hearts like ours don't rust for wykedpanda (1/3)
Title: Hearts like ours don't rust
Recipient: wykedpanda
Pairing: N/Leo
Rating: NC-17
Wordcount: ~23k
Warnings: blood, violence, death (not the main characters, just mentions of past events), anxiety
Summary: Seven years have passed since Taekwoon last saw Hakyeon and needless to say he's not enthusiastic to have him as a guest in his house, especially since Hakyeon appears to be convinced they can easily be friends again. Things become even more complicated when they stumble upon a dark force that might be connected to Hakyeon's past.
It's a well-known fact that fairies are so small they only have enough space for one emotion at a time. For that reason, Taekwoon sometimes thinks he might be a fairy. A rather big, wingless and painfully awkward one but still. Except his emotion hardly ever changes- most of the time he's just sad. The sadness comes in many variations, of course, there's many shapes and colors of it, some more troublesome than the others. But the core remains the same.
He can only wish he knew how to change it.
Today his sadness manifests itself through a mixture of resignation and anxiety, as always when Hakyeon visits. He has no choice but to welcome him as an honorable guest in his house- it's the wish of the elders, and he can't ignore it. That means preparations, and those are enough to make him feel uneasy. But what follows is actually having Hakyeon here, being forced to talk to him, spend time with him, and act like he's enjoying himself. It would be too much if it happened more than once a week.
He sighs, rolling to his side and grabbing his phone from his nightstand. 8:45 am. As much as he dreads it, he has no choice but to get up and face the day.
He places his feet on the cool wooden floor and stretches his arms until his muscles ache pleasantly. He yawns and rubs his cheeks, trying to wake himself properly. It's not his usual waking hour, but judging from the warm air pouring through the window he wouldn't get much more rest. The day is going to be hot and that always makes it difficult for him to sleep.
He walks to the window and looks through it, at the dark green forest growing above the golden fields. Inside the forest it's always pleasantly cool, no matter how hot the day becomes. He wishes he could hide in the shade of the trees today, but he has no business taking Hakyeon there. He isn't welcome in the forest.
He takes a quick shower, puts on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, slides his feet into comfortable slippers and leaves the house. Chip, the local homeless dog is already there waiting for him. He barks and wags his tail, nuzzling his hand hopefully. Taekwoon pats his head, smiling apologetically.
"Sorry, buddy. I'm out of food even for myself, but I promise you'll get some dinner leftovers later."
Chip happily licks his palm then tilts his head, his eyes glinting in anticipation. Taekwoon shakes his head, amused, and scratches him behind the ear. Then he notices the cat- it's hiding in the corner of the porch, tense but just as hopeful as the dog. It's new around- Taekwoon only first saw it a few days ago. He left some fish on the porch for the cat to eat and since then it has been hanging around the neighborhood. It's never approached him, though.
"Sorry," he apologizes to the cat as well. "Later, okay?"
Chip accompanies him to the shop, running in circles around him, sometimes trotting a few feet ahead, then turning around and waiting for him to catch up. The air is still fresh and cool but it's obvious the day will be hot. The sun is shining relentlessly on the spotless, radiant blue sky. The path he's walking consists of beaten ground laid in small stones, with patches of greenery here and there. The grass is cold as it touches his feet, still damp with the morning dew.
On his right side, there are plains, then fields of wheat and rye. On his right side, there's an apple orchard, long abandoned and unattained. He can smell the scent of wild flowers and a sharper one, of the small, inedible apples rotting in the tall, wild grass.
His house is fifteen minutes on foot away from the village but the grocery store is one of the nearest buildings, which allows him to avoid walking through the whole town and greeting everyone. They're all nice people, he knows, but that doesn't make him any more enthusiastic about social interaction.
Chip lopes on once they reach the shop; he's probably smelled something interesting further down the road. Taekwoon enters the shop, the door bell ringing above his head as he opens and closes the door.
"Welcome!"
Ellen, the shopkeeper, is one of the village's elders, and also one of the very few people Taekwoon feels more or less comfortable around. He's known her all his life and whether he likes it or not, he has to visit the shop often. She's almost like family to him; the only family he has right now.
"Hello," he greets her with a smile.
"Taekwoonie." She beams at him as soon as she sees him, her eyes crinkling in a delicate web of wrinkles. She's very old, he doesn't know how old exactly, but he remembers that when he was just a kid, her hair was the same shade of silvery white as now. She's still healthy and very energetic, though. He hopes it won't change anytime soon. "It's good to see you, dear. How can I help you?"
The shop is small; just a big two door fridge and a few shelves with various food products, and yet it usually has everything he needs. There's the small magazine too, behind the oilcloth curtain. It's a mysterious dark room he's somehow never managed to enter all his life, but from what he can see when Ellen walks in there, it's simply white walls lined up with wooden shelves. If something's not in the shop it usually can be found there. That is, of course, if you're fine with simple products. Anything more fancy has to be ordered from the city.
Taekwoon loves cooking and he can do it well with simple products, so he rarely needs anything the shop's assortment doesn't cover. He's made his mind to make casserole today. Ellen remembers his favorite dishes and can instantly provide him with ingredients if he just names one. Her memory is excellent when it comes to business.
"I'm making meat and zucchini casserole today. For two people. And a dog and a cat," he adds as an afterthought.
Ellen chuckles. "I guess some extra meat will be enough for Chip and his feline friend? Or do they like zucchini too?" She turns to the shelves and starts picking out the necessary groceries, lining them up on the counter.
"Just meat," Taekwoon responds sheepishly.
Ellen hums. "Is Hakyeonie visiting again? I'm glad to see you two get along. You know, when you were both just kids, you came to the shop a lot." Taekwoon immediately knows what the story will be about. He's heard it countless times; unfortunately Ellen's memory isn't that good when it comes to the small talk she has with her customers. "He was such a lively little boy!" She giggles, reaching to the fridge to pull a package of minced meat out. "You, on the other hand, were so quiet…"
Taekwoon tunes the words out, turning his head to look through the window, at the old tree growing just outside. Its branches sway in the wind, the dark green leaves dancing with the sun rays, creating an image of flickering gold and green.
The tree must be even older than Ellen. It was there when he and Hakyeon were both little boys, and it was just as big and majestic as now. It seemed even bigger then. They would often try to climb it, until Ellen scolded them through the very same window Taekwoon is staring right now.
It seems so long ago, but at the same it feels like nothing's changed since then- except for them.
"Right?" Ellen asks and Taekwoon's eyes shift back to her. He nods, unsure what he's agreeing with. "And you wouldn't talk to anyone, I swear, but Hakyeon acted as if you did. 'He clearly said he wanted vanilla ice cream!' he'd say with those big eyes of his when you were just staring at the ice cream cart. 'How come you can't hear? He said it just now!'" She sighs as she types the prices into the cash register. "I swear that boy could read your mind. Can he still do it?" She looks up at him with a questioning smile.
He shakes his head, something inside him twisting unpleasantly. "Not really," he responds, masking his uneasiness with a small smile. "We just talk out loud."
"Well, that's good too." She nods, pleased. "I hope you two become as close as you used to be. The big day is soon!" She winks at him playfully.
Taekwoon feels the queasiness gnaw at his chest. He tries to push it down. It's fine, he tells himself. For now it's fine. Don't think too much about what's to come.
He pays for the groceries and walks back home, his steps more hurried than before. He didn't put on sunscreen and the sun is already up high, its rays sharp and insistent. Sadly, he never tans, he just gets sunburns. Everyone in the village finds it amusing. 'Some countryside boy you are!' they like to tease. Taekwoon doesn't understand the connection. Tan or not, he is a countryside boy.
The cat is still on the porch when he gets back. It's lying stretched out in a sun spot by the railing and it doesn't budge when Taekwoon passes close to it. He doesn't try to pet it; he knows it would probably run away. Maybe after he feeds it a few times more.
He's starving at this point so he makes himself french toasts for breakfast and eats them over a book he's been reading for the past two days. He's close to finishing it already, despite how thick it is. He really doesn't have much to do in here. The book is interesting, though. He finds the main character's point of view fascinating- he can see something morbid and horrifying in the simplest daily life actions and events, and in turn he considers gore and death beautiful. Taekwoon definitely doesn't share that viewpoint, but it is intriguing nonetheless.
He puts the book away as soon as he's done eating, then he puts out a bowl of meat for the cat. He leaves the door ajar- the warmth of the day is nice and who knows, maybe the cat will decide to go inside and explore. Taekwoon won't mind some companion, as long as it's not a human one. Then he starts preparing dinner.
It's noon when he puts the casserole into the oven for baking. He sighs and stretches, for a moment feeling just calm and accomplished. Then the nervousness regains its grip on him again. Hakyeon will be here soon.
He checks his phone; the notifications show he has a new message. It's from Hakyeon.
"I took a free day, I'll be early if you don't mind? I can't wait to see you, Taekwoonie!"
