#mv sets take me too long for me to wake up at a normal time tmr and gif so i'm choosing waking up at four 👍 | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

fydream · 4 years

Text

even if it is, just for tonight | p. js

☌ genre: jisung x reader, slice of life(ish), fluff, angst?, high school!au? kinda.. i wouldn't say it's a college!au but it's the summer before you move to college, the mood is a teenage coming of age movie where the main characters sneak out and do things but like not illegal things yk, best friends to lovers because i'm a sucker for that!!, inspired by life is strange episode 3 + we go up era/the we go up mv teaser + the perks of being a wallflower, mentions of ex-boyfriend!jaemin, say hi to skater boy!renjun!!! also say hi to college boy!johnny!! they're more of a touch and go but they'd appreciate a hello :-)

☌ songs/playlist: 🎵(yes these go in order of the story,,, the most important songs though are "aint it fun by" paramore and "fallingforyou" by the 1975 and maybe "is there somebody who can watch you" also by the 1975)

☌ word count: 7.3k!!

☌ warnings: food mention, cursing, uhh breaking and entering? i wouldnt really say that but it's more off you jumping a fence and trespassing lol, also this is semi proof read lmao sorry

☌ author note: this is dedicated to my dear friend cam!! (@huangsilks) happy birthday i love you <333 here's a lil fic bc ur senior year got cut short and as much as i wish i could give it to you, i cant, and im so sorry about that. so take this fic in return <33 mwah // all i want to do is live in a teen coming of age movie is that too much to ask for? and that's on the media romanticizing your teenage years!

☌ disclaimer: this has no relation to htbah!jisung at all. this is a completely different universe. thank you.

─ 10:45pm;

The last day of summer vacation is always fun until you realize that the sun has started to set and the inevitability of tomorrow starts creeping into your thoughts.

So what were you doing on your last day (or night in this case) of summer? You weren't doing anything special, just looking through your room and going through the various photos you had put up on your walls, recalling past memories from your previous years in high school.

Tomorrow night you were leaving your small town and moving across the country to attend college. Needless to say you were excited to move away and get a fresh start but the one thing you weren't ready for was to say goodbye to everyone.

You didn't have a going away party like everyone else, you decided not to because that meant you were actually leaving. Though your bags were packed and your room was put together, it didn't feel like you were going to college. The realization hasn't hit yet, it just felt like another normal night. You were busy looking through one of the memory boxes you had in your room when you felt your phone buzz, indicating you've gotten a text.

[sungie: hey]

[sungie: wanna go on an adventure?]

[you: wtf? the sun set already, if i get caught i'm done for!]

[sungie: c'mon.. live a little]

[sungie: im picking you up in five, get ready :)]

Park Jisung. Your best friend since, well, since elementary. He's the boy who you grew up with, the boy who you happened to survive all of high school and middle school with, he's also the boy who happened to capture your heart doing the simplest things you could imagine.

He was your first crush, but not your first boyfriend.

He also happened to be the boy who was always there for you, no matter what. So if you were going to spend your last night in the town you grew up in, why not spend it with your best friend, Park Jisung himself?

Seeing as that he was already on his way, it left you with no choice. Grabbing the closest hoodie near you, you silently made your way to your front door where you slipped on your shoes before heading outside as quietly as you could.

It takes a few minutes before you see a familiar car pull up on your childhood street. Approaching the vehicle, you hear music playing that's only being muffled due to the windows that are rolled up and the doors being shut closed.

"Hey." He says lowering the volume as you open the door to his passenger seat. "Are you ready?"

"You're fucking insane." You snort as you buckle your seatbelt. "Wake up my whole neighborhood why don't you?"

"I mean.. Only if you want me too.." He teases, placing his hand on his car horn.

"Don't you dare!" You squeal, trying to grab his wrist before he could attempt to wake up your whole neighborhood. To no avail, you failed which resulted in a fit of laughter from him.

"C'mon. Live a little." He says once more before driving away from your. house, turning out of your neighborhood and onto the empty streets.

"Where are we going?" You ask, watching the streetlights pass by.

"It's a surprise."

"That's so ominous."

"I know."

"Could you at least give me a hint?" You whine.

"I'll give you one word."

"I'll take whatever I can get."

"Okay, the word is playground."

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" You ask, shooting him a glare.

"Hey! you said you'll take what you can get, and I'm giving you one word." He defends.

"You're annoying." You mumble, turning away from him to look back out the window.

"So I've been told." He snorts, focusing his attention back on the road.

Your first stop of the night is the playground of your elementary school.

It was kind of unexpected because the last time you were here was probably when you attended school here, years ago. To be honest, you were expecting to be taken to the park near your house. The playground there was mostly abandoned due to all the kids on your street growing up, you would still see other children playing on the swings or sliding down one of the tube slides but those were on good days. Most of the time it was just empty.

"School?" You ask confused, watching as Jisung unbuckles his seatbelt and opens his door to step outside, you doing the same. "Jisung, we're way to big for this playground, you know that. Why are we even here?"

"You'll see." He says, grabbing your hand to drag you over towards the gate that they used to fence off the playground. ”Are you ready?"

"Ready for what?" You ask, earning a wink in response. "Oh my god.. Jisung no!"

Before you could realize what was about to happen, the hand that Jisung was using to hold yours was now being used to help pull himself over the chain linked fence that lead to your school's playground. After successfully throwing himself over the top of the fence and landing on the other side with a light thud, he smiles at you. "Your turn."

"What the hell?! No way!" You protest. "I can't even climb a fence! You know this!"

"Actually. That's false." He confidently states, knowing he’ll win this argument. "You climbed a fence Junior year when you were hanging out with Johnny Suh and his friends."

"What? Who told you that?!" You exclaim.

"Just a little someone who's name begins with a little 'Ren' and ends with 'Jun.'" He says playfully, sending you a little wink.

"That brat!" You whisper yell. "That’s the last time I tell Renjun something.." You add, mumbling.

"So, your turn." He repeats, gesturing towards the gate in front of you.

"I can't believe I'm fucking doing this." You mumble before continuing to hoist yourself over the metal fence. Your landing wasn’t as smooth as Jisung’s, seeing as you almost lost balance trying to get down from the top resulting in Jisung having to catch you so you didn’t break an ankle or something.

"See? That wasn't so bad." He snorts, letting you go.

"I hate you." You scoff. "Why are we even here again?"

"I'm glad you asked." He says smiling, grabbing your hand once more. This time, instead of leading you to a fence you had to jump be brings you to a small play structure. It takes you approximately a minute for you to realize where you were and where he was taking you.

"Right here." He says pointing to a red tube slide. "Our first stop of the night. This is where we first met, remember? You practically shoved me down this slide because you wanted to go down it and I was in your way."

You chuckle as the first memory of you and your best friend plays. "Of course? How could I not remember? I got called into the office afterwards because some kid told one of the teachers that I was bullying you. To this day, I still don't know who told on me."

“It was Wendy, if you wanted to know.” He adds. “She told me after she told on you.” He shrugs.

“Of course it was..” You mumble, hopping up to sit against one of the bottom steps that led up to the slide.

"Is this what we came here for?" You ask, looking up at the boy who was currently climbing up the side of the playground structure.

"Ding ding ding! We have a winner!" He yells loud enough for anyone in a five mile radius hear. Maybe it’s because of how quiet it is at this time of night, or maybe it’s because he just got louder whenever he was with you. But those were besides the point, if there were any cops around right now you two would definitely have gotten caught thanks to Jisung.

He makes his way to a safer spot, where he can jump down from the top of the playground. Despite the fact he moved you still scold him for his reckless actions. "Don't do that!! You’re going to get hurt! What happens when you jump off of something and finally break your ankle, hm?"

Jisung shrugs in response. "Well you see, it hasn’t happened yet. You can even check, I’m fine. It’s okay."

"You stress me out, you know." You scoff, turning away from him to walk towards the monkey bars that were once too tall for you, but now are nothing compared to your height.

"I know." He shouts from across the playground. Because of how quiet it was with just you two being there in the dead of night you could hear his footsteps along the playground structure. You could hear it creak every now and then, making you wonder if it was Jisung causing then noises of if it was just because of how old the structure is. You think about how long it's been here, how many children have played in the exact spots you were standing in and how many more will until they decide to finally remodel or get rid of it.

"It's been ages since I've been here." You whisper, running your hand along the cool, metal railing as you climb the short steps that lead up to the top, where Jisung was waiting for you.

"I know right? Do you remember this spot?" He asks, taking a seat on the platform, which barely has enough room for both of you. "We used to sit here and gossip about who we thought were cute in the fifth grade." He snorts.

"Yeah.. And when people tried to come up here you'd yell at them for the password." You laugh. "That was really fun. A simpler time." You add, going back replaying through some of your memories which were long forgotten.

For the next couple minutes you and Jisung just sit there, reminiscing to when you were both small children, where your only worry was your guy's spot on the playground being stolen.

“This is nice..” You think to yourself. “It feels the same, just like the good old days.”

"Uhm." Jisung coughs, getting your attention. "We better get going. There are more stops to go and well, we don't have all night do we?"

"Oh. Yeah." You sigh, not wanting to get up from your spot. "Where are we going now?" You ask.

"You'll see." He says, flashing you a grin.

You smile, rolling your eyes at the boy in front of you, who was now attempting (and failing) to slide down the slide in front of you.

"It’s not slippery anymore." He frowns.

"Well, yeah." You giggle, making your way down the same way you came up. "It's been years Sungie. What'd you expect?"

"I dunno. The same amount of slipperiness?"

"You're silly." You tease, lightly pinching his cheek. "Let's go." You’re about to walk away when Jisung grabs your wrist, stopping you from waltzing away to his car.

"Are you sure?" He asks. "You were kinda hesitant to jump a fence you’ll sure you'll be ready to do whatever else I have planned for tonight?" He teases.

"Depends." You hum. "Are we going to get into any kind of trouble?"

"That's up to us."

"Then of course I'm down." You say, dragging him back the way you entered.

─ 12:23am;

The next stop is in the city near your small town. To be more specific it's the rooftop of one of the many parking garages your city has. Jisung's car is the only car parked right now due to the time being nearly twelve thirty in the morning, and you just can't help but wonder why you spent the last half an hour driving to an empty parking garage.

"Okay Park Jisung, why are we here?" You ask, leaning against the railing to look outwards for any sign of reason.

"Well first of all, if you're looking for the reason why you're on the wrong side." He chuckles, leading you towards the opposite side of the rooftop. "And if you look to your left you'll see a small venue." He says in one of those touristy guide voices, earning a giggle from you.

"Hey! Isn't that where we-"

"Saw our first concert?" He cuts you off, finishing your sentence.

"Yeah.. I remember that night. We skipped school that day to make sure we made barricade." You snort.

"It was definitely worth missing a pop quiz and two weeks of being grounded." Jisung comments.

"You act like you didn't sneak out every night during those two weeks." You joke, lightly punching his arm.

He gives you a small pout and a fake "ow." in response. "Well, yeah?" He replies. "How else was I going to see my best friend?"

"Anyone ever told you you're annoying?" You ask rolling your eyes, leaving the edge of the rooftop to walk towards the center.

"Mmm." He hums, looking up to indicate that he was thinking. "I don't think so."

"Well, you are." You say before asking "So why the rooftop?"

"I'm glad you asked." He starts, pulling out a tiny speaker from his jacket pocket. "Remember how you said you were kinda sad that we haven't gone to a concert in a while?"

"Mhm."

"Well congratulations y/n l/n because here I have a tiny speaker that'll make it feel like we're having our own mini concert on the top of this garage building tonight!" He exclaims in a fake announcer voice.

Giggling, you smile at him before going along with the joke. "Oh wow? My own private concert? Right here? Right now? With the only relevant person in my life? How could I even think about passing that up!?"

Jisung snorts before handing you the wireless speaker, allowing you to connect your phone to it. The first song you play is "Ain't It Fun" by Paramore for the sole being of it being that song.

"Paramore?" Jisung asks, a bit confused on why you chose this song out of all things to play.

