#where there was a white bunny in a pink meadow
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why is my first thought when i think about “teenage mutant ninja turtles”: cute lil beans, let’s put them in a meadow full of flowers, yeah o(^▽^)o
also it’s a never ending pattern you can get on stuff in my redbubble shop
redbubble link
#i was inspired by a printed napkin#where there was a white bunny in a pink meadow#and i really felt like drawing something cute like that#tmnt#ninja turtles#tmnt 2012#leonardo#raphael#donatello#michelangelo#leo#raph#donnie#mikey#spike#teenage mutant ninja turtles#flowers#never ending pattern#my art#redbubble
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Chapter 1 | Pathway of Stars
If you listen within the first whispers of spring, there you can hear the bells of the stars.
A place that exists only within the moonlight of an eternal spring night beneath the glistening stars.
The night sky painted violet and lavender. A full lavender moon glistening in the sky. With a smaller white crescent to its side.
White butterfly shaped glows started to fly away from the white crescent moon as it slowly started to turn a pale blue.
The spring breeze drifting through the Night Court.
A tall flower boy donning violet and lavender, with a night sky cape, stepped forwards.
His purple eyes glistening like amethysts, that seemed to contain the night sky. His short hair resembled purple bellflowers.
His eyes redirected up to see the stars in the sky above.
Where glowing threads of mist of light pink and lilac danced through the air.
All nine of the threads meeting up to behind the wall of white wisteria trees with lavender barks.
They resembled the blue and lavender fox-fires that could be seen in the Frost Court.
However, those two colours meant something.
A colour not naturally found in Seren-hame.
Until now.
As the spring breeze passed him, it carried a sweet familiar scent from behind the trees.
He had agreed with the second circle of Seren that there was nothing behind the walls of wisteria trees that could be found throughout the realm.
However, now he knew that they were wrong.
He stepped forwards. Right in-front of the wall of white blossoms.
The sound of bells chiming carried with the wind. Away from the blooming branches of lavender.
As three of the trees moved to form an archway. Showing the way inside.
He had contacted the High Fae of the Crystal Court before he left. So just in case he took too long.
He stepped inside.
His purple shoes going from stepping on the amethyst pathway surrounded by the white moss phlox that only seemed to appear around the wisterias to the pathway inside.
The lavender moonlight glistening against the pathway of white moonstones in the shape of crescent moon stepping stones going through a meadow of white cosmos flowers.
Giant white wisteria trees blossoming down the sides. However unlike the ones outside, the bark was all lilac.
He stepped forwards.
The soft colours inside unlike he’s ever seen before.
Following the sweet scent.
As he used the moonstone stepping stones to cross through the meadow.
About halfway through the path, the stepping stones had some crescent moons made from blue lace agate every other step.
As he came to the end of the pathway.
Stepping out under the last two wisteria trees that acted as an archway.
A pathway of pink mangano calcite. Individually made up of tiny star shaped crystals.
“Star shaped…” the boy started.
Every Faery in Seren knew the significance of the stars. Especially him as the first circle.
Stars that were like celestials that created the world of Seren.
“Could it be?” He muttered.
Looking out at the meadow of white cosmos flowers in-front of him.
A giant cherry blossom tree in the middle. As the white wisteria around the edge stretched up to the night sky, with a crescent moon shaped hole in the centre with the view of the twin moons and the stars.
A white fluffy kitten standing on its hind legs was underneath the cherry tree.
A white cosmos flower in the kittens hands.
Opposite was a white fluffy bunny. A Lilly-of-the-valley in the bunnies hand.
As the bunny shock its paws, the white flowers turned a light pink.
As moondust collected along the petals. Glistening together.
An finally, the white fox shock the "Prairie mallow" between its paws.
The petals slowly changing from white to pink.
The three exchanged glances with their matching lilac eyes.
As the kitten shock the cosmos flower.
The dainty petals turning from white to pink.
With over twelve more white kittens sitting behind. All slightly smaller than the main kitten.
A burst of pink Geranium Dreamland flowers appearing in the air above the fox.
And pink phlox above the bunny.
Pink lilac flowers glistening above the Kitten.
The amethyst eyed boy watched as Geranium Dreamland flowers started to grow against the lilac bark of the wisterias.
As pink phlox with lilac middles popped out of the lilac roots.
The gentle ring of a bell. Chiming through the air.
As the pink and lilac glowing threads of mist swirled down through the crescent moon shaped gap in the wisterias.
Floating down to the ground between the three.
As one of the constellations above the cat constellation disappeared from view.
One that was small and subtle so most likely not noticed.
The three Stars lilac eyes started to glow.
Pink stardust appearing floating above the white cosmos flowers.
Another ring of the bell.
The flowers the Stars were holding floated up and joined the flowers above them.
As a single cherry blossom flower floated down to join them.
The glowing threads of mist creating a flurry swirling around the flowers. Hiding them from view.
The enchanting ring of a bell.
The pink stardust suddenly fell to the ground.
As the threads of glowing mist bursted out, disappearing into the air.
The boy’s amethyst eyes widened.
As a small framed petite girl had appeared where the flowers and mist had been.
Underneath the flowing stars.
Silky hair flowing down to below her waist. A mixture of light pink, white-pink and lilac.
That seemed to glisten under the moonlight.
The boy stepped forwards. Gently catching her Princess style against his chest.
Her pure white skin was as soft as freshly fallen snow glistening under the moons.
Lilac and light pink eyelashes with no colour in her cheeks.
She felt slightly colder to the touch than him. However she wasn’t as cold as the Faery’s from the Frost Court.
“It will take some time for Our Princess to finish waking up,” the bunny announced.
The boy nodded. His eyes not lifting from her.
* * *
The sparkling river of stars in the milky way sky dancing around the twin moons.
Covering Seren in a gentle hue of lavender. From next to the white crescent moon.
If you follow the Night Court pathway of glowing white maybells, you'll find the Night Palace.
The walls of the three floored Night Palace were crafted with amethysts with a white quartz roof and selenite windows.
To the left was a garden of glowing purple forget-me-knots with white Canterbury bells. And to the right were glowing Lilly of the valley.
The walls were lavender with violet gemstones creating the shapes of constellations.
The glowing white crystals on the ceiling shining down onto the white floor.
The scent of violets filled the hallways.
The amethyst eyed boy gently laid the girl down onto the white sattee.
The white kitten with lilac eyes jumped up onto the armchair. So she could be as close to her as possible.
The boy knelled down on the ground in-front of her.
While the Star Bunny jumped up onto the table behind him.
As he looked down the pink haired girl.
It reminded him of what the Fae in Seren-hame were called. Faery’s. Meaning;
The enchanting.
It truly did suit her.
The door suddenly clicked open.
The boy waved without his eyes leaving the girl. Gesturing at the new arrival to come over. Already knowing who it was.
A tall flower boy, just slightly shorter than the amethyst eyed boy entered the room.
His white and lavender hair resembling moonlight reflecting through quartz gemstones. His skin like moonlight against his lavender clothing.
“Something is happening to the crystals in my Court,” the newly arrived boy informed.
His voice tender.
As he walked over towards the sattee.
“Something smells sweet?” He observed.
Suddenly noticing what appeared to be a cat sitting on the armchair. However Seren didn’t have any other living creatures besides Faery’s.
“That would be the stardust,” the kitten meowed.
“Once the Princess is more used to Seren, the stardust scent will only be noticeable from up close,” the bunny purred.
His Kunzite eyes widening as he saw the new Faery.
“A Faery?” He blurted out.
The kittens lilac eyes suddenly started to glow. As did the bunnies.
She placed one paw against one of the bunnies paws.
As they both pulled their paws away, a lilac butterfly shaped glow was in its place.
That fluttered down towards the girl. Landing on her forehead above her full fringe.
It seemed both boys were holding their breaths with how quiet it was.
The butterfly glow disappearing into sparks of stardust.
Her starkissed eyes slowly fluttered open.
Her eyes were a mixture of light pink and lilac with tiny white star shaped gleams.
An air of serenity surrounding her.
She was like the embodiment of spring itself.
Her eyes glistening like Pink Aragonites mixed with lilac coloured Lavender quartz , crystals that never appeared in Seren before.
As the star shaped gleams were a pale pink like pink mangano calcite.
She softly blinked.
Tilting her head to the side slightly.
“Princess,” the Kitten and Bunny greeted in-unison.
The two boys exchanged glances.
As the gentle moonlight drifted into the room.
The amethyst eyed boy leaned forwards.
“Welcome to the Home of Stars, to Seren,” he added.
Glancing at the kitten whose fluffy tail had already wrapped around the girls wrist.
“I am the Grand Duke of the Night Court, please call me Sena,” he introduced.
His name meaning ‘Star’ and ‘Bond’.
The opalite eyed boy stepped forwards.
She softly blinked as she looked up at him.
“And I’m the Unicorn of the Crystal Court, Rumi,” he continued.
His name meaning a mixture of ‘lapis lazuli’ and ‘wish’.
The kittens ear twitched.
“Your name is Yuki,” she meowed.
A name meaning either ‘gentle’ and ‘princess’ or ‘dream’ and ‘princess’.
The girl lightly tugged down the hems of her sleeves. Covering her shirt pink nails that resembled pink mangano calcites with small moonstone sparkles.
So her name was Yuki.
The Bunny continued alongside.
“The Starry Princess of Dreams,” they announced.
“Stars?” She softly mumbled.
Her voice was soft and sweet. As if she had just stepped out of an fairytale.
As both the Kitten and Bunny bowed their heads towards her.
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(ok, so, this took WAY too long than it should! i really do appreciate if you bare with me on this new AU i thought up while i was chatting with a friend of mine on Discord)
my baby girl, Chanella, Queen of Nightmares! sounds about right, doesn't it??
so this is actually a new AU i have been working on and i FINALLY got the plans of the other Nightmares (from fnaf 4) all planned out, so you'll finally see more of Nightmare Freddy, Bonnie, Chica, Foxy, Mangle Nightmare and Fredbear!! (ijust hate how they'll be taking a LONG time to make, so please be patient)
this is what i call "The Cult of Nightmares" AU. kinda similar to Cult of the Lamb, but more gruesome, scary and your more on the demon side of the cults!
this is an AU where Chanella and her gang were literal DEMONS who are being worshipped and being fed sinner souls by their followers who wear their signature masks
Chanella - black and purple bear mask
Nightmare - black and yellow bear mask
Nightmare Fredbear - golden and purple bear masks
Nightmare Freddy - dark brown and black bear masks
Nightmare Bonnie - blue and red bunny masks
Nightmare Chica - yellow and orange chicken masks
Nightmare Foxy - red and orange fox masks
Nightmare Mangle - white and pink fox masks
and they all work together eating souls of the damned while having a HUGE secret following to take down the corrupted bishops who previously banished them unjustly.
Nightmare, Nightmare Fredbear and Chanella being the KINGS and QUEEN of nightmares as they get inside your mind and also feast on your sanity and suffering,
Nightmare Foxy would patrol the lakes, ponds and swamps, (he is a pirate after all)
Nightmare Freddy, Bonnie and Chica would patrol the plains and meadows,
Mangle patrolling the trees and caves
and Nightmare, Nightmare Fredbear and Chanella patrols the deep dark forests. but they all work together into one big ass cult. they aresadistic, but for all the right reasons. usually, Nightmare, Nightmare Fredbear and Chanella are very quiet and calm when relaxed, but will become loud AF and RUTHLESS when angry.
Freddy, Bonnie, Chica, Foxy and Mangle have to wear masks to cover their demonic and disorted mouths that showed their many rows of teeth and gullet. BUT Nightmare, Nightmare Fredbear and Chanella, being 5x more powerful than them (they treat each other as family and friends, so no hierarchy) so they can make their mouths look normal, therefor becoming less intimidating
BUT that doesn't mean that when they open their mouth, you'll see that having 6 rows of dagger like teeth will put you in therapy, or worse, the mental hospital because of how....mentally scary it is to look in
eyes, eyes, eyes, eyes EVERYWHERE! especially with Nightmare, Nightmare Fredbear and Chanella. they have multiple eyes in their long glorious silky hair, in their mouths and STOMACH mouths, and on their tongues. but mostly in the mouths and hair. Chanella's over 10.7 feet tall, Fredbear's 13.5 feet tall and Nightmare being the oldest, is a whopping 15.11 feet tall.
Freddy, Bonnie, Chica, Foxy and Mangle range from 8 to nearly 10 feet tall.
Freddy positively represents elegance, stability, status, confident, logical, practical, loyal, Spontaneous and passionate. BUT he negatively represents old hearted, malicious, mocking, loves to torment.
Bonnie positively represents Consistency, Outgoing, Courage, firm but still soft, talent, Bold, competitive, and dashing, BUT also he negatively represents Cruel, menacing, wishes harm upon his victims when done dirty, Possessive, Sadistic and sarcastic
Chica positively represents Spontaneous, talent, playful, cooking with love, (she'd call you nicknames like honey, sugar and/or little mouse, she's that southern mixed with cowgirl vibes) optimistic, and encouraging, BUT also she negatively represents Cruel and ferocious, Possessive, Sadistic, Gluttonous towards the negative attention you give, she wants to see how far you'll go before she makes you suffer in her teeth
Foxy positively represents trustworthy, aqua, Passionate, loyal, pride, confidence, diligent, BUT he also negatively represents Cruel and menacing, ferocious, vicious, Possessive, Controlling, Sadistic, Needs your attention on him at all times, He wants to know how you plan on tackling this situation he put you in. can you survive this sly fox?
Mangle positively represents balance, talent, intellectual, playful, loyal, Outgoing, Courage, passionate, perseverance, ambition, Bold, and optimistic. BUT also negatively represents sadistic, trickery, manipulative, hateful, spite, Controlling, heartless and envious.
now, Nightmare, Nightmare Fredbear and Chanella got a lot in common (to make sure there's NO confusion, Nightmare and Chanella are siblings, and Nightmare and Nightmare Fredbear are a married couple) they positively represent intuitive, elegance, status, confident, logical, practical, Consistency, Outgoing, Courage, firm but still soft, Spontaneous, talent, artistic, playful, bold, competitive, and dashing, Passionate, loyal, pride, intellectual, empathetic, perseverance, and dedication, patience, harmony, and justice, infamously dramatic, Vivacious, theatrical, and fiery. but HOLY SHIT! do they represent the WORST like: Monstrous and tormenting, Cruel, Twisted, Mocking, Sadistic, trickery, manipulative, hateful, spite, Controlling, heartless and envious, vengeful and petty, 9they do NOT back down without a fight, and your screwed already when you mess with one of them, get all 8 of them on your ass, your done for) ferocious, deception, (mind games are their specialty) literally had to make Freddy, Bonnie, Chica, Foxy and Mangle "nicer" because Nightmare, Nightmare Fredbear and Chanella are WAY more terrifying to deal with. they wish nothing more than to give descriptive ideas of just what they could do to you. You're at the mercy of their teeth and claws
all the nightmares show the sins of wrath and envy in them, but that's it. BUT that doesn't mean they can't be friendly. when your on their good side (it's easier than it looks, i promise) they are actually chill, and fun to hang out with. their servants are always treated with respect, and mistakes are always warmheartedly forgiven, (UNLESS you do it on purpose of course) they exist because of the corruption of Christianity. going to church doesn't make you a good person. but also being athiest doesn't make you a bad person
ok, this took way too long, BUT i hope you like what i'm working on!
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The Enchanted Feast: Scrappy and Oliver's Whimsical Adventure
Once upon a time in a whimsical land called Chatopia, there lived a mischievous squirrel named Scrappy. Now, Scrappy wasn't your ordinary squirrel. He had a secret power—he could talk to plants!
One sunny morning, as Scrappy scampered through the enchanted forest, he came across a talking oak tree named Oliver. Oliver was known as the wise old sage of the forest, and he had a long, flowing white beard made of moss.
"Good day, Scrappy!" Oliver boomed in his deep, rumbling voice. "What brings you to my neck of the woods today?"
Scrappy panted, trying to catch his breath. "Oliver, you won't believe what I just overheard! The fairies are planning to throw a grand feast tonight to celebrate the blooming of the magical blue moonflower, and everyone in Chatopia is invited!"
Oliver's leaves rustled with excitement. "Oh, how marvelous! The blue moonflower only blooms once every hundred years. It is said to possess incredible powers. We mustn't miss this feast, my dear friend."
With their hearts pounding in anticipation, Scrappy and Oliver embarked on a thrilling adventure through the enchanted forest to prepare for the grand feast. They needed to gather ingredients for a special dish to contribute to the festivities.
Their first stop was the sparkling Crystal Creek, where they met Marina, a graceful water nymph. Marina, being an expert in underwater foraging, guided them to find the rarest of ingredients. They collected shimmering pearls from clamshells and sparkling droplets from the waterfall.
Next, they ventured deep into the Glimmering Glade, where they encountered Sparkles the firefly. Sparkles shared her wisdom about the secret fireberry bushes hidden among the radiant flora. Scrappy and Oliver carefully plucked the luminous fireberries, ensuring they wouldn't singe their little paws.
Finally, they arrived at the Fuzzy Meadow, home to the fluffiest bunnies in all of Chatopia. The bunnies eagerly offered Scrappy and Oliver the finest, tenderest leaves and petals from their prized flower garden. The aromatic scent of the blossoms was enough to make any woodland creature's mouth water.
With their baskets brimming with enchanted ingredients, Scrappy and Oliver raced back to the fairy glen where the feast was to take place. The air was filled with laughter and enchanting melodies as the fairies fluttered about, preparing their delicious treats.
As the sun dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in hues of gold and pink, the blue moonflower finally unfurled its petals. Its luminous blue glow bathed the glen in a magical light.
Amidst the merriment, Scrappy and Oliver presented their creation—a shimmering, sparkling dessert made with fireberries, pearls, and petals. The fairies gasped in awe as they devoured the sweet delight, their eyes sparkling brighter than ever before.
The night was filled with laughter, dancing, and joy as the magical blue moonflower cast its spell over Chatopia. Scrappy and Oliver reveled in the enchantment, knowing they had contributed to the festivities that would be remembered for generations to come.
And so, the mischievous squirrel and the wise old oak tree continued their adventures, exploring the wonders of Chatopia, spreading laughter, and delighting in the magic that surrounded them. After all, in a land as extraordinary as Chatopia, every day was an opportunity for a new and fun-filled story to unfold.
#WhimsicalTales#TalkingSquirrel#EnchantedForest#MagicalCreatures#GrandFeast#BlueMoonflower#Friendship#Adventure#EnchantingDelights#CharmingMoments#madscientistwriting
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76. it’s my birthday and you just fucking ruined my party and I don’t even know you
Danbrey, sfw or nsfw, please!
Here you go! I went SFW on this one
“Wow, dude, this is so fancy.” Jake takes in the dining room of Yosemite Lodge, “look, napkins!”
“Jake, we have cloth napkins back home.” Dani smiles fondly; while she’s more interested in the location and the decor, she agrees with her brothers overall enthusiasm.
The rest of Amnesty Lodge, where Dani lives and works, pooled their resources to surprise her with a weekend trip to Yosemite for her twenty-fifth birthday. She would have been happy camping, but they even went to the trouble of booking rooms in the main lodge and scheduling her a birthday dinner in the restaurant that looks out onto the valley.
Mama whistles at the menu from her seat at the head of the table, “damn, this is a good lookin dinner.”
Dani picks up the single sheet of paper, the silver writing informing her the meal with consist of a summer salad, shrimp scampie, and a strawberry rhubarb tart for dessert. When she glances across the table, Barclay is smiling down into his water glass.
“Oh my god, did you request a specific menu just for me?”
Her friend nods, blushing a little, “Head chef is an old friend from my line cook days.”
“Aw, you guys.” She sips the fancy cider Barclay ordered for the table, “you didn’t have to do all this.”
“You ain’t had a real party in years; seemed time to fix that.” Mama’s about to say something else when the fire alarm blares through the room and a server asks that everyone please exit through the side doors into the courtyard.
“Probably just a false alarm.” Barclay leans against a decorative rock.
“Uh, dudes? I smell smoke.”
Dani cranes her neck, tracks the path of the curling smoke through the lights from the windows to the main meeting room on the bottom floor of the hotel. A woman about her age, dressed entirely in red and black with, “The Lady Flame” emblazoned on her sparkly jacket, is talking and gesturing rapidly with disgruntled staff.
Two minutes later, the same woman steps onto the lawn with a sheepish smile.
“Hi everyone! It’s safe to go back in now. I, um, there was a tiny accident with some flashpaper. I think. Anyway, point is, I’m super sorry and there’s no more fire so please come enjoy my show. Oh, but, um, we have to move to the dining room due to some, um, ash.”
Just as she says this, one of the servers whispers in Barclays ear.
“Fuck. Sorry gang, sounds like we gotta postpone until tomorrow; whatever party booked ms fireball over there is gonna take up the whole restaurant.”
Dani sighs, resigning herself to a night of vending machine dinner as they head back inside. Then a hand settles on her arm and she’s locking eyes with the person who just ruined her evening.
“Hey, I always ask the cutest girl in the audience to be my assistant for the next bit. Do you want to-”
She pulls her arm away, “Yeah, hard pass, I’m not in whatever group decided to book you. I’m the person who’s birthday is getting turfed for your party.”
The magician cringes, “EEsh, I’m so sorry, I’ll, um, I’ll just.” She steps back, eyes glued to her black boots. As Dani continues into the lodge, she swears she hears the same voice go, “aw beans.”
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The spring sunshine feels perfect, the breeze is gentle, and there are literal bluebirds calling around her. Dani feels like a dang disney princess as she naps on a rock near one of the meadows.
Something--a chipmunk, she assumes--munches the grass below her.
“Dr Harris Bonkers, no! This is a national park and I’m not letting my only son go to jail for vandalism.”
Dani rolls onto her side in time to see the magician from last night scooping a massive, orange rabbit from the ground. When she straightens enough to notice she’s not alone, the woman freezes.
“Um. Hi. Again.”
“Hi.” Not feeling like rehashing last night, she studies the rabbit, “should he really be running around out here?”
“Not even remotely. He was supposed to stay in my room, but he gnawed his way out of his carrier, hopped onto the windowsill, and decided to bounce when he saw all the plants out here.” She cautiously sits on the edge of the rock, rabbit in her lap, “I really am sorry about last night. I never used to have problems during my shows, but lately it’s like my flashpaper has a freaking mind of its own. I was kinda hoping it wouldn’t screw with anybody’s plans but mine.”
“It’s fine.” Dani shrugs, “we’re just going to do a dinner re-do tonight.”
The woman bites a matte black lip, “Could I, um, make it up to you?”
“How?”
“Well, it’s your birthday, right? You’re supposed to spend your birthday doing things you like, so I could, like, keep you company while you do them?”
It would be nice to have a hiking buddy. Mama is taking a well-deserved nap, Barclay is off for a swim, and Jake found some rock climbers to hang with. And while the Lady Flame looked good last night, today she’s downright gorgeous. The dyed-red streaks in her curly, black hair, the freckles, black shorts that make her butt look incredible, all of it adds up to someone Dani wouldn’t mind spending the day with.
“Do you have shoes you can hike in?”
She kicks up one leg, showing off her Doc Martens, “I once walked five miles in these with no problems.”
“Great. Let’s get the doctor” she rubs the rabbit’s ears, “somewhere safe and get on the trail.”
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The hike’s only three and a half miles, but it’s taking them a long time to complete it. Not because they’re slow, but because Aubrey (as the Lady Flame calls herself) keeps stopping to look at or point out any interesting thing that catches her eye. It’s adorable.
Dani likes when she points out plants, because then she can show off a little.
“Dang, you really know your plants.” Aubrey stoops to take a picture of some Scarlet Monkeyflower.
“I run the teaching garden out back of the Lodge. Uh, Amnesty Lodge, where I live, not this one.”
“Coooool. I keep thinking about making Dr. Harris Boners a little garden when I finally find a place to stay put for awhile, but everything is always about how to keep bunnies out of your garden.”
“I mean, they can really trash it if you’re not careful.”
“I believe it, Dr. Harris Bonkers can take out a whole patch of rug in, like, ten minutes.”
“Herbs would probably be okay, clover too. I guess it depends on how much space you have.”
“Probably not much” Aubrey holds out a hand to help her across a creek, “traveling magicians don’t make much.”
Their talk turns to Aubrey’s life on the road, and her various misadventures trying to transport a fifteen pound rabbit on public transit. When they reach the waterfall that marks the trails end, they slip off their shoes and socks to dip their feet in the nearby pond, shoulders touching as they compare notes on growing up in sometimes stressful family situations.
It’s well after lunchtime when they get back, so they sit in the meadow and split a bag of chips, shooing away several overly ambitious squirrels. Mama joins them for a bit, and Dani smiles when she notices how quickly the older woman takes to Aubrey. Mama can never turn down a stray.
Dani’s already scheming for how to spend the last day of her vacation with Aubrey when the magician turns down her invitation to dinner. She’s a little disappointed, but Aubrey promises she’ll see her later.
Her birthday dinner redux is halfway into its second course when the lights at the front of the room brighten and the ones above her dim.
“And now, as an added, surprise treat for this evening's meal, the magnificent Lady Flame is here to dazzle you all with her astounding feats of magic!” The server at the edge of the room gives a thumbs up and Aubrey bounds into view, smile glittering brighter than her outfit.
To Dani’s delight, Aubrey is an amazing magician; her tricks are interesting, her patter is the same funny, energetic pace that their conversations were this afternoon, and her assistant is adorable. When she declares she needs a volunteer for her next trick, she’s holding her hand out to Dani before anyone else can raise theirs.
The trick turns out to be picking cards and showing them to the audience, though Dani notices Aubrey devotes as much sleight of hand to brushing their fingers together as she does to her act.
“And now, esteemed audience, I will produce a flower from my lovely assistant's hair!”
Dani smiles, then claps along with everyone else as Aubrey produces a spring of Larkspur from thin air. Literally, Dani cannot for the life of her tell where she was hiding it. Or how she was able to get what Dani said was her favorite flower on such short notice.
Aubrey finishes up her act (and doesn’t set anything on fire) to thunderous applause, and Dani spots Mama leaning over to whisper something to Barclay, who nods thoughtfully. It’s only after the magician has taken her last bow that Dani has a horrible realization; Aubrey went to all that trouble to make her birthday dinner memorable, and she didn’t get to eat any of it.
Her white sandals sink into the carpet as she carries a plate down to Aubrey’s room. When her new friend opens the door, she’s between worlds; sparkly jacket on top, red pajama pants on the bottom.
“I brought you some cake. Or, uh, I guess it’s a tart.” She holds out the plate and Aubrey takes it, cheeks going pink, “since you didn’t get the rest of the dinner.”
“Thanks” Aubrey steps back so Dani can join her in the room, “it’s chill that I didn’t get to join you all; I wanted to make up for ruining your dinner last night.”
“You already did way more than that. Aubrey, this was the nicest day I’ve had in months, and most of that is because I got to spend it with you.”
“I dunno, feel weird getting cake from a thing I crashed.” Aubrey is fidgeting with her bracelets, blushing harder every time she looks up and finds Dani still smiling at her.
“Can I give you something else instead?” Dani takes a half-step forward.
“Sure! What-” Aubrey’s words fade into a little sigh as Dani wraps her arms over her shoulders. Then her back bumps into the nightstand as Aubrey throws herself into a kiss.
“Hey” Dani teases, nibbling her ear as Aubrey holds her tighter, “you messed up my big reveal.”
“Aw dang, guess I’ll have to make it up to you.” Aubrey slips her hands down to the small of her back, “how does even more making out sound?”
Dani pulls her towards the bed, heart buzzing with warmth at the sight of her smile and the touch of her hands, “like the best birthday gift ever.”
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Meadow: I can't really ski or snowboard, but we could go there! You guys can teach me! -she laughs walking with them-
Flynn: You can start on the bunny hill. - he chuckles, and we'll teach you.-
Fannar: Yeah, grampa says we have ice and snow in our blood pretty much, so we cheat slightly.
They laugh as they enter, quickly going quiet as they realize loud might not be wanted.
Flynn: Okay... hmh, oh I remember this from one of those cooking shows uncle Vy watches.
He points at the sign that says; Hokkaido White Raspberry + Gyokuro.
Flynn: Shall we try that?
Fannar: I'm game. You meadow, you are paying for our boring faces after all!
He chuckles low, to not disturb others in there.
Meadow: If anything, I deserve compensation for walking around with you, but hey, guess I can pull that "looking hotter by standing next to someone boring" gig! -she elbows them- Okay. So we're having Hokkaido white raspberry and Gyokuro!
She walked to the front to make their request, while the two boys found a place for them to sit.
Vy: I think so too.
He nodded, carrying the books they had picked. He smiled at Hayden carrying the pretty small pink tree and pecked him on the cheek.
Vy: I miss things being well and worry free. I know that I have been worrying a lot and probably bothering you and the kids, but I just want you all to be safe and well.
Hayden: I know, so do I, so I think this is good for all of us, getting some time away from what's normal.
He looks around as they exit the store, noticing the trio taking selfies, and a little off to the side, he sees his parents and the twins. He also sees one thing more.
Hayden: Is that a beach?
He points down from where they are standing, from what he can see, there is a beach there.
Vy: Oh! Yes! It is! Do you wanna go for a swim?!
He grins and looks back, seeing the kids with their grandparents he feels they are safe so maybe he and Hayden could go for a swim.
Beginning - Previous - Next
#the ward legacy#simblr#simblrstories#ts4 story#ts4 alpha#ts4#Hayden Ward#River Ward#Yvreon Ward#Hayle Ward#Christian Ward#Fannar Ward#Flynn Ward#Eltanin Ward#Arlene Ward#Emil#there will be skiing#and we'll see#if they have skills from just being Hayle's grandkids#who knows right?#and a beach#well you know#mermen#they are kinda drawn to it#and Hayden is no exception
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Hoppy White Day!
Masterlist
Warnings: A couple of puns.
