From The Shadows
First Meetings...and Hard Feelings
The next morning, Taehee met with Minho at a local diner. Minho smiled and stood when Taehee walked up. “Hi. I’m Choi Minho,” Minho felt stupid for not knowing what to say from there. His mind went blank. He could feel the nerves getting to him. Taehee saved him the trouble. “I’m Lee Taehee. I’m your brother, as you now know,” Taehee flashed a smile. “So…What’s good here?” Taehee also seemed nervous, so Minho began showing him what he would usually order. They settled on an appetizer plate of nachos and both ordered one of the breakfast burritos. They sat in silence for a long while.
Minho broke the silence. “So, did you already know about me? I know that our father did.” He took a bite of the nachos that had just arrived.
Taehee sighed, then smiled. “Yes, I did. Our parents told me when I was ten that I had a brother. They also said that they could not keep you.” He knew that the reason had been for safety, with creatures to kill and a compound to protect, but he did not want to scare the young man off with the mention any of that. “Our mother died when I was fourteen…” Taehee suppressed the emotions that were threatening to take over. He took a deep breath. “It was tough, and I wish our father had changed his mind about you then," Taehee frowned. "I guess he wouldn’t have been able to, with the adoption laws, and we didn’t even know where you were, for sure. You were already adopted, at that point, correct?”
Minho nodded. “Yes. I got adopted when I was four, and had a wonderful childhood, so I was not suffering. I didn’t find out I was adopted until yesterday.” He wanted to ask about their father, but wasn’t sure if Taehee wanted to talk about it. Maybe he had left, or wasn’t a good father. Either way, he felt as if it was not his business. This conversation was still awkward, and that would just add to it.
Taehee answered his unsaid question. “Minho, I think I should let you know now that our father passed away two days ago.” He clinched his jaw, staring down at his plate for a long moment. He finally looked up. “He would have loved to meet you. He was a wonderful person.”
Minho sighed, smiling again. “I’m sorry, Taehee…” He shook his head. “You know, I found out about you from a letter my parents left me. They died almost a month ago, so I do know how you feel. If you need to talk, I am now here. You can call me any time. I guess I looked at the letter at the right time. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have found you now,” he touched Taehee’s hand lightly. “I’m really sorry…”
Taehee sighed. “It’s…It’ll be okay. I appreciate your condolences.” He suddenly felt very tired, at a time when he should have been happier. “Would you like to come back with me, and you can meet the other…my co-workers?” He was careful to not mention what they did. Not now.
Minho drained his coffee. “I will be sure to do that another time. Honestly, though, I need to get to work. I hate to cut this short. I will stay in touch, though, and am very happy to have met you. ”
Taehee stood up and hugged him lightly. “I look forward to seeing you again, Minho.”
Minho nodded, grinning. “Me, too. I will give you a call later. I have to go, though. Bye.”
Taehee flashed a smile. “Bye…dongsaeng.” He hoped it would not be the last time he saw the young man, as he walked off. If his brother was not going to come back, he would have to go get him, before he was found by the same person who had killed their father.
********************************
While Taehee was gone, Mika started to walk into the training room, but had second thoughts when he saw Yooseung. He paused, and Yooseung motioned to him. “Come here for a second…please.” The last word sounded forced, which made Mika want to just keep on walking. He didn’t, rolling his eyes and turning around.
“Yeah?” Mika spoke quietly. “You wanted me?”
Yooseung nodded, not smiling. “So, why did you come back? Was it only because you heard we had a healer and needed one for your kid? What’s his name…Jay?”
Mika ignored Yooseung’s attitude. “Yes, I came back for Jay. I heard that you guys had a new healer that could take care of him. What’s it to you? Are you still holding a grudge?" He shook his head, sighing. "Yooseung, I couldn’t help what happened to Siwoo...and I left because you wanted me gone.”
Yooseung glared at him. “You’re a damned healer! You could have healed him, but no…He wasn’t as important as your precious Jay. He died, Mika. Or have you forgotten? I had to change my name because of that attack,” his voice sounded very bitter now. “You left, along with your precious…friends. I guess we were not important enough for you to care. You just left…Fuck you!”
Mika pursed his lips, knowing it was partly true. He had left because he couldn’t do anything to save Siwoo, and now he was reaping the consequences of that action. “I’m sorry…Yooseung.” He had to be careful to not call the other man Jino, since that was not his name now.
Yooseung laughed bitterly, raising his hand. “Save it, bastard. It won’t change anything,” he shook his head. “I don’t know why the fuck I wanted to talk to you, anyway. I can’t stand you now. You should just leave again. You being here doesn’t matter anymore.” Before Mika could reply, Yooseung walked off, slamming the door behind him.
Mika went outside to get some air. He didn’t know how he was going to make things up to Yooseung, since he felt like he owed him for Siwoo’s death. Shaking his head, he was at a loss to how to get it all back. He and Yooseung had been close; friends and casual lovers. That might have something to do with Yooseung’s anger. Maybe it would be better for him to just do as Yooseung said and leave.
