Broken Growing And Not Dead 2
New Arrivals in Remote Hamlet
“Should I change my name to Seven? So my name is now manager Seven open manager Eight again.”
“Why does Brother Eight have such thoughts? Has Baek Hyun really been erased in your life?”
“Not, not like that. I never deleted Baek Hyun in my life. It's just this harsh reality ..”
“Baek Hyun will still be part of EXO even though only his shadow remains”, Suho said.
Almost a year has passed. After the departure of Baek Hyun, the remaining 7 EXO members began trying to rebuild with the new agency. It's not easy, it's not easy. Moreover, the departure of Baek Hyun is very cruel and tragic. Almost a year, it was not enough for them to be able to forget all the events. Moreover, when they started their activities as EXO again, it was tantamount to scraping back old wounds since now they had to start without Baek Hyun. It is undeniable, on every side of the place and whatever they do it all reminds them of their best friend. That is what often makes them unfocused, fall, even cry sad when back training. They miss him, they miss people who are gone.
*
“If Baek Hyun is still alive, what does his life look like now?” Xiumin asked as he looked at the ceiling of the room. That night the 7 members decided to sleep in the same room. Their usual routine is because tomorrow will be their first debut in a new agency after 3 months of preparation.
“Why did you ask that question?” Kai asked in a clear voice.
“Because that's how I've been able to survive until now. I don't care whether it's real or I'm being deceived by my own feelings. I always thought he was alive. He just doesn't want to show it to the world” Xiumin replied.
“Ah .. Never mind, do not make us live in that pseudo-mind,” whine Sehun while hugging D.O who is lying next to him.
“If that's true I'll beat him up!” Chanyoel.
“What are you guys really talking about? We're trying to wake up to this reality, but why are you talking about something that sounds impossible like that. Talking uncertain reality is tantamount to deceiving our own feelings” lamented Kai.
“Don't be too late in the feeling of losing it” Suho said as he sat down. “Either he is in another place or in another realm, he will see us. It depends on how we deal with what we believe. We are all grown up to manage our feelings and thoughts. Remember .. we who are left now still have to move on and meet the expectations of many people. Imagine ... There are many who wait and think of us with sadness. One of them is Baek Hyun himself. If we continue to dissolve in our feelings, when do we have the strength to get up and come back? There is still plenty of time in front of us not to grieve anymore. Our sadness is only about time. Don't force me to forget. Cry if you want to cry. Never torture feelings by pretending to be happy. Remember our responsibility. We must be able to erode the grief and wounds of those who are lost, even if we ourselves experience that sadness.”
“Now I want to hear your opinion. What do you think of Baek Hyun, is he still with us in this world?” ask Kai
“He will always be with me until whenever” replied Suho ambiguously.
***
The full-speed car took off, floated, and crashed into the rim of the ravine just across the hill where they had taken off. The loud jolt of the collision left Baek Hyun and Hana, who were not wearing seat belts, pushed hard, hit the windshield of the car, and were thrown over the grass that thrives on the land. A loud explosion accompanied Baek Hyun and Hana from there. The body of the car that only had time to kiss the lip of the ravine and spit out its occupants was destroyed along with the explosion. The fragments fell and fell to the bottom of the deep abyss.
What a funny and laughable reality for a Baek Hyun. The thought of carrying his car at full speed ensured they darted and fell, but in reality their car was only able to smell the lips of the ravine, and instead spewed both of them out, it was as if accidentally delivering Baek Hyun and Hana to the other side of the hill. Hana's body detached from Baek Hyun's embrace, rolling and crashing into the stone wall. Baek Hyun who was still conscious tried to get up. Crawling teetering toward Hana who seemed to be motionless.
“Hana ... Hana ..” call Baek Hyun trying to resuscitate his lover. No answer “HANA!!!” he shouted while embracing his lover while crying.
***
Baek Hyun nodded. His eyes stared pushyly at the ceiling of the house made of dry straw with a breath that was still wheezing. The dream felt so real that it left pain in his soul. The pain will lose the person he loves. Slowly the man turned his back and looked at the figure in his dream. Hana was there, sleeping sideways facing him. His eyes were tightly closed, so soundly on the pile of cloth-covered straw that was the place of their current contest. Encouraged by the pain she had just experienced in her dream, Baek Hyun shifted closer, grabbed Hana's head and held her in his arms.
The woman woke up, her head moving back and forth looking around. Day starts in the morning.
“Sleep ... It's still too early” whispered Baek Hyun as he grabbed back Hana's head and hugged her again.
