26 July, 4:41 P.M.
The staff of Asclepius, or a serpent coiled around a stick, symbolizes healing and medicine. A Greek symbol that is still used in the modern world to represent medicine. Hospitals and pharmacies around the world use the character as their logo.
Dae Ho is splayed on the couch, scanning details on the paper in his hand. His eyes are prickly and his head heavy, not having been sleeping for a whole thirty hours. It isn't unusual for the ex-model to spend sleepless days but the action takes a toll on his body, not to mention his drinking habits add to his deteriorating state.
Tapping his head lightly on the backrest of the couch, the fighter closes his eyes for a few minutes, body relaxing and head lulling to the side. He sighs, feeling the heaviness wearing him down and before he knows it, he's dozing off.
Dae Ho stands in the middle of a void, darkness shrouding him with a pin-drop silence. He looks around in an attempt to spot anyone. And he does find one, a girl sitting with her head cradled between her knees, soft whimpers escaping her lips. He approaches her and bends down to place a hand on her shoulder. The girl looks up with hollow sockets with nothing in them, a bullet wound on the side of her head that gives a glimpse of her brain from the inside. She's bleeding, the red liquid staining her frock and bloody fingers scratching at the bullet wound. The grotesque sight has Dae Ho's stomach churning, his feet staggering as he takes a step back.
"You murderer!" The girl screams, standing up and pushing Dae Ho away. "I'll never forgive you! It's all your fault!"
The fighter stumbles and catches himself before falling and then collides with another body behind him. He turns to a man with crimson eyes, a knife stuck in his torso. He has a sinister smile creeping up his face. He pulls the blade out in one go, blood splattering on Dae Ho. "You deserve to die!" He swings the knife at him, making cuts on Dae Ho's arms. He hisses at the splitting skin, holding the area to stop the bleeding but the blood still flows making Dae Ho weak. With every passing moment, he feels life draining out of him.
Not long after, bodies walking like zombies and gurgling incoherent words start walking toward him. He runs clutching his arm, but the distance between them shrinks. His legs move fast but he remains in the same spot. The moser he struggles, the closer they get. No matter how much he tries, he doesn't move from his spot.
"Karma will get you." He hears the people say when they draw in.
"Murderer!"
Dae Ho hyperventilates as his skin flushes, and he desperately holds his knees to stabilize himself. "Stop," he whispers, "just stop...please."
"You waste of space, just kill yourself!" The crowding people suffocate him.
"Come to us. You belong here."
Sharp-nailed fingers scrape Dae Ho's cheeks, tearing off his skin. Several hands claw at him, the fighter feeling overwhelmed and small between the people. His breathing gets heavy, the walls of his lungs constricting themselves.
"You murderer!" A faceless man holding a bloodied child in his arms screams. One particular aspect stands out, his blue hair. It's very easy to identify him, Dae Ho's breath locks in his throat at the realization.
"I'm sorry...I really am...sorry, Ha—" Dae Ho's vision blurs, and his head spins in circles. His palms are slapped together in plea, the string of apologies repeatedly leaving his lips. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry, I'm sorry!" The hands thronging his body make him nauseous, his insides quivering and queasy.
"—up, Dae Ho!"
His ears perk up to the sound from above, raising his hand towards it to break out from the swarming bodies. "L-let me g—" he feels the surface under his feet turning puddly, sinking into it like quicksand. The bodies pulling him down help to plunge in further.
"Dae Ho, wake up!"
Dae Ho jolts awake, his eyes wide, panting loudly, chest moving in an irregular motion. Sweat drips from his temple, making its way to his neck and chest. His mouth parts and dries as he takes quick breaths.
"Are you alright?" Shadow shakes him slightly and runs his hand over the younger's back. "Here drink some water." He gives a glass to the other.
Dae Ho runs a hand over his face, rubbing his eyes. He gulps down the water and sinks back onto the couch, eyes trailing to the ceiling, still trying to stabilize his breathing.
"Another nightmare?"
"Hmm."
The room is silent, other than the sound of Dae Ho breathing audibly.
