The chopping of wood and the buzzing of flies were prominently heard in the small streets of Dracvale. The stench of dead rats and the hissing of stray cats echoed around the abandoned suburbs, and the clanging of pots were crashing through the alleys. It was Mid-December, the snow  was covering the trees and the streets, people plunging through the white surface wearing boots and coats, yet Christmas wasn't in anybody's heart. 

In contrast with the dark city below, way uphill lied another city, Freymont, to be specific. It was cold, yes, but chariots were covering the perfectly-paved streets, while the city was filled with bright chatter. The cafés were filled with joyful laughter, while the aroma of freshly baked bread spread throughout the streets. It was in contrast with the depressing and eerie atmosphere of Dracvale. 

In the heart of the bustling city, lied a grand mansion, standing tall with six floors, and spreading wide over the land. Black metal gates enclosed it from the public, as vines coiled themselves around the walls. And inside that mansion, sat a family, facing each other on the dining table. It was the Jung bloodline. Their only son, Jung Taekwoon, looked at his parents with eyes filled with disinterest. 

"You are to be married at exactly a month from now, do you understand, Jung Taekwoon." 

The latter nodded his head at his dad as the latter slammed his fist onto the polished mahogany table. The glasses and cutlery shook with the impact, as his mother jumped up in surprise. 

"Do you understand." 

"Yes, dad." 

His dad nodded in satisfaction. 

"You are to meet the girl only a week before your marriage. Starting tomorrow, you would need to practice the vows and the entire process on your own. You two were supposed to practice together, but your soon-to-be-wife is still feeling ill at the moment. Do you understand everything, Jung Taekwoon." 

"Yes." 

"On Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, and Sundays, you will practice with the priest, but on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays, you will practice on your own. Take note of all of this Taekwoon, because if you miss even one of these meetings, your mum and I would be sure to give you your rightful punishment. Do you und-" 

"Yes, dad." 

He received a piercing glare from the latter, as he just blankly looked out the window. He was a man of the age of 26, yet his parents were mapping out his entire life for him. He didn't feel as if he had his own life at all. He abruptly stood up, heading for the door as his parents watched him go. 

"I'll be taking one of the chariots." 

As he left the looming black steel gates from his house. He rushingly climbed a carriage and traveled downhill, to Dracvale.

---

It was exactly what he expected it to be there. The city was lifeless, no color, just all monotone. They always said that if you fall in love you'll eventually see everything in glowing colors, yet Taekwoon just realized how exactly black and white his life is. Black and white like the keyboard he was forced to learn.  Black and white like how his parents forced it onto his eyes. Black and white like the darkness looming over him. 

He stopped the carriage and went to walk out through the dark streets and unlit cottages. The chopping of the knife and the clanging of the church bell echoed in his ears, as his legs took him wherever they led him to. He then heard the soft tune of a piano. He's got to admit, though, the piano was the only thing he thanked his parents for forcing down on him. 

He followed the soft hum, and then he recognized the song, Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 5, Rondo. He took note. It started out slowly, and then he heard the abrupt quickening of pace, the strong notes of the song contrasting with its surroundings. He can't help but bring himself to the music. 

He came across a frighteningly twisted forest in the edge of the small countryside, frantically running into its silent depths. It felt just like home. Abnormally gigantic trees loomed over the entire forest, branches twisting in sickening ways, as the snow coated them in grey and white. The piano was now more prominently heard. 

He heard the emotions the pianist was trying to express. Rage, happiness, love, a rapid flurry of emotions was what he relayed with the piano. His legs pulled him closer, as the tune softly went to slow down once more. It then went completely silent, before a flurry of low notes went to his ears. Sadness radiated from the music, as it gradually went to drag him to it. Strong powerful notes replaced it, rage radiated into the air, before slowly and gradually turned into a burst of stoic notes. 

He then saw himself being face-to-face with a man bending over a piano. His fingers were dancing over the keys, as he heard his quick breathing, as he exerted his all into the piano. He was producing such angry notes, yet the way he pressed them onto the piano was in such a delicate manner, that Taekwoon can't help but get entranced. The man's messy brown hair contrasted with the slightly tattered suit he was wearing, as his song slowly came to an end. 

