Ohm
I somewhere had lost hope to see him smile at me like this ever. The way he is crossing the road to meet me. Being able to text him, plan lunch together, and make plans for the next weekend as well was all a dream that I had been seeing for the past few days. Now that it has come true, I am unable to contain my excitement.
"Hi!" I greeted him as he walked closer.
"Did I make you wait long?" He asked.
I shook my head and grinned. "Shall we go?" I asked.
He smiled and nodded, walking along with me.
"So, would you like a traditional Thai meal or something foreign?" I asked.
"Oh, I am fine with anything. How about sushi, though? You like it." He said that and paused.
"Uh... Yeah... That works too. Thanks." I said that and grinned, ignoring the awkwardness.
So here is the thing: He knows me. It is too well known to know my preferences. I know him from my dreams and sometimes flickering unusual scenes in front of my eyes. But I don't know what it is. I remember everything that happened to me before I went into coma. And after I woke up from it.
Then what else can it be?
As we reached the Japanese restaurant, Nanon's face lit up. "This is so cool. I have never been here before."
"I used to come here often. But I haven't gotten a chance to come after waking up from coma."
He paused and looked at me with strangely pained expressions for once before shaking it off with a vague smile. "Nice. Then you would know what to order. I am new to this cuisine. So, I would love it if you could recommend something nice. Maybe I'll develop a taste."
"Sure." I smiled.
So, my coma is something that is related to him as well.
As much as I want to bring it up, I also don't want to spoil the mood.
Nanon has started opening up to me. And I wish to hold on to him longer.
Will he tell me the truth, if he knows it?
Or will he stop hanging out with me?
Will I be able to find something on my own without having any clue about anything?
I don't care. I don't want anything to do with the past if that bothers him or me. I am not completely ready. Not at the cost of losing him. But I want to know too.
This also helps me realize that I am not just attracted to this guy. This guy feels like my life to me. As if I want to protect him with my life.
I sometimes feel like we are both on fire, and I am struggling to protect him while not caring about myself.
It happened in that studio that day. And after that, I have been getting this feeling of déjà vu.
But I am not strong enough to come up with the courage to ask him. There is no way it all happened in real life. And I need to get to the core of my hallucination.
There is another reason why I am hesitant. Nanon hugged me the first time we met. He said I resembled someone dear to him.
What if I press this thing and he thinks of going back to whoever he was?
Do they look like me?
If yes, then am I getting a chance to spend time with Nanon just because I look like someone?
I don't feel like he is with me completely. He is constantly lost. Sometimes I would say something, and he would reply, 'Sorry? Come again?'
I constantly feel on the edge. As much as I want to be with him, I want to get to the core of this too.
"The meal was great. Thanks for the recommendation." He chirped as we walked after the meal towards the parking lot.
As he smiled, his dimples glistened in the dim street light. Unknown to myself, I reached out to caress his cheek.
He instantly backed away with a shocked face.
We both looked at each other wide-eyed.
"I can't do this..." He mumbled. His whole body went tense.
"Nanon?" I asked, confused, and took a step closer, making him take a step back.
I stopped in place. "What is it? Why are you always so uneasy around me?" I finally blurted it out.
He looked up to meet my eyes once but quickly looked down on his feet again.
"You don't even feel comfortable when you look at me." My tone must have started sounding annoyed.
"..." He still did not look up. I could see him trembling.
"Nanon! Answer me, dammit! When you said you would find the answers to our lives with me, did you not think in the same way I did?"
"What did you think?" He asked immediately, cutting me. Now his eyes were red and moist. "Huh? Tell me? I just said that we would try to find the answers together. What does it mean?"
"It means we are together. For me, that is what it meant."
"NO!" He yelled. "You don't get it."
"Then explain." I pressed. "Stop making things complicated. My life is enough complicated as is. I am so conflicted each day. You know how I feel about you. And it's the first time I feel like this for a guy. You can't even imagine what is going on in my head every day when I see you with me, but not with me. It's like you are here, but not. You are always lost. Why are you doing this, then? Shove me away and tell me to leave. I'll go. I can't promise anything, but I will try never to bother you again."
"It's not that, Ohm." Suddenly, he was helpless and guilty. He walked forward and held my arm. "You are important to me."
"Me?" I asked, yanking my hand away. "How? We just met a few weeks ago. How can I be important to you? Please explain." I want him to tell me.
He is important to me because I have started liking him. I act that way too. But his behaviour and his words are different. And now it's starting to bother me.
"I can't tell you." He mumbled, slouching down.
"Dammit!" I kicked the wall on the opposite side.
"Ohm! You will hurt yourself." Nanon came rushing to me.
I pushed him away. "Please. Please don't behave as if you care." I blurted rudely.
He paused and looked at me. A tear slipped from his eyes down to his cheek.
I felt like punching myself to make him cry. But I couldn't, so I punched the wall instead.
"Ohm please. You think it doesn't hurt me when you hurt yourself?"
"Why will it hurt you?"
"Because I love you!" He yelled.
We both froze in place.
What did I just hear?
