Monsta X Series

“Minhyuk! This bread is stale!” you shouted from the gray kitchen, hoping your voice reached up into the rooms on the second floor. You began to cut up the bread into slices, even though it had become hard from being out on the counter for a few days. There was nothing else to eat.
The kitchen was old, wooden and falling apart. Like the rest of the house, the remnants of it having been a grand space showed through the old grime that covered the walls. The dining area had a solid oak table that still stood, but very few of the mismatched chairs didn’t wobble. The once shiny and new wallpaper hung off of all the walls and had been faded by the sun peaking in through the broken panes in the windows. The curtains were tattered and moths had made them their home a long time ago.
You didn’t look up from cutting the bread with an old dull knife as you heard footsteps coming swiftly down the creaking stairs. This was soon followed by a shout and a thud. You looked up to the oak doorframe as a figure entered and shot you a bright smile.
“Forgot that bottom stair collapsed yesterday” Minhyuk explained as he walked over and grabbed a piece of the bread you had just cut. Taking a bite he looked at the rest of the loaf and turned it over in his hand.
“It isn’t that stale.” He said although his mouth felt dry after swallowing and took a long swig of water from the faucet that always leaked.
“I will have to make a run into town.” You spoke offhandedly. Minhyuk licked his dry lips.
“I can go into town later today” he said.
“You get into trouble when you go into town. No. You stay here” you told him wiping your hands and placing the knife in the sink to be rinsed later. A moment of silence passed through the kitchen before Minhyuk spoke up once more.
“You can wait another day before going into town. This bread will be fine” he said softly. You shook your head, knowing he was right, but this one loaf of bread could barely be considered food.
“It is early enough in the week I might still be able to grab some fruits. Maybe a pastry or two” you told him. He ran his fingers through his hair nervously before nodding.
“At least let me walk you to the edge of town before I get to Jooheon’s…” he said following you from the dingy kitchen and into the once bright and lively sitting area.
“Please don’t go back there! The last time you went there the police were called and I had to sell off father’s old desk to bail you out!” you scolded as you wiped down the constantly dusty mantle and tables that littered the room.
“I am sorry about that, but I can explain…“ Minhyuk began, but quelled under your stern gaze.
“I can buy that desk back! Jooheon has a plan to get-“
“I don’t want to hear it” you cut across him.
“This time it isn’t illegal! I promise” you looked at him skeptically when he said this. Walking from the living area to the library, Minhyuk continued to be pursued by you.
“Well, almost not illegal…” he admitted slowly and rubbed the back of his neck.
“You do what you want, but I will not bail you out this time.” You said grabbing a book and opening it. Once you had flipped through the pages you decided whether it was good to keep or not. This one was not; it had none of your father’s notes written in it and the spine was still new. This one could go. You placed in in a neat pile of newer looking books in the corner of the room, preparing to take them into town to sell them.
“Besides, how is my little sister going to carry all of these book into town by herself?” Minhyuk asked walking over to you and grabbing a second book from your hands. You tried your hardest but you always melted when he called you this nickname.
“I regret my parents ever taking you in when you were younger”
“They didn’t have a choice! What else were they supposed to do when a small orphan boy broke their window? Your father had such a kind heart” he began, but noting your tears that threatened to fall he stopped. Talk about your parents always made you upset.
“I will be out front waiting for you.” He said and retreated with a pile of the books in hand.
A few minutes later you had a second pile of books in your arms and met Minhyuk on the elaborate front porch. The once stately mansion on the outskirts of town had fallen into near disrepair, but you refused to leave it. It held all your childhood memories.
“Looks like rain later. We will have to hide out upstairs for a while tonight” Minhyuk said as you and he fell into step in your way to town.
“They have taken everything already. Why makes them keep coming back?” you asked angrily. The small groups of thieves constantly ran sacked your home looking through the mansion for something that would sell for a high price. They would never find anything; the good stuff had been sold by you a long time ago.
“Just stay close, in case it starts to rain on our way back” you told Minhyuk, hiding your nerves. You never enjoyed this trek into town, and on cloudy days it made you even more on edge.
“You should smile more. Maybe with a few more good rain storms those flowers in the back yard will bloom again.” Minhyuk said cheerfully to you. He walked in front of you and turned around walking backwards. His smile was still spread across his face and his step was cheerful. You shook your head and couldn’t hide the smile on your face. His antics at this uncertain time was infectious to you.
There had been a war. The rich had risen up in an attempt to control the farmers and hard workers. The rich wanted to be richer, and the poor were going to pay for it. This had led to a rebellion, naturally. Chaos became the norm, and your father had been murdered and his land had been burned when it was learned by his colleagues that he had been holding meetings in his home for the rebellion. The very same home you were still secretly living in.
