Writing portofolio

A tapestry of short stories

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Preview of the story: Colors

Making his way through the few people on the city's illuminated streets at such an hour, the blonde-haired boy walked lazily towards... well, he didn't even know where he was going. All he knew was that he wouldn't be returning to that place, which he could barely call "home" with much effort.Who would have thought that the choice to follow the whispered path of his own heart, the idea of believing in love, would bring the poor twenty-one-year-old boy to the brink of sanity? And if he had known...The monster in his once innocent mind was formed from one slap, then a second, and the series continued until one Tuesday evening, the day he decided he had no more reasons to accept everything that was happening to him. Perhaps he had never had any reasons until now, perhaps he created his own lies to convince himself that his love, mixed with the blood that witnessed everything that happened in that room every night, would eventually bear fruit.But in the end, how could you blame him? He had done everything in his power, but when his strength was drained and his heart lost control over his body, all he could do was escape this earthly hell.He took one more look around when he stopped on one of the city's bridges. Besides the noise caused by the few cars speeding under the bridge and the wind blowing insistently, almost knocking over the boy's fragile body, nothing else could be heard.He should have known it was pathetic to dream of a story like those in books. And once again, you couldn't blame him, the one who grew up labeled as an innocent kid who always dreamed with his eyes open. It was anything but fair to blame the victim. He was just a bitter soul."It won't hurt, you fool," he whispered to himself as he looked down at the street below the structure he was on."You should have been happier. You're finally going to leave here," he said, this time much louder, letting the tears once again flood his pale cheeks, tears over which he no longer had any control.He wiped his tears with his weak fingers and slowly climbed onto the edge of the bridge, making sure no cars were passing by. Again, he inhaled an exaggerated amount of air and exhaled to calm himself. It couldn't be that bad, could it?"Are you crazy?"

Preview of the story: Wonderland

I took the two white roses, tied with a single black ribbon, and locked the apartment door. Two months had passed since the incident, and I still hadn't gotten over it. Every day, I brought him two white roses and cleaned around the grave. I tried my best to find two hours to spend with him, and when I got there, I sat on the fresh March grass and talked to a grave and two roses, or rather four roses.The truth is that every time I returned, I found only two red roses on his grave. I didn't know who else visited Lucas besides me, but I was dying of curiosity. The thing was, that person always found a way to get rid of the roses I left because the next day, only the red ones were there. But I always kept quiet. I chose not to pry. It was his life, and I had no right to judge. So, I remained silent and humble.I placed the roses on the mound of earth, next to the red ones, and stood there, silent, for a few minutes. I didn't know where to start. I felt tears flooding my face, and then I collapsed to my knees."We were best friends! Why did you leave me after promising you'd always be by my side?" I shouted, as if he was to blame for everything that had happened."You know, Lucas, I can't go on like this. I'm trying to live with the fact that you're no longer here, but I can't. I can't! I miss the moments we spent together," I sighed again and wiped my tears away."Do you remember when we skipped chemistry classes or when we broke that treehouse at fourteen or when we climbed onto your building's roof and promised we'd always be there for each other? You kind of broke that promise." I chuckled, trying to remember every moment we cherished, as if it were the last time together.I dared to lift my head and look at the sky. Itwas getting dark quickly, and I didn't want to go back home, though, I admit, shivers ran through my body when I thought about still being in a cemetery. I looked at the roses again, the red ones. I didn't think it was his parents; they brought a bouquet of white lilies every week, as I had noticed. And his younger brother never came alone; at least, his parents wouldn't let him. He was only fourteen. From his classmates? I didn't think anyone would bother.I took the roses with trembling hands, looking at the mystery before my eyes. I put them in the inner pocket of my jacket and stood up.At that moment, I felt the ground spin beneath my feet, and everything I saw was blocked by black spots that grew larger and larger.The moon is beautiful tonight.