Taekwoon purses his lips, putting the phone away. At least one of them is enthusiastic about this whole ridiculous ordeal. Taekwoon hates it. He hates Hakyeon for leaving and cutting off all contact with him, and he's upset with his father and the village's elders for going through with the arranged marriage. He has no idea what the village has to offer to Hakyeon's parents. He only knows what they have to offer- money. And it is needed, he knows. That's why he had no choice but to agree. He'd been a burden to everyone for too long.
Today will be his fourth meeting with Hakyeon. The first time they met, after all this time of not contacting each other at all, was in the company of the elders. They tried to leave them alone at some point during the dinner, but Taekwoon mostly ignored Hakyeon's attempts at making a conversation. He knew he was being childish, but he was too surprised and upset back then. They'd introduced the news to him in front of everyone without much of a warning, while it seemed Hakyeon had known for a while.
The following meetings, he was more civil. He cooked for Hakyeon, listened to him talk about work, indulged him with short replies and questions. But the distance between them was painfully clear and Taekwoon was not ready to cross it. Hakyeon had never apologized, never tried to explain. He just walked into his life like he'd never left.
Like it wasn't his fault that Taekwoon had been all alone for the past seven years.
Suddenly, he hears a voice outside, unmistakably Hakyeon's. He'd recognize that voice anywhere.
"Aww, you're so cute. Here, have some more."
He opens the door and peeks out. Hakyeon is crouching by the stairs, feeding the cat with something. Surprisingly, the cat doesn't seem scared of Hakyeon at all. It's eating right out of his hand, and purring loudly at that. The meat Taekwoon has left for it is gone, too; it seems the cat has a pretty impressive appetite.
"Sorry, little guy, that's all I have." The cat licks Hakyeon's fingers clean. It then lets Hakyeon pet it and he does so with a smile, scratching it behind its ears. Taekwoon feels betrayed, in a way. He's sure the cat wouldn't let him do it.
He opens the door wider and Hakyeon raises his head, giving him a bright smile. He returns it without much enthusiasm
"Hi, Taekwoonie! Sorry." Hakyeon looks sheepish. "I brought some sausages for a snack but this little fellow really liked them... I still have some of my mom's cake, though."
Taekwoon shrugs, ignoring his traitorous mind telling him that Hakyeon is just too adorable. "That's okay," he says neutrally. "Come in."
***
The lunch isn't different from the ones they had before. The casserole came out really well and at least that can offer some comfort in Taekwoon's misery. Hakyeon compliments him at least twice.
"This is so good!" he exclaims. "You're the best cook I know."
He talks about his university this time. He's already gotten his master's degree and listening about it makes Taekwoon feel pathetic and stupid. He has no degree and no job; he only has many regrets.
Hakyeon mentions a name a few times and it actually gets Taekwoon curious. He seems to be fond of this Minhyuk person. Taekwoon has already heard about Hakyeon's colleagues from work, Sojin, Ryeowook and Jinki. He's also heard about his cute neighbor Jaehwan, and his boyfriend Wonsik, and a girl named Minah. It all made him feel pitiful enough; Hakyeon's made so many friends after ditching him here. But their names didn't appear as frequently in Hakyeon's stories as Minhyuk's does.
"Who's Minhyuk?" he asks and Hakyeon stops his anecdote about some hilariously bad at lecturing professor and blinks up at him, probably surprised Taekwoon actually inquired about something.
'
"Oh, one of my classmates. He's also my best friend." He smiles; it's full of fondness, his eyes gleaming warmly. "He's helped me a lot these past few years."
Best friend, Taekwoon thinks. Encouraged by his question, Hakyeon jumps into a story of how they met, then how he got to know Minhyuk better. Taekwoon puts his fork back on his plate, his appetite completely gone.
He knows it's childish to feel jealous. They only were close until they turned 19, then Hakyeon left. It's natural to make new friends. Still, Taekwoon himself doesn't have anyone he could call a best friend now. There aren't many people his age in the village. There is Hongbin and his girlfriend Woori. There is also a sweet girl named Eunji who runs a rancho with her parents.
They all are kind to him, but he can't call them his friends. They're probably only nice out of pity, anyway. He's just that weird guy who can't seem to get his life together, as if he was never meant to come into this world at all. Most young people left the village to work and study, but he'd never tried. What a weirdo he is, isn't he?
They all forgot why he had to stay in the village. He can't blame them; some days he himself can barely remember. Some days he wishes he could leave and forget everything, like Hakyeon did. Let the forest die. Except… he doesn't want to, can't bring himself to do it. And with his shy personality, he probably would have trouble adapting. And does he really want to adapt, anyway? What do education and work mean in the long run? One of the reasons human world is such a terrifying place is because everyone has just one model of a successful life. Taekwoon has no interest in that model whatsoever.
"Are you full?" Hakyeon asks suddenly, glancing at his plate. "I hope you have some space left for the cake…" He looks up at Taekwoon, a playful twinkle in his eyes. "I remember you used to have great appetite."
Taekwoon tenses. It's the first time Hakyeon made any reference to their childhood together. Up until now he acted like they were just strangers getting to know each other. Somehow he isn't comfortable with the change.
"That was a long time ago," he answers dryly, even though, in all fairness, his appetite is usually still good. He hopes Hakyeon gets the message: you don't know me at all. "I'm not hungry anymore but you can leave it here." He stands up and cleans the table, then starts washing the dishes. It seems Hakyeon doesn't get the hint that he overstayed his welcome; he doesn't get up, apparently not intending to leave yet. Taekwoon feels more annoyed with each second.
"I came earlier because wanted to go around the town and talk to everyone a bit," Hakyeon speaks up. "It's been so long…"
"Then go," Taekwoon answers irritably.
"Um…would you like to go with me?" Hakyeon sounds hesitant, shy even, but it doesn't appease Taekwoon one bit.
"I'm busy."
"Okay then." Taekwoon hears the chair scrape against the floor as Hakyeon finally stands up. "I'll go by myself." He chuckles. "I shouldn't get lost, right?'
Done with the dishes, Taekwoon turns the tap off and wipes his hand with a kitchen towel. Then he turns to Hakyeon, sees him smile warmly at him, as if his cold behavior doesn't bother him at all. Be civil, Taekwoon reminds himself.
"It's too small to get really lost." He smiles. "Have fun."
"Sure will!" Hakyeon picks up his bag and puts on his sneakers. "See you later, Taekwoonie!"
And with that, he's gone.
***
Taekwoon lied to Hakyeon- he wasn't busy at all. He could go to the forest but he doesn't feel like it today. He just wants to be alone. So when someone knocks to the door later that day, Taekwoon is curled up in the armchair, finishing the book. With a soft sigh, he puts it away and heads to the door to open it.
He blinks in surprise at Hakyeon's smiling face. So he hasn't left yet? He opens the door wider but doesn't move to let Hakyeon inside.
"We, um, collected some berries with Eunji." He pushes the basket into Taekwoon's hands. "They're delicious! I suck at cooking but you probably can make something, right?"
Taekwoon's eyes shift to the basket, then back to Hakyeon's face. His blush is obvious even on the tanned skin. It might be just the sun, though. Either way, it makes Hakyeon look even prettier than he originally is. Taekwoon can't help but notice that. It doesn't make him feel any less bemused, though. What is Hakyeon expecting? That Taekwoon will jump into his arms over a basket of berries? It's not like he can't collect some himself, anyway. He's in the forest almost every day.
"Listen," Hakyeon says, dropping his eyes, probably intimidated by Taekwoon's aloofness. "I know you're not happy about the marriage. But I've been looking forward to it, really! And… I want to spend more time with you. It doesn't have to be so bad. I, uh… what do you say to a picnic trip next week?"
That's what the whole fuss is about? Taekwoon shrugs. He doesn't care either way.
"Sure."
"Really?" Hakyeon beams at him. "Great! I'll be here next Tuesday, same time. See you then!"
Taekwoon watches him walk to his car, suddenly feeling a bit guilty. Hakyeon seems so earnest about the whole thing. He's trying his best, even though he probably doesn't want it at all. In the end, what's worse than being forced to marry someone you purposely cut off so long ago? He shouldn't make it so hard for him.
Hakyeon waves at him before he enters the car and Taekwoon smiles at him- but it's still forced. The problem is, he's still hurt. He manages not to think about it most of the time but seeing Hakyeon makes things worse. He thinks at this point if Hakyeon apologized, showed at least a shade of regret, he'd be able to get over it. But as it is… he knows he's being bitter holding onto a grudge from years ago but he can't help it.
It hurt him so much, for so long.
***
Taekwoon doesn't want to take Hakyeon to the forest on their planned picnic date. He thinks Hakyeon doesn't belong there anymore. He is an outsider now, and back when the forest was still strong outsiders would never be allowed to enter it.
Instead he chooses a meadow by the river. There are a few trees growing there so they'll be able to sit in shade, and if it gets too hot they can step into the water to cool off a bit. He can't say he's looking forward to the trip but at least with the food and the nature surrounding them it should be bearable.
He still gets nervous the night before, double checking the list of things to prepare he's made in his mind. Despite himself, he worries if Hakyeon will like the food he's prepared.
