It happens only once in a few centuries. When it does happen, the whole city knows. It's not something that others can avoid hearing about. The information comes out in forms of broadcasts, newspapers, alerts, and any other kind of information that the government can produce. The news goes on for days, sometimes months depending on who it is. There was one time where they had alerts posted around the city for a whole year. They stayed static, electronic signs flashing every hour with the picture of the child. It's a grim time for the city when it happens.
Many people fear it happening. There are fake news reports and messages that come out every once in a while saying another one has appeared. People scream and the cities go empty for a few days. They've been trained to think the worst. They've been trained to think that the one who has it is not human. They've been trained to avoid the person and their family at all cost. They've been trained to speak nicely if one were to approach them. Because no one wants to upset the person.
It's a very serious matter around the world. Doctors and nurses are trained for years on how to deal with the condition if they were to encounter it. There are drills in schools and businesses if one of them were to escape. There are emergency buttons placed in every building in the world. The condition is not something to be hesitant about.
With the increase of technology and intelligence, schools have begun to offer full majors about the condition. There's PHD's and MA's, even high school classes about it. It was highly sought after and people would be paid great money if they were knowledgeable about the condition. It was that fear by the public.
The year is 2156 when it happens for the seventh time. April 12th is the specific day. 10:56 in the morning, the specific time. The doctors know immediately. Mrs. Oh pushes and pushes until her new baby boy comes. The happiness of having her second son is short lived. There's banging and a few gasps as the table breaks and the baby almost falls to the floor. Nurses scream and the doctor quickly sets the baby down in its own little incubator. Mrs. Oh stares in confusion along with the nurses. Seconds later, the incubator shakes and one of the legs cracks. The several people stare at each other, none of them doing anything. It's been over a hundred years since it had happened. The nurses standing in the room aren't prepared. They haven't been trained for it because it's so rare. Mrs. Oh screams and tells them to pick up her baby when another leg shows a crack.
No one moves though. The doctor only whispers to the nurse next to him. The first leg cracks and Mrs. Oh pulls her IV out, blood dripping to the floor quickly. She whines in pain as she tries to run over to her baby boy. The baby cries loudly, little fists curled up and waving in the air occasionally. Tears fall from Mrs. Oh's eyes. She doesn't know what's happening and she doesn't understand why no one is acting to help her. The doctor leaves and the nurses come over to her, trying to tell her to return to her bed because she's still weak and in pain. Her arm has blood dripping down and through her gown. Her arms begin to shake with pain, her baby feeling like he weighs more than her. Her muscles tense and the weight is getting heavier and heavier with each passing second.
"Mrs. Oh," the doctor says calmly, his hand on her shoulder. "Mrs. Oh, listen to me very carefully. You need to put your son down. It is very important that you set him back in the incubator right now."
She only sobs and shakes her head at the doctor's orders. "No! That thing will break! I'm not going to leave my baby in there!"
Her arms feel like they're being put in a vice. The feel like they're being bent in half and it gets worse by the second. When she hears a crack, the doctor grabs the baby from her, setting it in the incubator quickly before he suffers the same fate. Mrs. Oh screams and holds her arm tightly, the swelling already beginning. The nurses help her to the bed, putting her IV back in and giving her pain medication as fast as they can. Everything happens so fast and it's too much for Mrs. Oh. Her son cries and cries louder and she cries with him too, not knowing the horrible fate that has been put on him.
An older doctor comes in the room a few minutes later. He holds a few paper and has glasses that are barely hanging on his nose. He whispers something to the other doctor, his eyes full of sadness and grief. Moments later and he's standing next to Mrs. Oh, glasses pushed up a bit on his nose.
"Mrs. Oh. I have information on what is happening with your son." His voice is calm and quiet, almost as if he was embarrassed to be heard. "I'm very sorry to inform you that your son is very different. What he has is very rare but I'm sure you've heard of the condition."
No one needs to know any more than that. It doesn't have a name or anything that can be put on to it. No one wants to name it. They fear it so much that they don't even want to talk about it. It isn't something that can be fixed or treated. It's permanent and crippling. No one knows how it started, it began many centuries ago though. With only one born every few centuries, there can only be certain tests done. Even with the possibility of tests being conducted, they cannot be done because of how the condition works.
The child is born with the curse of breaking everything it touches. It has only been recorded in males, though the chance of a female having it is possible, just the six other babies have been boys. There is no reason for the condition. There are no flaws in DNA or anything else wrong with the child. It's not a result of something the mother does or doesn't do while pregnant. Not a result of any medicine, falls, injury, or any kind of trauma. Nothing can be done to prevent it and nothing can be done to induce it.
Some say it's a literal curse from a god. The families ancestor had done something in the past to anger the gods, causing the curse to come to their child. One woman once said she saw an angel come down and curse a man before. It was proven false though, considering the said man did not receive the condition, for it is present at birth. Most people do believe it's a god's doing. Stories of the god who curses any he feels like. Possibly randomly or maybe he chooses those families he's been watching. But of course, no one knows for sure.
