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Realistic or Modern -- 𝐤𝐢𝐬𝐬 𝐦𝐞 𝐛𝐞𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐧𝐫𝐢𝐬𝐞

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Jeong Mingyu.



  • “I call the queen bed” Hyun-Joo called as the group of boys ventured back towards the bedroom that would be allocated to them. After all, all the other rooms only had one queen bed. This room had the queen and one traditional Yo bed, to which Mingyu had dubbed “the overflow room”. I mean, he wasn’t wrong was he? They were just the pawns here as the Kings and Queens had their couple retreats. Mingyu was starting to suspect that the only reason he was here was to help his sister to hide from their parents that Jinho was here.

    “I’ll take the Yo” the youngest so humbly suggested as they placed their bags down on the floor of the room.

    “Uh uh!” Wide-eyed, Hyun-Joo turned to his little brother and grabbed a fistful of his shirt “You’re with me. That man over there likes to cuddle in his sleep. Cuddle while in his underwear. I’m not going through that again”

    “Please,” Mingyu smirked, sliding his backpack off his shoulders “We used to cuddle in bed all the time as kids. Remember? We’d play in the mud and get all muddy at my grandma’s house, have a shower under a hose and then have our afternoon nap together. I wish we were four again. I mean, you acted like a four-year-old during graduation when you pissed your -”

    Hyun-Joo’s swift hands flew up to Hanuel’s ears, cusping them before turning to hiss as his best friend “You’re not allowed near my brother for the rest of the trip if you’re going to bring up such events”

    A wide grin danced across Mingyu’s face, his eyes twinkling in delight as he watched the two brothers begin to bicker to each other. “What was he talking about?!” “You don’t need to know-”. He missed this. He missed his best friend. Sure, he had made friends over in America, but it wasn’t the same. Hyun-Joo was like a brother to him; someone that he knew he could tell absolutely everything. Someone he knew would have his back for the rest of his life. Talking over the phone, texting each other random memes, and playing video games over headsets just wasn’t the same when you weren’t in the same time zone or location as the other.

    Once the boys all placed their items away, they ventured into the main living area where the others were beginning to congregate. Well, all but one. Glancing around himself, it was as if Mingyu was expecting Si-Hwan to pop out of nowhere and give him the scare of his life. It wasn’t until he caught the weary look upon Hye-Jin’s face that the figure pacing around outside began to take form. He was still on the phone?! Mingyu’s eyes travelled back to Hye-Jin’s. The spirit was draining from her body, and that cheery composure that he had seen that night he stumbled upon his drunk sister and friend was beginning to dwindle.

    “I say,” Mingyu announced, crossing his arms and taking a few steps forward to the group. “We get hammered tonight. I haven’t had a good drink in a lonnnng time. We should just have a big cook up, play some drinking games, and just… well, relax”

    “That sounds… amazing” His sister sighed as she stood next to him, pressed up against his side and resting her head upon his shoulder (obviously aiming for his shoulder but having to settle for his tricep). “I’d love a good drink”

    “Oh, and maybe we should all go out and let Min-ah and Jinho alone for a bit” he added on, causing Min-ah’s calm, relaxed composure to become tense as she stood straight, staring at her brother in confusion. “She’s trying to get laid-”

    Whack!”

    “MINGYU! DO YOU WANT TO DIE, HUH?”








coded by weldherwings.
 







song hye-jin.




  • “she’s trying to get laid-”

    it's not necessarily the blunt phrasing that caught her by surprise, but more so that it left the lips of a man she still somewhat perceived through glasses of the past. mingyu was different now, had grown up far too tall and handsome confident to be the same shy boy who spoke in soft murmurs and burned red when being glanced at for a bit too long. the memories captured in polaroids dazzling but dated were bound to be replaced, because while they stood still, time never did. even so, hye-jin could not help but to hold onto those sepia hours. perhaps out of preservation,, or maybe because she could not yet face how much mingyu had bloomed.

    her best friend was not ready either to catch those words coming from her younger brother's mouth, her retaliation marked by classic min-ah violence. It made her chuckle, the picture one she'd encountered many times in the past as well. It made her think of when her mind was softer, but not safer. memories surfaced of a time before the loss of years in a sorrowed haze; before she'd forgotten the creases that could create happiness in expression; before those weathered etchings faded and pleasure no longer bested the pain. hye-jin missed those days where sibling antics elicited the yelling of parents and laughter of the mischievous. she had missed mingyu.

    inspired by a wave of nostalgia, hye-jin grinned, before joining in on the teasing; "minnie-ah, didn't you say you were tired after this busy work week? maybe you should stay here with jinho while we go out." her hands clasped her best friend's shoulders, who looked back in growing horror.

    "jinnie-ah?! not you too ?!!

    hye-jin ignored the shrieks, gaze narrowing to her brother.

    "hyun-joo, go and take haneul with you on a walk ! show your little brother around."

    "i'm not a dog"

    "you'll sleep outside like one if you don't do what i say right now."

    "WOOH HANEUL LET'S GO BUDDY"

    the hurry of footsteps and opening and closing of the front door marked the departure of her brothers. perhaps the threat had done its job too well, because hyun-joo did not even ask mingyu to go with them.

    "ah,, you can go with them if you want" hye-jin told mingyu, flashing him a smile. "me and si-hwan will do some groceries in the meantime." at least, that was the hope. it would not be the first time her boyfriend abandoned her to do everything alone since his loyalty to work apparently trumped her needs. a small sigh escaped her, before some form of positivity assembled itself in her heart, despite her mind knowing better.

    "right, we'll be back later~" she waved, while also slipping a little wink into her best friend's direction, before stepping outside again. it looked like her boyfriend was finally done with his business call, his figure walking towards her again.

    "oppa-" she started, hope blossoming inside only to deflate as soon as he opened his mouth:

    "ah, you're going somewhere? is there a cafe with internet somewhere nearby? there must be. drop me off there. there is something i need to do."

    you motherfu-

    her sight dulled to nothing but red as flames gathered around the pool of ire at her feet. no matter how much one could convince itself of a change, of a betterment for the sake of something, reality had it shattered. truth was, some people merely existed in echoes of what they pictured themselves to be. loyal (but not to her), hard-working (yet so easily giving things up), caring ( but oh so cruel ) . si-hwan was an intelligent person; he could decipher the meaning behind this trip ― could see how much his girlfriend was trying to salvage the last piece of this broken relationship. but he didn't care, and hye-jin was sick of it.