Short story: Zemblanity

"Be careful not to get cut in the process of collecting the shards from the broken masterpiece you are trying to repair."A quiet autumn day was probably all Taehyung wanted right now. With a hot cup of coffee, admiring the rain that had taken over the city for half an hour, the boy with brown hair and black eyes was content. He couldn't be happier that the weather had ruined his plans for this Saturday with a sad rain. Raindrops flooded the streets, now devoid of any life. You had to be crazy to think of going out in this weather.The pleasant feeling and peace that Taehyung could enjoy thanks to the rain were both suddenly interrupted by spontaneous screams coming from one of the neighboring apartments. The boy startled violently, dropping his coffee cup to the floor. Immediately, the brown carpet and floor were filled with the hot liquid, causing Taehyung to curse. He frowned, trying to figure out where the noise was coming from. Quickly, he reached his door but when he looked through the peephole, all he could see was the door of the neighboring apartment slamming shut. A tall silhouette with blackish-grey hair, as far as he could make out, stormed out of the apartment, descending the stairs with heavy steps. Taehyung was sure this man didn't live in the same building, and the fact that the noise caused by him led to his cup breaking didn't please him at all.The brunette left his apartment hallway to clean up the mess on the kitchen floor. However, the screams he heard earlier continued to haunt his mind and blur his vision. He didn't know the owner of the neighboring apartment, and the sounds that gave him chills and an unpleasant feeling intrigued him greatly. He probably shouldn't get involved.Just as he left the kitchen, Taehyung clearly heard the sound of a glass object shattering against the opposite wall."What the hell is going on there?" the boy murmured to himself, standing still for a few minutes, somehow expecting more sounds. However, he couldn't hear anything else besides the sink and some vague noises he couldn't make out.Part of him told him to check what was happening, but another part kept him firmly in his room, away from any situation that didn't involve him.Without thinking too much, Taehyung stepped into the hallway, looking intently at the door that had slammed shut a few moments ago. He caught his breath, then, with a bit of gathered courage, knocked on the door. He repeated the gesture again when no one opened the black iron door, ready to leave, even though he knew the apartment wasn't empty.Hearing quick footsteps from the other side, Taehyung cleared his throat, feeling his palms sweat. He had no idea, he was probably scared.The door creaked open, revealing a slightly shorter brunette than him, with a slender body hidden under a blue sweater and gray pants. On the boy's face, you could see a small fresh cut, right under his red, tear-filled eyes. Taehyung felt that every part of him wanted to fix the boy's body and glue back every glass shard."Sorry?" the boy asked, having a vague guess about why Taehyung was at his door. The latter gathered his thoughts, trying to coherently formulate his idea."I live in the apartment next door, and I heard some strange noises. I just wanted to make sure everything was okay," Taehyung finally managed to say, still hypnotized by the frail body of the boy in front of him. He pulled the sleeve of his sweater over one of the scratches on his right hand, then shook his head."Everything's fine here. Probably the noise came from another apartment," he finally lied, the fear in his mind choosing the words. Even though they both knew he was lying, they chose to stay silent. Probably some pitiful words were pointless now. The teary eyes of the brunette said enough."I understand. I apologize for the disturbance," Taehyung tried to end the conversation, the boy at the door telling him it was okay, and then they both left.Neither the scratches nor the brunette's lie were enough to convince Taehyung that everything was indeed fine. The next day, he woke up from his short sleep with tired eyes and slightly visible dark circles. He couldn't sleep well. His thoughts carried him to that frail body that had timidly opened the door with trembling hands.His lazy steps carried him to the kitchen, where Taehyung prepared his breakfast. While the water was boiling, the brunette glanced out the window to see the sun making its way through the clouds after yesterday's persistent rain. Along with the rain, his thoughts went back to the noises that had caused his cup to break.After spending the rest of the morning enjoying the fresh air after the rain, accompanied by music blaring in his headphones, Taehyung decided to return home. He had to finish the project for tomorrow, knowing his boss would fire him if he didn't complete it on time after taking the previous day off.With a chime from the bell, the elevator announced the seventh floor, and the doors opened wide. Taehyung stepped out slowly, stopping in front of his door. He glanced at the door next door, sighing. Was everything really okay?Without thinking too much, the brunette knocked on the door again, then pressed the doorbell button, unsure if it actually worked. The door was suddenly opened, almost