#jihyunweek2020

[jihyuncompass]

Do You Feel It Too?

A soulmate AU counts as Fate right? Shhh let’s just act like it is. 

Jihyun Week 2020 Day Three ( @mysme-events​ )

Fate

Jihyun Kim x MC 

Word Count: 5k

Summary: Your entire life you’ve felt your soulmate’s pain. Every bump, scratch, headache. Never knowing who. 

The first time you remember feeling it, you were five years old. You’d been sitting at home when a sharp pain hit your knee. Like you had just fallen, you had cried out and pulled up your pant leg to try and see what happened. Only to find nothing, not a bruise or a scratch. 

It would happen occasionally, you’d feel a sting on your arms, your legs, or a headache. All things with no discernible cause and no physical impact. Almost like a sort of phantom. 

After a few months you had heard one of your relatives talk about it, how they met their soulmate because they felt the same pain. You had listened to them with rapt attention coming to the realization that the strange feelings you felt were the same sensations someone else in the world was feeling too. 

The thought stuck in your mind as you grew older. Mentally you would keep track of the types of pains you’d feel, as if it could give clues as to who your soulmate could be. For years all you felt was the occasional bump or papercut, some headaches here and there. Once or twice a year your body would ache like they had a fever. Nothing very out of the ordinary. 

It also became a strange experience for you to get hurt. On one hand you hated experiencing pain, but now you had the weight of knowing that someone else in the world was feeling that same thing you were. Every injury led to you silently apologizing to your soulmate hoping they somehow could hear you. 

For years the types of things you’d feel were typical, the normal types of injuries and pain that most people would get into. However, it started to change when you turned sixteen. 

It’d been the middle of the night when you woke up feeling agonizingly hot, it felt like every inch of your skin was burning. Your lungs ached and struggled to take in air, you twisted around your bed rubbing at your skin to try and soothe the sensations to no effect. You ran from your bedroom into the bathroom and sat in the bathtub submerged under cold water, sobbing as the burning only got worse and worse. 

You’d layed there for hours, so distracted you couldn’t even think about what your soul mate could be going through to cause them to feel something like this. Eventually the water in the bathtub grew lukewarm and you fell into a fitful sleep once you’d run out of tears to cry. 

In the days following you figured that your soulmate must have been in a fire. The way the burning had felt that’s all it could possibly be in your mind. You spent the next two days doing research seeing if you could find any leads to who your soulmate could be. Only to find nothing. With time the memory of the burning started to seep into the back of your head, becoming more and more distant. 

The second worst experience happened eight years later. You had been watching a storm rage from your window. Watching the rain come down and the lightning strike, you had felt a few things from your soulmate recently. Some strange stings in your chest and on your arms. A sprain in their ankle a few months ago. Nothing seemed to be too major. 

One minute you were watching the storm and the next your back and elbows started to ache, taken aback from the feeling you winced and looked away from the window. 

Then the worst of it began, your vision went red as a slashing pain tore across your face. Clutching your eyes you collapsed to the floor, it felt as if they were being gouged out. You fumbled around unable to see a single thing. Screaming out you crawled your way to the bathroom to try and wash your face, but nothing seemed to help. You knew like the fire you would have to just ride out the pain until it was over. So completely blind you fell onto your couch and put pressure on your eyes to try and relieve it. 

What could be happening to your soulmate right now? How could their eyes hurt so badly? You screamed and cried in agony for several hours until the feelings had turned into a dull aches. Which remained for weeks, even after your vision returned to you. 

Like the fire you spent weeks researching to see if you could find any news reports of an accident, anything having to deal with an eye injury. All to no avail. Beyond the usual crime the only thing that caught your eye was the apparent suicide of the fiance of a famous photographer, but beyond skimming the article you moved on. Accepting that you probably weren’t going to find anything. 

Over time you’d watched the people around you slowly find their soulmates, some were childhood friends who learned pretty quickly. Others found each other at jobs, school, walking down the street. You weren’t one of those people, and as years passed you started to wonder if you’d ever find them. 

While you searched for your soulmate, life hadn’t been kind to you. Money was frequently tight and finding a place to live even harder. So the mysterious text you received one afternoon couldn’t have come at a better time. 

Under any other circumstances you would have said no to the stranger offering you room and board in exchange of playtesting a game for him. It sounded sketchy, but the eviction notice on your front door and your dwindling bank account made the decision for you. 

The man you’d spoken to on the phone, Ray was strange in person. He was more than polite but gave you a strange feeling when you looked in his eyes too much. When you stood in front of him you couldn’t help yourself from noticing the strange clothing he wore, how it was strangely dated and odd for a game developer. His eyes also had dark bags under them and he appeared to be so thin, his skin a sickly pale color. Even if you couldn’t place why. There was something off about him and the way he spoke. 

Still, you stayed, and you played his game. You found yourself growing more and more attached to each one. The more you talked to them this feeling started to bloom in your gut, that something wasn’t right. The way they talked was too realistic, too human even for an advanced AI. 

The first time you heard V’s voice was the first time you truly started to doubt what Ray told you. He answered you with such kind words. His voice held such a warmth to it that you couldn’t imagine it coming from anything other than a real human being. But when you expressed any doubt or hesitation, Ray would be there to reassure you they were AIs. Only highly advanced and specially designed to seem realistic. 

Yet, there was still a doubt. 

“Have you made your choice?” Ray asked you on the fourth day. You’d just barely left the chatroom when Ray entered. The weight of the decision weighed on your mind, you knew he’d come to ask but you weren’t ready, and you weren’t even sure what you’re agreeing too. 

“I. I’m not sure yet.” You told him. Ray sat down next to you on the bed. 

“This place is wonderful, I hope you chose to stay with us.” Ray said. You glanced at your phone next to you. The screen just turned off, the RFA messenger still open if you turned it back on. 

“Ray, what is this place?” You asked him. His face didn’t give off any expression, he didn’t even seem to let the question sink in. 

“I can’t tell you now, but I promise once you go through your ceremony you’ll know everything.” 

Your ceremony? Those words made fear grip your heart. There was something off about this place. Something that made your stomach churn, and even though you were being offered a choice. There was something in you that told you really didn’t have a choice in this matter. 

Ray returned a few hours later, finally asking for your final decision. 

“I’ll return as soon as the game is over.” You told him. Despite the gut feeling that your choice didn’t matter. You wanted your stance to be clear. Ray’s face fell, clearly disappointed. 

He rubbed his wrists. “Ah… I see. If that is what you wish.” He glanced back up at you, stepped towards you. “But I worked so hard to make my preparations. So… could you at least take a look at what I have for you? Please?” 

This was a bad idea. You knew that, there was no way for this to go well. However, you also knew you couldn’t refuse him. 

He led you down winding hallways. The hugeness of the building finally dawned on you. You had seen it from the exterior when you were in the garden but now it was a whole different feeling. 

After several minutes of walking you came to Ray’s room. A dark room that looked to both be large but crowded with computer monitors and desktop computers. You had to squint to see clearly, the room really only primarily being lit by the light from the computers. Behind you Ray closed and locked the door. 

The feeling of unease in your chest was getting worse and worse. You realized he’d locked the door, trapping you inside. The heat from the computers made the room uncomfortably warm. Ray was talking to you, but you aren’t really paying attention at this point. Thinking more of potential exit routes. 

“There’s no need for a signature for this contract. You only have to take a special elixir developed at this place… as a promise that you’ll stay here.” Ray explained. Turning to face him you saw him holding a glass bottle in his hand. The contents an unnatural blue color. 

He continued to talk, but you weren’t listening. Your panic rising in your throat. Ray grabbed your hand. His grip is gentle yet firm, not letting you step away from him. He talked of paradise, a loss of pain, of happiness with him. The more he spoke the more you wanted to run away from him. Obviously this place wasn’t safe, and the more you worried about what the true nature of this place was. 

A sharp knock on the door pulled you out of your thoughts, and cut Ray’s sentence off. You both stared at the door, Ray with a look of confusion and you with a look of hope. Ray hesitated before dropping your hand and walking towards the door. You whispered silent prayers to yourself, for anything that could let you run out of the room and out of this place. 

A hooded figure stood outside, their head bowed to hide their face. 

“We have a problem with the server room. This is an emergency.” The hooded figure said, listening to the stranger you couldn’t help but feel their voice was familiar somehow. 

“What? Of all the times.” Ray muttered. Then he looked back to the hooded figure, his brows knit together. “Hang on, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you before.” The hooded figure spoke before Ray could continue his train of thought. 

“The Savior is also there. You must go now, Mr. Ray.” 

“Wait, this voice.” You held your breath, Ray tried to lean down to see the figure’s face but he lowered his hood further. 

You spoke up quickly. “This isn’t the time to be suspicious! You should hurry up and go Ray!” Ray turned back to look at you, then back at the bottle of elixir, then at the hooded figure again. Your heart raced in your chest, hoping that maybe he would actually leave. 

“I should. But before that.” He looked right into the hooded figure’s obscured face. “Take off your hood.” After a pause he nodded and reached up, but instead of pulling off the hood he pushed Ray back, the glass elixir bottle falling from his hands and shattering on the floor. 

The rest happened in slow motion, the figure yanked off his hood revealing a strikingly familiar face. Bright blue eyes stared right at you, the exact image of the RFA’s mysterious leader V. 

Still, you couldn’t help but ask who he was when he called to you. 

“It’s V! Jihyun!” He yelled. You gasped, eyes turning to Ray who was now standing up. This meant that the gut feeling you had was right. The RFA weren’t AI’s and Ray wasn’t a game developer, and looking back to V you realized he was your only way out of this place. 

Your thoughts were stopped by Ray who had begun yelling, other hooded figures began to appear as Ray pointed to V calling him an intruder. 

This was your chance, this was the only chance you had to escape this place. You ran forward reaching out to grab V’s hand, to run from this place to get out. From beside you, Ray was screaming and within seconds he’d grabbed your other arm twisting it behind you and pulling you away from V. 

A sharp pain shot through your arm and shoulder as Ray pulled back on the arm he’d twisted behind you and looking at V-

Had he just cringed? 

Was it because you did? Was it because of seeing Ray grab you, or? 

Ray’s screaming in your ear stopped you from going further. He was screaming at V now. Claiming that he’d never let V take you away, calling for guards, for anything. Your arm was aching behind you as V apologized to you. 

“I’m sorry, I’ll come back for you. I promise.” While Ray screamed at him you nodded back, watching V run from the room. 

Once Ray calmed down he let you go. Stumbling forward you held your injured arm, rubbing it to soothe the small ache. Your mind raced with thoughts of all kinds. The RFA was real, this wasn’t a game, this place was dangerous, and the thought that emerged to the front of your consciousness. Was it possible that V actually felt the same pain you had, without being touched? 

Ray left you alone in his computer room as he sought out the “Savior” leaving you with your swirling thoughts. You hadn’t even thought of taking your phone with you when Ray came to you. So you sat in silence, only the sound of the computer fans to keep you present and grounded.  

Twenty minutes after Ray left a brief sharp feeling hit your leg. You held the spot, was it even possible that it could be V? You’d assumed that Rika had been his soulmate, since they were going to be married. 

No, there was no way. It was just a coincidence. 

The next few days were some of the scariest. You had Ray, who was still trying to convince you to stay. Telling you repeatedly how V was a liar. Then V who asked you to say very little and keep a low profile while he figured out how to get you out. Then, before you could do much V had been captured by the Savior. Who you had learned was actually Rika, the creator of the RFA who had supposedly committed suicide six months before. 

Sitting in the Savior’s room you tried to keep your body language clear. You didn’t want to show her any sign of fear or hesitation, even though both of those things was gripping your throat tightly. If Rika could feel this fear coming from you, she didn’t say a word about it. Which somehow made you feel even worse. 

Sitting there a strange itchy feeling started in your throat. Like burning, you swallowed to try and get rid of the ache but found it did nothing. This pain must have been what your soulmate was feeling right now. Pondering this the uncomfortable feeling spread to your head, your vision blurred. Lightheadedness taking over, your limbs started to throb.  

You closed your eyes to try and make it look like maybe you were resting, trying to think of what your soulmate might be going through. The pain made your thoughts hazy. It was all you could focus on. The miserable feeling spread to your entire body, you weren’t even sure if you could stand on your own if you needed to. Cracking your eye open you saw Rika speaking to a believer. Despite Rika’s assurance that you wouldn’t be harmed you didn’t feel safe showing her any level of weakness. Afraid of her taking advantage of you in that state. 

After the sun had fallen over the horizon Rika approached you. Like Ray did days ago, she offered you a choice and decided to show you something. 

Clutching the wall you kept yourself upright. Your head was dizzy and your knees threatened to give out at any second. You kept yourself up at this point on pure adrenaline. Descending down a staircase your surroundings changed to what can only be described as a dungeon, like one from a film or book. 

Your heart nearly stopped seeing V. He laid crumpled on the hard stone floor, his face twisting in pain. His eyes completely glazed over. He looked to be in so much pain, you held yourself back from running to him. Rika was watching him, a look in her eyes that held nothing but disdain and disgust for him. 

“Ray gave you more than I wanted him too. I was hoping we could still chat.” Rika said. V’s eyes moved around the room, searching for the voice that was speaking to him. His eyes locked on you, his face looked relieved to see you. Thought it quickly twisted back in pain. 

Your brain was taken over by worry for V. He was clearly not in a good condition and by the way Rika was declining neither was she. And with how angry she was with V you worried about his safety. 

Staying still, both from fear and pain you heard a voice from behind you. 

“Shh! Quiet.” A familiar voice said. “You’re the coordinator right? Don’t answer. I said be quiet! We’re getting out of here.” Seven’s voice whispered in your ear. This was it, you were going to get out of this place. Watching V and Rika closely you watched as Rika turned away from V, now screaming into the wall. “Pick him up. Now, so that she wouldn’t notice.” Regardless of your aching body and dizziness you reached down for V, his arms holding onto your shoulders as you helped him to stand. Leaning on each other for support. 

One eye on Rika and the other of Seven beckoning you forward you left the dungeon and snuck out of the building. Breaking into a run once you were a safe distance away, Seven carrying V on his back you stumbled following them. 

Every step felt agonizing, still you tried to hide it. Right now V was the one in pain, and whatever you were feeling was just from your soulmate. V was far more important right now. 

The hours that followed were a blur, the three of you had hidden out in a safehouse Seven knew of. V was tucked into bed to rest and Seven told you he had called someone who could help him.  While Seven was working in the corner of the room you sat curled up in a chair with your head between your knees. The pain you felt was still so intense, and now that the adrenaline was leaving your body you realized just how bad it truly was. Your body felt like it was being torn limb from limb. Your head felt light while your arms felt like rocks and your head throbbed from behind your eyes. 

Seven’s friend, his maid? His coworker? Whoever Vanderwood was arrived not long after you did to the hideout. As soon as they was inside they started getting to work on giving V medicine and trying to assess his condition. 

“What’s wrong with you?” Vanderwood asked you once they were finished with V. Who was awake now, but still dully staring at everyone. You lifted your head, the pain was less intense now but still lingering in your body. 

“I’m okay.” You said. Vanderwood however didn’t look very convinced. 

“Did they drug you too? You look like he does.” Vanderwood pointed to V who was watching you now. Even Seven who had been working on his computer was taking a closer look at you. 

“No.” You said. “They didn’t drug me.” 

“Then why are you-” Vanderwood stopped and looked between you. “Wait, are you two soulmates?” Your head snapped up and looked at Vanderwood, and then at V who was staring at you with wide eyes now. 

You stuttered. “No, there’s no way we are.” Vanderwood glanced between you again. 

“Look at that wall for a second.” Vanderwood instructed you. Crossing your arms you turned your eyes away. You heard shuffling then a twinge of pain in your arm. Grabbing it you looked back to Vanderwood. Who was pinching V’s arm while V stared in confusion and slight horror. 

“Wait.” Seven stood up. “V, you always told us Rika was your soulmate.” 

“I-” V coughed, as he did you felt burning in your lungs. Seven waited for a second for V’s response but then shook his head. 

“You know what. Now isn’t the time.” Seven sat back down. “There are other things to worry about.” Seven picked up his computer setup. “I’m going to go to the other room to try and figure out this hacker situation. V, get some rest.” V nodded, a pained look on his face. Vanderwood sighed and followed Seven into the other room. Likely to grill him about what was going on, away from the two of you listening in.  

Even without looking you knew V was looking at you. Rubbing your arms you stayed quiet, under any other circumstance you likely would be happy to know you’ve met your soulmate. But looking at V, laying in that bed, and knowing about Rika, you felt nothing but worry, and a small bit of guilt. 

“I’m sorry.” V whispered to you. You shook your head, eyes closed.

“You don’t need to apologize to me V.” You said. “Just focus on getting better. For both of our sakes.” V stared at you a moment longer, his eyes full of something you couldn’t quite place. Something between longing and grief. Leaning back in your own seat you watched V drift to sleep. A million thoughts still swirling in your head. 

Recovery was slow, but you could feel V slowly gaining his strength back. You encouraged him. Especially during the moments he proclaimed his desire to return to Rika. You had tried to tell him that nothing good would come from going back. That him returning to Magenta wasn’t going to stop her. Even if he didn’t seem to agree something told you he was listening to you honestly. 

Neither of you talked about what you both knew about your soulmate status. Rika was still too fresh a wound and you were still trying to process it all. Still, you saw some of the looks V would give you when you weren’t looking. Or the way Seven and Vanderwood chose their words extremely carefully around the two of you.  

You never discussed it until the two of you went for a walk. Jihyun held onto you to keep himself steady. You both walked down the mountain trail letting yourselves be swallowed up by the trees surrounding the beaten path.  

“I feel that I’ve been unfair to you.” V said once you’d stopped for a moment. 

“What do you mean?” You asked him. 

“Our situation, it’s very complicated. And I know my relationship with Rika has only made it worse.” V said. You stared at the ground. 

“Did you think Rika was your soulmate?” You asked. You knew sometimes that could be the case with people, and based on V’s words. You couldn’t help but wonder. 

V sighed. “Once maybe. But perhaps I just wanted her to be. But, once my eyes were hurt I...” He shook his head trailing off his sentence. 

“I remember that.” You whispered, your hand touching under your eyes. “That was six months ago, right before Rika disappeared?” V sucked in a harsh breath. 

“Yes.” Hearing that, you couldn’t keep yourself from stepping forward and embracing  him. Pressing your face into his chest. You could still remember the agonizing pain from months ago, and seeing him in the flesh made that memory all the more painful.  

“I’m sorry.” You said. “I’m sorry you had to go through that.” V was quiet, you almost pulled away to look at him. To make sure he was okay. 

V was quiet for a moment, your words seemingly not reaching him. His voice cracked when he spoke up again. “So this is what it feels like to be embraced by someone.” 

“Has no one ever held you before?” 

“No, Rika always needed to be held. The only person who wanted to hold me was…” He trailed off for a second. “Was my mother, before she passed.” You hugged him tighter, V hadn’t ever mentioned his mother to you before. 

You talked for a while longer. V talked of his mother, Rika. Even Jumin. As he spoke you could feel all the things he’d been holding in for years. Years of trauma and fear that he’d done everything in his power to disguise. After a while emotion choked him up, especially when he spoke of his mother. 

“I’m sorry.” He started. “It’s been a long time since I talked about her. My mother that is..” He wiped his eyes and sniffled. “If you don’t mind, I think I need a moment alone. To gather myself.”

“Will you be okay?” You asked him. He nodded. 

“I’ll be okay, be careful going back.” You nodded walking away slowly back down the mountain trail to the safehouse. Your thoughts kept your mind busy, thinking back to your conversation with V. In the time in the safehouse you’d never thought about your feelings for him. Everything had been so stressful, you’d never stopped to consider that maybe, you had fallen in love with him. Even if just the tiniest bit. 

The sight of the safehouse came into view, you were preparing to walk through the door. When a feeling came into your stomach, something painful and shocking. You gasped and fell to your knees squeezing your eyes shut. Something was wrong, very wrong. 

V was hurt. 

Your memories of what happened next are fuzzy, the pain had taken over every one of your senses, every once of your mind. Vaguely, you remember running. Screaming for Seven, looking for V. You remember how your heart sunk when you saw him, bleeding on the ground.

However you don’t remember the car journey, or even arriving at the hospital. Your memory only cleared while you sat in V’s room. Waiting for him in surgery,  then you remember talking with Jumin and watching V be returned to his room to recover. 

The best moment besides seeing his face, was feeling the pain subside from your stomach. Knowing he wasn’t hurting at all. 

As V recovered you knew Seven and Jumin were taking care of everything in the background. You heard bits of pieces from them as to what was happening, that Ray was only continuing to attack until he stopped. Rika had been in the chatroom, until she had stopped. However your mind was focused entirely on V during that time.  

One the day of the party was cancelled, Magenta was blown up, Ray inside. While that thought weighed on you and V. You couldn’t deny the sense of finality it had in your heart. Finally, this horrible saga seemed to have come to an end. Only recovery from here on out. 

“I’m going to have my eyes operated on soon.” V told you, you were sitting next to him. Focused on the news of Rika’s arrival at the party venue. “Turns out Jumin already scheduled an operation for me.” 

You laughed gently. “Sounds like Jumin.” He smiled at you. 

“I hoped that I could start my new life after my eyes are cured but, it’ll take time to fully free myself from Rika.” You nodded. “I care for you, very much but.” He looked at you, holding to your hand. “I want to be a complete person, I want to find what is precious within me.” 

You smiled, although your heart ached you held that positive look. As you looked into his eyes you saw something you’d never seen in him before. You could have sworn you saw hope. 

“Take all the time you need.” You said, speaking honestly. 

The first time you remember feeling your soulmate's pain was when you were five years old. You’d been sitting at home when a sharp pain hit your knee. Now, you stood at the airport, watching the plane V was in as it was about to take off. You weren’t sure when he’d come back, only knowing that he would someday. 

Tears filled your eyes as you waited with Jumin and Seven next to you. The plane started down the runway and lifted into the air raising higher and higher, you watched it until it disappeared out of sight and into the clouds above. 

“Ouch!” You said grabbing your arm, it felt like someone had just pinched you but looking at Jumin who was standing next to you his hands in his pockets there was no way it was him who had done it. 

A smile grew on your face as you realized. Going for you other arm, you smiled as you pinched your own arm. Knowing V on that plane felt it too. 

[lovehatemysme]

[Jihyun x MC]

[Entry for Jihyun Week 2020 Day 4; @mysme-events]

You were holding Jihyun's hand as you were crossing a field of sunflowers, fingers intertwined as you laugh at his cheesy lines and at how the hairy stems of the flowers tickled your skin.

It was a warm afternoon as the sun shone brightly, breeze passing and the flowers swaying with the wind. Jihyun felt full of happiness as he hears your laughter, his heart swelling with love that he had to take a moment to breathe and cherish this very moment. He stopped walking, his arm stretching out before his fingers slipped away from yours.

Jihyun looked at you as he saw colors bursting out from you, you weren't a blank canvas, no, you were already a master piece. Your bright and dark colors clashing and harmonizing together. Warmth emitting not only from your touches but also from your words, your laughter, your eyes, your smile, from everything that he receives. He thought he couldn’t experience such love, but there you were, in front of him, giving him what he thought he didn’t deserve. 