You remember the night when the army stormed right to the front door of the mansion. Just having turned fourteen, there was never a time when you thought your home would become unsafe. That night flashed through your mind at the oddest of times, always unwelcome.
Your mother and Minhyuk had busted into your bedroom door late into the night after everyone was supposed to be sleeping.
“Y/n! Get up! You need to hide!” your mother told you in an urgent whisper. You spring out of bed in a haze from being woken up. Minhyuk grabbed your hand and took you quickly down another stair case that was in the back of the house and meant for servants to use. They were narrow and steep, and you tried your best not to trip.
“Minhyuk?! Where’s mom?” you asked realizing she was not following you anymore. There were shouts and yells from other rooms that echoed in your head. This seemed like a nightmare. What in the world could be happening?
Minhyuk didn’t answer as he pulled you along behind him. You and he entered the small pantry at the rear of the kitchen and he found a dark corner for you to hide in. Covering you with grain bags and a smelly, wet sheet, he too found a hiding spot. The shouts and the smell of smoke were all around you.
You heard the door flung open and heard Minhyuk stand. You sat still and listened as Minhyuk spoke hurriedly to someone.
“Minhyuk! Where is she?” you heard your fathers voice. Minhyuk began to answer but was silenced by another voice and more footsteps that arrived at the door of the pantry.
“Nice try hiding this boy from us, Mister y/l/n, but this is the end for the both of you.” You heard the gruff voice speak. You heard the unmistakable sound of a sword being drawn as your father grunted. You heard the sound of him fall to the floor as tears fell silently down your face. You covered your mouth in order to not be heard. Minhyuk whispered his name and you heard your father whisper in response.
“My son…” you heard your father choke out. From your hiding spot you could not see what was going on, but there was the sound of Minhyuk sobbing as he too fell to the floor near your father.
“Is this his only child?” another voice asked as the gruff voice answered.
“There was rumors of a girl in the house, but for all we know, she could have been slaughtered already.”
“She was probably one of the once that was found with this traitors wife.” The first voice spoke. The gruff voice grunted in response.
“What do we do with this kid?”
“How old are you, son?” the gruff voice said.
“Don’t call me that! You murdered my father!” Minhyuk’s voice shook with tears as he spoke, but he sounded defiant. You heard the sound of metal hitting bone, and the sound of Minhyuk falling to the ground once more. Both of your hands were over our mouth keeping you silent. You wanted nothing more than to run to Minhyuk and make sure he was alright.
“Answer the question, boy” the gruff voice said sounding mad.
“is-sixteen” Minhyuk answered with a shaky voice. You could tell he was still trying to hold back his tears.
“Too young for the army. Gut him” the gruff voice said. You squealed and sobbed as you heard Minhyuk yell in pain.
“Rebels are storming the city! We are needed!” you heard a yell ring through your house as many footsteps retreated in a hurry. Thankfully you still heard Minhyuk sobbing on the floor. He was still alive.
You determined then that the coast was clear and threw off your covering, running to Minhyuk’s side. You knelt by him as he reached out and cupped your face with one hand.
“It’ll be fine!” you stammered. Holding your hand over the blood stain on his shirt.
“I know. They only nicked my skin. They got called out just in time… look at my face and nowhere else” Minhyuk told you softly. The air in the room changed as you remember your father’s body laying not too far from where you knelt.
“Don’t look away from my face” Minhyuk repeated as he sat up and shakily got to his feet. The silence hung in the manor like the entire place had been covered with a heavy blanket. It was suffocating.
“B-But my f-father-“you said trying to turn and glance down at the form on the ground. Minhyuk reached up and cupped the other side of your face with his other hand as he winced.
“Please” he begged you staring deep into your eyes. The urgency in his voice told you to obey him and not look down.
As you and he walked out of the pantry, you saw the carnage that had raged through your home. There were bodies in nearly every room. Most of them you knew as staff that had been around since you were born. Minhyuk walked you outside and into the rain where there was a group of rebels that had come to help when they got the news about what had occurred. It was too late.
You stood in the rain as Minhyuk was looked over and a group of men searched the house. They returned shortly with empty hands and heavy hearts.
A few of these men took you and Minhyuk back to a small warm house that belonged to an older woman who was always baking. The rest of them stayed and cleaned up the mess left behind at your house.
Minhyuk was lead to the couch and told to remove his shirt and lay down. The older woman walked over with a warm, wet cloth to clean up his wound. You collapsed on the floor next to him, when you saw his bleeding cut as he lay on the couch. Silent sobs racked your body as your shoulders shook uncontrolled.
