HAUNTING DEMEANOR

CHAPTER 28 (FINAL CHAPTER)

"Yeonjun hyung, there is no chance that you'll hear my words but I know I failed you."

Soobin turned his phone off after he ended that conversation he had with Beomgyu. He can still remember how Yeonjun was gripping his hand tightly as he sat beside his hospital bed. That tag of war his friend is playing between life and death. That feeling that he can't do anything to help him get out of that pit of darkness. Everyone seemed helpless that night; Yeonjun's lips are partly opened. Soobin knows the words he needed the most are the words Yeonjun never dared to speak.

"We moved on like nothing's wrong. I purposely forgot all my crimes and was diagnosed with dissociative amnesia. I completely washed all the memories away; didn't think I left you behind. We could've moved on together."

He is on his knees, as if he wants to communicate over an inanimate thing, the tomb of his best friend. His feeling of losing the only friend he has who tolerated all his impurities, all his troubles and all his inconsistencies is appalling, as if a part off his whole system is being taken down.

"That night, I was waiting for you to say something. Something like it is my fault and I should be the one to blame. But you never pointed me out, you never told them how grotesque I am. You were a real friend until the end and I don't deserve you."

He wiped the tears that are falling from his eyes. He never imagined this is going to be the ending of this story; never thought they started it together and it was only Yeonjun who was brave enough to end it up. Hueningkai just disappeared for a year and maybe they are indeed guilty, but there is no use in ending his life like this. Is that the only way he can prove his remorse?

"Hueningkai, how unforgiving can you be? You used the circumstance to tell the whole world you are weak and held on to someone you consider is stronger than you. As much as I created a monster, you also crafted two criminals to take your side. Taehyun who blamed everything to us but is also an accessory to your disappearance and Beomgyu who threatened the hell out of Yeonjun and I. Maybe you aren't as innocent as what we thought you were. Are you now laughing with my distraught?"

[•••]
"Should I tell Beomgyu hyung about what Yeonjun hyung confessed?", Hueningkai is walking slowly, looking at his brother's back who is also walking so much ahead of him. He will never forget those powerful last words of Yeonjun. It has stayed in his brain longer than what he expects.

What if Yeonjun is really innocent? Does that mean the four of them are to be convicted for taking a man's life who is free of any bloodshed? It isn't purely suicide, they contributed a lot of things to his grief. Or maybe it is him who is the first one who put a lot of pressure to his wounds since it is him who never showed up for a year, which made him felt guilty.

"Hueningkai, aren't you excited to see Taehyun's brother?", Beomgyu finally noticed Hueningkai's hesitance to fasten his pace and make up to his speed.

"Sorry, I was lost in my thoughts."

"Beomgyu, Hueningkai come inside."

Taehyun met them halfway and led the way up to his brother's room. Beomgyu is imitating his steps closely. For what reason? He doesn't even know why. His heart is racing to a degree that he can't control and he has no idea why. There is something bizarre about this certain place. A part of his past is talking loudly behind his face and above his throat. Which particular part of his past is being triggered? He is also not aware of it.

"Brother, so this is Beomgyu and Hueningkai."

Beomgyu looked at Taehyun's so called brother who is laying flat on his hospital bed. That abrupt eye contact with the latter made him gulp his saliva. There is a sudden tension those eyes caused him, it is weird and unusual for him to feel. Probably the first time he got scared for a person he does know.

"That guy, the guy who always followed me.", he concluded in his thoughts.

Beomgyu took a step back and all of the other persons in the room were feeling awkward of his gesture. The same look when Yeonjun pricked the splinter through his chest showed up in his face. Hueningkai is certain he is afraid but he has no idea why.

"I used to have a younger brother in your school back then. He always mentioned you."

Beomgyu suddenly remembered Taehyun's words when they first hang out. So this is the brother he is referring to. No wonder why he said his brother always mentioned him. He is his stalker, the primary reason why Beomgyu had to transfer school is to get rid of him.

"That night, he was also behind me. I saw him pointing the gun towards me and so I ran away. That was also the same time I saw Hueningkai running away from his room. Also the same time when Taehyun took Hueningkai away from us. We were set up.", the arguments keep messing around his brain.

And Beomgyu grabbed his younger brother's hand and pulled him away out of that place. Hueningkai has no idea of what is going on but Beomgyu seemed really disappointed of what he just saw.

"I always want you to myself. There is no one in this world who could top you up in my heart. You keep rejecting me and you can't even call me friend."

"That man is crazy, if I know it was him I would never dare to give him a cent.", Beomgyu screamed at the top of his lungs.

However Taehyun and his brother were left in that room. His brother can already understand why Beomgyu left, he never had any good impression for him. In his eyes, he only sees him as a stalker because he wanted to be friends with him. Taehyun on the other hand just sat down beside his brother and laughed his stomach out.

"We all are evil. At one point in our life, we all became greedy. Maybe it is absurd to want a person become your possession and I did want Hueningkai to be my toy. Maybe my brother felt the same way about Beomgyu too. They are the perfect siblings, so wouldn't desire to possess them?"

(I will post another chapter about my inspirations in doing this story. That'll be coming up soon. The story has ended this way but if you have any question about it, I would like to answer them too.)