Once you realized he was gone from your side, you stopped and turned around, Jihyun had a small smile across his face as he looked at you, his eyes smiling even more as it reflected his feelings. He was blissfully contented at where he is, where you both are. The two years you were apart were long, but it was two years he would endure again if it means this blissful feeling and moment is awaiting for him after. 

"Jihyun, why'd you stop?," you asked as you traced back your steps to him and wrapped your arms around his waist. You looked up and he tugged your hair behind an ear, "I just wanted to admire you," he said. You shied away from his gaze and laugh softly at one of his cheesy lines once again.

"Well you can admire me more later. Come on, everyone's waiting," you tugged him and removed one arm as he let his wrap on your waist.

Words have failed Jihyun as he couldn't describe what he felt, it was overflowing him with warmth, love and happiness. And when words fail him, he knows exactly how to express it in a different way.

~~~

"Mm, what are you showing me? A new piece?" he chuckled at your eagerness while you held his hand that was covering your eyes as he led you to his studio. It has been days since he locked himself in his studio, staying up late and only coming out to eat and take a shower.

"Are you ready, love?" he whispered, you nodded enthusiastically and he slowly removed his hand from your eyes. In front of you was a big canvas, it was the field of sunflowers where you went. You took in as much as many details as you can, your mouth slightly open as you were enthralled at how beautiful and careful it was made. The flowers slightly angled as the wind blows, petals flying from here and there, the trees with its leaves falling, the sky so vivid with its colors and the clouds as if real to touch. And in the middle was your silhouette, made with different colors with its core a bright sun.

He looked at you as you took it all in, hoping his love was radiating from his work, reaching you. A tear fell on your eye, completely taken by your emotions. You couldn't even put a finger to what you were feeling, but all you know you felt happy, loved, and seen.

You jumped into Jihyun, holding his neck as you kissed him. He took a step back as he was caught off guard, but soon he held your waist and responded to your kiss.

When words failed Jihyun, his heart didn't.

[mysme-events]

Jihyun Week 2020

In celebration of the RFA’s head birthday, we have a week long event just for him! The event starts on Sept. 3 - 10. 

Prompt List

Sept 3 - Fairytale / Temptations

Sept 4 - Café / Letters

Sept 5 - Fate / Ocean

Sept 6 - Warmth / Canvas

Sept 7 - Rain / Bells

Sept 8 - Dream / Tranquility 

Sept 9 - Birthday 

Sept 10 - Bonus day! Free/NSFW Day

Guidelines

Feel free to interpret the prompts in your own way! All works are accepted as long as it’s yours. Old works can also be submitted if it fits the prompt, send a message with a link to your work and what day it fits, we’ll add it to be queued!

All MCs, OCs, and Ships are welcome. Other pairs [JuminxMC, ZenxMC, etc] are welcome as long as Jihyun is the main character in the work.

Late works will be accepted and be reblogged until Sept. 12. 

If there are trigger warnings, kindly put it as well! If it’s NSFW kindly tag it as well. (The likes of pedophilia, rape, incest etc. will not be accepted)

Tag this account in your works or use #JihyunWeek2020 in the tags so we’ll see your works!

You don’t have to participate everyday, feel free to participate on the prompts you like

For any clarifications or questions, kindly drop it in the ask. Reblogs are appreciated to spread the word! Thank you and let us celebrate the existence of Jihyun Kim. 

[spacesquidlings]

My Love

Jihyun Kim awakens on the morning of his birthday to more surprises than he could have ever dreamed of

Pairing: Jihyun Kim x MC

A/N: Day 7 of Jihyun Week 2020. The prompt is Birthday for the birthday boy!!!!

Happiest of birthdays dear Jihyun <3

@mysme-events

*********************************************************************************

Jihyun awoke on his birthday when the morning light was buttery, the air still stained with the night’s chill, a promise that autumn was nearly on them, and that the days were only going to grow colder.

But for now Jihyun was warm and content, serenity washing over him as the sunlight slid across his face.

He smiled, reaching to the side of the bed, to where his wife lay, only for his hand to pass through empty air.

And then he realized that not only had he awoken to warm sunlight, but he had also awoken entirely alone in his bed.

Jihyun sat up, his vision still hazy as he scanned the room, the walls still awash in inky shadows.

“MC?” He called, his voice still thick and heavy with sleep. “My love?”

There was no answer, and Jihyun pouted as he fell back against the pillows, wishing she was here beside him. Wishing he could cuddle his wife.

Where was she? Where was his beautiful, enchanting wife? It was early morning still, and he loved nothing more than to cuddle with her when the air was still cool and the light was still soft. He wanted to tangle his legs with hers, wanted to hear her quiet laughter as he told her a new joke Saeyoung had told him. He wanted to run his fingers through her hair, feel her arms wrapped around his waist.

He wanted her, but she was nowhere to be found.

Jihyun pouted more, although there was no one to see him.

It was his birthday today, the day he was supposed to celebrate growing another year older. It was the day he was supposed to be showered in gifts and affection, according to MC. But all he wanted right now was her beside him, wanted his arms around her, wanted to hold her until the sun was high in the sky and their room was awash in golden light.

It was his birthday after all, and he figured he deserved that.

Jihyun heard the bedroom door creak open and he sat up, wondering if MC was back. If maybe she had just gone to the bathroom or she’d stepped out for some water.

But when the door opened fully he saw that it was Lucy, their daughter, her hair still messy and her pajamas wrinkled like she’d just rolled from bed. But her sky blue eyes were bright, like she’d been awake for hours.

“You’re awake!” She sang, clapping her hands together and looking utterly delighted.

“What are you doing up?” He asked, pushing the blankets aside to cross the room towards her. He lifted her into his arms, earning a happy squeal as her arms snaked around his neck. “It’s still early.”

She giggled, and Jihyun couldn’t help wondering what was up her little sleeve. Wondering what his eight year old daughter could possibly be scheming in the early hours of the morning.

“It’s a surprise,” she said.

“A surprise?”

She nodded, her expression growing serious. “Yes, you’re not allowed to see it yet, daddy.”

He narrowed his eyes, grinning at her. “Are you sure? I love surprises.”

She laughed again, shaking her head vigorously. “I’m sure! Mommy said I can’t tell you.”

Jihyun hummed. “And do you know where mommy is?”

Lucy shook her head, looking away, but her smile was so broad it belied her next words

“No,” she muttered. “I don’t know where mommy is.”

“Are you sure?” He asked, tickling her. “Are you sure you don’t know where she is?”

Lucy squealed again, wiggling in his arms. “No! Stop! I can’t tell you, daddy!”

Jihyun sighed, setting her down. “Alright alright. You can’t tell me where she is.”

Lucy crossed her arms, frowning. “I can’t.”

“Can you tell me why you’re up so early?”

She giggled, her frown vanishing as she shook her head again, her unbound hair fanning out behind her. “Nope!”

“Is there anything you can tell me?”

She pointed to the bed. “You need to go back to bed.”

“I need to go back to bed?” He asked, barely able to keep the sarcasm from his voice.

“Yeah, mommy said you should be in bed.”

Jihyun held up his hands, making his way back towards the bed. “Okay, well if that’s what mommy said.”

“Put the blankets around you too!” She said, running over to grab the blankets, throwing them over his legs as he sat. “So you don’t get cold.”

Jihyun watched as she sprinted from the room, curiosity filling his mind.

What was going on?

He heard a quiet murmuring of voices not far from the door and he leaned forward, trying to make out what they were saying.

He could hear the clatter of silverware too, and he caught sight of a small shadow against the wall, something large and rectangular balanced in her hands.

“Daddy!” He heard Lucy call. “You’re still in bed, right?”

“Yes, I’m still in bed!”

He heard a snort of laughter and knew without seeing who it belonged to. Knew that the most precious person in the entire world stood just beyond his bedroom door.

Lucy came in first, balancing a tray in her hands piled high with pancakes and fruit. It wobbled in her grasp, and Jihyun had to stop himself from climbing out of bed again to help her carry it.

She set it on the bedside table, looking very pleased with herself as she gave him a wide, toothy grin.

“Happy birthday, daddy,” she said, throwing herself on the bed to hug him.

Jihyun laughed, holding his daughter close. “What’s all this?”

“It’s breakfast!” She said, pulling away and sitting beside him. “I helped make you a birthday breakfast!”

“She helped stir the batter and flip the pancakes.”

Jihyun looked up as his wife entered the room next, colourfully wrapped packages balanced in her arms.

MC smiled at him, setting the gifts at the foot of the bed, one hand falling to her swollen belly as she perched beside him. “And she picked out the fruit just for you at the market yesterday.”

Lucy bobbed her head. “I did!” She leaned forward, peering at the food, her eyes slowly flicking up to his face. “Do you like it?”

Jihyun chuckled, nodding. “I love it, Lucy. Thank you.”

She beamed, falling back against the pillows.

“Lucy,” he chided softly. “Move over, make some room for mommy.”

MC shook her head. “No, don’t worry about me, I’m okay right here.”

Jihyun tangled his fingers through hers, leaning forward to press a kiss against her face. “But I want you to be closer.”

She giggled, a pink the colour of dawn blooming from her cheeks. “Okay, since it’s your birthday I will.”

Lucy had already rolled from the bed, and she was bouncing on her feet as Jihyun shifted to make room for MC beside him.

“Mommy,” Lucy said, a note of pleading in her voice. “My favourite show is on soon. Can I go watch it?”

MC nodded, smiling. “Of course.”

Lucy beamed, sprinting from the room. “Thank you!”

“You have to pick up your toys afterwards, though!” MC called after her. “We’re having guests tonight!”

Jihyun arched a brow. “Who’s coming?”

“Jumin said he wanted to stop by this evening, and Saeyoung and Saeran said they’d be coming by for dinner.”

He nodded, excitement bubbling in his chest. He would get to spend his birthday with his family, would get to have a big birthday dinner like he’d dreamed of for so long.

It was so wonderful he could hardly believe it was true. He squeezed MC’s hand, pressing his face against the top of her head as his heart filled with sunshine and light. As he felt such a pure, bubbling joy washing over him.

Lucy raced back into the room, and he pulled away as she neared the bed. Her eyes were wide as she held up a small package covered in stickers and glitter. “Daddy! I almost forgot!”

“What is it, sunshine?” He asked.

“This is for you!” She sang, handing him the package. “It’s your birthday present!”

He balanced it in his hands, smiling at her. “Thank you, Lucy.”

She danced on her feet, her eyes fixed on the gift. “You have to open it!”

He laughed, tearing at the messy wrapping paper. “Okay, okay, I’m opening it.”

The glittering wrapping paper fell onto his lap like confetti, and Jihyun found himself holding a small sketchbook in his hands. He flipped through the pages, each one covered in colourful drawings and sketches, each signed with his daughter’s name.

“You drew these?” He asked, looking up after he’d finished going through the book.

Lucy nodded vigorously. “I drew them just for you! Do you like them?”

Jihyun’s eyes burned, and he blinked furiously in an attempt to hold them at bay. “I love them so much.”

She jumped in delight, seeming pleased with herself before she dashed from the room again.

“She’s been working on that for a month,” MC said, pointing to the sketchbook. “She would fall asleep at the kitchen table and I’d have to hide it so you didn’t see it.”

Jihyun sniffed, unsure if he was going to be able to hold back his tears any longer. “I love it so much. I’m so happy right now.”

MC tipped her head back, brushing her lips against his jaw. “I have a few more surprises for you, too.”

Jihyun blinked, watching as MC moved to grab the gifts she’d left at the foot of the bed, handing them to him one at a time.

“What are all of these?” He asked, laughing as she piled them onto his lap.

“They’re your presents, love,” she said, settling next to him again.

“You didn’t have to,” he said, his voice soft as he began unwrapping the first one. “I would have been happy just to spend the day with you and Lucy and our baby.”

MC pressed a hand against her stomach, her smile gentle and warm as she met his gaze. “There is no material thing that I could give that would compare to how much I love you,” she breathed. “But I still wanted to get you a few things anyways.”

Jihyun’s eyes burned, and he had to resist the urge to wrap her in his arms now, to toss the presents to the side just to scatter kisses to her face as he told her how much he loved her over and over again.

Instead he opened the presents slowly, warmth washing over him again and again as each new gift was unveiled to him.

New paint-brushes. An oil paint he’d been searching everywhere for. Books of poetry. A scrapbook of pressed flowers from their garden.

Jihyun set everything to the side, twisting so he could meet his wife’s eyes, already preparing to take her hands, to hold her as tightly as he dared.

But she was holding something else in her hands, an envelope with a cerulean ribbon wrapped around it.

“What’s this?” He asked, taking it from her hands.

“It’s your last gift,” she said, her face painted in rose and crimson as she watched him untie the ribbon. “It’s something a little bit different.”

Jihyun furrowed his brow as he opened it, pulling out a small stack of folded papers.

And his heart stopped as he unfolded them, staring at the bars of music, at the notes that danced across the pages, at the title scrawled in MC’s hand.

‘My Love.’

“Love,” he said, his voice shaking as he looked up at her, tears threatening to spill over his face at any moment now.

“It’s a song,” she said, her words little more than a whisper. “It’s a song I wrote for you. With all the love I have in my heart for you.”

Jihyun shuffled through the pages, his gaze sliding along the bars, trying to imagine what it would sound like when it was played, what it would sound like when she brought it to life with her hands and her love.

“You wrote me a song?” He asked, still so very in awe of this gift, of the woman sitting beside him.

She nodded, brushing his bangs back, her fingers trailing down his face. “There are no words that can describe how much I love you, so I thought I’d try using music.”

Jihyun reached up to cover her hand with his, leaning into her touch.

“Thank you, love,” he breathed, closing his eyes as a wave of love and joy and pure, glittering happiness crashed into him. “Your love is the best gift of all.”

She flushed deeper, her face now a fiery red. “I’m so glad you like it, Jihyun. I’m so glad I get to see your smile.”

“It’s impossible for me not to smile, love. Not when I’m with you.”

She opened her mouth to say something more, but then she winced, her nose wrinkling as her free hand fell to her belly.

Worry shot through Jihyun like lightning and he reached out, running his hands over her face and her arms, wanting to help, not knowing how to help.

“Are you alright?” He asked, watching her as her pained expression faded. “Is your stomach okay?”

She nodded, a smile of mischief and mirth arcing across her lips. “I’m feeling alright, don’t worry.

“But you were just-” But Jihyun’s words were cut off as MC took his hand in hers, gently placing his palm against her belly.

“Wait a moment,” she breathed, her eyes full of stars as she watched him.

Jihyun blinked, unsure of what he was waiting for.

And then… And then…

His eyes widened and he snapped his gaze up to meet hers, starlight and sunshine and joy spilling from his heart, flowing through him like he was made of light.

“The baby is kicking.”

She nodded, giggling. “The baby is kicking!”

He pressed both hands against the swell of her stomach, entirely enamoured by the little kicks he could feel against his palms.

“Our baby…” He murmured, trailing off as he felt another kick. His vision grew blurry, the world limned in silver as hot tears slipped from the corners of his eyes.

“Our baby wanted to wish you a happy birthday,” she said, brushing the pads of her thumb beneath his eyes, wiping away his tears.

His bottom lip was trembling, and he sniffed as their baby continued to kick. “Thank you, little one. I can’t wait to wish you a happy birthday, too.”

He leaned forward, pressing his face against his wife’s chest, quiet sobs spilling from his lips as he was overcome by his joy. By the pure happiness of this morning. Of his daughter’s smile and the baby’s kick and his wife beside him now. By the sunshine spilling from the window, painting his world and his love in gold.

MC sang quietly, her voice weaving through some of his favourite songs as she stroked circles against his back, holding him tight.

“I love you,” she murmured. “And I want to give you the happiest birthday I can.”

Jihyun breathed her in, his arms wrapping around her as he listened to the song of her voice in the air.

He couldn’t speak for a while, not even as his tears dried on his cheeks. All he could do was hold her, was listen to the beat of her heart and the sound of her singing and the muffled trill of a cartoon theme song coming from the living room. All he could do was savour the morning and the love from his family and the happiness enveloping his heart.

Finally he did manage to find his voice, peeling away to peer into MC’s eyes, the most beautiful eyes in the entire world.

“Thank you,” he said, a small smile tugging at his lips. “Just getting to spend today with you makes this the happiest birthday of them all.”

MC rolled her eyes, even as her smile widened. “You’re such a dork, Jihyun.”

“I know,” he said, scattering kisses across her face. “But you love that, right?”

“I do,” she conceded, snorting as his kisses tickled against her skin. “I love every part of you.”

They chatted for a while, tangled in the blankets, swathed in sunlight. MC lifted the tray from the bedside table, resting it on Jihyun’s lap so he could enjoy the breakfast his family had made for him.

And it was perhaps the best breakfast he’d ever had, made by hands that were so beloved.

When he was done MC took the tray, pushing the blankets to the side so she could stand.

“Wait,” Jihyun said, reaching out to wrap his hand around her wrist. “Do you have to go?”

“I’m just taking this back to the kitchen, babey. I’ll be right back,” she said.

Jihyun nodded, loosening his grip, watching as she disappeared from the room.

A thought occurred to him then, and he forced himself to push aside the sliver of melancholy that came with it.

“MC,” he said once she’d returned, tangled in the sheets beside him once more.

“What is it?” She asked.

“Is there anything that needs to be done today?” He asked, feeling silly as the words fell from his lips. Feeling silly for growing so sad at the thought that they had things to be done. That he would not be able to cuddle with her all day.

She hummed, shaking her head. “No, I can’t think of anything.”

“No cleaning or errands or cooking? I thought the twins and Jumin were coming over tonight.”

“They are,” she said, her smile turning mischievous. “But the twins said they wanted to make you dinner as part of your gift. And Jumin said he’s already prepared a backup in case things go…” She trailed off, her eyes narrowing. “Awry.”

Hope flitted in his chest like butterflies made of gossamer and light. “So we don’t have to do anything?”

“Love, it’s your birthday,” she sang, cupping his face with both hands. “We can do whatever you want. And we don’t have to do anything if you don’t want to.”

He covered her hands with his, pulling them from his face so he could press kisses to her palms.

“In that case,” he breathed, peeking up at her. “I want to lay right here. I want to hold you for the rest of the morning and the afternoon. Until the sun fades beyond the horizon.”

MC nodded, letting him tug her against his chest as they both sank against the pillows. “I’ll stay with you as long as you want.”

“I want you to stay with me forever,” he breathed, running a hand over her hair. “And past it.”

“Then I will stay with you forever.”

Jihyun sighed in content, listening as she hummed quietly, as birdsong danced just beyond their window.

And all the happiness he had felt that morning, the joy of getting to spend his birthday with the people he cherished the most, this moment now where his wife was in his arms. It was the best birthday gift of all.

[xelpineda126]

Jihyun Week 2020

Day 1. Fairytale.

I just wanted to draw a fairy Jihyun. Also, I just wanted to draw him in that outfit.

He looks like a prince from a book, right?

[justanotherfluffreader]

Jihyun Week 2020 Day Five | Prompt- Rain

In the rain.

Where your heart got broken for the first time, and met the love of your life, Jihyun Kim.

~

“I-I’m sorry, MC, but I just don’t love you anymore.”

Your past significant other, the light of your life, was standing under an umbrella, apologizing.

“What do you mean? This is a joke, right?” you couldn’t believe what you heard.

“Sorry, but I figured that you’d rather hear the truth than catch me cheating. Goodbye.”

While that was true, of course it still hurt.

You walked away from him as quickly as possible, speeding up until you were sprinting. At this point, you didn’t care about the rain splashing on your legs.

Your phone buzzed from your jacket pocket. You turned it on, the screen lighting up.

“<NEW> Mystic Messenger is now available in the App Store!

(im not sure if thats how notifs work but a n y w h a y s)

“Isn’t that the app that hooks you up with hot people to talk with them?” you wondered, confused as to why this notification popped up.

“Oh well, what’s the worst that could happen?”

~

Apparently the worst that could happen was that you could be sent to an apartment belonging to a dead woman named Rika, help her association plan a party for 11 days, while staying in the apartment and dealing with one of the members’ emotional issues. Fan-freaking-tastic. Still, you decided to stick with everyone. You were at your second party, and the crowd was beginning to thin. You decided to stick with Jaehee for a little longer. 

“Hey, where’s V?” you asked, tired from greeting guests almost the entire time.

“He said he was on a trip again,” Jaehee replied. “i wonder where he is now.”

~

Ding dong!

It was the day after the party, and no one was supposed to be coming to the apartment. Confused, you opened the door.

“Hello, MC.” V was standing outside, an umbrella in hand.

“Oh! Hi V!” you said, cheering up. “Where were you?”

“I was on a trip, taking photos. By the way, this is for you.”

He handed you a photo. It was a sunset, with the words XO, V <3 written in the corner with a Sharpie.

“XO, huh?” you asked, internally screaming out of joy. “You too, V.”

He blushed ever so slightly, and walked back down the hallway. 

You thought to yourself, “Do I have a crush?” you looked back at him again. “Yes, I do.”

ack that was pretty bad 

[myuntoldstory]

Mystic Messenger | Mint

AO3 | FF.net

Second day of Jihyun Week: Cafe | Letters

Rating: PG-13

Pairing: V | Jihyun Kim/Main Character (Named)

Warning: N/A

Word Count: 2,781

Summary: Set after Another Story. Not compliant with Judge or Forgive. Combines some elements with Jaehee's Good Ending/After Ending. Jihyun's return after two years shocked Lux so much that she questioned whether it even happened. When he visited her two days after the party she had the opportunity to assure herself that he was there to stay.

Mint

"Jaehee, do you need help?"

Lux poked her head in the doorway of the office. Jaehee sat at the desk, papers in both hands. There was a pen tucked between her fingers. At the question she looked up, blinking. Though the customers wouldn't notice, Lux picked up Jaehee's exhaustion. Her poor friend looked ready for a nap. Despite that, though, her eyes sparkled—which it never did when she worked for Jumin.

"I'm okay, Lux, thank you," she answered, smiling.

Lux knitted her brows, "Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Okay... well, I'll go ahead and wipe everything down."

Jaehee nodded and returned to the papers, "Thank you."

Quietly, Lux closed the door. Then, she tightened her apron as she grabbed everything she needed from the utility closet. She started with stacking the chairs, making sure they were out of the way. After, she wiped down the tables; she made sure each surface sparkled before moving on.

Thoughts of the party intruded her thoughts and she had to smile at her own obsessiveness. It was all still surreal. Didn't she dream it all? It was like any other party... with the exception that he finally returned. To them. To her.

And the words he said... they were the very same she longed to hear for the past two years. Being a woman in love, she wasn't immune to the occasional daydream. In the past couple of years, she'd been imagining him saying the words. Sometimes, she imagined him saying them in different places: the airport, at a fountain, in a meadow... when it became reality in the party, of all places, she decided she'd become delusional.

But then... he took her hand. He gathered her in his arms. His warmth enveloped her and it brought her back to that fateful night. Back then, she was the one who hugged him. The things he said were words of hurt, loneliness, emptiness—it made her realise he needed comfort. That he needed it for a while. She remembered how stiff and awkward he was, how he couldn't return the gesture.

This time... this time he was the one. He hugged her and she was so surprised that she couldn't return it. She didn't know what to do or how to respond—she was still trying to make sure it wasn't all a dream.

She would've loved to spend the entire night talking to him but she had to fulfil her duties. It was hard, knowing he was in the room but they couldn't be together yet. It was the most baffling kind of torture. As soon as the event ended Zen shoved them into a corner and assured them that he and the others would clean up. He all but ordered them to talk.

And they did, thanks to him. It was awkward at first. They never lost connection—so many messages passed between them in the past two years. Yet, it's like their image of each other no longer matched with reality and they had to adjust. When they caught up, though, she noticed how he took her hand and never let go. More than once she got lost in his eyes because he gazed at her as if she was the only person in the world for him.

Unfortunately, it all came to an end. Jumin invited Jihyun to spend time with him and catch up. But before one of Jumin's cars drove her away, Jihyun promised to see her again. It was a promise so real that ever since she's been checking her phone, email, and voicemail for any signs from him.

That was two days ago.

Since then she hadn't heard from him. She had to wonder if she actually dreamt it all up. Could it be that her daydreams had finally manifested into some bizarre reality? It came to a point where she had to check with some of the members that what happened was real. After expressions of concern they assured her that, yes, Jihyun was home.