    "no. tell your boss you are unavailable and that he can find another person to break their back answering his ridiculous calls for this weekend."

    si-hwan's shocked expression revealed how he didn't expect any resistance; it revealed how much she had been holding her tongue before. after the initial seconds, his face quickly slipped back into one collected, save for a hint of annoyance.

    "this is import-"

    "i don't care about how important it is. i'm not driving you. you can either join me on this grocery trip or you can find your own way to a stupid cafe!!" was she yelling right now? undoubtedly . could the others hear her from inside? probably.

    but that was all a worry for later. all that mattered was the rush of exhilaration traversing through her body upon telling her boyfriend what was really on the mind.

    and god, did it feel good.









coded by weldherwings.
 
Last edited:







Jeong Mingyu.



  • The mischievous grin upon Hye-Jin’s face, followed by a slur of teases only made Mingyu’s heartache. Memories tainted with sepia were slowly forming colour once more and it all because of that damn grin on her face. While he had spent most of his childhood hiding behind his older sister or best friend when Hye-Jin was present, praying they would be useful shields, stealing glances of the one who had stolen his heart from such a young age. His puffed, chubby cheeks tinted with a hue of peach every time he caught sight of those lips forming, capturing the true essence of her beautiful soul. And here we were again. With a single muscular movement of her lips, he was a twelve-year-old schoolboy with shaky bruised knees and struggling to compile a sentence more than five words long. That smile left him utterly defenceless and left his head afloat in the clouds, coming up with scenarios and daydreams of what could never be.

    It wasn’t until that smile was directed towards him that he felt gravity tug him down to safety. The sudden whiplash and change of scenery left him in an unfamiliar state of shock and in a shamble to try and decode the words that had fallen from her smiling face. Going with… groceries?. Unable to really understand or comprehend what was happening – and rather too self-conscious to admit that he needed someone to explain to him a re-run – Mingyu simply nodded in agreeance. Sure. He would… do something. What that something was… he had no clue. But it seemed as if his friends had already placed their boots and jackets on and were evacuating the Airbnb they were presently staying in.

    “Where did everyone go?” a confused voice lingered in the air behind him. Turning at the heel, he could see the confused complexion on his sister’s boyfriends face. She could deny it all she wanted, but Mingyu could see the relationship blooming into a glorious garden.

    “Shops” Mingyu responded without missing a single beat as he took hold of his shoes to place them on his feet. His sister’s face was wide in horror, her mouth agape as she continued to try and process just what the hell was going on. “You guys want anything?”

    “Chocopies, maybe?”

    “I’m on it”

    Thumbs up, boots on, and jacket in hand, he was out the door before he could hear any shrieking and protests from his older sister. However, upon exit of the household, he found the sound of shrieks not coming from his sister but from a rather upset Hye-Jin. Mingyu froze, his jacket only hanging to his frame with one arm in, clutching for its dear life not to slip down. The tension in the air was thick. He had seen Hye-Jin get into fights with her younger brothers but those were sibling fights. Generally, it was over who ate the last cookie, claiming that they hated each other before storming off into their rooms – only to be reunited moments later, unable to hold such grunges between the pair of them. But this was different. This was a fight between lovers. One that Mingyu had suddenly found himself standing before and unsure how to respond. He could go back inside and face the risk of being skinned alive by his sister through her harsh verbal abuse. Or he could interject here and try to bring peace in this icy exchange.

    “Hye-Jin-ssi” his voice felt so small and weak in comparison to someone like Si-Hwan, but it was doing it’s job in easing the tensile stress that was pulling back and forth between the couple. Allowing his arm to continue with the path, slipping it into its sleeve, he stepped down the stones and crunched through the newly fallen snow beneath his feet to stand next to her. “Hye-Jin-ssi uh… I forgot I need to buy something for my Umma at the shops. A souvenir. Do you mind if I come along to the shops also?” He asked her with the uttermost respect and kindness, even presenting her with a small bow. There was no way in hell he was going to get through this holiday without having his head ripped off by one of these girls unless he buttered one of them up, right?









coded by weldherwings.
 







song hye-jin.




  • it was the kind of silence you'd encounter after a destruction; the cold slowly seeps in as the world takes a pause and you can feel the wind blow through the chambers of your heart. from the distant trees, leaves sway and shake, filling the idle spaces of where the voices are supposed to be. it is where a heated state cools off in quiet ire, the puffs of air releasing exasperated clouds.

    truth was, in this war of arguments, no one could win; even if you had the last laugh, the finishing strike, the personal victory was one gained from relationship's defeat. hye-jin could see it then, above the waves of shock in her boyfriend's eyes, the flashes of lightning in a darkening sky. si-hwan had never been the kind of guy to scream and yell; a business man's approach it was, calling for rationale and instilling a sense that you have been overreacting. his lips would move, spewing phrases like, 'don't act like this jagi' or 'let's think this through, okay?' or 'i don't understand why you're so mad about this?' in that infuriatingly disappointed voice of his. si-hwan counted on his illusive words to warp your perception of the situation, to spiral your mind into questioning the emotions consequent and true. he wanted you to be confused and tired, and hye-jin was tired; tired of arguing, tired of trying,,

    but she was also tired of letting him invalidate her feelings.

