Work Text
It's too crowded.
Seo Changbin, the heir to K Industries, watches the multitude of guests who have come to show their final respect to his father.He sits in shock, mechanically greeting attendees. Few speak, most just bow and leave. Outside the room is a tangled mess of banners and flowers. His father loved red. He had joked with Changbin to make sure everyone wears red to his funeral. Then a few days later, on a hospital bed, when Changbin was away to get a new set of clothes, he had passed away. What would he have thought then?
Changbin's phone buzzed with a notification. His girlfriend was getting late to attend, but she promised she'd be there. Changbin didn't see it but his bodyguard noted it. His bodyguard also noted shiny eyes, trembling hands and a pale face. There's a lull in the proceedings and Changbin gets lost in the memories of the very first funeral of his life.All he remembers is that it was just him and his neighbours at his mother's funeral.It was so surreal. Coming back home from school to tell his mother he had come first in his math tests, only to be told that she was gone.
She'll never know his math test result.
It was a blur. He remembers crying in one of the uncle's embrace. An elderly Auntie held him in her lap as he slept at the funeral house. Until a man introduced himself as his father and...
That's another story.
Was it?Yet he had never felt so lonely as he did now. There was no genuine sadness. Here, people were there to tighten bonds with K Industries. There was no boy who had lost his father here. Only the future heir to a massive fortune that they had to be nice to. He greeted the guests. His assistants made sure everyone was eating. His trusted bodyguard, Lee Felix, didn't even move a muscle as he stood by Seo Changbin. He did like his father. In spite of the fact his parents were separated but not divorced, didn't mean the man wasn't around. He attended sports events, the graduation ceremony, etc.
He was there.
Now he wasn't.Someone was greeting him.He found himself rising up for some young dude, whose eyes never left his face. Then he was shaking hands with him.
As something dug into his palm, Seo Changbin watched the guy leave.
Leaving a small pendrive in his hand.
He looked questioningly at Felix. Felix shrugged.
He glanced back at the Photoframe of his dad and back at the pendrive.🦊🐺🥟🦊🐺🥟🦊🐺🥟🦊🐺🥟The Scrooge Dudes a. k. a Past/Present /Future "If we meet him now I have less work to do," Jeongin insists.
They're the three Bearers of time, allocated to prevent Changbin's untimely death.
There's Jeongin, who is in charge of the Past, Chan who is in charge of the present and Hyunjin who lives in each future that Changbin's decisions could possibly have.
"It's not the right time," Hyunjin dramatically concludes, "We have to wait till he works on his lower body at the Gym-"
"Are you spying on him?" Chan asks, "Why are you spying on him?"
"I'm not! I just saw that we'll interfere then okay? I JUST NOTICED HIS-"
"Thighs," Jeongin calmly adds.
"Focus," sighs Chan, "We can't fail this time. Specially you Hyunjin."
"All you do is see him live in concert!" Hyunjin attacks, "I have to live in parallel worlds of versions of every single choice he makes. You think its easy?"
"I have it hardest," counters the youngest, "The past is always the hardest to come to terms to. Especially his past." Chan sighs as he watches his alarm beep. It's the countdown he has to remind him when he should return back to his responsibility.
"At least you don't need to watch someone live. I literally know when he wants to take a dump. That's information I do NOT want to know."
He tugs on a beanie, adjusts his hoodie straps and bides them goodbye.
"Both of you," comments Jeongin, "are suspicious. Have you fallen for Muscle boy?"
Hyunjin fans himself in frustration. He gets rid of his leather jacket when he suddenly witnesses a change of decision.
This time a change in someone elses decision making.A new player has entered the field. Hyunjin groans as a few hundred more possibilities add to his current load, each more devastating than the other."If this goes down," he vehemently messes Jeongin's hair, "I'm kidnapping him and keeping him for me."Jeongin gags in distaste and teleports himself back into the past.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Lee Felix was not smitten with his Boss.
No matter who said what.
Passionate may describe part of him. He was an independent human being with a passion for martial arts, games and shopping. He also loved baking. He hapened to be friends with his Boss as well.
It was all part of an act.
He was actually hired to leak classified information on Seo Changbin.Seo Changbin wakes up as late as possible around 10 A. M. He decides to go to work after a hearty breakfast and gets completely absorbed in projects.
He had a good concentration span. Once he gets lost in work he'd miss calls, meals. All Lee Felix had to do was watch. Simple isn't it?
No.
Lee Felix knew The Dimple and The Smirk.
He wished he didn't.
The Dimple was not a rare affair. It was there whenever Felix joked, whenever Changbin would test a joke on Felix, whenever the most baldiest man on the planet A. K. A his secretary entered the room (the poor man) and-
Whenever he spoke to his Girlfriend.
The Smirk was rare. Whenever he tried rizzing up Felix (Felix found his very presence was a rizz factor) it occurred. This was Felix's worst nightmare. It set Felix's Heart; at a completely untamable rhythm.The Girlfriend.
She was nice. Super nice. Understanding, smart. Still a student at some hi-fi business woman producing University with. She matched Changbin's chaotic energy. She was friendly towards Felix.
Seo Changbin was interested in her too. Wasn't he? Felix could never tell. He saw them meet routinely like it was some duty the two crossed off their schedules. More like besties than lovers.
As these thoughts ran through his guilty mind, Felix was startled by the sound of someone clearing their voice.As Felix stood behind his Boss, he watched as someone familiar entered the room.
He watched the interaction with some trepidation. A pendrive was exchanged between the two. His Boss gave him a look but Felix couldn't comment.
Because his peace of mind had suddenly shattered. Like a mirror. The shards painful and cutting. The self doubt if he had sent the update before the deadline. Were they giving him away to his boss? Or were they finally telling him the truth about-"Binnie," came a breathy whisper.
Felix watched as Changbin comprehended that his girlfriend was there.
Then he finally broke down, sobbing, onto the floor as she hugged him. Felix's heart constricted at the sight.When all was said and done he was just a part of Changbin's outer circle. All that was left of his inner circle was his girlfriend.🦊🐺🥟🦊🐺🥟🦊🐺🥟🦊🐺🥟🦊🐺🥟🦊🐺🥟🦊🐺🥟🦊🐺🥟
Jeongin was passing Bagchan tissues.
"I feel," Bangchan hiccuped, "So bad."
He was drowning in his tears.
"Thank God Hyunjin isn't here" Jeongin muttered .
"I'm sorry?" sniffed Bangchan, "What did you say?"
"Thank God you're here. He really needs some sympathy."
"Right! I'm so glad his girlfriend is there for him. Aw, poor Binnie." Bangchan blew his nose on tissues violently. The sound was so graphical Jeongin grimaced.The past was always a millisecond behind the present. Jeongin had flexible work hours and an innate ability to fluidly move through time without having to bother about meeting two Jeongin's. (You know that confusing thing you see in movies? You meet two or three variations of yourself, etc. Nope. Doesn't happen. Not that we don't mind more than one Jeongin anyway. )
He sighed as his emotional hyung cried a little bit more.He bade farewell to Bangchan and went on his way to revisit the future. With all those memories, Jeongin would forget what happened sometimes.
So we'll follow him to see how it all started.
🌻
I turned back time as easily as you would flip pages back to reach page one. It's a simple job, really. Only a lot of trauma comes with it.I followed a narrow path that leads to a famous University. To be honest I'm walking down the shortest path to reach the girls' hostel. It's a secret path actually that I follow a certain young Mr. Seo.
He walks jauntily, the very epitome of Somebody's Rich Son. His future was settled before he was conceived. The world seemed to be in hands.
I watched him slip into one of the rooms. Slyly like a thief. He had entered one of the - I mean you know don't you? I don't think I have to spell it for you. As censored fireworks exploded in the room he entered, I walked towards another room.She sits there, fast asleep on a textbook. Last I checked, the technique of hoping information would diffuse into your brain the closer you are to your textbook didn't work. No harm in trying though?She wakes up stretching like a cat. She scratches her stomach over her t-shirt and stands. As she gets her bearings, she decides to use the bathroom. She snatches the towel, and saunters away.Our Mr. Seo exits his temporary paradise. He has the audacity to saunter down the corridor-
When he notices the Warden.
