Title: Gemini Twins: Only You
Fandoms: Real Person Fiction, 我是歌手 | I Am a Singer (China TV) RPF
Characters: Dimash Kudaibergen (Qudaibergen), Hyde Kudaibergen (Qudaibergen) (OMC)
Tags: Angst, Kingdom, Gemini Twins, Alternative Universe - Fantasy
Description: Dimash purchases a house rumored to be haunted by a demon, and when Hyde goes to check it out, he disappears. Now it's up to Dimash to find out what really happened.
Gemini Twins: The common name for Dimash and Hyde Qudaibergen. The concept behind Hyde's character came about because of the song "Mademoiselle Hyde" by Dimash. Check out the official performances of "Mademoiselle Hyde" on Dimash's Official YouTube Channel.
THIS STORY COMES WITH COVER ART. I cross-posted this story. To see the image, please go to my AO3 (Archive of Our Own) account (under the same username, RainbowSheltie).
BETA: Annabelle
The witch, Neira Moonfall, was furious with the Kingdom of Acror for destroying part of her magical forest during a battle waged against a neighboring kingdom. She cursed Acror with a famine, the likes of which the kingdom had not seen for over 100 years. The middle of the season had come, and all the crops had died. The food in the storage was beginning to rot and the underground well had dried up.
The king asked his allies for help, but this year had not been kind to their crops, and they had little to spare. Acror needed help, but the only way to resolve this was to make a deal with Neira. He did not want to deal with her, for she often dealt with trickery and lies, and the price to lift this curse would no doubt be high.
However, there was little choice left. When he sent a messenger asking to make a deal, she replied:
"Send me your son, Crown Prince Hyde, and I shall negotiate a deal with him to lift the curse I have placed on your kingdom."
The king was against her request, but Hyde pointed out they would not make it through the winter without her help.
Hyde was well liked in the kingdom of Acror. He was a talented gunman and strategist, benevolent to his subjects, and respectful to the staff and servants working for him. The future of Acror was bright. But Neira was looking for revenge and the king did not want to lose his son. Still, Hyde reminded his father that they were out of options, if they wanted their people to live through the coming seasons.
Eventually the king was persuaded to let Hyde leave on his journey. A messenger was sent back to the witch, telling her they would accept her request and Hyde left for the witch's house two days after the delivered message.
Hyde said goodbye to his father and twin brother, Dimash, before leaving.
The curse was lifted, but the witch sent a message telling the kingdom that she had taken Hyde's life in return.
Dimash, for his part, had no interest in becoming Crown Prince, so the title was passed on to his younger brother. Free from royal duties, he was tasked with helping a neighboring kingdom locate a notorious bandit, who rampaged around the country and eluded capture for well over twenty years. They were desperate and finally took up Acror's offer to help in the search.
Again, the king was hesitant to send one of his sons, since they had many guardsmen and professional trackers in the kingdom, but Dimash was insistent. This wasn't just anyone asking for help, this was a neighboring ally. Sending one the royal family would not only tell them that Acror was taking this seriously, it would also be good for public relations.
Soon enough the king agreed and Dimash went off to begin the hunt.
His investigations brought him to a place called the "Seven Crossroads Inn'' in Narthwich. Dimash was informed that the bandit would be at the local tavern around 8 pm the next evening, and was expected to spend about four hours there before leaving for his room at the Inn. That's when Dimash would have a chance to capture him.
Dimash staked out the town all day, hoping to catch even a glimpse of the bandit but after spending half the day looking, Dimash decided to give up in favor of simply waiting for the bandit at the tavern.
Dimash headed to the tavern around 7 pm and took a seat at the bar, in a position that allowed him to see who entered and exited the building. An hour later, Dimash saw a tall figure enter the tavern; they were roughly 6 feet tall (182 cm), wore a black hooded cape and concealed his face under the hood and took a seat in the farthest corner of the room
Although no one had seen this person's face, or knew their name or gender, this was the only person in the bar who matched the description.
Over the course of the evening, the bandit ordered some food and a few drinks, but mainly kept to themselves. The hours passed slowly until the person finally stood up and left the tavern as silently as they came in. Dimash stood up and followed them out the door.
Outside, the bandit was waiting for him, gun drawn.
"I know you were poking around town earlier today, and I saw you watching me," the bandit stated. "Why?"
The voice was male, but there was something else. A strange familiarity to it—Dimash had heard it before.
