Omelas
Summary: Everyone knows about Omelas, the beautiful utopic city with perfect skies and the smiles of thousands. But even if some knew the ‘how’ of the creation of Omelas, not everyone knew ‘where’. Would you believe me if I told you that boy lived his whole life in the basement of your house?
Pairing: Jungkook x F!Reader
Word Count: 4.7k
Trigger warnings: isolation, yandere themes, kidnapping, physical violence, and blood.
»»————- ★ ————-««
The first time you disobeyed, it was at 3 am. It was early enough to not warrant any suspicion in the house you lived in, and the perfect time when everything stood still, motionless, even as you crept around the dark hallway, making your way downstairs to the cellar.
Although some of the people in the metropolis city of Omelas knew of the supposed rumor of its prosperity, it was still mainly mysterious. Was it some kind of ritual? Well, that description wasn’t entirely wrong, you thought.
But you knew all your life. It wasn’t some grand revelation. It began with odd behaviors carried out by your father, your only parent. You understood at a young age that your father or brother would go downstairs to the cellar with food and water. That there had to be something there.
But with your bright smile, you greeted your neighbors. Nobody would imagine that the boy was beneath your feet, that he was living under your roof, trapped in the darkest and deepest part of the house.
And it was within that dark cellar in the utopian city of Omelas, where the unfortunate boy lived for the many. If you believed in a superior being, then maybe that boy was what you would call a god.
He made these beautiful skies, perfect weather, and the smiles on everyone’s faces. It was thanks to him.
The city, known for its infectious happiness, carried this secret. Those who discovered the truth about the boy took value in the happiness within the city of Omelas, living each day with gratitude.
If that boy lived underneath your home, did that make you a bad person for letting him rot captive, or did that make you as powerful as this god?
However, it was a puzzling scenario for you to envision when you were younger. So spoiled rotten that the only thing you could ask your father was why the boy didn't just get up and leave.
Your father chuckled, stroking your head and sighing.
“Because something bad would happen to all of us, ___.”
It was enough to scare you at the time and make sure that you never asked again. But looking back, the memory made you embarrassed. After years of growing up and learning more about the world around you, about what it means to be mature and making sacrifices, maybe you could understand a bit more now.
“Father, why did you decide to keep the boy in our house?”
Your father didn’t answer this time. In fact, this was probably the first time he hesitated to answer you at all.
You seemed to own everything you could imagine in the world, but for some reason, withholding this information made all of those possessions worthless. What was the point of having everything when something so small seemed impossible to possess? He smiled instead, ushering you back upstairs to take care of your brother.
But why? What was so important that he needed to hide?
A sigh escaped from your lips as you managed your way through the dark, aimlessly touching around to figure out your surroundings. At least he was the honest type who hesitated when it came to lying.
But the question about the existence of that boy would end today. You finally gathered the courage needed to find out for yourself. Survive, even if it means breaking the rules. Because in the end, if the boy had even just a few of the answers you wanted about this city of Omelas, that was enough.
»»————- ★ ————-««
The boy could barely remember the glimmering light from the sun outside within his dark prison. With his hair rugged and its length reaching to his ankles, he curled up in a ball within the darkness.
His skin was littered with dirt that had practically become part of him, crawling with insect companions. His arms and legs were thin and there was always something in his eyes. But even still, the boy lived on, repeating each mundane day in his own hell.
He sat still in the silence of the isolated room he had spent most of his life in, staring at the door in front of him. The cadence of droplets falling from the leaky room ceiling and toward the ground floor was the only sound that could entertain him for hours as the darkness of his home submerged his form, hiding only his face. The entire room was pitch black with not one window stuck into the walls for clean air or bright light.
No matter how many times the boy stood up, wobbling over to the door and testing the doorknob, it was always locked. All he had on was a white cloth that had now taken a murky gray. Yet, he wrapped his small frame around with it, hugging it for warmth. As his eyes fluttered shut, he could make out the sounds of voices in the distance.
