SS 2 Part 2

“…Fuck.”

Song Jaeho, even in his rage, was careful not to direct his powers at Bomin. He would redirect any object that came too close, smashing it against the wall. 

The sounds of shattering glass and splintering wood filled the room.

Some of the furniture had been chosen by Bomin. They held memories, precious moments shared between them. 

He felt as if those memories were being shattered, his heart breaking.

His vision reddened. He wanted to snap Jeong Hotae’s neck, to reclaim Bomin’s attention.

His jealousy, his despair, threatened to consume him.

He was losing control, even more so than when he had been trapped in the collapsing Non-K base. 

“What’s going on?! Song Jaeho! Snap out of it!” 

“Bomin-ah!” 

The walls of the mansion were crumbling. Han Biseong and Kim Seohun, who had been in the kitchen, rushed upstairs. 

It had been a normal day. Han Biseong had been in the living room, while Kim Seohun and Jeong Hotae had been preparing breakfast. 

They had even joked about Song Jaeho wanting to monopolize Bomin.

But now… they were staring at a scene they couldn’t comprehend. They didn’t understand what had driven Song Jaeho to this. 

“Kim Seohun, go downstairs. It’s too dangerous.” 

Han Biseong, flames dancing in his hands, gestured towards the stairs.

Even a glancing blow from one of Song Jaeho’s telekinetically controlled objects could seriously injure Kim Seohun.

They might have been jealous of each other, vying for Bomin’s attention, but they had grown close after spending so much time together. 

“…Okay.”

Kim Seohun knew he wouldn’t be of any help here. He ran downstairs, his heart heavy. 

This… this had to be about Bomin…

He couldn’t help but look back. And then… a shard of wood grazed his cheek. 

He winced as he felt a sharp pain, blood trickling down his cheek. He panicked. This was getting out of control. 

He called the others as he ran, hoping they would answer. 

They weren’t on a long-term mission, so they might be able to come back.

* * *

As Song Jaeho lost control, Jeong Hotae stepped in to help Han Biseong. Han Biseong’s flames were powerful, but Song Jaeho was an S-rank Esper, just like him.

He could control the intensity of his flames against weaker opponents, but against Song Jaeho, he had to go all out. And Song Jaeho, lost in his rage, was unscathed. 

Han Biseong, on the other hand, was bleeding, his clothes torn.

“We need to knock him out.”

“What the hell is going on…!”

Jeong Hotae, summoning a giant shadow, pinned Song Jaeho from behind. Han Biseong, gritting his teeth, joined forces with him.

Bomin, still clinging to Jeong Hotae, remained motionless, his forehead rubbing against Jeong Hotae’s neck. 

Jeong Hotae, relieved that Bomin wasn’t in immediate danger, focused on subduing Song Jaeho. With Jeong Hotae’s help, they were finally starting to gain the upper hand.

The floor beneath Song Jaeho’s feet cracked and crumbled as he struggled against them. But as his powers waned, his rage intensified. 

“Fuck…”

A wave of energy erupted from him, pushing them back. 

Han Biseong, bracing himself, slammed into a wall, his impact creating a hole. 

He coughed, blood trickling down his chin. 

“Hng…”

“It’s okay, Bomin-ah.”

He had thought they were in the afterlife. But this… this felt too real. Bomin, seeing the blood trickling down Jeong Hotae’s forehead, lifted his head. 

His eyes widened. His trembling fingers reached for Jeong Hotae’s wound. Tears welled up in his eyes. 

Jeong Hotae tried to comfort him, but Bomin started sobbing, his shoulders shaking.

“Please… stop…”

His voice, muffled by his tears, was a desperate plea. And then, as if by magic, everything went quiet. The objects that had been swirling around the room fell to the floor. 

It was so sudden, so dramatic, that even Han Biseong, who had been about to attack, chuckled in disbelief. 

“Lee Bomin…”

Song Jaeho’s eyes focused, the light returning to them. But he couldn’t move, his body frozen as he met Bomin’s fearful gaze.

“Someone explain what the hell is going on! Why is Song Jaeho acting like a maniac, and why is Lee Bomin using formal language with him?” 

Han Biseong ran a hand through his hair in frustration. He was relieved that no one had been seriously injured, but he needed answers. 

“…Lee Bomin… has lost his memory.”

“What?!”

Han Biseong stared at him in disbelief. What kind of bullshit was that? 

“Is it April Fool’s Day? What kind of sick joke is this?”

He started towards Bomin. Bomin, startled, clung to Jeong Hotae, burying his face in his neck. 

Han Biseong frowned. Bomin was clearly avoiding him. 

“Lee Bomin, cut it out. This isn’t funny.”

Bomin would sometimes play pranks when he was upset. But this… this was too much. 

