Pandora's Box - Tumblr Posts

warning: brigth colors, blood

not to loud ,not to quiet.

don't be proud, don't be shy, its rude to stare.

or do i dare?

keep it bold, don't be timid.

Not to slow, make it Quick

its so unfair....

i Almost There..

song: R.I.P - It Should’ve Been Me ft. SOLARIA

freaking love this song idk why

i keep listening it if i feel....

...

something hehe lol

i made it cause why not idk what to post

so anyway

Xiangliu and the Allegory of the Cave

Can we talk about how the Nine Headed Demon’s story is a direct use of Plato’s Allegory of the Cave!? Like aaaaughhh. I believe the show references this but not in the English version.

The Allegory of the Cave goes as follows (obviously simplified for time): Several prisoners are chained in a cave, facing the shadows and away from the sun. They think the shadows are all that exist. One of them gets away and sees the sun. He returns to the cave to free the others, but they kill him.

Like, I think it’s SO COOL to use the allegory of the cave as a backstory for a villain.

Xiang Liu is such a fascinating character, and my favorite villain so far.

(oh also, yes, his story is also very Pandora’s box. I love mythology aaaahhgh)

is there hope?

there is the most profound and definite hope

2024

DO IT SCARED

FUCK IT WE BALL

REMEMBER THAT PEOPLE CARE ABOUT YOU

MAKE THE CHOICE TO END HARMFUL PATTERNS

LOVE WITH YOUR WHOLE HEART

"mortifying ordeal of being known" shut up let's talk about the miraculous kindness of being remembered

i am a being capable of immeasurable love and whimsy

Art appreciation...

Pandora by John William Waterhouse (1896)

Hobi, You Slay...

I can’t describe how much I’m touched by J-hope’s performance at the Lollapalooza. I don’t know why, but I have been too emotional lately. I never wanted to see anyone perform live, SO BAD, in my entire life. I had, long ago, accepted the fact that there is no chance of a concert in my country of the people I truly love and admire. But seeing J-Hope performing his best songs, in front of so many Armys, made me really sad. Even though I may never have a chance to see him perform live, I still wish him luck. J-Hope really deserves all the praises and love he is getting and MORE. Hobi, Borahae...

day 11: Pandora

THE ORIGINAL SILLY

she’s so funny to me like. yeah tragedy exists cause this one gal was like “what if i open up the Fucked Up Jar of Evil” /j

she kinda looks like a cat

this was somewhat on intention

ok uh what to say about her design. made it pink cause pink seems like a curious color. barbiecore thousands of years before Barbie was ever made

don’t have many other thoughts

Mythtober🤺

Why are Namjoon and Hoseok as kids so adorable?? Like, they seem so adorable in this first chapter and I just wanna give them a hug and squish their cheeks > - <. Poor Hobi, I feel bad for him and I wonder who the bad guys are.

Ah, I'm ready to read more!

Pandora’s box | Masterlist

Plot: For your 18th birthday, you receive a magical key that unlocks the Pandora’s door, but when you open the door and unleash a dark chakra into the world, you realize you need to save your kingdom before it’s swallowed in darkness.

Summary: Seven year old Namjoon lives a pretty normal life until he meets a strange boy at the playground, whose mysterious vibes intrige him.

Warnings: Themes of child abuse and neglect, unexplained deaths and illnesses, Namjoon and Hoseok are kids

Admin note: rewritten from/based on this shorts.

Word count: 4400ish

“Oh, Joonie, already?” The woman scolded, her son standing in front of her with his hands behind his back, staring at the broken toy that laid between the two of them.

“I’m sorry, mommy.” The young boy’s eyes pooled with tears as he looked down at the pavement, ashamed by the fact that he had already demolished his birthday present.

“You just had it for two weeks…” The woman sighed as she crouched down in front of the scooter and took a look at her son's legs. There were several small cuts on both knees, some scratches on his shins and a few bruises here and there, but nothing that would keep him out of school.

“It just snapped when I was riding it, mommy.” He shrugged it off. “I didn’t do it on purpose.”

She knew Namjoon was quite clumsy sometimes, and despite all the injuries he had sustained, he never seemed to learn to be a tad more careful when he was running about. Not even after that time he broke his arm last year because he tripped over a stone he was playing with outside of the house.

She reached out and lightly touched one of his knee wounds. It didn't seem to be too deep. Then she looked up at his face. His cheeks were flushed red and his eyes wide open.

“Joonie... are you feeling okay? You don't have any cuts on your hands, do you?"

At her question, the boy looked at his palms and then shook his head. "No."

"Are you sure?"

He nodded.

“Well, let’s see if daddy can fix your scooter, and if you’re lucky, you can ride your scooter again tomorrow. Okay?"

His smile showed how pleased he was with that idea. She could tell the toy meant a lot to him.

“Okay! Thank you, mommy!" The young boy piped up as he followed his mother, one hand holding onto her son’s, while she carried the step scooter in her other hand.

“You're welcome, sweetie.” His mother smiled as they entered the front yard, she slipped her hand away from Namjoon’s before she searched for the house key in her pocket.

Now go wash yourself off in the bathroom, you have been playing outside all day. I'll prepare dinner while you do that.”

As soon as Namjoon came downstairs, the young boy rushed into the kitchen and jumped onto one of the stools next to the counter where his mother was preparing dinner. She smiled as she saw him and gave him a kiss on the forehead before turning back to her cooking.

“Mommy?” Namjoon called.

“Mhm? What is it?" She answered as she took the cutting board out of the drawer.

“Can I help? Please?” He requested.

She paused and turned to look at him. He was staring at her intently, his big brown eyes shining with excitement. She couldn't say no to those eyes.

“Of course you can, sweetie. Let me finish up these vegetables first. And then we can start making dinner. Can you grab the meat from the fridge and the soy sauce?"

"Okay!" he cheered happily as he hopped off his stool and went to fetch some more ingredients from the fridge.

A moment later, they were both busy peeling carrots, potatoes and onions, chopping them up and adding spices to the stew pot that was already bubbling away. Namjoon was having a great time helping his mom and talking about everything that happened during his day.

