Two Worlds // Bang Chan

𝖋𝖎𝖋𝖙𝖊𝖊𝖓

"I... I can't feel the pain all of a sudden... w... wh-"

"Chan" I cupped his cheek with one of my hands, making him look at me.

"...What happened?"

He just stared at me, not responding.

I sighed and started untying him. "We need to get somewhere where no one can find us, can you get up?" I leaned back and looked at him, and he looked down, slowly nodding.

I got up, holding his arm as he stood up. He stumbled a bit, but I quickly wrapped an arm around his waist steadying him.

We walked and walked until we stumbled across a hut again.

...There's two of them around here?

We walked in, and I sat Chan down on the bed.

I turned around and looked for anything useful. There was a table, a cabinet and some water bottles.

I opened the cabinet and saw a few cloths that were surprisingly clean. I closed it and then spotted another small table in the corner of the room. I walked over and saw some clothes folded on top of it.

I then got a bowl and filled it up with water, then put it on the desk next to the bed.

I looked at him and he was staring at the floor, with blank but teary eyes.

I put my hands on the hem of his shirt, and he flinched backwards.

I sighed and said, "Take off your shirt, it's covered with blood."

He looked down at his shirt then took it off, and I took it throwing it to the side.

I put my hands on his shoulder and moved him to sit leaning against the wall.

I got the cloth and put it in the bowl, squeezing out the excess water afterwards.

I cleaned the blood off his chest, but froze when I saw clean skin. No wound was there, but an old burn mark.

...Isn't that the mark I thought I saw before? So I wasn't just seeing things?

Chan noticed me staring then widened his eyes, covering the mark with his hand.

I looked into his eyes and he looked back fear in his.

"Hey... what's wrong?"

He kept silent, but looked down, biting his bottom lip.

I slowly took his hand off his chest, looking at the mark, making him tense up.

It was definitely a symbol of some sorts, but of what?

"What is it? A symbol?"

He looked up slowly at me and stared into my eyes for a moment.

"...Don't you... know what it is?" he asked, it coming out as a whisper. "No... am I supposed to?" "...Who are you, really...?"

I sighed and asked, "What is the mark?" He sighed and looked down again. "It doesn't have a name, but everyone knows what it looks like. If you have it, it means you've done something unforgivable. And if you're spotted with it, you die."

"...Then how come you have it?" "Yedam's parents did it" he muttered.

"What? Yedam's parents?!"

He let out a shaky breath and brought up a hand to wipe his tears, but I quickly got hold of his wrist.

"It's covered in blood." I got a cloth and wiped the blood away, then put it down.

I cupped his face with my hands and wiped his tears away carefully, though the tears never stopped flowing down his cheeks.

I sighed and scooted closer, wrapping my arms around him gently and placing his head on my shoulder.

"...Was it Yedam?" I guessed, asking softly, running circles on his back.

He nodded, sniffing. He pulled back looking down.

"I trusted him and brought him into the castle, allowing all this to happen. He had no regret, no empathy, nothing. It was just evil in his eyes."

He let out a shaky breath and said, "I did this... Junhyuk was trying to stop Yedam from coming with me to the castle when we were young, but I didn't listen. I-"

"Chan" I sighed and he sighed too, looking up to look at me with painful eyes.

"It's my fault... everyone's in danger now because of me... and I can't do anything now, because of this stupid mark" he said looking down at his chest.

"Chan... everyone's in danger. You have to do something."

"What about the mark? Yedam will use it against me. People I thought who's been on my side hate me because of it."

"Just tell them what really happened. There's at least Junhyuk... and that guy Changbin. They'll believe you."

I cupped his cheek and he slowly looked up into my eyes.

"You can do this Chan... I believe in you" I smiled softly.

I caressed his bottom lip with my thumb, leaning in to give him a short, encouraging peck.

When he finally smiled too, I smiled even wider, knowing he was going to try putting things right.