the cursed red string (2)
you were standing infront of a lifeless body, laying in a pool of blood. father...tears were falling uncontrollably. you were sobbing. holding his hand, you notice a paper crumpled in his fist. you take it out, as gentle as you can, and read it.
"blood was the only thing to fulfill our revenge. he was, and will forever be, a traitor."
shaking, you scrumpled the paper in your fist. you knew who they were. you knew where they lived. there was a fire in you, slowly forming. heading out with your father's sword, a hand stops you. someone was hugging you. "please...my love...don't do this" it was him. "i don't want their filthy blood on your hands" he cried out. "let me go." he held you tighter. "and if i don't ?"
he tried to take the sword out of your hands, but you just pushed him away. "don't you see? don't you see him, lying lifelessly surrounded by cold blood??" you were shaking. "his blood on my hands hadnt dried yet..." you tried to choke out words, but failed. your shocked body fell to the ground, holding your tightening chest as you cried.
he knelt down, holding you as he caressed the small of your back. after a while, your cries stopped, and your eyes darkened. "i won't ever stop until i kill each and every one of them. let me go, please." you look up at him, and you see him. you see his face. dark eyes that glistened under the sun. his sharp features all too clear. you sit up in your bed, wide-eyed. joong-gil...
walking into jumadeung, there was not a single person who wasn't staring at you with saucer eyes. how could they not? your dark circles were screaming for everyone to look at. you were too busy avoiding the prying eyes to notice a puppy-like junwoong walking beside you, also staring at you.
"what's up with your face, never knew someone could look so dead" you stop in your tracks. that voice... you look at the owner of the voice. joong-gil. you shift your gaze but your body has a mind of its own.
you found yourself searching for his eyes, to find them set on you. he was looking for yours, too.
why do you feel overwhelming guilt everytime you look at him? why does he make your heart ache? when you try to look away again, that's when you become aware of the bright red on his hand - the red string. how can you...see it? but you weren't the only one to see it - junwoong had seen it as well.
"(y/n) works really hard for our team, y'know. so stop looking down on it !" junwoong cut off the stare contest. "and your job is to follow her like a lost puppy?" the tsundere man said through gritted teeth. "im just a caring fellow team member, that's all..." junwoong was pouting. Joong-gil suddenly reached over, and patted junwoongs head - which left your mouth agape.
"ah-huh..?" junwoong was dumbfounded. he was looking at the taller figure, and felt this familiar feeling - a warming, assuring presence. it felt like he was thanking him. calling out the fierce elite's name was enough to pull in his hand, take a step back, and cough vigorously.
what the hell just happened?
"did you just..." junwoong trailed off as he looked at him. suddenly, laughter echoed in jumadeung. the park joong-gil was flustered, his ears were actually red. "hey ! your ears-" joong-gil put his large hand over the younger while he was laughing. witnessing this scene, there was a familiar feeling - home. you felt warm and giddy on the inside, like you've seen this countless of times before.
you were smiling, this was the first time you've found junwoong rather endearing. when you turn to the worked up leader, your heart fluttered. he had his gaze on you. it was almost like he was pleading with his eyes. they were begging you to remember. what the hell...
not being to hold it in any longer, you burst into the sacred flower filled chamber. and there she was, calmly seated with a delicate cup of tea in her hand. "where are your manners, little one." she stated calmly. "i need to know what happened. i need to know my past." you were trembling. "he's waiting for me to remember...i know joong-gil is involved in my past." you look at her, your eyes begging.
