Chapter 5: Chapter 5: Purple
It was yet another sunny day and Hongjoong was back on his usual bench in the park. The weather was getting cooler and the days shorter. It had been a few weeks since he had last seen Seonghwa. He came to the park secretly hoping that Seonghwa would show up one day. But he never did.
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The leaves were loosing their green sheen taking on different shades of red and yellow. The sun's rays were weaker and summer clothes had now been replaced with warmer autumn fits. Hongjoong still visited the park regularly though at this point it was out of habit rather than the hope of meeting Seonghwa.
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Nothing out of the ordinary. Just Hongjoong sitting on the same bench for the millionth day in a row. The usual summer birds were gone now. Probably to the south. The butterflies which he loved so much were gone ages ago, and the pretty flowers were no longer there either. The flowerbeds lay empty and desolate awaiting the next batch of seeds. But those seeds would not be planted anytime soon. Winter lay not far ahead. Though it wasn't cold yet, the sun lay low and the light did not give off any warmth.
Hongjoong decided he had been at the park long enough. He got up and readied himself to return home when he saw it. A small trail leading off the main path and into the bushes. His breath hitched. Could it be? He looked around once before he lowered his head and stepped down the path.
To his surprise he did not have any trouble finding his way through the tunnel and he stepped out and into the clearing. He saw the lake and it's perfectly smooth surface. The surface which he knew was nothing but an illusion. Hongjoong wished more than anything that he could pop through to the other side and say hi, but he knew not to mess with it. The underworld sounded scary though if there were more people as great as Seonghwa it really didn't sound like a bad place at all.
Hongjoong sat down in the overgrown grass and stared at the lake. He stayed like this until the sun was nearly down. It wasn't late yet but he decided it was best to leave before dark. Who knows if he would be able to find his way out once daylight was gone. He looked at the lake once more before finally taking his leave.
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Winter was right around the corner. The trees had shed most of their colorful outfits and stood naked, shivering in the chilly wind. Hongjoong was on his way to his bench that had practically become his second home. To his astonishment he found someone else sitting there already. It was a man fully clad in white and he seemed not much taller than Hongjoong. The sun's weak rays flickered in a pair of earrings the stranger wore. His features were sharp and well defined. But most notably was his purple hair.
As Hongjoong neared the bench the other looked up and when he realized that Hongjoong wanted to sit he got up, did a small bow as greeting and then sat back down leaving space for Hongjoong. There was a gap between them and it was obvious that it was Hongjoong who had made it since he sat all the way to one side. Was it bad to leave such a gap? Was this awkward? Did it even matter. They didn't know each other after all.
???: "Hello."
Hongjoong looked to the guy beside him.
HJ: "Hi?"
???: "You come here often."
HJ: "Yeah."
???: "You seem down."
HJ: "I'm alright."
???: "I could invite you for a drink or some food. Might that cheer you up a little?"
HJ: "I don't think so."
???: "Give it a shot. What's the worst that can happen?"
Hongjoong looked at the other guy. His smile was wide and his voice very loud, but his tone of voice was bright and cheerful. Was it worth a try? He sighed and gave in.
HJ: "Alright then."
???: "Alright! It's on me then."
The stranger stood up and his smile was so bright it was almost a grin.
???: "I know a place."
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Hongjoong and the purple haired stranger had found a seat at the very back of a small restaurant. Although the location was nothing like that other time, he felt sad because it reminded him of how he had met Seonghwa only a few months ago.
???: "Heartbreak?"
HJ: "Huh?"
???: "Did someone break your heart?"
HJ: "It was for the best."
???: "They were the one who left you?"
HJ: "Yes."
???: "So they must be the one who think that it's for the best too."
HJ: "Yes?"
???: "But do you agree it's for the best?"
Hongjoong thought for a moment.
HJ: "He didn't leave me any time to object."
???: "Are you able to tell him how you feel?"
HJ: "No. Sadly."
???: "So he just left you?"
HJ: "Practically."
???: "Is that someone worth feeling hurt about?"
HJ: "His reason for leaving was good. And he left me for my own safety. He is undoubtedly one of the greatest people I've ever met."
???: "I see. At least you seem to have had a great time with him."
HJ: "It wasn't long but I definitely enjoyed the time we spent together."
Hongjoong smiled to himself as he thought about it. The purple haired man observed him intriguingly but did not question him further.
They small talked for some time about random things and eventually Hongjoong had to leave. When they were outside on the street the stranger stopped Hongjoong as he was about to walk away.
???: "You wanna meet again? I quite like you."
HJ: "Uh."
???: "What's your number?"
Hongjoong padded his pockets and looked at the other with faked dismay.
HJ: "I must've left my phone at home. I don't know my number by heart."
???: "I see. What a shame. You seem to be hanging around the park often. Maybe I'll see you there one day."
HJ: "Yes. Maybe. Take care."
Hongjoong waved the other a swift goodbye and left.
