TASTE OF EXILE; minchan

❯ 𝚏𝚒𝚏𝚝𝚎𝚎𝚗

𝙈𝙄𝙉𝙃𝙊

how long has it been? i was six when i left home, more like, was sold to leave home.

it was around ten am when we arrived, the sky was blue, the fields were green, the mountains still stood tall, and the town i spent my childhood was still lone as i remembered. it wasn't a bad thing at all actually, to be very honest, i wouldn't mind living here all my life as all of us would have. there was a lake, mountains, fields to look at, enough stores for living, we had a house, i'd work somewhere in the village in day and go home by night. no busy streets, loud voices, unfair business, and bills to pay- just peace.

even with my messed up family, we still lived under the same roof and functioned as we should be. i still went to school, my mother and elder siblings worked while i took care of my younger ones. i couldn't say i was really close to any of my siblings, except for seungmin maybe, but he was a mere toddler when i left, i doubt he remembers me. i could even have more siblings now that i don't know of, or who doesn't know me.

chan parked the truck somewhere down the hill and he looked around alongside changbin, admiring the view. he engulfed the air, and stretched out his limbs, he looked at me with eyes sparkling.
❝ the air is so fresh and clean, i love the view right now. ❞
he said, probably tired of seeing the gray city and skies. i understood him well, the surroundings were vibrant, and the air was refreshing, despite the fields being surrounded by mountains.

changbin had his camera out, taking pictures of every sight. i looked at him with lips slightly curled.
❝ we're here for business, not a vacation, now let's get it over with. ❞
i hiked up the hill and held in a breath as i saw the view of the village. nothing changed, nothing changed at all.

for a moment, i felt like a child again, i wanted to run, to places i've played before. for the first time in a long while, i wanted to remember my memories. i thought of them so dear to me.

i walked down the hill leading to the small town, chan and changbin following me. the villagers looked at us a bit weirdly, it was understandable, they don't usually get visitors from the outside. nonetheless, they happily offered some produce and goods to us, we said our sorry and continued to the end of the village where my family owned a small shack, the only diner in the village.

it was closed today, i didn't know why, but i entered with the two following behind me. on the counter there she was, my mother. her beauty was like a snake, mesmerizing but venomous.

❝ hello mom. ❞
i simply said, her eyebrows scrunched up.
❝ which child of mine are you again? ❞
she asked and i rolled my eyes.
❝ it's me, minho- ❞

❝ ah. ❞
she waved her hand and yawned, her eyes gazed upon me up and down, then behind me where chan and changbin stood.
❝ are they two of my children too? ❞

❝ they're my friends. ❞
i told her and she laughed, untying the strings of the apron she wore. she looked back at me and sneered.
❝ you should've told me you brought your man whores, i could've given them a proper welcome. ❞

❝ how could you say that to your son? ❞
chan suddenly said, his voice clearly angered. my mom crossed her arms, smirking.
❝ oh i have every right to, i made him, he's the same as me. just like everyone in our family. ❞

❝ minho is- ❞
i put my arm on chan's shoulder, telling him to drop the subject. it wasn't worth it, changbin scrunched his nose in annoyance as well, he looked around the shack with jaw clenching.

❝ cut the shit mom we won't be here for long. i need to get something of minhyuk hyung's. ❞
i said and she raised her fingers to count.
❝ ah yes, my second child, isn't he dead already? ❞
she asked and i nodded.
❝ what about him then? ❞

❝ nothing to do with you. we need it for work, then we'll leave. ❞
i sighed, i really thought i was prepared to talk to my mother again, but even though she had many children, she hated me the most.

she pursed her lips and turned away from me, sighing as she opened up a drawer. she tossed me a key and waved her hand, wanting us to leave.
❝ here's the key to our old house where he stayed the last time he was here. try finding it in his room, you can stay there for the night all i care, just leave as soon as possible. just seeing you makes my blood boil. ❞

i nodded and walked to the door, changbin beside me and chan falling behind, still looking at her unappeased.
❝ minho..... ❞
i heard her call out. i sighed, starting to get pissed, whipping my head to look at her.
❝ what? ❞

❝ if you want to see your other siblings, they're usually playing by the lake. ❞
she told me and i hummed a response before going out the door.

we walked for a while until we reached the lake, there was a big tree beside it and one of my older siblings made a tire swing. the house i grew up in was a couple of walks away, and i could see it already from this distance.

i looked at the lake, about three people were there. i didn't know what to think, are they my siblings perhaps?

the oldest looking was a boy, about fifteen or sixteen. he was sitting under the shade of the tree, wearing glasses, and nose stuck in a book. his features are not as clear from where i stood. i was internally hoping it was seungmin, hoping he wasn't given out to the harsh world like i had been.

chan and changbin ushered me to go towards them, i couldn't find the strength. they felt more like strangers than family.

━━━━━━━ • ♤ • ━━━━━━━
𝙙𝙖𝙩𝙚 𝙥𝙪𝙗𝙡𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙙 : 𝟷𝟸𝟷𝟺𝟸𝟸
Hello! Hope you guys like this update,
Currently 2 am and I'm off to start my nightly overthinking session with myself,
Take care always!

Love,
Sea

Kim Yerim my abunjing bunjing