He was distracted and lost in his thoughts, until something happened that ripped him back to reality. Pulling out his knife, he flipped it over, ready to strike. He knew the feel and smell of the creature.
There was a demon on the compound. After carefully hunting, he spotted it. The demon saw him at the same time, and began to run. Mika was fast, and caught the demon, holding his knife to its throat.
Minho broke the silence. “So, did you already know about me? I know that our father did.” He took a bite of the nachos that had just arrived.
Taehee sighed, then smiled. “Yes, I did. Our parents told me when I was ten that I had a brother. They also said that they could not keep you.” He knew that the reason had been for safety, with creatures to kill and a compound to protect, but he did not want to scare the young man off with the mention any of that. “Our mother died when I was fourteen…” Taehee suppressed the emotions that were threatening to take over. He took a deep breath. “It was tough, and I wish our father had changed his mind about you then," Taehee frowned. "I guess he wouldn’t have been able to, with the adoption laws, and we didn’t even know where you were, for sure. You were already adopted, at that point, correct?”
Minho nodded. “Yes. I got adopted when I was four, and had a wonderful childhood, so I was not suffering. I didn’t find out I was adopted until yesterday.” He wanted to ask about their father, but wasn’t sure if Taehee wanted to talk about it. Maybe he had left, or wasn’t a good father. Either way, he felt as if it was not his business. This conversation was still awkward, and that would just add to it.
Taehee answered his unsaid question. “Minho, I think I should let you know now that our father passed away two days ago.” He clinched his jaw, staring down at his plate for a long moment. He finally looked up. “He would have loved to meet you. He was a wonderful person.”
Minho sighed, smiling again. “I’m sorry, Taehee…” He shook his head. “You know, I found out about you from a letter my parents left me. They died almost a month ago, so I do know how you feel. If you need to talk, I am now here. You can call me any time. I guess I looked at the letter at the right time. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have found you now,” he touched Taehee’s hand lightly. “I’m really sorry…”
Taehee sighed. “It’s…It’ll be okay. I appreciate your condolences.” He suddenly felt very tired, at a time when he should have been happier. “Would you like to come back with me, and you can meet the other…my co-workers?” He was careful to not mention what they did. Not now.
Minho drained his coffee. “I will be sure to do that another time. Honestly, though, I need to get to work. I hate to cut this short. I will stay in touch, though, and am very happy to have met you. ”
Taehee stood up and hugged him lightly. “I look forward to seeing you again, Minho.”
Minho nodded, grinning. “Me, too. I will give you a call later. I have to go, though. Bye.”
Taehee flashed a smile. “Bye…dongsaeng.” He hoped it would not be the last time he saw the young man, as he walked off. If his brother was not going to come back, he would have to go get him, before he was found by the same person who had killed their father.
********************************
While Taehee was gone, Mika started to walk into the training room, but had second thoughts when he saw Yooseung. He paused, and Yooseung motioned to him. “Come here for a second…please.” The last word sounded forced, which made Mika want to just keep on walking. He didn’t, rolling his eyes and turning around.
“Yeah?” Mika spoke quietly. “You wanted me?”
Yooseung nodded, not smiling. “So, why did you come back? Was it only because you heard we had a healer and needed one for your kid? What’s his name…Jay?”
Mika ignored Yooseung’s attitude. “Yes, I came back for Jay. I heard that you guys had a new healer that could take care of him. What’s it to you? Are you still holding a grudge?" He shook his head, sighing. "Yooseung, I couldn’t help what happened to Siwoo...and I left because you wanted me gone.”
Yooseung glared at him. “You’re a damned healer! You could have healed him, but no…He wasn’t as important as your precious Jay. He died, Mika. Or have you forgotten? I had to change my name because of that attack,” his voice sounded very bitter now. “You left, along with your precious…friends. I guess we were not important enough for you to care. You just left…Fuck you!”
Mika pursed his lips, knowing it was partly true. He had left because he couldn’t do anything to save Siwoo, and now he was reaping the consequences of that action. “I’m sorry…Yooseung.” He had to be careful to not call the other man Jino, since that was not his name now.
Yooseung laughed bitterly, raising his hand. “Save it, bastard. It won’t change anything,” he shook his head. “I don’t know why the fuck I wanted to talk to you, anyway. I can’t stand you now. You should just leave again. You being here doesn’t matter anymore.” Before Mika could reply, Yooseung walked off, slamming the door behind him.
Mika went outside to get some air. He didn’t know how he was going to make things up to Yooseung, since he felt like he owed him for Siwoo’s death. Shaking his head, he was at a loss to how to get it all back. He and Yooseung had been close; friends and casual lovers. That might have something to do with Yooseung’s anger. Maybe it would be better for him to just do as Yooseung said and leave.
He was distracted and lost in his thoughts, until something happened that ripped him back to reality. Pulling out his knife, he flipped it over, ready to strike. He knew the feel and smell of the creature.
There was a demon on the compound. After carefully hunting, he spotted it. The demon saw him at the same time, and began to run. Mika was fast, and caught the demon, holding his knife to its throat.
Please update!!
6/4/14