Embrace The Chords & Strings | ZEROBASEONE

The downpour of rain did not soothe the burn on his skin from the flesh that almost broke the pieces of his cheek. Instead, it reminded him of the heat, the flames breaking the vow of protection between child and parent. He screamed his heart out, the neighbors opening lights but never bothering to open a door. Yoon-joon didn't expect any more from them, they had seen him in cigarette burns and finger-stained glass skin for three years. But never did they bother to soothe him and claim these imperfections made by human hands are not his fault.

Noise from him, one contained in the basement floor, broke out and scrapped his throat. But it was okay, the burn from his emotions was better than the consequences of his former parents'. And he knew one person who'd understand this, someone who'll take him in and not ask for a sob story in exchange for a roof. It only passed two rings before the caller answers, and he already feels better, a priority of some sort.

"Leon hyung, can I take in that housing offer in the company?"

He was sixteen and he finally found a home. A place wherein his body somehow mattered, where his words were heard, and where his heart could feel. Labyrinth Hub gave him the space to recover the sixteen years of inflicted hurt.

The redness of anger faded from his cheek soon enough, proper care of others made the scar invisible. But sometimes when he stares at the reflection of his face, the lines blur at hallucinating and exhausted evenings and the mark appears again. Usually, it's only for a second or two, but it fuels the survivor in him. A survivor that never sleeps until an empire is his, only then will he feel that he is safe.

»--•--«

South Korea is the origin of June.

The countries in the West welcomed him and gave him space to use their language as a means to let his name sing along their charts. They knew his name far more than his origin did. But the whispering winds of home, with the industries calling for perfection and model-like images, it's still his own. In these lands, he is shaken by the expected standards and conservative mindsets. But somehow, he's valued as a Korean here and not just another face of diversity.

With his name relatively quiet, he passed by the airport with no such traffic. The guitar in his hand that sang out of the blue didn't attract any attention, unneeded attention. But it pulled him closer to the brother who claimed him in the streets. A man who had fans chasing after him in a respectable distance, but nonetheless walked towards his way. "June!" An idol with a reputation who was not afraid to declare their companionship.

Behind the Stray Kids member, there were Labyrinth Hub security and staff — all welcoming him with genuine eyes. And even in the business of a forming crowd, many questions were uttered about who he is, but he still felt safe as they directed him to the car. The comfort of sitting on the same seats that brought him to studios before, his seatmates being idols' clothes, made his back rest easy. The pressure he had not known from coming back after a year knocked down as the doors closed and Leon was seated in front of him. The older boy asked so many questions, all he answered eagerly.

The fans he was slowly forming.

His first interview in a podcast as a breakthrough Asian artist.

And how he always mentioned the company in the name of gratitude.

The language exchanged between them was slanted in different vowels and changed from Korean to English in different instances. But they understood each other far better than others did. And so when Leon paused, he knew that news would be given to him. Company matters. It was painted with deliberation by the way the older boy tilted his head while his eyes surveyed the buildings they passed.

"You got in the upcoming Mnet survival show. We got the news of your acceptance to the show during your second to the last performance back in New York."

Survival shows were cruel. Leon knew that far better than anyone. There were emotions strung in like puppets and drama created from the still air and turned into winds with heavy droplets. But June grew up in toxic households, and he had recovered despite the graveness and length of the weight on his back. He held on to each scar and each setback because a dream was before him. And all he wanted to do was be in every stage possible and embrace music in its rawest form, with fans shouting lyrics and him soaking in moments of euphoria.

So his response didn't come off as a shock, "then I'll prepare to represent our company in the best way possible then." Because after so many years of living in acceptance of hurt, the first chance of hearing words beyond pain told him to embrace the chords and strings.