“Make sure to feed him while I’m out today.”
“Ughhh, I don’t wanna… Fine, fine, ugh, I’ll do it.”
Jungkook listened intently to their conversation that intruded his silence through the grubby walls. He could understand them and he shuddered, slouching his shoulders even more. His head sat inbetween his knees as his crumby hands covered his ears, eyes squinting shut to fend off their crawling voices.
The door then suddenly opened as an older boy stepped in, hastily filling up a bowl of water and dropping a tray near the door. Jungkook didn’t dare to look at him. He kept his head down, his blurry eyes focused on his crooked feet until the door slammed shut, with the sound of the lock following right after.
Before he was thrown in here, he could barely remember the face of his mother. All he had was one fundamental concept the people who threw him in here taught him: language.
Even if it was basic language, he learned rejection first-handedly from the people who refused to accept him in the first place. He knew the sting of words and the snide remarks in his face. He knew the sensation of tears rolling down his chin as he initially screamed for days, begging to be let out.
But he had stopped that years ago. He had accepted that nobody would come to save him.
Back then, whenever someone had come to give him the grool they called “food”, he would run up to them, pulling at their clothes. Tears would run down his face as he continuously apologized and pleaded to be let out.
“Please, I will be good. Please let me out, I will be good!”
But, he was always pushed roughly to the ground by a taller man, given a look of disgust, and a door slammed in his face. Afterward, the sound of the lock went off, and then came the stomping up the stairs.
Jungkook wiped his mouth with the back of his hand as the tray now lay empty, the bowl of water still full. He noticed it was much darker in his room than before and he crawled back to his corner, preparing to lay down on the rough and moldy wooden floors to get some sleep.
But before he could get comfortable, he heard the sound of someone coming back down the stairs. All of his limbs seemed to freeze as he ducked his head into his chest.
What now?
Normally, nobody visited him more than once a week, not that he fully understood the concept of time. For him, every second felt like an eternity of suffering and misery. But the footsteps got louder and louder. Perhaps, it was one of those people that just stared at him from the door. From time to time, he would see strange people visit him, standing by the door and looking at him with an unusual expression.
It was a mixture of anger, pity, and frustration. Even though Jungkook didn’t understand what those exact feelings were, those people were the ones that usually walked away from Omelas. Knowing the existence of the boy and seeing him with their very own eyes was something that filled them much more than guilt.
And maybe they realized that peace and happiness built upon the sacrifice of one person was nothing but fragile.
Jungkook showed his back to the door as he laid in the darkest corner of his room. The door clicked open and a pair of footsteps entered. The silence after made his heart race. He wanted to turn around, but his body wouldn’t budge.
He had enough rough experiences of turning around and getting his hopes up.
“Hello there.”
He expected the rough voice of one of the two people that constantly watched over him, but instead, it was soft and echoed in his dark abyss. For once, his ears didn’t sting at the sound of another person's voice. All he was used to was the sensation of his eardrums ringing and the disgusting sound of hearing his own cries.
“Hey, what’s your name?”
He finally turned around, his long hair falling over his entire face. Jungkook adjusted himself in the dark until a match was ignited and a candle illuminated his room. He cautiously took in the appearance of his peculiar guest, moving some of his hair out of the way.
It was a girl, dressed modestly in white, yet she took a seat on the dirty ground like it was nothing, just waiting for him.
“What’s your name?” She asked again, setting the candlestick onto the floor.
“J-J…” Jungkook started, mouth dry as he cringed, clawing at his ears at his own voice. “Eh-haa…” He whined, feeling the festering sores on his body begin to sting.
“I’m ____ .” You extended your hand to him as you watched the boy tilt his head to the side.
“Jungk…ook.” He mumbled, extending his index finger at poking at your hand. “What’s this?”