He panicks and tries the nearest door. He waits for the footsteps to fade. As soon as they fade, he doesn't test Luck. He escapes through the window, dropping a piece of paper in the process. A small square of white with numbers are all that's left of his entry.The owner of the room doesn't return. Let's hope she isn't asleep in the toilet. However her roommate appears a millisecond after Mr. Seo leaves. Unfortunately she has an OCD complex. She mends the two beds, she straightens out the books at the desk. She sees the paper and then picks it up.It's a white piece of paper with a phone number written on it. She takes it to be important message, she folds it into two and tucks it into a book.He would search for it, try to remember it, but he had to retrace his steps to the room he escaped from. This number, had he found it, would have prevented events snowballing.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
It's a wierd family.Seungmin stares across the table at his adoptive father. His mother, graceful and - in his adoptive father's words- a disgrace. But not because she was a single mother, it's because she didn't complete her degree. Had she done so, she would have inherited the company. Thanks to her Mr. Kim's retirement plans were flushed as swiftly as one would flush a-The door opens again. Han Jisung joins them at the table with his mother. He is the second adopted son.Mr. Kim is Seungmin's Grandfather's brother. Han was a product of some son down the line, who succumbed to a colorectal cancer.The meal was started in silence.As always, Seungmin watched his mother pick at the salad. He watched Han's mother meticulously going through steak. He watched Han - cheeks pouched with food as much as he could fit in- then he looked at his plate.He could die for a hamburger now. Unhealthy and beautiful.He cut up the food and scarfed it down, earning a glare from his mother. The first bite got stuck in his throat and he downed it with some fancy wine.Soda, his stomach cried.Han on the other hand looked at Seungmin and blinked twice. Seungmin sighed and nodded his head, relieving the fork of it's unambitious movements.Han switches his empty plate with Seungmin's and attacks it similarly. His mother pokes him in reproach and he pokes her back. Seungmin looks at his mother's shredded salad. The tomatoes have been massacred and they run in bloody harmony with some godforsaken salad dressing. Her wine glass is empty.She stands, throws her napkin and leaves.Han's mother attempts some small talk, but her son's cheeks are occupied with so much food there's no room for conversation. She gives up and leaves.Han winks at Seungmin. He stops eating and gulps whatever that is left in his mouth. He watches the old man - the only member following any etiquette at all- eat.
"Did you pass on the pendrive?" Kim asks Seungmin as he spears a piece of tender chicken from his fork."Yes," answers Seungmin. He places an online order at a fast food restaurant. He sets his phone aside. The old man brings a napkin to his lips, dabbing it.
Like a shark that has had a taste of human, thought Han.
Kim's napkin gets thrown too. The old man rises and chuckles.
"We'll wait."He'd be so disappointed if he knew Changbin had misplaced the pendrive. All plans have unforeseeable variables.
🥟🐺🦊🥟🐺🦊🥟🐺🦊🥟🐺🦊🥟🐺🦊Futuristic threads of decision- as nonsensical as it soundsHyunjin floats in a mess of sound, images and feelings.His feet gently touches a golden thread that's suspended.He disappears and reappears in a photo frame. He watches Felix play tag with Changbin. He holds onto a phone, and dances around with it. Changbin stumbles over a stray cushion and lands with a "Thunk!" on the ground.
"Changbinnie?" Felix questions. His view is blocked by a couch. He panics and leaps over to find a still Changbin who doesn't budge. Felix checks for Changbin's breathing with a finger right under his nostrils -
When Changbin grabs him and sneaks the phone out of his hand. Felix hits a giggling Changbin in exasperation.But Hyunjin is pulled out of that thread. It disappears.He floats once again, like a baby in their mother's womb, until he comes to contact with another thread.He watches as Changbin grab Seungmin by the collar and slam him into a wall. Seungmin just watches a furious Changbin through his tears. Han storms into the room with some files. He drops the files when he sees them. He tries to pry Changbin off Seungmin but no response.Hyunjin watches that thread thicken. It morphs into a thick gold rope.There's a huge ripping sound that jostles Hyunjin awake. He swims through the fluid-like space and sees a red thread split into two.
"No!" he yells as he futilely holds on to the two ends. He is transported onto a road. Two cars lie on their backs, badly damaged. Hyunjin watches as Changbin's girlfriend is carried out. They cover her with a white cloth.Another stretcher hurriedly carries Changbin out onto a helicopter.It's too late, Hyunjin thinks. He walks over to inspect the third stretcher. Before he can do so, he is ripped from that past and floats in the previous space. He kicks agitatedly to find the red thread again.
Instead the sounds, images that were playing in the background freeze.Because on this day, the last bit of Changbin's story occured. His final moments after death.Hyunjin needs help. Fast.
🐷🐰🐷🐰🐷🐰🐷🐰🐷🐰🐷🐰
Changbin stretches on his couch. He knocks over some rogue papers, that litter the ground. A nice smell wafts into his nostrils and he sighs, Pancakes. How nice of Felix -His phone rings."To what do I own this pleasure, ma'am?"His bestie snorts, "I'd like you to get up and get work done, Sir."Changbin sighs."Chicken," she taunts, "Fried Chicken."It's been nearly two weeks since Changbin went to work. There was only so much that could go on without him. Honestly Changbin didn't want to see his Father's office empty. It was worse than the days he'd fly back and forth between hospital and work." I'm not.""Pork," she whispers and cuts the call."Yah!" he shouts into the phone and gets up. Ok, it worked. The degrade Seo Changbin and get him back, thing. Changbin appreciated it.He stretches again and flips a blanket off. He gathers his bearings before he dazedly gets up from the couch. He peeks into his kitchen, to find a Lee Felix making pancakes. Felix sees him, in all his ruffled - hair glory. It forces a tiny smile out of him to see Changbin act so smol'."Good morning!" Felix says."Morning," Changbin returns and sniffs happily.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Time stands still in Hyunjin's world. A blink, then two.It's stuck.He hurriedly lays hands on some trivial threads that play no large contribution to Changbin's life. He deleted a slipping incident out of Changbin's life, a moment in which he decides to buy a shirt with a rip-The same principle you would use on your phone. Delete some media to see if it would start working again.But it didn't. Hyunjin just frantically deleted snippets of everyday life, but no. No response. He contacted Bangchan by pulling at a bracelet of beads on his wrist.No response.He pulled at the beads so hard it finally ripped off.Then he realised he was doomed to stay so. Until one of the three saved him. Meanwhile he started to examine each existing thread. One by one. Millions of threads, all the time in the world.Till he found it. The moment they should reverse. The question is if he'll get there befire the Present does.Around the other two Ghosts' hands, one bracelet shatters, beads bouncing off floors, the sounds sending shivers through their hearts.🐷🐰🐷🐰🐷🐰🐷🐰🐷🐰🐷🐰🐷🐰
He is at work.He's been staring at a page for over half an hour trying to process that there's nobody in the adjacent cabin. He shuts the file with finality and pulls out a ring. It's a puzzle ring and he still can't get it. He's worked at it for hours but no success.
He is still absorbed in the ring when his phone rings. He is startled out of his deep concentration mode, until he notices the caller.
