Wohyoon looked at the world before him, familiar yet strange, as if he had seen it all once and forgotten how it worked. He rose slowly, awkwardly, knees stiff, arms unsure, like someone remembering how to walk for the first time.
He was tall. Too tall.
At six foot one, the house felt smaller than it should have been. He could see the top of the table without climbing, the counter without stretching. That made him pause. He stared at his own hands resting on the surface, fingers splayed, as if checking whether they really belonged to him.
Curious, he reached up and traced the edge of the kitchen cabinets, fingertips brushing dust and wood. Everything felt new. Interesting. Dangerous.
When his other hand drifted toward the stove, he stopped himself abruptly, gripping his own wrist.
"No," he whispered, firm and small, like a rule he'd been taught a long time ago.
He turned back to the spot where he had been before. Between the stairs and the basement. The in-between place. His smile widened, recognition lighting his face, and without hesitation he chose the basement.
The steps creaked beneath him as he descended, shoulders hunched, trembling slightly. It was dark. Dark was scary. He hesitated, then spotted the switch and flicked it on.
Light flooded the room.
His breath caught.
Toys. So many toys.
They were scattered and stacked and hidden in corners, clearly loved, clearly kept.
Wohyoon gasped softly and rushed forward, gathering them into his arms, hugging them tight to his chest. He laughed, spinning once, then froze.
Red.
The toys were smeared with it. His hands were red. Sticky.
Blood.
His face crumpled instantly and he dropped to his knees, sobbing, panic crashing through him all at once.
"Waaaah—! No, no, no—!"
"Pst… Wohyoon. Pst."
The voice came from the doorway.
He looked up through tears and saw him. The other boy. His hyung.
"Hyung!" Wohyoon wailed, scrambling toward him on all fours. "Waaahhh! It hurts! Owwiiieee!"
The crying didn't stop as he followed, instinct carrying him up the stairs. His hyung led him into the bathroom, then faded away like mist.
"Tiny closet, Wohyoon," the voice echoed gently. "Bandaid."
Sniffling, Wohyoon obeyed. He opened the medicine cabinet with shaking hands and stuck bandages everywhere he thought might hurt. One on his head. One tangled in his hair. Two more just in case.
"Pain pain go away," he whispered seriously.
When he turned, the small boy was standing by the fridge now.
"Wohyoon," he said softly. "Nomnoms."
Wohyoon padded over, shivering when the cold air hit his face, then lighting up at the sight inside. Snacks. Cake. Leftover cake.
He climbed halfway into the fridge, eating with both hands, cheeks and lips smeared with chocolate, eyes darting like he might be caught. He turned and offered a fistful of cake to his hyung.
The boy only smiled and shook his head.
Then he was gone.
Wohyoon shut the fridge with sticky hands, wiping them on his oversized bear hoodie. He looked ridiculous. A giant child, barefoot, messy, happy.
He ran back to the bathroom, turned on the faucet, splashed water everywhere, tossed in ducks and boats. He bathed noisily, humming, making quacking sounds, bubbles piling up to his chin.
Afterward, he sprinted naked through the house, feet slapping the floor, laughter echoing, until he found a room he recognized.
Sof's room.
Modern gray walls. Evergreen ceiling.
And the rabbit.
His rabbit.
"That's mine," Wohyoon said, voice shaking. "That's MINE!"
The tantrum hit hard and fast. He shoved the plant off the shelf, watched it fall, soil scattering, tears streaming down his red cheeks. He kicked the floor, fists clenched, breath hitching.
Then he saw his hyung again.
Disappointed.
Wohyoon froze.
He climbed onto the bed quietly, clutching the rabbit tight, burying his face into its fur. He tucked himself in, sniffling, anger melting into exhaustion.
Soon, he slept.
Outside the window, across the street, someone had seen everything.
Dohyun stood frozen, breath shallow, eyes locked on the figure he had come to see, now unrecognizable.
"What the fuck was that…?" he whispered.