With a tired sigh, she straightened her back and stretched. She was almost done. As she resumed her work the entrance bells rang. Her shoulders jerked in surprise—did they forget to lock up? She turned around, already putting on her apologetic expression.

"I'm sorry, we're closed—oh!" she gasped, eyes widening.

The door swung closed and before it stood Jihyun.

He looked so different that it still confused her. Her mind still saw a man with chin-length hair and all the world's misfortunes clear on his expression. Now, before her was a man with neater hair and a brighter smile. At first glance, he seemed like a stranger to her. However, Yoosung said during the party that he resembled himself before Rika's "death".

But alive, Seven then interjected.

Jihyun stepped forward, "Good evening."

"Hello," she replied. "W-what are you doing here?"

As he ambled forward, he brought his hands behind his back as he looked around with interest. He wore a white shirt again, unbuttoned at the throat. This time he didn't wear any accessories. There was a golden tone to his skin, evidence to the fact that he lived his life out in the world.

"Jumin told me you and Jaehee opened a cafe," he said and then flashed a playful grin. "Well... more specifically he complained that you brainwashed his best assistant to quit the perfect, most stable job in the world for a business that had little chance of success."

"Yes," Lux quipped. "He tells me every time he comes by for coffee."

He chuckled, "He's been visiting?"

"Almost every day, Jaehee says."

"He didn't tell me that."

"Well, he wouldn't, would he?" she said with a shrug. "Besides, what's he saying about brainwashing? I simply told Jaehee that she deserves more in her life. She deserves more than spending twenty hours every day at work."

"Jumin says her job's more than enough," he teased.

"Yeah, no."

Their eyes met at that and they laughed together.

"Anyway, I wanted to see the cafe," Jihyun continued.

Lux bit her lip, "Just to see the cafe?"

He laughed again. He's the image of handsome confidence... but it didn't escape her notice how the shells of his ears have a bright pink tinge. The subtle show of shyness was so endearing to her that she couldn't help smiling at him.

"Well, no," he admitted, "but it looks like I interrupted you."

"Ah..." she drawled, "yeah... it's okay. I'm nearly done."

"Then, is it okay if I sit and wait?"

"Of course!"

She guided him to a table nearest to the counter, helping him take a chair to sit on before resuming work. Her heart fluttered madly in her chest at seeing him again but she tried not to show how flustered she was. As she restarted she heard footsteps emerging from the office. She looked up and saw Jaehee appear with a concerned frown.

"Is everything okay?" she said. "I heard a customer come in but I didn't hear them leave—ah, hello V—no, wait, I'm sorry. I mean, Jihyun."

"Good evening, Jaehee," he replied and waved.

"How are you?" she asked.

Lux continued on resuming her task as the two caught up.

"I'm well, thank you," he said. "Jumin told me about the cafe so I thought I'd come and take a look. I apologise for visiting after business hours without calling. I thought I'd visit when you're not busy."

"It's fine, Jihyun. You're welcome any time."

"Thank you... this is a wonderful place, Jaehee. The modern European interior looks refreshing. I'm certain your customers love to come here and relax."

"I appreciate that." The pride was clear in Jaehee's voice. "That is exactly the concept I aimed for. As a former employee, I know what it's like to need a place with a relaxed atmosphere."

"Well, I'd say you achieved it."

"Thank you very much," Jaehee said. "Now, would you like to have some coffee or tea? You're welcome to try some of the samples that came in today.”

“Oh?”

“Lux has been good with talking to the suppliers."

Lux's cheeks warmed a little at the compliment. Jihyun chuckled.

“I’d love that.”

“Excellent. Lux? Coffee?”

Lux flashed Jaehee a smile, “Yes, thank you.”

The sounds of the espresso machine filled the cafe as Jaehee prepared the drinks. As Lux finished up she felt a curious niggling at the back of her neck. She looked over her shoulder and found Jihyun watching with a happy smile. When their eyes met his smile widened and he winked. Lux flushed but did return the smile. She made quick work of finishing. By the time she sat across Jihyun, Jaehee had already served the steaming beverages. There were only two cups. She glanced at Jaehee who was taking her apron off.

"Where's yours?" Lux said.

"I'm going," Jaehee replied happily.

"Going?" Lux exclaimed. "But—"

Jaehee stopped her with a wave of her hand.

"Don't worry, Lux; you and Jihyun are welcome to stay."

"Are you going somewhere?" Jihyun said curiously.

"Home," Jaehee quipped. "You two have fun."

Lux watched, a little dumbfounded, as Jaehee took her belongings and walked off. Before stepping out she made sure to lock the door. Then, with a jaunty wave, she was gone and out of sight. Lux blinked and turned to Jihyun. After sharing a shocked look they chuckled at the situation they found themselves in. She wrapped her hands around the cup as Jihyun took a sip.

“This is good,” he complimented.

Lux smiled, “Thank you very much.”

"You must have worked very hard to get these samples."

"Oh, no. I just used what I learned from being a party coordinator."

Jihyun smiled at that, "I'm glad we helped you in that way."

"Yes, but I learned more than that from you and the RFA," Lux replied.

There were his ears again, glowing pink at her compliment.

"Me coming here suddenly must have surprised you," he continued.

She chuckled and nodded.

"A little bit."

He winced, "I intended to visit earlier but Jumin wanted to spend time with me and catch up. He said I made him suffer—and, well, I consider him my brother more than anything else."

"It's okay," she assured him. "It's your time to spend."

"Thank you for understanding," he smiled in relief. "I had to remind him that I made you suffer too. I've made you wait for a long time and I shouldn't be making you wait longer. That's when he told me about the cafe."

Lux's cheeks warmed at his words, "You said that?"

"I did."

"That's funny actually... when I didn't hear from you after the party I had to wonder if I dreamt you up. I had to ask some of the members if you were real."

Jihyun's eyes widened, "Did you?"

She laughed, "Yes... I was going to ask Jumin but I didn't want to worry him if it did turn out that you weren't real and it was all just in my head."

"Oh, no. I'm so sorry!"

Jihyun was chuckling but she couldn't mistake the guilt that flashed across his face for a second. Now she felt a little remorseful for making him feel that way. It wasn't meant to be a guilt-trip… more of a silly anecdote.

"I'm here now," he continued.

Lux hesitated before replying, "Yes... you are here."

After that, their conversation turned to more positive subjects. Lux learned that he moved around a lot, learning from every place he explored. He met so many people and grew because of them. He learned things about life his father never taught him... things that his mother tried to let him see. In turn, Lux told him her stories and experiences, answering every question he asked. She tried her best not to show how lonely it had been without him. He needed to heal and she wanted to give him the space to do so.

"I'm relieved that you've been happy and healthy this past couple of years," Jihyun said. "I'm sorry for being away so long. It must have been hard for you. Thank you very much for being patient with me and for welcoming me when I returned."

Lux's throat tightened and she mustered a smile for him.

"The RFA had been very helpful," she said, "so I wasn't alone. I'm lucky compared to you. The journey you had to go through by yourself must have been harder."

"It was hard, yes," he said softly. "But I had you to think about. I had your encouragements to return to whenever I felt like giving up. You and the RFA... you all gave me the strength to keep going."

"I'm happy to hear that, Jihyun."

They both smiled at each other. Then, Jihyun glanced at the clock.

"Oh, where did the time go?" he said. "It's midnight."

Lux glanced at the clock too, "Oh, wow, you're right."

"Let me drop you off," he said, standing up.

"Are you sure? I don't mind taking a taxi."

She stood up as he smiled at her.

"Please, it's no trouble. I'd rather see you home personally."

"Thank you," she replied.

Lux took the cups and Jihyun stood by as she cleaned up. They walked out of the cafe together after she grabbed her belongings. After she locked up, he walked her to his car and helped her get in first. Then, he went into the driver's seat and they were on their way.

The drive was quiet but comfortable. Every so often they'd look at each other and smile. Jihyun had turned on the radio and she smiled in appreciation at the classical music reverberating from the speakers. Chopin's nocturne relaxed her body, making her sink into the leather seat. The street lamps outside broke up the long expanse of darkness ahead. With fewer cars going past them now the whole atmosphere was that of quiet solitude.

"After being overseas for so long," Jihyun said softly as he made a turn. "The streets here felt foreign to me. Before, I knew my way around... now, I had to relearn a few things."

"It seems like you're doing well," she said.

"I'm relieved... I was worried I'd forget what home felt like."

Soon, he drove through a suburban area. He had to ask her for directions for which she was happy to provide. In no time at all, they arrived at her home. Jihyun looked out the windshield in interest as she prepared to step out.

"I haven't seen your home before," he said. "This is very nice."

"It is, yes," she answered, chuckling.

"Well, good night," he continued. "I'll see you soon."

She was about to open the door but his words made her stop.

"You will, won't you?" she asked suddenly. "See me again?"

“What do you mean?”

Lux looked up at him and saw his confused smile.

God, did she sound like a crazy person?

"I mean..." she said nervously. ”You are here, aren't you? I know what I said back in the cafe and I know you said you're here... but a part of me still can't believe it. I'm worried that this is all a dream—that I'd wake up and realise you're still gone."

As she rambled Jihyun's smile dissipated to surprise. Then there was that same look of guilt again. She didn't want to hurt him but at the same time, she wouldn't dare believe anything... because he's been gone for so long. As they gazed at each other the look of guilt on his face made way for a gentle smile. He faced her fully and then held out his hands.

"Here," he said.

She hesitated and looked at them—long-fingered and soft-looking. She sensed what he was trying to do... but what if she reached out and he disappeared? She wasn't sure if she preferred to confirm her fears this way than by simply waking up. She looked into his eyes and he gazed back steadily at her. In his eyes was assurance, a gentle plea to trust him. In their short time together he never gave her reason not to.

This time shouldn't be different.

Sighing, she gulped and slipped her hands in his.

"I am here," he said. "I won't go anywhere anymore, I promise."

He squeezed her hands and she squeezed back. The warmth of his skin permeated hers. He rand his thumbs over the backs of her hands. He was gentle and tender... and somehow that was all the proof she needed to know this was real. He was telling her the truth. With a relieved smile, she nodded.

"I believe you."

[jihyuncompass]

Birthday Wishes

Day Seven, tomorrow is the last day. This week has gone by so fast already, I hope you enjoy this one!

Jihyun Week 2020 Day Seven ( @mysme-events​ )

Birthday

Jihyun Kim x MC 

Word Count: 3.8k

Summary: You celebrate Jihyun’s birthday with a surprise or two. 

You woke up first that morning. The sun started to stream in through the windows, you blinked the sleep out of your eyes and glanced at the clock. It was still early in the morning but you knew soon enough Jihyun would be waking up too. 

Behind you Jihyun was breathing softly. You felt his breath on the back of your neck, and his arms around your middle. In your sleep riddled state you thought carefully through your plan for the day again. You’d planned things carefully but every detail was important. You ran through the plan twice in your head before determining you knew it well enough. 

You turned around slowly trying not to wake Jihyun just yet. You smiled looking over his sleeping features. When he slept he always looked so peaceful, you watched him and pushed some of his hair out of his face. He took a deep breath and sighed, shifting to press his face further into the pillow. Smiling at him you pressed a kiss to his forehead. 

Jihyun hummed in his sleep, his arms around you getting tighter. You continued by kissing his forehead and moved down to kiss his cheek and his jaw. Jihyun shifted and you heard him start to laugh softly. 

“Good morning.” Jihyun said in his raspy morning voice. You gave him one more kiss on the tip of his nose. 

“Happy birthday love.” Jihyun’s eyes opened, though half lidded and still very tired. 

“Thank you my love.” He said leaning in to kiss your forehead. You smiled and ran a hand through his hair to push it away with a smile. 

“What do you want for breakfast? I’ll make you whatever you want.” Jihyun held you tight to his chest. 

“I’ll think about it, but right now I just want to stay like this.” You smiled and put your arms around him to also be holding him, staying close to one another. Together you lied there in silence, just enjoying each other’s company and touch. Lying close to his chest you could hear Jihyun’s heart beating. 

As much as you enjoyed lying close to him you also knew you had to get up soon. Your plans were very careful, and you couldn’t let any mistakes be made. Your hard work couldn’t be revealed so early. 

“Jihyun.” You whispered to him. “We should get up now, it’s time to eat.” Jihyun mumbled above you but you repeated yourself. “Love at least let me cook you breakfast, you can stay in bed if you want.” 

After a second Jihyun sighed. “No, we should eat.” Hesitantly he let you go and sat up to stretch his arms above his head. You both dragged yourselves out of bed and into the kitchen. You started cooking your breakfast while Jihyun started making the morning coffee coffee. Jihyun was one for the hand poured type so he took time carefully pouring water over the coffee grounds. 

You both set your breakfast spread out on the table and drank from your matching coffee mugs. 

“So.” Jihyun began. “I’m sure you have all sorts of plans?” You looked up at him. 

“What makes you think I have plans?” You joked. “Well you’re right I do have a couple. I was thinking we could go hiking at that trail I know you like, and then maybe go for some dinner afterwards?” You asked him. His eye brow raised, but he smiled. 

“That sounds wonderful.” Jihyun said, finishing his coffee. “I’m guessing you’ll want to leave soon?” 

“You read my mind.” You said to him. “I’ll clean up breakfast and get ready so you can go and take a shower and all that.” You explained. Jihyun grinned back, working at eating his breakfast faster now. 

Throughout breakfast your eyes drifted to the clock on the stove. Making a mental note of the time. Considering you’d planned your day down to the minute you had to make sure you were on schedule. You tried to hide your eye on the clock from Jihyun, you were worried you’d give yourself away too quickly. 

He didn’t seem to notice, more focused on enjoying his breakfast and the day ahead. You tried to pace yourself with him on eating, Even if he was finished he wasn’t likely to leave until you’d finished too. 

The second he was finished you were encouraging him to go and get ready. Insisting on cleaning up. 

“It’s your birthday Jihyun! You get to enjoy your day and I’ll do this cleaning.” You waved him off. 

“I really don’t mind helping though.” He said. You shook your head insistently. 

“Just let me do it. Go shower love.” He sighed and got up walking towards the bathroom. Seeing your chance you pulled out your phone to open the messenger. Into the special secret chatroom you had Luciel set up. 

MC has entered the chatroom 

MC: Alright we’re getting ready now. 

MC: We’ll probably be out of the house in the next thirty minutes

MC: Everyone remember the plan? 

Jumin Han: Yes. 

Jumin Han: I’ve already begun preparation on my end. 

Jumin Han: You’re still arriving at the same time correct? 

MC: Yes. That’s the plan. I’ll text you when we’re on our way up. 

MC: Seven, Saeran you have everything sorted like I asked right? 

707: Yup~! We got all the goods! 

MC: You still have the spare key I gave you both right? 

Saeran: Yes. I have it with me. 

MC: I knew I could count on you Saeran thank you. 

MC: Okay. Zen, you’re still picking Yoosung up right? 

ZEN: Yeah. 

ZEN: 6PM right Yoosung? 

ZEN: Yoosung?? 

707: He’s probably playing LOLOL lol 

Yoosung: No I wasn’t!!! 

707: Suuuuuure 

ZEN: Yoosung! 6 right? 

Yoosung: Yep!!! I’ll be ready then. 

MC: Okay, okay. Uh what’s left….

MC: oh! Jaehee, you made that cake I told you about?

Jaehee Kang: I did, I’m putting the finishing touches on it today. 

Jaehee Kang: It’ll be ready in time. 

MC: Thank you!! He’s going to love it I just know. 

MC: Jihyun’s getting out of the shower I have to go. 

MC: We’ll be hiking so I’m not sure how much service I’ll have. 

Yoosung: No service… sounds very familiar. 

707: No WONDER they’re soulmates. 

MC: Haha very funny

MC: Seriously though, if you have questions just ask Jumin. 

MC: He knows the whole plan inside out. 

MC: See you all tonight!!!

MC has logged out. 

Hearing the water turn off you quickly finished your task of cleaning up breakfast and ran to the bedroom to get yourself dressed. You’d just finished putting socks on when Jihyun came into the bedroom with his hair still a little wet. 

Jihyun often insisted on wearing matching outfits. It had started months ago as a one time thing but now he loved going on dates with you while wearing the same clothes. The look of the two of you dressing the same always made him smile so brightly that you could never say no to him. 

Both dressed and ready you left the apartment holding hands. You both had small hiking backpacks on your backs. The hike you were going on wasn’t very long but you knew that it was one that he loved going on.  

As you left the building you looked up to the security camera outside your building. You weren’t certain if Luciel was looking through it but you had to think he probably was. You held your breath and hoped for the plan to go well. 

Arriving at your hiking location you took off down the trail. Jihyun had brought his camera with him. Wanting to take photos of the most beautiful sights he could find. You saw the big smile on his face and the small hop to his step as you hike through the trail .

“Love!” Jihyun said about halfway through. “Can I take a picture of you? I want to capture you in this scenery.” He said. You smiled at him. 

“Well if you insist.” You stepped forward and dropped your hiking backpack. You stepped in front of his camera. This had become a frequent event on your adventures together. He had never shown you but you were certain he kept a scrapbook just full of photos of you. 

His smile turned into his artist’s concentration. Moving to make sure he can get the perfect photo of you. After a minute or two of him snapping photos he lowered the camera and walked up to you to kiss you. 

“Thank you.” 

“You’re welcome, but maybe we should get pictures of you sometime?” You suggested. Jihyun laughed. 

“But you look so much better.” He said.

“Debatable.” You pulled away to grab your backpack. After another moment of smiling at each other you continued down the trail. In the back of your mind you hoped that preparations were going well. While you were with Jihyun you had trust that Jumin remembered all the details you’d discussed last night on the phone after Jihyun had fallen asleep. 

Your hike finished around the time you’d expected. Both happy but a little worn out, you drove home. Trying to keep your expression neutral as you crunched little details in your mind still. 

It would be fine. It’d be just fine. 

Arriving back to your apartment you unlocked the door with a quiet prayer and opened it with a small flourish. Jihyun’s face instantly lit up. 

The living room was filled with several vases full of flower bouquets. Each one carefully designed to convey the right message. Jihyun stepped further inside taking a look at the individual bouquets. 

“How? Who? When?” Jihyun said, still in a bit of shock. You smiled and closed the apartment door behind you. 

“I had the twins come in while we were gone. Saeran made these bouquets.” He looked at you, a huge grin on his face. “He went through every flower with me to make sure we made the perfect ones just for you.” His hands were covering his cheeks as he took it all in. “You like it?” 

He nodded. “I love it. I have to tell Saeran thank you too.” He sniffled looking at it all over. “You’ve made today so special for me. Thank you.” Jihyun said, now getting very emotional. 

You walked up to him and wrapped your arms around his middle to press against his back. “The day’s not over yet.” 

“I’m not sure how you can make the day even better.” Jihyun said. You grinned against his back and held him tighter. 

“There’s still dinner left my love.” You glanced at the clock. “Speaking of which we should start getting ready for, it’s a bit of a drive to get there.” Jihyun looked behind himself to look at you. 

He turned around in your arms to face you. “Is that so? How fancy should I dress?” He leaned in close. You closed the gap and kissed him, though brief you filled it with as much warmth as you could. 

“Whatever is comfortable.” He gave you  a peculiar look. “Trust me. You don’t need to go super fancy.” 

He sighed. “Okay, I trust you. Let’s get ready.” 

You both got yourselves ready and dressed. Jihyun had trusted you when you said to go for something simple and comfortable. Leaving him in an outfit that was nice but not too casual. 

“Am I driving or are you?” Jihyun asked as you gathered up your things for the night. 

“Oh neither of us are.” You said. 

“Then who?” 

“I figured it’d be fancier and more special if we had a driver pick us up. So Jumin kindly let us borrow Driver Kim for the evening.” Jihyun laughed. “On one condition that is.” 

“And that condition is..?”

You stepped towards him, everything you need in hand. “I promised him we’d stop by the penthouse for just a quick minute to say hello. I think he wants to give you your gift in person.” 

Jihyun seemed a bit confused but trusted you. “That sounds fair. Is Driver Kim here?” You checked your phone for a brief moment. 

“Looks like it. Let’s get going.” You reached out your hand to him, a small tradition you’d started doing together. Jihyun took your hand and you left the apartment heading down to where Driver Kim was waiting. 

As you got closer to Jumin’s you’d sent a quick text to the chatroom to let them know you were almost there. Jihyun sitting next to you seemed too happy to even acknowledge that you had pulled out your phone at all. 

“I wonder what this mysterious gift from Jumin could be that it had to be unwrapped in person.” He wondered out loud. You shrugged. 

“Good question, I don’t know either.” You said, now you could see Jumin’s building coming into sight. Driver Kim pulled into the building’s parking lot and stopped the front entrance to the building. 

You thanked him kindly for driving you both. Then walked in together. You’d been in Jumin’s building dozens of times by now but every time still felt so strange and otherworldly as you went towards the elevator that would take you up to the penthouse. Then having to wave hello to the security guards so they would let you past up to the top. 

Waiting in the elevator your stomach was churning. This was the moment you’d been waiting for and now you could only just wait. The doors opened and you walked down the brief hallway to knock on Jumin’s door. 

Jumin greeted you both within seconds. You shared a brief look that told you everything you needed to know. He welcomed you into the penthouse closing the door behind you. 

“Thank you both for coming, I’m sure you have big plans.” Jumin said. 

“It’s no trouble Jumin, I’m glad I got to see you.” Jihyun said. They smiled at each other and then Jumin motioned towards the living room of the penthouse. 

“The gift I’ve prepared is inside, follow me.” Jumin led you both down to his living room where you noticed Jumin hiding a small smile. In the living room he stepped to the side and flipped on the light. 

“Surprise!” From every corner of the room the members of the RFA popped up. Jihyun looked around the room completely taken aback, he looked around at everyone who was grinning at him from ear to ear. Jihyun stuttered for a minute before coming up with something to say. 

“I- what are you all doing here?” Jihyun said. You put an arm around his back to steady him a bit.  

“I kind of lied.” You admitted. “There’s no dinner reservation, but I think a party is a little better.” Jihyun grinned at you and then at everyone who was now gathering around him. His smile was so bright that you weren’t sure if he could have looked any happier than he did. 

He looked around at the rest of the penthouse. The RFA had decorated the penthouse with blue balloons and other party paraphernalia. A small pile of gifts in a corner, some music was playing through a speaker and food was set out on a table. A full and proper birthday party. 

“Thank you.” Jihyun said. “I don’t even know how to express my gratitude.” 

“There’s no need.” Jumin said looking at him. “Just enjoy it.” Jihyun nodded, taking in a deep breath, you couldn’t recall the last time you saw him look so happy. You took his hand in yours, nearly bursting yourself with how happy you felt just looking at him. He walked to the table with the food, several of his favorite foods on proud display. 

“Oh wait!” You said. Jihyun turned and looked back at you. You reached over and grabbed a silly looking plastic crown and put it on his head. You gave you a funny look. “Birthday boy gets a special crown. That’s the rules.” 

“If you say so.” Jihyun said. You looked at the rest of the RFA. 

“Well what are we waiting for?” You said. “Let’s have a party!” 

Outside of the RFA charity parties it was a rare occasion for everyone to gather together in person like this. Usually everyone's schedules were too busy or too chaotic for it to be an option but on a night like this it made you wish nights like this could happen more. 

Jumin and Zen got into a little disagreement but it ended up serving more as entertainment than anything else. Seven had insisted on singing along to every song that played over the speakers, which made Jaehee groan even if she did enjoy it a little. After a while and a few drinks Seven had been able to convince Yoosung to also join in on the singing. Saeran stuck near the fringes of the party, preferring not to talk much, but for Jihyun you knew his presence was more than enough for him. 

“Darling?” Jihyun said after a couple hours. “Can you come with me for a moment?” You nodded, taking his hand. 

You walked out onto the balcony overseeing the city. Admiring the glowing lights of the city around you. Jihyun took a long deep breath then turned to you. 

“Sorry I just wanted to talk somewhere quiet for a second.” He put an arm around your waist, looking deeply into your eyes. “I just wanted to thank you for doing all of this.” 

“It was a group effort, Jumin did most of the planning if I’m being honest.” Jihyun leaned closer, now all you could see was his bright blue eyes. 