You smile at him before placing the speaker on the ground. Taking both his hands you say, "Jisung. It's fucking Paramore! Do you not remember this song? This is the one we used to blast on my speakers in my bedroom whenever we had a good day. I miss that. Now c'mon! Dance with me!" You giggle, dragging him away from the speaker and to an emptier spot in the parking lot. And so he does. It's not any choreography or anything, it's just you two jumping around on a rooftop to one of your feel good songs. A carefree moment to be exact, where it feels like nothing really matters anymore.

Jisung smiles, backing away from you to watch as you jammed your heart out. If anything, he would give everything just for you to have this moment forever. He knows how stressful life can be, not to mention how hard you worked just to barely make it into your dream school. He also knows how hard it is to feel alone, so he really isn't surprised that your chose thing song because it was your song. Jisung knows a lot more than you could ever know, so if it means he only has one night left to give you everything, then so be it.

Before you know it you watch as he runs towards you, engulfing you in a hug. Shocked, you try your best to look up towards the boy who had you in his arms. If you weren't this close to him you probably wouldn't have noticed the slight glossy look over his eyes, deciding not to touch on it for now and just accept the hug as the song fades into background noise.

"You're leaving tomorrow." Jisung whispers, before pulling apart from the hug, placing his hands on your shoulders. "You're leaving, tomorrow." He states once more this time, more softly while looking at you in the eyes. "You're gonna go off to some college and find a new, maybe get a new boyfriend, and even get a life of your own."

"You know I'll never replace you." You respond back, voice barely above a whisper. You were looking at the cement on the ground or the buildings that were only light being lit up by the various lights around or the night sky, which you definitely haven't seen in a while. You were looking anywhere, everywhere that wasn't your best friend, because you knew for a fact if you looked at him in this moment you would cry.

"But hey," You say speaking up, finally getting the courage to look him in the eye. "That all starts tomorrow. I'm still here right? We still have what? Like twelve hours? So let's make the most of it while we still can, okay?"

Jisung looks down at you before giving you a sad smile. "Actually it's seventeen hours." He sniffs, letting out a light laugh.

"Okay? So? I've got seventeen hours to spare, do you have seventeen hours to spare?" You ask, teasingly.

"You can have all my time in the world, y/n." Jisung replies, pulling you back into the hug.

"Glad to know." You giggle. "Because I'm willing to give you all of mine."

Soon enough the song ends and you hear the beginning of Fallingforyou by The 1975 start to play.

"Hey," Jisung whispers. "I- Uhm. You know this song reminds me of you?" He says.

"It's does?" You ask, voice muffled due to the fact you were speaking into his chest. "Why?"

"Oh god." He starts. "You can't make fun of me for this though." He says pulling away from the hug.

"I won't. I promise."

"Pinky promise?"

"Pinky promise."

"Okay well.." He starts, walking away from you. "Here goes nothing.." There's hesitation in his voice and you can't tell if it's because what he was going to say would hurt you or if he just never planned on telling you. It's silent for a few seconds before he breathes in and let's out a sigh.

"I used to like you, y'know."

Though this is just the start of his sentence you wonder why it already began to hurt. Perhaps it could be because he started his thought off with 'I used to like you.' Used to, meaning not anymore.

"Back in the beginning of Sophomore year, when I saw that you started dating Na Jaemin I realized how much I liked you. And when I saw how much you were with him and how much fun you were having with him I couldn't help but wish that were me.. I couldn't help but wonder what would've happened if I figured out my feelings before you got with him. And even after you two broke up, I couldn't help but wonder what would happen if I just confessed to you, out of the blue."

"Is that so?" You ask, walking towards the boy who was now seated on the hood of his car.

"Yeah." He whispers, looking down so he didn't have to face you.

"Well, then I have a confession to make." You state, hoping onto the empty space next to him to take a seat. "I used to like you to."

"You did?"

"I did." You hesitantly state.

"Oh.." He whispers. "How long ago?"

"A while ago." You say softly. "I never wanted to risk anything because I didn't want it to affect our friendship. I didn't want to imagine what would happen if we ended up breaking up on a bad note. I didn't want to risk losing my best friend."

"Oh." He sighs.

"What do you think would've happened if we dated?" You ask.

"I dunno actually. I mean, I don't think much would really change.. We're already pretty close, and we basically act like a couple anyways. Just look at us right now." Jisung responds.

You didn't realize it but currently you were snuggled up against his side, with his arm wrapped around you. If Jisung didn't point it you probably wouldn't have noticed. "We do everything together, and we always bring each other gifts. We even went to prom together, remember?"

"Well yeah.. as friends."

"That's besides the point. I'm talking about how people see us y/n. Go ask anyone, Donghyuck thought we were dating."

"He doesn't count. Donghyuck thinks everyone is dating." You snort.

"Okay, then ask Renjun. The reason why he told me you jumped that fence was because he thought that Johnny was gonna steal you from me."

"He did?"

"Yeah. His exact words were 'You're girlfriend just jumped a fence to hang out with J. Suh and them. I'd be careful if I were you, Johnny's known to steal each other's girls.' You should've seen how confused I was and how awkward it was to explain to him that we weren't a couple." Jisung laughs. "He was so confused."

"He thought we were dating?"

"Yeah."

"Jisung." You state, looking up at him. "This is my last night here. And before you tell me to shut up and enjoy the moment I want to tell you one thing, okay? It's really really important to me and I feel like if I don't tell you this right now, I may never will."

"Geez, you're dramatic." He jokes. "What's so important anyways?"

"I still like you."

"Oh.." He whispers. "Oh? Wai-Wait. You still like me?"

You nod.

"Like.. like-like?"

"Yes, like like-like." You chuckle.

"O-Oh.."

There's a moment of silence before anyone says anything else. The only things making noise are the sound of distant cars that you hear drive by, along with the wind as it decides to pick up a slight breeze. Your phone is still playing music but you can barely hear it over your light breathing, which to you, sounds like the loudest thing on world. Your head is occupied with thoughts on why you decided to confess right now and Jisung is left trying to process what you just told him. It only lasts for a few seconds, a minute at most, but it feels like an eternity.

"Hey y/n?" He says softly. You snap your head up, looking towards him. Half of you is ready to hear whatever he has to say while the other half of you is worried that you just ruined everything with four little words. "Yeah?" You ask as your voice cracks a little.

"I still like you too."

"You do?"

"I do."

"So the question becomes, what are we?" You whisper, looking back down at the ground. "I leave tomorrow."

"That doesn't mean anything.." Jisung mumbles.

"What are you talking about? Yes it does. It means everything."

"No, it doesn't." He states, jumping off of his car hood to stand in front of you. "Think about it, you leave tomorrow right?"

"Yeah.."

"Well, like you said. You're still with me right now and we've still got-" He stops, taking a second to glance at his phone to check the time. "About sixteen and a half hours to spare.. So, why not make the most of it?"

"What are you implying?"

He sighs, taking a step closer to you to grab both your hands and pull you off his car hood himself. "Will you, y/n l/n, be my girlfriend? Even if it is, just for tonight?"

You squeeze his hands, unsure of what to say. Of course you want to say yes, this is one of the moments you've been waiting for! Something you never expected to happen! So why were you feeling so unsure?

Maybe it's because you knew this wouldn't last forever, or maybe it's because it was your best friend. Either way, each option had it's pros and cons. You just couldn't figure out which ones outweighed the other.

If you say yes, then you would've got to experience your long term crush being your boyfriend. But it also meant it would end in less than 24 hours, and what if you didn't want that? Sure long distance is an option, but would you be able to do it?

If you say no.. Then what would happen? Would tonight just end up awkward? You didn't want to pine after some boy for so long, and you sure didn't want Jisung to feel embarrassed, especially since both of you just confessed to each other.

So what do you say? You don't have all the time in the world to pick an answer.

"If I were to say yes.." You say, speaking up. "Do you promise nothing will change between us afterwards? Will we still be friends after that?"

"We can be friends." He says. "Or we can be more than friends. We can be whatever you want. I just want you to be happy."

You sigh, letting go of his hands, only taking a second to look at him.

"What?" He asks, moving to get closer to you.

"Nothing." You sigh. "Just thinking."

"About what?"

"About.. us.. You know.. What are we going to do once the sun comes up?"

"Cry and then kiss some more?" He jokes, hoping to lighten the mood a bit.

"Sungie.. I'm being serious. What are we gonna do?"

"I don't know, y/n. If I'm going to be honest I don't want to think about it either.. I didn't think that far ahead!"

"I know you didn't but we have to talk about it. It's bound to happen."

"What is?"

"Us.. breaking up.."

"You didn't even accept my offer and you're already thinking about us breaking up?" He asks. In his head it sounded okay, but by the look on your face he can tell it came off differently.

"What?" You ask.

"We could always do long distance y'know.."

"Sungie. Look at me." You sigh, looking at him in the eyes. "I'm moving across country and you're staying here, without me. What did you think was going to happen?"

"I didn't think anything was going to happen! I just wanted to spend one night with you as my girlfriend!" He yells, and you take a step back at the sudden volume change.

"You expected me to say yes?"

"No! Of course not! I didn't even plan any of this! I prepared for the worst, but then you brought up the whole liking thing and it just.. I don't know?! Gave me hope?"

"I don't know.. what'll happen when the sun comes up, y/n. I don't know what'll happen at all. I just want you to be happy.. and if that means we have to finish this night as just friends, then I'll be okay with that. We can pretend like nothing happened and we can just go on-"

"What if I don't wanna pretend like nothing happened?" You ask, cutting him off.

"What if.. I wanna say yes, but I'm just too scared to?"

"Why would you be scared?" He asks.

"Because.. if I do.. and this happens to be the best night of my life.. I don't want it to end."

"The answer I want to give you is, 'it doesn't have to end.' but that would just be a broken promise on my part." He sighs, giving you a sad smile. "But the answer I will give you is, we can make the most of it, but that's only up to you. So I'm asking you again, y/n l/n. Will you be my girlfriend?"

"Yes." You sigh, nodding your head reluctantly.

He pulls you into a hug and even though it's just a hug, it's one of the best hugs you've ever experienced. It's more on the comforting side, which would explain why you felt warm and at home. But it different from the hugs you've shared before.

"So where are we off to now?" You ask, ready to officially start tonights adventure. It comes out more muffled due to the fact that you're still holding each other.

"You're so eager." Jisung pouts. "Can't we just stay like this for a while?"

"I suppose so.. It's nice."

─ 3:06am;

The third stop of the night is diner just a couple minutes away from your high school. It's open 24hours meaning you'd see students come here after dances and school events, two of them being you two. One of the convenient things about this place was that it also had a small arcade connected to it. Maybe it was just a marketing strategy, but it worked so this is where you spent the majority of your free time.

"Hungry?" He asks, pulling up in the parking spot in front of the entrance door.

"Why are we here?" You ask, glancing over at the radio to check the time. "It's three am.."

"So?" He asks. "Let me take you on a date. We can even share a milkshake if you'd like." He teases.

"How romantic." You snort.

"Y/n!! I'm being serious!" He whines. "Do you know how badly I've wanted to take you on a date here?"

"Well.. Technically we have gone on one, multiple to be exact." You claim.

"Oh yeah? Name them."

"Our study sessions for SAT's?"

"I meant a proper date! You call suffering together while we complain about the future a proper date?!" He exclaims.

"Okay then how about all the times we came here after a dance or sport event hmm?" You ask.

"Those don't count! We went as friends!"

"I like to count them as dates.." You admit. "After all, they're the best ones I've been on."

"Oh really?" He asks. "Better than the ones that Na Jaemin has taken you on?"

"Uh, yeah? Of course?"

"Take that Jaemin!" He exclaims, causing you to giggle.

"What's your deal with him anyways?" You ask, curious on what he has to say.

"Well.. he's the person I'm competing with, right? For best boyfriend?"

You roll your eyes. "It's not a competition. Besides, if it was, then you'd automatically win." You tease. "So are we going on a date or what?"