    “Hye-Jin-ssi uh… I forgot I need to buy something for my Umma at the shops. A souvenir. Do you mind if I come along to the shops also?” the voice fluttered gently, bringing an end to the silence heavy and tense. it broke her heart a little, to hear the kind but careful tone, mingyu's demeanor only highlighting the differences that shouldn't be there. it was si-hwan who was supposed to speak up and say things considerate. he, as her boyfriend, should offer to accompany her to the store and leave his job be for the moment. why can't you just be more like mingyu, was a thought entering the mind, fleetingly but haltingly. pink blossomed the cheeks at the odd wish, the brief image of mingyu in si-hwan's place manifesting an emotion weird but not entirely uncomfortable.

    wait...what?

    hye-jin quickly banished the scenario out of the mind, its implications not being something she should, or wanted to think about. her lips stretched into a bright smile, one meant to pretend nothing just happened. "of course, tag along!" her gaze travelled back to si-hwan, her expression darkening again. "as i said, i think you are perfectly capable of finding your way to the cafe yourself." hye-jin knew he was too prideful to apologize, just as she was too stubborn to let things just pass. tugging at mingyu's sleeve, she nodded towards the car.

    "let's go mingyu."

    and without waiting for either her boyfriend or mingyu to respond, hye-jin walked to the car and took a seat in the driver's seat. there, she waited till her best friend's brother stepped in, before turning on the engine. one one hand, si-hwan didn't deserve to have her look back at his state. on the other hand, hye-jin could not resist to throw one glance, just to catch that stunned look on his face as they pulled out of the driveway.

    take that bitch.

    her gaze then switched over to the other man in the car, cheeks flushing in embarrassment upon thinking how much he had heard.

    "ah, sorry for what you might have heard. i promise this was a one time thing."     it wasn't, but hye-jin didn't want her relationship issues to ruin their deserved getaway. "anyway, how are you mingyu? are you settling in okay? it must be a bit of adjusting again after spending so long in the states."

    there was a small smile on her face.

    "also, please feel free to call me noona. the ssi sounds so formal."










coded by weldherwings.
 







Jeong Mingyu.



  • The situation unfolding right before his very eyes vaguely reminded him of a core youth memory. As a six-year-old, he could remember standing outside a market stall, waiting for his Mother to finish talking to the older ladies in the store. Plastic bag in one hand, filled with vegetables, and in the other hand was a bag filled with fruit. But the fruit bag was special – it had a special treat in there, calling for him to eat. The Choco pie was burning a hole in the bag as he held onto it so tightly. His mother had told him that he would have to wait until they got home before he could eat it. And then, right before his eyes, it happened; a car crash on the street in front of him.

    He could remember the crunching sound of the cars colliding and moulding into one. The intense pressure of one car practically enveloped the other, and the windows shattering upon impact. The older male sitting in the car with a head wound pouring blood and cursing at himself softly as he sat there in complete shock. Everything was in slow motion: the crash, the wreck, and the aftermath. No matter how horrifying it had seemed, Mingyu just couldn’t tear his eyes away from the scene before him. People were screaming on the streets, rushing over to help those in the accident. Mingyu watched as the panic began to set into the surrounding areas, his eyes never leaving the mess before him. It was only until his mother ran out of the store and pulled on his sleeve, pulling him into a tight embrace, that he had been knocked out of the trance.

    “Let’s go Mingyu”

    There was the exact same pull. It was drawing him back to reality like gravity. While Hye-Jin made her way to the car, there was just something in the pits of his stomach that was urging him to keep an eye on the mess before him. He stared blankly at Si-Hwan, who stared right back at him with intensity. Okay, that was enough for today. Offering the older male a small bow, hoping it would respectfully suffice for an acknowledgment and goodbye, Mingyu turned around and made his way to the car. He could feel a presence radiating off of Hye-Jin that was almost foreign to him. As he placed on the seat belt and watched as the girl gripped onto the mechanics of the car, Mingyu finally realised what the car crash had been; he had just encountered Hye-Jin and Si-Hwan in a rather serious fight. Too serious, honestly.

    It was only confirmed when Hye-Jin apologised. What was he meant to say to it? “That’s okay, couples always fight?” It didn’t seem to be the right thing to say. Instead, he nodded his head in agreement, unsure of how to even respond to her comment. After all, he didn’t know Si-Hwan well enough for Hye-Jin to have a bitch about her boyfriend to him. Thankfully, he didn’t have to come up with anything because the angel that was Hye-Jin came up with a new question for him. How was he? Was he settling in okay?

    Heavily exhaling, he clasped his hands in front of him in his lap and nervously methodical his fingers. “It’s been… interesting.” he responded, tilting his head slightly as he reminisced over the last few weeks “My Korean has suffered, apparently, and my parents like to remind me. They also keep inviting people over so they can show off their son who can speak amazing English”

    Turning his head with a smirk, Mingyu managed to catch Hye-Jin’s smile on her face just in time, along with her telling him to call her noona. He felt his face fire up, causing him to automatically face towards the front of the car. Even after all these years, she managed to make his heartbeat erratically with simple gestures and words. “Oh… uh, sure, of course” He stammered over his words, finding it rather difficult to combine enough syllables to even form any coherent words. You’ve got to pull it together! Spark that charm of yours. He wasn’t sure what charm his inner thoughts were hounding him with, but it was this charm that made him spit out the next few words. “How about Imo instead of ssi?” Mingyu joked, a wide devilish grin forming on his face as he turned to look at her once more. “Or Ajumma. Noona sounds too young. I need people who hear me calling your name to know that we are from different generations”









coded by weldherwings.
 







song hye-jin.



  • “Or Ajumma. Noona sounds too young. I need people who hear me calling your name to know that we are from different generations”

    hye-jin didn't let it show then, how sharp those teasing words felt. how close to the soul it struck. it was a joke of wide grins and good hearts, one that should've elicited rumblings of laughter and humoristic smiles; not a pervading of melancholy. it trickled in slowly, like the drops before the flood, and her eyes widened in slight shock.

    unbeknownst to sweet mingyu, the quip only brought to attention how much time had passed despite feeling like it hadn't. hye-jin, who got briefly snapped out of life's gray haze, was confronted with a chilling realization. it occured to her then, how frozen in time she'd been. it was funny, how the past grew more blurry and distant the closer it got to the present. those days, when the universe still showed itself in magical colours, were long over, but she could still recall it vividly; all those moments of clandestine rose, exploding crimson, and whispering pastels.

    how unfortunate it was, to experience the early jading of those hues at the hands of death.

