BEFORE THE DAWN-CHAPTER 3

“Hyung, I’m sorry for this, you wanted to go somewhere else right?” Sungjong croaked. He was lying against the soft cushions on the back seat of Sungyeol’s limo.

“Erm…no it’s ok. What would you like to eat Sungjong?” asked Sungyeol kindly.

When they were waiting for the limo to show up at the café, Myungsoo had taken him aside and said, in a grave voice, “Look I know you don’t have the best feelings for Sungjongie in the world but do this for me, ok? Take him home, buy him something to eat, he looks like he’s starving and then tell him to sleep. Just do this much and then you can go find Woohyun. Please.” He almost had tears in his eyes.

Sungyeol couldn’t say no to that. And besides, he was feeling sorry for Sungjong. He might not be the most sensitive person alive but he couldn’t look away or make fun of Sungjong when he looked so helpless.

Sungjong didn’t reply which made Sungyeol sigh, “It’s ok Sungjongie, you can think of me like your brother.”

Sungyeol didn’t mind that he had no siblings. He had never wanted one. Even if he had one, he wouldn’t win any ‘Best Brother’ awards.

It’s better this way. I don’t need any more people who can abandon me and hurt me in the process.

Sungyeol could never fully forgive his parents for leaving him alone. Sometimes he felt grateful though, especially when he saw how worried Myungsoo would be before Parent’s Day. And Woohyun always had to be home by 9 pm on week days. Sungyeol was a free bird. His tutor, Jungmin, would call 5 times a day though, but he hardly had any control over him. However, he would sometimes be overwhelmed by his freedom. Sometimes, he wished his mother would scold him for going to watch a movie on school night and his father would want to know why he had failed Chemistry.

In truth, Sungyeol never tested Jungmin’s patience to the highest extreme. He would laugh and tell Jungmin it was because he felt bad for him.

“You’re an old man and I have pity for your poor nerves. If I go too wild you may have a heart attack,” Sungyeol would tell Jungmin playfully. However his reasons were completely different.

What if he leaves me as well? He’s not even related to me…If he leaves, I’ll truly become alone in this world. Except for Myungsoo and Howon, of course. And…Woohyun.

By the time, they reached Howon and Sungjong’s apartment, Sungjong was fast asleep. Sungyeol gently nudged him to wake him up. He looked embarrassed that he had fallen asleep and apologized profusely for failing to answer any questions Sungyeol might have asked him.

“It’s ok, you were tired,” said Sungyeol, after ordering his chauffeur to bring pizza and Pepsi for them.

“Hyung, there’s no need—”

“Oh shut up, let’s go inside, it’s freezing.”

Woohyun had lost track of time. He had thought of leaving before it was dark, but darkness came so soon. Usually, the sky would turn pale first and then a pink shade before darkness took over but today it came all at once. One moment, the sky was bright and blue, the next moment, he couldn’t see anything. The wind picked up until it was positively howling in his ears. He shivered.

I think I should go now.

He stood up tentatively and immediately looked behind. There was nothing but a solid block of darkness. His throat was parched and he felt a tingling sensation on his skin. He could barely make out the outline of the tombstone in front of him. The flowers he had placed on the gravestone seemed to have shrunk. 

Oh God, I’ll never get out of this place.

He gulped down the saliva forming in his mouth and took a step. He felt a thousand pair of eyes on him.

All right, I have one chance. I got to get out of here alive.

Taking a deep breath, he started to run. He didn’t even stop when he kicked loose gravel or stones off the path or ran into tombstones. He had closed his eyes, not that they were any help open. He felt a painful bump rise on his forehead as he ran into a lamp post.

Aargh, oh please let me not die here. I don’t even know which way’s out. Wait, what was that sound?

He thought he had heard the crunch of gravel, somewhere close to him.

“Who’s there?” he whispered inaudibly. He felt a figure dart past him through the darkness.

Wait is that a—

He knew very well even as he opened his mouth to scream that he wouldn’t make it. Surely enough, before he could move another muscle, something grabbed him from behind. The grasp was strong and he felt his breath was knocked out from his lungs. He saw stars in front of his eyes.

This is it. I’m coming, eomma. Now I can be with you. I don’t have to be scared of losing anyone anymore.

“Yah, if you faint now, I won’t carry you home!” The voice was rude.

Lucifer, is that you? Boy, this is one cranky demon…

“Didn’t you hear me, you idiot? Stop shaking!”

Only if the pain stopped. But why does Lucifer sound so familiar?

“Hey what’s wrong with you? Do you want me to leave you here?”

