Hunted [Chapter 22]
…WHO THE HELL IS THIS MAN AND WHAT HAPPENED TO MY CUTE, LITTLE DONGSAENG?
Our walk back to my room is quiet, I’m still looking like a tomato while Daesung has a look of contentment on his face. But my shyness and surprise make place for an uneasy feeling as I look at the people we cross. The people in the corridors give us strange looks, I wonder if they know who we are. It’s not like we’re changed right? I quickly check myself in a window and see that I’m looking normal. Then why are they staring at us? Dae seems to notice the fact that I’m uncomfortable and his expression is now one of worry.
“Hyung, what’s wrong?” He whispers.
“Why are people staring at us?” I ask.
“Oh well, we’re actually quite famous now…” Daesung sees I’m not understanding so he start explaining.
“We were on the news when they rescued us, so most people know who we are and… what we are…” Ah damn, it’s going to make this more awkward and not to mention more difficult. Daesung stops walking, turns around and grabs my hands.
“Hyung, I know this isn’t ideal.” Yeah, that’s an understatement.
“To be honest, the social media has been quite positive about us. A lot of people accept us and support us after they heard the story about ‘that place’…” Dae hands me his cell phone. Wait, where did he get it!? Anyway I read a couple of news items while we walk towards my room.
It’s true, the media, for once, isn’t judging us. Probably because the daughter of a CEO of one of the country’s biggest TV channel is also one of us. There are pictures of us, normal us, with only our first names, stories about others, the story about ‘that place’ and numbers of incidents that show that we aren’t dangerous at all.
On social media people are coming forth, telling the world they are like us as well. People are strangely supportive most of the time. Also a lot of parents are talking about their son or daughter being different and how they deal or dealt with it.
I didn’t hear from my parents however. They should know by now what happened and still… Nothing… If they don’t want to talk to me or even ask if I’m okay, I’m not going to initiate contact either. I’m telling myself not to feel sad or be upset, but if I have to be honest, I am.
“You’re thinking about your parents aren’t you?” Apparently Dae was looking over my shoulder and saw everything I was reading. I can only nod at his question.
“You can call them if you’d like…” Dae suggests. But I shake my head.
“No… I’m not the one that should call…” I mumble. I can hear myself sigh and I look at Daesung, waiting for his reaction. He looks quite sad but seems to understand my feelings.
“It’s not like they are or were worried or anything. None of our parents were! Because if they were, they would’ve gotten us out of there.” Daesung suddenly stops and turns so he’s facing me.
“Mine called…” He whispers. I’d think he’d be happy about that, but he doesn’t look happy at all.
“Remember, they didn’t know about me… So when they saw my face on the news, they called…” He looks me in the eye and continues.
“I’ve told them everything… well, I’ve told my mom… My dad didn’t want to talk to me, he needs time-“
“Wait a second.” I interrupt.
“How could they not know about you? They must’ve signed you up for the tests!” Daesung shakes his head and takes my free hand into his.
“When I was younger, I used to live with my aunt and uncle for a while and they were the ones… My mom already confronted my aunt about it. She was just too scared to tell her…” Dae releases my hand and puts it in his hair, combing it back.
“Look hyung, that’s not the point. My mom knows and is supportive. She told me that if we ever needed anything, we could ask her, all of us!” he smiles, honestly thinking that it’s that easy. But his smiles disappears for a frown and a slightly worried look.
“I’ve also told her about… us…”
“WHAT?!” I nearly yell, but I remember that we’re in a hospital and we’re kind of famous now so I drag Daesung into the nearest concierge room I can find and close the door.
“Are you crazy, you just told her like that, without talking about it first?!” I’m a bit mad at Daesung, it’s not like we’re living in a country that support our kind of relationship.
“Hyung, I-I’m sorry, it just… happened, I wasn’t thinking, I-I’m s-sorry hyung, really sorry!” Dae pleads. It’s hard enough at the moment, I get the fact that he wants to tell his mother, he’s gonna have to at one moment, but now is simply not the time. She was the only one that was supportive of us being different as far as we know and now…
“Hyung, s-she’s really, really okay with it, s-she’s very open minded about stuff like that!” He’s trying to convince me that it’s all good, which is probably true, but that’s not the problem… But being angry at Daesung is not helping at all nor is it something I want to do.
“Fine…” I sign. He’s on the verge of crying, so it’s better to say this in a calm, soft voice.
“But in the future, we talk about stuff like that before you tell anyone, okay?”
“O-of course! I’m sorry hyung!”
“Yeah, I know…” I hug him, trying to make him see I’m not angry anymore.
“Sorry I yelled…” I can feel him nod. I hold him in my arms for a couple of minutes more, then release him.
“Come on, let’s go back to my room.” Again Dae nods, opens the door and we both walk out of the small room. Our walk back is silent, but I can see that Daesung isn’t sad or worried any longer.
When I open the door to my room, I can see 3 pair of eyes, accompanied by 3 mouth that are smiling.
“Hyung!” ”We need to tell you something awesome!!” “You’ll never know what happened!!”
All 3 of them start to yell at the same time.
“Okay guys, one at the time, what’s so great?” I ask. Jiyong steps forward and grabs one of my wrists and well as Dae’s.
“You need to sit down!” And he drags us both towards the bed and makes us sit on the side.
“Ready?”
