BUTTON EYES [ATEEZ]

Chapter 1

The small blackhaired boy glanced through the rear windshield and watched as the large estate grew further and further out of view, his grandmother's frame growing even smaller the further they grew from the area. His parents were eager to get him away from the large pink mansion, fearing that it was no place for a child after hearing the things he'd say through their phone calls. Turning his head back to the front windshield he watched as his parents continued to bicker back and forth.

"I don't want him going back there, somethings not right with that house, ever since he got there he seems to build this delusion that there's some parallel universe in the blue room." his father spoke.

"He's a kid, of course his imagination will run wild." his mother spoke in response to counter his words.

"But to mention a woman with buttons sewn into her eyes? Ghost children? Those arent visuals a child should have in their imagination. I don't care if she is your mother I don't want him back at that house.'' his father added, ending the conversation right then and there.

13 years later

"So you mean to tell me your grandmother that you havent seen in thirteen years, left you not only $ 500,000 worth of inheritance money but an entire estate under your name?'' Yunho asks curiously as he helped the others load up their moving truck.

"Well no matter the fact that he hasnt seen her she must have loved him greatly to leave it all to him.'' Jongho chimes in earning a shrug from Seonghwa.

"I don't know we'd always talk on the phone before my parents died, but I was never allowed over at her place. My parents forbid me to go, especially my dad. It was like something happened between them that they never really wanted to speak of around me." As they pushed the last of the boxes into the truck mingi was the last to make his leave from the old dormitory

"That's everything we should head out now if we wanna make it there by sunrise tomorrow.'' Mingi twists the keys around his fingers as the four of them glanced back at the old dormitory one last time before hopping inside of their designated vehicles.

The seventeen hour drive consists of lots of yelling from each of them, occasional pit stops and consistent hourly rotations between drivers. When the four finally arrived in Seonghwas old town a sudden familiarity hit the dark haired male as he looked out at the half empty streets. There wasn't much to look at there in the town aside from a few run down old buildings, a few hotels and inns as well as two or three markets. Towards the end of the road was what looked to be an old theater, by the looks of it it seemed to be a place the towns residents would frequent. Pushing past the buildings that decorated the main road they drove down a bumpy road hidden amongst the trees until finally a large home surrounded by two smaller ones and acres of land sprung into view.

He and the boys were in awe as they stepped from the truck, the large mansion seemed to be far more than they had expected. For Seonghwa the place looked different and the Aura surrounding the place seemed far less cheery than he remembered it to be as a child. Perhaps it was because the once pink exterior was now a dark brown color.

"Well look who decided to show his face again." a somewhat familiar voice spoke up, grabbing the four mens attention away from the large home and redirecting it to him. A checkerboard haired male who seemed to equal them in age.

"Park Seonghwa how long has it been thirteen years?'' he added as he approached the tall male and his friends. Clear shock was written on his face as he stared at the male, he was more surprised by the fact that he remembered who this man was more than anything.

"Hongjoong?" The other three looked on as the two old friends took in one another, both very different and more mature in appearance than they had been back then.

"That's me, wow you really have changed a lot from that small kid you were thirteen years ago." Hongjoong then glanced behind Seonghwa taking note of the three unfamiliar males that stood looking on behind him.

"Oh shit right, Honjoong these are a few friends of mine, Yunho, Jongho and Mingi.'' he says pointing to each of their frames as he went down the lines of introduction.

"Guys this is hongjoong, he's a childhood friend of mine from when id come over to see grandma. Wow, I didn't think i'd see you here.''

"I'm actually the caretaker of the house, as you remember my grandmother and yours were friends so when your parents came to take you home grandma would send me over to check on your grandma coraline and tend to a few things she'd need around the house. The lawyers thought that since the two of us were close that I should be the one to welcome you back and hand over the keys." Hongjoong motioned for the four of them to follow as he trailed up the stairs and thrust the key into the door. Though Seonghwa continued to follow and listen carefully there was one thing that had been bothering him. Why hadn't he remembered much from back then? It was as if all recollection of the home and memories he had there or even with hongjoong were non-existent in his mind.

As hongjoong forced the door open and placed the keys to the beautiful eery once pink palace within Hwas hand a cold shiver ran down his spine. The crackling of the newly decorated home cutting through the silence like a swift blade. It was never his plan to run back to his old town but knowing it was his grandmother's final wish he knew he had to pull through. He expected nothing of the home but neither was he aware of the secrets that were to unravel as they stepped foot into the home. The stories of those hidden behind the freshly painted walls, the secrets hidden beneath the floor of that very building. The stories of the beldam and the children with button eyes. The legends he once knew as a child but all faded away as he grew older. In this house, this very house every memory would soon come rushing back but this time everything would be different.

I haven't written in such a long time but please feel free to leave me feedback or thoughts in the comments. If theres anything you want to see or read moving forward with this story please let me know and ill try my best to incorporate it.

[ heres a photo of the home]