Jisung giggles. "Yeah. Let's go."

The diner is empty. There isn't anyone but a lone police officer, drinking a cup of what you assumed to be coffee; two girls who happen to look like they're on a date, and another boy, who seemed to be around you and Jisung's age, working on paper of some sort.

Taking your seat in a familiar spot you look past Jisung (who was seated in front of you) and out the window behind him. You still have a few more hours until the sun comes up, but seeing the moon slowly make it's way down hurts just a bit.

"Hey." Jisung says, drawing your attention back at him. "You zoned out a bit there, you're not falling asleep on me are you?" He teases.

"Pffft! You wish!" You say a little bit too loudly, earning a glare from the cop seated a few booths away from you.

"So about that milkshake.." You trail off. "What flavor did you get?"

"Strawberry."

You scrunch your nose at his answer. "Why?"

"I dunno." He shrugs. "It's pink, I thought it'd be romantic."

"You're cute."

"I know."

"That wasn't a compliment."

"I'll take it as one."

"I- Nevermind."

"Whaaat?"

"You're lucky you're cute."

"You think I'm cute?"

You scoff at him. "Of course I do."

"Ah, okay. Cause I think I'm cute too." He snickers.

"Hey!" You gasp, earning a light laugh from him.

"It's okay I think you're cute too." He says scrunching his nose.

You stick your tongue out at him, looking away to fake being upset.

"Ah boo hoo. Don't be like that."

You're just about to argue back when the waitress who took your order earlier places down the milkshake that Jisung ordered in the middle of you two. She also drops two straws on the table along with it. Both of you thank her and after she leaves you decide to ask Jisung a question.

"Hey Sungie?" You ask, ripping off the paper wrapping to your straw. "Why this place?"

"You're kidding me, right?"

With a smile, you shake your head no at his response and he lets out a sigh.

"Do you really want to know?"

"Yeah!" You nod. "Why?:

"This is where I realized that I was in love with you."

It takes a second for you to process what he had just said. It doesn't hit you right away but the more that you think about it, the more you realize what he meant.

"O-Oh.. Here?" You ask, as if you were unsure of where you were.

He nods in response and watches as you try to put together the pieces of how he figured out he loved you.

"Why?" You ask. "It's not like we've done anything special here. The most we've done is come here after prom.. and the rest of the dances I guess, but prom is the only one that I can really think about."

He giggles. "It doesn't have to be a big event for it to mean something y'know. I realized I was in love with you the summer going into sophomore year. You remember how we came here that night? After I so happened to convince you to sneak out and come to the movies with me?"

"Duh!" You exclaim. "How can I ever forget that?! I had to climb out my fucking window for you, do you know how scary that was? And we had to walk all the way there because neither of us could drive yet!"

"Hey in my defense I said that Johnny could've driven us. You just didn't wanna get caught!"

You roll your eyes at him. "No. That is not why, and hey! Don't try to make this conversation about me! You're the one who's supposed to be explaining stuff right now!"

"Damn." He scoffs. "Ya caught me. Well, anyways, before I was rudely interrupted-"

"You're the one who asked me a question!" You defend.

Ignoring you, he continues. "You remember how we were sitting in this spot, complaining about sophomore year before it even started?"

You nod.

"Well you were going off on some kind of rant- I don't even remember what it was about- but you just kept talking and you didn't seem to notice that I wasn't listening because I was too busy admiring how you looked. Maybe it was because it was the middle of the night, and both of us were very much sleep deprived but for some reason, it just hit me. I don't remember what it was about you, but it was that moment when I realized 'oh my god. this is what it's like to be in love.' y'know? Like you're finally realizing what it's like to be in love with someone, rather than just loving someone. Do you get what I mean?"

You shake your head no.

"Oh c'mon!" He whines. "I can't be the only one who knows what I'm talking about! It's like finally realizing what all the love songs are about, it's just like.. some kind of feeling! And it was just different how I felt from you, being my best friend, and you, being the person I had a crush on. I don't know how to explain it.. but it was just.. amazing."

"Yeah?" You ask.

"Yeah." He nods.

"Is that so? Well.. then maybe I do know what you're talking about."

"What do you mean?" He asks.

"You just did it."

"Wha- huh?! What did I do?"

"You're cute." You giggle.

"You weren't listening, huh?" He says, smiling.

"Nope! Not at all."

"So you do know what I'm talking about then?"

"Of course I do."

"You're so cute." He giggles.

"I know." You respond.

"I'm glad we agree."

─ 5:22am;

The last stop of the night is some place familiar. You didn't expect this location as much as you did others, so when Jisung decided to park here you didn't know what else to say.

"We're at.. your place?"

"Yeah." He nods, walking towards the gate that lead to his backyard.

"We're not going inside?" You ask, confused on where you were going.

"Pffft. Inside? Why would we go in there? Now c'mon, let's go."

Following Jisung into his backyard is nice. You see a lot of roses and plants that hug the side of his house. As you continue to walk you get various memories from when you two would hang out back here, before you got bored and decided that there was more to the world than Jisung's backyard.

"Okay. Do you want to go first? Or do you want me to?" He asks once you reach a ladder that lead to the roof of his house.

"You chose a ladder?" You whine. "Why didn't we just climb out one of your windows or something?"

"Because y/n!" He teases. "Where's the fun in that? Besides we've already done that before, why not do something different tonight?"

"You mean climb a ladder to sit on your roof instead of climbing out your bedroom window like we normally do?"

"See you do get me! That's exactly what I'm saying." He exclaims. "Now c'mon, up we go!" He smiles.

It's nicer than you expected. You don't know how or when he did it but he already had not one, but two blankets prepared. You assumed he put it here before he left to pick you up or he just asked one of your friends to leave them here. Judging by the fact that they didn't feel freezing cold, and that the ladder was already propped up to the side of his house when you got here, you assumed he asked Renjun or Jeno to leave them here.

"So.." You start.

"Please don't ask why I chose my own house." He jokes.

"Okay well first of all, I wasn't." You defend. "I was gonna ask what are we doing on your roof at five in the morning, but now that you mention it.. Why did you choose your house? We could've gone to so many other places."

He gives you a confused look, allowing you to ask, "What?"

"Please tell me the second question was a joke." He sighs.

You give him a smile and he pats the empty spot next to him, signaling for you to take a seat.

"Okay y/n, since you wanna know so badly, I'll tell you, yeah?" He asks, clearly annoyed at the fact that he chose his own house for gods sake.

You giggle. "You don't have to answer it you know. I know why."

"Okay, then I'll ask you. Why?"

"Because," You tease in a sing-songy voice. "Where else would we have gone? Technically, we started tonight at my place so why not end it with yours? We've spent a significant amount of time together, right?" You ask and he gives you a nod in return.

"Exactly. So it would just make sense that we have two halves of one whole, right? You pick out the places, and I bring back the memories. Right?" You explain.

"Congratulations. You've figured it out."

"Of course?" You giggle.

"Do you wanna know why we're up here though?" He asks.

"Yeah sure, why not?"

"It's because we can see the sunrise better from here. Yeah we used to just sit on the roof and talk in the middle of the day, or we'd watch the sun set, but we've never really watched it rise together before, y'know?"

"Really?" You ask. "Are you sure about that? We've pulled all nighters together before!"

"Yeah but one of us is either half asleep or just not paying attention."

"Hmm. I guess you're right about that." You hum.

"Do you promise we'll get a pretty sunrise?" You ask.

"Christ y/n. I don't control the weather! Who do I look like, mother nature?"

"Hey, mother nature is badass!" You scold. "She could literally end everything right here, right now."

"I suppose so." He hums, wrapping an arm around you to pull you closer to him. You rest your head against him and for a while you two just sit there in silence, no words just being said. Just the sounds of your breathing plus some birds chirping due to the current time. It's nice and comfortable. It feels like home.

You feel yourself about to start falling asleep when Jisung starts talking.

"I'm really gonna miss you.. y'know." He sighs, turning his head to look at you. If he didn't know you any better he'd think you actually fell asleep, it's only the sound of you humming the word "yeah?" that informs him you're still awake.

"What's the thing you're gonna miss most about me?" You ask.

"You expect me to chose one?" He asks, only earning another hum in response.

"Okay.. Well.. For starters, I'm going to miss seeing you everyday. I'm gonna miss not being able to text my best friend 'hey let's hangout today' and then just sitting in my room playing Mario Kart with you for the next three hours. I'm gonna miss your little roasts that you'd pull on me whenever I do anything stupid. I'm gonna miss our boba runs we used to have each week. I'm gonna miss causing chaos on the rest of our friends because how else are they going to prepare for trouble if there isn't two of us? There's so many things that I'm gonna miss about you that I could just go on and on about but we don't have enough time for that." He sighs.

"Really.. I'm just gonna miss you."

A second passes before Jisung decides to speak up again. "Are you gonna miss me too?"

"That's a silly question." You sigh. "Of course I am dummy. You expect me to not miss you? What am I gonna do without my partner in crime? My best friend and technically my boyfriend? You expect me to move across country and not miss you at all? Are you insane?!"

"Only a little." He jokes, earning a light punch from you.

"If I could take you with me I would."

"So why don't you?"

"Where are you gonna live? My fucking closet? I can't let you do that, you'll get too cramped in there." You joke.

"I guess.." He pouts.

"So.. What's gonna happen.. between us?" He asks.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, we're watching the sun rise, aren't we?"

"I guess.. I just didn't expect it to fly by that fast.." You mumble.

Another moment of comfortable silence passes before either of you say anything. This one lasts for about ten minutes, fifteen at most, with the only sounds being your shallow breathing catching your attention. It's comforting, just being like this. Laying on Jisung's side while having his arm wrapped around you and a blanket hugging you both. The wind picks up a breeze every now and then making you shiver a bit due to the lack of warmth but that only makes you snuggle closer to Jisung in hopes of stealing his body heat.

"Thank you.. for tonight." You whisper. "It's all I could've asked for."

"I'm really glad you liked it. I'm just happy I got to spent time with you before you left." He chuckles.

"I'm gonna miss you."

"Yeah?"

"So much."

The sunrise is pretty. It's one of the best ones you've seen in your entire life. It consisted of pinks, and yellows, and a little bit of purple. Though there were wispy clouds in it, it was like the earth was telling you it's okay to move on and go. Some may say it would be a perfect way to end a beautiful night, or in your case, the perfect way to say goodbye.

#fydream #neowritingsnet #nct dream imagines #nct dream fluff #nct dream x reader #nct dream fanfic #nct dream soft hours #nct dream timestamps #nct dream scenarios #nct dream blurbs #jisung imagines #jisung fluff #jisung x reader #jisung fanfic #jisung soft hours #jisung timestamps #jisung scenarios #jisung blurbs

277 notes · View notes

rpgmgames · 4 years

Photo

April’s Featured Game: Nobody's Home

DEVELOPER(S): oates ENGINE: RPG Maker MV GENRE: Survival Horror SUMMARY: After a night of extreme drinking and partying, you wake up in stranger's bed to discover... Nobody's Home.

Buy the game here! Our Interview With The Dev Team Below The Cut!

Introduce yourself! *oates: Hi, this is oates! I'm a pixel artist and game developer, I've started making games with rpgmaker in 2016 with VX Ace and now currently using MV for recent projects. Previous projects I've worked on were the FNaF-inspired Souls-like One Night at the Steeze, my first rpgmaker game and it's prequel, the FNaF-inspired roguelike No Delivery. Other games I've worked on include the fangames Day Dreaming Derpy, made in VX Ace and Spike's Day Off, made in MV and the latest in a series of previous fangames previously developed on Adobe Flash.

