Outside The Gates

"Don't leave me here alone, Lucas." "You know how much your big brother hates it when you're being a disobedient little brother, right?" Lips curved upwards to a smile yet his eyes were drooping downwards.  A creepy and sinister face his brother makes to assure him something bad is going to happen to him. "If you don't want these rabbit's eyes inside your mouth, then follow me." An 8 year old boy nodded uncomfortably and followed his a decade-older behind. It's already 6 am in the morning and Lucas knew he was already awake 3 hours ago. However, these flashbacks come to him like a series of nightmares every single time he falls asleep. I'll never get used to this. His crossed legs were numbing as his attention fell on his cup of coffee that he was supposed to drink after he woke up hours ago. It was already cold even just by looking at it. "Everything doesn't stay as they were before..." Lucas said to his cold coffee as if it could listen to him. Then why on earth that my brother is still a lunatic after 20 years? He shakes his head as he took the cup and went to the kitchen to make another one. "If you're not useful anymore, people tend to either throw you away or endure your presence if they needed you." Lucas then felt melancholic. He was about to press his coffee maker on when his eyes stared at his window reflection. His snow as white skin, brown hazel round eyes, small perfect nose and his dry pale lips were staring back at him eerily. Usually, people were starving first thing in the morning for breakfast. Lucas never felt hunger. He might have felt it but never wanted to eat anyway. His fridge was full of nothing but cold water. His pantry has a lot sugar, creamer and different kinds of coffee. He only eats when he goes out for a walk or a meeting yet he would only take a bite or two. Lucas finally turned on the coffee maker and while waiting, he opened his phone. His notifications were bombed with his editor and publisher's messages talking about how his latest fanfic were selling great thru online and bookstores. Even so, while scrolling on the book's reviews Lucas saw a comment that made him swallowed dry. "When will pseudo_serenity-nim publish a new erotic book? It has been two years- DONT JUST CATER THOSE OBSESSED FANGIRLS AND FANBOYS #wewantmorepseudoserenityeroticabooks" If there was a comment and a hashtag trend like this, for sure for the next few hours, there will be a thousands of them until the next day. Lucas sighed and hid his phone back in his pocket. "Should I start and write a new one today?" It is a great timing since I already have an idea but... He was in the middle of chaos, deciding wether to start now or later since he doesn't have any inspiration to write another erotic book filled with s****l fantasies which people were cowardly unable and impossible to do in real life that's why they read his works... As he always thought. The annoying ringtone from his iPhone did break his thoughts and he answered unwillingly. "Are you busy today?" A man's voice was audible over the phone. "I think I will be after I said no to your question. Why?"  "A new one came in. Since that fan's comment have went viral, maybe it could help you write another book of yours after seeing this one." After agreeing, Lucas went upstairs and walked to his room passing by his corridor's walls which has a lot bookshelves filled with children's books and novels that he already read since he was in elementary. He never threw a book after reading one. If there's a book that went missing he would deliberately go out to look for it. Lucas didn't like the idea of throwing or his books going missing. He would go insane if either of the two happens. Upon entering his bedroom which was painted in white only, a huge black bed with black covers was facing a mirror wall, reflecting everything inside the room in front of it including the dark bed. The whole ceiling of the bedroom was replaced by a mirror. Lucas renovated his bedroom like that since he didn't like the idea of not seeing himself every time he's feeling unsafe. He didn't have any other furniture than his bed. On the left side of the bed was a glass wall revealing his balcony that has a victorian-like tea table for two. A balcony that has a overlooking view of the outside and the neighborhood he's living in. On the right side of the wall was his walk-in closet. There were only three colors existing in his wardrobe and they're black, white and gray. Excluding his gold accessories. As Lucas walked inside it, he instantly knew what he's going to wear. He took a tight turtle neck sleeves that would definitely fit on his twink body, a white coat and a black oxford shoes with white linings on it. He headed towards the gigantic mirror and fixed his jet-black hair parting it in the middle a little bit only to show some of his center forehead. — Lucas parked his Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio in front of a familiar modern-looking 2-story building located at the farthest area from the central part of Seoul City as he exhaled loudly before walking his shoes inside. He went straight, turned right and took the elevator up and turned left and a mini table set up for 2 was a man sitting on it wearing a white v-neck shirt and a tight jeans. It's obvious Ahan was going to the gym lately with his biceps and arm muscles flexing like that. "Don't wear that top again. You're being a prey to the wolves." Ahan commented and combed his brown hair upwards before