Chapter Text
Hyungwon was 15 years old when his mother left them. He wasn’t angry at her for leaving, in fact he was proud of her for gaining the courage to leave her abusive husband. He was angry at her for leaving him behind. She left in the dead of night without a word and he’ll never forget how much it hurt his heart when he found out. He’ll never forgot how much it hurt his body when his father found out. The scars won’t let him.
Hyungwon was 16 when his father ripped him from his life in the quiet country and moved them to a cramped, poor town. His father was to be the head of the new police force that was funded by a religious group that they had been a part of forever. Hyungwon had never liked this group, or religion for that matter. He didn’t believe that any god that let these things happen to him was worth praying to.
For a while, it was good. Hyungwon stayed inside day and night, doing his studies, reading, or watching the world through the window. His universe had shrunk from country fields to crumbling walls and more people than he had ever seen outside a church. His father was busy setting up the new force which meant that he didn’t have time to stand over his son and terrorize him. Wounds were finally allowed to heal. For the first time in a long time he felt at peace. Lonely, but at peace.
Then something changes. Running the city isn’t as easy as it should be. The people aren’t adhering to the rules like they should. Teenagers are rebelling against the force and causing trouble. Hyungwon’s father brought all his anger home. Now, Hyungwon’s safe place was his prison and his wounds returned two fold.
Hyungwon had just turned 17 when he sneaks out of his home. Something had been pulling on him after the sun went down and finally he decides to act on it. He made sure that his father was fast asleep before sneaking out of his window and into the night. Though it was his first time being more than 30 feet away from his house he wasn’t afraid. He didn’t think anything was scarier than the man that he left at home. So walking around in dim alleys and dark streets didn’t give him any type of fright.
But he still jumped when he heard a voice in the dark. It came from a few feet in front of him, behind a building.
"This road goes all the way out of town to the next. You could run and make it there by sun up."
A boy came into view, wearing a dusty newsboy hat. In his hand was a bundle of flowers. Pretty, small ones with blue petals. In the dim street lighting Hyungwon could just barely make out that stranger was smiling. After a long pause he responded.
"I don't want to run away."
"You sure about that?"
The other boy leaned against the wall. He looked right into Hyungwon’s eyes. It was like he knew something about him that even the boy himself didn’t know. The intense stare made him look away.
“I wouldn’t have anywhere to go. My dad is all I have.”
“No mom?” He asked like he already knew the answer.
“No, no mom.”
“Me neither.” Hyungwon looked up at the boy again, who had lifted up the flowers and was looking at them instead.
“But, no dad either. Just me…”
“I’m sorry.”
“Don’t be. At least no one hits me.” The statement was like a blow, sending Hyungwon back a few steps.
“How did-“
“Doesn’t matter. But, you should get home before it gets really late. Don’t want to worry dad right?”
“Right. Thanks, I guess.” Hyungwon was relieved to have an out to this strange conversation, but before he could get far the boy stopped him again.
“Wait! I almost forgot your welcome gift!” The boy walked right up to Hyungwon and pressed the flowers into his hand.
“I’m Jooheon. Welcome to our home Hyungwon.”
As he watched Jooheon disappear into the night, he was too shocked to properly ask him how he knew his name.
The next morning Hyungwon woke up to sunlight beaming through his window. The house was quiet, signaling that his father was already out for the day. Instead of getting up for breakfast and then studying like usual, Hyungwon stayed in his bed and stared at the ceiling.
His mind was still trying to comprehend his encounter with that strange boy, Jooheon. He had known much more than Hyungwon had told anyone. But how? And why of all things, did he give Hyungwon those flowers?
Flowers
The bundle was beside his pillow. They had a soft fragrance to them and even though they were cut and had been handled they didn’t seem to wilt in the sun.
“At least they’re pretty.” He mumbled to himself before picking them up once more. When he fell back asleep they were still in his hand.
He dreamt of white hair, warm touches and relief.
It was midday before Hyungwon woke up enough to feed himself and head out once more. This time he wasn’t just taking in the sites. Now he was looking for Jooheon. The boy obviously had answers and Hyungwon had plenty of questions. Besides, his father had never said that his son couldn’t go outside. So, why not?
He took the same route as last time but it seemed strange in the light of day. People walked past by him like he wasn’t even there. Children ran by, their laughter sounding foreign to his ears. Tiny shops were open everywhere he went. There was an entire vibrant life that Hyungwon had hidden from. People just like him, more or less.
And then he saw him.
