back to you
back to you
xiuhan
pg; 5.2k
Luhan expects to find adventures in the forest outside his aunt and uncle's house. He finds Minseok; girl!minseok
-originally written for sncj_reversebb and posted here
Luhan has never lived anywhere outside of the city before. In fact, he's never even lived outside of London before. He's used to cars and noise and people. He's used to cobblestone streets and paving stones, not all this open space and grass.
Amazed by the rolling hills of green outside the car window, Luhan presses his face up against the glass, leaving a smudge from the tip of his nose. There's a light rain falling and droplets of water are gathering on the ends of every blade of grass. The mist of the rain casts a dreamy glaze over the road; the colours of flora and fauna blend together in indistinguishable patches of green and brown.
He winches down the window, peeking over the top and waving at a farmer pushing a wheelbarrow through his fields. "Do you think he keeps goats?"
His uncle glances over, smiling. "Make sure not to lose your nose, kid."
❧
His aunt and uncle's house is a mid-sized farmhouse a little ways from the road. They used to keep cows and pigs in the shed and grow vegetables in the fields. But with the aches and pains of old age, they've scaled back the farm. Where there used to be pastures of livestock, there are only a few cows and a chicken coop. The fields of vegetables have been cut back to only one.
But to Luhan everything looks exciting.
Luhan unpacks his bag in little under a minute. He empties his backpack on the bed and stacks his books on top of the small pile of summer homework. He doesn't want to think about homework yet. And why should he? He has all summer to work on it. Impatiently, he pushes the trunk of his clothes underneath the bed. It sticks out a bit and he kicks it gently, trying to make sure that it isn't visible.
Grabbing a compass and a small notebook, he rushes downstairs. The empty backpack drags behind him on the old wooden stairs and each of his steps is followed by the thump of the canvas on the floor.
"I'm done packing. Can I go out now?" He stuffs the things he's carrying into the rucksack, swaying back and forth as he waits for permission.
His aunt looks up from the tuna sandwich she's making. She peers through the window at the rainclouds. "In this weather?" She wipes her hands on her apron. "I thought you'd want to eat first."
Luhan rubs his stomach. He can feel the beginnings of a hungry rumble growing, and he bites his lip. His mouth waters a bit when he looks at the sandwich. "Can I take it with me?"
❧
Half a sandwich and an apple safely stored in his backpack, Luhan scampers across the yard. His sneakers darken with rain, but he barely notices the dampness of his socks. The only thing in his mind is being outside. Characters in his books always have adventures, and for the first time in his life, he'll get to have his own adventure too.
Maybe he'll meet a troll or a dragon. He'd like to see an alien, but really he'll settle for finding a witch. In the books there's always an old cabin in the woods where an evil old woman lives, and the smoke from her cottage curls up over top of the trees... Luhan looks up, trying to see if he can see past the canopy of trees.
And he trips.
"Ah!" The wet moss ground is soaking his shorts, and he quickly scrambles to his feet. His knees are a bit scraped, but other than a bit of mud he's untouched. Wrinkling his nose, he turns to eye the root that he tripped over. Angrily he kicks it with the tip of his muddy sneaker. He never tripped over roots in the city.
( Because there aren't many trees in the city. )
There's a small gasp and a girl's voice says, "That's not very nice."
Luhan starts at the voice, nearly falling over for a second time. He looks around, trying to find out where it came from.
"W-who's there?"
Maybe it's a tree sprite. Luhan heard that they like living in forests like these. He's seen woodcut illustrations of wood sprites in his Greek mythology book. He's expecting a woman with green skin with a dress made of leaves. Maybe flowers blooming in her hair.
But instead a small girl who looks about his age pops out from behind a tree.
Her hair is a vivid pink and she's glaring at Luhan.
"I'm Minseok. And you're not very nice."
Blushing at the accusation, Luhan stutters, "S-sorry. I didn't mean to- It's just I was angry and..." He trails off helplessly, cowering under her gaze.
The little girl stares at him for a long moment, thinking hard about what he said before breaking out into a shy smile. "It's okay. As long as you're sorry."
"I am." Luhan bobs his head, looking up at the tree. There are pink flowers scattered throughout the boughs of the tree, raindrops peppering the delicate petals. He reaches out to stroke the trunk, as if he could soothe the tree's hurt feelings.
"It's a crabapple tree." She informs him, standing next to him. "Usually they don't bloom this late but it's been cold this year."
"Oh." Luhan doesn't know much about trees. There aren't many trees where he lives and the ones that are there are surrounded by little iron fences and stone walls. His mother doesn't like him to get to close to them because dogs like to pee on them.
"Wanna play cops and robbers?" Minseok grins. She dances away nimbly, adding. "I wanna be the robber."
Luhan knows more about cops and robbers than trees. Brightening up at the change in subject, he beams. "Okay. I'll be the cop."
❧
That night Luhan tells his aunt and uncle about the strange girl he met in the woods. He makes large gestures with his hands as he tries to tell the story and he's completely oblivious of the half eaten food clearly visible in his mouth.
"She was just standing there! In the woods!" The wicker chair rocks underneath him; he can barely keep himself from jumping out of the chair in his excitement.
His aunt looks at him with the patient tolerance that adults are expected to give children. Bending down, she plucks up Luhan's fallen napkin, gives it a few hard shakes, and returns it to the table. A little bit of dirt never hurt anyone.
Luhan's uncle leans over the table, a mischievous glint in his eye. "You know the woods round here are haunted, right? Must'a been a ghost you seen." The soft way he whispers the words make it sound even more mysterious.
Spellbound, Luhan gasps and some mashed potatoes falls from between his lips. His aunt wrinkles her nose and pushes a bowl of beetroots across the tables. "Don't forget to eat your greens."
❧
A lot of people say that the countryside is quiet.
But if you listen, the countryside is just as noisy. The rustles of the branches and the calls of animals form their own kind of static. The hum of cars gives way to the chirping of cicadas. It's a strange symphony of rural living.
Luhan lays awake in bed for a long time. The creaking of the house at night sounds unfamiliar. He's not used to the groans of an old house settling and the wind blows branches against the glass panes of his window. His uncle said that the forest is haunted and he can believe it. The distant baying of wolves sends a chill up his spine. Pulling the quilt back, Luhan slips out of bed and looks out over the fields.
