************************Hongbin POV***********************
“ What just happened? Where’s Ravi?” Hongbin asked looking around when the glass settled.
“He didn’t make it. Something else got in the way.” Leo clipped. He was acting weird but then again none of this was actually normal.
“How is that possible? It was just him on the other side of the mirror. We all saw him.” Hongbin asked.
“ I don't know Binnie, he’s not here now is he so what else could it be? It didn’t work. I tried. We should just go and forget about it. I am supposed to be getting engaged tonight anyway remember?” Leo insisted looking warily at the fragments where glimpses of the other side could still be seen.
The two of them drove out to the beach where Jangmi and the others were splashing in the water and having a good time when Jangmi saw Leo her eyes lit up. She waved then came running over to him throwing him off balance when he wasn’t ready to catch her.
“Jagi-ah! Come on! The water feels great. Where did you two get off to anyway?” She asked tugging on his hand.
“We had to do some last minute prep for tonight.” Hongbin covered for the two of them and gave Leo a look before walking off to join Ken and Hyuk where they were cracking into a cooler.
“Oh your hair does look lighter. Did you get it done?” She commented running her fingers through the strands.
“Oh. Yeah. I just wanted a different look. The black was getting old.” Leo laughed it off.
“Fair enough. Let's go we have alcohol and all day to hang out around here. We don’t have to be Jeong Groups daughter and Jung Company’s son until tonight.”
“Okay.” He grinned then before she knew it he was picking her up and running towards the water with her in his arms.
“Leo? What are you? No no no!” she squealed as he dropped her into the water. Jina came over to help her out, but instead of coming up she yanked Jina down much to the laughter and amusement of Hakyeon and the others. By the time JangMi got out both of them were soaked and Leo’s jeans were darkened up to the knees from where the water had seeped into them and they were now making a slopping sound as they moved on his legs and feet picking up sand and bits of shell. The rest of the day went by easily everyone playing in the sand and having a good time until it was time to go and get ready for the banquet that night.
***************************JangMi POV**********************
“Are you sure everything is alright with you Leo? You look a little worried. ” JangMi asked when she saw her now fiancé off to the side practically pacing a hole in the floor. The two of them had made it to the banquet hall in more than enough time for them to catch their breath. JangMi was in a beautiful dress and Leo was wearing a tux that fit him snuggly but didn't really suit his normal style.
“I'm just nervous. I can’t believe we are finally doing this.” He forced a smile and laid a gentle hand on her arm giving it a light squeeze.
“Me either. I mean if I would have thought about this day when we were kids. Ravi would be-” She started to say and got cut off.
“Don’t talk about him.” Leo snapped causing her to flinch and take a step back. That wasn’t something she was used to with him. He always had a temper but it usually took a lot to push him to the point where he was lashing out. He stepped away and started pacing again, but she wrapped her arms around him forcing him to stop or drag her along.
“What did I say? Taekwoon whatever it is I’m sorry jagiya.” she apologized and hugged him tight again when he flinched for some unknown reason.
“ No. You shouldn’t be. I didn’t mean to be upset with you. It is just that today is supposed to be about us and we shouldn’t think of ‘what if?’ alright? Ravi, the old you and the old Taekwoon are in the past. It is just us, just JangMi and Leo now.” He looked in the reflection of a window next to him and thought he saw something on the other side that wasn’t the bright beautifully breathtaking view that this place was famous for, but he shook it off when one of the servers walked up to them.
“Dinner will be served in a few moments Miss Jeong.”
“ Of course. Thank you. We will be in in just a moment.” JangMi told her.
“Are you sure everything is alright?” She asked again once they were alone.
“ I'm fine. Don't worry let's go.” He smiled reassuringly turning his focus away from the window and held his arm out for her to take it before the two of them headed into the dining hall together. There were camera flashes and loud voices everywhere as they walked in and Leo looked almost like he wanted to break every camera in the room at least until the paparazzi was ushered out so that everyone could enjoy their dinner in peace. The table was ornately set and at least filled up ¾ of the floor before a raised stage and podium took up the rest of it. That was where your father and Leo’s parents were. JangMi's stepbrother was off to the side not far from them of and holding hands with her sister in law. Both of them waved and smiled and she waved back.
“Eomma.” She heard Leo whisper under his breath. He almost sounded shocked. Then a look of what you could only describe as pure hatred crossed his face.
“Leo?” She said his nickname like a question and he shook his head like he was clearing it before looking at her.
“ What? You worry too much. It’s cute.” He said tapping her on the nose. It was a weird thing for him to do. He was passionate, but not really one of those people who freely went around giving cute affection. He was more of the holding hands, kisses on your forehead, holding onto you first thing in the morning type but JangMi wasn’t going to complain. The two of them were supposed to do things like this. It was normal and it was a sign that they were becoming more comfortable with each other if he was doing that in public.