Hana's sleepiness had evaporated after Baek Hyun's movement earlier. He tried to close his eyes, but something that had long troubled his mind came back. His eyes opened staring at Baek Hyun's eyelids tightly shut.
“Don't you want a child? It's been almost a year we're only two in this house” asked to make Baek Hyun's eyes open again staring at him.
“I don't want it, it's just not the time yet. Look at the state of our home. Our home is far from worthy to be the shade of a baby. Especially if your baby can crawl or walk. Is it okay if we postpone it for a while?” tanyanya smiled.
Hana nodded “You're right too, I didn't think there. What little boy understands what is dirty and clean. I can't imagine him crawling on this dirt floor. We will also be exhausted bathing him also washing his clothes.”
“Not only that, what if he's sick? Wait a few more moments, I will work diligently, raise money, and repair this house little by little until it is truly worth it like any other resident's house.”
“Eum...” Hana nodded with a happy smile, but Baek Hyun looked at her suspiciously.
“Actually what do you mean ask like that.”
“I mean? I don't mean anything.”
“Tell me if you want it, I'll be happy to do it for you.”
Hana grimaced and looked cynically at Baek Hyun. The man chuckles, then wakes up and then kisses the side of Hana's face.
“Kantukku is completely gone, I have to prepare myself to go to sea today.”
“I'll prepare provisions for you.”
*
Baek Hyun prepared the fireplace and placed a pot-like container on it. The furnace he stacked from the river rocks located not far from their home. Baek Hyun and Hana used to bathe and wash there. Not infrequently they cook together on the rocks of a large river, then enjoy it there as if they were on a picnic together. Baek Hyun and Hana were so happy. Happy because they found their new place. Happy because they are so accepted and loved by the villagers.
“Is the fire ready?” hana asked as she approached Baek Hyun with some sweet potatoes in the container she was carrying.
Baek Hyun nodded, then took over the yam and put it in the pot.
Hana sat down next to Baek Hyun while warming herself near the fireplace.
“Are you sure you only have a sweet potato breakfast?”
Baek Hyun nodded
“How about your stock, what do you want to make?”
“I just want to eat yam with fried squid side dish.”
“If you only eat sweet potatoes, it will not be good for your stomach. Not to mention you'll be hit by the sea breeze. Maybe you'll keep farting while working. I'll cook rice and fried squid side dishes. I'll also stir-fry some vegetables."
“Why this morning au fuss once” Baek Hyun pinched Hana's gnarled nose. "You're afraid I'm malnourished or afraid of the smell of farts"
Baek Hyun raised his head for a moment while thinking.
“Lobster roast?”
“With sauce from ground chopped garlic and chili?”
Baek Hyun nodded. Every time he enjoyed the meal, he remembered his first meeting with Chanyoel.
“You are reminded of Suho and Chanyoel again.”
“Until any time I will always remember them every time I see lobster, and for me, the menu is also the most delicious compared to any cuisine.
“You missed them?”
Baek Hyun nodded. “I miss them so much”
***
After waking up from the failure of death, Baek Hyun and Hana become homeless people on the run. They move from one place to another. Do the rough work of just getting food or getting a ride to run as far as possible. After months of wandering through the streets, hills and even the ocean, the two arrived at a small hamlet occupied by only a dozen family heads. An incident became the beginning of their known and accepted residents of the hamlet. Where at that time, in the hamlet, there was a bandit who often made a noise. For many years, not a single citizen dared to go against that bandit.
That evening, Baek Hyun and Hana just arrived in the hamlet with one of the residents who deliberately brought them there. From a distance Baek Hyun saw the bandit attacking and hitting one of the residents blindly. The residents who were beaten tried to run away but continued to be pursued by bandits who looked very angry. Baek Hyun picked up a stone and ran there. The residents who were being chased now fell and the bandits were swinging machetes at him.
“Stop!!!” baek Hyun shouted while throwing stones and hitting the bandit earlier.
The bandit's attention was now on him. Baek Hyun was not afraid at all even though now the bandit ran to attack him. Baek Hyun prepared, the man who indeed mastered martial arts faced the bandit with his bare hands while the bandit tried to slash him with a machete he carried.
The villagers are getting hysterical to see the fight, especially with Hana who is recovering from her seasickness. After repeatedly failing to attack his opponent, the bandit seemed to be overwhelmed, and on one occasion Baek Hyun managed to kick the hand of the bandit holding the machete until the machete slammed away. Now it was Baek Hyun's turn to attack and beat the bandit until he finally collapsed unconscious. A resident suddenly came and directly thrust the machete belonging to the bandit into the body of the sprawled bandit. Instantly the bandits were killed were greeted with screams and cheers boisterous villagers.