What is your project about? What inspired you to create this game initially? *oates: Nobody's Home is largely based on my experiments to find and apply horrific elements in modern situations or phenomena. The scenario being explored here in Nobody's Home is the aftermath of some crazy party. Sound design is especially important when crafting a horror scenario, so I often look to music to draw inspiration. Much of the atmosphere and house design was inspired by music and imagery associated with '70s yacht rock (a sub-genre of soft rock). Another important note is a lot of the general mood and 'weirdness' was inspired by a band I listen a lot to, Dance Gavin Dance, specifically their "deathstar" album. However they have a tendency in all their albums to switch genres mid-song, often going from their post-hardcore sound to funk, pop, and even rap; aside from that, some of the subject matter covered can range from disturbing to unpleasant to nonsensical, but combined with the amazing music, it creates an experience that pulls the listener in all different directions. It got to the point that I was naming events in the game after some their tracks so I had to be careful not to inadvertently make a fangame haha But there are some easter eggs in Nobody's Home that were intentionally left in, and I'm fairly certain players have identified it already.

How long did you work on your project? *oates: I used much of the same framework left over from my previous project No Delivery for this development cycle, so the hassle for setting up asset pipelines was very much mitigated. I started in earnest, making assets back in January this year so it took roughly 2+ months to finish development for this project.

Did any other games or media influence aspects of your project? *oates: Aside from the previous music inspirations, I was really intrigued with the way Resident Evil 7's Beginning Hour demo was able to pick up where Konami's cancelled PT left off in terms of survival horror games to look forward to back in 2017. Prior to later updates, the initial demo really only included a few set pieces, basic item interaction, and almost no puzzles from the full game. It was largely able to pull off scaring players from almost atmosphere alone (if you exclude the Jack Baker and ghost encounters). It was later in the full game that it was able to show off it's metroidvania-esque design to its fullest. After my previous project, I wanted to step away from roguelike design for a bit and focus a little more on an exploration-based experience, so I took a few notes from the way RE7 and RE2: Remake handled map design and progression.

Did you come across any challenges during development? How did you overcome or work around them? *oates: I was coming off a severe cold last year and it took most of January for me to recover, so it was a little hard to start full-on development immediately like I normally would on top of other career matters. And looking at events today, it's even more imperative that developers practice healthy habits during development.

Did any aspects of your project change over time? How does your current project differ from your initial concept? *oates: I've had the idea for Nobody's Home as a concept for a while, but filling in those gaps with actual gameplay between centerpieces was a big variable. I went back and forth between the turn-based item combat from the previous project to cutting out combat entirely. While I didn't implement it, I also brainstormed a few concepts for overworld action and combat ala Zelda, but it seemed too complex given the time frame I set for myself. Eventually I settled on a middle ground between full combat and separate encounters, with "enemies" acting as essentially a toll gate. The rest of the game followed suit with various tolls and "mouse traps" for the player to trigger at their own behest. This wasn't necessarily the design I had in mind at first, but it helped to concisely fill a relatively small location with specifically "deadly" content.

What was your team like at the beginning? How did people join the team? If you don’t have a team, do you wish you had one or do you prefer working alone? *oates: I largely work solo for both development and art, but I do regularly work with a few musicians for an original soundtrack. I first started working with other composers for the fangame Day Dreaming Derpy, where after the initial demo was released, I received emails from a few musicians volunteering to contribute some tracks for the game. In all, the original soundtrack contained 9 tracks in total, with 3 tracks from each composer; each of them doing an amazing job and, in my opinion brought the project back then to a higher degree of quality. This was how I met some of the composers I still work with today and they all have some really great work! TheNGVirus @NGVirusNG1 Kaminakat @thekaminakat dRedder @HornyGremlin

What is the best part of developing a game? *oates: It's a toss up between the initial brainstorming/research and the first run-through when you have your desired maps linked together. For the brainstorming, it's pretty fun to learn about subject matter you want to do justice to as well as stretching your creative muscles for the first time in service to a certain concept. However this obviously wears off when you devote too much time to a particular concept, but it's still enjoyable nevertheless. For making that run-through, it doesn't necessarily mean to have all the events implemented, but to experience your game the way players will experience it for the first time does give a sense of completion/cohesion to what you, as a developer, are trying to accomplish. It essentially puts what you're working on into a different perspective for you.

Do you find yourself playing other RPG Maker games to see what you can do with the engine, or do you prefer to do your own thing? *oates: I do keep an eye out for what other rpgmaker projects are doing, and to see what others can do with the engine helps get the creative juices flowing; it's also fun to try to mentally reverse engineer how certain mechanics or effects were made. And it's always great to see fellow devs showcase what's possible with the engine.

Which character in your game do you relate to the most and why? (Alternatively: Who is your favorite character and why?) *oates: Nobody's Home has a relatively small cast of characters, whom you do interact with but never see, this is largely to done to create a sense of "un-relatability", but if I had to pick a character, it'd be "car guy", the guy you find stuck in the car. They have a good line, " ...there'd be a good reason for this, but there isn't..." Story of my life.

Looking back now, is there anything that regret/wish you had done differently? *oates: There were a few areas I would have liked to expand on or add, specifically- the attic + roof, the front lawn, behind the walls, and an entire second floor. Unfortunately that meant potentially adding more questlines and NPCs while the first set of questlines were pretty interwoven so it would have been way more complex, also again, given the time frame I set, it would have extended the development cycle way beyond what I had time for. But if I had implemented those extra areas, the game's length would also go way beyond the 30 min - 1 hr it takes to complete the game as it is now.

Do you plan to explore the game’s universe and characters further in subsequent projects, or leave it as-is? *oates: I'd like to do both really, each installment of the VCRPG line of games is definitely a stand-alone story, or an isolated incident, but I would love to explore the aftermath of the game's events and how the passage of time ravages and twists the story into urban legend. I like to treat places and environments like characters as well, capable of making memories, being misunderstood, preserved, destroyed, and ultimately capable of change.

What do you most look forward to upon finishing the game? *oates: Both the fan reaction and free time honestly speaking. Once the development cycle finishes and the game is published, your work isn't really finished as there's always a chance someone's feedback can apply to immediate changes or patches you can implement, even during the release period. Marketing is also another large step to take into consideration after release, this includes tweeting, sending keys for lets plays, etc. Watching playthroughs is also a really good way to collect data on what parts of your design fall through and what fail to land. But after all that is said and done, some free time really helps the brain recuperate.

Was there something you were afraid of concerning the development or the release of your game? *oates: Just whether or not I handled the game's subject matter tastefully. Like horror cinema, everything done is in service the the themes and message of the piece as a whole.

Do you have any advice for upcoming devs? *oates: The game engine is essentially a tool, and like any tool you can find plenty of creative ways to get the same result. And don't be afraid to research whatever it is you need help with, it also helps to be specific with what you want.

Question from last month's featured dev @moca-pz: If you can collaborate with any game developer in the world, who would it be? What would be their role(s) and what would be your role(s)? *oates: Game developer I'd like to work with: Hidetaka Miyazaki His role: Story Lead and Director My role: Drinking buddy Game we're working on: SciFi Souls

We mods would like to thank oates for agreeing to our interview! We believe that featuring the developer and their creative process is just as important as featuring the final product. Hopefully this Q&A segment has been an entertaining and insightful experience for everyone involved!

Remember to check out Nobody's Home if you haven’t already! See you next month!

- Mods Gold & Platinum

#rpg maker #nobody's home (game)#nobodys home #nobody's home #game #rpgmaker horror #pixel horror #horror game #indie game #gotm #game of the month #oates #gotm 2020 #2020 #april #april 2020

325 notes · View notes

joezworld · 4 years

Note

So, when British merchant ships aren't busy saving lives, what less honorable thefts and kidnappings and assorted shenanigans might one expect them to get up to?

Point of order, these weren't British merchant ships - British merchant ships were in a similar position to the steam trains, and often had to be hijacked by other, smarter ships in order to not get cut up at the end of their life.

Shenanigans depend on the point of view, but here's a few examples:

The Blue Riband

The Transatlantic speed prize has been awarded to the fastest ship to cross the Atlantic for many years. The long-standing record holder was the SS United States, who held the record more or less by default, as she was one of the last great ocean liners built, so nobody was built faster than her.

Then came the container ships.

There was an incredibly brief fad in the 1990s of building 'express container ships' - that is, incredibly fast ships that could do well over 30 knots in an effort to lower the overall transit time.

This was a brief fad because it was incredibly stupid - ocean cargo doesn't need to be quick - and the two lines who did this collapsed by 1997, leaving a combined 15 ships that were scattered to various cargo companies.

The ships had been built, though, and fuel was cheap, so they definitely tried for the Riband when they could.

A great disturbance was felt in the force when in 2002, MV CMA CGM Archer Lewis sailed from Ambrose light to Bishop Rock in 3 days and 9 hours, shaving a full 2.5 hours off of the previous record.

United States did not take this laying down, and set a blistering 3 day 8.3 hour journey a few weeks later.

That record stood for two hours before MV Maersk Tom Petersen, following in her wake, shaved another 40 minutes off the time.

That probably would have been the end of it, if Tom hadn't run his mouth, and said that it was 'time for the old tubs to clear out of the way.'

Now it was on - and it wasn’t just United States defending her title - now it was new vs old, cargo vs passenger, and steam turbine vs diesel engine.

The record was beaten 32 times in 6 months, sometimes by minutes, a few times by hours. Ships were running themselves ragged, and all parties involved were considering just stopping when, from out of nowhere, a high-speed catamaran ferry on his delivery run set a sub-3-day run. Going west. Against the gulf stream.

A word about Catamaran Ferries: They're called "Plastic Fantastics" by large ships, and it is not an affectionate term.

Now there was a common enemy - the ferry must be destroyed. No glory must go to those two hulled monstrosities.

A training regiment was conceived - two dozen ships from both the liners and the container ships elected to try and win the prize.

Resources were pooled. Motors were upgraded. Hulls were polished. Propellers replaced.

Nothing was left to chance but the weather.

The Riband would be theirs.

It took them almost a year, but they did it - ships burned out motors, bashed their hulls on unseen waves, destroyed propellers, and stayed up for weeks on end waiting for their chance.

Eventually, SS France achieved the prize - two days, 23 hours, 54 minutes, exactly 3 minutes faster than the catamaran. She might have seized her main propshaft and done hideous damage to her turbines, but the catamarans were defeated.

The ships were jubilant, but the catamarans were unimpressed.

"You do know that he was just fucking with you guys, right?" Came the question.

The ships did not know that.

As it turned out, the Catamaran in question had faked his GPS tracking log to screw with the feuding liners, and did a rather subdued 4 days 10 hours.

---

That Catamaran had gone to work for a Panamanian ferry company.

One day he went missing.

They found him two weeks later, half a mile inland on a road in Columbia.

-------------------

Pirates

Aye me hearties, there still be pirates out there on the big blue sea - although, considering today's economy and whatnot, they be doing much less of this:

And much more of this:

Aye, it sickens me too matey, but that's the economy for ye.

But, that all being said, there is some hope for those who wish to fly the Jolly Roger - counter pirates!

Ye see matey, now that we've all agreed that pirates are bad, (at least from an economic perspective) the world's militaries be doin' something about it! Now off the coast o' Somalia, they be fighting pirates the normal way - with overwhelming firepower and superior tactics.

But! There be other pirates, much sneakier ones, who try and make off with their ill-gotten goods in deep water. So the military uses a much different approach there:

They use their own fleet of pirate hunting scallywags to chase down the competition!

Isn't piracy fun?

#headcanon #extremely specific headcanon #long #boat headcanon #boats #background info #ask response #blue riband #pirates

14 notes · View notes

bffsoobin · 4 years

Text

extra long tag game (a guide to all unnecessary knowledge of me)

tagged by: @txtdiaries (ily lana)

tagging: @pxppinstars @txtdream @lavenderlattaes @soobindipity (feel free to ignore if you’ve already done this or just can’t be bothered)

ONE

tell me the first song that made you stan your current fave group and why did your faves attract you so much?

Um okay so I’ll go with explaining BTS and TXT I guess, haha. For BTS it was DNA! That was the first mv I ever saw by them and I was instantly obsessed with everything about it. For TXT, it was obviously Crown since I was keeping an eye on them as soon as BH announced a new group haha. But I initially loved the super bright and happy concept from Crown and they totally got me hooked by their personalities and other music!!

