Chapter Text
Song for the chapter: Lorde - Perfect places
Kyungsoo often found himself trudging the dirt path that led to Mr Song the gardener's hut almost every bright Saturday afternoon, where he would often accompany the aging gardener in planting the new seeds he had brought home wih him from the plant market. He liked the feel of the earth shifting through his fingers, the softness of the soil beneath the pads of his fingers.
Little Kyungsoo and Mr Song would spend hours together underneath the rays of the Sun planting the new seeds, transfering little plants to new homes, and when the Sun got too high in the sky bringing with the midday heat they would retire to the comfort of the cool shade provided by the umbrella of the old sycamore tree, sitted at the center of the large garden to sip on the cold delicious yellow lemonade prepared by Mr Song for the both them.
The time he spent in the garden only increases after bringing home Baekhyun from the park because while Admiral Do outrightly despised the presence of Baekhyun in the house, Mrs Do tried to hide her discomfort behind the mask of a ghost smile. Admiral Do took to yelling at Baekhyun to get out of his sight at every opportunity while Mrs Do would just smile nervously at him whenever he and Kyungsoo were in the same room as her. When they weren't displaying their usual response they would altogether ignore his presence in the room and would resolutely lock their gazes on Kyungsoo solely as though their fragile lives depenedd on it.
Kyungsoo wasn't having any of his parents bizarre behaviour and would call them out at every opportunity before grabbing Baekhyun by hand to exit through the nearest door.
The two boys began to spend even more of their time with Mr Song in the garden.
Mr Song is a man in the latter half of his fifties with a sagging pouch of a stomach, with beautifully tanned soft olive colored skin as a result of all the hours he spends in the sun, Decorating the sides of his warm brown eyes are lines fanning from the tip of his hairline to the corner of his eyes, laugh lines that deepens even more whenever he smiles. Staining his crooked teeth were specks of brown from years upon years of tobacco consumption.He would often indulge Kyungsoo with sugary treats as he regals him with interesing tales of ancient past about kings and queens and supernatural beings. To Kyungsoo, Mr Song was like a father figure he didn't have in Admiral Do.
The aging gardener seems to take even more interest and liking to Baekhyun once he starts to accompany Kyungsoo to the garden. He plys Baekhyun with even more sweets than he did Kyungsoo and would seat Baekhyun in his lap with Kyungsoo sat beside him under the tree as he spun his stories from invisible web of spoken words. The owl eyed boy didn't mind the attention the gardener showered on Baekhyun, afterall the more love his favorite playmate received the better.
This bright and sunny saturday is no different, with the sun high up in the sky dancing between the clouds and the birds singing harmonious melodies carried on the wings of the winds to every corner of the earth.Kyungsoo and Baekhyun set out under the watchful eyes of the clouds.
'I wonder what story Mr Song is going to tell us today, I'm especially looking forward to the cold delicious yellow lemonade we are going to drink under the tree'. Kyungsoo dressed in Yellow overalls and green shirt tells a smiling Baekhyun dressed in white dungarees with matching white T-shirt
As usual Baekhyun only rewards Kyungsoo with his rectangular smile in lieu of answering in spoken words.
'Ah its little Kyungsoo again, have you brought Baekhyun with you today?. Mr Song decked in a brown straw hat peers at the owl eyed boy from beneath the round rim of his hat.
'Yes Mr Song he's right here beside me, silly silly Mr Song. He's even waving at you right now'. Kyungsoo replies indignantly albeit with a wide smile on his face.
'Aigoo, don't be cross with this old man Kyungsoo I was just playing around with you, I was just playing around with you. Ofcourse I can see our little Baekhyunnie beside you, how are you today Baekhyunnie?. he directs his warm eyes to the white cladded boy holding unto Kyungsoo's hand like a lifeline.
Baekhyun responds to the inquiry with a bright rectangular smile.
'I see you boys have come for more stories and lemonade again today, right?. I'm starting to think you only come down to the garden for my interesting tales and delicious lemonade because you don't help me plant my seeds anymore, right Kyungsoo-ah?'.
'Ah no, how can you say that Mr Song. Baekhyun and I are here to help you plant your seeds, we are definitely not here for any tales or lemonade'.
'Right Baekhyunnie?'.
Baekhyun nods his head up and down vigorously in support of Kyungsoo's statement, action so cute it had Mr Song bursting out in peals of laughter.