Relationships: Nalu with background Gajevy, Gruvia and Albis.
Summary: Natsu needs help finding a gift at the last minute for Lucy on White Day! But once he runs into a little friend that points him in the right direction, everything falls into place.
A/N: Here’s a one-shot I wrote based on the new art! I hope you enjoy!
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When Natsu walked into the guild hall that morning he noticed that something was off. All of the girls had different presents and were either standing next to the guys that they hung out with the most or they were in little groups. He notices Gray and Gajeel talking in the corner and decides to go ask them what's up.
"Hey guys what's going on around here?" He asks with a cheerful grin.
"Nothing much, the girls are just enjoying their White Day presents and showing them off to each other." Gray explains.
"Their what?" Natsu asks.
Gray and Gajeel look at each other and then start laughing so hard that they have to hold their stomachs.
"Hey guys, whoever bet on Natsu remembering better pay up!" Gajeel shouts and a few of the guys in the guild grumble.
"Seriously Macao, you thought seriously thought Natsu would remember White Day?" Wakaba asks.
"Well Lucy gave him chocolates for Valentine's Day so I thought that meant he'd remember. Guess I was wrong." Macao sighs and hands some jewel over to Wakaba.
"What the heck is White Day?" Natsu asks Gray and Gajeel.
"It's the second part of Valentine's Day." Gray explains "It's when the guys give the girls that gave them chocolate presents."
"I think I really nailed my present." Gajeel says, pun intended as he watches Levy show off the bookcase that Gajeel made her out of iron.
Gray chuckles from the pun and decides to make one of his own.
"Yeah well mine's pretty chill." He says and looks at Juvia who was proudly showing off a necklace similar to his own.
"Those are some awesome gifts!" Natsu says. "So what did Lucy get?"
Gray and Gajeel snicker.
"You tell me Salamander." Gajeel says.
Natsu looks confused so Gray has to clarify.
"You were supposed to get her a gift Natsu." Gray says.
"Wait what!?" Natsu exclaims. "Why do I have to do that?"
"Because she got you chocolate on Valentine's Day dumbass!" Gajeel says. "Now she's gonna be the only girl in the guild who didn't get a gift for White Day."
Natsu looks over to where Lucy was talking to Levy and Juvia. She wasn't smiling and the girls were patting Lucy's shoulders comfortingly. She gave both girls a smile and held their hands to reassure them that she was alright but Natsu knew Lucy better than that.
"I-I'll be right back!" Natsu says and quickly runs out of the guildhall.
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"Dammit I have no idea what to get Lucy." Natsu grumbles as he walks down the street. "I don't even know the right place to look! What can I get her that she doesn't already have aside from rent money?"
Natsu's original plan was to get her rent money. It was a practical gift and he was sure she'd appreciate it, but then Erza ran into him, heard about his plan and slapped him in the face and screamed "You can't just give a girl cash on White Day! That tells her that you know nothing about her and that you don't appreciate her! You know Lucy well enough by now that you should be able to give her a real present! Put in some more effort!"
So now here he was with a handprint on his cheek and at a loss for what to do. He perks his head up when he smells someone familiar. Little Asuka was just ahead of him on the side walk, skipping towards him, licking a big heart-shaped lollipop with a teddy bear under her arm with a pink present bow on it. Natsu smiles and realizes he just found the perfect person to ask for help.
"Hey there Asuka, where'd you get those?" He asks and squats so he can be at her level.
"Hey Natsu! My daddy gave them to me since I made him chocolates with mommy for Valentine's Day last month. I got a teddy bear and a lollipop and mommy got a really pretty necklace. She was so happy when daddy gave it to her! She kissed him all over his face!" Asuka giggles.
"That sounds awesome. You know I'm looking for a present for Lucy. Would you happen to know where I can get one?" Natsu asks.
"Oh I know the perfect place!" Asuka exclaims and bounces on her feet excitedly.
"Great, can you tell me where?" Natsu asks eagerly.
"I can..." Asuka says then gets a mischievous look on her face. "But it's gonna cost you!"
"Since when have you started charging for advice? What do you need money for!" Natsu exclaims angrily.
"It's not money that I want." Asuka says. "It's something else."
Natsu frowns at her, not liking this arrangement. But he was desperate so he didn't have a choice.
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The next thing he knew, he was in a toy store with Asuka.
"Wow I haven't been in here since I was the same size as you." Natsu says. "You sure Lucy would want something from here, this stuff's all for little kids." Natsu says.
"Trust me! Daddy gets mommy stuffed animals from here as presents! And you break into Lucy's house all of the time you've probably seen stuffed animals in there haven't you?" Asuka asks.
Natsu rubs his chin in thought. He did remember seeing one or two stuffed animals in there so that route was probably a safe bet.
He goes over to the shelf and his jaw drops when he sees all of the options that were there.
"Why the heck are there so many different animals and so many different colors! How am I supposed to pick one!" Natsu whines.
He arches his eyebrow when he notices a blue bunny that had a bow on it that looked just like the one Lucy wore in her hair. Then everything else came together when he remembered something that happened on their way back to the guild from their last job...
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"Natsu I'm hungry." Happy whined and laid across Natsu's growling stomach.
"I know, I am too. But Lucy had to go take a leak and you know she refuses to do that anywhere near us. Pranked her by lighting her skirt on fire one time-" Natsu complained before he heard Lucy scream.
He got up so fast that Happy faceplanted into the dirt. He charged towards the sound of Lucy's scream and soon he saw her standing in a clearing overlooking a meadow and he lit up his fist, ready to burn down anything that was threatening her.
"Natsu what are you-whoa!" Lucy exclaimed as she was suddenly pulled into Natsu's chest with one of his arms while the other one was ignited and surveying the landscape for danger.
"Lucy what happened I heard you scream, did something hurt you?" Natsu asks.
Lucy was blushing furiously and stammering.
"N-no, everything's fine." She squeaked out and untangled herself from his arm.
"Then why'd you scream?" Natsu asked.
"Because I saw something cute." Lucy said and smiled.
"Cute?" Natsu asked.
Lucy nodded then pointed to the rabbit that was hopping in the field.
"Alright!" Happy exclaimed, flying next to Natsu's head. "You found lunch!"
"Yep, I'm starving and that rabbit's gonna tast really good grilled up-" Natsu said.
"No don't!" Lucy exclaimed and put her hand over his fist as she ran in front of him.
Natsu felt his chest tighten when she looked at him with those pleading eyes.
"Rabbits are precious and adorable! Why would you want to hurt one?" Lucy asked.
"Sorry Luce, I didn't know you liked rabbits so much." Natsu said softly, worried that he'd made her upset with him. "I'm just so hungry."
"Then we'll go get you some food that's not the most adorable animal to exist." Lucy said and took his hand to lead him towards a river to find some fish.
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Natsu smiles and picks the bunny up off of the shelf and looks at it, trying to imagine the look of pure joy that would be on Lucy's face when he gave this to her.
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"Lucy are you feeling okay?" Juvia asks as she fiddles with the pendent on her new necklace.
"I'm fine." Lucy says with a small smile.
"Don't lie to Juvia. It's clear you're upset that Natsu didn't get you anything for White Day." Juvia says.
"Well I am a little upset but to be honest I wasn't really expecting him to get me anything." Lucy admits. "He's not interested in romance. When I gave him his Valentine's Day chocolate he just assumed I was giving it to him to be nice, he didn't know what it really meant..."
"Lucy!" Asuka shouts as she runs into the guild hall.
The blonde turns around to see Asuka running towards her.
"Hey Asuka what's up?" She asks.
"Natsu's got something for you!" She says cheerfully.
Lucy blushes before looking up when she senses a shadow over her and sees Natsu blushing with both hands behind his back.
"You got me something?" Lucy asks, her heart pounding as she stands up in front of him.
"Yeah. The guys told me I'm supposed to give you a present today and I ran into Asuka and she showed me a place to get a gift for you!" Natsu explains.
"You did?" Lucy asks.
Asuka giggles and nods.
"Yeah she was a big help." Natsu says. "And here's your gift!"
Lucy held her hands up under her chin and let out a delighted gasp when Natsu presented her with a blue bunny.
"Oh Natsu..." she says as she takes it from his hands.
"Awww..." a few of the guild members watching say when they see Lucy hug the toy close to her chest.
"It's perfect Natsu I love it so much!" Lucy says.
"Aw it was nothing." Natsu says and scratches the back of his head.
"Alright Natsu, time to pay up!" Asuka says and tugs on his pant leg.
"Pay? For what?" Lucy asks Natsu.
"Since she showed me where the store was to get you that bunny I owe her a favor." Natsu explains. "Alright kiddo what do you want? Candy? Cake?"
"Oooo cake sounds super yummy!" Asuka exclaims and claps her hands.
Lucy giggles at how cute she was and smiles at the bunny in her arms. He remembered that she liked them...and her favorite color being blue, and the ribbon on the bunny even matched the one in her hair!...How thoughtful...
"But I want you to give Lucy a kiss on the lips!" Asuka declares.
The whole guild gasps. They all start muttering on if Natsu's really gonna do it or not. Lucy and Natsu's faces were bright red. Lucy hides hers behind her bunny and Natsu sinks into his scarf a bit.
"No no no no!" Happy shouts and flies away. "I know how this goes and I'm not letting it happen again!"
"You're asking for that again?" Natsu asks.
"Yep!" Asuka says. "The last time with Happy was cheating! I want you to kiss her for real this time."
"Alright then, sorry Luce, that bunny was supposed to be a gift but it looks like it's gonna cost ya." Natsu apologizes then gasps when he sees her standing right in front of him.
"Seems like more of a bonus gift to me." Lucy says and blushes as the whole guild gasps and Cana of all people almost chokes on her liquor when she hears what Lucy said.
"Luce..." Natsu asks softly.
"Kiss me Natsu." Lucy begs.
He was quick to grant her request and with one sharp intake as he cups her cheek and leans in, their lips met.
Cana's vodka bottle slips from her hand and shatters on the floor at the same time the entire guild gasps again as they bear witness to Natsu and Lucy's first ever kiss. Then it was quickly followed by wolf whistles from the men and applause as well as praises for Natsu and Lucy. Makarov was sniffling and crying as he watched their embrace.
"I saw him take his first job, win his first fight, and now I get to see his first kiss." Makarov broke down crying. "He's a grown man now!" he blows his nose in his cape.
“Yeah I wouldn’t go as far as to say that just yet.” Laxus tells his grandpa.
When they finally part they're both grinning and blushing horribly. Lucy kept herself close to Natsu, feeling slightly uncomfortable with all of this attention on her.
"Luce, can I kiss you again?" Natsu asks softly.
"Of course but Natsu everyone's staring at us." Lucy blushes and buries her face in his neck which only earned more cheers, which causes her to giggle.
"I don't care about them, the only person I'm acknowledging in this room right now is you. But if they want to watch, might as well give 'em a show." Natsu says and smirks.
Lucy gasps in surprise as Natsu suddenly dips her. One of her arms quickly wraps around his neck to hold onto him while he wraps one arm around her lower back to support her as he holds her up and the other hand is supporting her neck as he kisses her and the guild erupts into another frenzy.
"It looks like Natsu's the one who nailed the gift this year boys." Panther Lily says and Gajeel laughs heartily while Gray gives a small smile.
"Yeah Salamander sure did top me this year if he got Lucy to make out with him in front of the guild. Thankfully no one was betting on him to give the best gift so none of us lose any jewel. But I also didn't win any so that kind of pisses me off. I'll beat him up for it tomorrow though, as his friend I should let him enjoy this moment today, gihee." Gajeel says.
"Yeah, I wouldn't want to sour Natsu's mood by freezing his lips off just when he figured out what to do with them." Gray jokes.
Happy flies back inside after hearing the commotion in the guild hall.
"Hey what's going on in here? Is it safe to- WAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!" Happy screams at the sight of his two best friends making out. "How long was I gone what year is it?" He stammers before floating to the ground and fainting.
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A/N: Hoppy White Day!
#nalu#fairy tail#white day#lucy heartfilia#natsu dragneel#gray fullbuster#Juvia Lockser#Levy McGarden#Gajeel Redfox#Asuka Connell
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Gratitude
link to AO3
AUTHOR: Suspicious_Popsicle (@suspiciouspopsicle)
T, 2636 words, 1/1
RELATIONSHIPS: Lan Wangji / Wei Wuxian
BLURB: the spirit of the original bunnies
SUMMARY:
Sitting on the grass as Lan WangJi knelt nearby, the picture of serenity, Wei WuXian spotted something strange in the undergrowth of the forest cradling the far side of the rabbit meadow. He went perfectly still, watching the small, furry creature that was staring at them, pink nose twitching as its long ears perked forward curiously, white coat shining faintly in the shadows. It wasn't long before his stillness caught the attention of his husband.
“Wei Ying?”
"Lan Zhan....” He nodded to indicate the creature, glancing back to be sure Lan WangJi saw it, too. “That's not a rabbit."
creator chose not to use archive warnings, post-canon, this includes a scene where the bunnies wwx gave lwj pass away, animal death, it’s not violent or anything, no stewpots or feral corpses, it’s just a bit sad
[link to all bookmarks]
#r:lwj/wwx#a:suspiciouspopsicle#ao3#mdzs#fic recs#not like heavily relationship-based though!#melancholy is the word i find fits my mood rn :')#like a sad smiley
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My Girl Series: Chapter 7 - Birthday Blues
…in which Harry tries to make it up to Y/N for all the birthdays he has missed.
Series description: Y/N falls in love with the older boy next door who doesn’t feel the same, years later they meet again at a funeral.
AU: actor!harry, older!harry, younger!y/n; (4-year age gap)
Chapter 6: This Time - Y/N needs a wedding date, and this time Harry’s not giving up.
wattpad link
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After Harry had left Holmes Chapel, every spark of joy in Y/N's life slowly died out with the part of him inside of her. The day she turned fifteen was also the first time she'd spent a birthday alone. Celine was abroad for a three-month exchange program. Her grandma, who lived in Brighton had just passed away, so both of her parents had to go there for the funeral. Since she refused to come along, they left her home with her mother's younger sister, aunt Lynn, who was only twenty-two at the time and didn't even bother to remember her name.
"Sweet baby, do not tell your parents that I invite some friends over, okay? Your mum is gonna be so mad," the young woman said, holding Y/N by the shoulders and the teenage girl could only pay attention to the sound of her aunt chewing bubble gum. For some reasons, Lynn always had something in her mouth. If she wasn't chewing gum, she had to make sure her mouth was kept busy by eating something, or someone. Y/N had met her three times before but each time she was snogging a different guy. Sadly she was the only option for a 'babysitter', just because Y/N's parents didn't believe their fifteen-year-old daughter was capable of staying home alone.
"But today is—"
"Shit!" The woman exclaimed, holding her head. "You're right! It's Friday night, I should throw a party. Play with your dolls, baby. Your aunt has adult stuff to take care of."
"My dolls?" Y/N muttered under her breath as the bedroom door was slammed shut in front of her eyes. Putting on her favorite song and turning off all the lights, she lied down, staring at the spinning fan above her head.
All the kids her age probably spent their fifteenth getting drunk and making out with their crushes, or losing their virginity without their parents knowing. But there she was, locked in her room while her aunt was having all the fun she was supposed to have. For the first time in her life, she found herself alone. She'd always been a loner, yet she had never actually felt it until that night. She stayed utter still in silence, holding Thumper close to her chest. The stuffed animal could probably hear every sound of her heart cracking open. Her mother wasn't there to tell her what a woman she'd become, nor was Harry to sing her the birthday song. It was just her, alone in the dark, with a purple bunny that still smelt just like him.
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Celine always said that working in the library was the worst decision Y/N had ever made, because there was no job more boring than organizing dusty old books. But the thing was, Y/N loved her boring job. She mainly got paid for sorting and shelving books according to their categorization, which wasn't really hard work, not to mention that Ms. Florence, the librarian, was really easy-going. Y/N got to spend most of her time in the fiction section, avoiding her responsibilities to read and write as much as she wanted. Besides, she really liked her co-worker, whose name was Alice.
Alice was a year younger than Y/N. She liked to talk and Y/N liked to listen, so they were pretty compatible. Finding a drinking buddy in university was easy, Y/N had plenty of them; the hard part was finding a buddy you could trust. So even though Alice wasn't what Y/N would consider a close friend, she could be someone to count on.
"Why is it that every time I see you, you're reading something?"
Alice's voice pulled Y/N's attention away from the novel on her lap, as she looked up and found the tiny brunette smiling at her. Y/N leaned back against the bookshelf, crossing her legs so there was room on the floor for Alice to sit down as well.
"I have a surprise for you, big sis!" Alice said, making Y/N roll her eyes and chuckle.
"You've found another porn book, haven't ya?"
"No! An actual surprise!" The younger girl giggled, then finally showed Y/N what she'd been hiding behind her back. "Ta-da! Two tickets to see Heathers!"
"Heathers The Musical?" Y/N dropped her jaw when the other girl nodded. "I love Heathers!"
"I bet you do! You seem like someone who enjoys dark comedy with tragic endings."
Alice's comment made her laugh, but she couldn't say it wasn't true. Her life itself was already a dark comedy.
"Are you giving me these for free?" She asked, pointing to the tickets and Alice's lips curved into a smile as she nodded fast in response.
"I bought these to go with a friend next week, but we're both gonna be busy that night. So just consider this as my temporary birthday gift to you. I'll buy you something else tomorrow."
"How do you know today's my birthday?" Y/N's eyes went round as her mouth fell open, yet the grin on the other girl's face only expanded.
"I was cleaning Ms. Florence's desk this morning when I found your CV. I didn't have time to actually get you something so—"
"Alice..."
"I know you hate birthdays, but please accept these tickets or else I'll die!"
Y/N rolled her eyes, chuckling a bit at how dramatic that sounded, but eventually, she accepted the birthday gift from her co-worker, and thanked the girl for being so thoughtful. "By the way, there's really no need to get me something else," she said, making Alice snort.
"Don't be silly! You're getting a proper birthday gift from me." Alice barely stood up when she flopped onto the floor again. "Oh, and one more thing! Do you wanna go out tonight? I know this pub that's—"
"No, thanks. I've got a lot of work to do tonight."
"But it's your birthday!"
Y/N gave the girl a shrug, lifting a corner of her mouth as she replied, "I never celebrate it."
"Boo, you suck!" Like a child, Alice blew up her cheeks, eyebrows knitted together. "But if you change your mind, ring me up, big sis!"
Y/N tried to contain her laughter as she watched Alice hop away and almost fall head first when she tripped over a stool. It was only when her clumsy co-worker had gone out of sight that Y/N finally checked her watch and realized her shift was just over. She rose from the floor to place the book back on the shelf, then put the tickets into her bag before heading out. Usually, she would always be the last person to leave, but since it was her birthday, she still wanted to do something special for herself, even if it was something as simple as going home before Ms. Florence.
Instead of taking the bus, that day Y/N decided to walk home. For the first time in two years living in that city, the girl finally paid attention to what was going on around her; it was also the first time she had realized how boring London had always been. The grey color of concrete dominated the entire city; it was hard to spot a hint of green anywhere, unlike Holmes Chapel, her home.
Y/N missed that place so much, now more than ever.
She missed the meadows behind her house at springtime, when all the wildflowers added vibrant colors to the fading green. She missed the tall pine trees surrounding a field full of white poppies. She used to run across that field, imagining herself in the opening scene of The Sound of Music, and she could still hear Harry's voice calling out "Bambi, wait for me!" as he tried to catch up with her.
He was the green that she missed the most.
The sound of her ringtone cut right through that thought, causing the vivid images before her eyes to fade back to monochrome. His name showed up on the screen, as if he knew she had been thinking about him.
"Hello?" She answered, standing close to the wall on her right so she wouldn't get in the way of the other pedestrians.
"Are you on the way home?" Harry asked.
"Yeah, I'm just a few blocks away. Why?"
"I'm coming over."
She snorted, pursing her dry lips. "I'm busy tonight, remember? Birthday dinner with Isaac?" That lie was as smooth as melting butter coming from her mouth, yet her insides were heating up and her hands started to shake. She was glad he couldn't see the way she shut her eyes and pressed her lips into a firm line after lying to him.
"I'll see you in five."
"Wait, I said—" Y/N began, yet couldn't finish. Harry had already hung up on her.
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.
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The sun was sinking fast now, turning the sky to grey tinged with purple and pink. Harry was already waiting by his car outside the building when Y/N returned, standing with his back facing the ruby-red skyline. With golden-rays casting down upon him, Y/N thought Harry glowed even brighter than the sun itself. But of course, he didn't have to know.
"Happy birthday." His voice was husky and deep as he handed her a white poppy. "Just like the ones back home," he said, and the reluctance from her expression made him feel the need to add, "I didn't buy it. I stole it from a flower shop on the way here."
Y/N didn't know if that was true, but his slop-sided grin made her doubt every single one of his words.
"Headline: Harry Styles stole a flower for a mystery girl!" She said, swiping her hand across the air like she was presenting the idea to him, which only made the beam on his face grow twice as big as he pointed to his car. "Get in, kid," he told her. "Before what you said become reality."
"Where are we going?" She asked in hesitation.
"To your birthday party."
"My birthday party?! But I'm—"
"I'm sure we've got a lot of time before Isaac returns from Italy to take you to dinner."
That one sentence got Y/N tongue-tied. The girl couldn't make a single sound, instead, she was gawking at him like a fool. What did she expect though? He would find out sooner or later because he was still friends with Isaac. So all she could do at that moment was try to come up with an explanation, in case he asked her to tell him why she'd lied. However, he didn't ask her anything. Harry flashed a smile as he walked back to his car and told her to come along. But Y/N refused. She couldn't just follow him blindly without knowing exactly where they were going.
"You're not taking me to a fancy restaurant, are you?"
"Bambi, the last thing I want is for the paps to eat you alive." Harry chuckled and opened the car door for the girl. "Don't worry, kid. It's just gonna be the two of us."
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.
.
The loud music and laughter from downstairs made it almost impossible for Y/N to even hear the voice inside her head. The birthday blues made it hard for her to stay awake, yet she couldn't sleep either, and there was no way she could talk her aunt into ending the party. Lynn was probably drunk off her ass right now, so Y/N knew the only place for her to be alone with her depressing thoughts was the treehouse. She hadn't gone back there since the night she last saw Harry, but she guessed it had become such a big part of her that she couldn't stay away no matter how much she'd tried.
Still in her pajamas, the fifteen-year-old climbed the rope ladder to get to her childhood spot. The floor was still wet from the rain yesterday, so she leaned against the doorway and stood there to ponder on her own. However, it didn't take her more than three minutes to burst into tears.
Y/N hated crying, it was physically and emotionally painful to cry, and when it was over, what was left was just...nothing. Emptiness. Nevertheless, crying was how Y/N understood herself best. When she cried, she knew who she was. And she had always thought, just like a heartbreak, though crying left her feeling empty when it was over, she would still sigh in relief, because, at least, she knew it was the end.
"Y/N!"
When she heard that voice, the girl stepped closer to the edge of the treehouse and looked down at her neighbor's garden, where she found Harry's big sister with one hand behind her back and the other waving in the air. Y/N quickly wiped away the remaining tears on her cheeks, feeling thankful because if Gemma had come earlier, she might have already seen Y/N bawling her eyes out.
"Gemma! When did you get back?"
"Just a couple days ago. I'm home for two weeks to work on my thesis." The other Styles chuckled. "Glad I found you out here, I was just about to come over."
"To see me?" Y/N lifted both eyebrows, pointing to herself and receiving a nod from her neighbor.
"Yeah, come down here. I have something for you."
The teenage girl hesitated a bit because she couldn't figure out why Gemma wanted to see her and had something for her. Even though she used to hang out with Harry, she was never that close to his older sister. But she climbed down anyway, curious to know what Gemma had behind her back.
"Happy birthday," said the 23-year-old as she handed Y/N the birthday gift she'd been hiding that whole time.
A snow globe.
It didn't have a snowman and a Christmas tree like the ones you normally found in souvenir shops. The one Gemma gave her had colorful glitter inside instead of fake snow; and it was a miniature London, with tiny versions of Big Ben, the London Eye, and the Tower Bridge.
But all Y/N could see, was a person.
"You remember my birthday?" The younger girl asked quietly as she received the gift from her lovely neighbor, who was smiling from ear to ear.
"Of course," Gemma said. "I came to your birthday party every year. But I guess you don't like them anymore, huh?"
"Yeah..." Y/N faked a laugh, hoping her awkward eye-roll didn't give away the fact that she was just lonely.
"Well, I'd love to stay and chat but I must get back to work now."
"Sure. Thanks for the nice gift," said Y/N. "Where did you get it by the way?"
"Bought it when I was in London last week."
Y/N didn't say anything else and just watched the older girl walk back to her house. Of course, she wanted to ask Gemma about Harry, but it was so sad to even think about him right now. His sister remembered her birthday and even got her a present, yet she hadn't heard a single word from him since the day he left. He was supposed to be her friend, or was it just another thing she had fooled herself into believing?
Holding the little London between her palms, she thought that maybe it was time to let go of the London inside her heart.
.
.
.
"Don't peek!"
"I'm not peeking!"
Y/N giggled, holding the hand that was covering her eyes as Harry carefully led her up the stairs, giving her directions so she wouldn't trip and cause them both to fall over. She extended her arms once they had reached the top, feeling the cold metal surface in front of them. The creaking sound caused her to flinch, so Harry quickly reassured the girl that it was just him opening the door. She could feel his other hand reaching around her waist to pull the handle, and a cold breeze blew right through her thin shirt. Y/N immediately took a step backward and bumped into Harry's firm chest. She felt the pressure of his fingertips on her hip as he gently pushed her forward, for the third time that night, telling her to trust him.
"If I didn't trust you I wouldn't have walked up all these floors with my eyes closed." She giggled, and his soft laughter sent shivers down her spine.
"Sit," he ordered, holding the girl by the arms to guide her into a chair; and when she was finally seated, Harry leaned in so his lips were close to her ear as he whispered, "open your eyes."
Y/N did what she was told.
Slowly, she opened her eyes.
The girl had begun to envision her surroundings ever since the cool air hit her skin for the first time as she stepped out, yet what she saw was far from her imagination.
They were sitting on a rooftop of a tall building somewhere in London. From her spot, Y/N could see the entire city spread below, tiny vehicles rushing along tangled roads. The city lights looked like stars dropping to the Earth, making her feel as if they were being squeezed between two galaxies. There were no words magical enough to describe what she was seeing, so Y/N didn't say anything, and just took in a deep breath to let it go with the biggest smile on her face.
It was windy on the roof, so Harry took off his coat and wrapped it around her shoulders. They sat side by side on two wooden chairs, staring at the city and the sky above, completely mesmerized by such beauty, which had completely changed Y/N's opinion about London. Maybe from a different and higher view, it wasn't plain and dull after all.
"Almost like Holmes Chapel, huh?" She heard him speak and turned to look at him. Harry was gazing up with a beam on his face as he pointed to the sky, and told her the names of the stars he knew, not aware that she wasn't really listening. She was too busy looking at him, and thinking, maybe somewhere underneath that man was still the little boy she used to know.
"Oh, I forgot!" He suddenly flinched and turned to pick up the box at his feet. "I made this for you. But...the rest of the batch...already ended up in the trash bin."
He opened the box and revealed one single cupcake with a candle on top. It didn't look terrible, still, it wasn't a very pretty cupcake either. But if that was the best out of the whole batch, Y/N couldn't help but snort as she tried to imagine what the other ones looked like.
"Hey, don't laugh at me! At least I tried!"
"Okay, okay." Y/N bit her lip to hold back a smile. She didn't know why it was so endearing that he'd exerted himself to make her one cupcake. Even if he'd got it from a store instead, she would still be overjoyed.
"Can I eat it now?" She asked, but he quickly shook his head no.
"You have to make a wish first."
Y/N giggled, eyes bored into Harry as he looked around to find something else. "Shit!" His jaw went slack. "The lighter! I forgot the lighter."
"Relax, lemme check," Y/N mumbled, reaching inside the inner pocket of his coat to search for the object, and she felt something like a little triangle box, assuming it was the lighter. But when she took it out, both of them froze as they saw what it really was.
A pack of cigarettes.
Y/N's mouth fell open, she was speechless, and so was he. "Harry..." Her voice was quiet when she looked at him. "Do you smoke?"
"No." He shook his head fast. "N-Not anymore."
"Really?"
"Why would I lie?" A blush crept up his face as he made eye-contact with her. "If I still smoked, I would have a lighter with me, right?"
That sounded like a good enough reason for her to believe him. Moreover, he didn't smell like someone who smoked, and she'd never seen him with a cigarette between his fingers before. So apparently he was telling the truth. Y/N inhaled deeply as she nodded, squeezing his hand for more assurance.
"Smoking could kill you. So don't...don't go back to it..." The way she could barely maintain eye contact while saying that to him made his heart flutter somehow. He took her other hand, linking their fingers together as he asked, "are you worried about me?"
"Of course I am," she said without pause. "I can't bear the thought of losing you."
The corners of her mouth turned down and her whole face contorted so he knew she was serious when she said those words. After all this time, he still mattered to her; and knowing that was like getting a heavy weight lifted off his chest.
.
.
.
Harry sank into his chair, holding the mini calendar above his face. "It's already April," he mumbled to himself, but his roommate Isaac assumed Harry was talking to him, so he replied, "yeah, almost time for finals."
It wasn't finals that came to Harry's mind when he thought about April, it was a birthday actually. He rarely remembered birthdays, and sometimes he forgot his own; but for some reasons, he always remembered hers. He hadn't spoken to Y/N since the night he left, and he could never forget the way she looked at him when she asked him to kiss her. It was awkward, yet it was sad. She truly cared about him, and he could never repay the same kind of feelings because she was too young. So he didn't know how to talk to her again after everything she'd confessed. The last thing he wanted was to lead her on and lull her into believing that one day he might feel the same. He knew he could never like her back the way she wanted him to.