“Yes but I’m assuming this was your idea in the first place?” You shrugged. 

“Maybe I can take credit for that.” Jihyun kissed you. His other hand cupping your cheek. Your hands rested on his shoulders, rising up to go around his neck. “Do you like it?” You asked when you’d broken away for a moment. 

After another long lingering kiss he spoke. “I do, this is the best birthday I think I’ve ever had.” You held him close, swaying a bit to the music you could hear coming from the inside. 

“I’m glad.” You whispered. “You deserve a good birthday every year.” You ran a hand through his hair, pushing his hair back a bit. “And I hope I can make each birthday better than the one before it.” 

“You already have.” He whispered. “I love you, I love you so very much.” 

“I love you Jihyun, more than anyone else in this universe, and this birthday is just one of many more to come.” 

Keeping himself only centimeters from your face he whispered just loud enough for you to hear. “I’m looking forward to it.” He leaned forward, kissing you again and again. Each one softer and warmer than the last. He pulled away to look at your face. “I have no idea what everyone has gotten me but I already know what my favorite gift is.” Jihyun said, voice barely above a whisper. 

“What’s your favorite then?” 

“You are.” He kissed you, again and again. “Having you here, in my life, in my arms. I couldn’t have ever asked for anything better.” You held his face in your hands, pulling him forward. You never wanted to be away from him, you just wanted to kiss him forever. 

“There you two are!” Seven said as he opened the door. “Come on, it’s cake time!” Seven left the door open when he ran back into the penthouse. Jihyun sighed but still had a smile on his face. 

“We’ll continue later?” Jihyun asked. You nodded happily, taking his hand to go back inside the penthouse. 

The table once filled with food was now filled with food now just had one thing on it. A large circular white cake, decorated with white frosting and strawberries on top. Jihyun sucked in a breath when he saw it. 

“Is this?” You nodded.

“You once told me about the one birthday you remember spending with your mother. She made you a cake like this right?” Jihyun bit his lip to hold back tears nodding. You hugged him tight while his eyes couldn’t leave the cake in front of him. Candles placed carefully and already lit. 

Jihyun moved from your embrace to stand facing the cake, the smile on his face warm and full of joy. 

“Don’t forget to make a wish.” You said. “That’s the most important part.” 

“I’ll make a wish.” Jihyun promised. Raising your arms you motioned for everyone to start singing. Together in a sort of flawed unison you all started singing. 

“Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday to you! Happy birthday dear Jihyun! Happy birthday to you!” As Seven continued with joke verses Jihyun closed his eyes and blew out the lit candles while you and your friends clapped and cheered.  

“What did you wish for?” Saeran asked, standing a bit away. 

“That’s not how that works!” Zen said. “You’re supposed to keep it a secret.” 

“No it’s alright.” Jihyun said, his eyes showing you a look of deep and genuine love and affection. “I wished that I could have every birthday be as happy as this one.” With a smile Jumin raised his glass. 

“I think that’s worthy of a toast.” Together you all raised your glasses. Collectively wishing for the same thing. Not a single face without a smile. 

After the cake had been eaten, the presents opened, and the party over you and Jihyun had gotten into bed almost immediately. Too tired to think about anything but sleep. 

Jihyun’s head rested on your shoulder and chest, holding onto you tightly. You had one arm around his waist and the other playing with his hair. You were both nearly asleep now, using your last few moments of wakefulness to enjoy being close to each other. 

Barely awake you heard Jihyun say something to you. 

“I actually wished for two things when I blew out the candles.” He said. 

“Mmm what was the other thing?” You muttered back, not even able to keep your eyes open to look at him. 

“I wished for every birthday to be as happy as this one, and, that you would always be there to celebrate with me.” In your sleepy state you kissed the top of his head. 

“I’ll be here for every birthday you have.” You whispered. “I want to spend the rest of my life with you, birthdays included.”

You were asleep before Jihyun said anything more, but in your dreams you could have sworn you heard him. 

“Let’s get married then, my love.” 

[jihyuncompass]

Sincerely With All My Heart

Jihyun Week 2020 Day Two ( @mysme-events​ )

Letters

Jihyun Kim x MC 

Word Count: 3.2k

Warnings: N/A

Summary: On your one year anniversary you and Jihyun reminisce. 

On the first anniversary of being with Jihyun, and the third anniversary since you first met him, the two of you sat together at the dinner table. Dinner had been finished for a while by now. Both of your plates are empty and glasses of wine are already finished. Now you were just sitting at the table, talking about whatever was on your mind. 

“Dinner was good?” Jihyun asked you. You smiled. 

“Dinner was amazing. That recipe you found was incredible, we’ll definitely have to hold onto it.” 

“Agreed.” Jihyun inched his hand over to hold yours. He had the most gentle of smiles, the ones that warmed your heart and made butterflies flutter in your stomach. It’s a smile that could take over the world if he wanted it to. 

The past year could only be described as the best year of your life. From the day Jihyun returned to you at the RFA party it felt like your world had been filled with so much more life. The things you previously found dull like cooking, cleaning and doing the smallest of household chores felt like grand adventures and sweet romanticized moments you could only find in a film. Jihyun truly felt like the last missing puzzle piece of your heart, and with him you felt happier than you’d ever been. 

Now sitting here, holding onto his hand, staring into his eyes you could help but smile like an idiot. You just wanted to keep staring at him and never stop, let yourself get lost in his vibrant eyes over and over again. 

“I have a gift for you.” Jihyun said, snapping your out of your train of thought. You leaned forward. 

“So do I.” You said.

“Then why don’t we take care of these first?” Jihyun’s smile grew while he pushed his chair back and grabbed the plates you both had pushed aside, taking the plates he went back to the kitchen. Getting up from your chair you took the two dirty wine glasses and followed him. 

You began your usual routine, Jihyun washed and scrubbed the dishes while you rinsed and dried them. At this point it was automatic, you knew when to reach out your hand to take a plate and he knew when you were about done with whatever you were drying in order to hand you the next one. Together you hummed along to the music you had playing over the sound of the running water. Little words were spoken, but they didn’t need to be. The feeling of being close to one another was more than enough. 

Working together the two of you finished washing the dishes quickly and then made quick work of putting them all away. Again with few words needing to be spoken. 

Choosing to move to the living room you both brought out the gifts you’d prepared for each other. Earlier in the month you’d both agreed not to go with anything to fancy. Preferring gifts more from the heart than something expensive. 

The gifts were two similarly shaped boxes. Sitting beside each other you both slowly tore off the wrapping paper covering the gifts. Both finding matching boxes willed with envelopes. 

You both looked at each other, similar looks of confusion. 

“Jihyun are these?” 

“They’re some of the letters I wrote to you while I was gone.” He said. “I sent you some but there were dozens I couldn’t get the courage to send. So I put them in this box to hold onto, but. I want you to be able to read them now.” You smiled and looked back into the box, sure enough you could see several dozen letters, all with your name written on the envelope in Jihyun’s messy handwriting. “And these letters are?” 

You looked over to the box you’d given him. “Well I couldn’t really send you letters, since I rarely knew where you were but I would write to you, a lot. And since I couldn’t send them I just collected them.” He looked into the box, at the similarly dozens of letters you wrote to him. The two of you laughed. “I guess great minds think alike huh?” 

Jihyun kissed your cheek. “I guess so.” He turned back to the box, taking out the first letter in the box. Dated just a week after he had left. Being careful to not tear the envelope he opened it and pulled out the paper inside. Unfolding the pages. 

“Dear V,” He started. “It’s only been a few days since you’ve left, and yet I miss you so much already. We knew each other for such a short amount of time and yet I find my world completely changed. I still remember the way you looked at me that last time we saw each other, I want to remember that look forever. 

I don’t know where you are right now. You could be anywhere in the world right now, but I hope wherever you are you’re safe, and I hope you can find some of the answers I know you are so desperately looking for. 

I miss you, and I promise I’ll wait.

Sincerely yours, MC.”

A small smile was present on your face. Even though you had collected these to give to him, you hadn’t read them back since you first wrote them. Inclined to just seal them up and move on with them. Jihyun put the letter back into the envelope and then motioned towards you. 

“It’s your turn.” He said. 

“Is that how we’re doing this?” You laughed. “Alright, I’ll read one of yours.” You took out the first one. Dated just merely a day after he had left. You opened up the envelope and cleared your throat. 

“Dear MC, 

I still can not get the picture of you out of my mind. I’m currently at the airport, waiting on a taxi to take me to a hotel I’ve booked, and sitting here I can’t get you out of my head. There’s this temptation in the back of my head to turn around and get back on a plane home. But I won’t. This is something I need to do, and I’ll return to you when it’s the right time. 

Even though I’m not with you I hope you know I’m thinking about you. I wonder if you can feel my heart reaching out to you. 

As selfish as it might be. I hope you’ll wait for me. 

Yours truly, V.”

You closed the letter, even just reading it you can remember the voice of the man you met first. The mysterious photographer V, and thinking about Jihyun now, it truly was like he was a  completely different person. Yet still in his words you could feel the seeds of the Jihyun Kim you know starting to take form. 

Setting it aside so you would remember you’d opened that one you looked back to Jihyun. 

“Your turn.” He turned back to the box and retrieved the next envelope. This one dated one month after he’d left. You tried to think back on what you had written in, or what was on your mind at that point. While he opened it you couldn’t force yourself to remember. 

“Dear V, 

The past month has been so strange. Adjusting after everything has been a lot harder than I expected. Though, I guess I didn’t expect it to be easy either. I guess you don’t just get abducted by a cult and go back to normal life huh? 

Luciel told me you were in Europe recently. I wonder what you saw there, I keep imagining you in art museums, walking along the city streets with your camera. I hope you’re enjoying yourself, and I hope your eyes are healing well. 

I constantly find myself thinking about you. Every time something happens you are the first person I always want to tell. Even though by now we have spent far more time apart than we have together I still think of you. And I can’t help but wonder, if you’re thinking about me too. 

I’m still waiting, and I don’t plan on stopping. 

Sincerely yours, MC.”

Jihyun looked at you, closing up the letter. “I did think about you. All the time. Everywhere I went I would constantly imagine you there with me. The first few months, those were the most difficult and imagining you with me. It always helped.” You leaned over kissing Jihyun’s cheek. “Now. I think it’s your turn?” You pulled out the next one. This one marked around three months after he had left. 

Two things also came inside it. One was a torn up plane ticket. Listing for the same date as the letter. A flight that had obviously been cancelled. The second thing, what looked to be a sketch. It looked like a bustling coffee shop. In the corner of the paper, Jihyun’s signature. 

“Dear MC, 

I’ve been in London for the past week and a half. Being here I am struck by just how beautiful it is, and just how much I wish you were here with me. 

Last night I bought a plane ticket on a whim. I had been struggling, nightmares seemed to be constantly plaguing my mind, and when I would wake up all I could think of was you. I almost longed for the days I was under the influence of that drug, if only so I could wake up with you next to me. There to comfort me when I felt scared. 

I ended up cancelling the ticket, as badly as I want to see you. I also want to see you when I’m the man who deserves to be around you. And considering my state last night, I still have a lot of work to do. 

This morning I sat in a coffee shop, feeling lost in my own thoughts. And for the first time in as long as I can remember I felt the urge to draw my surroundings. My skills aren’t very good yet and I wish I could have done better, but this is progress. 

I miss you, and I hope you’re well. 

Yours truly, V.” 

You held the sketch in your hand, You could nearly imagine yourself sitting there, seeing all the very things he saw, and looking over the details, you could see where his art style was taking shape. Although only in small details here. 

Jihyun shook his head at the sketch. “That is much worse than I remember it being.” You raised your eyebrow. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about, I think it looks great.” You smiled looking over the details again. “I can tell you worked hard on it, and I love it.” You slipped the ripped up ticket and the sketch back with the letter in the envelope. You motioned towards the box in Jihyun’s lap. “Your turn now.” 

This letter was dated six months after he left. Like the others you wondered about its contents. Jihyun opened it and unfolded the page, before he spoke you saw the way his eyes read the first sentence with hesitation. 

“Dear V,

I broke down in front of Jumin today.

We were just having dinner. Like we have for months now, I’d had only one glass of wine. We were sitting on the couch, just talking. He’d been talking about his childhood with you. He even pulled out old photos of you. 

He showed me a picture of when you were a kid, and ones from highschool. But then there was this one. It was you and Jumin, and Rika. 

There was something about seeing her that set me off. I just kept imagining her standing over you back at Mint Eye. Down in that dungeon after you’d been drugged. I kept seeing the way you looked after she’d stabbed you. I just. Kept hearing her voice in my head. And I broke down. 

I feel terrible for Jumin. He had no idea what to do, and I couldn’t stop crying. In the past six months I’ve cried a lot sure, but never in front of anyone, and especially not in front of Jumin. 

I guess. I guess what happened left a much bigger mark on me than I thought. 

I miss you V, but I’ll keep waiting. 

Yours truly, MC.” 

Jihyun closed this letter slowly, He looked at you, you took his hand. 

“I had a rough go of it for a while.” You cringed. “Actually the six months to one year point was pretty rough.” Jihyun moved to sit closer to you, to see your face more up close. “I don’t think I really dealt with what happened, and then it all kind of hit at once.” Shrugging you rubbed the back of your neck. 

You and Jihyun moved through the stacks of letters. Some were written days apart, others, weeks. Some of them were deep and philosophical, others were mundane. Like the one where you spent all of the page complaining about your grocery list, or another one where Jihyun wrote about a terrible plane ride he’d been on. Some were positive, filled with hope and a belief that things would get better. Then some were sad, like when Jihyun wrote about his mother, or his relationship with Rika. Some of yours were angry. Angry at the world, at life, at Rika, at him, at yourself. 

The both of you cringed at the angry ones you had written. He read them while you apologized continuously. You assured him you were just struggling and didn’t know how to direct your emotions. And Jihyun forgave you with a kiss and a hug. 

“I’m sorry I wasn’t here to help you when you were struggling. You shouldn't have felt like you were going through it alone.” You held him tight but shook your head. 

“No, you shouldn’t have had to feel like you had to care for me. You had so much you were also trying to figure out. By staying you would have ended up taking care of me instead of yourself.” 

“I guess you’re right about that.” He put the last letter he read back in the box. “You do know me well.” You laughed. 

Like with the letters you wrote, there were ones Jihyun had written that made him cringe. Though instead of the anger you had, Jihyun’s letters held sadness. The kind that felt reminiscent of your time in the safe house while he was recovering. When he was determined to go back to Rika, to sacrifice himself. In his letters he wrote of how much he missed you, how much he wanted to come back. 

After a particularly cringy one Jihyun had pulled part of his sweater over his head in embarrassment. 

“I was not having a great time that night.” He said. “I also think I’d had a little too much to drink, I’m so sorry.” You laughed reading over the letter again. 

“I want to paint only you forever, I don’t care if I become poor and destitute, I only want to create your image.” Jihyun groaned. “I think it’s cute.” He shook his head. 

“Can we just move on?” You put it back in the box and ran a hand through his hair poking out from his sweater where his face was hidden. 

“Sure love, why don’t you read one?”

You read through more letters and notes until you got to the last one. You read the date, only one day before his return to you. A smile crossed your face while you pulled out this final note. Unfolding it you began to read aloud, one more time. 

“My dearest MC, 

I’m sitting in the airport now. My flight to you boards in just under an hour. I can’t deny how excited I am to return to you. Everytime my mind wanders it goes to you, I wonder what you’ll look like. How much you’ve changed since I saw you two years ago. 

I keep thinking of what I want to say to you, I tried to even write out a speech for you. Confessing everything I feel, everything I’ve learned since I’ve been away, but no matter what I wrote it never seemed to sound right. Maybe it would be better if I just spoke from the heart. 

This is the moment I’ve been dreaming about for the past two years. Since even before I left you. Somehow I’m still nervous though. So much can change in two years, I know I have. The one thing though, that hasn’t changed is my feelings for you. 

Even if I couldn’t admit it then. I love you. More than I’ve ever loved anyone in my life. 

I imagine this will likely be my last letter to you. Since I’ll be seeing you in only a few hours, but I love you. I love you so much. 

With love, Jihyun Kim.” 

Tears filled your eyes, Jihyun’s hand moved up to wipe the ones that escaped away from your cheeks. You sniffled and put it back in its envelope. Putting it back so carefully. 

“I love you too Jihyun, My feelings never changed either, just got stronger.” You leaned in and kissed him. The words of the latter written 366 days ago still in your head, then pulling away you glanced to the last letter you wrote to him. Dated for the same day.  “Go ahead.” 

He opened the final one, taking in a deep breath. You curled around him, arms circling his waist and your head on his shoulder. This is one you remembered well. 

“My love, V. 

I just picked up my dry cleaning. Tomorrow is the RFA party. The first one since the cancelled one two years ago. I’ve been planning it for months now, this party is going to be huge. We have celebrities of all kinds coming, and so many different unique guests. I can't help but be thrilled. 

I’m scared too. Jumin has assured me that everything will go well, but I hope I did okay. I think most of all, I just hope that you’d be proud of this party, and think I did a good job. 

The fact it’s been two years since I last saw you doesn’t feel real. It feels like just yesterday I said goodbye, and also? It feels like it has been a million years. 

I hope wherever you are you’re warm and comfortable. I hope you’ve found the courage to paint again, I hope your heart has healed since I last saw you. As much as I want you to come home to me I also hope you’re at peace. Because you deserve to be happy, and you deserve to feel at ease. 

I’m still waiting, and I’ll keep waiting. Even if it takes two more years, or five, or ten, even if you don’t return until we’re old and wrinkled I’ll still wait. My heart is yours, and it will always be. 

Tomorrow and forever, everything I do will be dedicated to you. I love you Jihyun Kim, and I’ll keep waiting for you. Forever. 

Sincerely, with all my heart, 

MC.” 

[jihyuncompass]

Inspired by this Royalty AU I wrote last month. Will I ever expand on this? Maybe who knows. 

Jihyun Week 2020 Day One ( @mysme-events )

Fairy Tale

Jihyun Kim x MC 

Word Count: 4.1k

Warnings: Mentions of violence

Summary: You receive a mysterious letter summoning you to the castle. The only problem is, the person who sent it has been dead for over a year. 

The letter arrived on a warm summer’s day. It arrived in a beautiful envelope closed with the brightly colored wax seal of the King. You turned the letter over in your hands multiple times. As if trying to determine its authenticity. After a moment you gently tore open the letter to read the contents of the letter. 

At the Royal Request of Queen Rika you have been officially summoned to the Palace to meet with her royal highnesses. 

Reading the letter over and over you couldn’t believe what you were reading. You wondered if this letter could possibly be real, but looking at the seal, at the stationary, at the signature. There was almost no doubt in your mind that this had to have come from the palace. There was only one problem with the letter. 

Queen Rika had been dead for over a year. 

Holding the letter in your hand you slowly approached the palace. You’d travelled for hours to finally arrive at the palace only days after receiving the original letter. The palace in front of you was large and intimidating. You swallowed the lump in your throat and took a bold step forward. 

A guard stopped you where you promptly presented the letter. Making particular care to show off the official wax seal on the envelope. The guards let them through into the palace guiding them to where they could meet with one of the King’s advisor’s first. Waiting patiently they clutched the letter in their hands. Their knees bounced under the table.  

Head royal advisor Jumin Han and secondary royal advisor Jaehee Kang entered the room. Both dressed elegantly and professionally. They sat across from them, Jumin’s eyes analyzing every detail, and based on the way he looked at them he wasn’t very impressed. 

“We were informed by one of the guards that you received a letter summoning you to the palace?” Jaehee Kang asked. You slid the letter across the table, Jumin delicately picked it up. His fingers ran over the wax seal, and then read over the contents of the letter. Jumin’s brow furrowed. 

“Strange.” Jumin muttered. 

“That’s, that is the royal seal, and the official stationary.” Jaehee whispered. They were silent before Jumin finished the thought. 

“However, it’s impossible that this was sent by the Queen. She departed from this world over a year ago now.” Jumin explained. 

You sat up straighter. “Then who sent me this?”

“That’s a good question.” Jumin said. “This must have been sent from the palace if they used the official seal.” Jumin stood up from his seat, still holding the letter in his hand. “I must speak urgently with the King about this. Until then, then you will need to stay here.” You nodded, quickly watching the two advisors leave the room. Jaehee giving you a quick look before the door shut behind her. 

Within the next two hours you were moved into a different room, a much larger, much grander room. Where you were met with the two royal advisors again, a young knight, and a  strange young man with bright red hair. They all sat around the table, looking at you with looks of confusion and guarded hesitation. 

The room was silent until the final person entered the room. His entrance caused the whole room to stand and bow in respect. You were struck silent as you locked eyes with the King. 

You weren’t sure what you’d expected from him. You had expected him to have this intimidating presence, one that oozed power and control. The king standing in front of you however was not like this. He glanced at you with kind, warm eyes. He almost didn’t look like a King, he seemed like anyone else in the world.

“My name is V.” The King said. “May I ask your name?” 

“MC, your highness.” You bowed a little more. V gave you a gentle smile and motioned for you to sit. Taking his order you sat back down in your chair. Rubbing your hands together anxiously out of sight under the table. 

Jumin set the letter in front of the King. “They received this letter, supposedly from the palace.” V picked up the letter, reading it over multiple times. His face was hard to read, but based on his silence you could assume he also was confused by the letter. 

“Rika.” V whispered. “She sent this?” 

“How is that possible?” Jumin asked first. “Considering her death-”

“Her disappearance.” A young blonde knight interrupted. Jumin looked over at the boy, giving him a stern but sympathetic look. 

“Yes. Considering Queen Rika’s disappearance was over a year ago now it doesn’t seem possible that she could have sent this letter.” Jumin finished. The young blonde Knight was looking down at his feet. 

“Maybe she’s still alive?” The same blonde Knight asked. Jaehee shook her head, glancing at the letter still in the King’s hands. 

“It’s far more likely Yoosung, that someone within the palace sent this. Even if her highness was still alive, how would she have access to the royal seal?” The knight, Yoosung looked back down. Just by looking at him you could see something was going through his head. Though you didn’t know what it could be. 

You cleared your throat to gain the courage to speak. “But, regardless of who sent it. Why me?” The question left the room silent. 

“That’s a good question.” The redhead said. He hadn’t spoken much in the meeting but now he was watching you intently. “You don’t have any connections with anyone in the royal court? In this Kingdom or another?” You shook your head. 

“I’m just an ordinary person.” 

“Whatever the reason.” V said, finally tearing his eyes away from the letter. “I want to take this as some kind of sign.” You attempted to not let your confusion show on your face, but before you could try, Jumin had already taken the words out of your mouth. 

“What kind of sign?” The King looked up and into your eyes. 

“Perhaps you were chosen for something we don’t understand quite yet.” The room seemed unsure of the King’s answer. “I think, until we are sure of the reason why you were brought here, and who it was who sent the letter, you should stay here in the palace.” 

