K-POP ONE-SHOTS / SHORT STORIES

SF9 | JAEYOON & HWIYOUNG

JAEHWI ONESHOT
WARM EMBRACE
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Winter came again as it always did during this time of the year. The freezing winds simply waltzed with the trees, running past the humans who were outside. It glided against the frozen stream, caressing it mindlessly - halting at the presence of a human who stood near the leafless trees.

Youngkyun was alone by the creek, squatted down as he watched the tadpoles swim in circles in a pool of unfrozen water, moving forward and back nonstop. He had nothing better to do, so he'd just rather watch the tadpoles. But perhaps he had too much fun, for he soon heard the crunch of snow and crusted leaves in the distance. The boy twisted his body slightly to the left, glancing back, spotting his mother.

"Youngkyun," She sighed sharply, her arms going behind her. Her eyes were narrowed, her eyebrows knit together tightly as a sigh escaped her. "How many times have I told you not to wander off?"

Youngkyun simply stared. His mouth remained shut. 

"Youngkyun," Her tone stiffened.

"I was bored," said the boy promptly, and he huffed, standing back up steadily, shuffling the soles of his shoes on the cold ground. He stared firmly towards his mother, his hands buried deep within his pockets. "It's not like there's anything interesting here anyway." Youngkyun said.

His mother sighed once more. "It's not that there's anything interesting, Youngkyun." She massaged her temple. "It is the fact that you are a child, unsupervised, and could get in danger if you're not watched!"

"But I'm fast! No one can catch me!" Youngkyun puffed out his chest, his hands at his hips.

A soft, warm laugh escaped his mother's lips, and she made her way to his son, grabbing his hand. "Come now, Youngkyun. Night is coming." She began to walk, having her son hold her hand securely as they walked back to the village.

"Why can't we watch the stars at night, Mom?" Youngkyun asked quietly.

"It's dangerous at night." His mother retorted.

"But it's only the howls of wolves-."

"Exactly."

Before he could even fire back, they were already inside the village. It was too late to go out now, for the gates had dropped. They were inside now; if anyone were to go out, they were to wait until dawn. 

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It was always this way. Even after coming of age, his mother wanted him back home at dusk, right when curfew began. He was an adult, but he had to obey. That is just how it was. They had to remain together, concealed away in these woods - all following a set of norms in order to stay safe.

He simply, to this day, couldn't bring himself to understand why they couldn't go out during the night, why they couldn't be outside the village walls during the dark. Because it was 'dangerous,' he wasn't really allowed to go anywhere—which was bothersome in Youngkyun's opinion, for he was an adult. But what could he do anyway? His father was the chief of their tribe; he put the rules for the better of their sake.

His sake-

Fire jumped up against the wooden roof, soon crawling down and spreading to the nearby surroundings, causing Youngkyun to flinch as he was headed back home. He was inside the walls of course, but he had been helping the tailor and the blacksmith. It had been a quiet night, like any other night, but this time there was fire.