Snapping and Crackles

Mortal Guardian

His hands trembled as the horrid memories flooded his mind. Vividly and clear as crystal. It was a tragedy that happened almost a decade ago, but Changhyun could still see the blood on his two small hands. While his nose remembered the foul stench, how the salty sea scent mixed terrifyingly well with the sulfuric bloody stench of fresh blood.

“Changhyun-ah… Are you all right?” Changjo tightly grabbed of the latter’s hands as concerns clouded his pale face.

“YOO CHANG!”

 

 

 

 

 

Silence was filled the air as Changhyun stared at the blank screen of his phone. His dilated eyes were staring right at the device, but then, his mind was way beyond reality. His two round eyes were damp and his right hand quivered, holding a picture of Chunji and Ljoe. Was this the right decision? His bright mind was relentlessly screaming inside, desperately trying to bring back logic into the young child’s judgments. However, at the same time, it was also telling him that he deserved to know more, that he was worthy of the knowledge about his own biological parents.

This was a gamble, a risky decision. Still, he convinced himself that it was justified by the fact that neither of the couple would be involved. He was in this alone.

 

“All you need to do is kill the alpha demon and you’ll get your prize. They will have a meeting this midnight at the highest point of Mount Kumgang. Bring back his head and I’ll bring you directly to your beloved parents” the child’s breath trembled, but he managed to listen to the instruction with no flaws, taking mental notes while trying to maintain a decent composure. “I’m sure you’ll do well…. smart kid”

“Alright, you got yourself a deal. I’ll take this case, but Chunji and Ljoe must never find out. Understand!” he slammed the disposable device to the floor and walked over it, leaving the scattered fragments on the cold concrete floor.

 

“I’m sorry Byunggie hyung….” The boy whispered, as he carefully traced his way to the mountain. Preparing himself for a bounty that he believed possible, little that he knew, he was about to pay the greatest price.

 

 

 

 

 

The cold winter air rushed into the child’s lungs like acid, every breath only brought out the agonizing pain almost all over his bleeding body. Changhyun whimpered with each desperate leap, running senselessly across the dense vegetation, but he could hear the looming growls. It was getting so close that it made his guts curl and his mind numb, fear slowly over powered his logic and eventually he was cornered.

 

 

“Unghh… no. Hyung…” the boy glanced below, trembling at the horrifying height and the sight of the jagged, needle like sea-stones beneath the cliff. But the swarm of demon were already facing his small, fragile body. Sneering at the pungent fear Changhyun was exposing, they growled in victory, eyes blazing and tails wagging at the child’s defeat.

 

“Hang on y! i’ll be there so just… HANG ON!” the winged elder screamed, desperately reminding the child that everything was going to be alright. A grave white lie, as Ljoe tried to free himself from another group of demons, ceaselessly attacking him again and again. His fast healing skin was no longer white, instead blood tainted it into a deeply color and scratches were evident all over his body. The elder retaliated harder, risking all his strength so that he could immediately attend to changhyun’s fatal situation. Big, strong wings flapped powerfully causing an extreme breeze that managed to topple most of the nine-tailed demons down.

 

 

But it was too late. “ARGHHHHH!!!!” Changhyun tipped over the razor-sharp cliff and within a heartbeat he was plummeting down to the jagged, disastrous ground. The elder man dived down with his flightless wings wide open, hoping that it would slow down the impact when he felt these long, painful nails clawing into his lean fleshy wing. A demon followed him down and it was determined on bring Ljoe with him.

With a deep breath, the nine tailed demon ruthlessly tugged and ripped the muscular, white annexes off of Ljoe’s back, earning him a deep, excruciating scream from the angel. The sound of his bones, snapping and crackling behind his own flesh sent a surge of adrenaline through Ljoe’s whole body.

 

 

Numbed and weaker, the latter, however, managed to brush the demon off his back and pulled Changhyun into his arms before they crashed to the ground.

“Close your eyes dear, we’re falling, but it’ll be alright. But I need you to close your eyes” the elder spoke, rather, whimpered near the child’s ear as he watched the ground swirling closer and closer to his face. Soft pants and drips of sweat tainted his forehead as his beautiful burgundy lips drained of color, blue and flaky from the intense blood loss.

“It’ll be all…” Ljoe trailed off from his soothening words as the world became dark. He tried to stay awake, but when they crashed onto the ground, he heard the sounds of his own bones rupturing inside his limbs and eventually everything turned white.

“Byunggie hyung….”

 

 

 

Chanhyun ran his fingers along Changjo’s black silky hair, savoring that moment he had. The smile on his face brightened as he traced the sleeping latter’s face, how everything looked so beautiful, on such a normal human face made his heart ache. Because after so long, he finally felt what it was like to be loved and to be in love, and indeed it was breath taking to have such a feeling. However, something was cutting deep into his chest. Despite this beautiful relationship he had, his head could never stop replaying the faults he made. In fact the closer he got to Changjo, the stronger it amplified throughout his mind and each moment, each breath only made the guilt stronger.