    it is kind of scary how easily time can blend with itself, have the hours melt into one another, days becoming distinguishable. it is kind of sad how life could turn a twinkling heaven into a starless ceiling, and yet you accept it, because that's life. it's life that you settle for what is needed even if it's not what you wanted. it's life that breaks you down to grow up. it takes and takes and takes, but you keep living anyway ― and that's what hye-jin did: live.

    only, that's all she did.

    she lived, while other people thrived. lingered, while other people left and changed. it was like her world existed on a different plane of existence, one eerily similar to reality but too stagnant to reflect those ever changing hues. it was a flawed window to look through, hye-jin knew that. still, deep down, her heart longed for those old sceneries, where the song family was all present and her dream the future. hye-jin wondered, enviously, how it would be to grow and change with the seasons, unbridled by life's hail. would she feel less old? would others regard her younger?

    would mingyu-

    no. she shouldn't think about these crazy things, let alone finish that thought. this mini life crisis was better reserved for nights when she had too much to drink. or just never. yeah, that sounded best. there was no dilemma to worry about; everything was fine.

    hye-jin grounded herself again, and her mind snapped back to reality. despite the secret hurt, what mingyu said held some truth; the two of them were from different generations. he was her younger brother's best friend after all. so, to mask the inner turmoil, she did what she would do to hyun-joo whenever he tried to be sassy with her. without restraint, her hand grabbed his ear and pulled his head closer.

    "omo, minyu, you've grown awfully bold haven't you? is that what they teach you in the US, getting cheeky around your noonas? what's next? are we going to talk casually, huh??"     she shook her head, lips curved up into a smile. "you're lucky i'm driving and can't properly react to those bold words. i might be getting older but you best believe i can headlock you punks still."

    the car turned right and the sight of the market neared. hye-jin released his ear to park the car close to the street and turned off the engine when they arrived. exiting the car, hye-jin waited till mingyu had stepped out of the car as well, before locking it and clasping her hands together.

    "alright. it's time to get some groceries. it's probably been a while since you've gotten homemade korean food, right? do you have any dishes you want to eat?"









coded by weldherwings.
 







Jeong Mingyu.



  • Mingyu wanted to cause no harm with his bantering words. However, as he gazed at Hye-Jin’s composure from the sidelines, he could sense there was something chipping away at her. The sunlight peeping through the clouds illuminated her fine features as she focused on the road before them. Despite her defined jaw, tanned skin, plush lips, glistening eyes and that… well, perfect nose, there was something cracking underneath the surface. Even the Venus de Milo began with two arms; although damaged and hidden from the universe, she stands so confident and strong. Her beauty has been spoken through the history pages and the loss of her limbs only adds to the stories that will be forever sent down generations.

    He was lost in thought, entranced by the blank expression upon Hye-Jin’s face as she processed his words. However, the sudden yank of his ear was enough to pull him from any dimension he had lost himself in. “Ahh~!” he cried out as she grasped her fingers around his poor ear. It had been so long since anyone had intentionally pulled his ear in this manner that he had almost forgotten the sensation and representation of it all. You see, in America, he and his friends would just hurl words back and forth until one of them would give up and punch the other. But it seemed as that was not the case back in his home time.

    The spark in Hye-Jin’s voice was enough to ignite a grin upon Mingyu’s face; there she was. That was the Hye-Jin he remembered. The fire in her belly as she teased was almost contagious; enough to start burning like wildfire between the pair of them. However, after seeing the sullen expression on her face prior, Mingyu opted to let her have the win. Maybe she needed this more than he did. And when she finally released her hand, Mingyu quickly placed his own upon his poor ear. Despite only one being held onto with that monster grip, he could feel the heat radiating off the pair of them.

    As he stepped out of the car, he continued to rub his ear to ease any sort of fictional pain he thought he would feel. “Ah, Noona,” he hissed softly “When did you grow lobster claws. You could’ve ripped my ear off.” Then, somehow, by magic or the grace of God, his ears were no longer in pain. Because she had said those spell bounding words that were like music to his poor, throbbing ears. Homemade Korean food. His mouth was watering already.

    “Oh… Oh! Uh, you know what I haven’t had in forever? Oh, uh… dongchimi! Oh! Kimchi Jjigae! Ah, wait, it’s cold. We should have some traditional winter meals, right?” Oh dear, here came the list. If there was one thing Mingyu was blessed with, it was a bottomless pit of a stomach. No matter how much he ate, he could always fit more, and he would never seem to gain any weight from it all. It was a blessing and a curse. So, one by one, he began to list the winter foods, using his fingers to count. “Wooung jorim. We still should get dongchimi. Mul-naengmyeon. Ddeokguk. Seolleongtang. Danpatjuk. Gun-Bam. Gun-Goguma. Hobbang. And some yujacha. How much is that? That’s only ten foods. We need more than that. Oh, tteok-bokki! Ah! Ah! Ah!” His eyes widened in excitement, levitating to his tippy toes in a joyful dance. “Bungeo-Ppang! There has to be some here! I haven’t had it in so long!”










coded by weldherwings.
 







song hye-jin.




  • it were sunflower souls like his, with bright eyes, curious thoughts and hearts of surprise, that made her heart ache a little bit. they were so wild, so beautiful, she couldn’t help but envy them. questions occupied the mind as jealousy swelled underneath the admiration; how come time was kind to them and not her? did her wilted being no longer deserve to have this kind of sunshine in her life? wasn’t it too cruel to take away more life than that was already lost in that accident?

    [they say there are ways of dying that don’t end in funerals. types of deaths you can’t smell.]

    mingyu was able to dig past those layers of dirt and retrieve a fracture of this buried youth from her; he made her laugh more freely than before, eased those tensions deep in the muscles, and banished worries settled well in her bones, even if just for a moment. but he also shattered her world, caused ripples in waters peaceful and familiar, and illustrated a time lapse blue and melancholic. it was confusing, moreso with these feelings of want involved — though, maybe all of this was just her reaching for a past she missed. one she knew she couldn’t go back to. she supposed that’s what mingyu perhaps resembled the most; a stardust soul of dreams alive and twinkling.

    hye-jin’s lips quirked up into a smile as he continued to list a whole buffet worth of food, finding his excitement about food kind of cute. she should’ve expected this, as mingyu was even worse than hyun-joo when it came to devouring obscene amounts of food. if she didn’t know any better, she’d think the coaches in the US starved this poor man. luckily, she did know better, and let out a huff in response while placing her hands on her hips.