"Now, we have termination forms here. Your child will not feel any pain, we will put him asleep and he will die peacefully. We've trained our nurses here very well for this procedure. All we need is your signature and we'll give you some time to say goodbye to your son."
It's a terribly hard decision for Mrs.Oh. Her son is destined to live a life of pain and loneliness. It is not her fault. It is not anyone's fault that the condition has chosen him. But it is her son. She had been waiting to have another son, her first one being just four years old. They had a nursery set up, filled with blue colored sheets and even a cute elephant above the crib. Everything was perfectly in place.
"What if I want to keep him?"
The doctor looked confused, his eyebrows raised and he pushes the glasses on his nose more. "Well, Mrs. Oh, there's no treatment or cure for this, you do know this, right? Your son will be forced to live in a container, no contact for the remainder of his life."
"There has to be something, right? Can't he.. can't he touch some way?"
"The last case, the man could only break things by touching them with his hands. We believe it might have been some kind of evolution in the condition but we can't be certain since he was the only one. Seeing how things have been going, I don't believe that it's the case for your son, Mrs. Oh. You must tell me what you wish to do before it's too late."
Mrs.Oh sits up in her bed. The nurses push at her shoulders to sit back down, not wanting her to try and hold her son again. But her son was already moved to a separate room. He was placed in one of the hospital's special cases. It was mandatory that all hospitals had such a case for the possibility that the condition could appear. It was completely break proof, thanks to a large amount of diamond and some computer generated force field. Technology does wonders in their time, even for the unfortunate.
"I wish to keep him, please. It is not his fault, he should not be punished for this. He could be something great."
The likelihood of the little baby boy that was born on April 12th becoming something great was very slim. He would be bound to his own world that was made of glass and fake objects. He would live a lonely life, isolated, hated, and feared by the whole city and even the world. The little boy would have to watch the world go on from inside, never to be able to experience it himself. It was a horrible, horrible fate. But Mrs.Oh had faith for her son. She had faith that her son would become something great.
XXX
For the first time in centuries, the city's billboards and news stations flashed with bright red alerts and loud buzzing noises. All the citizens stopped and watched the words slide and flash across the screen. A new baby boy had been born with the condition. Screams were heard and mothers pulled their children inside, fearing that something might happen. Owners of restaurants and businesses put up signs and begun making plans for extra security.
Mrs.Oh's face flashes and then comes the rest of the Oh family. Their address shows and so does a picture of their house. Warnings about them go for several minutes. Do not go near them. Do not engage in conversation. Do not allow into any stores. Perhaps people were too overprotected. It wasn't as if the whole family had the condition. It was only the little boy. But people still believed that it was contagious. Something that could be caught easily. They had a reason to be cautious though. One touch and they could break something, anything at all.
When the Oh family returns, they find their house encased in a glass box. It's large and clearly stands out against the other homes in the neighborhood. Several cops and even a government official wait for them.
"Excuse me, what is all this? What has been done to my house?" Mr. Oh is anxious, his face filled with confusion and worry.
"It's common procedure for people of your kind," the man says flatly.
"People of our kind? What the hell are you talking about?"
Mrs. Oh covers her eldest son's ears, shielding him from the conversation near them. Her eyes are filled with sadness. Her newest son was being brought by another government official. She was forced to leave him behind at the hospital, worried for what might happen to him. She had made it very clear that she wanted to keep her child. The way the doctors and nurses were acting though, made her heart ache in fear that they would do something to him.
There is a small door by the driveway. It requires a code that is given to Mr. and Mrs. Oh. The glass lights up with a hexagonal pattern tinted green. The government official informs them that their home will be monitored. Every movement and every time the exit and enter, every time they did anything, it would be recorded and filed. Everything in their home was cased with the special force field their new baby was being held in. They were informed that it would not affect the structure, taste, feel, or use of any of their objects. It was so their son could touch things and not destroy everything. The things that they would buy would be cased in the force field when they enter the home. Mrs. Oh thanks the increase in technological advances because it was giving her son a chance to live, even if that meant being trapped inside a glass box for the rest of their lives.
They were given instructions on how to live. Mr. and Mrs. Oh could still keep their jobs. Their eldest son could still go to school. They could mow the grass and garden. The seasons would change for them like it did for their neighbors, everything would just be artificial. The only way they could feel the weather would be when they left their home. They could still have friends and family over, but they would be monitored as well and encased in the force field when they entered. Perhaps life wouldn't be so bad.
When their newest son arrives, held in a box being held by a new official, Mrs. Oh runs outside to make sure he is okay. The official pushes her back and waits for the sliding door to close behind him. He sets the box on the floor and taps his finger over the holographic keyboard that hovers above the glass. The small baby inside is sleeping quietly, his bangs slightly sticking up under his hat. Mrs. Oh waits patiently, not wanting to get pushed again by the official. A few minutes later and her son is being set in her arms.
There is no pain or uneasiness as she holds him against her chest. He smells of disinfectant and hospital. She frowns at the thought of tests being done on him. He was still so young, only three days old. He had round cheeks and beautiful black hair that was still a little thin. When he opens his eyes, they are a dark brown color with the slightest tint of green in them. Mrs. Oh finds him perfect.