He remembers to take a blanket, water, also some matches- there's a bonfire spot by the river and if Hakyeon wants to, they could bake potatoes and sausages in it. It's not as much fun during the day, but the food is still delicious.
The thought that they might not make it to the meadow at all doesn't cross his head. But as they walk down the narrow path through the outskirts of the forest, something draws Hakyeon's attention. He stops one of his anecdotes about his neighbors, who are apparently very clumsy at trying to hide that they're dating, and tilts his head, listening.
"Do you hear something?" He frowns. He stops walking on a crossroads, turning to the left, staring at the road leading deeper into the forest.
"Like…the trees? The birds?" Taekwoon asks, confused. He genuinely can't hear anything unusual.
"No, like… voices…" Hakyeon frowns; he seems unsettled.
"I can't hear a thing. But maybe someone's in the forest?" He doesn't like that possibility. The forest can't protect itself anymore, and people usually are too careless.
"Let's go check it out," Hakyeon says. He doesn't wait for Taekwoon's agreement; he turns left and starts walking down the path to the forest. Taekwoon follows him, full of mixed feelings; he doesn't think it's a good idea but he's also concerned about what the voices Hakyeon claims to have heard might be.
The path is narrow, surrounded by trees; they constantly have to duck away or slouch to avoid the low branches. It's eerily quiet here; Taekwoon is used to it. The forest used to be loud, filled with mysterious sounds of many living creatures. But it's dying now, aside from the trees there is almost nothing left here. It even doesn't smell right- instead of rich and earthy, the scent of life, it smells like dry wood and decay. It's strange to him that people never notice. How convenient for the villagers, to enjoy the wonders of the forest when it was alive only to forget it now that it's dying.
He swats a mosquito off his knee- he swears those goddamn things will prevail till the end- then almost falls on his butt when Hakyeon suddenly stops in his tracks, causing Taekwoon to bump into him.
"What is this house?" Hakyeon asks. His voice wavers, and there's a tone of fear to it that instantly alerts Taekwoon. He follows Hakyeon's gaze but he doesn't see anything. There's a big clearing in front of them, but it's all withered grass and dry soil.
"What house?" he asks and Hakyeon turns to give him an incredulous look.
"Are you kidding me? Right here!" He points at the clearing. Taekwoon shakes his head- is Hakyeon in his right mind? There used to be many things in the forest that common people wouldn't believe in, but they were all living creatures. No invisible houses, that's for sure.
"There's nothing-" he cuts off, blinking his eyes, as suddenly something shifts at the edge of his vision. He looks straight at the clearing and sees nothing. But as he turns away from it there's something at the verge of his vision, something tall and dark, a looming shadow…
He feels a shiver run down his spine.
"There's nothing here," he says again, and turns around, ready to leave. But Hakyeon grabs his forearm and pulls- his grip is strong and Taekwoon nearly stumbles as he's dragged forward to the clearing. Then, suddenly, his vision flickers and shimmers and, as if someone is painting it on a canvas, an old house slowly materializes in front of him, along with a wild garden surrounding it, some of the tangled weeds and bushes reaching almost to his waist, growing over the paved path to the house.
"What… What the fuck?" he whispers, looking up at the dilapidated building; its empty, broken windows seem like hollow eyes staring back at him. He doesn't like it.
"Do you see it now?" Hakyeon glances at him. "Or were you trying to trick me or something?"
Taekwoon frowns, looking back over his shoulder. Hakyeon has just pulled him through the broken gate; he can see the rusty fence surrounding the garden now. It seems it was once green, judging by the washed out splatters of the paint, but it's the color of dried blood now, completely eaten up by rust.
Is it why he can see the house now, because he's entered its terrain? He's passed by the clearing countless times but not once an idea to walk out on it crossed his mind, as if the house was protecting itself from unwanted visitors. But then why is Hakyeon able to see it?
Whatever the reason might be, Taekwoon doesn't like the house.
"Have you been here before?" Hakyeon asks.
He shakes his head. "I've never even noticed it before."
"That's strange." A small crease appears between Hakyeon's eyebrows. "You think…it's haunted or something?"
Don't be silly, Taekwoon wants to say, haunted houses don't exist. Except he's just seen it pop out of thin air and with its gloomy exterior, it certainly looks like a popular hangout spot for ghosts. He shrugs; he doesn't care, all he wants is to leave right now.
"Let's check it out," Hakyeon says as if he can read his mind and has just decided to test his courage. Which seems unlikely; Taekwoon knows Hakyeon used to hate horror movies; he didn't even like the ghost stories the villagers used to like to scare the kids with. Of course, that could have changed over time but still… Hakyeon doesn't seem like an adrenaline freak.
Taekwoon bites his lip. He doesn't want to enter but he doesn't want to admit he's scared, either. You're not five, Jung Taekwoon, just tell him. But Hakyeon is already walking up the small steps to the door and Taekwoon follows, cursing his own idea to take this route to the picnic spot.
The door opens with a creak at just a light push of Hakyeon's hand. It seems like it wasn't properly closed. The inside of the house is dark, the air feels cool when they walk in.
Taekwoon has the urge to cough from all the dust and the scent of decay, but the eerie silence of the house makes him want to stifle it. They're in a small, narrow hall, sparsely furnished- there's just a hanger with some jackets and something that might have been a coat once, but looks like a torn, dusty rag right now. Taekwoon's heart jumps as he senses a movement on his right- but it's just a tall mirror with a cracked, dirty surface. He stares at his reflection and wonders if he's really this pale or it's just the light, or rather the lack of it.
Hakyeon immediately finds a door and opens it, as if he has no problem seeing in the dark whatsoever. Light falls into the hall- the room in front of them seems to be the living room, and it's a bit brighter thanks to big windows on the eastern wall of it. They don't help much though- beyond the windows there's a wall of tall, dark trees; the forest on that side goes on for miles and miles.
The living room is a mess. Fallen over furniture, broken glass and old books scattered everywhere. It looks like someone broke in here, except Taekwoon can't see how any of the old, falling apart items could be worth stealing. Hakyeon walks into the room, stands over a brown sofa, covered with mold and black splotches of something Taekwoon doesn't want to identify.
"Well… it's old and messy," he says, flinching at how loud his voice sounds. The forest is naturally quiet but it's not absolutely silent. It seems its sounds don't reach the house, as if it's ripped out of time and space. "Can we go now?"
Hakyeon shushes him and tilts his head, as if listening to something. He then heads to the door on the right side of the room.
"Let's check the rest of it first."
Taekwoon frowns. He doesn't want to indulge Hakyeon in his sudden need for exploration and the deeper he is in the house the more uneasy he feels, as if it doesn't want him here.
"I'm not interested," he says. "I'll wait here, just hurry."
He briefly thinks that judging by all the horror movies he's watched splitting up is not a good idea, but his gut is telling him to stay and he's not in a horror movie.
"Scared?" Hakyeon grins at him and Taekwoon scoffs. Hakyeon doesn't tease him further, though- he wastes no time to leave the room.
"Oh, there's a hall," Taekwoon hears him say. "And I think this is the kitchen." He hears a creak, presumably of a door, and then some more muffled noises. He sighs, hoping Hakyeon won't take long. He looks around the room with little interest, but then his eyes are drawn to a spot on the wall, right next to the sofa. He stares at the faded, dark brown splotches, a sense of dread taking over him.
This can be so many things, he reasons with himself, you only thought of blood because this place is creepy as hell.
Still, he walks up to the wall to take w closer look at it, and then he notices is, the right side of the sofa and the floor beneath it are both darker, as if… as if someone was killed there then the body was left leaning against the sofa, bleeding out.
He suddenly feels sick. He's about to call out to Hakyeon when he hears a loud thud behind him. His heart jumps in his chest and he turns around quickly- but there's no one there. He notices the source of the noise- a few books have fallen off the coffee table to the floor by his feet. He frowns, leaning down to pick the nearest one up. There's a newspaper under it, the paper yellowed with age.
"A shocking murder in Aston Valley," the front page article says. Taekwoon's eyes scan over the faded letters. A man and his two children brutally killed…his wife and son managed to escape…the police suspects one of them might be the-
"Found anything?" Hakyeon steps into the room. Taekwoon quickly puts the book back down, covering the newspaper. He's not sure himself why he feels the need to hide it, but something about the article makes him feel very uneasy, like he's forgetting something- something Hakyeon shouldn't know.
"Nothing," he says, straightening up. "Just that." He points at the stain on the wall. Hakyeon raises his eyebrows.
"A mildew stain? I've seen ones like this in the kitchen as well. There's really nothing interesting here, except the bathroom is incredibly gross. I think we can go-"
Just in that moment a growling sound echoes all around them and then rain hits the windows with great force, the forest beyond the window smudged through the downpour.
"…or not," Hakyeon finishes. He gives Taekwoon a wry smile. "Think we can have the picnic here?"
***
Hakyeon's positive attitude and firm belief that the stains have nothing to do with blood calm Taekwoon down. The living room seems like the most welcoming place in the house so they push some of the mess to the side and spread the blanket on the floor.