greeting Lucas with a hug. "Then tell the wolves I'm home and stop making your d**k hard when looking at me. The latter said and returned the hug. "Oh- I forgot to tell you I did not wash my hands after handling the body." "I'm used to it." Lucas rolled his eyes as he smirked and Ahan laughed a bit louder. "Are you working out lately?" Ahan smirked at Lucas when the latter asked. "Well, I need to since I'm observing someone from the gym." Ahan shamelessly informed and he could only sigh. "More like hunting your next prey." Lucas commented and Ahan's face flushed in red color. "Anyways, I already beautified the man's face as well as stitched some cracks on him so he does look a bit... normal?" "Let me see." Lucas followed him inside the room located on the farthest corner of the building. Ahan took a pair of blue rubber gloves from his back pockets that Lucas did not notice hanging around loosely behind him and wore them tightly on his hands. "He was Samuel Kang. The eldest son of the prime minister's sister who owns a famous logistics here in Asia. He was studying law and he was on his way in taking his licensure exam when he suddenly collapsed while driving and ended up crashing his car against a pole." Lucas stared blankly at the naked dead body and he felt numb standing so he pulled the stool from the side to sit legs crossed. "How... mysterious. So he died in the car crash?" Ahan shook his head as he went to the other side of the dead body and pointed at his mouth. "Apparently, it came out from the investigation that he liked going out to midnight parties and all such kinds of it and you know how these elite people do the do in parties, right?" Lucas nodded. Drugs, alcohols and s*x. "You're correct. He orally intake a lot of party drugs as well as viagra and coke and had a lot of... s*x the night exhausting him till morning before the crash happened." Lucas stands up as he went closer to the lifeless body. "These people who looked like saints with their prideful parents beside them and acting gracious to people's eyes are such pigs hiding inside their pens. Dirty." Ahan awkwardly agreed and clasped his hands before removing the gloves off throwing them away carelessly. "So, did it help you create some plot or something?" He leaned his back and stared at Lucas. "I don't think so. Not even with his big dick." Ahan cracked a laugh at his remark. "If we met before he died in a party, I'm probably dead by now if I was his s*x partner." Lucas cringed at Ahan's imagination as he leans away from the dead guy. "How can you be so sure that he would bang you?" Lucas lifted his brow and Ahan blushed. "Just because..." "These kind of men are hypocrites. They would rather have trophy partners who looked like an angel so that other people would admire them as a pair. The ones that could be easily manipulated and controlled until they're used to them and dumped them like a trash soon or sooner." Ahan stared at Lucas sadly, grasping his friend's phrase. "Good thing I have a friend like you who always scares me to death before I do stupid things." They decided to continue their conversation in the rooftop as Ahan wrapped everything up inside the room for the day properly. "The cremation will be tomorrow and the visitation starts the day after tomorrow. For sure well-known people and his family in business and politics will come to mourn and there will be a lot of people and maybe you-" "I don't want to. I put you here because I don't like handling and talking to other people." "Okay fine, I get it. I'll call some of our part timers." Ahan said surrendering on his seat. "I'll employ another one or two employees here so that you won't do all the work." Lucas said as he enjoys the rooftop scenery of Seoul. "That'd be great. Even so, Lucas..." The latter hummed uninterested. "This kind of business is actually weird and strange for us. More especially you. You're a well-known author. You don't fit to have this kind of business, let's just-" "Don't. I don't want to." There he goes again, cutting me before finishing what my tongue wants to say.  "You know why I decided to have this kind of uncanny services, right?" "For business and... writing inspiration derived from different backgrounds of the deceased's?" Ahan answered unconfident. "You also know why I hired you for this job." For the 2nd time, he nodded again. "We don't need to talk about this again, Ahan." Whenever Lucas speaks his name that way, he knew that it's the end of the conversation so he exhaled and fixed his hair for the nth time as he heard Lucas speak again while staring at the rooftop view. "Catering the dead is a never ending business. This service brings money and sorrows. The dead comes and goes leaving trails of agony and guilt to those people who were left behind." — "Inform me when you find some new employees later, I'll do vice versa." Lucas said as he was being escorted by Ahan on his way in the parking space when his IPhone rings loudly for the second time that day. "An unknown number." Lucas breathed. "Well, you already know who that is." Lucas was irritated and got more irritated as the annoying ringtone keeps on ringing his ears. Feeling defeated, he answered unwillingly. A tap on his shoulder came indicating Ahan would go back inside, bidding his goodbye. As if this day could get any worse than my coffee turning cold. He haven't even moved on from the dead body he saw earlier. "Lucas Wang. I want to talk to you about something-" "Then say it now." Lucas was