Supernatural Investigation 101: Chronicles Of Nakashima Wakana

Her thoughts are loud and clear, but he can't understand her. "Why do you want to do it?"

"I want to know what it feels like." She raises her chin, looking into his eyes. "Why are you sure that I don't love you? I have been confused since I remembered everything. I don't know whether this is temptation or love. I don't want to hurt Sei because of my confused feelings. Whether you want to be with me or not, I can't be with Sei if I have feelings for you."

Choi Minho wants to move away. He wants to tell her that she should not think this way. She doesn't have any feelings for her. Yes, it's the only temptation. He did flirt with her, but he didn't have any intention of making her fall for him. Love is impossible between them. 

"Help me find clarity." Her voice is low and desperate. Though he knows that he will regret this, he wants it to be true. Is it possible to embrace this happiness if she also loves him? He shouldn't be doing this. But why is that? He doesn't care about the morals of this world. Whether she's married or not, he can't stop loving her. 

"Stop." He presses his hand on her lips before she could kiss him. She is married to that man. She cares about morals and she will regret doing this. "It's clear to me as the sky that you love him. I know it because I have heard your thoughts for the past seven years."

There's laughter in her eyes. He furrows his brows. Tips of her warm fingers touch his forehead. Wakana closes her eyes as her body becomes limp. He wraps his arms around her, keeping her from falling. 

He's been tricked.

***[Flashback]***

Sitting on the bed, Choi Minho stares at his fingers. His right eye is throbbing with pain. His heart is heavy. He doesn't know how to answer the police officer's questions about his brother.

"Your parents couldn't make it," The police officer tells him when he doesn't answer him. Why is this boy saying nothing? Because of this boy, I can't go back and have lunch. This brother is a sociopath like his brother. 

However, Choi Minho doesn't react to the news or the officer's thoughts. He has been listening to the thoughts of the doctors, nurses, and police officers. "Can I see Noona?"

"Oh Soo-Mi?" The police officer looks at the nurse. "Did she wake up?"

The poor girl lost her eyes. The nurse peers at Choi Minho. The girl is awake, but she doesn't seem to be in her right mind. "She is awake, but she needs some rest, Officer."

"You should meet her later." The officer gives his card to Choi Minho. "If you have anything to say, you should contact me. I will listen to you."

Choi Minho doesn't take the card. He lies down on the bed and covers his head with the sheet, ignoring the voices in their minds. When he hears the door closing, he climbs off the bed. 

Why did his brother not kill him? He thought that he was going to die by his brother's hands. He's alive. 

He walks out of the room. The memories of that day replay in his head. 

In one day, everything changed. His parents are dead. His brother, the person who killed his parents and hurt Soo-Mi noona, is gone. If he had read his brother's mind, he would have found out about the awakening. If he had tried to find his brother earlier, he could have…

his brother wouldn't have become a killer. 

Pushing open the door, he sees Oh Soo-Mi sitting on the bed. When he sees her bandaged eyes, he freezes at the doorway. Oh Soo-Mi turns her head toward him. 

[Minho?]

He doesn't respond to her thoughts. 

[Is Minjae okay?]

How could she ask about his brother after what he did to her?

[I want to see him.]

Choi Minho drops on his knees, breaking into sobs. "I am sorry, Noona. It's my fault."

She can never see again.

His fault? Oh Soo-Mi's hands tremble in her l.a.p. She questions him with a quivering voice, "Is he gone?"

"Yes." Choi Minho croaks, "Hyung left us."

After a few months, Choi Minho is watching the television in silence at his home.

[Two more deads were found in the south district. The cause of death is internal injuries to the heart and lungs…]

The ten-year-old boy lowers his head, pinching his lips together to not make a crying sound. His parents are dead. His brother is a murderer. And Soo-Mi Noona can't see anymore. He can't do anything to change it. 

