Hope 10/?
Title: Hope 10/?
Pairing: Kyuhyun/Ryeowook
Genre: Angst, romance, !Realistic AU
Rating & Warning: R - sexual situations, violence -- psychological and physical torture --
FOR THIS CHAPTER: R/NC-17 (Sexual situations & Fluff, Character death, Public executions)
Summary: Cho Kyuhyun and Kim Ryeowook try their best to survive in a totalitarian state (DPRK) surrounded by famine, fear and death, all the while gracing their short lives with the precious moments of pure love that they get to share together.
Disclaimer: I do not own Super Junior members - sighs - and have no rights over them, nor do I have any connections with their management.
A/N.: Ah, another longer one... wait, is it longer than the previous one? Ahh, see what your comments make me do?! XD
I just want to warn all of my readers (and I love you all soooooo much) that the end of this chapter is not for the faint of heart. I know I am dealing with subjects that are difficult to accept and grasp, but at the same time, if everybody turns a deaf ear or blind eye to those situations, nothing will ever change. So I hope that you will all open your hearts to this part of the story, and instead of shying away from it, that you will embrace it, and maybe even think of how lucky we all are to be fortunate enough to even have access to this kind of information without risking our lives over it.
I want to thank you for reading this on behalf of all of those who don't have a voice anymore.
*hugs everybody*
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 |
Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17
_________________________
HOPE --Part 10--
Both men lie naked on the flat surface of the rock, still panting from having loved each other. The warmth of the fire is actually enough to keep both of them from shivering too much, and they cuddle, Kyuhyun spooning Ryeowook's petite body, kissing the back of his neck. Ryeowook's eyes flutter closed, and he thinks he could stay this way foerever, even if it meant never eating again. His heart is still beating from their previous lovemaking, and Kyuhyun's body warmth heightens his senses; he feels like sleeping, but he fights to stay awake and live this moment to its fullest.
When the two have been settled into their embrace, Ryeowook's mind starts drifting; it's curious how all of his worries have dissipated in the moment, he thinks, and he lets himself dare to imagine what a lifetime of this bliss would be like.
"I wonder...I wonder if there is a life after this one.."
He feels Kyuhyun's lips smile on his neck.
"I don't know, but I'm pretty sure there was one before. I think you were a woman then."
Ryeowook turns around, surprised at Kyuhyun's bluntness.
"What?! Why would you say.....you....do think so?"
"Yes. And you were probably my wife."
Ryeowook chuckles and turns back around to face the fire.
"You and your imagination."
"And I'm not worried for the one after ours. Even if I'm a... a salamander and you're....a bunny, I'd find a way to be with you."
And Ryeowook laughs out loud this time, and he lets the feeling of laughter overcome his whole body. He hadn't felt it in a while now, and grows stronger with every chuckle.
"People will line up to see our children, the world's first bunnimanders."
"Oohh, stop it!"
And Kyuhyun relishes in the little nudge he gets from Ryeowook; his laughter is incredibly soothing to him, and he immediately wonders how he managed to last this long without it. Come to think of it, he wonders how anyone would manage. Kyuhyun closes his eyes and smells Ryeowook's neck and hugs tighter, before letting his left hand explore his curves; he first caresses his lover's left shoulder, and his hand travels down his body to rest on his hip.
Ryeowook shudders.
"Are...are you cold?"
"No. Just....happy."
The two stop talking for a minute or two, during which time Kyuhyun's gaze is fixated on Ryeowook's back, as he builds a case with strong arguments in his head. He takes a deep breath, and whispers.
"I need you."
Ryeowook stiffens, but Kyuhyun goes on, his own heartbeat drumming loud in his ears.
"I have to stay with you."
"...Kyuhyuna!"
The older male's reproachful tone comes as no surprise to Kyuhyun, and he ignores it.
"I know you're worried for me, but I can't go back to my parents anymore..."
Ryeowook turns to face Kyuhyun with a stern look on his face, and Kyuhyun props himself on his forearms and elbows before talking some more.
"KYUHYU..."
"They have disowned me."
Ryeowook's features suddenly change to a look worry; he moves his mouth to speak up, but Kyuhyun silences him with a look before resuming his monologue.
"They told me never to come back. They said I was dead..."
Ryeowook's mind is suddenly overflowed with a million thoughts, and a million more reproaches to himself. It was Kyuhyun's only way out, he thinks, as his lips start trembling, and he starts to form a million apologies at once in his mind, but nothing comes out of his mouth. The realization that Kyuhyun can't go back to being safe starts to bloom into despair in his thoughts. And he sees Kyuhyun, he sees the sadness in his face, but also the hope. Kyuhyun smiles faintly, and kisses him on the forehead.
"This is it Ryeowooka. It's just you and me now. I know I should be scared, but I'm not. Not anymore."
"What if...they take...?"
Kyuhyun takes a deep breath; a mental image of his father being taken away against his will pierces through his heart, and he closes his eyes to concentrate on the scene, because facing that thought is the least he can do for them.
"My mother will gladly go, and my father...will follow."
When Kyuhyun opens his eyes, he sees Ryeowook's broken peace, and he immediately wants to undo the moment, take back his words, pretend he never said anything. His lover's silent tears almost went unnoticed to him who was momentarily lost in his thoughts, and his whole body now feels like it is being perforated when Ryeowook actually starts speaking in a shaky, high-pitched voice.
"I'msosorry,It'sallmyfault,yourparentsaresuchagoodpeopleandIwantedyoutobesafe,allofyou..."
"Ryeowo.."
"...andInevershouldhaveshakenyourhandthatdaywhenwemetinthemarket,Ishouldhavemadeyouhateme..."
"I never could have. I never could have hated you. And it's not your fault. Hey, look at me..."
"Iknewthiswouldha...happen.Ishouldhaveleftsooner,butIwastooselfi..."
Kyuhyun's hands cup Ryeowook's cheeks, and the latter slowly stops shaking as he is kissed into silence. The kiss is long and slow, and Ryeowook's mind fights to stay distressed, but it looses the battle; Kyuhyun's scent overpowers all of his senses, and he relaxes into his mouth. The young man than pulls away before continuing his speech.
"I couldn't stay there anymore. I wanted this, and so did they. And for the first time in a very long time, I'm.....I'm happy."
And right there, Ryeowook feels Kyuhyun's honesty, and sincerity. And when he suddenly smiles, Ryeowook's heart skips a beat, and his breath refuses to leave his lungs when Kyuhyun starts speaking again.