However, it would be a lie to say he didn't miss her. He missed her a lot. How could he forget about his little Bambi? She was the only girl he'd spent the best years of his childhood protecting and looking after. She was something more than just the girl next door, and he kept the image on her face on the treehouse that night in his memory as he left Holmes Chapel with no intention of coming back. Every time he thought about her, a part of him wanted to pay her a visit, but he was glad he didn't change his mind. But now her birthday was coming close, and he knew she wanted him to be there with her. He wanted to be there with her. But he couldn't.
"Isaac," Harry broke the silence in the dorm room, turning his head to look at his best friend who was lying on the bed. "What should I give a fifteen-year-old girl for her birthday?"
The sudden question made Isaac lift an eyebrow. "I thought you only had a big sister?"
"Uhm...it's actually for my...my...cousin."
"Well, I'm bad at this stuff. Why don't you ask Niall?"
Harry rolled his eyes and scoffed. "He would just give me crazy ideas."
"Then ask the birthday girl herself." Isaac shrugged, sticking out his bottom lip. "I mean, try to be subtle and find out what she likes without giving away the fact that you don't know what to get her."
If only it was that easy. Harry shook his head and put the calendar back down. He used to be the one who knew about her more than anyone else, probably only second to her mother, he should be able to know what she liked, but right now he didn't. He knew nothing about her anymore. It was only then that he started to feel bad for all the time he didn't spend with her. But had he not kept his distance, their goodbye would've been much harder.
So he tried to think, swirling the pencil in his hand for a couple seconds. And finally, an idea came to his mind. Maybe there could be a way for him to come back to her after all.
.
.
.
For the rest of the night, Harry and Y/N sat in their chairs, eating pizza for dinner while discussing irrelevant topics like the existence of aliens, strange kinds of flowers, as well as their favorite movies, songs, and books. Soon both grew tired so they fell back to silence. He was staring at the city, and she was taking in the sight of him.
"Are you mad that I lied to you?" Her sudden question made him turn around with an eyebrow raised. "You know, about Isaac."
"I'm not mad at you, kid. But I'd like to know what happened..." Harry couldn't say he had heard most of the story from Niall because he wanted Y/N to tell him herself, if she trusted him enough, and of course, he didn't expect her to. But somehow she did. She ended up telling him everything.
"I didn't want Isaac to turn down the job offer for a relationship that would probably never work." She sighed with her chin on her knuckles, hooded eyes staring blankly ahead. "I liked him a lot. And I thought to myself that if he asked me to be his girlfriend, I would say yes immediately. But when it happened, I got scared. I couldn't let him in because I was afraid that if he knew too much about me, he wouldn't like me anymore. I guess I'm just not ready to fall in love again, and I don't want him to wait for me to be ready. My first and only relationship didn't end very well. So I didn't have the heart to let the same thing happen to us." Holding her breath, she said, "He's too good for me anyway. I'm better off alone."
"Nobody is better off alone," Harry spoke at last, a line appeared between his brows. "Everyone needs someone."
"Not me." She shrugged, and the look in her eyes broke his heart in a million pieces. "I'm sorry I had to lie to you...I didn't want you to do anything for my birthday. I've troubled you enough already."
"But you're not troubling me, love. I did all of this because I wanted to. I...I care about you."
She couldn't remember the last time she heard him say those words, or if he'd ever said them at all. So to hear them now made her feel happy and sad at the same time. If there was one thing that she'd learned from their 'relationship' it would be, Harry's words weren't always credible.
"How did you find this place though?" She changed the subject, putting on a smile to lighten up the mood, which had gotten a bit blue since Isaac was mentioned. She could see it from the look on his face that he was also glad she'd brought up something else.
"Niall's uncle owns this building. They're doing some reconstructing so it's closed for a couple months. It might be the only place we could be together without people bothering us."
"Thank you." Y/N took in a long breath as she smiled. "I've never seen London so beautiful."
"Agreed." Harry nodded fast. In this bad lighting, his dimples seemed even deeper than they actually were. "But my favorite is the winter time. The city looks best when it's covered in snow."
Those last words made Y/N's head turn as her eyes went round.
"It was you, wasn't it?" she cried out, causing the man to jump in shock. He was meant to ask, but she didn't even let him have his chance. "The snow globe! You asked Gemma to give it to me, did you?!"
"Ouch!" He yelped when she smacked him hard on the arm. The girl didn't look very sorry when he rubbed the sore spot and his brows drew together in utter perplexity.
"Why did you ask her to lie for you?! I was so sad, I thought you didn't remember my birthday!"
"I thought it was for the best if you forgot about me, after..."
There was a pause, a gap for her to fill in.
"Our first kiss...I know," she mumbled at last.
It was weird to talk about it now, since both of them had been pretending like the kiss she'd stolen from him when she was fourteen had never happened. After all, she was fourteen at the time, he couldn't blame her for acting so impulsive. But recently he'd been thinking about it and wondering if her feelings back then had been all true.
Her eyes darted as she whispered under her breath, but still loud enough for him to hear, "why didn't you send me anything on my birthday next year or the ones after that?"
"I...I wanted to...I almost did." He swallowed hard while fidgeting in his seat. "But Gemma said you were seeing this boy, so I thought I should stay away from your life and let you forget about me for good. Then time passed and I actually didn't think a lot about you, until..."
She nodded without waiting for him to finish, her lashes fluttered as sadness overtook her face. After a moment of thinking, she asked, "if you could turn back time, would you come back to see me?"
"Yes," he answered. "Without a second thought."
Y/N had seen Harry in a lot of different situations, yet she'd never seen him like that, all flustered and ill at ease. She loved the way the rings on his fingers sparkled as he was nervously toying with the hem of his shirt. She loved it when even under the dim lights surrounding them, she could see a blush creep up his face. She knew better, that it was never good when she felt so drawn to him, yet she couldn't stop, so she released a slight laugh, which got his attention.
"Why are you laughing?" He asked.
Shaking her head with the grin still remained, she said, "nothing."
.
.
.
As he walked with her five floors up to her flat, Harry struggled to find something to say so the silence carried on until they reached her front door. He couldn't explain why he was at a loss for words every time he stood in front of her. He knew her well, he'd grown up with this girl. But deep down inside he knew it wasn't like that, not anymore. He knew his heart had more to say about her than it should, and the way it began to race whenever she was around had him frustrated most of the times.
He watched her unlock her front door and turn to say goodbye. But just when she was about to leave, he stopped her by taking her hand. It wasn't the first time they'd held hands, still, he let hers go after about two seconds like it was hot coal burning his skin. Maybe it was, maybe she was, yet he couldn't stay away because he enjoyed the burn. With round Bambi eyes, she stared at him, slightly puzzled by his strange behaviors. Harry asked her to wait. He searched in his pants pocket, finally pulling out a silver locket necklace.
"Your birthday present."
"Harry—"
He shushed her right away, telling her to turn around as he took a step closer to put the chain around her neck. His fingers brushed against her collarbone only once, but it was enough for both of them to flinch at the contact. Y/N gently touched the heart-shaped locket now lying on her chest, then opened it to find a tiny photo of her mother.
"So you could always keep her by your heart," he whispered, his voice was low and hot against her ear.
Slowly, Y/N turned around, but Harry didn't pull away so they were just one step away from pressing against each other. She meant to just thank him and go inside her flat, but as she parted her lip, not a single sound managed to escape. Her cheeks turned pink, her bottom lip was quivering as she batted her lashes. She had never looked into his eyes for that long, and the look he was giving her made her pupils dilated. It was the same look she'd seen him give that blonde haired girl on the treehouse when he was seventeen. He had never looked at Y/N that way before, and now he did. If only she could read his mind, she would know he was also trying to do the same.
Harry knew it was wrong, but he couldn't resist. The last time he had the same feeling, he wasn't thinking straight so he went for it by instinct. Now he knew exactly what was happening, and still, he didn't stop it. He leaned in a little closer, their foreheads touching. He expected her to pull away or even slap him for making that bold move, yet she stayed exactly where she was, chest heaving with anticipation. Her scent was flooding his senses, and the second he finally found the courage to place his hands on her hips, it was she who decided the next move.
Her lips brushed against his. Not innocently, but hot and passionately, he wanted to pull away before he lost control, but like a magnet, she drew him in more and now he was stuck. "Harry," she whispered slowly, making his heart flutter as he clasped his hands on either side of her face.
That kiss wasn't like the first or the second, this time it was an open-mouthed, almost sexual kiss. He pushed her against the door, loving the way her body melted into his as their lips fitted perfectly like they were made for each other. She held his hair and he held her so tight as if he was afraid it wasn't real, and she would disappear the moment he loosened his grip. They broke away after what seemed like ages, and from the look in her eyes, he could tell she expected him to run, just like he had before.
But he didn't. Even if he wanted to, he knew his trembling feet wouldn't let him. She stood with her back against the door, him with one hand on her hip, the other fisted to rest beside her head. He inhaled sharply and she was still trying to steady her breathing. It took almost five seconds for either to open their eyes and look at the other person.
"Goodnight," she mumbled, reaching behind for the doorknob and the next thing he knew, she had fled inside and shut the door right in front of his face. Harry was left standing in the hallway like an idiot, not knowing what to do next. He lifted a fist, about to knock because there were still many things that he wanted to say to her, an apology was one of which. But he thought again and decided that he should probably go.
Harry left the building, stepping out on the street with his head still on the cloud as he kept touching his lips, trying not to smile so big or else people would think he was insane. But maybe he was, because he was too happy to act differently. He got into his car and sat there with both hands on the steering wheel, head tossed back, smiling contently. His whole face was red, but he didn't really mind. He was soaked in the scent of her perfume, and all he could think about was how he could possibly fall asleep with every trace of her lingering on his body.
His phone lit up in the dark, notifying a new text from Bambi which got him to sit up straight at once. His heart could've exploded when he read the first line, if the next one hadn't come on in less than a second.
⌲ Bambi: That kiss was a mistake.
⌲ Bambi: You're gonna have to earn it next time.
⌲ Next time? :)
⌲ Bambi: Don't be smug about it!
⌲ I'm not! But wait, on the scale from 1-10, how great was tonight? (minus the kiss)
⌲ Bambi: 7/10 (including the kiss)
⌲ Heeeeeey!
Sitting at her working desk, chin resting on her palm, Y/N cracked a smile. The birthday surprise, as well as the kiss they'd shared in the hallway, were definitely 11/10. But she couldn't give it to him that easily. She placed her phone down, leaving his latest message on read as she touched the chain around her neck once again.
The London snow globe was still sitting on her desk, and she hadn't touched it in so long that it was a bit dusty now. She kept it there so it could remind her of the terrible birthday she should already forget, but she didn't want to. It was a way of telling herself that sometimes the people you loved would leave you behind, and that was just a cruel fact of life that one should just accept and carry on. But now that she knew it wasn't all true, the way she felt about the snow globe had also changed.
Quickly, she typed down 'Thank you for the locket' and sent it to him, then while waiting for him to reply, she sent another text right after.
⌲ I have two tickets to see Heathers The Musical
⌲ H: Yes.
⌲ I haven't even asked?
⌲ H: Whatever you're gonna ask, it's a yes.
⌲ Have you even watched Heathers?
⌲ H: There's always Google! Send me the date and time, my assistant will get back to you shortly.
⌲ Haha funny.
Y/N rolled her eyes and giggled as she snapped a quick shot of the tickets Alice had given her and sent it to him.
⌲ H: Wednesday night! I'm free!
⌲ You sure there's not another award show that night? I'm gonna kill you if you skip another one for me.
⌲ H: Nah I'm not supposed to attend any event next week. If you don't believe me, google it!
⌲ Oh God.
⌲ H: Say that instead of my name 'next time'.
Y/N's face turned scarlet when she read that line. She sucked in her bottom lip, face-palming herself with her eyes shut and wishing she hadn't moaned his name into the kiss. That couldn't have been more embarrassing. She typed down a few words, trying to come up with a reply that would save herself from the humiliation, yet she kept typing and deleting for three times or so. Then came two new messages from him.
⌲ H: It's late. Go to sleep Bambi. Good night.
⌲ H: Once again, happy birthday! :)
The twenty-year-old smiled to herself as she sent him back a goodnight text. Y/N knew she should get to bed now if she wanted to wake up early for a class in the morning. But she also knew it would take forever for her to fall asleep. This time, fortunately, it wasn't gonna be the birthday blues that kept her up all night.
#my girls series#harry styles#harry styles fluff#harry styles smut#harry styles imagine#harry styles angst#harry styles imagines#harry styles fanfic#harry styles fanfictions#harry styles fanfics#harry styles writing#harry styles fanfiction#bestfriend!harry#older!harry#actor!harry
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Prologue: Hope World
Every night, when the sky is awake, Olaf finds his Mums and asks for his favourite bedtime story.
It’s his favourite, because it’s about him.
The Mums take turns. First, Anna scoops Olaf into her lap, giggling as Olaf tugs at her hair, wanting to braid it just like how Elsa always braids it. She lets his hands fiddle and knot and tug, as she begins the story. “Once upon a time,” she says,” in a beautiful Winter Hollow, there lived two fairies who were very, very much in love.”
“Anna and Elsa!” chirps Olaf.
“Yes! Anna and Elsa, Olaf, exactly! They had fallen in love over many winters, over hot cocoa and sled rides, and making flower crowns!” went on Anna. “They were each other’s family. And they couldn’t wait to make that family even bigger one day, so they could share their love and their talents with a little fairy all their own. But they didn’t want just any little fairy. No, they knew there was a special fairy boy waiting for them out there. They just had to go and find him.”
“Me! He was me!” Olaf cries out. He lopes his arms around Anna’s neck.
“Hey! Don’t skip ahead in the story!” laughs Anna
Elsa laughs too and gently touches Olaf’s ski-slope nose. “That’s right, little snowflake,” says his other Mum. “You. So Anna and Elsa set off on an adventure to find their special fairy child. First, they went to the great Queen Iduna of the Winter Hollow to ask for her advice.‘You will have to make a snowman,’ she told them. ‘A very special little snowman, made under the Midnight Sun. When the Sun shines in harmony with the Aurora lights, then your fairy child will be yours.’
“But Queen Iduna, gasped Anna--” Anna gasps this too, and it makes Olaf laugh again. “How are we supposed to make a snowman when it’s the middle of summer? How can the Aurora shine if the Midnight Sun is out too?”
“That’s why you’ll need help, said Queen Iduna,” Elsa says. “And after she told them what they needed to know, off Anna and Elsa went. First, to make their snowman, they had to go to the most skilled Ice-talent in the Hollow, Mr. Kristoff! Mr. Kristoff agreed to help them. Elsa used her talent to make three perfect snowballs, and then Mr. Kristoff encased them in a thick, blue layer of ice, so they’d stay cool on the journey.”
“Next, they went to Kristoff’s husband, Sven. Sven was a reindeer-talent-fairy--”
“And the tallest fairy in the whole Hollow!” crowed Olaf. “Oh, lemme say this part, please please please--”
“Okay, Olaf, you say it,” says Elsa.
“Okay! Sven, he’s so tall, so he reached up-- he reached up and picked 1, 2, 3 holly berries from the holly berry bush.”
“Exactly, Olaf,” says Elsa. “And he gave those berries to the girls as well. Elsa held the snow, so it wouldn’t melt. Anna held the berries. And they trekked outside the Hollow, to where the snow melted into grass and flowers poked their gentle, colorful heads above the ground. Though it was getting warmer, the snowballs that Kristoff had frozen for them hadn’t melted yet. They finally reached a beautiful meadow where the Midnight Sun was still shining, even though it was late at night. Quickly, Elsa made a snowy mound and they put the snowballs one on top of the other.”
“And then Anna gave the snowman the holly berries. Now it had two eyes and a button nose, just like yours!” Anna exclaims and pokes Olaf’s nose. He snuggles into her chest.
“But then…” Olaf utters. He knows what’s coming next.
Elsa nods gravely. “But then, both fairies were at a loss. They’d done what Queen Iduna said, but the snowman was just a snowman. The sun was starting to melt the ice. Elsa and Anna were worried. What are we going to do? wondered Elsa. We can’t make the Aurora lights appear!”
“But Anna was to the rescue!” Olaf says.
Anna squeezes Olaf tight. “That’s right. Anna realized that maybe they didn’t need the real Aurora lights! Maybe they just needed her lights. And so Anna quickly conjured up some lights in every colour she could think of. Blue and green and purple and pink! She dressed the snowman in all these colours. And as those lights beamed like a rainbow, and the Midnight Sun shone overhead, the spell was complete! When Elsa and Anna opened their eyes, a little fairy boy was where the snowman used to be. He was everything they dreamed he’d be.”
“He was exactly what they’d hoped for,” adds Elsa. She squeezes Anna’s hand.
“He was their perfect little Olaf.” Anna kisses Olaf’s forehead.
Olaf smiles. When he looks up, the sky is still awake, beaming in all those colours just like the story. Blue and green and purple and pink. Olaf can never choose which is his favourite, and so he never chooses any, just says its the wide-awake-sky that’s his favourite, the wide-awake-sky that was looking over him the day he was born.
He hopes when he gets his talent, he’ll make colourful lights like his Mum. Though--that’s only when he isn’t hoping he’ll make frost like his other Mum! Or talk to animals like Sven, or carve ice like Kristoff, or maybe his talent will just be knowing things, like Queen Iduna. Oh, he’d love to know things-- to know the names of every colour, to know the words of every story, to know how to make the Mums happy, so every night can be as bright as this wide-awake night.
“Again, Mums,” he asks, still too excited to sleep. “Please? One more time.”
And his Mums ruffle his coppery hair and they begin the story over again. Oh, Olaf thinks, he hopes it never ends.
####
Olaf doesn’t remember meeting Sindri. Sindri has always been there, like the sky is there-- like the first snowfall in the morning that freshens the powder, so when the sun rises, the Hollow gleams brightly like the surface of the moon. He wakes up early to watch the snow-talents make this first flight. He can depend on it like he can the Mums, Sven, Kristoff-- and Sindri.
What he does remember though is when Sindri makes his first frost. His friend tugs one flower from his mother’s flower crown and the frost covers the petals in the prettiest blue blanket. He gives his frosted flower to Olaf. Olaf holds it, refuses to give it back, until the frost melts in Olaf’s hands.
He tries to frost it back. But he can’t...
“How do you do it?” he whispers to Sindri. But Sindri doesn’t know how he did it. He just did it. That’s okay! Olaf doesn’t have to be a Frost-talent. His best friend is a Frost-Talent. And Olaf’s new favourite color becomes the glossy blue of Sindri’s fingers when he uses his talent-- on flowers, on berries, on pinecones--all presents for Olaf, that will last as long as it snows in the morning.
And it always snows in the morning.
####
Anna-Mum takes him to see the Aurora-talents. He holds her hand as she tugs him higher than she’s ever flown. The air crisps in his lungs and tickles his fingers, turning them pink. Anna-mum’s fingers are already pink, but pink like the soft inside of a rabbit’s ear. She draws a pink O into the sky, then a blue O, then a pink A, than a blue F. O-L-A-F.
“Look, bunny! What’s that say?”
Olaf reaches for the O and his stretched fingers swipe through nothing. His eyes widen. It looks so real, like ribbons from Anna-mum’s braids.
Anna-Mum pinches the O and wraps it up onto her hand again. “It’s okay, Olaf,” she says, but she sounds sad.
Later, Olaf will keep trying to hold light in his hand, wishing he could bring it to Anna and make her smile.
####
Reindeers love Olaf, but he’s allergic to them. He sneezes on top of Magnus’s head and Sven carries him down.
Olaf loves snow angels and he builds snow-bunnies and snow-foxes and snow-fairies too, but he can’t craft even the littlest snowflake, not like his friend Blenky, and not like Ricer either.
Olaf’s wings are large and velvety-soft, snow-white and down-gray like cabbage moths. They’re beautiful but no blizzard-talent would ever have wings like that.
It’s okay, says Elsa-Mum. He’ll find his talent in time.
It’s okay, says Anna-Mum. He’ll always be their special little Olaf.
It’s okay, says Sindri. I still love you the most.
Every night, Olaf puts his elbows on his window sill and looks up at the wide-awake sky. He wonders to himself-- where do talents come from and why hasn’t his arrived? Are they a piece of the sky? Are they somewhere in the stars? Do they fall to earth on their own, or do they need a little tug?
“Is there a talent for finding talents?” he asks his Mums. “Do you think that’ll be my talent?”
They kiss him goodnight and tell him not to worry, that his talent will reveal itself, they always do.
But he dreams of flying up into the sky and casting a fishing line into the colours, then reeling his talent in. It’s bright and beautiful and when he holds it up to his ear, it whispers hello.
####
Arrival Night does what it does best: it arrives.
This is the night, this is THE night! Olaf is five years old. After tonight, Olaf will know what gift is nestled inside him, like a seed buried under the snow. Olaf’s soft cream wings flutter him in clumsy circles in front of the door, and he counts down.
“Fifteen, fourteen, thirteen!”
“Someone’s an impatient little snow man.”
“Twelve, eleven, ten-- three, two one!” Olaf scrunches his nose. “Time to go, Mums!”
“Don’t you want to wait for Sindri, Olaf?” It’s a question, but Elsa-Mum can make any question sound like not a question: Wait for Sindri, Olaf.
Olaf blows out air and then plops in front of the door. “Everyone is too slow! I think I’m a Blizzard-Talent after all!” He throws up his hands and wiggles his fingers and whooses like the squalls that blow through the Hollow in the darkest wintery nights. Unfortunately, this doesn’t make his family move any faster.
Finally, Sindri arrives with his parents. He looks paler than normal and he’s quiet as snowfall. They toddle together hand-in-hand, Anna-Mum holding Olaf’s other hand, and Sindri’s mother holding Sindri’s. Sindri pouts and looks ahead and barely says a word until their parents have kissed them goodbye and left them in the little pack of other Fresh Arrivals just like them. Olaf nudges his shoe against Sindri’s shoe, and when Sindri looks up, Olaf presses his hands against Sindri’s cheeks to squish them together. “You’re one big snowball” he teases.
“I feel sick.” Sindri pouts. His dark eyes are deep as slush puddles.
“You’re just scared. But that’s okay! Me too!” Olaf whispers. “I think everyone here is scared.”
“Nuh-uh. You don’t seem scared.”
Olaf nods. “I am. But I’m excited too. I think-- whatever I am is gonna be the best thing. I have a feeling.”
Sindri blinks slow, which means he has a big Think starting to snowball inside. He looks away and then down at his own hands. “...what if I’m not a Frost Talent after all?” he mumbles finally. “I know that’s dumb. I know...I…” Sindri lifts his palm and holds them up. His fingers shake just a little. “I keep… this morning, I couldn’t make even a little flower…what if…”
Olaf doesn’t let Sindri finish. He wraps his arms around Sindri instead, squishing his cheek against Sindri’s cheeks, which are, yes, round and white like the snowballs forming in Sindri’s head. Olaf grins so his friend can feel his dimples and the rosy warmth of his smile. Olaf believes in things like that-- that smiles can be felt, not jst seen. And they’re warm, like the heated coals that the sledding-talents stuff in their pockets to keep them cozy.
“You’re the best Frost Talent there is,” he tells his friend. “So don’t be dumb.”
Sindri squeaks, but then he’s laughing. “I’m not dumb!”
“No, you’re not! Youuuuuuu’re a….”
“...a Frost-Talent. Okay, okay, okay, you’re right!” Sindri is still laughing. He wraps his arms around Olaf and squishes him back. “My tummy doesn’t hurt as much anymore. You’re gonna have an amazing Talent, Olaf.”
Olaf pulls away so he can grin ear-to-ear. “I know!”
And then it’s time to begin.
The chatter among the nervous First Arrivals fades all at once as Queen Iduna enters. Everyone hushes. Holds their breaths. The fairy lights lift into the sky, hovering above each of the chosen tokens that represent each talent. Every fairy locks their eyes on their Queen, whose skirt cascades in waves of soft blue pixie dust from their Hollow Spring.
Everyone but Olaf.
Olaf’s eyes dart among the tokens. They all look so interesting! The little pickaxe from the sledding-talents. The pinecone from the evergreens! The perfect cube of ice from the ice-talents, the frosted berries from the frost-talents, the snowman from the snow-talents! He wants to touch each one. Pick me, pick me! He’d coo and bat his eyelashes. He bites down on his lip and his hands itch and itch.
One by one, Olaf watches the fledglings his age enter the center. Each one is dressed in white. They look up at Queen Iduna, bow or curtsy, and then, one by one, the pixie dust is poured over them and they find their talent.
Ricer and Blenky are Snowflake-talents, because of course they are! Petur picks up the hammer and he’s a Tinker now, just like his mother.
Olaf keeps his eyes darting around the tokens. Maybe the ladle, he thinks. He’ll be a cooking-talent and make yummy soup every day. Orororor--the yarn! He’ll weave cozy sweaters to keep Sindri warm when he’s frosting throughout the banks.
“Olaf.” Sindri nudges him with his elbow. Olaf starts. “Olaf, it’s your turn!”
“Already?” Olaf says much too loudly. A ripple of laughter passes through the gathered crowd and Olaf blushes. He scrambles out into the circle, in the middle of all those tokens that feel like they are whispering his name.
He needs to pay attention now, he knows that. But his eyes drift a second time, looking among all those friendly faces…
“Hi Mums!” he exclaims when he finds them and begins to wave frantically. Elsa-Mum and Anna-Mum wave back. Another wave of laughter moves through the crowd. Olaf pulls up his tunic over the nose because now he’s shy and red-cheeked like holly berries.
But its time now. Its time! Olaf rocks forward on his toes and looks up at beautiful Queen Iduna. She sparkles. He holds out his hands, cupped, to receive his gift.
“Olaf, welcome. Today you have arrived in our Hollow,” recites the Queen. “Today, you find your place.”
She pours the stream of blue pixie dust into his hands as the crowd repeats her words. Today you have arrived in our Hollow. Today, you find your place. Today you have arrived in our Hollow. Today, you find your place. Today you have arrived in our Hollow. Today, you find your place.
Olaf closes his eyes. Welcome, he thinks. He thinks it with his whole chest as it opens.
Welcome.
And with his eyes closed, he can see it, the perfect blue of the dust.
Welcome.
And in his heart he can feel it, a stirring, a knowing. It is blue. It is blue.
Welcome.
It spreads through him, gathering in his toes. His eyes snap open and his fingers curl into his fists, for the pixie dust is no longer there. Olaf sparkles inside, blue like the Queen. He can hear the rushing of the river that runs through the heart of this forest, the river that feeds the Hollow Spring and makes it glow with dust.
Everyone holds their breath, except for this river. They are waiting. Waiting for the answer.
And then the blue glow inside Olaf slowly dims.
It’s the Queen’s face that changes first and tells Olaf that something might not have gone the way it should. Because oh-- frostbite. That’s right. He was supposed to go pick up a token, wasn’t he? He blinks and peers around the Queen. The tokens are still there, washed in the fairy light. They still feel like they beckon to him, but not more than before, not one more than the other.
Uh-oh. Everyone is waiting for him--
Olaf grabs his tunic and pulls it over his nose again. “Uh-oh,” he squeaks.
This time, no one laughs.
Olaf blinks. “Can I go again?” He says it through his tunic, then tugs it down. “Sorry! I mean--I think I was closing my eyes too long. Can I go again?” He looks at his Mums. They don’t wave. He looks over his shoulder, trying to find Sindri, but he is too small, swallowed behind the faces of everyone else. He looks at the Queen. She brushes his fringe from his wide, confused eyes.
“Don’t panic, little one. There’s a place for you here, a very big place.” She turns to the rest of the Hollow and raises her voice. “Helper-talent!”
Olaf blinks. The applause starts slow, then grows, until Olaf can’t help but smile because—this is it! It must be it because Queen Iduna, she Knows.
“Oh,” he says and waves again at Elsa-Mum and Anna-Mum. Helper-Talent, that’s what he is. He has a Talent! He has a Talent! “I’m a Helper-Talent!” he exclaims, thrusting his hands into the air.
It’s only a minute later, when the applause has finished and he’s halfway back to the rest of the First Arrivals that Olaf realizes something very important.
“Wait,” he says, and cocks his head. “What’s Helper-Talent?”
#story#we do love lauryl indulging in frozen slash bts slash disney pixie fanfiction#apparently....this is where i live now
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a sword that shields
parings: wonho x reader (but not the way you think) pov: unnamned reader, reader centric, third person
genre: royal au, knight!wonho, princess!reader, angst words: ~3100
warnings: inaccuracies, blood, someonediesmaybe, not proofread
notes: inspired by @serenzippity‘s Kingdom Come series, one of my favourites! i wanted to write my own royal au after reading and re-reading it countless times. i also really can’t write short things, the word count was only meant to be 3 digits, lol. it’s late, but happy birthday to buff bunny wonho!
The very first day she meet Hoseok, she had just touched twelve. She was still a girl that hid shyness in her skirts and wore a facade of regal bravery to mirror how she thought those of royal blood should behave.
She held her brother’s hand as she quietly followed him into the corridor of the King’s hall, her fingers curled against his in tight anxiety at the thought of meeting not a mere stranger, but a stranger that would become her person. She wished she could be more like her brother, Crown Prince Hyunwoo, a born leader to his people, tall and charming and endlessly courageous.
She sees him, an unfamiliar face in a familiar room as soon as they past the golden arched doors. Hyunwoo stops after the entrance and gently urges her to go on alone.
Hoseok stood proudly next to her father, baby fat still rounding the swell of his cheeks but his body well-built and his gaze wiser than those of his age. His stance exuded pure honor, but her keen sight spots his nervousness from the tightness of his jaw and the wobble of his adam’s apple.
You’re the same as me, she thinks as she controls the steadiness of her steps, unsure and uncertain.
Will you like me? His eyes seem to blink questions as he watches her approach him, will we get along? Will you take my protection for granted? Will you be worth it?