The stars are brighter than they are in the city and Luhan can see all the constellations that he's only seen in picture books. There's the big dipper, and Orion's belt and...
He leans his elbows against the windowsill. Under the light of the moon the forest looks even more magical than it did during the day, but it somehow he can't find it in him to be scared. He thinks of the young girl with pink hair whom he met earlier, a smile spreading across his face.
❧
"Are you a ghost?"
Even though the weather's clear, the sunlight can't break through the canopy of leaves. Patches of light dance over the damp moss and the smell of earth is everywhere. A few spindly white mushrooms poke through the undergrowth.
Minseok blinks, giggling at the sudden question. "Don't be silly. I'm real, aren't I?" She skips closer, grabbing one of Luhan's hands between hers. Her hands are much smaller than his and her skin is warm. "Can ghosts do this?" Her eyes crinkle with her wide smile.
He blushes, looking down at the ground. Disappointed at being proved wrong, he mumbles. "My uncle said the woods are haunted. He said there's ghosts round here." It seems silly after he says it aloud.
Minseok's eyes gleam as she picks up on tremble in Luhan's voice. "Oh, but there are ghosts around here."
She tugs Luhan to a small circle of stones, her voice dropping to a whisper. "You see, one day there was a little boy walking through the woods. And he happened to meet a girl..."
❧
Luhan gets Minseok to walk him back to the house that evening, his hand clutching desperately at the girl's. His eyes are wide and there's a tremble in his step as they carefully pick their way through the web of roots.
"Are you sure that there's a ghost who haunts children who've kicked trees..." Luhan glances around nervously, nearly bumping into Minseok's back when she stops. "It seems a little... farfetched."
Minseok smiles mischievously, "That's what the last boy said. You know what happened to him?" She turns to meet Luhan's terrified gaze, pinning him with a serious look. "He turned to stone."
A heavy silence hangs between them and Luhan's all too aware of the chill wind. He's waiting for Minseok to laugh or admit that she's joking, but she just keeps staring at him.
Something rustles in the bushes.
Luhan screams and Minseok bursts into laughter.
( But after he stops screaming she hugs him. Smiling, she tells him that the other boy turned to stone because he forgot to say sorry.
"It's important to apologize when you do something wrong," Minseok tells him. And Luhan nods, hanging on every word. )
❧
That night Luhan tells his aunt and uncle about the story of the ghost in the forest. His uncle nods seriously, stroking his beard as he adds a few more embellishments to Minseok's story.
"He was a friend of mine, you know. But he didn't turn all to stone...he could still walk. And even now in those woods sometimes you still hear the clump of his stone legs walking through the forest--"
Luhan's eyes are as large as saucers.
And then his aunt interrupts, "You do not. Stop scaring the poor boy." She gives Luhan a small smile. "Would you like a piece of coffeecake?"
He nods and the terrors of ghosts are forgotten in the excitement of cake.
❧
Luhan never has trouble finding Minseok. All he has to do is walk into the forest and she appears from behind a bush, grinning and eagerly suggesting a new game for them to play. Sometimes it's something he's heard of and sometimes it's something he hasn't.
"Do you know how to climb a tree?" is what she asks today and Luhan shakes his head.
"I can't. I'm scared of heights." He wrings his hands nervously. He looks at the trees around them, but they look even taller than they did yesterday.
"Oh." Minseok blinks, staring at him in surprise.
He's expecting her to tease him, but instead she shrugs.
"That's okay." She smiles, her hand reaching out for his and holding it tightly. "I found some berry bushes. Want to see?"
Luhan relaxes, nodding his head enthusiastically. "Yeah. That sounds like fun."
❧
On Sunday, his aunt catches him before he can rush out the door.
"Not today."
"But auntie..." Luhan whines, trying to wrestle out of her grip.
She gives him a withering look. "Don't you have summer homework to do? Your parents asked us to look after you, and I am not going to let you fall into bad habits while you're staying in this house."
He continues to beg, but no amount of whining or cajoling moves her. Luhan slinks upstairs, belly flopping on his bed. He pulls his notebook out of the pile on his bedside table, dutifully writing the date in before starting on his first journal entry.
I was walking in the woods when I met a ghost...
❧
The next day Luhan doesn't even make it to the forest before Minseok appears. The bottom of her jumper is dirty with mud and there are twigs caught in her hair.
"Where were you yesterday?" She frowns, her brows drawing in tightly. For a moment Luhan remembers the day they first met.
"I had to do homework." Luhan pokes at her wrinkled nose and Minseok blinks as she flinches backwards.
"Homework?" This time the knot of her brows is from confusion instead of anger.
"You don't have homework?" He's never heard of a school that didn't have homework before. Maybe things are different in the country.
She shakes her head, confused. A leaf falls out from the motion and gently floats to the ground.
"Wow, I wish I went to your school." He lets out a low whistle of envy.
Shrugging it off, she grabs Luhan's arm and tugs him excitedly towards the trees. "Luhan, quick! I want to show you the frog pond I found yesterday!"
❧
The frog pond is full of tadpoles and mosquitoes. Minseok points things out to him as the hem of her skirt drags in the muddy waters.
Luhan arrives home with a tadpole cupped between his hands and begrudgingly, his aunt says that he can keep it in a glass vase until it gets too big to keep in the house. As long as he takes a bath and washes with a healthy amount of soap.
Luhan thinks he's getting the worse end of the bargain, but he agrees.
❧
"I think I'm going to name him Squirmy." He leans against a rock, running his hand over the grass.
Minseok giggles, finding a thick blade of grass and picking it. "Squirmy isn't a name." Her dress is pushed up above her knees and her legs are marred with dirt and scrapes.
"It can be if I want it to be." Luhan insists stubbornly.
The cat he had as a kid had been named fluffy. But the tadpole doesn't have any fur.
So squirmy it is.
Minseok holds the grass in her hands, and when she blows on the blade it makes a piercing whistle sound. "Okay." She drops the grass, looking for a thicker piece. "Can I rename you too, then?"
"But I've already got a name!" Luhan protests.
"You got to name the tadpole, so I want to name you." Minseok hums, combing through the grass. "What about Rover?"
"You can't give me a dog name!" Luhan grabs a handful of grass and throws it at her. The green strands flutter in the wind and scatter over the ground.
