Thorn Year (가시연) (ENG)

(천애둔략) Reduced Horizons: Prequel - CHAPTER 2

"The students told us that you were here. Didn't you say that you are going off? Why are you still here?" My friends used a regrettable tone; however, after seeing my unusual expression, they shut their mouths immediately. Subsequently they saw my bike. Staring at White Scarf, they asked "This kid?"

White Scarf shrank and shrugged his shoulders, a little admonished by the friends of mine. "It's not him."

"You're right, what can an emaciated boy like him do." My friend expressed his affirmation.

You must have known whose bike this is, thus you scratch my bike. Lee Soo Hun, you bastard. "I hadn't lost before either."

I returned his speech according to his tone. No, it was because I was more confident.

I thought he would be startled with his eyes wide. Little did I know, he closed his mouth, making an arc at the corners of his lips, just like a lovable devil– both evil and capable. The corners of his lips weren't the same as when he was smiling. His eyes disclosed a challenge – the expression was just like a small child making a bet and anticipating the results. This face was quite lovable.

I turned around to depart.

Was he still looking at me? Or will he turn around and walk away without hesitation? That pretty face started to flash in my brain. I was still thinking about that face when I boarded the cab. The heart, which was worrying for my hyung, was also occupied by that kid – pale, tender and slightly pink cheeks complete with his pitch-black hair and eyeballs.

My friends who boarded the bus with me were also publishing their own feelings, "Ah, so pretty. How could a guy look like that?" They continued with their boring speech.

I didn't know what the reason was; I just found them irritating. I really wanted to shut their mouths.

Even though a large percentage of their words were to be taken as a mere joke, the way they looked at me didn't seem normal.

"Ah, what, surely it doesn't mean that, you..." "No, you little punks, how could it be." "Really, no?"

"It's the truth!"

Regarding this annoying teasing, I didn't even have a way to refute strongly. If not, they probably would add something more like 'Denying is affirming'. Or... they had really seen through me?

While heading to the hospital, my phone rang, Umma sounded tranquiller than normal.

After seeing my cloudy face looking for the hospital ward, my friends told me he would be fine. I flung my friends behind and stood before the ward.

Revolving the doorknob gently, I entered the ward, which was filled with formalin smell.

Jinho hyung, Jeongho hyung and Umma's face expression didn't look good. I didn't know why, but I actually felt darkness before me. I pushed them away and arrived in front of the hospital bed, Eunho hyung smiled slightly to me with his paled complexion.

17 years old.

I've known the flavor of death.

~ * ~

"Ah, urg...."

"It's really my first time seeing a person who depend on his mouth to live." "Bastard...! Ah, ah, urg..."

"Our conditions are the same, I'm a human. Don't you feel that I'm more at a disadvantage?"

I looked around with Lee Soo Hun's head in my hands. I looked at his followers who were gathering around Lee Soo Hun and me from the very start of the fight. Afterwards, they scrambled off, just like cockroaches. Even though his head had been injured, he still bellowed after the young kids who were running.