Will protecting you be worth my life?
I will like you if you like me, she thinks as he kneels down to accept the King’s decree. She holds out her hand, and his lips softly press into the back of her palm in eternal oath, I will protect you as you protect me.
She smiles at him first, her heart opening in the glow of childish innocence.
But I hope I will never be worth your life.
.
.
.
Hoseok is undeniably chiseled in all his muscular glory, but his features are soft and his heart is even softer. She finds a mother’s comfort in the compassion that reflects off the rich brown of his pupils. She finds a fragile soul unafraid of emotions in the way his lips curl upwards in sweet gentleness.
He takes her on sunlit walks and he holds her hand with even more care than Hyunwoo. He pats her head and strokes her hair with even more tenderness than her father. He reads her when she is weary and hugs her in soothing reassurance.
He is always by her side, a constant warmth. At the rare times his place next to her is empty, he promises he is only a call away.
.
.
.
“Why did you become a knight, Hoseok?” Her hands twist together the thin stems of pastel pink daisies as she continues, “knights are trained in the sword and the art of war, and war is a ruthless rule of kill or be killed. You have a hard time killing rats as it is when the maids cry for help.”
“I don’t like killing, especially when it’s unnecessary,” Hoseok scrunches his nose, and she thinks it makes him resemble a baby bunny. He hands her another daisy.
She adds it to her budding crown. She hums, feigning nonchalance, but she chooses her next words with low caution.
“You might have to kill as my knight and personal guard.”
At the corner of her vision, she sees his jaw set in strain, and she thinks she may have crossed the imaginary line. Her fingers tighten on her floral masterpiece, and she searches her mental library for a subject change with urgency. She is about to fall back on the reliability of the weather when Hoseok loosens.
He lets out a long breath, “it really worries me that you think about these things at your age.”
His rolls his shoulders and his posture relaxes like melted ice. His eyes focus onto the farthest distance of the flowery meadow, where the grass tickles the cloudless sky. He may be physically looking at the horizon, but she can tell he’s also looking at a somewhere or something only he himself can see.
“I want to be able to protect what I treasure. My sword is to guard what I hold dear. If I must, I will kill to protect what I treasure.” He focuses back to her. His expression softens but his voice is stoned firm in his conviction, “I will kill to protect you, because you are precious to me, Princess.”
She nods her head, not quite knowing what to say. She admires Hoseok’s devotion to her and his creed, but it doesn’t settle well in her chest and it stays like an enduring prickle of discomfort. She is young, but she has her own beliefs, too.
She quietly tucks the stem of the final daisy into a clean knot, and she looks expectantly at him. He lowers his head, but she still needs to tiptoe to place the flower crown on top of his bright hair.
Hoseok grins at her, “Pink suits me, doesn’t it? I must look so pretty.”
“The prettiest,” she replies, and she makes a secret promise when she laughs with him.
I will do my best to be protected, so you do not have to kill.
You are precious to me, too.
.
.
.
“Teach me,” she says, at the budding age of fifteen, “I want to learn how to wield the sword.”
It surprises him. Hoseok’s eyebrows nearly disappear into his hairline, before puzzlement etches in to the lines of his face.
“Why?” His voice breaks, and the sound of his barely concealed anxiousness makes her ache, “do you not feel safe enough with me? Should I request you another knight?”
She reaches out to take his hand. It’s so much larger than hers, the nails uneven, the fingers scarred, the skin of his palm rough and worn with callouses for the sake of keeping her heart beating.
“No, it’s not that at all. We may try, but it is simply impossible for you to be with me every moment. So, I thought learning some swordplay would be practical and it would lessen your worries. I think my father and my brother would agree.”
Then, she frowns and she raises her head to make sure Hoseok sees her displeasure. “Please do not think you are replaceable. You are the best for me.”
Hoseok holds her stare and he winces. She can tell he understands and he doesn’t want to deny her, but there is apprehension lingering in the crease of his forehead.
“Your health is less than stellar. Learning the sword will be hard, and your frailness will keep you from being good.”
“I do not need to be good,” she responds in certainty at Hoseok’s truths, “I just need to be enough. Enough to buy time until you return to my side as my sword and protect me as my shield.”
At that, Hoseok eyes crinkle into happy little crescents. He lifts her hand and kisses her fingers in ticklish mirth. “I will be there in a blink, I will only be a call away.”
.
.
.
Hoseok does not go easy on her. He tucks her request under his armor and over his heart and teaches her as seriously as he would to junior knights. He does not waver when she struggles, he is strict and stern and he pushes her against her limits. It’s the first time her joints scream with soreness. Her hands burn raw with the skill it takes wield a sword, and she experiences bruises that purple deep into her soul.
But Hoseok treats her with slow carefulness after training is done. There is torment in his eyes and a mother’s care in his touch as he wraps the broken skin of her inexperienced hands in white bandages. He sighs when he thinks she isn’t watching, and he tells her she did a good job with an apologetic kiss to her hairline.
He ties a pretty bow at the ends of her bandages, and clears his throat, “you don’t have to do this anymore, Princess. You’ve already learned all the basics.”
“I know you, Hoseok,” she holds her silken white palms in front of his face, “you do not like that I am getting hurt, but the more I train, the more comfortable you feel. The more comfortable you are, the more you will focus on protecting yourself instead of only on me.”
His lips thin in light tension. “You shouldn’t worry about me. I’m supposed to die for you,” he speaks, she thinks he says something like that way too easily, “I will die for you, so, so willingly.”
Her chest hollows and then heavies with distress. Hoseok is endlessly attentive and seamlessly attuned to her needs, so why does he only not understand this?
“Rather than die, live for me,” she reigns herself in so her voice won’t tremble, because she knows Hoseok hates to see her cry, “live.”
She catches herself in the clear reflection of Hoseok’s pupils, and she thinks she looks like she’s twelve again, too young and too frightened, too fearful of the unknown.
“Then, as you continue living, learn to live for yourself. That is my order.”
Hoseok looks at her a little strangely, a foreign expression on his face. He shakes his head and his eyes flood with familiar affection. He gently taps her nose and half-whispers, “you’re too wise for your age.”
.
.
.
She overhears Hoseok confiding in her brother during the secrecy of the night.
“Your baby sister told me to live for myself.”
“Are you?” Comes the patient voice of Hyunwoo, “she’s right, you know.”
“I realized that I am. I’m living for myself by protecting her by her side. At first it was my duty and my loyalty to the crown, but now it’s also my wholehearted wish.”
.
.
.
It’s love, she knows. She loves Hoseok more than anything and anyone.
It’s not the kind of love that has her with stars glittering in her eyes and a girlish blush on her cheeks. It’s not the kind of love that has her heart fluttering bliss or her pulse missing beats, either.
Maybe, it’s a love beyond that.
She doesn’t want to live without him. She prays to the sun at sunrise and she wishes to the moon at midnight that Hoseok, as a knight, will be by her side until her last breath. She wants him to live long until life must leave and he naturally withers away in the embrace of death. She wants to bless his marriage, she wants to tell his future wife of all his merits, she wants to spoil his children rotten and leave his grandchildren riches so she can be at peace when he retires to his quaint countryside estate.
She loves him, and more.
So much more.
.
.
.
She is nearing eighteen when she gets dragged into the tangled mess of kingdom politics for no good reason. Her father is furious that the royals have involved her, and Hyunwoo is rightfully concerned because someone attempts to take her life for the first time.
The assassin barely manages to breathe within a distant meter of her before Hoseok ends him, swift, merciful and without hesitation.
Hoseok does not come out unscathed. He is gifted with a split lip, a bloody cheek and a shallow wound to his right arm that bleeds enough to drip red on stone marble.
Low anger simmers beneath her skin, because she knows Hoseok had been reckless with himself. He is one of the best of the kingdom, and his talent in the sword in almost unparalleled. She knows he had only concerned himself with ridding of the threat as fast as possible without considering the expense of his person. He could have dealt with the attacker without getting injured, if he spared a few minutes more.
She swallows her irritation and she reaches up to wipe the smeared blood off his cheek. She realizes her hand is shaking in uncontrolled abandon when Hoseok grasps her wrist.
“It’s okay, princess,” he soothes, “don’t be scared, I’ll protect you.”
She’s scared, but she’s scared of what this means for Hoseok.
Protect yourself too, she silently pleads, protect yourself so you can continue protecting me.
.
.
.
She had just greeted eighteen when Hoseok breaks his word.
As per tradition, the kingdom holds her a coming-of-age banquet. It’s ridiculously overdone and she has never been one for the excessive grandeur of the nobility. She had slipped her unease between creases of her dress all night, lies in her smile and faux pleasantries on her lips as she fulfilled her duty as the First Princess of her kingdom in seamless perfection. After the King’s toast is over, Hoseok finally indulges her and helps her slip away from a gaggle of suitors.
It’s unwanted, and it’s pointless for her to entertain their efforts. She knows her father treasures her and he has done his best to shelter her from the eyes of the court. However, with the rising tensions in the neighbouring kingdoms, is it almost certain that she will end up in a political marriage to protect the peace. That is her fate that comes with her title, a duty to her kingdom and a duty she owes her people. She doesn’t mind it too much, because Hoseok would still be her knight, and he will follow her without question.
She walks along a darkened corridor, the festives from the banquet growing muffled and distant. Later, she plans to ask Hoseok to sneak her to the seaside. She wants find where the sky and sea merge into one, and she wants to watch the stars blink in the inked night. Like every year since she was twelve, she will wish for Hoseok’s happiness and that Hoseok will stay by her side forever. Hoseok will laugh with a light heart and he will tell her to use her birthday wish for something else because his happiness is being by her side forever—
She almost doesn’t hear the footsteps.
There’s a quick glint of metal, and her body reacts before her mind does. Her hand whips out and grasps the handle of a fortunately placed decorative sword, and she parries a blade that meant for her to meet her doom.
A black cloaked figure grunts in surprise, and she twists and knees him in the gut. She’s not helpless, but she has never been built for strength and she knows battles she can’t win.
“Hoseok!” she shouts, and the cloaked assassin surges forward in alarm. She pulls away to create distance and her back hits the wall, “Ho—”
“Princess!” Hoseok bursts into the corridor, urgency and alarm ringing in his voice at her call.
He’s always only a call away.
It only takes half a glance him to asses the situation. His gaze hardens into cold diamond and the years of his knighthood shines in the glint of his eyes. He strides to her side with wrath blazing in the square of his shoulders and purpose set in his jaw. He pushes her behind him, safe, and draws his sword, furious protectiveness at the sharp tip of his blade.
“You did well,” he says under his breath, just soft enough for her to hear. His eyes never leave the threat.
“Be careful,” she whispers back, enduring his protection. “As careful as you can.”
The two parry swords for a tense minute, but it’s long enough to be telling. Hoseok is good, but the person in the black cloak is no pushover.
But the target was her and not Hoseok, and she should’ve been more careful.
The assassin allows Hoseok to land an injury, and they take the chance to throw a dagger at her. She barely manages to dodge in time. It catches her deep on the side of her shoulder and warm liquid immediately flowers out into the fabric of her sleeve. She involuntarily sounds at the sharp sting. Hoseok’s trained vision catches everything, and his eyes lock on her bleeding cut for a split second.
A split second is enough.
She sees it before her like horror in slow motion. The opportunity is taken and the enemy’s sword goes through Hoseok’s side, and blood splatters from the wound in violent spurts as the blade is jerked out. Hoseok’s face crumples at the intruding pain as he staggers. He swings around and uses the blunt force of his remaining strength bring death to the assassin's neck, and the figure falls in a heap of limbs and blackness. Hoseok grunts, his sword clattering on the blood freckled floor and his hands go to pressure his wound. He falls down to one knee. He blinks at her three times before his eyes dilate in lost focus and they roll backwards, and he collapses onto his face.
“Hoseok!”
Blindness blurs at the edges of her vision and she grows deaf to the world. She runs to him and rolls him to his side. His skin is dull and pale and there is no pinkness in the color of his lips. Her heart breaks, and panic bubbles in the pulse of her veins. She presses down on his injury, and her desperation peaks at the way the Hoseok’s life liquid flows endlessly with deceiving warmness through the crevices of her fingers.
“Hyunwoo! Father! Anyone, please!” she cries as loud as she can, each call punctuated with a more hysterical sob. “A doctor, please!”
The skin of her hands are painted red, and the excess pools onto the stone tiled floor. She knows if he has any chance of surviving, Hoseok needs immediate medical attention, but she can’t bring herself to move. There is a settling fear in her chest that paralyzes her, that if she left, it would be the last time she would see Hoseok with his heart still beating.
She doesn’t want to believe it, but if this must be his time, she doesn’t want him to go alone.
.
.
.
“Don’t be scared, I’ll protect you.”
Liar, she screams in silent agony, you liar.
How can you protect me if you go?
.
.
.
“I’m sorry I wasn’t fast enough and you got injured.”
“You are sorry? For this scratch on my cheek?” she scoffed, arms crossed and pouting with childish anger, “I am sorry you shoved me out of the way before you nearly got sliced into two!”
A beat and barely, she whispered, “You got hurt because of me.”
Hoseok unwinded her arms with warmth in his eyes. He smiled, and her heart ached that he can still smile through the pain of his raw wound. “You know it’s not your fault. You know it’s my duty.”
“I know. I know, but that does not mean I have to like it,” she trained her gaze on the bandages on his chest, just as pale as his bloodless skin. She turned around when she felt a saltine sting in her eyes.
“Thank you for protecting me,” then softer, she adds, “thank you for being alive.”
Hoseok pulled her by the arm and lowered her into a hug. So full, so fond.
“You’re welcome, my baby princess.”
.
.
.
She doesn’t think she will get the chance to hear the warm softness of Hoseok’s voice saying your welcome one last time.
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Chapter 7 | The Moon Court
The soft hue of the twin moons. The lavender full moon with a smaller white crescent at its side.
The spring breeze blowing through the meadow of moondrops and white moss phlox.
The milky way above shinning and glistening.
Yuki suddenly felt something soft and fluffy land against her as soon as they stepped through the gateway.
She recognised the voice from the Dream gate. Where she appeared whenever she slept.
“Mio?” She mumbled.
She looked down to see the fluffy white bunny floating in the air in-front of her.
Her lilac eyes against her white fur that had lilac constellations.
“The Star Guardian of the Moon?” Sena guessed. Remembering seeing a similar bunny who helped wake up the Princess when she first arrived in Seimu.
“My constellation is right there so I’m usually around here,” she purred. Her paws pointing up to the rabbit shaped constellation in the night sky.
The constellation reflected in Yuki’s starkissed eyes.
Sena nodded as he realised what happened.
“Thats why we didn’t appear in the baby blue eyes I normally enter,” he observed.
Yuki gently petted Mio on the area in-between her eyes and her ears.
Her ears were flopped together along her back.
“It was easy to change the location to here,” she purred.
It was then that Sena remembered that the Star Guardians truly did have power over Seimu.
Her lilac eyes only focused on Yuki. She hadn’t even looked at Sena.
Yuki tilted her head to the side.
“Is there somewhere connected to the stars here?” She mumbled.
Mio happily bounced around Yuki while floating through the air.
“You can tell that already?” She purred.
Yuki lightly nodded.
“Something at the wisterias,” Sena noted.
Mio floated through the air. “All the wisteria’s are hiding star spots,” she purred.
Her nose wiggled. “I’ll show you the way, they wanted to meet you to,” she purred.
Yuki lightly tilted her head to the side.
She followed Mio along with Sena. To the nearby wall of white wisteria trees.
A patch of moondrops flowers within the roots of one the wisteria in the middle parted. Revealing the crawling tunnel leading behind the the wisterias.
Mio floated down to the ground. Pink stardust drifted away from her paws as she landed.
“A rabbit tunnel, makes sense,” Sena remarked.
Mio hopped inside, waiting for them to follow her.
It seemed a lot bigger on the inside with the wisteria’s that created the tunnel going as high as what seemed to be Yuki’s waist level.
The ground was covered in white cosmos flowers.
With a few petals turning baby pink as they touched against her.
Mio hopped through the tunnel. Leading them deeper.
To the left was an area to step down into a deeper area. That seemed to be taller than them.
This time, Sena moved from the back to step down into the open area. The area they were just in leaning up to his shoulders.
He held his arms out to Yuki.
“It will be easier if you let me even for a few seconds,” he informed.
She glanced at the floating Mio before nodding.
She hesitated for a second before reaching towards his shoulders.
He held into her Princess style against his chest before helping her reach the ground.
The ground was a checked design made from white cosmos and lilac cosmos. Each square about three Mio’s wide.
“The flowers are a soft landing if you come here again,” she purred. The moonlight glistening of her whiskers.
Before she floated towards the crescent moon shaped door made from moonstones.
Yuki gently held onto the door handle.
As the white door glowed light pink.
As white and pink cosmos flowers grew out from the door while it opened.
Inside was a large meadows of white cosmos flowers. With multiple seats made from giant flowers.
Flowing through the air were tiny sparks of glows.
Bunnies, slightly smaller than Mio but with similar features besides the constellation was replaced with lilac crescent moons, were hopping in-between the flowers.
The bunnies looked up over at the newly arrived three.
“Another star,” they chimed.
All looking up at Yuki as they surrounded her.
A delicate and gentle smile, one that was as bright as the stars in the sky, appeared on her face.
As she crouched down so she could get a better view.
“Hello,” she softly mumbled.
The bunnies started to gently nudge their heads against her arm.
Yuki gently patted their heads. Feeling the soft fluffy fur in-between.
Mio floated forwards.
“They’re moon bunnies, they live off the moondust so they don’t leave the Moon Court,” she purred.
Yuki softly blinked. Looking up at the sky.
Where the white wisteria flowers were creating a ceiling around them besides the large crescent moon shaped hole in the centre.
Where the glow of the twin moons flowed inside.
“We’re having a tea party,” one bunny chimed.
“Join us!” Three bunnies happily chimed in-unison.
Yuki lightly nodded. Glancing up at Sena who was standing behind her.
“Is it a star thing? I can only hear quiet bells ringing,” he guessed.
“I can hear what they’re saying,” she mumbled.
Mio shared a head nudge with a few of the moon bunnies who wanted to greet her.
“Its your lack of stardust,” she purred.
Yuki was following two bunnies over to the set of flower seats around the white tulip like table.
“Would adding stardust help?” She mumbled.
Sena looked over at her.
It took a moment for Mio to decide if it could work.
“Maybe for a short time,” she purred.
The bunnies hopped around Yuki.
“We want to see the stardust!” they chimed.
Yuki lightly nodded. Holding her hands out in-front of her.
The star shaped gleams in her eyes started to glow.
Pink swirls of stardust twirled through the air around her.
Some of the moon bunnies reached upwards to feel the stardust with their paws.
It was then that the bell like sounds suddenly started to form words. Still in a childish sing-song like tone.
The moon bunnies hopped up onto the flower tables and seats.
As Yuki sat down in the middle of one of the seats, the soft petals brought her warmth.
A few of the moon bunnies joined her. Snuggling up to her. Either on her lap or on her shoulders.
Sena sat down on the flower opposite.
“I had no idea that there was a place like this or even creatures other than Faery’s lived in Seimu,” he admitted.
Mio floated up to the table.
“The three of us are embodiments of constellations so theres plenty of stars within each constellation. Thats what creates the Moon rabbits. The other two don’t have their own versions,” she purred.
Stardust drifted away from Yuki’s fingertips as the star shaped gleams in her eyes faintly glowed.
A pink and white flower crown made from cosmos flowers appeared in her hands.
Mio lowered her head slightly as Yuki gently placed the flowers infront of her fluffy ears.
“Have you met the Guardian of the Frost Court?” Sena wondered.
It made him remember something about the Frost Court. However he didn’t want to overwhelm the Princess so he decided to not tell her about it yet.
Yuki lightly nodded.
“She’s a white fox slightly bigger than Nemu. About this big,” she mumbled. Putting her hand about six inches above Mio.
One of the snow bunnies used their paws to pass her a cup that appeared to be made from a white morning glory.
“Iv’e only met her when I’m sleeping and not here though,” she mumbled.
Mio nodded. “You would feel it in the Night Palace if she did,” she purred.
Sena was handed his own morning glory cup.
“The Frost Guardian makes it snow?” He guessed.
Mio nodded. Her nose twitching. As she created stardust in-between her paws.
“Frost grows under her paws,” she purred.
As the stardust turned into two pink ribbon hairclips that had small pompoms and bunny charms hanging.
She floated over to Yuki, using stardust to clip the clips into her hair.
Yuki gently touched the clips. As the other moon rabbits brought glowing white bellflowers.
“They’re cute, thank you,” she mumbled.
As the moon bunnies happily passed around the flower teacups.
Underneath the glistening moonlight that made a gentle blanket of lavender over Seimu.
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How Many of These Even Exist?
They’re fun I want to keep finding them
[ COLORS ] red. brown. orange. yellow. green. blue. purple. pink. black. white. teal. silver. gold. grey. lilac. metallic. matte. royal blue. strawberry red. charcoal grey. emerald. ruby. navy blue. crimson. cream. mint green. pear green. aubergine. indigo. turquoise.
[ ELEMENTS ] fire. ice. water. air. earth. rain. snow. wind. moon. stars. sun. heat. cold. steam. frost. lightning. sunlight. moonlight. dawn. dusk. twilight. midnight. sunrise. sunset. dewdrops. fog.
[ BODY ] claws. long fingers. fangs. teeth. wings. tails. lips. bare feet. freckles. bruises. canines. scars. scratches. wounds. burns. spikes. feathers. webs. eyes. hands. sweat. tears. cheekbones. feline. chubby. curvy. short. tall. normal height. muscular. slender. trained. piercing. tattoos. strong. weak. struggling. athletic. lithe.
[ WEAPONS ] fists. sword. dagger. spear. scythe. bow and arrow. hammer. shield. poison. guns. axes. words. throwing axes. whips. knives. throwing knives. pepper sprays. tasers. machine guns. slingshots. katanas. maces. staffs. wands. powers. magical items. magic. rocks. mud balls. rifles. cannons.
[ MATERIALS ] gold. silver. platinum. titanium. diamonds. pearls. rubies. opals. sapphires. emeralds. amethyst. metal. iron. rust. steel. glass. wood. porcelain. paper. wool. fur. lace. leather. silk. velvet. denim. linen. cotton. charcoal. clay. stone. asphalt. brick. marble. dust. glitter. blood. dirt. mud. smoke. ash. shadow. ink. carbonate. rubber. synthetics.
[ NATURE ] grass. leaves. trees. bark. roses. daisies. tulips. lavender. petals. thorns. seeds. hay. sand. rocks. stream. roots. flowers. ocean. river. meadow. forest. desert. tundra. savanna. rainforest. caves. underwater. coral reef. beach. waves. space. clouds. mountains.
[ ANIMALS ] lions. tigers. wolves. panther. eagles. owls. falcons. hawks. swans. snakes. turtles. ducks. bugs. spiders. scorpions. birds. whales. dolphins. fish. sharks. horses. cats. stag. dogs. bunnies. praying mantises. crows. ravens. mice. lizards. werewolves. unicorns. pegasus. dragons. foxes. peacocks. chocobos. dodos. [also bitch where’s my manatee]
[ FOODS/DRINKS ] sugar. salt. candy. bubblegum. wine. champagne. hard liquor. beer. coffee. tea. spices. herbs. apple. citrus. orange. lemon. cherry. strawberry. watermelon. vegetables. gingerbread. meat. fish. pies. desserts. chocolate. cheese. cream. caramel. berries. nuts. cinnamon. burgers. burritos. pizza. ambrosia. cardamom.
[ HOBBIES ] music. art. watercolors. gardening. smithing. sculpting. painting. people-watching. sketching. fighting. fencing. riding. writing. composing. cooking. sewing. training. dancing. acting. singing. martial arts. self-defense. technology. board games. exploration. theater. libraries. books. piano. violin. cello. guitar. duduk. harmonica. harp. woodwinds. brass. trumpet. flute. drums. bells. playing cards. poker chips. chess. dice. eating. climbing. running. hiking. anthropology. biology. arcanima.
[ STYLE ] lingerie. armor. cape. dress. suit. tunic. vest. shirt. boots. heels. leggings. trousers. jeans. skirt. jewelry. earrings. necklace. bracelet. ring. pendant. hat. crown. circlet. helmet. scarf. neck tie. brocade. cloaks. corsets. doublet. chest plate. gorget. bracers. belt. layers. sash. coat. jacket. hood. gloves. socks. masks. cowls. braces. watches. glasses. sun glasses. visor. makeup. implant. artificial parts. wearable tech. robes.
[ MISC ] balloons. bubbles. cityscape. landscape. ruins. light. dark. candles. war. peace. money. power. percussion. persuasion. clocks. photos. mirrors. pets. diary. fairy lights. recklessness. madness. sanity. sadness. happiness. manipulations. optimism. pessimism. loneliness. family. friends. chronic pain. empathy. assistants. somnambulism. co-workers. enemies. loyalty. smoking. drugs. kindness. love. hugs. time. questions.
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Avatar World Week, Round Two.
-- Tuesday, November 21 Prompt -- Tea Time with Iroh --
“Korra, where are you taking me?”
Asami giggled as her wife—her mind caressed the word, despite the wedding being a month gone—drug her through the vast meadow. She couldn’t help but focus on the warmth that was Korra’s hand in hers. How strong and gentle. How reassuring. She caught sight of the other woman’s sly grin as they weaved down the path.
“No spoilers, ‘Sami.”
Around the couple, the spirit world flourished in all its vibrancy. Dragonfly-bunny spirits flitted in flocks through the sky. Leaf spirits hid amongst the towering lily-pad trees. Green grasses, blue skies, violet flowers, purple spirits, pink paths, and more colors greeted Asami’s eager gaze. Though her visits to the world had increased in frequency since the creation of the spirit portal in Republic City, she loved returning to the wondrous place. Always something new to see.
“Almost…” Korra led Asami around a lily-pad tree and pointed triumphantly, “There! Lord Zuko!!”
The ex-Fire Lord stood next to his dragon in the middle of the spirit meadow. Asami raised an eyebrow at Korra and followed her wife to where the Fire Lord stood. His white hair shimmered in the light and his scar stood out in stark contrast against his aging skin. He smiled warmly as Korra and Asami approached. Once they stopped, Korra released Asami’s hand and bowed to Lord Zuko. Asami followed suit.
“So good to see you again, Avatar Korra.” Lord Zuko turned and beamed at Asami. “And Mrs. Sato, a pleasure to see you as well.”
“The pleasure is mine, Lord Zuko. I did not realize we would be meeting with such a dignitary today. I would have dressed better.” Asami glanced down at her trousers and future industries jacket, pulling the hem to straighten it out. “The Avatar has been keeping secrets from me.”
Lord Zuko smiled, “Do not worry, Asami. Korra brought you here at my request. I wanted to offer my formal apology for my absence at your ceremony last month. My health…wasn’t the best. It is common for world leaders to attend the Avatar’s wedding. And I must offer my congratulations to the lucky woman to be on her arm.” He swept into a bow.
“Oh!” Asami returned the bow. “You are forgiven, Lord Zuko. Fire Lord Izumi had already apologized for your absence.” General Iroh had also extended an apology when he greeted them in the reception line. She hadn’t imagined Lord Zuko would apologize in person.
“My Uncle would have wanted me to apologize to the Avatar’s wife directly. Of course, Katara would have tracked me down if I hadn’t, back in the day…” Zuko trailed off thoughtfully.
“But why meet in the spirit world to offer the apology?” Asami looked to Korra, whose blue eyes shone sheepishly.
“I believe I can answer that.” A wizened and familiar voice gently interrupted the exchange. At the edge of the group, a man in Earth Kingdom garb stood, a tea pot in one hand and basket in the other.
Korra turned to the original General Iroh and bowed, her face relaxing in relief. “Thank you for joining us, Iroh.”
Lord Zuko’s face went blank, his eyes shimmering. He took a step forward, his eyes settling on the man before him. “Uncle?”
“Hello, Zuko.”
Korra smoothly tugged the basket and tea pot from Iroh’s hand. She caught Asami’s gaze and nodded toward a soft patch of grass on a nearby hill. Silently, Asami and Korra slipped away as Zuko embraced his uncle.
“Korra,” Asami reached for the basket and spread the blanket inside over the patch of grass. “Wow… I—”
“It’s rare I hear you speechless, ‘Sami,” Korra smiled gently at her wife. “Lord Zuko was nearly on his death bed when he missed our wedding. I think the experience scared him a bit, but also he wanted to apologize to us. So, after he recovered, I asked if he would meet us here. And the spirit world has a way of taking you to places… and people,” her eyes flicked to Iroh and Zuko, “you didn’t know you needed to see.”
Asami nodded solemnly and watched Korra fumble with the tea pot for a moment. Her smile was soft when she reached out to steady Korra’s hand. She leaned in close, pressing a soft kiss to Korra’s temple. Her wife’s eyes fell shut and a contented, relaxed sigh escaped her wife’s lips. Korra’s silky hair tickled her nose and she giggled a little. Korra blushed in a way that resonated in her chest.
“You did great, Avatar. Now let’s make sure the tea is ready for when they wish to join us.”
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Gravity
Characters: Jungkook x Reader
Word Count: 29,223
Genre: Fluff/Angst
Note: Inspired by 5 Centimeters Per Second. Please keep in mind that the majority of this takes place in the 90s and will be following the Korean school year schedule.
The universe works in mysterious ways.
You’re never the type to try and figure out the answers to those unanswerable questions, but ever since you were little, you always held an utter fascination with how everything worked, both in unison and in discord. You believe that the world is like an unending stream, one that everyone is thrown into at birth with no other instruction other than to stay afloat. From there, the best thing to do, the only thing you can do, is to let the current carry you through the long and twisting river until you reach the inevitable edge of the waterfall.
