HIDEOUT: LEE TAEYONG

24

soyoung

the forest hummed around me. i twirled around and stopped my tracks, gazing up at the canopy, searching for the owl who was hooting endlessly. the moonlight broke through the cracks, lighting up the dirt path ahead of me, decorated with outgrown roots, wildflowers and dead fallen leaves that crunch beneath my feet.

"are you coming?" taeyong asked with a keen tone, enjoying how i was admiring the empty night forest.

from beautiful to ugly, that's how everything turned out when the virus started right? but the forests never changed, it was the same emerald green trees with the calming soothing sounds the creatures made. if you want to experience how earth felt like, woods and forests would be the perfect place.

"are you coming?" he repeated.

i was gonna respond, but when my eyes drawn down to our holding hands, i immediately paused and enjoyed the warm feeling spreading throughout my chest. i didn't even realized it, he had to grip my hand so we wouldn't get separated and get lost.

who knew holding someone's hand could be so enjoyable? the way his palm's warmth was pressing against mine, it felt as secured as how yukhei's bracelet protects me.

"yes." i replied and we both began to walk our way to our destination.

where was he taking me? perhaps a place where you can enjoy a view? a... view where the city has gone chaos? hopefully it's something good, if it's taeyong then i trust him with all my heart.. this would be great.

taeyong let go off my hands, a desperate me frowned but i let him open the rusty gate in front of us. it looked frightening, the way it swung open with the crackly noises made me hesitantly step back. what if taeyong was a psycho who kept walkers in there as his collection? ahh, i should stop my weird thoughts. taeyong can be trusted.

as taeyong walked further in, i followed behind him and the more we continued walking the more i realized what the place was.

i have noticed taeyong disappeared inside a mini room, but i was unbothered since observing the abandoned amusement park engrossed me... absolutely.

roller coasters, rides, ferris wheels were dead. no one rode them, veins of plants slowly covered the whole entire place, telling how the nature was gradually taking over the amusement park.

scary, i thought before, but when i blinked, lights began to flicker open as if the amusement park is slowly healing and come back to life. i spun around, bewildered yet amused by the sudden appearance my surroundings did. it took a little while for to realize that it was taeyong who turned on all the lights and rides in this place.

"not bad right?" taeyong sheepishly chuckled, scratching his nape and walking towards me. "i know what you're thinking. amusement parks, lights, joy? doesn't really reflect me, but i enjoy them." taeyong explained. "they were suppose to open this amusement park, the same day when the virus started but obviously it didn't worked as planned. i hang out here often alone, all by myself because sometimes i can't stand other people... i can't stand humanity."

how come he look so majestic, by just standing and talking? it's unfair.

he was just splendid. how he stood with his chin lifted up, how he looked up the sky as stars reflected in his beautiful eyes, and how the colorful lights behind him shined, making sure he would outshine everything in this forest. how lee taeyong?

"i suppose this is your secret place... why did you bring me here then?"

when he looked into my eyes and spoke out words that flustered me, i died. "because as beautiful as you soyoung, i can stand that type of humanity."

"stop."

"what?"

"nothing." i muttered and suddenly my cheeks were kissed pink like a spring rose, the blooming colour so embarrassing against my skin. i wouldn't let him notice it so i briskly looked away.

...

on second thought, do i really regret trusting taeyong? it wasn't because he had done something terrible, but the idea he had was insane. i didn't know i would end up climbing a ferris wheel, just so we could have a spectacular view. although the ferris wheel wasn't gigantic, i am afraid of heights, very afraid of heights and i should've mentioned that to him.

"don't look down soyoung." i could hear taeyong from below.

"i'm afraid of heights taeyong." i explained, but it never prevented me from continuing to climb the metaled ladder.

"trust me it's worth it." taeyong paused as i could feel a smile on his lips. "i already have a nice view from down here."

i reluctantly looked down at him, i thought he was facing behind where the view was painted, but noticing his smirk on his lips while his uncanny dark eyes were focusing on my lower body, i was perturbed and let out a nervous scream.

"ahh!" i uncomfortably yelled, unintentionally kicking taeyong's hand which caused him to let go off the steps and slide down. "taeyong!" i screamed, appalled if he would end on the bottom of the ladder but thank heavens he managed to grab firmly on the metal, strongly pulling himself up and giving me glare.

ahh, okay taeyong is mad, taeyong is mad, lee taeyong is mad!

"i'm sorry!" i apologized, gritting my teeth and hoping he wouldn't continue his infuriated attitude. ahh, i should really change my outfit, skirts are seriously uncomfortable during this apocalypse.

"just keep climbing."

"try your best to avoid looking up okay?" i sheepishly giggled, but he didn't seem so amuse by it. i probably sounded sarcastic in his ears, but deep inside i really wished he oblige what i said.

finally i was close to a cart, close enough i could flung myself in it. once i did, i watch taeyong copy my actions and finally we could sit down and face the view, sitting and watching the view as if it was some type of cinema date.

it was pretty.

i thought the main focus in the view was the city, but since nothing was active and there were no lights, people and life, everything was completely dark. so dark you won't even notice the chaos, the disaster the virus made. all you could see were like shadows, the building's shadows, the city's shadows. it was the night sky that outshined the view.

gazing upon the sky, i was struck by the darkness of the night, darker than smeared charcoal, small splashes of gold glittering here and there. so beautiful, so spectacular, as taeyong said it was worth it, and it is.

"soyoung, may i ask you a question?"

"yes."

me and taeyong, we were speaking to each other, but it felt like we had more focus on the night sky that engrossed us.

"you really don't remember me from the past?"

"yes i do, from the bus." i replied in satisfaction, we were still attentive looking at the sky.

"no, before that soyoung." by the sigh that came out from taeyong, i could sense he was leisurely putting all his attention to me.

i felt my breathing stop for a brief second, then my face turned around to eye him. "i know you from the past?" my words didn't make taeyong happy at all, he wasn't mad, angry or infuriated, he was just upset.

"yes, you do and..." he licked his lips before speaking. "and i am a bit disappointed that you haven't realized it. you played a big role in my life, you're the reason why i'm here right now... the reason why i'm breathing. i don't wanna hurry and surprise you, i think you should figure it out yourself. i'll let you remember it yourself." he said before beaming a weak smile, a weak and fake one.

i was about to apologize, to ask in desperation because curiosity was starting to overflow in me. maybe that's why he felt so familiar, maybe that's why these weird feelings inside me are growing bigger and bigger.

please, taeyong explain now.

"we should soon head back soyoung, we still have a whole day tomorrow."