“It’s a handshake.” You beckoned him closer, grabbing hold of his hand and shaking it. But Jungkook froze, suddenly slapping your hand and backing away.
“I’m… dirty.” He grumbled, retreating back into the shadows.
“I wouldn’t have come here if I was worried about that kind of thing.” You smiled, trying to get a look at the boy’s face.
“Why are you… here? Are you going to... yell too?” He asked nervously.
“Well, I live here with my family. We’re not really a typical family. I don’t know my mother— But that doesn’t really matter. I came to see you, personally. Oh, but don’t tell anyone that I was here, okay?” You instructed to the confused boy who stared at you overwhelmed.
For his first interaction in so many years, he couldn’t function. You seemed to notice his expression, pushing your questions to the back of your mind. You’ll just have to see him at another time.
“Will you let me visit you again?”
“You want… to see me, again?” He mumbled, again self-conscious of the dust and dirt that covered him.
“Mhm! Please tell me you’ll say yes.” You pleaded, clasping his hands together in yours.
It was as if his eyes glimmered in the smally lit room as your warm hands embraced his cold ones. His heart was thumping loudly and he felt breathless. This feeling was different.
It wasn’t like when that scary man first threw him in here or when he refused to be pried off his mother’s arms. It wasn’t the type of feeling where his blood was rushing to every part of his body, desperate for an escape. His body felt warm for once and he didn’t want to let go.
“Then, yes… Yes, please visit… me, again… please.”
»»————- ★ ————-««
The terms of Omelas’s utopic society are strict and absolute; there may not even be a kind word spoken to the child. But here you came—
“Jungkook!”
The next day, regardless of those rules.
“Hi…” He whispered in the dark, cheeks flushed as he reached out for your hand, melting against your gentle touch. “How are you?”
“Hmm,” You hummed, tapping your chin. “I’ve been good for the most part. Though, the weather’s been strange lately.”
“I can’t see anything outside from here.” Jungkook shyly confessed the obvious. “But if you say it’s been strange lately, then the weather’s strange!”
“Yup! So, actually, I wanted to ask you something, Jungkook.”
“Okay.” He nodded obediently.
“Do you know where you are right now?”
“I’m here with you. In the dark.” He answered innocently, still holding onto your hand.
“That’s… Yes, well, that’s technically not wrong I guess, but not what I meant.” You chuckled. “Do you know the city you live in?”
“Oh,” Jungkook started, looking down as he began to think. “Omel—” He stopped, tilting his head to the side. “Omel...ette…? It was something similar… Omeless? Hmm...”
You felt somewhat guilty at the laugh you failed to hold in, but Jungkook heard it, looking worriedly, as if you were choking on something.
“A-are you alright? W-Was I wrong…? Ahh…” He panicked, shaking your shoulder. “I’m sorry…” He began to apologize, bowing his head multiple times until his forehead collided against your shoulder. “Ow! O-oh, I’m sorry, did that hurt? Wait, are you choking?! ___?!”
“Sorry, sorry, sorry.” You sighed happily, taking a deep breath. “But you were close. It’s Omelas. We’re in Omelas, Jungkook.”
Jungkook’s lips pulled into a partial smile as his eyes seemed to reflect the light from the candle. Then, his expression broke into an uncontainable smile as he began to sniffle, with tears welling in his eyes that he let calmly slide down his face.
“What’s wrong?” You whispered, cradling Jungkook’s crying face with your hands.
“I-I’m so, so, happy…” He choked out. “I feel so happy right now. Thank you… You’re the first person to ever praise me… to ever care for me… Thank you, ___.”
Your expression morphed into a frown as you let the boy embrace you, unaware that your grip had tightened.
“Of course, Jungkook.” You smiled after several minutes of silence. When you let go, you stood up, walking back over to the door.
“See you tomorrow,” Jungkook whispered, waving in the dark.