"You were muttering names of people...and apologizing. You cannot live like this. You barely sleep and already have a messed up lifestyle. Don't kill yourself with your own hands. There are people who'd want you to be well." The blond man comments with a thoughtful expression.
"Huh?" Dae Ho cackles in a monotonous tone. "Does it matter? I'm going to die anyway."
"You ca—"
"And who are the people you speak of? My family who've no idea what their son does or Kim Haneul who loathes me or the sister tha—"
"Yes! Yes, all of these people. Not only them but me, Yoon, and the other members too. You're important to all of us."
"You're missing the point here."
"I'm not." ChangMin stresses, "I'll be blunt with you, kid. The way Haneul is treating you is something you shouldn't take to heart. That treatment is something you deserve after what you did that day in the basement. But don't let this be the end."
"Everything has ended already."
Shadow heaves a sigh, "Look here, Dae Ho." He turns the fighter to face him. "Almost five years ago you thought it was the end, the last time you'd be seeing Kim Haneul. But now your lives have entangled again, don't force yourself to be isolated. You need family and friends to live a content life. Yes, along the way there'll be clashes and you may be frustrated beyond limit but you cannot give up. Not when you're still breathing and can move past all your concerns. You're still young and have a whole life ahead of you, don't let fear hold you back from trying."
"What are you trying to say?" Dae Ho plays with the loose thread on his jeans.
"Apologize to Haneul. As far as I know from the way Yoon speaks about him, he's understanding and your only friend."
"...and how do I do that?" The younger asks defeated, his shoulders sagging.
"Baby steps. First of all, you'll need to get rid of that semblance scowl whenever you meet him. Let your actions speak since you're not much of a talker."
"That's easy to tell. What if something like the last time happens? I already scarred him but next time I may really pull the trigger if I'm not in the right state of my mind again. And it is not a rare occurrence, we both know that. It has happened before."
"You need to understand you must win against the demons in your head. Your will has to overpower the lingering whispers." Shadow pats the younger's shoulder pulling him closer. "And if it isn't possible on your own, you should get professional help."
"ChangMin-ssi, I'm tired already, let's not argue on this topic."
"Alright, alright." Shadow sighs raising his hands in defeat. "How about you tell me what this is?" He gestures at the paper lying beside Dae Ho with his chin.
The fighter presses his temples and lets out a long breath. "The tattoo here," he points at the inking on the paper. "Vee and my foster father both of them have it. A serpent wounded on a stick. And whatever happened four— almost five years ago, was because of Seonho. The initials C.R.C. is something I cannot find information on. Kiseon said Vee is searching for a cure for his master. And the tattoo resembles medicine and hospitals. So, if I'm not wrong, this must be an organization name." Dae Ho explains pensively.
"What if it's a research center?" Shadow ponders, tongue poking out his lips. "Since it's related to medicine and cure, the letters R and C could be 'Research Center'. We'll only need to search up the first C."
"I came to the same conclusion," the younger adds, "but I lived with Seonho for about ten years and all he did was drink and gamble. That man wasn't educated enough to be involved in something like that."
"How about we search your old home to get some clues?"
"The last time we did, there wasn't anything we found."
"But this time we have a target in mind. Back then we were searching for something we didn't even know about."
"I...alright. But I don't know."
❛ ━━━━━━✦❪✥❫✦━━━━━━ ❜
Haneul is busy typing away on his mobile phone when a hand gets a hold of his shoulder.
"Haneul, how are you?" The man gives a smile adjusting the glasses perched on his nose.
The doctor's eyebrows shoot up seeing the couple in front of him. A pair he hadn't seen for years. The man has salt and pepper hair just like his father and the woman standing beside him sports a bob cut, painted nails holding her husband's wrist.
"M-Mr. and Mrs. Han." Haneul gives a bow to the elders, confused about their presence in the area. They're supposed to be in the U.S. with Jisoo and his family. "I didn't expect to see you here," he chuckles nervously. "How come you're both here in Seoul?"
"Ah, we wanted to surprise visit our son, Dae Ho. Doesn't he run Meosjin Florist located near your apartment?" Han Eunji points at the flower shop behind them.
'Who runs what now?'
Haneul splutters, "W-what are you talking about?"