“You might want to stay back.”

Jeong Hotae took a step back. He didn’t understand what was going on either, but he could see the fear in Bomin’s eyes.

And Bomin was his priority. 

“You might be fine, hiding behind Lee Bomin, but I’m not. Lee Bomin, come here. Let’s talk. Tell me what’s wrong.”

Han Biseong, struggling to control his anger, took a deep breath. He understood why Song Jaeho had snapped. 

“I’m scared… Where are we?” 

Bomin, ignoring him, clung to Jeong Hotae, his gaze desperate. 

He was happy to see Jeong Hotae again, but… he didn’t like this. He didn’t like these strangers pushing him and Jeong Hotae.

He was afraid that this was all… a hallucination, a dream. He trembled, his grip on Jeong Hotae tightening. 

He closed his eyes, clinging to Jeong Hotae, silently praying. He didn’t care if he was dead, or if this was all a dream. He didn’t want to be separated from Jeong Hotae. 

“It’s been a while… since I felt this pissed off.”

Han Biseong’s smile was dangerous. Bomin had always tried to be fair, to spread his affection equally. But sometimes… it wasn’t enough. 

He had often fantasized about Bomin being… obsessed with him.

And now, seeing it happen with someone else… it felt as if his heart was being ripped apart. 

His anger, his jealousy, flared. The air around him crackled with energy. 

“Stop.”

Jeong Hotae stepped forward. He knew he wasn’t the one Bomin had lost his memories of, but… he didn’t care. He was selfish. He wanted Bomin. He wanted him, even if it meant pretending that his illness hadn’t progressed. 

His hand, as it stroked Bomin’s soft hair, was firm, his resolve unwavering. He would protect him. 

Jeong Hotae’s life had revolved around Bomin since the day they met. He hadn’t fought it. He had simply… accepted it, like an immutable law of nature. 

He had been so afraid of hurting Bomin, of losing him, that he had kept his distance. He hadn’t even slept with anyone else. He had only wanted Bomin. 

He didn’t know how Bomin had ended up here, but they had miraculously reunited. And if Bomin had lost his memory… he would protect him, regardless.

“Are you trying to start a fight?”

Han Biseong’s eyes narrowed as he felt the shadows constricting his movements. His anger flared. 

His vision reddened.

Flames, hot enough to incinerate everything in their path, danced around him, their tips turning from red to white. 

And then… they turned blue.

Jeong Hotae gritted his teeth as he felt the intense heat. A single spark could burn Bomin. 

“Han Biseong, stop it! I won’t hesitate to kill you if you hurt Lee Bomin.” 

Song Jaeho, though still struggling to comprehend the situation, wouldn’t allow Bomin to be harmed. 

“Haa…” 

Han Biseong managed to control himself, but the air around him still shimmered with heat. 

“What a mess.”

But it was too late. The flames had spread. He had extinguished the ones that were threatening Bomin, but he hadn’t been able to focus on anything else.

A cold wind swept through the room, extinguishing the flames. Yoon Bisam clicked his tongue, surveying the damage. 

He had been on his way to the mansion when he received an urgent call from Kim Seohun.

—I think… Bomin is in danger. 

He had used his powers to freeze the collapsing walls, securing them. Shi Yu-hyeon, following him, entered the ruined mansion.

“What the…” 

The mansion… it was no longer a mansion. It was a ruin. 

They had all put so much effort into building it, personalizing it. Their faces darkened as they took in the destruction.

“Are you… the people I used to know?” 

Bomin felt their gazes on him, their intensity almost tangible. He had been too distracted to notice it before, but their gazes… they were filled with worry, longing, love. 

He looked at Jeong Hotae, his voice barely a whisper.

“Yes. The people you loved very much.”

Jeong Hotae didn’t lie to him. He was relieved that Bomin only remembered him, but… he couldn’t be selfish. 

Bomin truly loved them. They had protected him, loved him, when Jeong Hotae couldn’t. 

He couldn’t erase them from Bomin’s life. Bomin would resent him if he did.

“This… isn’t a dream?”

“We’re both dead. This is… another world.”

It sounded absurd. But Jeong Hotae’s gaze was steady, unwavering. He wasn’t the type to lie about something like this. 

“Then… tell me about them… one by one.”

Bomin, summoning his courage, decided to face the truth. If this wasn’t a dream, if this was another world, and if he had truly loved them… 

He wanted to hear their stories, to understand why they were looking at him with such heartbroken expressions.

“Okay. Let’s do that.”

Jeong Hotae, his hand gently stroking Bomin’s hair, smiled. Bomin, like a cat seeking affection, closed his eyes, his body relaxing against Jeong Hotae. 

It was a confusing situation, but as long as Jeong Hotae was with him… he felt like he could handle anything.

* * *