A plan was concocted from that point, you were asked to go under a different identity, masking yourself as a member of the nobility from another kingdom. The backstory given to you was that you had been sent here for a possible political marriage for the King, to bring good relations between two kingdoms. Arriving with you was your most trusted Knight, Seven. Who in reality, was the redheaded boy you learned was a spy by the name of Luciel. And until the purpose and sender of the letter was discovered, you were to stay in the palace, acting in this role. 

Sitting in your newly appointed chambers you thought back to your meeting with the King. He hadn’t spoken much, but he also was the one who suggested that you stay here in the palace. However, the thing that kept getting to you was the comment Yoosung had made. Supposedly the Queen had died of some kind of tragedy over a year ago, however based on the comment made it sounds like the Queen just disappeared and is believed to be dead. 

You thought for a while when a knock broke you out of your thoughts. Brushing yourself off you walked towards the door. Most likely it was Luciel again, to check up on you and make sure everything is clear and you know what you’re doing. 

What you did not expect was for the King to be on the other side. 

“Your highness.” You bowed to him, he looked a bit sheepish but accepted the bow. “How may I help you?” He looked around the corridor before turning back to you. 

“If it’s alright, may I come inside?” You tried not to stutter but you made room for V to enter the room. It was strange watching him, you knew that he was the King, he should have this intimidating atmosphere. Yet being near him you didn’t feel intimidating, he almost didn’t feel like a King. He sat down at the small table in the corner of the room and motioned for you to sit across from him. 

You kept your hands folded in your lap. “Is there something you wanted to discuss with your majesty?” You asked him.

“Please,” He started. “In private please call me V.” You swallowed the lump in your throat and nodded. 

“Alright. V.” You said slowly. The words felt strange coming from you, but he seemed to visibly relax when you called him his name. 

He cleared his throat. “I wanted to speak with you privately, I understand this whole situation must be very stressful for you.” You shrugged. “However, I hope you understand how strange this situation is. All we want is to know who sent you here, and for what reason.” You nodded, the King, no V seemed gentle, but the longer you looked at his face the sadness that seemed to be etched there seemed more pronounced. 

“Thank you for your concern, and I really don’t mind. This situation is rather… concerning.” You said. Looking at him again, you tried to take in the little details in his face. The things you hadn’t noticed before. “And, I’m sorry about the Queen. It’s truly a tragedy what happened.” The king looked down at his feet, looking at him from this angle you thought you could see something. Like a small scar just above his eyelids. Matching ones on each eye. 

You didn’t get a good look before he sat up straight again. “Thank you, it’s. It’s still difficult but I appreciate your words.” He smiled, a small pained smile. “And I hope you know that I want you to be as comfortable as possible here. So if there’s anything that can be done to help you feel comfortable. Please let me or my advisors know alright?” 

“Yes. I will thank you.” You smiled back. The two of you locked eyes, staring at each other in silence for quite a while. Until V finally broke the silence between the two of you. 

“I have no doubt that this double life you will have to lead will be difficult. But I promise I will be there to support you and help in any way possible.” Even though you didn’t know him well you could tell he was being honest with you. You gave him a genuine smile. Feeling just the littlest bit assured. 

The next few weeks went by quickly, days were spent walking around the palace grounds. Anytime you left your chambers Luciel would follow you around, pretending to be your knight. In that time you had time to get to know him well. He told you about how the King and Queen had saved his life by giving him his job, and how he owes his life to them. 

You also grew closer with the rest of the royal court. You learned more about the two royal advisors, how Jumin and V had grown up together and had an unbreakable trust between them. With time you learned that Queen Rika was the young knight Yoosung’s cousin. Who he was supposedly very close with. Then, how much her disappearance had affected him. You had also met the King’s favorite bard, a handsome young man named Zen, who always spoke to you kindly and sang the most beautiful songs. 

During this time you grew close with the King as well. The two of you were often expected to stay close to one another, you shared meals together and spent many of your evenings in conversation with him. 

However, despite this you still found him distant towards you. Not that he was cruel, far from it. He treated you with the utmost care and attention, but he rarely talked about himself. Most of the conversations were spent with him asking you questions and avoiding answering when you asked him the same ones. At a point, you tried to be careful, wanting to respect his privacy, worried that you’d offended him. Even if he would never say if you ever did. 

By this point a couple of months had passed since the original arrival of the letter. You’d grown fairly accustomed to your life in the palace. However questions still gnawed at you. No matter how much you tried to push it aside, that thing Yoosung had said on your first day still stuck with you. 

This evening you sat alone with V in his chambers. Sharing cups of tea, and discussing whatever came to mind. You had waited until he seemed comfortable to ask your question. 

“V. can I ask you something?” He looked up at you, he seemed confused, but also curious. 

“Yes, of course. What’s on your mind?” You looked down at your hands, shooting a glance upwards your eyes found themselves back on the two matching scars on his eyelids. So subtle you usually hardly noticed them unless you were looking. 

“What happened to your eyes?” You asked. V stopped, he was silent for a moment, before collecting himself to speak. 

“My eyes are fine, why do you ask?” Hearing his words you couldn’t believe him. You had spent too much time with him, paid enough attention to know that there had to be something going on with his vision. 

Gathering your courage you pressed further. “V, I know there’s something wrong with them. You’re always squinting and have a hard time reading things. I saw how you had Jumin read out that document at the banquet the other night.” He looked at you, his expression was guarded, almost fearful. “And. I can see the marks on your eyelids, they look like scars.” V inhaled sharply. He stayed quiet though, seemingly trying to piece his thoughts together into an answer. 

“I got in a bit of an accident a while back, my eyes are okay.” 

“Can you see very well?” 

“My vision has been impacted somewhat-” He sighed. “I’ll be fine. I appreciate your concern but I promise you. My eyes are okay now.” You nodded, despite his assurances there still lived some doubt, but you didn’t want to push him too much. Even if you had grown closer in the weeks since you arrived at the palace you didn’t feel comfortable yet pushing him like that. However, a small comment couldn’t hurt. 

“V. I know you haven’t known me as long as Jumin, or the others but you don’t have to hide things from me. I trust you, and I’m not going to betray your trust.” V glanced up at you. Looking at you with his hazy eyes you saw his hand take your’s which was resting on the table. 

Thank you, I still don’t feel that I am deserving of your kindness but, your words are very thoughtful.” You stared at each other until V looked back down, the tips of his ears turning red. He held onto your hand for a while longer, seeming to savor the contact. “I should let you go now, it’s starting to get late. Be safe tonight.” He let go of your hand, though you could see the resistance in his face. 

“You too. Have a good night.” You slowly left the room. Walking back to your chambers, covertly cradling the hand V had been holding. Unable to forget the feeling of him holding onto your hand, the smallest of smiles on your face accompanied by the rapid beating of your heart.  

On the 6th week of your time in the royal court you found a letter on your bed. This one, using the same stationary, and the same wax seal as the first one. Your heart raced in your chest as you gingerly lifted the envelope. 

Opening the wax seal you pulled out a card. 

The King is a Liar. 

Your eyes read over the card over and over again. By the look of the handwriting, it looked to be the same handwriting as the first letter you’d originally received. You read the card over multiple times, your heart felt like it was in your throat. 

Multiple things went through your mind. First, in order for the letter to be here that must mean that whoever originally sent the letter must know who you are, and know where in the castle you’re staying. In the six weeks you’d been staying in the castle, your identity and your role had been left very private as a way to keep yourself safe. This stranger however, seemed to know. The other thought and the one that seemed to sink the deepest into your soul. What exactly did the message mean? What was V lying about? 

You kept the letter in your pocket during dinner that night. You sat next between V on your right and Jaehee on your right. You listened to Zen as he performed tonight’s ballads. In your time you had really grown to enjoy the sound of his performances. 

Glancing over to V he seemed to be entertained by the music. Once V had told you about how he met Zen when he was a younger man, how Queen Rika had heard him performing on the streets and asked him to perform for the palace. That story was one of the many where the longing in V’s expression became more prominent. 

The letter felt like it was burning a hole in your pocket, you wanted to ask V about it, try and get some kind of information out of him, but you would need to pull him aside in order to talk to him. 

You weren’t angry with him, not by any means, but you also were more than aware you needed some answers. There still seemed to be so many things about this situation you didn’t know. And you weren’t about to make yourself a pawn in someone else’s game. 

You waited until the end of the meal to ask to speak to him. He seemed a bit confused, but agreed with your request. You walked down to his chambers where the two of you would have the chance to talk. 

“Is everything alright? You seem a bit off today.” V asked. Looking at him there was genuine concern in his eyes. Looking at him you hesitated, but the weight of the letter in your pocket reminded you of what you needed to do. 

“V.” You took a breath. “I need you to tell me the truth.” 

His head cocked to the side. “The truth about what?” 

“What really happened to Queen Rika?” He seemed confused still. You pulled the letter from your pocket and handed it to him. He took the letter from your hand, reading the card. Holding the card you saw how his hands were shaking. 

“I never lied to you.” V said, looking up. “I swear, I-” He looked down at the letter. 

You pressed your lips together but pushed. “What happened to her the night she disappeared?” He set the letter down on the table, swallowing thickly. 

“Rika, was such a beautiful person.” He started. “And I loved her, so much but-” He cleared his throat. Even speaking on this he seemed to be struggling to continue, however he carried on. “We had gotten into an argument, we fought for hours and hours and then she.” He shook his head, tears were in his eyes now, threatening to fall down his cheeks. He reached up and touched the scars on his eyelids “She left. And I haven’t seen her since.” You watched his hands over his eyes. A realization starting to dawn on you. 

“Did. Did Rika hurt your eyes?” You stepped forward towards him, he’d said it was an accident, but the longer he stood there. Hands covering his scars, you felt that couldn’t possibly be the case. 

“It was my fault,” He said. “If I had listened to her more, if I had cared for her more, if I-” 

“Did Rika do that to you?” You asked again. V moved his hands away from his face, his increasingly unfocused blue eyes directed at you. 

“Yes.” 

Without another thought you raced forward and embraced him. Pressing your face into his chest. He quietly gasped, looking down at you. He didn’t know what to say, or even how to react. Just a moment ago he thought you were furious with him, ready to leave this castle, ready to blame him for not telling you everything. Yet here you stood, embracing him.

“It isn’t your fault.” You said, muffled. “I don’t know what exactly happened, and I don’t know the Queen but. You didn’t deserve to be hurt like that.” V still stood still, processing everything you were saying. “I’m sure you loved her the best way you could, if you treated her like you treat me, or anyone else. I’m sure she was extremely loved.” You heard a sniffle from above you and pulling back you saw V, with tears falling and his whole body shaking. 

“I-I’m sorry.” He shook his head. “You’re so kind, and I-” 

“V, you don’t have to say you’re sorry. I shouldn’t have upset you. I apologize. Maybe, maybe I should go back to my chambers.” You stepped back but V stepped forward. 

“Please stay.” He begged. “I don’t want you to go.” Slowly you took his hand, leading him to sit down. Sitting next to him he didn’t let go of your hand, almost needing it to keep himself grounded. 

You spent several moments in silence, letting him calm himself down. It admittedly felt strange, seeing the King look so tired, so emotional but you held tight to his hand and comforted him nonetheless. More than being the King, he was someone you cared for. 

After a while he took a deep breath and ran a hand through his hair. 

“You know, I don’t think anyone has truly comforted me before.” You looked at him. “You, you’re something so special. I don’t know why you were brought here, but I can’t deny how grateful I am for you.” You smiled at him. 

“I’m glad I’ve gotten to meet you.” You said, the two of you locked eyes, and despite the damage done, he was still looking right into your eyes. Anxiously V lifted a hand to touch your cheek, leaning in to press his lips gently against yours. Shutting your eyes you pressed against him, still holding tight to his other hand. A warm, happy fluttery feeling in your chest, and a desire for this moment to never end. 

On the last day of your eleventh week in the castle you had spent most of the evening with V, by this point this had become a common occurrence. The fake interest you had originally had to show to each other publicly became genuine and earnest. You laid with him on the plush lounge chair in his chambers. You laid with your head resting on his chest, V reading out loud to you. 

“You look tired.” V said, his arm around your shoulder raising up to play with your hair. “Perhaps it’s time for us to say goodnight.” 

“We’re almost finished with the book.” You said, V laughed and kissed your forehead. 

“The book will be here tomorrow, and you need your rest.” Knowing he was right you slowly lifted yourself up to sit. V following suit. You leaned back to kiss him, holding him close for only a brief second. 

“Goodnight, I’ll see you tomorrow.” He smiled and whispered to you. 

“I’ll see you tomorrow, my love.” 

The walk back to your chambers was quiet, by this point your “knight” was probably asleep but after receiving the letter you had been moved to a different room to be closer to V where it would be easier to keep you safe. 

Shutting your door behind you there was a sound of shuffling. And turning around you froze in your place at the sight of a stranger.

 Bright green eyes, unnatural hair, and an official royal wax sealed letter between his fingers. 

[spacesquidlings]

The Food You Order

Jihyun and MC often frequent a small café, if only to spend a few moments basking in each other's smiles, and to steal each other's food

Pairing: Jihyun Kim x MC

A/N: Day 2 of Jihyun Week 2020. I chose the prompt café!!!!!!

@mysme-events

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MC squeezed Jihyun’s hand from under the table as she peered down at the menu before her, pretending like she was trying to decide what she wanted to order.

“You know you could always order your own food,” Jihyun said, narrowing his eyes as he watched her.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said, feigning innocence as she flipped the laminated page over for the third time, staring at the photo of the pink-frosted cake next to an ice cream sundae.

He sighed, and she had to bite her tongue to suppress the giggles that bubbled in her throat.

She looked up, reaching for her mug of spiced coffee, the smell of cinnamon and cardamom twining together as they spilled through the air. She grinned as Jihyun watched her cautiously, his expression wary even as a smile twitched at his lips.

They were at a small café, a little hole-in-the-wall place they’d discovered by accident after coming home from running errands. MC had wanted to go to one of the small bookstores, and Jihyun had wanted to stop by the flower shop down the street, but neither of them had wanted to let go of the other’s hand. Which had resulted in laughter filling the air as they’d both tried pulling the other towards the store they wanted to go in.

MC had clasped Jihyun’s hand with both of hers, struggling to tug him towards the bookstore when she’d stumbled on the cracked asphalt. She’d nearly fallen over, would have smacked her head against the brick wall of the building behind her, if Jihyun hadn’t caught her. His free hand reached for her waist, wrapping around her back and pulling her to her feet before she could fall, tugging her against his chest.

“So,” he’d mused, brushing a kiss to the top of her head as she’d clung to him, feeling silly and clumsy for tripping. “Since I rescued you, does that mean we can go to the flower shop?”

MC had pouted at him. “I just had a terrifying ordeal. I almost fell! And you want to go to the flower shop?”

“But you didn’t,” he’d said, grinning as he’d begun pulling her in the direction of the flower shop. “I rescued you. Which means we get to go to the flower shop.”

MC had leaned against his chest, rolling her eyes as he squeezed her waist, holding her close even as they’d walked. “Fine, you win. But…” She trailed off, chewing at the corner of her lip.

“But what?” He’d asked, his voice filled with amusement, a sunshine smile dancing on his lips.

“I want a treat,” she’d said, sticking her bottom lip out in what she considered to be an incredible pout.

Jihyun had chuckled, kissing the top of her head. “How about tea and a piece of cake?”

She’d tipped her head back, grinning as she met his gaze, his eyes as clear and warm as a summer’s sky. “I’d love that!” She’d quirked her mouth to the side, curiosity filling her mind. “But where did you come up with the idea?”

He’d pointed ahead of them, and MC had turned to see a pastel pink sandwich board advertising a small café and it’s daily specials. Which included strawberry cake and vanilla teas.

They’d gone in after visiting both the flower shop and bookstore, paper bags filled with seeds and hardcovers tucked under their arms as they’d entered.

The café had been small, large windows spilling sunshine across the pink-and-blue tiled floors. The walls were painted a soft cream, and were covered in paintings of sunny afternoons and artfully rendered cookies and cakes. The air smelled like vanilla and chocolate and sugar, and it was warm, like a summer afternoon.

They’d sat at a table near one of the windows, looking out onto a little garden behind the café filled with veggies and tulips. The sunlight had danced across Jihyun’s face, gilding him in gold, and MC had practically melted in her seat as he’d smiled at her. He’d looked like an angel, like something otherworldly and magical that had been sent to bless the world.

He’d laughed then, when she’d told him, squeezing her hand as he’d picked up the menu, his eyes still fixed on her as he’d said “I can hardly compare to you, love.”

They’d started visiting the café regularly after that, stopping in for a small treat after they’d finished running errands, or for a late lunch after wandering around the city together, or when they just wanted to go out for an hour or two. It was small and warm and the food was good and always managed to bring smiles to their faces as they ate. It was almost like a tradition at this point, to visit at least once every week or so, to enjoy the food served here.

“You know,” Jihyun said, laughter in his voice as he tried sliding his plate out of her reach now. “It’s not that hard to ask for your own cake. You could have a whole slice to yourself.”

It was also a tradition for MC to steal Jihyun’s food. He always ordered the tastiest things, and she loved seeing the silly little grin that slid across his face when he caught her spooning some of his food into her mouth.

MC shrugged, even as she waved their server over. “But your food is always so much better.”

“I wouldn’t know, I never get to eat any of it.”

MC giggled, covering her mouth with her free hand as Jihyun squeezed her other, his smile belying his teasing.

“I don’t eat all of it, Jihyun,” she said, pointing with her fork to the few bites left on his plate. “See? There’s still some for you.”

He snorted, shaking his head. “How generous you are.”

They both ordered more food and refills on their teas before the server disappeared back into the kitchen, leaving them virtually alone to bathe in the sunlight spilling from the window and in each other’s smiles.

Jihyun peaked out the window, pointing to some of the veggies growing in the garden. “I think they’re growing radishes this time,” he said, leaning to take a closer look, gold twining with his hair, setting it alight. “And I think those,” he said, pointing to the left. “Are peas.”

MC nodded, her heart growing warm as his face lit up with a light all his own, at how excited he was talking about the garden.

“Maybe we should try growing peas, too,” he said, still enraptured by the growing plants. “And maybe squash? I wanted to try growing spaghetti squash.”

MC giggled, standing and making her way around the small table to peer over his shoulder, to be closer to him as he continued talking excitedly. “Are we making another trip to the flower shop?”

Jihyun shook his head. “No, I don’t think they carry seedlings for squash. But there’s another shop just outside of the city that does.”

MC nodded, humming quietly, resting a hand on his shoulder as he continued talking, telling her about the recipes he’d like to try once they’d grown their own squash.

And then her eyes began trailing down, towards the table, towards the few frosting-covered pieces of cake that still sat on his plate, untouched.

She flicked her eyes back to Jihyun, still utterly enraptured by the plants and his garden daydreams, then back to the cake. To Jihyun, then the cake. To Jihyun, to the cake.

She kept her hand on his shoulder and she slowly leaned to the side, careful not to catch his attention. She poised her fork in the air, reaching towards the cake, a smirk playing at her lips, and she felt herself barely able to hold back the laughter that was bubbling in her throat.

It was then that Jihyun spun around, his eyes sparking like starlight. One hand wrapped around her wrist, her fork falling to the table with a dull thud as his other hand reached behind her, pressing against her back. He pulled her closer, tipping his head back and catching her in a kiss that tasted like sweet frosting and chocolate and cinnamon.

MC gasped, her eyes widening for a moment as his lips pressed against hers. But then she sank into the embrace, the cake forgotten as she leaned down, her eyes closing as she deepened the kiss.

They stayed like that for a while, uncaring that they were in public, that they were still in the midst of the café. MC heard a quiet clinking behind her, like something being set on the table, but at the moment she didn’t care.

Jihyun let go of her wrist, and she moved her hand, threading it through his hair, cupping his cheek with the other.

She felt a little breathless when they finally broke apart, felt a little silly, her mind fuzzy as she peered down at him. His face was flushed, but his eyes were brighter than the sun, glowing blue stars that sent warmth and happiness washing over her.

“What was that for?” She asked, not wanting to move, not wanting to sit back in her seat that now seemed so painfully far away from him.

He smiled, his head tipping to the side. “I just wanted to kiss my wife.”

She blinked, feeling like she was drunk on glittering, golden champagne. “Well, you did a very good job of it.”

His grin grew wider, and she found she was so enraptured by him, by his eyes and his smile and his hand at her back, that she didn’t register the way he leaned to the side. That she didn’t quite hear the clink of silverware against porcelain. Didn’t really understand what he was doing or what was happening until he was lifting the fork towards his mouth, taking a giant bite of cinnamon bun.

“Jihyun,” she gaped, her mind slowly coming back to her. “Jihyun, is that my cinnamon bun?” He nodded, icing and fruit juice staining the corner of his mouth as his smile turned teasing.

“Did you kiss me just to distract me?” She asked, feeling more than a little betrayed.

Again he nodded, looking a little smug.

“Jihyun, how could you?!” She asked, pouting at him as he took another bite.

“It’s payback, love,” he said, far too sweetly. “And the food you choose is always so good.”

She continued pouting, pressing her face against the top of his head as he chuckled.

“Come on, love,” he said, pulling away to meet her gaze. “There’s still a perfectly good cake I ordered waiting for you.”

She raised her brows, turning around to eye the perfect, untouched slice of cake sitting alone on the table.

“Well,” she said, making her way back around the table, Jihyun’s smile making her feel silly and warm again. “If you insist.”

She pulled the plate towards her, grinning. “The food you order is always better, anyways.”

[spacesquidlings]

Simple Magic

Jihyun Kim is a noble of the sea, but that means little when his heart is cloaked in shadow and he spends his days in the coldest parts of the water. And then one day he hears a voice, a song like magic, and he finally gets a taste of the sunshine and the light he has dreamt of for so long

Pairing: Jihyun Kim x MC

A/N: Day 1 of Jihyun Week 2020. I used the prompt “fairytale” and it’s a mermaid AU!!!!!

@mysme-events **********************************************************************

The ocean was cold, but Jihyun did not mind. It was his home, where he had grown and lived for all the years of his life.

He had been born in one of the deep, sprawling estates that often sunk into the shadows of the ocean, where the sun’s light had to fight through kelp and seaweed and coral and stone before struggling to slip between the spun silk of the curtains of the estate. There were spiralling towers that reached upwards, like fingers grasping for something just out of reach, and they often shone gold in the afternoon sun. The rooms in the towers were warm, too, and Jihyun used to spend his days flitting between them, wondering if this was what it was like to feel the sunlight washing across his face. If this was the warmth he would feel if he laid out on the sandy beaches that wrapped around the ocean’s waves.

Most of the estate, however, was dark, and his father’s servants used small fires to brighten the shadowed, winding halls. Although no amount of fire could compare to the sunlight he would watch trailing overhead, the sunshine he would find himself reaching for like the towers that cut through the cerulean waters.

