The Hidden Others

Prologue

"I just want the pain to stop.."

Yihyeon stared the dark sky of the night. His eyes welled up with tears. He had been holding them back for so long, trying to be strong, trying to keep up with the facade that everything was fine. The exhaustion, both physical and mental, was too much to bear.  

He buried his face in his hands, and the sobs came, deep and wracking,shaking his whole body. The slip of his school cardigan show the marks and scars of his years of suffering. There's even a new bruises he got from the bullies.

"Please help me..."

"It's not my fault that you are weak.."

The tears continued to flow. He has no one to rely on. Friends? Does he even had one? Everyone ignored him as he some kind of plaque. Parents? His own mother hates his existence.His father already out of the picture.

The tears slowed, and he was left with a hollow feeling of emptiness. He look down the empty road from where he stood on the overpass. As he looked down from the overpass, he felt an eerie sense of calm.He wondered if anyone would miss him, if his absence would evenbe noticed in this vast, indifferent world. The thought of disappearing, of ending the pain,seemed strangely comforting.

A tear rolled down his cheek, and he let it fall, not bothering to wipe it away. He was sotired—tired of fighting, tired of pretending, tired of living. He closed his eyes, feeling the cold wind whip around him.

As he was about to push himself off the rail, a sudden gust of wind whipped stronger, making him sway. It felt as if someone had grabbed him by the back of his collar and pulled him backward. He stumbled, the wind knocked out of him as he fell and hit his back.

A voice broke through his thoughts. It was angry, yet filled with an urgent plea. "YAH!," it said. "Are You Out Of Your Mind?!"

He opened his eyes and startled. Standing a infront of him was a man who looked exactly like him,yet radiated a sense of strength and calm that Yihyeon hadlong since lost.

"Who are you?" Yihyeon asked, his voice trembling.

"Who do you think am I?" the man knelt beside him as he still laying on the cold ground,

"I am you..but my name is Deuk Pal." he sigh and wipe the tears that flow down Yihyeon's cheek."What are you doing kid?"

"I can't keep doing this. I'm so tired. i don't know if i can do it.."

Deuk Pal caress Yihyeon's head as he sobbing, grounding him. "You have more strength than you realize. Think about the people who care about you, the things you still want to achieve.Life can be unbearably hard, but it can also be beautiful. You just have to hold on long enoughto see it."

Deuk Pal's gaze softened. "You are not broken. You are hurting, and that's okay.But you have survived every terrible day up until now, and that is a testament to your strength.Let me help you carry this burden."

"How?" Yihyeon asked, his voice trembling with uncertainty.

Deuk Pal leaned down slowly, their faces drawing closer. Yihyeon close his eyes."For now, just rest. I will take over"

Deuk Pal opened his eyes and wiped the tears still clinging to his lashes. He sat up and stretched his arms. He could feel that Yihyeon was resting away. He decided to let Yihyeon rest for a bit longer, giving him time to heal his pain.