Cold air whipped his face , hair blown back by his speed . Clouds of white left his lips , gasps for air burning his lungs . It was cold , too cold for anyone to be running . 

Crowds of people were shoved , all giving him dirty looks but Yunho couldn’t care less--though he still muttered soft apologies under his breath --his shaky pupils dancing behind pillars and between faces , trying to make out where his brother was.

His brother.

Why ? Why , why,  why had Yunho told the teachers . How could he have been so stupid that he betrayed his own brother . Now Hongjoong was gone and he didn’t know where . 

The docks were bare of anyone matching Hongjoong’s distinct features. He stopped , skidding and sliding against the ice glazed wooden floors where snow was beginning to collect . 

His head whipped around , desperate and longing . His heart ached , pounding in his ears and his eyes only recognised blurs of faces passing him , all going along and pushing him back as they made their way home to families , passing by and moving away from the docks

Yunho’s eyes teared as he slackened , a sigh leaving his lips involuntarily . 

It was empty now . How long had he been standing ? How long had he been lost in his thoughts and the sea of emotions that was going to drown him . Tears threatened to spill , a growing wave about to overwhelm him . His knees wanted to sink and his palms seemed more fit than ever to bury his face into .

What had he done ? What had he done ? Guilt ate his heart as Yunho nibbled on his trembling lower lip , knees slowly falling to the ground .

There was a thud as he shook , finally on his knees before the sea . The dock ended right before him , leading off into the ocean .

“Oh hyung,” his lips trembled more and his face crumpled as he lowered his head , sobbing . A great , guttaral cry left his lips , taking the form of his brother’s name.

He sobbed  . Until his throat was too hoarse , he sobbed . And until his eyes were too wet , he sobbed . Until , his face was as red as his hair , he sobbed. He lost his brother . He lost his compass and his dream. Now where was he supposed to go ?

“You’re...You’re Jeong Yunho , right” he gasped for air , head rising shakily . There was a boy before him , looking down with a frown and furrowed eyebrows. Resting on his lower lip was the straw of the banana milk he must have had been sipping.

Yunho sniffled , wiping his tears with the sleeve of his shirt before nodding. The boy pulled the banana milk away , lowering himself into a kneel as well . He was much smaller than Yunho , looking much more child-like too.

“Are you okay ? I’m-I’m Choi San . We-uh...We go to the same school? Same year too...” he mumbled , gulping . Yunho simply stared , eyes tearing again . A lock of San’s black hair fell in his face as he bowed softly in greeting .

Yunho couldn’t bring himself to bow back . He was numb. He was in pain . he was everything and nothing because he was lost.

San tensed a cheek , visibly worried as Yunho lowered his eyes. He didn’t know what this boy wanted and he didn’t want anything to do with it. Yunho just wanted what he couldn’t have. He wanted his treasured brother. His lost brother.  No words could describe how precious Hongjoong was to him.

“I saw a boy,” Yunho’s head shot up , eyes wide and alert . His ears perked instantly , startling San who gulped back the shock . The black haired boy nodded .

“He was running . Shorter than the two of us , blue hair-”

“Where did he go ?” Yunho’s hands dwarfed San , pushing his shoulders back as his fiery eyes unknowingly demanded an answer from the boy . San gulped again , slowly and softly pushing Yunho back.

“Behind the old stalls,”San answered , not quite shaken . His eyes looked over Yunho’s shoulders. Hands trembling at the news , Yunho shakily turned his head to see where his brother had went.

No. Not there. Anywhere but there.

His head whipped back to face San .

“Are-Are you sure ? Behind the old stalls ?”  Yunho gulped . San nodded solemnly , truth in his eyes . Yunho whimpered as the boy continued , straightening himself as Yunho’s grasp loosened.

“He was headed towards the alley . He was a little clumsy but he was determined , alright . He must have crossed passed the alley by now,”  San added. Yunho’s eyes burned with fear and anger . 

“And you watched ? You didn’t try to stop him-” 

“Well what was I supposed to do ? There’s a reason no one enters that place , Yunho. The old witches-”

“I know. I know.” Yunho glared , shutting him up . It was wrong to snap at someone who was helping him for no reason but Yunho couldn’t help it. He was terrified. The witches , they cast spells on that place to protect it . From what , he didn’t know . No one knew. People said it led to the underworld , to different dimensions.

Yunho sighed , rubbing his temples and frowned as he thought . If Hongjoong had run behind the stalls , it meant he didn’t have much time . Especially if San said he would have crossed the alleys. 

But what business would he have down there ? Yunho gulped as San spoke , cautious .

“If...If you really want to go , I may have something that can help you,” Yunho turned softly , tears nearly dried to see San dig in his pockets and pull a necklace. The boy smiled proudly.

“Only two people in the world have it. Me and someone else. It’s enchanted , you see. My mother gave it to me,” he reached his hands out--the necklace in his palms--towards Yunho who examined it . The dark part of his mind scoffed , speaking ill of anyone who believed such nonsense.

But Yunho had seen the magical before , he was no fool to say magic didn’t exist.

“My mother...she dabbled in the craft.” San whispered , confessing what kind of child he was. A child of a witch . Yunho looked up , not at all afraid of the small boy . Though , with the revelation , San’s hair did seem darker. His skin paler. His eyes gloomier.

San nudged the necklace towards him again . Yunho reached with careful hands, slowly pulling it around his neck and fastening it safe . The silver plate , on which something was scribbled in what must have been a foreign  language , seemed to glow , humming softly in the quiet of the night . Yunho was lulled by its beauty , everything else burring as he focused on the charm. Then the waves crashed particularly loudly , sending his head up to look back at where San was supposed to be  , a thank you leaving his lips but not reaching the boy.

Because the boy was gone . 

Yunho’s eyebrows knitted as he stood , knees hurting and legs aching as he searched for any sign of the black haired boy.