Are You There? -- Chapter 1 [KenBin Fic]
Title: Are You There? [Chapter 1]
Pairing: KenBin [Hongbin-centric]
Genre: Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Horror, AU, high school!au
Rating: PG-13 [some violence]
Summary: Hongbin keeps quiet. Keeps to himself. He can't let his past catch up to him here, but what happens when secrets aren't so secret, and obsessions turn violent? What is he supposed to do, then?
[a/n: This all started from a film concept I wrote for my film & tv writing class last spring. It gets intense, and a lot is revealed in little pieces. Not all things are as simple as they seem, so be advised. You won't know what you think you know.]
Hongbin opened his eyes, the light shining in from the crack between his curtains blinding him.
His eyes burn.
He'd been crying in his sleep again.
His entire body ached from tension, rolling over to swing his feet over the side of his bed. The cool floor beneath sending chills down his spine. He planted them just the same and rubbed his eyes.
Another day, another attempt to move on.
He slowly stood up, feeling his knees crack with the motion, Heavy steps led him to the bathroom. He flicked the switch and a dim light glowed above him. He looked in the mirror, deciphering what excuse he would come up with today if anyone asked about the red around his eyes. But he wouldn't have to worry much. He hadn't made any friends since moving out of the city.
Everyone in this rural town was fairly set in their ways. No need to pay attention to the quiet kid from the city.
A quick run of his hands through his hair, teeth brushed to adequate cleanliness, and cold water splashed on his face, Hongbin made his way back to his room, b-lining for his computer.
He sat at his chair, moving his mouse to wake up the tower next to his feet, screen following after. A screen littered with message notifications across a background reading "Pandora" in bloodied, sharp lettering.
He clicked the matching icon at the bottom of his screen, the login box reading "RedBean93". Pandora was somewhat of an obsession. Hongbin had grown good at the game after moving to the countryside. Very good. Good enough to play on a semi-professional team, where his RedBean93 name stemmed. Anything to distract him. Anything to maintain his sanity, though some would say a game such as this would only be a natural choice of entertainment for someone like him.
Hongbin sighed as he turned up the volume of his headset to listen to the multiple voice messages that played through while he weilded a bloodied ax through a plethora of zombies.
Slashing. Chopping. Blood spattering on the screen of the FPS. His phone buzzed just as he reached the checkpoint.
7:30am.
Time for school.
As he closed the game, he noticed he had one text message from a fan. Someone named "Ottokaji92."
Hongbin had seen the name before, a couple of different times as he would play and have an open chat in the sidebar for his audience to discuss the game at hand. His strategy. His techniques. All of the above.
He never responded, and he doubted he ever would, but he opened the message anyway, reading it just as he read the others. It was short. Simple.
"Are you there?"
He deleted it no more than a second after opening it and sent his computer to sleep.
Soon after, he made his way out to the kitchen, his grandfather sitting at the table, newspaper in his hands, face peering over the top at his grandson. Eyes narrow. Muttering under his breath.
"Hyunbin would've never treated me so coldly." He found his way back behind the newspaper.
Hongbin was used to such comments, always about how his brother was better than him. How his brother would treat him better, would never talk back, would somehow prove his worth as a grandchild more than Hongbin ever could.
Hongbin notices the mail on the counter as he pours a cup of coffee.
"You have mail, Grandpa. It's here on the counter if you're looking for it. Looks like a subscription renewal, the power bil-"
"I already know. I saw it this morning since you couldn't be bothered to tell me last night when I got home. You just sit in your room and play games. Hyunbin wouldn't have done that." He spoke from behind the paper still.
"I'm sorry. Here's your coffee." Hongbin sat the cup down on the table in front of the older man, taking a seat himself and grabbing an apple from the fruit bowl in the center of the table. His jaw felt heavy as he tried to eat. He had to eat.
"You going to school today?"
"Yes, sir."
"They still let you in?"
"Yes, sir."
Hongbin took a bite of his apple, pushing to swallow the chewed pieces. He had to eat, as tiring as it got.
The same discussion every morning ending with the same rhetorical question. Every single day.