    “and who would carry all those groceries?”     a quick pause, before shaking her head,“- actually, don’t answer that. we’ll get the ingredients for kimchi jigae and tteokbokki first and then see if we need anything more, deal?” hye-jin didn't really wait for his answer, her figure already on the move and heading straight for the open market two streets further.

    the scent of fresh produce shared the air with sounds of trading as stalls stood close and proud. narrow paths maneuvered crowds of people, their steps more close to shuffles as they examine the different kind of wares and produce. there was a supermarket too, but hye-jin much preferred getting her groceries from the market, given it was cheaper and, most of the time, of the same quality. critical eyes scoured the different displays, all set to find the ones with the best value for money; even though she was now in a position where she didn’t have to be concerned about prices, hye-jin still searched for the best deals. si-hwan always found it excessive and, at times, embarrassing of her — but he wasn’t there now, was he?

    after buying all the ingredients, hye-jin stopped in front of a small souvenir’s stall at the edge of the market and greeted the old lady seated behind, before turning to mingyu, who had been carrying all the bags.

    “ah, didn’t you say you wanted to buy something for your mother? maybe you can find something here,”     she pointed at the different kinds of souvenirs.

    the old lady’s gaze moved from her to him, before grinning.

    “you two look like such a lovely couple, i got a special discount for you.”

    hye-jin’s eyes widened instantly, not quite believing what she just heard. c…couple???!! for some reason, her cheeks began to burn at the assumption— she just didn't know if it was out of embarrassment or something else.

    “oh we’re not-”     she tried to explain, but was interjected by the vendor before she could finish.

    “ah i see, already married then?" the lady once more smiled so kindly, so misunderstanding.

    “i got very special price for pretty married couples too!”









coded by weldherwings.
 







Jeong Mingyu.



  • Special discount?!

    This lady was speaking his language.

    For the last few years of living off weekly paychecks, resorting to eating two-minute noodles for breakfast, lunch and dinner, and picking up ungodly hours at the Korean restaurant he worked at, Mingyu learnt how to become… well… he would say that he knew how to save and squeeze every dollar for all it’s worth. Others, however, would say that he was frugal. If it was frugal for him to go to an op shop and try and haggle the eighty-six-year-old volunteer at the register for a two-dollar shirt, then sure. Call him frugal. Mingyu just knew that there was always a way to get things for cheaper. Like right now; it was a perfect example.

    As Hye-Jin went to interject, Mingyu had half a mind to wrap his arms around her neck and engage her into a chokeslam. Why the hell was she saying no?! Discounts, woman! he internally screamed at her, his eyes widening as he telepathically sent her a message. However, ajumma’s next question had Mingyu snapping his gaze from Hye-Jin to the sweet old lady. Married?! Did the lady forget her medicine this morning? Did she break her glasses? Either she thought Hye-Jin looked extremely young or… or… or…

    She thought he was older than he was. Much older.

    Ah, it was a bullet to the heart. He thought he had more years left with the beauty of his youth. Was it because he didn’t have a proper skin routine? Or was it the twenty-eight pack of noodles that he went through in less than a week? Age had taken its cold grasps and twisted his skin, forming it beyond repair. At least, that was what he thought the old lady was trying to say in insinuating that the pair of them were… married. However, oddly enough, any distressing thought of age was whisked away. All it took was three precious words to Mingyu’s ear; very special price. Shit, they were married with four kids, three grandkids, their own house and working towards their retirement. He didn’t care how old this lady thought he was now; she was going to give them a very special price.

    “Aiishh, Jagi,” Mingyu began, transferring all the bags into one hand. Instead of wrapping his arm around Hye-Jin to throw her down into a professional body slam, he slithered it around her shoulder and pulled her into a side embrace. “This Noona thinks I’m pretty. She’s trying to steal me away from you”

    The ajumma’s face went bright red, reaching over and giving Mingyu a playful swat on his arm. “Ahhh! You’re so cheeky!” she cooed with a chuckle. Her eyes smiled as she looked between the pair of them. “It’s so lovely to see married couples in love these days. So many people who shop here are divorced, or widowed, and it hurts my heart. I just love seeing people in love”

    Mingyu flashed the older woman a warm grin. “I understand.” he nodded in agreeance before looking at Hye-Jin by his side, smiling warmly at her “And I fall in love with this woman every single day when I wake up” And here was the cherry on top; he leant down ever so slightly to place a gentle peck on top of her head. It was enough for not just the shop’s ajumma to coo, but for the other four neighbouring ajummas in their little shops.

    “Ahh! You two must really love each other!” the old woman gushed before placing her hand upon Mingyu’s forearm. “What can I help you with? Did you need a present for your Umma?”

    “Mmmh. She’s been very sick lately… Uh… She has cancer. Has just started her chemotherapy treatment. So I want to buy her something that will give her some positive energy” he explained.

    The ajumma gazed up at him with her eyes glistening. “Such a sweet boy!” she gently spoke, raising her hand to Mingyu’s cheek. She then looked at his wife, placing her other hand upon Hye-Jin’s cheek and looked at her with a warm, motherly complexion. “You have a wonderful husband. Now… let me help you find something. A very, very special price for you two.”










coded by weldherwings.
 







song hye-jin.




