777 Ways

CHAPTER 13- SOUTH KOREA

"It's fiction, Jinyoung. I've dreamed about it a couple of times. You need to write a book, and I am just providing you ideas to work on. I do think you need an assistant, and I'm glad to help while I'm around." Mark said emotionlessly. All the furor that filled his voice while he was telling his story was swiftly gone.

"Well, I'm a quite skilled listener, and some stuff you said just sounded like reality. Why don't you be honest with me? You often mention that there's no use saving what's already lost. All this time you've been talking about your humanity, haven't you? I wasn't able to understand you, but know I think I can! Even the name, China Doll, that's how they used to call you, right? That's why you hate it. That's why Bambam hit me-"

"It's just make believe! You're reading too much into it. Come on! A cult of Dolls? A legion of worshippers? A big bad Doll Collector? It's just a grotesque fairytale, make-believe. Seriously, you've got it all wrong. What makes you think I'm an inanimate, insensate nothing?" Mark asked abruptly cutting him off, and giving him a glassy look. The writer gasped. He was convinced then that the older was one of the dolls mentioned in that deranged story.

"Was Cameron one of the doll worshippers? Was he the one who broke you out of there? Where was this Collector's Case to begin with? The Repairer, the Programmer and all the other characters...They were real people, right? When did this happen to you? How? Why? Was it before, or after you met SooYoung?" The author asked exasperated as he held Mark's hands.

"I'm actually flattered that you feel so moved by my tale. But it was never my intention to make you think that whatever I've just narrated was based on real-life events. Wake up, Jinyoung! It was not real." The American insisted with an uncanny expression on his face. "Do you think a doll wouldn't remember being a doll?" He added reticently, as he seemed to question his own words. The older's weird behavior made the younger even more certain of his suspicions.

"Bullshit! Why do you keep denying me the truth!? You do that all the time!" Jinyoung stood up, unable to digest what he had just listened. "I'm not an idiot! I saw the scars, I saw the way you looked torpid in Daniel's arms at the penthouse! You were empty, your mind was gone! You were trained to act that way!" The author pushed, craving, yet, fearing that confirmation. He didn't think any human being deserved to go through such a bizarre experience.

"Nonsense! This plot just came to me when I was getting ready to bed. I thought you could make use of it, for your novel. That's why I came here. You don't have to get so worked up, just chill." Mark said in an alien voice, as he also got up from the bed and faced the writer. "Sorry to disturb you. I'm going to my room now. Good night."

"Mark, wait!" Jinyoung shouted before the American reached the door. He noticed that Mark was shaking and he couldn't help but worry for him. To his surprise, the older turned to him again with a hopeful look on his face.

"Can I stay here, then? And perhaps not talk about this story for a while? There's a weird noise in my room. Is it okay if I sleep with you? I mean, I would just lie beside you, no touching, nothing like-"

"You can stay, Mark. And we don't have to talk about it." Jinyoung cut him off, and grabbed his arm. He brought him to his bed, and covered him with his sheets. They stared at each other for a long minute, until the writer laid beside him and told him to get some sleep. The sun was already rising outside, and the concerned Korean knew he wouldn't be able to sleep anymore at that point. More than ever he missed home, the predictable normality of his daily routines, his language, his friends and family, his work, and the very South Korean air that never failed to soothe his soul. He thought that Mark could use some of that uneventful balance in his life. And for some strange reason, Jinyoung felt like he wanted to be the one to offer him that. He came to realize that if Mark was really a monster, it was because he was made a monster. And perhaps, since he was not born a monster, he shouldn't be held accountable by the monstrosities he himself committed. After all, the real monsters were those who damaged him in order to transform him in an 'inanimate, insensate nothing'.