"I don't understand how they let a murder walk the halls. A disgrace."
------------------------
It was late spring now, the skies warming up, bright with sunshine and a refreshing scent reminiscent of cherry blossoms.
He made his way from class to class, hands tucked into his pockets, thinking he might soon need to put his jacket in his locker as the air got warmer. Hongbin didn't speak a word that day other than the muttered apologies for running into someone or accidentally walking into a person's path.
He took his usual spot alone at the corner lunch table, flipping through this month's issue of the Pandora gaming guide, in his Pandora shirt, with his Pandora backpack.
The gear came with the league status. He wore it proudly, though no one might know. There didn't seem to be many gamers that walked the halls. The countryside kids had a more refined taste, believe it or not. Hongbin's walks from class to class allowed him to overhear chatting about the weekly country club meeting, or the equestrian competition coming up next week.
He'd never ridden a horse in his life. The thought sort of amused him, honestly, but he didn't want any part of it. They were from different worlds, and that was just how life was sometimes.
He tossed his empty lunch bag into the trash and gathered his things before picking up a coffee from the vending machine.
He wasn't sure if Mr. Choi liked coffee or not, but he always brought it regardless.
-----------------------------
Mr. Choi was in his usual attire today: a checkered shirt, pair of light washed jeans, and his black tennis shoes. Hongbin wasn't sure if it was an attempt to seem hip, or if that was just his personal style, but Mr. Choi was Mr. Choi, no matter how hard he tried to get Hongbin to call him Alex.
Hongbin sat the coffee down on the table next to Mr. Choi's chair.
"Thank you, Hongbin. You know, you really don't need to bring these every time we meet."
Hongbin took his seat on the couch, his backpack now sitting beside him. The office was small, but comfortable. A quaint setting, these walls heard so many secrets from so many people.
Hongbin wonders if his was the worst.
"You don't like them?" Hongbin asked, eyeballing the schoolyard outside. He sank deeper into the cushion as he turned slightly. His eyes followed a group of boys as they walked, a soccer ball being passed between them.
"No, I like coffee. I don't know where I'd be without caffeine."
"Okay, I'll keep bringing them, then."
He heard Mr. Choi chuckle, now turning his body back to face the older man in the chair across from him.
He took a sip of the coffee.
"Caramel today?"
"It was all they had."
"It's sweet. Reminds me of spring."
"Right."
Hongbin shifted on the couch. He wasn't uncomfortable, but he knew he had no choice. If he wanted to keep going to school, he had to come to each of the sessions. He had to play ball to move on.
"How is school going? Are your grades okay, Hongbin?"
"School is fine."
"Have you made any friends yet?"
"No."
"Why do you think that is?"
"I don't know."
"Is it because you have different interests? There are plenty of opportunities to meet people here, Hongbin. I think you'll find that some of the students aren't as pretentious as they seem."
"I'm sure."
"Do you just not want to?"
"I don't know."
"How's your grandfather? Does he still blame you?"
"How can he not?"
"Hongbin-"
"It's fine though. I don't really listen anymore."
Hongbin brushed the hair out of his face and rolled his shoulders, now leaning forward on his elbows.
He knew what was coming next.
".........Have you heard from them at all?"
"No."
"Nothing at all?"
"Why would they talk to me? I broke our family, Mr. Choi. It's my fault."
"That's not true, Hongbin. The court-"
"Right. But, no one believes the court."
The silence was deafening.
".........Do you miss them, Hongbin? Do you miss home?"
"I miss them, but they don't miss me."
"Hongbin.............."
Hongbin didn't respond.
"Hongbin, can I ask you something?"
He nodded his head.
"................Did you really do it, Hongbin?"
Hongbin didn't know what he expected. He looked up from the floor, into Mr. Choi's eyes. They were almost pleading for an answer. The answer he wanted, but an answer Hongbin couldn't give.
"Can I be excused, Mr. Choi? I have to go to work."
Mr. Choi let out a deep sigh, uncrossing his legs in his chair and leaning forward on his own elbows, hands swiping down his face. His frustration was apparent, but Hongbin couldn't help. He wasn't lying to him, but he couldn't bear to have the same discussion day in and day out, bringing up the same things he was trying to move on from.