"I want to keep you. I have to. Or else, I don't know how I could....deal with this...."
And Kyuhyun's teeth clench in his mouth, residual pangs of frustration, revenge and violence grinded into acceptance. His left fingers absentmindedly brush Ryeowook's temples, and his facial muscles contract at a passing thought, before loosening up once more.
"When you were gone, I asked around, and found out that some countries near Russia like Sweden actually let men get married..."
Ryeowook's heart rate speeds up.
"...and I promised myself that I'd take you there the moment I'd find you again."
Kyuhyun grasps Ryeowook's left shoulder with his left arm, and whispers.
"And I intend to."
The familiar roller coaster of emotions returns inside of Ryeowook, and he just can't decide if all of his fears and sadness balance out this new hope and happiness that just sprouted in him; the happiness brought on by the sheer idea of actually being with this man, every day and night, in a place where he does not have to fear any retribution from anyone for loving him so much. And he wants to dream it to life, he wants to hug Kyuhyun, and accept his proposal, and make love to him again, right here, right now. However, his euphoria is immediately overshadowed by his knowledge of the dangers lurking, and he closes his eyes before responding.
"You think about the prize without looking at the obstacle course... Do you know how few people actually make it through the border, Kyuhyuna? We're talking 2 or 3 out of hundreds who actually make it there, and not because they were lucky, but because they had something to bribe the offi..."
"And we'll be the ones who make it."
"...Let's....let's suppose we'd make it through the border, which is unlikely because the authorities are probably looking for the two of us as we speak, but let's suppose we make it: how would we get to Sweden? With what money?"
"I'd find a way. I'd find work in China, save some money, and we could go..."
And Ryeowook suddenly bites his tongue; it's that he wants to buy into the idea, and as his mind analyzes every single aspect of its feasibility, his heart pumps a little faster. Could this...work?
"I can't stay here anymore. I just can't....."
Ryeowook nervously swallows, partly because Kyuhyun's courage moves him to no end, and also because he feels responsible for everything, and his mind tries to calculate the risk of Kyuhyun getting caught versus their (rather slim) chances of success.
"...But...but what if they catch us? If they....get you?.. I don't know how I..."
"They won't. We'll make sure they won't."
"...And if I agree Kyuhyuna? Then what? We'll get up tomorrow and reality will burst in our faces when we realize that crossing the border is almost an impossibl...."
"We'll get to that when the time comes. Someone wise once told me to take things one day at a time."
Kyuhyun's response to Ryeowook's arguments stuns him; he then sees himself less than a few months ago, back when his heart was still filled with hope at a life with Kyuhyun, or even just at a life near him... he briefly marvels at how quickly Kyuhyun's mind changed in the past few months, of how he used to not want to have anything to do with the outside world. And suddenly, this voice inside of him starts to reason that Kyuhyun has a point: if they stay here, the authorities will eventually find Kyuhyun. And he can't let that happen either.
Kyuhyun then lets go of his shoulder, and rolls himself over Ryeowook, cupping his cheeks with his hands once more, while the shakiness in his voice betrays his inner feelings.
"For now, I want you to say... I need you to say that we'll do it."
And maybe it doesn't make any sense. Maybe Ryeowook is loosing it, he thinks, because for the first time in his life, his heart screams louder than his mind, and he lets a flooding and selfish happiness slowly overtake him as he answers.
"...I...Alright. Let's try it. Let's escape together."
At the sound of his own words, Ryeowook is momentarily taken to another world, a blissful one, where Cho Kyuhyun will actually stay with him, and his heart leaps in his throat. All of his fears and worries are suddenly overshadowed by this ecstasy, and this new feeling that overcomes him is wonderful; he briefly realizes that this is probably as close as he will ever get to complete happiness; even though their situation is dangerous, he gradually becomes careless, and Kyuhyun seems to be as taken as he is; the latter's smile stretches his lips wide, and he lets a laugh or two float out of his mouth, to which Ryeowook responds by biting his lips in equal excitement.
"Wait, is that a yes to my other question as well?"
"...What ques..."
"The marriage thing?"
"We'll get to that when the time comes. One day at a time, right?"
Ryeowook chuckles, and Kyuhyun smirks at his witty answer, and teases him into making him smile some more.
"Wrong answer, try again."
"Kyuhyuna..."
"Kyuhyuna."
And Ryeowook's eyes blink and open wide when he recognizes the other man's mocking and whiny tone, and he stares in disbelief.
"?! Are you immita.."
"Areyouimmitatingmeagain."
"You're unbelievable, now's not the tim..."
"Nowisnothetiiiiiiiiiiiiime,Kyuhyunaaaaaaaa-aaaaaa."
"Oh, stop it, stop that!"
"Say the right answer, and I'll stop."
And Ryeowook shoves Kyuhyun playfully, and the latter freezes at the sight in front of his eyes: Ryeowook is laughing, and his eyes are shining, and right there, Kyuhyun knows that he wouldn't even care if he got caught, as long as Ryeowook laughed for him, with him, or even at him.
A pregnant silence then settles in between the two, and Ryeowook gradually stops laughing, before locking his gaze into Kyuhyun's, and answering with a shaky voice.
"...Yes."
Kyuyun's features immediately morph into the most radianting, happy, honest and warm smile Ryeowook has ever seen on anybody, and they kiss. The kiss is delicate, slow, tempting, sexy, but mostly, hopeful. And Kyuhyun breaks the kiss for air, and he immediately crushes his lips back on to Ryeowook's.
And suddenly, Kim Ryeowook is someone else, sometime else, someplace else; he is a bunny, or a woman. And he kisses the man he loves with so much passion that he actually gets disoriented. His hands touch Kyuhyun, and his mouth tastes him, and when Kyuhyun lets a laugh of pure happiness escape his lips, he smiles back. The younger man suddenly rolls the two of them over on the rock, and by a miscalculation of the rock's surface, they fall on the ground, Ryeowook on top of Kyuhyun, and Kyuhyun wincing in pain while Ryeowook bursts out in laughter.
"Good for you, always acting so harshly! You deser..."
Ryeowook's lips are silenced again by Kyuhyun's demanding mouth, and he opens his eyes to see Kyuhyun pulling off from the kiss, and displaying the most childish pout he has ever seen on a man of his age.
"It hurts though."
And Ryeowook's smile suddenly turns into a look of worry.
"Are...Are you okay?"
