Ran.

He ran, since that was all that he could do.

He ran as fast and as far as he could go.

His parents' announcement echoed in his mind, haunting him. His mother and father were demons from hell, Zelo realized once again; they were bent on destroying any sliver of happiness he could find.

"You're going to go study abroad in the States."

"Hah," Zelo let out a scoff, nearly losing his balance. He slowed down, running a hand through his wet hair in frustration. "Hah!"

He had refused. He had shouted and yelled and screamed. He had cursed at them, his hate for them exploding all at once.

"Don't fight with us on this, Junhong."

Zelo bit his lip, covering his face with his hands in an attempt to block out everything.

But his words hadn't been enough. He had no say, and they had no heart.

"You're going and that's final. It's best to pack your bags as soon as possible."

They had finally done it. They were finally shipping him off. Why now? Why now, when he had finally found Hyosung?

Hyosung...

Zelo bit down on his lip, clutching at his chest. It felt like someone was gripping his heart a little too tight, the pressure all too high.

He his heel, changing his direction towards the street he always met Hyosung at. He ran again, harder than before, anxious to see his purple haired savior.

When Zelo finally reached the street - heaving for air - Hyosung was already under the streetlamp in his spot, searching for him. The black cat was near her, purring as it ate its food.

"Stray cat!" Hyosung yelled out excitedly when she spotted him, waving her hand. Zelo slowly made his way towards her, the reality of his situation hitting him harshly.

He would never be able to come here again, to his escape. He would never see that bright smile again, the one that was on her face now. He would never hear her voice again, the kind and gentle tone that always called out to him.

All this was over.

Zelo held back a sob when he stood in front of her, staring at her innocent face. Seeing Zelo's strained expression, Hyosung looked worried in turn.

"Stray cat..."

Zelo bit down on the inside of his cheek at the sound of her voice. He brought a shaking hand to cup her face, trying to memorize every inch of Hyosung. Her eyes, her nose, her lips, her cheeks, her skin. Hyosung only looked at Zelo, all the more shocked and concerned for him.

My name is Choi Junhong. I'm seventeen years old. 

He forced down another sob.

That makes me seven years younger than you. Bet you're surprised at that, right?

And I'm not a mute. I'm actually quite good at rapping, of all things...

...I-I'm moving away, Hyosung.... Really far away. So I can't see you anymore.

I know I promised you that I'll never leave...

I promised you that I'll protect you...

He gazed into her eyes, innocent worried ones staring right back. Zelo squeezed his eyes shut as he pulled Hyosung in for an embrace. He buried his face into her hair, taking in her scent. The tears finally came, although he had tried his best to keep them back.

But I'm so powerless right now.

I'm sorry, Hyosung.

I want to stop them, but I can't. I can't.

I have no choice.

Zelo pulled away to look at Hyosung's face for the final time. Hyosung's eyes still sent him questions although her lips remained closed together. He ran a hand through her soft hair, and then ran it through again to relive the feeling. He pushed back her bangs and gently kissed her on the forehead.

It was the best he could do.

"Thank you," he whispered as he drew way. Zelo turned and ran away from her. Without another look. Before Hyosung even had a chance to respond. 

He wouldn't see her again.

Zelo stared at the plastic chair Hyosung had set out for him, still underneath the streetlamp; the street looked much different during the daylight, when people still went and came.

He fumbled with the paper in his hand, wondering if it was really the smartest decision. But he felt it was even more idiotic to not do anything.

He walked up to the chair, the snow crunching underneath his feet. With nervous hands, he took the note he had folded in half, then in half again and slipped in underneath the cushion on the chair.

Zelo wondered if Hyosung would ever find it; he wondered if the small piece of paper would even survive the weather for her to find it.

But there was nothing else he could do.

Zelo slowly took steps down the street, grabbing a taxi when he reached the main road to head towards airport.

Hyosung paced around the empty street, looking down the street every once in a while for the familiar shadow that should have been here.

Where is he?

She pouted, glancing at the black cat that was up the bottom of the can.

"Do you know where he is?" she asked hopefully. The cat looked up at the sounds of her voice, its yellow eyes boring into her before focusing on its own food again. Hyosung let out a sigh.

He stopped visiting her for days now. She had no idea where he was.

"Stray cat..." she whispered, wishing the pink haired teenager would show up.

Hyosung walked to the chair she had brought out for him and took a seat. Was this what it was like waiting for her everyday? Suddenly, she felt apologetic for not considering his well being more. A chair and umbrella didn't cut out the cold of the winter night.

She looked up at the sky, the stars shining brightly. It wasn't snowing for once tonight. She sighed again, seeing her breath in the air.

Hyosung remembered the first time she saw him. He was right where she was now, huddled in the corner while hugging his knees.

The bubble gum pink hair caught her attention first; she felt it matched her own purple hair. Then she focused on his cute round eyes that looked around naively when she waved at him. Hyosung stared at his face, noting that he had a straight nose with pouty lips and milky, blemish-free skin, as she started conversation with him. He was quite handsome, in her personal opinion.

Hyosung grew sadder at the thought of him. She had grown attached to the boy after all the time they spent together. He never said a word, but she always felt they had talked more than anyone else she knew. He was always here and she had gotten accustomed to seeing the mysterious boy, excited to make her way over even after an exhausting day at work. It wasn't an overstatement to say she depended on him, in a number of ways.

And now he was gone without a trace.

She should have ran after him that night. That night when he embraced her, tears wetting her hair. She would have, had she known that was his goodbye.

"Thank you."

She recalled his voice in her mind, getting lost at the sound of it. Those two words were all that he ever said to her...

Hyosung brought her fingers to her forehead, where he had given her a soft kiss. Hyosung blushed then, remembering another memory.

"And this is my second."

She was being truthful when she told him that she had forgotten what she had done while she was drunk. Then it hit her later on and she couldn't bring herself to bring the topic up ever again. She thought she could just keep the kiss between them as her own sweet memory.

She closed her eyes.

Hyosung desperately wanted to find him. But she didn't know where he lived. She didn't even know what his name was, how old he was, where he came from... Hyosung didn't know anything about him at all. Yet she knew that he was a kind person; he cared for her - someone he didn't really know - more than others would have bothered to. She knew he was hurt and lonely, the sadness in his eyes sometimes showing its way through. At times like those, Hyosung wished more than anything that she could do more to help him...

She opened her eyes and stood up from the chair. She grumbled as she accidentally pushed off the cushion on the chair in the process. As Hyosung reached down to retrieve the cushion, a little piece of paper on the chair got caught in her vision. With curiosity, she tenderly picked it up, unfolding it. Slowly, she read the words written on it.

Hyosung didn't realize how overwhelmed she felt until she felt the burning of tears at her eyes.

Wow. This might single-handedly be the longest oneshot I've ever written (number-of-words wise). I fear it might have been too long for the reading to be pleasant... ><

But I still hope you like it!

I feel kind of sad after writing this, so I think I'll go have some food (LOL yes... food is my mood picker upper)

Anyways! So what do you think of this oneshot??

Thanks for reading <33333