I'd just like to say this before anything else that I used first person point of view so you can actually project yourself into the character. This is also your story. Not just mine.

Anyways I made this from the lack of childhood friends AU here. I also love hacker!mc so I managed to slip that in here because,, if mc and seven were childhood friends, wouldn't it be cool if they learned hacking together?

ALSO THERE ARE SPOILERS FOR SEVEN'S ROUTE AS WELL AS THE SECRET ENDINGS


I laid on the floor of my bedroom, covering my ears insistently to forget the sounds of screams from the neighboring house. Tortured screams filled the whole block, but no one cared. No one ever did. Not the other neighbors and especially not my family. This kept on happening, one would be screaming of terror and another would be screaming to stop it. Sometimes one of the voices isn't there, but… both would continuously resonate within my head. What made them scream like this? And regularly too? Why did no one care? Why is no one speaking up against this?

Standing up from the spot where I laid on in my small bedroom, I walked off downstairs to the living room. I needed to get out of here. I need a distraction. Without even having to look at the couch in front the television, I can already tell my dad was there from the suffocating scent of alcohol that I detest so, so much.

"Dad, I'm going outside," I spoke in a meek voice, frightened if I speak any louder than I just did, he'll get angry at me.

He grunted in annoyance but gave me the 'shooing' motion with his hands, indicating I'm free to leave. I heave a sigh of relief and proceed to put on my shoes to head out. Huh, I've always wondered why mom and dad would let out a ten-year-old girl like myself to leave the house on my own. I guess I shouldn't complain, they've at least let me have independence.

My train of thought was disrupted with screams. I can't tell anymore is it's stuck in my head or if the people inside the neighboring house are still screaming. I immediately started walking off, I don't know where I want to go. The park? Too much people… The playground? The other kids don't like me… The library? The screaming is stuck in my head, I won't even be able to read a sentence without losing focus… The church? The… there's no problem with that. Everyone there is nice, open and encouraging.

I started walking, heads down to avoid eye contact. Even as you walk, all you can think about is the screams. It was like there's a broken record stuck in your brain. It won't stop playing. It won't let me forget. It won't let me shut it down. It won't drown with my other thoughts.

While still walking, I take a deep breath in. It was an attempt to clear my head but… it still won't work. I just rushed myself to the church, the sooner I get there, the sooner I can… I can what? What can a church offer me? I was never religious but when I was born, it says in the papers I'm Catholic. I try to forget about these thoughts because… I feel like there will be someone there to help me.

Probably?
I don't know.
I'm sure there is?

Oh, I'm at the church already. Realizing where I am are caused a momentary halt from your troubles. Looking up, you see the huge open doors that encourage people to enter. But as fast as the halt was, the screaming returned sooner than I wished for. The sounds stuck in my brain reminded myself of why I came there in the first place.

I sat myself in the left aisle, backmost pew. I really have no idea why I thought it was a good idea to go to a church.

I knelt, my head bowed before the altar and I started thinking about why I went here.

The screaming. The screaming no one cared about. The screaming that everyone is scared about. The screaming that haunted me. Haunts my dreams. My mind.

When did all the screaming start? I don't remember anymore.

Who are screaming? I want to help them.

Why are they screaming? I… I don't know. And… I don't think I want to.

With that I started crying, why did I let this affect me so much? Why does this matter to me? Who am I to be of business? I'm just a ten-year-old but… I'm already like this. A mess.

I'm laughing and crying at this point. I can feel the stares of the people in the church. Pity. Disgust. Superiority. Sympathy.

My head jerked up when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I looked to my side to see golden eyes and red hair that framed a somewhat scrawny boy's face.

But you gaze suddenly became fixated on his eyes.

Filled with understanding.

But with a hint of sadness.

"Are you okay?" the boy asked me. He had a playful voice that managed to cheer me up, even if it was just a bit.

You replied, "y-yeah…".

"You didn't seem alright to me!" they boy spoke, looking at me seriously.

I giggled at him, his antics to help me, a total stranger, was endearing.

I flashed him a smile and said, "I am now, thanks."

"Good! It should stay like that!" the boy grinned at me, "I'm Saeyoung."

I was still shocked from the sudden friendliness. So… we just stared at each other for a while. I snapped out of it when a few seconds passed.

"O-oh! My name is [Y/N]!" I managed to stutter out.

"Shhhh!" an elderly woman a few rows in front of me shushed me.

"S-sorry…" I said awkwardly, but not in a shy manner.

"Well, [Y/N] wanna be friends?" Saeyoung whispered to your ear.

"Sure!"

"SHHHHH!" the same elderly woman from a while ago shushed you.


I'm sorry for the grammatical errors or if there are any inconsistencies in terms of perspective and tense. English isn't my first language and I'm doing my best! I hope you liked that short prologue, I just wanted to introduce some stuff before heading into the plot.