hitting him. To his surprise, it was no longer the same frail silhouette he longed to see safe. On the contrary, the man in front of him was apparently taller than him, with a piercing gaze and black hair. He bore a vague resemblance to the silhouette he had observed yesterday through the peephole. Did he live here?"Yes?" the man said, visibly annoyed and bothered by Taehyung's presence. The latter began to regret sticking his nose in now."I-I came to check the plumbing in the bathroom. Yes, there was a reported problem with the pipes," Taehyung lied, mentally slapping himself. He had no idea where he wanted to go with this, but he couldn't back out now."Jeongguk, did you call the plumber?" the man asked, pointing to the brunette in front of him, who had no idea what he had gotten into. From the adjacent room, the same boy from yesterday appeared. His hair was disheveled, and his clothes were crumpled, his whole ruined image completed by red eyes and cheeks dried with tears."Y-yes," Jeongguk responded briefly under the intense gaze of the man standing in the doorway, feeling his palms sweat due to the emotions."I was leaving anyway," the man said, grabbing his coat from the hanger near the door and storming past Taehyung, who couldn't understand a thing.Jeongguk quickly moved to the door, pulling the man inside and locking the door behind him. Once sure he was free, he let his body collapse next to the metal door, preventing his tears from falling."Thank you," was all the younger one managed to say amid the exaggerated amounts of air he was inhaling and exhaling. Taehyung just stood still, even more confused. What was happening?"Are you okay?" the brunette knelt beside the younger one's body, apparently worried about the latter's state. He took the trembling hand in his, trying to gently stroke it, but Jeongguk immediately pulled it away."Now, yes," he whispered between sobs.The two of them sat on the cold floor for minutes without saying a word. Taehyung felt the tension suffocating him and just wanted to leave, but at the same time, he couldn't afford to leave Jeongguk so scared."Who was that?" Taehyung vaguely asked, but the younger one understood who he was referring to. Despite this, he just looked away from Taehyung, avoiding answering the question. He didn't want to trust a stranger."Aren't you supposed to leave?" Jeongguk quickly changed the subject of their so-called conversation, and the brunette nodded affirmatively, adjusting his coat. He helped the younger one up and then unlocked the door. He hesitated a bit, looking at Jeongguk. With a quick move, Taehyung ran his hand through the other's hair and smiled warmly."I'll come back," Taehyung announced, winking.And he wasn't lying. He wasn't lying at all. The fact that Jeongguk didn't deny his "self-invitation" to the younger one's apartment allowed Taehyung to make more frequent appearances. In the following days, this became a routine. Jeongguk began to open up to the older one, who always came with pastries or various sweets, trying to lift the mood a bit. However, Taehyung couldn't explain from all Jeongguk told him the noises and the younger one's horrible state."I brought muffins today!" Taehyung exclaimed proudly, displaying a warm smile that made Jeongguk forget the frown he had before the brunette's appearance."I love muffins! I'll go make the tea. I'll wait for you in the kitchen," Jeongguk announced, taking the box of muffins from the older one's hands to allow him to take off his shoes.Taehyung locked the apartment door, as the brunette told him to do every time, and made his way to the kitchen. The black pair of glasses with transparent lenses distracted him for a moment. Taking them in his hands to look at them more closely, Taehyung wondered if Jeongguk needed such glasses, so he took them with him to the kitchen.“Are they yours?” the brown-haired boy asked, placing the glasses on the table, causing Jeongguk to freeze. The latter shook his head, starting to stutter as he tried to explain their presence in his house but failed.“They're h-his,” the boy finally managed to say, taking the glasses from the table and looking at them intently, scared. Although his explanation was quite vague, Taehyung managed to understand whom he was referring to. Nonetheless, he still didn’t know who the man was or what role he played in Jeongguk's life. He had no idea why the boy was so frightened just thinking about him.“Can I know who this guy is? He doesn’t even live here, yet he steps into this building every day,” the older one asked, feeling consumed by questions and worries from all directions.Jeongguk remained silent.“I don’t want to worry you,” the brunette chose to respond with an innocent lie, hiding the dirty truth that burned inside him. However, Taehyung wasn’t swayed by this lie.“I’m already quite worried about the fact that you’re hiding this from me,” the older one sighed, looking at the cup of tea that had just been placed in front of him.“He’s my f-friend. More or less,” the boy replied, even though he knew that confirming the existence of such a relationship between them was another lie, though there was a grain of truth. Or maybe not. He was confused.