Treasure: The Past || Ateez WooSanHwa

Chapter 49: It's gone

1 Year Later...

It's been exactly a year since Hwa's suicide attempt. Since then Hwa has been free of self harm with the help of his friends and therapist, Dr. Hanbin. Not that life hadn't been difficult for him. At times, he had low points, but would eventually get out in a few days with the help of his friends.

San started to get even more popular after his debut as a model. This was after a rumor about him dating a girl which he and his company denied but the rumors kept spreading.

Woo is having a hard time debuting. Basically a year ago when he was about to debut, something happened. He was on hiatus for a while and a couple months later he decided he wanted to debut as a group just to try it out. However after the group debuted, some rumors and bullying allegations started to surface with some members and the group fell through and disbanded. And now he is again trying to debut as a soloist but what happened in the group is making it challenging for him to do so. So as of right now, he is having a hard time overall.

Seoho got a job at a celebrity news firm where he would regulate what celebrity news was put out to the public.

Joong is jumping around small companies as a clothes stylist for celebrities as an intern.

Hwa is currently studying about flowers and plants (botany) at a university near Joong's home where he still lives and started working in a flower shop.

Everything was going well until today...

Hwa was already at work as Joong and Seoho tried to put up some decorations for Hwa's 1 year free of self harm. They were extremely proud of him.

"Hey Seoho, do you still have that note from one year ago?" Joong suddenly asked, feeling something wasn't right.

Yes, it's still in the same spot as last year. I haven't moved it. Why do you ask?" Seoho looked up at Joong as he stopped sweeping the floor.

"I don't know why, but I just have this feeling of unease, Seoho. I don't know what it is but can we go see it? Maybe it'll make me feel better if I see it in the drawer." Pulling Seoho by the arm, dragging him upstairs.

"See, the drawer is still locked. There's no way someone can open it except me." Pulling at the drawer showed Joong that it indeed was still locked but Joong nonetheless wanted to see it.

"Can you open it, Seoho?" And Seoho agreed to open it up for Joong and lo and behold, the letter was no longer there.

"Ho-how is this possible? There-there's no way anyone can open this. The lock is not even broken. Joong what the fuck happened."

"I don't know Seoho. Are you sure you didn't take it out or anything like that?" Joong asked the shaky Seoho.

"No, never. I haven't taken it out since I put it in last year. I swear." Seoho was shaking at the fact he knew no one would have opened it without a key. "What do we do, Joong?" He whispered as if he was afraid whoever took the letter would hear them.

"It's ok Hoho. It's not your fault. Whoever did this will probably return it soon." Both staring at the empty metal cabinet in Seoho's closet.

Woo POV:

"How the fuck did I get into this mess?" Woo walked with his head down and a cap to try to hide his face from the public. It has been a struggle for a struggling woo to debut as a soloist. This is after his career was ripped from his hands after a controversy and bullying caused by his former members. Now some fans and people look at him as a bad guy.

Woo was walking along the bridge by the water when someone ran into him harshly, causing woo to stumble and fall.

"Rude" Woo thought in his head as the guy that ran into him kept on walking with his head down. As he tried to stabilize his balance, he saw something by his feet. Picking it up, reading it then spinning around to see if the guy was still there. Horrified by the note, he started shaking like a leaf because it was the same note Hwa wrote to Woo right before Hwa attempted.

It read: Dear Wooyoung, I'm sorry for hurting you. I'm sorry you met me. I wish I could go back in time to make things right. I wish you never knew me. I wish I could've protected you but I couldn't and I'm sorry. Please know every kiss, every hand hold, every snuggle and cuddle, every positive word and every smile I had with you were real. My love for you was real. Our love was real. My feelings for you were real. I have never faked anything. Every moment with you was the happiest time for me. Every smile you had on your face made my heart beat faster. I could feel the world light up with thousands of stars when I'm with you. I promise with all my heart I loved you and I still do. But I can no longer bear the pain. Knowing I have hurt you, knowing you moved on, knowing there is someone better than me. So please move on with life. Don't think about me. You have a bright future and I will make sure you do. I will be beside you in another way. I'll protect you from afar yet closer than you could ever think. Please forgive me. I love you Woo.

Love, MARS

September X, XXXX

"NO NO NOOOOO WHY HWA WHY?! 'YOU'RE LYING!' As he was angry and hurt, he began to scream at no one but everyone. He looked around as if searching for an escape. There he realized he was standing on a bridge, looking down at the water below his feet as if it was calling out to him.

"I'm so sorry Hwa. It's all my fault. It's all my fault. I was supposed to protect you. It's all my fault. I love you, Mars." He stood on one foot on the ledge of the bridge as his fingers held onto the rough edge. Having the darks of the water drawing in closer and closer like a trance.

His eyes blurred, all he could hear was muffled whispers, but he didn't care. 

CES: Lonely Boy (the tattoo on my ring finger) by TXT