Lunar Dream (Sunnew)

Thirty One

Hwall fluttered his eyes open as he felt a harsh pain travel through his whole body. He winced at the sharp pain in his abdomen. 

So, I guess that wasn't just a dream, he thought.

He fidgeted a bit and sat up before noticing weight on both his legs. He peered down to see Changmin and Chanhee laying their heads down on either side of his legs. He hissed silently as another headache passed through. 

"Hyunjoon? You're awake?" Joonyoung's gentle voice somewhat calmed him down. He breathed in hard, not noticing Joonyoung was rubbing his back lightly. It soothed the pain. 

"Hyunjoon, don't wander off too far! I can't catch up!" 

Joonyoung looked at him worriedly as Hwall clutched his head down and frowned hard. Chanhee and Changmin woke up at the sudden shakiness. 

"Hyunj- Hwall? You alright? Hwall, talk to me!" Chanhee squeezed Hwall's shoulders. The three of them looked at Hwall, worriedly.

"What- what..." Hwall's voice trailed off. He took a deep breath in. He looked up at the three with teary eyes. He sobbed. 

"I don't even know what I want to ask. What just happened to me? Who am I? Why am I like this? And..." Hwall looked at Joonyoung, beggingly, "Why do you keep calling me 'Hyunjoon'?" 

The three gumihos stared for a while at the poor confused boy. Changmin stood up and took Hwall into his embrace. He hummed out a tune as he slowly patted down Hwall's hair. 

"It's ok. It's alright. You don't have to ask." He whispered softly. Hwall sobbed into Changmin's chest. It was all very confusing and his whole body and mind hurt. His mind felt like it was getting stabbed with a dull knife a thousand times with an occasional sharp ones in between. It was inconsistent which made it worse. 

"Heo Hyunjoon. What did I say about aiming?" Younghoon tutted. Hyunjoon pouted as he missed the apple. He threw his slingshot down the ground. Younghoon laughed at the mini outburst. 

"Whatever, I'll just climb up." Hyunjoon muttered. And before Younghoon could stop him, Hyunjoon had already reached the top branch. 

"Sometimes, I wonder if you're a fox or a monkey." Changmin said as he looked up at Hyunjoon who was perched on the branch, leisurely eating an apple. 

"Hey, Hyunjoon, throw me down an apple!" Chanhee shouted. Hyunjoon nodded and threw an apple at Chanhee. But instead of Chanhee catching the apple, Younghoon caught it. Chanhee glared at Younghoon as he took a bite out of the apple, grinning innocently. 

"Guys, we should go down the village now. And what are you doing up the tree again?" Joonyoung asked. It wasn't a new sight to him. 

Hyunjoon immediately climbed back down the tree and smiled at Joonyoung innocently. 

"Let's go!" He said. Joonyoung sighed.

"I'm going to warn you again. Don't wander off anywhere. I can't keep running after you and checking on you the whole time." Joonyoung said in a stern manner. 

Hyunjoon nodded, still smiling wide. 

"I bet he's gonna wander off again." Chanhee muttered under his breath.

"I promise I won't!" Hyunjoon said. 

But of course, it was only a promise... burnt in fire.

A blast of flames brightened up the whole night. People screamed and scramed everywhere away from the fire. It was uncontrollable at this rate. Children screamed in pain as the fire consumed the house.