“If I could have everyone’s attention please and get you all to take your seats we will get started.” The Jeong group’s secretary said into the mic. Jangmi and Taekwoon were positioned at the right side of the head of the table while Youngjin and his wife sat across from them on the left. Her father would be at the head when he came down and that would leave her step mother to be positioned next to her brother. Leo’s parents and sisters were sitting around him next in the seating and the officials and their families filled the rest of the seats waiting expectantly to hear what had to be said and to receive the food.
“Good evening ladies and gentlemen.” CEO Jeong stepped up to the podium and JangMi gave Taekwoon’s hand a squeeze. She wasn’t quite sure if it was him or herself she was trying to reassure, but as she looked around the room her eyes landed on Ravi’s parents and she felt a lump grow in her throat. His mother smiled and gave a light bow which she returned immediately before turning back to your father and tuning in to what he had to say.
“As most of you know all of our companies have been doing very well even in the light of the hard times that have struck all of us these past couple of years. The Kim family lost a son and my daughter and the Jung family’s son lost one of their truest friends. We have all been setting differences aside as families and as businesses to help get us where we are today. I have some announcements to make in light of so many changes and so much progress that I think everyone will be excited to hear. CEO Kim and I have been talking and we have decided to undergo a project together. We are building a new set of dorms for Seoul University in honor of his late son as well as starting a scholarship program in his name. These dorms will have everything from the best technology to a food court on the first floor. We are hoping with this project to put our differences aside and put the children of South Korea first and foremost in everyone’s hearts and minds.” He finished and there was the sound of loud applause and JangMi and Youngjin just looked at each other shocked. As long as the two of you could remember your father and CEO Kim had been going against each other for the corporate ‘throne’ and now they were just giving it up.
“Okay, okay settle down. The next thing I am very proud to announce is the merger between the Jung Company and my Jeong Group. This has been in the works for a very long time and it started even before most of you know prior to the passing of my first wife, JangMi’s late mother, and a close friend to the woman who stands before you at the top of the fashion empire. You see my wife had a wish that the two of them would be close always and part of that wish was that our children could make a future for our two families that would make the world that much brighter and now that day has finally come. I am happy to announce the engagement of my daughter Jeong JangMi to the heir of the Jung Company and a wonderful young man. Please take care of each other and do us proud.” Her father announced and there was a loud uproar from the back of the room which they realized were their friends. JangMi hadn’t seen any of them come in but she smiled and started laughing when Leo grabbed her hand and slid a beautifully ornate rose gold engagement ring onto her finger. The diamond on the top was shaped like a heart and there were smaller ones inlaid into the band where the stone was held on either side looked like two butterflies.
“You don’t know how hard it was to hide that ring from you.” Leo chuckled.
“ It's beautiful.” she said and kissed him earning more cheers.
“Okay that’s enough celebrating let’s eat!” Youngjin yelled out earning a few laughs, but drawing attention to the servers coming into the door. Everything about this moment was perfection…. Well almost everything.
*****************************Ravi POV****************************
When the glass settled Ravi and someone else were left sprawled out on the sand and shards. When Ravi looked closer he realized the form next to him had to be Daewon. Daewon still hadn’t woken up from the blast and was laying there his dark locks covering parts of his face and making him look almost human. Ravi knew better. This bastard had ruined everything and when he started to stir Ravi tackled him and started hitting him. He was kicked off and sent flying backwards where he crashed into the broken frame of the mirror, but he just shook it off this time going for the creature’s throat. The two of them rolled around throwing punches until Ravi got the upper hand and was crushing the other man’s windpipe.
“Ravi?” Daewon gasped then started clawing at the hand holding his throat and cutting off his air supply.
“Ravi… Can’t breathe… please…” Daewon begged again.
"Good. Maybe you’ll die” Ravi growled. This place was getting to him. He wasn’t seeing anyone nor did he realize what he was doing. He just felt the urge to make Daewon suffer, to kill him and be free of his poisonous existence forever.
“ Won… pleas… it's Taek...woon…” What he thought was Daewon begged again.
"What?” Ravi looked at the man he’d been pressing into the sand, really looked at him and then backpedaled.
“No. You can’t be here. Taek you can’t be here.” Wonsik said shaking his head and scrambling away from him and pulling at his hair. When white strands came away instead of dark strands his hands shook. Was he doomed to turn into a monster like that? What had he done?
“Why are you here?!” He demanded and shoved at the other man.
“I don’t know where here is. Last thing I remember you were on one side of the mirror and I was on the other.” Taekwoon told him and Wonsik shook his head like that would deny the truth and put things back the way they were.
“Where is Daewon? Did he get back to the other side?” Ravi demanded.
“My brother? How would he have gotten to the other side? What happened when we- Wonsik wait!” Taekwoon called out when He saw his friend running in the opposite direction.
