haven - zb1

12

When Taehyun figured out he was dying soon, he changed drastically. No one even knew how he came to that conclusion, certainly most were hoping he was just going senile from his old age. But he changed drastically.

First he changed Solar Hall. The once neatly uniform and solid wooden walls were replaced overnight, with four doorways cut into the new wood. Taehyun was found in the morning sitting cross-legged in Solar Hall, admiring his handiwork. Everyone fussed over him, how he was going to catch a cold if he didn't dress warmer, that he needed his sleep and that he shouldn't sit on the floor at his age.

Then his personality changed. Once upbeat, cheerful and energetic, Taehyun now stayed cooped up in his room. When anyone tried bringing him trays of food, they were left untouched by his door. Many wondered if he had died secretly inside, on many occasions his door was broken down in panic. But still the old man lived on, he chastised those who intruded on his privacy and chased everyone out, fixing his doors and withdrawing once more.

When he finally did leave the room and allowed people to enter to clean, his room too, had undergone incredible change. The interior was previously decorated with knick knacks and photos, his shelfs choked with books and his surroundings always messy with opened books and strewn papers with writing, scribbles and awful drawings.

Now, his room was bare, tidy and clean. All that was left on the floor were stacks and stacks of hand-bound books, marked with years, names and dates, even atrocious doodles.

Then it finally sunk in. He was getting ready to say goodbye.