Chapter XXXV

To Begin Again

W ith Tae-min resting in his arms, Jeremiah grimaced at the rabid footage of himself playing on the television. Every moment he'd ever lived through was clear to him, all details, all conversations, and the impact each had on his life stuck with him even now, but he was a bit grateful to not be able to recall Halloween night. He looked so mad, like what monsters humans once believed could never exist, but there he was: the poster boy of ‘supernatural beings'.

"At least everyone else looks good," Jeremiah said to himself.

If not for Hamilton, Demiesius, Eros, and Nabadias' willingness to clash with him and hold their own against Jeremiah, there would be no proof of a sort of control and sense of normality to immortals.

Aside from the entire world taking in how bad a dhampir lost in their nature could be, they'd gotten a glimpse of the ones who wouldn't tolerate such outbursts either, how willing they were to put a stop to their own if it were needed.

Debate continued to spark around the world now that vampirekind was no longer hidden to the human population. Should immortals have to identify themselves as vampires, form legal documentations, and be investigated for past criminal activity made against humans? Should they be allowed access to blood and reveal the source of where they currently get their blood? Should covens be located so people knew where they were? But the most common question that surfaced was…

Who is going to keep the immortal population in check?

Numerous coven leaders from around the world gladly joined the debate in the evening, defending the right to continue living as they had before "coming out of the closet", as it'd been put.

Just for the new knowledge that human beings were now coming to realize vampires lived amongst them, that didn't mean things were going to change in terms of how safe they were.

As a coven leader to a region with one of the largest vampire populations, Christoph Asker, he did his best to explain how the world worked for them as a people before things took a turn in this direction, and everyone could agree that he was probably the best of the current leaders to speak to the mortal population. He was poised and far from ill-tempered, mindful of the nervousness of those questioning him and kept a leveled head despite the fear.

If this had happened several years ago, and Dominick was still at the head of the position, Jeremiah could only imagine how heated his blood brother would have been facing such pointed questions .

"Have you ever killed before?"

"How could you drink blood? That's so vile!"

"Are you spawns of the Devil?"

"Can I test a UV light on you?"

"Are you allergic to garlic?"

"When did you die?"

Alongside Christoph Asker, several other coven leaders who showed themselves were cordial and promised no one had to fear them, as they strictly oversaw every aspect of the immortal world to not only foster peace amongst themselves but to maintain the safety of all humans…

…if it could be helped.

As he continued to tune into the seemingly never-ending debate unfolding before him, a sudden thought came to Jeremiah. As the conclusion of his brawl with the elders would tell, although falsely, he was thought to be dead, but as he breathed here now and appreciated the gift of being able to remain on this plane with those he loved…he couldn't get past the realization that he'd killed two innocent people. He'd killed two officers responding to reports made to them by their fellow citizens.

If he'd been any other vampire and lost control, murdered, and went on a rampage, there was no doubt in Jeremiah he'd have been captured and sentenced to true death. He knew it was because of who he was that essentially saved him, but that didn't strip him from the guilt of killing two men who'd only been doing their job; two men who'd essentially thought they'd been dealing with a demon.

I can't erase what I've done, Jeremiah thought, looking into the attentive eyes of his son laid in his arms. I can't even atone for it since everyone thinks I've died. But I am sorry for it. I wish I could take it back…but I can't.

Tae-min reached up to Jeremiah's face and touched his nose, letting out a playful noise when a kiss was pressed to his forehead.

There was no use stressing over what had transpired. It was thought he'd gotten what he deserved and that was the end of it.

When the television was switched off, Jeremiah turned his back to the screen and looked over all those before him: his parents, his young brothers and the twins, Min-jae and Dominick who'd returned upon hearing the good news. There was worry in them all for what their futures would be like now that so much change was coming their way, but none of them looked too shaken to move forward.

Everyone would be saying goodbye to the secrecy and quiet of their underworld, but at least they hadn't been made to say goodbye to someone that mattered more to them than that.

It seemed relief would never leave them as they looked upon Jeremiah, and while he was grateful for this constant mindfulness that looked his way, there was a bit of quiet Jeremiah was desperate to get back to now that nothing was stopping him from doing so.

He wanted to go home.

Seeing the yearning for such in his lover's eyes, Min-jae rose from a chair he'd been seated in and took Jeremiah's hand in his.

"If it's alright," Jeremiah addressed everyone. "I think it's about time I start home."

