THE SUN AND HIS STARS ✓

10.

(mentions of abuse)

A week later...

Hoseok woke up to Taehyung's face inches away from his.

"Merry Christmas, hyung!"

Hoseok blinked. "It... it's not Christmas."

Taehyung sighed and backed away. He was sitting on Hoseok's bed, still in his pajamas.

"Okay, fine, it isn't, but I wanted to give you a present anyway," Taehyung said, crossing his arms over his chest and pouting.

Hoseok stared. "This... this isn't real," he said slowly. He and Taehyung hadn't been talking for the past week. Not even looking at each other. Taehyung's friends had given him curious glances, but that was it. (And History class became the most awkward thing Hoseok had ever experienced.)

Taehyung smiled sadly. "You're right, hyung. This isn't real. It's a dream. You caught on faster than I thought."

"So you're not Taehyung?"

"Uhhhh..." Taehyung tapped his chin. "You're going to have to call me Taehyung, but yeah, I'm not Taehyung. I've just taken on his appearance and personality."

"The last time you visited me in a dream, you took on the appearance of my mother," Hoseok scoffed, realizing who he was talking to. "I can't believe I'm talking to my own curse... again."

"Don't be so down about it, hyung!"

"Don't call me—" Hoseok started angrily, but trailed off when he stared at Taehyung. Or, the curse in the form of Taehyung. Hoseok rolled his eyes and got up, making his bed. "What do you want and when will you wake me up?"

"I came to talk about Taehyung."

"Oh, how fun," Hoseok said sarcastically.

"Why aren't you talking to him?" Not-Taehyung asked. "I mean, I know you two fought, but you're not even trying to get him back."

Hoseok brushed past the fake Taehyung and opened the door, heading down the stairs and to the kitchen. It may be a dream, but he was hungry.

Not-Taehyung followed. "Well?" he asked again once they were in the kitchen. Hoseok popped two pieces of bread in the toaster and turned around.

"I hate you," he said to the curse flatly. "So damn much."

"Me?" Not-Taehyung pointed at himself. "Or Taehyung?"

"You. The curse."

"Not answering my question~" he said in a deep sing-song voice.

"Taehyung deserves better than me, alright?" Hoseok snapped. "He made the right choice. It was only a matter of time before he got bored of me anyways. Happy with your answer?"

Not-Taehyung hummed. "Sure. D'you know what would've happened if you broke the curse?"

"You finally get the hell out of my head?" Hoseok mumbled, picking up the pieces of toast and putting them on a plate.

"That," said Not-Taehyung, "since I'll no longer exist. You wanna get rid of me, I know you do."

"What an astute observation."

Not-Taehyung took a piece of toast from Hoseok's plate and munched on it. "I want you to get rid of me, Hoseok."

Hoseok paused, his piece of toast halfway to his mouth. "What?"

Slowly, Not-Taehyung repeated, "I want you to get rid of me. It's not easy for me either, y'know, being a curse. I've watched you suffer, and it's all 'cause of me. So go get Taehyung back."