—

TWO

rule: answer the ten questions and write your own!

what’s your unrealistic goal for life?

married by 23, kids by 25...I’m 19 and I’ve never even had a boyfriend so I would be shocked if I actually got this lmao

if you had known that we would be in a global pandemic, what’s one thing that you would’ve done before things shut down (if they have for you)?

Honestly, I can’t think of anything other than spending more time with my roommate who I miss so so much.

what’s an unconventional thing that you carry around with you when you go out?

I wouldn’t usually call this unconventional but right now I’d say my student ID since it’s useless as I’m not going back to campus

favourite type of plushies and why?

I love teddy bears. I have two that I sleep with every night! One is a gift I got for preschool graduation (eloquently named Teddy) and the other is my iron man build a bear that my uncle bought me to cope with Endgame.

favourite song right now?

I am notoriously bad at answering this question so I’ll just say that at the moment I’ve been listening to Red Desert by 5sos a lot.

something that you’ve always wanted to learn?

I’ve always wanted to learn how to play drums and any language other than English haha

tell a funny story about yourself (or just something that you’ve witnessed)

This took way more digging in my mind than I would like to admit but when I saw 5sos live in 2016 my best friend and I had soundcheck, so we got to sit in the venue early and ask them questions and hear a few extra songs. At the time I had beef with Luke Hemmings (because the girl he was dating at the time was one of the most toxic people on earth) and he wouldn’t break up with her. So the girl sitting next to me at soundcheck raised her hand to ask Luke a question so of course he was looking basically right at me. We were like maybe 8 rows back from the stage and at this point in my life I had bright pink hair, so there was no missing me. So this girl is asking her innocent question, and naturally Luke looks around a bit and we make eye contact and instead of fangirling like a normal person, my anger at him boiled over and I ended up flipping him off. The whole band noticed and had to pretend they weren’t laughing at the oddly aggressive 9th grader who flipped off their lead singer. I still feel bad about it to this day lmao but all my friends think it’s hilarious and it’s definitely my go to party story.

headphones or speakers? why?

headphones all the way. Speakers only if I’m showering.

craving any food right now? what are you craving?

Surprisingly I’m not craving anything but that’s because I just ate dinner 10 minutes ago

which music streaming platform do you prefer? why?

Spotify all the way

ten questions (by lana, answered)

1. what is your favorite movie of all time?

This is such a hard question for me. I’m so bad at picking favorites. But I’d have to say it’s sort of a tie between Heathers, Brave and Iron Man 2

2. describe your childhood in three words

Disney, animals, comforting

3. Favorite holiday?

Halloween forever and always

4. Favorite vacation spot?

Disney World! 5.What do you think of the education system? Are you a fellow slave to the GPA?

The US education system has massive holes. I was lucky enough to attend a pretty good highschool and take good classes so I don’t feel like I was as robbed as other people, but there are curriculum gaps and misinformation everywhere you go. As far as college goes, I think it is wayyyy too expensive. Despite that, I still signed myself up for 8 years of debt so yes, I am a slave to the GPA. Gotta go hard for the dream job.

6. What is your hair color? Very light blonde now, normally dirty blonde

7. What talent do you wish you had?

I wish I could draw or paint well so bad. I am so envious of artists.

8. What is your major and why? (If you’re in highschool, what do you plan on majoring in?)

I’m a biology major because I want to become a veterinarian!

9.Do you like kids or do you merely tolerate them? I love most kids. There will always be some awful ones but as a general rule I love being around kids and I definitely want some of my own!

10. Any pets?

Yep, I have five cats!

ten questions from me to you:

who is your favorite non kpop artist?

do you prefer to be warm or cool?

dream job, if you have one?

favorite TV show?

top three celebrities you would sell your soul to meet?

do you believe in ghosts?

cookies or brownies?

do you like where you live?

do you know your personality type? If so, what is it?

do you prefer floral scents or neutral scents?

—

THREE

rule: bold the statements that apply to you, italicize your aspirations, then tag nine people.

AIR ༉⋆͙̈

i have small hands / i love the night sky / i watch animals and birds when i pass them by / i drink herbal tea / i wake to see the dawn / the smell of dust is comforting / i’m valued for being wise / i prefer books to music / i meditate / i find joy in learning new truths from the world around me

FIRE ༉⋆͙̈

i don’t have straight hair / i like to wear ripped jeans and overalls / i play an organized sport / i love dogs / i am not afraid of adventure / i love to talk to strangers / i always try new foods / i enjoy road trips / summer is my favorite season / my radio is always playing

WATER ༉⋆͙̈

i wear bracelets on my wrists / i love the bustle of the city / i have more than one set of piercings / i read poetry / i love the sound of a thunderstorm / i want to travel the world / i sleep past midday most days / i love simply lit dinners and fluorescent signs / i rewatch kids shows out of nostalgia / i see emotions in colors not words

EARTH ༉⋆͙̈

i wear glasses or contacts / i enjoy doing the laundry / i am a vegetarian or vegan / i have an excellent sense of time / my humor is very cheerful / i am a valued advisor to my friends / i believe in true love / i love this chill of mountain air / i’m always listening to music / i am highly trusted by the people in my life

AETHER ༉⋆͙̈

i go without makeup in my daily life / i make my own artwork / i keep on track of my tasks and time / i always know true north / i see beauty in everything / i can always smell flowers / i smile at everyone i pass by / i always fear history repeating itself / i have recovered from a mental disorder / i can love unconditionally

—

FOUR

PERSONAL

name: sara

nickname: sadams

birthday: April 16th, 2001

zodiac: Aries hehe

nationality: sadly, american

languages: only english

gender: female

sexuality: straight

height: 5'2 or 3 I don’t know for sure

BLOG STUFF

inspiration for muse: obviously txt but I pull inspiration from my life, music, TV/movies and other stories!

meaning behind my url: I heavily believe in the idea of alternate universes and I think there’s one where Soobin and I are best friends so that’s what I made my url!

blog established: May of 2020

followers: 568 (how??)

FAVORITES

favourite animals: cats, snakes, raccoons

favourite books: Looking For Alaska by John Green

favourite colour: black, light purple, forest green, deep blue

favourite fictional characters: Spencer Reid (Criminal Minds), Andy Dwyer (Parks and Rec), Leslie Knope (Parks and Rec), Klaus and Ben (Umbrella Academy), Peter Parker, Tony Stark, Bucky Barnes. For some reason I’m blanking on book characters so here are all of my movie/tv faves

favourite flower: Forget me nots

favourite scent: fresh laundry, anything tropical or ocean smelling, basil

favourite season: fall!

RANDOM

average hours of sleep: 7 or 8 usually

cats or dogs: cats

coffee, tea or hot chocolate: hot chocolate

current time: 6:41 pm

dream trip: Australia or SK

dream job: Veterinarian

hobbies: writing, watching tv/movies, shopping, going for walks

hogwarts house: slytherin

last movie watched: 68 Kill (do not watch if you’re under 18 or sensitive, lmao)

last song listened to: Sarah Smiles by Panic! at the Disco

no. of blankets you sleep with: right now two

random fact(s): I love dinosaurs, I have low iron, I’m allergic to dogs even though I work at a doggy daycare

—

FIVE

10 things I can’t stop listening to

stay gold- bts

20 cm- txt

catch fire- 5sos

self- khalid

f2020- avenue beat

nyla- blackbear

everywhere- niall horan

heather- conan gray

red desert- 5sos

eight- iu, suga

#about me #tagged

6 notes · View notes

dat-town · 5 years

Text

once upon a love

Characters: Minhyun & You

Setting: fantasy au inspired by Minhyun’s Universe & Nu’est’s Bet Bet MVs

Genre: angsty romance

Summary: Once upon a time there was a flourishing kingdom with loyal servants and a princess beloved by all. But the Golden Age couldn't last forever, the peaceful rule was washed away by the Night Mistress' dark magic. People had no choice but to quiver under her rule, otherwise she would have turned them into dust like she did with the late King and Queen. From the royal family only the young princess survived thanks to the court of High Knights who took her to another realm to make sure she grows up healthy and strong away from the new Queen's evil powers and the kingdom frozen in time. This is her story. Your story.

Or: You who shouldn't have fallen in love. Neither of the two of you: not him, not you. But it happened and unbeknownst to you it could bring the doom of your heritage, a kingdom you had no memories of because they were all filled with him, him, him.

Words: 11k

For my dear @lily-blue! ♥

(Yeah I know I haven’t posted in ages but I hope you’ll all like this and give some love to this loveable boy and his talented band.)

You met him on a rainy day, walking on the riverbank on your way home from work. You clutched onto your umbrella as if your life depended on it even though your Converse shoes were already soaked since the early summer rain turned the streets into seas. Or maybe the skies merely cried upon seeing such a magnificent being as him, looking too perfect to be real.

You were in a rush, speeding up your steps to catch the next bus in hopes of saving yourself from catching the cold in the sudden heavy downpour. However, at one point you lost your balance over the slippery road and you would have fallen if it wasn't for him, a stranger with eyes that could represent the universe.

“Are you alright?” he inquired and even his voice was soothing and gentle, not just his touch on your elbow and the small of your back. He caught you and you were already starstruck in that moment looking at him as if he stepped out of a dream. There was something vaguely familiar about him but you couldn't pinpoint what it was. You just blinked up at him, both of you soaking wet and the raindrops on his eyelashes fluttered as he found your gaze on him.

“Yes, I– Thank you,” you whispered, voice faint in the drumming sounds of raindrops meeting the concrete ground.

“Careful,” the young man, barely older than you, smiled a small smile, eyes filled with warmth that made you long forget about the cold shivers running down your spine as he helped you stand steady on your feet again.

His warning echoed in your head replaying like a broken record. It reminded you of fresh green fields, scratched knees and tree climbing competitions. A kind voice saying Careful, Princess right behind your back.

You didn't stop wondering how come you suddenly remembered something you had no recollection of because in that moment your bus arrived and you made a choice in a split second. You thanked him again and then hopped on the bus watching him disappear in the distance, under the rainfall. After all you were told from a young age that you shouldn't talk with strangers. But why he didn't feel like one?

He found you again a week later in your favourite art café asking whether the other chair at your table was free to take. You called this fate, destiny, swearing even the stars aligned for you but little did you know that it wasn't coincidence, he was looking for you. But when he finally found you he couldn’t make himself tell you what he was supposed to.

Instead he told you that his name was Minhyun and that he came from far far away. Before you knew it you offered to show him around which he gladly accepted and this is how the inevitable started. You took him to your favourite places in town, telling him stories about you growing up, doing this or that at every possible corner. You had a lot to say and yet he never seemed bored listening to your rants. He rather wore a content, fond look on his face whenever you caught him staring.

“Yah, look at the palace, not me!” you scolded him playfully and brushed a lock behind your ear as you pointed at the highest tower of the fairytale-like place.

“As you wish, Princess,” he smiled and at his teasing you knew you shouldn't have told him about your childhood fantasy. Whenever you came here with your parents you liked to pretend to be a princess living in a palace like this. They must have found it cute to let you wander around like that. Just like Minhyun found this childish game amusing.

“Stop it,” you hit him absentmindedly in the chest, just out of a joke, a smile still present on your lips while despite his words he hadn't taken his eyes off you. Your hand brushed against his as you let it fall by your side and you only realized then how close you stood.

“Stop what?” he whispered in a quiet, deep voice and you couldn't tell whether he was just messing with you or he seriously wasn't aware of the effect he had on you. Come on, he made you blush more often than not and that wasn't an easy thing to do! You took a deep breath, watching your own miniature reflection in his coffee dark eyes before answering.

“Just stop it if you don't mean it,” you told him colder than you intended. Stop making me fall for you if you will leave eventually.

Because he said he would, that he has some business to do but then he will go home. You both knew it and maybe that was the cause of the guilt blooming in his eyes.

“Sorry,” he mumbled taking a step back and you swallowed the bitterness in your throat as you forced yourself to fill the awkward silence with the history of this palace. Although both of your thoughts danced around something else because he realized the mistake he made and you didn't know what to do with the mysteriousness surrounding him.

