AUGUST 31, 2020 7:05 AM
"Paul, did he come out too?"
"Yes, Sir Paulo. You almost committed suicide, if it weren't for Ms. A'tin."
"Did A'tin stop Paul?"
Paulo was restless as he remembered the conversation he had with Dante. He could barely eat because he thought about how A'tin could trigger his alters.
A little while later, someone rang the doorbell at his apartment.
He turned on the doorbell camera and his eyes widened when he saw A'tin.
"A-how 'bout it, Paulo. You're A'tin."He heard her say this.
"Tss! You're gone! As long as I'm not Aurum! My name is A'tin. A, apostrophe, T, I, N. A'tin!"
"Hah! It's even more baduy!"
A sharp pain in the head hits Paulo upon seeing this vision. He couldn't understand where did that memory came from.
"W-what..."
Paulo couldn't continue his thoughts when his headache got worse, a sign that an alter was about to appear.
"S-sejun?"Paulo asked in his mind before he lost consciousness.
In just a few seconds, his eyes opened again, but this time, he was no longer Paulo.
He slowly stood up and faced the doorbell camera. His smile widened when he saw A'tin.
"I thought I'd never see you again, A'tin."the young man said in his mind.
"It's upo."
"Thank you, Paul."
The young man's ears perked up at what he heard.
"How many times do I have to tell you that I'm not Paulo, A'tin? I told you to remember this look!" the young man said annoyed.
"Sejun?!"A'tin snorted as his eyes widened. Sejun was left in a state of despair.
"W-wait. How---why didn't you tell me?!"
"I was testing you! But you failed the test, A'tin. How should I punish you?" Sejun asked and walked towards him.
"P-punish your ass! I didn't come here to fool around with you, Sejun! Get Paulo out!"A'tin said annoyed.
"Tss. He's the one who doesn't want to come out."
"And why?"A'tin asked immediately and Sejun sighed.
"Because he remembered something ten years ago,"Sejun replied, making A'tin frown.
"What do you mean? What did you remember?"
"Shh, you're not there anymore. You don't remember either."
"What if I say I remember?"
"Impossible. In your five-year relationship with Paulo, you never mentioned that once."
"Because I forgot Sejun, but I remember now. Everything that happened ten years ago."
Silence enveloped the surroundings. No one could speak to them.
"I remember everything, Sejun. The day my brother-in-law died."
"How did you remember that, A'tin? I never wanted you to remember those painful memories."
"You remember everything, right, Sejun? But why doesn't Paulo remember?"A'tin asked.
"Because he's a coward. He couldn't face what happened that day. He was betrayed by his cousins that day and he...witnessed a suicide. To protect himself, Paulo created me and Pablo to bear those memories."Sejun said.
Upon hearing these words, A'tin started to cry in misery. Sejun panicked and immediately wiped her tears and hugged her tight.
"I'm sorry I forgot you. I'm sorry for bearing the pain alone over these years. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."
Sejun was just listening to her repeated apology because he knew that this is the only way to alleviate A'tin's guilt.
"It's okay. I prefer it that way A'tin. I don't want you to remember those horrible memories."
A'tin broke the hug and stare intently at Sejun's dark eyes. At that moment, he suddenly felt Sejun a bit warmer than what he used to be.
"S-sigh..."
"Hmm?"
"C-can't you share those memories with Paulo?" A'tin asked that made Sejun's expression immediately became dark.
"Why the hell would I do that? He can't bear it A'tin. He can't survive with those memories." Sejun said.
"But Sejun---"
"Do you really want me to die, A'tin?" Sejun asked furiously, making A'tin speechless.
"The moment that Paulo remembers those memories and learns how to deal with it...might be also our last day, A'tin. Because Paulo won't need us anymore."