Word count: 1756
Warning: slight violence and panic attack
Just as I was about to grab her hands to guide her back to school, a black car stopped by us.
Well, long story short, we got acquainted with all those unrealistic looking people. I mean, really? Natural silver hair in this continent? That is impossible with their parents having normal coloured hairs here. Okay, maybe that's possible. I got a random lock of white hair too (because of a health condition I got) but not entirely like Eun Ji-ho. Plus, Yeoryeong got the most unrealistic hair colour anyways.
Moving on, we became friends and faced with many comical events throughout middle school. Then, high school approaches. Little did they know, something unspeakable will happen at the sudden gathering they held.
And it all revolves around our peculiar twins...
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
" You.. want us to pretend we're strangers..?" - BY
" Tell me you're joking, Dan-ii." - DL
" Sorry, Dae-il... It's just... I can't handle it..." - DI
" . . . Why?" - DL
" Tell them, Dan-ii. What happened on March 2nd." - KE
Dae-il flinched at what he heard. His body trembled slightly as his breathing took a down turn. Trauma crept slowly into his heart. He could only partially focus on what Dan-ii said, almost got distracted from the replays of terrifying experience he had gone through. At times, his eyes squinted, remembering every single pain inflicted on him in the past...
And all his body language didn't went unnoticed.
Ji-ho had been wondering if the other twin knew what his sister had been planning and his reaction says it all. Not only that, it seems that there are more to the story behind his actions.
Just as she finished her story, silence engulfed the atmosphere but in a split second was broken by a low chuckle from Dae-il. His face emanating mock and slight pain as his body shook from both fear and the snicker he let out. The smile slowly faded from his usually bright expression.
" You.. really want to cut it all off.. just for your personal gain? Just because you don't want to hurt more, you decided to hurt everyone?" - DL
" Please understand, Dae-il... You should know me best..." - DI
" That's why I'm angry! Just because you don't want to feel the pain of losing them, you chose to cut them off? How pathetic, bitch." - DL
" Dae-il! You shouldn't talk to her like that! She's struggling too!" - KE
A single tear slip from the male twin's eye. His breathing heavier as his body's trembling started to gain speed. As the other consoled Dan-ii, only one pair of eyes kept their sight on the silent sufferer. That is, until the once mocking teen topple over, hitting the floor as he hyperventilates.
" Dae-il!!!" - EJ
Eun Ji-ho immediately get near to Dae-il, already seeing the red flags from earlier as he attempted to calm the latter down.
" Why did he suddenly got into a panic state?! Dan-ii, did he suffer any trauma in the past?!" - KE
" N-no! He never did!" - DI
" I'm gonna carry him to my bedroom! Leave him to me!" - EJ
Panic-stricken, Ji-ho managed to bring Dae-il gently upstairs, away from the others. While dashing upstairs, he heard the partially ravenette muttered between his ragged breathes.
" No... Stop... Don't hurt.. m-me..! P-please..!"
Back in the living room, everyone is in a shock state, wondering what they missed.
" Shit, Eunhyung. We forgot one major point in this issue!" - YC
" What..?" -KE
" Dae-il... We forgot his existence too... Even longer than Dan-ii..." - YC
" And if they are both twins, won't he.. go there too?" - WJ
" . . . "
" Wait... Why did I never saw him then?!" - DI
" . . . Then something happened to him at the same time you were searching for us and that something caused him this newfound trauma?" - WJ
" That kinda explain how he suddenly hyperventilated out of nowhere... No wonder he never go out of the room on March 2nd..." - DI
" Fuck... This is so complicated..." - YC
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Dae-il panted heavily, squirming in the bed, unconscious as Ji-ho wipe down his sweat. Occasionally, whimpers would leave the shivering male, that is until Dae-il suddenly gagged in his unconscious state. He seemed to struggle around as he reached for his neck, as if something was used to choke his neck. Ji-ho immediately put away the piece is cloth he was holding, pinning Dae-il's hands away from the neck, fearing that he might accidentally hurt himself.
" Dae-il, wake up. It's just a dream. Focus on my voice and wake up. I'm here right next to you. You're okay. Take a deep breath."
In between his assurance, Dae-il managed to open his eyes, tears forming here and there.
" Ji... Ho..."
" Yeah, it's me. Do you need some water?" Ji-ho asked, slowly releasing Dae-il's hands as he sat next to him. Helping Dae-il to sit up, he reached for the glass on the stand and helped the latter to quench his thirst. Once hydrated, Dae-il slumped over to the bed.
