𝗨𝗡𝗟𝗜𝗞𝗘𝗟𝗬 | minsung

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 : 𝐋𝐢𝐚𝐫, 𝐋𝐢𝐚𝐫

♡

"Daddy, where are we going?" The curious child asked, walking along the rather smooth-textured roads that were painfully made and paved by hand.

"We're going on a little adventure, for daddy's work." That was only half-true. They had been walking for quite some time now and if he were to be honest, he hadn't seen a single sign nor trace of what he was looking forward to seeing. "Can we take a break? My legs really hurt!" The child complained, earning a rather guilty look from the father who could do nothing else but to let out a brief sigh at that.

"Okay. But just a five minute break will do, okay? After that, no more." He had become impatient due to the fact that they had to stop at least eight times along the path they took now. He understood that his son didn't have much stamina as he was very much young but at least figured that he would've had some will and strength to carry on for a long period of time. But no, he stops just about every thirty minutes.

It was fair though. After all, he was just seven years old and could barely even tie his own shoelaces nor put on his clothes right without it being faced backwards ninety-percent of the time. And what was also fair was the fact that he had not warned his son of the long journey/expedition outside the comfort of their village beforehand. He had just enough time to tell his son the day before but was quickly occupied by something he desperately needed to attend to. Which was the reason why he had left his son so soon just the other day.

There was no time for regrets, feelings of guilt, nor breaks, however. Their time was bound to run out soon enough and before they even knew it, it'll be too late. "Your legs feeling better now?" The brunet nodded, getting up and off the rather dirty road before playfully running ahead of his father. "Bet you can't catch me!" Sometimes he really wished that his son wasn't so playful at times like these but he knew the boy couldn't help it with his childish and playful nature.

"We can play when we get home again, okay? But for now, no more playtime." The child came to an immediate stop, looking back at his father with a rather shocked yet confused expression. "No more playtime?!" He couldn't believe what he was even hearing. The thought of not being able to mess around even now and then as well as play had just been put to a stop by his father of all people.

"Sorry, but this is very important thing you and I need to do. You'll have all the time in the world to play once we get back home, okay?" His father said in a rather soft yet childish tone, attempting to reassure his son that he'd make it up once they'd be able to attend to the things he was required to attend to. "Okay..." The child agreed, whilst pouting in disappointment.

But what was perhaps most disappointing for the child is the fact that he wouldn't know that his father had lied to him.

"Look! Look! It's Mei's flower shop! Can we please please please stop by to say hi to her?" The boy practically bounced in excitement, attempting to make his way over to the beloved and infamous flower shop before getting held back by his father. "No. You remember what your mother said about visiting her again..."

The child knew that his father always disapproved of him hanging around people like Mei but never really understood why he hated them so much. Perhaps may it be that they seemed like witches- mages, even. And maybe that's what made them fear people like her. Even so, the brunet didn't really mind it as he didn't think anything bad about Mei.

Heck, he even treated Mei as if she were his mother unlike his actual one. That's just how much they had grown attached to each other and it's also just how less attached the boy was to his mother to the point where he'd think of a mere stranger as more to him than his own mother. "But why? Can't I just go say hi to her? I promise it won't take long! Pleaseeeeeeeeeee?"

His father shot him a glare which he was all too familiar with and he practically sunk down at that, followed by a disappointed yet knowing sigh. "Okay..." He said, purposely or perhaps unintentionally walking away from the direction of Mei's flower shop with an especially, deeply saddened expression.

Of course, his father knew that expression all too well and although he only wanted the best for the little boy, he understood that it wasn't actually on purpose this time as he knew that whatever he said nor did would never change the fact that the two of them had a close bond. Due to this, it only made him feel guiltier but also think for a bit as it didn't seem like much of a bother if his son really was just going to drop by to say hello and nothing more to her.

"Fine, we can go. But you are not to tell your mother and we're only going in to say hi and nothing more." Upon hearing that, the boy flashed his father with his iconic, cheerful smile and jumped up and down excitedly whilst nodding. "Yay!" His father shook his head at that, following up behind his son as he excitedly made his way into the flower shop.

And although the name of the shop was enough to suffice for what it was, a flower shop, the flowers near the window seemed to be wilting, with some that had already wilted. That was what made him a bit uneasy seeing as the owner of the flower shop couldn't even take care of their own flowers. Well... unless it was purposely left there to wilt for certain purposes that made him even more uneasier.

"Mei! Mei!" He chanted, allowing himself to enter without permission as all the past times he had ever entered her shop, she said that he could feel free to walk in at any other time if he truly wished to. On the other hand, his father hesitantly entered behind the rather excited boy and looked around, noticing how mysterious the surroundings within the shop were. It was certainly no ordinary one.

But while it may seem different and all so brand new to his father, it was no different and familiar to the smaller one as he had came by many times. So many times that now he considered the shop to be his second home as Mei was considered his second mother. A few minutes had passed now and his father would become a tad bit anxious every now and then seeing as they were doing nothing more than standing around waiting for somebody who may not even show up.

"I don't think Mei's here, let's just-" He cut himself short as he was instantly alerted upon hearing footsteps approach from behind them. His instincts kicked in and he was quick to draw a knife that hung to the side of his backpack and jump backwards, threatening to harm the person, or even creature, who was right behind them.

"Well... that's quite a rude way to greet somebody, isn't it now? Not even in the comfort of my own flower shop am I able to avoid sharp blades of all kinds. I expect nonetheless from you, however. Just expected that perhaps you could have greeted me in a better way."

♡