disfunctionality | HwanHee ✅

Twenty-fifth Toll

It was cold. I no longer felt the intense pain. I felt I had done something meaningful with my life. A life full of pain, loneliness, a chapter of bullying. I wondered what my friends would react if they learned I died? Would Youngjo feel guilty? Would Seoho be a sobbing mess? I thought about my mom and how happy she'd be now that I'm gone. She could finally have the life she's been wanting since I came into existence. Then I thought of Keonhee, someone who I thought I could never get along with. I never could have imagined back then that I'd be a clumsy lovestruck fool for him. I knew he'd be the one suffering the most, since he was part of the reason I was the way I am now.

Everything was dark. I never gave it much thought of how death could possibly be like. Was I in limbo? Or was I being sent to the pits of hell? I was no saint and didn't deserve a place up above. I had hoped there'd be some sort of guiding light to somewhere. I spotted a small glimmer in the distance and tried to move towards it. I couldn't move. I didn't seem to be stuck, but it was obvious that I was. I guessed this was it. I was stuck wherever I was for eternity.

Keonhee

I weeped. I nudged his still body with the rest of my energy as I was carrying him on my back. "He can't be dead..." I didn't want this. My heart felt as if it was being stretched. I knew the consequence, yet I still went through with it. I had managed to get us to the edge of the woods before I collapsed. "Keon..." I looked at Nisse and felt my eyes well up again. "What..." Nisse had turned around and revealed Lutin. "I thought sprites died along with their partners..." Nisse shrugged then placed Lutin on top of Hwanwoong. "I guess we can give them a proper burial-"

"What the..." I watched in surprise as the both of them were enveloped in a golden light and disappeared. "Did you?" "No..." I sat down in disbelief.

End Keonhee

The cold had now become warm and the black was now white. "Open your eyes." I did as I was told and saw a familiar figure floating above. "Him..." "You sacrificed your own life to saves others. That's very noble if you ask me." "I guess." "I could give you another chance at life." Another chance? So I really did die. That fact had hit home and wondered how permanently dead creatures felt. "What do I need to do?" "It's going to sound ridiculous and cliché, but, you need your friends and Keonhee." "Go on." "They need to have their sprites use their energy on Lutin, and from there he can bring you back. However, you have only a few hours." I never knew Lutin could do something like that. I also should've know there was a catch.

And just like that, I found myself watching over Keonhee. I didn't know if it'd work, but I took my chances and shouted the plan. He seemed to have heard something as he started looking around. "Only Lutin came back..." He gently picked him up and handed him to Nisse. "Now what?" I shouted again and they both reacted. "Find Seoho and friends...?" "You heard it too?" "Should we?" "Wouldn't hurt."

I quietly followed them out into the human world and saw that my body had changed as well. He broke into a sprint and forced me to do so as well. "I hope he can do this..."