Sweet Craving

 Ryeowook shouldn’t take that shortcut. He never does, but today of all days, he rushed to catch the last bus. He had to take the quickest path. And the quickest was through the small path in the bushes.

“Why I had night shift?” He mumbled to himself as he quicken his steps. The moon was high in the night sky. The clouds barely there as the stars shine bright, giving him the only source of light. Lucky it wasn’t cold today. Spring was there, almost summer.

 His world was gray. His world was colored in black and white. He didn’t see any happiness in his life. Even the night sky wasn’t so exciting to him anymore. Being adult in the world Ryeowook live, makes you unable to feel happiness. He didn’t enjoy life at all.

 Ryeowook was walking quickly, when he suddenly heard a rustle of bushes not far behind him. He wondered if he should stop and look behind himself but didn’t. He rushed his steps even more.

The person quickens its steps as well. Just now, Ryeowook noticed that that person probably was walking behind him for more than a few minutes.

Ryeowook glanced a bit behind himself. The person turned out to be a tall male. Ryeowook couldn’t see his face. It wasn’t the usual path to take and it was night already, too dark for him to see. Ryeowook feared that he will be robbed or or killed by that man. He cursed under his breath at how stupid he was. He just wanted to reach the bus stop to catch the last bus. He didn’t wish to be killed.

He quickens his steps, making himself almost running. But the man behind him didn’t stop following him. Their breaths and almost running like steps were the only sounds in the path.

Ryeowook almost tripped on the old rusty train tracks. Working in train station never was so thrilled and dangerous as now.

They were walking like that for a few minutes, when Ryeowook finally saw the bus stop. He saw people standing there, waiting. And he breathed relieved. He will not be alone. The man behind him will for sure stop, when he notices that Ryeowook isn’t alone.

Ryeowook was almost smiling, when he crossed the path near thick bushes. The relief was washing off from his face, when suddenly his arm was grabbed and his body pushed to turn around.

His squeak of horror was muffled by the palm on his lips. Doe black eyes looked deep into his. He knows these eyes.

“Shh..” The man said and smiled at him.

“Changmin?” Ryeowook asked, confused. Changmin was his co-worker. They work in the same train department in their town, but they never talked much. Both are two different people. Ryeowook is social with lots of younger friends, while Changmin have only a few. Ryeowook often sees him in the lunch break alone. A few times, he wanted to ask Changmin to eat together, but he never did.

Now he knows why. Changmin is a creep.

“Do you want to see something?” Changmin asked with that weird, bit creepy smile on his lips. It made Ryeowook feel anxious. What Changmin wants to show Ryeowook?

“I rather ref…” Ryeowook didn’t end his sentence. Changmin grabbed his arm again. He slid his hand down to Ryeowook’s wrist. That action made Ryeowook’s hair rise on his arm.

“Hold your breath for a minute.” Changmin whispered to Ryeowook’s ear and he pulled him closer. Ryeowook for sure knew he will be killed or by the other. How he regrets taking that path.

Ryeowook closed his eyes and held his breath when Changmin leaned even closer to him. But instead of attacking him, Ryeowook was pulled into huge bushes behind him. He opened his eyes just when Changmin held a huge dead branch above them and pulled Ryeowook into filthy and smelled of stench huge, not used pipe.

Ryeowook was shocked that something like that was here. He never thought something like that would be here.

He almost closes his eyes, because the smell was getting into his eyes. He held his breath just like Changmin told him. But he could smell it, sense it anyway. His eyes got watery and they went further. He wished that the air in his lungs will be enough. He didn’t want to breathe that air here. And what if Changmin will kill him here? No one will find him here. His bones will lay here for decades.

But, before Ryeowook could image his death, Changmin turned to him again and covered his eyes with his palms. The taller man pushed them a little and Ryeowook, blinded, moved further. He felt wet branches on his face and almost screamed from disgust. Yet, instead of screaming, his voice got stuck in his throat, when Changmin removed his hands and Ryeowook opened his eyes.

 Ryeowook’s eyes didn’t know where to look at. There were an enormous amount of things to look at and witness. Firstly, he noticed that he was in the huge place, like the size of the town almost. Secondly, that he wasn’t outside anymore, instead he saw the ceiling, probably made from the stone. They were in the underground. Mostly underground city from the architecture of it. Ryeowook was speechless. He looked right and saw some flashy restaurants. He looked left and saw tall glassy buildings. Inside he could see people dancing to soundless music.

The path they were standing on, was slippery and shiny. The air was stuffy and hot.

Ryeowook never saw anything like that. So much color and lights. He wanted to ask where they are but Changmin answered before he would:

“Welcome to Happiness. City of light and desire.” Changmin said as he spread his arms, showing the glory of the underground city.

“City? We have a city under our own city?” Ryeowook breathed out, still speechless. He was glad that Changmin didn’t turn to be a bad man. He always likes Changmin in some way or another.

“Yes, we do. Now come on. Let me show you the town.” And before Ryeowook could reply, Changmin took his hand and dragged him around. Their hands were sweating, but Ryeowook didn’t feel like pulling away. He felt comfortable with the other hand in his. He felt secure as Changmin showed him place after place. One of them was a planetarium, in which, people could fly above the stars.

“How they do it without ropes?” Ryeowook asked, but instead of reply, Changmin dragged him outside. They entered next building, an aquarium. There Ryeowook almost choked from shock as he saw people swimming without any equipment next to fishes.

“How?!” He asked, tugging Changmin’s arm.

“I will tell you soon.” Changmin said, turning around and smiling cheerfully at him. Ryeowook heart skipped. He felt a bit happy, seeing the other’s smile. Almost never in his life, Ryeowook get even a glimpse of happiness. And seeing just a smile on Changmin’s face bring him a little of it.

“I’m thirsty, let’s go drink something.” Changmin added and they went out. Ryeowook felt that they will come back to all the places Changmin showed him, so he didn’t resist.

All the places Changmin showed to Ryeowook were more astonished than the other. The shorter male never saw anything like that. In their life, above the underground city, everything is dull and gray. They can’t see even a smiling child, but here, everyone is laughing and smiling as if they were simply- happy.

They entered a nightclub and Ryeowook almost go blind from all the light they used to flash around. Everyone, except them, were painted in neon colors, shining in the club when the light hit their bodies.

“Two Yellow Suns please.” Changmin ordered drinks for them. Ryeowook never heard about drink like that so he was curious. He sat down next to Changmin on the bar and looked up as a bartender poured neon green and white color liquid into two glasses, then added red, making it yellow, so yellow that Ryeowook had difficulties to look at it.

“So bright” Ryeowook said as Changmin handed him his drink.

“Too bright your life.” Changmin said and they drank it in one go. Ryeowook expected to feel an alcohol, but instead he tasted a sweetness of fruits. His eyes shone once the liquid went to his stomach, warming him up. He felt as if he was a bit lighter, The sweetness in his mouth didn’t stop and he could still taste various of fruits.

“Tasty?” Changmin asked. His face really close to Ryeowook’s. The shorter male wonder why Changmin get so close to him.

“A lot.” He nodded his head and smiled lightly. First time after months, Ryeowook finally smiled.

“You know that drink, taste even bette