 “C-can’t b-breathe,” spluttered Woohyun.

“Oh, my bad.”

Woohyun was released from the tight grasp and he fell to the floor on all four. His hands moved towards his tie to untie it as he gasped.

“Are you alright?” Someone sat down beside him and patted him on the back. It was several minutes before he answered.

“What are you doing here, you obscenely tall owl?” Woohyun croaked.

“That’s nice Woohyun, you’re going to win awards for your politeness. Need I remind you, I just saved you from the perils of a haunted graveyard?” Sungyeol said in a snobby voice as he helped Woohyun up.

“I didn’t need any help and this graveyard is not haunted!” said Woohyun in an unnecessarily loud voice.

“No of course not, you were just running from tooth fairies,” said Sungyeol snidely. “What is a blind guy doing here at night, not to mention alone?”

“You know what I’m doing, and I’m not blind.”

“No you’re just night-blind. Now let’s get out of here before the Grim Reaper comes for our heads.”

“T-t-the G-grim Reaper? He’s not even real,” Woohyun said but he ended his sentence in a questioning tone as if he didn’t believe in what he had just said.

“Sure, that’s what you think. Now come on.” Sungyeol pulled on Woohyun’s shirt.

The eerie crunching of gravel beneath their feet made Woohyun glance sideways nervously, as if waiting for something to jump on him. Unknowingly, he had clutched tightly at Sungyeol’s arm. Sungyeol rolled his eyes and tried to find his way through the maze of gravestones. He stopped in front of the grave where Woohyun was earlier sitting and cautiously dropped a bunch of roses, which fell on top of Woohyun’s bouquet. Hearing Sungyeol stop, Woohyun said nervously, “What are you doing?”

“Nothing, you weirdo. Come on, we’re almost there,” Sungyeol replied. He hastily bowed in front of the grave and then pulled Woohyun away towards the exit. At that moment, an owl screeched in a nearby tree.

“Aaargh!” Woohyun screamed and jumped onto Sungyeol. Sungyeol was not prepared and as he felt a pair of arms eagerly grasping his neck, he started and tried to jerk him off. This made Woohyun grab his neck even tighter as he hung from Sungyeol, his legs in the air. Sungyeol knew he couldn’t extricate the figure from him, so he just stopped moving and glared at Woohyun’s face, which was hidden in his chest. After a few minutes, Woohyun mumbled, ‘Is it gone?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about but I would like my neck back please,” said Sungyeol grumpily.

When Woohyun realized the state he was in, he quickly jumped to the ground. His head hung low, he said, “Let’s go.”

“About time,” sighed Sungyeol and took Woohyun’s hand. “You’re more pain than you’re worth.”

They walked silently for the rest of the way. When they were out of the graveyard, Sungyeol didn’t drop Woohyun’s hand; Woohyun didn’t seem to mind. They kept on walking as if they had decided on their destination before. Suddenly, Sungyeol’s phone started to ring. He fished it out of his pocket and looked at the caller I.D.

“Myungsoo,” Sungyeol said cheerfully. “I did exactly what you told me to. Sungjong’s safe and sound.”

Woohyun looked up curiously. He wondered what had happened to Howon’s kid brother.

“No, of course not. Yeah, go check on him. Howon’s with you right? Ok then, see you tomorrow at school.”

Woohyun didn’t understand what Sungyeol was talking about and was very confused when he said after a pause, “Yeah, right where he was supposed to be.”

 The silence didn’t break until Sungyeol walked through the main gate and stopped in front of the house. Not bothering to look at Woohyun, he rapped loudly on the door. Woohyun’s head snapped up as the door was flung open and a teenage boy, a year older than them, gasped loudly.

“Woohyunnie! Where have you been? Appa was so worried!” Without waiting for an answer he ran into the house screaming, “Appa, Woohyunnie’s back! He wasn’t kidnapped! He’s alive! He wasn’t taken by Lord Voldemort.”

“Ah, that Dongwoo hyung,” muttered Woohyun.

“Hasn’t changed much, that Dongwoo hyung,” said Sungyeol, smiling. “What are you waiting for? Do you want to stay outside forever?”

Woohyun made a face and followed Sungyeol inside.

Look who’s giving the orders. This is my house.

“Woohyun.”

Dongwoo returned with a middle-aged man in tow. He resembled Woohyun very much, except that his pitch black hair was in the process of turning grey.

“Appa,” Woohyun said as he looked at Mr. Nam. “I’m sorry, I lost track of time and…”

“I found him almost crying out because he thought there were ghosts,” said Sungyeol with a wide grin. “You should have seen his face!”

