Vertigo 1/?
Title: Vertigo 1/?
Author: xLightless
Pairing: Woohyun/Myungsoo
Rating: PG-13 (at the most, not entirely sure yet)
Disclaimer: I wish I owned them.
Summary: Not everything always occurs in a particular order. (time-travel!au)
A/N: To put it simply, I'm experimenting with nearly everything in this fic, so I'm not sure how this whole thing will turn out in the end, or if I'll ever finish it. Sorry ahead of time.
12
The world was spinning as the edges of Myungsoo's vision faded in and out between a blue sky and blackness. He tried to sit up, but his body wasn't responding, as if he were submerged in murky water. There was an incessant ringing noise in Myungsoo's ears and when he tried to move, the noise only grew louder. It was like that uncomfortable feeling he got when he stood up too quickly; not enough blood was getting to his brain. He knew it would last only a few moments; however, the groan that escaped his lips couldn't be helped.
When Myungsoo's vision cleared up and his hearing returned to normal, he sat up on his elbows and looked around. He was in a small clearing in a forest with trees surrounding him in every visible direction. Distant chirping floated in the air and the fresh scent of flowers invaded his nose. Something cold rested in Myungsoo's hand and when he looked, he saw it was the sterling pocket watch that Woohyun gave him. He opened it and saw it ticking, but backwards. Why was it ticking backwards?
"Wha- Myungsoo?" a voice called out almost cautiously. "Oh God... It's you. I thought I heard something, but I didn't think... What are you doing here?"
Looking in the direction of the voice, Myungsoo saw a man, probably in his early forties, walking towards him. His black hair had a hint of gray, but was otherwise quite handsome. He was dressed for hiking, based on the backpack and rugged attire. Myungsoo felt like he knew the man, but couldn't place a name to the face. It was on the tip of his tongue, there but not really.
"Who... Who are you?" Myungsoo asked as he got on his feet shakily.
The man heaved a sigh, sounding exhausted and older than he looked just a moment ago. He held out his hand, and said, "I'm Nam Woohyun. It's nice to meet you."
The face of a much older Woohyun lying in a hospital bed flashed in Myungsoo's mind and he blinked in confusion. Cautiously, Myungsoo shook Woohyun's hand. There was no way that this was the same Woohyun as in the hospital. It just wasn't possible.
"Where am I?" Myungsoo asked, looking around himself. How did he even end up here? He remembered being in his office, opening the pocket watch, and then... He was in a forest. After a brief scan of his surroundings, he looked at Woohyun. "What's happening?"
"Maybe...," Woohyun said, scratching his head, "Maybe I should start from the beginning."
"What beginning?"
Another sad smile, or maybe that was just Woohyun's regular smile. "Actually, Myungsoo, that watch in your hand-"
"You gave it to me," Myungsoo suddenly blurted. He clamped his mouth shut, not sure whether he should have said that or not.
A look of hope emerged on Woohyun's face, chasing out the sadness in his eyes. "Did I really?"
Myungsoo nodded, but then remembered the older Woohyun on his death bed. "Yeah, you- You...handed it to me."
"So I see you again in the future..." Woohyun smiled, sounding slightly happier than last time.
"'In the future'?" Myungsoo exclaimed incredulously. "What are you-"
"The watch," Woohyun replied. "In short, you, uh, time traveled."
"I... What?" Myungsoo asked. He stared at Woohyun, then the watch in his hand. If this was a joke, this was one sick joke. "Okay-yeah-no. Time travel isn't possible."
"Today is Thursday, June 24, 2040," Woohyun said, looking at his wrist watch. "I'm sorry to dump all this on you, but it's true. You explained this to me before. Whenever you open the watch, you travel back in time."
For confirmation, Myungsoo opened the pocket watch, and glared at it. "It's open, but I'm still here."
Woohyun shrugged, staring at the watch. "You always disappear after an indefinite amount of time, regardless of whether the watch is open or not. You told me that...you always return to where you originally came from, your original timeline, you called it."
That didn't sound at all convincing, Myungsoo thought. "What kind of sick people are you? I'll admit, though, that this is one pretty impressive prank."
