Minseok could read people’s true feelings ever since he could remember.

It wasn’t as if he could read minds right on the spot. No, this ability only worked once someone said something. Once he or she did, then Minseok would be able to know how he or she really thought.

Like that one time his mother’s friend saw him when he was only a few years old. She cooed at him, pinched his cheek, and told his mother that he was adorable child.

But instead Minseok could see that in her heart she thought, “He’s not that cute. He’s got a pretty chubby face. My son’s so much cuter.”

But the young Minseok didn’t let that bother him because in his head the toy car in his hand was much more fascinating than what the old lady said.

When he first realized his ability, young Minseok thought it was most amazing thing in the world.

He had hopes of becoming a police officer when he was little. He imagined himself being a walking human lying detector. He could tell if people were lying or not and then arrest for their crime-doings. What better profession he could be than a police officer?

But as he grew older, he realized how much burden this ability gave him.

It first started when he unintentionally caused a rift between his parents.

In his child’s mind, he was stating the obvious. But to his parents, it meant so much more.

“Why do you say that, Mommy? Don’t you want to say that Daddy should do it himself?”

When his little mouth asked those words, his mother froze mid-step as she headed toward the kitchen to grab a cold drink for her husband.

She turned and smiled sweetly at her child, “What do mean, honey? I’m just getting a drink for your daddy since he asked me to.”

Minseok’s father piped up from in front of the television, “That’s right, Minseok. I simply asked your mother to get me a drink.”

Miseok shook his small head childishly, “No! Mommy is thinking that Daddy should get his own drink instead of sitting on the couch all day!”

His mother stared at her child in fear. “Wh-what? I never said that,” she muttered.

His father turned around and glared. “Is that what you think?” he growled.

“I didn’t say that!” she shouted.

“I work every day to feed this goddamn family! Don’t you think I deserve a little break once in a while?” he yelled back.

She glared back at him, furious at his outrage. “I do! But maybe you should appreciate what I do for this family as well! All you could do is ask me more politely instead ordering me around!” she screamed.

Minseok shrunk back, afraid of his parents’ yelling. He couldn’t understand why they were so angry. All he did was say what his mother was feeling; wasn’t that the right thing to do?

Now his parents were angry at each other, and Minseok didn’t know what to do.

However, he was also the reason his parents forgave each other in the end.

Minseok peeked around the doorway to glance at his father working in his room.

Ever since Minseok revealed his mother’s true feelings and his parents fought, they hardly spoke to each other, using Minseok as their messenger.

And when they did speak to each other, the air was tense and their words were always short and clipped. Unbeknownst to little Minseok, they were on the verge of separating and even notions of getting a divorce was in the air.

“Daddy?”

His father turned around to see his son peeking behind the door, glancing around with large round eyes like a little lost animal. He chuckled and gestured his son to come in.

What Minseok didn’t know as well was the fact that he was the reason his parents were so hesitant to go their separate ways. They both loved him dearly, and both hated the fact that it would probably devastate Minseok his they did.

“What’s wrong, Minseok?” he smiled.

Minseok rushed out from behind the door and into his father’s lap.

His father groaned and laughed trying to balance his son on his lap in order to accommodate the extra weight.

He ruffled his son’s hair and waited for him to speak.

Minseok pouted and looked around, hesitant to say anything. He finally opened his mouth and said quickly, “Mommy said to come eat.”

His father sighed and picked up Minseok to set him on the ground. He swiveled his chair around to face his desk. “Tell her I’ll be out soon.”

Minseok looked sadly at his father’s back. This is why he disliked telling one of his parents what the other had told him to say to the other. It always ended up one of them ignoring the other’s words.

“Daddy?” he muttered shyly.

“Yes?” he gruffly muttered, not making any moves to look.

Minseok slowly crept to his father’s side. He stood on his tip-toes in order to see beyond his father’s desk. His father glanced at his son and softly smiled at his attempt to see.

“Daddy, Mommy doesn’t really hate you,” he said quietly.

“Oh?” his father mumbled, raising a brow. “And how do you know that?”

Minseok stopped stepping on his toes due to the aching pain he was feeling in them. He fiddled with his fingers and gazed at them. “Because, because I asked Mommy if she loved Daddy, and she said yes. And I know she was speaking the truth.” He gazed up at his father. “Do you love Mommy too, Daddy?”

His father looked kindly down at his son, unsure what to say. “Yes, I do.”