"Yes, Hongbin. I'll see you tomorrow. Have a good evening at work. Make sure to do your homework, and let me know if you need anything, yes?"
"Mhmmmm, see you tomorrow, Mr. Choi."
Hongbin was halfway out the door as the last part left his mouth.
The conversation was exhausting, but he knew it was that much more exhausting for Mr. Choi. Endlessly, he wanted to break through to Hongbin, but Hongbin couldn't allow it.
He needed to keep things as they were.
For Hyunbin...
--------------------------
Hongbin had only an hour left of work at the coffee shop. He was a barista and he was always scheduled for the evening shift, by himself. The shop was small so very few people stopped in. The only regulars were the man in the grey suit who came in everyday to read the paper and eat a blueberry scone with his Earl Grey tea, and the young girl with the freckles who sat in the corner, next to the window, writing away in her journal, Hongbin assumed, til the shop closed.
They were quiet, neat, leaving Hongbin to rarely have anything to truly clean up from their presence.
It was nice.
He liked respectful people.
Today was different though. 54 minutes left before the 8pm closing time.
A boy walked in on the phone.
"Ottokaji?!~~" The voice rang through the entire shop, disrupting any sort of harmony there had been beforehand.
Hongbin almost jumped out of his skin as the presence only got louder, walking towards the counter. He was alone except for the regulars, but they looked about ready to leave should the disturbance continue.
The obnoxious. It was obscene, but he hung up his phone right before reaching the counter, hands on the straps of his backpack now.
Hongbin looked at the boy in front of him. He was oddly cute. His nose taking up a large portion of his face, eyes bright despite the dark circles that seemed more natural than due to sleeplessness, brunette hair falling lightly into them. His lips looked like pillows. Hongbin couldn't help but stare.
"Hi~ Can I get a medium white chocolate coffee with extra whipped cream and a dash of pumpkin creamer?" His smile was bright, and he looked as if he'd just won the lottery. It was almost contagious.
Hongbin couldn't respond. He was drawn in.
What was happening?
"Hello?" Hongbin blinked back to the room.
"Hi."
"Can I get my order?"
"Right. Coffee. Got it." Hongbin stuttered out as he rushed behind him to make the hot beverage.
"Oh, ottokaji?~ Is it always this quiet in here?"
"Mhmmm, usually."
"Ah, I see. Sorry for disturbing! I didn't realize I was that loud." The boy seemed to blush a bit, or so Hongbin decided, peering up over the coffee machine in front of him.
"It's alright. I think the girl in the corner has gone back to her writing now."
"Good........ I'm Jaehwan. Lee Jaehwan."
"Hi, Jaehwan." Hongbin responded. Was this what he wanted to happen? He wasn't quite sure, but he needed to be cautious.
"Have you lived here long? I didn't see you before this year?..."
"No. Just since last June. I'm new in school this year."
"I see. What's your name?"
Hongbin had finished the drink, putting a cuff on the hot paper cup before handing it to Jaehwan. He looked up, meeting Jaehwan's eyes. He felt a pang in his stomach, a ball of nerves.
"Lee Hongbin."
"Nice to meet you, Lee Hongbin. I'll see you around. Thanks for the coffee!" Jaehwan took the coffee, hand brushing Hongbin's sending a rush of adrenaline through the barista's fingers, spreading throughout the rest of his body.
Before he knew it, Jaehwan was out the door.
Whether he wanted to admit it or not, the boy had made him laugh, amusing him, and providing some sort of human connection, a fresh start, for the first time since moving to the countryside.
It was refreshing. Someone had noticed him.
Someone not online, hiding behind a username and only knowing him for his gaming skills.
Even there, it was difficult. He was known, his identity made both online and in reality for things external to him.
Jaehwan knew none of these things, knew nothing of his past, nothing of his present, except that he wanted to make his acquaintance. Or Hongbin thought.
An acquaintance. A potential new friend.
Hongbin wiped the counter, 45 minutes left of work, and he cracked a smile for the first time in months.