'Don't get so distraught Kyungsoo I was only joking with you. Here grab those plastic cups on the table for me'.
Bouncing on the soles of his feet , little Kyungsoo races on short stubby legs to the table at the far of the garden at a speed fast enough to rival that of a jaguar pouncing on its prey, to grab the cups and races back to the old sycamore where Mr Song was sat with a pitcher of cold blue lemonade on the floor and Baekhyun sat in his laps. Kyungsoo gently places the cups on the floor and pours all three of them full glasses of blue lemonade from the glass jar.
'Why is the lemonade blue today, Mr Song?' Kyungsoo asks.
'This is a special lemonade Kyungsoo-ah, i decided to make something different because you and little Baekhyunnie have been good boys today. Don't worry it's still as delicious if not even more delicious than the yellow lemonade'. The gardener smiles at Kyungsoo with dark eyes glinting in the sun.
'What's this type of lemonade called?'.
'It's called kokobop lemonade, go ahead and grab a cup for yourself'.
Satisfied with the answers given, he grabs his own glass of cold kokobop lemonade and sits himself comfortably beside the gardener.
Mr Song clears his throat , a clear indication that today's tale was about to start.
'The title of our story today is Mama. Mama is the story of twelve boys called Exo, each one with super powers living on a planet in outer space called Exo planet. They were sent down to earth to save the tree of life by protecting it from the eye of the red force which coveted the heart of the tree of life. They were born to fulfil the prophecy that had long been written on the Black pearl wall in the hall of exodus. The prophecy went thus:
When The skies and the grounds were one legends through there twelve forces nurtured the tree of life. An eye of red forces created the evil which covered the heart of tree of life and the heart slowly grew dry.
To intent an embrace for heart of tree of life, the legends hereby divide the tree in half and hide each side hence time is overturned and space turns askew.
The twelve forces divide into two and create two suns that look alike, into two worlds that seem alike. The legends travel apart. The legends shall now see the same sky but shall stand on different grounds, shall stand on the same ground but shall see different skies. The day the grounds beget a single fault before one sky in two worlds that seem alike, the legends will greet each other. The day the red forces purify and twelve forces reunite into one perfect root – ” A New World Shall Open Up “
The heart of the tree of life was the centre of all humanity both in and outside the earth, it was the sole reason for the existence of mankind, it was the bearer of life through which every animal, human and plant could live. Should the eye of the red force succeed in poisoning the heart of the tree of life, mankind as we know it would be extinguised like a candle in a storm, every pure heart would be poisoned and every air breathed would become shards of ice that pierce and destroy the soul'.
Kyungsoo and Baekhyun had their rapt attention solely clasped on Mr Song as he wove the tale delicately with his chapped lips as the branches swayed gently with the gentle late afternoon breeze.
'The boys from exoplanets were aliens you see, so in order to blend seamlessly with humans on earth, they had to assume human identities. Suho the leader of the Exo had the power to control water and extraordinary capabilities of making everything awkward, Kris who had the power of flight and conjuring flames which he more often than not used to set his caterpillar eyebrows on fire. Then there is Kai with the power of teleportation, D.O who could control earth elements, YeolChan with the power to control fire, Xiumin could freeze up even the hottest of flames and took the greatest pleasure in icing Yeolchan's flames just to see angry steam pour out of his Yoda like ears.
Gentle Lay whose touch could heal a person an inch from death, Chen who would often use his lightning bolts to strike Byunbaek's ass whose sweet revenge would be to take away the light from Chen's eyes causing him to crash into objects nearby. Xiao Lu found absolute joy in throwing Sehun across the room using his telekinetic powers whenever the latter decides to be a brat by sending objects flying around the house using his wind power just to annoy Tao, whose revenge would to be stop time before tying up Sehun's shoelaces and releasing his hold just in time for Sehun to trip and fall flat on his face.
Asides from being the guardians to the tree of life, they were also the best of friends who looked out for each other, working hard and tirelessly in defending the heart of the tree of life as the eye of the red force grew stronger the boys began to realize that in order to defeat the tree of life, they might have to sacrifice their lives. So with this in mind they went into the final battle to save mankind'.
