He sat down at the bar heavily. He wondered how things were going at home. Probably not well. They never were. He hated how somber everything felt. He watched and waited until the short-haired, blonde bartender made her way over to him.
"Hey! How are things?" She asked smiling happily.
"Nothing's changed. So, okay." He shrugged. She slid a glass of sprite over to him.
"Here." She smiled.
"I don't even get to have coke?" He whined.
"No. Coke is bad for you." She informed him firmly. He scowled and sipped his sprite.
"So are you ever gonna tell me?" He asked suddenly.
"Tell you what?" She picked up a glass and began to polish it.
"Tell me what you meant the other day?" He asked.
"What did I say?" She asked puzzled.
"I told you it wasn't my mom's fault and you said 'if you'. What did you mean by that?" He explained. She didn't look at him, she just kept polishing the glass.
"Well?" He asked finally. She put the glass down slowly and filled it with a shot of vodka. She downed it as soon as she poured it. She screwed up her face at the bitter taste and blew out a long breath. She nodded hesitantly,
"Alright."
"Your father didn't walk out on you. He died." She began. His jaw dropped in shock. Why would his mother lie?
"Your mother couldn't tell you. She didn't have the guts. She never did. She...she started to take drugs. She was never responsible without your father. I didn't want you to be around her. So I called CPS. I warned your mother. I warned her and warned her. But she kept on doing it. So CPS was going to take you away. But she was so damn stubborn. She was too proud to let them take away from her. So she left you. I tried to get there as fast as I could. But you were gone by the time I got there. We looked for you for so long. I had no idea you would just walk into my bar one day. I was so happy Hoseok. I know this is hard to hear, but...it's the truth. And I just can't stand the fact that you blame your father. Your father was a hero. I keep this here." She turned around and pulled a medal off the wall.
"This was given to us when your father dead." She smiled and put her hand on his cheek. He clenched the medal in his fist.
"My name's J-Hope." He growled.
"Hoseok?" She asked.
"Amber?" He called her by her name.
"Don't call me that. I'm your aunt-" she began.
"How do I know that? What proof do you have that this is the truth? How do I know that this isn't some big lie?" He yelled. She grabbed a piece of paper and wrote something on it. She threw the paper at him.
"Ask your mother."
He walked along the streets angrily and clenched the medal in his pocket, remembering:
"Why do I have to go?" He cried.
"Because if you don't bad people are going to hurt. But if you leave now they won't hurt you. And I'll find you and bring you back okay baby? I love you." His mother kissed his forehead clumsily. She smelled bitter and her lips were dry.
"Okay. Promise?" He rubbed his eyes.
"Promise, now go!" She pushed him out of the door and slammed it shut. He stumbled and fell, but he kept running. The bad people were going to hurt him. Mommy would find him. He just had to do as he was told.
"Close your eyes baby." His mother muttered quickly.
"Why? I want to play!" He pouted.
"We'll play hide and seek. I'll hide you count. Close your eyes!" She ordered harshly.
"But I want to hide!" He whined. She slapped his head, hard.
"Do as you're told and close your eyes!" She screamed at him. He sniffled and closed his eyes. After a while she nudged him.
"You can open your eyes now."
He ran across the street, cheeks brushed with red.
"I'm back mommy!" He cried out happily. Mommy was sitting on the steps with her head in her hands. There was a large red sign on the door.
"What does that say?" He asked.
"Evicted." She sobbed.
"What does that mean?" He asked curiously.
"It means mommy didn't do as she was told, and now she must be punished. Now do as you're told and stay here." She ordered and walked away. He sat down and waited. And waited. And waited. When she came back, the sun had gone down and was beginning to rise again.
He curled up into a corner as the rain poured down on him relentlessly. Mommy had come to get him yet. Maybe she was having trouble finding him. She always got confused and lost.
"Mommy!" He cried again and again. Nobody came. He looked up at the sky and smiled. She would come. He was doing as he was told. He wouldn't be punished.
When he reached the house, he saw a familiar frame slumped outside of it, and a familiar red sign on the door.
"Mom?" He called out. She looked up. It was her. It was his mother.
"Do I know you?" She asked. He felt a dagger shoot through his heart. Amber was right. Amber wasn't lying. That's why he had to close his eyes. That's why Mommy was punished. That's why he had to leave. Slowly he shook his head.
"No. No you don't."
Not anymore.
