The Path Beneath our Skin

Chapter 1

Weightlessness gently swayed him. Like the ocean rocking a boat, cradling it, constant, even as night dispersed at the crack of dawn. As a stream of light cast over the boat, Daehyun found himself no longer at sea but sunken into a bed, stirring awake.

Cracking his eyes open, Daehyun grimaced at the sun pooling into the room. His body no longer swayed with dizziness, focusing instead on the cold and damp cloth resting on his forehead.

A figure blocked the sun, and he blinked his vision clearing. Trailing the length of the other's jaw to his small chin, he admired the rosy lips that hung slightly open and his lithe neck disappearing under his collar. The morning glow surrounded the caretaker, Highlighting the tips of his hair and his hazel eyes with dashes of gold.

"Taeyong..." Daehyun crooked, shocked at the soreness of his voice. It was barely a whisper, but Taeyong's sharp eyes flicked away from the towel and down at his face, his worried expression melting into a relieved smile.

"You're awake," Taeyong hummed, tossing the rag away and shifting closer, Daehyun squinting as the harsh light hit his eyes. "How do you feel? Are you okay?"

"The light's too bright," Daehyun groaned and tried to cover his eyes with his arms but a sharp pain shot through his body. He gripped his side and groaned. "What the hell-"

"You were in an accident," Taeyong said and walked over to the ornate curtains, the golden silhouette disappearing as he closed it.

"An accident?"

He nodded as he returned to the bed, helping Daehyun sit up. "You fell off the roof."

Daehyun stared at him, furrowing his brows. "I fell off... the roof?" Clenching his jaw, he hid his aching pain, furrowing his brows as he shuffled through his memory, but found nothing but fog. "What was I doing on the roof?"

Taeyong shrugged. "I don't know. When I came back from town, I spotted you from the gate. But by the time I drove up the driveway, you fell."

Conjuring up his strength to remember, two faces flashed. "Maybe I was doing something with Seunghyeon and Myungsuk," he suggested.

"Who?" Taeyong tilted his head.

Daehyun frowned and shook his head. "Nevermind." He didn't want to get them in trouble.

His eyes glazed over the pale blue room, covered in Victorian antiques. He spotted a chair in the corner. An ugly, upholstered chair that sparked his memory.

"Wasn't I supposed to only stay the weekend?" he said and tsked. "I'm sorry, Taeyong. I've really overstayed my welcome, haven't I?"

"Oh no, it's fine," Taeyong quickly shook his head. "I mean, I was worried sick. I mean, when you said you've never been to the English countryside, I really wanted you to have a good time," he said and bit his trembling lip. "I'm the one who's sorry."

"Hey," Daehyun said gently. He bore through the pain shooting down his arm as he reached for Taeyong's cheek, lifting his face up. "I'm the one who was stupid enough to get on the roof. I mean, I can't even remember why I was there," he said, hoping the smile would return on Taeyong's face.

Taeyong stiffened before leaning into his touch, his eyelashes fluttering, similar to Daehyun's heart. "Well, what do you remember?" Taeyong asked, his eyes watching him with catlike curiosity.

"Well," Daehyun forced himself to look away, dropping his hand as he thought. The more current the memories, the fuzzier they got, so he went further.

"I came to London as a final trip," he said, gripping the sheet as he frowned. "Before I go back to New York for a trial." Daehyun pinched the bridge of his nose, not enough strength to be angry anymore. All his recent suffering. Losing his job, his house, his face splattered over national news. All for crimes he did not commit. "Urgh, I need to call my lawyer."