"You..." I started to ask, but Nanon's phone started to ring.
He looked away, wiped his face, and picked up the call. "Hello? Yes doctor... What do you mea... Oh god!"
He disconnected the call and started running.
"Nanon, wait. What happened?" I held him and stopped him from holding him in both his arms.
"Stay away from me." He pushed me and ran away.
No Nanon. Not this time. You said you loved me. I am sure it wasn't my hallucination.
And after listening to this, I cannot leave you alone. No matter where you go, I will follow...
I was about to run behind Nanon, but a huge hallow appeared in front of me with an unbelievable light from within.
I tried to step back, but the halo seemed to have some sort of strong pull, as if it was trying to suck me in. I clung to whatever I could on the way, but before I could react, the white light blinded my eyes and sucked me into the halo.
What is happening? Am I dying? Did I hit a vehicle when I started running? Why didn't I realize it? Why is it hurting so much? Why am I not able to see the white light as well? It's like everything is dark and my body is getting numb... I think I am, for sure, dying...
Nanon
Since the last two days, whatever I was writing for Chimon and Perth has been failing. In every scene and every scenario, they both died unexpectedly.
I wasn't able to understand anything unless I received the phone call.
JI ran and ran without a care in the world. I know I need to answer Ohm. I know he is upset and has a right to know why I am behaving the way I am.
But right now, it is important for me to be where this all started.
As I reached the burned ruin, I stopped to catch my breath. The place was as dark as ever. But I am sure I am in the right place.
"How fascinating!" I heard a similar voice that gave me chills.
I turned to see a half-burnt face smirking at me. His whole body was covered in bandages, but somehow still he was still standing straight.
"Jay."
"Yep, that's me. It's great that, like me, you too haven't forgotten anything."
"No..." I gritted my teeth because, despite his health, I feel like I can beat him right now. "I did not forget anything. I even remember the dreadful day I saved you from drowning."
He smiled and walked closer. "Wow! That's even better. Now you know why all this started, huh?"
I scoffed and folded my arms. "How can someone be so blinded by obsession over a single meeting? You are a psycho in plain language."
"Ah! That's kind of true. I am a psycho, and you are my obsession." He acknowledged it, making me shiver from within. "And so, as soon as I woke up, I came back to you. It took me a day to reach here, hiding from the police and all the people who know me in a bad light now. Otherwise, I would have been with you yesterday itself."
I flinched and backed away as soon as he tried to touch me.
"Aww, don't be like this, my love. See, I have a small gift for you."
He pulled out a piece of paper, and I saw Ohm's comic self lying on a bed.
I smirked. "What now? This Alpha Ohm is sleeping in your comic. Have you restarted Dominant Alpha's Recessive Omega?"
"That's not the alpha, Ohm, my love. That's the human Ohm."
My eyes widened. "What the..."
"I am sure you know by now that you and Ohm had versions in the comic while I used to travel between the real world and the comic world. Did it never appear to you that I could send someone into that world as well?"
"Jay... What has happened to Ohm?" I asked while dialling Ohm's number on the side. The ring did not go through. I dialled Aim's number then.
"Aim, is Ohm at home?"
[Weren't you guys out for dinner? Bro hasn't come back yet.]
I disconnected while my whole body had goosebumps. "Tell me." Now even my voice is trembling. "What has happened to him?"
"He is fine; he is sleeping. But you know? I may make him dead in the comic, then bury him and keep him buried for so long that he will actually never wake up."
"JAY!"
He chuckled and shook his head. "Nanon... You are too cute. You know that?"
"What do you want?" I asked, gritting my teeth.
"I just want you to marry me. And be with me. If you agree, I will let Ohm get back to his life."
"What nonsense!"
"I am not kidding." He said. He leaned closer to me, making me glower at him closely with rage.
"We will go back into that comic; you will marry me, give me an heir as my omega, and then I am sure to be able to be with that kid; you will want to be with me in that world forever."
I looked at him with disbelief.
"Don't worry. I will make the 9-month pregnancy pass away in a few days. But till then, Ohm will be in coma. You decide to ruin my dream one more time, and you will lose Ohm forever."
"You are so fucked up, Jay." I snapped.
"I know I am. And I always get what I want. Like how I burned your magic paper and pen too." He showed me the burning paper and pen on the other page of the comic. "Don't forget, this time, you have only two choices. Either you ignore me and choose to continue with your human life without Ohm. Or you live with me, and I will dote on you. And let Ohm live his human life away from us."
Jay walked away, leaving me trembling.
I slumped on the ground, unable to understand anything. Is this really happening to me? Do I need to live my whole life as an Omega in a world that is unknown to me?
Do you really believe him?
I heard a voice that was oddly familiar. But I looked around and saw no one.
Do you think he will release Ohm after you agree to his proposal?
This time I got up and turned around towards the sea, which was now barren land.
A figure appeared from the dark, slowly forming the image of someone I have never met but someone I recognize well.
A face that is mine, but an aura that is completely different.
"Y-you are..."
That's right. I am Nanon, the real Omega from the comic world.