hesitating wether to hang up the call or listen to the woman's plea. "In person, son." He haven't heard his mother's voice in person after a decade of avoiding his family. It feels strange and new to his ears even though he spent half of his life with her, Lucas didn't want to be within her presence and he have his own reasons, and intuitions. "Lucas, are you okay?" The latter only stared at his mother's face. She got older and her black hair has some gray hair strands indicating she's in that age. "If I say that I'm not, will you get worried?" Lucas was blankly staring at her, uncanny eyes were looking back at him. "Of course! You're my son after all." The mother tried to lean her hand on her son's face but Lucas said, "Hypocrite. So if I'm not your son, you're not going to be worried, right?" "What are you saying, son?" She sighs and shakes her head before looking back at his son. "Maybe you're just hungry. Let's take our order now before your hunger takes over your mood." She smiled awkwardly before she called the waiter to get their orders. Years went by and you still think everything's going to be fine when you put glue on it. You never tried being in your son's shoes. You only ask but you really don't care. "What's yours, Lucas?" "I don't eat. Give me one cup of Americano with four shots of espresso." The mother and the waiter blinked before he listed as he repeats their orders again and left. "I just want to finished my coffee later without interruptions. What are you going to tell me Linda?" Linda was astounded to hear his son called her by her first name. The latter's face turned serious and sour before she leaned back to control her thoughts towards her son's behavior. "Hearing that you only wanted to drink a cup of coffee and getting out of here sooner means you've stopped meeting with your psychologist." "I've seen nothing wrong with that. The only thing that I need to point out is for you to stop contacting me ever again. I'd rather stabbed myself with a pen till death comes upon my bloody body than meeting you and your family again." Lucas said in a calm voice. A tone that no one could ever guess if he's mad or being something else. "And you still talk in metaphors and unearthly poets." Linda said with her forehead creased up. She tucked some of her hair behind her ear and still, Lucas looked unbothered. The waiter put a dead silence in their conversation by placing down their foods on the table. "Don't you missed our family Lucas?" Lucas stopped his hand from picking up his cup of coffee and smiled as he took a sip. "Why would I miss something that I wanted to escaped from?" Linda was hurt and felt sad hearing his son's remarks. "We- Your father and I raised you and your brother with all the love and money that all the children in the world would die to have. I know that it all started after what your older brother did however, Lucas both of you were still kids at that time! You need to forget and forgive-" "Miss Linda, please refrain yourself from shouting. It's embarrassing." "Lucas Wang! No- Lucas Seo." "It's illogical to think that everyone is forgiven just because it was a many moons ago. Does time passing by means forgiveness to everyone? I never forget such memories since I need to learn from it." Another entry of silence then his mother decided to taste her slice of cake. Lucas looked away from what she's doing. Lucas doesn't like seeing something being cut or sliced. "Please refrain yourself from calling me starting today. My time is not something to be wasted on somebody who never genuinely tried caring for her son." Lucas was finished with his coffee when he was planning to stand up a tall guy in black coat came stopping Lucas from moving. "Sorry I'm late, Mrs Seo. There was a traffic jam and got caught in it." "No, actually you're just in time." Linda stared cautiously at his son's reaction and as expected she was also being observed. "So you're setting me up on an arranged marriage now?" "No I'm sorry to disappoint you." The guy said and looked at Lucas sharply who faltered. Linda breathed before telling the guy to sit beside her as she introduces him to Lucas. "He is Dr..." The guy nodded to her reassuring Linda to let him do the honors as he faced Lucas who was observing the guy's features. "I'm Seven. A psychologist." His neck was covered in tattoos and his collar parts also. "and you are...?" He has long fingers and a large hand that's also covered in tattoos all the way up on his arms. Maybe it's because he's tall so his physique is quite good. Lucas was unconsciously scanning the guy sitting across him who speaks in a monotonous voice which makes him sound cold and serious type of person. On the other hand, Lucas was being impatient to leave at the same time trying to ease his mind from walking out carelessly by creating a new character for his new book out of different ideas that he already have including this doctor named Seven. "Lucas. Just Lucas." Seven nodded and Linda butted in after. "If you really want to cast your family away from you then I have a condition to make." The latter did not speak nor move. He only batted his lashes at them waiting for her to say the deal. Lucas did not expect that this day would be a waste of time. "Lived with Dr. Seven for a few months as your stay-in personal psychologist and I'll never," She was finding it hard to say but after she swallowed dry in her throat, she finishes her statement unwillingly. "call you nor bug you about our family ever again."