(LeoN/NEO) The World of Us

[ Chapter VI ] - The One Who Tried To Steal the Sun

As Hakyeon and Taekwoon grew up, the two became much busier with their lives and studies. The two were sixteen already and it was the most important time of their lives. Important meaning school and exams as well as getting ready towards another step into being adults. They missed their times as children, who had zero care in the world and could be as free as they could ever be. They could meet up, laugh and cry as they wanted and whenever they felt like it.

Becoming adults was hard.

It meant growing up and maturing but Hakyeon, especially, didn't like that idea. Somehow he wished he could enter a world where he didn't have to grow up and just play all day long with his friends, especially with Taekwoon.

Hakyeon has been adjusting to his studies and although he placed first a few times during their exams, his heart just wasn't there with school. Although it may not look like it, Hakyeon didn't enjoy school one bit. Sure he laughed and boasted about his grades to his classmates and tried being friends with every single one of the teachers, but he knew that there were people jealous of him. Someone who seems so carefree yet still getting good grades was unfair is what they thought. So, they made fun of him. Again, with the comments about his skin and height. Hakyeon is good at controlling his emotions in front of other people though. He easily puts on a fake smile and made people think like nothing can hurt his feelings or confidence. The more they made fun of him, the more he would smile or talk. People can call him obnoxious or ignorant but it was the only way for Hakyeon to not burst into tears.

"It's okay, Cha Hakyeon, you're okay. You can do it! Just stay calm and be strong!" He tells himself.

Hakyeon would take a deep breath and let it all go, relax his body and shake off all the stress he gained from school and finally, he would tell himself one more time, "you can do it. You are perfect the way you are so don't mind what others say."

Those words were not something Hakyeon taught himself to say but rather, something that his lifelong friend said to him many times when Hakyeon was feeling down.

"It's okay, Hakyeon-ah. I know you the best, you're good at whatever you do, so be more confident in yourself. Trust me," Taekwoon would tell him.

Although Hakyeon has never met his lifelong friend face to face, he always had this strange feeling of familiarity with Taekwoon. Is it because of his voice? The way he talks? Or just the person his lifelong friend is? Taekwoon doesn't talk much and is very secretive about himself but it didn't bother Hakyeon one bit. He just liked Taekwoon the way he is because Taekwoon liked Hakyeon for who he is as well. Hakyeon was glad that he made Taekwoon his lifelong friend. He couldn't have asked for anyone better.

* * * * * *

Just like Hakyeon, Taekwoon was also very busy with school work, except his studies were done from homeschooling. There was no way he would have fit in with other kids in a public school. Either they would avoid him or pick fights with him.

Aside from studying, Taekwoon also had to train hard on his powers. His powers that would prove essential in taking over the throne as the next "Ruler of the Underworld". Taekwoon didn't ask for that position and to be honest, it only meant more pressure. As much as Taekwoon didn't want it, his powers, however, said otherwise. When he reached the age of fifteen, his powers began to awaken. His powers were very unstable and hard to control especially when Taekwoon felt anger or frustration. Taekwoon was good at keeping a poker face when it comes to holding his laughter but he was bad with controlling his anger. He didn't know how to deal with it and his powers would reflect those intense emotions by destroying everything around him.