"Did you have Mrs. Im today?"

"Yes," he said with a giggle. "She told me how much she loves my drawings and that I should be an artist one day."

"That's wonderful! Did you ask her if she wanted to come over sometime and play with us?” Namjoon’s mother asked as she cleared the counter to make more space for them to work on.

“We've been wanting to invite her to our house ever since we found out she lives right across the street." She added, adjusting the heat on the stove.

"Yeah, she wants to come over, mommy. But she doesn't know our address yet."

"Oh, that's true. Well, maybe you should write it down so she can find us easily."

"Okay. I'll draw another picture of you and me playing outside together and give it to her." Namjoon grinned as he washed the lettuce in the bowl.

His mother paused at his words, glancing at him with affectionate eyes. Namjoon was such a well behaved child, so gentle, and mature. "You will do that? That sounds like a really good idea. She'll probably come over soon now!” She encouraged her son.

"She will!" He replied with more certainty than she expected.

They continued working in silence for a little bit as Namjoon thought about what else he could draw on the drawing for Mrs Im. While he was doing this, he kept telling his mom all about his day.

"And then I played with Lisa and Johnny until lunchtime, and then Mrs Im read us a new book called 'The Little Mermaid', and it was super fun!"

Mrs Im was his favorite teacher. He loved the way she taught him things he needed to know, and how she always made sure that everyone was included in the activities she organized.

"What else did you do today, Joonie?"

"I sang songs with Sana and Jeno and had fun until it was time for a nap, and then Ms. Laura put us in our beds and I fell asleep very fast. And when I woke up..."

"You had a snack?"

He nodded excitedly. "Yeah, I had some fruit and a cookie.”

“That sounds like a fun day,” His mother chuckled.

“It was! But then I was sad because I missed you, mommy."

He stared at her with big, hopeful eyes. "Will you come visit me in school tomorrow? Please?”

She sighed. He was so sweet and sincere. She knew he genuinely missed her whenever she wasn't around, but it was part of growing up and loving someone was also about letting them go.

"Maybe we can plan something special for this weekend instead?” She offered an alternative.

Like his mother had promised, they went to the neighborhood playground, and while his mother was on a nearby bench reading a book, Joonie ran around the park by himself, enjoying the fresh air and the warm sunshine. It was such a beautiful day – perfect for being outdoors.

When he finally got tired of running around, he laid on the grass and looked up at the sky. The clouds were blue today, and he thought about how lucky he was to have seen so many different kinds of clouds lately.

Namjoon loved looking up at the sky, especially after his mom told him about all the interesting things he could learn from it. Clouds were one of his favorites. Most of them didn't change shapes or colors, but some of them did. When they did, he liked to look closely and try to figure out what shape each cloud reminded him of.

Right now, the clouds above him looked like fluffy cotton balls floating in the air.

Then, his thoughts were interrupted by the sound of his mother’s ringtone. Namjoon turned towards the direction of the sound, eyeing his mother as she picked up the phone. She listened to the caller's voice, then put her phone back in her bag and stood up.

"We need to go home," she said, walking towards him.

"Why?" Namjoon asked as he sat up.

She stopped next to him and kneeled down, trying to keep her voice low so no one would overhear them. "One of your cousins is very sick."

"What happened?"

"I'm not sure yet, but it might be bad."

"Are they going to die…?” The boy asked with a worried frown.

She gasped. "No, of course not! Let’s stay positive, Joonie.”

"Mommy, are they okay?" Namjoon asked once again.

"I'm sorry, honey. Let's go." She apologized as she held out her hand.

They walked back in silence and Joonie tried to stay positive. He wanted to believe that his cousin was going to be alright. But deep down inside, he was afraid.

They arrived home, and the young boy went to play in his room while his mother and aunt remained in the living room. His aunt sat at the dining table, looking exhausted as she spoke to her sister.

“Thank you.” The other woman forced a polite smile on her face as she took the drink from Namjoon’s mother. “Thanks for having us.”

“You don’t need to thank me.” Namjoon’s mother shut her down, shaking her head. How could she not have her own sister? Plus, Namjoon was excited about having some kids over to play with.

“You should stay positive. I am sure the doctors will try their b–”

“It was one of them.” Her sister interrupted.

The tension in the room thickened as the woman mentioned those words.

“No, that can’t be true. Did you see it? Please say it ain't so!” Namjoon’s mother pleaded, before she kept her voice down, not wanting to alarm the children playing upstairs.

“No, my youngest saw it and thought it was a stuffed animal. She ran right up to it, and touched it. I already checked with the doctor and she’s completely fine.”

“I am so sorry…” Namjoon’s mother held onto her hand. “I know that won’t help now, but just know that the king will soon get rid of those monsters, and then we never have to worry again.”

“You are right...”

The next day, Namjoon’s cousin had passed away, but the boy was sheltered from the grief of his family, as he stayed with his grandmother while his mother supported his aunt.

The days went by, and Namjoon was hanging out on the playground, this time without his mother’s watchful eyes, as she was having tea at one of the neighbors.

As the playground was deserted today, Namjoon was playing by himself; kicking the ball back and forth against the wall. But one certain kick bounced the ball a tad too far away, it happened so fast that he couldn’t even see where the ball managed to land; he only saw the direction it bounced off to.

He ran as fast as his small legs would take him, not wanting to anger his mother for losing a ball this time next to the scooter he had demolished a week ago.

“Found you!” Namjoon cheered as he saw the ball right next to a tree.

Namjoon lowered himself to the grass before he picked up the ball, then paused at the shadow that loomed over him, and he looked up to see another kid.

“A-ah!” Namjoon gasped as he fell back, falling on his bottom. “You scared me!”

The strange kid didn’t speak as he rubbed his forehead with a slight frown on his face before he pulled his hand away, revealing the reddened mark that was imprinted on his skin.

“Oh no!” Namjoon got back up on his feet, realizing what had happened. “Are you hurt?”

The kid he had never seen before didn’t respond to his concern and instead stared at him intently. His eyes were dark, almost black, and they seemed to bore right through him.