Although he’d long since moved out of his father’s home, Jihyun was still far too used to the darkened, frigid waters. And he felt too, like it was something he deserved. Like the cold that wrapped around him was something he had earned in his imperfect life. Something he must bear and grow accustomed to for the rest of his days.

He swam further, pushing the thought to the back of his mind. This was no time to lose himself in his thoughts. Not when his arms were filled with supplies for the young class he was mentoring, the children no older than five, their fins and tails still a pallid silver, the same as most newborns. Their scales likely wouldn’t begin shifting colours for another few years, yet.

Jihyun looked down at his own scales, at the scales that had shifted to turquoise and sky blue, melting into a deep azure closer to his fins. He remembered the day they’d changed far too well, barely a few days after his mother had…

He shook his head, swallowing the bile that was building in his throat. It didn’t matter. Didn’t matter that they were colours she would have loved. That she would have told him about the sky, about the days she used to swim close to the surface just to feel the sunshine on her face. Didn’t matter that he’d barely started hearing such stories before he’d lost her forever.

Jihyun gritted his teeth, forcing himself to swim forward. He had children to take care of, to help nurture and guide in whatever way he could.

But he couldn’t help swimming up, just a little bit. Just a little bit closer to the sun.

He smiled into the faint light, imagining what it would be like to be embraced by it, to feel its warmth wrap around him, banishing the shadows that crawled deep in his soul.

He was so busy revelling in the light, in the soft warmth, so loathe to plunge back into the colder waters, that he didn’t notice himself floating up. He thought it was all in his mind, all his imagination wrapping around him, creating an illusion of sunlight so strong he could trick himself into thinking it was real.

But then he could feel light piercing past his eyelids, turning his world into a golden haze. His eyes flew open, and he found himself much closer to the surface than he’d ever intended.

A colourful school of fish swarmed around him, a cacophony of colour that reminded him of a dream he’d had once, of a painting he’d always wanted to create. He laughed as one swam through his hair, as another brushed against his arm, his face. Wiping away some of the darkness that had lingered in his mind.

They were gone all too soon, and he watched them fade into the shadows, still smiling.

Wonderful, utterly beautiful.

The world was truly filled with simple magic.

He shifted the packages in his arms, art supplies and books and snacks for the children he was mentoring. He really would have to go now, after wasting so much time daydreaming. He’d been the one to offer teaching the children art, and they’d looked so excited, he couldn’t disappoint them now.

But he’d no sooner turned to plunge back into the deeper waters that he froze, a quiet, murky melody reaching his ears.

It sent light scattering through him, like stars were blooming in his heart. A song sweet and soft that made him want to smile and cry all at the same time.

He spun around, searching for the source of the song. Was there somebody close by? Was there a hidden cave nearby where someone was camped out, quietly practising their music away from the swarming crowds of the ocean cities?

But there was no one, nothing but open ocean and the flickering light of the sun, glimmering as the waves rolled above the surface.

Jihyun swam in a circle, searching for the source of the voice as it slowly grew louder. It reminded him of the chiming of silver bells, sharp and clear, cutting through the water like a knife.

Where was it coming from? Who was it coming from?

It didn’t occur to him to look up, not until shadows passed overhead. Not until darkness enveloped him for the briefest of moments and he shivered.

He craned his neck, peering up as the strange shape passed overhead, as the sound of the singing grew louder still.

The shadow continued on, passing over him in a flash, the warm light wrapping around him once more as the shape vanished. The singing grew fainter, dimmer, until it sounded more like an echo ringing in his memory than true song.

He shot towards the surface, following the ripples in the water that trailed after the shadows, entranced by that voice. He felt like a fish on a lure, pulled towards an unknown world as he drew closer, as the sunlight grew brighter, the water warmer.

And as he moved, that voice too grew louder. He felt it seep into his heart, into his bones, drawing him towards it.

He wondered, distantly, if this was what sailors felt like in stories, when the siren’s honeyed song washed over them. When the music flowed through them like wine, their minds empty except for the song in the air.

Jihyun felt a little like that, his thoughts vanishing like seafoam washing away from the shore. All he could think of was the song, was the sunlight that was beginning to brush against his face.

He barely noticed how clear the water had become, how close he was to the surface now. How he could make out the strange shape he had been following, the roaring motor attached to it that threatened to drown out that beautiful song.

He didn’t freeze, didn’t hesitate before breaking the surface, water streaking down his face as he gasped in the air. He needed to be closer, he needed to be closer to that voice.

But for a moment, as he bobbed above the waves, he forgot about the voice entirely. Forgot about the song. Forgot about everything except the way the air cut into his lungs as he breathed it in. How dizzy he felt, how easy it was to breathe and breathe and breathe.

Forgot about nearly everything except the burning light that was washing across his face, a heat he had never felt before, a light so bright he felt like he might go blind if he looked at it too long.

The surface. A place he had only ever heard stories about. A place he’d only heard about from his mother and from the heavy journals she had left for him.

And then the sound of the song again snagged his attention, dragging him from his reverie and confusion. It pulled his attention to his left, to where a strange contraption floated above the water.

There were people on top, crowded together like sardines. They were waving, laughing, dancing, and he could hear the faint strains of a dissonant noise spilling from the sides. But no, that was not the sound he had chased after so desperately and so impulsively.

He spun around, spotting an outcropping of rocks not too far away. It was near a small cavern, the opening just large enough that he probably could have fit through.

He swam towards it, keeping himself low in the water, sudden terror wracking through him at the thought of being seen.

He didn’t know what would happen if he was seen, whether he would be captured or if he would manage to escape. But his nannies had told him horror stories when he had been a child, of humans taking merfolk captive, of eating their scales and selling their fins for gold.

While he knew that the stories were likely meant to keep him in line and far from the surface, he still found himself shivering beneath the burning sun. He swam for the rocks, hiding behind the ones furthest from the floating shape.

He narrowed his eyes as he watched, wondering what had happened to that song, to the music that had drawn him from the ocean’s depths.

He was considering diving back beneath the surface, even as he felt the water on his face dry, as the rolling waves brushed below his chin, as he tipped his face back just the tiniest bit to feel the sun’s full strength washing across him.

He watched the floating shape, watched as it reached another outcropping not too far from where he hid, people filling out onto the rocky shore. He could make out the murmur of their chattering, sound seeming to travel much faster here than it did below the water.

Incredible. This was incredible. He would have to tell Jumin about this when he returned.

Jihyun clutched at the supplies in his arms, his gaze sweeping across the world. Birds screeched overhead, nearly making him jump, and one swooped so low he thought it would land on his head. He could see more shapes in the distance, dotting the top of rocky cliffs that wrapped around the shore.

His senses felt nearly overwhelmed by the light and the smells and the sounds that pummeled against him, but he could not move, could not leave. He needed to stay, needed to drink it all in.

Never before had he wished for legs, but as he watched the people wandering towards the cliff, climbing up something set into the rock face, he couldn’t stop the yearning that bloomed in his heart. To walk along the shore, to feel the stones against his skin, to see what lay beyond that rocky wall.

He wondered what there was beyond his line of sight. Whether there was magic and palaces with towers that speared towards the sun. If there were town squares that were drowning in music and laughter. If people laid out across the ground just to feel the sunlight seeping into their bones, warming their souls.

Jihyun was so enraptured by everything, so deep in his own imagination, that he didn’t realize someone was wandering towards his hiding place. Didn’t notice even as her feet scuffed against the uneven stone, knocking pebbles into the water. Didn’t notice the sound of the keys jingling in her pocket or the way she muttered to herself as she leaned against the rock wall for support.

No, Jihyun was so enthralled by being above the surface that he wouldn’t have noticed her at all if she hadn’t started singing.

He was yanked from his thoughts in an instant, swivelling his head as she came closer.

That voice, the one that had drawn him here.

This was the person. This was the person who he had chased after.

Before, Jihyun had thought this was like the stories of the sailors enthralled by sirens. But in this instant, as his gaze fell on the woman peering into the cave, he realized it wasn’t like that at all.

This was like the fairytales his mother had read to him, this was the moment the prince laid his eyes on the princess for the very first time. When the world was bathed in buttery light, the wind dying down as her voice grew louder, starlight blooming in his heart as she sang.

This was magic, pure and simple.

Jihyun remained where he was, unmoving as she drew closer. He was torn between ducking beneath the water to hide and desperately wanting to move closer, to see her better. He wanted to memorize the lines of her face, how the sun made her eyes glow, how her fingers played with something around her neck as she took a step into the cave.

He wanted to do both, and settled for neither, instead bobbing above the waves and listening to her voice, to her song.

“MC!”

She spun around as another person made his way towards her, and Jihyun’s heart clenched.

No, he didn’t want her to stop singing. Didn’t want her to go.

He didn’t understand how her song could drag him from the ocean’s depths, but they had, and now that he was here he didn’t want to lose that song again. Didn’t want to live without it. Didn’t want to return to the empty shadows that so often enveloped him.

Her singing turned to a quiet hum as she waved at the new person. She turned back to the cave, but froze, her eyes growing wide.

It took Jihyun a long, long moment to realize she was looking at him.

He felt his heart stop, his breath clogging in his throat as she took a step closer, staring at him.

“MC, what are you doing?!”

She ignored the other person, walking towards where Jihyun was no longer hidden.

He couldn’t move, was frozen in place as she crouched by the edge of the rocks. He couldn’t say anything, couldn’t breath as she stared, her mouth falling open in an o. She held his gaze, and he’d never felt anything like it before.

“MC, what are you looking at?”

She stood suddenly, spinning around as the second voice grew far too close.

“Oh, I thought I saw a fish!”

“It’s the ocean, of course you’re going to see fish.”

She laughed, walking away from Jihyun, seeming to push the other person away from him.

He stayed there for a very long time, bobbing above the water, watching as she disappeared from sight, into a world he could not see.

It wasn’t until the blue of the sky was stained with blushing pinks and burning crimson and deepest indigo that Jihyun finally dove back beneath the waves, the woman’s voice still ringing in his ears.

*****************************************************************************

Jihyun came back the next day, feeling utterly ridiculous and yet being unable to stop himself as he again broke the surface, revelling in the sunshine on his face.

She probably wasn’t here. She probably had no intention of coming back and it was silly to think she’d come back to the exact same place.

Except that she had.

Jihyun turned as his vision cleared, trying to reorient himself and find the outcropping he’d hidden by the day before. And then his gaze had fallen on her, perched on the rocky ledge, her feet dangling in the water.

His breath lodged in his throat, his heart tripping over itself as he saw her there. As he strained his ears to hear the faint melody she was humming.

He swam closer without thinking, cutting through the water until he was floating barely a foot away.

She looked up from something in her hand, her humming swept away on the ocean breeze as her eyes fell on him.

She tucked whatever she’d been holding into her pocket, her gaze fixed entirely on him.

“You came back,” she said, her voice soft as gossamer threads.

He swam closer, wanting to be closer. Needing to be closer.

“So did you,” he said.

His voice sounded strange on the surface, louder somehow, stronger.

She nodded. “I wanted to see if you would come back.”

He flushed, heat crawling across his face, and he nearly sunk below the surface.

She wanted to see if he’d come back? She wanted to see him?

“What about you?” She asked, propping her elbows on her thighs as she leaned forward. “Why did you come back?” His face was so hot he thought he might burst into flames, and he looked away as he responded.

“I wanted to hear your voice,” he muttered.

She blinked, her cheeks turning a rosy pink. “You wanted to hear my voice?”

He nodded. “I’d heard you singing yesterday and I…” He trailed off, his mouth suddenly very very dry. “I wanted to hear you sing again.”

She tipped her head to the side, splashing her feet in the water.  “I think I can do that for you.”

Now it was Jihyun’s turn to blink, taken aback by her response even as he felt a gauzy flutter in his heart. “Pardon?”

“I’ll sing for you,” she said, smiling. “If that’s what you want.”

It was what he wanted. He wanted to hear her voice again, wanted to let it embrace him like the sunlight he finally got to feel against his skin.

“I would like that,” he said, his voice growing soft.

“On one condition, though,” she said, her eyes sparkling like light on the water. Like there was magic in their depths

“What kind of condition?”

She trailed one of her hands through the water, humming. “That you’ll come back tomorrow, too.”

Jihyun smiled, something warm and golden bubbling in his heart as he nodded. “I think I can manage that.”

***********************************************************************

Jihyun came back the next day, and the day after that, and the day after that. Each day he would break the surface only to be greeted by sunlight and a smile that was slowly becoming his favourite.

She would laugh as he splashed her, kicking small waves towards him until he grabbed her ankles, threatening to pull her into the water with him.

“No!” She would cry, laughing as she wiggled in his grasp. “The water is so cold!”

She would scrabble at the rocks, holding them until he let her go, chuckling as she feigned indignation.

“I’m just going to wear my bathing suit tomorrow,” she grumbled, pouting. “Then it won’t matter if you pull me into the water.”

“I thought you said it was cold,” he said, moving towards one of the rocks, resting his chest against the sun-warmed stone.

She shrugged. “I think it would be alright with you.”

He flushed, his entire body burning, his scales glowing a cerulean light as he grew more flustered.

He was becoming flustered a lot nowadays, now that he spent most of his afternoons and evenings in her company. It had happened before, but not as regularly as it did now. He would catch his reflection in the wavering surface of the water, his cheeks stained a sunset pink, the colour crawling past his hair.

He didn’t know what was happening, didn’t quite understand it. But every day he looked forward to these moments, to her voice and her smile. Looked forward to her warmth and her words. He felt the shadows in his heart quiver beneath her, melting away beneath this new friendship. Felt something new replace them, something light and golden and bubbly that made him want to smile and laugh.

She giggled, splashing his face again. “Would you like me to sing again?”

He nodded, golden light spilling through his heart as she began with one of her favourites.

This was often how their days went, teasing words followed by the beautiful sound of her voice dancing through the summer air. And when she had run through all the songs that she loved and that he was beginning to love too, they would talk. They would talk about anything and everything, from his daily duties as the firstborn of a noble to her favourite stories she would read for fun.

He told her about his favourite places to visit, the paintings he dreamt of making one day, if he ever built the courage to. She told him about the music she liked to play, about the foods she liked to eat in the morning when the air was still cool.

She was visiting, she told him one afternoon when the sun was high and so hot that she’d slipped into the water next to him. Her fingers were twined with his as she’d treaded water, so close he could have wrapped her in his arms if he’d wanted to.

Not that he’d ever considered it. Dreamt of it. Imagined if it would be as warm and soft as her voice twining with the call of the seagulls swooping overhead.

She told him she was visiting her family for the summer, that she was taking a vacation from her daily life. He asked her when she would be returning, wanted to know how much time he had left with her.

“Soon,” she said, her shoulders slumping as shadows passed over her face. “In barely more than a week.”

Jihyun had never known such sorrow as he did when he heard that. On seeing how dark her face grew as those words fell from her rosebud lips.

He felt a crack in his heart, a fissure forming deep in his soul where her song and her voice usually filled him to the brim.

Gone. She would be gone. Soon she would no longer be here on these rocks. Soon she would no longer swim with him when the days grew hot.

“Is it far?” He asked. “Where you live?”

She nodded, growing more solemn still. “It’s near the ocean, but it’s far from here.”

“What’s it like?”

She hummed, her gaze flicking to the sky. She chewed on the corner of her lip, moving closer.

He loved that, he loved watching her as she thought. He hadn’t realized how endearing it was until it filled his heart with light as it did now.

“It’s much colder,” she said at last, her eyes meeting his. “And there are mountains that are covered in snow.”

He’d never seen mountains before, had no idea what they were, and he listened in rapture as she described them to him. As she painted a picture of deep greens and browns. Of hidden lakes that glittered like gems. Of curving roads that went on and on, twisting towards the horizon.

His heart ached as she told him about the mountains, about how she had driven through them so many times. He wanted to see them. He wanted to breathe in the smell of pine and earthy soil. He wanted to hear the chatter of birds and squirrels, to feel grass against his skin, to feel the roughness of tree bark against his palms.

Wanted to wander through the trees and the forests she told him about. Wanted to see it, to explore the paths and trails, with her beside him.

It was silly, likely the kind of thing a child would ask for, and yet he couldn’t remember wanting something so deeply. Couldn’t remember such an intense yearning taking root in his heart.

He wanted to see these things. He wanted to see them with her. Beside her. He wanted to be by her side.

He wanted her.

The realization hit him like a shark barreling into his chest as the sun dipped below the horizon and she began swimming towards the outcropping.

“I’ll see you tomorrow,” she called, giving his hand one final squeeze before climbing from the water.

It made his heart ache, made his stomach roil like the storming sea.

He watched her walk away, rivulets of water spilling down her back and her legs, catching the silvery evening light and glowing like her body was made of stars.

He bit his lip as he dove back beneath the waves, feeling the shadows embracing him as he swam deeper and deeper, back to his own shady home and its lonely halls.

He’d almost made it to his chambers when he finally snapped from his melancholy.

He paused in the doorway to his rooms, his mind reeling.

He wanted to be close to her, wanted to spend as much time as possible by her side. And he refused to spend it in misery. Refused to let these shadows lurk in his heart while he still had time with her.

Had he not likened this to a fairytale already? To the cherished stories his mother had shared with him?

Did the heroes of these stories not do everything in their power to fight for what they wanted? Whether it be through strength or magic or wit?

Jihyun swam through his entry room, heading towards his bedroom, his mind a storm as he prepared for bed.

He would not waste these last few days with her. And he would find a way to see her again.

******************************************************************

The rest of the week passed in a blur of songs and laughter and sun-drenched afternoons.

Jihyun found that she was swimming with him more now, slipping into the ocean as soon as her sparkling gaze met his.

And he couldn’t complain, not when it meant holding her hands when she was tired of treading water. Not when she seemed to move closer to him as the moments passed them by. Not when he was becoming so very used to the smell of lavender and cinnamon and coconut, when the smell of her lingered in the air even when she was gone. Not when it meant getting to see her face so close to his, to see the freckles on her brow and the bright red of her flushed cheeks.

She’d paddle towards him, swimming out into the deeper water where the turquoise of the ocean turned to a midnight blue. And he would hold out his arms, letting her press her hands against his to help keep her afloat when she grew tired.

They would stay like that sometimes for hours, talking or singing or just peering up at the sky together. Other times they would swim out a little further, and she would let him pull her out into the sea. He would point out colourful schools of fish and his heart would melt as her lips arced into the most stunning of smiles.

They even came upon a shark once, and she’d cried out, wrapping her arms around him and clinging to his chest.

Jihyun’s heart had stopped in that moment, his entire body burning like he’d been set alight.

She’d been so close. She’d been so very very close. He had felt her breath against his neck, her fingers pressing into his back, her legs curling around his waist and holding him so very tightly.

He’d swallowed, pretending like he wasn’t falling apart in that moment as he’d reached out, running a hand over the shark’s head.

“It won’t hurt you,” he’d breathed, waving to it as it had swam away. “See? You’re safe.”

She’d still clung to him for a while after that, and he’d swam on his back for a while, supporting her head and keeping her afloat as her panic slowly melted away.

He hadn’t wanted to admit it, but he’d been sad when she’d finally let go, the water feeling so much colder in her absence.

How had he ever been able to be used to this before? How had he ever been able to accept the cold?

MC looked at him over a week later as he tugged her back towards the rocks and the small cave, her voice full of sorrow as she’d called to him.

“Jihyun.”

He paused, turning to meet her gaze.

“Tomorrow is my last day,” she said, her eyes sliding to the darkened water. “I leave early in the morning the day after.”

‘Tomorrow is my last day.’

His stomach dropped, and his breath lodged in his throat.

‘Tomorrow is my last day.’

Had it been over a week already? Had the time truly passed so quickly?

He would never see her again. After tomorrow she would fade away like the sun at dusk and his life would be plunged back into starless nights and shadows.

No.

No he would not think like that.

Jihyun took her hands in his, his heart beating furiously as he lifted them to his lips, brushing a kiss against the back of her hands.

“Will you still come tomorrow?” He asked, peeking up at her.

She nodded, her face a beautiful crimson. “I have to see some family and pack, so I won’t be able to come for long. But I’ll still be here.”

He kissed her hands again before lowering them back into the water, an idea already forming in his mind. “As long as I get to see you one more time.”

*****************************************************************************

Jihyun returned to the surface much earlier than usual, hugging the small gift he’d chosen close to his chest.

She’d said she didn’t have much time today, and he didn’t want to miss her. Wanted to make sure he could spend every last second with her.

She arrived when the sun was high, clothed in a light blue dress, her hair pulled back with a band of flowers.

Her face brightened when he waved to her, and she sprinted over the rocks towards him, even as he shouted at her to slow down.

“You could fall and hurt yourself,” he chided as she drew near, panting from her sprint.

“It would have been worth it,” she said, kicking off her sandals before sitting on the rocks, dunking her feet in the water.

Although her smile was wide and her voice was light, Jihyun could still see the sadness in her eyes. Could still see the shadows that passed across her face.

“I have something for you,” he said, holding the gift out to her.

She tipped her head to the side, curiosity filling her gaze as she held out her hand, letting him drop it into her waiting palm. “What is it?”

“It’s a shell,” he said, cupping her hand with both of his.

“It’s so pretty,” she sang, starlight dancing in her voice.

“It’s not just a shell, though,” he continued. “It’s one we use sometimes to call each other.”

“What do you mean?” She asked, her eyes narrowing as she leaned forward to peer at it.

“If you hold it close to your ear, I can talk to you through a shell of my own. And if you talk into it, I’ll be able to hear you, too.”

“Like a phone?!” She asked, her face lighting up like the sky at dawn. “So we can talk whenever we want?!” He nodded, unable to stop the smile that bloomed across his lips. “We’ll be able to talk whenever we want.”

Silver lined her eyes as she threw her arms around him, burying her face against his neck.

“Thank you,” she breathed. “I didn’t know what I was going to do without you.”

“But there is one condition,” he continued, unable to keep the mirth from his voice.

She pulled away, arching a brow. “What is it?”

“That you won’t move from your home until I find you again.”

She laughed then, a joyous, merry sound that he would hear in his dreams for years to come as he searched her out. “I think I can manage that.”

She stayed with him, their arms wrapped around each other until figures appeared on the cliffs, shouting her name as they began climbing down the rock wall towards them.