By now the sun had begun to gently dip into the inky sky and the clouds had taken on the artwork of a painter's canvas covered in hues of pinks, reds, and blues creating a myriad of painted visions. The wind had also became colder and harsher bringing with it a cold blanket that has taking a liking to the frail shoulder blades of little Baekhyun causing his to shiver almost noticeably in the gardener's arms.
'Perhaps we should continue the story tomorrow, I think Baekhyunnie here is cold. Look he's shivering even though he's not saying anything'.
Kyungsoo was so wrapped up in the silky strands of the twelve boys from Exo planet on their quest to save the heart of the tree of life, that he didn't think he could wait till the next day to hear the conclusion of the story. So instead he whined at the gardener to please finish up the story.
'But Baekhyun here is cold and look your ears and nose tip is red which means you're cold too, I think you should head back home where its warm. Don't worry I'm not gong anywhere tomorrow so we can finish up'. Mr Song tries to reason with the younger boy.
Cue more whining from the boy clad in yellow and green.
'Okay then how about this, you go inside and get a jacket for Baekhyunnie here and youself. That way you can stay warm and you can hear what happened to the twelve brave boys as they bravely fight to save the heart of the tree of life'.
Not missing a beat Kyungsoo jumps to hs feet and dashes for the imposing white house standing regal at a distance inside the Do estate without pausing to take note of the strange light reflecting in the gnarly gardener's eyes. The wind blew even harder once Kyungsoo left the canopy of the old sycamore tree. The gardener was quiet for a while as the wind continued to blow through the tree.
The hands of the winds seemed to have found a home in the brown locks on Baekhyun's head, weaving in and out of its soft strands and styling it every which way before blowing it into his squinted eyes. Mr Song's gnarly hands then finds its way into Baekhyun's hair, where it stays brushing the brown locks away from the pair of downturned eyes staring up at him in silent question.
'Baekhyunnie, how about we play a little game before Kyungsoo returns with the jackets uh, a little secret game only you and I can play'. The gardener's eyes twinkled with the dim lights of the fast approachimg dusk.
Baekhyun nods his head as the gardener sets him on his feet. Slipping his tiny hand into the elder man's dry and calloused fingers, he was led away from the old sycamore tree toward the wooden hut that also served as the gardener's tool house.
The wind carries away the warning of the gardener away on its fiery wings with fingers pressed over the folds of its chapped lips
'Don't tell anyone'.
Kyungsoo returns with one white jacket and one orange jacket only to find the perch under the tree empty, only two empty cups with drops of condensation trailing down its sides sat where Mr Song and Baekhyun once sat. Running through the garden twice only to turn up empty except for the sounds of the crickets coming out of their hiding place to greet the bright light of the silent moon and twinkling stars of the blue inky sky.
Standing in the middle of the garden looking lost the winds decides to take pity on him. Taking him by the hand the wind takes him down the cobbled path leading to the metal door of the wooden hut. Sensing rather than hearing what lay beyond the door of the silent hut, the wind opens the door and leaves Kyungsoo behind standing on the thresh hold with his heart beating loudly.
Baekhyun was lying on the floor silently with tears streaming down his face, his white was covered in streaks of red and earth. The parts of his skin peeking out of his clothes was marked with finger prints and vicious indentations of nail marks. His tiny body was shivering hard from the wind that had made its way back into the wooden hut. It had brought back the warning once again on its wild tresses.
'Don't tell anyone or i'll kill Baekhyun'.
The eyes of the old gardener that once held so much warmth within its liquid depth, was now colder than the shards of ice that has wedged itself into the blazing core of Kyungsoo's heart. He could feel the cold press of the gardener's fingers like they were on his very own skin, he felt so hot yet so cold, he was afraid, he was terrified, he could feel the surface of his skin crawling with so much terror, he felt like he was drowning in this sea of horror he couldn't surface from. Above all the noise in his ears, one stood out loud and clear taunting him.
'You have failed Baekhyunnie, You have failed to protect him, Baekhyunnie is now broken because of you, He'll never forgive you for this'.
With tears mirroring that on the face of Baekhyun's, Kyungsoo lifts Baekhyun into the safety of his shaking arms, exiting the door of the wooden hut leaving behind another piece of his lost innocence with the man standing at the center of the cold dark room.
He never got to find out if the eye of the red force that coveted the heart of the tree of life was conquerd, he never found out how the journey of the twelve boys from exoplanet ended. The tale had been left to dry up on the lips of the gardener back on cold hard floor of the cold wooden hut.