“Was his face like this?” asked Dongwoo. He scrunched up his face until he couldn’t be even recognized as a human and made a loud wailing noise that has never been heard from any sort of animal. Sungyeol was thrown off guard as he stared while Woohyun shook his head disapprovingly. Mr. Nam looked mildly amused but seeing that Woohyun was feeling embarrassed, he said, “Stop it Dongwoo. You’re embarrassing your brother.”

Dongwoo’s face returned to normal but the look of shock didn’t leave Sungyeol’s face. Seeing that, Woohyun said, “Aargh, he’s not my brother.” He then stormed off towards his room.

“Why does he have to embarrass me like that?” fumed Woohyun. “I wish I didn’t have a brother like him. He slammed his bedroom door.

In fact, I almost didn’t have him. I wonder if it would have been really possible to live if he didn’t turn up—one less people to lose.

 Dongwoo was Woohyun’s step-brother. Woohyun’s mother had been married to a wealthy businessman before. After he died, Mr. Nam, being the generous man he was, accepted Dongwoo and his mother in his life. Woohyun had grown up thinking Dongwoo was his real brother until he was old enough to realize the significance of the difference in surnames between him and Dongwoo.

Woohyun changed into comfortable clothes and was about to go to sleep when someone knocked on his door.

“Dinner, Woohyunnie. Can’t go to sleep without it,” Dongwoo said.

“I don’t want to eat.”

Even as he said it, he opened the door because he knew his father wouldn’t let him go to bed hungry.

When he came to the dining room, he was shocked to see Sungyeol sitting beside Mr. Nam and chatting with him. He knew this would happen. Mr. Nam never let Sungyeol leave without a meal. Yet it didn’t stop him from making a surly expression as he made his way towards the table.

“Yes Sungyeol, your father was always the smart one. I was so glad that he was my friend. He got me out of the tight spots,” Mr. Nam was enthusiastically telling Sungyeol. “Oh, Woohyun, we were waiting for you,” he added to Woohyun.

“Hurry up, you lazy butt, I’m dying of hunger,” Sungyeol said, picking up his spoon.

“What is he doing here?” Woohyun pointed at Sungyeol, knowing the answer quite well.

“It’s rude to point Woohyun,” said Mr. Nam. “And you should thank him for bringing you home. You acted very rashly today and if he hadn’t guessed where you were and didn’t turn up—”

“Ok, I get it. You can finish dinner and then get the hell outta here.” Even as he said it, he knew that his father would as always ask Sungyeol to stay. He took his seat because he knew there was no point in arguing with his father. Mr. Nam liked Sungyeol too much since he resembled his father, Mr. Lee, who was his childhood friend. Throughout dinner, Woohyun remained silent while Mr. Nam, Dongwoo and Sungyeol chatted on.

 After dinner, Woohyun was going straight to bed when something that his father said made him stop and whirl around.

“What do you mean by he’s staying here?” he demanded.

Duh, he’ll ask him to stay. Oh please say ‘no’, you stupid owl…

“It’s too late to go home. So take Sungyeol to your room and give him something of yours’ to change into—” Another dialogue Woohyun heard more often than it suited him.

“Andwe!” he cut across his father. “There’s no way he’s staying here. Go back to your stupid mansion.”

“It’s okay, featherhead, you don’t have to give me your clothes. I know they’ll be too short for me anyway,” said Sungyeol snidely.

“I’m not sharing rooms with you,” said Woohyun flatly.

His father looked at him reproachfully, “Woohyun—”

“It’s ok appa, he can sleep in my room like always,” offered Dongwoo.

“No, he’s leaving right now!” Woohyun glared at Sungyeol.

Sungyeol smiled evilly. “Thanks Dongwoo hyung. I’m really scared of the dark so I shouldn’t go home now.”

Woohyun clenched his fist and said, “Fine! Do whatever you want. I’m going to sleep.”

He sometimes wondered why Sungyeol agreed to stay overnight as his house. He was definitely not afraid of the dark and he could call for his limo any time.

Maybe he just wants to torture me.

“Come Sungyeol, let’s sleep,” said Dongwoo, ushering him towards his room. Sungyeol wished Mr. Nam a good night and followed Dongwoo, winking at Woohyun.

Woohyun lay awake on his bed. Although he was tired to the bones, he couldn’t sleep. He knew that one other person under the same roof was also awake.

That stupid Sungyeol! Why did he have to stay? He can’t sleep anywhere properly apart from his home, he knows that well. He’ll be awake the whole night. And who can sleep with Dongwoo hyung beside them? He snores! He knows all of this and still he stayed. Does he do that simply to annoy me? I wish I could kick him out of the house right now!