This mindset most likely spawns from your mother, much like yourself. She often articulated charming stories and intriguing facts to you throughout your childhood, teaching you all that she knew in order to make sure that you were growing up with as much ease as you could, especially since she was raising you alone. With your mother being the only guardian in your life even to this day, you undeniably find yourself adopting her way of thinking more often than not.
The greatest lesson you learned is that the stream knows where to take you, and the world knows how to continue spinning—all you can do is go with the ebb and flow and hope for the best.
What you didn’t know was that the world would give you the best at such a young age.
You met Jungkook in elementary school, specifically in third grade. He had recently moved from a different district that was farther up north but still in the same city of Busan. At a first glance, he wasn’t too outstanding with his conventional black hair and brown eyes, especially when clothed in the same uniform as all the other students. He was very soft-spoken when he had to introduce himself to the class, and his woefully timid demeanor didn’t do much attract the attention of his pupils who had already created their own cliques from friendships built during the previous years.
The ones who did care weren’t so nice to the new transfer.
Although Jungkook was still from the same region as everyone else, the other boys liked to poke fun at his way of speaking, accusing him of having a stronger accent since he had supposedly come from a more rural area. Given that the dialect was the same throughout the entirety of Busan, their argument was completely illogical, but then again, the traits that children chose to pick on never really made sense. It was just easy to tease the new or different kid, and it upset you to see that happening, because in your own way, you could relate to the ones who were preyed upon.
You had never been adept at fitting in with others either, as you preferred staying indoors with a nice book rather than running around the playground with the rest of your classmates. It had always been that way, and you couldn’t help but feel drawn to Jungkook, since he seemed to be fairly similar in nature. You sought to befriend him, but that opportunity presented itself in the way you least expected.
One day, you walked into class to see that the mean boys found yet another aspect of him to make fun of. School had already ended a few minutes prior, but Jungkook was standing by his desk, shifting in place and tugging at the end of his school uniform nervously. His belongings were cleaned up and his backpack was on, but the bullies were preventing him from leaving the room, all so they could tell him how he had “giant buckteeth”. His permanent upper central incisors had grown in at the age of eight and stood out more prominently as his face was in the process of getting used to the new adult teeth, but it was hardly anything to point out, let alone make the center of attention.
You had never been one to pluck up the courage to step in and risk confrontation in these situations, but even so, you couldn’t help your feet from rushing forward and your arm from reaching out. Taking a hold of Jungkook’s hand, you attempted to pull him away from the other boys, and to your relief, there was no resistance from him or the other party. You briskly led him out of the room, ignoring whatever comments your barbaric classmates were making as you chose to listen to the shuffling of feet following you.
You didn’t really have a plan behind your maneuver other than to distance him from the others, so that was exactly what you did. When you made it out into the front of the school, you released his hand, thinking that your valiant effort was a success. It was only when you turned to face him that you realized that the job wasn’t done—Jungkook looked like he was a few seconds away from crying, the first signs of tears glistening at the corners of his eyes as he kept his head low to the ground.
“Don’t listen to them,” you spoke softly, afraid that even the vibrations from your voice would make the tears spill over. “There’s nothing wrong with you.” You watched as he nodded in acknowledgment at your words of reassurance, but the gesture didn’t leave you feeling like he was fully convinced. “I think you look like a bunny,” you blurted out in hopes of raising his spirits in regards to his front teeth. Jungkook hesitantly looked up at you with his dewy, round eyes, not exactly sure how to react to that statement. “It’s a good thing!” you explained before he could even think that you were taking a jab at him as well. “I think bunnies are cute,” you said with a friendly smile. His eyes remained wide, but the way he stared back at you changed as he nodded with less reluctance this time around, the slightest grin gracing his lips.
“Thank you.”
You didn’t know what had stirred within you that had caused you to take action like that, but you were sure glad you had conceded to its appeal.
Like with all new things, the buzz died down with time. The kids lost interest in Jungkook shortly after your impromptu rescue mission, but on the other hand, your curiosity only increased. Soon, you found yourself enjoying his company more often than not, sharing the once solo moments with your newfound friend.
Jungkook had moved here by the decree of his parents, although he took care to mention his indifference with the relocation. They felt that there would be more opportunities in this area for their son, since they didn’t want him to grow up with the only viable options for his future career being a farmer or a fisherman. The town he had come from wasn’t too much smaller than the one you were currently residing in, but a larger portion of it consisted of natural landscapes and open plots for livestock and agriculture—it was the epitome of the countryside.
And you thought this place was boring.
Your town was situated near southern Busan—not close enough to the beach to be able to see it, but definitely not too far to take trips down there on special occasions. There were still quite a few fields for farming that you regularly passed by on your walks to and from school. You also remembered there being a station near the center of town where trains traveled as far as the capital, but you couldn’t say that you had ever set foot in one before.
Even as you tried to explain all the fun things you could do here, you couldn’t come up with a decent list. Despite the fact that you had been living here since the day of your birth, you soon noticed how little you really knew about your own hometown.
Jungkook saw this as a golden opportunity, often speaking about how there were so many more places to discover here, so much unknown territory to conquer. The offhand conversations slowly turned into prospective planning with one thing in mind: exploration.
The more you learned about your new friend, the more you realized that your initial impression of him had been misguided. He had so much energy and passion within him, but he had just been too shy to take those first steps towards doing the things he had wanted to do. It took him some time to adjust to his new surroundings, but after lying dormant for far too long, his curiosity erupted tenfold—and it was contagious.
“Where are we going?”
You called out to Jungkook when he suddenly changed directions from the trail you two had been walking on, proceeding to jog ahead of you. Picking up your own pace, you followed him as he started to go down a different road, one that you knew would be a longer way home compared to the usual route you guys used.
“Everywhere!” he spun around to shout back with enthusiasm. “This is where our adventure starts!”
You laughed at the grand exclamation but jogged after him nonetheless, falling back into step with him as you two went down this fresh and unfamiliar path. Jungkook proved to be more daring than you, perhaps even a bit reckless if you really thought about it, but something about him urged you to hop onto his train of thought.
The detour you took wasn’t extremely exciting as you walked along the unpaved track lined with fields and utility poles, but the change in scenery made all the difference. A good distance down the direction you were headed, after passing by a couple houses and a humble convenience store, you two spotted a landmark that couldn’t have caught your attention more if it had tried. Of course, you had to take a closer look, and when you stepped up to the gorgeous sight, you were glad that Jungkook had decided to stray from the routine you two had set.
There was a large tree located away from the side of the dirt road, surrounded by a meadow of grass and its own fallen petals. Just one glance at the awe-inspiring display and you could tell that spring was in full effect.
Cherry blossoms.
The bark of the wood was dark and dusky, but the flowers that were perched upon every available branch ranged from light pink to white, providing an aesthetic contrast that almost seemed too seamless to be of nature. Some of the blooming buds had already dusted the ground with pale specks, and with each incoming breeze, a few more fluttered down from above to join them.
“It’s so pretty,” you said in awe, standing under the impressive tree to stare up at the intricate arrangements.
“It’s alright,” Jungkook replied in a lackluster tone. You dropped your gaze to regard him with a frown, but he was too busy to notice the scrutiny. He was standing in front of you with his neck tilted upwards to the foliage, his doe-eyes and slightly parted lips a dead giveaway to what he was truly thinking.
Ignoring his feigned disinterest, you extended your hands out in front of you just as an agile gust of wind drifted through the area. The flowers overhead rustled and danced, and when the loose petals started their descent onto the ground, you were fortunate enough to catch two petals in your palms.
“They look like snowflakes,” you stated, barely having time to voice the observation before the fragments were carried away, leaving your hands empty once more. Looking up again, your eyes met with Jungkook’s for a split second before he averted them, suddenly finding the ground more fascinating.
“I guess they do.”
His lips pressed tightly together after he spoke, but you could see the slight curve at the corners of his mouth as he attempted to refrain from smiling. That instantly became a failure when his eyes darted back up to look at you again, his round cheeks straining against the expression before he gave into the grin. You felt yourself wanting to follow suit, but you realized that there was no need.
Your smile had never left you.
The cherry blossoms were gone by the next week, with the ever ephemeral season coming to an end. Jungkook and you had gone back to marvel at the delicate petals cascading from the steady tree in the days following the first visit, but even after they disappeared to make way for the customary vibrant, green leaves, you two continued to take the long way home.
The tree was like a checkpoint on every trip, and you consistently stopped to rest under the shade that it provided, especially on exceedingly sunny afternoons now that the weather was starting to warm up. The trunk was considerably tall and wide, and the branches looked thick and sturdy, reaching up into the sky in every which way to cover more ground.
“Do you think we can climb it?” Jungkook asked during one of your habitual stops.
“Maybe?” you replied, but you didn’t like the mischievous expression he wore when you said that.
“I bet that we can see our houses from the top,” he keenly declared, taking a step back to size up the tree. His notion was most likely farfetched, but that didn’t seem like it was going to stop him from finding out on his own.
“I really don’t think we should.” You cut him off before he could even try to get a good grip on the rough bark. You decided that it was best to advise against the rash behavior, knowing your mother would no doubt disapprove, as would most other parents.
Jungkook pouted the rest of the walk home, or at least until the point where you two went your separate ways. He had ultimately let go of the idea after you had persuaded him otherwise, becoming visibly unhappy that you hadn’t agreed to join him in his senseless stunt. You had honestly expected him to put up more of a fight, but you hadn’t even needed to repeat your discouragement to stop his actions.
You had quite the influence on him, but equivalently, he had a significant effect on you as well.
You had always thought that you would be perfectly content with the way you were spending the majority of your days, but Jungkook’s wanderlust and thirst for first-hand knowledge was so captivating, you couldn’t help but be on board to enjoy the ride. He made you realize how much you wanted to survey the world, something you had thought that you could only do through textbooks and tales told by your mother. He ushered you along on these so-called “adventures”, and you found yourself thoroughly reveling in the new discoveries you two made, no matter how small or seemingly insignificant.
These explorations of the neighborhood expanded once summer break began. Without school to confine you for most of the week, you were free to use that extra time to widen your range and find even greater things you had never even hoped to uncover. You two even managed to take a few trips to the beach together, a place you had always deemed to be your favorite, but little did you know that there was going to be a contender for that top spot.
“Where are we going?” You repeated the casual question with the pronoun that had become second nature to you these days: we.
The two of you had ventured past a few rice paddies and corn fields, but you were now wandering into an area that held lesser plots that seemed to be unused at the moment, whether it was because of neglect or soil recovery. Jungkook was walking ahead of you on the single road surrounded by farmland on either side, leading the way like he usually did, but right now, he was leading you right across an empty field.
“That house over there.” He pointed his finger towards the far corner of the grassy plain where a wooden structure sat.
It wasn’t a house at all—it was a shack.
Being brave enough to approach anything, of course Jungkook was willing to enter the mysterious building. You didn’t know if you found it surprising or not that the door was unlocked, but it was even more of shock to see that the interior was kept tidy, albeit a little dusty. The individual room was more spacious than expected, and there were a few shelves pressed up against the bare walls that held tools that you assumed to be used for farming, although none of them appeared to have been used in a long while.
“Come on, it’s empty,” Jungkook assured you when he saw that you were still reluctantly hovering near the entrance, scared to go in.
“Are you sure this is okay?” you questioned, heart beating with the possibility that you might get into trouble. Not sharing in your fears, Jungkook strode forward and took your hand in his before slowly pulling you into the shed. The sound of your feet hitting the hardwood floor resounded throughout the expanse, and when Jungkook stopped his movements, you did as well. There was a moment of silence as you stood in the middle of the room with him, and then he spoke.
“See? It’s fine,” he declared confidently, releasing your hands to take a step back and scan the space. “No one’s going to know we’re here. It’ll be our secret hideout.”
Jungkook’s delight showed in his cheeky smile, one where his bunny teeth were free for the whole world to see, and you felt your heart hammering again, but in a different sense.
Somehow, he convinced you of his plan to make this place your own personal corner of the town, and after the weeks and months went on with no sign of getting caught, your worries were eradicated and replaced with exhilaration. It didn’t beat the cherry tree as the place to be during times of immense heat, but as the temperature dropped with the transitioning seasons, you guys favored sitting inside the warmer shelter of the shack. Even within the four walls of this place though, the frost of December was a bit too cold to undergo the trip out to the vacant field, so your hideout went out of commission for the time being.
Winter took a hold of Busan, showering ice crystals upon the land, but that still didn’t prevent you and Jungkook from marching around to spend this break from school like you had done with the last. Everything from the buildings to the trees were covered in a thin sheet of white, and more particles added to it with each passing second.
“Did you know that snow falls five kilometers per hour?”
You looked over at Jungkook to gauge his reaction towards the fun fact you had just graced him with as you two strolled along the beaten path, one that was gratefully not iced over.
“What? That’s so slow,” he proclaimed, turning so you could see the tip of his nose and the apples of his cheeks that were starting to flush due to the frigid air.
“Really? I thought it was pretty fast.”
“I bet I can run faster than that,” he rowdily called out into the sky, proceeding to jog ahead just to prove his point. You laughed at the fact that he was actually challenging snow to a race. He halted his impromptu dash a short distance from you and spun around with a question rolling off his tongue. “How do you know that, anyway?”
“It was in a book my mom gave me.”
Jungkook hummed in response as if contemplating your answer, but you knew that it signaled the end of the short chat. He scurried off to the side of the road to scoop up a handful of fresh snow that had piled up, and you could see from the glint in his eyes that a battle was about to ensue.
The conversation was then buried under the exchange of soaring snowballs and forgotten by the time you returned home with sodden clothes and a smile that felt as frozen as your reddened hands and feet.
During your early years of being in the same class, you had formed a routine with Jungkook that became pretty much set in stone by the time fifth grade rolled around.
On walks home from school, using the same route you two had discovered together, you often stopped by the convenience store before the halfway point to grab a few snacks. No matter how many times you browsed the shelves, nine out of ten instances you guys got a fruity popsicle and split it right down the middle, sharing it so that both of you had one stick each. You weren’t really sure how that habit came to be. Sure, at your age, children had a limited allowance to use on the things of their liking, so the division of the frozen treat among friends wasn’t a peculiar occurrence. That explanation would have made sense, but you two never failed to go back and get a second popsicle after finishing the first, only to do the same thing over again.
It wasn’t the most sensible thing to do, but it made sense for you two, and that was all that mattered.
From there, you walked to your checkpoint cherry tree and sat under the much-appreciated shade, making sure to gobble up the rest of your popsicles before they melted, although that was not at all possible on extraordinarily sweltering days. Even on days that were freezing, you two still bought and shared the ice cream like it was a normal event. The caring lady at the convenience store tried to advocate warmer treats during those days, but Jungkook and you refused to budge, agreeing on the logic that a frozen tongue didn’t seem too bad if the rest of you was already frozen anyway.
While the temperature didn’t affect your choice in sweet indulgences, it was usually the determining factor on how long your detour lasted before you got back on track to be on your merry way again.
Sometimes, the weather was so nice, it practically called for you to take initiative on some shenanigans.
One day, an innocent idea popped into your head, and without giving it a second thought, you began running down the trail, leaving Jungkook behind you in a befuddled state.
“Race you to the store! Loser buys the ice cream!” you yelled behind you, way too giddy about your unfair head start.
That was a big mistake.
You should have known that it wouldn’t end well for you the moment you saw the flicker in Jungkook’s eyes and the clenching of his fists as he leapt into action. You turned back around to focus on the path ahead of you, but before long, a figure appeared from your peripheral vision—Jungkook was gaining speed to overtake you. Bracing yourself, you forced your legs to move faster with all your might, but he was already running off so quickly, you could see the distance between you two starting to lengthen with each stride he took.
At this point, you were just fueled by the determination to keep up with him, since beating him was completely out of the question and almost laughable. Not once did he bother to look back to see if you were still there or not—as long as he was in front of you, his eyes stayed on the finish line with the intention of keeping it that way.
A knot began forming in your chest as you struggled to catch up, but as you watched his figure shrinking in the distance, becoming farther and farther out of reach, an inexplicable feeling overwhelmed you.
You were scared.
“Wait!” you tried to beckon, but he couldn’t hear you anymore—he was too far away.
Needless to say, he arrived at the convenience store much earlier than you, a smug grin resting on his face as you continued to push yourself the rest of the way. You never stopped running, even as the feeling of your throat constricting grew with each labored stamp of your feet. When you finally made it to him, bent over and panting with your palms pressed to your knees for support, the straining floodgates finally snapped, and everything just poured out of you.
That was the first time you cried in front of Jungkook.
Whether it was frustration or fear, it just translated into tears. He had no idea what to do with the scene unfolding before him, and if you were being honest, you probably wouldn’t have known either. He stood there stammering as your sobs mixed in with the intermittent coughs of you trying to catch your breath, but after he realized what was wrong, he started profusely apologizing. You tried to brush it off the best you could, much like the tears with your shirtsleeves, but when that didn’t seem to work, Jungkook ran into the convenience store with the utmost urgency. He wasn’t even gone for a minute before he returned, bursting out of the front door with a blue popsicle in his hand.
Not only had he bought the ice cream regardless of winning the race, but he gave you both halves that day.
Yet again, you didn’t know what had come over you, but after what seemed like a couple hundred exchanges of “I’m sorry” and “It’s okay”, the situation was remedied.
Times couldn’t have been simpler.
Even though you forgave him, he still went on to offer you his half of the second popsicle as atonement. You declined it gently, feeling as if you had already caused him enough distress for the day.
You had learned an important life lesson after that incident: never challenge Jungkook. As for him, he told you that he was going to make a conscious effort from now on not to leave you behind again.
Unfortunately, there were just some things that were out of his control.
The end of elementary school drew near, and with it came the news that Jungkook was moving for a second time. He was leaving subsequent to graduation week in February, marking a mere four years of being a resident of this town. His father had been able to obtain a promising job a few towns over, and although Jungkook really didn’t want to go, he knew that it was a chance that couldn’t be passed up. You tried not to be resentful about the decision either, since it was the same decision that had been made previously that had given you the chance to meet your best friend in the first place.
You weren’t disheartened, but that didn’t mean that you weren’t disappointed.
“Did you miss your friends when you first came here?” you asked Jungkook during the chilly walk home as the date of his departure crept up too close for comfort.
“I didn’t really have any.”
The answer sounded so doleful to you, but Jungkook seemed kind of indifferent about it. You liked to think that in these past years, you had grown to know him well enough to speculate that he wasn’t the type to ever get lonely, but you could never be too sure. Taking a pause to collect a solid breath, you decided to present the question you had been meaning to since he had broken the news.
“Will you miss me?”
Jungkook swung his head to look at you like a deer in headlights, baffled to the point of being rendered speechless, if not just for a cursory second.
“Of course,” he managed to let out in a secure tone as if he was stating a clear fact.
Lowering your chin, you buried your face in your scarf and felt your cheeks instantly heat up against the soft cloth. The unwavering confirmation made you happier than you could have even properly tried to express, and you felt an odd sense of accomplishment that the feeling towards your best friend was mutual.
“Good, because I’ll miss you, too.”
Despite the circumstances, it seemed like you weren’t even given a chance to miss him.
March came around, signaling the beginning of another school year for students all across the country. Jungkook and you enrolled in different middle schools in different towns, but the distance wasn’t so much of a problem that you couldn’t see each other regularly. You had scheduled a time and place to meet before he had even moved, and sure enough, two weeks after classes started up, you two were together again.
The agreed-upon location was the train station in the middle of your town. It was a bit of a long walk from your house, but you couldn’t complain. Jungkook lived a couple stops away, and while you suggested meeting halfway after seeing that there was another stop in between your two towns, he insisted on saving you the trouble and coming to you instead. You had to admit, it was all pretty spontaneous and poorly-planned—each successive meet-up was decided on at the end of the preceding one—but it worked out without any hitches, so it was good enough for both of you.
Jungkook visited on most weekends, and you waited for him in one of the empty seats in the modest station waiting room—always at the exact same place. Whenever he walked past the doors where the arriving passengers exited, you immediately greeted him with a cheerful beam without fail before you two set off on your new mini adventures.
No matter how many obscure streets you discovered or how many stray cats you met on the trivial expedition, you two always made your way back to your usual pastoral trail to settle back into the former pattern. Your time together wasn’t as abundant as it had been in the days gone by, but you still took advantage of every single minute, filling the silence with debates and discussions and filling your tummies with snacks and sweets.
“What are you thinking of doing for clubs?”
Tossing another chip into your mouth, you leaned back onto the trunk of the tree, stretching your legs out over the grass in front of you. The cherry blossoms had bloomed a bit earlier this year, so you had been afraid that Jungkook would miss the short-lived annual spectacle. Thankfully, he had made it just in time this weekend, and you were now sitting under the nimble petals as they floated down like confetti around you, littering the grass and even occasionally ending up in your chip bag.
“I haven’t decided yet,” Jungkook replied impassively, reaching over to steal a few chips from you and gracefully shoving them in his mouth.
“Well, you still have some time to choose.”
“What about you?” he reciprocated the question, dusting his hands off to the side before crossing his legs to get in a more relaxed sitting position.
“I was thinking of joining choir.” Truthfully, it was a thought that had originated from your mother, not yourself, as a proposition to make more friends. It wasn’t an activity you were truly taken by, but you figured it would be better than sports, since you evidently didn’t have a knack for that. “You know, if you can’t make a choice, maybe you can join the choir at your school, too!”
“What? No way!” he instantaneously shut down your suggestion, a flustered expression growing on his face.
“Why not?”
“I just…I don’t want to,” he mumbled lowly, but as he turned to look off into the distance in an attempt to hide his face, you swore you saw a slight tint in his cheeks, causing you to wonder why he was getting shy all of a sudden.
“I’m sure you’ll be great at it. You’re good at everything.”
Without warning, Jungkook sprang up from his spot and started jogging across the grass, trampling some of the fallen flowers on the way.
“Hey!” you called out hastily, perking up and contemplating whether or not you should get on your feet to go after him.
“I’m going to get some more snacks!” he hollered before you could make that decision. You slumped back into your spot with a sigh, watching the boy run towards the convenience store like his life depended on it.
There were many things Jungkook was good at, but if there was one thing he was exceptional at, it was running.
You were confused as to why he had fled so out of the blue, but all inquiries faded away when he returned with three different flavors of ice cream bars, and the rest of the day was spent lazing around under the spring petal shower.
The following years flew by much like how the foregoing years had done so.
Jungkook visited more frequently during the summer and winter vacation months, and it was like you two were resuming your everyday cycle of exploration, except instead of meeting at the fork in the road that had led to your houses, you met at the reliable train station.
In the midst of all that was happening, you two didn’t forget about the farming shed in the corner of the field. The plot had remained unused throughout the years with the only thing occupying the space being a bed of snow during the winter. This was good news to you, because it meant that the two of you could continue to stay in your hideout without the constant dread of imposing on other people’s property.
Cleaning up the room didn’t take too great of an effort, and once you brought in a thick fleece quilt to covertly store in one of the cupboards for when the temperature dropped, you fashioned the place into your own little sanctuary.
It was like your home away from home—a part of the world that was always going to be here.
“Remember when I told you how fast snow falls?”
Diverting your attention from staring out of the window in the shed where you could see snowflakes persistently descending from the foggy sky, you pulled your side of the blanket closer to your body. Beside you, Jungkook was sitting cross-legged at a comfortable distance with the other half of the sheet draped over his back.
“Yeah, what was it again?” he mulled over, tilting his head as he placed the book you two had been looking at together onto the floor where a few others were scattered.
“Five kilometers per hour.”
“Right.”
You frowned at the notion that he didn’t remember, or at least he gave the impression of it, but you continued on with your speech. “I actually did a bit of research on the topic.”
The sound of Jungkook’s soft laughter filled the room before he made a nippy comment shortly after. “Of course you would.”
The quip made your frown morph into a pout, but you kept going. “So, I went to the library—” Jungkook stifled another snicker next to you, and this time, you thoroughly narrowed your eyes at his reaction. “If you don’t want to hear it…” you huffed.
“No, no! I do.” He wriggled in place as he pivoted to face you more, trying to keep a straight face as he focused on you like a child during storytime. Satisfied with the supposed change in attitude, you went on with your discourse.
“The number that was in the book my mom gave me was just an average. The speed of the snowfall depends on a lot of things like the wind, temperature, and weight. Usually though, it takes about 45 minutes for snow from a cloud to reach the ground.” It had never crossed your mind until just recently that you could look up the statistics of the curious fact you had shared in the past. Your findings had been fruitful, and as a result, you found it appropriate to follow up on the abridged discussion.
“That’s so interesting.” The slightly mocking tone Jungkook used was unmistakable in his voice as well as visually apparent in his sarcastic look of amazement. When you extended your elbow out to push his arm, he merely chortled in response, hardly even budging from his spot. “Is that all?” he tacked on, making you wonder if he was even truly paying attention to your words. Still, you carried on, thinking back to what you had read before reciting another portion you had found thought-provoking.
“Sometimes, the snowflakes don’t even make it to the ground. They melt and even evaporate before reaching the earth.”
“See! I told you.” You quirked an eyebrow at him, confused by the sudden outburst. “Snow is way too slow. It needs to fall faster if it wants to survive!”
Even though you enjoyed viewing the frozen particles pile up outside as much Jungkook did, you had no idea what his rush was. You watched him in amusement as he started pumping his fists in the air, cheering on the clouds outside with bouts of “you can do it” and “fighting”, all while successfully knocking the quilt off of his shoulders. Soon, you found yourself joining in with the shouts of encouragement mixed with laughter over how ridiculous this display of optimism was, but you still couldn’t say that you agreed with his outlook.
The snowflakes traveled down the same pace as ever, but even then, it seemed so fast for you. The only thing they could do was fall, and their purpose was fulfilled once they reached the end of their fickle path.
Before you knew it, your days in middle school were gradually coming to an end, the three years barely lasting as long as you had initially thought they would. This meant that high school was just around the corner, so the debates about what you two wanted to do in life ensued. The career selections were drastically different than the ones you guys had thrown around in your early years, although you would have been marginally concerned if he stood by his childhood dream of becoming a professional gamer.
You blamed the elementary school library for having the magazine rack that had planted the farfetched idea in his mind in the first place. For one thing, neither of you owned a personal computer, something that, according to the article about the rise of online gaming, was a necessity. The article forgot to mention that it was also not too affordable, if you could even come across that novel piece of technology in this part of town.
Sometimes you wondered how many opportunities you were missing out on by being in your current situation, but you didn’t put much thought into it—you were graciously gratified with what you already had, and you didn’t need some new fad such as the “World Wide Web” to feel fulfilled.
“Are you still going to stick with choir next year?”
You shook your head at Jungkook’s inquiry, your lips resting in a faint smile. Much to your mother’s dismay, your mission of making new friends in the club had been unsuccessful, even though you had participated just as much as the next kid. It wasn’t that you had refused to play nice—you had gotten along with your classmates just fine—but the relationships you had built with the group just weren’t up to par with the one you had with Jungkook.
To be fair, no one could compare to Jungkook.
“There’s actually a science club at the high school I’m going to, so I was thinking of joining that. I heard they get to run cool experiments and stuff.” A smiled appeared on Jungkook’s face at your fervent plans as a light chuckle escaped like a rocky breath.
“That’s good. It suits you.”
“What about you? Have you thought of anything yet?”
“Hmm…not really.”
Over the years, Jungkook had hopped around and joined everything from the chess club to the soccer team, and although the latter had been a better fit than the former, he had still managed to show off his well-rounded skillset. You weren’t joking about his ability to be good at everything he did—well, his math test scores begged to differ once in a while, but no matter, he was surely on his way down whatever path he chose.
While it was a fever dream for you to move out into a big city and discover even more of the world, you had always told yourself that you were happy staying where you were, even if your only form of exploration was to read about those big cities in textbooks and pamphlets. Perhaps it was because you were settled so comfortably here that you didn’t want to go through the annoyance of moving anywhere else.
Or perhaps you were afraid.
That wasn’t the case for Jungkook. You knew he was destined for something far beyond this tiny town in Busan, even if he didn’t know what exactly he wanted to do at this point in his life—it was okay, though.
There was still time.
Jungkook came to visit you again one weekend, but there was something off about him. You tried to ignore the fact he scarcely reacted with a simple wave when you greeted him with a welcoming smile at the train station, exactly how you had ordinarily done a million times before. The assumption in your mind was that maybe the last few weeks of middle school were being especially hard on him, causing his mood to drop as his workload rose. You thought that he was going to lighten up after a relaxing walk, but as the behavior carried on for longer than you had predicted, you felt the need to address the elephant in the room.
“Hey, what’s gotten into you?”
You tapped Jungkook’s arm lightly in order to gain his attention, but he persisted in staring off into the distance, which wasn’t very far considering you were sitting in the wooden shed that was your secret base. The tension was at a level you weren’t too fond of, and you wanted him to release it as soon as possible rather than keep it bottled up in this icy room.
“I’m moving again.”
Somehow, those words did the opposite of what you had been hoping for. They sucked all the air out of the room in one fell swoop, leaving you breathless and suffocating under the immense force of the meaning behind them.
“Where are you going?” you replied softly, keeping an eye on Jungkook who hadn’t moved a muscle in the last few minutes.
“Seoul.”
You paused for a while, dropping your eyes to the floor and apprehensively folding your hands over the quilt covering your lap as you felt the weight of that single word crush you.
“That’s kind of far, isn’t it?”
From the corner of your eye, you could see Jungkook nodding soundlessly. “I’m sure I can still find trains that come here. It might take a while, but I can still visit,” he said, speaking as if he was already a goner.
“Why do you have to go?” you murmured, your voice shrinking with each word that managed to find its way out.
“My dad’s work is relocating him into the city. He says it’s a really good opportunity—something he can’t refuse.”
That was just the reason you had expected, but when you heard it come out of his mouth, the situation suddenly felt more real. You had never thought to ask him what his father did for a living, but at this point, you couldn’t be bothered to care—that wasn’t what was important to you.