Woohyun looked hurt, genuinely hurt, Myungsoo noticed. "What makes you think this is a prank, Myungsoo?"
Myungsoo opened his mouth to speak, but found himself unable to. He wanted to protest against this entire thing, but... How was he supposed to explain seemingly teleporting from his office to a clearing in a forest? This was simply impossible. There was no way Myungsoo could have possibly traveled back in time.
Placing his fingertips at his temples, Myungsoo muttered, "What year did you say it was again?"
"2040."
Nodding, Myungsoo decided to simply go along with it until this Woohyun slipped up. That was bound to happen soon. An incessant pounding had settled in Myungsoo's head, refusing to let him think straight, and he unconsciously let out a groan.
"Are you alright, Myungsoo?" Woohyun asked. He stepped closer to Myungsoo, and Myungsoo inched back in response. "Myungsoo?"
Myungsoo nodded again, then his head snapped up, surprising Woohyun. "How am I supposed to get home? I have no idea where I am!"
Smiling reassuringly, Woohyun patted Myungsoo's shoulder, but Myungsoo took another step back, eyeing Woohyun with obvious apprehension in his eyes. Looking down at his feet, Woohyun withdrew his hand and awkwardly placed his hands at his sides.
"Sorry...," Woohyun muttered, then raised his head again. "My car is close by... Do you want me to drive me to your house or something?"
Unconvinced, Myungsoo stared hard at Woohyun. Maybe this Woohyun was the older Woohyun's son. "Are you really willing to do that?"
"Of course," Woohyun replied, smiling slightly.
"I guess... You can drive me to my office then."
//
Myungsoo should have known something was wrong as they passed by buildings that weren't supposed to be under construction and parking lots that weren't supposed to be abandoned, but he wasn't really paying attention to the things outside his passenger window. The pad of Myungsoo's thumb continuously brushed the surface of the pocket watch. Now that the initial shock had passed, a heavy pit had settled in Myungsoo's stomach when he realized that he was most likely a long way from home. The same questions continued to bounce around in his mind, colliding together and flying apart, never remaining coherent for even a second.
If this little thing really did cause Myungsoo to travel back in time, how was he supposed to go back? What was Myungsoo supposed to do now? Was he supposed to wait until the watch took him back? Why was this Woohyun so familiar with Myungsoo?
"Myungsoo, we're here," Woohyun suddenly said, pulling his car to a stop by the curb.
Myungsoo stared out the window, actually seeing the things outside, and blinked in disbelief. "No, we're not."
"I'm pretty sure this is the right address," Woohyun replied, leaning back in his seat. In the corner of his eye, he glanced at Myungsoo, who was still in his seat, staring out the window.
"Where is my office?" Myungsoo asked, slowly opening the door and slamming it shut. He stared at the empty lot where his office was supposed to be. "Where the hell is the damn building?!"
Woohyun let out a sigh as he got out of the car. "I told you, you've traveled into the past. Well your past, I guess, since this is my present if you want to be specific. Your office probably hasn't even been built yet. Most of this area is still undeveloped."
With a sigh, Myungsoo leaned against Woohyun's car, and crossed his arms, still staring at the vacant space in front of him. He took a quick look at the street signs, and, sure enough, they were the same. Maybe he really did travel back in time...
"Woohyun-sshi," Myungsoo said, turning his head to look at the older man. "How do you know me?"
Woohyun stared at Myungsoo, his eyes seemingly asking the same question. When Woohyun didn't speak, Myungsoo turned his attention back to the abandoned lot.
After a couple silent seconds, Woohyun returned inside the car.
Myungsoo didn't.
11
When Myungsoo opened his eyes, he found himself back in his office. Outside, it was raining, the drops making tapping sounds against the window. Myungsoo blinked, taking in his surroundings. Same desk, same file cabinet, same telephone, same door. He glanced at the desk calendar beside his computer, sighing in relief when he saw the date.
Suddenly, a wave of nausea hit Myungsoo, and the world was spinning out of control. He gripped the armrests of his chair, closed his eyes, and waited for it to pass. When it did, Myungsoo took a deep breath, and loosened his grip on the chair. His knuckles ached from the effort.