***

When he opens the door, Choi Minho sees a tall man in an olive suit with a crimson tie. His clean-shaven square face has a big mole under his right eye. Choi Minho doesn't bother reading the man's mind. He glances at the black car and a small truck parked on the road. A few men are standing next to the truck.

The man scans him from the top to bottom. "You and your brother look alike." 

It's been a few months since his brother disappeared from the news. The killings have stopped. His brother is a part of some organization now. These men also want him to be a part of the organization to make use of his gifts. He says to the man, "I am not going to be a part of your world."

The man waves his hand and lets out a chuckle. "I am not here to ask you to come to Monarch." 

"I don't care what you are here for." Choi Minho tells him with a warning tone, "Tell my brother that I will never become a person like him -- No, he's not even a person -- I don't think that any of you are humans."

"Ouch!" The man presses his hand on his c.h.e.s.t, looking hurt. "Your brother would have been hurt if he had heard his only brother say that."

Choi Minho knits his brows. His noona is inside the house. She hasn't come out of the room since yesterday night. He hasn't tried to read her mind. It's exhausting to hear thoughts. Sometimes, he feels like he doesn't have his own thoughts anymore. 

"Your brother is here." 

His hand reaching for the door handle pauses in the air. His heart drums faster. Choi Minho looks at the man. "Where?"

"Bring him." The man shouts, beckoning one of the men. Choi Minho watches them drag a coffin out of the truck and bring it to the door of his house. Unwilling to take a step toward the coffin, he stands at the door with tears rolling on his cheeks. Sound of footsteps becomes louder. 

Oh Soo-Mi keeps looking around with her hands outstretched in the air as she takes slow steps toward the coffin. She bends down on her knees and touches the coffin cautiously. "Minjae, is it you?"

"We found his body yesterday," The man informs them with a light tone. "He killed himself."

"What did you say?" Choi Minho blinks his eyes. "My brother won't do that."

"Why are you surprised?" The man blinks his eyes. "Isn't it common among gifted humans like you?"

"Minjae? Minjae?" Oh Soo-Mi opens the lid of the coffin. She traces Choi Minjae's face with her hand. She cries with a heartwrenching voice, "What about the promises that you made to me? I was waiting for you."

"We tried our best to help your brother," The man says to Choi Minho. "Your brother was an important part of our organization. If you need any help, come to Monarch."

***

After cremating his brother, Choi Minho returns home. He finds Oh Soo-Mi sitting on the front doorsteps in a mourning robe. He takes a seat beside her. The air is wet and cool. The rays of the sun are diminishing from the sky. 

"Minho, call me sister-in-law from now on," Oh Soo-Mi tells him with a hoarse voice. "I couldn't live as his wife, but I will live as his widow."

"You are crazy," He replies to her, staring at the darkening sky. "My brother doesn't deserve your love, Noona. You should move on."

"If I had known that I would never see him again," She whispers, leaning back, "I would have cherished those days more."

For a long time, he looks at the twinkling stars in the sky. His brother is also dead. His brother, who have killed more than forty people, is truly gone from this world. Though he should despise his brother, he can't bring himself to do it. "Sister-in-law, I am going to see my brother again."

***

"If you go to the place where your brother is, you might never come back to the world of the living."

Choi Minho doesn't have any strength left to raise his head and look at the vermillion phoenix, Akabane Houmi. He's been on his knees for days without food and water. The ground is rough and hot. His knees are bleeding. 

"Fine then." She walks closer to him. "I will take a bet on you because of your determination. I will open the door of hell for you and send you to that place as a challenger."

Akabane Houmi flips her sleeve. A tear in space appears behind Choi Minho. She looks down at him coldly. "Go."

When he takes a step toward the gate, Akabane Houmi crosses her arms. "Choi Minho, it's too late to follow your brother."

He takes another step toward the door. He also deserves to be in hell with his brother. Before he enters the gate, he hears the faint voice of the phoenix.

"You will regret it."