 

“I love you… Choi Jonghyun.” Shaking, he whispered those words into the warm, scented air. Tears ran down his nose bridge as he laid his head down, while his hands were firmly entwined with the latter. The young petite boy tragically saw nothing but farewell in each path he chose, while danger lurked closer each time he tried to make a new one.

 

 

Indeed, this cage, he once believed chunji made, apparently came straight from his own soul. He was drowning in a sea of guilt and even with the lights of love Changjo had offered, the boy was in too deep.

He wouldn’t escape.

 

 

“Unhh… ricky….” the tall lad woke up, with his sad eyes locked onto the metal table. It was a box of jigsaw puzzle, laid perfectly beside the vase. On it was a picture of something they both had treasured; it was a blissful picture of the funfair they once went together. Changhyun left. Instinctively, his free hand went to the side of his chest, his ribs were throbbing. His breath quickened as his eyes glimmered blue, he couldn’t breathe. Changjo choked so hard that all the bandages around his body felt like it was strangling the life out of him.

“Changhy.. Un. No… stay..” tears trailed down his cheeks as each of his nerves started to go numb, the choking sensation died down the moment he gasped for air. The slight fangs between his teeth poked out slightly as the boy bit his own lips, while he shut his heartbreak deep inside his heart.

 

 

“Jonghyun-ah! Oh my god, are you alright? NURSE, PLEASE!!” the lady shrieked as she dashed outside, desperately calling for help. Whereas beside Changjo was his mother, eyes glistening blue as she watched her own son crying hopelessly on the hospital bed. She could read him better than any book and knowing why the teenage boy cried, the hidden heartbreak her son was enduring, slowly brought her to tears.

She placed her cold hands on the boy’s shoulder as she smiled at him, doing exactly what any mother would do. She told him that it would be alright.

 

 

 

 

The door creaked open as the elder followed Changhyun into the house, silently checking the boy out for any injuries. He was worried, but he knew that it wouldn’t matter because when their eyes met, he saw the fresh wound in the boy’s heart.

 

Changhyun didn’t even bother trying to greet him, instead the latter mindlessly walked up to his room. Seeing how lifeless the boy had looked, Chunji’s lips twitched. He wanted to ask what was wrong, but he knew too well that the frown on Changhyun’s face was caused by Changjo.

 

“Cook me dinner, I’m famished” the angel commanded, looking straight at the latter’s back. Sighing snarkly the latter glared down, slowly getting bolder at the elder’s demanding tone. And Chunji who was only trying to talk, was astonished at how brave the young boy had become.

“D.i.n.n.e.r” the elder growled as he swished his glossy wings across the thin air, physically threatening the younger boy.

 

 

But even with such gesture, Chunji could hear the burning snarl on Changhyun’s face. It was an incredibly awful time to get on the latter’s nerve, but he couldn’t stay still. At least, when he knew how sad the boy really was. And it was with terrible effort, but he wanted to take that disgustingly gloomy look off of the younger’s face.

Because unless Changhyun was hurting for him, pain was something he would wish to protect the boy from.

 


 

hi guys. FINALLY AN UPDATE! omg i sorry for taking so long and for those who still reads my story thank you for holding on!! im doing a lot to improve my writing, beta-reading etc ( Ookami girl is helping me right now ^^ thank you sensei 'lol can i call you det?')  if you noticed my writing style did change a bit, cough a lot.. idk cough haha but do inform me if you like the new style.

as always please comment your hearts out, i'll post you tissues if i made you cried hahah it's nothing relly but writing this made me very happy and i learnt a lot, so i want my readers to response too <3

but i won't push ya~ as long as you liked it im really glad.

the next update will be on next friday ^^ that i promise you so hang on kay! hahahahaahahah *CRIES* heol i hate my college!!

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aibeast
short update guys!!

Comments

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exo_kpop13 #1
Chapter 40: My gosh, I cried so much Author-nim please update soon, you have an amazing story and I reeeaaaaaallllllyyyyyy want Changjo to remember Ricky
OnlyForYa
#2
Chapter 40: This story always makes me cry ;_;
PotatoLife #3
Chapter 39: Omo Changjo needs to help Ricky
I hope he's alright
Update soon~
Sabiya #4
Chapter 38: Goood i have tears in my eyes /sobs/
hdkskfmkfk i want to read more :(
OnlyForYa
#5
Chapter 38: Chanhee was greedy. He could have stop Changjo but he did not.

Isn't Changjo kind of living in Byunghun? They should built a with Ricky xD (I'm so stupid and dirty... sorry xD)
Please update very soon. I need more from this *A*
Sabiya #6
Chapter 37: GSKDMFKFNNDJFK I'M CRYING
pls update soon T-T
ItsJustSarax
#7
Chapter 37: oh nuuuuu jonghyunnie TT.TT changhyun let me hug you bb ♥ even though this was an angsty update i liked it :3 (I also liked manly changhyun, well he seemed manly to me anyways xD)
fighting!!