"Maybe it's good we ended up here," Hakyeon muses, pulling out a few bags of snacks out of his bag. Taekwoon eyes them with amusement, but he's secretly grateful Hakyeon didn't make any attempts at cooking. "Imagine we got caught in that storm. We'd be drenched by now."
Taekwoon looks through the windows- they're old, rattling on the wind, but aside of the heavy rain, the sounds of the storm seem distant, like it's not happening directly above them. Only when the lighting hits very close they can hear the thunder. It's impossibly loud then, the sound resonating through the whole house, making Taekwoon jump. Hakyeon is completely calm, though; he just laughs each time it happens, his eyes twinkling with mirth. He doesn't tease Taekwoon, though.
"Oh, you baked cupcakes!" Hakyeon exclaims, looking into the basket Taekwoon brought. "With berries? The ones I brought?" Not waiting for an answer he takes a huge bite and Taekwoon can't help but smile. He's adorable.
"Yeah," he answers. "Are they good?"
Hakyeon nods enthusiastically, swallowing. Then another thunder hits and he does get startled this time, choking a bit. Taekwoon pats his back as Hakyeon reaches to his bag for a bottle of water. He drinks it, spills a little with another bright lighting, and they both chuckle as their eyes meet.
"I didn't think I was taking a day off to spend it stuck in a haunted house," Hakyeon reflects, his eyes wandering over the room.
"Sorry it ended up like this…" Taekwoon mumbles. True, it's Hakyeon who dragged them here, but he should have checked the forecast. If not for Hakyeon they would be out in a storm, an hour away from the village.
Hakyeon shakes his head. "Don't be silly!" He leans forward, catches Taekwoon's gaze and gives him a warm smile. "I'm glad I'm here with you."
For a moment, time seems to stop and all Taekwoon can hear is the thumping of his heart as they keep the eye contact. His cheeks are burning and he's thankful for the darkness surrounding them. Then, Hakyeon looks away.
"Oh, you have matches," he says, taking the small package out of the food basket. "Think we could find a candle here? Then we could see properly… It's gotten really dark." Hakyeon pouts. "Now it is kinda scary…"
Taekwoon thinks it's almost too dark; even if it's a storm in the middle of the forest, it shouldn't be later than 3pm. He doesn't let that thought linger, though. It's fine, he thinks- if anything strange happens they can just leave. It will mean getting wet but that's better than being killed by some vicious ghost, right?
He almost laughs at his thoughts- they're so ridiculous.
"Did you see any in the kitchen?"
"No…" Hakyeon frowns. "But I can't say I checked thoroughly. But maybe the bathroom? Like, scented candles." He looks at Taekwoon hopefully. "But I don't really wanna go there, it was scary."
Taekwoon rolls his eyes. Now that's more familiar- Hakyeon being a scaredy-cat and nagging at others to do things for him.
"Fine, I'll go," he says and Hakyeon beams at him.
He remembers his premonition from earlier and feels uneasy about going deeper into the house- but really, what could be there? Just more mold and dust. All he's risking is getting a runny nose.
He walks through the door into the dark hall, and he immediately spots the bathroom door. There's another one of those fading dark brown splotches on it. He stares at it, then takes another step forward, then stops again. The bathroom reeks. It's a heavy odour, impossible to ignore, intense with a sweet, but nonetheless disgusting undertone. It's how he imagines a rotting body would smell like. His body tenses and every part of it seems to be against going in there but, as if on autopilot, he opens the door and enters anyway.
The bathroom feels colder than the rest of the house. It's dark and cramped- there's only one small window above the old fashioned bathtub but right now it doesn't give much light. The sink is right by the door, there's one cupboard above it and one below, both white, the paint scratched off here and there to reveal what looks like cheap plywood. The mirror hanging over the sink is small but unlike the one in the hall it's not cracked, and far less dirty.
Taekwoon briefly glances at his reflection; his pale skin, black, tousled hair that's already getting too long, the mild disgust painted on his face. His reflection doesn't look pleased- no wonder, he's about to suffocate from the stench. He wonders if it could be the toilet, as there's nothing else in the bathroom that could smell so bad. Well, it's not like he's going to check.
He opens the cupboard above the mirror and frowns at its contents. It's empty save for what looks like a kitchen knife. Certainly doesn't seem like something you'd keep in the bathroom. Impulsively, he takes it out, examining the blade. It's clean, looks almost new. Suddenly, there's a movement at the edge of his vision. Alarmed, he slowly looks up- and freezes on the spot, terrified.
Instead of his reflection he sees a woman's face in the mirror. Pale, with long, dark hair, and hollow black eyes. She's grinning, her dry, cracked lips showing rows of white teeth. Just like him, she holds a knife in her hand and slowly, slowly she brings it up to her neck… Hypnotized, he stares at the reflection, his heart beating erratically the only sign of how terrified he is. Then he notices his own hand is following the woman's movements, as if pulled by an unknown force… He lets out a short scream and drops the knife.
He stares at it with wide eyes- it's bloodied now, along with his hands, the blood dripping to the floor, forming a stain… He's so scared his breath is jarred, coming out in short gasps as if he's just run a marathon. He lunges for the door and stops in his tracks, realizing it's closed.
He's sure he didn't close it- he wouldn't lock himself in that foul bathroom. He pulls on the doorknob but it doesn't budge. He notices there's no blood on his hands anymore- and when he looks into the mirror it's his own face staring back at him, white as a sheet, eyes wide with fear.
Then he hears something move in the bathtub. He stills, shaking, afraid to look and at the same time, afraid of being attacked and taken by surprise. He turns slowly, and he almost sees it, the pale, lanky figure raising from the tub- and then, suddenly, the door to the bathroom opens.
"Taekwoon, are you all right?" He's pulled into the hall and Hakyeon stares at him with worried eyes. "I heard something- Jesus, why would you lock yourself in here? You scared me to death." He frowns. "You're shaking, did something happen?" He grasps his arms, rubbing them gently. "Hey, it's okay, you're-" Hakyeon cuts off abruptly, his gaze fixed at something over Taekwoon's shoulder, his lips parting in an obviously terrified expression. Taekwoon's heart leaps again and he knows, he knows what Hakyeon is looking at but he can't fucking move-
If you don't move you're as good as dead, an angry voice speaks up in his head. And then it's as if his body moves on its own. He pushes Hakyeon away, turns around and looks but doesn't let himself really see- he shuts the door and holds it in place. It begins to shake and rattle instantly and his palms are sweaty, his heart is racing, but he doesn't relent.
"Listen." He looks over his shoulder at Hakyeon- he looks just as frightened as Taekwoon feels. "Get away from here. I'll follow soon, hopefully that…thing…can't run fast."
"Are you crazy?" Hakyeon seems to regain his composure a little. "I'm not leaving you like this!"
"Yes you are!" Taekwoon hisses. There's a thump at the door and Hakyeon gasps. Taekwoon hopes he'll get scared enough to leave but a second later Hakyeon is at his side, helping him keep the door closed.
"We run at three," he says. "One… " Taekwoon can feel how sweaty his palms are, how weak his knees feel- he hopes he can run at all. "Two…" He takes a deep breath- the adrenaline should help him escape but he needs to focus, needs to make sure Hakyeon will make it out of the house safely too. "Three!"
And then it's all a blur. Hakyeon is first at the front door and when he pulls at the knob all that's in Taekwoon's head is- how didn't I think of that? It's locked, it's definitely locked- but the door opens easily and they stumble outside, into the rain. It's when Hakyeon takes his hand and then they keep running, without looking back, through the garden and into the forest, and then out to the road. It's where Taekwoon finally dares to look back but even though nothing is chasing them they don't stop until they're completely out of breath.
He looks back again but there's nothing there, just the road, the fields and the forest, all drowning in rain. The storm has passed but the rain didn't stop- they sky is heavy with gray clouds. It's still bright outside, barely 5pm, and Taekwoon shudders at the memory of the darkness looming over the house. Was the storm just a coincidence?
"Okay," Hakyeon rasps out, still trying to catch his breath. "What the hell was that?"
Taekwoon shakes his head, completely breathless, then laughs shortly, not sure why he's laughing- it's probably the adrenaline, and the overwhelming relief.
"God, I've never been so scared in my whole life," Hakyeon says. "Are you all right? What the fuck was that thing in the bathroom?"
"I'm fine." He looks at Hakyeon's face. His hair is wet, his fringe sticking to his face, his face flushed from the long run. He smells like a mix of cologne, sweat and wet clothes. Taekwoon thinks he's beautiful. If something happened… despite the years they've been apart he feels just as protective as ever. He'd never forgive himself if something happened to Hakyeon. "I really have no idea… But the house is definitely haunted."
Hakyeon chuckles at that. "We left the food there. But I'm totally not going back for it."
Taekwoon snorts, then suddenly realizes Hakyeon is still clutching his hand in his. Their hands are slick with both sweat and rain and it shouldn't feel nice, but it does. Hakyeon is still warm and safe.
"Sorry," Hakyeon seems to have realized as well. "My hand is all gross."
"Mine aren't any better," Taekwoon points out. He suddenly remembers the blood on his hands and he feels sick. He wants to get as far away from the house as possible. "Let's keep going."