You gave him a smile, softly closing the door. Then, you jammed the key in, locking it shut, your expression still in a deep frown. Jungkook hummed, listening to your footsteps as you climbed up the stairs and until they faded off.
I’m sorry, Jungkook.
»»————- ★ ————-««
"Are you satisfied?"
You dropped the key into your brother's hand, giving a small nod.
"I guess you can say that."
It was the morning, with the smell of coffee floating in the air. You snuck into your brother's room right after breakfast, handing him back the key as per the agreement. He wouldn't say a thing to father as long as you gave it back. It would be foolish to try to argue your way to keep it so you simply watched him tuck it back into his wardrobe drawer.
"I trust you, sis."
You were on your way walking out of the room until you turned around, confused.
A pair of serious eyes looked back at you, almost glaring.
"I said, I trust you."
"Right..." You gulped, softly closing the door.
When you stepped outside, you saw the happy mothers and fathers cheerfully cooing at their children, encouraging them. There wasn't any hostility between siblings, parents, or peers in Omelas. It was always warm whenever you watched them.
But it was so cold in your own home.
Maybe it was because the boy lived with you. It was as if he was trying to pull at least someone down with him.
Your family.
And you probably deserved it too. Nobody wants to believe they're doing something terrible, let alone a terrible person.
In one scenario, you're the hero, the savior, the protector of peace and happiness. But in another, you're the villain, you're the antagonist in the story, tormenting a young boy.
But what about the boy himself? Where did he want to fit?
You scoffed at yourself. Of course he would want someplace other than there. Any other location was one million times better, right? Nobody would ever want to stay there. But, wasn't that only because you knew of a much better place?
When nightfall came, you slept. You didn't bother to ask just once more for the key again. You closed your eyes, prayed for a good dream that wouldn't come, and slept. A part of you wondered what Jungkook was doing, what he was thinking.
Was he upset? Would he still be hopefully waiting for you?
It filled you with guilt, but you shifted in your soft bed, throwing the blankets overtop your head.
Forget it. Forget him.
Each day when you woke up and stepped outside to see the smiling faces on the people of Omelas, it reaffirmed your choices, your decisions.
This is the right thing to do. These are the people you are protecting.
But it was always when night came that those thoughts came rushing in.
"How dare you say that you're protecting these people when you're using someone for your own good. How dare you say you can protect these people when you can't protect the one person who matters."
It was then that your feet found the cold floor, pulling a stuffed bag from out your closet and tiptoeing into your brother's room, secretly grabbing the key from the drawer.
»»————- ★ ————-««
At the sound of the door creaking open, Jungkook swiftly turned around. His eyes sparkled in the darkness as he saw your familiar figure slip in through the door.
“___!” He whispered. “Where have you been? I missed you…” Jungkook mumbled, shyly looking over at your motionless figure.
“I see.” You replied, silence quickly filling up the room. Jungkook looked worriedly at you, fidgeting with his grimy hands.
Jungkook sat silently for a second, biting at his lip as his voice quivered.
“Aren’t you going to make an excuse… ____?”
“Huh?” You asked, looking back at him.
“Aren’t you supposed to make up a reason why you didn’t visit me? Can’t you just lie to me, instead? This feeling… It hurts.”
You stood motionless as you stared at his figure, almost analyzing the boy. He was naive, but not stupid. And if it was based on how you felt, you’d say he was quite clever. He knew his position strangely well for someone who seemed to be unaware of everything on the surface. Jungkook understood how to read someone. It seemed pointless to lie to him.
“No, I just… I felt guilty about leaving you all alone again. So that’s why I came, today. To tell you I can’t see you anymore.” You sighed, looking away from his slouched shoulders and hanging head.
“Hey, ___. Can I ask you a question? Do you choose the people up above on the surface, or do you choose me?”
You were broken away from your thoughts as you turned to stare at him. It was dead silent and your lips had gotten dry as you pondered exactly what you wanted to say to the boy. This was your fault. “I can’t choose you, Jungkook.”
