The House of a Mind | Yoonkook [Discontinued]

Prologue

In the forest, hidden away from everyone else, there was a house.

Its bricks were spalling, the white pillers on the porch were turning grey, and there was a dirt trail that led to a mailbox that looked as if it hadn't been touched in ages. The sun could barely tint the building, but where it did, the spot glistened like a fairytale.

It hadn't met many people during the time it was there. It could have been because of the grass and trees that kept growing taller and taller as the days went on, making the area get more swallowed up by shadows the less it got noticed.

The boy who lived inside looked as expected. His skin was pale and boney despite all the food the fridge offered and the light the sun wanted to give everyone. The clouds covered it so many times that the boy couldn't even tell if it was there. He would've looked like a cloud himself if his dark hair hadn't contrasted in such an extreme; as if an empty night sky was combed into his head.

He walked to school in his worn down clothes and bag, which he held onto for safety. The boy hated walking down the streets. Seeing how everyone else lived close to each other and had such nice and clean homes, contrary to his own, made him frown. They didn't experience life yet. Only he carried that weight on his shoulders with no one next to him but the crickets that chirped once the sun went down.

"Don't walk too fast. You'll trip over your shoes."

Said a dark figure. It resembled the boy's shadow except it was more built and strong, looking down on the boy like he was nothing. Its shape tricked the boy into thinking he was a man the moment he knocked on the door years ago.

"Yeah? What if I want to?"

Replied the boy, who slowed down his pace before firing that back with a form of confidence. The man said nothing to him, and to him, that felt worse than saying an insult to his face.

They got to the familiar building after a few more minutes of walking. The boy stared at it, gripping the straps of his bag tighter as he remembered certain moments that occurred through those doors.

"Are you sure you want to go in there?" The man asked, "They may hurt you again. I don't need to deal with that once more."

The boy gulped. "I can...I can go in there. I can protect myself."

"You never succeed in it," The man said, "Skip today. Let's go home."

"But...I need to get my test scores." The boy tried to argue, puffing out his chest just a bit as he spoke.

"You failed. Trust me. Let's go home."

"...I'll never know until I see."

The man made a quiet groan. "Fine. But I'm going with you."

The boy said nothing more and walked with him into the shaded school.

Only a few people were in the hallway they entered. Voices echoed everywhere; some happy, others not. Telling from their faces, the boy was thankful that gossip wasn't in that hall for the first time in forever.

"Remember that faces deceive you."

The boy became less trusting of the people in that hall.

"Jungkook!"

The boy looked around only to see Taehyung walk his way. His eyes burnt a glare that the other didn't seem to notice as he skipped over to him. He had no choice but to stop his stare once Taehyung stood in front of them. Then he began to avoid any eye contact.

"Are you excited to see your test results?" He asked.

Jungkook rolled his eyes. "Only you are."