" You wanna talk about what happened to you?"
" . . . "
" Well, I believe you wouldn't get that angry out of nowhere. Plus you looked so shaken from it."
" I.. I want to tell you, but I don't know if I can handle it..."
" But it hurts more keeping it to yourself. You helped me once, so let me help you too."
" Talking about failed first love?"
" ...I hate you."
" Hahaha..."
" So? Are you going to tell me what makes you go out of your happy shell?"
" You're right... I've been keeping it for so long... How long did you forget about my existence?"
" . . . "
" Don't worry, just tell me." Dae-il slowly smile again, the gentleness emanated from it are unparalleled to his usual charm.
" More than one week... I'm sorry."
" No, you would only remember us once you see us, right? And I hid myself during that time too..." Dae-il's pupil dilated, his hands trembling as he tried to arrange his sentences.
Holding out his hand, Ji-ho gaze straight into the other's eyes. " Here, I know you play with my hand sometimes. I saw how it calms you down."
Slowly reaching for it, Dae-il fumbled with Ji-ho's fingers, feeling the warmth from it. " Thanks..."
Gulping down the liquids in his mouth, Dae-il finally got the strength he needed to continue.
" That day... I was sleeping as usual in my room after school. However, instead of waking up in that same house, I ended up in an abandoned warehouse.. or so I thought at first... I sat up and look around, feeling confused on how I was brought there from literally the safest place I could be, plus the different uniform I had on... As I sat there, trying to gather my thoughts, I was suddenly pinned down by a guy...
T-They turned out to be a mafia group who owned that place... A-and.. t-they tortured me, demanding how I get there o-or from what group I came from... T-They didn't like how I keep on saying 'I don't know'... A-At least they didn't break any bones, or I may be cooped up in my room longer than I had been... B-But still.. they did gave me cuts, bruises and almost d-drowned m-me..."
At this point, Dae-il was far inside his memory lane as his body trembled more than ever.
" S-So, I hid myself... Not wanting to worry other people more... Uh.. and at times I would get a really terrifying nightmares o-of meeting them again... Luckily, I didn't get more bruises or cuts... But the scars won't fade..."
Dae-il ended his story there, not really having the will to continue more. Head slumped down, tears dripping as he tried to wipe it out with his right hand, while the other not letting go Ji-ho's hand.
He felt like the warmth from his hand helped him to tell him that he's with his friends. The ones who he had promised to never break their ties even if one day, they'd be gone forever and he'd be back in the world he was living with his sister as an average people. No weird coloured hairs and people who looked like they came straight out of a novel. He just wanted to be happy with his friends, like any other teenagers. He kept all his sufferings alone just to keep a smile on his precious friends face.
That's why he was mad that Dan-ii wanted to put a barrier between them. He felt like it isn't fair for their long relationship. It's not just mere months. They had been together for years! And she just want to discard this bond like it was nothing?
Ji-ho couldn't believe what he just heard. To think that the boy who almost had a carbon copy of personality with Woo Ju-in and smiles that would never leave his face would experience something that even he would never choose to go through. Hell, the probability for it to happen is even as low as the number of fishes that can fly. Basically impossible.
Seeing the condition Dae-il is in, Ji-ho made a decision he never thought he would. Pulling the gradually sobbing teen into an embrace, a thought crosses his mind.
' To think that he would be so vulnerable yet so strong to face all that... Don't worry, Dae-il. This time, I'll be your knight even if I'm a cunning fox.'
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Going back down, Eun Ji-ho saw everyone with gloomy expression as they sat on the sofa.
" So, who eavesdropped on our heart to heart chat earlier, huh?" Ji-ho snickered as he said that.
The red-headed guy flinched in his seat. Eunhyung looked guilty as he fiddled with his fingers. Ji-ho just smiled before sitting on an empty seat.
" I-Is he asleep?" - KE
" Yeah, he was drained. Well, are we going to pretend we're strangers at school then?" - EJ
" N-No... Ji-ho, is he going to stay here for the night?" - DI
" Yeah. For the best, I guess. Anything else you want to talk with him, you can do it tomorrow. Don't worry, Dan-ii, I'll send him back by noon." Ji-ho wear his usual fake smile, hiding his small grudge.
" O-Okay... D-Do you have strawberry milk? He usually drinks it in the morning." - DI
" I'll see to it. If that's all, shall we end this and go back home?" - EJ
°~Thanks for reading~°