Time || YeonGyu AU✔

prologue

September 23, 2001

          He knew he was writing his history over again. He was very well aware of the depression of the night sky when not even a single star wanted to light up his way. He knew it was dangerous and he was hurting his loved ones by that, but he had no other way. That was why he was stomping through the forest, towards the house with a black heavy case in his hand, his fingers gripping the handle so intensely that his knuckles had turned white but he couldn't feel anything. The only thing which was swirling in his mind was the idea of saving the boy and he wasn't even aware of the tears which had pooled in his bloodshot eyes, nor the little whimpers coming out of his pale, chapped lips. It was a new beginning, and his heart was aching as flows of pain kept entering the depth of it. He wanted to cry, to bawl his eyes out but he couldn't because there was no time for his agony. His legs felt too weak underneath his weight which seemed ten times heavier to him at the moment and it felt like ages until he finally reached the house.

          His ears perked up as soon as they detected the crunching sound behind him and he halted his moves at once. He even stopped breathing as he tried to listen to his surroundings better to discover if there was someone following him or not. The atmosphere seemed dead silent and he slipped his hand into the pocket of his jacket to take out his torch and light it up before quickly flipping his body around. He tried to observe every corner attentively, his hand moving the torch around nervously even though he was trying to maintain his composure, but there seemed no one besides him, only the sound of birds could be heard from time to time.

          He let out the breath he didn't know he was holding and kept moving forward on his way. He placed the heavy case on the grass as soon as he got close to the building and rushed to the front door with a loud beating heart which was reminding him repeatedly what he was about to do. He took the keys out of his pocket and inserted them in the lock, carefully turning it inside since the people in the house were sleeping and he didn't want any of them to wake up at the noise. An unpleasant clicking sound was heard before he grabbed the handle firmly with a gloved hand and pulled it down, slowly opening the door afterwards and stepping inside. He didn't even bother to close it since he was going to leave in a minute or two anyways and instead he walked towards the room which was situated in the middle of the left wall.

          He knew they were sleeping there and his blood was crashing against the walls of his veins more and more aggressively at his every step. Sobs were getting stuck in his throat painfully and tears were threatening to fall down his flushed cheeks as he planted his palm against his mouth to muffle a little cry which escaped his lips despite his resistance. He had no idea why life had chosen him for this and why his shoulders had to be so burdened with such a huge weight of grief and obligations, but even though the inside part of his body was only painted in dark colours, a spark of hope was still bringing a little pillar of light into his chest. And he felt something twinkling vigorously in his heart when he opened the door of the room and saw a little boy around the age of one laying in his crib while his parents slept on the bed next to him. He could feel heavy hits against his chest and he was even afraid that the elders would be able to hear the sound of his loud heart which would wake them up. He slowly walked stiffly to the bed on which the young man and woman lay, his steps feeling too weighty as they kept coming into contact with the floor and tears fell down his cheeks when he kneeled down in front of them. He was seeing their peaceful faces and he couldn't help little, quiet sobs which broke free immediately and he closed his eyes tightly as he whispered under his breath, "I'm sorry", the dead silence absorbed his faint words which no one was able to hear besides the stranger himself, "I'm so sorry", he pleaded as he opened his eyes and looked at the two people on the bed in despair, "I'm doing it for him. I'll save him, I promise. I'm sorry"

          He couldn't even dare to touch any of them since he was scared they would wake up and his mission would fall through. Instead, he got on his feet while trying to suppress his agony and tears into his body and made his way to the crib with careful steps even though his legs felt too heavy to move. His heart was about to pop up in his throat and choke him to death and it got even worse when his eyes landed upon the sleeping baby who lay peacefully between the white panels, not even knowing what was about to happen to him.

          The older's shaking hands hesitantly travelled towards him to take the baby in his arms and his heart was aching at realizing how much he had missed him and his warmth. He broke down over and over again, silently sobbing and letting out shaky, choked breaths while embracing the sleeping kid tightly against his chest. "I won't let you go", he whispered weakly, "I swear, I won't ever let you go again. I'll protect you at all costs, baby"

          He cast a last mournful glance on two sleeping bodies on the bed with his tearful and red-rimmed eyes and then he quietly walked out of the room, slowly closing the door behind himself while holding the baby with his other hand, "We'll be forever together after that", he whispered again and aggressively wiped away his tears before sniffling and hurriedly leaving the house, not wanting to stay there for even one more minute since he was suffocating and feeling like dying or giving up. Cool, fresh air helped him to calm his mind a bit when he was already out and he hugged the baby with both hands again, his arms protectively wrapping themselves around him to defend him from the cold breath of air. "You'll be safe with me from now on", he murmured as if he was trying to assure himself in his own words rather than the little kid who couldn't even hear his voice.

          The young boy quickly grabbed the case and lifted it up from the ground. He held the handle tightly in his hand as if his life depended on it and then disappeared into the forest while his bloodshot eyes glistened from sparks of hope. He did it, he saved him from the ruthless life and now he would be his angel who would protect him with his wings. He was already holding him tightly in his hands and he knew he would never let him go again, even if the end of the world would come.