"No."
And Kyuhyun smirks.
"But you could make it better."
A blush automatically fires up Ryeowook's cheeks; the younger man then looks at him, and something in Ryeowook sparks to life; it's that Kyuhyun's happy stare has suddenly changed into one of hunger, thirst...and lust. Kyuhyun lowers his head and traps Ryeowook's gaze with his demanding eyes, and although Ryeowook wants to look away, he can't bring himself to.
"Where....are you...hur...?"
"You know where."
Ryeowook's response is the feeling of Kyuhyun's hardened erection, stiff against his belly for a second time that night. And suddenly, he's right back at square one, right back in their little house in Sariwon, where they both loose control over their feelings, and where Kyuhyun clearly wins him over. In any situation, in any given place. Every single time. And Kyuhyun's naughty smirk does not aid his cause, he thinks, and his chest constricts when the younger man's eyes get narrower.
"Huh...I..."
And Kyuhyun relishes the hold he suddenly has on Ryeowook, as he lets his hands roam on his lover's back, to go down and rest on his butt. He massages the soft skin there, enjoys the small squeal of surprise and the stuttering he suddenly gets from Ryeowook, and with his voice lower still, he adds on to the spell.
"You make it better, and I promise you won't regret it....
"?! Mwah....You...!?"
And the younger lover kisses Ryeowook's cheeks, and whispers electric currents in his ears.
"I'll make you scream."
"?! You'll....?! How can you say... things like tha..."
"Is that a yes?"
"..huh....you......what if...someone hea.."
"They won't hear. And I don't care."
"...I...you...huh..."
The younger man keeps staring at Ryeowook, lust now clearly overpowering this look in his eyes, and Ryeowook's heartbeat triples, rush of blood painting his cheeks and ears a bright red. And Kyuhyun loves it.
He only manages to whisper a few random syllables to himself before Kyuhyun's hungry mouth steals his lips, and takes them into his world. Ryeowook kisses back, voluntarily shushing the voice inside of him that tells him to stop dreaming, that tells him there's no way they'll make it across, that this marriage proposal will never be anything else than just words: for now, he reasons, it's real. And when Kyuhyun grinds against his body and he feels his own erection push against the man he loves, he gives in to the dream.
__
His hands trace his curves, and he kisses his back. He hears the moans, and he lingers on the fragile back, making sure to kiss each and every single scar on the pearly white skin; the smell of this body intoxicates his senses, and he mouths pledges of eternal love and devotion in-between each of his kisses. His mouth waters at the prospect of kissing him, and he begs him to turn around. The man obeys, and when he is face to face with his smile, this smile he can't get enough of, he kisses his lips, licks the inside of his mouth, and moans on contact, eyes closed, relishing in the taste and smell. He pulls back to breathe, and Ryeowook's gentle features start contorting; his jaw dislocates, and his mouth starts bleeding. He wants to scream, he wants to get up, but he can't. To his horror, the flesh from the creature's face starts to peel away, and the many scars on its body start bleeding. Kyuhyun screams and kicks, but the cadavre-like man holds on to him, and its mouth moves eerily, to let the distorted sound of his mother's voice escape its lips.
"TRAITOR! TRAITOR! DIE!"
He screams at the creature to let him go, he screams at it to bring Ryeowook back, but the creature holds on tighter, and responds.
"DDDDIIIIEEEE."
Kyuhyun's eyes suddenly dart open and blink into focus as he sits up on the rock, running his hands all over his body to confirm that he is safe. His shirt draped on his body covers him from the slightly cold air; he barely notices that the day is dawning as he turns his gaze to his right and left in a frenzy.
Is he...alone? Why isn't Ryeowook on the rock?
He gets up hastily, the shirt covering his body feathering to the ground.
"Ry...Ryeowooka?"
His heart stills in his chest, and he actually jumps up at the feel of hands on his shoulders; he turns around, and his features immediately start to relax when he sees Ryeowook's concerned look.
"You...are you alright? You just screamed, and I..."
Ryeowook's breath is knocked out of his chest when Kyuhyun crushes his body against his. It takes a second or two for Ryeowook to actually hug back, stricken by the sudden closeness of their bodies. Kyuhyun hugs him tight, so tight that it hurts his arms, before pushing him back to look at him. Ryeowook displays a tentative smiles, and lets his right hand reach for Kyuhyun's shoulder.
"It was just a dream....Just a nightmare. It gets less scary after a while...."
"...It...it felt...so.."
"I know. I know."
Ryeowook massages Kyuhyun's shoulder while the latter feels his forehead with his hand - is this what Ryeowook has to go through at night? And suddenly the memories of Ryeowook waking up screaming next to him from their daytime napping flicker in his mind.
The older of the two pulls back smiling, and in an effort to change Kyuhyun's thoughts, he adopts an upbeat tone.
"You hungry?"
Kyuhyun's mind immediately comes alive at the thought of food, and it's only then that he realizes that he hasn't eaten since yesterday morning, and his stomach screams louder than his thoughts.
"I put the potatoes from my bag in the fire, they should be ready soon."
The younger man's nostrils instinctively pick up the smell of food, and his mouth salivates immediately. He looks over Ryeowook's shoulder at the fire for a second, and looks back at his face, beaming. He pats Ryeowook on the back solemnly as though he were concluding a business meeting, and the latter murmurs something along the lines of "unbelievable" when Kyuhyun pushes past him and goes straight for the potatoes.
"Look at you being all fickle! One second you're all shaken, and the next.."
Kyuhyun snaps back.
"I still am!..... Are they ready?"
"They'll be soon."
"...When?"
"Soon. You should get dressed before you get too col..."
"When soon?"
"Be care-"
Kyuhyun jabs a hand near the fire to grab a potato, and immediately retracts, wincing.
"-ful. Be careful. If you want them that bad, grab a twig and skewer them with it."
Kyuhyun's face suddenly lights up (smaaarrrrt!), and Ryeowook bends over to pick up his shirt, his eyes always on Kyuhyun, half wary of his survival skills, and half entertained at his expressions and clumsiness.
"As soon as we're done eating, we have to hike up the mountains. It's longer, but we have no choice, I won't risk going back to the vill...are you listening?"
Kyuhyun's attention is on the potato as he ventures closer to the fire with a branch, and he frowns when the twig breaks under the weight of the vegetable he just poked it with. Ryeowook smiles.
"It's not thick enough."
"I know...I was just...testing."