  • this could not be happening. hye-jin did not know what took hold of mingyu’s soul and deranged his sanity, but it was definitely a fiend of sorts. the little white lie spun in words intimate enough to burn cheeks and shake hearts; whether embarrassment flowed due to the shame of being complacent in a brief act of cheating [sort of] or because, deep down, the soul was obtaining affection it had been desiring for a long time now, hye-jin did not dare to find out.

    a kiss lingering on skin, the singing of a heart unafraid to be heard by others, bodies finding refuge in each other’s warmth ; somewhere inside, she pretended it was si-hwan who said and did these things, older faded memories clinging like a shadow far too desperate to be respected. silly fantasies whirled through the head, ones that had no place in reality and no future in sane minds. hye-jin found herself, once again, stuck in a place of impossibilities. truth was, si-hwan’s face did not sit quite right in its image, its frame too cracked to portray such unmarred reveries. and mingyu was, well, him. a light she could only allow herself the shortest glimpses of, lest her eyes burn blind. two figures that were but could never be, not in reality nor in her wildest dreams.

    bitterness stung the tongue, ruining the previous saccharin taste. too old for innocence, the rose hues began to stain dark red, bleeding all over the scene like a crime had occurred. the gavel slammed down on wood while eyes gazed down, disapproving and damning. guilty — a voice boomed. ashamed, hye-jin’s hand pressed against mingyu’s chest, ready to push him away and end this pretense before the lie became someone’s only truth.

    “Mmmh. She’s been very sick lately… Uh… She has cancer. Has just started her chemotherapy treatment. So I want to buy her something that will give her some positive energy”

    ah, but this was grander than her own feelings, wasn’t it?     the mention of mrs jeong tugged at already trembling heart-strings ; a saving halo in a period of despair, arms of a saint stretched out to embrace the bruised and broken— how could hye-jin ignore the one the gift was destined for. perhaps this is what mingyu drove to go along with the misunderstanding; his love for his mother. with that in mind, she felt slightly bad for presuming more childish motivations. he’s all grown up now, should you be surprised? she supposed she shouldn’t, especially not with how deeply mingyu had always cared for his family. her earlier prepared bite softened, words sliding back down in the pessimistic pit they crawled from. a second dangerous thought seeped in, rattling the moral compass once more.

    if this was all for mrs jeong, shouldn’t she help in obtaining the best gift?

    dark eyes glanced up at mingyu, and the hand that was planted on his chest stayed, now with a different purpose.

    “ah, i know. he is truly everything i could ever wish for in a husband.” she said, head coming to rest against his shoulder. her gaze turned to examine the different wares, before landing on a particular item.

    “honey,” she addressed him, the endearing nickname rolling off her tongue easier than expected. ‘’what do you think about some red ginseng extract tea? to help strengthen mother in law’s health.” her finger pointed towards the tea extract. she turned her attention back to the older lady. “do you think you could give us a special price for that ajumeoni? we would be eternally grateful and his mother would be over the moon to receive such a luxurious gift.”

    the older woman let out a gasp, before waving her hand.

    “of course, as i said, special price for you two ! i can give very good discount, what do you think of 40%-- no! 50% if you promise to come back to my stall in the future with your dear mother.” she leaned closer, as if something that should not be heard by others was about to be said. mirth glinted in those eyes, lips curled up into another teasing smile.

    “or, even better, with mother and a baby.”










coded by weldherwings.
 







Jeong Mingyu.



  • Once that hand was placed upon his chest, Mingyu had expected it to reach up and curl delicate fingers around his neck, bringing him into a chokehold. Maybe he had expected Hye-Jin to respond much like his sister would respond; with gentle, loving violence. But instead of adjusting her fingers in a manner of destruction, Hye-Jin’s hand remained upon his chest with ease, soon followed by her head resting up against his shoulder. A move that had wholly caught him off guard. Whilst boasting to his sister just this morning about the girls he had been with while he was in America, there had been a few untold tales of how these girls had been nothing more than flings or one night of holding each other close until all their fears melted away with the alcohol.

    Such physical touch from another brought a rosy hue to his cheeks and left him almost incapable of speaking or moving. It was only when he heard her voice once more that it seemed to have dragged him down to Earth. Honey, she had called him with such endearment and sweetness. “Oh,” he began, his eyes flickering over to the tea extract that Hye-Jin had pointed out. What were they talking about again? Mother-in-law’s health? Your Umma is sick, Mingyu he had to mentally scold himself. “Oh, yes.” he finally responded, nodding in agreement with his wife. “Red ginseng is meant to be really good for cancer patients”

    The older woman began to gush, exclaiming that she’d give them an excellent discount on one condition; that they come back with his dear mother. Well, no, that wasn’t the full condition after all. She leaned in closed, motioning for the pair of them to do so also, inviting them into a secret that only the three of them could be entwined to. Or, even better, with mother and a baby. Now, Mingyu had to give himself some praise. Because as the Ajumma uttered those words, it took all the self-control that he had not to snort out in laughter. It had taken him completely off guard, just like the physical intimacy he and Hye-Jin were sharing. But the thought of having a child right now?

    There were many things in life that he wanted to do.

    He wanted to explore the world. He wanted to get into the NBA and play competitively. He wanted to experience the highs and lows that his early twenties and youth would bring him. Would he be able to experience any of that as a father? The answer was, sadly, no. He wasn’t in a place where he was mature enough to care for another human being. Sure, he loved children and was often found at family reunions playing with the younger cousins, but it just wasn’t part of the path that he was venturing down at the moment - much to his parent’s dismay who often pleaded him to find a wife to settle down and start a family.

    “We will make sure to come back with my Umma - well, and healthy - and a baby, Ajumeoni.” Mingyu lied through his teeth, flashing the woman a warm grin. It was enough to butter her up, her own smile shining as she beamed at the young man. She gathered up the items, placing them into a brown paper bag as Mingyu took out the money from his wallet.

    Once exchanged, he placed the paper bag into one of the other plastic bags in his hands and turned back to Hye-Jin. “You ready to head back, honey?” he questioned her with a scrunch of his nose as he gave her a pet name. His hand slithered down their side, taking hold of hers before placing them both into his jacket pocket to keep them warm. After all, they were putting on a show for the older ladies of the marketplace. They couldn’t stop mid-performance, could they? Mingyu turned to the older woman once more, thanking her and respectfully bowing his head. Once the pleasantries were exchanged, he then began to direct the pair of them away from the market stalls and into the direction of the car.

    “Well…” the younger male exhaled once far enough from the seller, catching the sight of his breath in the air before him as he did so “Fifty per cent off? That’s a bargain if you ask me. We should team together at market stalls more often. Imagine all the sales we could get”










coded by weldherwings.
 







song hye-jin.




