? only god knows 「 khunbam 」

7 | i can?t be without you, this sole thought assaults me fiercely

To his utter dread, the brunetʼs first pick had to be the swinging viking ride where they literally had just witnessed a phone falling from the sky although, it was fairly mild compared to the shuttle drop where he felt like his soul was being sucked out from his body. The brat teased him for his expression turning grim and pale as he almost stumbled running towards a nearby bin to vomit whatever content was left inside his stomach, and he almost cursed him out if not for the beaming smile he showed each time they completed a ride.

And then the little devil called Bam decided to consecutively try out the teacup and jungle rapids rides he said all the children he met and hyped about. He swore he saw his lifespan continuously decreasing with every toss and turn, and heʼd honestly prefer to die over a gunshot rather than pathetically inducing a heart attack inside an amusement park. His pride couldnʼt take that critical hit. But, the final straw was when Bam invited him for the last ride would be a roller-coaster which seemingly had endless loops that he got dizzy counting it off.

Never again will he take the risk and invite an energetic child to a venue inappropriate for an unhealthy fifty-year-old multi-billionaire. Yet, it also got him thinking- since when did he last enjoy a whole day with Bam? Without all the wars and violence, and the constant guard for pursuers? Without having to worry about getting back alive or immediately sleeping in after a long day of hard work to watch over a diversity of species? Just thinking about what the future had for the both of them, if there was any future at all.

"Mr. Khun, are you okay? You look a little off-colored."

The elder stared at him passively before ruffling through his brown locks. He had always thought about the things he would do and say the moment heʼll meet his lover again, so he was not prepared for a completely different scenario. It hurt like needles pricked his heart from the front and back, or the worst of his flare-ups. But maybe in this way, it would not hurt as much as it would if one day heʼll pass away and move on towards another uncertain life.

"I am. Itʼs you that I should be worried about. How are you feeling, Bam?"

"Everything hurt." Aguero felt a light squeeze on the hand that clasped Bamʼs small ones. "But I feel lighter than when Rachel and I fought. I want to hate her, but the fact that I hate her proved how much I treasured our friendship and I do not want to prove it to her. She doesnʼt deserve the sincerity I could have offered, nor the love she received from my parents. Should I cut her off, Mr. Khun?"

"Itʼs your decision to make, Bam. It will be hard, but maybe itʼs for the best if you two would have some distance." 'I will make sure to spend every waking moment trying to protect you from the danger that is the people you once called your family.'

After a few minutes of waiting for the Khunʼs chauffeur, the latter felt his phone vibrating. It seems to be Hansung based on the designated pattern, and he could only laugh anticipating the barrage of sermons the doctor would attack him with for leaving the hospital grounds without permission. The brunetʼs head fell to his lap, and he took this moment to take a closer look at him. Unlike the first time they met, this Bam had a more luminescent glow to his skin. A light tan and a healthy layer of fat on his cheekbones and limbs, as well as a complexion that showed how their quality of life improved.

He pushed stray strands of chestnut brown away from his face and kissed Bamʼs forehead. This would be the last time Aguero would indulge on himself. After this, heʼll finally treat the other as a successor rather than a younger clone of his lost lover. It wouldnʼt be fair if he would continue looking at the child, showing a different demeanor- as if he was staring past him and towards someone else. The Bam on his first and original timeline would always stay in his heart and memory, but this one, who like him, had lost everything, was someone he owed his sanity to.

He wouldnʼt ever forget him. The bluenet would never stop remembering him. But for now, this was enough. Such were Agueroʼs last thoughts before he felt the vehicle swerve from side to side and its speed accelerated. Incoherent screams that warned him about the situation from his driver alerted him, but everything was spinning too fast.

"Mr. Khun," he heard the child whisper amidst the disaster. "Please hold my hand, Iʼm scared."

The car flew, and they could only imagine the damage it will bring as Aguero did nothing else but hold Bamʼs head against his chest, protectively covering the childʼs head with his own arm, bracing for the impact that was yet to come.

"Donʼt be scared, Bam. I will always keep you safe."