"I didn't know that names were so hard." Minseok sighs, flopping backwards and staring up at the flickering rays of sunlight cutting through the trees. "Hannie then? 'Cause your name is Luhan."
It still isn't the kind of name he wanted, but at least it's much better than Rover. "Then I'll call you Seokkie. Since your name is Minseok."
She smiles, "Minseok's not my real name though." She holds her hands up, wriggling her fingers in the snatches of sun.
"What is it then?" He picks some longer pieces of grass and tries to braid them together.
"Malus." She whispers.
His fingers still. Something catches in Luhan's throat and he swallows. "What's that mean?" The half braided grass is left on the ground, forgotten.
Minseok rolls over, propping her head up on the heel of her hand with a shrug. "It doesn't have to mean anything. It's just a name."
"I like Minseok better." Luhan insists. His fingers dig into the soft soil.
Falling back down against the ground, she holds up a hand to block the sunlight from her eyes. "Me too."
❧
He says goodnight to Squirmy before he turns the lights off that evening.
Squirmy doesn't say anything back.
❧
One day they run out of sugar. His aunt gets down the sugar bowl for her tea and there's only one cube left. She looks at it, sighing to herself.
Luhan looks over at her, munching on a piece of toast smeared with a little bit of jam. "Can't you just get more?"
She puts the cube into her tea and watches it dissolve. "No, I can't."
"Why not?" There's strawberry smeared in the corner of his lips and his feet are dangling over the edge of the chair. "Can't you go to the store? We always get sugar from the shop on the corner."
His aunt smiles sadly, reaching over to ruffle his hair. "I can't get more sugar until next month. Every family only gets a little bit of sugar every month and we've already used ours up."
Luhan doesn't really understand, but he nods. Maybe it has to do with the paper books that his mother used to bring to the grocer.
❧
Later that week they run out of jam and Luhan has to eat his bread plain.
❧
"Hey Minseok," Luhan asks, sitting against a rock. "Do you ever wonder why people fight?" The knees of his khakis are stained with grass. The beginnings of a small hole stretches over his knee and Luhan picks at it absentmindedly.
Minseok leans against a tree, running her hands along the trunk. "Fight? You mean like a duel or something?" Her eyebrows draw together as she tries to remember if she's seen anyone fighting before.
"No. I mean... bigger than that."
Minseok shakes her head, looking worried. "I don't know." She sits down next to Luhan and their hands quickly find each other, their fingers linking together as they draw some comfort by being in each other's presence.
"I don't get grown ups," mumbles Luhan. The mid-afternoon sun and a full stomach are making him sleepy. His eyes flutter closed and his head leans onto Minseok's shoulder as he drifts to sleep.
"Then don't grow up." She whispers into his hair. The forest around them relaxes with a sigh and the leaves rustle in the soft lullaby of a midsummer evening.
❧
The phone rings as they're eating dinner that night. His uncle leaves his napkin on the table and rushes to get the phone. His boots clump over the floor and he smiles as he hears the voice on the other end. But the smile soon slips from his face.
"What? You're coming to get him? But the war isn't--"
Luhan looks up eagerly. "Is it mom and dad?"
His uncle smiles tightly, nodding before stepping out into the hallway. The long cord of the telephone snakes around the corner.
When Luhan turns to his aunt, her face is tense and her mouth is set in a grim line. "Don't forget to eat your greens," she says, attempting a smile as she pushes a plate of boiled cabbage towards him. Her fingers tremble against the porcelain.
Luhan obediently takes some, chewing the leaves slowly and wondering why they don't taste like anything.
❧
Squirmy is getting a little bigger now. Legs are starting to sprout out of the back of his body. Excited, Luhan transfers it to a jar and carries it to the forest. When Luhan shows Minseok she nods approvingly.
"What are you going to do when he gets too big to keep in there?"
Luhan hadn't really thought about it. "Maybe I'll get a tank for him. Or keep him in my pocket like a familiar."
"A what?" Minseok picks at the fraying hem of her dress. All of her dresses look similar; all of them are pink with muddied hems. But this one also has two pockets sewn messily to the front.
Luhan always gets a little excited when he finds something that Minseok doesn't know about. He likes telling her about his homework and magical things he's read about in books the best. "It's what you call a witch's pet. But most witches keep cats I guess."
Minseok gasps, covering her mouth with her hands. "Are you a witch?"
"I could be maybe. If I had a familiar." Luhan wasn't really sure which came first: magical abilities or a magical pet.
❧
After dinner the next night, his uncle and aunt call Luhan back down to the kitchen after he's already gotten ready for bed. He holds the railing tightly as he goes down the stairs so he won't slip on the ends of his flannel pajama pants.
Even at night the kitchen is well lit. The fire in the hearth casts a warm yellow light over the walls and the shadows flicker with the rise and fall of the flames. They wait until Luhan sits at the table to speak.
"You're going to be leaving here soon, Luhan," says his uncle. His expression is curiously blank, like he doesn't think it's a good idea but he can't find any reason to complain.
Luhan swings his legs back and forth, sitting on his hands to keep them warm. "Am I going back to London with Mom and Dad?"
His aunt stands behind his uncle, resting her hand on his shoulder. "No, your parents are planning on moving to America. Your uncle will drive you up to the train station and then you'll be taking a boat over."
America. He read a book about America before. There aren't any tigers there, but there are mountain lions and Luhan supposes that those are just as good.
"Are they taking me with them?"
They smile kindly, "Of course. You'll be living with your parents again. Isn't that wonderful?"
It's wonderful. But being able to take Minseok along would be even more wonderful.
❧
"Have you ever been to America?" Luhan tugs up the ends of his shorts as he wades deeper into the pond. Minseok told him that she saw a turtle in the pond and he wants to see it too.
Minseok peers into the murky pond water, giggling at the fish swimming around her legs. Her skirt is tied up behind her back, but the hem is still trailing in the water. "What's America?"
Frowning, Luhan tucks in the trailing end, rolling the dirty fabric safely into the knot at her back. Then he remembers her question. "It's another country. Bigger than England. Lots bigger!"
That gets Minseok's attention, and she looks up in amazement. "Bigger?" She reaches up to push a strand of pink hair behind her ear and leaves a smear on her cheek in the process.
