Of Scythes and Strawberries

11 : Serendipity

Jail wasn't the best place to stay in after a major heartbreak, but that was the best Jongin could do.

So, he sat there in a cell, with his head against the cemented cool wall, staring at the metal bars. His cheeks were dry and itchy, because he had been weeping for a long time now. He had never felt so...empty. The ghost party stood around him, in the cell, outside the cell, all around the area, looking sad and miserable. L was crying.

Jongin just wanted all of them to leave.

He needed to be alone.

The stinky, damp and salty smell all around wasn't per se, unpleasant. He just wanted to sob more, and nobody would question why he was crying. It was only common to cry in a jail right? He felt so sad though, that he felt he might cry in the happiest place ever. His heart wasn't even beating. It lay there, lump of hurt, and loneliness and pain that was his to carry till the end of his life.

He wondered if he died Baekhyun would come to collect his soul. Then, Baekhyun would first have to submit himself since he had the biggest part of Jongin's soul. Jongin had heard of phantom pains in amputees' bodies. Right now, he felt phantom pains throughout his soul, yearning for the treasure that he had lost. What a cursed pair they were! They either ended up dead - physically, and sometimes, they ended up feeling like dead.

Another tear slid down his cheeks.

"Jongin-ah," L sobbed, "I'm so sorry. We tried to stop the police. We...failed." Jongin wanted to smile and tell her it wasn't her fault - it wasn't. But he couldn't smile. He couldn't talk. He wasn't upset because he was in prison, and a criminal - no, he was hurting because he was as empty as he could ever be.

"Jongin..." Cherry whispered, her head down, and Jongin sighed -

"You...guys should leave," He said softly.

"But-!"

"Please," He pleaded, and slowly the ghost gang dissipated, leaving him even more alone than ever. And then, the sobs started building up in his chest. Baekhyun was gone. The ghosts were gone. Chanyeol and Kyungsoo would never understand. Taemin would never learn. His family wouldn't believe. He was all alone.

All alone.

Maybe, the ghosts and Baekhyun were all his imagination. How he wished they were! He would rather be insane than broken and alone and lonely.

Lonely.

All alone.

"Jonginnie," A soft, familiar voice filled with warmth. It can't be. He didn't dare look.

A sob that completely sucked the air out of Jongin's chest. No.

"Jongin -" Sob, "I- I'm sorry. I'm an - an idiot."

He wasn't going to look. No.

Another sob that wrenched his heart out.

He looked to his side and there he was.

Baekhyun. He was sitting on the floor, outside the bars. His black robe lay all around him like some sort of garden, full of black roses. His little face was a little red, full of life, crying and wet. So hurt. His hair was a mess. And his eyes - his eyes looked at Jongin with a multitude of strong, painful yet...somehow beautiful emotions.

"Jongin!"

Jongin couldn't do this. He extended one arm out through the gaps of the bars and wiped the hot, wet tears away. This person was the love of his life. He couldn't let him cry.

At the action, Baekhyun only cried more and leaned into his touch, cradling his hand to his face and planting soft, feather-like kisses all over it. Jongin cried too. Baekhyun was there. Baekhyun didn't leave him alone.

"I'm sorry. I panicked. I'm sorry!" Baekhyun was sobbing, "Don't...hate me. Please."

Jongin clasped Baekhyun's hands strongly, "I could never. Baekhyun, I - I love you."

"I love you too!"

Jongin let out a wet laugh. Baekhyun laughed too, but then he started crying adorably, apologizing repeatedly. Jongin smiled.

"Please don't cry. If I don't get life imprisonment, I'd get you strawberries."

Baekhyun's laugh made everything worthwhile.