"I was looking for you," Dimash admitted. "I want to know more about you, about why you're doing this. Eluding capture this long, and the stories I've heard, I'm impressed. I want to be like you."
Dimash was not good at lying, but he wanted to distract this person from seeing Dimash reach for the gun on his left hip. Not that it worked.
"Times up," the bandit told him.
Bang. Bang. Bang.
Dimash ducked and rolled out of the way, narrowly avoiding the bullet, giving Dimash enough time to draw his gun and shoot the bandit in the right shoulder. No one was faster than Dimash when it came to drawing their gun; the man didn't stand a chance.
The bandit dropped his gun, and grunted in pain, holding his shoulder tightly, blood dripping down between his fingers. Now Dimash held the power.
"Lower your hood," Dimash commanded. "I want to see your face."
The man growled, but followed Dimash's orders. He lowered his hood with his bloody hand before gripping his shoulder again. Dimash almost dropped his gun.
It was Hyde.
Dimash was briefly relieved at finding his twin brother, but the former Crown Prince was also a wanted man, for all the terror and destruction he wrought in his path.
"Why. Why?" Dimash screamed. "Why are you doing this? Why did you abandon us?"
Tears welled up in Dimash's eyes, and the pent-up emotions from the last twenty years started to overwhelm him.
"You didn't even try to contact us," Dimash continued. "The witch said she took your life, but you survived! So why?"
Hyde tilted his head.
"How do you know the witch?" Hyde inquired.
"What?" Dimash unconsciously took a step back, lowering his gun. "I'm your brother, Dimash Qudaibergen. Don't you recognize me?"
Hyde didn't attack, or try to run. That's not what the infamous bandit would do.
"Dimash?" Hyde stepped closer. "Is that really you?"
Dimash put his gun away.
"It's really me," Dimash replied, running over to Hyde. "Just tell me what she did to you. Why are you like this? I don't… this isn't who you're supposed to be."
Hyde grinned.
"Neira did take my life—she stripped away the benevolence and empathy that would have made me a great ruler," Hyde told him. "Then I was shown my future. If I had come back to the kingdom, I would see it destroyed. Wars, starvation, lawlessness, it's the power I would revel in."
He shook his head.
"She gave me a loathing for my country I cannot deny, yet I love it just enough to know I can never go back. Crown Prince or not, I step one foot on that land, and I would raze it to the ground."
Dimash threw himself at Hyde, holding him close, and careful of his shoulder.
"I missed you," Dimash admitted. "If I had known you were alive…"
"Do you think I have any emotions left to become the person I once was? Or believe that deep down, I truly care what happens to that godforsaken kingdom?" Hyde queried.
Dimash couldn't stop the tears from falling. He thought he had come to terms with Hyde's death, and moved on to help rule the kingdom—not as prince, but in his position as royalty. He wanted to represent his country, and that is why he agreed to find the bandit. But things had changed.
"I know you did all those terrible things, and you've become the very person we grew up hating, the type who willfully hurts others." Dimash's words were getting stuck in his throat, but he had to finish. " And yet, I still love you. I don't want to go back if it means leaving you behind. I would abandon everything to stay with you."
Hyde stepped back, and Dimash released him.
"You realize what I am, don't you?" Hyde asked. "You know what I've done and I have no regrets. I would do it again. You don't belong here."
Dimash shook his head.
"No! Together, we can create a new future. We balance each other out, so let's just leave this place behind. Leave everything behind—Acror, the witch, this bandit you've become and the royal life I've always known. Please," Dimash pleaded. "A new path awaits us, if only you would walk with me."
Hyde pushed Dimash aside and carefully knelt down to pick up his gun, putting it back in its holster. Dimash waited with bated breath, because he knew, deep down, that if he abandoned Hyde now, they would never meet again.
"Truthfully, you're the only person I care about," Hyde admitted. "That was the one thing this witch couldn't take away."
Hyde turned around.
"Patch up my shoulder, and I promise to walk with you until the end," Hyde replied.
Dimash dried his face with his sleeve and ran to Hyde, gently embracing him.
"Until the end," Dimash repeated.
Under the starry night sky you draw out the tenderness in me
Holding your hands tight I vow to be with you forever
貼上夜晚的星空 被你喚醒溫柔
緊緊握住你的手 確定陪你到最後
End Notes:
Lyrics: "Only You" by Dimash Qudaibergen. English lyrics translated by Lyricstranslate