Chapter 5. Final Act (1)

Author's note: Does it remind you of someone?

"Goodmorning."

"Morning."

The air was surprisingly cold for May 11th. The sky stretched in a deep shade of blue, and the cold wind brushed against my face. Smoke curled from students' mouths as they chatted. It felt peaceful. It's nice.

I don't like it when it's too hot and I also don't like it when it's too cold either. Perhaps today was the perfect day, as if it was seeing me of, My final act.

"Alright class settle down, open page number 511 of your coursebook."

Tae-hyun's gaze lingered on me, eyes filled with worry. I closed mine, letting the sounds of the classroom wash over me. Heartbeats thumped faintly; fragmented whispers wove together. Excitement, sorrow, worry and envy... I could feel all sorts of emotions flowing around. Suddenly a memory fragment flashed before his eyes...

A grand, ornate library unfolded in my mind's eye. Its classical elegance was undeniable, with marble columns supporting high arches. A green-carpeted staircase led to a raised section, likely holding rare collections. Warm lighting bathed the endless rows of books in a golden glow, inviting yet oddly lonely.

"Here, I'll get it for you," a man in a suit said, retrieving a book from a high shelf

"Thank you."

"Do you like reading books?" A strange warmth.

"Yes."

"Reading books opens your eyes, it sharpens your comprehension towards others' emotions. Through the magic hidden within the pages, you live lives you've never lived, meet people you've never known, and feel things you've never felt. Books are small keys to vast, endless universes. They are mirrors to reflect the infinite."

Smallest are the 'greatest' 

I was forced back to reality. That's right. Comprehension towards others' emotions. To me, they are nothing more than a mere characters. 

"Ronan, state 'Osmosis' and 'Active transport'"

"Osmosis is the net movement of water, moving from a region of lower water potential to a higher water potential through a partially permeable membrane. Active transport is the movement of particles up the concentration gradient, using energy from respiration."

"Good job."

If they really are characters, why am I sacrificing myself over and over again for them... Am I also a character? 

I stared at the clock blankly, my sanity drifting far from here. Create my own path.

How much time passed?

"Workbook unit 6 is your homework." with one teacher left another came in. Cycle continuing on and on... 

I opened Tae-hyun's message to remind myself.

"He will ask her out after school at the yard back of the school."

It was almost time, the last 10 minutes. 9 minutes. 8 minutes....

Ding! ding! ding!

I quickly got ready to leave and rushed to the backyard.

"Alright dude, you ready?"

"Yes." flames lit up in his eyes. Oh, to have courage like that.

I purposely arrived there first and found a spot to observe. Soon Woo-jin came, and so did Bo-kyung. Both of their eyes were filled with hope, shining brightly.

I felt bad for destroying their hopes, but to prevent greater destruction I had do it. There's nothing in this world that can be achieved without sacrifice. 

They slowly approached each other, standing against each other. Now is my time.

I burst out of the shadows, pushing Woo-jin. "You know what Woo-jin. I suddenly have the courage to ask her out myself." I formed an evil smirk on my face before looking at Bo-kyung.

"So, what do you think? I say we go out." I proudly extended my hand towards her. 

They hope emitting light was extinguished in an instant. She narrowed her eyes. "If you called me here just for that I'm leaving. There's no way I'd go out with a guy like you." she turned around without a second thought and disappeared. 

Phew. I sighed. Woo-jin who had been too shocked to move finally stood up pushing be back.

"You... Who do you think you are a*****e." The rest of them also came out. 

"Yeah, what do you think you're doing." 

I stood against them without showing any vulnerability, enduring their hostility. 

You fools, deep down you're happy he didn't get to ask her out right?

"You should be thankful to me, I just saved your a**."

"What'd you say? thankful for that bastard." before I was hit by him, Tae-hyun came in to block him.

"That's enough Woo-jin." 

"I'll handle this, you guys can leave." his eyes carrying deep remorse looked into mines.

We stood before each other not daring to look into each other's eyes. The sensation of wind blowing the back of my head, birds singing in the distance. 

And only after making sure they're all gone did he open his mouth.

"You've been doing things like this for the whole time. Honestly, for a second I thought you wouldn't resort to this. I am very thankful for saving our friendship, but do you really have to sacrifice yourself every time?" 

"This is the most ideal method."

"What do you mean by 'ideal'? Is hurting yourself and those who care about you ideal?"

"This comes natural to me, I'm not hurting myself. And for your information, I don't have anyone who cares about me here."

"Here huh... Then what about Kang Jiyeon?"

"We just talked about our interests for a while that's it."

||||| To Tae-hyun, Ronan Vercetti was difficult. ||||||

||||"The act of understanding someone comes after admitting you know nothing about that person."||||

"I don't understand you, you who seemed very friendly with Kang Jiyeon suddenly abandoning her. Always leaving everything behind without any regrets. I'm not familiar with you at all. However, that changes today. Let's start fresh. I am Tae-hyun class C's representative, and I want to be your friend."

An ambiguous smirk formed on my face. "I, Ronan Vercetti is not capable of having friends, at least here. You said you don't understand me, right? Well, I don't need you to understand me."

"I see. At least, thank you Ronan. Although, I hate your methods I appreciate your help."

"I may have solved today's problem, but more problems could occur anytime. In this society, almost everywhere you go there will always be fakes. The truth is... Their friendship is nothing more than a sweet lie. That's why, you should learn to solve your own problems without relying on someone else."

I left, after my speech. Just as I said, "Almost everywhere you go, there will always be fakes." Perhaps I could be the biggest fake among them...

"I'm home."

My little sister, watching sitting down on the couch, watching the television. The sight that always felt familiar felt unfamiliar for the first time, it felt like this sight will be my last sight of her.

I've got one person who cares about me here.

I couldn't sleep, 11:20 PM. I have school tomorrow. 

liam :/ sent you messages. 

liam :/ nudged you.

"Streak."

She probably wanted to send more....

I left her on seen. I'm really sorry. It hurts me so much to leave you, but for your own sake you must forget about me. The current me will cause nothing but trouble to you.

I was greeted with the familiar sight, the vast snowfield covered in letters. But no matter how much letter there was, it looked like the snowfield could never be devoured by it, that's how vast it was.

Footprints in front of me, a diagonal one. There he was, in the distance. The man I know the best, but also at the same the man I don't know anything about. 

"I'm really jealous of your coat you know."

He chuckled, as his white trench coat was fluttering in the wind. 

"Do you think I've taken the first step towards my own path?"

He thought for a moment. "I don't know, in this world. The result devours the cause, and the cause devours the result. Only at the end your journey will be fully revealed."

and then he continued. "I know some things don't work out in the way you want, and that's okay. Because that's how life is supposed to be. Even so, don't dwell on it too much and let your heart lead you."

"Letting your heart lead, that's sometimes bold, don't you think? We sometimes make decisions knowing it is bad, all because we let our emotions take control over us. For me, I've never once listened to my heart."

"That's true, whilst knowing it's all just a sweet lie, we do it. There are things that can never be changed no matter what. The only thing we can do is just accept it."

"The thing that can't be changed no matter what, is our way of showing love don't you think? We sacrifice ourselves for others sake."

He quietly stared at me with ambiguous expression. He was so familiar, much more than before but also, he was so distant. 

"Right. We are similar but also the opposite. But one thing's for certain. That is,..."

We said it at the same time. "That is, you are my fragment just as I am yours."

Maybe I'm like this because I am Kim Dokja's fragment.