“Hey…” Minhyuk said, tapping your shoulder with his arm.
“We are safe now” he told you and smiled his relentless happy smile as you looked at him in disbelief.
You and Minhyuk had remained here for two weeks as he healed. Once that time had passed, you were determined to return to the house that you were raised in; they couldn’t kick you out so easily. Walking through the front doors for the first time after the massacre felt strange. It felt empty and unnatural. The house had been torn apart. Furniture was over turned, the walls had been charred and holes had been bashed through them. The pictures that were once hanging on the walls had been thrown across the floor and shattered. The rugs and curtains were tattered. It made you sick to your stomach.
“Someone is looking awfully gloomy” you heard Minhyuk say from far away as you were awoken from your day dream. You tried not to think about what had happened but sometimes it came unwillingly back to you.
“We are almost at the gates, so try to have your wits about you” Minhyuk said as you and him stopped walking and got into line behind a group of people who were being allowed or denied entry into the city.
“Do you have the bribe ready?” you whispered to Minhyuk. He nodded once without looking at you. Not being able to present identification meant that you had to bribe your way into the town every time you and he needed something. You would surely meet the same fate as your parents had eight years ago if anyone knew who you were.
“Don’t bother with that bribe today.” a voice sounded from close behind you. It was barely above a whisper and you almost missed it. You nearly jumped out of your skin with nerves at this statement.
“Mm?” Minhyuk asked the familiar person behind him, not raising his voice.
“They aren’t accepting bribes. Follow me if you need something” you turned and saw this figure, covering his head with a hooded coat, retreating into the side streets that ran along the walls of the town. Minhyuk looked at you and nodded to follow the figure, which you and him did, breaking from your spot in line.
Your heart beat increased as you followed far enough behind this figure to not be suspicious, but close enough so you wouldn’t lose him. You had an idea where he would be going, but it was best to make sure. Minhyuk followed behind you, making sure you were safe.
This figure turned down a darker side street, followed by another narrow street that was lined with odd looking shops. You gulped as an old woman with no teeth looked at you hungrily. Minhyuk grabbed your arm and hurried you along.
“They know I don’t like to bring you here” he said under his breath.
At the end of the street. The figure stopped and knocked twice on a dark wooden door. You exhaled in relief when you saw Jooheon answer the door. Quickly, you ran to the door and got inside followed by Minhyuk and the hooded figure.
“Why would you scare me like that?” you asked the hooded figure feeling annoyed.
“It was funny” Changkyun said as he removed the hooded coat.
“I’m not laughing” you said and turned around, depositing your stack of books on a small end table in a huff. Minhyuk and Changkyun exchanged glances and tried not to let you hear them giggling. Minhyuk set his books down too and walked through a slanted door into a tiny kitchen. Here sat Jooheon and Shownu.
“Thanks for the warning.” You told Shownu, knowing he was the brains of this crew.
“Hey- it was me that saw you guys coming into town” Changkyun spoke up as him and Minhyuk leaned against the counter in the kitchen. With all these people in here, the kitchen felt smaller.
“Where is everyone else?” Minhyuk asked.
“With their family. There hasn’t been much movement today. Seems like both sides are laying low so we are taking advantage” Jooheon informed you. You heard thunder rumble in the distance as the clouds began to darken and swirl overhead.
“Mind if we bunk here tonight?” Minhyuk asked after the thunder had subsided. Jooheon nodded, knowing it was never safe to travel in the rain. You sighed. This quick trip to get bread was turning sour.
“We will try to get into town tomorrow. How long have they not been taking bribes?” you asked.
“It won’t be safe for you. You will stay here and we will sell these books and get food” Minhyuk said protectively. You opened your mouth to protest but Shownu spoke up.
“Minhyuk is right. It will be best if you don’t try to sneak into the city with us” this made you keep quiet. You respected Shownu’s leadership. He had gotten Minhyuk out of tight spots before and you were grateful.
“You can have Hyungwon’s room tonight. It’s the biggest. He won’t be back for a few days. His wife had their baby, finally” Shownu filled you in.
“That’s great” you spoke emptily. Why anyone would have baby in this time of chaos was beyond you.
Following Shownu down the hallway, he opened the door for you as you as Minhyuk walked in and sat on the fluffy bed. Everything else in your world was gray and bleak, but Hyungwon’s room was always clean. It was refreshing. You walked over and sat next to him, close enough for your legs to be touching. Something about being close to him always made you feel better.
“I’ll take the couch” Minhyuk spoke as he saw you glancing around the room. Rainy days always make you feel distant.