“I’m sorry.” Jungkook spoke after a prolonged moment of reticence. Only when you snapped out of your daze did you notice the clear droplets that had landed on the back of your hands below you, and you recognized that the blur wasn’t just in your mind but your eyes as well.
You were crying again.
There was a shifting sound before you felt Jungkook’s arm wrap around your shoulders, his warm hand rubbing the side of your arm to soothe you as he brought you closer to him. You wanted to tell him that it was okay, that he had nothing to be apologetic for, that you were the one who was sorry for bringing forth the waterworks again, but nothing came out of your mouth aside from muffled sobs as you brought your knees up to bury your face into the fleece blanket.
Winter suddenly felt so much colder.
Before Jungkook left for Seoul, you two decided to make a pact. Making sure to exchange the necessary information with one another, you struck a deal that you were going to write each other letters whenever you were able to. Not only did it seem like the best form of communication, but it was also one of the only ones readily available other than the landline telephone your mother warned you not to spend too much time using, whether to save money or her own sanity.
You worked with what you had, and while it wasn’t much of a formal arrangement, the plan brought you peace of mind for the time being.
With that, high school began without your best friend.
Your weekends became far lonelier, because unlike Jungkook, you weren’t as immune to the forlorn feeling as you would have liked. Still, you tried to fight it, and unlike your earlier years, you made an attempt at integrating yourself into the social world. You knew you had to adapt, and thankfully, your classmates were a lot kinder than the ones you had witnessed in elementary school. You also followed through with your decision to join the science club, so you met quite a few new friends through there, but it just wasn’t the same.
None of them could comprehend the logic behind sharing two different popsicles, nor did they seem impressed with your random tidbits of knowledge after your countless trips to the library—now that you thought about it, Jungkook hadn’t been too impressed by that either, so maybe you could let that second part slide. Nevertheless, most of them chose to hang around at home and read comics or watch television together rather than accompany you on spontaneous trips to the fantastic farm fields. You liked to think that it was their loss, but a voice in the back of your mind thought otherwise, saying that maybe it was time for you to grow up.
Veritably, there was one particular boy who liked to indulge in your frivolous adventures from time to time.
Jimin had never failed to greet you like a ball of sunshine from the moment you had met him with his chubby cheeks and a striking smile that reached his eyes as well, shaping them into complementary crescent moons. His amiable face was framed by his silky, black hair that awkwardly encapsulated his head to look like a mushroom—you would never quite understand why this unflattering hairstyle was so popular these days. Astonishingly, he took you up on your open offers to hang out at the library after class, something that not many people did right off the bat at the beginning of the school year, if ever.
The pastime wasn’t even that special; all you did was sit around reading in the unbothered retreat of the quiet room for hours on end. Occasionally, he interrupted you in the middle of your book to make small talk, and it was only then that you were embarrassingly reminded that he was still sitting with you at the table. You felt a bit guilty for being boring company, but despite your assumption that he was going to stop showing up after the first session, he ceaselessly disproved you by walking in through those library doors, the same friendly grin on his face.
You didn’t understand why he had determined that ditching the rest of his friends was worth joining you in your textual escapades, but nonetheless, his companionship was much appreciated.
As promised, Jungkook’s first letter arrived a month or so after the school year had started. You couldn’t even begin to express your happiness when you saw the envelope in your mailbox that had your name written boldly across the front in his handwriting. You had never thought that you would be so eager to open a letter before, but you guessed that there was a first time for everything.
I’m sorry for taking so long to send this out. I hope you’re still doing okay. I’ve been busy settling in and getting used to the new place, but I have to say, Seoul is pretty cool so far. This city is huge and there are so many new places to go. I don’t even know where to start. Actually, I guess I do know—I’m going to need a bicycle so I can cover more ground quickly.
You were grinning the entire time as you read the full letter. He talked about his new room, his new school, and how he was faring in those foreign environments. He listed a few other happenings from the past few weeks, but after all of that was said and done, he went on to ask how you were doing.
Jungkook never failed to show interest in your life, no matter how predictable it probably was. You almost felt a sense of him still being right beside you with the way he thoroughly expressed his curiosities and worries about you over the scrappily-written sentences.
You immediately took to your pen and stationery, constructing a reply in record time, which was still about two hours. You wanted to make sure that you were providing an answer to each question he had presented, and you also jokily scolded him to clean up his handwriting, since you were having trouble understanding some of the things that had been scribbled down. You probably killed a few trees in the process of throwing out the inadequate drafts, but once you were pleased with the result of your penmanship, you sealed it in an envelope to send off the next day.
The second time you received a reply in the mail from him, you saw that it came in a less sloppy condition than the first. You still laughed at the way the words became more and more illegible as the letter went on, but you could tell that he was trying, and you commended him for that.
From then on, the letter exchange incorporated itself into your everyday groove, and you genuinely looked forward to the days where you were able to hear back from him and compose your rejoinder. Jungkook mentioned all of the extracurricular activities his parents were trying to get him to partake in, none of which he had a notable affinity towards. Instead, he complained about the fact that there was no Wing Chun club at his school. You regretted asking him what that even was, because the next letter he sent you contained a page-long rave about the “best martial art ever”.
As the months went by, Jungkook updated you on all of his endeavors both inside and outside of school. You felt like you were right there with him with the way he told you about how well he had played at a spur-of-the-moment basketball game with his classmates or how many strikes he was getting whenever he went bowling—the latter was another new hobby he had undertaken lately and therefore wouldn’t stop raving about.
You’ll never believe it, but they have these things called “PC Rooms” throughout the city where you can go to play video games on the computers! There’s one near that lamb skewer restaurant I told you about last month, and I went in to try it out yesterday. You have to pay to get in, but with just 1000 won per hour, it looks like I can keep my professional gaming dream alive.
No matter how absurd some of his anecdotes were or how many times you heard about yet another thing he was excellent at, Jungkook always managed to put a smile on your face, even with the elongated distance between you two.
Seoul seemed like a whole new world compared to Busan.
When summer break came along, Jungkook’s letters were filled with his ventures around the city. Over there, the days and nights were jam-packed with a million things to do, and you relished reading each story he told that reminded you of novels you had found enthralling as a child.
Other than living vicariously through Jungkook’s exploits, your vacation was rather uneventful. Of course, it was by choice more than anything, since you had never minded spending the unbearably hot days indoors when you had been younger. You thought it would be the same as it had always been, but you had to admit that there was an adverse tugging in the back of your mind each time Jungkook ended his letters in the same manner.
You should come visit someday! I can show you around the city, and we can go to all these places together. I’m sure you’ll love it here.
It was a hopeful thought, but that was all it was—all talk and not nearly enough action.
You attempted to ask your mother for permission to go to Seoul during the middle of the summer, but much to your dismay, the idea was easily dismissed. The rejection wasn’t too hard for you to handle, since you had known from the beginning that she wasn’t going to let you take a three-hour trip out to a different city by yourself—you had already been pushing the boundaries by roaming around your current town with Jungkook for all those years, so you had to be grateful to her for at least allowing that.
You tried not to be too upset in your response as you wrote back to Jungkook with a simple “maybe next time”. You had casually tossed in the idea of a rain check even though the likelihood wasn’t too reassuring, but he replied back with pure optimism and turned it into a promise.
When classes resumed after August, all your friends you had managed to make and maintain since the beginning of the year gathered during lunch to talk about their summer vacations. Your classmates went back and forth as they gloated about how nice the beach was, because apparently, everyone had gone to the same one. In their defense, there was only one beach near your town, and you didn’t know anyone who hadn’t been there before at least once, including yourself. It was an animated discussion you were just content with sitting in the sidelines of, but you couldn’t avoid the ball when it landed in your side of the court.
“Did you do anything fun?”
You knew that your idea of fun differed from their definitions, so you just answered as gingerly as you could. “Not really. I didn’t go out much.”
“Why not?” one of the girls asked with a look of bewilderment on her face as if you had just committed a summertime crime.
“I don’t know. There was just nowhere to go.” That was a bit of a lie. There were plenty of places to visit—you just couldn’t go to any, at least not the places that mattered.
“You should come hang out with us next year,” Jimin abruptly declared from the group. When you turned your attention to look at him, along with the rest of your friends, he paused to clear his throat as he squirmed under the scrutiny. “I mean, only if you want to.”
“Thanks,” you replied as you presented him with a smile, and for a second, you saw him perk up in his seat. “But I actually have plans next summer,” you finished. That was also a bit of a lie, but it didn’t hurt to hold onto the possibility that your mother would let you visit Seoul in the future. You swore you saw Jimin's expression falter for a fraction of a second before he nodded gently in acknowledgment and added on one last verbal note.
“The offer will always be open, if you ever change your mind.”
It wasn’t your desire to decline him, but you were afraid that you would disappoint your new friends if it turned out that you preferred to be with Jungkook instead, even if it was just through the letters he sent you. It wasn’t like you sat around waiting for the mail every day though, because that wasn’t the only form of communication between you and your best friend.
“Sweetie?” You heard a dull knock on your bedroom door as you were studying on a random, uneventful Thursday evening. You glanced up just in time to see your mother appear from the threshold with the house telephone in her hand, an unattractively leaden piece of technology. “You have a call from Jungkook.”
That sentence never failed to make you leap up onto your feet and rush over to grab the handsomely valuable device from her grasp. Aside from the written letters, Jungkook and you sometimes contacted each other through your landlines. It didn’t happen as often as you wished it would, but it was on these occasions that you were happy to be a homebody. You didn’t want to miss a single call, even if you two conversed about nonsense half the time.
“There are so many pigeons here wandering around on the streets. They don’t even try to fly away when people walk by. They just stand there, pecking at the ground and blocking the way. I swear, I almost ran one over with my bike.”
You subdued a laugh at the strange topic he had chosen this time around as you switched the phone over to your left hand—your right was starting to get tired from pressing the phone up to your ear for the past hour or so. “They’re probably so used to the crowds by now that they’ve adapted. It is the city, after all.”
“Yeah, I guess,” he sighed, concluding his grievance about the unfavorable feathered foes. “I miss the seagulls.”
The mere mention of the white-winged birds brought back memories you had forgotten that you had.
It had been one of the rare occasions where your mother had let you travel out of the town without her, the reason being that Jungkook’s parents had agreed to be chaperones for that day. Jungkook and you couldn’t have been more than eight years old when you had taken a trip to the beach that summer, courtesy of his father driving the company car that had been lent to him.
As you went over the day in your head, things became clearer. You remembered Jungkook sprinting across the sand to break up a gang of seagulls that had settled on a section of the shore. You recalled the burst of flapping that had occurred as the birds took flight to evade the headstrong kid with the fiery red swim shorts. And you remembered the joy on Jungkook’s face when he had run back to report that he had cleared the area for you.
“Are you sure you don’t just miss the beach?” you asked, enjoying the warm aura that the mental images of that outing instilled in you. It was Jungkook’s turn to chuckle as you had apparently seen right through him.
“You’re right. That’s one thing that Seoul doesn’t have. Well…besides you.”
Those last two words made your breath get caught in your throat, and your heartbeat suddenly felt like it was reverberating in your eardrums.
Had his voice always been this deep? The static interference of the speaker muddied the waters a bit, but you were able to tell that something was different. You could still distinguish the high timbre that you had been used to hearing, especially when you made him laugh openly, but there was a distinct quality to it now, as if every syllable was draped with velvet. You knew that the voice change had been bound to happen sooner or later, but you hadn’t expected the realization to hit you like a Wing Chun palm strike to the throat in the middle of a mundane phone call.
Maybe you were just being too sensitive about the transformation because you weren’t hearing his voice almost every single day like you had used to. Throughout the six years that you two had constantly been by each other’s side, it wasn’t that the changes hadn’t been unnoticeable, but they had been gradual enough so that neither of you had really detected your steady maturation.
Perhaps it was the absence that was making you recognize things that you hadn’t before. This new revelation not only opened your ears but it opened your eyes, and you couldn’t help but wonder if Jungkook’s appearance had changed at all, too.
Much to your delight, your curiosity would soon be sated.
Near the end of the year, Jungkook and you planned to meet up after agreeing on a specific date through the letters and confirming the decision through the phone. The circle on the calendar marked what would have been any old Friday, but it signified the day you were going to see your best friend again after almost a full 12 months. It was more or less on a whim, and you surely could have waited until winter break to pick a less restrictive schedule, but you had faced the fact a long time ago that you two weren’t the most sensible people in the world.
I have practice during the weekends, but if I get on a train right after class next Friday, I can make it to you by 7 P.M. I hope you’ll be free then. I’ll see you soon—same place as always.
Of course, you were free. In fact, you headed straight home after school in order to change out of your uniform and prepare for his arrival. You made sure to bundle up warmly enough for the roaming you were bound to do; although the snow hadn’t fallen yet this winter, the temperature was well on its way to below freezing. With the arrangement of your outfit all set and ready, next came the fun part: waiting.
The three hours you had to yourself felt like an eternity, and when you grew too restless of sitting around in anticipation, you left your house and made your way to the station far earlier than you wanted to admit. You sought to be there just in case there was a chance he would be early, but alas, he was perfectly punctual.
This was a much longer trip for Jungkook compared to the ones he had taken in the past. He had eluded the subject of asking your mother for permission to meet halfway, a request that would have been shot down like last time, and instead had insisted once again that he would come to you. You were guilt-ridden that he had to endure over three hours and multiple layovers to get to this point, but when he walked through the doors into the waiting room, he looked positively chipper.
The way that the smile bloomed on his face made him stand out like a spring flower against the backdrop of the impending winter—it was an image you hoped to be forever ingrained in your memory.
You weren’t sure if you looked just as happy as him when you leapt up from your seat to greet him, but you could confirm that you felt that way. Taking in Jungkook’s appearance, you detected that he still held the features that had been distinguishable as a kid. His cheeks remained just a tad plump with baby fat, and as his lips curled up to flash you an eye-crinkling, nose-scrunching grin, you saw that his bunny teeth were ever prominent—you hoped that the students at his high school weren’t making fun of him for that. He was dressed in a fluffy, black down jacket that was zipped up all the way to block the cold air from entering; just below that, he was donning navy blue slacks that were obviously part of his school uniform, and even further down, he had a clean pair of black and white sneakers that barely looked like it had witnessed a scuff in its lifetime.
“Did you wait a long time?” Jungkook asked as you two started strolling out of the station and towards the main road.
“One year is a long time, I would say,” you quipped, knowing full well that it was not the answer he was looking for. He turned to you and brandished another smile that made you feel like there had been no need to bring a scarf today.
“I’m here now.”
Being with Jungkook again made it feel like he had never left in the first place. You guys effortlessly fell back into your regular routine for the rest of the evening, paying a visit to the same old convenience store and taking the haul of snacks to your hideout to wolf down together.
“What are you doing over winter break?”
The exchange of questions started once you two had filled your bellies with as many prepackaged kimbap rolls and chocolate-covered Banana Kick chips as you possibly could.
“Nothing special,” you responded with a shrug. “My mom enrolled me in a tutoring academy so I don’t ‘forget everything I learned’ over the two months.”
A guttural groan rose from the depths of Jungkook’s throat that could only be taken as a sound of defeat. “Me too.” You laughed at the dejected empathy he expressed as he flung his body back from his seated position to lie flat on his back with a thud. “Between that and soccer practice, I swear it’s like I’m not even on break.”
It seemed as if the life of a high school student wasn’t very different no matter what city you lived in.
“It’s a good thing we decided to meet before our non-break, then,” you stated. “Who knows when we’ll have time to meet like this again.”
Your words hung in the air for a couple seconds before Jungkook hoisted himself back upright, making the dark locks of his hair bounce back into place from the abrupt motion.
“Next year.”
“What?” you tried not to sputter as your eyes locked with the intense gaze he had on you right now.
“Even if we can’t see each other as much, let’s promise to meet again next year. Same time, same place—no matter what.”
There was no way you would say no to that—even if you wanted to, his round, entreating eyes would have made you break right away. So, instead of prolonging the inevitable, you nodded curtly and confidently, the corner of your lips rising as if being tugged by strings.
“Okay. Promise.”
Before you knew it, winter released its hold on the land, and spring brought forth your second year of high school.
Jungkook and you kept each other updated through the ongoing transference of letters. He provided you with a window into his life for you to peek through, and you strived to do the same for him, although the view from your window seemed to be unchanging from what he had already seen before. Nevertheless, he remained ever the good listener, or perhaps it was reader, since most of the interactions were indeed written.
The weather is already starting to warm up again, and I hate it. Busan’s climate is so much milder than Seoul’s all year round. Maybe it’s because of all the reflective buildings that are bouncing the sunlight around, but I seriously think that the rays are stronger in the city—it sure feels like it. I don’t know how I’m going to survive when the humidity kicks in again. Please remember me when I drown in my own sweat.
You couldn’t help but notice that you read his replies with the sound of his voice playing in your mind from time to time, and you giggled to yourself when you imagined the inflections of his words with certain phrases. It was almost like you could hear the jesting tone behind some of his remarks, specifically when he told you how “oh so fascinating” it was to hear about your latest academic findings or science club experiments. It was subtle, but the traces of the way he spoke was there.
Of course, it was much easier to read him when you heard his voice.
“Are you going to spend your whole summer in the library again?”
Talks of the next break were already being thrown around, making you seriously question how it was that time could flow so quickly.
“I actually like it there, you know,” you retorted defiantly. You could hear Jungkook’s chuckles at the other end of the line, the exhale of air hitting the microphone in a way that obscured the already substandard sound quality.
“I know, but you should get out more,” he said, starting to sound like your mother. It was a comment you would have called him out on if not for the rest of what he had to say. “Maybe you can go water the cherry blossom tree, or make sure that the hideout is still nice and clean…”
“Why would I do that?” You quirked your eyebrow at the strange requests that failed to sound as nonchalant as he tried to pass them off as.
“You know—just in case.”
If there was one thing Jungkook was bad at, it was keeping secrets.
It was nothing that a little coaxing couldn’t get out of him, and when he did finally spill the beans, you thought your heartrate would never go back down to normal again.
Jungkook had convinced his parents to take a two-week trip down to Busan for the summer, which meant that he was coming to visit you. Two weeks definitely didn’t seem like it would be enough to catch up and hang out during the break, but if you two were experts at something, it was making the most of every second.
The moment he arrived, you guys wasted no time in planning a trip to the beach. The weather was too perfect to pass up, so the next day, you two hopped in the back of Jungkook’s father’s car as he drove you to the coast—just like old times. It seemed like forever since you had gone to see the ocean, and even longer since you had gone to see it with Jungkook, but once you stepped foot on the sandy shore, it felt like you were greeting an old friend.
The beach was exactly as you remembered it.
The ocean breeze was cool on your skin, providing sweet relief under the powerful summer sun. The clear, cloudless sky made way for the lustrous rays as they reflected off of the surface of the sea, bringing about a myriad of glints and gleams upon the cerulean coastal waters. The distinctive aroma of the briny air and the sound of the whirring waves instantly hit your senses as you walked closer to the shore. The warm sand beneath your bare feet slowly became cooler and damper until you reached the edge of the coastline where the incoming tide barely crawled up the beach to reach your toes. The water was cold and refreshing, bringing about a smile on your face, but it felt like something was missing.
“What are you waiting for?” you heard Jungkook shout as he ran past you, successfully kicking up salt water everywhere as he wholeheartedly ran into the ocean. You managed to get hit in the face with the splashes from his stomping feet, and the experience was much like getting doused with an ice bucket.
“You jerk!” you called out to him, wiping your cheeks with your palms as you ran after him. He turned his body to look back at you, and you could hear as well as see his unreserved cackling as you caught up to him.
Now everything was exactly how you remembered it.
The rest of the day played out just as you had expected. Most of the time was spent swimming in the water, and the only time you two returned to the land was when you suggested that it was time to reapply sunscreen. Jungkook complied, mostly because he probably didn’t want a repeat of the last time he had protested against it. You hadn’t even needed to nag him after that day—he had learned the lesson the hard way, courtesy of unadulterated sunburn.
“Let’s build a sandcastle!” Jungkook suddenly blurted out as you were sitting off to the side in the middle of your skin-salvaging break. You raised your eyebrows at his sudden eagerness for the pastime. You hadn’t even attempted to create one as children—he had declared that there were so many better things to do with your valuable hours there—so you weren’t sure what had conjured this reversal of opinion.
“We don’t even have any tools,” you responded, still doubtful about whether you should take his proposition seriously or not.
“I have these,” he countered, lifting his hands up and wriggling his fingers in front of him. He still had a few streaks of sunscreen on his palms since he was in the middle of smearing the substance all over his arms. “We don’t need any other tools.”
It was the type of request and rationalization you would have accepted at eight years old, not sixteen, but somehow, you didn’t really care. It was a fairly childish activity to partake in, but there was no harm in doing so, especially since it was new territory for both of you.
Besides, you weren’t getting any younger.
“Alright,” you conceded, lifting yourself up and ceremoniously clapping your hands together. “Let’s build a sandcastle.”
Unfortunately, it wasn’t as easy as Jungkook had anticipated. Building with your bare hands was tough, especially for an inexperienced pair like you two. It had taken a while to just decide on a good spot to start creating your masterpiece and even longer to come to an agreement about the architectural design.
After some fussing, fumbling, and a few accidents that had caused entire walls to collapse—it was agreed upon that the serial perpetrator was the wind—you finally managed to craft a structure that held enough semblance of a castle to be called one. It was a bit lopsided and the indication that it had been made with your hands was apparent in the imprints that covered each surface with grooves and ridges, but you were still proud of the collaborative creation.
Only once the glorious sandcastle was built did you realize that you two had missed your originally planned lunch time. Hours had passed during the process of your joint activity, and although you admitted that you two had gotten caught up in making the moat around the castle just right, you hadn’t thought that it would have taken as long as it had.
Who knew building sandcastles could be so time-consuming?
Taking your growling stomach as the final sign to go get food, you headed off with Jungkook to a nearby restaurant to treat yourselves after the laborious task of construction. The best part of being hungry, and probably the only good part, was that everything tasted so much better in that state. It was a peculiar phenomenon that probably had scientific facts to back it up, but the only proof you needed was in your own appetite as you scarfed down your delicious meal.
Once your plates were empty and your stomachs were full, Jungkook and you sauntered back to the shore to resume the day that was now turning into night. The sun was starting to set, painting the sky with a gradient of warm hues that were mirrored across the ocean’s horizon, but with the loss of daylight came another side effect: the high tide.
When you returned to the spot where your castle had been, it was no longer there.
Regrettably, the walls weren’t as impenetrable as you had hoped, for it stood no match against the natural flow of the ocean. In hindsight, you reckoned you should have picked an area farther away from the extending shoreline, but as you stared in pity at the mound of soggy sand that was left in the wave’s wake, you knew that there was no use in mourning over what had already been done.
So, you tried to push aside the thoughts of the poor sandcastle that had hardly been given a chance no matter how much effort you had put in it, and you focused on enjoying the rest of the beach day. Jungkook was already one step ahead of you, zealously tugging your arm when he spotted a dog that had appeared on the beach with its owner.
Just like that, the sandcastle was forgotten.
The remainder of the two weeks Jungkook was here felt like all the other moments you had spent with him. It was like you two reverted back to being children; you ate your body weight in ice cream and snacks and ran around the rural roads and fields of the neighborhood until your legs couldn’t carry you any further, but after you turned in for the night and woke up the next morning, you were instantaneously out the door, ready to rinse and repeat the previous day all over again.
Nothing you were doing was innovative or divergent of your usual shenanigans, yet the routine didn’t feel stale. Most of the town had been discovered and rediscovered by the two of you throughout the years, and while there weren’t any new places to explore, the mere fact that Jungkook was there with you to revisit the memories in all of those areas not only made this one of your favorite summers, but these two weeks were some of the best ones of your life.
However, all good things must come to an end.
Sending Jungkook and his parents off at the end of your amazing adventure should have been more depressing, but it wasn’t—actually, it never had been. From the first time he had moved away prior to middle school to all the other times you had bid him safe travels as he boarded the train to leave, it had never really felt like goodbye. It had been more of a “see you later”, which were fittingly the words you two had always exchanged during those temporary farewells, and you were satisfied with that for one reason.
You knew you would see him again.
As school started back up in September, you two continued to keep in touch. The letters were filled with the usual discussions of your everyday lives along with reminiscent collections of how fun the summer had been. It felt like it had barely ended—that was because the visit had taken place not even two months ago—but you couldn’t help but share how much you were already looking forward to next year. It wasn’t confirmed that he was going to visit again, but you had high hopes for your summer plans with him, even if you had to go to him instead.
While the possibility of going to Seoul had always been more of an impossibility, a new development caused a change of heart—more specifically, your mother’s heart.
A few weeks into autumn, you sat down to have a discussion with her about getting a job. You were the one to advocate the idea, since your mother had always been happy with you just focusing on your studies. Although that may have been true, you knew she was struggling, even if she didn’t tend to show it.
It had always been the two of you for as long as you could remember, and it didn’t take a genius to figure out how difficult it was for her to provide for both of you through her efforts alone. Now that you were old enough to be a part-timer, you wanted to help ease the load, one that she had been carrying by herself for much too long.
It was common for the youngsters of the families around here to help out their parents and grandparents with fieldwork, livestock, and tasks of that sort, but unlike those cases, your mother didn’t own a farm or a ranch. This caused you to go around the neighborhood in search of a job, and ultimately, you were able to reel one in without difficulty.
The owner of the convenience store you had frequented since you were a child was happy to extend her hand in help. She offered you a spot on the staff that took care of all the aspects of the store, which had been a party of one until now, since she had been the only one who looked over the place. It was surprising how keen she was on giving you this job, but it made sense for a certain bond of trust to form with how many times you two had interacted throughout the years. If there was a medal for the most loyal customer, there was no argument who the winner would be.
On second thought, perhaps this job was the medal—if so, you were going to wear your new uniform with pride.
Most days, you just sat on your own behind the cash register, ringing up adults crossing off their grocery list and children who were hoping to swap the few coins in their pockets for some tasty treats. The image of the latter made you feel nostalgic over your own early childhood, and it was so mind-blowing to think of how you weren’t in their shoes but on the other side now.
You had primarily decided to start working in order to gain some credibility with your mother; you wanted her to know that you were not only capable of helping her out with the bills, but you were also able to be independent and do things on your own. Appreciatively, that goal was achieved not too long after you received your first paycheck for the shifts you had worked so far. It wasn’t much in the grand scheme of things, but she was proud of your determination, and you, in turn, were elated at the results.
The extra funds also opened the doors leading to other opportunities that you had never thought to even knock on. You started saving up to get one of those new-fangled mobile phones that were starting to be more accessible to the general public. It was already popping up overseas and in the big cities judging by the newspaper articles you had read during your free time. The technology had to come to your small town sooner or later, and that day, you were going to be prepared with cold, hard cash. It was no doubt going to take a while with your measly minimum wage, but you were hopeful that filling up the piggy bank early was going to give you a head start.
At times, your mind wandered even farther to the doors that still remained closed. There were very fleeting moments where you wondered if you would ever be able to save up enough to get out of this place, but the thought was released as soon as it was grasped—you didn’t want to work yourself up with such an implausible event, so you pushed it aside and tried not to dwell on it for too long.
Instead, you thought about the very plausible event that was coming up soon.
It’s already winter again. I feel like it was just yesterday where we were still talking about the beach. Now, instead of whining about the heat, I get to complain about the cold! I feel like it’s both a blessing and a curse that all the buildings here are heated so well, because it feels that much worse when you finally go out into the streets. Riding my bike is actually painful these days, but I guess you get used to not being able to feel your face after a while.
As Jungkook had mentioned, the weather was definitely shifting, and you were able to start seeing the fog of your breath whenever you stepped out early in the morning for school. You had never quite enjoyed the frigid temperatures, but winter meant that the date you were going to see your best friend again was nearing. You hadn’t forgotten about the promise you had made last year—same place, same time—and likewise, Jungkook hadn’t either.
I can’t believe it hasn’t snowed there yet! I guess Busan really is milder than Seoul no matter what season it is. For me, a storm passed by the area last night. I was actually looking forward to the snow in the morning, but when I left my place to go to school, most of it was already gone and shoveled out of the streets. I have no idea how they were able to move so many piles of it overnight, but all that was left were those bits of dirty, hardened ice on the side of the roads. It was kind of disappointing. I miss being able to walk on all the freshly fallen snow. It’s a shame I won’t be able to when I visit you either.
While Jungkook was lamenting the absence of snowfall in your town at the moment, your anticipation grew with each passing day. The prospect of seeing him again made it so much more bearable on days where life seized you a little too tightly by the nape, whether it was the frostbitten hold of winter or the iron grip of your classes and responsibilities. Your new job only seemed to pile onto that, but through all the stresses, he never failed to be in the back of your mind.
Soon enough, the momentous day came, and so did Jungkook—but something felt different.
For starters, you noticed that his use of the Busan dialect was pretty much nonexistent. You were positive that it wasn’t just you having been oblivious to this fact before, and your suspicions were rightly confirmed.
“I’ve been working really hard to get rid of it these past few months,” he explained sans accent as you two walked down the usual paved path away from the train station.
“Get rid of it? But why?”
“My teachers said that I should adopt the Seoul dialect so I can have a better chance at being successful with my career later in life.”
“Oh, did you decide on what you wanted to be?”
“Not yet.”
Jungkook visibly deflated with the answer that was given as he stared ahead at the outstretched road before you. You hadn’t meant to bring down his mood with talks of future plans, so in an effort to cheer him up, you gingerly nudged his arm with yours. You effectively caught his attention, and he lifted his chin up to meet your eyes with a curious gaze.
“You can be anything you want now that you learned your fancy language, right? I’m sure you can come up with something. I mean, you managed to flawlessly change dialects within a few months—I would say that’s pretty darn impressive.”
A sheepish smile appeared on Jungkook’s face—it was what you were aiming for with your supportive spiel—but the expression was noticeably muted, as was the shorthanded, tepid reply he provided you.
“Thanks.”