"Mrs. Oh. We've run all the standard tests for newborns on your son. He's within height and weight range and besides the condition, he is perfectly healthy." The official says, eyes fixed on one of the fancy tablets that only important people have. "But we need to know a few more things before we go."
"Yes, what is it that you need to know?"
"We need to know his name, for one. Also, we need to know that you understand how difficult it will be to raise this child. You need to know that he may never leave. He must stay within the glass for the rest of his life."
It is understandable why the baby cannot leave from his home. If he were to get angry, he could ruin the whole city. It has been recorded before. The third person with the condition did such a thing. He destroyed a small city in the countryside of Austria. It was since then that they began keeping them behind restricted areas. Mrs. Oh knows that she can raise her son properly. Schooling would not be a problem for there are more online schools now than actual schools. She would try her best to give her son the most out of life.
"I understand. I will follow the rules and take the challenge of raising him." The small baby wiggles its arms out from the blanket. His hand wraps around Mrs. Oh's hair, tugging on it ever so slightly. His eyes open and he blinks a few times. It is the first time that the baby boy has looked his mother in the eye since being born.
Mrs. Oh wants to cry. She wants to tell her son how sorry she is for putting him through the harsh life that he will have to endure. She feels sorry but wants her son to overcome the hardships and become something better. She leans down and places a kiss on her son's forehead, smiling as he coos softly.
"And his name is Sehun. Oh Sehun."
XXX
Sometimes the world is cloudy. Sometimes the world is clear and other times it's foggy and barely able to be seen. It all depends on the weather. But the weather is something that is alien to Sehun. He can only see it from where he stands on his lawn or in his room. He's never touched rain or felt sun. He's never played in the snow or stepped in a puddle. He's never experienced the warmth of the summer sun or the cold wind of winter. Sehun's only ever seen it from outside the glass. He can see the raindrops on the glass and hear the wind against it. The glass sometimes becomes warm on hot days. But that's all he feels.
The date is December 3rd. Outside it's snowing and he can see the children across the street throwing snowballs at each other. It isn't the heavy snow that sticks around for weeks. It's a light fluffy snow that melts only a few seconds after landing on a glove. But there's enough of it on the ground for children to play with.
There are two boys that live across the street. One's name is Joonmyun and the other's name is Jongin. Joonmyun is ten, two years older than Sehun himself. He knows because one day in early fall, the boy and his brother were playing with a frisbee outside. It flew across the street and bumped against the glass of Sehun's home. Sehun stood up, feet stepping out of the sandbox and toes meeting the soft grass. He ran over to the glass, pressing his hands against it as he watched the frisbee wiggle gently under the wind from the outside world. Sehun remembers the look on the older one's face. He was scared, eyes wide and body tensed. He mouthed something to the younger boy before walking across the street.
Sehun was excited because maybe the boy would say hi to him. Maybe he would want to come in and play. Sehun had lots of toys. He had trucks that could carry balls and action figures around the house. He even had a pool in the back yard that was nice and warm. He would really like someone to play with him. As the boy comes closer, Sehun smiles his bright smile and waves his little hand.
"Hello!"
The boy picks up the frisbee and as he stands up, his eyes lock with Sehun. He can see the fear in his eyes, the uncertainty.
"H-Hello," he says in a quiet, gentle voice.
Sehun smiles and he presses his hands against the glass and gently presses the tip of his nose to it. "My name is Sehun! What's yours?"
The boy seems to relax a bit more, his shoulders drop and his face doesn't seem as tense. Sehun smiles because maybe he realizes that Sehun is just like him. He's a child and that's that.
"Joonmyun. It's nice to meet you, Sehun."
Joonmyun talks proper for his age, Sehun thinks as they talk a bit more. He learns that his brother Jongin is seven and Joonmyun himself is ten. Joonmyun likes to play with trucks and paint. He tells Sehun that his favorite color is blue and Sehun laughs and tells him that it's his favorite color too.
They talk for several minutes. Sehun even brings over his favorite truck that he plays with everyday. Joonmyun says it's the coolest truck that he's ever seen. Sehun shows him all the cool features on it. There's a button on the side that makes the little lights come on. There's another button next to that one that makes it sound like the car is starting up. He makes his own truck sound as he makes it go up the glass, laughing as Joonmyun watches with amazement.
"Do you wanna come in and play with it? I have a lot more trucks too! And I have a sandbox!" Sehun tilts his body and points to the turtle shaped container with a few toys and sandpiles sticking out of it. "We could build a sandcastle and rule over our own kingdom!"
Joonmyun's eyes light up and Sehun bites his lip in anticipation. He's never had a friend over before. He's never even had a friend before, besides his brother. "Yeah, I'd love to come and play, Sehun!"
"Okay, hyung! Let me just go open the door for you. It's over by the garage."
Before Sehun can move though, he hears a woman calling Joonmyun's name. Sehun watches as the older boy turns around and looks at the woman who is now walking across the street, her brows furrowed in anger.
