Just This Much

14: Drop

Ki-Ryeong slowly stood up, his eyes never leaving the old man who was still seated on a stool. He took a deep breath, controlling himself from releasing a disrespectful snicker.

Parallel universe? What the hell?

Of course he knew about that, he's a Marvel fan for Pete's sake! With all these 'multiverse' and time travelling he recently watched on the latest Avengers movie, he is very informed about that concept. Yes, a concept, because that's all it is—a fictional concept used in films and books!

But why... why is he feeling this way? Despite the incredulity of the situation, he can't help but feel the tiniest bit of hope. Perhaps, the notion is not make-believe at all. Perhaps, there's a little bit of fantasy in this world—magic, miracle, curse, whatever this man calls it, as long as he could bring Lilac back again. As long as he can be with Lilac again. As long as he can at least make it up to her.

"I see you knew about it but you don't believe." Elius shrugged, "well, I can't blame you. I just thought you're desperate enough to believe it."

Oh he is desperate okay—very. But he's not a fool, he can still think straight.

"Why are you asking me these questions anyway?," he frowned, and decided to finally acknowledge the real situation. "Are you lost, Sir? Or are you here to visit... Lilac? How did you—"

"You're the one I am here for young man. Ms. Ayutthaya is indeed a very remarkable young lady, but her time's up. Fate has ended her journey in this world. That is her reality and yours as well. There's nothing I can offer her anymore. But you, I have so much in store for you."

He felt a painful stab in the heart as the man's words echoed inside his mind; Her time's up. Fate has ended her journey in this world. That's her reality and yours as well. No need to remind him again.

He swallowed and ignored his thoughts, "offer?"

Wait a minute, Ki-Ryeong, are you really going to let this man go on with his bullshit? The rational part of him exclaimed. Probably this Elius Spencer is right, he's desperate enough to believe.

"To make your fantasy into reality."

There was another sharp intake of breath from him, "y-you're going to bring back Lilac?"

Elius chuckled, "no, but I'm going to bring you to Lilac."

"You mean... Lilac in a parallel universe?"

"Exactly," the man smiled, looking delighted that he actually understood.

Kio frowned, "then that's not my Lilac."

Elius was a bit surprised, "not really, every persona in each universe is still connected. There's still a part of your Lilac in that Lilac, though I don't think it matters. You're only going there to make it up to her, right? It's not like you'll be there permanently, you still need to come back here, to your reality."

So it's like breaking my heart for the second time?

He didn't bother voicing out his thoughts and just stayed silent for a while, looking away. The man apparently took it as a sign to continue.

"Think of it this way, parallel universes were made by regrets—what if's as per se. They were made of the possibilities; what if he chose this path instead? What if she said yes that day? What if... she didn't die?"

The stranger's last words piqued his interest once again.

"The past weeks, I know you've been regretting one thing, Ahn Ki-Ryeong," Elius stood up, hands connected behind him casually, as he took relaxed steps towards the boy. "You're regretting introducing yourself to Lilac that day, four years ago."