His cousin,Minho.Minho was a cat.There was no other explanation. It pretty much summed up his character. He had been through the - uh- progression of Seo Changbin to his upgraded 2.0 version.There's an invitation to a party. There's a decision that could flip the coin either way.Doom in doubles
There is a lull in the proceedings and she looks around with complete disinterest. She can't believe its an engagement ceremony. It's so somber,as if it's a funeral. She stands upto get a better view of her target. He is inebriated on wine, some sort of stupid dare from the groom-to-be. He has lost control of his limbs and words and the aforementioned groom-to-be sneakily takes photos in compromising positions. For later levarage of course, but only she knew that opportunity would never come. This was the last day. Her targets were always reached.She pretended to take a sip of water and glanced around her. The theme of the engagement party was some monstrous maroon affair that she found to be an eyesore. It was probably the result of an auntie from the Victorian era. Lace hung off tables chairs like flowers, While flowers were single white roses in glasses that were on the verge of getting burnt by the accompanying candles.There was a cake seated in front of her, bleeding a chocolate river on her white plate. She briefly considered stabbing it once more with her fork, but let it bleed. She looked up and saw another person staring her down. She briefly acknowledged him and pretended to take a bite of the chocolate mess. Oh bloody chocolate! In her haste it dripped down the front of her yellow dress.Then she looked up. That person had gone. She didn't think much about it. She mutilated her cake watching the chocolate bleed out of the core in a mess. The waitress raised an eyebrow when she took it away.Then she watched a girl help up her target, The Drunken Mess. The groom-to-be doubled up in laughter as he watched the target try to waltz with her. There was a playful slap and a cute pout in response-It was time to jump into action. She stood up from her table and made her way to the car park. She had to follow that car.The night was still youngChangbin was seeing little dwaekkis circle his head singing 'Domino'. He tried to catch one, but stumbled in mess of a mass of limbs and collapsed on the ground. He had given Felix a day off and he cursed his misguided views on employee's rights.He was rightfully dispatched to the backseat of the car with very rough treatment. He found himself staring at the carpets of the car and his legs in the immediate risk of being crushed by a car door. He swung his legs in, just in time."Thanks Minho," he heard her say."Shall I call him a driver? You can stay over at his place I guess-""No! I mean, I need to get home soon. Thanks Minho. Congratulations again."They greeted each other and she got into the driver's seat. Changbin quickly sat up."How's my performance?""Oscar-worthy, my child."She switched seats and allowed him to access the driver's seat. He cracked his knuckles and layed hands on the steering wheel and winked.He took off, completely hashing any doubts of intoxication. He blared out "Charmer" on loop. They sang along, cruising down the road, which was pretty much empty. A delivery guy passed them earning a snort from her."Slow-poke. Or should I say-""Don't you dare-""Slow pork."He tickled her with one hand, dissolving her into a fit of giggles.It happened so fast.It was loud, then it was silent. Then everything - froze.🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺
"No!" yelled Chan.It happened so fast.There was a loud sound. A light washed over everything. It was too late to scream. A car hurtled at them from behind and as all non-suspecting drivers, Changbin just watched the oncoming collision. Before his body could coordinate a response, his eyes saw his end. There was a jerk that pushed them forward, and Changbin could only watch as he felt everything.... fly.They rammed into - something - that became messy and sticky soon. Messy with shards of glass everywhere, sticky with blood. He was still alive, breathing. He had never felt more desperate to be alive, ever. He looked over at-She's gone.It was his fault. He should have been more vigilant. He tried to call her, one last time-Another sound blared from behind and for the second time, his life was tested. This time he couldn't survive. He felt a comfortable blackness, enveloping him. The trivial things couldn't find him. The important things will forget him. So all he had to do was...."Oi."He twitched, slightly. Then a slap landed on his butt."Ouch!" he woke up.Wait.He woke up? Why?
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Chan looks at Changbin. They're stuck in the present. Shards of glass are frozen in mid-flight. Changbin looks at his bestie in relief.She's not dead. Is she? Everything is just frozen. Isn't it? It's a nightmare for sure.Chan gives his hand out for a handshake. Some sort of muscle memory takes over and he finds himself pulled up from the ground.Changbin gets pulled along and he feels and odd sensation of lightness. He looks down to see a body. His body. Contorted and bloody, lifeless and grey. Just another name written on sand.He steps back in horror. "I'm -""Yes," Chan confirms, "You are."Changbin looks at her.Chan nods silently.Changbin breaks down. It's so silent his sobs seem to echo off every surface. He cries for her, for him.They both look around. In a lonely road, in a lonely night, two cars were there belly up on the road. There were shards of glass that left them unscathed as they moved through them.Changbin felt a tug. The tug became a pull. Then he watched Chan grow smaller in his vision, colours turned into streaks of freaky lights. When it stopped, he buckled under the force of the pull.He was caught by warm, strong hands. He opened his eyes to see a halo of light obscure his vision, then a face. A face that didn't betray age, dimples that would fry you with envy and last of all-Rizz."Comfy, Cupcake?"Changbin re-corrected his posture,"I'm sorry, sir.""I'm younger than you," he smiled, "No need sir.""Ah.""But I have lived longer than you.""Oh.""I need more emotion""Oh my God, that was awesome."The man sniffed in irritation, "Another humorless idiot." He snapped his fingers, "I'm Jeongin, The Past.""Oh.""Your taking this pretty well, aren't you.""Should I not?"Jeongin held out a delicate finger. Changbin hesitated and then, pressed his index finger to Jeongin's finger. They stayed like that for a moment."What the hell, dude?" Jeongin asked, "I'm pointing at your shoelaces. They're untied."Changbin blushed a shady red of shame and tied his shoelaces.He then looked up while Jeongin had started to walk. As they walked the world around turned into a dull, white canvas that took on colour as he started walking. He watched a familiar face laughed with her friends.Mother.She looked so young. Changbin wasn't born yet to give her wrinkles yet. She was so pretty, thought Changbin, but so unlucky in love. He followed her to the hostel with Jeongin but stopped him before he entered his mother's room."Dude, Where are your manners?? Stop following her!"Jeongin looked taken aback. Then he followed Changbin's train of thought."Don't worry. I'm trying to show you what exactly happened to your life. For that I must go in. It's not inappropriate, I swear!""That's not how-""I have her consent Changbin! Now before we miss it-"He pulled Changbin through the door with him, as easily as a ghost."Where's that number?" his mother muttered, " Tumti-tamti-toooooo," she sang as she looked through the leaves of a book and found it.Unfortunately this is the number Mr. Seo left behind. Jeongin will take him through that memory later. First, this.She then leaves to go to the payphone installed outside the hostel premises. She drops a few coins and dials the number. It connects, but before she can talk a voice whispers too her from the phone."I'll bring it soon. Can't you wait? You should get the money ready. Party or not these are quality goods! Lord, so impatient to smoke!"She cuts the call.She then dials the campus office and hands over the number. While most of us would have thrown the number away, she didn't. She should have.She dials her mother -the grandmother that Changbin never saw- and takes the number over the phone. She redials a seamstresses number and puts an order for a dress.She forgets that event, but she starts a chain of events that are completely unforeseen.🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺🐺It's upto the baby bread. Chan watches the last bracelet on his hand. He walks upto the other car and kneels down. He finds the Hitwoman, choking and breathing. She locks eyes with him and she starts to hyperventilate.The man at the party.Chan had heard someone tell him that his looks could kill. He didn't take it literally until now, when he watched her struggle more whimpering and the finally stopping. Chan sighs.None of this would have happened if Hyunjin didn't trip over Changbin's mother's s golden thread. At the moment she went to call the payphone, Hyunjin tripped and servered the thread. Nothing could fix a broken thread. Instead of crumpling the number aside, she chose to report the number. That shouldn't have happened.All Chan can hope is, that when Changbin finds out, he'll forgive them. Right now though they should reverse the single thread that sealed their human in death. Thanks to the sacrifice that his mother made for Changbin's future, they could do that.Chan watched as the scenery froze finally. He then went over to the other car, he pulled out the other girl's body. He gently picked out the large shards of glass, wiped the blood off to the best of his abilities. He then areanged a couple of flower stems from a wild flower bush near the road. He then took off, walking down the road, away from the scene. The streelights shone light in bands one after the other as he walked passed them.Loneliness wasn't a new concept for Chan. Yet it bothered him every now and then. There was nothing be could do except wait for the altered past to catch up with the present. If so he could go and free Hyunjin. He throws a gaze behind his shoulder as the smoke clears.