Luhan smiles and he rubs a finger over her cheek in an attempt to wipe off the mud. But his fingers are dirty and he only succeeds in spreading the smudge across her face. "Do you want to come with me?"
There are so many places that they could explore together! There would be snakes and bears and...
Minseok bites her lip, her whole body trembling with the thought of leaving the forest. "I can't..." She mumbles, looking back down into the pond. The lily pads drift gently in the ripples of the water; their wide pink flowers trapping water between the petals.
"Oh." Luhan drops his hand to his side. One of the legs of his shorts is getting wet in the pond water and he pushes it up higher. "I'll write you then! But I don't know your address so I'll have to send them to Aunt and Uncle's and you can pick them up there."
Minseok nods, shy. "Promise?" She peers up at Luhan, the beginnings of a smile on her lips. She holds out her pinky and Luhan locks pinkies with her.
"Mhmm! I have to tell you all about America!"
The leg of his shorts falls back into the pond, but this time he doesn't notice.
❧
The days before Luhan's departure pass by more quickly than he expects them to. There isn't much that he needs to pack so he spends every free moment with Minseok in the woods. They comb over their favourite paths and hiding spots. They play cops and robbers and this time Minseok lets Luhan be the robber.
A place that used to feel strange and haunted to him has become so familiar that he barely needs to look where he's going. He doesn't trip over roots anymore.
Minseok covers her face against the bark of an old birch, counting down while Luhan goes to hide. Every so often he peeks over his shoulder to check that she isn't cheating.
He follows stones along a stream, careful not to step on any of the moss-covered ones. He jumps over the small flat stone that Minseok said is the home of several slugs and sidesteps over a log. There's a small cave near the end of the stream that he usually hides in. Usually he crouches near the entrance of the cave and tries to hide in the gloom of the bushes there.
But not this time. Sneaking a glance back at Minseok to make sure that she isn't coming yet, he bypasses the cave and starts to climb the tree next to it.
Don't look down, he reminds himself as he wraps his arms around the bough, pulling himself just above Minseok's eye level and hiding himself behind the branches.
He has to clamp his lips shut to keep himself from answering when he hears Minseok's voice calling through the woods. "Hannie?" She hops along the stones, barely giving the tree a second glance as she makes her way to the cave.
He puts his hand over his mouth to muffle his laughter.
( But some laughter still manages to leak through his fingers and it's not long before Minseok finds him. And then she helps him out of the tree, holding his waist as he tries to shimmy down the trunk with his eyes squeezed shut. )
❧
"Luhan, you can't take that with you."
His aunt eyes the jar disapprovingly and Luhan draws to his full height, cheeks pink with anger. "It's not an it. He has a name!"
Her expression softens and she tucks the tea towel into the band of her apron, leaning against the doorframe. "Still. I don't think he'll like the trip to America. He'll have to stay in the jar the whole way."
Eyebrows drawing up steeply, Luhan frowns. He doesn't want to give up Squirmy, but he doesn't want to make him suffer either.
"But he's going to be my familiar." Luhan's shoulders slump as he eyes the tadpole.
His aunt sighs, "We could keep him for you. Your uncle's got a small pond at the side of the house. We used to keep goldfish in it, maybe he could..."
The frog looks up at him and Luhan nods, pushing the jar into her hands. "Take care of him."
❧
The night before Luhan leaves, he dreams of a big field. There are light pink flowers scattered over the ground and the wisps of grass dance with the wind. It looks like the fields near the forest, but here the ground isn't soft and there aren't any clouds in the sky. The sun never seems this bright in London.
Minseok stands in front of him. For once her dress is free of stains and her hands reach for his as he gets closer.
She smiles playfully, tossing her head. "Are you scared?"
He doesn't know what she's talking about, but he finds himself nodding.
Minseok grins and Luhan can see her gums. "Don't worry, I'll keep you safe."
And when she says it, Luhan believes that she really will look after him forever.
"Are you a guardian angel?" But he's never seen Minseok with wings before. Maybe angels on earth have to keep their wings hidden.
She holds a finger to her lips, sunlight making her skin glow.
"Something like that."
❧
The next morning is sunny and clear. The wind ripples through the grass and Minseok has to hold down the skirt of her dress as she watches Luhan's bag being lifted in the back of the car. Luhan's already said his goodbyes to his aunt and he has a warm scone wrapped in a napkin stored in his backpack. His uncle is waiting in the driver's seat. All that's left is Minseok.
He clears his throat, holding onto the straps of his backpack. "I have to go now."
Minseok nods. "I know." Her voice isn't happy or sad; she's simply stating a fact.
He licks his lips worriedly. "Will I see you again?"
She laughs and a gust of wind blows her hair forward. "Of course." She reaches out, her small fingers curling around Luhan's as she squeezes his hand. "Whenever you decide to come back, I'll be here."
"Even if I'm old?" When you're young even a year seems like a long time. He can't imagine life past a few months, but something tells him that Minseok will never be far from him.
She nods and the puff of pink hair blows up again in the wind. "Forever." She leans forward, whispering the word against his cheek before kissing him softly. Her lips are gentle on his skin and there's a small shiver that runs through him.
Cheeks slightly flushed, Luhan squares his shoulders and bites his lip in resolve. "Then I won't say goodbye."
Goodbyes are sad. Goodbyes are forever. It's not something that he wants to say out loud.
Giggling, Minseok nods her agreement. "Till then?" she suggests with a slight cock of her head.
That sounds better.
"Till then." He squeezes her hand before letting it go. His hand feels cold and empty, but he clenches his fingers into a fist before he has too much time to think about it. Climbing into the car and tucking his backpack between his legs, he closes the door.
The car rocks over the bumps of the road and Luhan leans out the window, waving as Minseok disappears into the distance. She smiles, waving back and beaming. Her hair and dress are whipping back and forth, making her a blur of pink. He keeps watching, trying to remember everything about this moment. He wants to remember the stale smell of the leather seats. He wants to remember the warmth that he felt when Minseok kissed his cheek. He wants to remember the way the wind sounds as it blows through the open window.
The car goes around a bend and his last glimpse of Minseok is a cluster of crab apple blossoms blowing in the wind.