"Of course," Hamilton neared, and pressed a kiss to his son's cheek, Tae-min's, and he nodded thankfully to Min-jae for his want to take Jeremiah to a place he'd come to treasure. "Go home and rest, forget all this if you can, and let nothing else worry you from here on."

Offering a nod, Jeremiah smiled to his brothers, receiving a light embrace from each, and to Lysander, he said, "Sorry for ruining your birthday. I hope you can at least enjoy the books we got you. Next year, I'll be sure to make it up to you."

Lysander tried to laugh through the recollections of how his birthday had been spent. "Don't say that," he said, picking at his nails. "You still being here is better than any gift anyone could ever give me."

"Well, you've still got lots to open while I'm away, so make sure you appreciate them, too."

The boy nodded assuredly, and when Jeremiah moved by, he was taken into a gentle hold by Dominick. Having to break the news of Jeremiah's apparent death had been one of the most difficult things he had to explain to his family, but now taking it all back would erase the torment putting all those words together had brought him.

"Take care," Dominick said, looking much like he'd overcome a nightmare shown to be just that…a false scare. "I know you have a new home and a family of your own; they're your priority now, but I ask that you stop in every now and then. Be with your son, with Min-jae, but don't forget about us for too long." Dominick cleared a tightness in his throat he hoped no one noticed. "I used to see you almost every night since you were born, and it hasn't been that way for a long time now, but we've all taken on new lives over the decades. That's understandable, but Father and…"

Dominick let the words hang in the air, and he chewed his lip as if in debate to say more.

"Go on," Hamilton insisted. His smile was brilliant when he bombarded the blood child, holding on tight as he jostled Dominick, and his eyes sparkled prettily. "Say it! Don't be shy."

Jeremiah chuckled in confusion as Dominick glared ahead as he was shaken and hugged. "What's going on?" he asked.

Hamilton's hold on Dominick didn't let up, and he pressed their cheeks together when he said, "Dominick called me ‘Dad'! Isn't that nice?!"

"Really?!" all the young Titus boys shouted.

"Oh, whatever!" Dominick shook out of Hamilton's hold and fixed the wrinkles in his shirt. "Should've kept my big mouth shut," he grumbled. "I'm going home. Jeremiah…remember what I said. Now, bye."

The moment the blood child disappeared, Hamilton's chuckles died down, but the appreciation he felt for Dominick didn't. It hadn't been Dominick's admission that he essentially viewed Hamilton as a sort of parental figure that he'd needed, but Hamilton couldn't say hearing such come from the blood child's mouth hadn't consoled him in some sense. He'd really enjoyed that, and he loved Dominick so much.

"You're never going to let him live that down, are you?" Jeremiah asked.

"Nope," Hamilton leered in conceit, the brightness on his face fading little by little when he noticed a change in Jeremiah's eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing is wrong, per say," Jeremiah answered, trailing his gaze to the floor before biting his lip in thought. "I realize I never apologized for—."

"Jeremiah, I'm not looking for any apologies from you."

"I know." He carried on anyway, passing his thumb over the top of Tae-min's hairline. Due to the footage broadcasted on the television, he'd been able to see how terrifying he was during his rampage, and to see himself clash with both his parents maintained the creases of regret in his heart. "Even if you won't take it, Dad, I'm sorry for putting my hands on you, for hurting you. And I'm sorry to you, Father, for doing the same. I'd appreciate it if you would apologize to Eros and Nabadias for me."

Hamilton folded his arms over his chest and blew a breath from his lungs. "I won't lie and say I wasn't a bit scared during our little match-up," he said, the smile on his face returning. "But I like to think, if you hadn't the use of those wings of yours, I would've had you. I may be rusty, but I haven't forgotten who I am."

"I'm glad," Jeremiah chuckled.

If Hamilton hadn't had his training to fall back on in those minutes, things certainly would've ended a lot more harrowing.

No matter if he hadn't known his dad during his years as a vampire slayer, as someone respected by his peers and Councilmen of the past, as someone with a name still known as the best of his generation, Jeremiah was and would always be proud to be the son of Hamilton H. Hamilton.

In unison then, Jeremiah and Hamilton said, "But let's never do that again."

As laughter commenced and a kind word was spread Min-jae's way, Jeremiah stood back as Hamilton's appreciation went on. With Tae-min having slipped into an easy rest in his arms, his own mind wandered a bit, silently taking in the hush of relief that surrounded him, and the quietest of them all was Demiesius.

