(LeoN/NEO) If You...

Chapter 20

'Haerin! Don't say that.' Amelia scolded her.

'Sorry. But it's just so strange that Hakyeon would just disappear out of nowhere and not return even at this hour!'

They all looked at the clock and it was getting closer to midnight. All was worried, even Taekwoon.

'What did the folks say? Did anyone see him?' Taekwoon asked.

'They said Hakyeon was running all over the town by himself earlier. Alone strangely. Something about a little girl losing her parents but when I asked around, there wasn't anyone looking for their child either.' Haerin answered.

'I should've went after him earlier!' Taekwoon blames himself.

During his music class earlier, as he was playing the piano for the children sitting around, Taekwoon noticed a rather sad expression on Hakyeon who was watching quietly. He saw Hakyeon's tears suddenly and left the classroom. He was worried about the boy but because he was in the middle of the class, he couldn't go after Hakyeon.

'It's all my fault,' Taekwoon was frustrated.

'Don't blame yourself. It isn't your fault. We'll find him,' Amelia patted Taekwoon on the back to comfort him.

The three of them continued asking and looking around the town past midnight but there was still no sign of Hakyeon anywhere. It was late and the streets have already been swept clean and quiet. All the shops have already closed for the day and everyone had returned home for the night.

'We'll continue the search once the sun is up. It's getting too dark and the weather doesn't look that great either. If Hakyeon still doesn't return by the morning, we'll ask everyone in town to help with the search okay?' Amelia suggested. 'Let's get some rest for the night. It's been a long day.'

Taekwoon nodded and both Amelia and Haerin went back to the bakery. But he couldn't stop his worries nor his search. He was too worried about Hakyeon to just go home and sleep. Just the thought of anything happening to Hakyeon scared him.

Where are you Cha Hakyeon? Please God don't let anything happen to him.

Taekwoon doesn't know why but his heart has been beating curiously since the first time he met Hakyeon. Although he didn't talk much with the boy, Taekwoon felt a strange familiarity with him. He felt comfortable just at the sight of Hakyeon but he was too shy to let up a conversation. He's never felt this comfortable with anyone before but why Hakyeon only?

He still remembered it like it was yesterday when he woke up without a single memory of who he was or where he was. When he first opened his eyes back at the orphanage, he panicked and screamed wanting to escape but no where to escape to. He doesn't remember where his home was nor who he was. Even the name 'Taekwoon' was given to him by the Father back at the orphanage. It took the Father and the staffs several weeks to persuade Taekwoon that it was all right to come out and that no one would hurt him.

Though he has now grown fond of the town and its people, Taekwoon constantly thinks back and tries to recollect his memories. He tried everything to remember who he was yet nothing worked. Nothing until he met Hakyeon. Something about his meeting with Hakyeon triggered a strange pain within him.

Something about Cha Hakyeon felt familiar to him. Something about just seeing Hakyeon made Taekwoon feel strangely happy and sad all at once. He couldn't explain why but it was obvious to him that as the two got to know each other, he realized that Hakyeon was trying to avoid him. But why? What did Taekwoon do to Hakyeon to make him be avoided? Does Hakyeon know...?

* * * * * *

Taekwoon walked around the empty and quiet streets of Pinewoods over and over again. Yet there was not a single sign of life nor Hakyeon. Just when he really thought about giving up, he heard a call.