“You...” Namjoon whispered. He couldn’t understand why this kid was staring at him in such a cold way. “…You want to play too?” He asked as he picked up the ball, and held it out to the boy.

The kid took the ball without saying a word, but he kept staring at Namjoon with that same expressionless look on his face. He seemed to be sizing him up, as if he was trying to decide whether or not he should trust Namjoon.

“Okay, let’s start with a simple game.” Joonie smiled as he faced the boy. ”Throw it to me and then I throw it to you!”

The young boy understood the instructions and he tossed the ball his way, then catching it before repeating the same process.

Joonie was having fun, but he felt something was off. There was something strange about the little boy who kept staring at him, and he couldn't quite tell what it was.

He was quiet, and Joonie found that really peculiar. Usually, children always had lots of things to say: questions, comments, or sometimes even complaints about the games they played. But the little boy he was playing with today just wouldn't talk. Not once.

Joonie looked at the other kid. He seemed to be studying him, as if he was trying to find something about him that was different. Namjoon wondered what it could be, and he felt like the boy was looking for a reason to dislike him.

But Joonie didn't care. He smiled at the boy anyway, hoping that it would make him feel better.

After their game of back and forth, it was time for Namjoon to go home. As he walked past the boy, he stopped and glanced back at him. The boy was still standing there, watching him as Joonie walked away.

"Bye bye," Joonie waved to him, “See you next time!”

“Grandma!” Namjoon hurried to the living room where his grandmother was sitting by the window. She was a sweet old lady who loved to spend her days reading books and baking cookies.

“Hello, honey. How was school today?”

“Not bad, Grandma. What have you been doing today?”

“Reading some books and knitting sweaters for your mom and dad. Don't worry, they won't be finished until Christmas.” Her words were lighthearted and cheerful as she ruffled Namjoon's hair, making him smile.

“Darling, I will be waiting in the car!” His father shouted at the staircase, and, after hearing the acknowledging hum from his wife, he made his way outside.

A few minutes later his mother came down the stairs, heading to the living room as she put in her earrings. “Mom, I cooked dinner, so please help yourself. Namjoon goes to bed at eight, please don’t let him watch too much tv tonight.” She said as she turned around.

“Sure. See you later, dear. Have a great time.” His grandmother replied.

“Bye mommy.” Namjoon hugged his mother.

“Bye, sweetheart. Listen to grandma, okay?” His mother patted his back as she gave him a peck on the cheek.

“Yes, mommy, I will.” Namjoon grinned, happy to know that his parents were going on a date. They hardly ever went out together, and seeing them all dressed up made Namjoon excited.

After his parents had left, Namjoon went to sit next to his grandmother, peeking at the sweater she was making.

“Grandma… will you make me one too?” He asked, curious, as he leaned closer to look at the soft fabric.

“What are you talking about, honey? Of course I will!” She smiled, happily.

Namjoon started to fantasize about what his own special sweater would look like as he watched the older woman knit the sweater; she had been knitting since he was very young, or well, younger than he was now.

Soon, after dinner, it was time for bed. "Good night, sweetheart." His grandmother kissed Namjoon on the forehead, before she left the room.

"Night, Grandma.”

It must’ve been about two hours after the boy was brought to bed, that his parents returned home from their date. After a brief chat with his grandmother, the parents bid her farewell, and after his mother came to check in on him and plant a careful kiss on their son’s face, she also headed to sleep.

“Come on, baby, time to wake up.” His mother urged as she pulled open the curtains to let the sun shine into the room. Yet, there was no movement coming from her little boy.

“Gosh, Joonie, did you stay up late?” His mother chuckled when the young boy remained motionless despite the alarm blaring right next to him for a good 15 minutes. “Come on.” The mother tapped her feet as she waited for any movement or attempts to wake up from the boy.

“Joonie! It's time to get out of bed.” The mother was starting to become impatient. “ It’s time to get ready for school.” She shook him gently, but there was still no reaction from the kid.

“Hey, Joonie! Wake up! Come on, let's go!” She tried harder this time, shaking his shoulder. Still nothing.

It was then that she felt how hot to the touch he was, and how his cheeks flustered an alarming red.

“Joonie?” She ripped the sheets off him, revealing the soaked pajamas clinging onto his skin.

“Joonie!” She called again, now pressing her hand against his forehead and immediately pulling away when she felt how boiling hot the boy was. “Joonie, sweetie, can you hear me?” His mother was starting to panic as she took her son's face in her hands, searching for any signs of life, but there was none.

Not even a pulse.

At that, the mother started to scream in terror. A loud shriek that seemed like it could break through the walls, and fill every single room in the house.

Her husband rushed into the bedroom, fully dressed, to find his wife screaming hysterically. Namjoon’s father placed his arm around her shoulders as he tried calming her down.

“Honey what’s—“

“Hurry, we need an ambulance, it’s Namjoon, he’s not breathing!” She screamed. “Dear God!” The mother was praying hard. Harder than she had ever prayed before.

The upside of not facing the reality of being an adult is that people actually cared when you were unwell. While Namjoon was recovering from the sudden fever, he was showered with attention and gifts. Family members from all over the town came to pay him a visit, and the people who didn’t manage to visit him sent him fun and colorful get well cards.

The days after, Namjoon was spoiled – even more than on his birthday! His parents took him and his friends to a theme park, he was allowed to have more sweets than usual, and they let him buy whatever their lovely son picked at the toy store.

The doctors never quite figured out why the young boy had a sudden spike in temperature or even why he miraculously recovered the next day, but they soon shrugged it off and discharged the boy when he showed no further signs of illness.

His parents kept the boy at home for a full week, before he was allowed to go back to school and to the playground he had loved so much. There he even met the strange boy that seemed to linger far from the playground as he watched everyone with healthy curiosity yet with skepticism.

Despite the other children and the adults ignoring the boy’s presence, Namjoon never was afraid to greet the boy and include him in any of his games, and slowly, but surely, the young boy warmed up to the boy who worked hard on gaining his trust.

He even told Namjoon his name.

On one Saturday afternoon, Namjoon brought Hoseok to his grandmother.

