Smoke and Mirrors |ATEEZ

Freedom

A natural spring watered the woods that surrounded your home. The trees that you called home all fed by the same source. The mouth of the spring came from a small fissure in the stone's surface. The water cascades down the eroded stone creating a calm waterfall about the height of your average professional basketball player.

You came here in times of stress or pain. The air that skirted over the cool water licked at your cheeks, rubbing your skin a bright red. Your breath came out in thick clouds that slowly dissipated into the air. You sat with your legs crossed sitting on a large mossy boulder that lied adjacent to the mouth of the spring. Your cold hands were tucked tightly between your legs, trying to stay warm.

You looked up through the tops of the trees, watching the clouds dance across the sky. You leaned back, knowing he would catch you. You head landed gracefully on the chest of the giant boy. He put his legs on either side of you, allowing you to lounge leisurely on his body.

"What are you thinking about?" he whispered, taking in a deep breath. 

You closed your eyes, staring at the back of your eyelids. Your mind wandered. "I am thinking about the wind," you said in a soft, sweet voice, "Do you ever wonder what it is saying. The sound of the leaves rubbing against leaves or the sound of small stones tumbling down larger pieces of rock. Do you ever wonder what it is saying?"

Yunho paused, taking in his surroundings, "That was oddly vague and deep," he chuckled before tucking a piece of your hair behind your ear.

"Just what my brain does," you said leaning your head back looking up at his young boyish face. 

He had a wide smile spread across his face, "Must be nice having such an observant brain," he teased.

"It has its advantages," you laughed. The two of you went silent for a moment, "How is Wooyoung?" you asked. It had been a few days since you had met the young hiker, and you hadn't seen him. Sometimes you could feel his spirit buzzing around, but he never truly revealed himself.

"He is working hard on trying to get out of here," Yunho said leaning back on his hands causing you to sink further down, "I don't get it. I think it's alright here,"

"Well, some people don't see the beauty after they pass. To them, the spirit realm is a trap when actually it's the key to freedom," you said closing your eyes, fully relaxing into Yunho.

"How is this free?" you opened your eyes seeing the man standing above you with his arms waving dramatically in the air. The sight made you laugh a little. "How is this funny?" The man gave you round eyes that you could tell were full of sorrow. He wasn't adjusting well, and you could see it.

"Come with me," you got your feet grabbing the man's hand. He followed you without a word. The skin of your hand that touched his glowed a simple blue. You led him down the rock and through the trees. You didn't speak; you let the trees speak for you. You could feel the buzz of civilization. The trees became thinner with large spaces in between the fat trunks. You reached the tree line. You dropped Wooyoung's hand.

"You are as free as you wish to be," you said stepping out of the trees and onto the pavement. Yunho had never ventured that far. He was content in the trees. Wooyoung stared at you with worried eyes. He looked afraid and timid. "Push the boundaries. It's the first step of finding the way out."

His eyes grew wide, "Really? All I have to do is leave the woods." you nodded. Sometimes the things that seemed harder than others was the simplest task. You held out your hand, waiting for him to step out and take it. The blue mist curled around his legs, floating up his torso and wrapping around his arms.

The icy blue smoke flicked through the icy cool air, drifting slowly toward your hand. The mist intertwined your fingers curling up your arm and into your chest, "Come with me," you whispered. Wooyoung's feet moved slowly and with great thought. Every step was a weight lifted off your shoulders. It was honestly magical seeing the spirits leave what locked them inside.

His fingers finally graze the tips of yours before wrapping around yours. Your fingers intertwined, locking the two of you together.

"Woah," he whispered.

"Doesn't it feel nice to be free?" you asked. He looked around, seeing the line of small decrepaded homes that lined the street, one of them being yours. 

"Where are we?" the question was unexpected, but you answered it anyways. 

"This is my home, and I think I want you to meet someone,"