Illusions [Ateez x Reader]

Chapter 44

Tears were cascading down Y/N's face by the time he/she/they finished, but a knock on the studio door broke his/her/their thoughts.

      "Come in," Y/N calls, clearing his/her/their throat and frantically wiping the tears away.

"Hey baby," Seonghwa hums as the members of Ateez file into the room. "Are you okay?"

      "Oh yeah I'm fine," Y/N promises, waving Seonghwa off with a smile. "Why are you guys here? Not that I don't want you here or anything."

"We just wanted to see why you are here?" Yeosang hums quietly.

San cuts in immediately afterwards. "Because you said you were going to stay home today."

"Oh I huh," Y/N pauses, thinking of what to say. "I wanted to work on a song. Plus, I still have some things to sign and such since I'm an official member of the KQ family now and all."

"There's something else isn't there?" Yunho questions, staring right into Y/N's eyes.

"Did something happen after we left?" Wooyoung asks, worried.

Y/N splutters, not quite sure how to respond. "What... what-no no no. I'm fine."

"Honey," Hongjoong begins softly. "Please tell us what happened."

Y/N sighs, finally giving in. "Yeah something did happen. But it's not anything major, I promise."

       Jongho looks at him/her/them with a knowing look. "We know when you are lying  Y/N-ie. please tell us."

         "My parents came back when you left,"   Y/N mutters quickly.

         Mingi freezes. "Wait, your asshole parents came back?"

      "Please don't call them that," Y/N practically whispered, shrinking in on him/her/their self.

       "But that's what they are," Mingi counters.

        Y/N nods, exhausted. "I know. But we had some good days together, so it's hard to outright hate them."

The members of Ateez only give Y/N confused stares.

"They has their really bad days," Y/N sighs. "But I can't hate them. They are not great people in the slightest, but we did have some good days. Like Dad and I went to an amusement park when I was a kid and we had fun. Mom and I baked cookies together one time and she was really nice. Those memories make it hard for me to hate them."

"I guess that makes sense," Seonghwa mutters, sending Y/N a sympathetic smile. "But why did they come back?"

      Y/N just shakes his/her/their head and looks away.

       "Baby come on," Wooyoung pushes softly. "It's okay, you can tell us."

       Y/N looks at Wooyoung and takes a deep breath. "They uh, wanted me to come home."

       "Like back to your childhood home?" Yunho questions. "Like where they hurt you?"

        "The very same," Y/N responds sadly.

         Hongjoong leans forward in his chair. "Well what did you tell them."

         "I told them no," Y/N states strongly. "And they didn't take that very well."

           "Did they hurt you?" Jongho asked immediately, followed by San asking. "Do we need to hurt them?"

       Y/N shakes his/her/their head quickly. "No they didn't physically hurt me. They just tried to scare me."

       "Scare you?" Yeosang repeats confused. "What do you mean?"

         "They said they would do what they did to me when I was a kid if I didn't come home,"   Y/N responds quickly.

          "Well they can piss off cause that's not going to happen," San all but growls.

          "Yeah it won't," Y/N assures him. "And now that I've got this off my chest, I think I'm going to head back home."

         "Be safe," Hongjoong speaks immediately.

      Y/N sends him a small smile. "I'll be fine Love."

Y/N gives them each a swift peck on the lips and then heads out of his/her/their studio and down the hallway to the stairs. Y/N quickly makes it down them and outside, beginning to head back home. When Y/N makes it home however, he/she/they are greeted with his/her/their parents sitting on the steps in front of the dorm, which unfortunately Y/N has to climb to get to the dorm.

      "Y/N!" His/her/their mother calls once her eyes land on her kid. "I'm so glad you're back!"

        Y/N sighs, fear beginning to enter. "Look parents, I really can't deal with this 3 fucking times in a day. Just give me some break time, please."

      Y/N pushes past them, heading straight for the door to the dorm. He/she/they pull out the keys with shakes hands and slide them in, unlocking the door. Y/N tires to slip in before the parents could, but unfortunately no such luck occurred.

      "Oh come on," the dad chuckles, catching the door before it shuts. "Let's talk properly."

       Y/N's parents shove into the room, pushing Y/N to the side and entering the dorm, heading for the living room.

        "Are your soulmates good to you?" Y/N's mom asks, almost sounding genuinely concerned.

     "They are," Y/N responds shortly. "Why the hell do you care though?"

      His/her/their dad growls. "Tone."

       "I just want to make sure my baby is being taken care of," Y/N's mother hums sinisterly.

        "Well... well I'm fine," Y/N responds. "So if that's... that's it, please go."

       "Are you going to come home?" The dad asks, changing the subject.

       "No."

       The dad rolls his eyes. "Then I guess we are going to have to stay until you finally grow up and come with us, asshole."

      "Look," the mom cuts in. "All we need is some money for bills~"

      "Alcohol," Y/N cuts in bitterly.

        "Bills," Y/N's mom glares. "And some help around the house. Then we should be fine after a few days or so. So what do you say?"

       "No."

       Y/N's mom sighs angrily. "I was really hoping it wouldn't come to this."

      Y/N looks at her, confused.

      "We really didn't want to have to hurt them," she mocks.

      "Who?"

       "Well tour little soulmates of course," the dad cuts in, shrugging. "We could really hurt them if we wanted to. And if you don't head home in the next couple days, they're gonna be beaten so bad you won't be able to ID them."

       "Have a nice day," Y/N's mother calls as her and her husband leave the dorm.

       Fuck.....

~
  Hello lovelies.
I'm trying to get chapters for this book out as fast as I can cause I only have four chapters left. Anyways, I hope y'all are doing okay!
I love you all!
~