"Joonmyun, what are you doing over here? What did I tell you about staying in the yard?"
"I'm talking to my friend, mom.." Joonmyun points his small hand at Sehun. "His name is Sehun and he wants to play."
"You have lots of other friends you can play with."
It was the first time that Sehun really realized that he was lonely. Joonmyun's mother grabbed him by the arm and walked him back to their own yard. Sehun's smile turned into a frown as he saw the way Joonmyun looked back at him, mouthing a 'sorry.' Jongin stands by the front door, his hands tugging on his shirt as he watches his brother and mother usher him inside. Sehun watches their front door shut and it's only then he realizes that Joonmyun forgot his frisbee.
Two months later and they play just like they did with the frisbee. They build a snowman together, or try to at least. Jongin is still a little too short to reach the top where Joonmyun is busy carving out a pattern on the head. Sehun watches with fascination because he wonders what snow feels like. It had snowed once in his little glass box home. But it was warm and felt like some kind of paper. The big man that comes once a month turned the snow off after that. It had just been a lukewarm feeling outside ever since.
"Sehun, honey! It's time for lunch!"
He turns around to see his mother standing at the front door, a pink apron hanging from her waist. Sehun sighs and waves goodbye at Joonmyun and Jongin who aren't even looking. They haven't looked since the day he met them.
"Mom, why can't I go out and play like Joonmyun and Jongin?"
His mother sighs as she sets the shiny plate filled with lunch in front of him. "Honey, you know why."
Sehun pouts, unhappy with the answer and also unhappy with the large amount of vegetables on his spiderman plate. "Then can't they come over here? It's safe in here.."
It's not the first time that Sehun's realized that he's different. He's realized it a few years back when he tried to sneak outside after his father left out for work. A large alarm went off and the sidewalk cracked underneath Sehun's little six year old feet. His mother immediately pulled him back in and held him tightly. In minutes, several black cars arrived outside. The large men came in and scolded Sehun's mother. Sehun doesn't remember much besides being scared and upset.
His mother had told him that it's dangerous to go outside. Sehun didn't understand because he watched lots of people outside everyday! It didn't make any sense to him. She told him it was because he had super strength, just like the superheroes he loves. He had to be inside because he had to be safe so when he grows older, he can save people. It was a terrible lie because Oh Sehun would never be able to go out like his mother promised. But little six year old Sehun didn't know that. And neither did eight year old Sehun.
"Maybe one day, Sehun." His mother sits down next to him, hand rubbing his shoulder. There's a sad look on her face and Sehun doesn't understand why. He thinks it's because he hasn't eaten any of his vegetables but almost all of his chicken nuggets.
After lunch Sehun goes back outside. His yard is different than the ones around him. It's bright with green, green grass and flowers. His mother even has a little garden on the side of the house, right by the porch. There isn't any snow, no coldness. Sehun walks out in barefeet with shorts and a tee shirt on because it's actually a little warm.
Jongin and Joonmyun are gone. Their snowman stands proud in their yard. it even has a hat and scarf on. Sehun frowns because he wants to build a snowman. He frowns when he look to the house on the right and finds his brother outside playing with the neighbor girl. He wonders why he's allowed out and Sehun's not.
Sehun sits in the grass, his legs stretching out and his head resting back against the green strands. The sky is a light white with a bit of gray in it. He can see bits of snow land on the top of the glass but they melt from the warmth it has. Sehun suddenly feels angry. It's not fair. He kicks his legs and punches the ground. He screams and cries loudly, at the top of his lungs because he wants to be able to go out and have fun. He wants to have friends and he wants to play in the snow. Tears stream down his face and his fingers dig into the grass.
His mother comes running in fear that he's hurt himself. Her warm arms wrap around Sehun's body and he cries more. It's frustrating and he doesn't understand. As he calms down, he sees the neighbor girl's mother come out and hold her close. His brother drops the snowball in his hand and nods slowly at words that Sehun can't hear. A few seconds later and his brother comes through the door.
"What is your problem?" His brother crosses his arms in front of his chest, snow falling from his jacket.
"Seojun, don't start."
"No! I'm tired of him ruining my fun! I barely have any friends and his fit made Eunseo's mom take her inside!"
"Go inside right now, Seojun. In your room. I'll be up to talk to you in a few minutes."
Sehun watches as his brother stomps away, his face red with anger and hands tightly in fists. His mother takes him inside, hugging him tightly as they sit on the couch together. Sehun cries for a bit longer until his face hurts and his nose starts to run. His mother hands him tissues and gives him kisses on his cheeks and forehead. Sehun is thankful because it's not the first time that he's had a breakdown like this but his mother still takes care of him with a smile.
"He didn't mean it, okay? He's just cranky because of the cold."
His mother's reassuring words made Sehun's smile come back slowly. He never meant to hurt his brother. He knew the other was frustrated. His brother had yelled at him several times. He's expressed how he feels like he hasn't been treated right. That Sehun had been babied and still is babied. Sehun feels bad because it's not his fault that he was born last. It isn't his fault that he's the youngest of the family. He wished that he could make his brother feel better.