Standing beside his elated and charming husband, the elder hadn't spoken much, and he looked a bit tired from all the urgency now stitched to him as an elder going forward in these new times, but none of that exhaustion came through too noticeably.

Given that he was able to sense all those connected to him through blood again, Jeremiah considered if one aspect of his connection to the elder had been restored as well. There was so much he wanted to say to the man right now, wanted to keep it between them at this moment, so while the rest of the room was homed in on Hamilton's sweet array of words, Jeremiah tested the once severed link between he and Demiesius.

"Father?" Jeremiah pushed, and when the elder's astonished gaze met his, a faint curve showed at Jeremiah's lips, and he went on. "It's like I've been returned to you. I can feel you again, hear you again. Taking that bullet to the heart may have taken me away for a little while, but I've regained what I was missing in that darkness. With that, I don't think I mind having endured all that hurt if it means I can have this with you again."

"My son…I," Demiesius held off momentarily, like there was a strain in his mind that stopped his thoughts from coming forth right away. "I have wanted to protect you from all harm since you were small. Some would say my desire to keep you safe was particularly manic. I burdened you with my insistence back then. Even now, a piece of me wants to keep you in these walls so that nothing ever threatens you again. But I cannot do that. It is not my place even as your father to make it so I know where you are at all times, and you are out of harm's way."

"No, you can't," Jeremiah returned. "But that doesn't mean I don't understand where you are coming from with those desires. You sheltered me for so long, loved me in a way I thought was suffocating at times, but you are my father, and while I didn't fully understand back then, you loved me then and now as much as I love my own son. You put all your heart into loving me in ways you thought were appropriate, necessary, and I want you to know I appreciate your effort. I appreciate you, Father, and I want you to know — from the bottom of my heart — I love you."

"And I you, my son." Demiesius pursed his lips together and nodded firmly. "Now go with your family and begin again. You will always know where you can find us."

"And you know where you can find me. For the time being, goodbye, Father."

***

The sun was steadily rising into the sky as the shadows of their mastering dispersed, and when Jeremiah breathed in the seaside aroma that came with returning to this sanctuary, all of himself relaxed when Min-jae embraced him from behind, and said, "Welcome back."

They'd appeared in the small, enclosed courtyard of the hanok, where the air was crisp, and their first sight was the beautiful arched gingko tree with partially yellowing leaves. It was cool beneath its shade, and when Jeremiah looked toward the clear noon sky overhead, it was as though no changes to the outside world mattered now that they were here. The quiet was returned to him, and his love for it grew fonder.

The pair said nothing as they stepped out of their shoes upon entering the hanok, the door sliding closed behind them when they went for Tae-min's nursery. As the baby slumbered in his arms, Jeremiah stepped before the low, cushioned crib and looked over the boy's face before kissing his cheeks and placing him down.

Tae-min writhed in his sleep before going still again, like no disturbance could touch him anymore, and he could also rest easy knowing he was home with his parents.

Not taking his eyes off the boy, Jeremiah's whole body relaxed against the frame of Min-jae's chest when the Korean dhampir's hands circled around his stomach, holding onto him and pressing their bodies together.

They latched like they always did since they'd become one, like they had meant to the first time they'd accepted the other's nearness. Min-jae loved this smell, loved this feeling of this man he'd come to treasure.

With his hands resting at Jeremiah's lower stomach, Min-jae turned his face into the side of Jeremiah's neck, breathing in his scent and hoarding the warmth given off for himself. Min-jae smoothed his touch up Jeremiah's abdomen, one arm wrapping around his lover as the other hand reached his neck. Something in him didn't want to let go, wanted to fold Jeremiah into him so that the idea of separation could never pose a threat to them again.

He couldn't live through that experience a second time.

Everything had been fine in the seconds before realizing something was terribly wrong, and Min-jae hated a portion of himself for having done nothing after the fact. He'd stayed back due to Demiesius' command for him to do so for Tae-min's sake. And although he'd trusted the elders, trusted that if anyone had the power to make certain Jeremiah went unscathed by the events of that night, it was them, they'd failed.

But what could he have done? In spite of now understanding he was a being known to have endless strength and capabilities, he'd done nothing, remained frozen under Demiesius' order all while havoc commenced in the distance. In his own eyes, Min-jae had been so useless and seeing that uselessness in himself ate into the marrow of his bones.

In those hours of thinking he would be made to be alone, and Jeremiah was gone and never returning to him, the weight of mourning that'd bore down on him had begun to crush him from the inside out. He would never have recovered. Min-jae knew that above all else.

