Chapter Text
"Stop that damn guitar already!" Yelled Han's brother from his own room. Soon the door barged open, making Han flinch for certain reasons he'd rather not talk about... "What did I do now?" Han asked, clearly not actually caring. "Your depressive song is killing the mood for me and my girlfriend!" Han's brother protested - Kai - Han never really saw the big deal in girls, they made great friends and were really nice and all but...why would you date them? Maybe this was a sign for him to take but right now he was just a dumb, 14 year old boy whilst his brother had just turned 18 so he knew better that he shouldn't "kill" whatever mood they were in...
Present day:
Han has grown apart from his brother and mum (his dad left them when he was young) since they both never cared about him. Maybe I am a burden to them... Han overthought. He knew they never wanted him, that he was a mistake. But he hadn't let get to him until now, 2 years from when his brother left for uni and deserted Han to survive with their abusive mother, not that she was abusive to her favourite child - Kai. He remembers the days he would just be in his room and one of her boyfriends would piss her off. She would come into his room and look around, find something to be mad about and let out all her anger out on Han. He quickly learned how to hide the swollen wounds, the bruises, the cuts...Some weren't even from his mother.
Han entered school with his earphones on, he had red ghost roots and hair that covered his face up to his eyelids...he never really wanted to see people's faces, since they let out too many emotions with their expressions. Music was better, emotions but through words, through melodies, through sound...
He sat down on his seat, top right corner of the classroom, right next to the window. Han loved watching the birds fly past and the trees sway from one side to another as the wind blew. It was peaceful and free, how the trees always stayed in one place, and how the birds knew where they had to go. Like they all had their own places in nature. Han did not. The trees were always with other trees. Han never was with other people. The birds were always in a flock. Han did not have a group of friends. Han never hung out with anyone. He was a loser like the other kids said.
Suddenly, he heard someone clear their throat and he was snapped back into reality.
"Mr. Han, mind telling me the answer to the question?" the teacher asked, tired of Han zoning out.
Han looked at the board and answered the question perfectly. He was like that. An all rounder, at least that's what the other kids called him. He did not need to study for tests, or pay attention in class, he just... Knew. The teacher side-eyed him but let it go, after all, he was the one keeping the class average high.
Han looked back again to the trees and saw someone running, not jogging or exercising...no, he was running, running from someone. He watched and saw the guy go into the forest, that large endless forest their town had. Once you went in, you never got found... What if I ran away? Han subconsciously thought.
Someone tapped his shoulder. Why was everyone interrupting his thoughts today?
"Why do you always wear baggy clothes?" A girl from his class asked.
"And why do you care?" Han answered. He knew it was summer. He knew it was 28 degrees outside. But what he hid below the long sleeves, and baggy trousers was something that should never be shared. The girl scoffed at his attitude and went back to her seat before the teacher told her off.
Should I run away? the thoughts came back to Han. Should I? The answer was obvious, no one talked to him or even knew his name...Jisung. His dad had wanted his name to be Jisung. And Han would have accepted it gladly, it was pretty. But his dad left, and if that's what his dad left for him, then he didn't want it. The name wasn't even on the register, the teachers thought his parents were too lazy. But the name was just forgotten, hidden away from the public.
Han was taking one of his usual late night walks. His mum loved it when he went on walks, it left the house to herself and one of her many boyfriends. Han knew that. That's why he did it.
He soon saw the forest. That darn endless forest. Is the guy still out there? Han remembered the guy he saw run in here earlier that day. He hesitated. Should I run away with him? His brain offered such a good idea. He could run away, from his problems, his name, his family and the school. It was too good of an offer to pass out. Wasn't it? And whilst Han thought and thought, a shadow watched him from deep in the forest.
Lee know.
The popular guy everyone adored and praised. Until he disappeared. No one knew what happened to him. Suicide? A disease? Moved away? No one knew. But people missed him, people noticed his disappearance.
If Han disappeared, no one would notice. That's where they were different. Han was invisible and Lee know was extremely visible.
Han scavenged into the forest. The sound of leaves crunching under someone's footsteps.
"Who's there?" Han asked nervously.
"Why are you here?" A quiet male voice answered.
"The same reason you are I suppose?"
The person emerged from the safety of the shadows.
"Lee Know?" Han realised the guy that he saw running. Was the missing Lee Know.
"Get out."
Han looked behind him. He hadn't realised how far deep in the forest he'd gone. He would have to wait until sunrise to find his way through. Probably. Lee Know realised the problem and just sighed.
"Did you seriously just-" He didn't know why he was getting so worked up. These woods. This forest. It made him show his true self. Weird he thought. Not even he knew his true self. He had hid it away for too long.