D.O.’s POV

I tried to look away, close my eyes, but I stayed frozen in place, forced to remember the memories I had long forgotten, locked in the back of my mind.

———————

“Umma, Umma!” I wailed. “Why did he leave us!” I cried, staring into the picture of my late father. “Why?” I asked, sobbing in her shirt. “Why do the best people die?”

My mom squeezed my hand tightly, hurting my fingers. “When you’re in a garden, which flowers do you pick?”

Tears stained her face as I answered her.

“The most beautiful ones.”

———————
A bead of sweat trickled down my cheek.

I touched my face, realizing they were tears.

I cried silently.

The past I tried to block out, came back to haunt me, like a nightmare.

The tears I tried to stop, once again fell down my face, like the day when he left me.

The world in which I thought was a beautiful place turned against me, showing me just how merciless and cruel it is.

The sand turned pitch black, forging yet another tale.

An endless maze. A empty table. Test tubes and syringes. A black silhouette of a man. An ear piercing plead. Eclipse. Light. Traitor.

As quickly as it appeared the images disappeared leaving me staring at the sand. With trembling fingers, I picked up the box and brushed the sand back inside its container before any more images appeared. I hid the box in the back of my suitcase, forcing myself to forget the images.

With a deep breath I opened the door.

“Eomma, appa, I’m home!” A girl called out from downstairs.

“Welcome home, Jae Hee.”

I stopped cold in my tracks, dread washing over me.

That voice. I quickly ran down the stairs. It’s her.

I reached the door shoving past Sehun, who complained in response. I stared at the surprised face of the girl with brown hair.

I staggered backwards, my face pales.

It...It’s not her!?

I searched her features, trying to find the slightest resemblance of the girl.

But when I tried to recall the girl’s face, my memory of her features disappear leaving me as confused as ever.

Who is that girl with the red hair?

An why did I see her in the sand?

Tao’s POV

“If you hurt you eye one or two more times again, you will go blind.” The doctor said, bandaging my eye, while I stared at the hospital floor.

“Once your left eye stops working, there’s nothing we can do to fix it.” She paused looking at me with concern. “Huang Zitao-nim?”

“N-ne.” I replied, slowly meeting her eye.

She pointed at her right eye. I touched my face, feeling a stream of warm tears roll down my face.

“Are you okay?” She asked, handing me a tissue.

“Ne.” I looked away, avoiding eye contact.

She stood up awkwardly and left me alone staring at my hands.

I wiped my eyes furiously.

I stepped outside and walked to Kris and Luhan.

“Are you ok?” Luhan asked, walking towards me.

I smiled. “Of course I am. The doctor said it will heal.”

Kris stared at me. “You’re fine?”

“I’m fine.” I quickly walked past them before they saw my smile crumple off my face.

I’m fine. I’m fine. I’m fine. I ’m fine. I repeated.



“The house we’re staying at is a few blocks away.” Luhan said, changing the subject. “Let’s take the bus.”

“Ok.” I said as we walked towards the bus stop.

We stepped inside the vehicle and took our seats.

I looked out the window, staring in the distance. The bus started with a lurch as my wandering eyes landed on a girl with a gucci bag.

She turned, and for a second our eyes met.

My eyes widened with recognition.

“Ahjussi, Ahjussi! Please stop the bus!” I yelled over the voices of the other passengers. The bus driver looked back at me from the rearview mirror, his mouth curling into a frown.

He hit the brakes with yet another lurch, causing me to hit my head against the seat in front of me.

I staggered out of the bus, running towards the girl.

Spots danced around my vision, but I ignored it.

She looked at me and grinned with her perfect straight teeth.

I smiled despite the throbbing pain in my head.

I stopped in front of her, my eyes tearing up.

My smile widened as she stepped closer.

“It’s been a while Jia-”

“Cheon Jae Hee!” She said, running past me.

I turned, my eyes following her.

“Jia?” I whispered.

Jia stopped in front of a girl with bright red hair.

Meng Jia?

Notes

Author's Notes

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Hello!!! I'm back from the undead.

Who is Meng Jia to Tao? What were all those things D.O saw? Remember to keep these things in mind becuz they are a very important part of this story!

Thanks for reading, and as always, I hope you enjoy the story!

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