҂҂҂

Title: Free

Word count: 588 words

Rating: PG

     Music: Jungkook  // sofa

˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚˚

The stinging impact of flesh against flesh. 

This was the only thought in Hoseok's mind.

The tension was palpable, even though he was alone in the deathly quiet room. He couldn't fathom how things turned out this way, and how in a single fleeting moment his esteem plummeted to the innermost crevice of his being.

If he was being frank, he'd admit that the slap didn't resonate and ricochet deep within him because of the physical pain. He had gotten over that in the five minutes that left him paralyzed in his crouched position on the floor near the bedroom drawer. 

His hand was still clutching his blotchy red cheek, his mind reeling with thoughts.  Too many thoughts for his lighthearted mind set to take, whirling in and out, around and about his hazy brain. 

It's funny, hoseok thought. The pain and anguish a person could absorb, when a loved one physically strikes you. No matter how hard they were to hit any part of your body, the most stinging betrayal comes from the actual act himself. The fact that a person you felt safe and content with, raised their hand towards you.

The need to stiffle back tears is not because of the actual hit, slap, or kick.

It all has to do with what it signifies. The fact that his mother had actually slapped him across the face lividly. 

What had his mother said before she struck him? Just how much of her exploding emotions did she transmit when her hand came in contact with the soft, unweathered, and fresh skin?

As he took unpaced and uneven breaths he realized many things. He was still shell-shocked, but his mind was whizzing and trying to process the past, present and future. He took a deep once again breath and was starting to get anxious: the future.

Hoseok had so much he wanted to do.

So much he wanted to reach for, that he was buzzing with unresolved energy. The need to experience and see things for himself was so strong it almost overtook him at times. He wanted to go on a thrilling adventure and touch the raw seasoned passion in his own hands as he gallivanted. He wanted to be free to conquer, free to learn. His hands clenched impercetibly in his frozen state. He wanted a lot of things. 

The feeling of wanderlust was extinguished momentarily, his mother's words were a cool douse of striking water over his burning passion. This wasn't a dream that he had simply harboured the day before. No, he had dreamed too long, too far, and too high to go back now.

        In seoul to the sky.      

Every walking moment in his life had been leading to a decision.  The choice between letting expectations in the form of chains strap him down and drag him into territory he knew wasn't meant for him or, being free. Similarly to flowing down his alloted stream of life and going wherever the currents take him.
 

Better yet, he could capture his feelings by comparing it to flying. his companion would be the clouds, and his voice of reason; the crisp air surrounding him.

Hoseok wanted to fly far, far, far away. 

He was awoken from his dream like trance when he heard his sister call his name from the living room over the blaring TV. She must have been unaware of what had happened with their mother. He swallowed thickly before letting both his hands drop from the affected side of his face and rising shakily to his knees.

His dreams would have to wait, wait, wait

a/n: honestly this came out more vague than I thought lmao, but yeah i hope you like??? ♡