“H-huh? W-what do you mean you can’t…”
“I can’t choose you, Jungkook.” You repeated in a dead, monotone voice.
“W-what are you saying?” Jungkook grew quiet for a second. “....Why are you saying... things like that?”
“Because...” You started, sliding over to him and cupping his cheeks. “You created this city, Jungkook. You’re the very source of everything that happens. I can’t bring you up. I can’t do that when I know thousands are going to suffer. Because of you, we understand the splendor of our lives. We know that we are not free just like you, but yet, we understand the full extent of compassion.”
Jungkook’s eyes widened as his lips parted.
“W-what are you…”
You gave Jungkook a sympathetic smile as he quivered in his corner, staring at his hands, so filthy, so dirty.
“So...Is… Omelas more important than me? Are the people up there more important than me?” He asked once again, almost in disbelief.
“...Yes, they’re much more important, Jungkook.” You sighed. “How many times do I need to repeat—”
“What…” He choked out in a cry, making you jump. “No… I… I… don’t… like that… at all…”
He grew quiet again, his nails scratching marks down his arm.
“That’s honestly… un...acceptable…” He whispered. “We were so happy, just the two of us down here!” He yelled, hands gripping and clawing at his hair. “I didn’t need anything! I just needed YOU!”
“Jungkook, stop-”
He tumbled over you, holding you down on the infested floor as a chill split down your spine. Even though his arms were so thin, he was pressing hard against your wrists and his sharp and uncut nails were piercing your skin, drawing blood. An irrational thought flashed in your mind: Was he going to kill you? What if he actually killed you?
“WHY? Why are you trying to leave me? Why do you want me to be all alone again? What is it about the people up there that’s more important than me?! I don’t…I don’t understand!”
"Who's up there that you care about more than me?” He spat coldly, his eyes going blank. “I let you continue to visit me all this time because I had faith in you! Because I trusted you!” He sobbed, once again feeling the sensation of his tears slide down his face.
“How could you trust someone you barely even know?” You whispered under your breath. “How stupid.”
“Why do you keep saying things like that?!” Jungkook yelled as you began to resist and push back.
“What do you want me to say then? That I’ll stay with you here forever, Jungkook?!” You yelled, giving him a hard shove. “Do you seriously think you’ll be able to live up on the surface if you even had the chance?”
“O-of course!” Jungkook shouted, his hands trembling as they clutched against the cloth that covered him, right over his heart. “Of course I could! If you’re with me, of course I could!”
“Knowing that someone else would have to take your place?” You argued. “What if I took your place, huh? You would be driven insane by your inability to do anything! You’d have to bitterly accept reality, how cruel and unfair it is. And most of all, you’d blame yourself for causing another to suffer. Because you know that it should’ve been you. Because you know that two people have to carry heavy burdens instead of one now!”
“But even so, I want to go outside! I want to see the sun! I want to see the stars! Is it so selfish of me to think that way? I’ve given everyone in this city all they could ever want, right?! You said so, right?! So why can’t I just wish for something even once?!” He sobbed, curling up on the floor.
“Am I wrong…? I didn’t have entertainment, friends, happiness, or loved ones while I numbly sat here every day of my life. You’re telling me it’s wrong to be let out onto the surface after doing so much for the people here? Do I have to stay here all alone by myself and have no one ever commend me for all the hard work I’ve done? Will nobody praise me even though I never wanted to do this? Why do I have to be all alone?”
Jungkook felt tears roll down his cheeks as he laid motionless on the dirty floor.
“I can’t praise you for such a thing though, Jungkook.” You looked away from him, knowing he would only glare at you. “It’s wrong and it would insult you. I can’t praise the obligations you were set on by others. I can’t praise something when you never had a say in it. I can’t praise it, I can’t...”
“So you’ve come here to mock me?” Jungkook whispered with growing venom.
