flicker ; taekook ❅

❅ one

Jeon Jeongguk

"Not long now," Wonho's voice echoed within the small cabin. I propped up my feet, being mindful of the multiple buttons and levers before me. Outside, the first rays of the sunset shone inside. I closed my eyes, head resting against the back of the seat. "this is your last run, right?"

"It is, yes. I'll be taking the long way home, it's quieter."

"Okay, sure. But don't take your sweet ass time, you know they'll stop letting us in after a while."

"It's a party for Dews, they can't turn around and say we can't come in." I sighed, the small alarm ringing to warn me that it was time for the train to depart. My eyes flirted from the scenery to the controls inquisitively. I angled my hand towards the levers, the train slowly screeching against the rails as it began to pull away from the platform. I caught glimpse of my reflection, brown eyes now a striking blue.

"-if they get- are you driving a train whilst on the phone?" Wonho said in disbelief.

"Yes. Turns out my powers have extended themselves to train manoeuvring. Sadly I can't sleep, otherwise your boy would have the nap of his lifetime," I sighed. "we're going under, I'll see you at home?"

"Sure, have a good time." He told me prior to hanging up. The cabin returned to its usual silence, apart from the part muffled sounds of the wheels of the train. I looked up at the passenger CCTV, everything looking rather smoothly as we pulled into several stations, alternating between over and underground.
After a long extension of underground we went over, onto the railway across the river separating the north and the south.
I looked around me, powers somewhat enhanced now that I was surrounded by my element.

The water was clear, slightly tinged blue but so clear you could see what was on the riverbed, and even fish swimming. I tore my eyes from the river, seeing several rocks strewn across my path just a few metres ahead. Sharply, I gestured towards it, a wave of water blowing them out of the way, into the river. I sighed again, eyes fluttering closed as we entered the woods, more stops ahead.

Eventually the end of the line was reached, and as passengers filed out I got a mix of unbothered, disgusted looks, high fives and polite bows from commuters. From there I left, heading to the woods near the edge of the city, stored neatly within electronic forcefields. I tore through them, into the grassland that was out of bounds and the great huge oak tree metres into it.

"Hello," I muttered into what seemed like nothing. "gosh, look at this mess."

I dropped to my knees without hesitation, brushing the leaves from the two marble graves, using my sleeve to wipe down my parents' tombstones. I sat before them once I was finished, speaking about anything and everything as if they could hear me, holding on to this faint hope that maybe one day, they would just reply back.
It was a silly and delusional thought, but each day I hoped that this was all a dream and I would wake up and have breakfast with them the way I did up to their very last day with me.