Sehun is left alone for a while. He lays on the couch and turns on the TV, smiling because one of his favorite cartoons is on. He watches with a grin on his face and curls up in the warm fuzzy blanket that his mother had bought a few days ago. It didn't take much for Sehun to cheer up and smile again.
He finally sees his brother at dinner. He still stays tense and glares at Sehun every now and then while shoving noodles into his mouth. Sehun tells his father all about his day. Telling him how he saw Joonmyun and Jongin and how cool their snowman was. He tells him about the show he loves and what happened on it. His father laughs and smiles along with him while his mother tells his brother to eat his vegetables and stop staring at Sehun.
"Seojun, don't you have something to say to Sehun?"
Sehun looks at his mother and then looks at his brother. His face scrunches up and he sighs. Sehun knows what's coming because he's been through this several times with his brother.
"I'm sorry I yelled at you." It came out like a low mumble and Sehun knows that it's not honest at all.
His mother smiles, rubbing his older brother's arm. "And what else?"
"And I wish you'd stop being such a freak!"
Plates clatter and forks and chopsticks fall to the ground. His brother pushes his chair over and runs upstairs, not bothering to say anything else or respond to his father who tells him to sit back down. Sehun frowns around his noodles, eating them slowly. His mother whispers to his father. His father gets up and walks upstairs, most likely after his brother.
Sehun doesn't understand why, but he feels like an outcast even more today.
XXX
Joonmyun is outside alone in the morning when Sehun goes to check on the garden. It's something he's always done, going outside to count how many berries or tomatoes are on the plants. He watches Joonmyun from the side of the house, losing count of the strawberries several times. The older boy is talking to himself, Sehun can see by the way his lips and hands move. Sehun thinks it's cute, how Joonmyun wiggles his fingers as he smiles.
He runs over to the glass, pressing his hands and face against them, not caring that it probably makes him look silly. He curls his fingers up and knocks on the glass, feet pushing him up so he bounces every few seconds.
"Joonmyun! Joonmyun!"
It only takes a few seconds for the other to look over at him. He stops talking to himself and his lips press together. Sehun waves quickly, hoping that maybe because Joonmyun is by himself, that he'll come over and see him. It seems to work because Joonmyun looks around before slowly making his way over to the glass.
"Hi Joonmyun!"
He doesn't say anything for a few seconds and when he opens his mouth to talk, his lips are curled down into a frown. "My mom says I'm not supposed to talk to you."
Sehun's hands fall and he presses his forehead against the glass. "Why not? I thought you wanted to be my friend."
"I do! I really like you! You have really cool toys too! But she says we're not supposed to talk to you. It's dangerous."
Freak? Dangerous? These words were being thrown at him in such a short amount of time that he didn't understand. He knew he was different but his mother always told him that it was okay that he was different and everyone was different. So why was he a freak? Why was it dangerous to talk to him? His mother and father and brother talk to him, why couldn't Joonmyun?
"Why is it dangerous? I'm not mean.."
"My mom says you can hurt me."
Sehun's face falls and he feels like crying. "I would never hurt you! I wouldn't hurt friends or anyone! I promise!"
"I know. I really want to be your friend. Maybe my mom will let me come over one day." Joonmyun looks back at his house with a frown. "I should probably go. I don't want to get in trouble."
"Promise that you'll come outside to see me everyday though? Even if you can't come over here, at least we can see each other!"
Joonmyun smiles and nods quickly at the suggestion. "Yeah! Let's do that!"
Sehun watches and waves as Joonmyun crosses the street and goes back into his own yard. He sees Jongin run outside and tackle his older brother. They laugh and Joonmyun throws a bit of snow at him. Sehun presses his hands against the glass because he wishes his brother didn't hate him so much.
He sighs to himself as he walks over to his sandbox. His castle that he built yesterday had been destroyed and his toys were scattered along the area. He spends a few minutes collecting them all and putting them back in the sandbox. Sehun looks at his toys. He examines them and none of them even have a scratch on them. Was he really dangerous? He didn't even hurt his toys that weren't living. And Sehun wouldn't even think about hurting anyone, let alone his friends.
Sehun hoped that Joonmyun would keep his promise and come outside everyday to see him.
XXX
Joonmyun does keep his promise. He's kept his promise for five years. Everyday, Sehun would come outside and do his usual check on the garden. He would see Joonmyun sitting in the driveway. Sometimes he has a toy in his hands and other times he has a book. Sehun learns that Joonmyun likes reading a lot. He thinks it's silly but he loves to listen to what Joonmyun reads about. He's never met another person that likes reading as much as Joonmyun.
Sehun gets to talk to Joonmyun through the glass a lot more than he did when they first met. His mother had gotten a new job and was working later than she did before. Sehun learned that his father was currently in Japan for a business vacation so he had several hours to talk to Sehun before his mother came home.
Sometimes Jongin came over too. Joonmyun would tell him to come over with him until they had to go back so he could keep an eye on him. Sehun thinks that Joonmyun is a really great brother and he wished his own brother was as nice.