Hana's knees weakened until she sat in place. While the villagers were cheering and then crowded to approach and surround Baek Hyun. In her place Hana could only be speechless bending her knees with a body that was trembling in fear. Just this time he saw the murder directly in front of his own eyes.
Baek Hyun, who was still in shock, saw the dead bandit being embraced by the residents. Some even cried hugging her while saying thank you. The bandit's body was raised somewhere. Now only Baek Hyun who stood with a confused face while trying to smile welcomed the treatment of the villagers to him.
“I just saw you, are you a newcomer here?” someone suddenly approached Baek Hyun
“Iya .. I, I came with my wife” he replied while searching for Hana. His eyes managed to find Hana who also looked shocked in fear. Baek Hyun ran over to Hana followed by the villagers who were still curious about him.
“You all right?” ask her to Hana while helping the woman stand up.
Hana nodded “How about you?” tanyanya while observing the state of Baek Hyun with a feeling of worry.
“I'm fine, you don't need to worry.”
“So this is your wife?”
“iya ... This is my wife, her name is Hana, and I am .. my name is Rain” explained Baek Hyun.
Hannah bowed her body in greeting.
“My name is Aspir the leader of this hamlet. I say thank you very much. Thanks to you, these villagers finally broke free from the bandits. For years he has always been making noise in our hamlet and no one can stop him. Even some residents of this hamlet have died at his hands. But thanks to you, that bandit brutality is over. But why are you here, what's up?”
“Actives ..”
“I brought him here” another middle-aged man came to that place. “I accidentally dropped a basket of fish I wanted to sell to the market, then he and his wife came to help me. They also helped me sell seafood. They came from far away and happened to be in need of work. They also do not have a fixed place of residence, therefore I brought him here temporarily.”
Aspir nodded
“But .. believe me we open criminals who make an escape. My wife and I are not staying. So wherever we stop, there we work and rest for a moment.”
Aspir again nodded “Then you can settle here. This hamlet is only inhabited by dozens of family heads.”
“He's right, stay here. Even though you have become a hero for the people here.” welcome one of the mothers.
“iya benar” welcome other residents. Their faces seemed enthusiastic about receiving Baek Hyun and Hana there.
“You hear? Everyone accepts you here, it's not in vain that I brought you here” said the middle-aged man who brought Baek Hyun and Hana earlier, proud. “I believe they're good people. Last time on the market, no one helped me but them. I also did not expect that he would defeat that bandit for us.”
“Iya, yes” cheers the population boisterous.
Baek Hyun smiled at the compliment.
“You must not be afraid, the bandit was deserving to die. We had asked the authorities for help, but because of the very remote state of our hamlet, they paid less attention to us. When the police came, the bandit disappeared, and when the police left, he appeared again and made a roar to injure and even kill the population. Thankfully you managed to defeat him. We are very grateful and of course we will be very happy if you want to stay with us.”
“True to stay here, and be a resident here. Don't worry about the job you can be a fisherman or a farmer like the others” welcome one of the residents.
“How? You agree?” ask Aspir expectantly.
Baek Hyun looked at Hana, asking her opinion. Hana answered with a nod. It was uncomfortable for him to refuse the offer even though he was initially afraid because Baek Hyun had committed violent acts. But after hearing the residents' explanation earlier, gradually the feeling of fear disappeared.
“Thank you, my wife and I are very happy to receive it here.”
“Of course.” replied Aspir happy to be greeted by cheers of villagers.
“Oh yes, you certainly do not have a place to stay. In the meantime, take your wife on a ride at my house. At the end of this hamlet, there is a house that has been abandoned by the owner. The house was badly damaged. But the residents here will surely be happy to take care of royong to repair the house for you to occupy. Tomorrow I'll talk to them.”
“But ... I have nothing to give to the villagers here.”
“I see your point. But the people here don't need that. Didn't you see the faces of those who were so happy and relieved after you defeated the bandits earlier. They will be happy to repay your services by building you. Here all problems are not always solved with money or possessions. If you give merit, they will retaliate similarly. Residents here rarely use money if they want to get something. The barter system still applies here. You'll understand if you stay here long. Come, we go to my place now.” take Aster who to Baek Hyun and Hana accompanied by the villagers.