Chapter 13
 

Hurt Hearts

Yongguk hadn’t slept the entire night. He sat by the cave entrance and let his feet dangle over the edge. Inside, Zelo had finally quieted down, sleep taking over him.

Yongguk had forgotten that Zelo was, indeed, still a child. A ‘teenager’ to be exact; but Yongguk saw how much of a child Zelo was now. And how much he had matured. And how much Zelo barely smiled.

Yongguk looked down to his right. There was a long line of undistinguishable looking ants, going in and out of a little hole in between the rocks. They all did the same exact thing: walk in, get food, walk out, store inside the home, repeat.

Yongguk looked away before the tears had a chance to form at all. He remembered life in the city. Everybody wore the same thing. Everybody worked for the same reason. Everybody served one cause. Everybody ate the same things. Everybody acted the same way. Everybody was the same.

And that—the stupid, ridiculous fact that everyone was the same—bothered Yongguk to no end. Why did everyone need to be this way? Why couldn’t anyone see how stupid it all was? Why couldn’t anyone change? Be different? Be themselves?

The moon was high in the sky now. There was a cool breeze going on. Yongguk closed his eyes and breathed—blocking out all his other senses.

Breathe… Just breathe…

His heart fluttered, the scent of spring flowers and dewy grass bringing it to life. Yongguk hadn’t rested in what seemed like a long, long time. Spring was here already. He had grown quite a bit of facial hair too. He didn’t have time to shave like the others. So, he decided that today would be the day. His hair was too long too.

Yongguk opened his eyes to the still darkness and smiled a sad smile before walking into the warm cave and pulling Zelo’s blanket higher up his torso. Yongguk took a knife and some of the home made shaving crème made by Yoseob inside a big clay jar. He used his aura to make a mirror and shaved off the rough hairs on his face.

Soon after, he began to work on his hair. He cut the sides and parts of the front, too. His roots were black on the side so he removed all the red and left them black.

In the end of his mini ‘makeover’, Yongguk grinned at himself. He felt normal. He felt like his old conceited self, but without the conceitedness. He had nothing to brag about now. Every bit of pride was literally ripped away when Zelo pulled away from him earlier…

He looked over at the sleeping boy. Zelo looked sad even in his sleep.

Run. Hide. Run away. Run. Run far away.

The trees are closing in. You’re too slow. Run. Faster. Faster. Hide.

He’s getting too close. You’re suffocating. Run. Run. Faster!

Run. He’s gaining on you. Run. Run. Run.