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Seo Sr. is loitering around the Principal's office.It's a first for him. His daddy made sure no one got him for his own mistakes. Lecturers steered clear from Seo Sr. Rumor had it that he fired a lecturer for bumping into him.Diabolical lies. The lecturer had sniffed at him. Nobody bumps into him and gets away alive.Anyways.He did care for his friends. If they got caught bringing drugs and alcohol to the party, that just confirms he was involved too. He was actually, but no one needed to know that.This wasn't even the cherry on the cake. The Police had arrested his seller. Now the entire gang was out for his blood.He stared at the corridor, a chill running down his spine. A black capped man whistled down the corridor and smiled at him. The smile chilled Seo Sr. He felt his hand start to shake so he put them in his pockets.Sharks smell blood, his father told him, humans smell fear.The taller, more muscular man approached Seo Sr. Then he chuckled."Funny place to meet you.""It's difficult to meet you, Sir."Sir by name, but not by respect. Seo Sr. had been officially wanted dead, wasn't it? The attitude made it clear-"Interesting faculty you have. Maybe I would have studied in one too," the man looked around the corridor, "This place teaches you principles doesn't it?""I don't expect you to know-""Funny, sir. You don't even know the degree you're doing."Touché. That hurt, but there's no crybaby here.The man continued, "Someone had made an interesting phone call to your faculty. You should know her-" he broke off and studied Seo's face, "You didn't know? Hah!"The meeting doorn opened and Seo turned to see his friends. They walked past him stony faced."Your father made them take the blame," the man chuckles, "and he told us to do whatever we want with who ratted us out."Wait what?Seo watched him leave. He watched his friends walk down the corridor, adding distance between him and them. They should have done it earlier. Yet power blinds those around the source, because they believe they would be saved. But when the hour comes they will be betrayed.So Seo learned that this girl had taken the phone call to the dealer and when the number had responded a little suspiciously, she had complained to the faculty office.Who does that?Seo wanted to find this girl and strangle her. Before the Gang got her first. Seo had never murdered, but this could be his first time.Gossip spread like a wildfire and the girl who got the gang of bullies expelled became a hero. Seo felt his anger multiply whenever she laughed and joked with her friends. She had destroyed his surroundings in a couple of minutes. Who wanted proper human beings anyway? So Seo did what he does best.He tricked her.He pretended to be the rich boy with a naive trust in his bad friends. He'd sob his heart out in front of her. Whatever degree he was doing should be switched to Acting. Seo was amazing. Finally when they were heralded the campus couple, Seo found to his horror that she was from a rival group. So did his father. Seo's fate was sealed and a marriage was planned.A huge merging occured in his company and hers, Seo found himself drowned in work. Then one day she announced she was pregnant. Seo didn't care. He blamed it on work and left her alone in her pregnancy occasionally showering her with gifts. He had several secretaries with short service periods for reasons you can put together.Then came Changbin.The exact copy of himself. Seo felt pride when he saw the baby. True he had put in minimum contribution when making the child, but it was his. No matter what she said.Having a child opens a woman's eyes. Changbin's mother felt something off about her husband suddenly.Then she realised it wasn't sudden. She was a smart woman. She heard gossip about his affairs and hired an investigator.What he found shocked her.She found out the years of lies she was living through. The threat on her life. Why the older Seo had provided her multiple bodyguards. Why Seo Sr. didn't take her with him for public visits.A sham marriage, twisted with imminent death. It was a matter of time before they got to her.To escape from him she blamed his infidelity, took her son and vanished.Vanish was the word. None of the parties found her whereabouts.Until one day when her luck ran out. The drug Gang found her and finally took their revenge after years of waiting. Her death satisfied them and they left the remaining Seo in peace. Later, Seo Sr. came to take his child away.Changbin watched the reel of events like a mannequin at a mall. He wordlessly watched until it ended with his younger self getting into a car with his father.Who was at fault? His mother's unluck? His father's lifestyle? The Gang?🥟🥟🥟🥟🥟🥟🥟🥟🥟🥟🥟🥟🥟🥟🥟🥟Once upon a time, Hyunjin was playing around with threads.His current human responsibility, was too gifted. Gifted with rich parents, good brains, attractive personality. He watched several of her threads depressedly. Until he got to a thread where she would complain about a phone call of a suspicious number.That thread was so weak it was already fragile in Hyunjin's hand. The alternative thread which showed the reality that she just discarded the piece of paper with the number, was thick as a coir rope. He playfully bended it between his fingers as he watched the fragile thread disintegrate.Snap!Hyunjin stared in horror at the broken rope in his hands. The fragile thread stoped disintegrating and grew thicker."N-n-no," whispered Hyunjin.He watched as thousands of threads spontaneously combust. In the midst of the fire, charred remains of rope, he watched one third of the previous number of threads form.Lesser the number, lesser the life span.They were black charred threads. Hyunjin could only stare as the once golden thread room transformed into a pictorial description of depression.As her life careened into a mess, he watched and waited. There was nothing else he could do to repair his mistake . He waited.... and she was murdered.He didn't allow her soul to be taken to rest. He confessed to her soul and broke down apologising to her.She didn't forgive him. She bargained with him.For her son's protection they used the remaining energy of her soul and broke the rules. They would freely interfere with his life. Their target was to keep him safe.They will not fail.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Hyunjin was teleported. After being stuck like a wooden stick in the middle of a popsicle, Hyunjin was finally released to a different world. Seungmin's world.He saw a massive red thread thicken and form a rope. Curious, he touched it.***********************
"Don't."
Seungmin playfully pokes Changbin's face.
"Don't."
He pokes again and is subjected to a chokehold.
"Ah, hyung! I'm not as strong as you, Aaaaaahh!"
Changbin releases him scared a little by the over reaction.
Seungmin pokes him again.
Changbin loses it. He leans against Seungmin, and they topple over to the floor as Seungmin gives up on holding them up. Now he lies, like a layer of Jam on a sandwich. Flattened.
"Aaaaah," he cry laughs. Changbin lies like that for a minute and gets off, "All I feel is bones."
Sassy Seungmin is back, "I can't feel any bones."
He takes off Changbin hot at his heels.
********
Hyunjin lifts off his hand as he frowns. He looks around and sees another red thread grow and it's partially golden.
He touches it, as it grows stronger but not thick as a rope.
**********
Seungmin is watching the two.
Those two are stuck to each other 24/7. He is my Hyung, Felix seems to say.
He had never seen such a Bodyguard. So distracted at the same time so protective. Seungmin was jealous. Should he become a bodyguard now?
"Pizza for lunch," he hears Changbin say. Felix nods eyes trained on Changbin. As Changbin looks up at Felix, Felix's smile grows tenfold.
"Yes, Hyungnim."
That extracts a chuckle from Changbin that grows into a giggle and ends with a small knuckle bop on Felix's shoulder.
Food makes him a happy boi. A happy Changbin makes Felix a happy boi.
That makes Seungmin a sad one.
He sighs slowly and focuses on the presentation they supposed to complete. It's upto reviewing by Seungmin and he wants Han to appear and take his worries away. Aforementioned saviour is currently in deep "Discussion" with a certain worker in his office. Is that what kids call flirting these days?
He watches Felix massage Changbin's biceps and smile in approval. They start talking about something and Felix gets lost, looking at Changbin and then smiles when he notices Changbin has noticed he wasn't listening and then they both just smile-
Ew.
Seungmin taps the enter key with more aggression than it deserves and then saves tge presentation. He slinks away, unnoticed and he exits the meeting room-
To collide with Lee Minho.
Where's that Han then?
"Goodmorning sir!"
Seungmin is not in a 'Goodmorning to you too!' mood.
So he stares.
What he doesn't expect is for Minho to aggressively stare back as well. They're in the middle of the hall as they have a staring contest. Seungmin is no Chicken. He is definitely winning this.
Minho's eye twitches. He blinks.
Seungmin smirks. Now it's a good day. He bows his head in return and leaves.
"That child is a Maniac," mutters Minho for Seungmin to hear.
***********
Hyunjin is ripped from that world. He is back to being stagnant in Changbin's world.
***********
Chan watches with interest as time rewinds. Now there's 3 people in Changbin's car and it speed away, narrowly missing a rogue vehicle that slams into a neighbouring tree. The other car continues to drive and as the vehicle stops tumbling over, Chan inspects the car.
There's a woman who lies, dead. The same woman he saw at the party. He kneels down.