When both of the sit down to eat, Ryeowook's mind goes over the details: hike up the mountain and pick roots on the way, head towards the opposite direction of the morning sun to arrive in Sariwon, where he'll meet the man who will help them with their escape. He knows it's risky, but they have no choice. He pauses his thoughts at the sight of Kyuhyun engulfing the potato. Risky, but absolutely worth it.
___
The road back to Sariwon across the mountain is difficult and long; the two men actually have to rest every now and then, but they eventually make it after a few hours. Ryeowook expertly maneuvers through the labyrinth of trees, leading a panting and exhausted Kyuhyun to their destination. When the city comes into view from the top of the mountain, Ryeowook is stunned; the center square is filled with people.
"What's going on?"
Kyuhyun's question is quickly answered.
"Looks like..they are making an announcement of some kind."
He turns to Kyuhyun.
"Kyuhyuna, you should stay here while I go. We don't know if.."
"No, I'm coming. besides, more people means less visibility. I'm sure we'll fade in the crowd."
The silence Kyuhyun gets as a response attracts his attention, and he watches Ryeowook crisping his features disapprovingly.
"What? I'm not letting you go alone, nu-huh. And you know what? I'm the one going, and you're the one tagging along."
And Kyuhyun walks past Ryeowook, only to stop and turn around after a few steps.
"...So...you didn't tell me your plan..."
Ryeowook walks past Kyuhyun and gives him a quick shove with his two fingers on his forehead. The latter blinks, and follows silently.
Sariwon is alive, and the people are running down the roads to meet at the square. Ryeowok and Kyuhyun both walk their heads down, making their way through the crowd. Ryeowook's destination is clearly mapped in his brain, and he even marvels at how accurately he can remember the man's house and where he is. Once the house comes into view, he walks up the path leading to its door, and knocks. No answer. They must have gone to the square!, he reproaches himself, and turns around only to find that Kyuhyun isn't following.
He feels on the verge of panic when he goes back on his steps, but his worry settles when he sees Kyuhyun standing among the crowd in the distance. As he gets closer, the younger man's face comes into focus, and Ryeowook realizes how pale he looks; he pushes through the people faster with his head down, and when Kyuhyun's shoes fill in his view, he stops and stares as a pool of yellowish liquid forms at Kyuhyun's feet. He looks up, and tugs at Kyuhyun's shirt.
"K..Kyu..."
And Ryeowook looks where Kyuhyun looks.
The crowd becomes blurry, and even people's screams get louder. Four men are standing on a wooden pedestal, all of whom are tied to a wooden stake, with their mouths full of rocks. Ryeowook's eyes go over the first three, and his heart stills at the fourth. No. No, it's a nightmare. It's not real.... it couldn't be... *
Kyuhyun's father is standing in ragged clothes, but still proud, hands and neck securely tied to the picket. Ryeowook is frozen.
"...For having been found guilty of high treason against our Respected Leader's nation, turning their back on their own people..."
And the man's announcement echoes in his ears, but the screams from the people around them almost drowns it in a sea of hate - "HOW DARE THEY!" - "LET THE TRAITORS SUFFER" - "LONG LIVE THE GREAT KIM JONG-EUN AND HIS PEOPLE!"
Kyuhyun's father closes his eyes momentarily and opens them again, seemingly looking over at the crowd, and Ryeowook's blood boils when their gaze meets. The man's eyes grow wide in surprise, and his head moves on to Ryeowook's left, where he notices Kyuhyun. Within a second or so, his eyes dart back to Ryeowook (he feels his stare), and back to Kyuhyun, and he smiles. He smiles.
Ryeowook doesn't know how long the three of them exchange looks, but in what seems like a matter of seconds, a loud noise makes him jump, and Kyuhyun's father's figure, along with that of the three other men, goes limp on the stake.
"NNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!"
Still wondering whether the scream comes from him or from Kyuhyun, Ryeowook can't move, or blink, or think.
"NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!"
When he hears the deathly scream once more, he knows it's not him, and he snaps out of the trance just enough so that he can turn to look at Kyuhyun. Everybody suddenly turns to Kyuhyun, and Ryeowook's mind expertly snaps back to survival and protection mode. He can't let the soldiers hear him. He can't let them find him. He grabs Kyuhyun and turns his body to face him, but the latter's face is still in the direction of his father's body, and even if Ryeowook shakes him, it won't budge.
"NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOO - ummmmpppppphhhhh!"
Ryeowok puts his left hand on Kyuhyun's mouth to shush him, but the latter grabs his hand and pushes it away. In a desperate attempt to save the situation, Ryeowook grabs Kyuhyun by the ears, and turns his face to him, and approaches his forehead to Kyuhyun's, who is still struggling to get away.
"Please, please, stop, please, please ...please...."
And when Kyuhyun's mouth moves to keep screaming, he blocks it with his mouth again, kissing him over his own hand. His trembling voice cascades over Kyuhyun's cries.
"Hewouldn'twantthemtowin,please,pleaseKyuhyuna,please,please....hetrustedyoutodotherightthing,please,please,please..."
And to his surprise, Kyuhyun suddenly stops screaming. Although Ryeowook doesn't know what triggered this reaction in him, he uses it to his advantage, and pulls him by the arm out of earshot, out of view...out of danger.
_______
* - this note is not for the faint of heart - Public executions are current in North Korea, and although they were more frequent during the 90s and the great hunger, they are still very common. People are usually called to a certain area by a van in the roads, playing music in the background of a voice detailing the instructions for the meet-up and the designated hour of the deed over megaphones. It's a given that every single citizen must attend the gruesome spectacle, and children are often brought up at the front to get the best seats. The most common form of execution is shooting to death, but in poorer parts, the regime allows death by hanging so as to not use any military resources. The victim's mouths are usually stuffed with stones so as to prevent them from voicing their hate towards the regime before the execution. It's important to realize that this is part of these citizen's reality, and eventually, some grow quite accustomed to this spectacle, much like other civilizations (the Romans, for example) would watch executions in stadiums or pedestals. Those meet-ups are also a perfect opportunity to demonstrate one's support for the regime, and voicing their disdain for the victims often adds on to a person's life expectancy.
The government constantly denies these practices, but the deeds were filmed over and over again, and such proofs are still being smuggled through the border. It's still impossible to determine the number of victims who have fallen to the regime in such a way, but human rights organizations are engaged in a constant fight to denounce these practices as a crime against humanity.