To have lost Jeremiah permanently would have rewired his brain, and Min-jae wouldn't be the person he considered himself lucky to still be right now. He would've crumbled under the thought of a future absent this person, and with that scatter of his broken pieces, Min-jae was sure he wouldn't have been able enough to tend to Tae-min in the ways their son would've needed.

"Am I…no good?" Min-jae questioned, seeming to interrogate himself, and his breath warmed the crook of Jeremiah's neck. "Since I've come to know what I am, I never cared to be more or hone this being I am. I've shown myself to be useless to you, haven't I?"

"Min-jae…" Jeremiah breathed out, placing his hands over where Min-jae clutched him closer.

"If I were more like you," Min-jae continued. "If I were like others who are half vampire, I could have done something, couldn't I? I could have fought—."

"Me?" Jeremiah inserted, unfastening himself from the hold, and he turned to face this despair looking into him. "You would have had to fight me, Min-jae. I was so lost I can't say I was anywhere near the person you knew me as, because I wasn't. And I wouldn't have wanted you to see me that way, as a monster. "

"You weren't—."

"I was," Jeremiah cut in again, nodding his own confirmation, and he took Min-jae's hands in his, looking over the other dhampir's knuckles and appreciating how warm this touch was in his grasp. "It's safe to say I'm not anymore, but I was a monster in that moment, and I'm glad you weren't there to see me at my worst; so uncontrollable, unpredictable. As much as I appreciate you wanting to be more for me — you are enough. Just the way you are, I wouldn't have you any different."

In truth, Jeremiah recognized a portion of his love for Min-jae was due to how detached he was to what was once considered the underworld. He liked that Min-jae had no intimate ties to a coven, to vampire life, or aspirations to insert himself into it. Jeremiah loved this even-tempered and steadfast farm boy with all his heart, found solace in Min-jae's desire to never let-up on being the person he'd strived to be when young.

"I want you as you are," Jeremiah said. "Do you understand?"

"I do," Min-jae said, a piece of him still wishing some things could have been different for them. Being able to love Jeremiah sooner was an unattainable aspiration, but a fantasy that played out in his head regardless. So many things could have been different for them both if…perhaps they could have happened upon one another sooner…in a different time…on a different plane. But, when Jeremiah smiled in the quiet that surrounded them, all was good in this moment, and he was grateful it was still possible for them to be here together.

"Thank you," Min-jae expressed in a whisper, and he fully embraced this figure before him. "For coming back to us. I still don't know how you did it, but I want to believe you're still here because you weren't meant to leave us, and you fought to make it so you wouldn't. I wouldn't have been able to go on without you, Jeremiah. I wouldn't have been enough for our son."

"You have me, Min-jae." Jeremiah returned in a whisper as well, turning the soothing graze of his words against Min-jae's ear. "That was a terrifying experience for the both of us, but it's over now and nothing can touch us anymore. I won't ever leave your side again." Min-jae impatiently kissed his lips. "Promise me you'll never leave mine."

"I promise," Min-jae kissed Jeremiah again and again, and they pressed into each other's arms to cling to one another as their frenzied passion turned both sorrowful and desperate.

Backing out of the quiet nursery and into the strip of hall, their lips stayed together, tongues turning and embrace tightening until Jeremiah finally pulled away…but not by far.

The tips of their noses nestled and they pecked each other's lips, collecting a few more traces of the other before finally letting up on the affection. It was difficult to pull apart, but they were able to unhand one another at last despite wanting to hold on a little longer.

When Jeremiah turned from him, Min-jae kept his eyes on Jeremiah's backside, his mind suddenly playing cruel tricks on him in the form of flickering ghosts. One second Jeremiah was before him and the next he wasn't, but that's all it was, a cruel trick as he followed Jeremiah into their bedroom.

A clog met Min-jae's bloodstream when Jeremiah stepped into the room first, disappearing until Min-jae was in the doorway, and when Jeremiah vanished into their bathroom, the anxiety flushing through him multiplied by a thousand.

Suddenly afraid all of this was a trick of his heart, a frailty met Min-jae's knees, and he collapsed at the foot of the bed .

"Jeremiah," Min-jae let out, and just as the name left his lips, the person it belonged to hurried to him. He reached out and looked up into the stare he never wanted to leave his, reassurance swarming each fracture in his heart to solidify the fact that no form of deception was badgering him.