Insignificant lives. The living just replace a dead person's life only to be a dead person to allow space for another living person. So the sad cycle of life continues.
************
He is back at the funeral.
Changbin watches himself grieve. A wave of sadness hits him, that he cannot see his father again. He sees Felix watch him diligently, a hand that reaches out for his shoulder and falls down again. He sees Felix harden his face professionally and stare ahead. He sees his bestie coming to comfort him. He watches himself break down, he watches Felix crying behind him.
He turns to Jeongin.
They stare at each other.
"Why are we here?"
Jeongin looks incredulously at him, "The pendrive! Dude, didn't you notice you lost it?"
"Don't dude me. I didn't lose it, it's.... misplaced."
Jeongin snorts. He pushes Changbin forward and he stumbles. He collapses onto himself and the next thing he knows is that he is sniffling . He stops abruptly and watches Jeongin fade from sight.
He turns around and there's Felix. He doesn't see what Felix sees, a man with eyes that sparkle from tears, in need of a hug Felix can't give. He watches Felix grit his teeth and look steely.
His hands go to his pocket and rest on a pendrive.
He is distracted by another visitor.
************
He is home.
He has been dumped with the knowledge that his mother's life had been a mess of choices and decisions.
He needed more time to digest the information.
He twists the pendrive in his hand, was it some virus or spy app thing?
So he decides to use an old laptop he didn't use anymore. Can't risk any information to leak. He waits patiently and clicks on a folder that shares the secret of the pendrive.
He can't believe what he sees.
A list of transactions.
A voice recording of a meeting.
A CCTV recording of Lee Felix meeting up with a very familiar face.
Lee Felix.
Who are you?
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Lee Felix was getting some attention.
Too much attention.
In fact it felt like he was fried fish on a plate and was being deboned.
He was being scrutinized by Changbin. Not in the romantic way either. Every move of his got his Boss's attention.
They were at a party of some sort. Changbin played around with some food on his plate and looked up expectantly. Meeting Felix's eyes, something flashed in his eyes and then he broke eye contact.He never broke eye contact with Felix. He always smiled, winked or blew a fake kiss. Felix felt that feeling in his belly. Fear.He knows.Changbin knows.The worst thing in life isn't someone finding out your secret. It's you knowing, they know it, but won't do anything about it.Felix's knife cut a piece of celery.He shakily brought it to his lips. All duly noted by Changbin.The silence was artificial. The pressure was building up. Who would give in first?The hall was beautiful, Felix decided. He looked up at the ceiling, draped in colorful fabric - Changbin had hired a famous interior designer - all mixed up in intricate patterns that swallowed up the lights above to end in a single bouquet over the table.His eyes trailed back to Changbin.It always did.After months of being ignored by him, he finally had Changbin's full attention. But he didn't like it.This Changbin was different. No jokes nothing. He brooded over something most of the time and then dissected every word of Felix's. Felix felt embarrassed some times. So he'd taken a step back. Then two. Then he was running backwards.Now he was back at square one. Employee.This time, he wasn't going to level upto Friends.The celery was painfully washed down by some water. Changbin's plate had no less than what the waiter deposited. And Changbin loved food. This was bad.Surely was the fellow suicidal?Felix watched him for another millisecond only to fold his cutlery over his own plate. He was done eating. The celery seemed to swim down with the sip of water and settle somewhere in his abdomen.Is this what happened before people got fired?Felix watched as a dessert set in. Funny, he thought, he felt deserted right now. He and Changbin stared at each other, until Changbin sighed."Why?" he asked gently."What, sir?"The look of irritation that flicked across Changbin's face gave Felix a sense of satisfaction."Why are you staring at me?"Felix wasn't listening. He had noticed someone.She wasn't interested in dessert either. She was interested in Changbin. Not in the romantic way either. Felix tried to pretend eating the mess of chocolate slowly. Yet, his fork hesitated. They had started. Time was up. Changbin's time." We need to leave," he told his employer, "Sir.""Why? Will someone kill me?"In that instant Changbin regretted his words. Felix looked like he had been punched. His lips went deadly white and he seemed to be at the breaking point.What would have Felix done if he died as previously? Pocketed money and left? Moved on to help kill the next chaebol?Someone entered the colorful doom of a party. His fingers snapped twice. Changbin turned around to see a man slowly walk towards him.Like glass, he thought, fragile but sharp. Bloody, even.Hyunjin stared at Changbin. He should never know. That Hyunjin was the reason for this mess. In return, Hyunjin will break any rule, any regulation to keep him safe.Changbin, accustomed to eccentric ghosts constantly raiding his time, his peace of mind calmly took in Hyunjin. Both looked at a frozen Felix."Do you real want to know?," Hyunjin asked and extended a hand.Changbin placed a hand on the black glove and waited. The colours around him whirled into a messy artist's palette and settled in foreign layout."Welcome to the Future of What Could Have been."The two fade insignificantly into the background, while there are others who grow in importance.There he is.Felix was loitering around the funeral home, too scared to go in. Too scared for reality to sink in. He's gone? It couldn't be. He wearily pulls at his tie. A hand runs through his hair and gets caught in a tangle. He sits in the small bench beside a couple of trees. He fumbles his fingers. His hair falls, shielding his face from onlookers, as he looks at his lap and sighs."Ah, there you are."A thug walks upto him and slaps a packeted envelope onto Felix's lap. Felix stares at it. He then watches the thug salute him and get on his bike to leave. There's a wierd silence.That's when Felix breaks down.Huge, ugly sobs are torn from him. He loses control completely and leans forward on the bench. The packet of money falls on to the floor and he reaches out for it reflexively. He then stops mid-action when he realises the reason he has gotten the final payment.He slips out of the bench and sits on the ground. He sits cross legged and sniffs, trying to regain control, but he cannot. He throws the packet aside and hugs his knees to his chest. The sobs are muffled, but still there.He gets up, envelope forgotten and walks like a man in a trance. He waits in the bus stop nearby, head pressing against the stand wall slumped in defeat. Felix vs Karma ; zero to one.He aimlessly stares at the floor. A big black ant runs across the floor, grabs a crumb and disappears into a hole in the ground. A bus arrives at the stop. Felix gets up and gets into it. He just rides it to the end and takes another. Until its late in the night and he finds himself in a cheap food store. He downs bottle after bottle of Soju. He pays and leaves.He sits somewhere.He blacks out.He wakes up, alone in a world without -He has to wait to take a bus till next morning. He sighs and passes out on a seat.Felix is worse at home. Takeaway piles up in his sink. He is sporting a short beard. Then he catches sight of him in the fridge.Revenge.He goes to the bathroom.Whoever did it will die in Felix's hands. Felix doesn't childishly break the mirror or anything. He just calmly starts to shave.Changbin gasps as he is pulled in this future to a moment that he will soon wish to forget.It's a dark night. The darkest Felix has ever seen. A hidden alleyway riddled with thugs beating up a bag. A bag? Changbin watches in horror as they dump Felix out of the bag and restart their assault. Hyunjin has to hold him back as he tries to interfere in that time and space. He shakes off Hyunjin and runs to Felix.... Only to discover he can't touch Felix. He looks down at his useless hands and cries a cry only Hyunjin can hear."Tadpoles can't kill sharks." A voice grates in Felix's ears as he is repeatedly hit with an iron rod. Felix is a mess of blood and bones but all he can remember is Him. His mind flashes to a memory.
It's another gruelling workout at the gym. He is sweating profusely and panting. He douses himself with water from a water bottle. He flops down onto the floor; a mess of sweat.He can only look at Changbin, who's still going strong with his workout session. He curses in his head. Changbin looks over and lets out one of those chuckles."Don't lose focus," Changbin shouts across the reserved-only-for-me-gym, Felix lifts his head to focus on his Boss who walks towards him. He watches Changbin strike up a cute pose making two finger guns and lifting one leg up backwards, "Focus only on me."