Pairing: KenBin [Hongbin-centric]
Genre: Mystery, Suspense, Thriller, Horror, AU, high school!au
Rating: PG-13 [some violence]
Summary: Hongbin keeps quiet. Keeps to himself. He can't let his past catch up to him here, but what happens when secrets aren't so secret, and obsessions turn violent? What is he supposed to do, then?
[a/n: This all started from a film concept I wrote for my film & tv writing class last spring. It gets intense, and a lot is revealed in little pieces. Not all things are as simple as they seem, so be advised. You won't know what you think you know.]
Hongbin opened his eyes, the light shining in from the crack between his curtains blinding him.
His eyes burn.
He'd been crying in his sleep again.
His entire body ached from tension, rolling over to swing his feet over the side of his bed. The cool floor beneath sending chills down his spine. He planted them just the same and rubbed his eyes.
Another day, another attempt to move on.
He slowly stood up, feeling his knees crack with the motion, Heavy steps led him to the bathroom. He flicked the switch and a dim light glowed above him. He looked in the mirror, deciphering what excuse he would come up with today if anyone asked about the red around his eyes. But he wouldn't have to worry much. He hadn't made any friends since moving out of the city.
Everyone in this rural town was fairly set in their ways. No need to pay attention to the quiet kid from the city.
A quick run of his hands through his hair, teeth brushed to adequate cleanliness, and cold water splashed on his face, Hongbin made his way back to his room, b-lining for his computer.
He sat at his chair, moving his mouse to wake up the tower next to his feet, screen following after. A screen littered with message notifications across a background reading "Pandora" in bloodied, sharp lettering.
He clicked the matching icon at the bottom of his screen, the login box reading "RedBean93". Pandora was somewhat of an obsession. Hongbin had grown good at the game after moving to the countryside. Very good. Good enough to play on a semi-professional team, where his RedBean93 name stemmed. Anything to distract him. Anything to maintain his sanity, though some would say a game such as this would only be a natural choice of entertainment for someone like him.
Hongbin sighed as he turned up the volume of his headset to listen to the multiple voice messages that played through while he weilded a bloodied ax through a plethora of zombies.
Slashing. Chopping. Blood spattering on the screen of the FPS. His phone buzzed just as he reached the checkpoint.
7:30am.
Time for school.
As he closed the game, he noticed he had one text message from a fan. Someone named "Ottokaji92."
Hongbin had seen the name before, a couple of different times as he would play and have an open chat in the sidebar for his audience to discuss the game at hand. His strategy. His techniques. All of the above.
He never responded, and he doubted he ever would, but he opened the message anyway, reading it just as he read the others. It was short. Simple.
"Are you there?"
He deleted it no more than a second after opening it and sent his computer to sleep.
Soon after, he made his way out to the kitchen, his grandfather sitting at the table, newspaper in his hands, face peering over the top at his grandson. Eyes narrow. Muttering under his breath.
"Hyunbin would've never treated me so coldly." He found his way back behind the newspaper.
Hongbin was used to such comments, always about how his brother was better than him. How his brother would treat him better, would never talk back, would somehow prove his worth as a grandchild more than Hongbin ever could.
Hongbin notices the mail on the counter as he pours a cup of coffee.
"You have mail, Grandpa. It's here on the counter if you're looking for it. Looks like a subscription renewal, the power bil-"
"I already know. I saw it this morning since you couldn't be bothered to tell me last night when I got home. You just sit in your room and play games. Hyunbin wouldn't have done that." He spoke from behind the paper still.
"I'm sorry. Here's your coffee." Hongbin sat the cup down on the table in front of the older man, taking a seat himself and grabbing an apple from the fruit bowl in the center of the table. His jaw felt heavy as he tried to eat. He had to eat.
"You going to school today?"
"Yes, sir."
"They still let you in?"
"Yes, sir."
Hongbin took a bite of his apple, pushing to swallow the chewed pieces. He had to eat, as tiring as it got.
The same discussion every morning ending with the same rhetorical question. Every single day.
"I don't understand how they let a murder walk the halls. A disgrace."