"What is it?" Jeremiah implored.

"A trick," Min-jae tried to reason with himself.

"I'm right here," Jeremiah reassured, placing Min-jae's hands on his face and they looked into each other. "Come shower with me. You can hold on to me however long you need to. You said you'd never let me go, right?"

"Never."

Without missing a beat, Min-jae gathered himself to the best he could and shadowed Jeremiah into the bathroom. There, they turned on the showerhead and stood beneath the cleansing water, hair matting down their shoulders, and Min-jae pulled Jeremiah against him after washing up. He needed this, the connection, the ability to feel the love of his entire life in his arms and against him, melding into him, washing off on him as the tiles and small window fogged around them.

Min-jae swept his hand around Jeremiah's waist, resting his touch at his lover's lower stomach. There were no longer any trails of scars or discoloration left behind from old wounds, and Min-jae was glad they were gone. The past and the hardships Jeremiah had been put through could never be erased, but at least the reminders of what had once afflicted him were nowhere in sight.

"Where did you go?" Min-jae asked, his other hand gliding up the flat of Jeremiah's abdomen and to his chest to rest over his heart. "Can you tell me what happened during that time? "

"A little," Jeremiah said, resting his hands over where Min-jae's were. He enjoyed the heat fusing to him. "I couldn't see anything or hear anything, but as I sat in that nothingness, I knew my heart had suffered an impact and stopped beating. My breath escaped me and I felt empty, like everything had been drained from me as the darkness grew thicker. Whatever it was, it stunned my heart but didn't destroy it, and the pain only lasted as long as my consciousness. And then…when I was surrounded by nothing…I could feel him, Min-jae; our son, he came to me like he hadn't wanted me to go."

Grateful for the attentive and nurturing spirit of their little boy, Min-jae also hated that he'd sulked rather than stayed strong, but he hadn't been capable of accepting the sudden idea of loss. Instead, as their son's ardent soul comforted Jeremiah in the void, Min-jae had begun to crumble. Min-jae was ashamed to admit what he viewed in himself as a failure, but Jeremiah was oddly satisfied to know the truth of Min-jae's love for him carried the weight of the world.

There were many moments he could reminisce on and pinpoint Min-jae's expressions of love; whether they were vocal or visible expressions, feeling Min-jae's hold on him tighten as the shower rained down on them, feeling Min-jae's soul find peace in knowing they were and would always be together spoke for itself.

In this haven and from now on, they would never be stripped from each other again.

After finishing up their shower and filling their stomachs, they enjoyed the uninterrupted togetherness once Tae-min woke up from his slumber. All was peaceful in the living room until a hesitant rap touched their front door.

Evening was upon them now, but light still lingered at the horizon, and when Min-jae went to greet whoever it was that'd come, he opened the door to Mrs. Mok. On her lips was a welcoming smile and in her careful hands was a small, clear vase with a bundle of violets peeking from the slender neck. She gestured in hopes that he would join her.

"Hello, Halmeonim," Min-jae greeted, stepping from the doorway. "Is there something you need?"

"No, no." She shook her head, the pleasantry of her smile never leaving her face. "Over the past two days, I have had discussions with others I think you should know about. Now, we don't want you to feel overwhelmed or feel obligated to speak out, but we also do not want you to feel like you have to hide yourself from us either."

"What do you mean, Halmeonim?"

"You and your boy are safe with us," Mrs. Mok said firstly, an earnest color to her voice. "We have always been quiet people here in Saengsacho. We stay to ourselves and have worked together through many years to keep what peacefulness we have from going away. As I can recall from when I first moved here with my son and Sujin, you and your family have done a lot of good, and the last thing we want is for you to feel as though you do not belong here."

"Halmeonim…" Min-jae said, "I don't understand. Why are you telling me this all of a sudden?"

"We know," Mrs. Mok confessed. "From what I remember of your father, and from what others have said, he has not aged since you were a boy. You have not aged since you returned from the military either, and we witnessed the misfortune your loved one took on overseas on the TV. Regardless of our confusion, you have always been one of us despite our differences. We only want you to know you and your son are safe here. Take your time to heal. Saengsacho will be here for you just as you have been here for us. "

Min-jae turned his gaze to the ground, and he wondered how long those around him held onto suspicions that he and his own father were different.

Dae-jung and his mother had made themselves comfortable in Seoul and didn't plan on coming back, and Min-jae had expected to someday seek housing elsewhere given the fact of immortality was unmissable, but if it were known they were different, if it could be accepted, surely that meant he and his family could stay right where they were for as long as they wanted.