_________________________
Pairing: Kyuhyun/Ryeowook
Genre: Angst, romance, !Realistic AU
Rating & Warning: R - sexual situations, violence -- psychological and physical torture --
FOR THIS CHAPTER: R/NC-17 (Sexual situations & Fluff, Character death, Public executions)
Summary: Cho Kyuhyun and Kim Ryeowook try their best to survive in a totalitarian state (DPRK) surrounded by famine, fear and death, all the while gracing their short lives with the precious moments of pure love that they get to share together.
Disclaimer: I do not own Super Junior members - sighs - and have no rights over them, nor do I have any connections with their management.
A/N.: Ah, another longer one... wait, is it longer than the previous one? Ahh, see what your comments make me do?! XD
I just want to warn all of my readers (and I love you all soooooo much) that the end of this chapter is not for the faint of heart. I know I am dealing with subjects that are difficult to accept and grasp, but at the same time, if everybody turns a deaf ear or blind eye to those situations, nothing will ever change. So I hope that you will all open your hearts to this part of the story, and instead of shying away from it, that you will embrace it, and maybe even think of how lucky we all are to be fortunate enough to even have access to this kind of information without risking our lives over it.
I want to thank you for reading this on behalf of all of those who don't have a voice anymore.
*hugs everybody*
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 |
Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17
_________________________
HOPE --Part 10--
Both men lie naked on the flat surface of the rock, still panting from having loved each other. The warmth of the fire is actually enough to keep both of them from shivering too much, and they cuddle, Kyuhyun spooning Ryeowook's petite body, kissing the back of his neck. Ryeowook's eyes flutter closed, and he thinks he could stay this way foerever, even if it meant never eating again. His heart is still beating from their previous lovemaking, and Kyuhyun's body warmth heightens his senses; he feels like sleeping, but he fights to stay awake and live this moment to its fullest.
When the two have been settled into their embrace, Ryeowook's mind starts drifting; it's curious how all of his worries have dissipated in the moment, he thinks, and he lets himself dare to imagine what a lifetime of this bliss would be like.
"I wonder...I wonder if there is a life after this one.."
He feels Kyuhyun's lips smile on his neck.
"I don't know, but I'm pretty sure there was one before. I think you were a woman then."
Ryeowook turns around, surprised at Kyuhyun's bluntness.
"What?! Why would you say.....you....do think so?"
"Yes. And you were probably my wife."
Ryeowook chuckles and turns back around to face the fire.
"You and your imagination."
"And I'm not worried for the one after ours. Even if I'm a... a salamander and you're....a bunny, I'd find a way to be with you."
And Ryeowook laughs out loud this time, and he lets the feeling of laughter overcome his whole body. He hadn't felt it in a while now, and grows stronger with every chuckle.
"People will line up to see our children, the world's first bunnimanders."
"Oohh, stop it!"
And Kyuhyun relishes in the little nudge he gets from Ryeowook; his laughter is incredibly soothing to him, and he immediately wonders how he managed to last this long without it. Come to think of it, he wonders how anyone would manage. Kyuhyun closes his eyes and smells Ryeowook's neck and hugs tighter, before letting his left hand explore his curves; he first caresses his lover's left shoulder, and his hand travels down his body to rest on his hip.
Ryeowook shudders.
"Are...are you cold?"
"No. Just....happy."
The two stop talking for a minute or two, during which time Kyuhyun's gaze is fixated on Ryeowook's back, as he builds a case with strong arguments in his head. He takes a deep breath, and whispers.
"I need you."
Ryeowook stiffens, but Kyuhyun goes on, his own heartbeat drumming loud in his ears.
"I have to stay with you."
"...Kyuhyuna!"
The older male's reproachful tone comes as no surprise to Kyuhyun, and he ignores it.
"I know you're worried for me, but I can't go back to my parents anymore..."
Ryeowook turns to face Kyuhyun with a stern look on his face, and Kyuhyun props himself on his forearms and elbows before talking some more.
"KYUHYU..."
"They have disowned me."
Ryeowook's features suddenly change to a look worry; he moves his mouth to speak up, but Kyuhyun silences him with a look before resuming his monologue.
"They told me never to come back. They said I was dead..."
Ryeowook's mind is suddenly overflowed with a million thoughts, and a million more reproaches to himself. It was Kyuhyun's only way out, he thinks, as his lips start trembling, and he starts to form a million apologies at once in his mind, but nothing comes out of his mouth. The realization that Kyuhyun can't go back to being safe starts to bloom into despair in his thoughts. And he sees Kyuhyun, he sees the sadness in his face, but also the hope. Kyuhyun smiles faintly, and kisses him on the forehead.
"This is it Ryeowooka. It's just you and me now. I know I should be scared, but I'm not. Not anymore."
"What if...they take...?"
Kyuhyun takes a deep breath; a mental image of his father being taken away against his will pierces through his heart, and he closes his eyes to concentrate on the scene, because facing that thought is the least he can do for them.
"My mother will gladly go, and my father...will follow."
When Kyuhyun opens his eyes, he sees Ryeowook's broken peace, and he immediately wants to undo the moment, take back his words, pretend he never said anything. His lover's silent tears almost went unnoticed to him who was momentarily lost in his thoughts, and his whole body now feels like it is being perforated when Ryeowook actually starts speaking in a shaky, high-pitched voice.
"I'msosorry,It'sallmyfault,yourparentsaresuchagoodpeopleandIwantedyoutobesafe,allofyou..."
"Ryeowo.."
"...andInevershouldhaveshakenyourhandthatdaywhenwemetinthemarket,Ishouldhavemadeyouhateme..."
"I never could have. I never could have hated you. And it's not your fault. Hey, look at me..."
"Iknewthiswouldha...happen.Ishouldhaveleftsooner,butIwastooselfi..."
Kyuhyun's hands cup Ryeowook's cheeks, and the latter slowly stops shaking as he is kissed into silence. The kiss is long and slow, and Ryeowook's mind fights to stay distressed, but it looses the battle; Kyuhyun's scent overpowers all of his senses, and he relaxes into his mouth. The young man than pulls away before continuing his speech.
"I couldn't stay there anymore. I wanted this, and so did they. And for the first time in a very long time, I'm.....I'm happy."
And right there, Ryeowook feels Kyuhyun's honesty, and sincerity. And when he suddenly smiles, Ryeowook's heart skips a beat, and his breath refuses to leave his lungs when Kyuhyun starts speaking again.
