A Month Passes...

Ryu came to fetch Beomgyu. The ritual was to begin soon. "Nervous ? There is no need to be." Beomgyu' nerves calmed slightly with the reassurance of his cousin. Tae-Da kept the secret of Beomgyu looking so much like a young In-Su to herself. She didn't want Beomgyu to feel pressured to live up to the legacy In-Su has. "A little bit. I just desperately want this to work..."

Sooyeon helped Tae-Da set up. Basically they were going to put Beomgyu under. He essentially would be laying in a controlled body of water they were preparing. This was something Tae-Da knew to prepare since it was one of the last things her father had taught her. Ryu nudged him playfully as she lead her outside, "다 잘 될 거예요, 사촌. 스트레스 좀 그만 받아요." (Everything will go fine, cousin. Stop stressing.) 

They played around for a bit more to ease his nerves. That worked for a while. Even though he was still angry, his mind drifted back to the institute. Had he really been too harsh ? Did Soobin really deserve what he had done to him ? He missed them. Tae-Da rested a hand on his shoulder as she took a seat with him, "It is better for everyone if you let things go. We just aren't meant to be like them, Beomgyu ah." He knew his great-grandmother was right. Tae-Da had lived her life excluded from society & never attended the institute after what happened to her father. "They still are my friends... I am just worried that I can never get that back after all that I've done."

Tae-Da sighed. Her great-grandson was struggling with this. "어머니를 감옥 범규아로 보내셨을 때 보내셨잖아요. 그렇다면 친구를 떨어뜨리는 것이 어떻게 다른가요?" (You let your mother go when you sent her away to the penitentiary, Beomgyu ah. So how is dropping your friends any different ?) She had  point. He casted his parents away the first chance he got, but wasn't willing to let his friends go. Maybe he was thinking this over too hard. "You're right. I'm sorry I keep doubting you..." Tae-Da grinned as she lead him over to where the ritual would be conducted. 

"What exactly is the ritual ?" Tae-Da chuckled. She knew him referring her as great grandmother was a mouthful. So she told him he could just shorten it to grandmother. "You will wade in the water until sunrise the next morning. But the time can get shortened if your gift manifests quicker." Beomgyu nodded. "Did In-Su ever do the ritual on anyone ?", Beomgyu asked very much worried he'd somehow mess it up. 

Tae-Da nodded as she looked at the darkening night sky, "Only once. It was for when my son had to take in Sooyeon & Sun-Hi. Their mother just didn't want to be a mother..." It was clear that his grandfather was a touchy subject. "He didn't have the gift. You didn't see him after mom went to the institute, right ?" Beomgyu wasn't a parent, so he couldn't understand what exactly Tae-Da was feeling. However, he was someone' child. "아뇨, 못 봤어요 아들을 사랑하는 만큼 선택하게 하고 싶지는 않았어요. 범규아, 아시겠죠?" (No. I couldn't see him. As much as I love my son, I didn't want to make him choose. You understand right, Beomgyu ah ?)

Soon enough a soft silence overcame them. The warm cool breeze passing through. Sooyeon approached them with a smile "It is time. Everything is ready." Beomgyu took a few deep breathes before descending into the controlled section of water they had prepared. He let his mind go blank, letting go of the past... He trusted Sooyeon, Ryu, & most importantly Tae-Da.

An hour passes, as they all wait to see if Beomgyu has the family gift. Sooyeon was fidgety. Ryu tried to settle her mother' mothers as best as she could. Tae-Da had full faith in Beomgyu. None of this was to be in vain. 

Suddenly Beomgyu rose from where he was descended with a scream that echoed. One that even stopped Taehyun in his tracks all the way back at the institute. He turned to his family smiling wide, teary eyed. He had glowing green eyes. He was one of them. He had the gift. Tae-Da was first to hug him. As painful as it was that Beomgyu resembled her father so much, she was absolutely excited that he managed to fully manifest his gift.

This is where he needed to be for now.  Beomgyu had finally accepted that there were things he'd never be able to change. That was good enough for now...