PART 2
Recipient: wykedpanda
Pairing: N/Leo
Rating: NC-17
Wordcount: ~23k
Warnings: blood, violence, death (not the main characters, just mentions of past events), anxiety
Summary: Seven years have passed since Taekwoon last saw Hakyeon and needless to say he's not enthusiastic to have him as a guest in his house, especially since Hakyeon appears to be convinced they can easily be friends again. Things become even more complicated when they stumble upon a dark force that might be connected to Hakyeon's past.
It's a well-known fact that fairies are so small they only have enough space for one emotion at a time. For that reason, Taekwoon sometimes thinks he might be a fairy. A rather big, wingless and painfully awkward one but still. Except his emotion hardly ever changes- most of the time he's just sad. The sadness comes in many variations, of course, there's many shapes and colors of it, some more troublesome than the others. But the core remains the same.
He can only wish he knew how to change it.
Today his sadness manifests itself through a mixture of resignation and anxiety, as always when Hakyeon visits. He has no choice but to welcome him as an honorable guest in his house- it's the wish of the elders, and he can't ignore it. That means preparations, and those are enough to make him feel uneasy. But what follows is actually having Hakyeon here, being forced to talk to him, spend time with him, and act like he's enjoying himself. It would be too much if it happened more than once a week.
He sighs, rolling to his side and grabbing his phone from his nightstand. 8:45 am. As much as he dreads it, he has no choice but to get up and face the day.
He places his feet on the cool wooden floor and stretches his arms until his muscles ache pleasantly. He yawns and rubs his cheeks, trying to wake himself properly. It's not his usual waking hour, but judging from the warm air pouring through the window he wouldn't get much more rest. The day is going to be hot and that always makes it difficult for him to sleep.
He walks to the window and looks through it, at the dark green forest growing above the golden fields. Inside the forest it's always pleasantly cool, no matter how hot the day becomes. He wishes he could hide in the shade of the trees today, but he has no business taking Hakyeon there. He isn't welcome in the forest.
He takes a quick shower, puts on a pair of shorts and a t-shirt, slides his feet into comfortable slippers and leaves the house. Chip, the local homeless dog is already there waiting for him. He barks and wags his tail, nuzzling his hand hopefully. Taekwoon pats his head, smiling apologetically.
"Sorry, buddy. I'm out of food even for myself, but I promise you'll get some dinner leftovers later."
Chip happily licks his palm then tilts his head, his eyes glinting in anticipation. Taekwoon shakes his head, amused, and scratches him behind the ear. Then he notices the cat- it's hiding in the corner of the porch, tense but just as hopeful as the dog. It's new around- Taekwoon only first saw it a few days ago. He left some fish on the porch for the cat to eat and since then it has been hanging around the neighborhood. It's never approached him, though.
"Sorry," he apologizes to the cat as well. "Later, okay?"
Chip accompanies him to the shop, running in circles around him, sometimes trotting a few feet ahead, then turning around and waiting for him to catch up. The air is still fresh and cool but it's obvious the day will be hot. The sun is shining relentlessly on the spotless, radiant blue sky. The path he's walking consists of beaten ground laid in small stones, with patches of greenery here and there. The grass is cold as it touches his feet, still damp with the morning dew.
On his right side, there are plains, then fields of wheat and rye. On his right side, there's an apple orchard, long abandoned and unattained. He can smell the scent of wild flowers and a sharper one, of the small, inedible apples rotting in the tall, wild grass.
His house is fifteen minutes on foot away from the village but the grocery store is one of the nearest buildings, which allows him to avoid walking through the whole town and greeting everyone. They're all nice people, he knows, but that doesn't make him any more enthusiastic about social interaction.
Chip lopes on once they reach the shop; he's probably smelled something interesting further down the road. Taekwoon enters the shop, the door bell ringing above his head as he opens and closes the door.
"Welcome!"
Ellen, the shopkeeper, is one of the village's elders, and also one of the very few people Taekwoon feels more or less comfortable around. He's known her all his life and whether he likes it or not, he has to visit the shop often. She's almost like family to him; the only family he has right now.
"Hello," he greets her with a smile.
"Taekwoonie." She beams at him as soon as she sees him, her eyes crinkling in a delicate web of wrinkles. She's very old, he doesn't know how old exactly, but he remembers that when he was just a kid, her hair was the same shade of silvery white as now. She's still healthy and very energetic, though. He hopes it won't change anytime soon. "It's good to see you, dear. How can I help you?"
The shop is small; just a big two door fridge and a few shelves with various food products, and yet it usually has everything he needs. There's the small magazine too, behind the oilcloth curtain. It's a mysterious dark room he's somehow never managed to enter all his life, but from what he can see when Ellen walks in there, it's simply white walls lined up with wooden shelves. If something's not in the shop it usually can be found there. That is, of course, if you're fine with simple products. Anything more fancy has to be ordered from the city.
Taekwoon loves cooking and he can do it well with simple products, so he rarely needs anything the shop's assortment doesn't cover. He's made his mind to make casserole today. Ellen remembers his favorite dishes and can instantly provide him with ingredients if he just names one. Her memory is excellent when it comes to business.
"I'm making meat and zucchini casserole today. For two people. And a dog and a cat," he adds as an afterthought.
Ellen chuckles. "I guess some extra meat will be enough for Chip and his feline friend? Or do they like zucchini too?" She turns to the shelves and starts picking out the necessary groceries, lining them up on the counter.
"Just meat," Taekwoon responds sheepishly.
Ellen hums. "Is Hakyeonie visiting again? I'm glad to see you two get along. You know, when you were both just kids, you came to the shop a lot." Taekwoon immediately knows what the story will be about. He's heard it countless times; unfortunately Ellen's memory isn't that good when it comes to the small talk she has with her customers. "He was such a lively little boy!" She giggles, reaching to the fridge to pull a package of minced meat out. "You, on the other hand, were so quiet…"
Taekwoon tunes the words out, turning his head to look through the window, at the old tree growing just outside. Its branches sway in the wind, the dark green leaves dancing with the sun rays, creating an image of flickering gold and green.
The tree must be even older than Ellen. It was there when he and Hakyeon were both little boys, and it was just as big and majestic as now. It seemed even bigger then. They would often try to climb it, until Ellen scolded them through the very same window Taekwoon is staring right now.
It seems so long ago, but at the same it feels like nothing's changed since then- except for them.
"Right?" Ellen asks and Taekwoon's eyes shift back to her. He nods, unsure what he's agreeing with. "And you wouldn't talk to anyone, I swear, but Hakyeon acted as if you did. 'He clearly said he wanted vanilla ice cream!' he'd say with those big eyes of his when you were just staring at the ice cream cart. 'How come you can't hear? He said it just now!'" She sighs as she types the prices into the cash register. "I swear that boy could read your mind. Can he still do it?" She looks up at him with a questioning smile.
He shakes his head, something inside him twisting unpleasantly. "Not really," he responds, masking his uneasiness with a small smile. "We just talk out loud."
"Well, that's good too." She nods, pleased. "I hope you two become as close as you used to be. The big day is soon!" She winks at him playfully.
Taekwoon feels the queasiness gnaw at his chest. He tries to push it down. It's fine, he tells himself. For now it's fine. Don't think too much about what's to come.
He pays for the groceries and walks back home, his steps more hurried than before. He didn't put on sunscreen and the sun is already up high, its rays sharp and insistent. Sadly, he never tans, he just gets sunburns. Everyone in the village finds it amusing. 'Some countryside boy you are!' they like to tease. Taekwoon doesn't understand the connection. Tan or not, he is a countryside boy.
The cat is still on the porch when he gets back. It's lying stretched out in a sun spot by the railing and it doesn't budge when Taekwoon passes close to it. He doesn't try to pet it; he knows it would probably run away. Maybe after he feeds it a few times more.
He's starving at this point so he makes himself french toasts for breakfast and eats them over a book he's been reading for the past two days. He's close to finishing it already, despite how thick it is. He really doesn't have much to do in here. The book is interesting, though. He finds the main character's point of view fascinating- he can see something morbid and horrifying in the simplest daily life actions and events, and in turn he considers gore and death beautiful. Taekwoon definitely doesn't share that viewpoint, but it is intriguing nonetheless.
He puts the book away as soon as he's done eating, then he puts out a bowl of meat for the cat. He leaves the door ajar- the warmth of the day is nice and who knows, maybe the cat will decide to go inside and explore. Taekwoon won't mind some companion, as long as it's not a human one. Then he starts preparing dinner.
It's noon when he puts the casserole into the oven for baking. He sighs and stretches, for a moment feeling just calm and accomplished. Then the nervousness regains its grip on him again. Hakyeon will be here soon.
He checks his phone; the notifications show he has a new message. It's from Hakyeon.
"I took a free day, I'll be early if you don't mind? I can't wait to see you, Taekwoonie!"