------------------------
It was late spring now, the skies warming up, bright with sunshine and a refreshing scent reminiscent of cherry blossoms.
He made his way from class to class, hands tucked into his pockets, thinking he might soon need to put his jacket in his locker as the air got warmer. Hongbin didn't speak a word that day other than the muttered apologies for running into someone or accidentally walking into a person's path.
He took his usual spot alone at the corner lunch table, flipping through this month's issue of the Pandora gaming guide, in his Pandora shirt, with his Pandora backpack.
The gear came with the league status. He wore it proudly, though no one might know. There didn't seem to be many gamers that walked the halls. The countryside kids had a more refined taste, believe it or not. Hongbin's walks from class to class allowed him to overhear chatting about the weekly country club meeting, or the equestrian competition coming up next week.
He'd never ridden a horse in his life. The thought sort of amused him, honestly, but he didn't want any part of it. They were from different worlds, and that was just how life was sometimes.
He tossed his empty lunch bag into the trash and gathered his things before picking up a coffee from the vending machine.
He wasn't sure if Mr. Choi liked coffee or not, but he always brought it regardless.
-----------------------------
Mr. Choi was in his usual attire today: a checkered shirt, pair of light washed jeans, and his black tennis shoes. Hongbin wasn't sure if it was an attempt to seem hip, or if that was just his personal style, but Mr. Choi was Mr. Choi, no matter how hard he tried to get Hongbin to call him Alex.
Hongbin sat the coffee down on the table next to Mr. Choi's chair.
"Thank you, Hongbin. You know, you really don't need to bring these every time we meet."
Hongbin took his seat on the couch, his backpack now sitting beside him. The office was small, but comfortable. A quaint setting, these walls heard so many secrets from so many people.
Hongbin wonders if his was the worst.
"You don't like them?" Hongbin asked, eyeballing the schoolyard outside. He sank deeper into the cushion as he turned slightly. His eyes followed a group of boys as they walked, a soccer ball being passed between them.
"No, I like coffee. I don't know where I'd be without caffeine."
"Okay, I'll keep bringing them, then."
He heard Mr. Choi chuckle, now turning his body back to face the older man in the chair across from him.
He took a sip of the coffee.
"Caramel today?"
"It was all they had."
"It's sweet. Reminds me of spring."
"Right."
Hongbin shifted on the couch. He wasn't uncomfortable, but he knew he had no choice. If he wanted to keep going to school, he had to come to each of the sessions. He had to play ball to move on.
"How is school going? Are your grades okay, Hongbin?"
"School is fine."
"Have you made any friends yet?"
"No."
"Why do you think that is?"
"I don't know."
"Is it because you have different interests? There are plenty of opportunities to meet people here, Hongbin. I think you'll find that some of the students aren't as pretentious as they seem."
"I'm sure."
"Do you just not want to?"
"I don't know."
"How's your grandfather? Does he still blame you?"
"How can he not?"
"Hongbin-"
"It's fine though. I don't really listen anymore."
Hongbin brushed the hair out of his face and rolled his shoulders, now leaning forward on his elbows.
He knew what was coming next.
".........Have you heard from them at all?"
"No."
"Nothing at all?"
"Why would they talk to me? I broke our family, Mr. Choi. It's my fault."
"That's not true, Hongbin. The court-"
"Right. But, no one believes the court."
The silence was deafening.
".........Do you miss them, Hongbin? Do you miss home?"
"I miss them, but they don't miss me."
"Hongbin.............."
Hongbin didn't respond.
"Hongbin, can I ask you something?"
He nodded his head.
"................Did you really do it, Hongbin?"
Hongbin didn't know what he expected. He looked up from the floor, into Mr. Choi's eyes. They were almost pleading for an answer. The answer he wanted, but an answer Hongbin couldn't give.
"Can I be excused, Mr. Choi? I have to go to work."
Mr. Choi let out a deep sigh, uncrossing his legs in his chair and leaning forward on his own elbows, hands swiping down his face. His frustration was apparent, but Hongbin couldn't help. He wasn't lying to him, but he couldn't bear to have the same discussion day in and day out, bringing up the same things he was trying to move on from.