  • blades cross ice and something else sparks --- may it be a dream frozen in time or a heart weak to nostalgia. a second nature awakened from its induced slumber, soul branches nestling in blood with such ease and comfort it felt like returning home. crystalline memories released shaky breathes, knowing their revival was only for a moment, right until the reality's reaper returns. but you remember, don't you? how figures could soar even though their feet stayed on the ground; how the world could spin in ways fearless and freeing. the mind might bury these remembrances under the frozen water that previously manifested them, but the heart would always find its reflections peeking through the blue and the cold.

    they never died; the frost only immortalised them.

    here, a ghost got pulled from its grave, chanced to pretend it wasn't merely a thing fallen and gone. lines between past and present blurred into a treacherous haze where the empty living danced with evocative spirits; if hye-jin closed her eyes and ignored the weight of time in her bones, the world was no different than back then --- right when her dream still sparkled like it had a future, and the cheers of parents were the loudest of all. she could almost taste it, could almost touch those warped time fabrics and hold them like a child holds their stuffed animal. it's fake and fruitless, the mind hissed, claws digging into skin, cautious of the ghosts roaming about. I know, the soul replied, grip tightening around memories. but let me continue just this once.

    rare smiles crept up on faces weathered by life, reborn stars twinkling in dark and numb mirrors. eidolon pushed back into skin, it felt emboldened enough to act utterly mortal; wild, beautiful and drenched in eternal sun. hye-jin glided across ice, circling around the rink like a swan swims around its lake. gaze traveling back to the edge, she watched how the others got acquainted with the ice; hyun-too falling after getting pushed by haneul, min-ah's form clinging to jinho's, mingyu putting on his skates--- it was a pure picture of winter fun... the only thing that was missing was her boyfriend, who stood further away, next to a tree, phone pressed agains this ear... again. annoyance flared at the sight. he promised to keep his phone on silent today. snappy remarks fit easily on a tongue sharpened by treason, but it crumbled into a mere sour taste as the want for an argument waned. whatever. she was not going to let him ruin the fun.

    the severely unstable form of mingyu caught her attention instead, and hye-jin had to stop herself from laughing at the clumsy image. he looked like a newborn dear, legs trembling and knees buckling. she managed to glide over in time, hands stabilising him somewhat before he could truly fall over. "you have not skated much, have you." she mused, eyes crinkling into crescents. somehow, her hands burned on his chest, a faint memory surfacing. she quickly dropped them. "if you want, I could teach you." the offer slipped past her lips before she could think it through. hye-jin decided to chalk it up to simple sympathy, finding that way easier than anything else.

    "unless you wish to find your support into those Pinguin aids for children?"









coded by weldherwings.
 
Last edited:







Jeong Mingyu.



  • Chromatic eyes remained transfixed by a gliding figure upon the frozen ice. While sitting in such coldness, his nose and ears nipped in redness and his breath manifesting in physical form as puffs of white clouds, watching her reminded him of the California beaches he would often spend his spare time at. Her movements flowed with tranquillity, with moments so sharp and precise, reminded him of the calm ocean breeze. But the joy that poured from her very essence resembled the hot summer rays that would shine down upon his tanned skin. Despite the chance of developing skin conditions, he wanted to lie in her rays until he was burnt crisp.

    Sitting upon the bench, struggling to form his foot into the ice skates, he observed her from afar. His eyes never left the euphoric smile that spread across her face as she moved across the ice. She greeted it like an old friend and fell back into perfect routine as if she had never left. It was true, as evident as he attempted to place his skates on, that Mingyu had never had the privilege or opportunity to ice skate. He did, however, was blessed to have witnessed Hye-Jin in her many competitions. As a supportive friend, Min-Ah had always prompted the family to attend Hye-Jin’s competitions to cheer her on with great gusto.

    But how hard could it be, right?

    As ice skates kissed the frozen surface for the first time, Mingyu’s knees began to wobble almost instantly. All confidence he had in himself vanished the moment gravity took hold of his balance and began to frail it around. Hands turned to grasp onto the side railings, fearing that natural forces would take hold of him and drag him face-first into the ice. However, the side railing was no longer within arm's reach as the blades on his skates began to pull him into the rink slowly. “Fuuuuc-” the cuss had almost made its way entirely out of his mouth before he felt a firm foundation. Something - or something - pressed against his chest to re-establish his balance.

    “You have not skated much, have you”

    The teasing tone came with as much warmth as the radiant sunshine smile that formed on her face. A scrunched nose and grin matched her energy before he responded in hopes of covering up the embarrassment; “Let’s take you out onto a basketball court and see how many three-pointers you can get then, hey?” he playfully taunted, giving the girl a slight nudge in the shoulder which he almost regretted instantly. Another wobble ran through his body, making his heart skip an essential beat and his stomach drop. He honestly was not good at this at all.

    And whilst Hye-Jin came up with another tease, insinuating that he could find support in a child’s penguin aid, her first offer was still circulating through his mind. A quick glance over his shoulder confirmed the presence of Si-Hwan. Even though his attention and energy were far too consumed in the conversation he was having on his phone, Mingyu still felt a certain uneasiness about having assistance from the other’s girlfriend while he was right there. And so, even though in desperate need of support and aid to learn, develop and execute this new skill, he gave the girl a snort and dramatically rolled his eyes. “Oh, you of little faith,” he cooed at her, lifting a hand to tap the end of her nose lightly “Did they not call me the Shining Maknae in our basketball team in school?”

    Offering her a reassuring, mischievous grin, he allowed the skates to start a slow momentum against the ice. “Besides, ajumma,” he teased, raising his brows in a childlike gleam, his eyes widened in delight and poking out his tongue in a bold move between his words. A demeanour that extruded come and get me like a child would with their friend upon the school playgrounds in an assassination attempt to give fresh noogies. His mind trailed back to their discussion in the car, where she had taken hold of his ear, attempting to rip it off as she playfully scolded him for calling her such a name. “I wouldn’t want you to break any of your brittle bones trying to catch up with me”










coded by weldherwings.
 







song hye-jin.