"I want to keep you. I have to. Or else, I don't know how I could....deal with this...."
And Kyuhyun's teeth clench in his mouth, residual pangs of frustration, revenge and violence grinded into acceptance. His left fingers absentmindedly brush Ryeowook's temples, and his facial muscles contract at a passing thought, before loosening up once more.
"When you were gone, I asked around, and found out that some countries near Russia like Sweden actually let men get married..."
Ryeowook's heart rate speeds up.
"...and I promised myself that I'd take you there the moment I'd find you again."
Kyuhyun grasps Ryeowook's left shoulder with his left arm, and whispers.
"And I intend to."
The familiar roller coaster of emotions returns inside of Ryeowook, and he just can't decide if all of his fears and sadness balance out this new hope and happiness that just sprouted in him; the happiness brought on by the sheer idea of actually being with this man, every day and night, in a place where he does not have to fear any retribution from anyone for loving him so much. And he wants to dream it to life, he wants to hug Kyuhyun, and accept his proposal, and make love to him again, right here, right now. However, his euphoria is immediately overshadowed by his knowledge of the dangers lurking, and he closes his eyes before responding.
"You think about the prize without looking at the obstacle course... Do you know how few people actually make it through the border, Kyuhyuna? We're talking 2 or 3 out of hundreds who actually make it there, and not because they were lucky, but because they had something to bribe the offi..."
"And we'll be the ones who make it."
"...Let's....let's suppose we'd make it through the border, which is unlikely because the authorities are probably looking for the two of us as we speak, but let's suppose we make it: how would we get to Sweden? With what money?"
"I'd find a way. I'd find work in China, save some money, and we could go..."
And Ryeowook suddenly bites his tongue; it's that he wants to buy into the idea, and as his mind analyzes every single aspect of its feasibility, his heart pumps a little faster. Could this...work?
"I can't stay here anymore. I just can't....."
Ryeowook nervously swallows, partly because Kyuhyun's courage moves him to no end, and also because he feels responsible for everything, and his mind tries to calculate the risk of Kyuhyun getting caught versus their (rather slim) chances of success.
"...But...but what if they catch us? If they....get you?.. I don't know how I..."
"They won't. We'll make sure they won't."
"...And if I agree Kyuhyuna? Then what? We'll get up tomorrow and reality will burst in our faces when we realize that crossing the border is almost an impossibl...."
"We'll get to that when the time comes. Someone wise once told me to take things one day at a time."
Kyuhyun's response to Ryeowook's arguments stuns him; he then sees himself less than a few months ago, back when his heart was still filled with hope at a life with Kyuhyun, or even just at a life near him... he briefly marvels at how quickly Kyuhyun's mind changed in the past few months, of how he used to not want to have anything to do with the outside world. And suddenly, this voice inside of him starts to reason that Kyuhyun has a point: if they stay here, the authorities will eventually find Kyuhyun. And he can't let that happen either.
Kyuhyun then lets go of his shoulder, and rolls himself over Ryeowook, cupping his cheeks with his hands once more, while the shakiness in his voice betrays his inner feelings.
"For now, I want you to say... I need you to say that we'll do it."
And maybe it doesn't make any sense. Maybe Ryeowook is loosing it, he thinks, because for the first time in his life, his heart screams louder than his mind, and he lets a flooding and selfish happiness slowly overtake him as he answers.
"...I...Alright. Let's try it. Let's escape together."
At the sound of his own words, Ryeowook is momentarily taken to another world, a blissful one, where Cho Kyuhyun will actually stay with him, and his heart leaps in his throat. All of his fears and worries are suddenly overshadowed by this ecstasy, and this new feeling that overcomes him is wonderful; he briefly realizes that this is probably as close as he will ever get to complete happiness; even though their situation is dangerous, he gradually becomes careless, and Kyuhyun seems to be as taken as he is; the latter's smile stretches his lips wide, and he lets a laugh or two float out of his mouth, to which Ryeowook responds by biting his lips in equal excitement.
"Wait, is that a yes to my other question as well?"
"...What ques..."
"The marriage thing?"
"We'll get to that when the time comes. One day at a time, right?"
Ryeowook chuckles, and Kyuhyun smirks at his witty answer, and teases him into making him smile some more.
"Wrong answer, try again."
"Kyuhyuna..."
"Kyuhyuna."
And Ryeowook's eyes blink and open wide when he recognizes the other man's mocking and whiny tone, and he stares in disbelief.
"?! Are you immita.."
"Areyouimmitatingmeagain."
"You're unbelievable, now's not the tim..."
"Nowisnothetiiiiiiiiiiiiime,Kyuhyunaaaaaaaa-aaaaaa."
"Oh, stop it, stop that!"
"Say the right answer, and I'll stop."
And Ryeowook shoves Kyuhyun playfully, and the latter freezes at the sight in front of his eyes: Ryeowook is laughing, and his eyes are shining, and right there, Kyuhyun knows that he wouldn't even care if he got caught, as long as Ryeowook laughed for him, with him, or even at him.
A pregnant silence then settles in between the two, and Ryeowook gradually stops laughing, before locking his gaze into Kyuhyun's, and answering with a shaky voice.
"...Yes."
Kyuyun's features immediately morph into the most radianting, happy, honest and warm smile Ryeowook has ever seen on anybody, and they kiss. The kiss is delicate, slow, tempting, sexy, but mostly, hopeful. And Kyuhyun breaks the kiss for air, and he immediately crushes his lips back on to Ryeowook's.
And suddenly, Kim Ryeowook is someone else, sometime else, someplace else; he is a bunny, or a woman. And he kisses the man he loves with so much passion that he actually gets disoriented. His hands touch Kyuhyun, and his mouth tastes him, and when Kyuhyun lets a laugh of pure happiness escape his lips, he smiles back. The younger man suddenly rolls the two of them over on the rock, and by a miscalculation of the rock's surface, they fall on the ground, Ryeowook on top of Kyuhyun, and Kyuhyun wincing in pain while Ryeowook bursts out in laughter.
"Good for you, always acting so harshly! You deser..."
Ryeowook's lips are silenced again by Kyuhyun's demanding mouth, and he opens his eyes to see Kyuhyun pulling off from the kiss, and displaying the most childish pout he has ever seen on a man of his age.
"It hurts though."
And Ryeowook's smile suddenly turns into a look of worry.
"Are...Are you okay?"
"No."
