The Lout's Mirage | Songfic

❝ i'll make you stay, but not in this life. ❞

A deep sigh resonated upon the room as a redhead sips on the bitter lemon tea, an indifferent gaze as he sets his eyes outside, where his children were playing from. On his rocking chair, he hums a tone, the sound was familiar and so nostalgic that it sent another record playing in front of him.

[  "OI, Kim Rok Soo!" Choi Jung Soo yells, a fixed guitar in his hand was seen.

He raised his head as the man rushes to him with a smile. That stupid smile of his that somehow makes his heart jubilant, too.

   "What, you punk?" The stoic man muttered begrudgingly as he glanced at him but the other laid no heed to his grumbles and instead, sat himself close enough to the other.

"I found this guitar while patrolling the area, wanna hear a song?" He grinned so broadly, Choi Jung Soo radiated the aura of a boy wanting to show off.

Kim Rok Soo had saw it, that look in his eyes. That obvious glint of wanting to show him a song really was strong. Like he wanted to make him hear something, a something to remember.

   Humouring the other, he raised an eyebrow: "I'll pass, you'd make a terrible singer."

"You're so mean when it comes to me~" Choi Jung Soo pouts at the statement, earning a huff of amusement from the stoic young adult.

      "Then stop being annoying."

"Ughh, Rok Soo! Why would you say that? You love me~" Choi Jung Soo dramatically wailed as he clutched his heart. Kim Rok Soo snorts at how loveable this idiot was.

"Whatever, just a play a song or something."

He could see the way how his eyes would light up like the stars that shone above them. The luminescent light of the moon bathes in his presence, his lips turned upwards as he grinned happily.

Realistically, he would always listen to whatever the other does - he doesn't need to openly say it, his actions already help especially when the other is as perceptive as him.  ]

A smiles breaks his indifference escapade, he chuckles at the memory as it resurfaced. He didn't notice how his children was at the back watching him, slightly surprised as Raon pulled a device and accidentally connected it to the whole western continent.

Everyone dropped what they were doing as they saw their young master shield looking so beautifully peaceful with a smile. Everything was so beautiful that it made their jaws drop, his smile was so enthralling. Truly a person with divine grace.

The crown prince looked at the device with interest as he had never seen the redhead smile so genuinely-- hell, even he laughed. It was relatively small, but the impact it made was humorously big. "What's with him, now?"

The townsfolk were about to talk when they heard a humming. The western continent silenced, the melodious voice of a man that they thought was once trash, had such a voice.

Summer after the catalyst when we first met
We'd make out in your office till the morning

Countess Violan grips on her chair as she hears the beautiful and alluring voice of her son. Such a melody was so nice to hear, it hurt her heart that she did not notice such a talent, she could've flourished that talent to something so good and great - among everything.

But they weren't focused on that, rather, they were all focused on about the fact that he made out with a person in their office. All of them were wondering who this person was - especially on how they got the Hero of two continents.

Ron stops in his way to the young master's bedroom as he hears the distinctive lyrics, 'Since when...?'

Cale remembers how Choi Jung Soo would twist the words for the song to seem humorous, he wanted to do the same.

And on my 18th birthday we got matching tattoos
Used to steal the leader's liquor and climb to the roof

Choi Han stopped training and looked through the villa. He knew the song, of course he does. It was popular back then, he had saw it through his nephew's memories, especially the ones he didn't mention to Cale. He knew about their relationship but he shut up about it, he thought that maybe he was secretly sensitive about it and so he never brought it up.

However, most of the townsfolk drilled back at when it was. "So, it was when he was still trash..?" A random merchant of a wine guild mumbles from the crowd.

Talk about our future like we had a clue
Never planned that one day I'd be losing you

Cale subconsciously furrows his eyebrows as that very moment replays again and again. He clicks his tongue in disdain.

The sudden shift of atmosphere could be felt as everyone had mistook it that they broke up and that he was reminiscing about their time together.

The weaken hearted ones almost teared up at the tone.

Alberu hums inquisitively, he thinks he has a gist on who it was. It wasn't that surprising given that The sealed god's test was the evidence, he chuckles in disbelief, 'Aigoo, look at this punk acting so emo all of a sudden.'

Oh no, the crown prince is getting affected by the earth slangs.

In another life
I would be your boy
We'd keep all our promises
Be us against the world
In another life

On could see how their father figure swiped a soft smile as he sung. Not knowing that he was broadcasted continent wise, how unlucky was he in his love and general life.

"Oh..." Rosalyn gasps as she covers her mouth, tears threatening to fall at any moment. To think that the young master would say that. Cale was always so indifferent and disgusted of doing things but, his promises were always proven. To know that he really keeps that statement close to his heart just because of one person.

So I don't have to say you were
The one that got away
The one that got away

After that, the device shut down. Raon head straight to his human's arms as the cats ran to their father figure's embrace, "Human, you're not sad, are you!? Don't worry, it'll be alright!" Raon frets over.

"We are here for you!" Hong nods and paws the redhead's cheek, Cale could only hum, slightly humouring his two little boys with a sad tone. On shakes her head and sigh, a bubble of warmth evaporates in her stomach as she laughs.

"Yes, I agree! We are here for you!" She decided to say.

Cale pats the three reassuringly, "don't worry, I'm okay now."

The door opens as the four looked towards where the old butler was present. Another lemon in his hands and a few sweets at the platter.

Cale sweats anxiously, 'I don't remember doing something wrong,,? Oh no, the vicious man is back with another lemon tea.'

On knows what exactly he was thinking about and just laughed, finding amusement to his sufferings these days.