Back in the alleyway that's precisely what Felix does. He curves into a little ball, smiling. Changbin never died in him. If he is lucky, he'll follow Changbin. Hopefully. Pain subsides and he can't help feeling at peace.There's a muffled noise and Felix releases a deep breath. It's the last one he had.A painful tightening of Changbin's chest makes him gasp. He starts coughing sobs, holding onto his chest and trying to breathe. He releases the pent up emotion he's bottled up about his mother's death, his reaction for Felix's actions and everything. His vision blurrs and Hyunjin snaps his fingers twice again.Changbin is pulled back to the present. He is a mess of tears and snot. Hyunjin gives him time to collect himself. When Changbin's eyes sparkle with remaining tears, it takes everything in Hyunjin not to pull him into a hug.Hyunjin pats Changbin in reassurance and disappears back to his complicated world of parallel possibilities. He adjusts time back.Changbin take his seat and stares at Felix. Like as if someone pressed PLAY, Felix comes to life. He seems to be staring behind Changbin. Curious, Changbin tries to turn back to see what has gotten Felix's attention, but Felix's voice stops him.Felix tells him, " We need to leave, Sir."Then he gauges Changbin's reaction, expectantly. Probably expecting a snarky comment. His eyes widen when Changbin just stands up wordlessly. Felix sees that and follows, hoping to get Changbin away from whoever who had planned -He is pulled into the warmest hug he had ever felt. A hug he'd never forget. One second, two sec-Hug later, save him first! His brain cries and Felix just breaks free and impulsively drags Changbin with him.They exit the building, and Changbin realises they're going to a bus stop. A few minutes of waiting which seems like hours, they get on a bus.Changbin just stares at Felix. It's just lucky that Felix takes the window seat to check if they're being followed. So, Felix is in Changbin's view.
"This isn't the way home."
"It is," replies Felix, "The way to my house."
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Chan watches as his surroundings unfreeze.
There is a mist that seems to roll off the surroundings, taking the colour of objects, until it's just a black and white picture, stuck in time forever.
The picture crumbles, frail as Chan's resolve. He gasps in reflex as he loses his footing and-Falls neatly on top of Jeongin.
"Urgghh!" groans the victim.
"I'm sorry, sorry-" Chan gets off. When he figures out who he has fallen onto he releases his weight back, "Help me!" he fake groans until he is slapped - playfully - and helped upto his feet.
The two chuckle for awhile.Chan watches the black hole from above close up. He turns to Jeongin.
"What did you do?"
"Changed the direction of the plot by changing the decision makers heart. It has caused the addition of new memories and decisions."
"Summarise all that please."
"Lee Felix. "
Chan is silent.
Is it a good alternative to introduce The bodyguard?
He needs to get to Hyunjin. If there's a change of decision making, there's a change of the future as well. This time there'll be no mistakes.They watched as the skies above them were illuminated with a pale pink light. A new scenery was drawn in front of them. A classy party with a disgruntled boss and a quaking employee.🥟🥟🥟🥟🥟🥟🥟🥟🥟He is stuck.
Like a fly in Jelly. Suspended but not free. He watches the tattered remains below. Black fumes caught in frame, the soot particles shining in the light. Ropes lie broken, once gold now black.It's as if Hyunjin took a breath and is about to release it the next second. The Waiting. For the next second.Suddenly with no warning, the invisible contraption that suspended all things breaks free.
So does Hyunjin.He falls, gracefully as always, and lands on his feet. He then watches the soot and rope melt into a thick black puddle and then get congealed into a mass of black.Hyunjin places a hand over it and flames shoot out at the contact point. Then black mass gets superheated and turns white. It bursts in an explosion of glitter.Hyunjin watches a mini glitter rain as white sparkles reach the 'ground'. Wherever they touch new ropes grow. Some disappear and reappear. There's however one red thread that gets entangled with a gold rope. It grows thicker and thicker and then a fat rope lies, a mixture of gold and red thread that makes Hyunjin frown."Unfulfilled?" he mutters. Having an unfulfilled relationship was not a happy sign. Changbin was going to stay in a one sided relationship. For life.Hyunjin watches the thread settle, gold threads writhing around like worms or snakes and resting in different sizes. Some recoil and disappear, some stay small, some grow thicker.
It's time for Hyunjin to enter the action.🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶(Day after the party)
Han is watching.
There's some sort of truce between the Cat and the Puppy. They're both silent and somber.
The Puppy is making coffee. Or rather he is waiting for the machine to do so. He prepares it and then hands the first mug to Minho. He reaches out for another mug and completely misses Minho's gaze.
Han wants to walk in but has to stop. The vibe doesn't feel right. He slips out leaving them together."Congratulations," Seungmin raises his mug and takes a scalding sip. His face is filled with immediate regret and forces a chuckle from Minho.
"Thanks," replies Minho. He blows on his coffee and takes a cautious sip. Then he watches Seungmin raise his mug in salute and leave.He watches the puppy for longer than necessary. Why does he feel like he just made the worst decision in his life to get married?🐥🐥🐥🐥🐥🐥🐥🐥🐥🐥🐥
(After the party, that night )Changbin takes in the modest surroundings. His feet are bare, he is wearing some baggiest clothes Felix has that after being returned are never going to be washed.
Control, Felix, Focus.
Changbin then stares into Felix's eyes, something that tells Felix he must tell his story. Changbin's phone rings. He taps a message impatiently to his driver to go and take the vehicle with two other bodyguards. He types that there's a security threat and he'll be with his personal bodyguard for the time being.
"Can I get you something -"
"Show me the kitchen."
Felix takes him there and answers his questions as to where the necessary equipment is, to find himself watching his Boss make a cup of instant coffee for them. They sip in silence. Then Felix starts to talk.
He talks for ages. It's all and a little more than what Changbin knows.Chan can only awkwardly look out of the window , trying to listen but stay out of it at the same time. Changbin sees him and nods once, unseen to Felix. They listen as to how Felix was issued a job to tail and work for Changbin. They listen as to what Felix has done. The leaked company info, Changbin's schedule....... All.Changbin only listens and watches his cup get empty. Then he decides its time for a new contract.
"There's something I need to introduce you to."
Chan gets startled."It's upto you to believe me or not."🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶Seungmin watches his father shakes hands with some man. He has access to the CCTV in every room anyway. Nobody needs to know that. He watches a girl get up and try to leave, but just then tea is served to them all.
Seungmin doesn't like this feeling.The odd feeling he had when Minho got engaged, the odd feeling he had when he saw Changbin exit the party with his boyfriend.
Bodyguard, bodyguard. He mentally corrected.He calls his secretary, "If CEO calls me, I'm unavailable."
As if on cue, a phone call is made by his father. His phone rings and he allows it to do so.
What he doesn't expect is, for Han to make an appearance. There is some sort of deal made and the girl unwillingly shakes hands with Han.
Han leaves with the girl in tow.
Now Seungmin is curious.🐷🐰🐷🐰🐷🐰🐷🐰🐷🐰🐷🐰Chan watches Felix's expressions.
It's comical. At first it was 'Let's - get - Changbin - a- psychiatrist.'
Then it was a 'Could it be?'
Finally it was, 'Maybe'
To tip the scales Changbin finally told Felix that he worked for some sort of gang. Then Felix was sold because he hadn't volunteered the information previously."What do you want to do now?" Felix asked.
"I don't know. Take revenge on the Gang that killed my mom? My father's dead. I'm left with a company I don't want. What do I do?"
Felix frowns and brightens up, "Let me bake for you."Felix gets up to go to the kitchen when he turns back on suspense. Changbin is following him like a duckling.
Felix allows him to.As he measures ingredients out and sifts them together he feels Changbin staring at him again. Different though. Maybe he is a few steps closer to 'We can start all over again'.
Then he decides to put the muscles to use and allows Changbin to stir the thick batter.
Which Felix kind of immediately regrets so he focuses on getting the baking tray ready for the oven. He pours the batter into the tray and watches as Changbin licks some batter of the pan off his finger. He sees the surprised expression and chuckles.He'll help Changbin. But Changbin owes him nothing. Something squeezes and releases in Felix and he releases a soft sigh.
Chan smiles to himself, a secret smile.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
It was a quite boring day.