And Kyuhyun smirks.
"But you could make it better."
A blush automatically fires up Ryeowook's cheeks; the younger man then looks at him, and something in Ryeowook sparks to life; it's that Kyuhyun's happy stare has suddenly changed into one of hunger, thirst...and lust. Kyuhyun lowers his head and traps Ryeowook's gaze with his demanding eyes, and although Ryeowook wants to look away, he can't bring himself to.
"Where....are you...hur...?"
"You know where."
Ryeowook's response is the feeling of Kyuhyun's hardened erection, stiff against his belly for a second time that night. And suddenly, he's right back at square one, right back in their little house in Sariwon, where they both loose control over their feelings, and where Kyuhyun clearly wins him over. In any situation, in any given place. Every single time. And Kyuhyun's naughty smirk does not aid his cause, he thinks, and his chest constricts when the younger man's eyes get narrower.
"Huh...I..."
And Kyuhyun relishes the hold he suddenly has on Ryeowook, as he lets his hands roam on his lover's back, to go down and rest on his butt. He massages the soft skin there, enjoys the small squeal of surprise and the stuttering he suddenly gets from Ryeowook, and with his voice lower still, he adds on to the spell.
"You make it better, and I promise you won't regret it....
"?! Mwah....You...!?"
And the younger lover kisses Ryeowook's cheeks, and whispers electric currents in his ears.
"I'll make you scream."
"?! You'll....?! How can you say... things like tha..."
"Is that a yes?"
"..huh....you......what if...someone hea.."
"They won't hear. And I don't care."
"...I...you...huh..."
The younger man keeps staring at Ryeowook, lust now clearly overpowering this look in his eyes, and Ryeowook's heartbeat triples, rush of blood painting his cheeks and ears a bright red. And Kyuhyun loves it.
He only manages to whisper a few random syllables to himself before Kyuhyun's hungry mouth steals his lips, and takes them into his world. Ryeowook kisses back, voluntarily shushing the voice inside of him that tells him to stop dreaming, that tells him there's no way they'll make it across, that this marriage proposal will never be anything else than just words: for now, he reasons, it's real. And when Kyuhyun grinds against his body and he feels his own erection push against the man he loves, he gives in to the dream.
__
His hands trace his curves, and he kisses his back. He hears the moans, and he lingers on the fragile back, making sure to kiss each and every single scar on the pearly white skin; the smell of this body intoxicates his senses, and he mouths pledges of eternal love and devotion in-between each of his kisses. His mouth waters at the prospect of kissing him, and he begs him to turn around. The man obeys, and when he is face to face with his smile, this smile he can't get enough of, he kisses his lips, licks the inside of his mouth, and moans on contact, eyes closed, relishing in the taste and smell. He pulls back to breathe, and Ryeowook's gentle features start contorting; his jaw dislocates, and his mouth starts bleeding. He wants to scream, he wants to get up, but he can't. To his horror, the flesh from the creature's face starts to peel away, and the many scars on its body start bleeding. Kyuhyun screams and kicks, but the cadavre-like man holds on to him, and its mouth moves eerily, to let the distorted sound of his mother's voice escape its lips.
"TRAITOR! TRAITOR! DIE!"
He screams at the creature to let him go, he screams at it to bring Ryeowook back, but the creature holds on tighter, and responds.
"DDDDIIIIEEEE."
Kyuhyun's eyes suddenly dart open and blink into focus as he sits up on the rock, running his hands all over his body to confirm that he is safe. His shirt draped on his body covers him from the slightly cold air; he barely notices that the day is dawning as he turns his gaze to his right and left in a frenzy.
Is he...alone? Why isn't Ryeowook on the rock?
He gets up hastily, the shirt covering his body feathering to the ground.
"Ry...Ryeowooka?"
His heart stills in his chest, and he actually jumps up at the feel of hands on his shoulders; he turns around, and his features immediately start to relax when he sees Ryeowook's concerned look.
"You...are you alright? You just screamed, and I..."
Ryeowook's breath is knocked out of his chest when Kyuhyun crushes his body against his. It takes a second or two for Ryeowook to actually hug back, stricken by the sudden closeness of their bodies. Kyuhyun hugs him tight, so tight that it hurts his arms, before pushing him back to look at him. Ryeowook displays a tentative smiles, and lets his right hand reach for Kyuhyun's shoulder.
"It was just a dream....Just a nightmare. It gets less scary after a while...."
"...It...it felt...so.."
"I know. I know."
Ryeowook massages Kyuhyun's shoulder while the latter feels his forehead with his hand - is this what Ryeowook has to go through at night? And suddenly the memories of Ryeowook waking up screaming next to him from their daytime napping flicker in his mind.
The older of the two pulls back smiling, and in an effort to change Kyuhyun's thoughts, he adopts an upbeat tone.
"You hungry?"
Kyuhyun's mind immediately comes alive at the thought of food, and it's only then that he realizes that he hasn't eaten since yesterday morning, and his stomach screams louder than his thoughts.
"I put the potatoes from my bag in the fire, they should be ready soon."
The younger man's nostrils instinctively pick up the smell of food, and his mouth salivates immediately. He looks over Ryeowook's shoulder at the fire for a second, and looks back at his face, beaming. He pats Ryeowook on the back solemnly as though he were concluding a business meeting, and the latter murmurs something along the lines of "unbelievable" when Kyuhyun pushes past him and goes straight for the potatoes.
"Look at you being all fickle! One second you're all shaken, and the next.."
Kyuhyun snaps back.
"I still am!..... Are they ready?"
"They'll be soon."
"...When?"
"Soon. You should get dressed before you get too col..."
"When soon?"
"Be care-"
Kyuhyun jabs a hand near the fire to grab a potato, and immediately retracts, wincing.
"-ful. Be careful. If you want them that bad, grab a twig and skewer them with it."
Kyuhyun's face suddenly lights up (smaaarrrrt!), and Ryeowook bends over to pick up his shirt, his eyes always on Kyuhyun, half wary of his survival skills, and half entertained at his expressions and clumsiness.
"As soon as we're done eating, we have to hike up the mountains. It's longer, but we have no choice, I won't risk going back to the vill...are you listening?"
Kyuhyun's attention is on the potato as he ventures closer to the fire with a branch, and he frowns when the twig breaks under the weight of the vegetable he just poked it with. Ryeowook smiles.
"It's not thick enough."
"I know...I was just...testing."