Taekwoon purses his lips, putting the phone away. At least one of them is enthusiastic about this whole ridiculous ordeal. Taekwoon hates it. He hates Hakyeon for leaving and cutting off all contact with him, and he's upset with his father and the village's elders for going through with the arranged marriage. He has no idea what the village has to offer to Hakyeon's parents. He only knows what they have to offer- money. And it is needed, he knows. That's why he had no choice but to agree. He'd been a burden to everyone for too long.
Today will be his fourth meeting with Hakyeon. The first time they met, after all this time of not contacting each other at all, was in the company of the elders. They tried to leave them alone at some point during the dinner, but Taekwoon mostly ignored Hakyeon's attempts at making a conversation. He knew he was being childish, but he was too surprised and upset back then. They'd introduced the news to him in front of everyone without much of a warning, while it seemed Hakyeon had known for a while.
The following meetings, he was more civil. He cooked for Hakyeon, listened to him talk about work, indulged him with short replies and questions. But the distance between them was painfully clear and Taekwoon was not ready to cross it. Hakyeon had never apologized, never tried to explain. He just walked into his life like he'd never left.
Like it wasn't his fault that Taekwoon had been all alone for the past seven years.
Suddenly, he hears a voice outside, unmistakably Hakyeon's. He'd recognize that voice anywhere.
"Aww, you're so cute. Here, have some more."
He opens the door and peeks out. Hakyeon is crouching by the stairs, feeding the cat with something. Surprisingly, the cat doesn't seem scared of Hakyeon at all. It's eating right out of his hand, and purring loudly at that. The meat Taekwoon has left for it is gone, too; it seems the cat has a pretty impressive appetite.
"Sorry, little guy, that's all I have." The cat licks Hakyeon's fingers clean. It then lets Hakyeon pet it and he does so with a smile, scratching it behind its ears. Taekwoon feels betrayed, in a way. He's sure the cat wouldn't let him do it.
He opens the door wider and Hakyeon raises his head, giving him a bright smile. He returns it without much enthusiasm
"Hi, Taekwoonie! Sorry." Hakyeon looks sheepish. "I brought some sausages for a snack but this little fellow really liked them... I still have some of my mom's cake, though."
Taekwoon shrugs, ignoring his traitorous mind telling him that Hakyeon is just too adorable. "That's okay," he says neutrally. "Come in."
***
The lunch isn't different from the ones they had before. The casserole came out really well and at least that can offer some comfort in Taekwoon's misery. Hakyeon compliments him at least twice.
"This is so good!" he exclaims. "You're the best cook I know."
He talks about his university this time. He's already gotten his master's degree and listening about it makes Taekwoon feel pathetic and stupid. He has no degree and no job; he only has many regrets.
Hakyeon mentions a name a few times and it actually gets Taekwoon curious. He seems to be fond of this Minhyuk person. Taekwoon has already heard about Hakyeon's colleagues from work, Sojin, Ryeowook and Jinki. He's also heard about his cute neighbor Jaehwan, and his boyfriend Wonsik, and a girl named Minah. It all made him feel pitiful enough; Hakyeon's made so many friends after ditching him here. But their names didn't appear as frequently in Hakyeon's stories as Minhyuk's does.
"Who's Minhyuk?" he asks and Hakyeon stops his anecdote about some hilariously bad at lecturing professor and blinks up at him, probably surprised Taekwoon actually inquired about something.
'
"Oh, one of my classmates. He's also my best friend." He smiles; it's full of fondness, his eyes gleaming warmly. "He's helped me a lot these past few years."
Best friend, Taekwoon thinks. Encouraged by his question, Hakyeon jumps into a story of how they met, then how he got to know Minhyuk better. Taekwoon puts his fork back on his plate, his appetite completely gone.
He knows it's childish to feel jealous. They only were close until they turned 19, then Hakyeon left. It's natural to make new friends. Still, Taekwoon himself doesn't have anyone he could call a best friend now. There aren't many people his age in the village. There is Hongbin and his girlfriend Woori. There is also a sweet girl named Eunji who runs a rancho with her parents.
They all are kind to him, but he can't call them his friends. They're probably only nice out of pity, anyway. He's just that weird guy who can't seem to get his life together, as if he was never meant to come into this world at all. Most young people left the village to work and study, but he'd never tried. What a weirdo he is, isn't he?
They all forgot why he had to stay in the village. He can't blame them; some days he himself can barely remember. Some days he wishes he could leave and forget everything, like Hakyeon did. Let the forest die. Except… he doesn't want to, can't bring himself to do it. And with his shy personality, he probably would have trouble adapting. And does he really want to adapt, anyway? What do education and work mean in the long run? One of the reasons human world is such a terrifying place is because everyone has just one model of a successful life. Taekwoon has no interest in that model whatsoever.
"Are you full?" Hakyeon asks suddenly, glancing at his plate. "I hope you have some space left for the cake…" He looks up at Taekwoon, a playful twinkle in his eyes. "I remember you used to have great appetite."
Taekwoon tenses. It's the first time Hakyeon made any reference to their childhood together. Up until now he acted like they were just strangers getting to know each other. Somehow he isn't comfortable with the change.
"That was a long time ago," he answers dryly, even though, in all fairness, his appetite is usually still good. He hopes Hakyeon gets the message: you don't know me at all. "I'm not hungry anymore but you can leave it here." He stands up and cleans the table, then starts washing the dishes. It seems Hakyeon doesn't get the hint that he overstayed his welcome; he doesn't get up, apparently not intending to leave yet. Taekwoon feels more annoyed with each second.
"I came earlier because wanted to go around the town and talk to everyone a bit," Hakyeon speaks up. "It's been so long…"
"Then go," Taekwoon answers irritably.
"Um…would you like to go with me?" Hakyeon sounds hesitant, shy even, but it doesn't appease Taekwoon one bit.
"I'm busy."
"Okay then." Taekwoon hears the chair scrape against the floor as Hakyeon finally stands up. "I'll go by myself." He chuckles. "I shouldn't get lost, right?'
Done with the dishes, Taekwoon turns the tap off and wipes his hand with a kitchen towel. Then he turns to Hakyeon, sees him smile warmly at him, as if his cold behavior doesn't bother him at all. Be civil, Taekwoon reminds himself.
"It's too small to get really lost." He smiles. "Have fun."
"Sure will!" Hakyeon picks up his bag and puts on his sneakers. "See you later, Taekwoonie!"
And with that, he's gone.
***
Taekwoon lied to Hakyeon- he wasn't busy at all. He could go to the forest but he doesn't feel like it today. He just wants to be alone. So when someone knocks to the door later that day, Taekwoon is curled up in the armchair, finishing the book. With a soft sigh, he puts it away and heads to the door to open it.
He blinks in surprise at Hakyeon's smiling face. So he hasn't left yet? He opens the door wider but doesn't move to let Hakyeon inside.
"We, um, collected some berries with Eunji." He pushes the basket into Taekwoon's hands. "They're delicious! I suck at cooking but you probably can make something, right?"
Taekwoon's eyes shift to the basket, then back to Hakyeon's face. His blush is obvious even on the tanned skin. It might be just the sun, though. Either way, it makes Hakyeon look even prettier than he originally is. Taekwoon can't help but notice that. It doesn't make him feel any less bemused, though. What is Hakyeon expecting? That Taekwoon will jump into his arms over a basket of berries? It's not like he can't collect some himself, anyway. He's in the forest almost every day.
"Listen," Hakyeon says, dropping his eyes, probably intimidated by Taekwoon's aloofness. "I know you're not happy about the marriage. But I've been looking forward to it, really! And… I want to spend more time with you. It doesn't have to be so bad. I, uh… what do you say to a picnic trip next week?"
That's what the whole fuss is about? Taekwoon shrugs. He doesn't care either way.
"Sure."
"Really?" Hakyeon beams at him. "Great! I'll be here next Tuesday, same time. See you then!"
Taekwoon watches him walk to his car, suddenly feeling a bit guilty. Hakyeon seems so earnest about the whole thing. He's trying his best, even though he probably doesn't want it at all. In the end, what's worse than being forced to marry someone you purposely cut off so long ago? He shouldn't make it so hard for him.
Hakyeon waves at him before he enters the car and Taekwoon smiles at him- but it's still forced. The problem is, he's still hurt. He manages not to think about it most of the time but seeing Hakyeon makes things worse. He thinks at this point if Hakyeon apologized, showed at least a shade of regret, he'd be able to get over it. But as it is… he knows he's being bitter holding onto a grudge from years ago but he can't help it.
It hurt him so much, for so long.
***
Taekwoon doesn't want to take Hakyeon to the forest on their planned picnic date. He thinks Hakyeon doesn't belong there anymore. He is an outsider now, and back when the forest was still strong outsiders would never be allowed to enter it.
Instead he chooses a meadow by the river. There are a few trees growing there so they'll be able to sit in shade, and if it gets too hot they can step into the water to cool off a bit. He can't say he's looking forward to the trip but at least with the food and the nature surrounding them it should be bearable.
He still gets nervous the night before, double checking the list of things to prepare he's made in his mind. Despite himself, he worries if Hakyeon will like the food he's prepared.
He remembers to take a blanket, water, also some matches- there's a bonfire spot by the river and if Hakyeon wants to, they could bake potatoes and sausages in it. It's not as much fun during the day, but the food is still delicious.
