Hell's Princes, Earth's Kings - ATEEZ Reader Inserts

The King of Insects - Wooyoung

A warm breeze brushed against my face as the damp grass stuck to my legs. Summer always passed too quickly, I'd made a mission of savoring it this year. That meant coming to the park a few times a week to soak in the warm air and to watch the happy people around me. Lately, my interest in a particular person has made me feel more like a stalker than a people watcher.

Wooyoung always sat at a bench near the flower beds. Most of the time he seemed to be doing what I was doing; savoring the warmth of the sun. But sometimes he looked like he was doing everything he could not to cry.

Even with such a broken look in his eyes, I found him irresistible. His skin would glow in the sunshine and his soft brown hair would catch the light anytime he moved. No matter how hot it was outside, he was always dressed in black or some incredibly dark shade of green. Sometimes both. My crush on him had grown so intense that I worried when he wasn't here.

I'd watched countless times as random strangers picked on him. I always said I'd do something about it the next time it happened. But that's what everyone says when they see someone else getting bullied. Isn't it? And then it's too late. And they just stop showing up.

My eyes stayed fixed on the bench near the flowers as I lost myself in panicked thoughts of what might have happened to him. I wouldn't even know who to call or what to say. The guy who was usually at the park simply wasn't at the park. That's not exactly a reason for authority intervention.

He always seemed so lost, like he needed someone. I should've checked on him sooner.

"You look worried. Is everything alright?"

Wooyoung's sparkling brown eyes were staring down at me, even more full of worry than usual.

I sighed in relief, "I was worried about you. You're always here before me."

"Oh. I didn't know you watched me so closely."

"I didn't mean to sound weird."

"Thank you for worrying about me." He smiled as he settled on the ground next to me. "Can I show you something?"

I nodded. He opened his hand to reveal a small beetle in the center of his palm, catching the light like a jewel. As pretty as it was, I flinched away from it.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to scare you." He said with a pouting lip.

"I'm not scared. Just surprised."

"My friend surprised you?"

"The beetle is your friend?"

"Is that what these ones are called?" He giggled as it crawled over his hand and arm, "I like them. This one likes me too."

"How do you know?"

"It said so."

He smiled, the beetle flew off his finger and onto his nose. He giggled as it crawled over his face.

The contrast of his appearance to his personality was captivating. He looked like he was part of some underground subculture, but he was so playful. It gave me even more reason to worry that someone was going to break his little spirit.

The beetle flew away and he returned his gaze to me.

"They don't come to me unless I ask." He pouted.

"You ask them to come to you?"

"Yes. But the best ones don't seem to like me."

"Which ones are the best ones, Woo?"

"Well, I love them all. But my favorites are the ones that look like flowers. You know...they're soft and they have wings and they come in all colors."

"Butterflies?"