Yet loud notes erupted from the silence, before ending in a complete stop. The only thing heard was the man's breathing, as Taekwoon hid himself behind a tree. He never saw someone so passionate before. He slowly peeked from the side of the tree, but stumbled back when he was met with the face of the man. 

"You were watching me, weren't you?" 

Taekwoon observed him. He had ridiculously pale skin with light brown hair and a sharp jawline. His lips were in a pout, as he stopped to meet the man's deep chocolate brown eyes. It pulled him in, exactly how the piano did, but something was empty with it, almost as if they were dead.

"It would be better if you are to leave now. Don't go near me, you'll get in more trouble." 

Taekwoon disobeyed the man, dropped all his morals, as he continued walking to the man. His steps were slow, yet the man in front of him was already shrinking down. 

"Trust me. You'll be better off if you leave now." 

He eyed the man, as he tried to figure out what was so bad about meeting him. His suit was crumpled, as his tie was folded. He was still stuck on how it was so bad to run into him.

"You're skilled with the piano." 

The man froze. Taekwoon then realized he must've said something wrong. He tried to apologize to the man, but as he reached out toward the latter's wrist, he flinched away and glared at Taekwoon. 

"Don't even think about it." 

The man turned towards the piano and ran, right into the middle of the dark maze called the forest. Yes, Taekwoon was entranced, but he figured he would go back there when he knew the man already had his space. Disgruntled and confused, he went back to the chariot, climbing in as it dragged him uphill, back to the place where everybody was plastic. 

---

"Practice your vows, Taekwoon. I must say, your bride won't even hear you speak the words." 

Taekwoon's dad coughed at the statement, as he tilted his chair back. Their pet cat, Aurite (which he wasn't so fond of), yawned on his mother's lap, as he closed his eyes to go back to sleep. He hated how he can't decide anything on his own. He utmostly abhorred that he can't even say a word about this foolish arranged marriage. 

"Yeah, yeah, can I leave now? So I can practice my vows?" 

The priest nodded, and opened his bible to a certain bookmarked chapter. He opened his mouth to speak, yet was interrupted by the black-haired latter. 

"Outside. Alone?" 

The priest then caught up with him and gave him a soft smile. He felt more like a father to him rather than his own heartless one. He sent a quick and thankful nod, as he pushed through the heavy double doors, black dress shoes clicking against the marble floor. 

---

Its been a week since his encounter with the peculiar man, and he found himself wanting to know more about him. He heard the horses up front halt, as his footman opened the door of the carriage for him. 

"Go straight to the house. Don't wait for me." 

He patted the back of the gaping man, as he walked into the forest. Sadly, he didn't hear the sound of a piano anywhere. It was silent inside the forest, only the frequent sound of rustling leaves and his own footsteps were heard. He let out a disheartened sigh, as he pulled out a small velvet box from his coat pocket. 

He took out the golden ring and examined it under the bright moonlight. It was beautiful, simple, elegant, yet it lacked one thing, love. It was hollow, empty, cold. He slowly stood up and stretched, shaking off the dust from his slacks. He decided to just run through his vows, he had nothing to do at the moment anyways. 

He silently and incoherently muttered promises and I do's, and playfully slipped the ring on a hand-like branch. He was about to remove the small metal from its resting place, when he found the ground underneath him shaking violently. A crack began to find itself through the hard earth, as the trees moved back, shedding moonlight onto the crumbling soil. He was too taken aback by the movement from underneath to notice the sounds around him and how his surrounding twisted in different ways. 

The 'branch' began to move, as it grabbed onto the land for support. It slowly lifted up to show an entire body, Taekwoon thought this was inhumanly impossible, yet as he absorbed the sight in front of him, he didn't think anything was impossible. 

"Well, I guess I have no say in this, do I? You said your vows and put the ring on me, I guess its I do then." 

He was greeted by the same man he saw last week, and stumbled backward, threatening to fall. He was supported by the suddenly moving branches, as he was pushed upwards to balance once again. He was in disbelief. The latter must have seen through his shock, as he sent a small smile. 

"Its Jaehwan. Yes, I'm dead." 

 

A/N: Do you now see how messed up I actually am