✓pluviophile • hwang hyunjin

e l e v e n

"i should head home now." hyunjin glanced at his wristwatch. it's almost 7pm, if one of his parents came home early he would be dead.

chaewon got up and went into a room. after a few seconds she returned with an umbrella. "this is yours, i forgot to bring it the other day."

"oh, just keep it."

she shook her head. "can't. we're not gonna meet after this. i cannot just keep this when it's yours."

hyunjin sighed, pulling the girl's hand to sit next to him. he faced the girl. "we still can, not at nights and only on fridays."

"it's okay, i don't want you to take any risk."

"it's not a risk."

"i don't want anything to happen to you so no."

"nothing will happen," he stated in the form of a question. however chaewon shook her head. "chaewon-"

"the way you said your parents really don't want you going out."

hyunjin remained silent. she was right, his parents did not like him going out. finally after a minute he agreed. he took the umbrella and his bag. "i'll be visiting whenever i can."

she nodded. "bye hyunjin."

he really did not want to go. "really, i will visit when i have time."

the girl chuckled, "right, you will. but no promises because i don't like you breaking promises."

hyunjin pouted before pulling her into a hug. chaewon reacted immediately, wrapping her arms around his torso. "i'm not sure if i can go out after this, this might be the last time we meet," he said with a pout. "even we only know each other a few weeks ago, i don't want you to forget me."

she felt guilty. she broke the hug and patted his hair while standing on her tiptoe. "return to your home now."

and so he did.

🌧️

that was a bad idea.

when he returned both cars were at the porch, and faint shouting could be heard from the inside. hyunjin's leg trembled. he was afraid if he came in with something bad, he was afraid if his dad did something that he had never done. he was afraid if his dad hit him because returning home late. he fears that.

but he could do nothing, there was no way he could run and in the end they would end up finding him. with the small courage left in him he finally went in. both his father and mother stopped arguing. hyunjin could feel their eyes were stabbing into him.

"i-i'm home.. from a friend's house."

"this late?" his father asked. hyunjin slowly nodded. "what did i tell you about going out, hyunjin? are you not afraid if something happens to you?"

i'm a grown up teenager!

"sorry, dad."

when there's nothing more hyunjin rushed up to his room. he was a bit relieved when they did not do anything but his father's voice was intimidating. he stared up to his ceiling, letting his mind took over him. however soon after the quarrel between his parents was back, bringing him to reality. a sigh escaped his lips.

how do i escape?

🌧️