Angel ✦ Nomin

33

"Xiaojun coaxed me out of my home claiming he wanted to talk with me. I remember hoping it would be the day he confessed his feelings for me. We had ran off to private places during the day to talk or kiss or whatever he felt like doing that day, but he never whisked me away at night," Hendery explains, "He lured me into the woods saying he found this beautiful creek that he thought of me when he found it. I willingly followed. Unfortunately, when we got there, he began to act funny."

"Act funny, how?" Jeno prompts him.

"He kept circling around me so that he would stand behind me. Every time I would try and pull him around to be next to me, he would make his way back. It struck me as odd, but I brushed it off, much like many of his other strange mannerisms," he answers, "And he also kept reminiscing over things we'd done in the past. I never took him as a sentimental person, so I was elated that he was wanting to talk about some of the little things we did over the year that we knew one another...but...it quickly turned sinister."

"How?"

"He said-and I quote-'I wonder if I'll miss you when you're gone'," Hendery deadpans with a vacant look in his eyes, "He stabbed my back and forced me to my knees. He stomped on me so that I would lie face down just at the edge of the water. He grabbed me by my hair and started yanking me closer to the water. Then, he submerged my head completely underwater. I tried struggling, but this only caused him to climb onto my back to pin me down."

Jeno stares at Hendery with solemn eyes. He couldn't imagine the emotional pain he must have been suffering all these years.

"Thankfully, it didn't take long for me to pass. I was greeted by Taeyong, and he did all he could to help make me feel less disoriented and sad about death. I asked to know what happened to Xiaojun and what was going on back down on Earth. He rejected my request at first, but...after a while he gave in," he continues, "Xiaojun dumped my body in the creek, and washed his hands of the crime. He went back to normal life, but his regret slowly settled in."

"He regretted killing you?" Jeno asks in astonishment.

"That's the thing: I don't believe he regrets the action, but I believe he regrets that it was me whom he killed," Hendery answers, "He had killed animals before without remorse. I had to ask Taeyong why. Why would he do this? His reply was vague. He only said that I confused him. Even after all these years, I don't truly know why he did what he did."

"I'm...surprised Xiao has the emotional capacity to regret, anything," Jeno states, and Hendery chuckles.

"I've always thought the same thing. He's the same as he's always been, isn't he?" he inquires.

"Worse. Much worse," Jeno admits, "And I need your help."

Hendery raises an eyebrow at this.

"Help? With what?"

"Xiaojun dragged my soulmate down with him into Hell. I need help fighting Xiaojun and getting him back."

Hendery stares blankly at Jeno for a moment before it seemingly processes, and he shakes his head.

"I can't," he rejects him.

"What? Why not?" Jeno exclaims, throwing his hands into the air.

"Because despite what happened, I still love him," Hendery admits through gritted teeth, wincing the second the words leave his mouth, "I can't face him. I can't help you, I'm sorry."

"Can't or won't," Jeno growls aggressively.

"I wish I could help, but there's nothing more I can do. You have to do this on your own," Hendery shakes his head dissmissively, "Please see yourself out. I have work that needs to be done."

Jeno grinds his teeth, his nostrils flare in anger. Clearly Hendery wasn't going to budge, and he needed to leave before things escalated too far. It was taking everything in him to keep calm enough to not let his eyes start glowing.

"Mark!" Jeno barks.

A flash of light shines in Jeno's eyes, and the black haired boy appears before him.

"Take me home," he commands.

Mark hesitantly extends his hand to Jeno, which the latter takes up aggressively. Mark continues to hesitate despite having Jeno's hand, and it causes Jeno to snap.

"Now!"

The boys are consumed by a bright light, then disappear from the empty room.