Chapter Text
Bang Yongguk trudged his way down the hall. He needs air. He needs to get out of this place.
---
Yet another of his song was denied.
"It's too serious," they say. What do they expect of him? Write a song that appeals everyone but him? They want him to make something cute, something sexy, something unreal.
He has been making songs for years now. Ever since he was a child, he has always loved music. He has always loved how it brings back feelings, emotions and memories. When he grew up, he pursued what he love and just then did he know that he can't be truly happy with he has brought himself.
He was sitting on a bench in a park right across his work office as he sipped on his cigarette, willing unwanted thoughts to go away. He sat there staring into a can beside his foot, feeling nostalgic all of a sudden.
He remembers his days as a kid, care free and fun. Back then, adults say he is too old for his age. He act old and think old for his age. And even then, the songs he listen to are songs only older people will understand but he doesn't care. He loved them nevertheless. They spoke truth and showed what reality is and that's what he has wanted more than anything else.
Back then, people let him be. He does what he wants and no one is there to say no to whatever he's doing. Whatever he writes, he thinks, he does, he's free. Very unlike how he is now. Everything is judged. Everything is said 'no' to. Everything is restrained.
"Ah, I want to be a kid again" He mumbled as he kicked the can he was staring at. He sighed, took a sip from his cigarette again and closed his eyes.
It was not very long when he heard a voice, sweet but not too sweet. It sounds cheerful and magical. "Your wish is my command"
Yongguk blinked his eyes open to a dark sky. A once sunny afternoon became a dark one, as though a storm is forthcoming. A yellow man is before him. His skin color is yellow! He is mildly yellow, the one that doesn't hurt your eyes but still bright nevertheless. For all of Yongguk's life, he has never seen a natural yellow colored man like him!
He scanned his eyes on the man and just then did he see that he is not a man at all but a genie! A genie!
How absurd, his mind tries to argue but what lays before his eyes is real. The man's upper body is intactly yellow while his lower body is made up of smoke coming out from a can.
A can.
Oh.
Oh! The can!
"Are you a genie?" were the first words that came out of Yongguk's mouth.
"Yes! Yes I am." The genie answered cheerfully. "You're a human right?" to which Yongguk nodded.
"Ah thank heavens! I was afraid you were another dog. My last master was and it was horrible" the genie made a disgusted face then went on. "It was horrible enough I had to learn dog language in a short time and his wishes! Oh dear heavens. I'd rather not remember." The back of the genie's hand was on his forehead signifying his stress upon remembering the horrible memory.
Yongguk was silent the whole while, only staring with mouth wide-open on the genie.
The genie then brought his hands together,an excited look on his face and stared a delightful look on Yongguk. "But now you're my master,your wishes are my command" he then bowed down.
"Wait! What?" Yongguk managed to stutter.
"Your wishes are my command!" The genie repeated delightfully.
"No. Who are you and how? How did you get here? How--"
"Ah, my name is Youngjae. I am a genie as you can see" he pointed on the can his smoke body is connected with. "You kicked my can and set me free and so here I am. I am at your command! Three wishes!--"
"Can you please hold it." Yongguk cut the genie. "You said you have a master before."
"Yes. And it was a dog. And as I have said it was horrible. It managed to grab a hold of my can. I was obligated but I did not grant his third wish and so I am back inside again. Wishes that brings good to others can set me free and obviously a dog cannot give me that. I have to stop --"
"Okay okay. Calm down. So you're from that can I kicked earlier?" Yongguk asked again, pointing on the can in question. Youngjae only nodded with a delightful smile on his face.
Yongguk stared for a long while at a smiling Youngjae. "I'm your master?"
Youngjae nodded.
"You will grant me wishes?"
Youngjae nodded and raised three of his fingers. "But you used one already." Yongguk stared at the genie, his brows creasing.
Youngjae only smiled and said, "Your first wish is to be a kid again."
"What? When did I ask for that?" Yongguk asked incredulously.
"When you kicked me." Youngjae replied, a smile still plastered on his face.
"No!--"
"You're wish is my command, Master. I'll be back in time for your next wish!" Youngjae's body slowly dissolved and creeped back to the can.
---
"Bang! Bang!" Himchan called out as he shook Yongguk to wake up.
Yongguk groaned and opened his eyes to a faceful of his friend. He immediately sat up and tried to find the can. "The can! Where's the can?" He asked as he looked around to find nothing.
"What can?" Himchan asked back. "I saw no can since I got here. Come on, you've slept enough, it's time to get back to work." His friend dragged him back inside the building.
As he was being dragged, his eyes wandered as he continued to look for the magical can but it was nowhere to be found
Maybe it was his imagination. Maybe it was just a dream. A nightmare. Yongguk sighed and stopped looking.
Yes. It was just a nightmare. He thought.
A nightmare.