in sickness and in death (totcf)

the past of the future

The silvery light of the moon graced its presence on the lone, red-haired beauty standing on the marble balcony.

The said red-haired man leaned back on the balcony railings with his eyes closed, his arms resting on the marble behind him. The gentle breeze played with the ends of his luscious blood-red locks as it freely cascaded down his shoulders.

He had a blanket wrapped around him. They gave him the softest and comfiest one in the whole villa. He hugged it tighter around his frail form.

It was warm.

They were just wasting their time and energy on him.

Cale couldn't shake off the feeling that he didn't deserve all this care and attention. He abandoned them. He should've been there. He should be alive and shield his children, not be six feet under when their life together had just begun.

Cale thought he was just about done dealing with the White Star. Sure, the temple hasn't arrived yet, and he still doesn't have an idea of when to stab himself with the root dagger—away from the watchful gazes of his family—but they had almost won.

His slacker life, the peaceful life he had dreamed of since he was in an orphanage all those years ago, was finally in his reach! Everything was coming together. He even talked with Rok Soo, the original Cale, and made peace with his new life and new identity.

But... did that even matter if he was bound to die in the end?

What about his promise? He needed to travel the world with Raon, Hong, and On. Was the future him able to do that before he died? How many places can you even travel in a year?

Over the last couple of years, Arm's doings in his world forced him to venture all over the two continents. He had been just about everywhere. The Jungle, Empire, Ocean, heck, even a lot of places in the damn Eastern continent!

But he was sadly never able to fully enjoy it. Not while he had work to do. Cale could never enjoy slacking off if he had things to do.

He wanted to travel the world. He never learned how to make kimchi like some ajumonis he used to know, but maybe with some good ingredients he could somehow procure bulgogi and sundubu-jjigae. Choi Han would be happy. He could have cooked for the children too.

As long as his family smiled, Cale would be able to slack.

But he can't do that if he's dead.

With a soft sigh, Cale turned around and put his head on his crossed arms that were resting on the balcony railing.

He had closed his eyes, feeling the cool breeze against his face as he thought about all the adventures he still wanted to have. Life was too short to waste on trivial things.

So Cale died in the future. So what? Now that he knows, he can change that. Cale survived this long; he wasn't just going to let so called "fate" take him when he was so close to getting rid of the motherfucking radish!

He needed to get back home soon. But before that, he needed to find out how, why, and when he died exactly. He'll try to sneak into the Royal Palace's room of records tomorrow. There's bound to be some information there.

For tonight, he will grieve the life that version of him never got to live.

He will mourn Cale Henituse, the one he shared a life with but will never share a future with. He will forgive the Cale Henituse that never got to watch his children grow up, never got to eat kimchi again, never got to travel the world, and never got to grow old with his loved ones.

He had looked so lonely up on that beautiful hill by the even more beautiful grave. Cale wondered if he was still there. He might go visit him.

Cale lost track of his surroundings until he felt a gentle tap on his chin.