Work Text:
Cale Henituse has been dreaming a lot these days. He does not why, every time he wakes up, tears are streaming down on his face.
Cale does not remember his dreams but only what he felt in those scenarios. He felt pain, love, fear, and other emotions.
There was a man present all the time. He could not recognize the man. It was always blocked by a mist.
And this is like those times.
Cale wakes up and wipes the tears from his face. He sighs in frustration.
“Young master.” Ron, his butler, offered a cup of warm lemonade to him.
He drank it with no hesitation, even though he hates sour things.
“Bad dream, young master?” Ron asks with a benign smile.
“No.”
Ron nods in understanding not asking questions anymore.
Cale gets up from the bed to prepare for the day.
Cale decides to skip classes again.
“Hyung, I’ll skip today. Just inform me if there would be something important. Oh, let me copy your notes later.”
Cale starts to walk towards the clinic, waving his hand as a goodbye and ignoring the shouts from Eric.
He does not have the energy to attend the class. His mind keeps on trying to remember what he dreamt last night.
Sadly, it was blank.
He arrived at his destination, opening it slightly, he saw Doctor Eruhaben inside.
Eruhaben seeing Cale scrunches his nose.
“You, you’re skipping class once more?”
“Ahem, yes,” Cale replies, picking a comfortable bed and then lies down on it.
“You! You’re making this like your home.” Eruhaben complains but still complies and gave him a blanket.
“Aigooo, my life is hard.” Eruhaben grumbles. He ignored Cale and continues to do his thesis.
Cale slightly smiles at Eruhaben. He found out this doctor is such a tsundere. His mouth speaks harsh words but his movements speak otherwise.
He tries to find a comfortable position when he found it he closes his eyes.
He gradually drifts off to sleep.
Cale stood up behind a transparent barrier. It has always been like this. He watches how his dream would unfold once again.
He might not be the person doing things on the other side of the barrier nonetheless, but Cale could feel the emotion the other him is feeling.
It was weird at first, to see himself lovestruck with the mysterious person. As far as Cale knows, he does not remember loving someone.
He is the epitome of a hopeless romantic. He digs his memory if ever he loves or had loved someone to be so love-struck but no such names pop into his mind.
He resigned to his fate, watching what would happen next.
“Cale.” The mysterious man called out.
His other self looks at the man in question.
“I love you.”
“I love you too.” His other self smiles and beckons to the man, initiating the hug.
He cannot see his other self’s expression but he felt happy at that moment.
Even though he cannot see the unknown person’s expression, he felt something is wrong.
He observes the man.
The man was clutching his other self tightly. He seems like he does not want to let go. As he hugs, he appears to be tense.
After the hugging, they kiss. Cale looks away to give them some privacy. He still cannot wrap around the fact that he really is in love with someone.
The scene change.
There stood the man on the balcony of his room. His other self fasts asleep on the bed. The man seems a bit frustrated.
“The prophecy... “
Cale could hear his mumbles.
A flash of light appears in front of the unknown man.
“So, do you accept the deal?” The other person asks.
Cale’s eyes widen in surprise. He knows that person. He remembers his professor's lecture on history.
‘The God of Death is an important figure in history. He is giving out deals to unfortunate souls.’
Is that mean the unknown man is an unfortunate soul?
Confused, he continues to listen to them. Anyways, he would not remember anything when he woke up.
“Yes. I will die in the place of Cale.”
‘What?!’
God of Death nods in understanding.
“As you wish. Your beloved one would forget you when you die. When you finish doing my biddings, I would let your beloved remember when he reincarnated.”
God of Death disappears.
Cale could not believe it. Someone was willing to die in his place? This is ridiculous!
Cale starts to slam his hand on the barrier wanting to smack the unknown person at the back of his head.
Ridiculous. So ridiculous.
To his dismay, no matter how hard he punches the barrier, it did not broke. He breathes out in frustration, tugging his hair.
The unknown man stays outside for a while before getting inside and lying down beside his other-self. He could see the man staring at his other self’s face. He kisses his forehead and whispers to the sleeping man.
