⚠trigger warning⚠

THIRD-PERSON

TWO YEARS AGO

"You have no proof. I am afraid we can't take up the case."

Taehyun glanced at the boy beside him, feeling his insides crumble at the sight. But what would he had done? He himself was as helpless.

It was the third day since the incident, yet luck wasn't at their side. So much for being young, even the police won't believe them. And to make matters worse, they could only disclose a limited amount of details.

"Kai I am pretty sure we'll find a way." But he was greeted with the silence which didn't surprise him, not even in the slightest. The other boy just watched those merry children play around with the occasional squeals of glee, tears silently trickling down his face- being the only sign of life on his once youthful face.

That's how Kai was in those days- secluded, distant and with not a single trace of emotion on his face. One would've easily mistaken him as dead, if not for the loud wails Taehyun heard every night coming from his room. He hadn't even uttered a word ever since the godforsaken incident and Taehyun could do nothing but watch it all unfold from the sidelines, powerless.

The blond sighed, adjusting his round glasses. "Should I drop you home?"

No reply. But Kai did spare him a glance, which was an answer enough. Taehyun nodded to himself.

It was suddenly hard for him to communicate with the other without feeling a wave of sheer guilt hitting him. Somewhere, Taehyun blamed himself for it all. If only had he not planned it all. He was at fault for Kai's condition and wanted to help him out of his pit of misery. Kai had always been a brother to him, and seeing him like that was painful for him as well.

Just days ago, the same boy was cheerfully chatting away his sweets and sours with him. None of them imagined for things to turn out like how they did and affected both of them by a great measure.

"That'd be four thousand won."

Taehyun turned to Kai. "You can go in. I'll be there in a minute or two."

He obliged almost immediately, stepping out and walking away. Taehyun busied himself in counting the cash before handing it to the driver, who then drove away.

The two had basically been living together for the past two days. Kai's mental condition had been, to no surprise, unstable and Taehyun found it almost meaningless to go back home. Not that his father even cared in the first place.

The blond threw his backpack to the couch as he entered the apartment before going to the kitchen. He filled himself with a glass of water and while doing so, his eyes wandered off to the room which belonged to his friend. The door was closed shut. He sighed. He wasn't used to all of this.

He slipped out his phone as he drank the water. Two notifications caught his eyes as the screen lit up.

'You have (7) unread messages by Beomgyu Hyung'

'You have (12) missed calls by Dad'

So his father did try to contact him, probably another one of his formalities. Taehyun rolled his eyes, checking the messages he had received. Mostly was it the things he missed at school while the others were asking about his whereabouts. Beomgyu had been a big help for him in catching up with his lessons and the notes the other used to send him for the last two days.

Of course, Taehyun was aware of the fiasco involving Beomgyu and his relationship with Yeonjun, which had been a shocker as the whole school had believed they were deeply in love. And what made it worse was the fact that Yeonjun refused to pick up Taehyun's calls, and he really needed him at that point. Rumours said he was shifting to LA, but Taehyun knew the other very well. He wouldn't really go through with it.

As Taehyun was deep in his own thoughts, he heard a loud crash followed closely by a coughing fit. His eyes snapped to the source, his line of sight clashing with the door to Kai's room. The glass he held fell to the floor, shattering around as he set himself into motion at that very instant.

"Hyuka?!" He tried to turn the knob but the door was locked. "Hyuka what are you doing?!" It just wouldn't budge so instead Taehyun, summing up all his strength, kicked the door which worked.

And the thing he saw was exactly what he had feared.

"KAI?!"

HYUNJIN'S POV

PRESENT

"Our suspicion was right."

I absolutely hate the fact that I am not allowed to go with the team just because I am a junior detective.

[It really is Kai Kamal Huening behind all this, which speaks volumes about Kang Taehyun's involvement.]

At the mention of a certain name, my eyes wander over to the boy that still is deep in dreamland. Doctors say he is fine but I doubt it. He has been unconscious for almost twenty-one hours.

"Well, it still doesn't explain how a couple of high school kids are involved with a whole gang."

[Let's wait. If we are lucky enough to catch Huening Kai, then we can easily find our answers, or else we would have to wait till Taehyun-ssi wakes up.]

Another one of those anonymous sources greeted us with a photo and a single message along with it this afternoon. The photo was of Huening Kai and the message explained his deeds. The thing about his mental condition was already a matter of suspicion and it only proved his guilt in the case further.