"Hasn't it been almost three years since Dae Ho started this shop? He brings us a bouquet from here every time he visits L.A."
With every word, the doctor's confusion increases. 'So Dae Ho has been visiting them all these years? What about me—'
"Haneul, if it's not a bother, could you call Dae Ho and tell him about our arrival? We didn't buy a SIM card since we're here for just three days and for some reason, my roaming isn't working." Han Eunji interrupts his thoughts.
"I...sure." Haneul scratches the back of his neck feeling awkward and begrudgingly calls their son. Is it a surprise if he's calling and informing him about their arrival? He wants nothing to do with Park Dae Ho but dulling the bright and hopeful smiles on the Han couple's faces wouldn't be something his conscience will allow him to do. A few rings later, Dae Ho picks up the call.
"Hello?"
"Your parents are here, waiting for you at your flower shop," Haneul stresses the words. "I'm taking them to my place till you arrive." He disconnects the call before the fighter could say anything.
"You don't have to. We can stand here till he reaches." Han Sungmin declines the offer shaking his head. "Wouldn't want to impose on you."
"I'm sorry, but I cannot just leave you both here when my house is just a minute away," Haneul replies with a smile. "I can keep you company for the time being."
'There are a few questions I need to get answers to too.'
"You're still polite as always. I'm glad." The older man praises, a hand resting on his wife's waist.
"Please follow me." Haneul leads the way. "Did Jisoo not come with you?"
"Ah, he went on a holiday with Suzy and Sunwoo. Every time we suggested going to Seoul to visit Dae Ho, he made excuses. Always something about how Dae Ho visited us regularly so we didn't need to go to him. So, this time we came here alone without informing him. It's a well-deserved visit."
"Oh...I see." Haneul digs his hands in his jeans pockets, gritting his teeth slightly. Why is he the only one being left out? They get into an elevator, and the doctor presses the button to his floor.
Haneul doesn't know how to feel knowing Jisoo has kept Dae Ho's whereabouts a secret. Should he feel betrayed, angry, or sad? Perhaps all of them. Different thoughts and questions run through the doctor's mind, questions he wants to ask the Han couple but from the looks of it, they have no idea what Park Dae Ho really does for a living. The facade of a florist is quite ironic to his criminal activities.
The door opens with a beep after Haneul slots his index finger on the lock pad. He gestures for the older couple to get in, moving to the side. "Please make yourselves comfortable."
When they enter the living room, Dajun, Soomin's caretaker bows with a smile, her grey hair tied into a loose bun and hands placed on her long skirt. "Kim-ssi, your daughter was tired today so I put her to sleep early."
"Thank you. I have some guests with me, please bring some snacks for them. You can leave after serving us."
Haneul removes his overcoat and walks to the kitchen. The Hans sit in the middle of the grey modular sofa, Sungmin grabbing a tissue to blow his nose. They make small talk. "Haneul, we're already intruding, please do not burden yourself with this," Dae Ho's father says when the doctor places a tray with snacks and drinks his caretaker brings.
"You must be tired from the trip and it may take some time till Dae Ho reaches here. You can refresh yourselves in the meantime." Haneul sits at the end of the sofa, tapping his foot on the carpeted floor. He doesn't know how he's supposed to act around them, after all, he has no idea how aware the couple is regarding their son's current life.
"You both must see each other in passing frequently since Dae Ho's shop is right around the corner." Eunji starts sipping juice from the glass in her hand. "Last time he visited us, Dae Ho looked disturbed. I've been worried for him since. He warmed up to us but in recent years, there's been a shift in his character. Is he not taking care of himself? We even offered to pay for Minji's university expenses but he declined. It must be hard sending over allowance where she lives." The mother fiddles with the glass. "Is he alright?" She asks with concern pooling in her eyes.
'I don't know, Ms.Han. I'm even more clueless than you are.' Haneul wants to voice his thoughts but instead, he settles with, "Ah, don't worry about him. He's doing perfectly fine. Da—"
The bell rings, halting the doctor mid-sentence. "T-that must be him." He gets up and walks towards the door with heavy steps. He takes in a long breath before pulling down the handle. Dae Ho licks his lips, with his hands in his jogger's pockets and the black hood of his hoodie pulled over his head. Anger seeps into Haneul's gut looking at the man that threatened his family, uncomfortable to let him enter his house.