"Everyone has expressed their feelings on this?" Min-jae asked, feeling no need to deny. There seemed no point.

"Yes." Mrs. Mok nodded, holding the vase out a bit further and Min-jae accepted the gift thankfully. In her eyes, it was an offering for whatever grief he might be harboring. "The future seems a bit uncertain in other places, but you have lived here longer than I and have yet to cause trouble. You are appreciated here, Min-jae, and we hope you will continue as you have with your son as he grows. We also want you to know we are sorry for the loss of your loved one. He was a quiet but pleasant person."

Min-jae fixed his lips to say more, but stopped when Mrs. Mok's brows lifted in surprise, and her eyes glinted in happiness.

When Min-jae glanced over his shoulder, Jeremiah stood in the entry of the hanok, and he offered Mrs. Mok a nod of gratitude.

Having overheard everything, Jeremiah gained that much more love for this sanctuary he hoped to call home for a very long time. If they could come to a full understanding on their own, he doubted there would ever be much he and Min-jae and Tae-min would have to worry about moving forward .

"It is good to see you," Mrs. Mok said to Jeremiah before looking toward Min-jae again. "As I've said, you are safe here. Enjoy your lives. It seems they will be long and full of goodness."

Min-jae watched Mrs. Mok start back to her home, a bit in shock of how well that had gone for them, but he was grateful for the honest reception. It would be nice to step into each day without having to worry about the coming days, months, and years. He'd be able to continue on this road he'd planned to stay on since he was a boy and live on with Jeremiah and Tae-min without worry.

After placing the gifted violets on display in the living area, where they could be viewed in appreciation, the evening carried into night. Jeremiah was a bit surprised Tae-min fell into slumber again, but he wasn't shocked that Min-jae also slipped away under a blanket of apparent exhaustion. Jeremiah was sure the load of mental stress had finally worn him out after several hours.

The hanok was quiet for a time; the only noise that brought life to the night was the chirp of distant crickets. Min-jae had fallen asleep beside him on the living room sofa, and when Jeremiah stood, he tried not to disturb when he adorned a pair of shoes and left through the rear door.

Away from the hanok and into the night, Jeremiah followed a hidden trail under the shade of trees that made the desired path that much darker, but it wasn't long until the world opened up again, and he was faced with the waters of the East Sea. The waves were harmonious as they swelled onto the sand, pulling against the land and back out to sea.

When Jeremiah walked the length of a creaky pier that stretched onto the water, he took a seat at the edge, the tips of his shoes barely meeting the surface as he leaned on his palms. To anyone else, nothing could be seen under this pitch blackness, but the stars and everything beautiful under the moon popped out at him.

The night was so beautiful.

All of it.

And suddenly Jeremiah's cheeks were wet as he focused on the stars. Each brilliant speck that shimmered was out of reach, so beautiful at their impossible distance, and it was the understanding that he would have been as far away when the barrier repressing his tears splintered before bursting.

Alone under this world he'd been born into such a long time ago, Jeremiah pulled his knees to his chest and cried, allowing himself this moment to let out all he needed.

To have been taken from everything so suddenly, he hadn't been ready to say goodbye to those he loved without warning. He never wanted to leave them. Ever! No dream could replace the authenticity of life, and death would bring nothing if he were the only one captured by it. For someone like him, death meant the end of everything, and his everything was still here.

Cupping his face in his hands, Jeremiah wept continuously, like there would be no end to it — until his heart nearly gave out a second time.

For several minutes, Jeremiah shed his insufferable woes, stopping only when the ones who could expunge what anguish took hold of him approached from the beach.

At the edge of the pier, Min-jae stood with Tae-min in his arms, and Jeremiah turned to see all of his future standing in front of him. In that instant, he wanted to run to them, wanted to collect Tae-min in his arms and hurriedly dive into Min-jae's and feel them wrap around him.

Without missing a beat, Min-jae joined Jeremiah instead, and they sat together facing the endless array of the sea with their joy, their hope; their son blanketed in the tranquil favor of his parents.

Under the moon and starlight, Jeremiah received a kiss of gratitude from this unrivaled love of his life as his cheeks were wiped clear of despair.

"No more tears," Min-jae spoke softly, and he brought their lips together once more. "You're here and there's nothing to be afraid of."

At last, they could breathe.

From this night on, all was well.