When both of the sit down to eat, Ryeowook's mind goes over the details: hike up the mountain and pick roots on the way, head towards the opposite direction of the morning sun to arrive in Sariwon, where he'll meet the man who will help them with their escape. He knows it's risky, but they have no choice. He pauses his thoughts at the sight of Kyuhyun engulfing the potato. Risky, but absolutely worth it.
___
The road back to Sariwon across the mountain is difficult and long; the two men actually have to rest every now and then, but they eventually make it after a few hours. Ryeowook expertly maneuvers through the labyrinth of trees, leading a panting and exhausted Kyuhyun to their destination. When the city comes into view from the top of the mountain, Ryeowook is stunned; the center square is filled with people.
"What's going on?"
Kyuhyun's question is quickly answered.
"Looks like..they are making an announcement of some kind."
He turns to Kyuhyun.
"Kyuhyuna, you should stay here while I go. We don't know if.."
"No, I'm coming. besides, more people means less visibility. I'm sure we'll fade in the crowd."
The silence Kyuhyun gets as a response attracts his attention, and he watches Ryeowook crisping his features disapprovingly.
"What? I'm not letting you go alone, nu-huh. And you know what? I'm the one going, and you're the one tagging along."
And Kyuhyun walks past Ryeowook, only to stop and turn around after a few steps.
"...So...you didn't tell me your plan..."
Ryeowook walks past Kyuhyun and gives him a quick shove with his two fingers on his forehead. The latter blinks, and follows silently.
Sariwon is alive, and the people are running down the roads to meet at the square. Ryeowok and Kyuhyun both walk their heads down, making their way through the crowd. Ryeowook's destination is clearly mapped in his brain, and he even marvels at how accurately he can remember the man's house and where he is. Once the house comes into view, he walks up the path leading to its door, and knocks. No answer. They must have gone to the square!, he reproaches himself, and turns around only to find that Kyuhyun isn't following.
He feels on the verge of panic when he goes back on his steps, but his worry settles when he sees Kyuhyun standing among the crowd in the distance. As he gets closer, the younger man's face comes into focus, and Ryeowook realizes how pale he looks; he pushes through the people faster with his head down, and when Kyuhyun's shoes fill in his view, he stops and stares as a pool of yellowish liquid forms at Kyuhyun's feet. He looks up, and tugs at Kyuhyun's shirt.
"K..Kyu..."
And Ryeowook looks where Kyuhyun looks.
The crowd becomes blurry, and even people's screams get louder. Four men are standing on a wooden pedestal, all of whom are tied to a wooden stake, with their mouths full of rocks. Ryeowook's eyes go over the first three, and his heart stills at the fourth. No. No, it's a nightmare. It's not real.... it couldn't be... *
Kyuhyun's father is standing in ragged clothes, but still proud, hands and neck securely tied to the picket. Ryeowook is frozen.
"...For having been found guilty of high treason against our Respected Leader's nation, turning their back on their own people..."
And the man's announcement echoes in his ears, but the screams from the people around them almost drowns it in a sea of hate - "HOW DARE THEY!" - "LET THE TRAITORS SUFFER" - "LONG LIVE THE GREAT KIM JONG-EUN AND HIS PEOPLE!"
Kyuhyun's father closes his eyes momentarily and opens them again, seemingly looking over at the crowd, and Ryeowook's blood boils when their gaze meets. The man's eyes grow wide in surprise, and his head moves on to Ryeowook's left, where he notices Kyuhyun. Within a second or so, his eyes dart back to Ryeowook (he feels his stare), and back to Kyuhyun, and he smiles. He smiles.
Ryeowook doesn't know how long the three of them exchange looks, but in what seems like a matter of seconds, a loud noise makes him jump, and Kyuhyun's father's figure, along with that of the three other men, goes limp on the stake.
"NNNNNNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!"
Still wondering whether the scream comes from him or from Kyuhyun, Ryeowook can't move, or blink, or think.
"NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!"
When he hears the deathly scream once more, he knows it's not him, and he snaps out of the trance just enough so that he can turn to look at Kyuhyun. Everybody suddenly turns to Kyuhyun, and Ryeowook's mind expertly snaps back to survival and protection mode. He can't let the soldiers hear him. He can't let them find him. He grabs Kyuhyun and turns his body to face him, but the latter's face is still in the direction of his father's body, and even if Ryeowook shakes him, it won't budge.
"NNNNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOO - ummmmpppppphhhhh!"
Ryeowok puts his left hand on Kyuhyun's mouth to shush him, but the latter grabs his hand and pushes it away. In a desperate attempt to save the situation, Ryeowook grabs Kyuhyun by the ears, and turns his face to him, and approaches his forehead to Kyuhyun's, who is still struggling to get away.
"Please, please, stop, please, please ...please...."
And when Kyuhyun's mouth moves to keep screaming, he blocks it with his mouth again, kissing him over his own hand. His trembling voice cascades over Kyuhyun's cries.
"Hewouldn'twantthemtowin,please,pleaseKyuhyuna,please,please....hetrustedyoutodotherightthing,please,please,please..."
And to his surprise, Kyuhyun suddenly stops screaming. Although Ryeowook doesn't know what triggered this reaction in him, he uses it to his advantage, and pulls him by the arm out of earshot, out of view...out of danger.
_______
* - this note is not for the faint of heart - Public executions are current in North Korea, and although they were more frequent during the 90s and the great hunger, they are still very common. People are usually called to a certain area by a van in the roads, playing music in the background of a voice detailing the instructions for the meet-up and the designated hour of the deed over megaphones. It's a given that every single citizen must attend the gruesome spectacle, and children are often brought up at the front to get the best seats. The most common form of execution is shooting to death, but in poorer parts, the regime allows death by hanging so as to not use any military resources. The victim's mouths are usually stuffed with stones so as to prevent them from voicing their hate towards the regime before the execution. It's important to realize that this is part of these citizen's reality, and eventually, some grow quite accustomed to this spectacle, much like other civilizations (the Romans, for example) would watch executions in stadiums or pedestals. Those meet-ups are also a perfect opportunity to demonstrate one's support for the regime, and voicing their disdain for the victims often adds on to a person's life expectancy.
The government constantly denies these practices, but the deeds were filmed over and over again, and such proofs are still being smuggled through the border. It's still impossible to determine the number of victims who have fallen to the regime in such a way, but human rights organizations are engaged in a constant fight to denounce these practices as a crime against humanity.
_________________________