It’s the dead of night, their mother has passed out from drinking and the twins are left to themselves for the time being. Getting out of the house is difficult, but for him, whose slipped out many a time it becomes easier. Undoing the rope that ties Saeran’s limbs from one of the kitchen limbs takes time and patience, and a sense of dread fills the elder twin immensely, paranoia brushing at his back, in fear their mother had awoken from her drunken stupor. Chapped lips are held in a straight, firm line as he works diligently and eventually the ropes are undone and his brother is free for the time being.
Slowly raising to his feet, Saeyoung helps Saeran up, who sways due to the lack of food and nutrition. It angers him immensely, but he swallows it, trying to sound as calm as possible. He notes of the red marks surrounding his brother’s neck,
“You okay? Did she do anything to you while I was out?”
“Y…Yes,” came a meek reply, causing for him to cringe, “s-she demanded where you were, an-and I didn’t know so.”
“Where?”
Wordlessly, Saeran moves his sweater sleeves up, where bruises warp around his arms. It causes Saeyoung to cringe and his stomach drops. They didn’t have any medicine to alleviate the bruises which frustrates him. Luckily, he had a solution for this, a temporary one–– but it was better or nothing.
“When did she do this?”
“…After she woke up after you left,” Saeran begins to move his sleeves down to cover the bruising again, “I…I tried to s-stop her bu..but…” Tears begin to form in the corner his eyes, he can see the tremble of his lips. “I…I missed you Saeyoung.”
Bringing his brother in a hug, he keeps a firm hold on him. “I’m sorry I wasn’t there to protect you.” He then pulls away, then tugs at his brother’s wrist, “we’re going out.”
“W-What?” Saeran’s eyes widen, panic setting in his eyes, “b-but what if she-”
“Just for a little bit.” Saeyoung smiles, “…I’m gonna help you get patched up.”
His brother raises a brow, bemusement settling on his features. “..Are…are we going to the police?”
“No, I’m afraid,” He didn’t have the power to do that after all. Not now anyway, he was way too small – so weak. “We’re gonna go on a little adventure okay? First, gonna get you patched up, then we’re gonna get some sweets.” There were some stores still open 24/7, and the Church he’s been attending always had people there. It was a perfect plan. Saeyoung was prepared for anything, plotting out possible outcomes of their misadventure, and what may lay in wait at home. He’d take responsibility, for everything. This time, he’d protect his brother from harm.
“R-Really?” The dim light in Saeran’s eyes grows brighter, “T…that sounds like a lot of fun…!”
Leading his brother to one of the backdoors, he gives his brother a wider smile. His keys stashed away in his pocket, while some money he’s made (along with some he’s picked from his mother’s wallet) stored carefully away too. Once his brother is outside, he closes the door and the twins run into the streets, the starry sky lighting up their path to unknown.
hyun ryu didn’t want to go home that day. thirteen years old, and he’s sitting on a bench outside of the school, bent over an english copy of shakespeare’s julius caesar. fingers trace along the letters on the pages, mouthing the words, brows furrowed in concentration. hyun knew that when he got home late, it would be horrible for him. he knew he’d be called an ugly, lazy, disrespectful boy. but if he could at least escape for a little while… just… a little while…
a jolt passes through his body when he sees someone stop in front of him, snapping him out of his focus. he sees dress shoes and knee-high socks and the hem of a skirt. then he glances all the way up. it’s a pretty girl, one in his class. what’s her name again…? sunhee kim, right? she stares at him with bright hazel eyes framed by tawny hair and a smile at her lips. hyun is wary, but she doesn’t make to touch him, to invade his space.
“you don’t want to go home?” her voice is nice. hyun doesn’t think he’s really heard her talk before. it’s breezy, gentle, sweet. he shakes his head, slowly, and her hand tightens around the strap of her bag.
“me neither... ah, well… can i sit with you, maybe?”
“su— sure.” he scoots aside to make room, feeling his face heat up when she settles down beside him, peering over at the pages of the book.
“do you know english? i’m trying to learn…”
“yeah. um, a bit. mainly from reading.” god, he must be red as a beet right now. every muscle freezes when sunhee reaches over, but not to touch him. instead, she brushes her fingertip over one of the words on the page. hyun blinks, turns his gaze up to her, where her eyes are focused on the book.
then she glances up to him, snickering quietly. “can you read a little bit to me? if it’s not too much trouble…”
hyun gnaws on the inside of his cheek, wills his muscles to relax, to release the tension in them. but he nods, glances back down to the page while he clears his throat. it comes easily to him, and he wonders just how long they sit there with his voice mixing with trees rustling and birds chirping. it’s when she finally hops off the bench that he stops. it’s late. the sky is painted a vivid orange. she bids him farewell, eyes sparkling all the while, and hyun manages a grin and a wave as she scampers away.
the book is slid into his bag. quietly, he makes his way home.
SHE NEVER WANTS TO HEAR THE WORDS ‘WILD’ OR ‘ANIMAL’ EVER AGAIN IUOAEKJFGSBN SHE’S SITTING THERE LOOKING AT HER PHONE WITH HER HANDS PRESSED TO HER HOT CHEEKS I CA Nt