“No, I-I…” You stumbled through your words. “I started to wonder if I was assuming what you wished for. I thought it was obvious you would want to go outside, but I realized that you had never said those words yourself. It’s foolish to think now, but what if you were scared of how to carry a proper conversation? Of how you looked? What if you somehow got more scared of how people would react to you on the surface instead of being here? What if nobody would ever help you again?”
Jungkook sat silent, his body relaxing only a tad bit.
“It’s wrong for me to do in perspective of everyone who lives here in Omelas. But… why do we deserve to live in happiness? What did we ever do? We’re not noble nor self-sacrificing. And I personally don’t owe anyone in Omelas anything. So... I brought a bag full of things. I want you to go outside, Jungkook. I want you to leave and explore. I want you… to live…”
“I won’t tell you what Omelas will turn into. Honestly, I don’t know what will happen and I don’t want to flood you with negative thoughts for my well being. All I ask is you make your decision tonight. The bag’s here, the door’s unlocked.”
“So… you were testing me?” Jungkook asked incredulously.
“I was a bit too mean, wasn’t I?” You turned away. “Well, you said you could live on the surface and I believe you. Go see the sky. Go see the stars. And tell me all about them all one day.”
“But, what if—” Jungkook started, until he found your index finger against his lips, silencing him.
“Don’t ask me to come with you. I won’t.”
“But—Omelas will…”
“I know. I know, Jungkook.” You sighed. “I know I’m stubborn, but I can’t leave this city behind. Omelas was everything I’ve ever known. I’m not brave, I honestly don’t even think I'm a good person. I’m scared of what’s going to happen, but that’s all the more reason to smile through it. After all, that’s what we’ve been good at here in Omelas.”
"I don't understand. I want you to come with me. I want to be with you. Why must I have to make more sacrifices?
"I'm sorry, Jungkook." That’s all you could say until he accepted it.
He held onto you, his dirty hands holding on your arms, his hair brushing up against your shoulders. You looked fondly down at him, patting him on the head.
"Now quickly. You have to leave before the sun comes up."
Helping him up to his feet, you pulled the door open, your fingers intertwined with his. When you led him up the stairs and down the hallway, you brought him to the entrance door and into the outside world.
The sky was slowly getting brighter, its orange hues slowly growing. Jungkook stopped for a second, taking everything in. His past memories were so blurry, but they were slowly piecing back his home together, Omelas, together.
He breathed in the air greedily as if he could taste it too. You looked over your shoulder to see him paused, smiling. When Jungkook looked back at you, he stared at your outstretched hand, taking it.
"I'll tell you all about the stars, sun, and sky," Jungkook promised. "So wait for me."
»»————- ★ ————-««
"What have you done?" A seething voice came from the hallway as you reentered your house, closing the entrance door.
"Good morning, father."
"Do you understand the weight of your actions? Do you?!" He shook your shoulders violently until you slapped him off. "Do you know how hard I worked to make Omelas the city it is today?"
“How hard you worked...? Did I hear you correctly? What exactly did you work hard for? Everyone here was content with sticking their hands out ready to receive and receive. You didn’t work hard for anything. You didn’t try to accomplish anything yourself. All you did was rely on the one boy who gave you everything.”
“Just you watch Omelas crumble then. It’s all over…” He groaned, holding onto his head like his life was over.
"Then maybe you should've asked to become a god."
»»————- ★ ————-««
A/N: I was inspired by many things for this work. First and foremost was The Ones Who Walk Away from Omelas, which references a lot like how the boy lived in the cellar of the largest house, what his whining sounded like, and the strangers that came to visit him. I definitely kept the descriptions much tamer, but nevertheless hoped to convey the rules of Omelas. I was also inspired by parts of Dororo and Tower of God, the former with the inability to stand his own voice and the latter with Jungkook’s explosive anger and possessiveness. Hope you enjoyed!
