𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑴𝒊𝒅𝒏𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝑹𝒐𝒔𝒆

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐃𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦

"Big brother." He looked up at him, big tears in his little brown eyes. "Is Hunter alright? He isn't dead, is he?"

The older one smiled warmly. "He's just fine, little brother. Lloyd needed to send him away somewhere so he could never ever bother us."

"Where?"

"That needs to stay a secret." He guided him into the house they shared again. "Please don't worry about him. You'll see him again someday."

"Ok. I'm going to eat cookies."

"Go ahead, I got the ones that were frosted white."

Beom sighed once the door closed. He hated lying to him, but what could he say? 'Hey, my son killed your son. Hope you understand.' He wished Hunter never came into their family in their first place.

He walked into the bedroom. Marie was sleeping in her bed, exhausted from helping Lloyd manage papers. Although he enjoyed retirement, he doesn't want his son to be king. It's killing him. He looks he is aged a decade in just a few months. He would take the throne back if that meant his child could relax, but that's not happening any time soon.

The room reminded him of their old one when Lloyd was still a baby. It had the same light green walls, two beds, an air conditioner, and a table to eat at. The only thing that was missing was the bassinet, but they don't need one of those anymore.

His favorite thing about this was the painting of his parents Marie got him on their wedding anniversary two months ago. His father was painted in his early forties, around the time he had him. He was tall, skinny, straight-faced, black-haired, and in his military uniform. His mother was her early thirties, weird age gap but whatever. She was wearing her favorite color, brown. She was short compared to his father, though she was average height. She was pale, her long hair was down, and she looked beautiful. She looked like his son.

"Mommy." He whispered, touching her face. "Forgive me for lying to Ho." He tapped his fingers on her. "Hope you're doing well with dad."

-

Lloyd knew he was dreaming when he saw her sitting by a tree, her black hair down to her back. He went to her, sitting near her as he fixed his crown.

"I know things are difficult right now." She spoke gently, touching his pale hand. "Are you doing alright?"

"As well as one could be with things like that." He went for a cigarette, but she took it and threw it before he could put it to his lips. "Halmeoni!"

"Not good for you." She gave him a leaf. "This is prettier."

Frowning, he spun it around. He heard footsteps and looked up. A young woman, maybe a few years older than him, looked at him. They were the same height.

"Oh, hello, sister."

"Hello, brother." She had the same eye shape. Blue-eyed and brown-haired. He knows he's supposed to have five older siblings. She was one of them.

"We didn't come to you for no reason."

"I know, but it's always nice when you do. What do you need?"

The ladies looked at each other. The younger woman sat next to the older one, being embraced with her brother.

"Did you ever think why your hair changed color?" The grandmother asked, rubbing her grandchildren's backs.

"Actually, yeah, now that you mention it."

"I need you to-"

-

He woke up. He groaned, rubbing his forehead. He hates when dreams just end like that. François was practically smothering him. He moved him just enough to get up. He used the bathroom and then went to their old bedroom to be on the balcony. Before, he used to get goosebumps walking past the door. But ever since that seizure, things like that don't happen anymore.

What did she mean? What does he need to do? He touched a piece of his white hair. Some parts were going back to brown. He was excited about that. He wanted it back. He knew everyone else wouldn't be, so he started to use hair powder to hide how bad it was becoming. So far, it's been working.

"What do I need to do?" He asked himself aloud, hitting his vape.

He looked outside. All the vains have been cut. It was a starless night, how boring. The moon wasn't out either.

"Lloyd?" He heard François groaning from the new bedroom.

He shouted, "Coming, Franny!" He smoked one more time before walking back, hiding the orange vape in his pocket.

The other sighed when the shorter walked through the door. "I missed you."

"Baby, you were sleeping." He laid back down, stretching his arms up.

"Still missed you." He hugged his body again, falling asleep seconds after.

Lloyd looked over at him, playing with his curls. He felt restless, but François glued him to the bed. Wise decision, considering the incident with the window. He tried to move, the other stirred. He reached down for his math book and did a few practice problems, enjoying the sound the pencil made on the paper.

He bounced the book on the red curls, grinning when they would spring up. He looked at his nails. It was time for a manicure soon. Red or gold? He thought about it, coming to the decision that both would work.

He stayed awake for an hour, bored out of his mind yet not daring to move. He fell asleep eventually. Unfortunately, he didn't have another dream that night.