Hacking Seoul

0.2 - Fate's Victor

"Hyung!"

The complete shock in the maknae's voice was sweltering every inch of his skin. He looked up rigidly to face the owner of the voice and saw the maknae take a step back. The displeasure on his face must have looked too hostile. He tried to relax his facial muscles and readjust his countenance.

"I was just getting this, d-did you want . . . ?" The maknae waved a neatly wrapped sandwich timidly as color crept up his pale cheeks.

"Yes, I'm starving. Where d'you get that?"

He saw the other boy slack down an inch with a breath of relief at his genial reply and smiled faintly. They did both sneak out of bed. Maybe he was being too apprehensive. The maknae didn't seem too troubled by his unexpected presence. Maybe he shouldn't be either.

"Oh yeah, it's . . . Go left when you get out, it's right off the corner, I think they open twenty-four-seven. D-do you want me to come with you?" The younger boy offered, solidifying their accidental camaraderie. He smiled genuinely this time though he shook his head.

"I'll be fine, thanks though." The other boy shifted on the spot a bit nervously.

"I won't tell on you . . . us, I won't tell on us, don't worry, hyung."

He could tell this had been on the maknae's mind from the second he looked at the young one with that overly guarded expression. He felt a bit bad for startling the kid. He had thrown every logical thought behind when he stepped out of his room and had anticipated any familiar faces to be bad news. The kid obviously meant no harm. He had thought of this venture as a big rebellious deviation but from what he could tell now, the maknae had made the same decision without caring much about the undesirable consequences, if at all. Had the kid always been this way or was it just the younger age that allowed this type of unruly valor?

"Hyung knows," He said warmly and patted the maknae on the arm, "Funny that we still ended up bumping into each other at this hour. You do this often?"

They were not supposed to wander around on their own when on tour. You always needed permission or company even just going to a shop. At the very least you must report to someone your intended destination and estimated return time. Abiding by the given schedule was a strict rule and he had never planned on breaking this rule, until tonight.

"No, of course not," the maknae answered quickly, "Just hungry tonight after the concert."

"The concert was . . . amazing."

His mind was drifting too fast and he couldn't help but turned to look out the glass panels of the hotel entrance, desire tearing through his shallow lungs. He took in a breath strenuously. Something wasn't right when you had to spend a conscious effort just breathing in air. He had been losing focus on things. He should've been exhausted and ready to crash like his roommate but something kept him up tonight. He knew he wouldn't be able to hold it together, this reality that'd become his life, if he didn't get out right now. His splitting attention was only back when the younger boy spoke out loud what he was thinking at that exact moment.

"I don't wanna go back yet." The maknae sighed and looked out at the streets as well.

Neither of them could lie about their longing for freedom and their wish to stay anymore. These were the very reasons that pushed both of them out of bed mere hours before they had to leave for the airport. He hadn't really been close to the maknae but maybe they had more in common than he had thought, despite their age difference.

"Enjoy," The younger boy said reservedly, careful not to break the unusual atmosphere, "There's no one out, it's . . . very nice."

"Thanks."

"You wouldn't want me to come with, right?" The young one double checked, the raw hope in the kid's voice almost made him agree to the suggestion. But he wanted this night to be his own. No company, just him and the streets of America.

"Next time let's walk around together."

They both smirked a little at that. Who knew when next time would be? Nevertheless, the maknae nodded lightly and laced his eyes on the streets once more before bidding him good night.

"See you in a bit, hyung."

Some called this fate. He didn't have any idea that walking out at 4 a.m. that night would become the reason of his addictive, mouthwatering daydreams. When fate chose its victor, no amount of meddling sufficed. Unruly valor or not, the younger boy wasn't awarded. What wouldn't the maknae give, to be in the place of his hyung. To go back to that night, there at the lobby of that hotel. He'd have traded everything to be the lucky one. The one that walked out. But fate chose the other. That night was reserved for the boy who walked out of the hotel at 4 a.m., not the one who walked in. And nothing could change that now.