However, you had no idea that the more time he spent with you, the more he forgot about where he came from and why. Exactly how your memories of that other world faded once you stayed on Earth for good. As he was running out of time, your Kingdom was closer to its ruin than ever.

Warm summer days soon turned into colourful autumn leaves falling all around. The season of withering, the time of goodbyes. However, you didn't want to think about that. You wished to enjoy Minhyun's presence as much as you could without worrying about the future. And somehow, around him, it was easy to forget that you weren't meant to be. Maybe he felt the same way and that's why he stuck around. Playing hide and seek in the Palace Garden, long walks on the riverside, coffee dates and falling asleep to his voice while he was reading aloud a passage from the book he was currently interested in has become normal during the last few weeks and it tasted like a sweet, glittery dream you didn't want to wake up from. But no dream could last forever.

If anyone asked you would have admitted it was your fault. It was you who overstepped that invisible border between what was allowed and what wasn't. There were no written rules, no warning, only your heart aching with something akin to heartbreak.

"Minhyun," you called out since you liked the way the syllables of his name danced atop of your tongue. You liked the melody in it and the way he whipped his head towards you whenever you called for him.

He was seated beside you, seemingly immersed in the book in his hands before looking up, turning his coal black eyes full of warmth on you. His hair has gotten longer, you realized, it was hanging low into his forehead by now and you had the urge to brush it away. He hummed, questioningly, probably at the long, unnecessary pause while you just couldn't avert your eyes, fingers itching to touch.

"Is everything okay?" he asked softly, voice gentle and soothing, you felt your insides melt. Damn, you tried so hard not to fall for him, but it seemed like you wasn't trying hard enough. Because here you were dealing with all these feelings inside. Without them, it would have been so easy to laugh it off, to casually ask how long he was planning to stay. But instead you leaned forward, half your body weight over him, brushing his fringe aside, fingertips sliding across his forehead in a barely there manner.

There was a moment then, of holding your breath back, when neither of you moved. In that moment you saw sunsets over an azure sea, a white marble balcony with blue roses over the walls and a golden chandelier, its flames reflecting on the dress you wore. For a moment you wondered whether it was a fever dream awake or another memory buried deep in your mind. But a moment later you lunged forward, pressing your lips over his soft ones.

You froze right away, a part of you expecting to be pushed away but it didn't happen, not at all.

"Princess," Minhyun sighed into the seam of your lips sounding already breathless and his tone was nowhere near playful this time.

Closing your eyes you pressed closer and a few seconds later Minhyun's palm slid to the back of your neck keeping you there, thumb stroking your jawline as he kissed you back. Being in his arms felt like the embrace of silk and heaven, his lips tasting like the sweetest honey and with one kiss you were his and he was yours.

It was easy being in love with Minhyun, or at least you thought so in the beginning. Nothing much changed aside from the fact that now you walked hand in hand, greeted each other with kisses, and you could be as cheesy as you wanted, Minhyun was always ready to give you the hugs you needed.

After the first time you slept over at his place, a small but cozy rented studio apartment in the downtown, you just lied in his bed in the morning, his bare chest fitting close to your back while you played with his fingers.

"Your hands are always so cold," you came to the conclusion as you tried to warm him up by blowing hot air on it and closing your own hands around it.

"It's alright. It's cold where I came from," he said, lips grazing over your shoulder pressing butterfly kisses onto the sensitive skin. When he felt you shudder, he rested his chin there, breath tickling the crook of your neck as he talked. "It wasn't always like that though. It used to be such a beautiful place with warm sunshine, evergreen fields and a sea made for sail."

"What happened?" you furrowed your brows, asking tentatively because there was always a kind of sadness in his voice when he talked about his home. You were sure he made painful memories there, so you didn't dare to ask him to show you pictures of it or ask too much about it at all. You were glad that he brought it up by himself this time.

"The new monarch doesn't care about anything else but power, she cares the least for her people and the nature giving its all,," Minhyun said and he sounded so much more than just a boy in his twenties. He talked as if he had seen empires rise and fall.

"It sounds sad," you mumbled, squeezing his hand in reassurance and pressed small kisses onto his knuckles.

"It is but hopefully it's about to change. Her reign is soon coming to an end," he claimed and this was the first time you realized his fish tank lacked fish just like his voice lacked full enthusiasm. There was something he didn't tell you but you didn't push him and that was just another one on the list of your mistakes.

Leaves fell and fell until the trees were left alone and Minhyun started to wear turtlenecks, fluffy sweaters and scarves you loved burying your nose into because they all smelled like him. As the weather turned worse you noticed him being more anxious than ever. You guessed it reminded him of that cold home of his. Partly to wash his homesickness away, partly because they have been urging you to, you prompted for Minhyun to come back home with you and meet your parents. You saw the hesitance in his eyes at the request but before you could start finding excuses for yourself, he smiled, fondled your cheek and agreed.

The meeting went more smoothly and less awkward than you expected it to be. Your parents welcomed Minhyun with open arms, telling stories about your teenage years. Somehow you would have expected them to interrogate the boy asking what he was doing for a living, where he was from but here was nothing like it. You were a bit relieved, but found it a bit odd. It became even more suspicious when you went to gather your boyfriend and your father for dinner and you caught a part of their conversation.

"Unbelievable, it's been 12 years and you haven't changed at all," you father mused out loud and you heard he tapped Minhyun's face in awe. "So is it true? She-"

"It's all true," the boy sighed and you had no idea what, or who, they were talking about.

"So it's time then? For her to go back?" Your father sounded concerned.

"Yes. The Knights have messaged," Minhyun said firmly, voice tensed and his confession hung in the air like the sword of Damocles threatening to fall.

It was your mother's voice that startled the men and they jogged down the stairs without finishing the convo. You said nothing when Minhyun asked what's wrong but on your way home, arms linked while walking you couldn't stay silent.

"It was better than I expected. Almost as if they have known you all their life," you remarked carefully paying attention to Minhyun's facial expressions. He didn't even bat an eye.

"Almost," he agreed in a heartbeat and your heart churned. Something was really off.

But there was no way for you to know that 12 years ago a young, childless married couple offered to take the princess to safety, it was Minhyun, looking nothing younger than now, who sent you three off and now he came for you.

You knocked on his door and left him texts but he didn't answer. You started to worry, so you took the extra key from under the empty pot near his doorstep and stepped into his apartment.

"Minhyun?" you called out for him as you walked inside. You didn't want to startle him in case he was just distracted but his apartment seemed lonely and eerily quiet. Only when you turned on the light you saw it.

His body on the ground.

"Minhyun!" you cried out rushing towards him and kneeling down beside his unconscious body. You took his face into your hands and hissed at how cold he was. You tried to gently shake him awake after you checked his pulse but it seemed to be in vain. You had no idea what had happened to him and panicking you were just about to call the ambulance when someone else burst through the entrance door.

"Stay put, he will be alright," the elder man reassured you as he checked the boy's body temperature. He looked like as if it wasn't the first time be had done it. It was both a relief that he would be alright but also worrisome. Was this a usual thing? Why didn't you know about it?

"What happened to him?" You inquired as the man put a pillow under Minhyun's head.

"Human bodies aren't made to take so much dimension travelling." The old man grumbled, he sounded angry but not at you but the boy for being so careless. His words made no sense to you.

"What? What does that even mean?" You required answers, you needed them but the man wasn't so keen on providing them himself. It wasn't his secret to share anyway.

"Ask him once he awakens. It shouldn't take more than a few hours," he told you and as fast as he came he disappeared too.

You let out a deep sigh and took a big breath. It wouldn't have done anything good to panic, it wouldn't have helped Minhyun. So you tried to calm down and sitting on the floor cross-legged you stayed by his side. You were there for him and you realized how much you would have given for him to be alright.

"Princess…" he whispered in his dream but from the crease and sweat on his forehead it seemed to be a nightmare. You weren't even surprised anymore when he called you by this affectionate nickname, you rather got used to it.

"I'm here," you told him not caring if he didn't hear you as you took his hand in yours.

As if it only took the physical contact, memories that weren't supposed to be yours flooded your mind. And for the first time you saw him in them too.

"Come on, Princess, you can do it. Jump. I'll catch you," Minhyun promised with a cheeky smile on his eternally youthful features. He looked just like now, maybe a bit more tanned while your high voice and petite body was like a child's in this scene.

"Promise?"

"Promise. I'll always catch you," he said confidently as wind brushed past you, it felt more like a dream than a memory.

It wasn't supposed to blow up like this. You weren't supposed to get so mad over his temporary sickness and him being secretive about it. You tried to keep it in in order to be the supportive girlfriend you've always wanted to be but all your suspicions came back all at once when while searching for medicine you found a very talented drawing of yourself in his cabinet. A drawing of your 10-something-year-old self sitting in some kind of garden that looked magical even on that drawing. It just didn't make sense. So when Minhyun, while eating the soup you made for him, avoided your questions about his fainting you put it down onto the table.

“What is it? Why do you have a drawing of me from when I was a child?”

Minhyuk just stared at the picture for a few long seconds then took a long, deep breath and looked you in the eyes. There was something cold and resigned in those always warmth-filled eyes.

“I know your don't remember but we used to know each other when you were a child,” he said and you found his wording weird, why didn't he say when we were children?

“We did? That's why my parents seemed to know you?” you furrowed your brows and okay, that was reasonable even if you forgot about him. You didn't understand how could you but still. You were patiently waiting for more explanation but when Minhyun dropped the bomb you weren't ready.

“They aren't your real parents.”

Astonished you blinked at him not quite believing you heard it right.

“What did you just say? How dare you...”

“You know I'm not from around,” he interrupted you trying to speak in a calm manner but it didn't help your jittery heart. “But you aren't either. You are the Princess of Edelaine,”

“You're crazy if you thought I believe this nonsense. Princess hah. you must still have a fever dream,” you shook your head violently. You refused to believe it.

That your childhood memories were made up or altered. That your parents weren't really your parents, just loyal commoners of Edelaine who took care of you on Earth after your royal parents' death. That you were not who you thought yourself to be. Edelaine, such a place didn't even exist. It made no sense.

And yet it did as you remembered all those flash-like vivid pictures produced by your mind. But you couldn't take it so you ran.

He tried to stop you at first but then he let you go. He left a thousand messages in the first day but that stopped too. You weren't sure he gave up or just decided to give you space and time to think things through but eventually you calmed down, recollected yourself. You even visited your parents, who probably heard the recent event from Minhyun and they confessed, telling you they aren't your biological parents but they loved you as if they were. When you asked them about this nonsense thing they said you should talk it out with Minhyun, so you really had no choice. Since you knew it was something you really had to discuss with the boy, you asked him to meet you in the café you first talked.

“Who are you? For real,” you posed the very first question once you both ordered and sat down at a corner table.

Minhyun had this firm, determined look on his face but his eyes were scared as if it might be the last time he could see you. No matter the confusion and betrayal you felt it scared you too.

“I am Minhyun, a High Knight of Edelaine,” he spoke up, voice quiet but confident. It was easy to tell that he was proud of his title. But then a heavy-hearted sigh came. “I am guilty of failing my mission to bring you back before the autumn equinox to the Kingdom which you are the rightful heir of. Furthermore I am also guilty of developing feelings for you despite being fully aware of the positions we are in.”

It was an unsaid I love you, you knew it well and yet it hurt, that he called his love something against the law.

“You should know that I don't care about status,” you remarked instead of inquiring further about his mission. So it wasn't destiny that had you meet that day, he carefully planned your encounter, he wanted to get close to you from the beginning. And now he says he wasn't supposed to fall in love? Then how could you not fall with him?

“But I do and your people will also care when you go back,” Minhyun said with a grimace and you noticed he said when and not if. He was so sure you would leave everything you know behind to live in a place with an evil ruler and a never-ending winter.

“Then let's not go back!”