The beginning of summer is near and Sehun leans his cheek against the glass, pouting as Joonmyun sips a box of lemonade.
"I wish I had lemonade."
"Why don't you get some?" Joonmyun laughs as he sips the juice slowly, stretching his legs out slowly in the grass.
"We don't have any and I don't know how to make it."
Joonmyun laughs and leans his shoulder against the glass. "It's not that hard you know, it's just lemon juice, water, and sugar."
"Really?" Sehun laughs as he brushes the bit of dirt off his pants. "Will you help me make it?
"Sehun.." Joonmyun frowns, his juice box being set in his lap.
"On the phone! On the phone, gosh, hyung. But let's wait until you have to go inside, okay? I like being out here."
They sit outside for another hour. Joonmyun talks about a rumor that a book club will start at his school when the new year starts up. He talks about wanting to join the baseball team in the spring semester. Sehun thinks it's really cool that Joonmyun gets to do all of those things. He promises to make little banners for him and hang them up in his room and send pictures of it before a big game. Joonmyun laughs and shakes his head, saying that it isn't needed.
Jongin comes over around four with a soccer ball in hand and new clothes that aren't his uniform. "Joonmyun, want to play with me for a bit?"
Sehun bites his lip and waits for Joonmyun's answer. He knows that he'll probably say yes to Jongin and forget about helping Sehun make lemonade. It happens all the time. Jongin comes over and Joonmyun agrees to do what he wants. Sehun learned that it's because Jongin doesn't like Sehun that much and he fears that if he makes him upset, he may tell his parents that he's been hanging out with him.
"Yeah," Joonmyun says as he stands up, brushing the stray pieces of grass from his legs and butt. "I'll talk to you tomorrow, okay?"
And like almost every day, he watches Joonmyun walk across the street into his yard with Jongin. He watches them for a few minutes. Watches how happy Jongin is and how he laughs and rolls around the grass with Joonmyun as they fight for the ball. When Jongin looks over at him with a grim face, Sehun turns away and walks back inside.
His brother is at school and his parents at work, so Sehun stands in an empty house. He frowns because he was really looking forward to making lemonade with Joonmyun. So Sehun decides to try and make it on his own.
The first cup is absolutely horrible. It's way too bitter and sour and Sehun nearly pukes. By the time he's on his third cup, there's no more sugar and he's spilled almost half of the lemon juice on himself and the counter. The cup isn't even that great. It's too watery and Sehun just gives up, throwing the cup into the sink. It bounces off the side of the sink while small hexagons ripple out against the sink. Sehun tilts his head at it but quickly shakes it off.
After eight, Joonmyun calls. Sehun rolls over onto his stomach, hand reaching out to get his phone. Not many people call him. Actually, no one calls him besides his parents. His parents are downstairs watching some game show and who knows where his brother is. The only other person left is Joonmyun.
"Hello?"
"Hey, Sehun."
Sehun smiles softly, the sound of his friend's voice filling the dead silence of his boring room. "Hey, Joonmyun. What's up?"
"I wanted to say sorry for leaving you. You know how Jongin is."
"Ah," Sehun nods, his fingers playing with the ear of his pinkupinku. "It's alright. But let me tell you, hyung, lemonade is not as easy as you say it is."
All Sehun can hear is Joonmyun laughing. Sehun can't help but laugh along with him, thinking about how horrible his attempts of making lemonade was. "I'm being serious! It's really hard!"
"I think you're just overreacting."
They laugh and talk about the stupid things they normally do. Sehun eventually changes the phone to his headset and XBOX. They play a few rounds of Call of Duty, one round ending in Sehun cursing and throwing his controller across the room, nearly breaking it. But Joonmyun was there to calm him down.
Joonmyun wishes him a good night at around ten. He needs to get ready for bed and school in the morning. Sehun tells him to do well and hopes he has a good day at school the next day. He plays by himself until two. His eyes get tired and his hair's a bit greasy in the middle. Sehun sometimes wishes he had a school to go to. It would give him something else to wake up to in the morning. He'd have some friends and not feel so excluded. But instead he's stuck with reading text books at home and answering multiple choice questions online. He's stuck inside the stupid glass box.
XXX
"It's really hot today," Joonmyun says as he lays down in the grass. His black hair falls against the bright green and it's a pretty combination. His hand fans at his face and his lips push out into a pout.
Sehun leans his cheek against the glass because it's not hot at all for him. It's the normal temperature. Warm. He only knows what hot feels like from showers and running around too much.
"How does the sun feel?"
Joonmyun turns his head and looks up at Sehun. "How does it feel? It feels hot."
"But what does.. sun hot feel like?"
"Uh."
Sehun can tell that Joonmyun doesn't know what to say. He doesn't blame him because everyone knows what the sun feels like. Everyone knows what hot days feel like and what cold days feel like. Sehun knows what hot feels like. He knows that macaroni and cheese is hot and ice cream is cold. But he's never felt the sun against his skin or snow against his cheeks.
"It feels like a blanket, kind of? Except you can do a bunch of things with it around you, unlike a real blanket. It sometimes burns if you're out in the sun for too long though."