Myungsoo dug his hand into his pocket, his breath catching when his fingers closed around the sterling pocket watch. He took out the watch, and examined it. He gently pressed the button with the pad of his thumb, contemplating his choices.
What were the chances of traveling to the past? How was that small thing capable of time travel? How did Woohyun get a hold of the watch? Why did Woohyun give it Myungsoo in his last days?
Or perhaps, the entire thing was just an absurd dream.
Myungsoo was tempted to open the watch, but something held him back. Eventually, he laid it on his desk, and began to pack his things. He had a portfolio to finish by the end of the week anyway.
//
A month passed since Nam Woohyun's death.
Myungsoo had managed to land himself a steady job at Vogue Korea, photographing models in the latest fashions of the season. His new schedule was keeping him busier than when he worked freelance, and Myungsoo was somewhat regretful that he gave that up. At least he was able to properly buy necessities now.
The pocket watch that Woohyun gave to Myungsoo sat in Myungsoo's apartment, but his job kept him busy. He didn't have enough time to consider opening the watch again.
Two more months passed by without Myungsoo realizing. Then, snow gave way to rain which gave way to summer heat and then to multicolored leaves. The pocket watch barely grazed Myungsoo's conscious mind.
After a long day packed with models and idols being ushered onto the set and then snapping photographs of them, all Myungsoo wanted to do was lie down and sleep. He dropped all his things onto the sofa, and pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his coat pocket. He walked out onto the balcony, and lit one. Five minutes later, Myungsoo smashed the butt, and headed back into his apartment. As he slipped off his coat, the pocket watch caught his eye. Myungsoo picked it up, the metal feeling cold and smooth against his palm. The pad of his thumb pressed against the button, and a feeling of temptation washed over him.
Should he open it? Should he not?
Whenever you open the watch, you travel back in time.
Taking a deep breath, Myungsoo decided to try it. Even if he didn't go to the past, he figured it'd be worth a shot.
Author: xLightless
Pairing: Woohyun/Myungsoo
Rating: PG-13 (at the most, not entirely sure yet)
Disclaimer: I wish I owned them.
Summary: Not everything always occurs in a particular order. (time-travel!au)
A/N: To put it simply, I'm experimenting with nearly everything in this fic, so I'm not sure how this whole thing will turn out in the end, or if I'll ever finish it. Sorry ahead of time.
12
The world was spinning as the edges of Myungsoo's vision faded in and out between a blue sky and blackness. He tried to sit up, but his body wasn't responding, as if he were submerged in murky water. There was an incessant ringing noise in Myungsoo's ears and when he tried to move, the noise only grew louder. It was like that uncomfortable feeling he got when he stood up too quickly; not enough blood was getting to his brain. He knew it would last only a few moments; however, the groan that escaped his lips couldn't be helped.
When Myungsoo's vision cleared up and his hearing returned to normal, he sat up on his elbows and looked around. He was in a small clearing in a forest with trees surrounding him in every visible direction. Distant chirping floated in the air and the fresh scent of flowers invaded his nose. Something cold rested in Myungsoo's hand and when he looked, he saw it was the sterling pocket watch that Woohyun gave him. He opened it and saw it ticking, but backwards. Why was it ticking backwards?
"Wha- Myungsoo?" a voice called out almost cautiously. "Oh God... It's you. I thought I heard something, but I didn't think... What are you doing here?"
Looking in the direction of the voice, Myungsoo saw a man, probably in his early forties, walking towards him. His black hair had a hint of gray, but was otherwise quite handsome. He was dressed for hiking, based on the backpack and rugged attire. Myungsoo felt like he knew the man, but couldn't place a name to the face. It was on the tip of his tongue, there but not really.
"Who... Who are you?" Myungsoo asked as he got on his feet shakily.
The man heaved a sigh, sounding exhausted and older than he looked just a moment ago. He held out his hand, and said, "I'm Nam Woohyun. It's nice to meet you."