Seungmin hid a yawn behind his hand as he watched minutes fly past. A couple of really absurd proposals had come onto the table making him wonder if they had really screened through the nonsense before they proposed it to the final meeting.At this rate the only thing that's going to differ from their product and Changbin's would be the packaging. They had even managed to steal the recipes from the biscuit brand. Seungmin sighed.
What he needed was a break.From this stupid stupid world. He looked at Han, who simply lounged on his swivelling chair, casually sending winks to some newbie. The fact that the newbie seemed to be as naive as she was beautiful made certain thoughts form and Seungmin sighed again.Humans are so gullible. And predictable.
There was a lull in the proceedings.
Seungmin stood up and left.What he needed was a coffee. Maybe Han would take over. He was responsible, no matter what freakish tendencies he had, he would be dependable.The air outside smelled a bit smoky. Seungmin regretted inhaling a full breath of smoke, he regretted leaving his room with the air purifier....
Until he spotted something that quite threw him off.🐥🐥🐥🐥🐥🐥🐥🐥This is not a date.
That's the only thing that repeated in Felix's mind as he looked at the adorable poodle haired Binnie in front of him.
This was torture.He was currently scrolling through Tiktok and snickering at some. Could that sound be materialised into a dessert? Felix would have it everyday.They had felt stuffy and that meant a coffee date.
It's not a date!
Unseen to both of them someone took a seat within close proximity. Close enough to hear but be unseen.Chan curiously materialised in the adjacent chair to Seungmin and wondered what exactly was going on in the other's head. So in a wierd way the stalker was being stalked.Oblivious to all the drama around him, Changbin remained engrossed in his Tiktok world. While Felix felt a little upset at being second to a social media app, he tried not to think much about it.There was a sweet smell lingering in the air, Felix noticed. It hurt not to be your favourite person's favourite person. Yet Felix could handle it.Seungmin sipped his drink silently. There was no conversation. No 'What are we going to do to save you' nor a 'Honey, how have you been?'.Had he completely misread the situation?Chan had a bad feeling. It was like watching a tide come towards you. The waves kept getting bigger and bigger while you were rooted to one place. Could they possibly invade Seungmin's time? His past? What you need to know first to win a game is your enemy's mind.
Was it wierd that Seungmin didn't feel like one?Chan could only watch Seungmin sigh softly, he himself incapable of understanding his thoughts. Changbin finally started making small jokes with Felix and was occasionally lost in the process of trying to count Felix's freckles.It wasn't until a while that Changbin realised Chan was sitting with some familiar person. Chan gave a him a small smile, that was all. He didn't think much of it.
Seungmin kept getting missed calls from an unknown number which is - according to his secretary - his supposed fiancée. Hadn't Han managed to win her over? Funny.
Then Lee Minho called.Seungmin picked it up on the second ring.
"Hello?"
Silence.
"Why?" answered Lee Know.
"What?"
"Why did you call me?"
"You called me!"
"Ah. OK."
The call was cut.
Seungmin stared exasperatedly at his phone, while Chan muffled his giggles.🥟🥟🥟🥟🥟🥟🥟🥟🥟🥟Hyunjin was transported back to Seungmin's Threads.
While he didn't necessarily understand why he had access, he wandered around the Threads until he saw something.Seungmin's threads clumped together like a thick python and writhed. A mess of golden fibers, with one red tinged thread running along the mess, it coiled around itself.
Hyunjin stared at the coil wordlessly.That meant that the Owner of the threads were just giving up on Destiny and forging their own. Hyunjin tentatively touched the huge coil, where it slithered in response and then stilled.
Changbin was his priority, but they had his imminent future going steady.
Why was Seungmin's future uncared for? Why was Hyunjin always in it?The Golden python, suddenly released itself from the coils. Hyunjin flinched and backed up, but to no avail....
The python like creature hissed and towered over Hyunjin and-
Swallowed Hyunjin whole.🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶Seungmin watched as Changbin gave a call and arranged something over the phone. He smiled at Felix, and Chan was playing around with the water droplets that had formed on a forgotten glass which held ice cubes. A drippy heart was drawn and suddenly a waiter grabbed it off the table.A parade of cars appeared and the view of a casually dressed Changbin and Felix walking together to their transport struck a chord somewhere in Seungmin. It tightened his chest amd left him breathless. Chan left, disappearing to some parallel dimension to avoid a horrible long drive back to Changbin's place.Seungmin was going to destress. He forged ahead to his favourite book cafe and enjoyed the walk at his pace. Or so he thought.
Something, literally fell from the sky onto Seungmin's head. He automatically reached out to get it and it was-
A dumpling.Seungmin watched as white leathery folds of delectable carbohydrates grew eyes and legs and saw him.
It screeched in mute and fainted.
Seungmin needed a psychiatrist, but the heaving - um- body of the dumpling cradled in his hand told him otherwise. A oily substance leaked from the dumpling and Seungmin realised it was it's own version of drool.He needed to get home. Probably hire a staff of scientists to probe and experiment.....The Dumpling came to its senses and curiously looked at Seungmin. Its mouth dropped open as it stared in aghast, succumbing to the puppy cuteness that a confused Seungmin's face had.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Changbin went back home.In the vast expanse of his house, he felt alone. The curtains stood to attention on either side of a large window. He watched the evening sun rays draw shadows, long and creepy over the walls.The smaller apartment of Felix felt more -He shook his head. No need to bring Felix into this mess..
So he opened a can of soda and then quenched whatever feeling he felt.
Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Chan fiddling with a flower on a pot."You've finished with me haven't you? Is there anything to stick around for?"
Chan smiled wistfully, "Sick of us already?"
"No, I just-"
"Bin, we're here with you forever. It's not just your Time. It's our time."
They both faced the window and stared at nothing in particular, enjoying the silence.🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶🐶There was the matter of the dumpling.It would itself be quite astonished by the fact that it was in fact edible. Seungmin didn't understand the mechanics but it was cute. He watched the fellow trail over his documents leaving slight oily prints. The stick legs were cute, like out of a cartoonist's mind or something.He gently lifted the fellow and frowned as it felt cold. Would tissues do? What if someone ate it? Would it expire?He gently wrapped the dumpling and tickled it a bit. He smiled so endearingly at it, the dumpling felt a little like choking. Breathless kind of, yes.So the dumpling fell asleep, unsure of how he got here, but it was sure he'd be taken care of.As a sudden waft of spices and other dumpling-ness hit Seungmin's nostrils, he realised that the dumpling had farted.💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔💔Jisung watched the crestfallen Minho walk past the empty cabin, crane his neck and look in. Then he walked off. He turned back and rechecked.Jisung sighed. For days he'd been going out and trying to act seduced with some girl his adoptive father wanted him to be with. Just because he didn't want Seungmin to meet her. Or anyone. Yet.
He missed Seungmin.His 'brother'.
Jisung smirked as he flipped over papers of a report, it's glistening charts and bars conveying nothing to him. Will Minho ever know how Seungmin looked like when he told Jisung about baseball? How he had attempted to teach Jisung and failed (of course the student was learning other stuff.)Did he want to help Minho? No!
Seungmin was Jisung's. Even though he didn't know it.
All he had to do was wait, until Seungmin fell for him.A knock at his door and it's transparency showed an inquisitive Minho. Jisung hid a smirk.
"Come in." Minho stumbled in a little unsure of what he wanted to do.Minho opened his mouth.
Jisung waited.
Minho shut his mouth.
Jisung raised an eyebrow.
Minho gestured and Jisung frowned in confusion.
Silence fell.
"Seungmin -"
Ah, LeeMinho. It was Seungmin!? Not Mr. Kim Seungmin or anything?
Jisung watched as Minho flailed helplessly for a few minutes, in amusement. Oh he was so going to make this difficult."There's a report-"
You're not even in the same department, Lee Minho.
