Oh FUCK YOU, THIS HAS BROKEN ME SO MUCH MORE NOW

oh FUCK YOU, THIS HAS BROKEN ME SO MUCH MORE NOW

Vincenzo + Hancenzo + "Did you mean to forget me?"

Hanseo watches the exchange with a heaviness in his heart that he hasn't felt in a very long time. He knows exactly why that is, but he doesn't quite understand it all at the same time. He should be happy that everything worked out, shouldn't he? It's definitely good to be alive, and he is for the most part pain-free nowadays, but...well, it's more complicated than that.

In Vincenzo's defense, it has been a good couple of years since everything that happened the last time he was in Korea for more than a few moments. Hanseo knows from hearing Chayoung say it that he's visited, but on a very limited schedule. Which means that also in Vincenzo's defense, he's a criminal and has to stay under the radar.

It makes sense. Really, it does. But now that Vincenzo is here again and visiting with everyone, Hanseo just...doesn't see where he himself belongs. Vincenzo connects so fluidly and so naturally with everyone else that Hanseo feels as if he doesn't stand a chance.

No...it's more than that. Hanseo is trying desperately not to let it get to him, but it's not working. Over the course of Vincenzo's time away, the man has been on Hanseo's mind constantly. Vincenzo, at the time, had been the only thing Hanseo had left. He had been the last voice Hanseo had heard on the night he'd thought he was going to die.

It's not like Hanseo thought Vincenzo would come flying in and greeting him with big hugs and tears in his eyes or anything, either. It's more like...the man hasn't acknowledged him much at all. They've locked eyes, but Vincenzo has been too busy getting swept up by everyone staying at the Plaza.

Maybe he doesn't mean it like that. Hanseo knows he's not the only person who missed Vincenzo, so maybe it's more like he hasn't had the chance to talk to him. But they've passed enough drinks around that Hanseo thinks Vincenzo has completely and utterly forgotten he's here. He'd backed up to give Vincenzo his space, and he's been patiently waiting for him ever since.

But Vincenzo never comes. He and the others push all the tables in the restaurant together and sit down for a round of Mafia. Hanseo watches from a seat in the back as they continue drinking and carrying on, playing their game. His heart and stomach sink lower. He feels sick.

Even after having escaped his brother, Hanseo still doesn't feel free. He hasn't even after knowing Hanseok was dead. It's because loneliness has filtered in and consumed the empty spaces that were cleared up when fear disappeared. It doesn't feel any better. It feels miserable. Sometimes, Hanseo wonders if he'd be happier not being alive.

He gets up and walks toward the open doorway, turning once more to give the group one last glance. A sigh escapes him, and as he turns to leave, he thinks that maybe he sees Vincenzo's gaze turn up toward him.

Still, he goes. He starts down the hallway and tucks his hands into his pockets, his gaze heavy and sullen. He's so lost in thought that he doesn't hear his own footsteps echoing through the dark halls of the plaza.

But he does, however, hear someone else's footsteps. They're coming at him fast, in a dead sprint, and Hanseo can't even turn around in time to acknowledge them before the form of the person cuts past him and moves to stop directly in front of him. Just like that, Hanseo is staring straight into the eyes of none other than Vincenzo Cassano.

Who looks very, uncharacteristically, genuinely shocked. He's gaping at Hanseo, panting, scanning him up and down, as if he can't believe what he's seeing.

"...Jang Hanseo."

Hanseo frowns and the words slip out before he can try and control himself. "Did you mean to forget me?"

It's Vincenzo's turn to frown, before his head cocks to the side. "...I don't understand."

Hanseo thinks he should be furious at that statement. What's not to understand? Hanseo feels left out, and as he'd just voiced, forgotten. But at the same time, Vincenzo doesn't look like his confusion has anything to do with that or the question Hanseo just asked him. He keeps looking him up and down like something's wrong.

Hanseo relaxes a little there. He's more concerned about why Vincenzo can't stop staring now.

"...Hyung...?"

Vincenzo's gaze snaps up and locks with Hanseo's at that, and he seems to compose himself. For a split second, he almost looks like the hardcore mafioso Hanseo had grown to admire so deeply. But he still looks perplexed...and maybe even a bit fearful. It's Hanseo's turn to not understand.

"You..." Vincenzo reaches forward with one hand as he speaks, aiming straight for Hanseo's torso. Hanseo doubles back, shocked by the sudden gesture. Vincenzo freezes, attempts to maintain calm, and then approaches once more. "...there's no way."

Hanseo is more afraid of the look on Vincenzo's face than anything. He looks so unlike himself. Even more so than the man who had been partying with everyone in the restaurant. He looks almost frightened, and maybe Hanseo's eyes are playing tricks on him, but it looks as if there's moisture in Vincenzo's stare. He backs up more as Vincenzo reaches out again, and when he feels his back hit one of the walls alongside the hallway, he inhales sharply and looks down at the hand drawing closer.

And he and Vincenzo watch together in horror as Vincenzo's hand passes right through his middle and flattens against the wall behind him.

It's funny, how everything suddenly makes sense there. Hanseo has paid the plaza multiple visits ever since his brother's death. He's greeted them, tried to strike up conversation with them, even attempted to spend whole afternoons with them, and they've all just...acted as if he wasn't there. Hanseo had taken it as a form of punishment, honestly--felt as if they were ignoring him because of everything that happened. Hanseo, on their side or not, would have to do a lot to earn their trust. But now that he knows they probably couldn't see him...it hurts.

How in the hell does a dead person not even know they're dead?

"You don't understand," Vincenzo finally says, his voice a valiant effort at composed, but not quite there. "I watched you die."

Hanseo glances down, and he thinks for a second that he can almost see the blood welling up on his front again. He doesn't know why on earth Vincenzo can see him but nobody else can, but he knows in that very moment that he's never been forgotten. Vincenzo looks as close to devastated as Hanseo has ever seen him right now.

As Vincenzo speaks up once more, Hanseo breaks down and cries.

"I never forgot you. I just didn't expect to see you."

ME EVERYDAY!!

I MISS HANSEO MAN

kwak dongyeon 🫶🫶🫶

“The cost of not following your heart is spending the rest of your life wishing you had.”

— Unknown

things end, people change, life goes on.