𝖺 𝗅𝗈𝗏𝖾 𝗍𝗈𝗈 𝗁𝗂𝗀𝗁 - 𝖼.𝖻

★☆ ! >﹏< 𝗔𝗧 𝗟𝗔𝗦𝗧 !

it was yet another day in the cave. beomgyu and i had spent so much time in it that we didn't know how many days exactly.

i hugged beomgyu and rested my head on his chest. i could hear his heart. it was soothing thumps that pleased my ears.

god knew how we were both still alive. well, we were only alive because of him. i would have never survived without choi beomgyu.

"beomgyu...i'm curious about something."

"what?"

"if we do get out of here, do you have any plans after high school?"

"yes. i just want to graduate so i can leave with my mom across the country."

all of my limbs stiffened. my heart shattered. i pulled back baffled and looked at him with wide eyes.

"w-what?"

"what, what?"

"you're leaving after graduating?"

he sighed deeply and carefully grabbed my hands.

"soyeon listen to me. there are many things you still don't know, so please, don't judge my decision so rashly."

although it hurt me, and very deeply, beomgyu was right. i didn't know a lot of things about him. i didn't know if he lived contently with his father. i didn't know if his household was appropriate for him. even if he was rich. thinking the way i had before made me seem selfish.

i looked at him and nodded my head understanding his gentle remark. beomgyu half smiled and kissed both of my hands.

"after my parents separated, i had to live with my dad. although i begged the judge to let me leave with her...after i showed him countless of proof that she was the best mom she could be..." his eyes became watery as he slowly lowered his voice to a faint whisper. a deep resent clouded his eyes.

"he didn't let me be with her. he let my dad have me instead. just because he was financially more stable."

i reached to hold his cheek and softly wiped away his tears.

"i'm so sorry, beomgyu."

he grabbed my head and let out a shuttering breath. through his actions, i could see the arduous cope he endured.

"for fifteen years, i had to live in agony. not once in those fifteen years have i seen my mom. the last thing i heard from her was that she moved across the country."

more tears escaped his eyes, each one stabbing me deeper than the last one. seeing him so feeble was just agonising.

"soyeon, i really miss my mom."

i nodded my head. since the trip had begun, i had gone mom-sick. and that was just a few days compared to the one and a half decade beomgyu had to get by. i couldn't restrain the tears from escaping my eyes.

"i know, beomgyu. i know."

now i knew why beomgyu was the way he had been before. why he would shut everyone out. because he couldn't trust anyone after what the judge had done. beomgyu had done everything he could to stay with the one person he trusted, but in the end, it didn't happen making him see the world the same way. he had exposed his vulnerability. he had trusted his effort, but the judge didn't take that into account. that decision he had taken against a young child affected him as he grew.

i grabbed the back of beomgyu's head and slowly laid him over my chest. his arms wrapped around my waist. his sobs became louder. every echo of his sorrow making goosebumps sprout over my arms.

"i'm sorry, beomgyu. i'm so sorry."

after a while, his sobs stopped. he slowly pulled back and stared into my eyes. his face was very red and puffy. with both of his hands, he grabbed mine.

"come with me, soyeon."

i frowned at him muddled.

"what?"

"let's go see my mother. you and me."

my mouth hung open. i didn't know how to react to beomgyu's request. it was a very big step and i knew how much she meant to him.

"beomgyu-"

i was about to answer when strong shuffling noises began to come from outside.

"soyeon, listen to me."

he turned to look at me and cupped my face.

"don't make any noise and stay here, alright? i'll be right back." he kissed me on the lips before leaving. i was going to protest, but beomgyu was very fast. he was out by the time i could finish thinking about what i wanted to say.

the shuffles increased. i bit my nails apprehensively. that's when i heard it. the barking. it was aggressive.

beomgyu was outside. and there was probably a wolf out there with him. my heart raced. i quickly dashed out of the cave.

"beomgyu!"

i ran and ran. i felt like i bumped against someone. my heart was in my throat. it was very cold too.

"ah!"

"shh. soyeon. calm down. soyeon. it's me."

i looked up and saw beomgyu. his hair was sprinkled with snowflakes. my eyes watered. i hugged him tightly relieved.

"i thought you were in danger. i heard a wolf."

beomgyu pulled back and looked at me with an amused smile. he wiped my tears and shook his head.

"that wasn't a wolf, soyeon. it was-"

"there they are. both of them." someone said behind beomgyu.

we both turned to see who it was. my heart raced. it was he search party. and what i thought was a wolf was actually a k-9 dog.

we had been found.

beomgyu grabbed my hand and intersected his fingers with mine. we looked at each other and exchanged an emotional stare.

"we are now out, at last."

we both said simultaneously.