You didn’t want to push the subject any further, especially if Jungkook wasn’t feeling up for it. Instead, you two carried on and fell back into the same pace as last year.
You didn’t know if the cold was to blame, or perhaps the inordinate expectations, but it almost felt like the excitement from the summer had cooled down along with the weather. Most of the day was spent indoors—the desire to walk through the snowy landscape had been your motivation to stay outside during preceding winters, but with only the bite of the depressed temperature to accompany you on the strolls, you two decided that it was best to save your energy and remain in the heating.
You were beginning to ponder if you should have picked a better time to hold your annual meeting, but it was already too late for that.
“Next year?”
Jungkook stood next to his train back to Seoul where the doors were wide open, waiting for him to enter, but instead of doing so, he loitered around to ask his question.
“Next year,” you decisively affirmed, knowing exactly what he was talking about. Your heart did a flip of joy for the reminder, and you were glad that the lukewarm events that had occurred this time around hadn’t disenchant him from this town and future trips here.
“See you later.” Jungkook sniffed to combat his runny nose as he waved breezily at you, the tips of his fingers seeming to glow red from the dry, bitter air. You returned his gesture with a chuckle, your own hand feeling the impact of the severe chill even in the brief moment you took it out of your pocket.
“Have a safe trip home.”
With a nod and a tight-lipped smile, he boarded the train and settled into an empty seat before the doors slid shut, obstructing your outlook of him. The train departed shortly thereafter, but you had already turned around to leave the platform as the announcement rang through the speakers.
Yet another reunion had come to an end, and yet another year was on its way as well.
It had been all but confirmed that this visit was going to be a yearly event, so you weren’t really crestfallen over the parting. You were already looking forward to the next year and the year after that and all the ones following that. Obviously, you weren’t able to predict how long you were going to keep this tradition alive, and a part of you knew that the potential of this messily-arranged, short-sighted plan wasn’t all too promising, but you still held onto your sanguinity.
You wanted to believe that this would continue on forever.
In the blink of an eye, it was the third and final year of high school.
Things were as busy as ever, probably even more so since this was the last lap before you would ideally emerge into adulthood. Compared to your first year or even your second, your plate was much fuller now, and it was to the point where you felt like there was a risk of things slipping and plummeting off the edge.
As a result of your dedication to the science club, the duty of being the vice president fell on your shoulders. Not to be misunderstood, you absolutely relished the group and its activities, but the position came with new responsibilities and demanded more of your hours when you were already suffering from a scarcity of them. On top of your classes and your part-time job, you just couldn’t seem to find enough moments in your day to slow down—each diminutive instance fell through the cracks by the time you were able to address it.
The days only seemed to shorten, but even through everything closing in on you, you tried your best to keep in touch with Jungkook every so often.
You learned how to improvise, and soon you found yourself reading and responding to his letters during what little downtime you had, especially your lunch break. Your friends liked to tease you about the so-called “love letters” you were enamored with these days, but you just paid them no mind, shooing them away as you kept to your corner in order to organize your thoughts. They giggled and scurried out of the room to get their food without you, but even as you heard them whispering amongst themselves, you ignored the harmless gossip that was filling the halls.
Furthermore, it wasn’t your rejection of them that you were worried about.
The sound of your name being called tore you from the sentence you were in the middle of writing. Looking up from your desk, a smile immediately plastered itself onto your face as you greeted the boy who was making his way towards you.
“Hi, Jimin.”
The first thing you noticed about him was that he had cut his hair. No longer was the black mane covering the entirety of his forehead, but he had trimmed it shorter to sweep the fringe up away from his face so that he wasn’t suffering from a bowl cut anymore. The change made him look considerably more mature, and you weren’t sure if your eyes were deceiving you, but his face also seemed to have thinned out a bit to reveal sharper features. His physical appearance aside, you knew one thing was for certain.
He was still a beacon of light.
“You’re not going to the cafeteria today?” Jimin asked as he stood near your desk with his seemingly everlasting smile.
“I always have my own lunch.” You leaned over to pat your bag that was resting against the leg of your chair. The boxed lunch that your mother had helped you make was sitting inside for when you were done writing your letter.
“Me too,” he rejoined cheerfully, lifting his arm up so you could see the cloth-wrapped parcel that was in his hand. He lowered it almost straightaway, but the next words took a few seconds to come out. “…Do you want to eat together?”
You paused at the offer of his amity, or perhaps it was an invitation for you to accompany him. Either way, you knew the answer you were going to deliver.
“Sorry, I’m working on something right now, so I wanted to eat alone.” Your heart sank as soon as those words left your mouth, because you thought you saw the light within him flicker for no more than a second, just like it had in the past when you had turned down his company. “Maybe another time?” you softly added on, trying to remedy the dismissal.
“Oh, of course! Don’t worry about it,” he reassured, although you felt like it was more for himself than for you. “Good luck with your homework.”
You couldn’t find it in yourself to correct and inform him that you were choosing someone in a completely different city over him, so you just nodded acceptingly before uttering a meek “thank you”. As you watched him exit the room on his own, the pressure you felt from your everyday life grew, seeping its way right through you to make your heart sink. Jimin was so understanding and respectful of your decisions, but that didn’t prevent his shoulders from drooping as he walked away with his lunch in hand.
It wasn’t that you were intending to discourage him from ever speaking to you again, but even as he came back several more times after that day to extend the same invitation, you replied with the same apology and an excuse of catching up on your busy schedule—you just couldn’t help it.
You felt like you were running out of time.
“I’m home,” you called out as soon as you arrived back home after your usual shift at the convenience store. The sun had set hours ago so the walk back home had been shadowy and silent, but you were used to it by now since you often worked after school until the late evening. Kicking off your shoes at the entrance after the long day languishing in them, you wearily stepped into the hallway in order to drag yourself to your bedroom.
“Welcome back, sweetie,” you heard your mother’s voice resonate from the kitchen in response to your arrival. “Dinner is ready whenever you are!”
“Okay!” you answered back before entering your room to set your belongings down on top of your desk. As you were weighing your options on whether or not you would take out your notes to do some late-night studying after you ate, your mother spoke up again, but this time, the voice came from the much closer location of your bedroom entryway.
“By the way, Jungkook called earlier today.”
You perked up at the sound of his name, and your attention instantly shifted away from your schoolbag to address your mother who was leaning against the doorframe. “What did he say?”
“He just asked if you were home. When I told him you were at work, he said that he would try to reach you again another time.”
It made no sense for you to expect something more, but the news left you feeling hollower than you had thought it would. Glancing over at the alarm clock on your bedside table, you concluded that it was probably too late to return his call now. Your only choices were to wait for his next attempt and hope that you were home at that hour or to try and call him yourself whenever you had some free time available.
The problem was, you didn’t know when that would be.
I’m sorry this reply is getting to you so late. Track season is in full swing, and I barely have time to relax with all these meets I’m required to go to. Good news is that the coach thinks I have the potential to score a scholarship with this depending on the university I want to go to. Bad news is that I have no idea where I want to go yet. I should probably make a decision soon, since the application deadlines are coming up in a few months. Can you believe that this is already our last year?
Jungkook had mentioned before that he had been becoming more involved in track-and-field as opposed to the other available sports and activities. Even up until this point, you didn’t know if he was participating because he truly wanted to become an athlete or if he just considered it a hobby—then again, judging from all the letters he had sent you, he had no clue either.
He was still as uncertain as ever, but you didn’t blame him. He was trying to find his way among the countless roads he was capable of walking—or running. There were so many things Jungkook could do, so many things he could accomplish, but that had become a double-edged sword for him as time went on. With too many options and the tendency to be indecisive and unsure of himself, he had always struggled with being lost when it came to determining his future, and now that there was a deadline, those struggles were becoming more apparent on the surface.
You were glad to hear that he was at least narrowing his radar to concentrate on one potential route, but as he spent the majority of his time in class or on the track, you couldn’t help but notice the decline in the rate of letters that were both incoming and outgoing.
Whenever you had even a minute to spare during random points of the week, you made several efforts to call Jungkook’s landline, but it would always end in his mother notifying you that he wasn’t home. She promised to pass on the message that you had called, but whenever Jungkook tried to return the communication endeavor, the timing never worked out, for you were either out in club gatherings or working shifts.
This never-ending limbo caused you to take into consideration the fact that Jungkook was most likely just as busy as you—it was almost as if your lives ran in parallel even with the distance separating you two. Understanding this fact, you stopped making those failed attempts, especially since you didn’t want to bother his parents any more than you already had, and slowly but surely, the calls became a rarity.
It was a sound choice in the long run, because you desperately needed to focus your energy on more important matters, specifically ones you had been doing well to ignore during your state of drifting attention.
You were ashamed to admit it, but once you snapped back to reality, you were faced with the realization that you were falling behind on schoolwork. More often than not, when you had contemplated if you wanted to study after your long day of brimming responsibilities, the consensus had leaned towards the answer that had gotten you more sleep. Even when you had picked up that pen or pencil at night, it was to jot down a few notes to write in your letters to Jungkook before you dived straight into bed.
Of course, this kind of behavior simply wouldn’t do. Your college entrance exams were going to be held at the tail end of the year, but rather than preparing for what was probably the most important test of your scholastic life, you had allowed yourself to slack off.
Unlike Jungkook, you already had a good idea where you wanted to apply—given, your parameters were much more defined than his, as the borders of Busan limited your surveying process like always—but just because you knew what your destination was didn’t mean that you were automatically going to be put on that path to success. You had to work for it and use your own two feet to get on the right track, and judging by how much time you had wasted away, you needed to pour in 110% of your effort from now on.
Once again, you found yourself in the position of having to catch up.
You were sort of apologetic to the owner of the convenience store, but whenever you didn’t have any customers coming up to the cash register, you sat in the back corner to the side of the check-out counter and allocated those hours into getting homework done. It certainly wasn’t as peaceful as the library or your bedroom, especially on some days when you seemed to get interrupted every five minutes, but it was better than nothing.
If you believed that the studying would have intervened with your work, you definitely wouldn’t have risked it, but you were moderately decent at juggling between paying attention to your surroundings and honing in on your textbook, if you did say so yourself.
That was, until you heard someone clearing their throat.
You had been lost in trying to solve a particularly difficult math equation for the past few minutes to the point where the numbers and letters were starting to dance dizzily on the pages, but the moment you heard the sound of someone deliberately trying to get your attention, you were brusquely torn from your tired thoughts.
“I’m so sorry,” you started to say, leaping up from your seat to stride over to your proper post, but your words got caught in your throat when you looked up to welcome the familiar customer. “Jimin?”
Your friend was standing in front of you in his standard school uniform and a backpack strapped to his shoulders—this was understandable since it was still early in the afternoon—but the top button of his dress shirt was unclasped to reveal just a smidge more of his clavicle, something that would have gotten him in trouble if he had done that in class.
“Hey,” he greeted, his easygoing smile making you less flustered by your small blunder. “I didn’t want to break your concentration.”
“No, it’s fine,” you said, recovering from your unexpected interruption. Most of your classmates were already aware that you worked here—it had been brought up as the reason for being forced to bail on afterschool hang-outs—but this was the first time he had stepped foot in this store during one of your shifts. Rather than questioning his sudden appearance though, you were relieved that he had been the one to witness your mistake and not a stranger.
“Were you working on something for school?” he asked, setting down the items in his hands onto the counter. You promptly got to work with scanning them—he had compiled together a carton of banana milk, a box of pretzel sticks, a chocolate bar, a small bottle of the Bacchus-D energy drink.
“Yeah,” you answered, the word coming out as more of a sigh than you had intended. “I’ve just been having trouble lately, so I’m taking advantage of all the time that I have.”
Jimin nodded as if he was deep in thought. “I always see you hard at work during our lunch break, too. It must be tough to try and set aside time for everything when you don’t have any.” His voice was sympathetic as his words reminded you of how he had asked you if you wanted to eat together. The invitations had halted a while ago, but the guilt of your refusals came rushing back, especially since your reason for doing so had been the reason for your declining performance in school as well.
You merely reacted with a feeble smile before reciting the total that his items amounted to. He handed you the appropriate number of bills right away, and you turned your attention to the cash register to key in the necessary information. As you were working, you couldn’t help but be painfully aware that his eyes were following your movements; it was something fairly common, especially with your younger, more curious customers, but somehow, the weight of Jimin’s gaze was heavier than the others.
“Do you…” you heard him start to speak, drawing out the beginning of his sentence as if he wasn’t sure if he wanted to continue the rest. “Want any help?” he finished just as you were done removing his change from the cash drawer, pushing it shut. “We can study together during lunch or on the weekends—whenever you can find time.”
Staring at him, you hesitated for a little too long before you extended your hand full of coins out to him. You were so used to saying “sorry” and moving on from the conversation, but this was one arrangement that seemed like it would only hold positive outcomes. You couldn’t see a downside of this for you, but it wasn’t yourself that you were apprehensive about.
“Are you sure?” you asked as Jimin held out his palm for you to drop the coins into. “I don’t want to be a burden…”
“You won’t be,” he said in a soothing manner, but you could detect the seriousness in the tone. “If you want, you can think of it like we’re both helping each other out. Two heads are better than one, right?” You could tell that his words were genuine, and the shimmer of hope in his eyes was even more so.
“Alright. Sounds good,” you agreed as soon as he was done putting the coins away in his pocket. His face lit up even more, if that was even possible, but rather than pure delight, there was a sense of relief as his shoulders loosened like they had been tense this entire time.
“Great,” he declared gleefully. “I’ll see you tomorrow, then?”
Nodding as one last confirmation, you gave Jimin a wave to send him on his way. “See you in class.”
He reached down to gather the items he had just purchased, but just as you thought he was going to leave, he lifted one of his arms to outstretch it towards you.
“Here, this is for you.” Looking down at what was in his hand, you recognized the small bottle of Bacchus-D that he had gotten. “You work pretty late, right? Drink this and regain your energy.” You stood there dumbfounded for a second before lifting your hands up to accept the gift. Jimin placed the bottle onto your palms, and you felt the warmth of his finger brushing against your skin before the cold glass of the drink nullified the sensation. “You can do it,” he said, making a fist with his now empty hand as a signal of cheering you on.
Something fluctuated strangely in your chest, and you automatically broke out into a smile at the cute gesture. “Thank you.”
Jimin exited the store after your brief expression of gratitude, leaving you to your own devices once more. You stood at the counter, holding onto the small bottle he had just given you, but as you looked down at the drink, you didn’t even think you needed it anymore.
You already felt energized.
Acceding to Jimin’s offer to study together had been a terrific idea, to say the least. You hadn’t realized how much more exhausting working all by yourself had been until you had felt the stresses being lifted by the appearance of a second plate that helped to share what had been an imperiled workload on yours.
Your lunch periods doubled as your study periods, and while that should have felt like a tedious chore, you noticed that time seemed to move faster when Jimin was around. Even the weekends at the library whizzed by with him there to answer whatever questions you may have had, and before long, the fruits of your labor were proudly displayed in your grades and sleep schedule.
Things were starting to look up—until they weren’t.
This might be the last letter you’ll get from me for a while. I’m going to be spending my entire summer visiting college campuses around the country, so I won’t have much time to do any writing. My parents brought up the tour idea when I couldn’t give them a definite answer about where I was thinking of applying to. I know it’s something that I need to do, so I think this trip will be good for helping me decide. I can’t say that I’m not disappointed though…I was really looking forward to the beach.
The letter had arrived in your mailbox several days ago, but you couldn’t find it in yourself to fashion a response right away. Besides, you knew Jungkook wasn’t going to receive it before he went off on his summer quest. Sure, you had the option of just sending him letters while he was away, but you didn’t want to overwhelm him with the task sorting through a stack of envelopes when he came back home.
Regarding trip itself, you understood and respected his and his parents’ wishes. Your decision was all but made for the university you were planning on sending your application to, so you had no use in following in his footsteps. You knew what it was that you wanted to do, but ironically enough, Jungkook always seemed a bit more lethargic to arrive at his conclusions in comparison. This was a great opportunity for him to explore all of his options, and you hoped that it would all go well so that he could return with a clearer mind and stronger sense of his future.
As for you, although you had a great deal of your future mapped out and ready for initiation, it was amusing that you had yet to figure out something in your life that was far more basic.
“Do you have plans this summer?”
Jimin leaned back in his chair and lifted his arms up above his head for a satisfying stretch. You followed his example and slumped back to roll out the knots in your neck from your lunchtime study session. You had a week or so until your own vacation started, but you hadn’t really put thought into what you were going to do now that your initial plan had become unfeasible.
“Not this time, no.” You swore you saw Jimin’s lips quirk up at the news, but then again, you couldn’t really tell because of his distinctive resting happy face. “What about you?”
“Some of the others are planning a bunch of trips down to the beach throughout the entire break—the usual. I said I would tag along.”
“That sounds fun,” you cooed, assuming that it had been the conjured thought of his plans that had made him inadvertently smile, but that wasn’t all he had to say.
“It would be really great if you could join us this year.”
You turned to Jimin to see him looking at you with those hopeful eyes again. He was basically repeating the offer he had given you on your first year, the one you had declined without giving it a second thought. Now that you had a moment to actually ponder the proposition, you couldn’t find any reason not to accept this time around. There was absolutely no purpose in spending your summer vacation alone, especially when your friend who had been nothing but nice to you since the beginning of high school was generously extending his invitation.
“I would love to.”
If Jimin’s smile hadn’t been perpetual enough, it now seemed like it was permanently etched onto his face. He held the delighted expression all throughout the last week before break, and when you met up with him at the beach for your first gathering of the season, you swore that the intensity of his grin challenged that of the sun’s rays.
The rest of your friends greeted you with elation at your attendance, and you were immediately dragged into the freezing cold water upon arrival. Group festivities were bound to be rambunctious, but you still found it astounding how much energy all of your classmates had. You were wary that they would burn out and deplete themselves on the first day with how much they were frolicking around nonstop. It had been a while since you had been a part of this type of atmosphere, and honestly, it was exhausting to try and match their pace.
By dusk, you resorted to finding a nice spot on the sand and sitting on your own away from all the action, feeling pleased by just watching the others seemingly do a few more laps around the shore for posterity. You couldn’t help but rethink your decision to participate in these episodes any further. You clearly weren’t cut out for this sort of thing, and thoughts of returning back to your lonely schedule occupied your mind.
“Do you mind if I sit here?”
The sweet voice threw you out of your reverie, and you glanced up to see Jimin in his swim trunks and t-shirt, the latter of which was thoroughly drenched and plastered to accentuate the curves of his body.
“Go right ahead,” you conceded, scooting over to make some room for him on the towel that had been laid out beforehand. He cheerily plopped down beside you with a sigh of alleviation before turning to meet your gaze again.
“Not having fun?”
“No, I am!” you refuted, furiously waving your hands in front of you to stop him from thinking otherwise. Only when you managed to get a melodious laughter to rise out of him did you feel yourself relaxing again. “It’s just…I don’t think I can keep up,” you admitted more lightheartedly, joining your hands together in front of you to pull your knees towards your chest.
“Honestly, me neither,” Jimin concurred with a chuckle. He turned to face forward before reaching up to run his fingers through his wet hair in a sweeping motion. The black strands complied smoothly and were flicked back to reveal the slight sheen on his forehead that glistened under the radiance of the setting sun. “There’s no problem in slowing down every once in a while. It gives you more time to enjoy what’s around you.”
You contemplated his words for a moment as you let a pause draw out between you two. It was almost as if what he had said was being brought into play, and you took a few more seconds to stare out into the horizon before breaking the silence.
“Why did you invite me?”
Saying that you weren’t the most outgoing person in this group of friends would have been the biggest understatement of the day, so you highly doubted that he had done it for the sake of jazzing up the social mood. Most of the interactions between you two had taken place in academic settings, so this transition from school uniforms to swimsuits was a bit difficult to get used to.
“I was hoping you would have a good time here and not have to spend your summer without any plans.” You nodded wordlessly at the answer that sounded dangerously close to being pity, but his next justification eradicated that hasty misgiving. “Besides, I really like hanging out with you.”
The sight of the shore was quickly replaced by Jimin as you shifted your attention towards him. You could detect the lightest tinge spreading across his cheeks, and it didn’t look like it was an effect caused by sunburn. As always, a look of contentment rested on his face as he looked on at the ocean view, but it was only then that you realized just how contagious his smile really was, turning back to look at the waves with your own grin stretching across your lips.
Even without words, you were sure that you got your point across that you enjoyed his presence as well. Contrary to your previous reservations, you continued to tag along on the beach bonanzas, and with each passing week, you found yourself creating stronger ties with your classmates.
Sharing ice cream and sunscreen created everlasting bonds, after all.
From the temperately more sun-kissed skin you were left with and the collection of stunning seashells you now had in a jar, this turned out to be a better summer than you could have ever expected. By the end of it, you almost forgot how it had felt to be lonely.
I’m sorry it took so long for me to get back to you. I feel like I’m always starting off my letters with apologies. I promise it won’t happen again! The college tour was draining, but I think it went well. I’ve been preparing my applications for the schools that I felt were a good fit for me, and it looks like I’m eligible for those scholarships that my coach mentioned before. Things are finally just about ready to go. Now the only thing I have to worry about is the entrance exam. You can probably hear me sighing from all the way over there. Anyways, how have you been these past few months? Knowing you, I bet you already have everything in the bag with all this college nonsense.
It had taken three weeks after summer break had ended to hear from Jungkook again, but the surprising thing was, you hadn’t even noticed.
It didn’t feel like that amount of time had passed since you had last contacted each other. As mentioned in the letter, you had also been preoccupied with organizing your college applications, but contrary to his wager, it had been a struggle on your side of things as well. You didn’t know anyone in their third year who wasn’t currently stressing over the college entrance exam. D-day was soon approaching, which meant that you had to dedicate more time to studying, if that was even humanly possible. You were already spending every waking moment glued to your textbooks and notes, but you knew it was necessary to your survival, no matter how much it felt like it had the opposite effect.
Jungkook strove to lay out his possible college plans in his letters, and as you joined in to explain some of your options, you two began sharing your dreams and aspirations for the future, just like old times. It seemed as though he had chosen to stick with his track-and-field focus, but as always, there was the usual uncertain tone to his resolution. Even if he didn’t fully believe in his own decisions, you always did; you believed that he could even enter the Olympics for sprinting if he really put his mind to it. You had even believed that he would have done well in all the earlier career paths he had declared as a kid, whether it had been a police officer or an artist.
As long as he had the opportunity, you knew he would be able to achieve anything.
While Jungkook tended to hold an interest in those practical categories, you chose a more academic route. Regardless of what exactly you decided on studying, you knew you wanted to put yourself in the closest relationship to books as you could—that much was certain. As for a precise goal or dream, you were leaning towards becoming a marine scientist after you had picked up a fascinating illustrated encyclopedia a few years back. Not only was it something you were wholly interested in, but because you were in a port city such as Busan, it was completely possible.
The ocean was one thing you could explore freely over here, so you were planning on doing just that.
Something you had noticed with your exchanges with Jungkook was that no matter how many possibilities of the future you two had shared with each other, neither of you were part of each other’s scenarios. It was never mentioned directly, but there was some sort of mute but mutual recognition that this was the way things were going to be.
Weeks would go by between letters, leaving the disconcerting topic in the dust of all your current and more pressing worries, but they would fly by like minutes. Maybe it was because you were busy, since time seemed to have an inclination of moving rapidly when you had too many things on your mind—recently, all the things on your mind revolved around school, school, and more school. Other aspects of your life had a chance of slipping your mind or never even making it in the first place, and understandably, you no longer found yourself waiting eagerly to see that envelope with your name on it sitting in your mailbox.
Your only concrete indication of the passing days was when it was time to remove your summer uniform and put on your autumn one, and as the layers of coats and scarves kept piling on over your regular outfit, you knew that the time had finally come.
“Are you ready?”
It was now the morning of November you had been dreading since probably the beginning of your school life—the college entrance exam was upon you. You didn’t even remember the walk from your house or even passing the front gates to get into the building, but somehow you were here, and Jimin was standing in front of you with a bright-eyed expression that made you doubt his sanity at the moment.
“I think I’m going to throw up.”
It wasn’t he most eloquent choice of words, but with how close you had gotten to your friend over this past year, it was safe to say that he would let your unladylike comment slide.
“Relax. You’re going to be fine. You’ve worked hard to prepare for this—all of us have.” Along with his words of consolation, he reached over to take a hold of the sides of shoulders before giving you a reassuring squeeze and an equally comforting smile. “We can do this.”
We. That word alone lessened the mind-numbing feeling you were experiencing since you had woken up this morning after a sleepless night. Even after you had received enough aid to catch up in all of your classes, your study sessions with Jimin continued with this exam being the next point of interest. You hadn’t realized how much time you had spent with him, but somewhere along the way, you had shed your disposition of being alone.
You were in this together now.
Drawing in a large, much-needed breath, you gave Jimin a firm nod as you stared into his eyes, hoping to give him the same support and solace he had been giving you.
“Let’s do this.”
It was only after you were finished with the exam that you were able to release that breath you had taken. You thought that the wave of relief would have been stronger than this, but it was hard to grasp that the event that you had been breaking your spine over for what seemed like your entire life on this planet was over in the span of half a day.
You were only able to believe that it was done when you walked out of the gates of the school to see flocks of parents waiting outside to congratulate their children for surviving what was ultimately the roughest part of high school. Your mother was no different, waiting for you under the giant banner that had been placed up front as an acclamation of good luck to the students. Looking at the sign now, it was unquestionably more heartening than the anxiety you had felt eight hours prior when you didn’t even want to give it more than a listless glimpse.
The moment you approached your mother, she scuttled forward to envelop you in a warm hug before proceeding to place rapid-fire pats on your back.
“You did well, sweetie.”
“The results aren’t even out yet,” you grumbled as you returned her tight embrace.
“It doesn’t matter. I’m so proud of you.”
You knew that it did matter, and you were sure that she knew as well, but she just held onto you with overflowing affection that seemed to repel the cold away. She believed in you with all her heart and soul, and you felt like things would be okay, if not just for this moment.
Good luck on your exam! I’ve been studying nonstop just like the rest of my classmates, but I’m still not that confident. Even if I studied for the next ten years, I don’t think I would ever be ready. At the very least, I’ll be glad when it’s done and over with. Oh, I almost forgot! I got a new haircut yesterday. I know there’s a superstition about avoiding big changes before important events, but it was starting to grow kind of long, so I just got it done on the way home. The hairdresser even taught me how to style it in this cool way, and even though it’s different, I really like it. I’m kind of worried though. I don’t know if you’ll even recognize me the next time we meet.
Jungkook’s letter had arrived a little over a week ago, but you hadn’t had time to reply before the exam. You hadn’t meant to put off writing to him for so long, but you had gotten caught up in all the clamor around you that you had managed to postpone it for longer than you been planning to.
You made sure to hit all the points he had stated in his letter, and you thoroughly thanked him for his well wishes and congratulated him in making it over the hurdle of this exam as well. When everything was up to par with your standards, the rest was like muscle memory as you signed and dated the reply at the bottom of the paper.
That was when you realized that a certain date was coming up very soon, almost too soon.
Without you knowing, winter had already set in as the month transitioned into December, and this meant that your annual reunion was occurring the following week. You had no idea where all this time was disappearing off to, because it sure didn’t feel like you were utilizing all of the hours that you were supposed to have in your possession. You hurriedly jotted down a “P.S.” at the end of the letter regarding the meet-up, and once you sealed your reply in an envelope, you mailed it off right away.
By the time the day came, there was still no response.
Admittedly, you had sent your letter a little late, perhaps too late for him to get his answer back to you. You hoped that he had at least received it so that he was informed that you were ready to follow through with the plan once more. You had classes that went into the afternoon as normal, so there was no way you could communicate with him until you returned home.
Just like an old wound that had reopened, you found thoughts of Jungkook circulating in your mind all day. This was one of the rare occasions where you cursed your younger selves for putting together such a half-baked idea.
The moment your last class of the day was dismissed, you rushed home to your phone as a last-minute attempt at contacting him. To your misfortune, it was his mother who picked up, and you were forced to end the call with only the information that he hadn’t returned from school yet, as always, and would probably not be returning for a while. You weren’t sure if this meant that he was being held up at practice or if he was on his way here. You wanted to believe the latter, you truly did, so without hesitation, you decided to take a leap of faith and got ready for your trip down to the train station.
At the end of the day, Jungkook had made a promise.
So long as you were going through with your verdict, you doubled down on the bet. You went to work on preparing a lunchbox of various foods you knew he would enjoy, not forgetting the candied sweet potatoes for dessert. Your mother extended her help with the cooking, and although she didn’t ask who it was all for, the knowing smile on her face gave the impression that she could hazard a good guess. It took longer than you had expected, but once everything was said and done, you packed the goodies up with some cloth and stored it securely into a zip-up tote bag you could throw over your shoulder for carrying convenience.
When you stepped out of your house, you were hit with a frosty breeze that nipped at your nose, and you were met with an anomaly that had made an appearance after refusing to be present all day: snow.
It had started snowing in the short while you had been getting everything ready, and there was already a thin veil of white covering the ground before you. The snowflakes were falling at a steady pace, decorating the air with specks of the crystalized orbs, and you glanced up at the murky clouds above to see that there was not even a glimpse of the blue sky visible anymore.
It was indecipherable how a natural phenomenon such as the weather could make you feel so sentimental, but here it was, leaving a piercing feeling of nostalgia that chilled you to the bone.
Letting the feeling release itself in the form of a shiver, you promptly shoved your hands into your pockets and made your way down to the same old place in the center of town. Once you entered the train station’s waiting room, one that had gotten a couple renovations over the years, you settled down into your usual spot and did just like the named suggested.
You waited.
You were a tad bit early, if the definition of a tad bit was an hour, but you figured it would be better than sitting at home. It had been a good call on your part to leave when you had, because as you peered outside the windows of the room, you could see that the rate of snowfall was starting to pick up considerably.