“Actually, would you mind staying with me tonight? You know how I get with storms” you told him looking at your hands folded in your lap. You heard him chuckle as he answered.
“Aw wittle icky thunder storm got you so scared” he teased you. You didn’t look at him but reached out and smacked his arm.
“Little y/n, so scared of icky thunder” he teased more.
“Stop” you said but chuckled at him. You smacked his arm again.
“You stop” he said lightly smacking your shoulder.
“You started this!” you said as you smacked his arm again with both hands.
“Trust fall!” he said and fell across you on the bed amidst your loud protests.
“You are literally crushing me! Gerroff!” you yelled trying to push him off.
“You literally used literally wrong” he teased you.
“You are figuratively a pain in my ass! Get off!”
“What’s the magic word?”
“I will strangle you”
“Close enough.” He said and rolled off of you and laid next to you, allowing you to take a deep breath. He rubbed your hair affectionately as you and he lay there in silence catching your breath.
“I’ll get you a cookie from the store tomorrow” he offered after you and he had calmed down. You and he were still lying next to each other on the bed, one of his arms behind his head and the other resting on your stomach. You reached down and grabbed his hand with both of yours.
“Please- and I really mean this- please”
“Be careful. I know” he repeated smiling at you and squeezing your hands. You told him this every time but he managed to get into trouble more times than not.
Dinner that night was pretty enjoyable. Kihyun had returned with some fresh food he had gotten doing a small job for a local baker, who took pity on kids who had lost their parents in the war. You found yourself laughing and smiling most of the evening as lighthearted stories were traded all around.
You retired that night the happiest you had been in a while. Sitting on the bed, Minhyuk walked over handing you a large t shirt to put on.
“Here. It is one of my old shirts you can wear to bed” he said as you took it and sniffed it.
“It still smells like you.” You smiled as you twiddled it between your fingers. It was convenient that he had a trunk of his extra things here, just in case. Looking back at Minhyuk, you blushed when you saw he had taken his shirt off to change. Your gaze fell on the scar that he still sported from the nightmare you had been through and you quickly looked away.
“I’ll head to the bathroom” you said and stood up, leaving Minhyuk to finish getting ready.
You splashed warm water over your face as you took your clothes from the day off and placed Minhyuk’s old shirt over your bare chest and underwear. You sighed as you exited the bathroom, and felt sleepy, and so ready for bed. Rubbing your eyes you stopped when you heard Minhyuk speak.
“You can’t sleep like that” he whined. You looked at him puzzled.
“I always sleep like this” you told him walking to the bed and pulling the fluffy covers off.
“I know but we haven’t slept together in a while and you’re all…” Minhyuk walked to the other side of the bed and didn’t get in. he stood there with his arms folded in front of himself as you crawled in and pulled the covers up to your chin.
“We always sleep together when it rains. What is wrong with you?” you asked, fidgeting until you found a comfortable spot. The warmth of the blanket soothed your skin and you felt prepared to stay there forever. Hyungwon always had the coziest bed.
“But your all… womanly… now” he said slowly, unsure of how to word what he was trying to say. There was an awkward silence between the two of you.
“Minhyuk… I’m almost 23, if it makes you uncomfortable that’s too bad- I refuse to sleep in a bra” you rolled over and faced him. His face was red as he opened his mouth to argue more until a loud thunder clap sounded overhead. You whimpered and without hesitating anymore, Minhyuk got into bed beside you and held you close.
“Remember when I stole those doughnuts from the bakery last time we were in the town?” he began telling funny stories taking your mind off of the storm.
“You got me the sprinkle one” you replied in a meek voice.
“You took that one! I had picked that one for myself” he argued.
“No way! You handed it to me and said it was mine!” you argued back momentarily forgetting the storm, until thunder cracked once more. The rain began pounding on the tin roof, echoing through the halls of the small home.
You rolled over and pressed your bottom into Minhyuk’s lap so he could wrap his arms around you and hold you close. This was a position that you and him always cuddled in when you were scared, but it was getting difficult as you and him got older. You felt his hand rub slowly up and down your naked thigh. You told yourself he was just doing this to comfort you, but you could feel the tension building. His other hand rested on your lower abdomen right below your belly button.
Truth was you loved Minhyuk. He had been there for you through the toughest of times, but you were scared. Scared of getting to close and losing him. Scared of something changing between the two of you. He was truly the only person you had left.
Not to mention he had always called you his little sister if anyone asked.
You brushed all these thoughts away as you felt Minhyuk’s breathing steady and knew he had fallen asleep. It took you a while, but sleep found you soon after too.

Notes