TBC
A/N: Ah, part two of the chapter. Thanks for all the support again, guys and enjoys (and of course, sorry for the many mistakes that are probably there!)
Our walk back to my room is quiet, I’m still looking like a tomato while Daesung has a look of contentment on his face. But my shyness and surprise make place for an uneasy feeling as I look at the people we cross. The people in the corridors give us strange looks, I wonder if they know who we are. It’s not like we’re changed right? I quickly check myself in a window and see that I’m looking normal. Then why are they staring at us? Dae seems to notice the fact that I’m uncomfortable and his expression is now one of worry.
“Hyung, what’s wrong?” He whispers.
“Why are people staring at us?” I ask.
“Oh well, we’re actually quite famous now…” Daesung sees I’m not understanding so he start explaining.
“We were on the news when they rescued us, so most people know who we are and… what we are…” Ah damn, it’s going to make this more awkward and not to mention more difficult. Daesung stops walking, turns around and grabs my hands.
“Hyung, I know this isn’t ideal.” Yeah, that’s an understatement.
“To be honest, the social media has been quite positive about us. A lot of people accept us and support us after they heard the story about ‘that place’…” Dae hands me his cell phone. Wait, where did he get it!? Anyway I read a couple of news items while we walk towards my room.
It’s true, the media, for once, isn’t judging us. Probably because the daughter of a CEO of one of the country’s biggest TV channel is also one of us. There are pictures of us, normal us, with only our first names, stories about others, the story about ‘that place’ and numbers of incidents that show that we aren’t dangerous at all.
On social media people are coming forth, telling the world they are like us as well. People are strangely supportive most of the time. Also a lot of parents are talking about their son or daughter being different and how they deal or dealt with it.
I didn’t hear from my parents however. They should know by now what happened and still… Nothing… If they don’t want to talk to me or even ask if I’m okay, I’m not going to initiate contact either. I’m telling myself not to feel sad or be upset, but if I have to be honest, I am.
“You’re thinking about your parents aren’t you?” Apparently Dae was looking over my shoulder and saw everything I was reading. I can only nod at his question.
“You can call them if you’d like…” Dae suggests. But I shake my head.
“No… I’m not the one that should call…” I mumble. I can hear myself sigh and I look at Daesung, waiting for his reaction. He looks quite sad but seems to understand my feelings.
“It’s not like they are or were worried or anything. None of our parents were! Because if they were, they would’ve gotten us out of there.” Daesung suddenly stops and turns so he’s facing me.
“Mine called…” He whispers. I’d think he’d be happy about that, but he doesn’t look happy at all.
“Remember, they didn’t know about me… So when they saw my face on the news, they called…” He looks me in the eye and continues.
“I’ve told them everything… well, I’ve told my mom… My dad didn’t want to talk to me, he needs time-“
“Wait a second.” I interrupt.
“How could they not know about you? They must’ve signed you up for the tests!” Daesung shakes his head and takes my free hand into his.
“When I was younger, I used to live with my aunt and uncle for a while and they were the ones… My mom already confronted my aunt about it. She was just too scared to tell her…” Dae releases my hand and puts it in his hair, combing it back.
“Look hyung, that’s not the point. My mom knows and is supportive. She told me that if we ever needed anything, we could ask her, all of us!” he smiles, honestly thinking that it’s that easy. But his smiles disappears for a frown and a slightly worried look.
“I’ve also told her about… us…”
“WHAT?!” I nearly yell, but I remember that we’re in a hospital and we’re kind of famous now so I drag Daesung into the nearest concierge room I can find and close the door.
“Are you crazy, you just told her like that, without talking about it first?!” I’m a bit mad at Daesung, it’s not like we’re living in a country that support our kind of relationship.
“Hyung, I-I’m sorry, it just… happened, I wasn’t thinking, I-I’m s-sorry hyung, really sorry!” Dae pleads. It’s hard enough at the moment, I get the fact that he wants to tell his mother, he’s gonna have to at one moment, but now is simply not the time. She was the only one that was supportive of us being different as far as we know and now…
“Hyung, s-she’s really, really okay with it, s-she’s very open minded about stuff like that!” He’s trying to convince me that it’s all good, which is probably true, but that’s not the problem… But being angry at Daesung is not helping at all nor is it something I want to do.
“Fine…” I sign. He’s on the verge of crying, so it’s better to say this in a calm, soft voice.
“But in the future, we talk about stuff like that before you tell anyone, okay?”
“O-of course! I’m sorry hyung!”
“Yeah, I know…” I hug him, trying to make him see I’m not angry anymore.
“Sorry I yelled…” I can feel him nod. I hold him in my arms for a couple of minutes more, then release him.
“Come on, let’s go back to my room.” Again Dae nods, opens the door and we both walk out of the small room. Our walk back is silent, but I can see that Daesung isn’t sad or worried any longer.
When I open the door to my room, I can see 3 pair of eyes, accompanied by 3 mouth that are smiling.
“Hyung!” ”We need to tell you something awesome!!” “You’ll never know what happened!!”
All 3 of them start to yell at the same time.
“Okay guys, one at the time, what’s so great?” I ask. Jiyong steps forward and grabs one of my wrists and well as Dae’s.
“You need to sit down!” And he drags us both towards the bed and makes us sit on the side.
“Ready?”
TBC
A/N: Ah, part two of the chapter. Thanks for all the support again, guys and enjoys (and of course, sorry for the many mistakes that are probably there!)