“I love you so much. I am willing to die in your place, my Cale. I cannot see myself living without you.”
He hugs him tightly.
Cale’s heart squeezes in pain seeing the man.
Plop. Plop. Plop.
One by one, tears fell down his face.
The scene changes once more.
Cale wipes his tears. He sees a war going on. His other self is on the front lines.
An arrow from somewhere almost stabs down his other self’s chest but the mysterious man appears to be faster.
He was pushed out, the arrow stabs to the other chest. Blood drips from the chest and from his mouth.
Thud.
The man fell down near to his other-self.
He could see the other Cale shock before scrambling towards the fallen man.
He felt many emotions swirling inside of him, but the most prominent are pain and fear.
Pain and fear in seeing his loved one slowly dying in front of him.
Cale continues to watch even if it felt heavy on his heart.
“You idiot!”
“Heh.”
“You still have the guts to still laugh huh?” The other Cale screams, the head of the unknown man on his lap.
“You need to live. You promise me.”
The other Cale gazes at the man. Fear in his eyes. The unknown man smiles at him softly. He raises his hand to caress the other Cale’s cheek.
“Live well my Cale. I love you remember that.”
After saying his last words, the unknown man’s hand that caressed the cheek fell down. His heavy breathing stopped.
He died smiling toward the other Cale.
The other Cale screams out his lungs. Like a trapped beast seeing his loved one die.
Cale could not swallow the lump in his throat. Tears continued to stream down his face. He breathes heavily, he could not take the pain he is feeling.
‘Why. Why. WHY!”
He woke up.
Blink. Blink.
Cale flutters his eyes open. Eruhaben looks at him worriedly. He gave him a glass of water.
“You were crying in your sleep.” Cale drinks the water.
“Oh,” Cale replies stoically.
“Do you remember what did you dream about?”
Cale pauses, he ponders, his eyebrows furrowed in concentration.
“No.”
“Haaaa. Alright. Go. You stayed here for a long duration. You need to eat lunch.”
Not waiting for any reply, Eruhaben went outside leaving a daze looking, Cale.
Cale pinches the bridge of his nose.
“What did I dream about again? Haaaa, why do I always have tears on my face whenever I woke up? This is so bothersome.” Cale utters before getting up and going to his destination, the cafeteria.
It is nighttime.
Cale could feel the gaze on him of his family while they eat their dinner.
“Cale, are you having a nightmare?” Deruth, his father asks. He shook his head indicating it was no.
“Do you have any problems son?” His stepmother, Violan, asks in concern.
“Nothing mother. This is nothing. Moreover, I always forget what I dreamt anyways.”
Cale did not speak anymore. He focus on eating his dinner and could hear many sighs around him.
He smiles in reassurance towards the direction of his siblings, Bassen and Lilly.
The dinner ends.
Cale was reading a book when he heard a knock. He gets up to open it and is surprised by what he sees.
Lilly with her stuffed bunny and Bassen with a glass of milk.
Bassen awkwardly gave him the glass of milk.
“Hyung, this might help you in not having nightmares.”
Cale grabs the glass and looks at Lilly who was playing with her stuffed bunny.
“Oppa, here. Bunny would help in chasing away your bad dreams!” Lilly exclaims, handing her stuffed bunny to Cale.
Cale smiles fondly at them. He ruffles Bassen’s hair then caresses Lilly’s.
“Thank you, guys.” Cale chuckles.
Being thanked by their older brother, Bassen and Lilly flush red in embarrassment. They said their goodnight and ran away from Cale’s bedroom.
Cale’s lips twisted up in amusement seeing their behavior. He shakes his head and then closes the door. He drinks the milk and puts the empty glass on the nightstand.
He finishes reading one chapter of the book. He lies down in a comfortable position to sleep hugging the stuffed bunny in his arms. His eyelids became heavy then he sleeps.
Cale was confused for a moment. All he remembers is that there would be barriers as he watch but now, it seems not.
He was sitting down on a chair, and the table was full of pastries. It was all his favorite! His eyes lit up in delight and starts munching the pastry he pick.
A man suddenly appears and chuckles at seeing him eating. Cale’s eyes widen in surprise, he chokes on his food. The man gave him tea to drink as he coughs. The man rubs his back.
Drinking the tea, he carefully watches the man. He could now see the appearance of the man.
Blond hair. Blue eyes. Pale skin. Long lashes.
Cale is mesmerized by the looks. When he smiles, he could hear his heart beating fast. The presence of the man calms him down.
Cale opens his mouth to speak.
“You. Are you going to scam someone? Me? Are you scamming me? Would not fall for that.”
The man laughs in hearing what Cale says.
‘Oh god. His laugh! Even his laugh is music to my ears.’
The tip of Cale’s ears redden.
After the man stops laughing, he wipes a stray tear. Cale frowns.
“Hey, is it really funny?”
“Of course, you met me and that was your first words. You never changed do you?” The man says sipping his tea.
Cale’s eyes twitch in annoyance. He does not know why but he felt really annoyed now. Wait, I never changed?
Does this man know me? He put on his fake smile.
“Right. Seems like you know me but I don’t know you. What’s your name?” Cale asks looking at the man.
The man pauses a bit. He puts down the teacup on the table.
“It’s not yet time for you to know my name.”
“Why?”
Bluish and reddish-brown eyes stare at each other. Cale could see his reflection in the other’s eyes.
The man looks away. Not answering Cale’s question. Cale scrunches his nose but did not press on.
He won’t remember this anyway.
Comfortable silence befalls them. The sound of munching and soft breathing could only be heard. Cale does not know how many minutes pass but he hopes his dreams are always like this.
Calm, happy, and content.
He hopes he wakes up like this, not feeling a heart-wrenching pain in his heart once more.
“Cale.” The man called him.
“All your questions would be answered in the oldest library in Rowoon.”
“Huh?”
“You need to go now.”
“We would meet again. Goodbye, my Cale. I love you.”
The man vanishes slowly as Cale blankly stares at him. A smile on the man’s face.
An image of a smile like that flashes inside Cale’s mind before Cale could catch it, it disappears abruptly.
Cale groans as he felt sunlight hit his face.
“Young master, it’s time to wake up.”
Cale rubs his eyes to chase away the sleepiness. He yawns then stretches.
After stretching, remembering something, he touches his face.
No tears. He remembers only one sentence in his dream last night.
His questions would be answered in the oldest library in Rowoon.
“Ron.” He calls out.
“Where is the oldest library here in Rowoon?”
“Oldest?” Ron ponders a bit before answering.
“Ah? Do you mean the Crossman library?”
“Is that the oldest library here?”
“Yes, it is young master. It’s near to your university.”
“Oh.”
“Why young master? Would you study there?”
Not wanting to explain more, Cale nods and waves off Ron. He prepares himself and the things he would bring so that it looks like he will be studying there.
Cale does not understand where this excitement comes from. There is sadness also mixed in. Shrugging it off, he went towards the bathroom.
Fresh from his shower, Cale wore his best outfit. He has this nagging feeling that he needs to dress well today.
He checks himself out from the mirror. Satisfied with what he was wearing, he grabs his books and bags.
He left the mansion, not eating his breakfast. He starts to walk towards the library near his university.
Eventually, he reached his destination. He went inside just to see a marvelous amount of books stacked.
His jaw drops at the architecture of the library.
‘Damn! Seems like the Crossman family is hella rich! Does the family need a son-in-law? I’ll probably offer myself.’ Is what Cale thought, seeing the glamourous library.
He sighs in amazement and then started to look for an available table that no one is occupying. Luckily, he saw one.
He moves there and put his things on the table. No one appears to like to occupy the table where he is. He did not think anything further and thought.
Where shall be the shelf that would answer his questions?
He frowns, a little bit irritated with the mysterious man in the dream.
Where the fuck would be the answer? The library is big!
He complains and felt someone was laughing at him fondly.
He let his eyes roam around and something caught his attention. Almost all the aisles are occupied except for one.
Cale has made a decision.
He would go to the deserted aisle. He felt someone was guiding him gently towards it.
Why does it feel it was mocking him?
He glares in the air before allowing his heart to follow it.
It appears to be like his heart knows the direction but as far as he is aware, he did not visit any library at all.
He ignores the dread and pleasant brewing inside of him. Two opposite emotions, he feels them at the same time. Was that even possible? He shrugs it off.
It led him towards a row of books. Like he was being hypnotized, his hands glide on each book. He stops at a book where it seems to be a little bit worn out.
He picks it up and flips a page.
Alver Crossman
He felt a sharp pain in his head however he ignores it and continues to read.
Alver Crossman was supposed to inherit the throne but did not. He died in the middle of the battle, protecting his beloved, who, in the prophecy said would die protecting the kingdom.
He, a man, had broken the supposed fate. He became a hero and his beloved, Cale Henituse, as a tribute for him, an oath to protect the kingdom until his last breath.
Cale Henituse, even a lot of nobles offered their sons to him, did not marry anyone else. He died at an old age, passing the throne to one of his nephews.
Before their deaths, together, they made the kingdom flourish becoming the strongest kingdom in the west.
It was a bittersweet ending for both of them. Their story shall be passed on to the next generation.
Crash.
The book in Cale’s hand fell down on the floor. The throbbing in his head intensified.
He closes his eyes, his past memories flashed by like a movie in his head.
Their first meeting. Their first kiss. The stealing glances they gave to each other. Their petty arguments. Their bonding as they work.
One by one, it flashes in his mind. Everything they did resurface.
Cold sweats start to form on his forehead. His lips start to turn blue. He gasps, greedy for air.
After a few minutes, the pain subsided, and Cale limply fell down on the floor. He grabs the worn-out book, gripping it tightly.
Tears start to form in his eyes then they fell down on the book, wetting the page he read a while ago.
“Idiot.”
“Fucking idiot.”
“You fucking don’t have to.”
“Haaaaa. If I see you, I would smack your head.”
Cale mutters endlessly, scolding the man. His past lover.
When he finished crying out his heart, he hears soft footsteps coming his way, thanks to his sharp hearing. He wipes his tears, ignoring if the stranger saw his tear-stricken face.
The footsteps stop, and Cale could see a pair of shoes in front of him. He still not looking up at the stranger.
The stranger let out a chuckle. The laugh appears to be too familiar to Cale. He whips his head up, there he stood, Alver Crossman.
Cale could see Alver, his lover, shaking his head. He bends down and put out his handkerchief.
“My Cale is crying. Let me wipe for you hmmm?”
“Fuck you.”
“I will if you let me.” Alver cheekily replies, smirking a bit towards Cale. He wipes away the tears on Cale’s face.
“Could you stand up?”
Cale sniffs, trying to stand up with the help of Alver.
He stood up and faces Alver. He kisses him. Surprise for a moment, Alver froze but kisses back.
When Cale greedily got his fill, he buried his head on Alver’s chest.
“Don’t do that again.”
“Will not.”
“Promise?”
“Promise.”
“Keep your promise bastard or else. Hmph.” Cale slaps Alver’s chest.
Not minding the pain he felt from the slap, Alver lovingly stares at Cale, he kisses the back of his hand.
“I finally found you, my Cale.”
“I finally found you, my Alver.”
Wide smiles are present on their faces. At long last, the greatest heroes in the continent finally found each other.
Extra:
“Damn, so your family owns this library. I really need to marry you.”
“Cale, you are marrying for me, not the library my family owns right?”
“......”
“Cale!”
“Hehehhehehehe”
“You really. Haaaaa, be thankful I love you.”
“I love you too, my Alver.”
“Let’s go, let’s eat breakfast together. I know you do not eat breakfast today.”
“Alright♡”