The thought that they might not make it to the meadow at all doesn't cross his head. But as they walk down the narrow path through the outskirts of the forest, something draws Hakyeon's attention. He stops one of his anecdotes about his neighbors, who are apparently very clumsy at trying to hide that they're dating, and tilts his head, listening.
"Do you hear something?" He frowns. He stops walking on a crossroads, turning to the left, staring at the road leading deeper into the forest.
"Like…the trees? The birds?" Taekwoon asks, confused. He genuinely can't hear anything unusual.
"No, like… voices…" Hakyeon frowns; he seems unsettled.
"I can't hear a thing. But maybe someone's in the forest?" He doesn't like that possibility. The forest can't protect itself anymore, and people usually are too careless.
"Let's go check it out," Hakyeon says. He doesn't wait for Taekwoon's agreement; he turns left and starts walking down the path to the forest. Taekwoon follows him, full of mixed feelings; he doesn't think it's a good idea but he's also concerned about what the voices Hakyeon claims to have heard might be.
The path is narrow, surrounded by trees; they constantly have to duck away or slouch to avoid the low branches. It's eerily quiet here; Taekwoon is used to it. The forest used to be loud, filled with mysterious sounds of many living creatures. But it's dying now, aside from the trees there is almost nothing left here. It even doesn't smell right- instead of rich and earthy, the scent of life, it smells like dry wood and decay. It's strange to him that people never notice. How convenient for the villagers, to enjoy the wonders of the forest when it was alive only to forget it now that it's dying.
He swats a mosquito off his knee- he swears those goddamn things will prevail till the end- then almost falls on his butt when Hakyeon suddenly stops in his tracks, causing Taekwoon to bump into him.
"What is this house?" Hakyeon asks. His voice wavers, and there's a tone of fear to it that instantly alerts Taekwoon. He follows Hakyeon's gaze but he doesn't see anything. There's a big clearing in front of them, but it's all withered grass and dry soil.
"What house?" he asks and Hakyeon turns to give him an incredulous look.
"Are you kidding me? Right here!" He points at the clearing. Taekwoon shakes his head- is Hakyeon in his right mind? There used to be many things in the forest that common people wouldn't believe in, but they were all living creatures. No invisible houses, that's for sure.
"There's nothing-" he cuts off, blinking his eyes, as suddenly something shifts at the edge of his vision. He looks straight at the clearing and sees nothing. But as he turns away from it there's something at the verge of his vision, something tall and dark, a looming shadow…
He feels a shiver run down his spine.
"There's nothing here," he says again, and turns around, ready to leave. But Hakyeon grabs his forearm and pulls- his grip is strong and Taekwoon nearly stumbles as he's dragged forward to the clearing. Then, suddenly, his vision flickers and shimmers and, as if someone is painting it on a canvas, an old house slowly materializes in front of him, along with a wild garden surrounding it, some of the tangled weeds and bushes reaching almost to his waist, growing over the paved path to the house.
"What… What the fuck?" he whispers, looking up at the dilapidated building; its empty, broken windows seem like hollow eyes staring back at him. He doesn't like it.
"Do you see it now?" Hakyeon glances at him. "Or were you trying to trick me or something?"
Taekwoon frowns, looking back over his shoulder. Hakyeon has just pulled him through the broken gate; he can see the rusty fence surrounding the garden now. It seems it was once green, judging by the washed out splatters of the paint, but it's the color of dried blood now, completely eaten up by rust.
Is it why he can see the house now, because he's entered its terrain? He's passed by the clearing countless times but not once an idea to walk out on it crossed his mind, as if the house was protecting itself from unwanted visitors. But then why is Hakyeon able to see it?
Whatever the reason might be, Taekwoon doesn't like the house.
"Have you been here before?" Hakyeon asks.
He shakes his head. "I've never even noticed it before."
"That's strange." A small crease appears between Hakyeon's eyebrows. "You think…it's haunted or something?"
Don't be silly, Taekwoon wants to say, haunted houses don't exist. Except he's just seen it pop out of thin air and with its gloomy exterior, it certainly looks like a popular hangout spot for ghosts. He shrugs; he doesn't care, all he wants is to leave right now.
"Let's check it out," Hakyeon says as if he can read his mind and has just decided to test his courage. Which seems unlikely; Taekwoon knows Hakyeon used to hate horror movies; he didn't even like the ghost stories the villagers used to like to scare the kids with. Of course, that could have changed over time but still… Hakyeon doesn't seem like an adrenaline freak.
Taekwoon bites his lip. He doesn't want to enter but he doesn't want to admit he's scared, either. You're not five, Jung Taekwoon, just tell him. But Hakyeon is already walking up the small steps to the door and Taekwoon follows, cursing his own idea to take this route to the picnic spot.
The door opens with a creak at just a light push of Hakyeon's hand. It seems like it wasn't properly closed. The inside of the house is dark, the air feels cool when they walk in.
Taekwoon has the urge to cough from all the dust and the scent of decay, but the eerie silence of the house makes him want to stifle it. They're in a small, narrow hall, sparsely furnished- there's just a hanger with some jackets and something that might have been a coat once, but looks like a torn, dusty rag right now. Taekwoon's heart jumps as he senses a movement on his right- but it's just a tall mirror with a cracked, dirty surface. He stares at his reflection and wonders if he's really this pale or it's just the light, or rather the lack of it.
Hakyeon immediately finds a door and opens it, as if he has no problem seeing in the dark whatsoever. Light falls into the hall- the room in front of them seems to be the living room, and it's a bit brighter thanks to big windows on the eastern wall of it. They don't help much though- beyond the windows there's a wall of tall, dark trees; the forest on that side goes on for miles and miles.
The living room is a mess. Fallen over furniture, broken glass and old books scattered everywhere. It looks like someone broke in here, except Taekwoon can't see how any of the old, falling apart items could be worth stealing. Hakyeon walks into the room, stands over a brown sofa, covered with mold and black splotches of something Taekwoon doesn't want to identify.
"Well… it's old and messy," he says, flinching at how loud his voice sounds. The forest is naturally quiet but it's not absolutely silent. It seems its sounds don't reach the house, as if it's ripped out of time and space. "Can we go now?"
Hakyeon shushes him and tilts his head, as if listening to something. He then heads to the door on the right side of the room.
"Let's check the rest of it first."
Taekwoon frowns. He doesn't want to indulge Hakyeon in his sudden need for exploration and the deeper he is in the house the more uneasy he feels, as if it doesn't want him here.
"I'm not interested," he says. "I'll wait here, just hurry."
He briefly thinks that judging by all the horror movies he's watched splitting up is not a good idea, but his gut is telling him to stay and he's not in a horror movie.
"Scared?" Hakyeon grins at him and Taekwoon scoffs. Hakyeon doesn't tease him further, though- he wastes no time to leave the room.
"Oh, there's a hall," Taekwoon hears him say. "And I think this is the kitchen." He hears a creak, presumably of a door, and then some more muffled noises. He sighs, hoping Hakyeon won't take long. He looks around the room with little interest, but then his eyes are drawn to a spot on the wall, right next to the sofa. He stares at the faded, dark brown splotches, a sense of dread taking over him.
This can be so many things, he reasons with himself, you only thought of blood because this place is creepy as hell.
Still, he walks up to the wall to take w closer look at it, and then he notices is, the right side of the sofa and the floor beneath it are both darker, as if… as if someone was killed there then the body was left leaning against the sofa, bleeding out.
He suddenly feels sick. He's about to call out to Hakyeon when he hears a loud thud behind him. His heart jumps in his chest and he turns around quickly- but there's no one there. He notices the source of the noise- a few books have fallen off the coffee table to the floor by his feet. He frowns, leaning down to pick the nearest one up. There's a newspaper under it, the paper yellowed with age.
"A shocking murder in Aston Valley," the front page article says. Taekwoon's eyes scan over the faded letters. A man and his two children brutally killed…his wife and son managed to escape…the police suspects one of them might be the-
"Found anything?" Hakyeon steps into the room. Taekwoon quickly puts the book back down, covering the newspaper. He's not sure himself why he feels the need to hide it, but something about the article makes him feel very uneasy, like he's forgetting something- something Hakyeon shouldn't know.
"Nothing," he says, straightening up. "Just that." He points at the stain on the wall. Hakyeon raises his eyebrows.
"A mildew stain? I've seen ones like this in the kitchen as well. There's really nothing interesting here, except the bathroom is incredibly gross. I think we can go-"
Just in that moment a growling sound echoes all around them and then rain hits the windows with great force, the forest beyond the window smudged through the downpour.
"…or not," Hakyeon finishes. He gives Taekwoon a wry smile. "Think we can have the picnic here?"
***
Hakyeon's positive attitude and firm belief that the stains have nothing to do with blood calm Taekwoon down. The living room seems like the most welcoming place in the house so they push some of the mess to the side and spread the blanket on the floor.
"Maybe it's good we ended up here," Hakyeon muses, pulling out a few bags of snacks out of his bag. Taekwoon eyes them with amusement, but he's secretly grateful Hakyeon didn't make any attempts at cooking. "Imagine we got caught in that storm. We'd be drenched by now."