"Yes, Hongbin. I'll see you tomorrow. Have a good evening at work. Make sure to do your homework, and let me know if you need anything, yes?"
"Mhmmmm, see you tomorrow, Mr. Choi."
Hongbin was halfway out the door as the last part left his mouth.
The conversation was exhausting, but he knew it was that much more exhausting for Mr. Choi. Endlessly, he wanted to break through to Hongbin, but Hongbin couldn't allow it.
He needed to keep things as they were.
For Hyunbin...
--------------------------
Hongbin had only an hour left of work at the coffee shop. He was a barista and he was always scheduled for the evening shift, by himself. The shop was small so very few people stopped in. The only regulars were the man in the grey suit who came in everyday to read the paper and eat a blueberry scone with his Earl Grey tea, and the young girl with the freckles who sat in the corner, next to the window, writing away in her journal, Hongbin assumed, til the shop closed.
They were quiet, neat, leaving Hongbin to rarely have anything to truly clean up from their presence.
It was nice.
He liked respectful people.
Today was different though. 54 minutes left before the 8pm closing time.
A boy walked in on the phone.
"Ottokaji?!~~" The voice rang through the entire shop, disrupting any sort of harmony there had been beforehand.
Hongbin almost jumped out of his skin as the presence only got louder, walking towards the counter. He was alone except for the regulars, but they looked about ready to leave should the disturbance continue.
The obnoxious. It was obscene, but he hung up his phone right before reaching the counter, hands on the straps of his backpack now.
Hongbin looked at the boy in front of him. He was oddly cute. His nose taking up a large portion of his face, eyes bright despite the dark circles that seemed more natural than due to sleeplessness, brunette hair falling lightly into them. His lips looked like pillows. Hongbin couldn't help but stare.
"Hi~ Can I get a medium white chocolate coffee with extra whipped cream and a dash of pumpkin creamer?" His smile was bright, and he looked as if he'd just won the lottery. It was almost contagious.
Hongbin couldn't respond. He was drawn in.
What was happening?
"Hello?" Hongbin blinked back to the room.
"Hi."
"Can I get my order?"
"Right. Coffee. Got it." Hongbin stuttered out as he rushed behind him to make the hot beverage.
"Oh, ottokaji?~ Is it always this quiet in here?"
"Mhmmm, usually."
"Ah, I see. Sorry for disturbing! I didn't realize I was that loud." The boy seemed to blush a bit, or so Hongbin decided, peering up over the coffee machine in front of him.
"It's alright. I think the girl in the corner has gone back to her writing now."
"Good........ I'm Jaehwan. Lee Jaehwan."
"Hi, Jaehwan." Hongbin responded. Was this what he wanted to happen? He wasn't quite sure, but he needed to be cautious.
"Have you lived here long? I didn't see you before this year?..."
"No. Just since last June. I'm new in school this year."
"I see. What's your name?"
Hongbin had finished the drink, putting a cuff on the hot paper cup before handing it to Jaehwan. He looked up, meeting Jaehwan's eyes. He felt a pang in his stomach, a ball of nerves.
"Lee Hongbin."
"Nice to meet you, Lee Hongbin. I'll see you around. Thanks for the coffee!" Jaehwan took the coffee, hand brushing Hongbin's sending a rush of adrenaline through the barista's fingers, spreading throughout the rest of his body.
Before he knew it, Jaehwan was out the door.
Whether he wanted to admit it or not, the boy had made him laugh, amusing him, and providing some sort of human connection, a fresh start, for the first time since moving to the countryside.
It was refreshing. Someone had noticed him.
Someone not online, hiding behind a username and only knowing him for his gaming skills.
Even there, it was difficult. He was known, his identity made both online and in reality for things external to him.
Jaehwan knew none of these things, knew nothing of his past, nothing of his present, except that he wanted to make his acquaintance. Or Hongbin thought.
An acquaintance. A potential new friend.
Hongbin wiped the counter, 45 minutes left of work, and he cracked a smile for the first time in months.