"i told you...they can have the same face but they're not the same-" "then why is my heart telling me otherwise?? why does it gnaw at me when im face to face with him? why can i see his red string...!" you choked out the last bit as you were crying. she sighed. "are you not afraid? are you sure...that you can handle it..?" she treaded lightly. she knew that there was no coming back now. you had to know, he had been waiting for too long..." i feel...like the truth will break me. but i need to know, for his sake at least." you say confidently.
the heaven ruler stood up, and walked towards you. "i pray that you can handle the truth" and puts her hand over your eyes.
you lost all control over yourself, you start seeing nothing but your sword. it was moving on its own, killing everyone in its way. you were blinded by the hatred and madness running through your veins.
a voice you're familiar with.
huh? what is this? you open your eyes for what felt like the first time. joong-gil....?...what are you doing here?
when you try to move your hand, thats when you feel it. you look down and see the knife you've mercilessly plunged into him.
you gasp in horror, taking a step back. "j-joong no...!!" blood was furiously seeping out. he falls to the ground, and you fall on your knees.
you crawl to him, barely being able to hold yourself steady. "j-joong-gil, I..." you held him towards you, slightly lifting him up. "w-what have I done, l-love p-please..." unable to form words, you caressed his cheek. "stay with me" you whispered. with all the strength left in him, he slowly lifted up his hand to touch your tear stained face. "please, stop this...i don't want you to ruin yourself anymore..." he whispered. "why are you worried about me...you- look at yourself now !! how can you still care about me after all of this..." he pushed himself to smile. "i always will, my love. this is not your fault...the world is at fault."
and he closes his eyes, for the last time. the last time his loving black eyes will ever lay itself upon yours.
you open your eyes, tear-stained. i killed him...i killed the love of my life...."(y/n).." you turn away.
you run towards the person that you should have never forgotten, the person that loved you even when you were the reason he left the world too early.
you open his door, rushing in. and there he was. standing with his back to you. he turned, and there you were. the person he once, and still loved. he takes one look at you to know who you are. to know that your memories are back. to see the guilt and regret in your eyes.
"(y/n)." he puts down the report he's holding. "why didn't you tell me? how could you pretend like i wasn't the reason you're here?" you couldn't hold his eyes with yours anymore, so you look down. how could you look at him straight in the eyes? you didn't have the right. "(y/n)...look at me" your gaze was fixed on the seamless marble floor. he starts taking cautious steps towards you, "i was waiting for you.."
"waiting..? you should've reminded me, you should've been hating me for daring to forget. for even having the right to forget." the pain in your chest became unbearable, and you couldn't breathe. you fell to your knees, trying to breathe. he rushed towards you "(y/n) ! are you okay ??" he touched you and you flinched back. "don't...touch me...don't look at me with those eyes !!" you choked out. he stayed there, feeling helpless. but he didn't want to stand back any longer, he didn't want to let you go again.
he came closer to you, held your face with both of his hands. "(y/n) focus on your breathing. look at me, and focus." given the situation, you obeyed. slowly, air rushed through your lunges to fill the need of air. after taking in a few more long breaths, you become aware of the situation you're in. his face inches away, eyes fixed on you. you quickly tried to pull back, only to be held in place. he was holding your face with both his hands, not letting you pull back.
"park joong-gil, please...don't make this harder than it already is...im so-im so sorry..." you looked at every part of his face except his eyes. "hey now...(y/n), i...i became a reaper for this very reason. i knew that you wouldn't forgive yourself, and that...you would never be able to meet me." you shamelessly looked at him again. "the regret that formed a deep scar, wasn't healed easily and i...don't want you to go into endless regret again."
he caressed your skin ever so gently, so carefully. "i can't believe that i finally have you in my arms, and i can't let you go." your heart longed for this man, you felt shameless for wanting him in your life again. "if you want me to forgive you then stay with me. give me all the love you didn't back then. i want you with me." you put your arms around his neck, bringing yourself closer to him. the scent you once knew, it's still there. you held him tighter, and kept apologizing. "i'm sorry...for wanting you. for being so shameless. for not being able to let you go."
he put his arms around your waist, and his face on your shoulder. he held you firmly yet gently, he had waited for this day for decades.
and he wasn't going to let you go. not now, not ever.
part 1 I part 2 I part 3 I bonus
a/n: this was kinda long, but i hope you like it ♡