Woohyun turned to his side and saw the moonlight filtering in through his window. He bit his lips.

Aargh, it’s no good.

He sat up in his bed. Cursing himself inwardly, he put on his slippers and tiptoed out of his room. Dongwoo slept like a log of wood but Mr. Nam was a very sensitive sleeper. Woohyun was careful not to disturb Mr. Nam’s sleep and not being as clumsy as Dongwoo,  he managed to reach Dongwoo’s bed room noiselessly while shooting nervous glances towards Mr. Nam’s bed room.

Thank God hyung sleeps with his door open.

He pushed the door inward and the little creak alerted Sungyeol that he wasn’t the only one awake. He knew it could only be Woohyun and pretended to be asleep under his covers.

“Look, I’m not stupid,” said Woohyun quite loudly when he reached the bed. He knew nothing could wake Dongwoo up. “Get up and come with me.”

He waited for two minutes before Sungyeol got up and followed him to his bed room. Once inside, Woohyun took out a pair of sweat pants and a T-shirt from his wardrobe and threw them at Sungyeol.

Sungyeol immediately pulled off his school uniform and changed. He had known that Woohyun

would save him from Dongwoo’s snores at one point. He was happy that Woohyun came to his senses before any permanent damage occurred to his ear drums.

“You could have asked Dongwoo hyung for some clothes. You know you feel uncomfortable in the school uniform,” Woohyun muttered.

“Yes I know,” Sungyeol said. “But Dongwoo hyung is even shorter than you so…”

Woohyun sat down on his bed and asked, “How did you know where to find me?”

Sungyeol jumped onto the bed which made a loud creaking noise.

So Woohyunnie is not in the mood for a little fight. Too bad, it would have been fun.

Grabbing Woohyun’s pillow he said, “The same way you knew I was awake.”

Woohyun made a ‘tsk’ noise, certainly not happy with the answer. He made to take away his pillow from Sungyeol’s clutches but he turned around from Woohyun with the pillow.

“I did forget in the morning but then I suddenly remembered it was your oemma’s death anniversary,” Sungyeol said after some time.

Woohyun remained silent. Sungyeol continued, “You didn’t have to leave school. You could have gone there after school over. You could have asked Myungsoo and Howon. They would have been glad to accompany you. They do it every year. I go with you every year. You could have gone with your appa and Dongwoo hyung in the morning before school. Why did you have to do it alone?”

“I was missing her. And I didn’t want to share her with anyone. Not even Dongwoo hyung or appa. For all I know, I might lose them someday as well. And you people as well.”

“Isn’t that what we’re all scared of? Being alone?”

“Is it? I thought it’s just me.”

“Nope, happens to me all the time.”

Woohyun didn’t protest because he knew Sungyeol, of all the people, would know how he felt.

Howon had accepted his fate but for some reason, we can’t. We keep fearing and hiding and fearing…

“That reminds me, I didn’t tell Jungmin hyung I was going to spend the night here. He must be worried sick. He has been calling since school ended and I didn’t pick up once. And now my battery has run out.”

“You can use mine if you want.”

“Nah, I’ll just explain everything to him tomorrow. He might have called Myungsoo and found out anyways.”

“He likes Myungsoo a lot.”

“He likes everyone more than me.”

“That’s not true. You know that.”

“So, what are you going tell the sunsaengnims? About running away?”

“I don’t know.” Woohyun stifled a yawn. “What happened to Sungjong by the way?”

Sungyeol sighed and turned around to face Woohyun. “He was sick earlier. I had to take him home from the café.”

“Is he going to be ok?” Woohyun sounded worried.

“Yeah, Myungsoo’s all over him I assure you. In a good way, I mean.”

“Then he’ll be fine. And then there’s Howon. What about tomorrow though? Your parents are coming?”

“Nope,” said Sungyeol, yawning. “Wake me up early tomorrow, ok?”

“Do I look like your personal butler?” scoffed Woohyun.

“No, you look like a very disgruntled Nam Woohyun.”

“Good, that means I’m back to my senses. So I’ll go to sleep now.”

There was no response.

“Fine sleep then, if you can.” Woohyun was about to turn around when Sungyeol moved.

“Yah, yah, don’t put your feet up on me,” Woohyun shouted. “Stay away from me I said. Aargh, move your giant leg.”

Woohyun was trying to push Sungyeol off but then realized he was asleep already.

He groaned, “Aargh, Sungyeol, this is why I don’t want to sleep with you. You should have gone home.”