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The stranger with purple hair. Though Hongjoong didn't even know his name he kept appearing in Hongjoong's thoughts. He was strange and their encounter reminded him significantly of his first meeting with Seonghwa. Hongjoong kept returning to the park daily but he avoided the bench. The path to the lake was present more often than ever and though Hongjoong enjoyed sitting by the lake, it also worried him. What if something had happened to Seonghwa.
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Hongjoong was walking down the the dark path towards the lake. He moved mindlessly but without faltering. He had been there so many times that finding his way through the darkness was no longer a problem. As he stepped out of the darkness he was met by a sight he did not expect. By the water stood a tall and slender figure. Seonghwa's posture was full of authority as always but his demeanor was weak, and even if Hongjoong couldn't see him properly he could still sense it. Neither of them moved and Hongjoong dared not say anything out of fear that Seonghwa would disappear once again.
SH: "I know you are there."
Seonghwa spoke softly, barely loud enough for Hongjoong to hear. His voice was soft as always but Hongjoong could hear the sorrow that painted it.
SH: "I know it has been rough. It has not been easy for me as well. Thankfully it seems the angels have not approached you."
HJ: "How's the situation between you guys?"
SH: "Worse than ever. If the situation intensifies further I may have to retort to a final option which I have been avoiding with all my might."
Hongjoong had walked up to Seonghwa standing almost right behind him.
HJ: "If doing whatever it is resolves the tension, would it not be a good plan? Then we can maybe hang out again."
Hongjoong was looking at the ground but from the movement of their feet he saw Seonghwa turn to face him.
SH: "If only it were that easy. I would have put an end to all this if not for the consequences."
Their eyes met.
SH: "I will never be able to return to this world if I choose this option."
The spoken words vibrated painfully in the air.
SH: "I will do my best to avoid this outcome but I can not promise anything."
Seonghwa stepped backwards towards the lake.
SH: "I'm sorry."
Once those final words left him he turned and dove head first into the lake with an elegant take-off. The impact did not disturb the water in any way. Only a slight ripple gave away that Seonghwa had only just jumped in. Once again Hongjoong stood all alone looking at where Seonghwa had disappeared.
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On his way home Hongjoong thought about what Seonghwa had told him. It had been really nice to see him again even though it wasn't for long. But he was scared. If this conflict wasn't resolved soon he might actually loose Seonghwa forever. He despised that thought more than anything else. Was there really nothing he could do to help. Probably not. He was just some random human after all. Seonghwa had lived for thousands of years, he was a demon, and according to himself he was both powerful and significant. Hongjoong had to trust him. If anyone could stop this it would be Seonghwa. It had to be... but what if Seonghwa decided to do whatever it was that prevented him from coming to Hongjoong's world. What if the reason was that Hongjoong wasn't important enough. He probably wasn't. With the length of Seonghwa's life span, of course he had someone else already. Why wouldn't he.
Hongjoong felt really hurt and he knew that his own overthinking only made it worse. He was tired and just wanted to get home and sleep. He was on his street when he nearly bumped into someone. That someone turned out to be a certain mr. Purple hair from a few days ago. And just like last time he was in all white.
???: "Oh hi. We meet again."
HJ: "Yup. What are you doing here? And at this time too."
???: "Just out for a little night wander. Thought I could shed some light maybe."
Hongjoong raised an eyebrow because what the other had just said really didn't make much sense at all.
HJ: "Okay...?"
???: "You look troubled. Need to get anything off your mind? I'm willing to hear you out.""
Hongjoong thought for some time. This could be a good chance for him to forget about Seonghwa and maybe get to know someone else. If Seonghwa did choose that certain option that would prevent him from seeing Hongjoong again, maybe it was good to have someone else instead. But Hongjoong decided he wasn't ready to let go yet. And Seonghwa did say that he was doing his best to avoid that outcome.
???: "You can come to my place. I'll help you forget."
Hongjoong looked at the guy with purple hair. His eyes were a mix between silver and lavender. Something felt off and there was a vibe that Hongjoong did not like at all.
HJ: "I think I'm alright."
???: "I won't hurt you. I'm just a normal human."
He flashed the bright smile from before but Hongjoong knew what was going on. He needed to get away.
HJ: "I'm not in the mood. Now let me pass. I want to get home."
And without waiting for a reply he pushed past the other and continued down the street. He took a little detour before coming back to his own street. The air felt cold and tense. Hongjoong looked around once before stepping inside his building.
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It was late night and Hongjoong was fast asleep. A light appeared in the street below outside his window. It flickered a bit before rising up to the same level as his window. Through his eyelids Hongjoong saw the light but his brain wasn't awake yet. The light seeped through his window and into his room followed by two other lights. One slightly golden the other slightly blue. It was only after the sound of voices that Hongjoong started to wake up. He was about to say something but before he could utter a single word the whole room flashed brightly. Hongjoong was now fully awake. Both from shock and from fear. What was going on? He couldn't see a thing after that flash of light. He swung his arms around trying to feel for something. Anything. The blindness was making him nauseous and his balance faltered. His vision was just about to return when a sharp pain hit him at the back of his head and the last thing he saw before he was knocked out was a flash of purple.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone