Chapter Text
No member of the task force ever thought that they would actually had to go through with it.
It was not that they thought it as impossible, but the suddenness of it was what caught them off guard.
Grief.
What kind of expression did people usually make when they lost the love of their life?
Smiling? Drowning themselves in denial.
Angry? Cursing God for the unfairness of it all.
Forlorn? Feeling empty for the vacant space a loved one left behind.
Those three expressions were definitely not what anyone would have expect men called Ilay Riegrow and Rauman Abid Al-Saud had when they went back home, to their sturdy mansion. Both carrying a bundle wrapped neatly in a soft blanket, like how one would to a baby.
“………”
*step… step… step…*
“………”
*step… step… step…*
Both staggered,
One was under a sky which can be so dramatic, performing its role as a supporting character. It was dark and cloudy, a distant sound of thunder echoed throughout the sky, warning the little humans down at the ground about their cries.
While the other one was under a scorching heat of the dessert, with the sun which can be so empathetic at times, trying its best to light up what it knew to be dark, inside the heart of a weak man who was barely able to carried what he carried in his arms
Ilay Riegrow walked,
Rauman Abid Al-Saud walked,
to the front door of the mansion.
Both remained strong enough not to let themselves fall, careful not to let even a pebble or a grain of sand be in their way, as if afraid a single misstep would hurt whatever it was, they were holding lovingly in their arms.
The wind blew gently in both places. Despite the thunder, despite the heat. Making it seemed like it was doing it on purpose, feeling sympathetic to both men, caressing them to stay strong, to stay sane.
And just as both men reached the front door, each pushed it gently with their clean hand, the only part of—
—his
—his
body, that they protect to touch—
—him.
—him.
One out of respect, while the other one was because he knew that it was his favorite.
Kyle had heard the news from Alain, but he refused to believe it until he saw it himself.
Though, one look at his brother, Kyle knew that the ugly truth, was true.
Kyle scrunched his face, gripping his face hard with one hand while the other held onto his stomach, a pathetic attempt of holding himself together. He couldn't even muttered up a word, let alone got up to greet his brother.
Kyle sat there, silently within the comfort of a disgustingly expensive leather sofa that have emit a natural vintage smell.
Never had he ever felt this way, it hurts beyond what words could describe. And he was confuse. Confuse on how to tell his beloved friend about the news.
Malik on the other hand, had no luxury of even a shred of denial, for he had bear witness to how the beeping sound turned, into a flatline.
Malik dare not say a word.
Not that he could anyway, for there was no word loud enough that can be heard against a silent tears which kept overflowing like a river itself.
Ilay Riegrow,
Rauman Abid Al-Saud,
continued to walk steadily upstairs, —
—to his
—to his
room.
The room in which both men often reside to for sleep. To the room which once was a place for them to find comfort in, to relax.
Both men laid the bundle neatly onto the bed. They unwrapped the bundle gently before they caress it softly.
Ilay, he sat at the edge of the bed with silence as his friend. Eyes empty with nothing but his old self filling it. No trace of self influenced by that man seemed to be present.
Rauman, he knelt on the floor beside the bed, his feet finally gave in to the pressure it’d be under. Heavy from nothing but the weight of memory.
“………”
Ilay leaned in with a hand supporting his weight, to kiss him gently.
“………”
Rauman pulled his hand closer, caressing it with his cheek before he kissed it softly.
“Wait for me, Tae-ui.” Ilay pressed his forehead against a cold one.
“Wait for me, Jay.” Rauman wet his cold hand with his tears.
“I’ll soon follow.” Both men added.
And with that, Rauman sat there, body still planted on the floor. Wailing his heart away of the pain he could never possibly recover from.
While Ilay got up carefully, not wanting to make too much movement on the bed, and went straight out to a now heavily rained sky.
❖❖❖
“Any last words, Rick?”
Christoph’s tone was cold, contradicting the sunny weather of that noon.
“Huh… thank you? For helping rid of those trash.”
Ilay sway his head gently in a playful manner, as if pondering over something.
“Do you think Tae-ui would be proud that I said ‘thank you’ to you?” Ilay added, almost humming.
“ I didn’t do it to help you, it was for Taeil, you bastard!”
Chris couldn’t hold it any longer, his expression waver to a frown only possible through rage.
*Click* *Click* *Click* *Click* *Click*
The sound of people cocking their pistols were dulled by the sound of the gentle wind, which made the grass dance, seemingly anticipating the soon reunion of two souls.
“Last words… don’t think I have any.”
Ilay laid down beside the bulging ground, where a year ago he had gently laid Tae-ui to rest.
It took Ilay a year to get rid of the organization that had torn him and Tae-ui apart. Christoph was helping him as well, though “help” was a generous word. They never truly worked together, each acted independently, unintentionally accelerated the organization’s downfall. Rauman was behind both men, quietly sponsoring them with what they need to help overthrow the organization.
The three men wasn’t much of a friend, but even enemies can be brought together faced with the same goal.
Although it wasn’t exactly smooth sailing for Ilay as he also had to evade his own colleagues hunt, but it was finally over nonetheless.
“Bury me beside him.”
With that, Ilay made it into his last words.
“Understood, boss. Goodbye.”
*BANG!*
❖❖❖
*Blink*
“………?”
*Blink*
“………???”
Ilay move around, something he shouldn’t be able to do anymore now that he was dead.
Supposedly.
But that wasn’t even the strangest part.
He… woke up, in a room.
A room which eerily reminded him of his childhood room.
Ilay tried to get up but he couldn’t do it. Was he surviving those rains of bullets from his colleagues somehow? That would explain on why he couldn’t move his body freely. But it was weird that he felt no sore over his body. He simply… couldn’t move because he wasn’t able to.
Then, he saw it, his own hands, flailing around over his face.
Hands… that looked so much like a baby’s hands.
❖❖❖
You would think even Ilay Riegrow would panic in a situation like this. Well… that wasn’t entirely false.
Ilay did thrash about at first, struggling to make sense of the absurdity he found himself in. But after some time, he managed to regain control of his thoughts and forced himself to slow down, recalling what had happened.
His breath shallow, gasping for air as he collect his mind.
He looked around the room once more and confirmed that it was indeed, his childhood room.
“………”
This was different from when he had switched bodies with Tae-ui within their dreams. Tae-ui wasn’t here this time… and unlike then, it was painfully clear that this miracle had truly happened.
A/N: Above is referencing to the novel “Suite Complete Works” when Tae-ui and Ilay switched bodies within their dreams.
Ilay remembered everything.
In his past life, he had lived on for another year after Tae-ui’s death. Fighting with everything he had to eradicate the shitty trash.
He remembered the abandoned warehouse, its roof partially collapsed and hanging on by a thread, creaking softly as it swayed with the wind, moving as if dancing to the rhythm of a heart that no longer beat.
Sunlight streamed through the broken ceiling, bathing Tae-ui in its warmth, ironically make things so much more beautiful than it had any right to be.
“………”
Ilay tightened his tiny hands, lips quiver like he was holding back a cry, something he would never have allowed himself as an adult. Perhaps that was the price of reincarnation: retaining all his memories, trapped within a body that could no longer obey him.
It might have been a year, but the very memory of Ilay trudging, tripping, crawling… to Tae-ui’s lifeless body which was sat on a chair, his head laid peacefully on his lap, felt like it was only yesterday.
Tae-ui’s body bore sign of torture, but the very bruises on his hands was also a tell tale that Tae-ui fought back right up until the end.
“Tae-ui…”
Hands trembled, voice broke.
Ilay took off his gloves, throwing it to the side as he took Tae-ui’s head onto his embrace.
Never in his life had Ilay felt anything like this before.
Anger.
Sadness.
Denial.
All tangled together into something far too overwhelming to comprehend.
The exhaustion from feeling those emotion all at once beat those he felt from dealing with some small fries on his way to the warehouse.
Ilay didn’t scream nor did he shout.
His chest tight with something he swore himself not to ever feel again, yet he failed on his own promise to do so.
A/N: Above is referencing to the novel “Holy Passion” when Ilay cried seeing Tae-ui’s beaten up body after his kidnapping incident.
Ilay’s pitch broke as he kept on calling Tae-ui’s name over and over again, like a broken machine stuck in a loop.
Who would have thought, that there would come a day where Ilay Riegrow would be walking his past victim’s shoes. Wailing breathlessly at the very lover he oh,
So treasure.
He wanted to feel angry at the people who did this to Tae-ui, but alas, he was more angry at himself for failing to protect him.
Ilay collapsed to the floor, leaning against Tae-ui’s legs as he cradled Tae-ui’s head like it was the most precious treasure in the world. His voice slowly faded until even his breathing fell silent.
Ilay stay that way for a long time, long enough for the dust to took pity on him as it piled up slowly on Ilay’s body, hugging him close.
“…hah.”
Ilay lifted his head and opened his eyes slowly, revealing what once was lost due to Tae-ui’s presence, now back to a time where he haven’t yet met Tae-ui.
Cold and calm.
Those black eyes looked sharp enough to cut through flesh.
Though the mocking smirk he had, contradict his empty eyes, causing this dynamic expression worthy of a true madman.