"Will he come-"
He won't. But should you know? Just suffer. Suffer because you're too proud to tell him you like him. Suffer because my brother is mine and will always be.A blush rose from Lee Minho's ears and stalled Jisung's spiralling. Stalled? More like gave him more material to spiral in a different direction.Why couldn't Seungmin obsess over him, like Minho obsessed over Seungmin? If Jisung was doomed to be a villain in love-Jisung smirked again. Should he create a love triangle? One that Minho thought Jisung loved him?🐥🐥🐥🐥🐥🐥🐥Felix tore a piece of chicken from a leg of fried chicken.His new friend, was sighing. A cute cute adorably adorable Jeongin.
"He has a small mouth but the widest smile in the world!"
Jeongin took away his soju glass.
Felix pointed at him with the chicken leg , "I'm wearing his clothes," he gestured at his atatire, "It's actually my clothes that he wore. But it smells of him."
Jeongin was hygienically concerned."Have you fallen in love, Jeongin?"
Jeongin stared at sparkling eyes, drunk cheeks spattered with freckles and lips glistening with grease. He could fall in love, he thought. If it was Felix. Inspite of the fact that he was a typical human with that human thing that makes them want to have things they don't have.Its good to have saved Felix while saving Changbin. Jeongin scattered a little gold sparkles and made Felix sleepy.
"I hope you find him, Lix-hyung," he whispered, unaware of the little sparkles that stilled danced over Felix's freckles, "The one who'll love you with everything they have."
The sparkles disappeared, like blessings bestowed.🫥🫥🫥🫥🫥🫥Our villain cackles over a glass of wine as he sets eyes on the report before him. A single gold thread lies in a clear bag.All he needs to do is find those miserable ghosts of Changbin's time. The ritual they had committed was successful in vaniquishing the most important ghost; The One of the Future. He shook his head in disbelief, he had doubted his source. She had in fact told him the truth.The single Gold thread was from Changbin's Future, a symbol of success from the ritual. They had used Seungmin's hair clippings, drawn that Ghost out of its sphere of control and catapulted him into Seungmin's time and space. Then destroyed him.So Changbin's future was out of control. All he had to do was catch the other two and get two more gold threads. Then the final ritual will kill Changbin.Seems like some pact was actually made to prevent him from dying. His gossipy ghost had told him a little too much of everything.All he had to do was find two more threads and he can change the future back to what it should be. A world without Changbin. For a Company that could be bought. Ah he was ruthless, wasn't he?He looks around to find his little useless ghost of time. She sniffles, and wriggles against her bonds. It was a miracle for him to find her.But that again was a wonderful story for a next time.He snickered at how easy she was. All he had to do was make her believe she could make him a better person. As she switched into her human form - after much persuasion- she was caught like a mosquito.He has extracted so much of information from her. So much-
Victory was near.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Jeongin is flabbergasted.He doesn't know what's happening right now but he feels tight. Like someone put him in a two sizes tight suit.Against all logic and sanity he was in Felix's apartment and was listening to a lengthy apology.Felix, an ex-criminal and newly reformed one-sided lover was offering brownie after brownie to Jeongin.He had eaten 5 so far.Jeongin didn't like sweets.The chocolatey mess twirled within his stomach and penetrated his heart. His heartstrings were rhythmically twanged to the sound of a silent song."I'm not a lightweight," Felix was saying but all Jeongin could hear was his heartbeat.The cool morning sunlight filtered through the little holes of the window grate and fell on Felix. His blonde hair caught the light and looked ethereal. Freckles just dusted across his face like some master stylist noona had brushed them over his nose-Jeongin suddenly felt light. Like very light, white, fluffy-Fluffy?Felix watched his 23 hour friend just morph into a loaf of bread. His apology fully stopped and he grew concerned."Hallucinations," he muttered, but the bread awkwardly got up and walked on its brittle legs and peeked down from the chair.It was a long way to the floor. To make things worse, he was shedding flakes of bread and could only imagine what sort of body parts he would miss when he turned back.If he turned back.A delectable loaf of white bread. It whipped its head up and stared at Felix. Then shuddered. What if Felix decided to just apply some butter, toast him and eat him?He squeaked and Felix jumped out of his skin.
"Innie?""Squeak!"Felix reached out and was greeted by a range of squeaks of terror."It's okay. I won't eat you. Lemme-"Jeongin felt himself be picked up in Felix's warm hands be raised to the level of his eyes."I'm here. No one's going to get you."Felix needed answers. For now though the one he wanted to ask most was if Jeongin would expire like all stale bread would.🍞🍞🍞🍞🍞🍞🍞🍞🍞🍞🍞🍞🍞🍞🍞🍞🍞🍞Changbin is making a protein shake.
He gulps it down and wonders where exactly Chan went. He needs to consider work more seriously. After all it was his job-A red light washed the apartment room in the unmistakable color of danger. Changbin turns around and before he can come to a conclusion Chan materialises from nothing. He grabs Changbin and pulls him into-His Threads.There in considerable disarray. Overgrown threads have criss crossed with nonsensical ones and there's a wierd python who's in the process of eating Changbin's Threads.Changbin's mind wraps around the idea of being suddenly thrust into the world of some fibers and a python who eats them but focuses on Chan valiantly spearing the python in various places. With a very small knife, that Changbin didn't think was very useful.Suddenly leftover Threads coalesced to form a single gold sword. If you looked closely at it separate fibers could be seen.Changbin charged. Some sort of energy spurred him on and he ran towards the python. It turned and snarled in Changbin's direction. Changbin lifted the sword and plunged it upto the hilt into the eye of the python.It screeched, tossing Chan off of him. Chan rolled over and stood on his feet. The python disintegrated into a mound of shining gold sand.
Chan poked at it once experimentally. He then produced a big black garbage bag and started filling it up with sand. Changbin ran over to help but was stopped."Don't touch this."🥟🥟🥟🥟🥟🥟🥟🥟🥟🥟🥟🥟🥟🥟🥟🥟🥟🥟The dumpling was sight seeing.Placed on a little box which once held some branded bracelet, it curiously stared at its owner,slaving away at a report. The fingers tapped keys at an alarming speed and the dumpling sighed. It settled in its moist velvet cover, and snuggled upto the little handkerchief it was covered with.Then it felt a little odd.A tingle here a tingle there.BAM!A spray of golden dust erupted like the world's worst glitter bomb and rained on the dumpling and it's owner.Seungmin slowly shook his head, the glitter fallen on his hair falling onto his face. Then he blinked once. Twice.Gone was the dumpling. In its place a man in a leather jacket (not animal sourced) sat catching raining golden dust in his hand.
Seungmin stared.Hyunjin smiled at his awed expression and took a deep breath."Who are you?"But that question couldn't be answered. Because Seungmin was fading away.Hyunjin stumbled and got up, the glass surface of the table and his leather outfit creating a squeak as he did so.As Seungmin stared in distress at Hyunjin, Hyunjin was left with the remnants of gold dust that disappeared from sight.Like Seungmin.🫥🫥🫥🫥🫥🫥🫥🫥🫥🫥🫥🫥🫥🫥🫥🫥🫥🫥A furious hand thuds on the table it lay on.Kim just listened to the tale of his latest crusade being an utter failure.He faces his little informant who shivers in fear and tries to move away from him as his heavy palm slaps her across her face. Once, twice.She coughs onto the floor, gasping and watching as he walks past her.Kim locks the room and uses the lift to get to the office floors above. He is met with considerable confusion. The police storm the building trying to keep the media at bay and questions are thrown at him like lit firecrackers.
He has lost his heir.Seungmin has taken the fall for his deeds.He shrugs off the guilt internally as his bodyguards guide him to safety. It was a risky investment. It didn't pay off.He still had Han Jisung.
One more try, he swore, one more......The hallway freezes in place as the lights turn out one by one. Kim looks in horror as a single man walks to him, no resistance from the guards.Lee Know looks with disgust at the man.
"Hands off Han, Oldie. Haven't you had your lesson with Seungmin?"Kim opens and closes his mouth like a fish. Lee Know whispers in his ear."Ah, to bring Seungmin back I need a bit of someone's future. Since you don't have much left, I'm going to take all you have."A snap of the fingers and Kim sees blackness engulf him. His last view is of a smirking Lee Know who does absolutely nothing to help.