A/N: Written in two days without a beta... /nervous laughter/ Also yes Minseok is supposed to be a crabapple tree spirit in case you were wondering hehe. c: But if you want to think of her as just a little girl who loves nature, then that's fine too~
xiuhan
pg; 5.2k
Luhan expects to find adventures in the forest outside his aunt and uncle's house. He finds Minseok; girl!minseok
-originally written for sncj_reversebb and posted here
Luhan has never lived anywhere outside of the city before. In fact, he's never even lived outside of London before. He's used to cars and noise and people. He's used to cobblestone streets and paving stones, not all this open space and grass.
Amazed by the rolling hills of green outside the car window, Luhan presses his face up against the glass, leaving a smudge from the tip of his nose. There's a light rain falling and droplets of water are gathering on the ends of every blade of grass. The mist of the rain casts a dreamy glaze over the road; the colours of flora and fauna blend together in indistinguishable patches of green and brown.
He winches down the window, peeking over the top and waving at a farmer pushing a wheelbarrow through his fields. "Do you think he keeps goats?"
His uncle glances over, smiling. "Make sure not to lose your nose, kid."
❧
His aunt and uncle's house is a mid-sized farmhouse a little ways from the road. They used to keep cows and pigs in the shed and grow vegetables in the fields. But with the aches and pains of old age, they've scaled back the farm. Where there used to be pastures of livestock, there are only a few cows and a chicken coop. The fields of vegetables have been cut back to only one.
But to Luhan everything looks exciting.
Luhan unpacks his bag in little under a minute. He empties his backpack on the bed and stacks his books on top of the small pile of summer homework. He doesn't want to think about homework yet. And why should he? He has all summer to work on it. Impatiently, he pushes the trunk of his clothes underneath the bed. It sticks out a bit and he kicks it gently, trying to make sure that it isn't visible.
Grabbing a compass and a small notebook, he rushes downstairs. The empty backpack drags behind him on the old wooden stairs and each of his steps is followed by the thump of the canvas on the floor.
"I'm done packing. Can I go out now?" He stuffs the things he's carrying into the rucksack, swaying back and forth as he waits for permission.
His aunt looks up from the tuna sandwich she's making. She peers through the window at the rainclouds. "In this weather?" She wipes her hands on her apron. "I thought you'd want to eat first."
Luhan rubs his stomach. He can feel the beginnings of a hungry rumble growing, and he bites his lip. His mouth waters a bit when he looks at the sandwich. "Can I take it with me?"
❧
Half a sandwich and an apple safely stored in his backpack, Luhan scampers across the yard. His sneakers darken with rain, but he barely notices the dampness of his socks. The only thing in his mind is being outside. Characters in his books always have adventures, and for the first time in his life, he'll get to have his own adventure too.
Maybe he'll meet a troll or a dragon. He'd like to see an alien, but really he'll settle for finding a witch. In the books there's always an old cabin in the woods where an evil old woman lives, and the smoke from her cottage curls up over top of the trees... Luhan looks up, trying to see if he can see past the canopy of trees.
And he trips.
"Ah!" The wet moss ground is soaking his shorts, and he quickly scrambles to his feet. His knees are a bit scraped, but other than a bit of mud he's untouched. Wrinkling his nose, he turns to eye the root that he tripped over. Angrily he kicks it with the tip of his muddy sneaker. He never tripped over roots in the city.
( Because there aren't many trees in the city. )
There's a small gasp and a girl's voice says, "That's not very nice."
Luhan starts at the voice, nearly falling over for a second time. He looks around, trying to find out where it came from.
"W-who's there?"
Maybe it's a tree sprite. Luhan heard that they like living in forests like these. He's seen woodcut illustrations of wood sprites in his Greek mythology book. He's expecting a woman with green skin with a dress made of leaves. Maybe flowers blooming in her hair.
But instead a small girl who looks about his age pops out from behind a tree.
Her hair is a vivid pink and she's glaring at Luhan.
"I'm Minseok. And you're not very nice."
Blushing at the accusation, Luhan stutters, "S-sorry. I didn't mean to- It's just I was angry and..." He trails off helplessly, cowering under her gaze.
The little girl stares at him for a long moment, thinking hard about what he said before breaking out into a shy smile. "It's okay. As long as you're sorry."
"I am." Luhan bobs his head, looking up at the tree. There are pink flowers scattered throughout the boughs of the tree, raindrops peppering the delicate petals. He reaches out to stroke the trunk, as if he could soothe the tree's hurt feelings.
"It's a crabapple tree." She informs him, standing next to him. "Usually they don't bloom this late but it's been cold this year."
"Oh." Luhan doesn't know much about trees. There aren't many trees where he lives and the ones that are there are surrounded by little iron fences and stone walls. His mother doesn't like him to get to close to them because dogs like to pee on them.
"Wanna play cops and robbers?" Minseok grins. She dances away nimbly, adding. "I wanna be the robber."
Luhan knows more about cops and robbers than trees. Brightening up at the change in subject, he beams. "Okay. I'll be the cop."
❧
That night Luhan tells his aunt and uncle about the strange girl he met in the woods. He makes large gestures with his hands as he tries to tell the story and he's completely oblivious of the half eaten food clearly visible in his mouth.
"She was just standing there! In the woods!" The wicker chair rocks underneath him; he can barely keep himself from jumping out of the chair in his excitement.
His aunt looks at him with the patient tolerance that adults are expected to give children. Bending down, she plucks up Luhan's fallen napkin, gives it a few hard shakes, and returns it to the table. A little bit of dirt never hurt anyone.
Luhan's uncle leans over the table, a mischievous glint in his eye. "You know the woods round here are haunted, right? Must'a been a ghost you seen." The soft way he whispers the words make it sound even more mysterious.
Spellbound, Luhan gasps and some mashed potatoes falls from between his lips. His aunt wrinkles her nose and pushes a bowl of beetroots across the tables. "Don't forget to eat your greens."
❧
A lot of people say that the countryside is quiet.
But if you listen, the countryside is just as noisy. The rustles of the branches and the calls of animals form their own kind of static. The hum of cars gives way to the chirping of cicadas. It's a strange symphony of rural living.
Luhan lays awake in bed for a long time. The creaking of the house at night sounds unfamiliar. He's not used to the groans of an old house settling and the wind blows branches against the glass panes of his window. His uncle said that the forest is haunted and he can believe it. The distant baying of wolves sends a chill up his spine. Pulling the quilt back, Luhan slips out of bed and looks out over the fields.