“I have to go,” she breathed, tears spilling down her face.

“Don’t cry,” he said, brushing the pad of his thumb beneath her eyes. “We will see each other again.”

“Do you promise?”

“As long as the sun still rises, I will find a way.”

She sniffed, nodding. “Okay. I’m holding you to that, Jihyun.”

He had the urge to kiss her face then, to show her that this was no empty promise, to show her that he would find a way to see her again.

But instead he took her hands, settling on kissing her knuckles once more before she stood.

“Goodbye, Jihyun,” she said, clutching the shell close to her chest.

He laughed, hoping to hide the pain in his own voice, hoping to keep his own tears at bay. “Don’t look so sad. You’ll still be able to talk to me whenever you want.”

Her expression grew softer, and a small smile danced at the corner of her lips. “You’re right. I’ll talk to you soon.”

He watched her as she walked away, heard her shouts as she said something to the people that had come searching for her. And he watched as she climbed up the rock, pausing on the cliff and looking out towards the ocean.

Although she was far away, he could see her face in his mind. Could see her eyes growing warm, loose strands of hair whipping against her reddened cheeks, her mouth moving as she sang, so quietly the sound was stolen by the wind.

But he could feel it. Could feel the song in his heart that had first lured him here, that had brought him to this marvelous woman who had brightened his world in a way the sunshine never could.

He turned towards the open ocean as she finally disappeared from the cliff, his eyes burning as he fought against his tears. But there was resolve in his heart next to the sorrow of losing her and the aching loneliness left in her wake.

He would find her. He would figure out a way to find her again.

If this was their story, if it was a fairytale, he would see it through until their happily ever after.

[jihyuncompass]

Almost As Beautiful

Jihyun Week 2020 Day Four ( @mysme-events​ )

Canvas

Jihyun Kim x MC 

Word Count: 3.3k 

Summary: “I have an idea.” Jihyun said. You raised a brow, but he continued before you could interject. “Please, hear me out.” You waved to let him go on. “I want to paint a portrait of you.” 

To Jihyun, the person he loved was the most beautiful thing in the world. From the way you smiled, to how you danced, to how you looked when you first woke up in the morning. Everything about you was perfect to him. So it was a damn shame you didn’t see that in yourself though. 

He noticed it early on in your relationship. How you tended to avoid looking in the mirror, how you would shy away whenever he tried to take photos of you, and the times he got photos, how you would refuse to look at them. He saw it in the way you spoke about yourself. The little jabs and comments you made towards your own appearance. It bothered him. It bothered him a lot. 

However he never wanted to bring it up to you, afraid of hurting your feelings or offending you. So he waited until he felt like the right time. 

That time came one night, you were laying on your side. One of Jihyun’s arms around your waist and your head laying on the other one. You could feel his gentle breath on the back of your neck. Your eyes were closed, just enjoying the feeling of being in his arms.

“Love.” Jihyun whispered to you. 

“Yes?” You whispered back. He hesitated for a while, then spoke again. 

“Why don’t you let me take photos of you?” Jihyun asked. You turned over so you could face him. He laid with your faces only inches apart. “Whenever I pull out my camera you always seem to try and hide. Why is that?” 

You avoided his gaze. “I guess I just don’t like how I look in photos.” 

“Is it just photos?” You sighed and shook your head. Jihyun moved his hand to cup your cheek. 

“My love, I hope I’ve never done anything to make you think that-” You shook your head. 

“Jihyun- god no. You’ve never done anything like that.” You rubbed your eyes and took a deep breath. “I guess I just don’t like myself a whole lot.” Hearing you say that, Jihyun felt like his heart was breaking into a thousand pieces. You saw the way his face changed. “Jihyun.” You whispered. 

He pressed his forehead against yours. “It makes me sad knowing you feel that way about yourself.” He said. You sighed. 

“Jihyun, I don’t want you to take it personally. It really isn’t anything you’ve done.” 

“It’s not that I’m taking it personally love. I just, I think you’re beautiful and I wish you'd let me capture that.” You sighed and rolled to lie on your back, staring at the ceiling. Something about looking at him was making your heart act funny. 

You covered your eyes. “There’s not much to capture. Really.” 

You heard Jihyun sit up next to you, leaning over you. “I think there’s so much.” He pulled a strand of hair from your face. “I hope I can prove that to you one day.” 

When he said that you laughed at the idea. However when you turned your head you saw how serious Jihyun looked. 

“You can try.” You shrugged. 

Jihyun took it as his new mission. Knowing that you didn’t feel confident and that you didn’t see yourself the way he saw you broke his heart, and was something he knew he needed to try and remedy. 

“I have an idea.” Jihyun said. You raised a brow, but he continued before you could interject. “Please, hear me out.” You waved to let him go on. “I want to paint a portrait of you.” 

Sitting up you shook your head. “Jihyun, you’re a great artist, an incredible one. But, I don’t know.” Jihyun put a hand on your knee staying close to you. 

“Just one portrait, and if you hate it. I’ll get rid of it, you’ll never have to see it again.” He leaned in to press a kiss to your forehead. “Please, let me do this.” You took a shaky breath but looking in his eyes you couldn’t quite find the heart to tell him no. 

“Fine.” You said. Jihyun showed you his brightest happiest smile as he kissed you. You could practically feel the excitement radiating off of him in that moment. And despite your own anxieties. You also felt a little excited. 

Over the next few days you could feel the energy coming off of Jihyun. He almost was like a child in his excitement. While you liked his enthusiasm it did make you a bit anxious. Even a week after you’d given him permission he still hadn’t said much about it. However you could tell by the way he looked at you a little longer, seemed to be almost studying your appearance. You knew it was on his mind. 

Nearly two weeks passed before he brought it up again. The two of you were both cooking dinner together. You were focusing on chopping the vegetables for your dinner when he started talking to you. 

“Are you busy tomorrow?” Jihyun asked. You glanced behind you for a second to look at him. You turned back to your work to answer. 

“I don’t think I am. Why?” You could almost hear the smile in Jihyun’s voice. 

“I think I’m ready to do your portrait. I know how I want to do it.” You looked back at him. 

“How you want to do it? What do you mean?” He turned to face you. 

“You’ll see. Does tomorrow work?” 

“Sure tomorrow works.” With another smile Jihyun turned back to continue cooking. Leaving you wondering what exactly his grand plan was. 

The next morning you awoke to the sound of Jihyun in the kitchen. You rolled over and forced your eyes open, seeing the bedroom door open just a crack. After a few minutes of lying down you forced yourself up and stumbled into the kitchen where Jihyun was cooking. 

“Good morning.” Jihyun said, noticing your presence. “Did you sleep well love?” You nodded wrapping your arms around his middle. Leaning on him for support. 

“I did. What are you making?” 

“Some breakfast before we go.” He said. You looked over his shoulder at what he was cooking. 

“Do you need any help?” 

“I’m almost done, sit down and I’ll be over there in just a minute.” You held to his middle for another moment before regrettably pulling away from him. Sitting at the table you watched him cook. By the front door you noticed a basket, one you recognized as the picnic basket you both used often when going out on hikes or to the park.

Minutes later Jihyun returned with two full plates. Setting on in front of you and the other across the table for himself. You started to eat almost immediately, his cooking always just right. 

“So.” Jihyun started. “After we eat I’m thinking we should leave pretty soon, I want to have as much time as possible.” Jihyun explained. You nodded, a pit of an anxiety starting to form. Noticing your face change he reached out to take your hand. “It’ll be okay. I promise.” You smiled at him and took a deep breath. 

“I trust you.” You said. Jihyun showed you his most sweet smile. One of the ones that could always make you feel calm. 

Once you finished your breakfast Jihyun ushered you to get ready. While you got yourself dressed you could hear Jihyun in the living room grabbing things and talking to himself. You couldn’t hear what he was saying clearly but yo0u could hear the quiet tones of his voice. 

Emerging from the bedroom Jihyun smiled at you. 

“Ready to go?” You nodded and motioned to your outfit. 

“I wasn’t sure what to wear.” Jihyun grabbed the basket and his backpack. 

“No need to worry about that, come on let’s go.” Jihyun held your hand while you left your apartment and walked to his car. “I need to run by my studio first if that’s alright? I have some supplies there that I’ll need.” He opened the passenger side door for you, and once you were sitting down he closed it. 

Jihyun’s studio wasn’t too far from your apartment. Before the two of you met he had used his own house as his studio, but after he chose to pursue painting instead of photography he also decided that he wanted to try something different. Not wanting to work in the same space that he lived and slept. 

His studio, like your apartment, radiated Jihyun’s energy. You’d helped him set it up and decorate it, choosing paint colors and decorations that felt calming and inspiring. Walking inside you could smell the lingering scents of oil and acrylic paints. Several unfinished paintings were leaning against walls or on easels. Art supplies were strewn across tables and workbenches. Small cacti and succulents lined the windowsills, each one of the pots painted by Jihyun’s hand. 

Jihyun walked in and started sorting through some things on a table against the wall. You took your time looking around at the in-progress paintings all around you. Some were of beautiful landscapes, others more abstract and thoughtful. Each one though, was filled with a lot of heart from what you could see. 

“Love?” Jihyun called to you. He was holding out a bag to you. “Can you change into this?” Taking the bag you glanced inside. You couldn’t see clearly but they were clothes you had never seen before. 

“Where did you get these clothes?” You asked him, glancing up at him. He kissed your forehead and pushed the bag close to your chest. 

“I thought a lot about how I wanted you to look for this. Please trust me.” After a quick kiss you went into the bathroom in the back of his studio. Changing into the clothes he’d prepared. When you’d finished you put your other clothes into the bag and took a moment to look at yourself in the mirror. 

There was something strange about wearing clothes that Jihyun had picked out for you. Not an uncomfortable feeling, but different. The outfit was something that you never would have considered for yourself, and somehow you didn’t hate the way it looked. 

Jihyun broke into the biggest grin the moment he saw you. He had been in the middle of putting some of his paints into a bag and folding up a portable easel to bring with. He looked at you over multiple times. 

“You look incredible, my love.” He zipped up his bag and looked around one more time. “I think I have everything I need, are you ready to head out?” You nodded. 

“Where are we actually going?” You asked him. 

“You’ll see.” He said, putting his bag over his shoulder and reaching for the portable easel but you reached forward and took it first. 

“Let me take this one, I feel bad with you carrying everything.” Jihyun shot you an appreciative smile and guided you out of the studio. 

This drive was much longer than you would have thought. First Jihyun drove out of the city, quickly the tall buildings turned into flat land full of green grass. You played quiet music over the radio, driving mostly in silence. He didn’t have the GPS on but you assumed that he knew where he was going exactly. 

You looked over at Jihyun, he was focused on the road, confident in where exactly he was trying to go. His eyes held a spark of inspiration you saw whenever he was preparing to start a new project. You saw that when he first got excited about his painting, or when he decided to try and pick up the violin, or when he found a new recipe to try. Or that one time he wanted to try and learn to knit. 

So focused on him you hardly noticed when Jihyun pulled over to the side of the road. Stopping the car and meeting your gaze. 

“We’re here.” Jihyun said. Looking out the passenger side window you saw a small hill, not quite able to see over it. “The perfect place is just over that hill.” 

Together you gathered all his supplies and began your trek over the hill. You focused on your feet that you didn’t look up until you both stood on the crest of the hill and looked up. 

Your breath was taken away by the field of wildflowers. All different colors that swayed in the breeze, and matched with the perfect blue sky. Taking in your surroundings you felt your heart flutter a bit. 

“This place is beautiful Jihyun. How did you even discover something like this?” 

“Back when I did photography I used to drive around aimlessly trying to find the perfect scenery to take pictures of. I don’t remember when I first found this place, but the moment I found it, it’s never quite left my mind.” You both walked down to where the ground was more even and looked out on the field again. Careful not to step on the flowers you walked down a small dirt path through the field. 

“So why did you choose this place?”  

“Well I wanted to paint the most beautiful person in a place that’s almost as beautiful as they are.” Your face flushed as he led you further down to a small clearing. He dropped his bags onto the grassy area and took out a blanket from the first backpack. Spreading it out over the grass. 

“And what’s this?” You sat down in the grass while Jihyun set down the basket you saw at the apartment earlier. 

He started setting out food and drinks on the blanket. “I figured we would probably want some lunch by now. Also, I thought this might make you feel a little more comfortable.” You looked down at the food he prepared, many of the dishes, some of your favorites. He must have been up early in order to have cooked and put all of this together without you knowing. . 

“Thank you Jihyun, this is.” You shook your head in disbelief. “This is wonderful.” He smiled, and you both started to eat your lunch together. “So.” You said. “Is there a certain way you want me to pose?” Jihyun shook his head. 

“No, I want you to feel comfortable. So just be yourself for me.” 

With lunch finished Jihyun got himself ready. He set up his easel with this canvas, and squeezed colors out of tubes of paint onto a palette. You’d watched him do this before but you never got sick of the careful way he did it. 

Just before he began to paint he pulled out his camera. You hadn’t even noticed he brought it with him. 

“Why do you have that?” You asked him. “I thought you were painting?” 

“I am.” He said. “But it’s good to have a reference photo just in case. Besides I probably won’t finish the painting today, but I’ll be able to look at the photo to finish it. Now, just look natural.” You laughed, looking at him for a moment. Your face blushed from the sight of the lens and so you turned your head away, looking instead at the wildflowers surrounding you. You heard a few clicks and then Jihyun putting the camera away. 

“Got the pictures?” 

“I did. Now all you have to do is just sit there.” You saw him disappear a bit behind the canvas and start on his painting. 

Jihyun wasn’t one for speaking a lot while he worked. Once in a while you could hear a whisper but he didn’t say much that you could discern. Seemingly focused entirely on the painting, though he smiled when you looked at him, and especially during the moments where you would lock eyes. 

You lost track of time out there, it was easy too. Just enjoying the feeling of the sun on your face and the wildflowers around you it was hard not to lose yourself, and hearing Jihyun working you just wanted to enjoy the quiet moment. 

It was even easy to forget that he was painting you, there was little anxiety in you while he worked. At moments you were tempted to look at what he was doing but his glances at you kept you still. 

At some point the sun began to fall, the lighting around you changing. With the growing darkness approaching Jihyun sighed. 

“I should probably call it here. I don’t want it to get too late before we get home.” He began to pack up his paint brushes and paints. You went to look behind the canvas when Jihyun stopped you. “Not yet, I want you to see it when it’s finished. Not a moment before.” You sighed and leaned back while he smiled at you again. 

“Fine. Can I at least help you take the bags back to the car?” Jihyun exhaled in that way that sounded almost like a laugh. He handed you one of his backpacks and the picnic basket. While he took one bag and the easel with the canvas. Careful to angle it so you couldn’t see the painting. 

You both struggled to stay awake in the car, hurrying home to finally be able to fall asleep in bed together. Although you thought back to the canvas in the backseat, you respected Jihyun’s wishes and didn’t look back. Despite the temptation. 

There was no doubt in your mind that Jiyun would create something good, but you couldn’t fight the small fear in you that maybe your image would be the thing that ruins the scenery. 

“I promise you look beautiful.” Jihyun said, practically reading your mind. “Both in the painting, and in real life.” You sighed, soft and quiet. Even though your anxiety was still there, Jihyun’s kind smile made you feel okay. Even if the doubts still plagued your mind. 

Less than a week later you were back in Jihyun’s studio. He’d asked you to come so you could see the finished product. He’d had it turned around so you couldn’t see it when you first entered. 

“It’s done?” You quietly asked him. He leaned in, kissing your cheek. 

“It’s done. And I think it’s the best thing I’ve ever painted.” He positioned you to stand just in front of the canvas. “Okay, I’m going to turn it around.” You nodded, struggling to figure out if what you were feeling was excitement, or fear. 

The painting was one of the most stunning things you’d ever seen. Jihyun had beautifully captured every color of the wildflowers, every small detail. The sun visible in the distance, and then you featured in the center. 

The sun created a glow around your painted figure. You saw yourself, sitting in the field of wildflowers surrounding you, your gaze looking wistfully out into the distance. Your outfit perfectly matched your appearance and the flowers around you. 

Staring into the painting, your eyes filled with tears, you couldn’t look away. The painting pulled you in more and more. 

“Love?” Jihyun asked. You took a shaky breath. Tears now falling down your cheeks. “Are you okay?” You pressed your lips together and nodded. 

“Jihyun, it’s beautiful.” Your breath caught in your throat. “I-I’m beautiful in this.” Jihyun grinned and hugged you. Holding you tight against him. You sniffled into his shoulder, unable to stop looking at the painting. 

“My love, my angel, my heart.” Jihyun said. “That’s the way you look to me all the time.” He pulled away just enough to look at your face. “I only painted what I saw.” You kissed him, holding his face in your hand. Holding him so tight you never wanted to let go. 

“I love you.” You whispered. 

“I love you even more.” Jihyun said, his voice breathless and warm. You glanced past Jihyun’s shoulder at the painting again. Again overwhelmed with emotions, a beautiful painting, from a beautiful day, in a beautiful place, capturing a truly beautiful person. 

[jihyuncompass]

In A Dream

Jihyun Week 2020 Day Five

Dream

Jihyun Kim x MC

Word Count: 4.1k

Summary: In a delirium, V dreams about what he did, and what he wants. 

The elixir did bad things to his head. V knew that. From the moment that bottle touched his lips he knew that there was nothing good that could come from it. What he couldn’t have expected was how immediate the effects of the drug were on his body. 

Within seconds he had been in agony, dizzy and disoriented. His limbs felt like lead and every moment caused aching pain to spread throughout his whole body. His heart beat so hard he thought it was going to beat right out of his chest and shatter his ribs. The pain continued for a while, until for a moment he found less pain. 

This must have been the temporary paradise that Saeran, no Ray. Had spoken of. Although his body still felt heavy he also felt calm, almost blissful. He laid on the floor of his prison and felt at ease. The calmest he’d been in the past six months. 

Too quickly though, he came crashing back down. Then the pain was back, his head no longer felt light but now throbbed painfully. Every twitch every movement felt like lava in his blood vessels and caused agonizing pain in his muscles. 

His brain felt fuzzy and confused when he was laying down on the floor of the basement of Magenta. In the few moments of clarity he could grasp he would try to think of how to get out, how to help them, and how to possibly even save Rika. But as quickly as those thoughts surfaced they would get muddled up in his confused state. 

The only relief he could get, was in the moments where he was able to fall asleep.  Even if only for a few moments just being able to sleep made it feel so much less painful. 

He dreamt often when he was asleep,the dreams were often vivid. Only the slighted bits of unreality reminding him that he was dreaming. 

In one of his dreams he was at the cathedral. The same one he’d go to with Rika regularly, after he’d decided to convert for her. Religion had never held a huge part of his heart, but seeing Rika’s love and her dedication to her faith? He wanted that too, and he wanted to make her happy. 

He walked out of the altar and into the large courtyard garden. The flowers were expertly taken care of. Each one standing tall and bright. The sweet smells of the flowers surrounded V. 

Wandering through the garden he came across the sight of a child sitting on the ground. Admiring the flowers, his bright red hair a stark contrast to the boy’s pale skin. His hands were close to his chest, like he was scared of touching anything. 

“Saeran?” V asked, stepping towards the boy. Kneeling down to be at eye level with him. Saeran was staring at the flowers, seemingly in complete awe. “These ones are beautiful, they take really good care of their flowers here.” V continued. Saeran wasn’t often one for words, but V still kept talking. “Maybe if it’s alright I know of this beautiful botanical garden not too far from here. Maybe I could take you there?” V looked at the flowers again, taking in the individual flowers. He waited for Saeran to speak but when he didn’t get an answer he looked back to the boy’s face. 

Except it wasn’t Saeran anymore, at least not the one he knew. Instead of the small redhead he was taller, though just as skinny. His once red hair now bleached a silver color with pink at the tips. He sat in the same position as before though now his hands were clenched together. 

“Liar.” Saeran said. Or was it Ray? He wasn’t sure. He stared at the boy, eyes wide. 

“Saeran-”

“Liar! Traitor!” Saeran screamed. 

V’s hands shook as he tried to reach out to the boy. “Saeran, I don’t understand. What are you talking about?” 

“Liar!” Saeran screamed. “You abandoned me!” V shook his head trying more desperately to reach out to Saeran only for the boy to push him away. The realization hit V making him stutter. 

“She wouldn't let me see you, please Saeran I would never abandon you. Rika told me you were at a school, that you were safe and happy I-” 

“Stop lying!” Saeran screamed louder. “Stop lying to me!” Saeran stood up and ran, going into the cathedral. V quickly stood up and followed him calling after him. 

V threw open the door to the Cathedral to instead be back in Saeran’s computer room at Magenta. As he looked down to himself he realized he was wearing the robes he had worn when he snuck in. At the end of the room was Saeran, holding desperately to you. 

“Saeran please let them go!” V shouted. “Please, let’s just talk about this.” 

“What if I don’t want to go?” You said. V stuttered for a moment, realizing that Saeran wasn’t holding you captive, in fact it seemed much closer than that. Much more intimate. 

V stared at you trying to find words, after a moment he snapped out of his haze and reached out his hand. “Please, this place is dangerous.” V begged. “Come with me.” You stared him down but only stayed close to Saeran, taking a bottle of elixir into your hand. 

“Dangerous? You must be mistaken, this place is paradise.” You said taking a swig of the elixir. His heart stopped at the sight. He wanted to run forward, get that bottle away from you, try and take you and run. Yet he felt stuck in his place. Unable to move an inch. 

“And there’s no room for traitors in our paradise.” A new voice said, from behind you and Saeran there was Rika. She stood beside you looking at V with a look of utter disdain. Rika wrapped her arms around you pressing her front into your back. 

V wanted to say something but he felt himself being pulled back. He looked back and saw two hooded figures pulling him back. Holding tightly to his arms, he looked back to you with begging eyes. 

“Please.” He said one more time, but to no avail. The last thing he saw was Rika and Saeran guiding you away, while he continued to beg. He screamed, begging and pleading for them to come back. Apologizing endlessly to no one. 

V woke up shaking. He was breathing heavily as he coughed. His chest spasming violently. His body ached from how badly he was coughing. He stared blankly into the darkness of the cell. He heard the sound of walking, seeing Saeran above him. 

He couldn’t hear what Saeran said he could only hear what he had asked. “Please, let me see them.” 

The next time he fell into a dream he wasn’t at Magenta anymore. He still wasn’t sure where he was. He just knew he was laying on a bed, and in a safe place with you and Luciel. He’d try to keep himself awake but with the effects of elixir still in his body he couldn’t keep himself awake. 

In this dream he was sitting on a balcony looking over the city. The sky was dark and the moon high in the sky. The lights of the city lighting up his surroundings.  

“V.” A voice said. V blinked, he tore his eyes away from the city skyline and to his friend next to him. Jumin had a glass of wine in his hand, staring at his friend. V looked down at the table between them, a glass of red wine on Jihyun’s side. 

“I’m sorry Jumin. I think I spaced out for a moment.” His friend was giving him a strange look but moved on quickly looking back at the skyline. “What were you saying?” 

“I was just telling you that I think you should consider the surgery again.” Jumin said. V sighed. Even in his dreams Jumin was trying to convince him to have his eyes operated on. V took a sip of his wine and looked away from Jumin. 

“I don’t want that surgery, Jumin.” V said. 

“Why not?” He said. 

V sighed. He didn’t like talking about his reasons but he also couldn’t brush Jumin off. “I don’t deserve to have my eyes fixed, this is my punishment and I should take it.” He hadn’t meant to say so much, almost regretting what he said instantly. 