“Grandma, this is my friend, Hoseok.” Namjoon introduced the timid young boy to his grandmother as he entered her home, kicking his shoes off as he did.

“Hoseok? Hello, Hoseok—“ The crochet needle dropped out of grandmother’s hands as she noticed the grim appearance of the young child. “Oh, eh, hello.” She greeted with teary eyes; the child looked underfed; his clothing barely hanging onto his slim body, darkened circles, and his bangs falling over his eyes. It didn't take long to realize that the boy was malnourished and abandoned by whoever his parents were.

“Can we play in the backyard?” Namjoon asked, missing the concerned gaze of his grandmother.

“Of course, go ahead. Would you like some juice?” Namjoon's grandmother offered, trying to make the boy feel welcome.

Hoseok nodded, nearing closer to Namjoon as his eyes shifted up and down the older woman, not sure what to make out of her just yet.

“Me too, please.” Namjoon grinned.

His grandmother nodded, heading into the kitchen to prepare two glasses of orange juice.

As the boys sat in the backyard, enjoying their juice and snacks, Namjoon couldn't help but notice how quiet Hoseok was. He barely spoke, nor made any sounds, so he simply waited for him to speak.

“Hoseok, do you not like talking to people?” Namjoon questioned, having noticed the silent boy staring at him intensely.

“No, I don’t like people because they only want to hurt me, and they always do.” Hoseok replied, sadly, as he glanced at the pond nearby; Namjoon’s grandmother had two stunning Koi fishes that she took great care of.

Namjoon looked at him confused. How could someone be that cruel to another person? What kind of evil monster would hurt a little boy like that? He was far too naive to understand.

“Why did they hurt you?” Namjoon asked, genuinely confused.

“Because I am different.” Hoseok answered, matter-of-factly.

“What does that mean? Why are you different?” Namjoon asked, feeling slightly worried.

“I have a defect.” Hoseok explained, staring straight into Namjoon's eyes.

“A...defect? Like a disease or something?” Namjoon gasped.

“Yes.” Hoseok whispered, looking away.

Namjoon sat back in surprise. Defect? Disease? Could it really be that bad? He hadn't noticed anything wrong with the boy.

“You look normal. Just like me.” No matter how much he looked at Hoseok, he found no fault in him. There was nothing different about him.

“Sometimes I wish I was just like everyone else.”

“Well, my mommy says that we are all unique. If you were like everyone else, you wouldn’t be Hoseok, and being yourself is always the best thing you could be.” Namjoon smiled, trying to cheer the boy up.

“Joonie.” His grandmother appeared. “It’s getting late, do you want to have dinner here? I will let your mom know.”

“Yes, please. Thank you.” Namjoon said, standing up from the porch.

“Alright then, come on, Hoseok.” Namjoon grabbed the boy by the hand and began walking towards the porch door.

While his grandmother prepared the dinner, Namjoon and Hoseok sat at the dining table, both with a white sheet of paper in front of them and their little hands full of crayons.

Namjoon was completely focused on his drawing, only glancing over at Hoseok after he was halfway through. “What is that? That looks funny.” Namjoon snickered at Hoseok’s drawing.

“Mang.” Hoseok responded, still focusing on his picture.

“Mang?” Namjoon tilted his head.

“Mang.” Hoseok repeated.

“Is that an animal?” Namjoon asked, pointing at the drawing with a confused expression on his face.

“No, Mang is my friend.” Hoseok replied, now starting to color the page.

“Your...friend? You call this guy Mang?” Namjoon was intrigued by this strange figure.

“Yes, Mang is his name. He lives with me and he protects me from the bad guys.” Hoseok explained, as though it was obvious.

“The bad guys? Are there people who want to hurt you? What bad guys?” Namjoon tried to understand what Hoseok meant.

“Yes.” Hoseok replied, his voice getting sad.

“Did you tell your mommy?” Namjoon asked. “When people are mean to me, I can always tell mommy.”

Before Hoseok could answer, Namjoon’s grandmother announced that dinner would be ready in ten minutes and that they should clear the table.

At the sight of food, Hoseok didn’t know where to look. The table was filled with a variety of side dishes, meat, fish, pasta, vegetables, rice, bread, and salad.

While his new friend and his grandmother started on their food, the boy reached out to the food that was nearby, and he scoffed it down like it was going to disappear.

Not even the butter was safe.

Hoseok kept eating, even when his stomach started to hurt from the mountain of food he was forcing into his body. However, his appetite was never sated.

At the sight of the child eating like there was no tomorrow, the grandmother felt herself tear up. How could anyone do this to a child? She couldn't help but feel sorry for the boy, even though she shouldn’t, like everyone else had told her.

“I forgot something in the kitchen, I will be right back, boys.” Then, she got up as quickly as possible before she retreated, shutting herself in the laundry room before she allowed a couple of tears to fall down her face.

“Bye, grandma!” Namjoon wrapped his arms around the woman’s legs. “See you next time.”

“Goodbye, baby.” She hugged him tight. “I will miss you.” She kissed his forehead, before she waved the boys off.

Hoseok toddled right after Namjoon, but then stopped. Namjoon looked back at his friend and then nodded at his words. The woman was surprised to see Hoseok spin around and hurry back to the woman.

“Did you forget something?” The woman asked.

“No, I want to say goodbye.” Hoseok said, before proceeding to hug the woman.

She felt overwhelmed with the affection that he showed her, and she bent down to give him a hug in return.

“Bye, grandma.” Hoseok repeated as he stepped back.

“Bye, Hobi.” The woman’s eyes lingered on the boy, before she stepped forward. “Wait.”

Hoseok turned back at her.

“If you are ever hungry, please come eat at my house. I have plenty of food, and you don’t need to go hungry.” She smiled at Hoseok.

“Okay.” Hoseok nodded.

“And if you ever get lost, you should look for the house with the red door.” The woman pointed at the door that she was standing in front of. “It’s the only red house in this neighborhood.”

“Okay.” Hoseok nodded again.

“That reminds me… I want to give you something. It’s for Mang.”

“For Mang.” Hoseok repeated after her.