Slowly, Ilay reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. He unlock it only to reveal the chatroom of him and Tae-ui’s killer sending Ilay a coordinate followed by mockingly polite words:
I sincerely you enjoy my gift.
Ilay’s gripped on his phone tightened before he close the tab and start to dial Alain.
It only took three rings for Alain to pick up. And without giving Alain a chance to speak, Ilay ordered him to bring one blankets of the highest quality, to the specified location.
Before Alain could say anything, Ilay hung up and tossed his phone aside, continue staring into nothingness, holding Tae-ui close.
He had never felt this weak when his body was completely healthy. The sensation was so foreign that he almost found it amusing—a habit he got from Tae-ui, when something unexpected happened, to just laugh it off and move on than dwell on it.
“…can’t believe I let you run away from me for good.”
Ilay mumbled to himself, stroking Tae-ui’s hair gently.
❖❖❖
Quite some time later, Alain arrived with Alexei and Milan in a van. The warehouse doors were already wide open; there was no need to force their way inside.
“Boss—!”
“——……”
What they saw… was nothing they could have anticipated.
Ilay was still there. His hands stood out against the rest of him, unmarked by red, just the way Tae-ui like it. They gently caressed Tae-ui’s head with a tenderness no one would have believed him capable of. His eyes were bloodshot, unmistakably the eyes of someone who had cried.
“Bring the blanket over.”
As barbarian as they were, nobody said a word and just silently follows Ilay’s order. They brought it close and help opened the blanket to give to Ilay.
Ilay carefully wrapped Tae-ui’s body, head attached and wrapped neatly in a way it wouldn’t fall, pressing a final kiss against it before covering it completely and stepping away.
“Clean up the bodies you saw on your way here.”
Ilay said, as he was nearing the exit then—
*BANG!*
“———!!”
A bullet grazed his calf, causing his pants to tear and blood started to seeped through.
All eyes immediately look to the source of the sound and found Alexei, pointing his gun at Ilay, his eyes relaxed and a faint smirk plastered on his face.
Alain, who was well known for his grin, looked at Alexei in shock like he couldn’t believe what he had witnessed. While Milan was too baffled to process what he saw.
“Kill the target once the other is confirmed dead.” Alexei tilted his head as he cocked the pistol, ready for another shoot. “That was your order, wasn’t it?”
“For fuck sake, Alexei,” Milan gave an exasperated sigh as he too, grabbed his gun and cocked it. “Right away?!”
Alain ran a hand through his hair, groaning in frustration.
“Don’t look at me like I’m the villain,” Alexei said lightly. “I was just following orders.”
Alexei let loose and grin wide. The young master of a noble house was nowhere in sight, replaced to that of an addict thrilled at the thought of killing Ilay Riegrow, the excitement flooding through him like a drug.
And one would think that Ilay would be annoyed to be disturbed mid his grief, but the look he gave Alexei… was what helped him escape, for it dumbfounded the three men so much they froze.
Ilay… was smiling.
And warmly at that.
Something only Tae-ui had ever witness, but that was precisely it. The thought of soon reuniting with Tae-ui was what gave him the will for that smile.
“Do your worst,” Ilay said softly. “I’ll be looking forward to it.”
Ilay turned around as he finishes what he had to say and walked towards the van and drove away. Seemingly knowing that there wouldn’t be another shot.
“………”
The three men stood there like a rock as they watch the van fell out of sight.
“…so,” Milan muttered, still frozen in place, “do we walk, or does anyone have a spare car?”
“For fuck sake.” Alain sigh heavily, squatting down like he was exhausted while Alexei relaxed his body, his grin fading into a quiet frown as he put his gun back to the pocket.
❖❖❖
.
.
.
.
.
Ilay recalled his memories of those days. His mouth twitched before it slowly turned into a smile and a laugh.
Baby laugh.
It was because he realized, that at this life, Tae-ui was still alive.
“Ah haha!”
Ilay kept on laughing, at the thought, and at the reality he found himself in. He knew that meeting Tae-ui was going to change his life, but never in his life it would be this kind of change.
*Creak…*
The sound of the door opening can be heard, and in came Kyle Riegrow. Looking so much younger than Ilay remember.
“What’s this? You’re laughing? How rare!”
Kyle came close and scooped Ilay out of his crib, cooing to Ilay with his ugly face—Ilay’s opinion.
But Ilay will let it slide for now.
He was far too happy today to let Kyle’s disgusting voice ruin it.
.
.
.
.
.
And on the other side of the globe, where the sun hits the hardest, another baby laugh at the thought of reuniting with his lover, he haven’t met yet.
❖❖❖
To be continued...
A/N: *All images are Cr to Pinterest
Even in death, Tae-ui found it unfair how the careful one out of them died first instead of the guy living the danger:
