The Angel's Paradise. ( Saeran x MC )

《 s e v e n t e e n 》

"Even paradise could become a prison if one had enough time to take notice of the walls."
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Thirty-six.

That's how many times Saeran had wondered when his brother Saeyoung would be coming back in the past few hours.

Eight.

That's how many times Saeran had heard his own stomach growl.

Three.

The number of knocks he had heard, a signal from someone Saeyoung knew at church. She was a nice lady, who often brought them bread, and said that she would save them. For a small, sickly child like Saeran, those words were as good as gold.

With the constricting chains around his legs, Saeran was just able to manage to reach the door and unlock it. 

Once the door had opened, seeing he couldn't go far enough to open it himself, he noticted something seemed off about Rika. A strange look loomed in her bright eyes, and her whole appearance seemed off-putting. Yet, what was he supposed to know? He basically viewed this lady as a savior, of sorts.

"He's left you, Saeran."

Saeran was confused, who was she talking about? Saeyoung? He would never do that.

"Saeyoung abandoned you because you are weak."

The look on Rika's face was cruel, upset, and deranged. Saeran stared at her, unsure of what to speak, but he knew Saeyoung would never leave him.

"He's gone, and he's not coming back. I can even give you proof."

Suddenly, a pain struck in Saeran's heart. Proof? Proof that Saeyoung had left him? A million thoughts ran through his head as he began believing Rika's words. His worst fear had come true, he became a burden to Saeyoung due to his sickliness, so much that he left him.

As she saw the expressions change on Saeran's face, Rika grinned.

"But Saeran. . . You do not need him. With me, I can make you stronger."

Saeran began tearing up, and hugged his knees to his chest as he shook his head, "I won't believe it, he couldn't have left. He wouldn't have left."

To comfort the fragile boy next to her, Rika wrapped her arm around him and began petting his hair, but at the moment, she felt completely annoyed. Why couldn't this child accept that he was weak and needed to be fixed?!

"But he has. Come with me, Saeran. I can show you the truth. I can help take you to Paradise."

Saeran looked up at Rika, her words swaying him, "Paradise?"

Rika smiled wide, believing she was doing the right thing by offering to 'save' Saeran. "Yes, it's a wonderful place where you don't have to feel pain, or hurt, or lost. A place where you will be completely at home, and fit in. And if you let me help you, and helped me in return, you could earn a very high position at this place! Everyone would love you, worship you, respect you."

Rika's words planted in Saeran's brain like a weed, giving him hope, excitedness for this 'Paradise' that she was speaking of. Besides, Saeran felt this lady has done nothing but good for him, and had told him she was going to save him since day one. Maybe this is what she meant, he shouldn't doubt her.

She continued on, noticing with just a little more pushing, Saeran would be convinced and everything would fall into place. "This paradise I'm speaking of is my own work. I brought these people together to give them the love the world denies them. Just like Saeyoung denied you, and I want you to be one of those people. Come with me, and you'll find it was worth it."

"I'll go."

Shortly after the pair had left, a tall, lanky man arrived at the small house, noticing the door cracked ajar, and ultimately realized that he was too late. Although Jihyun had no idea at the time of Rika's plan for salvation, he knew of her plan to separate the twins, and could sense the beginnings of danger and dishonesty.

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"But first, I am so sorry you two," After being informed who (Y/N) was, Jihyun felt the need to apologize deeply, and explain the events of the past years to the both of them. Despite his efforts to keep everything under control, he belives himself to be the sole reason for Rika's terror.

"I do have to say, this isn't how I imagined us meeting again," Jihyun spoke to an unamused Saeran, hoping to lighten the atmosphere by the slightest. "You as well, (Y/N). On the other hand, I've been waiting to explain myself to the both of you for a very long time, no more hiding things."

This is a conversation that neither of them were sure if they were ready to have, but (Y/N) knew for sure she should be by Saeran's side at that moment. This has to be hard for him, harder than it is for her. Just not even a week ago, the fundamentals of his very being were changed. His whole personality, everything he knew to be true.

Regardless, he was handling it, working through it for (Y/N). Though he still despised to think about bringing her to Mint Eye, it changed him for good.

"It's nice to finally meet you, V" (Y/N) replied, while moving her hand to grasp Saeran's in support. "And I appreciate the thought, but I think there are also quite a few more people who deserve answers, from the both of us."

"You mean the other R.F.A members? I think. . . That is a very wonderful idea, (Y/N). No more hiding things, from anyone," Jihyun took a second to think. Coming clean would be hard, but it was what everyone deserved.

Jihyun couldn't stand what these past few years of deceit has been doing to him, and the others as well. He only meant to protect the R.F.A members from this, and it completely spiraled out of control. (Y/N) as well wished to fill in the members on what happened to her. It was finally time to undo everything, the true good ending.

(Y/N) continued, bringing attention to the files in her hand, the ones Saeran grapped from Mint Eye the night of their escape. "Me and Saeran have done a lot of talking. The best way to end this, is to actually end this, and we have the proof."

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Authors Note:
Hello all!!! I'm back after literally over a year. School has ended completely for me, giving me lots of free time when I dont work. I happened to pick up my obsession with my boi Saeran-wrap again, so I decided it'd be the perfect time to pick this back up. And I now I've said this a million times, but I will finally be editing the earlier chapters of the book. Look forward to more, longer updates you guys! I hope to finish this soon.
Also quick shout out to vanderwoods for being so amazing!!! I hope you like this chapter