“Here.” The woman held out two apples. “One for you, and one for Mang.”

“Those are his favorites.” He took the fruits and looked down at them, already imagining the reaction of his friend.

“Hobi…” The woman’s tone of voice suddenly sounded serious. “You have to be careful, the bad guys may find you.”

“I know. They won't get me.” Hoseok assured.

The woman nodded, and then she gave Hoseok one last hug.

Hoseok returned the gesture with a smile on his face, before he went back to his friend's side and took Namjoon's hand and followed him.

Tag List

Perm; @mawwnsterr @silversparkles11 @minshookie29 @ynaught @pinkcherrybombs @oppa-agust-d @bunnyrhe @btsiguess-kpop @b0fi @softiegukk @stonyoongi @douknowbts @themochiverse @yuikitty @kagami-s-void @darkuni63 @mageprincess7 @potterbrooke @nininek12 @salobsarai @astaeriods @kisskissjk @jeonsorchid @itsmebitch7 @kakaotaek @kooliv @mintsugarmy @pantaral81 @miloandbunnies

Temp; @billy-jeans23 @ratherbefangirling

Why are Namjoon and Hoseok as kids so adorable?? Like, they seem so adorable in this first chapter and I just wanna give them a hug and squish their cheeks > - <. Poor Hobi, I feel bad for him and I wonder who the bad guys are.

Ah, I'm ready to read more!

Pandora’s box | Masterlist

Plot: For your 18th birthday, you receive a magical key that unlocks the Pandora’s door, but when you open the door and unleash a dark chakra into the world, you realize you need to save your kingdom before it’s swallowed in darkness.

Summary: Seven year old Namjoon lives a pretty normal life until he meets a strange boy at the playground, whose mysterious vibes intrige him.

Warnings: Themes of child abuse and neglect, unexplained deaths and illnesses, Namjoon and Hoseok are kids

Admin note: rewritten from/based on this shorts.

Word count: 4400ish

“Oh, Joonie, already?” The woman scolded, her son standing in front of her with his hands behind his back, staring at the broken toy that laid between the two of them.

“I’m sorry, mommy.” The young boy’s eyes pooled with tears as he looked down at the pavement, ashamed by the fact that he had already demolished his birthday present.

“You just had it for two weeks…” The woman sighed as she crouched down in front of the scooter and took a look at her son's legs. There were several small cuts on both knees, some scratches on his shins and a few bruises here and there, but nothing that would keep him out of school.

“It just snapped when I was riding it, mommy.” He shrugged it off. “I didn’t do it on purpose.”

She knew Namjoon was quite clumsy sometimes, and despite all the injuries he had sustained, he never seemed to learn to be a tad more careful when he was running about. Not even after that time he broke his arm last year because he tripped over a stone he was playing with outside of the house.

She reached out and lightly touched one of his knee wounds. It didn't seem to be too deep. Then she looked up at his face. His cheeks were flushed red and his eyes wide open.

“Joonie... are you feeling okay? You don't have any cuts on your hands, do you?"

At her question, the boy looked at his palms and then shook his head. "No."

"Are you sure?"

He nodded.

“Well, let’s see if daddy can fix your scooter, and if you’re lucky, you can ride your scooter again tomorrow. Okay?"

His smile showed how pleased he was with that idea. She could tell the toy meant a lot to him.

“Okay! Thank you, mommy!" The young boy piped up as he followed his mother, one hand holding onto her son’s, while she carried the step scooter in her other hand.

“You're welcome, sweetie.” His mother smiled as they entered the front yard, she slipped her hand away from Namjoon’s before she searched for the house key in her pocket.

Now go wash yourself off in the bathroom, you have been playing outside all day. I'll prepare dinner while you do that.”

As soon as Namjoon came downstairs, the young boy rushed into the kitchen and jumped onto one of the stools next to the counter where his mother was preparing dinner. She smiled as she saw him and gave him a kiss on the forehead before turning back to her cooking.

“Mommy?” Namjoon called.

“Mhm? What is it?" She answered as she took the cutting board out of the drawer.

“Can I help? Please?” He requested.

She paused and turned to look at him. He was staring at her intently, his big brown eyes shining with excitement. She couldn't say no to those eyes.

“Of course you can, sweetie. Let me finish up these vegetables first. And then we can start making dinner. Can you grab the meat from the fridge and the soy sauce?"

"Okay!" he cheered happily as he hopped off his stool and went to fetch some more ingredients from the fridge.

A moment later, they were both busy peeling carrots, potatoes and onions, chopping them up and adding spices to the stew pot that was already bubbling away. Namjoon was having a great time helping his mom and talking about everything that happened during his day.

"Did you have Mrs. Im today?"

"Yes," he said with a giggle. "She told me how much she loves my drawings and that I should be an artist one day."

"That's wonderful! Did you ask her if she wanted to come over sometime and play with us?” Namjoon’s mother asked as she cleared the counter to make more space for them to work on.

“We've been wanting to invite her to our house ever since we found out she lives right across the street." She added, adjusting the heat on the stove.

"Yeah, she wants to come over, mommy. But she doesn't know our address yet."

"Oh, that's true. Well, maybe you should write it down so she can find us easily."

"Okay. I'll draw another picture of you and me playing outside together and give it to her." Namjoon grinned as he washed the lettuce in the bowl.

His mother paused at his words, glancing at him with affectionate eyes. Namjoon was such a well behaved child, so gentle, and mature. "You will do that? That sounds like a really good idea. She'll probably come over soon now!” She encouraged her son.

"She will!" He replied with more certainty than she expected.

They continued working in silence for a little bit as Namjoon thought about what else he could draw on the drawing for Mrs Im. While he was doing this, he kept telling his mom all about his day.

"And then I played with Lisa and Johnny until lunchtime, and then Mrs Im read us a new book called 'The Little Mermaid', and it was super fun!"

Mrs Im was his favorite teacher. He loved the way she taught him things he needed to know, and how she always made sure that everyone was included in the activities she organized.

"What else did you do today, Joonie?"

"I sang songs with Sana and Jeno and had fun until it was time for a nap, and then Ms. Laura put us in our beds and I fell asleep very fast. And when I woke up..."