Sunburn. Sehun remembers Joonmyun talking about it once. It happens when the sun is too bright and hot and the person is out too long in it. It makes the skin bright red and really sore. Joonmyun explained it as like any other burn. Sehun frowns because it sounds painful. But, he wants to know what it feels like. He wants to be like a normal teenager.
XXX
Sehun questions a lot of things about the outside world. He wonders how rain smells. He wonders how the sidewalk right outside of the glass feels. He wonders how people's voices sound without the barrier. He wonders how Joonmyun's voice really sounds. Sometimes Sehun wonders how it would feel to sit next to him. What he smells like or what his hair feels like. He wonders how the roads feel like. He wonders how it feels to walk down the hall of a school. He wonders how it feels like to not be contained.
"One day, I'll be able to come over and play with you."
The words come out with a smile because Sehun is so hopeful. He knows that they will let him out one day.
"Maybe," Joonmyun says and Sehun doesn't have to see him to know that he has the sad smile on his face that appears every time Sehun talks about getting out. "Do you ever wonder why you're in there," Joonmyun asks after a few moments of silence. "Haven't your parent's told you anything?"
"Well yeah. They told me that we're part of this government testing thing. They're trying to build new eco-friendly houses that run on solar power or something. They used to lie to me when I was a kid," Sehun laughs and shifts against his chair. "but now they've finally wised up and I don't know why they hid it from me in the first place. It's not a bad thing."
Joonmyun stays quiet for a few minutes. Sehun wonders if his parents have come in. He always hides his phone and is away for a while when they do. Just as Sehun opens his mouth to ask if he was still there, Joonmyun speaks again.
"But even with that, does it make any sense that you can't go outside?"
"My mom says the outside world is really dangerous. It's better for me to stay inside. And besides, the government needs someone at home at all times so they can make sure the air and things are okay."
"And you believe that?"
The question comes with a frown and Sehun sits up. He runs his hand through his hair before looking at the clock next to his bed. "Well yeah. They're my parents and I trust them. The government people come every week to check on things. I don't have any reason not to believe." Sehun sucks in a breath before standing up. "Is there something that you know, Joonmyun? You're acting like this is weird."
Just like Sehun could imagine the sad smile, he can imagine the shake of the head and he hears the small chuckle. "No, no. I was just wondering what you think about it all. There's nothing else."
Sehun smiles and walks out of his room, looking around to make sure that no one has come home yet. "Hey are your parent's back yet," he says as he jogs downstairs.
"Mm.." Sehun hears a few shuffles and a creak of a bed before a pull of a shade. "No, don't think so, why?"
"Do you wanna video chat?"
As always, Joonmyun hesitates for a few moments before agreeing. Sehun grins and ends the call. He quickly fixes his hair in the mirror and slaps a fresh coat of chapstick on his lips as Joonmyun's call comes in. He quickly makes sure that his tank top isn't too low because Joonmyun always yells at him for that. Once he deems himself proper, he answers the call.
Joonmyun is in his bed like usual. Sehun can see the book he had been reading on the side of his pillow. The older one has his glasses on and Sehun blushes a bit because Joonmyun looks good with glasses on.
They talk for a few minutes about everything and anything. Joonmyun's cute kitten comes into the room and curls up against him while they talk and Sehun coos and smiles at it. He laughs and smiles when it rubs up against the screen. It's purring so loud that Sehun can hear it through the speakers.
Joonmyun eventually pulls a few text books out and begins studying. Sehun happily stays on to chat with him. He likes to help out and see what real world homework looks like. And every time Joonmyun gets frustrated, Sehun cracks a lame joke so that he laughs and doesn't seem too tense anymore. Sehun is jealous that Joonmyun gets to study for college exams.
"Do you think I'll get in?" Joonmyun asks after an hour of studying chemistry. His hair is pushed back and a little messy. His glasses hang from his nose and he's got a cup of tea in hand.
"Of course, hyung! You totally have this. You're the smartest person I know."
Joonmyun laughs and takes a sip of his tea. "That doesn't make me feel better considering I'm practically the only person you know, Sehun."
"Hey that's not true!" Sehun laughs as he rolls onto his stomach. "I know lots of people! I know my parents and my brother. I know the creepy government guy in the black vest that comes sometimes. And the usual government people! Even the lady one! You're still the smartest, Joonmyun."
Joonmyun laughs and shakes his head, his glasses wiggling against his nose. "You know, sometimes I feel like you're not really sixteen. You're still that eight year old from when we first met."
"Maybe I am. I'm still waiting for you to come over and play with my cool truck," Sehun says with a large grin.
"Oh god, you still have that thing?"
"I do! It still lights up and everything. It's waiting for you!"
At nine, Joonmyun wishes him goodbye and they laugh and fight over who is going to hang up first. Joonmyun eventually does because there's a knock on his door. Sehun smiles and presses his face against his pillow. It's not the first time that he's felt butterflies after talking to Joonmyun.
