Chapter Text
Wooyoung was a reserved person by nature. While he did give his all to the people close to him, his close circle had never been very big. Nothing really made him that way; he simply liked the quietness of being alone. Often, he would go off into the forest and listen to the quiet sounds of nature while falling deep in his thoughts.
Luckily, his family and friends never had an issue with this habit of his. It was not necessarily something that made him special, as many teenagers went through phases of being more reserved. However, in his case, one could hardly call it a phase anymore as he had been that way since he was able to shift into his feline form.
It was a peaceful lifestyle: he never felt the need for more company.
His parents did not take a particular interest in what he was doing anyway. He could be gone for hours, and it did not phase them at all. As long as he did not cause trouble with the rest of the town, his family did not tend to get involved in his life much.
Maybe that's why he did not expect his life to flip upside down on a random Tuesday night. Everything went on so fast. Most of his memories of what happened were flashes of bright lights, screaming voices and talks of sending him off to a distant uncle who would show him the " real ways of life".
Wooyoung could barely understand how the situation got to this point. He had studied hard and graduated with good grades. He had a small job in a library where he could earn a bit of money to pay for some of his expenses. Hell, he even helped around the house since the beginning of his teenage years.
Something about his loner personality must have earned him, and his family by extension, a weird reputation. He knew that the looks he was getting all around town would eventually reach his parents, as well as the murmurs of what could have possibly made him that way. Rumours could become a lot in small towns. Who knew that they would be what finally broke his relationship with his family?
At first, he believed that once his parents stopped the screaming match, he would be able to apologize and have the situation de-escalate. However, he quickly realized that they were dead set on sending him away.
"Time to shape you into a real adult!" His dad kept repeating the same words over and over.
"You're twenty, it's time you go around and start building a NOBLE reputation. How are you going to find a suitable partner with those hermit habits?!?" His mom's sudden obsession with building a family legacy had come out of nowhere.
"I-"
The glare they shot him took him by surprise. Never had he felt that much resentment coming from his own family.
"Wait bu-"
Not knowing what other option he had, Wooyoung simply took off without even taking the time to close the door behind him. He swore to himself that he wouldn't let other people dictate his way of life or his personality. Maybe he had become a social recluse. However, this had nothing to do with his abilities and potential. The people who truly cared about him would be able to understand that.
He ran into the center of the town and took the first bus that would take him to another city. In his panicked state, he did not care about where he went as long as it was away from his parents and this godforsaken town. Wooyoung watched as the houses blurred past and eventually became fields and thick trees as the bus left town. Relief started flooding his whole body.
Where was he going? Maybe it did not matter too much... As long as he got away... right?
The gentle purr of the engine finally got to him after a couple of hours. He felt his eyelids getting heavier as he watched the sky get darker. Maybe he should happily take the opportunity to get some rest...
Who knows what was waiting for him in the morning?
☆⋆⭒˚.⋆✭.𖥔 ݁ ˖ ✦ ‧₊˚ ⋅✮
"-o get up"
Wooyoung tried to understand what the strange voice was saying. Slowly, he started to regain the feeling of his whole body. His legs were a bit sore, and he could definitely feel his neck becoming stiff.
"Young man, you need to-"
Wait.
He did not recognize this voice.
Wooyoung shot up while looking around him. What were those buildings? The bus wasn't moving anymore and the sun had long set. Could that mean he had reached the end of the line? His eyes finally focused on the old man in the driver's seat.
"-orry but you need to get off. We reached the center of Seoul. You can take another bus tomorrow morning. If you need to get elsewhere you can simply call a taxi."
Oh. That's right...he left.
He bowed towards the driver while trying to apologize. "I am so - so sorry. I did not mean to sleep this long. Have - have a nice night." He hoped his awkward smile conveyed his message well as he quickly scrambled off the bus.
Woah. Seoul. Maybe a bit busier and louder than what he anticipated. He could see dozens of people waiting at each intersection. Many were walking fast and probably going home after a long day of work. Even at this hour, everybody seemed in such a hurry, barely looking up from their phones and skirting around people to go faster.
Not really knowing where to go, Wooyoung let himself be carried away by the passing crowd. Eventually, he was bound to find someplace to stay for the night. Or at least, it was what he told himself in reassurance. He could see big company buildings, cute cafés and convenience stores pass by. The interiors looked nice, but most of them would probably kick him out unless he bought something. Not to mention that he probably looked a bit ruff after his long bus ride.
After a few hours of walking around, he noticed the number of people around him getting smaller and smaller. He had to find a solution quickly. If not, at this rate, he would be wandering all night long. What would he have done if he was in his hometown?
Ah, a park. How did he not think of it before? Surely, he could find a quieter spot to shift. A black cat would have less trouble finding shelter for the night. Maybe he could convince a nice lady in the neighbourhood to feed him in the morning.
Wooyoung crossed the street towards a small park filled with trees. Quickly, he found a bush to hide behind. Once he shifted, he stretched and shook his dark fur. He hid his clothes in the bushes while making a mental note of where they were. He would come back to get them once he ate in the morning.
Looking around, he found a nice bench that could serve as a roof for the night. It didn't look like it was going to rain but you could never be too sure. The small black cat curled up next to the bench legs. He could only hope that his thick fur would work to keep him warm for the night.
He closed his eyes and slowly fell asleep as the events of the day kept turning around in his mind. Tomorrow would be a new day and a new beginning. It had to be.