disfunctionality | HwanHee ✅

Eighth Toll

"Where are we going?" "You want to leave and go home, right?" "No need to even ask." "That's where I'm taking you." I didn't understand what he meant by taking me. As far as everycreature knew, there was only one portal. "You're joking." "Right, city dwellers wouldn't know of it since you were told going deep into the woods was forbidden." Keonhee seemed to know more than what he says, and I wanted to know what he knew. "Hwan, don't ask. Just bear with me. I'll get you home." "I can't go home." He stopped in his tracks and turned to face me.

"Why?" "I've been marked...and banned from the city. I'm sure my mom has caught wind of it." I shuddered at the thought of the many things she could do to me and get away with. "This portal takes you somewhere else. You can start anew there." "Really?" He started walking again, but didn't reply. "Do you use said portal?" "Yeah." I didn't know what else to say, so I quietly followed behind him as we trekked through.

I noticed that the forest seemed less dense than before. I saw an archway in the distance but couldn't make out the words. As we got closer, I could finally see what it said. "Okapi Refuge?" We passed through and I expected to see others just like him. It was quiet then I recoiled from a powerful stench. "What is-" I looked around and saw decaying okapi corpses littered around. Houses were either burnt, severely damaged or decaying. I noticed Keonhee had gotten farther ahead and I hurried to catch up. "So this is what you meant..."

We passed through another archway and exited the area. "The portal's this way." "Do you pass such a scene each time you go in and out through the portal?" "It's the only way to get to it." I always thought I had it rough with my abusive mother, but having to see such a scene like that makes my problem seem irrelevant. "Keonhee, if you don't mind..." "Go on." "When we get to the portal, can you go through with me?" "Why?" I looked away then back at him. "I'm curious as to what your human form is like." "It's nothing special."

I saw a familiar transparent ripple that shimmered when hit by sunlight. "Here we are." "You go through first." He did as I asked and I soon followed. I squinted my eyes as I hadn't been exposed to the human form of sun for lord knows how long. I looked around and saw that I was alone. "He went back in while I wasn't looking." I turned to go back in then heard a crunch come from nearby, I turned towards the source and saw someone looking in my direction from behind a tree. "Keonhee...?" I slowly approached the person and hoped they wouldn't run away.

"Um, are you Keonhee by chance...?" He stared at me and it kind of freaked me out. "I guess not..." I walked away then stopped when I heard "Hwan". "It's me..." He slowly stepped out from behind the tree and I quietly looked him over. He was tall, lean with beautiful brown hair and dark eyes. "You're shorter than I imagined." "I'm taking that as an insult." He walked closer to me and his scent started to overwhelm my senses. It was a rich, sweet scent that not many have. "Could you...back up..." "Oh." He backed up and I found myself secretly missing his overwhelming scent. "Can you show me around?" "Sure."

We walked side by side as he pointed things out like places to hang out or eat. "Don't ever go there at night unless you're prepared for a fight. A few have been injured and one died." "That's not reassuring..." He kept walking and I wondered where we were. "Don't ever visit this building unless you're looking for a quickie." The exterior seemed innocent, but I figured Keonhee wouldn't lie to me. "Where do you live?" He pointed to a house not far away then led the way. He unlocked the door and gestured for me to enter. For someone who lived alone, you think they'd have a decent amount of things. The house looked practically empty.

"Here's the key. It's yours now." "Wait-" He closed the door behind him, leaving me confused and alone.