He was hard to miss with that snow white hair. He sat on a big stone, probably a part of a building long destroyed. He was paying no mind to Hyungwon just like the rest of the town but the brunette couldn’t look away. Not just because he was handsome (though it was a plus) but because Hyungwon remembered him from somewhere. Like he was the one that Hyungwon had really been looking for.
“Like what you see?” Hyungwon could have jumped out of his skin when Jooheon whispered to him from behind.
“What the hell?!” The boy was still wearing that hat and the same all-knowing grin.
“Sorry, didn’t mean to scare you. But, what are you doing out and about for once?”
“What do you mean for once? I go out all the time.”
“Liar.” Jooheon tilted his head and gestured to an alleyway. If you asked him, Hyungwon couldn’t tell you why he followed him.
Away from other people, Hyungwon asked the question that had been weighing on his mind.
“How did you know?”
“What, your name?” Jooheon had more flowers, this time he was playing with the petals as he walked.
“No…How did you know-“
“That your father hits you? Why else would a teenager leave his safe house in the dead of night or cover up his arms in the middle of summer?”
“That doesn’t mean anything.” Jooheon finally turned and faced the taller boy. His face was more serious this time.
“It means everything.” Hyungwon looked away again, consciously pulling down his sleeves more.
“Just..just don’t tell anyone.”
Jooheon nodded and started walking again.
“My lips are sealed.”
“I come here when I want to be alone.” Jooheon explained as he opened up the door to the greenhouse.
“This is where you keep your magic flowers?” Hyungwon joked before ducking and stepping inside. Sure enough, the house was full of pretty blue flowers. There were other flowers too, but you could see the ones that the boy favored. Jooheon smiled, a big goofy grin.
“How did you know?”
“Yeah right.” Hyungwon rolled his eyes and followed Jooheon in sitting on an overturned bucket. “So, tell me how you knew my name? I haven’t spoken to anyone here.”
“Now that is a secret…Sorry!” He sure didn’t sound sorry, but Hyungwon let it slide. This was his first non-hostile interaction with anyone since his mother up and left so he decided to play Jooheon’s game.
“Fine. But if you know my name, you must know everyone’s names right?”
“Everyone important, yeah.”
“So what’s his name?” Hyungwon was referring to the white haired boy that Jooheon had whisked him away from. He didn’t know why, but he thought he would feel better if he knew exactly who he was.
“Can’t tell you.” Jooheon spoke without looking up from the flower pot he was tending to. Hyungwon raised an eyebrow.
“Can’t or don’t know?”
“No, I know. But you need to find that out for yourself.” Hyungwon sighed and nodded.
“Sure, whatever. But I –“ There was a knock on the greenhouse door, rapid and strong.
“Jooheon! It’s Kihyun, let me in!”
Jooheon called back, telling the voice that he’d be there in a second. Then he gestured to the back door.
“See you tomorrow, yeah?”
“No.” Hyungwon got up and lied, walking to the door.
“Yeah, sure.” He heard Jooheon say before he left the greenhouse through the back. He had planned to go straight home, rush through his studies and eat again.
The boy with the white hair had other ideas.
He was standing not even 20 feet from the greenhouse, leaning on a crumbling wall. This time he was staring straight at Hyungwon and he looked angry.
Hyungwon was stuck in place even as the door shut behind him. Even as the boy walked up to him and got right into his personal space. Before Hyungwon could speak white hair said something that chilled him to the bone.
“Don’t take the flowers, that’s how he gets you.” Then, he was gone.
Walking back to his home was harder than before. Not only had Jooehon led him off somewhere totally different, but the white haired boy’s words rang in his ears.
Don’t take the flowers
What did he mean? What could those tiny things do?
That’s how he gets you
The second part of the statement was even more confusing. Why would Jooheon try to ‘get him’? He had to admit, the boy was weird. But he didn’t seem dangerous.
When he walked into his home he smelled freshly cooked food and his blood ran cold.
“Where have you been?” His father’s voice brought up nothing but fear and Hyungwon tried to keep the shakiness out of his voice.
“I just went out with a friend.”
“We eat dinner at this time. Or have you forgotten?”
“I-I’m sorry. I got lost. It won’t happen again.” His father didn’t bother to look at him, just finished his meal.
“Go to bed, now.”
“Yes sir.”
On an empty stomach, Hyungwon laid in his bed for what felt like hours. One hand tracing lines in the sheets and the other clutching his little blue flowers. He had gotten worse for missing dinner before, this wasn’t something new. Still, he wished that he could just leave and never come back.
When he finally slept, he dreams of white hair, a full stomach, and a safe place to stay.