But still, for some reason, I just can't believe Taehyun also has a hand in it all.

"Good luck."

[Thank you. Will see you later.] And with a beep, the call is disconnected. I sigh as I plug out the earpiece and pocket it.

"When will you even wake?" I mumble to the sleeping boy as if he can even hear me.

Wow. Is this what I've come to? Is this how lonely I am now that I talk to myself?

A chuckle escapes my mouth. I must be.

I should really find someone to date. And as I don't really have any pending duty to be done for the next few hours, this is the best time for me to do just that.

I look over at the boy in his slumber. "Should I download those dating apps? What do you say?" Nothing comes in reply, not that I am even waiting for one. "It won't hurt to give it a try, now, would it?"

I fish out my phone and do just that. "Ah, it's done. Well...male or female? Huh? Oh- I am gay so of course, male, ha! And you," I point at Taehyun, "don't you dare tell this to anyone." And then laugh at my own stupidity. Seriously though, what have I become?

"He looks really hot, but it'd suck to date my twin. Don't we look alike?" I babble on and on as my eyes meet the pictures of different people, occasionally reading into their profiles.

"Ew. He likes spinach salad. I'd rather die than date a spinach addict." I swipe away from the profile in an instant, looking at Taehyun once again. "Don't give me that look. You would've done the same, you bratty kid." I pause, scrunching my nose. "Don't tell me you like those atrocities as well."

I swipe once more and my gaze lands on a person who looks a lot similar to someone I know. The same wide eyes and sharp nose. But the lips are thinner.

"Hey, he looks like you..." I trail off, staring at the picture while a feeling oh so foreign bubbling in the pit of my stomach. Why do I end up seeing him everywhere? It's like a spell that binds me to him. At this point, I bet I can see him even in my dreams, and I won't be surprised.

"O Kang Taehyun, what kind of magic have you done on me." I keep away the phone, instead holding his hand which now feels a lot better than before. "I wasn't serious when I had said you looked like Harry Potter, turns out you really are a wizard."

This weird, fuzzy feeling is confusing me out of my brain.

"I so wish you were awake right now."

THIRD-PERSON

TWO YEARS AGO

"What were you trying to do over there, Kai Kamal Huening?! Have you gone bonkers?!"

Silence.

Taehyun panted, calming down from his outburst as he stared at the boy in front of him, still coughing occasionally. There was an angry red rope mark around his neck. "H-Hyuka, I am trying okay? I am trying to make it better for you, I-" Overwhelmed, Taehyun lets his gaze fall to the side. Tears threatened at the very brim of his eyes but he blinked them away, finally finding the courage to face Kai once again. He sniffed.

"Talk to me. Tell me everything, all of it. I am ready to listen." He holds the other's shoulders, not failing to notice the slightest of a flinch. "Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times if one only remembers to turn on the light. I believe that things will get better and we will find the switch and brighten up our lives. Together." He paused, pulling the boy in and embracing him. "But suicide isn't an answer, Jagiya. It never was and it never will be. I need you by my side more than anything. You are the only family I have now."

That was all Kai needed to lose it all, melting in the embrace as his tears met with the fabric of Taehyun's T-shirt. "But it hurts, Hyun. Everything does. The memories, the nightmares, their faces, their words- I can't stand them." His arms clung to Taehyun as he sobbed. Taehyun could only listen, caressing the back of his head. "What if- what if Daewon finds me and tries to-"

"Hush. No one will come near you. No one can even lay a finger on you while I am alive. Trust me." The blond hand interrupted, but the boy cried on.

"But...my own skin seems so foreign to me. I feel disgusted with and- and you cannot ignore the fact that I...killed some—"

"It's fine. You did it out def-"

Kai broke away, retracting taking hold of Taehyun's shoulders. "This is not the first time I've harmed someone, Hyunnie! This is her. I am just like my mother. A lunatic."

"Kai..."

"I deserve nothing but death, Taehyun. Life is too precious and I am not worthy of it."

O, darling daisy, I failed
you yet again.

-ˋˏ✄┈┈┈┈

A/N ¡! ❝And there you go.

The chapters are just gonna be really depressing, were from the previous two chapters themselves.

I was listening to Trust Fund Baby while writing this.

Hope you have a great day!❞