hyesung... I'm really sorry... It's all my ing fault..."

            "Eric, shut up already..."

            "If I hadn't called you out... If we weren't supposed to meet..."

            "Shhh, stop talking nonsense. I'm glad this is how I die..."

            "... What?"

            "I'm so happy, Eric... That you're here, right next to me..."

            "... Hyesung..."

            "I'm the luckiest person in the world. To have you holding my hand... To be hearing your voice... Even if I go to hell... I'm so happy to die like this..."

            "I-It was all my fault..." My heart shattered into a broken mess as I poured out the confession that had haunted me since the day of his death. "It was me who called you. You were on your way to meet me when the accident--"

            "Shut the up. Do you think I care?"

            My eyes widened into pools of turmoil and perplexity.

            "Do you think I ing care about how I died?"

            ... What?

            "Why, Eric? Why would you hurt me like this?"

            I continued to watch him in stunned silence.

            "Why... Why would you ing blame yourself for my death?" A drop of tear, a conclusion of both anger and sorrow, overflowed from his eyes to splatter against my cheek. "Why would you... Why would you torture yourself like that?" More drops fell like a heavy rainstorm, drenching my face. "You idiot... I-It must've been so hard... to live... blaming yourself like that... every day..."

            I couldn't believe what I was hearing. I couldn't understand nor comprehend.

            His fingernails dug into my skin as he tightly grasped the hem of my shirt.

            "D-Dammit, Eric... You make me hate myself... so ing much..."

            He let his body collapse on top of my mine and sobbed bitterly against my chest. I stayed frozen, awed by the melody of his woeful weeping.

            "I-I'm so sorry, Eric... I'm so sorry I made you live like that... I'm so sorry you had to endure such a burden all alone..."

            Why... Why are you apologizing to me?

            Even when you were alive...

            "I'm sorry, Eric."

            "Eric... Forgive me..."

            "It's all my fault, Eric..."

            "Why..." I whispered out loud. He raised his head to stare at me with puffy eyes. "Why... When it's all my damn fault--"

            "Eric." His voice didn't waver when he called my name. I watched, mesmerized by the way his lips curled into such a heartbreaking smile. "I know you. I trust you. I don't have to remember what happened five years ago to know that my death wasn't your fault."

            He sat up and I mirrored his movements so we were face-to-face. His hand tenderly my cheek, his touch so physically icy, yet somehow blowing warmth into my soul.

            "You're innocent," he stated firmly. As I listened to his words, the world around us melted away. "You're the purest person I've ever met."

            Innocent... The purest person...

            How was it that he was able to say the words I needed to hear...

            How was it that only he could make me feel whole again...

            Shin Hyesung...

            "Hey... Don't cry, you crybaby." His soft laughter only made my eyes pour harder. His thin fingers wiped my cheeks dry.

            Hypocrite, I wanted to indict as I tried to cease the tears. You were also crying on that day, too...

            "Don't cry... You crybaby..."

            "H-Hyesung..."

            "I don't want your tears to be the last thing I see..."

            "Please... You can't die..."

            "It's okay, Eric... It doesn't hurt anymore..."

            "No... You can't die yet... Not yet... Not when--"

            "Hyesung!" I cried abruptly as something significant clicked in my head. I darted to my feet, exhilaration and excitement sprouting from wretched soil.

            For once in my life, the devastating memories of that day had given me something other than utter desolation and misery.

            He looked up at me with curious eyes. "Hmm?"

            I took his hand in mine and helped him up from the floor. "Let's head out."

            He raised an eyebrow, surprised by my sudden change of mood. "What about Minwoo?"

            I shuddered slightly as I remembered his recent words, the very ones that had triggered every ounce of desperation within me.

            "Well, I'm here now! I'm back and who knows how long I'll stay."

            "We have to go now." I couldn't hide the bad premonition that we were running out of time. "We'll be back before dark," I promised. "I want to show you something."

            No... I need to show you...

            I need you to remember...

            Hesitantly, he nodded, knowing I wasn't going to take "no" for an answer. "Where are we going?" he questioned inquisitively.

            I bit down on my lip hard. Is this even a good idea?

            But... There's no other way...

            I took a deep breath before answering him.

            "I want to take you to a place I avoided visiting for the past five years."

            He cocked his head at me in confusion. I squeezed his hand and forced myself to conjure up a convincing smile.

            "I want to take you to the place where you died."

[A/N]: Omg, finally got this chapter out! This one was a major pain in the (which comes with major dissatisfaction and a major apology for major disappointment) :( I was originally gonna put more of the plot in it but it was getting too long so I decided to cut it up... so I apologize if you thought it was boring :( (And no edit for this chapter either so it might have a lot of mistakes... I'll get to it eventually, but I really need sleep right now lol) Honestly, I'm working so much nowadays it's so hard to write! And major writer's block doesn't help either... But seriously, thank you guys for supporting me anyway! It really means a lot, you have no idea <3 I'm so stressed from work, but you guys just make me so darn happy! I will seriously work really hard to update the other fanfics more often, along with this one, so please continue supporting me by commenting and upvoting! You guys brighten up my life (legit)~ Thank you and I love you... <3