“Why do you think I didn't bring it up? Why do you think I prolonged the days I could spend with you?” Minhyun sounded downright desperate and he avoided your eyes as he confessed: “Because I knew once we go home and if we survive the battle you will take the throne and marry a prince,”

So that's why he failed his mission...

“I don't want to!” you raised your voice. You didn't care about being a princess and there was no way you would marry for politics. But Minhyun wasn't so liberal with his way of thinking.

“That's your obligation, just it is mine to take you back. We can't let Edelaine be ruined in the hands of a tyrant. This is a sacrifice we must make,” he said and you never heard him talk like this, with such a lack of emotions in his voice.

“But why? Why can't we just stay here and love each other?”

Your question was followed by dead silence. Minhyun's dark eyes bore into yours. You could feel your heart threatening to shatter into small pieces as he talked.

“I… I'm sorry but I can't... You will understand once you return home, you will remember why Edelaine is worth saving...” he tried to reason but you didn't let him finish.

“But my home is here now. I won't go anywhere. Stop asking me to,” you stood up abruptly because you didn't want to hear about it.

“Princess...”

“Stop calling me that too. And that's an order if you take it.”

And he took it. Minhyun left the realm that night alone to face with the court himself.

A few days later, out of which you regretted your hasty actions on the second one but Minhyun was nowhere to be found anymore, someone else came for you.

“Princess!” A guy in his twenties, a bit older than Minhyun, with nicely styled hair called for you on the streets and you turned to him with furrowed brows.

“Who are you?”

The guy bowed politely.

“I am Aron, a High Knight of Edelaine,” he introduced himself and suddenly you were fed up with knights and fairytale like stories.

“They sent another? I told Minhyun I wo-”

“The Queen ordered to execute Minhyun for treason,” Aron cut your sentence in half and hearing his words, you could only gape at him, heart beating in a hundreds of miles per hour speed.

“What? Why?”

“Minhyun got caught when he came back and the Night Mistress knows he has been sneaking out more and more to get you back, so she wants to demonstrate her power like this to scare off all the followers of the revolt,” the knight explained with a rather sad look in his dark eyes and you felt like you couldn't breath for a secret. You didn't even think about how much risk Minhyun took by coming here for you. “There's nothing we can do. She's the Queen and she has magic, she has the utmost power. Only you can stop her.”

What? It was crazy. How could you? But Minhyun's life depended on it, so you didn't bother with questions like this. You wanted to do something, anything.

“How much time do we have?” you asked in a faint, shaky voice.

“Hard to tell, the Queen is pretty impulsive. The sooner the better,” Aron replied seemingly relieved that you weren't so against coming with him to save Minhyun.

“Let's go,” you said out of blue and followed the guy to Minhyun's apartment where with the help of the old men you knew from before they set up some kind of machine with the help of glowing crystals. Unbeknownst to you it opened the dimension gates and a step later you were in another realm.

At home, finally.

The moment you stepped over the dimension gate, it hit you with full force.

Everything came back to you all at once, all the memories of you growing up in such a beautiful and magical place. You remembered your favourite knight too, Minhyun who always seemed to be fond of you. Some could tell your childish crush on him and you had even heard servants whispering about how it could never happen. It wasn't because of the 12 years of age gap in their eyes but that you were a princess and he was a mere knight, High Knight or not.

But with memories, came the pain of seeing your parents die, your beloved kingdom buried under snow and the time stop. You remember being held by the held, being told that everything would be alright but you just cried and cried, morning Edelaine, the kingdom that now welcomed home.

“M'lady,” a group of four knights, the court of High Knight lacking Minhyun, greeted you in the hall where you arrived and you shivered from the cold. Ren covered your shoulders with a warm gown and you smiled at him as a thanks. Then Baekho told you that Minhyun was supposed to die in a few hours in front of the people, so that everyone could see what happens if you betray the Queen.

You were rushed to get ready, get on a white horse that was your favourite to feed with apples as a child and go to the Palace. With the four knights on your side and your old tiara atop your hair you head towards the snow-like Palace in this icy kingdom.

The crowd gathered around the main square could be seen from afar. You didn't even try to be discreet as you and your horsemen break through them earning gasps and hopeful whispers from the people. You knew no fear when it came to Minhyun, you realized. You were terrified only for him and your people though seeing that he stood on a podium hands chained together with glass cage full of icy water beneath. One flick of the Queen's fingers and he would freeze to death in the most painful way. She could destroy everything you loved and you couldn't let that.

”Stop!” you screamed when you saw a beautiful but cold girl on the throne that she hadn't earned. She looked at you bewildered at the interruption.

“Who dares… oh, little girl. Are you lost?” she mocked you with a twitch of her red lips, she didn't see you as a rival as she stood up, sceptre in hands.

“I am the rightful heir of the throne, I am the only daughter of the late Queen and King. I was saved by the Knights and brought to another realm to grow up and come back to free my people,” you introduced yourself confidently that no, you weren't lost. People behind your back cheered as you got off the horse and walked up to the Queen. No, you weren't lost.

“So today I claim my throne. You, intruder, need to surrender,” you told her authoritatively as you stood right in front of her.

“Me? Surrounder? Don't kid yourself,” she laughed at you and she poked your chest with the head of the sceptre. In her hands it formed a snake but you knew it was different with every owner. The sceptre had its own magic and only some could use it, it only behaved for a few. It was easy to tell that it was the only source of her power, too.

“Princess!” Minhyun screamed at you, voice fearful but you knew what you were doing, Jonghyun told you everything you needed to know on your way here and you remembered enough to be confident.

“It's your last chance, cousin. Give me back my throne or you'll regret it,” you told her and the angry fire in her eyes didn't change at all. These were the eyes of someone who was taken in by the King and Queen after her parents' death, someone you studied together with, someone who you thought as a sister but she always resented you because you were a much younger girl and yet one day you were supposed to be the Queen and not her.

“Oh boo-hoo, I'm so scared. I killed your parents, I will make sure you follow them too but before that you watch as your precious knight dies,” she smirk and with a hush of the sceptre the floor beneath Minhyun disappeared and he fell into the ice cold water.

You yelled his name, the knights wanted to help him but an invisible wall stopped them. The people gasped and screamed, some even cried, because you knew how loved Minhyun was by all. You needed to act quickly.

“The thing is, cousin, that it's not that you weren't born into the right bloodline, but that you aren't worth to be a Queen,” you told her gritting your teeth and she tapped your chin with the sceptre with a confident look on her face. She thought she won.

“Oh really? Because you would be so much better?”

“Better than you,” you said and quickly you wrapped a hand around the sceptre. It glowed white for a moment but then it faded and you two fight over it like kids fighting for the same toy. Somewhere in the middle of the ruckus a small force shot from it and as it hit the glass cabin, it broke it so Minhyun could finally breathe again.

The sceptre's power pulsated under your fingers, you could feel it changing and as it glowed up again and again it became hotter. Hot enough for the Night Mistress to took her hand off of it hissing, staring at the burn mark on her palm in disbelief. In your hands the sceptre formed sun-shaped diamonds on top and with a relieved smile you hit its bottom to the floor which sent a strong wave of magic through the land, melting the cold away.

While the people watched in awe as the kingdom turned back to the magnificent place it was, the knights captured your cousin who threw insults your way but you didn't care. You rushed to Minhyun who was still shivering slightly in the pool of melted ice.

“Are you alright?” you touched his face and he looked at you with so many different emotions in his eyes, you couldn't tell how he felt.

“You came back,” he said in awe.

“Of course I came back, it's about you,” you cupped his face but he turned his head away so your hand fell. It felt like a slap.

“We can't,” he whispered and you gulped, eyes locking with the same pain in them.

You couldn't even tell him that you loved him because nurses came to check on him and your were pulled away by the knights. Then somewhere in the middle of the cheers, someone yelled:

“All hail the Queen!” and more and more followed, the people kneeling down with a happy, proud smile on their faces before you. One by one the knights followed, bowing their heads. Even Minhyun, when you looked at him, he knelt there in that marvelous black-silver uniform you remembered from memories. For a moment you caught his stare and you knew his feelings didn't change. It just broke your heart.

You knew you were supposed to be happy, your people certainly were but it wasn't your happily ever after.

Being back in Edelaine felt like awakening from a long dream. Once all the snow melted, it reminded you of the green fields and colourful flowers you have remembered. Though it still needed time to heal and recover from the damage the Night Mistress caused things have started to be looking up. But whatever magic stopped time, it still held on strong and while immortality might not have sounded too bad for some, those who were stuck in the last 10 or so years wanted nothing more than time to pass again.

Of course, your cousin in prison, held within iron walls to suppress the remains of magic in her, didn't say a thing. You didn't expect her to, she was way too much stubborn to talk now when she loved the chaos she caused and she had nothing to win. You knew she just waited for the right time to come and offer a deal. She had always been like that: cunning, a real strategist. You wondered how long she had planned her betrayal against the crown, the murder of your parents, just how many of your innocent games were like killing time for her while she looked at you wishing you would die?

But life had to go on, even without answers. The Kingdom needed a ruler and missing all your lessons through adolescent you weren't exactly fit for that role. Because of your blood and the fact that you save them people still loved you like a queen already telling you how much you resembles you mother. Hearing it still felt a bit weird because half your life you had known a different woman as your mother. Now you felt like you had two lives and two of everything. But lucky for you, you didn't quite had to choose as your step parents also came back to Edelaine after you.

So weeks passed and you had etiquette, strategy and history classes and also meetings from early morning until the evening every single day. You didn't complain though, actually you were grateful that you had something to do , something to take your mind off Minhyun. Your… relationship with him was quite complicated because even if he was there whenever you had a gathering with the Council of Sages and the High Knights, you two were never alone. And from how distant he acted, you had a feeling he didn't even want to. It was awkward around him as he seemed to avoid your gaze and only talked to you if it was necessary.

Even if he was within an arm length, he felt like being miles and miles away.

Whenever you had some free time you went to the Palace gardens to clear up your mind and rearrange your messy thoughts. You liked strolling in-between the rose bushes, lying under the trees rich of green leaves. Sometimes you even played that silly game with the petals murmuring under your nose. This is how a familiar face found you one of these days.

"Can I join you, Your Highness?" that someone asked and looking up at Aron, you smiles at the knight reassuringly.

"Sure. I would be happy if you did," you nodded and made enough place for the young man next to you on the bench. You remembered him from before too but mostly from Minhyun's stories since he was the senior he liked to mention the most. You knew that all of the High Knights were on good terms and close like a family, so sitting next to him watching the petals brought by the winds swirl in the air you couldn't help but feel like you were there with one of Minhyun's brothers.

You wondered what he told about you to the other knights, what they knew or suspected about what happened in the other realm.

"Is it weird to be back?" Aron asked kindly, his voice like a soothing cream but you missed the careful tones of Minhyun.

"A bit," you nodded looking down at your dress, suddenly missing jeans. "It feels like my two lives clashed and I'm both and neither at the same time. I'm not sure I could make a good queen like this."

"It's normal to feel like that. You will get used to the royal issues soon again. You were born to be a queen one day and the people love you, you will be fine," Aron reassured you and you were reminded of the days the Knight took you out to visit your people in Edelaine. Kids wanted to braid your hair, their mothers telling you how proud the late Queen would be and they thanked you for coming back. You were absolutely moved how loving they were. Only a minority who supported the Night Mistress and some who thought you shouldn't rule were against you taking the throne but the bigger part of your court supported you. You were grateful for their faith in you and that's why you promised to become a queen whom they would be proud of and someone who cares about them dearly.

"Will I? I have no idea about politics. I don't know what to do with the kingdoms my cousin caused pain. They want revenge now and we are not strong enough," you admitted your fears not understanding how he can be so optimistic but he rushed go reassure you even now.

"You have no idea how much strength it gives people that you came back. So you shouldn't worry about politics, that's why you have advisors," he said and from his mouth it sounded so easy to just let go of the worry. But if your thoughts didn't revolve around the future of your Kingdom they focused on Minhyun and you didn't know which one was more painful.