The face of a much older Woohyun lying in a hospital bed flashed in Myungsoo's mind and he blinked in confusion. Cautiously, Myungsoo shook Woohyun's hand. There was no way that this was the same Woohyun as in the hospital. It just wasn't possible.
"Where am I?" Myungsoo asked, looking around himself. How did he even end up here? He remembered being in his office, opening the pocket watch, and then... He was in a forest. After a brief scan of his surroundings, he looked at Woohyun. "What's happening?"
"Maybe...," Woohyun said, scratching his head, "Maybe I should start from the beginning."
"What beginning?"
Another sad smile, or maybe that was just Woohyun's regular smile. "Actually, Myungsoo, that watch in your hand-"
"You gave it to me," Myungsoo suddenly blurted. He clamped his mouth shut, not sure whether he should have said that or not.
A look of hope emerged on Woohyun's face, chasing out the sadness in his eyes. "Did I really?"
Myungsoo nodded, but then remembered the older Woohyun on his death bed. "Yeah, you- You...handed it to me."
"So I see you again in the future..." Woohyun smiled, sounding slightly happier than last time.
"'In the future'?" Myungsoo exclaimed incredulously. "What are you-"
"The watch," Woohyun replied. "In short, you, uh, time traveled."
"I... What?" Myungsoo asked. He stared at Woohyun, then the watch in his hand. If this was a joke, this was one sick joke. "Okay-yeah-no. Time travel isn't possible."
"Today is Thursday, June 24, 2040," Woohyun said, looking at his wrist watch. "I'm sorry to dump all this on you, but it's true. You explained this to me before. Whenever you open the watch, you travel back in time."
For confirmation, Myungsoo opened the pocket watch, and glared at it. "It's open, but I'm still here."
Woohyun shrugged, staring at the watch. "You always disappear after an indefinite amount of time, regardless of whether the watch is open or not. You told me that...you always return to where you originally came from, your original timeline, you called it."
That didn't sound at all convincing, Myungsoo thought. "What kind of sick people are you? I'll admit, though, that this is one pretty impressive prank."
Woohyun looked hurt, genuinely hurt, Myungsoo noticed. "What makes you think this is a prank, Myungsoo?"
Myungsoo opened his mouth to speak, but found himself unable to. He wanted to protest against this entire thing, but... How was he supposed to explain seemingly teleporting from his office to a clearing in a forest? This was simply impossible. There was no way Myungsoo could have possibly traveled back in time.
Placing his fingertips at his temples, Myungsoo muttered, "What year did you say it was again?"
"2040."
Nodding, Myungsoo decided to simply go along with it until this Woohyun slipped up. That was bound to happen soon. An incessant pounding had settled in Myungsoo's head, refusing to let him think straight, and he unconsciously let out a groan.
"Are you alright, Myungsoo?" Woohyun asked. He stepped closer to Myungsoo, and Myungsoo inched back in response. "Myungsoo?"
Myungsoo nodded again, then his head snapped up, surprising Woohyun. "How am I supposed to get home? I have no idea where I am!"
Smiling reassuringly, Woohyun patted Myungsoo's shoulder, but Myungsoo took another step back, eyeing Woohyun with obvious apprehension in his eyes. Looking down at his feet, Woohyun withdrew his hand and awkwardly placed his hands at his sides.
"Sorry...," Woohyun muttered, then raised his head again. "My car is close by... Do you want me to drive me to your house or something?"
Unconvinced, Myungsoo stared hard at Woohyun. Maybe this Woohyun was the older Woohyun's son. "Are you really willing to do that?"
"Of course," Woohyun replied, smiling slightly.
"I guess... You can drive me to my office then."
//
Myungsoo should have known something was wrong as they passed by buildings that weren't supposed to be under construction and parking lots that weren't supposed to be abandoned, but he wasn't really paying attention to the things outside his passenger window. The pad of Myungsoo's thumb continuously brushed the surface of the pocket watch. Now that the initial shock had passed, a heavy pit had settled in Myungsoo's stomach when he realized that he was most likely a long way from home. The same questions continued to bounce around in his mind, colliding together and flying apart, never remaining coherent for even a second.
