Psychedelic

The Old Sycamore Tree

Kyungsoo often found himself trudging the dirt path that led to Mr Song the gardener's hut almost every bright Saturday afternoon, where he would often accompany the aging gardener in planting the new seeds he had brought home wih him from the plant market. He liked the feel of the earth shifting through his fingers, the softness of the soil beneath the pads of his fingers.

Little Kyungsoo and Mr Song would spend hours together underneath the rays of the Sun planting the new seeds, transfering little plants to new homes, and when the Sun got too high in the sky bringing with the midday heat they would retire to the comfort of the cool shade provided by the umbrella of the old sycamore tree, sitted at the center of the large garden to sip on the cold delicious yellow lemonade prepared by Mr Song for the both them.

The time he spent in the garden only increases after bringing home Baekhyun from the park because while Admiral Do outrightly despised the presence of Baekhyun in the house, Mrs Do tried to hide her discomfort behind the mask of a ghost smile. Admiral Do took to yelling at Baekhyun to get out of his sight at every opportunity while Mrs Do would just smile nervously at him whenever he and Kyungsoo were in the same room as her. When they weren't displaying their usual response they would altogether ignore his presence in the room and would resolutely lock their gazes on Kyungsoo solely as though their fragile lives depenedd on it.

Kyungsoo wasn't having any of his parents bizarre behaviour and would call them out at every opportunity before grabbing Baekhyun by hand to exit through the nearest door.

The two boys began to spend even more of their time with Mr Song in the garden.

Mr Song is a man in the latter half of his fifties with a sagging pouch of a stomach, with beautifully tanned soft olive colored skin as a result of all the hours he spends in the sun, Decorating the sides of his warm brown eyes are lines fanning from the tip of his hairline to the corner of his eyes, laugh lines that deepens even more whenever he smiles. Staining his crooked teeth were specks of brown from years upon years of tobacco consumption.He would often indulge Kyungsoo with sugary treats as he regals him with interesing tales of ancient past about kings and queens and supernatural beings. To Kyungsoo, Mr Song was like a father figure he didn't have in Admiral Do.

The aging gardener seems to take even more interest and liking to Baekhyun once he starts to accompany Kyungsoo to the garden. He plys Baekhyun with even more sweets than he did Kyungsoo and would seat Baekhyun in his lap with Kyungsoo sat beside him under the tree as he spun his stories from invisible web of spoken words. The owl eyed boy didn't mind the attention the gardener showered on Baekhyun, afterall the more love his favorite playmate received the better.

This bright and sunny saturday is no different, with the sun high up in the sky dancing between the clouds and the birds singing harmonious melodies carried on the wings of the winds to every corner of the earth.Kyungsoo and Baekhyun set out under the watchful eyes of the clouds.

'I wonder what story Mr Song is going to tell us today, I'm especially looking forward to the cold delicious yellow lemonade we are going to drink under the tree'. Kyungsoo dressed in Yellow overalls and green shirt tells a smiling Baekhyun dressed in white dungarees with matching white T-shirt

As usual Baekhyun only rewards Kyungsoo with his rectangular smile in lieu of answering in spoken words.

'Ah its little Kyungsoo again, have you brought Baekhyun with you today?. Mr Song decked in a brown straw hat peers at the owl eyed boy from beneath the round rim of his hat.

'Yes Mr Song he's right here beside me, silly silly Mr Song. He's even waving at you right now'. Kyungsoo replies indignantly albeit with a wide smile on his face.