~Locked Away ~

You

Seokjin stared at the mirror, looking at the bruise on his cheek. He wanted to get angry, to get righteously upset- but he couldn't. All he felt was a detached numbness and resignation. He messed up, so he got punished. It's just how things worked.

It wasn't his fault, he doesn't think, for being a child. But it isn't his Mother's fault either, for reinforcing the rules of the household. He sighed. It was weird, to not identify with the person he saw in the mirror. He had been looking into his own eyes for the past twenty minutes and didn't feel any sense of, 'yes, this is me, Kim Seokjin'. 

"Seokjin- ah, what's taking so long?" His mother called from the kitchen. She stayed in the kitchen when she was feeling anxious and wanted to busy her hands.

She'd been in the kitchen a lot lately.

"Coming, Mother." He replied, making sure to keep his voice pleasant.

The last time she thought he was catching an attitude was what gave him this bruise in the first place. He pressed the ice pack he had resting on the sink back to his injury, before stepping out.

His mother smiled gently at him when he came in view. "Hello, my love. Does it hurt a lot?"

He wanted to sigh again but held it back. "It's quite alright, Mother." The ten year old assured. 

His mother nodded, not questioning his words. After all, it's against the rules to lie.

"I've stirred up some broth for us." She waved to the pot behind her. "Taste it."

His body immediately followed the order before his mind even caught up to what she asked of him, ignoring the burn of the heat. "It could do with some garlic." He said softly, placing the ladle back down. 

His mother beamed at him. "Thank you, dear. Now run along, you haven't finished your studies."

He stepped back, glaring at his mother's back for a minute, before turning around and sitting at his work table. He was thankful that was allowed to learn things at his own pace, quite horrified at the stories that his mother told him of children forced into boxes, made to learn the same things at the same times, in complete disregard to the different ways children develop, and punished when they can't keep up. 

He was studying English and French, both at his age level, math at eighth grade level, history at eleventh grade level, and he finished all his writing/ comprehension books, so he just did weekly quizzes instead. It wasn't too tiring compared to what his mother had described she went through when she did school, and it didn't take up too much time (unless he procrastinated). So, of course. Grateful.

Staring at his French assignment, Seokjin figured he could ask to go on the computer early. His mother often was more lax after punishing him. He supposed she felt guilty that she had to resort to force- therefore making him feel guilty that he had to trouble his mother just to discipline him. But not guilty enough that he wouldn't use it to his advantage.

Early that year, he was gifted with his most precious opportunity- the internet. It helped him immensely with work and other teachers explaining things on video got him to understand far faster than when it was just his mom's basic knowledge, the textbooks, and his own mind trying to piece things together. Though, that time did allow him to hone his problem solving skills. 

Not that he ran into much problems in his home.

Anyways, he had been so grateful when he figured out what he could do with the computer. It opened a new world of reading- though as usual, he had to check things over with his mom before he proceeded with it. That part he didn't mind. What could he really want to read that his mother wouldn't approve?

He immersed himself into fantasy and romance books, expanding his vocabulary and knowledge on non academic happenings (and if that knowledge consisted of how to get safely through cursed forests of made up lands? That's his business and his business only.)

Sometimes, he tried to be sneaky and look up random things without being approved from his mother, but it was all useless anyways. Most sites were restricted, along with videos, and he couldn't download apps without a password. When he asked why, his mother would just tut and tap his nose.

"The world is much, much bigger than the two of us, Seokjinnie. But this is your world. You mustn't worry much of the things that aren't a part of it."

And for him, it made just about as much sense as anything else she'd said.

"Okay." He had chirped, preening when she ruffled his hair. There was nothing to doubt in his mother. She was the food on the table, the clothes on his back, the sky over head, and she was the one he prayed for every night (though she claimed no religion) to be safe until morning where he'd be around to protect her.

Because even if there was no real threat, all alone in the big house- his wild imagination sure could conjure up a whole lot of insane creatures that might dare snatch away his world. He wouldn't allow it.

"Whatcha working on?" His mother sidled next to him. He smiled at her, feeling more like himself.

"Français." Seokjin grinned. "It took too long, it was hard."

"Oh? " His mother responded. "Still, mieux vaut tard que jamais."

He laughed, eyes sparkling as he looked at his mother in adoration. "Oui, Maman!"

He kept on snorting to himself, having a little giggle fit that would be perfect for a gerber commercial on TV, if not for the bruise on his face.

His mother felt her heart almost burst. Her little angel.

And that is why you must shield him from the world. He mustn't be broken like you were. The voice whispered. That is why he must learn, and why you must teach him.

She sighed and smiled again. Her little boy.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

(I think the only translation needed is for sentence Mother said, which means, Late is worth more than never. Basically, better late than never.)

I think I may have been too ambitious when I said this story would be any good. The thought of it may be better than the actual execution

Regardless, I have about 20 chapters outlined, and this is to be a 30 chapter book. 

@cute_seokjinnie this update was for you, sorry it sucks