“There’s no time. Have to find a mirror. Have to get to the others. Have to warn JangMi.” Ravi was muttering as he ran across the beach looking around for a mirror when he found what he was looking for he let out a relieved sigh until he saw another one of those creatures coming from near it. He kept running until something else came into view. A high arched window with stained glass at the top. It was familiar. Every year the companies’ banquets were held in a place with these windows and sure enough when he looked inside he saw the spitting image of Taekwoon with Jangmi on the other side.
“Fuck.” Wonsik's gaze was met by Daewon who simply smirked at him.
“ Wonsik what the hell is going on?” Taekwoon pulled him to a stop
“Fuck! We let him out. When you came through, we let him out. I’m so stupid.” Ravi berated himself and tried to start walking again only for his shirt to catch because Taekwoon still had his fingers hooked into the sleeve.
“Will you tell me what the hell is going on?!” Taekwoon demanded.
“Your brother is out there with JangMi right now and you and I are fucking stuck here.” Wonsik snapped.
“The engagement. He’s taking my place in the engagement but why?” Leo said, a cold realization hitting him.
“The what?” Wonsik looked away from the window and Taekwoon really wished he hadn’t said anything. The look on Ravi’s face was one of pure deranged anger. His friend was barely hanging onto his humanity and what He just said might have been enough to push him over the edge. Taekwoon remembered what JangMi’s mother had looked like and how she’d acted in that one mirror and he wondered what Ravi would become if he stayed here much longer. He was already showing the physical changes.He was already showing the physical changes. There were tattoos where there had been bare skin and his hair had turned white as the clouds on a sunny summer day while his eyes changed from their usual brown to a garnet glow when anything angered or upset him. That garnet gaze was currently fixed on him and Taekwoon could tell it was definitely not where he wanted it to be.
“JangMi’s parents and mine came to an agreement on an arranged marriage. We were supposed to announce the engagement today and then this happened. I guess my brother has been watching us for a while and waiting for the opportunity to take my place, but I don't understand why. He's been here since we were children and doesn't know anything about her,” Leo finally admitted when he thought Wonshik had calmed down.
“Does it even matter to you that I love her? Did it ever?” Wonsik asked pointing at the window where people were gathered around and celebrating the announcement on the other side. Where JangMi, his Jangmi, was smiling and laughing and holding hands with a complete stranger and feeling completely safe.
“Does it matter to you that I care about her too? Would it have mattered to you, if you were out there with Mi-yah and I had been the one in here? Or would you be there with her right now just like I was supposed to be?” Leo demanded and he stopped for a minute stuck on the question. What would he have done? The silence stretched between them and Taekwoon took it as his answer.
"That's what I thought."
“It's not the same thing Leo.” Wonsik bit out turning back to the window trying to find a way to get someone in the party to break it. Maybe if it broke it would be the same as the mirror. He wasn’t able to ignore Taekwoon for long though as the older boy spoke up.
“I have always cared about her. Ever since we were kids in school and I was told by my mom that she was going to be my wife someday. Just because it was what our families wanted I have made every single effort to want her and to let her know that she had someone there for her that she would be loved. She didn’t care. She just wanted her freedom and like a fool I let her have it. Then she fell in love with you and I thought I would never get the chance to be with her. Do you know how much that hurt? Then when the arranged dates started I thought we had a second chance, but that wasn’t enough for her either. She just wanted you. I have never been jealous of you in all my life, but the day you Vanished I hated you. I hated you because of how much she loved you and then reality set in and you were gone and I felt so much guilt and regret because you were my best friend. Mi and I did everything for you; we dropped everything and everyone to find a way to get you back. She was miserable and I couldn’t do a damned thing about it. Then one day I could. We started dating again. Started to get over the ghost of you, but then that scientist called and I knew what had to be done." Taekwoon's voice had risen louder than Wonsik had ever heard it and his eyes changed for a split second that milk white glaze that had been prominent on Daewon at first then a Mercurial sort of silver overtook his irises before they settled back into their normal shade of deep brown and he let out a shaky breath.
"She doesn’t know any of this, but I came to get you back for her. Don’t you ever accuse me of not loving her as much as you do. You know nothing of the pain of having to look into her eyes and see her want someone else. I live with it every day.” Taekwoon tapered off into a whisper his shoulders slumped like saying all this had taken all of his energy. For a moment it seemed like he'd say something else but instead he walked away. Wonsik was torn between stopping him or just letting him go. It wasn’t like he’d get anywhere. This beach was a giant circle from what Wonsik had found in the time he had been stuck here. He’d walk for hours or days even and eventually just came right back to the place where he started from. The place with that run down broken red piano and the various other lost things. It was a place to forget things and if you were here it was a place to be forgotten. A place to be trapped.