Sitting rigidly in the uncomfortable plastic seat—for some reason, they had neglected to upgrade this facet of the station—you felt yourself shaking slightly. You couldn’t pinpoint whether it was from the cold or your nerves, but perhaps it was both. Thankfully, the former was suppressed because the chairs were arranged in a way that surrounded a cylindrical electric heater, the single source of warmth in the small-scale waiting area. The waves of heat radiated from the machine to keep the winter air at bay, but as the physical cold strayed further from your body, the latter feeling became more perceptible.
There was a dull aching in your chest as you remembered all the past experiences of your time in this very seat. All the memories that had been recessing in the back of your mind during your tumultuous year were now rising from their deep-set slumbers like they had been waiting for this day. Although it was coming out of hiding from the innermost corner of your consciousness, you knew it had always been there.
You missed Jungkook.
As the minutes counted down to the long-awaited moment, the feeling only seemed to grow, spreading across every fiber of your being in a way that almost combated the heater’s effects. The snow was still falling heavily from the sky even now, but all you could do was watch as the fluffy, white morsels layered themselves onto the world below them. Your eyes traveled to the adjacent wall to check the sizable analog clock that was hanging on the otherwise plain surface.
It was past 7 P.M., the time of meeting you two had decided upon.
The image of the incessant hands of the clock ticking further away from the appointed time gave you an uneasy feeling, but you still waited. You wanted to give Jungkook the benefit of the doubt, especially since the weather was causing trains to be delayed left and right. You wanted to believe that he was just running late.
You wanted to believe that he hadn’t forgotten.
Soon, it wasn’t just a few minutes of tardiness you had to worry about. An hour passed by, and then another, and before you knew it, the street lamps outside were turned on as night fell over the town—yet, there was still no sign of Jungkook.
Your body felt immensely stiff staying in the same position for so long, and your stomach was growling with the imploration of food, but all you could find the courage to do was get up from your seat to employ a few static stretches.
What if he arrived the instant you decided to abandon your spot? What if he saw the empty seat and assumed that you had been the one to break the promise? What if the sight discouraged him to just leave without a second glance?
You didn’t want to get up from your seat if you could help it, let alone leave to go back home. There was a station worker sitting behind the glass pane of his post who made announcements of the delays over the intercom every so often, and that alone motivated you to hold onto your optimism. You didn’t want Jungkook to have gone through the trouble to get here only to see that you were no longer waiting for him.
You had made the promise to him just as much as he had to you, and you fully intended to keep it.
The scattered thoughts and probabilities whirled around in your mind like the ongoing flurry outside. The waiting area had been almost dead quiet for a while now, which was understandable since no one in their right mind would voluntarily travel in this snowstorm; it had started brewing a couple hours ago but it didn’t show signs of stopping anytime soon. You were left alone in the seat you had settled in at the beginning, clutching onto your bag that you had placed securely on top of your lap. You didn’t mind the silence or the solitude, but it was the perfect environment to invite your fatigue to overwhelm you.
As a consequence, you dozed off.
It wasn’t even an enjoyable nap, because for the first hour or so, you were hovering over the fine line between sleep and consciousness. A few times, you jolted awake at the sound of the man’s voice over the loudspeaker, but once you recognized the nature of the announcement to be about another delay rather than an arrival, you dipped your head down and closed your eyes again. You allowed yourself some more ocular rest, drifting into a dreamy state where hours felt like minutes and minutes felt like seconds.
Just then, you heard your name.
It was weak, and you almost mistook the sound as the whistle of the gale outside, but when your eyes fluttered open, the first thing you saw was a pair of running shoes. The black and white sneakers were worn and blotched with dirt, obviously having seen a lot of use and abuse, and the knotted laces were in the process of fraying at the ends. Tilting your chin up to drowsily look at the owner of these shoes, you saw Jungkook standing in front of you. He was bundled up in a long, powder blue overcoat and had what looked like his school duffel bag clenched in his left hand.
There was no smile on his face as he gazed down at you, and in that moment, you thought you recognized the emotions behind his wavering eyes from the very first day you had met him—insecure and afraid.
You lifted your hand and reached forward to take a hold of the side of his coat. The soft, woolen fabric was tangible between your fingertips, and you tightened your fist at the confirmation that you weren’t dreaming. All day, you had repeatedly tried to convince yourself that Jungkook would show up, that he would remember, but deep in your heart, you hadn’t anticipated him to—you hadn’t wanted to raise your expectations too high only to come crashing down.
But he was here now.
It wasn’t the reunion you had been hoping for, but you were relieved to say the least. Your vision became blurry as you felt the tears welling up, and as soon as you dropped your head down at the floor again, everything you didn’t know you had been bottling up was suddenly freed.
You were always crying in front of him—not even shedding a few tears, but openly weeping. You felt like the little kid who had lost the race down the road to the convenience store all those years back. You still felt like the same, impressionable person, but he wasn’t the same.
Jungkook had changed.
His stature had grown, his shoulders widening and his height expanding, and his facial features were chiseled, his jawline becoming more defined and the baby fat on his cheeks waning. All of these physical changes were most likely from the rigorous training he had gone through with his older activities and was currently going through with track-and-field.
Aside from his athletic alterations, you immediately noticed that his hair was different. Just like he had mentioned in his letter, his black locks were shorter than before, and rather than falling naturally over his forehead, the bangs were swept to the side with some sort of product that gave it a bit of extra texture. Contrary to the second part of his statement, you still recognized him with minimal effort, but you had to admit that he had gone through quite a number of changes in just a couple years. There were still so many years ahead of him for him to keep maturing as well, and at the current rate of growth, you were fearful that sometime in the future, maybe there was a chance that you wouldn’t be able to recognize him anymore.
Deciding that those thoughts should be saved for another day, you hastily wiped your tears with your sleeves and focused on the present; it was one where Jungkook was sitting beside you with his hand resting on your back for comfort, a string of whispered apologies filling the previously still atmosphere that were only matched with your habitual sequence of pardons.
It took a few minutes to calm down, and by the time you managed to do so, you stole a glance at the clock and was shocked to see that it was almost midnight.
“Are you hungry?” you asked, unzipping your bag to search for the items you had packed.
“Starving.”
Taking out the cloth-wrapped lunchboxes you had prepared earlier today, you ushered Jungkook to slide one seat away so that you could start unwrapping them and lay out the contents on the one between you two.
“It’s not much, but I made this myself. Well, my mom helped, of course, but…I hope you like it.” While you were blabbering away, Jungkook had already taken one of the pairs of chopsticks you had set out and helped himself to a few of the rolled omelettes. “What do you think?” you cautiously asked once he was done consuming what was in his mouth.
“This is the best thing I have ever eaten.”
You laughed not only at the overstatement but at how genuine he seemed when he recited it. “You’re just saying that because you’re hungry,” you said before chuckling again at the way he was practically inhaling the meal. “I think I’ll have some, too,” you pronounced as you picked up your own utensils to join in on the meager feast. You had been starving for a while as well, but you couldn’t have justified eating the food without him here. Now, as you ate your share of the lunchboxes, you were almost tempted to agree with him on his exaggerated proclamation.
All in all, hunger was the best seasoning.
“How come you didn’t tell your parents that you were coming here?”
The food was all gone at this point, and you two were sitting in peace with some instant coffee you had gotten from the vending machine across the room.
“Hm? What do you mean?” he refuted, blinking at you in a way that made it seem like he wasn’t actually playing dumb.
“I called your home earlier, and your mom said that you were at practice and won’t come home until nighttime.”
“Oh, that,” he said, your inquiry finally clicking in his brain. “I just don’t want them to worry about me.”
“Won’t they be even more worried if you’re not home when you’re supposed to be?”
Jungkook merely shook his head before taking another sip out of his paper cup. “I sometimes sleep over at my classmates’ places without telling them first, so they’re used to it by now.”
“I see,” you hummed in slight admiration for his freedom.
“What about you? Did you tell your mom you were coming here?”
“No,” you answered pensively, the image of her thoughtful expression appearing in your mind. “But I’m sure she knows. It’s hard to keep any sort of secret from her.”
At that moment, you heard a succinct knocking on a glass, and when you swung your head to the side to look at the source, you saw that it was the station worker trying to get your attention behind the counter.
“There aren’t any more trains coming in, so we’re going to close up now,” he stated, the voice sounding subdued by the window pane separating you guys from him. “Be careful on your way home. The snow has really piled up.” Thanking the man for the warning and for allowing you to loiter here for so long, you two gathered your belongings and made your way out of the station.
Just as the man had said, the entire town was covered in a thick blanket of fresh snow, but the storm was subsiding, leaving only the more serene snowflakes to languidly complete their trail to join its brethren. You stuffed your hands into your coat pockets in order to shield them from the blistering cold, but they scarcely did much to retain the rapidly declining warmth of your fingers.
You walked alongside Jungkook as you took to the unchanged lane that would lead you to the same places you had always visited. The snow crunched satisfyingly beneath your feet, and each step you took left footprints behind you so that any passersby who found the two sets parallel would know that you had been there.
Everything was as you remembered it—the lit-up signs on the buildings near the station, the fork in the road towards the edge of town that led to a less beaten path, and the utility poles that seemingly ran until the edge of the world next to the rural farm plots—but something about tonight made the surroundings feel unfamiliar, as if you were seeing everything through an altered screen with the display of the moonlight that reflected off of the white snow and transformed the areas into ethereal versions of themselves.
The two of you came to a halt when you reached one of your favorite places you had always stopped by. The cherry tree that had given you so many memories still stood tall and sturdy, even with all of the leaves having been stripped by the unforgiving arrival of the season. The bare branches stretched out in every direction and were covered by the snow that had managed to hang onto the narrow spaces. Snow was still making its way down from above you, but under the tree, it seemed as if the ice crystals were being shed from the branches topped with frozen foliage. The grass surrounding the bottom of the trunk was also hidden underneath the white winter coat, and it almost felt like you were in a completely different location than what you had remembered it to be.
“How old do you think this tree is?” you wondered aloud, peeking beside you to see Jungkook lifting his head up to admire the large framework.
“I never really thought about it. I’m guessing it has to be at least ten years.”
Doing some speedy calculations in your head, you laughed lightly when you realized that he had just counted the number of years you two had known of the tree’s existence. It had already been fully grown by the time you had come across it, so technically, Jungkook wasn’t wrong in his estimation. You took your time to trace your gaze along the trunk of the tree, turning your body in order to follow the lines in the bark that extended into the branches above. The resilience and history behind this towering icon was engraved with each mark and fissure that was exposed on the surface—if a tree could look wise, that would be your adjective to describe it.
Ten years. It had been almost a full decade since you had known Jungkook. It seemed like such a long time, yet it felt so much shorter than that, especially if you put it against the number of decades you ideally had ahead of you.
“Do you think it’ll still be here the next time we meet?”
As those words escaped past your lips, you tilted your head back down to see Jungkook staring right at you. You were now facing each other with the cherry tree to the side, but it was no longer your main point of interest. You had presented a harmless question, but you were suddenly affected by the weight of it. Everything around you was pulled into an illusion of slowing down in that moment, even the descending snowflakes, until the world seemed to suspend into a snapshot.
“I hope so.”
Your surroundings began to move again, but only one specific part of it—the only part that mattered. The crisp sound of a footstep reverberated as Jungkook glided forward, reducing the gap between your bodies until your faces became impossibly close and you could feel his warm breath tickling your cheek. The space was finally sealed when you leaned forward ever so slightly, and you felt the tender brush of his skin before he pressed forward to fully capture your lips into a kiss. The warmth of his touch melted away all the bleak feelings that winter had brought you, and it left behind a sweet sensation that equaled that of even the most radiant summer day.
It was unexpected to say the least, yet the timing couldn’t have felt more right. The pleasant sensation surpassed anything you could have imagined experiencing, but you couldn’t get rid of this gnawing feeling in the pit of your stomach that was trying to tell you otherwise, and you knew exactly why.
When you pulled apart, the cold breeze instantaneously swept in to steal the heat that had accumulated from the contact, leaving you feeling more barren than what you had started with. Jungkook held a benign gaze as you gently looked through the darkness at the way his amplified pupils almost blended into his dimmed irises. Your foggy breaths intermingled in the air between you two, rising up into a coherent, wispy cloud before completely disappearing into nothingness within just a few seconds.
A sudden urge overcame your senses, and you stepped forward to throw your arms around Jungkook’s torso, burying your face into his chest. In an immediate reaction, you felt his strong arms curl around your back as he pulled you closer into the embrace, letting you revel in being engulfed in his body heat.
The two of you stayed that way for a while, unaware of the gradually dropping temperature and the snowflakes that were starting to settle on top of your hair and clothes. It was like nothing else was substantive and the entire universe didn’t exist outside of this moment, and as cliché as it sounded, you wanted everything to freeze so you could remain this way forever—but you knew that it was a dream far beyond your reach.
Time would always continue to flow, and snow would always continue to fall.
After a while, you two broke the embrace and resumed your stroll to your next destination. Jungkook took your hand in his and held it the rest of the way, and you happily rejoiced at the feeling of elation you had for finally receiving the warmth your hand had been craving in the form of his soft fingers interlocking with yours.
The location was none other than your secret hideout, the cozy wooden shack built on the side of an empty farming plot where you had spent most of your freedom in as children. You hadn’t been here in some time now, but when you entered into the room and saw the evidence of those ten years you had visited and improved this place together, it truly felt like you were coming back to your second home. The thick fleece blankets were exactly where you had left them, but even if they hadn’t been, you were sure that Jungkook’s presence was enough to keep you warm until the morning. Once you covered yourselves with the quilt and were comfortably cuddled up with one of the walls being used as a backrest, the late-night discussions ensued.
While you talked about anything and everything, the one thing that all of the anecdotes had in common was that they were all stories of the past. You two could probably spend weeks reminiscing about your early childhood and relishing your chronicle of youth, but you knew that you couldn’t avoid the present for long. Reality had to come into the story sooner or later, and you knew that it was better not to draw out what was inescapable.
“I’m moving after graduation.”
It was a sentence you had expected to come out of Jungkook’s mouth, but you found yourself as the bearer of this news for the very first time. This had been a long-winded topic of debate between you and your mother for a while now, but you had finally put your foot down back when college applications had been due. You probably couldn’t have chosen a more remote place within the borders of Busan, but the school was perfect to pursue your studies to become a marine scientist. You thought that the announcement of the fact that you finally might be able to leave this town would have been said with more cause for celebration, but the words taste more bitter than sweet.
“Where are you going?” he asked almost as glumly as you had spoken.
“The maritime university I’m planning on attending is near the southern coast, on the island at the very bottom of the city. I already have everything planned out for the move, but of course, that’s only if I get accepted…”
“You’re going to get in,” he sharply spoke, raising his voice for more emphasis. “Don’t worry about that. They would be stupid not to accept you.”
You felt your heart swell at his words of reinforcement. The confidence in his voice was one that was seemingly reserved to be used only for you, and you appreciated his dauntless faith in your abilities.
“I hope you’re right.” There was a prolonged pause after you finished speaking, so you decided to fill it with some more information. “It’s further away, but the campus is right by the ocean, so I bet the view will be great. Plus, I heard that there are lots of tall, modern buildings in that district and a ton of more fun things to do than here. I mean, I’m sure it doesn’t hold a candle to Seoul, but—”
“Do you remember what you told me,” Jungkook suddenly interrupted, “about the snow falling?” Halting mid-sentence, you were taken aback by the unwarranted question, thinking that perhaps you had been rambling on for too long like you had a tendency of doing. “It was five kilometers per hour, right?”
Surprised, you turned and faced him to commend him for his retention of information, but he was staring straight ahead. “You still remember that?”
A vague smile graced his lips as he nodded in confirmation. You drew your attention to the other side of the room where his eyes were focused on, and you saw through the window that there were still some snowflakes floating down from the overly generous clouds above.
“I take back what I said. There’s no need to rush. In fact, I wish that it didn’t have to fall so fast. I wish the entire world would just slow down.”
Jungkook didn’t sound like he was talking solely about the snow anymore. He knew that he couldn’t outrun time, no matter how hard he tried, and he certainly couldn’t catch up to something that was constantly slipping further from his reach with each step forward. It had taken him a while to realize this, but he now agreed with your sentiment, and all you could do was sigh, resting your head on top of his shoulder and moving closer to him while you still had the chance.
“Me too.”
A long silence filled the expanse, but this time, you didn’t feel a need to saturate it with unnecessary information. Instead, you closed your eyes and cherished the moment, listening to Jungkook’s rhythmic breaths and feeling the undulating movement of his body with every inhale and exhale he took.
Being in this shed again carried your mind back to old times, to days filled with unstoppable snacking and restful reading, and while you wanted to say that nothing inside here had changed at all, you knew that was a lie.
You two had changed.
You had come to the realization after your various talks with Jungkook over the past several hours. Initially, you had only noticed the changes in Jungkook, but that was because you rarely saw him anymore. It had been a full year since you had last examined his face, so any and every little detail that differed from the previous reunion seemed that much more significant. During the days you had practically grown up with him, he had regularly been by your side, and that was why you hadn’t recognized his gradual maturation, even though the years of eight to thirteen were a time of pretty drastic development.
This revelation then made you open your eyes to discover the other side of things. You had changed as well, probably just as much as Jungkook had, but you couldn’t have possibly noticed since you were with yourself every single day and night. Only when you compared yourself to the person you had been at eight or even thirteen did you see just how different you had become.
This brought you to wonder how much time would have to pass until Jungkook didn’t recognize you anymore.
Somewhere in the midst of your swirling thoughts, you had fallen into a dreamless sleep, because the next time you opened your eyes, you were met with the morning sun filtering in through the window to bathe the area in a delicate glow. You were in the same position as the night before, sitting stiffly against Jungkook’s side, and when you lifted the side of your face off of his shoulder, you realized that his head was leaning on top of yours as well. He stirred awake at your movement, and you watched as he slothfully gained consciousness before turning to greet you with a sleepy smile and barely-opened eyes.
“Good morning.”
With him by your side, it couldn’t have been a better morning.
After stifling a few yawns and stretching out your sore limbs, you two folded the fleece blanket back up and tucked it into its usual partition of the cupboard. Gathering your bags and exiting the shed, you two were on your way back to the center of town again.
“I wonder if the trains are running,” you mused as you inspected the sights around you. The sky was as clear as ever, almost like the snowstorm last night hadn’t even happened, the only remnants of it making themselves known as miniature tufts of clouds drifting across the bright blue sky. The uninterrupted sunlight reflected off of the freshly fallen snow on the ground, and you could see the ice shimmer like crystals under the luminous rays.
“If they’re not, I can just walk back home.”
You laughed at Jungkook’s ridiculous suggestion, the sound exhaling out of your mouth along with a billow of fog, and he beamed back at you in return. He was only kidding, of course, but you knew that he was more than capable of pulling it off.
That wasn’t necessary, though.
“It’s on time,” you said as the announcement of the incoming train finished echoing through the loudspeaker overhead.
The station was exceptionally empty at this early hour, so you were currently the only two people standing in the middle of the lengthy platform. In a town like this, people weren’t ever in a hurry to get anywhere, but you were thankful for it; the crowds in Seoul subways sounded like a nightmare every time Jungkook had described them to you.
It only took a few seconds until you saw the glint of the hefty metal body closing in from the distance, and as it drew nearer, you could make out the chugging of the wheels hurtling down the rails. The train then zipped into the station, bringing along a cold gust of air that felt like a slap in the face, and it was followed by the humming of the brakes as it came to a steady halt in front of you.
You heard the ring of the bell that signaled the arrival, you watched the automatic doors slide open in front of you, but it wasn’t until you saw Jungkook stepping forward to board the train that it finally hit you that he was really leaving. The car he was entering was just as empty as the platform outside, and the moment he stepped foot across the threshold, he spun around on his heel to face you, standing on his side of the opened door while you stood on your side.
Your eyes immediately locked onto his, and you realized that neither of you were even attempting to appear happy. There was something in the air—a mix of tension, melancholy, and even a tinge of regret—and both of you knew it. This was nothing like all the previous lighthearted send-offs between you two. This wasn’t just another “see you later”.
This was goodbye.
It seemed as though neither of you wanted to admit it, because an unbearable hush hung in the space between your two beings that made every second seem like an eternity, but just because it wasn’t said out loud didn’t mean that it was something that could be avoided. This was reality, and much like everything else that was unavoidable, it was best to face it with dignity and a smile.
“Jungkook.” His eyes lit up from the passive state they had been in when you uttered his name. His gaze was imploring but not overbearing, and you knew that he was going to listen intently to your every word, just like he had always done. “I believe in you. You’ll do great, no matter what you decide to do in the future. You’re going to be okay…I just know it.”
In the same respect that you realized that you had changed, you also discovered that the diffident eight-year-old boy still existed inside Jungkook. It had taken an essential push to get him out of his comfort zone, a place that had prevented him from venturing out as a kid to do the things he was no doubt good at. You knew that it was that same reluctance that was holding him back now—the fear of failing before even being given a chance to, the lack of confidence in his abilities because of his own high expectations—but if there was one thing you were positive about, it was that he would get through it.
You didn’t know anyone else who was capable of the things he was. He had been able to take multiple three-hour trips all by himself just to come down here to visit you, the last of which had taken him almost eight hours. He had been able to assimilate to every new town he had moved to with no problems and diligently worked his way through different departments of school to find what he was great at. These were all things you couldn’t even imagine yourself doing, and you knew that he was capable of so much more on top of that.
You gave Jungkook an encouraging smile, and his expression looked more mystified than anything. Hopefully, he would take your words to heart because you meant them in the sincerest way possible. All you wanted to do was help to erase his inhibitions and the worries he had been holding onto for so many years, even if you were aware that it was something he had to do himself, something you believed he would be able to achieve on his own.
“Thank you,” Jungkook whispered, the appreciative words trailing out of his mouth with the wisps of smoke that vanished as quickly as they had been summoned.
As if on cue, the doors of the train slid closed, finally sealing the separation between you two with a physical panel. Your eye contact still remained connected, and as you gazed at him through the hazy window, he gave you a contemplative look that made it seem like he was holding onto an unabridged speech that was just waiting to be expelled from the tip of his tongue at any second.
But then, the train started gearing up to depart the station.
“Take care of yourself,” he called out, the muffled words barely getting through to your side of the barrier. He had leaned forward and pressed his hand onto the window in an attempt to deliver his voice as close to you as possible. You lifted your hand up to place it on top of the outline of his, but your touch lingered on the frosted glass only for a fraction of a second before the train glided away from underneath your fingertips.
Your arm dropped down to your side as you stood fixed in place, watching the vehicle slowly but surely increase its acceleration. The joined cars of the train passed you by one after another, but before the third one could reach you, a surge of emotions pulsated through you, both sobering and muddling your mind. Before you could ascertain which side of the spectrum it was, you grappled your shouldered tote bag tightly by your side, and you felt your feet carrying you forward into a sprint in the direction of the platform the train was heading towards.
You had no idea what you were planning to accomplish from this stunt, since outrunning a train was obviously not on your list of lifetime possibilities. Even catching up to where Jungkook had been standing was a futile attempt, but you kept running, the desperate stomping of your feet on the concrete below being muted by the grinding of the metal wheels. You only came to a rapid stop when you reached the end of the line and there was no more platform to run on. There, you straightened yourself out to regain your balance and evened out your breathing as you observed the rest of the train continuing to pass you.
When all the cars had gone by and the tail end of the train was in view, you thought that the last time you would see Jungkook had retreated as well, but all of a sudden, you detected a strange movement through the back window of the very last car. Jungkook was running up to the glass pane from seemingly out of nowhere, and he almost crashed into it from the speed that he had been sprinting across train compartments with once he reached the end. The brash image made you chuckle even in your exhausted state. You didn’t know what else you expected out of him—once a runner, always a runner.
Your arm shot up as you started waving to him feverishly, hoping that he saw your ungainly gesture. He didn’t wave back, but you did notice him say something, or perhaps he was just mouthing it—you weren’t sure if it was done with the objective of you understanding it, since there was no way you could hear him.
If there was one thing you were bad at reading, it was lips.
Soon enough, you weren’t able to discern his mouth from the rest of his facial features, and once his figure shrunk further with the growing distance, you ceased your hectic waving. Despite the conflicting feeling in your chest, you still held a smile, and you were happy that you were able to send him off in this manner. Before long, the train withdrew into the horizon, carrying Jungkook back to Seoul—back home, where he belonged.
And you were exactly where you belonged.
With the train out of sight, you stood motionlessly at the end of the platform in the newfound yet acquainted silence. It was only then that you felt like you were loosening your clamp that your arm had against your bag, and you proceeded to unzip the main pocket to reach for a certain item that had been in the back of your mind since you had left home. You pulled out a cream-colored envelope and held it in your clasp as you looked down to examine it. The edges were crumpled from being bounced around during the reckless run you had just participated in, but the words written in ink on the middle of it were still intact.
To Jeon Jungkook.
This was the final letter you had decided to write him, filled with anything and everything you wanted to tell him that you hadn’t been able to say in person. You had been planning on handing it to him when you had met up, but putting it simply, you had chickened out. Writing it was one thing, but it just didn’t seem fair to give him this letter, like you were singlehandedly putting an ellipsis on the end of a sentence that had been started by two people, one that deserved proper closure.
Hence, you pursed your lips and slid the envelope into your bag before zipping it back up—out sight, out of mind. Maybe you would throw it out into the recycling bin once you returned home, or maybe you would place it into one of your storage containers along with the rest of the memorabilia in your life. You knew you had a disposition to do the latter, if the box of opened and answered letters you had collected throughout the years was any indication, but there was one thing you sure of, and it was that this envelope would never see a stamp.
A period needed to be placed at the end of the sentence, and today, after your last meeting with Jungkook, both of you did exactly that.
This is where our adventure ends.
The flow of time can’t be stopped, and as you earnestly learned, it can’t even be slowed down. You and the rest of the people in this world are not only susceptible to growing up but also growing apart, and Jungkook and you were a perfect example of that fate. The two of you were on different roads since the beginning, destined to drift down your own unpredictable way with no regard towards one another, but somehow, in a beautiful and almost infinitesimal fluke, the universe had allowed your paths to cross.
That was your youth, the most beautiful time of your life, and its impermanence made it that much more precious.
It’s like when two snowflakes meet for a passing moment during their descent onto the earth, twirling and trembling at the mercy of their surroundings and sharing a beloved dance, even if it’s only for a second, because before the moment can be truly appreciated, the snowflakes are swaying apart again, following their own set trail until they find themselves separated with no chance of an additional encounter. Resembling these two entities, you have grown apart from Jungkook, seemingly at opposite ends of the world, but you still feel at ease in knowing that you met at one point in your life, and in that fragment of time, you two couldn’t have been closer.
The places in which the two of your lives connected is still remembered with fondness—the hot summers cooled down by popsicles and ocean breezes, the cold winters warmed up by companionship and fleece blankets. Jungkook left an imprint on your life that you believe you will carry on for the remainder of your days, because even though you only have memories left in the wake of all that has passed, you will always remember the small town in Busan where you spent your charming childhood—the solitary shed in the corner of the field that you always trusted to provide an ageless haven year after year, the lone tree that changed its coat with each season but remained firmly rooted in its trusted spot, and the meek store that still held its character and purpose despite your own change in roles. These parts of your past hold a special place dear to your heart, even after many years have passed and you have wandered far from the corner of the world you once called home.
Sometimes, when you find yourself dwelling on what has been seemingly lost, you take a step back to turn your focus to what has been found. First off, you now have an excellent and tremendously gratifying job after going through with the decision to move and attend the university you were accepted into. Secondly, you have your own home that you worked hard for, as well as enough to provide for your mother to give her the tranquil and comfortable life she deserves.
“Look at that.”
The melodic voice is like a refreshing breath of air as you’re pulled from the deep reservoirs of your thoughts. You glance over at the owner of it who is standing by the window of your living room, and you instantly feel a flourish in your soul.
Last but certainly not least, you have Jimin, who managed to fight through every obstacle and endure every adversity in the universe to stay by your side, something you were late to realize he was doing ever since the beginning.
You’ll say it once more—the universe works in mysterious ways.
Jimin is peering out into the front porch, and as you walk up beside him to follow his gaze, you immediately identify what it is he’s referring to. You can see the signs of this year’s first snowfall fluttering down from the bountiful clouds, and while the view is undeniably pleasant, it doesn’t seem phenomenal in any way.
“They look like flower petals, don’t you think?”
Jimin’s unexpected comment makes you dart your attention sharply over to him, your heart skipping a beat as the association brings back fond memories. He is still looking outside with an affectionate stare, unaware of your reaction, but after a second, you instinctually smile in agreement before turning your head to look at the snow once more.
“They sure do.”
Like a switch has been flipped, you find yourself amazed as if you’re seeing this dreamlike scene for the very first time, but you know you’ve seen this before, because the emotions churning within you are all driven by nostalgia.
You’re transported back to the tender age of eighteen, where you’re in the middle of the untarnished, snow-covered land with Jungkook, standing under the frostbitten cherry tree. The image of the sequence appears in your mind; you see his smiling face and the ice crystals encompassing the area like you two are in your own personal snow globe. Just then, an especially strong gust of wind blows through the landscape of your memory, and in that fleeting moment, the snowflakes become powder pink flower petals dithering down with the current to shower the figures of your eight-year-old selves.
Then, as swiftly as the vision came to you, it slips away.
When you think back to that night with Jungkook, during the meeting that ultimately was your last, you remember you only wished for one thing: to see the tree when it was in bloom again—together. It’s a wish you believed that never came true, but now you have come to recognize that you were mistaken. You didn’t realize in that fragile moment, but you got what you wanted all along.
Your cherry blossom ending.
#i present to you my heart and soul#and 98 hours of total editing time lol#bts scenarios#jungkook scenarios#jungkook x reader#jungkook#bts#bts scenario#jungkook scenario#bts fanfiction#bts fanfic
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