Eyes Wide Open

Chapter Fifteen

Finally. Heaven. Hell. Whatever it was. I was with Kyuhyun and Sungmin, so I didn't care. Sure, there would be broken hearts of those who were imperfect, but despite the fact that I was dead, I was happy. I was peaceful. I was perfect.

I wouldn't leave those who I loved left without a choice to be perfect. Just like how Sungmin and Kyuhyun helped me, I planned on helping Hyukjae and Henry. I planned on being the bridge to perfection that they needed. Hyukjae would want to join me, as would Henry. But Henry didn't understand perfection like Hyukjae did. He didn't understand me as well as Hyukjae did. I still loved him, but Hyukjae was the one who loved me for me. He saw me at my worst. He saw me at my best. He tried to achieve perfection with me. He tried. And it's what matters.

When you're in a world full of only two types of people, the ones who are perfect and the ones who aren't, you need to choose a side. Not only do you need to decide whether or not you want to be perfect, but you need to keep your eyes wide open to the entire world around you. If you close your eyes for even just one second, everything could disappear and leave you with nothing. Keeping your eyes open may sometimes be a weakness, but if you don't do it, it could be fatal.

My final decision was made. I wanted Hyukjae to join me, so we could be perfect together. Just like Sungmin and Kyuhyun, I wanted him to join me. I wanted him to be with me, perfect, forever. So I decided to visit him and offer him the help that Kyuhyun offered me.

Hyukjae sat on the bed that we shared, his hands clasped with his chin resting on them. He looked much like how I did after news of Kyuhyun's death; his skin was a milky white and he looked much thinner than what I remembered. He had tears stains running down his cheeks, but he wasn't crying anymore. He looked more like he was debating on what to do. And that was when I took the opportunity and offered him my help.

"Hyukjae," My voice was soft and almost pleading. As soon as he heard his name called, his head shot up and he looked around. When his eyes fell upon me, they began to water. He stood up and wrapped his arms around my ghostly figure, tears pouring from his closed eyes.

"D-Donghae, I thought you were gone," Hyukjae pulled away slightly, his body shaking violently, his voice wavering with each word. "They told me you were gone forever, that you were never going to come back, and I didn't believe them; I couldn--"

"Hyukjae, I am gone. That, you have to accept. Remember?" He nodded, but I sighed and looked away from the broken Hyukjae that was once so strong; I had caused him to be this way. "But you don't have to be alone anymore. You can be with me; you can let yourself become perfect and spend eternity with Sungmin, Kyuhyun and I. You and I can finally be together once again."

"I-I'm scared, Donghae. That means I die, doesn't it?"

"It does, but would you rather live in an imperfect world with no one but yourself, or live in complete perfection with me?" Just as Kyuhyun did to me, and Sungmin did to him, I held out my hand to Hyukjae, keeping my eyes focused on his trembling body. "Just let me help you, and you can do it."

"Does it hurt?" A childish question, but I shook my head and smiled slightly, a reassuring feel creeping into my smile. "Donghae... I love you."

And without waiting for a response from me, he willingly slipped his hand into mine. Time seemed to stop as he looked almost sadly at me, a small, complacent smile enveloping his distressed features. I blinked, and then he was different. His jawline became more defined, his eyes twinkling in pure joy, and he seemed ten years younger.

My Hyukjae had achieved perfection.