forever ; hyungwonho

06

CHAPTER SIX

HE ran.

the boy ran away from the loud, rapid gun fire that pierced his ears; from his friends that now laid lifeless on the grass, staining the vibrant green with their sticky blood. he ran across the streets, through backyards, and jumped over fences- all the way to the town's border.

he didn't even look back as he lifted his feet up, sprinting through the maze, over the roots and jagged rocks. his feet were going to be covered in cuts and bruises. the scared boy used his hands to push past all the branches that were in his way. blood oozed from the cuts on his hands, and everything ached, yet, he couldn't even bring himself to think about the pain when all the people he knew were now dead. when he knew the love of his life was apart of it, too.

realization hit him like a bullet and he stopped running, collapsing down onto his knees.

"h-hyungwon," hoseok choked out, tears burning his eyes.

he coughed and wheezed, trying to get more air into his lungs, but it didn't work. hoseok was panicking, taking in shallow breaths. he could feel how his body was slowly started to shake. attempting to bring his mind back down from the hazy, overpowering clouds, he curled his fingers around the earth beneath him.

one hand held his chest, feeling how fast his heart was beating. "i'm sorry, hyungwon. i'm so, so sorry i couldn't protect you," he blurted out.

a twig snapped, and the muffled shouts of the guards could be heard. hoseok swiftly rose from the ground, looking through his blurry eyes to where he could make out the faint outline of people. hastily, he ran away from their voices. hoseok kept running until he couldn't hear anything anymore. until he couldn't even feel his feet any longer. as soon as he halted, he fell down onto the dirt once more.

laying on his back, his chest rose and fell, now taking in deep breaths.

hoseok brought his hands up to his hair, tugging at it, remembering the voice inside his head; how it was so loud, almost as if someone were standing right in front of him- screaming it. he didn't listen. he should've listened. if he did, then hyungwon would still be alive. hoseok would be laying on his bed, with hyungwon in his arms, probably rambling on about how he's craving strawberry tarts.

but he was gone.

the memory of hyungwon's body falling to the ground etched its way into hoseok's brain, along with his own broken promises. the last touch of hyungwon's soft skin seemed to linger on his own, wishing he did stay home with him. just for one more day.

"hyungwon," he whispered. "please, come back."

hoseok pressed his eyes shut, hoping it was all just a dream. he opened them again, only to be greeted with the trees that formed a canopy above him.

"hyungwon?"

the silence in the air still remained, the boy was really gone; yet he wasn't ready to accept that.

"hyungwon!" hoseok shouted, tears streaming down his cold, pale cheeks.

"hyungwon! please, come back!"

he let out a few cries. he didn't care if anyone heard him, he didn't care if a sniper shot him through the heart right now. he was better off dead. his breathing was shaky, adrenaline pumped through his veins. but as quickly as those thoughts entered his head, he felt a sudden warmth, almost like a hand was gently resting on his shoulder. all he could think of was hyungwon and how he knew the younger boy wouldn't want him to be shot dead, too.