Taekwoon looks through the windows- they're old, rattling on the wind, but aside of the heavy rain, the sounds of the storm seem distant, like it's not happening directly above them. Only when the lighting hits very close they can hear the thunder. It's impossibly loud then, the sound resonating through the whole house, making Taekwoon jump. Hakyeon is completely calm, though; he just laughs each time it happens, his eyes twinkling with mirth. He doesn't tease Taekwoon, though.
"Oh, you baked cupcakes!" Hakyeon exclaims, looking into the basket Taekwoon brought. "With berries? The ones I brought?" Not waiting for an answer he takes a huge bite and Taekwoon can't help but smile. He's adorable.
"Yeah," he answers. "Are they good?"
Hakyeon nods enthusiastically, swallowing. Then another thunder hits and he does get startled this time, choking a bit. Taekwoon pats his back as Hakyeon reaches to his bag for a bottle of water. He drinks it, spills a little with another bright lighting, and they both chuckle as their eyes meet.
"I didn't think I was taking a day off to spend it stuck in a haunted house," Hakyeon reflects, his eyes wandering over the room.
"Sorry it ended up like this…" Taekwoon mumbles. True, it's Hakyeon who dragged them here, but he should have checked the forecast. If not for Hakyeon they would be out in a storm, an hour away from the village.
Hakyeon shakes his head. "Don't be silly!" He leans forward, catches Taekwoon's gaze and gives him a warm smile. "I'm glad I'm here with you."
For a moment, time seems to stop and all Taekwoon can hear is the thumping of his heart as they keep the eye contact. His cheeks are burning and he's thankful for the darkness surrounding them. Then, Hakyeon looks away.
"Oh, you have matches," he says, taking the small package out of the food basket. "Think we could find a candle here? Then we could see properly… It's gotten really dark." Hakyeon pouts. "Now it is kinda scary…"
Taekwoon thinks it's almost too dark; even if it's a storm in the middle of the forest, it shouldn't be later than 3pm. He doesn't let that thought linger, though. It's fine, he thinks- if anything strange happens they can just leave. It will mean getting wet but that's better than being killed by some vicious ghost, right?
He almost laughs at his thoughts- they're so ridiculous.
"Did you see any in the kitchen?"
"No…" Hakyeon frowns. "But I can't say I checked thoroughly. But maybe the bathroom? Like, scented candles." He looks at Taekwoon hopefully. "But I don't really wanna go there, it was scary."
Taekwoon rolls his eyes. Now that's more familiar- Hakyeon being a scaredy-cat and nagging at others to do things for him.
"Fine, I'll go," he says and Hakyeon beams at him.
He remembers his premonition from earlier and feels uneasy about going deeper into the house- but really, what could be there? Just more mold and dust. All he's risking is getting a runny nose.
He walks through the door into the dark hall, and he immediately spots the bathroom door. There's another one of those fading dark brown splotches on it. He stares at it, then takes another step forward, then stops again. The bathroom reeks. It's a heavy odour, impossible to ignore, intense with a sweet, but nonetheless disgusting undertone. It's how he imagines a rotting body would smell like. His body tenses and every part of it seems to be against going in there but, as if on autopilot, he opens the door and enters anyway.
The bathroom feels colder than the rest of the house. It's dark and cramped- there's only one small window above the old fashioned bathtub but right now it doesn't give much light. The sink is right by the door, there's one cupboard above it and one below, both white, the paint scratched off here and there to reveal what looks like cheap plywood. The mirror hanging over the sink is small but unlike the one in the hall it's not cracked, and far less dirty.
Taekwoon briefly glances at his reflection; his pale skin, black, tousled hair that's already getting too long, the mild disgust painted on his face. His reflection doesn't look pleased- no wonder, he's about to suffocate from the stench. He wonders if it could be the toilet, as there's nothing else in the bathroom that could smell so bad. Well, it's not like he's going to check.
He opens the cupboard above the mirror and frowns at its contents. It's empty save for what looks like a kitchen knife. Certainly doesn't seem like something you'd keep in the bathroom. Impulsively, he takes it out, examining the blade. It's clean, looks almost new. Suddenly, there's a movement at the edge of his vision. Alarmed, he slowly looks up- and freezes on the spot, terrified.
Instead of his reflection he sees a woman's face in the mirror. Pale, with long, dark hair, and hollow black eyes. She's grinning, her dry, cracked lips showing rows of white teeth. Just like him, she holds a knife in her hand and slowly, slowly she brings it up to her neck… Hypnotized, he stares at the reflection, his heart beating erratically the only sign of how terrified he is. Then he notices his own hand is following the woman's movements, as if pulled by an unknown force… He lets out a short scream and drops the knife.
He stares at it with wide eyes- it's bloodied now, along with his hands, the blood dripping to the floor, forming a stain… He's so scared his breath is jarred, coming out in short gasps as if he's just run a marathon. He lunges for the door and stops in his tracks, realizing it's closed.
He's sure he didn't close it- he wouldn't lock himself in that foul bathroom. He pulls on the doorknob but it doesn't budge. He notices there's no blood on his hands anymore- and when he looks into the mirror it's his own face staring back at him, white as a sheet, eyes wide with fear.
Then he hears something move in the bathtub. He stills, shaking, afraid to look and at the same time, afraid of being attacked and taken by surprise. He turns slowly, and he almost sees it, the pale, lanky figure raising from the tub- and then, suddenly, the door to the bathroom opens.
"Taekwoon, are you all right?" He's pulled into the hall and Hakyeon stares at him with worried eyes. "I heard something- Jesus, why would you lock yourself in here? You scared me to death." He frowns. "You're shaking, did something happen?" He grasps his arms, rubbing them gently. "Hey, it's okay, you're-" Hakyeon cuts off abruptly, his gaze fixed at something over Taekwoon's shoulder, his lips parting in an obviously terrified expression. Taekwoon's heart leaps again and he knows, he knows what Hakyeon is looking at but he can't fucking move-
If you don't move you're as good as dead, an angry voice speaks up in his head. And then it's as if his body moves on its own. He pushes Hakyeon away, turns around and looks but doesn't let himself really see- he shuts the door and holds it in place. It begins to shake and rattle instantly and his palms are sweaty, his heart is racing, but he doesn't relent.
"Listen." He looks over his shoulder at Hakyeon- he looks just as frightened as Taekwoon feels. "Get away from here. I'll follow soon, hopefully that…thing…can't run fast."
"Are you crazy?" Hakyeon seems to regain his composure a little. "I'm not leaving you like this!"
"Yes you are!" Taekwoon hisses. There's a thump at the door and Hakyeon gasps. Taekwoon hopes he'll get scared enough to leave but a second later Hakyeon is at his side, helping him keep the door closed.
"We run at three," he says. "One… " Taekwoon can feel how sweaty his palms are, how weak his knees feel- he hopes he can run at all. "Two…" He takes a deep breath- the adrenaline should help him escape but he needs to focus, needs to make sure Hakyeon will make it out of the house safely too. "Three!"
And then it's all a blur. Hakyeon is first at the front door and when he pulls at the knob all that's in Taekwoon's head is- how didn't I think of that? It's locked, it's definitely locked- but the door opens easily and they stumble outside, into the rain. It's when Hakyeon takes his hand and then they keep running, without looking back, through the garden and into the forest, and then out to the road. It's where Taekwoon finally dares to look back but even though nothing is chasing them they don't stop until they're completely out of breath.
He looks back again but there's nothing there, just the road, the fields and the forest, all drowning in rain. The storm has passed but the rain didn't stop- they sky is heavy with gray clouds. It's still bright outside, barely 5pm, and Taekwoon shudders at the memory of the darkness looming over the house. Was the storm just a coincidence?
"Okay," Hakyeon rasps out, still trying to catch his breath. "What the hell was that?"
Taekwoon shakes his head, completely breathless, then laughs shortly, not sure why he's laughing- it's probably the adrenaline, and the overwhelming relief.
"God, I've never been so scared in my whole life," Hakyeon says. "Are you all right? What the fuck was that thing in the bathroom?"
"I'm fine." He looks at Hakyeon's face. His hair is wet, his fringe sticking to his face, his face flushed from the long run. He smells like a mix of cologne, sweat and wet clothes. Taekwoon thinks he's beautiful. If something happened… despite the years they've been apart he feels just as protective as ever. He'd never forgive himself if something happened to Hakyeon. "I really have no idea… But the house is definitely haunted."
Hakyeon chuckles at that. "We left the food there. But I'm totally not going back for it."
Taekwoon snorts, then suddenly realizes Hakyeon is still clutching his hand in his. Their hands are slick with both sweat and rain and it shouldn't feel nice, but it does. Hakyeon is still warm and safe.
"Sorry," Hakyeon seems to have realized as well. "My hand is all gross."
"Mine aren't any better," Taekwoon points out. He suddenly remembers the blood on his hands and he feels sick. He wants to get as far away from the house as possible. "Let's keep going."
PART 2