"You had a snack?"

He nodded excitedly. "Yeah, I had some fruit and a cookie.”

“That sounds like a fun day,” His mother chuckled.

“It was! But then I was sad because I missed you, mommy."

He stared at her with big, hopeful eyes. "Will you come visit me in school tomorrow? Please?”

She sighed. He was so sweet and sincere. She knew he genuinely missed her whenever she wasn't around, but it was part of growing up and loving someone was also about letting them go.

"Maybe we can plan something special for this weekend instead?” She offered an alternative.

Like his mother had promised, they went to the neighborhood playground, and while his mother was on a nearby bench reading a book, Joonie ran around the park by himself, enjoying the fresh air and the warm sunshine. It was such a beautiful day – perfect for being outdoors.

When he finally got tired of running around, he laid on the grass and looked up at the sky. The clouds were blue today, and he thought about how lucky he was to have seen so many different kinds of clouds lately.

Namjoon loved looking up at the sky, especially after his mom told him about all the interesting things he could learn from it. Clouds were one of his favorites. Most of them didn't change shapes or colors, but some of them did. When they did, he liked to look closely and try to figure out what shape each cloud reminded him of.

Right now, the clouds above him looked like fluffy cotton balls floating in the air.

Then, his thoughts were interrupted by the sound of his mother’s ringtone. Namjoon turned towards the direction of the sound, eyeing his mother as she picked up the phone. She listened to the caller's voice, then put her phone back in her bag and stood up.

"We need to go home," she said, walking towards him.

"Why?" Namjoon asked as he sat up.

She stopped next to him and kneeled down, trying to keep her voice low so no one would overhear them. "One of your cousins is very sick."

"What happened?"

"I'm not sure yet, but it might be bad."

"Are they going to die…?” The boy asked with a worried frown.

She gasped. "No, of course not! Let’s stay positive, Joonie.”

"Mommy, are they okay?" Namjoon asked once again.

"I'm sorry, honey. Let's go." She apologized as she held out her hand.

They walked back in silence and Joonie tried to stay positive. He wanted to believe that his cousin was going to be alright. But deep down inside, he was afraid.

They arrived home, and the young boy went to play in his room while his mother and aunt remained in the living room. His aunt sat at the dining table, looking exhausted as she spoke to her sister.

“Thank you.” The other woman forced a polite smile on her face as she took the drink from Namjoon’s mother. “Thanks for having us.”

“You don’t need to thank me.” Namjoon’s mother shut her down, shaking her head. How could she not have her own sister? Plus, Namjoon was excited about having some kids over to play with.

“You should stay positive. I am sure the doctors will try their b–”

“It was one of them.” Her sister interrupted.

The tension in the room thickened as the woman mentioned those words.

“No, that can’t be true. Did you see it? Please say it ain't so!” Namjoon’s mother pleaded, before she kept her voice down, not wanting to alarm the children playing upstairs.

“No, my youngest saw it and thought it was a stuffed animal. She ran right up to it, and touched it. I already checked with the doctor and she’s completely fine.”

“I am so sorry…” Namjoon’s mother held onto her hand. “I know that won’t help now, but just know that the king will soon get rid of those monsters, and then we never have to worry again.”

“You are right...”

The next day, Namjoon’s cousin had passed away, but the boy was sheltered from the grief of his family, as he stayed with his grandmother while his mother supported his aunt.

The days went by, and Namjoon was hanging out on the playground, this time without his mother’s watchful eyes, as she was having tea at one of the neighbors.

As the playground was deserted today, Namjoon was playing by himself; kicking the ball back and forth against the wall. But one certain kick bounced the ball a tad too far away, it happened so fast that he couldn’t even see where the ball managed to land; he only saw the direction it bounced off to.

He ran as fast as his small legs would take him, not wanting to anger his mother for losing a ball this time next to the scooter he had demolished a week ago.

“Found you!” Namjoon cheered as he saw the ball right next to a tree.

Namjoon lowered himself to the grass before he picked up the ball, then paused at the shadow that loomed over him, and he looked up to see another kid.

“A-ah!” Namjoon gasped as he fell back, falling on his bottom. “You scared me!”

The strange kid didn’t speak as he rubbed his forehead with a slight frown on his face before he pulled his hand away, revealing the reddened mark that was imprinted on his skin.

“Oh no!” Namjoon got back up on his feet, realizing what had happened. “Are you hurt?”

The kid he had never seen before didn’t respond to his concern and instead stared at him intently. His eyes were dark, almost black, and they seemed to bore right through him.

“You...” Namjoon whispered. He couldn’t understand why this kid was staring at him in such a cold way. “…You want to play too?” He asked as he picked up the ball, and held it out to the boy.

The kid took the ball without saying a word, but he kept staring at Namjoon with that same expressionless look on his face. He seemed to be sizing him up, as if he was trying to decide whether or not he should trust Namjoon.

“Okay, let’s start with a simple game.” Joonie smiled as he faced the boy. ”Throw it to me and then I throw it to you!”

The young boy understood the instructions and he tossed the ball his way, then catching it before repeating the same process.

Joonie was having fun, but he felt something was off. There was something strange about the little boy who kept staring at him, and he couldn't quite tell what it was.

He was quiet, and Joonie found that really peculiar. Usually, children always had lots of things to say: questions, comments, or sometimes even complaints about the games they played. But the little boy he was playing with today just wouldn't talk. Not once.

Joonie looked at the other kid. He seemed to be studying him, as if he was trying to find something about him that was different. Namjoon wondered what it could be, and he felt like the boy was looking for a reason to dislike him.

But Joonie didn't care. He smiled at the boy anyway, hoping that it would make him feel better.

After their game of back and forth, it was time for Namjoon to go home. As he walked past the boy, he stopped and glanced back at him. The boy was still standing there, watching him as Joonie walked away.

"Bye bye," Joonie waved to him, “See you next time!”

“Grandma!” Namjoon hurried to the living room where his grandmother was sitting by the window. She was a sweet old lady who loved to spend her days reading books and baking cookies.

“Hello, honey. How was school today?”