“Don’t you find it ironic?” Jumin said. V turned to him. 

“What do you mean?” 

“Your mother was a deaf musician, and now you’re becoming a blind photographer.” Jumin said, taking a longer drink from his glass. Nearly draining it. “I only find it ironic.” He said. V looked away. 

In real life, Jumin never mentioned V’s mother. Jumin is a reasonable man and he knows that V’s mother is a sensitive subject. In a dream though it seemed Jumin wasn’t so careful about the subject. 

“I’m not refusing because of my mother.” V said. 

“Then what’s the real reason?” Jumin asked him. The more Jumin asked the more uncomfortable V felt. He didn’t want to answer these questions.

V thought for a long time, he swirled his wine around his glass. He hated thinking on this question, he’d agonized over this for hours already, the last thing he needed was to think about it more. 

“I should have been able to save her. I should have been able to help her, but I couldn’t. I failed her, I couldn’t protect her.” V said finally after a while. Jumin was silent, then said only a single word. 

“Who?” V snapped his head up to look at his friend. 

“What do you mean ‘who’?”

“Are you talking about Rika? Or are you talking about your mother?” V stared for a while. His mind suddenly felt very unclear. Who had he been talking about? Had he actually been talking about his mother or? 

“I don’t understand.” V said. “I don’t know what you mean.” 

Jumin spoke again, though V was hardly listening. “Your mother died protecting you did she not? You were trapped in that burning house, she got you out. Only to be consumed by the fire herself. You were her only son, so why couldn’t you have made sure she got out too?” V shook his head. 

“I- You don’t mean that.” V held his head in his hands. 

“Don’t I?” Jumin said, wait-

The voice was different this time. V looked up, sitting next to him now was himself. Only when he was a teenager. Wearing his old school uniform, holding a can of soda instead of a glass of wine. 

“We never even told her we loved her.” Jihyun said. “She died thinking we hated her.” V shook his head more, he wanted to throw his wine glass. He wanted to cry, scream, anything to make this end. “And maybe we did. Her and her artist’s delusions.” Jihyun crushed the empty soda can in his hand. 

“That’s not true.” V said. “I don’t hate her.” He cried to himself. His younger self was staring at him. “We couldn’t save mother. No matter how hard we could have tried.” V wiped his eyes, his fingers lingering on his eyelids. “But maybe, it’s not too late to save her.” Rika’s face came to him. 

Maybe, if he went back. He could actually save someone. 

That time he’d woken up to a stranger leaning over him. V didn’t recognize the person but he did recognize you next to them. You were looking into V’s eyes when he opened them. Although he was still delirious he stared at them, he kept his eyes on them. A single piece of clarity through the pain. 

He wasn’t sure when the dream began this time. The first thing he became aware of was the sound of the wind rustling through the trees. When he could see clearly the first thing he saw was the open window. The green trees that swayed outside. Bringing in a breeze to the room V was standing in. 

Slowly he became aware of the other things in the room. He noticed the furnishings, and then where he was standing against the wall. A paintbrush in one hand. A paint palette balanced on the table next to him, and a large canvas on an easel. The painting only half finished. In his dream he couldn’t make out the details of what he was seeing on the canvas. Looking at the brush in his hand he wondered what and why he was painting. 

Standing in front of the canvas he stared at it, even if he couldn’t make out the details he knew that the painting was something of his own creation. He hadn’t painted since he was in highschool, why would he be painting now? 

About the set down the brush he heard a knock coming from behind him. Turning around he saw the door open just a peek. 

“You’re still painting? You’ve been working for hours.” You said, walking into the room. you looked over the painting, your eyes lighting up. “Oh that’s beautiful.” You said. V stared at you, struggling to come up with words to say. His mind was still trying to figure out where he was, and what exactly was happening in this dream. 

“Thank you?” V said looking back to the painting. You walked to stand next to him. He glanced at you, then back at the painting. V set the paintbrush down carefully, looking closer at his hands he noticed the paint smeared on them. A variety of rainbow colors dried to his skin. 

“Gosh your hands are filthy.” You laughed. “Come on, let’s get you cleaned up a little.” You slipped her hand in his slowly guiding him towards the door and away from his mysterious painting, and the open window. 

You led him down a hallway, they seemed to be in a house of some kind, but it wasn’t his home on the cliffside, or any other home he’d ever remembered being in. This place was entirely new to him. 

You opened a door at the end of the hallway into a bathroom, You turned the knobs to turn the water on. Taking his hands they brought them under the faucet, rinsing them. You squirted some soap onto his hands. Setting the bottle of soap aside you rubbed their hands against his. Carefully scrubbing the paint off of his hands and his fingernails. 

V glanced over at you, carefully washing his hands for him. He didn’t even know how to begin to process this, you were standing so close to him, acting so kindly to him. He thought he would have wanted to shrink away from your touch but he didn’t. He actually found himself reveling in it. Butterflies flew in his stomach every time you rubbed your hands against his. 

When you turned the water off he was almost sad. you helped him wipe his hands dry on a towel and turned back to look at him. After a moment you started laughing. 

“You have paint in your hair!” You said, reaching up to run your hands through his mint hair. “How did you even do something like that silly man?” V stared at you blankly. The way you were smiling at him, the softness in your expression was making his chest tighten with emotion. 

“I’m sorry I’m not sure how I did that.” V said finally. You just laughed and put your hands on his shoulder. 

“Aw, it’s alright. We’ll take care of it later, but you’re probably hungry right? You’ve been in your studio forever.” V didn’t even need to answer while you ushered him out of the bathroom and down the hallway again, into the kitchen. 

You stood at a counter pulling out two bowls. You began to pile food into them. V watched you, his mind still reeling. He found himself walking closer to you wanting to be near you. You glanced over at you finding himself only inches away from YOUR face. 

His hands shook as he held his arm out to you. You stepped forward and looked him in the eyes. V leaned forward closing his eyes slowly closing the gap between you. 

“Jihyun-” You whispered. He stopped and opened his eyes. “V.” You said. V was staring at your eyes looking into his. 

“Yes?” V asked you. 

“V.” You said again, their face starting to contort into a look of fear. “V, V, V! Jihyun!” 

V’s eyes shot open. His vision was blurred, he blinked trying to clear up his vision. Around him he heard distant voices, it almost sounded like he was underwater, everything sounded distant and distorted. He wasn’t in the safehouse anymore, was he in a car? Glancing around he realized he’s in Luciel’s car, but why? 

“V? V, look at me.” He heard, he turned his head and saw You above him looking at him. He kept his eyes on you, slowly he started to realize that he was in pain. He tried to look down to see what was hurting but you started speaking to him again. “V just keep on your eyes on me, just focus on me.” You brushed some of their hair out of their eyes. His eyes focused on a spot on your hand. Was that blood on your hand? Why was there blood? 

“We’re almost there!” V heard from the front seat of the car. Was that Luciel’s voice? V tried to look but stopped himself when he heard your voice again. 

“You’re going to be okay V, just hold on a little longer.” You said. “We’re almost at the hospital. You’re going to be just fine.” Feeling your hand on his chest V took what little energy he had was to reach his hand up, resting it on top of yours. You gently clutched his hand and gave him a tight smile. 

V’s eyes felt heavy, he wanted to close his eyes again he wanted to sleep again. Maybe he’d have another warm dream like the one before. While his eyes started to flutter closed You called to him again. His eyes slowly opened once again and looked back to you. 

“Just keep your eyes open V, just stay awake a little longer.” V stared at you, he wanted to sleep desperately but looking at your eyes he couldn’t. 

He felt confused and disoriented but looking at you, he wanted to stay awake just a little while longer. 

So much of it was a blur, one minute he was in the car and then he was dragged away from the car and carried into a loud and bright hospital setting. The brightness hurt his eyes, his eyes burned and as much as he tried to keep himself awake his eyes kept closing. 

The last thing he remembers is being brought into a room and hands quickly removing his shirt and holding a mask to his face. Within moments his eyes closed again and drifted away again. 

“Jihyun.” A voice said. V opened his eyes up and looked around, He must be dreaming again. 

Sitting up Jihyun was in his childhood home, more specifically he was in the annex of his childhood home. Where his mother lived. 

He looked for the source of the voice, his search interrupted by the sound of violin music floating through the air. As he stood he glanced around to try and find the source of it, opening one of the doors to listen to where the music was coming from. 

The music slowly grew louder in his ears, the notes being played becoming stronger, crisper. He stopped in front of a door, the one he knew led to his mother’s room. Waiting a moment he pushed the door open and walked inside. 

His mother stood in the center of the room, her violin against her chin, a bow held carefully in her small hands. Her eyes were trained on the music stand in front of her, eyes skimming the page to read the upcoming notes. The music she played was beautiful, unlike anything he had ever heard outside of the videos he’d seen of her. 

V stood in the doorway until she finished the song, ending on one long beautiful note. She removed the bow from the strings and took the violin away from her chin. Turning to the doorway to smile at him. 

“Jihyun.” She said, “How long have you been standing there?” He listened to her in shock, he’d never heard her voice like that. Clear and natural, not the struggling muddled voice he knew as a teenager. 

“Not long.” V said. He walked further into the room and closer to his mother. She turned around and set the violin down back into its case. She turned back towards him with a smile. 

“It’s been so long since I’ve seen you Jihyun. You’re so big now.” V watched her and took a shaky breath. He’d seen his mother in his dreams but the sight of her made him emotional. “How are you Jihyun? You don’t look well.” She sat down on her bed, patting the spot next to her. He waited for a moment but did sit down next to her. 

“I’m scared, if I’m being honest.” V said. 

“And why’s that?” She asked. 

“I feel so lost.” V said. His mother put a hand on his knee and looked at him with kind eyes.

“That’s okay Jihyun.” She said. 

“How?” 

“It’s normal to feel lost, Jihyun. We all feel lost at times.” She said. He looked at her, seeing her he felt a wave of thoughts, of feelings, of things he wished he could have said. 

“I miss you.” He said. “I should have been kinder to you, I should have listened to you I should have-” 

His mother put her hands on her shoulders. “Jihyun.” He forced himself to look at her, despite his emotional state. “That’s in the past now, you can’t keep holding onto all of this hurt forever.” He sniffled and wiped at his eyes. 

“I love you, I’m sorry I never told you.” V said. His mother gave him the kindest of smiles. She reached towards him and didn't move, letting her pull him into an embrace. The feeling of being embraced brought tears to his eyes, he held onto her. 

“I love you too Jihyun. You were the greatest gift I was ever given.” He held her as tight as he could. Only wishing that this moment wasn’t a dream. However, even if it was a dream he held onto the moment. “Please, take care of yourself. It breaks my heart to know you don’t treasure yourself.” 

She moved away a bit, but V didn’t let her go. He wanted to hold her as long as possible. “I will. I promise.” He pressed his face into her shoulder, feeling the dream start to pull away. He tried to hold onto the dream for a little bit longer. The feeling of his mother’s embrace dissipated and left him in the dark again. 

For a while V was in the dark, he felt like he was floating somewhere in between waking and sleep. He couldn’t open his eyes but he thought he could hear Jumin’s voice. He tried to listen but couldn’t figure out exactly what he was saying. 

Other times there was just silence, a beeping of a monitor. At one point he thought he felt someone holding his hand. That small touch keeping him present and at least a little conscious. 

His mother’s voice stayed in his head, asking him to care for himself, and then he remembered the feeling of being near You in that one dream. He remembered the feeling of holding a paintbrush in his hand, of feeling you close by. 

That dream was so good, so comfortable. Being in that darkness he wondered, he thought and fantasized about what he wanted, who he wanted to become. The life he wanted to lead once he woke up. 

He wanted to learn about himself, he wanted to learn to treasure himself, and he wanted to learn to love again, and he wanted that love to be shared with you. 

V’s eyes opened slowly, taking a deep breath he looked around his surroundings. A hospital room, a bright window letting in some light. 

“V! You’re awake!” A voice said. He turned his head slowly to see you smiling at him. And he smiled back.

[spacesquidlings]

Power Outage

When the power goes out in the midst of their movie night, Jihyun and MC find themselves plunged into a world of shadows and rain. Although disoriented at first, they soon find that they only need the flicker of firelight and each other to have a good night.

Pairing: Jihyun Kim x MC

A/N: Day 5 of Jihyun Week 2020. I chose the prompt Rain!!!!

@mysme-events​

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They were nearly at the end of their movie, right when the portly detective was in the midst of explaining the motives of the killer and displaying his evidence, when the entire room went dark.

MC sat up, nearly knocking her head against Jihyun’s with the sudden movement.

She twisted in his arms, murmuring her apologies as she stroked his face, pressing kisses to his brow.

“Sorry,” she breathed, meeting his starlit eyes in the otherwise darkened room. “Are you okay?”

He chuckled, his hands coming up to cup her face, his fingers twinning in her hair. “How can I not be when I’m with you?”

MC was suddenly very thankful for the darkness, if only so Jihyun couldn’t see the blush creeping up her face.

It didn’t matter how many years they had been married, her husband’s sweet, gentle words never failed to make her flustered.

“You are far too sweet for your own good,” she said, leaning so close their foreheads brushed together.

“Hardly,” he murmured, tipping his head back, his lips barely a breath from her own.

But before she could close that final distance between them a crack of thunder shattered the air, making them both jump.

MC fell from Jihyun’s lap, nearly tumbling onto the ground. Her husband reached out, wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close again as blinding lightning sliced across the sky.

He chuckled, pressing a kiss to her brow. “At least we know why the power went out.”

MC snorted, peeling away from his embrace to stand, walking towards the window across the room. To stare at the millions upon millions of raindrops cascading from the velvet darkness of the sky, with only the barest of starlight and moonbeams to set them aglow as they fell, like the world was drowning in crystals and stardust.

Behind her, MC heard Jihyun whine, and she couldn’t help but smile as the sound of their blankets rustling filled her ears, followed by his feet against the floor as he came towards her. And then his arms were around her waist, his face pressed against the crook of her neck, and her smile grew wider.

“I was coming back,” she breathed, blinking as lightning flashed across the sky in a blinding explosion of light.

“I know,” he said, his arms growing tighter. “But I wanted to hold you.”

She rested her hands over his, stroking the back of his hands gently as they watched the rain crashing down around the world.

“We should probably check if anything is working,” she murmured, leaning back against his chest, sinking into the warmth of his embrace.

“We should,” he agreed, although neither of them moved, content to stand like that for a long, long while.

It wasn’t until MC’s stomach made a quiet gurgling did Jihyun pull away, chuckling.

“Why don’t we get something to eat, before your stomach becomes louder than the storm.”

Now it was MC’s turn to whine, pouting at him despite the shadows cloaking the house.

“I know you’re pouting,” he said, sounding amused as he took her hand. “And it won’t work.”

“That’s only because it’s dark,” she grumbled, squeezing his hand as they made their way to the kitchen.

“Well why don’t we light some candles then. And then we can decide how powerful your pout is.”

“Oh it is quite powerful.”

Jihyun hummed, but he didn’t try to deny it, instead just pulling her hand towards him and pressing a kiss to her knuckles.

Right before he ran into a wall.

Jihyun slammed into the wall next to the kitchen entrance, his shouts aligning with another crack of thunder, his expression of pain illuminated by the lightning.

“Jihyun!” MC shouted, pulling him backwards and running her hands over his face, looking for any sort of bruise or cut in the stormy darkness.

“Jihyun, are you okay?”

He winced, his hands moving to cover hers. “I’m alright. Although I think we should probably get some candles lit so there’s a bit of light.”

MC nodded, standing on her toes to kiss his brow. “Of course, love. You already walk into walls enough when there’s light.”

She couldn’t quite make out his expression, but she could hear Jihyun’s pout as he spoke. “I don’t walk into walls that much.”

“Jihyun there’s a dent in the wall in our bedroom where you’ve smacked your head against it.”

He made a quiet whining sound, and MC couldn’t help pressing another kiss to his face, threading her fingers through his hair for a moment.

“I’m sorry for teasing,” she said, trailing a line of kisses down his jaw. “I love you.”

He snorted, but his arms wrapped around her waist, and he leaned closer, tilting his head so his lips brushed against hers for the barest of moments.

“I don’t think you are,” he breathed, and she could hear the smile in his voice.

“I’m a little sorry.”

Jihyun chuckled. “Well. Let’s just make sure I don’t run into any more walls.”

Although he did in fact run into at least 2 more walls, and MC managed to bump into the table so many times that they were sure to have matching bruises in the next few days.

They collected as many candles as they could, some half-used or nearly new, in scents of fresh laundry and flower petals and vanilla and cedar and cinnamon. MC piled them all on the kitchen table, their delicate scents filling her senses as she tossed their lids to the side. Jihyun came up beside her, the quiet click of the lighter in his hand somehow deafening between the cracks of thunder.

It took a few tries before flame burst on the tip of the lighter, and for a few moments MC worried that it wouldn’t start at all, that they would be left in the darkness of the storm.

Although it wouldn’t be the worst, not when she could cuddle Jihyun and listen to the sound of the rain against the windows. But she did still want to see his face, wanted to be able to peer into her husband’s eyes, and firelight always seemed to cast their world in a soft, cozy light.

But all her worries melted away as a flickering flame bloomed in the darkness. It wavered, powerful and yet so delicate as Jihyun began moving it between the candle wicks, setting each one alight until their kitchen table seemed to glow like a new star.

Pale, golden light washed across the kitchen, sparking against the silver of their appliances and scattering across the wall like shards of starlight. Beside her, Jihyun’s face was limned in the pale light, his eyes seeming to glow as they watched the dancing flames.

He looked a little like an angel, like something out of a dream. Like he was made of sunlight and moonbeams and the firelight that had set the room ablaze. He too, seemed to glow, as though the light that now filled with kitchen was spilling from him, barely more than a whisper of the true brightness that lay in his heart.

MC stepped closer to her husband, wanting to be beside him, needing to be as close to him as she could. She reached out, twining her fingers with his, warmth spreading from her heart like she was awash in pure, golden sunlight as he squeezed her hand in return.

And then thunder tore through the air, a deafening peal that she could feel shaking the floor, reaching deep into her bones.

MC jumped, the crack of thunder surprising her so much that she gasped, falling against Jihyun’s chest as terror swept over her.

She clutched at Jihyun’s shirt, burying her face in the crook of his neck, her ears ringing long after the air had grown silent once more.

She felt his hand running through her hair, felt his lips brushing against the top of her head. He massaged small circles against her back, humming softly, and MC felt herself begin to relax again. Felt some of that sudden fear loosening its grip on her heart as Jihyun consoled her gently.

“Hey,” he murmured, his voice so quiet it was nearly drowned out by the crashing of the rain. “Hey, you’re okay. It was just a little thunder.”

MC peeled away, keeping her eyes fixed on his chest, feeling suddenly very silly. But she didn’t pull away entirely, still shaking the tiniest bit, still wanting to stay cradled in the safety of his arms for a few moments more.

Jihyun chuckled, brushing her hair back from her brow. “I didn’t realize you were scared of thunderstorms.”

“I’m not,” she muttered, heat creeping into her face. “It just surprised me. I wasn’t expecting it.”

“Oh love,” he cooed, gently holding his hands over her ears. “Would this help? So you don’t hear the thunder?”

She furrowed her brow. “No, I can still hear perfectly fine-”

“What if I got you some earmuffs, or a big hat to put over your head to hide from the storm?”

MC opened her mouth, then closed it, then opened it again, then closed it again. Her mind was reeling as she tried to make sense of Jihyun’s words, as she tried to understand why he was saying them, why his eyes glittered with such delight…

MC narrowed her eyes, something clicking in her mind.

“Jihyun Kim, are you teasing me?”

His smile was all the answer she needed.

Maybe she didn’t want to be in his arms anymore.

MC tried twisting out of his embrace, trying to pull away from him, but Jihyun only held tighter, nuzzling his face against her neck.

“Love, I’m sorry,” he said, but she could still hear the laughter in his voice. Could still feel his smile against her skin.

“No, babey, I don’t think you are.”

He chuckled, and she felt his lips brush against her skin in the whisper of a kiss before he was pulling away. “I’m a little sorry.”

MC pouted, even as she felt her indignation melting away as she held his gaze. His eyes shone with the flickering firelight

Jihyun’s expression grew softer, and he hummed quietly, cupping her chin with his hand and running his thumb along the line of her jaw.

“What is it?” She asked, her heart fluttering on butterfly wings of silk and gossamer.

The smile that now arced across his face was warm and soft as a sleepy morning kiss. It was gentle, reminding her of the pale light of dawn, like the softness of their blankets against her skin as Jihyun pulled them over their twined forms. It was a smile so gentle, and yet more radiant than all of their candles combined.

“I was just thinking,” he breathed, his voice featherlight. “That I’ve never painted anything by firelight before.”

MC’s heart stumbled, and her breath caught in her throat.

“But I’ve never seen anything quite as enchanting as you illuminated by the firelight,” he continued, his thumb stroking small circles against her cheek. “And I think I’d like to try to capture it.”

“Jihyun…” She breathed, nothing in her mind but the sound of the rain and the light in her husband’s eyes.

“You’re enchanting,” he murmured. “And I can’t help but try to capture your magic through my art.”

MC leaned closer without realizing it, falling back into his embrace, her hands pressed against his chest as he held her close. She could feel his heartbeat against her palm, its steady beat washing through her, drowning out the rain as she curled against her husband.

“Love,” she said, feeling like she was made of stardust. “You are more enchanting than any spell or magic could ever be. And there is no song I could write that would begin to capture that.”

He flushed, but he didn’t duck his head, instead choosing to lean forward, his brow pressed against hers.

“I love you,” he murmured. “I love you with all that I am.”

“I love you, too,” she said, her eyes fluttering closed as she breathed him in, as she was enveloped by his smell and his warmth and his arms. “I love you more than there are stars in the sky.”

Thunder cracked and lightning flashed, but neither of them noticed or cared, not when they were holding something so much more important, something so precious in their arms.

Eventually they pulled away to scatter the candles throughout the house, in the kitchen and the living room and their bedroom, perching a few on windowsills so their paths would be lit when they traveled between the rooms.

Then they returned to the kitchen, putting together simple sandwiches in the faint light, crumbs falling to the floor unnoticed as they ate.

Afterwards they returned to the couch, to the dark television screen where the resolution of the murder mystery had been nearly at hand. Although MC didn’t care anymore. Not as Jihyun, awash in the flickering candlelight, tucked her against his chest. Not as he pulled their blankets back over them, making sure they were entirely swathed in the soft material before his arms curled around her waist.

She rested her head against his chest, humming as Jihyun played with her hair. She didn’t need excitement or drama, didn’t need anything big or extravagant or wild.

She just needed this. Needed Jihyun’s arms around her, his fingers in her hair. Needed his heartbeat beneath her hands, needed the blanket so snuggly cocooned around them. All she needed was this little world they had created, just the two of them and the flickering light and the crashing of the rain.

All she needed was this, this moment, all the hundreds of moments just like this one, all of them shared with him.

Just this, and she would be happy.

[mysme-events]

Jihyun Week 2020

Good day everyone! As September is fast approaching, we are to celebrate the RFA's head's birthday! The week long event will be held on Sept. 3 to 10.

We are now open for prompts suggestions! We will release a poll on Aug. 15 with our prompt ideas as well as yours, submit now!

Finalized prompts will be announce on Aug. 17 to give creators ample time!

For any questions, feel free to drop on our ask. Thank you and stay safe!