Dae Ho licks his lips. "...did you tell them abo—"
"Your parents are waiting in the living room." Haneul walks off without sparing his former friend a second glance and a chance to talk.
Han Eunji rises from her seat and pulls Dae Ho into a hug when he enters the place. "How have you been? I've b— what happened to your hand?" The mother exclaims examining the fighter's bandaged hand.
"It's a small cut. It was an accident when I was arranging a bouquet in the shop."
"Tch, liar," Haneul breathes without meaning to and flusters when all eyes turn to him. "I-I'm sorry, I was distracted." He rubs the back of his nape sheepishly.
"Why didn't you both inform me about your plan to visit?" Dae Ho asks, taking a seat next to the older couple, diverting their attention from the doctor.
"We wanted to surprise you."
"...I see." The ex-model smiles, a practiced curve he used to present on occasions in front of the camera. Haneul can immediately spot how forced it is. "How long are you here for?"
"Just three days," Sungmin answers and turns to Haneul. "We should go home now, thank you for your hospitality."
The blue-haired man shakes his head. "There's no need for that. It was a pleasure to meet you both again."
A soft click of the door is heard, and a sleepy Soomin exits out of her room. "Appa," she murmurs rubbing her eyes and walking towards Haneul. Her pink onesie is fit, hugging her cozily, sleep still having a hold of her.
"Minnie, I want you to meet someone." The father combs Soomin's unkempt her with his fingers.
"Huh?" She turns, squinting at the people in front of her. "Hello," the girl says in a quiet voice until her eyes fall on Dae Ho. "Uncle Jiswoo!" Her lips curl into a blinding smile, running to climb beside him with vigor.
Haneul shuffles uncomfortably in his seat due to the proximity between Soomin and Dae Ho. He's about to move and pull his child when Han Eunji chuckles, reaching out to pinch her cheek.
"Aren't you a cute one?" she coos, her lips forming an O. "That's Uncle Dae Ho, not Jisoo."
"No, it's my uncle Jiswoo." Soomin tugs at Dae Ho's sleeve.
"Umm... she calls me Jisoo and I let her. It's okay." Dae Ho intervenes, the lie easily escaping past his lips. He lets Soomin settle in his lap, missing the way Haneul fists his hand at his side.
"Did you like my chocowate?" She whispers but it's audible to everyone in the room. Haneul raises an eyebrow when Dae Ho nods with a small smile.
"It was the tastiest chocolate I ever had."
Soomin then opens her palm in front of the older man's face. "Give me chocolate no—"
"Minnie go to your room," Haneul strides towards her, nostrils flaring in irritation.
"It's okay," Dae Ho stops him, fetching an energy bar from his pocket. "This is what I have today. I'll give you chocolate next time."
'This is the last time you're seeing her.' Haneul grits his teeth slowly, pulling Soomin away.
"How far is your apartment from here?" Sungmin asks Dae Ho.
"Umm...I-I'm actually staying over at my friend's house because...pest control. I called the pest control crew today. I'll book a hotel for you both, it's no problem."
Haneul wants to call out the younger on his bluff. The lie is written all over his face in bold letters. He presses his lips together to hold in a scoff from breaking out. It's obvious he doesn't want his parents to uncover his truth. Haneul would've offered them to stay but he didn't want anything to do with Dae Ho so he remains silent.
"Alright."
They stand up, put on their coats, and walk towards the main door, Haneul trailing behind. Sungmin shakes the doctor's hand when they're out, strolling off with his wife with a last goodbye. When they are nowhere in sight, Dae Ho turns to Haneul to address the elephant in the room.
"You...you didn't tell them."
"I don't know what lies you've fed your parents but try to keep me out of your mess. I didn't tell them not because I'm afraid of you, but because I'm not a homewrecker. You may want to destroy my family but I don't share the same sentiment with yours."
Dae Ho shuts his eyes just as the door closes on his face with a loud thud. 'Baby steps,' he sighs, 'baby steps.'