The stars are brighter than they are in the city and Luhan can see all the constellations that he's only seen in picture books. There's the big dipper, and Orion's belt and...
He leans his elbows against the windowsill. Under the light of the moon the forest looks even more magical than it did during the day, but it somehow he can't find it in him to be scared. He thinks of the young girl with pink hair whom he met earlier, a smile spreading across his face.
❧
"Are you a ghost?"
Even though the weather's clear, the sunlight can't break through the canopy of leaves. Patches of light dance over the damp moss and the smell of earth is everywhere. A few spindly white mushrooms poke through the undergrowth.
Minseok blinks, giggling at the sudden question. "Don't be silly. I'm real, aren't I?" She skips closer, grabbing one of Luhan's hands between hers. Her hands are much smaller than his and her skin is warm. "Can ghosts do this?" Her eyes crinkle with her wide smile.
He blushes, looking down at the ground. Disappointed at being proved wrong, he mumbles. "My uncle said the woods are haunted. He said there's ghosts round here." It seems silly after he says it aloud.
Minseok's eyes gleam as she picks up on tremble in Luhan's voice. "Oh, but there are ghosts around here."
She tugs Luhan to a small circle of stones, her voice dropping to a whisper. "You see, one day there was a little boy walking through the woods. And he happened to meet a girl..."
❧
Luhan gets Minseok to walk him back to the house that evening, his hand clutching desperately at the girl's. His eyes are wide and there's a tremble in his step as they carefully pick their way through the web of roots.
"Are you sure that there's a ghost who haunts children who've kicked trees..." Luhan glances around nervously, nearly bumping into Minseok's back when she stops. "It seems a little... farfetched."
Minseok smiles mischievously, "That's what the last boy said. You know what happened to him?" She turns to meet Luhan's terrified gaze, pinning him with a serious look. "He turned to stone."
A heavy silence hangs between them and Luhan's all too aware of the chill wind. He's waiting for Minseok to laugh or admit that she's joking, but she just keeps staring at him.
Something rustles in the bushes.
Luhan screams and Minseok bursts into laughter.
( But after he stops screaming she hugs him. Smiling, she tells him that the other boy turned to stone because he forgot to say sorry.
"It's important to apologize when you do something wrong," Minseok tells him. And Luhan nods, hanging on every word. )
❧
That night Luhan tells his aunt and uncle about the story of the ghost in the forest. His uncle nods seriously, stroking his beard as he adds a few more embellishments to Minseok's story.
"He was a friend of mine, you know. But he didn't turn all to stone...he could still walk. And even now in those woods sometimes you still hear the clump of his stone legs walking through the forest--"
Luhan's eyes are as large as saucers.
And then his aunt interrupts, "You do not. Stop scaring the poor boy." She gives Luhan a small smile. "Would you like a piece of coffeecake?"
He nods and the terrors of ghosts are forgotten in the excitement of cake.
❧
Luhan never has trouble finding Minseok. All he has to do is walk into the forest and she appears from behind a bush, grinning and eagerly suggesting a new game for them to play. Sometimes it's something he's heard of and sometimes it's something he hasn't.
"Do you know how to climb a tree?" is what she asks today and Luhan shakes his head.
"I can't. I'm scared of heights." He wrings his hands nervously. He looks at the trees around them, but they look even taller than they did yesterday.
"Oh." Minseok blinks, staring at him in surprise.
He's expecting her to tease him, but instead she shrugs.
"That's okay." She smiles, her hand reaching out for his and holding it tightly. "I found some berry bushes. Want to see?"
Luhan relaxes, nodding his head enthusiastically. "Yeah. That sounds like fun."
❧
On Sunday, his aunt catches him before he can rush out the door.
"Not today."
"But auntie..." Luhan whines, trying to wrestle out of her grip.
She gives him a withering look. "Don't you have summer homework to do? Your parents asked us to look after you, and I am not going to let you fall into bad habits while you're staying in this house."
He continues to beg, but no amount of whining or cajoling moves her. Luhan slinks upstairs, belly flopping on his bed. He pulls his notebook out of the pile on his bedside table, dutifully writing the date in before starting on his first journal entry.
I was walking in the woods when I met a ghost...
❧
The next day Luhan doesn't even make it to the forest before Minseok appears. The bottom of her jumper is dirty with mud and there are twigs caught in her hair.
"Where were you yesterday?" She frowns, her brows drawing in tightly. For a moment Luhan remembers the day they first met.
"I had to do homework." Luhan pokes at her wrinkled nose and Minseok blinks as she flinches backwards.
"Homework?" This time the knot of her brows is from confusion instead of anger.
"You don't have homework?" He's never heard of a school that didn't have homework before. Maybe things are different in the country.
She shakes her head, confused. A leaf falls out from the motion and gently floats to the ground.
"Wow, I wish I went to your school." He lets out a low whistle of envy.
Shrugging it off, she grabs Luhan's arm and tugs him excitedly towards the trees. "Luhan, quick! I want to show you the frog pond I found yesterday!"
❧
The frog pond is full of tadpoles and mosquitoes. Minseok points things out to him as the hem of her skirt drags in the muddy waters.
Luhan arrives home with a tadpole cupped between his hands and begrudgingly, his aunt says that he can keep it in a glass vase until it gets too big to keep in the house. As long as he takes a bath and washes with a healthy amount of soap.
Luhan thinks he's getting the worse end of the bargain, but he agrees.
❧
"I think I'm going to name him Squirmy." He leans against a rock, running his hand over the grass.
Minseok giggles, finding a thick blade of grass and picking it. "Squirmy isn't a name." Her dress is pushed up above her knees and her legs are marred with dirt and scrapes.
"It can be if I want it to be." Luhan insists stubbornly.
The cat he had as a kid had been named fluffy. But the tadpole doesn't have any fur.
So squirmy it is.
Minseok holds the grass in her hands, and when she blows on the blade it makes a piercing whistle sound. "Okay." She drops the grass, looking for a thicker piece. "Can I rename you too, then?"
"But I've already got a name!" Luhan protests.
"You got to name the tadpole, so I want to name you." Minseok hums, combing through the grass. "What about Rover?"
"You can't give me a dog name!" Luhan grabs a handful of grass and throws it at her. The green strands flutter in the wind and scatter over the ground.
