Waves & Rhythm | Sope FF ✅

1

"Ceremony Of Light"

Narrator POV

Hoseok was excited & nervous all the same. He has been waiting on this very day since he was a young child. His mother attentively fixed his hair. "I am proud of you, Taeyang ah. This day will be perfect..." The Other Side was very attentive to detail about their events. 

Ceremonies Of Light were no different. This ceremony was the recognition of person. The celebration of the person you are growing into. "I am nervous, Mom. I feel nauseous." Even though no one had access to The Other Side, it didn't mean the idea of it didn't seemingly add pressure to your life. Hoseok was told all his life to be welcoming of the light. The sun, essentially. 

However, no matter his lineage to The Other Side... Hoseok lived in the modern world. Earth.  "You don't need to be nervous. I'll be by your side the entire time." Typically this specific ceremony rivaled the "baptism" you could very well have witnessed or experienced depending on your religious beliefs. A cleanse of sorts...

Hoseok was raised knowing of the Ceremony Of Light, but was restricted from witnessing one as a child. His mother was adamant that he shouldn't get heavily involved until he was at an appropriate age. "What if something goes wrong ? I've never done anything remotely like this before, Mom." His mother started smoothing out his clothes. Making sure he looked pristine & pure in his white garments. "날 믿어요, 호석 씨. 두려워할 거 없어요." (Trust me, Hoseok. There is nothing to fear.) 

Before long Hoseok was walked with his mother out into their community square. He had to trust that things would go as planned. The square was surrounded by white daffodils. Everyone else was in forms of yellow, in appreciation of the sun & its light. Hoseok stepped up on the ledge of the pool (more like fountain), where his ceremony would commence. His mother held him to keep him steady. "You'll only be under for a few seconds, Hoseok. Take a few deep breathes for me."

Everyone wore their respective pendants. All the pendants being white & portraying the Yang (*of the Yin & Yang).  The community leader stepped forward, giving a calm smile in Hoseok' direction. Everyone present could tell he was immensely anxious. The community leader said his final statement to the commune before firmly taking hold of Hoseok. "Hoseok, I will put you under now. Just accept whatever happens & have trust in the fact I will pull you up." 

Hoseok could only feebly nod his head before he had to hold his breath. 

The water was cool & fresh. Freezing. Not a strong scent of chlorine or fountain cleaner at all. Almost like this fountain was not of the Earthly plane at all. Like it truly belonged somewhere else. Hoseok' body was tense long before it was submerged. He thrashed around lightly, entirely due to how tense he was. This was the last thing he'd expect to experience ever. 

He felt like he traveled out of his body. He had seen many flashes, but couldn't quite tell what anything meant. It almost didn't feel real. He found himself in The Other Side. His father greeting him warmly. "Dad ?" His father had passed early on. Hoseok didn't know the exact reasoning, but knew his father loved him. "You need to be prepared, Hoseok. Things are going to change for you." This was a clear warning. Life as Hoseok knew it. was about the change. This ceremony opened him up to something completely unexpected.

As soon as he arrived, he had left. The flashes were too quick to understand completely, but there was one thing Hoseok was certain of. It heavily, whatever it was or is, was going to completely change the course of his life going forward. 

Hoseok gasped for air once he had emerged from the water. His mother quickly draping a towel over him. His mother gave him his pendant. "How are you feeling, Hoseok ?" Honestly, he had no idea of how he was supposed to say. How did he feel ? "감각이 없어요." (I feel numb.) His mother seemed worried, but was overall glad he relaxed enough for his ceremony. Now he truly was living up to his lineage. 

What was to come ?