BAEK KYUNG Just A Human Being

HARU's Disappearance

Baek Kyung disliked Haru as much as Haru disliked Baek Kyung. It was a 100% mutual feeling. Haru was the only other guy, apart from his asshole of a father, that had ever punched him in the face. Not only that, the guy purposely threw him in the swimming pool in front of everyone as well and had constantly mocked him with lines like "You're not even aware of yourself", "You won't even remember it if I spelled it out for you", "When the stage changes, you'll forget everything anyway." But most of all, he saw Haru as the guy who tried to steal DanOh from him and that he could not forgive.

When suddenly, Haru disappeared, rumour among the "self-aware" was that he disappeared for messing with the writer's stages as a punishment.

When Baek Kyung realised that, he kept an extra careful eye on her because he didn't want DanOh disappearing on him like that. It irked him to see DanOh so distressed because of Haru's disappearance. It really bothered him how she had come straight from the hospital to the school, still dressed in her hospital gown, just to find answers about Haru's MIA from that darn comic book left in the library. She ran from one place to another on the vast school grounds, ignoring her heart pain, ignoring her heart monitor beeping, ignoring all the fatigue, just for Haru. Finally she had resigned herself. He saw her breaking down in tears in the middle of the football field repeating just that one darn word "Haru." He was beyond annoyed: why would she be that upset over a mere extra? He couldn't name the emotions he was feeling.

Soon a stage came up for him. He found himself at a high end clothing store with his father and stepmother buying a gift for his fiancé: DanOh. Right after that stage was over, he stood up to his father for the first time in his life. He would not take anymore abuse from this man ever again.

"You call this a gift?" he called out to his father "I think you're using her. For the first time, I'm starting to pity DanOh."

"Careful what you say, boy. I'm doing something nice for a girl who doesn't have long to live."

"Father. You're not fooling me anymore" Baek Kyung threw the bag of gifts at his father's feet. He gave his father a disappointed look before walking away without looking back. "Baek Kyung! Come back right this instant!" his father screamed. 

Baek Kyung finally understood it all, he saw life for what it was: a stupid comic book story where everyone was at the writer's mercy.

At school, DanOh acted depressed all day, staring into nothingness, barely touching her food, not hearing anything anyone said, all because of that Haru guy. He didn't like seeing her like that: she was already sick enough, she didn't need to lose weight over a mere extra. During lunch break, he bought her her favourite yogurt drink and made sure she drank that at least. He had never seen Eun DanOh like that ever before and it annoyed him that it was over that Haru guy. In the middle of the music class, DanOh had a meltdown. She started screaming "How can no one remember Haru? No one? Just me? How is this possible?!" She was in hysterical tears, her heart monitor started beeping like crazy and she started being unwell. He got up from his seat and holding her hand he walked her to the infirmary. 

"Eun DanOh. Have you lost your mind?" he asked her.

She clung to him "Tell me at least YOU remember Haru, please, you have to remember Haru, Haru was..." she kept crying.

He gave in "I do. So just stop crying..." After that her sobs got smaller and smaller and she fell asleep. It didn't go unnoticed to him that she didn't let of his hand even while sleeping. 

During lunch break he was walking towards the cafeteria when he saw Lee Dowah laying on the grass looking all gloomy.

He went over to him "What are you doing there on the ground? Don't tell me you're all depressed because of that Haru guy as well?" he asked.