"I didn't know that names were so hard." Minseok sighs, flopping backwards and staring up at the flickering rays of sunlight cutting through the trees. "Hannie then? 'Cause your name is Luhan."
It still isn't the kind of name he wanted, but at least it's much better than Rover. "Then I'll call you Seokkie. Since your name is Minseok."
She smiles, "Minseok's not my real name though." She holds her hands up, wriggling her fingers in the snatches of sun.
"What is it then?" He picks some longer pieces of grass and tries to braid them together.
"Malus." She whispers.
His fingers still. Something catches in Luhan's throat and he swallows. "What's that mean?" The half braided grass is left on the ground, forgotten.
Minseok rolls over, propping her head up on the heel of her hand with a shrug. "It doesn't have to mean anything. It's just a name."
"I like Minseok better." Luhan insists. His fingers dig into the soft soil.
Falling back down against the ground, she holds up a hand to block the sunlight from her eyes. "Me too."
❧
He says goodnight to Squirmy before he turns the lights off that evening.
Squirmy doesn't say anything back.
❧
One day they run out of sugar. His aunt gets down the sugar bowl for her tea and there's only one cube left. She looks at it, sighing to herself.
Luhan looks over at her, munching on a piece of toast smeared with a little bit of jam. "Can't you just get more?"
She puts the cube into her tea and watches it dissolve. "No, I can't."
"Why not?" There's strawberry smeared in the corner of his lips and his feet are dangling over the edge of the chair. "Can't you go to the store? We always get sugar from the shop on the corner."
His aunt smiles sadly, reaching over to ruffle his hair. "I can't get more sugar until next month. Every family only gets a little bit of sugar every month and we've already used ours up."
Luhan doesn't really understand, but he nods. Maybe it has to do with the paper books that his mother used to bring to the grocer.
❧
Later that week they run out of jam and Luhan has to eat his bread plain.
❧
"Hey Minseok," Luhan asks, sitting against a rock. "Do you ever wonder why people fight?" The knees of his khakis are stained with grass. The beginnings of a small hole stretches over his knee and Luhan picks at it absentmindedly.
Minseok leans against a tree, running her hands along the trunk. "Fight? You mean like a duel or something?" Her eyebrows draw together as she tries to remember if she's seen anyone fighting before.
"No. I mean... bigger than that."
Minseok shakes her head, looking worried. "I don't know." She sits down next to Luhan and their hands quickly find each other, their fingers linking together as they draw some comfort by being in each other's presence.
"I don't get grown ups," mumbles Luhan. The mid-afternoon sun and a full stomach are making him sleepy. His eyes flutter closed and his head leans onto Minseok's shoulder as he drifts to sleep.
"Then don't grow up." She whispers into his hair. The forest around them relaxes with a sigh and the leaves rustle in the soft lullaby of a midsummer evening.
❧
The phone rings as they're eating dinner that night. His uncle leaves his napkin on the table and rushes to get the phone. His boots clump over the floor and he smiles as he hears the voice on the other end. But the smile soon slips from his face.
"What? You're coming to get him? But the war isn't--"
Luhan looks up eagerly. "Is it mom and dad?"
His uncle smiles tightly, nodding before stepping out into the hallway. The long cord of the telephone snakes around the corner.
When Luhan turns to his aunt, her face is tense and her mouth is set in a grim line. "Don't forget to eat your greens," she says, attempting a smile as she pushes a plate of boiled cabbage towards him. Her fingers tremble against the porcelain.
Luhan obediently takes some, chewing the leaves slowly and wondering why they don't taste like anything.
❧
Squirmy is getting a little bigger now. Legs are starting to sprout out of the back of his body. Excited, Luhan transfers it to a jar and carries it to the forest. When Luhan shows Minseok she nods approvingly.
"What are you going to do when he gets too big to keep in there?"
Luhan hadn't really thought about it. "Maybe I'll get a tank for him. Or keep him in my pocket like a familiar."
"A what?" Minseok picks at the fraying hem of her dress. All of her dresses look similar; all of them are pink with muddied hems. But this one also has two pockets sewn messily to the front.
Luhan always gets a little excited when he finds something that Minseok doesn't know about. He likes telling her about his homework and magical things he's read about in books the best. "It's what you call a witch's pet. But most witches keep cats I guess."
Minseok gasps, covering her mouth with her hands. "Are you a witch?"
"I could be maybe. If I had a familiar." Luhan wasn't really sure which came first: magical abilities or a magical pet.
❧
After dinner the next night, his uncle and aunt call Luhan back down to the kitchen after he's already gotten ready for bed. He holds the railing tightly as he goes down the stairs so he won't slip on the ends of his flannel pajama pants.
Even at night the kitchen is well lit. The fire in the hearth casts a warm yellow light over the walls and the shadows flicker with the rise and fall of the flames. They wait until Luhan sits at the table to speak.
"You're going to be leaving here soon, Luhan," says his uncle. His expression is curiously blank, like he doesn't think it's a good idea but he can't find any reason to complain.
Luhan swings his legs back and forth, sitting on his hands to keep them warm. "Am I going back to London with Mom and Dad?"
His aunt stands behind his uncle, resting her hand on his shoulder. "No, your parents are planning on moving to America. Your uncle will drive you up to the train station and then you'll be taking a boat over."
America. He read a book about America before. There aren't any tigers there, but there are mountain lions and Luhan supposes that those are just as good.
"Are they taking me with them?"
They smile kindly, "Of course. You'll be living with your parents again. Isn't that wonderful?"
It's wonderful. But being able to take Minseok along would be even more wonderful.
❧
"Have you ever been to America?" Luhan tugs up the ends of his shorts as he wades deeper into the pond. Minseok told him that she saw a turtle in the pond and he wants to see it too.
Minseok peers into the murky pond water, giggling at the fish swimming around her legs. Her skirt is tied up behind her back, but the hem is still trailing in the water. "What's America?"
Frowning, Luhan tucks in the trailing end, rolling the dirty fabric safely into the knot at her back. Then he remembers her question. "It's another country. Bigger than England. Lots bigger!"
That gets Minseok's attention, and she looks up in amazement. "Bigger?" She reaches up to push a strand of pink hair behind her ear and leaves a smear on her cheek in the process.