“Not bad, Grandma. What have you been doing today?”

“Reading some books and knitting sweaters for your mom and dad. Don't worry, they won't be finished until Christmas.” Her words were lighthearted and cheerful as she ruffled Namjoon's hair, making him smile.

“Darling, I will be waiting in the car!” His father shouted at the staircase, and, after hearing the acknowledging hum from his wife, he made his way outside.

A few minutes later his mother came down the stairs, heading to the living room as she put in her earrings. “Mom, I cooked dinner, so please help yourself. Namjoon goes to bed at eight, please don’t let him watch too much tv tonight.” She said as she turned around.

“Sure. See you later, dear. Have a great time.” His grandmother replied.

“Bye mommy.” Namjoon hugged his mother.

“Bye, sweetheart. Listen to grandma, okay?” His mother patted his back as she gave him a peck on the cheek.

“Yes, mommy, I will.” Namjoon grinned, happy to know that his parents were going on a date. They hardly ever went out together, and seeing them all dressed up made Namjoon excited.

After his parents had left, Namjoon went to sit next to his grandmother, peeking at the sweater she was making.

“Grandma… will you make me one too?” He asked, curious, as he leaned closer to look at the soft fabric.

“What are you talking about, honey? Of course I will!” She smiled, happily.

Namjoon started to fantasize about what his own special sweater would look like as he watched the older woman knit the sweater; she had been knitting since he was very young, or well, younger than he was now.

Soon, after dinner, it was time for bed. "Good night, sweetheart." His grandmother kissed Namjoon on the forehead, before she left the room.

"Night, Grandma.”

It must’ve been about two hours after the boy was brought to bed, that his parents returned home from their date. After a brief chat with his grandmother, the parents bid her farewell, and after his mother came to check in on him and plant a careful kiss on their son’s face, she also headed to sleep.

“Come on, baby, time to wake up.” His mother urged as she pulled open the curtains to let the sun shine into the room. Yet, there was no movement coming from her little boy.

“Gosh, Joonie, did you stay up late?” His mother chuckled when the young boy remained motionless despite the alarm blaring right next to him for a good 15 minutes. “Come on.” The mother tapped her feet as she waited for any movement or attempts to wake up from the boy.

“Joonie! It's time to get out of bed.” The mother was starting to become impatient. “ It’s time to get ready for school.” She shook him gently, but there was still no reaction from the kid.

“Hey, Joonie! Wake up! Come on, let's go!” She tried harder this time, shaking his shoulder. Still nothing.

It was then that she felt how hot to the touch he was, and how his cheeks flustered an alarming red.

“Joonie?” She ripped the sheets off him, revealing the soaked pajamas clinging onto his skin.

“Joonie!” She called again, now pressing her hand against his forehead and immediately pulling away when she felt how boiling hot the boy was. “Joonie, sweetie, can you hear me?” His mother was starting to panic as she took her son's face in her hands, searching for any signs of life, but there was none.

Not even a pulse.

At that, the mother started to scream in terror. A loud shriek that seemed like it could break through the walls, and fill every single room in the house.

Her husband rushed into the bedroom, fully dressed, to find his wife screaming hysterically. Namjoon’s father placed his arm around her shoulders as he tried calming her down.

“Honey what’s—“

“Hurry, we need an ambulance, it’s Namjoon, he’s not breathing!” She screamed. “Dear God!” The mother was praying hard. Harder than she had ever prayed before.

The upside of not facing the reality of being an adult is that people actually cared when you were unwell. While Namjoon was recovering from the sudden fever, he was showered with attention and gifts. Family members from all over the town came to pay him a visit, and the people who didn’t manage to visit him sent him fun and colorful get well cards.

The days after, Namjoon was spoiled – even more than on his birthday! His parents took him and his friends to a theme park, he was allowed to have more sweets than usual, and they let him buy whatever their lovely son picked at the toy store.

The doctors never quite figured out why the young boy had a sudden spike in temperature or even why he miraculously recovered the next day, but they soon shrugged it off and discharged the boy when he showed no further signs of illness.

His parents kept the boy at home for a full week, before he was allowed to go back to school and to the playground he had loved so much. There he even met the strange boy that seemed to linger far from the playground as he watched everyone with healthy curiosity yet with skepticism.

Despite the other children and the adults ignoring the boy’s presence, Namjoon never was afraid to greet the boy and include him in any of his games, and slowly, but surely, the young boy warmed up to the boy who worked hard on gaining his trust.

He even told Namjoon his name.

On one Saturday afternoon, Namjoon brought Hoseok to his grandmother.

“Grandma, this is my friend, Hoseok.” Namjoon introduced the timid young boy to his grandmother as he entered her home, kicking his shoes off as he did.

“Hoseok? Hello, Hoseok—“ The crochet needle dropped out of grandmother’s hands as she noticed the grim appearance of the young child. “Oh, eh, hello.” She greeted with teary eyes; the child looked underfed; his clothing barely hanging onto his slim body, darkened circles, and his bangs falling over his eyes. It didn't take long to realize that the boy was malnourished and abandoned by whoever his parents were.

“Can we play in the backyard?” Namjoon asked, missing the concerned gaze of his grandmother.

“Of course, go ahead. Would you like some juice?” Namjoon's grandmother offered, trying to make the boy feel welcome.

Hoseok nodded, nearing closer to Namjoon as his eyes shifted up and down the older woman, not sure what to make out of her just yet.

“Me too, please.” Namjoon grinned.

His grandmother nodded, heading into the kitchen to prepare two glasses of orange juice.

As the boys sat in the backyard, enjoying their juice and snacks, Namjoon couldn't help but notice how quiet Hoseok was. He barely spoke, nor made any sounds, so he simply waited for him to speak.

“Hoseok, do you not like talking to people?” Namjoon questioned, having noticed the silent boy staring at him intensely.

“No, I don’t like people because they only want to hurt me, and they always do.” Hoseok replied, sadly, as he glanced at the pond nearby; Namjoon’s grandmother had two stunning Koi fishes that she took great care of.