XXX
It's July 12th when Sehun finally decides to do something about the butterflies. Joonmyun sits on the opposite side of the glass like usual. His parents are out at a friend's house for dinner. The sun is just setting and the stars start to come out. Sehun smiles and presses his side against the glass, silently imagining it wasn't there because Joonmyun's body is pressed against it too.
He's thought a lot about it. He's thought about if Joonmyun says no. He wonders if the other even likes him the way that he likes him. But then Sehun thinks to the times that Joonmyun has blushed when seeing Sehun getting changed into his pajamas through the phone. Or the time he told him that he looked handsome one day. Maybe they were just friendly remarks or things that couldn't be controlled. But Sehun's life is all about being safe and kept inside. He wants to break out of his little box and run free. He wants to date Joonmyun.
"Hey," he says just loud enough for Joonmyun to turn his head and look at him. Sehun sucks in a breath and his cheeks tint a light pink. He looks really handsome in the subtle glow of the sunset.
Joonmyun makes a small noise in question. His eyes blink slowly and his tongue darts out to lick his lips. Sehun takes another deep breath. He leans his forehead against the glass, lips parted and his hand pressed up a little higher on the glass. "I know this might sound completely crazy.. but I really like you, hyung. A lot. And I don't care if I have to be stuck in here during it but I want you to be my boyfriend."
It all comes out in one big breath that leaves Sehun panting and his cheeks a bright red. He thinks about getting up and running back into the house because maybe he's not ready to get out of his little box yet. He kind of hopes that Jongin will come over and tell Joonmyun to come inside or something. The silence is too much and Sehun knows he looks like a deer in headlights when really Joonmyun should be the one looking like that. But he's not.
Joonmyun has a gentle smile on his lips and an equally red tint on his cheeks. His eyes are curled downwards into a gentle crescent. Sehun laughs softly and whines, hitting his hand against the glass.
"Hyung.. say something. I might have a heart attack if you just keep looking at me like that."
Instead of answering, Joonmyun just continues to laugh and smile. It's not until Sehun pouts and sits up that he says something.
"Sehun! Wait.. I like you too. I thought it was obvious?"
He pouts more and looks at the other, pressing his forehead against the glass. "You didn't make it obvious."
"Well I do," Joonmyun says as he presses his forehead on the opposite of where Sehun is. "and I would really like to go out with you but.."
"But your parents." Sehun sighs and finishes Joonmyun's sentence. He knows it all too well. Joonmyun's parents are overprotective and it's always been like that. In the back of Sehun's head, he had hoped that maybe it would be different this time.
"Sehun.."
He shakes his head and stands up. "Just forget it, hyung. Sorry I asked." Part of him regrets walking off and into the house, slamming the door enough to make his mother ask if he was okay.
For the first time in a while, Sehun cries. He locks his door and shuts off his phone because he had hope. He had hope that maybe this time Joonmyun would be willing to break the rules for him. He cries for a long time. And it's the first time in years that he's cried about being trapped. Sehun stands up from his bed and throws his pillow at the wall. It lands gently with a small thud. It's not enough for Sehun and he picks up the alarm clock on his nightstand. He pants as he throws it against the window. His eyes narrow as he watches it hit. He waits for the glass to break but nothing happens. The clock hits and familiar light green hexagons ripple out from the point.
Things start to come to him slowly as he throws more things at the wall and the same results happen. Nothing breaks. Nothing has any kind of scratch on it at all. Sehun's breathing heavy and he pushes his bangs back because he doesn't understand. Is this why none of his toys ever got scratched as a kid? Is this why no glasses have ever broken when hitting the floor? No broken anything. There hasn't been a single thing broken that Sehun can remember.
"Sehun? Are you alright in there?"
He pushes his hand through his hair, biting his lip as he quickly picks up the multiple items that he's thrown around the room. "Yeah.. yeah I'm okay." When he puts the pillows back on his bed, the door opens and he sighs. "Mom, I said I'm-"
Except it's not his mother. Sehun's fingers curl up in his shirt and he swallows thickly. He doesn't know what to feel because Joonmyun is standing in the doorway. He's actually standing there, in front of him. Sehun's lips part and he walks over to the other quickly. His arms wrap around the other and he feels Joonmyun's arms being wrapped around his own.
Joonmyun smells of fresh laundry and a bit like cherries. His hair is like feathers and his breath smells like tea. Sehun wants to cry because he's never felt anyone other than his family. He's never smelled any scents that haven't come from his house. Sehun's hands grip at Joonmyun's shirt. They tug at it and he feels like a mother holding her child after a long absence. Sehun can feel how the sun has affected Joonmyun's skin. He feels the subtle warmth of it but the coolness that the moon had brushed over him. Sehun has tears coming from his eyes because he's so happy.
"Sehun.."
He shakes his head because he doesn't want Joonmyun to tell him to stop crying. They aren't tears of sadness but happiness. "You finally came over."
No one can ever take away the happiness that Sehun feels at the moment. He's waited so long. Eight years to see Joonmyun in real life, not hidden behind the glass. His voice is a bit deeper and he's a bit shorter than the glass made it seem. His skin and hair are softer and his lips are shiny. But he's still the Joonmyun he's been waiting for.