Chapter Text
Hyun sat down at the musky bar, a cigarette between his fingers. He wasn't taller than 5'7, his jawline not sharp yet. His silver hair was barley passed his shoulders. His ruby red eyes were still just as striking. He wore a leather jacket, a gang jacket. He was only 15 but he frequented this bar anyways. He lowered the cigarette from his face, puffing out a cloud of smoke. The atmosphere of the bar was loud and chaotic. The dimly lit room was contradicted by the high watt LEDs lighting up a small and vacant stage. The room smelled of beer and smoke, enough to choke you if you breathed in too deep. The bartender caught the eyes of his young frequenter.
"So Hyun, when are you going to give it a shot" the tender asked, gesturing to the stage with a nod. The tender had slicked back brown hair, exposing his receding hairline and forehead winkles. Hyun grinned and chuckled "I'm not some performer, Haejung" he placed the cigarette back in his mouth.
"You arent being honest with yourself. I know you are. I hear you humming time to time. Give it a try. Its empty after closing, no one knows your here."
Hyun rolled his eyes before pulling out his cigarette to puff out smoke. Before he got up to walk away, the bartender was gone and a pair of keys laied before Hyun.
Zen layed in bed, starring up into space. His now long, silver hair layed freely over his bed. He was drawn out of his thoughts by a shifting weight on his chest. He looked down at the body laying next to him, using his chest as a pillow. Her (h/c) covered her face and his bicep. She was beautiful, no doubt, but that wasn't all that she loved her for. She was always so supportive, even when it meant she lost something. She did everything to support Zen from cooking him meals to managing his schedules. He knows he couldn't provide her a domesticated life because of his busy schedule, but she always said she was happy to share a life with him. Zen moved the hair from her face to gaze at her sleeping face. What an adorable face. A smile crept onto Zen's face as he placed a small kiss on her forehead. He moved up out of the bed, leaving his girlfriend to cling the pillow he had slept.
The air was crisp as autumn moved into winter. Zen heard his heels click on the pavement as he walked down the streets he used to terrorize. He remembered all the times he almost died in bike accidents, all the fights. That wasn't him, that was a shell covering a scared kid back then. Someone who was afraid to turn back but too afraid of a future.
Zen reached in his pocket, the smooth metal eventually finding his fingers. He wasn't sure why he kept these, perhaps it was a backup plan, or somewhere to run to. Subconsciously, it was because he was afraid of loosing what he had because of these keys. These keys were the reason he was able to start this chapter in his life, and close the old one. But, now, he had a new muse and she was in their bed asleep.
He opened the wooden black door, it making a familiar creek. The bar smelled the same, allowing Zen to be taken back. It was empty. "We don't open for another hour." A familiar voice called out. "Not even for me, Haejung?" The man ran out from the back room "Hyun!" He called out. He ran up to Zen, pulling him into a hug. Zen, who was once shorter than him was now a solid 5 inches taller. "Lets catch up."
"So you finally made it, huh? Name change and everything." Zen sipped his beer. "Yea. It's thanks to you though. This bar was the reason I even tried." Haejung smiled. "I bet you got lots of girls, huh?" He elbowed Zen from across the bar. Zen looked at his drink as smiled, a blush creeping across his face. "There is one girl..." Haejung smiled back at him. "Tell me about her son." "Well," Zen began, "she's beautiful. Stunning. But, no one ever been as nice to me as her. She sees the best in me and supports everything I do. She even became my manager..." He chuckled, remembering the conversation they had about how he would be paying her like he was Jumin or something. "She's everything I could have wanted and everything I didn't know I needed." He thought about how she was probably awake now, making him breakfast like always. Her sleepy eyes would sparkle when she smiled at him, her messy bed hair pulled back in a hair tie, probably wearing one of his shirts. Haejung looked at the flustered love stricken mess Zen had become. "Im proud of you, Hyun. Never let her go." Zen looked at him with a sincere smile before pulling out some loose bills to pay for the beer. Haejung places his hand on top of Zen's. "This one's on me. Consider it a congratulations gift." Zen thanked Haejung and the men exchanged one last hug before Zen walked out of the bar. Haejung looked down to clean up the glass Zen left, only to see a pair of keys in his place.