Luhan smiles and he rubs a finger over her cheek in an attempt to wipe off the mud. But his fingers are dirty and he only succeeds in spreading the smudge across her face. "Do you want to come with me?"
There are so many places that they could explore together! There would be snakes and bears and...
Minseok bites her lip, her whole body trembling with the thought of leaving the forest. "I can't..." She mumbles, looking back down into the pond. The lily pads drift gently in the ripples of the water; their wide pink flowers trapping water between the petals.
"Oh." Luhan drops his hand to his side. One of the legs of his shorts is getting wet in the pond water and he pushes it up higher. "I'll write you then! But I don't know your address so I'll have to send them to Aunt and Uncle's and you can pick them up there."
Minseok nods, shy. "Promise?" She peers up at Luhan, the beginnings of a smile on her lips. She holds out her pinky and Luhan locks pinkies with her.
"Mhmm! I have to tell you all about America!"
The leg of his shorts falls back into the pond, but this time he doesn't notice.
❧
The days before Luhan's departure pass by more quickly than he expects them to. There isn't much that he needs to pack so he spends every free moment with Minseok in the woods. They comb over their favourite paths and hiding spots. They play cops and robbers and this time Minseok lets Luhan be the robber.
A place that used to feel strange and haunted to him has become so familiar that he barely needs to look where he's going. He doesn't trip over roots anymore.
Minseok covers her face against the bark of an old birch, counting down while Luhan goes to hide. Every so often he peeks over his shoulder to check that she isn't cheating.
He follows stones along a stream, careful not to step on any of the moss-covered ones. He jumps over the small flat stone that Minseok said is the home of several slugs and sidesteps over a log. There's a small cave near the end of the stream that he usually hides in. Usually he crouches near the entrance of the cave and tries to hide in the gloom of the bushes there.
But not this time. Sneaking a glance back at Minseok to make sure that she isn't coming yet, he bypasses the cave and starts to climb the tree next to it.
Don't look down, he reminds himself as he wraps his arms around the bough, pulling himself just above Minseok's eye level and hiding himself behind the branches.
He has to clamp his lips shut to keep himself from answering when he hears Minseok's voice calling through the woods. "Hannie?" She hops along the stones, barely giving the tree a second glance as she makes her way to the cave.
He puts his hand over his mouth to muffle his laughter.
( But some laughter still manages to leak through his fingers and it's not long before Minseok finds him. And then she helps him out of the tree, holding his waist as he tries to shimmy down the trunk with his eyes squeezed shut. )
❧
"Luhan, you can't take that with you."
His aunt eyes the jar disapprovingly and Luhan draws to his full height, cheeks pink with anger. "It's not an it. He has a name!"
Her expression softens and she tucks the tea towel into the band of her apron, leaning against the doorframe. "Still. I don't think he'll like the trip to America. He'll have to stay in the jar the whole way."
Eyebrows drawing up steeply, Luhan frowns. He doesn't want to give up Squirmy, but he doesn't want to make him suffer either.
"But he's going to be my familiar." Luhan's shoulders slump as he eyes the tadpole.
His aunt sighs, "We could keep him for you. Your uncle's got a small pond at the side of the house. We used to keep goldfish in it, maybe he could..."
The frog looks up at him and Luhan nods, pushing the jar into her hands. "Take care of him."
❧
The night before Luhan leaves, he dreams of a big field. There are light pink flowers scattered over the ground and the wisps of grass dance with the wind. It looks like the fields near the forest, but here the ground isn't soft and there aren't any clouds in the sky. The sun never seems this bright in London.
Minseok stands in front of him. For once her dress is free of stains and her hands reach for his as he gets closer.
She smiles playfully, tossing her head. "Are you scared?"
He doesn't know what she's talking about, but he finds himself nodding.
Minseok grins and Luhan can see her gums. "Don't worry, I'll keep you safe."
And when she says it, Luhan believes that she really will look after him forever.
"Are you a guardian angel?" But he's never seen Minseok with wings before. Maybe angels on earth have to keep their wings hidden.
She holds a finger to her lips, sunlight making her skin glow.
"Something like that."
❧
The next morning is sunny and clear. The wind ripples through the grass and Minseok has to hold down the skirt of her dress as she watches Luhan's bag being lifted in the back of the car. Luhan's already said his goodbyes to his aunt and he has a warm scone wrapped in a napkin stored in his backpack. His uncle is waiting in the driver's seat. All that's left is Minseok.
He clears his throat, holding onto the straps of his backpack. "I have to go now."
Minseok nods. "I know." Her voice isn't happy or sad; she's simply stating a fact.
He licks his lips worriedly. "Will I see you again?"
She laughs and a gust of wind blows her hair forward. "Of course." She reaches out, her small fingers curling around Luhan's as she squeezes his hand. "Whenever you decide to come back, I'll be here."
"Even if I'm old?" When you're young even a year seems like a long time. He can't imagine life past a few months, but something tells him that Minseok will never be far from him.
She nods and the puff of pink hair blows up again in the wind. "Forever." She leans forward, whispering the word against his cheek before kissing him softly. Her lips are gentle on his skin and there's a small shiver that runs through him.
Cheeks slightly flushed, Luhan squares his shoulders and bites his lip in resolve. "Then I won't say goodbye."
Goodbyes are sad. Goodbyes are forever. It's not something that he wants to say out loud.
Giggling, Minseok nods her agreement. "Till then?" she suggests with a slight cock of her head.
That sounds better.
"Till then." He squeezes her hand before letting it go. His hand feels cold and empty, but he clenches his fingers into a fist before he has too much time to think about it. Climbing into the car and tucking his backpack between his legs, he closes the door.
The car rocks over the bumps of the road and Luhan leans out the window, waving as Minseok disappears into the distance. She smiles, waving back and beaming. Her hair and dress are whipping back and forth, making her a blur of pink. He keeps watching, trying to remember everything about this moment. He wants to remember the stale smell of the leather seats. He wants to remember the warmth that he felt when Minseok kissed his cheek. He wants to remember the way the wind sounds as it blows through the open window.
The car goes around a bend and his last glimpse of Minseok is a cluster of crab apple blossoms blowing in the wind.
A/N: Written in two days without a beta... /nervous laughter/ Also yes Minseok is supposed to be a crabapple tree spirit in case you were wondering hehe. c: But if you want to think of her as just a little girl who loves nature, then that's fine too~