Namjoon looked at him confused. How could someone be that cruel to another person? What kind of evil monster would hurt a little boy like that? He was far too naive to understand.

“Why did they hurt you?” Namjoon asked, genuinely confused.

“Because I am different.” Hoseok answered, matter-of-factly.

“What does that mean? Why are you different?” Namjoon asked, feeling slightly worried.

“I have a defect.” Hoseok explained, staring straight into Namjoon's eyes.

“A...defect? Like a disease or something?” Namjoon gasped.

“Yes.” Hoseok whispered, looking away.

Namjoon sat back in surprise. Defect? Disease? Could it really be that bad? He hadn't noticed anything wrong with the boy.

“You look normal. Just like me.” No matter how much he looked at Hoseok, he found no fault in him. There was nothing different about him.

“Sometimes I wish I was just like everyone else.”

“Well, my mommy says that we are all unique. If you were like everyone else, you wouldn’t be Hoseok, and being yourself is always the best thing you could be.” Namjoon smiled, trying to cheer the boy up.

“Joonie.” His grandmother appeared. “It’s getting late, do you want to have dinner here? I will let your mom know.”

“Yes, please. Thank you.” Namjoon said, standing up from the porch.

“Alright then, come on, Hoseok.” Namjoon grabbed the boy by the hand and began walking towards the porch door.

While his grandmother prepared the dinner, Namjoon and Hoseok sat at the dining table, both with a white sheet of paper in front of them and their little hands full of crayons.

Namjoon was completely focused on his drawing, only glancing over at Hoseok after he was halfway through. “What is that? That looks funny.” Namjoon snickered at Hoseok’s drawing.

“Mang.” Hoseok responded, still focusing on his picture.

“Mang?” Namjoon tilted his head.

“Mang.” Hoseok repeated.

“Is that an animal?” Namjoon asked, pointing at the drawing with a confused expression on his face.

“No, Mang is my friend.” Hoseok replied, now starting to color the page.

“Your...friend? You call this guy Mang?” Namjoon was intrigued by this strange figure.

“Yes, Mang is his name. He lives with me and he protects me from the bad guys.” Hoseok explained, as though it was obvious.

“The bad guys? Are there people who want to hurt you? What bad guys?” Namjoon tried to understand what Hoseok meant.

“Yes.” Hoseok replied, his voice getting sad.

“Did you tell your mommy?” Namjoon asked. “When people are mean to me, I can always tell mommy.”

Before Hoseok could answer, Namjoon’s grandmother announced that dinner would be ready in ten minutes and that they should clear the table.

At the sight of food, Hoseok didn’t know where to look. The table was filled with a variety of side dishes, meat, fish, pasta, vegetables, rice, bread, and salad.

While his new friend and his grandmother started on their food, the boy reached out to the food that was nearby, and he scoffed it down like it was going to disappear.

Not even the butter was safe.

Hoseok kept eating, even when his stomach started to hurt from the mountain of food he was forcing into his body. However, his appetite was never sated.

At the sight of the child eating like there was no tomorrow, the grandmother felt herself tear up. How could anyone do this to a child? She couldn't help but feel sorry for the boy, even though she shouldn’t, like everyone else had told her.

“I forgot something in the kitchen, I will be right back, boys.” Then, she got up as quickly as possible before she retreated, shutting herself in the laundry room before she allowed a couple of tears to fall down her face.

“Bye, grandma!” Namjoon wrapped his arms around the woman’s legs. “See you next time.”

“Goodbye, baby.” She hugged him tight. “I will miss you.” She kissed his forehead, before she waved the boys off.

Hoseok toddled right after Namjoon, but then stopped. Namjoon looked back at his friend and then nodded at his words. The woman was surprised to see Hoseok spin around and hurry back to the woman.

“Did you forget something?” The woman asked.

“No, I want to say goodbye.” Hoseok said, before proceeding to hug the woman.

She felt overwhelmed with the affection that he showed her, and she bent down to give him a hug in return.

“Bye, grandma.” Hoseok repeated as he stepped back.

“Bye, Hobi.” The woman’s eyes lingered on the boy, before she stepped forward. “Wait.”

Hoseok turned back at her.

“If you are ever hungry, please come eat at my house. I have plenty of food, and you don’t need to go hungry.” She smiled at Hoseok.

“Okay.” Hoseok nodded.

“And if you ever get lost, you should look for the house with the red door.” The woman pointed at the door that she was standing in front of. “It’s the only red house in this neighborhood.”

“Okay.” Hoseok nodded again.

“That reminds me… I want to give you something. It’s for Mang.”

“For Mang.” Hoseok repeated after her.

“Here.” The woman held out two apples. “One for you, and one for Mang.”

“Those are his favorites.” He took the fruits and looked down at them, already imagining the reaction of his friend.

“Hobi…” The woman’s tone of voice suddenly sounded serious. “You have to be careful, the bad guys may find you.”

“I know. They won't get me.” Hoseok assured.

The woman nodded, and then she gave Hoseok one last hug.

Hoseok returned the gesture with a smile on his face, before he went back to his friend's side and took Namjoon's hand and followed him.

Tag List

Perm; @mawwnsterr @silversparkles11 @minshookie29 @ynaught @pinkcherrybombs @oppa-agust-d @bunnyrhe @btsiguess-kpop @b0fi @softiegukk @stonyoongi @douknowbts @themochiverse @yuikitty @kagami-s-void @darkuni63 @mageprincess7 @potterbrooke @nininek12 @salobsarai @astaeriods @kisskissjk @jeonsorchid @itsmebitch7 @kakaotaek @kooliv @mintsugarmy @pantaral81 @miloandbunnies

Temp; @billy-jeans23 @ratherbefangirling

We as the marauders fandom waste so many opportunities to make jokes about Pandora's box. Like. Pandora definitely owns a random box that she carries with her, and the Skittles refer to it only as Pandora's box, they have super serious expressions, and they are extremely dramatic about nobody being allowed to open it.

If we're talking modern au, in youtuber au Pandora would definitely start her videos with "Hey guys, I'm Pandora! Welcome to another unboxing video, I sure hope nothing goes wrong like it did the last time!"