nct dream ; critical zone

LUCINDA VINEYARD

[12 years ago]

Little Donghyuck was playing at the vineyard, picking grapes of his choice and eating them right away. Growing up in a vineyard, grapes became his favorite fruit. They were sweet and tangy, with different notes from each kind they grew at the vineyard.

His grandmother, Lucinda, a half-English & half-Korean, was watching over 6 year-old Donghyuck.

"Eomoni, please call Donghyuck, it's almost noon, it might be too hot." Donghyuck's mother, Hana, told Lucinda, her mother-in-law.

"Donghyuck-ah!" his grandmother called him.

"Be right there!" Donghyuck replied as he finished his haul of white grapes. He ran to the little brick house at the end of the vineyard.

As Donghyuck arrived, his grandmother put him under her umbrella's range, protecting him from the harmful noon sun.

"Let's eat lunch!" Hana called. She prepared a soybean stew with stir-fried potatoes.

Donghyuck gleefully ate. His favorite soybean stew has always put him to good mood.

Yongman and Daehyun, Donghyuck's grandfather and dad, arrived from farming. Daehyun gave a little peck on Hyuck's cheek, making the 6 year-old smile.

Daehyun whispered something to Hana which made them both serious. Hana looked at the curious Donghyuck but smiled at him, making the kid giggle and go back to eating.

Later that night, Hana tucked Hyuck in to sleep.

"Eomma~" Donghyuck said in a cute aegyo voice.

"Yes, my dear?" Hana asked the kid while mustering her best eye smile on the situation.

"What were you talking about with dad at lunch?" The kid said with a little pout.

"We will have some visitors tomorrow. Mommy is nervous." Hana tried to explain.

"Don't be nervous mama, You're kind and beautiful, no one will hate you." Little Hyuck tried to console his mom. Hana kissed Hyuck's forehead and said their goodnight.

As soon as Hana closed Hyuck's bedroom, she couldn't hold in her sobs anymore. She ran to their bedroom and cried under the sheets. Daehyun, who was in their bedroom, hugged his wife.

They both knew something inevitable will happen tomorrow.

[The next day]

"Oh, Haechan!" Donghyuck said as he put away the giant golden retriever that was waking him up.

"Okay, Haechan, I'm up now. What's for breakfast?" Donghyuck asked the dog, stretching his body.

The dog gave a slight nod and ran out the boy's bedroom. Donghyuck followed and he was greeted at the kitchen with three strange men in black.

"Good Morning, Hyuckie! Breakfast?" Hana asked the kid, reading his expression.

"Mama, who are they?" Hyuck asked his mom.

"We have some visitors today, baby, they will join us for breakfast." Hana tried to be cheerful for her son but her eyes betrayed her.

"Good morning, sir!" Hyuck greeted the men in black tuxedos with his best smile. His puffy cheeks made his gesture more adorable but the men only gave a stern look.

Hyuck went back to his mother, keeping his cheery mood. He received a plate of fried rice with a sunny side up egg on top, one of the simplest meals yet a favorite of his.

"Mom, where's dad?" asked the boy as he noticed his father's absence, but Hana did not answer the boy's question.

Donghyuck sat at the table and ate his breakfast, savoring the subtle saltiness of the fried rice and the luscious egg. It was simple yet satisfying.

As Donghyuck ate the last bit of his meal, his father had arrived back in their house. Daehyun made a deep breath at the doorstep and greeted the visitors.

"Lee Daehyun." one called out.

"Where is your mother?" the other asked.

"They are not here." Daehyun gulped before answering.

Hana suddenly ran to the bathroom, vomitting the apple she ate in the morning. Daehyun's brows were in a knot. This cannot be happening, Daehyun thought.

"We must take your wife." one of the men said. Donghyuck is still left confused but his tears were starting surface when he heard that his mother was going to be taken.

"NO. YOU CANNOT TAKE HER." Daehyun screamed which made the two men take out their guns. Hana came out of the bathroom, her face was pale, she was still nauseous.

"Appa. Eomma." Little Donghyuck cried out as he was held at gunpoint, like his father.

"Jung Hana, you must come with us or one of the men you love will suffer." Hana stepped forward slowly. As she came closer, one of the men aggressively held her.

"Eomma!" Donghyuck cried louder, the gun pointed at him made a small click which made sob quietly.

Hana was taken outside by one of the guys, while one was left inside. The sound of gunshot made Hana fall to her knees, never did her heart ached physically, until now.

Donghyuck ran to his, now dead, father. Even if useless, he tried waking up his father until the man hit him in the head making him lose consciousness.

[18 hours later]

Donghyuck's eyes fluttered. Everything was white and bright. It was quite chilling too. He looked around to see if anyone is around. He was uncomfortable with the tube connected to his hand and the big bandage on his head. Young Donghyuck does not know the place nor can he remember his own name.

A nurse comes in on his hospital room to check his vital signs, she gives a small smile to ease the boy and he smiles back.

"Hi! What is your name?" The nurse asked him, but he does not answer. The nurse's look changed, from a spring-like brightness to a shadow of worry.

"I'm going to call your doctor, okay?" She said and hastily walked out the room to call the doctor. She came back with Dr. James Lee.

"Hello! Can I ask what your name is?" The doctor asked but the boy was left with wonder, trying to remember any name.

"Do you remember any nickname?" Doctor Lee asked once again.

"H...Haechan." The boy answered.