  • that little shithead. moments like these made hye-jin feel as if she was glimpsing at a mirror with hyun-joo’s reflection grinning back at her; they sure loved to be brazen with their older sisters, spewing audacious jives like that. maybe it was because their souls had yet to stretch out of their youth, their eyes still set on the stars rather than the darkness that surrounded them. pure tones traced the hearts of those in realms of earth where petals on your tongue meant tasting flower and not dirt; right where the hands of time still cupped your cheeks and left breaths in your throat instead of stealing it right from your lungs.

    envy stirred in the eyes of the exiled, their beings cursed with knowing how it is to be painted and stripped of color all the same. one stumble through time, one step too far, and you would suddenly hear a door closing behind you. this is how it is to grow up, life tells you, hands gripping your shoulders tighter than ever. you, with your errant thoughts and passionate dreams, will know what it means to grow up; cracked throat, bleeding lips, morose mind, drained heart and all --- you will know, whether you like it or not.

    mingyu was somewhere past where her feet could touch, standing on land worlds away because they were each ages away. the bridge once crossed could only remain in memorial, and hye-jin could only bite down the bitter nostalgia that crept up. both him and hyun-joo did not deserve to be dragged down by her own selfish yearnings. the past was the past. and hye-jin was truly thankful to have these kind of sunshines in a life of midnight rain. please stay this way. fingers tightened around sleeves while a smile brushed across lips. let me borrow your light for a while longer.

    "me having to catch up with you? please, why don't you show me first that you can keep your legs straight. I didn't know your bones could look like they were made of jelly but here we are." she remarked, her own blades pushing her backwards. arms crossed, she quirked an expectant eyebrow at him, the challenge sitting in the air like both their breaths did. mingyu's wobbly form entertained her greatly in its own immobility, but there was something far more enjoyable in watching the poor boy lose a battle against his own ice skates. the ice was as merciless as it was cold, punishing anyone who had poor balance, and mingyu was immediately humbled.

    hye-jin was by no means someone who thrived on schadenfreude, but laughter escaped her nonetheless upon watching him fall. she looked down at him with no small amount of satisfaction, bowed even a little over him while dangling a joke over his head. "you know, I would help you up but you know me and my brittle bones. what if I hurt my back?" the second offer stretched out towards him despite its earlier rejection. maybe the fall broke his pride enough to forego the original arrogance of not needing help, because mingyu, surprisingly enough, accepted her helping hand this time. she went to pull him up on his feet again,,

    right until the ice betrayed them both.

    hands still clasping each other, one's tumble became two's drop. with a gasp still lodged in her throat, hye-jin became victim to gravity's force, her feet losing its steady stance on the ice as mingyu fell backwards again, taking her with him this time around. luck spared her from most of the pain, but fate delivered an embarrassment greater than that; hands grasped the very fabric of mingyu's jacket, while widened eyes stared at a face so close she could feel his breath against her cheeks. her heart thundered. one dip and their lips--- hye-jin blurted out the first thing she could think of.

    "are you okay? y- you didn't hurt your head right??"









coded by weldherwings.
 







Jeong Mingyu.



  • His legs were not meant for the ice, it seemed. Despite being full of muscles that helped him to travel from one side of the court to the other with complete ease, ducking and avoiding anything coming in his direction, his legs were just incapable of holding his weight upon two blades moulded to the bottom of shoes. One moment he was casting a cheeky grin in the direction of someone he would consider his first love, taking cognitive snapshots of this moment as the pair of them teased each other. And the next, the ice betrayed him, and he found himself airborne after his feet struggled to find their centre of gravity.

    For those very few seconds suspended in time and space, Mingyu was weightless. Was this how he was going to go out of this world? From ice skating? His last memory would be that toothful smile, rose-painted cheeks and joyful glimmering eyes that erratically captured his heart for so long. Her last memory of him would be the embarrassing tango his legs and performed along with wide eyes filled with panic and hands attempting to catch onto something to stop the fall (however, it closely resembled him mimicking a windmill). The ice may have betrayed him, but it was gravity who turned him into a fool.

    Thankfully, he had landed in such a way that would hinder any broken body part or complex medical discourse. The only thing that was hurt was his pride, not to mention his pants began to soak in the moist ice beneath him. A frown automatically registered upon his face, beginning to feel the temperature rise in his cheeks as Hye-Jin heckled him from above. Crunched expression plastered upon his face, Mingyu thought for a moment or two before accepting her hand to help him up. After all, he didn’t want his pants to completely soak through.

    But despite Hye-Jin being childhood friends with the ice, it decided that she too would come to the same fate as Mingyu as she came crumbling over.

    With little time to register what was happening, one thing came to his mind as he saw her shocked expression, which matched his own; Protect Hye-Jin. Arms automatically wrapped around her waist, pulling her in tight to provide her with a soft landing as the pair of them went tumbling to the ground like dominoes. Without his hands to provide any sort of support, Mingyu’s back whacked against the harsh ice. Gravity was an asshole, and momentum was a bitch as his head flung back like a rag doll, meeting and kissing the ice beneath them.

    A cluster of stars scattered in his vision for a second or more, white noise piercing his ears before he could hear Hye-Jin’s collections of worries. Y-you didn’t hurt your head, right??. His head? Oh holy heck, his head. A hand wandered up from Hye-Jin’s waist as Mingyu lifted his head slightly to hold it upon the egg that was forming in the back of his head. An onslaught of swears came hissing from his lips as he had risen, only to pause as he felt his face graze against something. For a moment, Mingyu became frozen like the ice beneath them as his brain finally came to realisation that he had in fact grazed his lips up against Hye-Jin’s face as he arose to place his hand upon the back of his head. Where he had grazed, he couldn’t tell you for his eyes had been closed as he processed the pain that began to surge through the back of his head and through his spine.

    Just pretend it didn’t happen and she won’t question it his mind came to the decision a bit too quickly.

    “Aishhh” he hissed, rubbing the lump forming in the back of his head, his fingers raking through his dark locks. “I can feel an egg growing already”










coded by weldherwings.
 
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