“You never told me you were in a relationship,” Taehyung murmured, guided by a feeling of disappointment that he couldn’t explain.The younger one sighed, looking at the beautifully glazed muffin in front of him. What could he say? He didn’t even know what was happening in his own life.“You never asked, and besides, I wouldn’t call it a relationship,” Jeongguk replied, the disdain in his voice being very noticeable. He didn’t want to tell Taehyung the whole truth.“What do you mean?” the brown-haired boy asked, trying to clarify his uncertainties with his questions. It seemed like Jeongguk was finally beginning to open up, but what he didn’t know was that behind those gates lay a terrible truth.“He... he just takes advantage of me,” the younger one tried to explain, though the right words wouldn’t leave his mouth. Under Taehyung’s worried and questioning gaze, he started to feel smaller and more helpless, regretting finding the courage to take this conversation so far.“Don’t tell me he did something without your consent.”Taehyung felt his heart beating harder and the blood pulsing strongly through his veins. If his assumption was correct, it would explain everything: the noises, the screams, the broken glasses, and especially the cries.The younger one just lowered his head, avoiding the brown-haired boy’s angry gaze. He felt increasingly intimidated by his presence. Taehyung repeated the question, receiving a hesitant affirmative murmur in response.“You can report this to the police. Why are you just sitting there? How long has this been happening?” Taehyung bombarded the younger one with questions, immediately standing up from the table.“Half a year. I’m afraid to do anything about it. He warned me not to say anything to the police. Please, don’t tell anyone. Please, Taehyung.”Jeongguk let the tears flood his cheeks, collapsing into Taehyung’s arms, who held his fragile body to his chest. He felt suffocated by anger. His heart broke seeing how weak the boy was in front of the world. He didn’t deserve all the pain he was going through, and the fact that he hadn’t told anyone weighed on him even more.“It’ll be okay. I promise,” Taehyung told the boy in his arms, who began to cry even harder. The brown-haired boy clenched his fist when he felt the smaller boy’s fingers tighten on his coat’s fabric. He was determined to keep his promise.And the promise he had made gnawed at him with every step, just like the thought that Jeongguk wasn’t safe in his own home. He tried to come up with the perfect solution for this disaster, but no matter how hard he tried, every solution he found went against what Jeongguk truly wanted.In the following days, the two didn’t talk at all. Taehyung stopped visiting the boy, although his mind and thoughts were always there, and Jeongguk... Jeongguk began to believe that the older boy was disgusted by him. He was worried he might lose the only shoulder he could cry on.It was the last Saturday of October. The leaden clouds suggested possible rain, although it hadn’t been forecast. Enjoying his day off, free from work stress, Taehyung was having his typical morning coffee when a loud knock was heard at his door. Curiosity got the better of him as he wasn’t expecting anyone. Leaving his coffee on the kitchen table, the boy made his way to his apartment door with quick but silent steps. Opening the door, he saw the last person he expected to see.The boy hugged Taehyung tightly, letting his tears flow. Jeongguk’s presence at his door left him with questions because, in all these weeks, he had never visited him. However, he had a small suspicion.“What happened, Ggukie? Are you okay?” Taehyung asked, trying to close the apartment door. The boy in his arms looked him in the eye, swallowing hard.“T-thank you, hyung,” he finally said, taking Taehyung’s hands in his. The older boy chuckled, looking at the boy in front of him.He was head over heels in love.“What are you thanking me for?” the older one asked, having a suspicion about the thanks he was receiving from the boy.“I was called to the station this morning to give a statement. You filed the complaint, didn’t you?” Jeongguk asked, his eyes sparkling. Taehyung nodded affirmatively, with a slow nod and a soft murmur. The younger one hugged him even tighter, the happiness and sense of freedom he felt being indescribable in words.“He had multiple prior offenses, and I’m not his only victim. We won’t see him for a long time,” Jeongguk said, elongating the last word and then smiling. One of those rare smiles that Taehyung had missed the most.“I promised you, Jeongguk. I’ll make sure you keep this smile always. No one will be able to touch your happiness. I swear!”Jeongguk smiled, letting a few more tears of joy escape. He couldn’t lie, he was afraid to love again. He was afraid of being hurt again. But what he could say for sure was that he felt safe around Taehyung, and he didn’t want to hurt him with his worries either. He wanted to thank him enough.“Be careful not to cut yourself while collecting the shards of the broken masterpiece you’re trying to repair.”“The cuts are nothing compared to what I’ll feel when the masterpiece is restored,” Taehyung replied, taking his cheeks in his hands.Hesitating a bit, Taehyung pressed his lips to the brunette’s, letting their passionate kiss speak for them.All they needed now was each other.