Minseok wrinkled his nose. “No, you don’t. You seem like you don’t know anymore?” he questioned, more to himself than anyone. He couldn’t really read his father’s feelings. It full of confusion and uncertainty about his mother, whether their love and marriage could really be repaired.

His father looked at him with surprise. “How do you know that?”

Minseok shrugged. “Because.”

His father sighed, “It’s true. I’m not sure how I feel about your mother. But you say that your mom loves me?”

Minseok nodded enthusiastically. “Yep! Mommy loves you, even though she doesn’t say it.”

“Hmm,” his father mused. “Then I believe I owe your mother a talk.”

And with that, he got up from his desk and headed to the kitchen.

His parents had a long talk, and in the end, they sorted out the differences. His parents thought this experience was a valuable one for them. And it was also one for little Minseok.

Because right there when he peeked on them from behind the corner where he watched his mother cry and his father pat soothingly on her back, did Minseok realized what he had done. How had almost drove his parents apart and luckily somehow brought them back together.

Of course, with Minseok being so small, he often forgot about how his ability could do such damage and went on with his life, often putting his two cents in about what somehow truly felt often causing some odd looks his way. But since then on, he also had a nagging reminder that this ability wasn’t as great as he thought it was. And it stayed with him for the rest of his life.

So Minseok grew older and older, and he began to truly understand his ability.

How he finally understood that it wasn’t a common ability, where people looked at him strangely when he tried to explain. And he learned to keep his mouth shut.

And once he did, he became more and more withdrawn from society.

He witnessed the shrewdness of people’s hearts more than he saw the good-heartedness.

And by high school, Minseok had lost his childhood innocence and slowly had less hope for people in society today.

But he still had one last fluttering hope that perhaps he hadn’t seen enough. That it was simply the adults he had encountered with.

So when he reached high school, he had hopes that these students, these almost adults who were in the transition between children and adults, would prove him otherwise.

Oh, how wrong he was. These classmates of his were some of the worst he had ever seen. Each one of them desperately grabbing for the top and pushing each other out of the way.

Even people who claimed they were best friends ended up sabotaging each other for what they wanted. Smiling at each other but in the deep crevices of their heart wished the worst for each other.

The smartest student in class proudly proclaimed, “It’s all because of my hard work!” But he heard, “Hard work? The only effort I put in is in cheating.”

The most popular, out-going boy in class gave everyone a charming and smoothly telling his group of friends, “You guys are the coolest people ever.” But he heard, “God, what losers. I can’t believe I’m hanging around with such filth.”

The girls smiled prettily at each other complimenting each other on their attire with words like, “You look so pretty today” or “Tell me how you did your hair”. But he heard things like, “Wow, it’s amazing how make-up can hide such an ugly face like yours” and “The only thing you got going for you is your hairstyle. It’s only a matter of time before your popularity loses out on you.”

As he watched what his last hope was, he thought how naïve he was as a child. A police officer? A hero? Those were pipe dreams in this society today. There was nothing he could do.

And as Minseok saw more and more of how people would lie in the pretence of gaining something more, he simply gave up.

He thought there was no more hope for people today. That their happiness was fleeting. He had yet to meet someone who honestly spoke from his or her heart, without any hidden agendas. But those people were rare, and he had high expectations. And it seemed like there was no one left.

Thus, for the rest of high school, Minseok hardly talked to anybody unless needed. He took himself out of people’s social circles and merely watched them interact with their dirty hearts.

But even that was too much sometimes, so he simply put on his headphones and drown himself in music.

Because with music, there wasn’t anybody telling lies. It was simply their honest emotions. And that, he had at least appreciated.

And from then on, Minseok left society alone. For the rest of high school, in college, at his workplace. He didn’t care for it anymore because there was nothing he could do for it anymore.

He grew cold and cynical, only watching everyone with an indifferent heart.

He didn’t care if the people beside him backstab each other with a smiling face; it had nothing to do with him.

And even if he tried, he knew from past experiences that it wouldn’t do much. That each one would continue being their true self, that even a little set-back would not deter them.

Because that is who they truly are.

And here begins the story of Kim Minseok, a boy who rejected society and grew cynical and apathetic of people in society today.

Because he thought you just can’t change how people are today.

And it seemed like there wasn’t anybody to prove him wrong.

A/N: I know I said I would update this story once I finish my other story, but I simply couldn’t help myself.

 I think this story will take a more somber feel unlike my other stories.  

 But I’m excited because it’s Xiumin! He’s still my second favorite in Exo.

I hope with this introduction you are interested and stay to read more. Thanks for reading!