If this little thing really did cause Myungsoo to travel back in time, how was he supposed to go back? What was Myungsoo supposed to do now? Was he supposed to wait until the watch took him back? Why was this Woohyun so familiar with Myungsoo?
"Myungsoo, we're here," Woohyun suddenly said, pulling his car to a stop by the curb.
Myungsoo stared out the window, actually seeing the things outside, and blinked in disbelief. "No, we're not."
"I'm pretty sure this is the right address," Woohyun replied, leaning back in his seat. In the corner of his eye, he glanced at Myungsoo, who was still in his seat, staring out the window.
"Where is my office?" Myungsoo asked, slowly opening the door and slamming it shut. He stared at the empty lot where his office was supposed to be. "Where the hell is the damn building?!"
Woohyun let out a sigh as he got out of the car. "I told you, you've traveled into the past. Well your past, I guess, since this is my present if you want to be specific. Your office probably hasn't even been built yet. Most of this area is still undeveloped."
With a sigh, Myungsoo leaned against Woohyun's car, and crossed his arms, still staring at the vacant space in front of him. He took a quick look at the street signs, and, sure enough, they were the same. Maybe he really did travel back in time...
"Woohyun-sshi," Myungsoo said, turning his head to look at the older man. "How do you know me?"
Woohyun stared at Myungsoo, his eyes seemingly asking the same question. When Woohyun didn't speak, Myungsoo turned his attention back to the abandoned lot.
After a couple silent seconds, Woohyun returned inside the car.
Myungsoo didn't.
11
When Myungsoo opened his eyes, he found himself back in his office. Outside, it was raining, the drops making tapping sounds against the window. Myungsoo blinked, taking in his surroundings. Same desk, same file cabinet, same telephone, same door. He glanced at the desk calendar beside his computer, sighing in relief when he saw the date.
Suddenly, a wave of nausea hit Myungsoo, and the world was spinning out of control. He gripped the armrests of his chair, closed his eyes, and waited for it to pass. When it did, Myungsoo took a deep breath, and loosened his grip on the chair. His knuckles ached from the effort.
Myungsoo dug his hand into his pocket, his breath catching when his fingers closed around the sterling pocket watch. He took out the watch, and examined it. He gently pressed the button with the pad of his thumb, contemplating his choices.
What were the chances of traveling to the past? How was that small thing capable of time travel? How did Woohyun get a hold of the watch? Why did Woohyun give it Myungsoo in his last days?
Or perhaps, the entire thing was just an absurd dream.
Myungsoo was tempted to open the watch, but something held him back. Eventually, he laid it on his desk, and began to pack his things. He had a portfolio to finish by the end of the week anyway.
//
A month passed since Nam Woohyun's death.
Myungsoo had managed to land himself a steady job at Vogue Korea, photographing models in the latest fashions of the season. His new schedule was keeping him busier than when he worked freelance, and Myungsoo was somewhat regretful that he gave that up. At least he was able to properly buy necessities now.
The pocket watch that Woohyun gave to Myungsoo sat in Myungsoo's apartment, but his job kept him busy. He didn't have enough time to consider opening the watch again.
Two more months passed by without Myungsoo realizing. Then, snow gave way to rain which gave way to summer heat and then to multicolored leaves. The pocket watch barely grazed Myungsoo's conscious mind.
After a long day packed with models and idols being ushered onto the set and then snapping photographs of them, all Myungsoo wanted to do was lie down and sleep. He dropped all his things onto the sofa, and pulled out a pack of cigarettes from his coat pocket. He walked out onto the balcony, and lit one. Five minutes later, Myungsoo smashed the butt, and headed back into his apartment. As he slipped off his coat, the pocket watch caught his eye. Myungsoo picked it up, the metal feeling cold and smooth against his palm. The pad of his thumb pressed against the button, and a feeling of temptation washed over him.
Should he open it? Should he not?
Whenever you open the watch, you travel back in time.
Taking a deep breath, Myungsoo decided to try it. Even if he didn't go to the past, he figured it'd be worth a shot.