1 salt✅

Mother Earth

I felt my body being touched which only caused me to scream louder. Hwanwoong couldn't be dead. He wasn't clumsy enough to fall into a crevice. I started to gasp like a fish out of water due to crying uncontrollably and not allowing myself to really breathe. I felt my body being pressed against someone else's then a constant cool breeze being directed into my face.

"Maybe we shouldn't have told him..." said Dongju as he looked at me with guilt.

"No one expected him to fall..." Keonhee replied as he comforted Youngjo.

I couldn't quite understand them as my body was more in tune with who was cradling me in their arms and my own disgusting sobbing. I started to quiet down after a while then heard the person whispering sweet and comforting words in my ear while stroking my hair.

"It's gonna be okay, Seo. Let's try to sleep, okay? You're probably very tired after crying so much." Geonhak said before planting a kiss on my temple.

Geonhak motioned for one of them to do something as they took off quickly. He was right. I was tired and could barely lift my limbs. I let my body go limp in his arms as I was completely drained.

ㅠㅛㅠㅛ

I opened my eyes and found myself lying in a bed. The room wasn't my own. I sat up and found I was alone. I moved to get out of bed then hissed as a few spots on my body felt sore. I turned towards the door that had just opened.

"Keonhee...?" I called out in confusion.

"My place was the closest... How are you feeling? Can you eat?" he asked.

I simply nodded. He left the room and I then slipped out of bed. I walked over towards the window and saw people carrying on as usual, as if the entire Earth didn't swallow them whole. A part of me wished I could forget, just like them. Maybe then it wouldn't hurt so much. The door opened again and Youngjo had joined me by the window.

"Doesn't feel right does it?" he asked softly.

"Not at all." I responded, knowing exactly what he meant.

"What will I tell his friends? Parents?" he grumbled before hitting the window. "His mom would be the most devastated..."

I sighed then moved away from the window. He didn't say anything. I opened the door to leave the room. He was still silent. I closed the door behind me.

I went out for a walk then grimaced at the carefree humans. What were they so happy about? They didn't have a right to be happy. I started to wish we left well enough alone. I sighed then kicked a pebble. I kept walking then passed by a high school. I looked farther down the block and saw a playground.

I quietly sat on the swing as I let myself feel upset. I shouldn't have pursued him. Would that have changed things? I heard the swing beside me move, so I looked to see what it was. My eyes widened and my mouth was shaped into an "o". There sat someone with the spitting image of Hwanwoong. I tried to greet them but found myself at a loss for words. Maybe it was his brother.

"Hwanwoong?" I called out. He looked at me with a confused look. "Sorry, I... mistook you for someone else."

I quietly swung then felt myself starting to feel broken all over again.

"How do you know my name?" he suddenly asked.

I stopped then looked into his serious face. Everything looked exactly the same. There was no way he wasn't the real deal.

"It's me, Seo! We met at the mall in Chuncheon." I said hurriedly.

"Give me a straight answer or I'm calling the police." he threatened.

"I swear, we know each other! You're a dancer instructor and you teach from ages 10-50. Your best friend is Kim Youngjo that famous fashion designer. You live up north in Chuncheon..." I blurted out, unsure of whether or not it would help or hurt me.

He tapped on his phone then put it to his ear. I scrambled out of the seat and dashed down the block. Was it really Hwanwoong? Didn't we all see him die?

"Hey!" I heard a familiar voice shout.

I stopped and let Hwanwoong catch up to me.

"Look, I don't know you nor how you know so much about me, but if Jo is vouching for you... I guess it's okay." he said then held out his hand.

I nervously took it and was amazed at how real it felt. He wasn't a ghost.

ㅠㅛㅠㅛ

I was snapped out of my thoughts by a person sitting across from me.

"Well, what did you think about?" she asked.

I retold everything then felt more hollow inside. It wasn't real. Hwanwoong wasn't reincarnated. I never met him again. I heard her sigh then jot something down.

"It seems we're going to be meeting a lot, Mr. Lee." she said with a sad smile.

I just nodded. It was impossible for me to function right after everything. They were fine with letting me have a paid leave as I worked on bettering myself. I covered my face as I contemplated on how I let myself spiral down to the point I needed therapy. I wished we had never saved the world as it meant I'd still have him in my arms. Perhaps I started thinking of taking matters into my own hands and sending others to join Hwanwoong in eternal sleep.

I was crazy enough at this point to do it.