You hummed watching as singbirds flew by, the sound of the fountain's waterfall echoing in your ears. Back on Earth you had no bigger problem than handling your bills and balancing your time between work and social activities but now you had the weight of a country on your shoulders, it suddenly felt too much. You didn't even know when was the last time you had free time like this when you had an opportunity to enjoy the wonders of this place.

"Can I ask you a favour, Your Highness?" Aron spoke up quietly after a while and sadness was evident in his voice. Worrying you whipped your head towards him.

"What is it?"

The knight looked at you pleading and your heart churned from the shock upon hearing his request.

"Can you ask Minhyun not to leave?"

Running away from your problems instead of facing them had always been your forte but you wouldn't have thought that Minhyun is the same as well. Sure, he kept delaying telling you the truth just so you could stay in that blissfully oblivious state that it can last forever. But now? He wanted to leave without telling you anything? It didn't make sense. You asked around, getting your hands on his sent-in request that claimed he was looking for other ways to serve the country instead of being a High Knight specialized for the safety of the crown. He requested to be transferred to the borders or to the groups seeking peace in neighbouring countries.

But it hurt. Hurt that he wanted to leave without telling you.

So you did what you always did when you were conflicted, you wanted to look down at the things from another perspective. Quite literally as you climbed higher and higher on the cherry tree in the middle of the Garden. You were almost at one of the highest but thick enough branches when you slipped, barely catching yourself before falling down.

"Careful!" You heard the yell and for a moment you thought it was all your silly mind's doing, an illusion in daylight but then you looked down and saw him there.

Minhyun wore his everyday uniform, elegant black pants and shirt with silver additions over his shoulders. His hair was parted, it got a bit trimmed since you last so him. When was that? You really couldn't tell. Maybe it was the meeting on monday when he looked away as soon as you caught him staring.

It was the first thing he said to you in weeks. Your heart leapt in your chest, your mouth trembled. Just one word and yet it brought back so many memories. From your childhood and from your first meeting with Minhyun as a grown-up. You still remember the rain and way he held you, you believed you hadn't seen such a magnificent being before. Since then you had seen his flaws and yet, you didn't change your mind about it. In your eyes he was still painfully perfect.

"You are keeping me safe anyway, don’t you?" You sit down on the branch, your long skirt covering your dangling legs. There was something challenging in your voice and Minhyun didn't answer, both of you knew he would keep you safe. You sighed. "How long have you been there?"

"Long enough," he replied quietly and you let out a forced, embarrassed laugh. Cool, he saw your attempts of climbing. Of course he did.

Silence fell upon the two of your and there was a bit of anxiety and anticipation in the air around you. Neither of you said anything and while you loved silences with him you loved it more when he just kept talking, telling you stories, reading from books even if they were heartbreaking. In the end it was you who shattered the silence into tiny pieces like a mirror smashed into miniscule glass granulas.

"Are we gonna talk sometime? Or are we just gonna forget it ever happened? That we ever happened?"

Your question cut through the tension of the atmosphere like a knife headed straight at his heart. Even from this distance you could see the flinch on his face. Sensitive topic, you knew.

"It was you who walked out when I asked you to come back, your Highness," he reminded you and it hurts, the pain in his voice, between his carefully rolled syllables.

"Quit the polite talk, it dances on my nerves," you snapped at him more harshly than you intended. Head lowered you continued in a smaller voice. "I'm sorry about that by the way. I shouldn't have left like that."

"It's okay, you are here now," he nodded but nothing was okay. You had no chance to talk properly since your argument because then he was taken and then you couldn't find a place and time alone so this moment felt special.

"I am. But it feels like you're miles away," you told him raw and honest. You seated a few meters above him, so you couldn't meet his eyes but holding on the chance you didn't want to waste the opportunity to tell him: "I miss you."

Your soft words are carried by the honey-tasting wind and you see Minhyun forming a fist from his hands. He doesn't say it back and it breaks your heart.

"You will be crowned in two weeks, you should focus on it," he reminds you and the corner of your mouth twitches in disappointment. You try to fight the tears poking your eyelids by blinking rapidly.

"That's why you sent in a request to get discharged?" You asked, meaning: was it because of you, because he couldn't handle your affection?

For a whole minute Minhyun doesn't say anything but when he does, he sounds like when you were at his apartment lying in his bed talking about past memories, the home he loved so much.

"I grew up here, you know? Your mother took me in after I lost my parents in the war. She gave me shelter and education to bring me up as a knight. I have served your Kingdom all my life. I don't look like it but it's been thirty years. I can't stay here forever," he clarified and yes, you knew it was unfair and selfish of you to ask something like that but still, you yearned for his presence and in his eyes you saw (or rather you hoped you saw) the same. So why now? Why so sudden? The answer seemed all too easy.

"It's because of me? Because they are trying to find me suitors?"

Minhyun looked puzzled at first then he scratched the back of his neck. At least he was honest now.

"And what if I don't want to be here when you settle down with one?"

"I will turn them down one by one until you come, I can promise you that," you told him and you wanted to hold his hand, hug him, kiss him. He probably wouldn't have let you anyway, so you were glad you were on a tree while he was on the grounds.

"I…" won't come, he wanted to say (or rather: I have no right to come and offer you a life) and you knew that much, so you had a more urgent question:

"Do you regret it?"

At that he looked up, straight into your eyes, eyes shining with sad sincerity.

"No. Never," he said firmly but shook his head not long after. Your heart skipped a beat anyway. "But it's not that easy. You should marry a prince with enough gold and a strong army."

You scoffed at that. There was he against, thinking you cared about that, willing to become a martyr just so it could be the best for your Kingdom. But how could you love another? That wouldn't be a kind of Kingdom you want to build.

"I don't want to marry just to win a war!"

"Well, one of us have to make rational choices," Minhyun said bitterly and it felt like a slap in the face. Never before you wanted to hit him so bad.

"Then you should have thought of that before you made me love you," you told him coldly. You asked him, you asked him to stop if he didn't mean it. Where had it brought you? And yet it scared you seeing him being so nonchalant. "It wasn't your plan, right? To make me fall in love, so I would come back with you?"

"No, love wasn't part of our plan at all," he said with fond nostalgia and you believed him. He had no reason to lie. Not about this.

A week before your coronation you decided to pay a visit at the prison where your cousin was kept. It was weird seeing her like that, wrists on chains, clothes dirty but the growl on her face was just the same as that night when she was about to kill Minhyun and you too. All these days, werks spenz behind the bars seemingly didn't manage to break her pride.

"What? You came to beg?" she greeted you as soon as you stepped next to her prison. She barely looked up at you, not interested and murmured something like such an honor to have the future queen visit ironically under her nose.

"I have nothing to beg for," you shook your head. You didn't go there to give her satisfaction to have her way with you and the Kingdom. She had enough of that.

"You sure? Okay, then I think we have nothing to discuss," she waved her hand as if she was still the Queen who could boss everyone around I whenever she felt like it.

"Well, I have something to say and you will listen," you told her coldly and she stared back arrogantly. You couldn't believe that there was a time when you had thought of her as a sister and then she decided to betray your whole family, even the ones who took her in. Her ambition drove her crazy for power.

You thought of Minhyun, the boy who also grew up close because of your parents' generosity after the war. He could have been like that too. But no, he was one of the most loyal knights this Palace had known. Stop, stop thinking about him.

"The Court has decided to sentence you to a lifetime in this prison," you told her the decision your best advisors came to after her trials. It wasn't too much of a surprise though, he was too dangerous let out and she had many crimes – treason, murder and using black magic – that were unforgivable.

"Aren't you worried? Lifetime is a very very long time to keep me around, I might find a way to break free sooner or later," she smirked at you and you didn't like the confident glint in her eyes. She was planning something, she knew something. A scary thought.

"Give it a try, I'd like to see you try," you curled your hands around the cold iron bars before letting a pitying pout spread over your lips. "But do you really want to have forever here? Haven't you had enough of it?"

Your cousin scoffed, her smile turning into an ugly grimace.

"They want time to move forward, huh? They can't even be grateful for this gift I gave them. I made them gods and yet they worship a human," she looked at you with clear disgust in her voice. She still treated you as if you were a child, innocent and naive.

When you didn't answer she smiled all too knowingly.

"What do you think will happen when time melts? Do you think you can continue living on like this? Everyone here will age, just like you did. That loverboy of yours suddenly will be almost twice your age again. Do you want that?" she raised a brow but it was the confidence in the way she said loverboy that made your throat close up. You she put the puzzle pieces together. You doubted Minhyun told her, so you wondered how many people knew or guessed that something had happened between you.

"It doesn't matter what I want. Unlike you I care about what my people want," you decided not to comment on her remark about the boy and focus on what mattered in the grand scheme of things.

"Is that right? Then you know what they say, magic dies with its owner, so kill me, a lot want me to die anyway." Your cousin stumbled on her feet, falling onto the bars, grabbing onto the metal with a snarl on her face. Your guards pulled you backwards out of her reach. The Night Mistress seemed content with their reaction, the fear she could inject into their veins, your heart pumping adrenaline into your blood. "You can't, right? You're such a weakling, not made to be a queen."

It hurt. It hurt more than it should have hearing those words from her mouth.

"You know what's unfair?" she continued words spit into your face like poison. "You rule to be loved, I had to be feared and hated in order to rule."

Jonghyun and Baekho accompanied you away from her but for the first time you felt sad for her.

Her words echoed in your head even later, even after the Court's meeting Minhyun purposefully seemed to stay back until the two of you were the last ones to remain. He looked worried as he watched over you form those careful words.

"I visited her."

He nodded, understanding. Warmth was back in his eyes, it reminded you of a summer full of love.

"I know, Jonghyun told me," he admitted as he took a tentative step closer. "Are you okay?"

You wanted to laugh. You should have felt triumphant knowing the person who wanted to cause your ruin was suffering and at the place she deserved but there was something nerve wracking in her arrogance. It made you fear she was right about the things she said: about you being a poor queen bringing only loss and pain to further generations.

"Is it true? You all will get instantly older if time unfreezes? Can some older people just die from that?" You thought of all the people who cheered you on, the children who must have felt like they were forever young. How would a 10 years old suddenly adapt to a 20 years old's life? How could those who lose someone close to them from one day to another because of this deal with the grief? There was so many possibilities for a bad outcome.

"We don't know that for sure, it's possible she just wanted to scare you with that," Minhyun mentioned in his soothing, gentle voice and you wished he would have hugged you, reassuring that he would stand by you no matter what. "But don't worry, you don't have to make this decision all by yourself."

"But I'll be the one to blame nevertheless. I just don't want them to suffer because of a decision made in a small room like this. People don't deserve to get punished for my cousin's sins and because of my carelessness."

You lowered your head. You had never told these fears of yours to anyone but you knew that if anyone then Minhyun would understand.

"You care, Princess, you will make a great Queen," he said and the air got stuck in your lungs when he put a hand over yours, stroking mindless patterns onto your skin. It was the first skinship you had ever since that fateful day. You didn't dare to move or look up at him fearing you'd break this spell.

"How can you be so sure?" you asked in a small voice.

"Because and I know you. And… if you want me to, I can stay by your side to remind you whenever you forget it," Minhyun offered and this was what you wanted to hear from day 1, that he would stay, this was what Aron asked you to achieve but now, hearing him say it you felt awfully selfish. You didn't want to chain him to you.

"After I'm crowned, I will… I will accept your request of transfer," you promised and no matter how much it hurt you pulled your hand away, ready to leave when the knight called after you.

"Would it bother you?"

It was unsaid but both of you knew that he meant the age difference. He was in his twenties after all when you were merely twelve years old. But you had a childish crush on him even then. And when you were all grown up you feel in love so easily all over again but this time for real. You could have, would have done it without a heartbeat thinking again even if he was in his thirties.

"I would love you the same," you looked back over your shoulder, finding his soft brown eyes on you. Oh how could loving him become so difficult in such a short time? "Just as I love you now when you don't even say it back to my eyes."

At that Minhyun looked so so sad, your own heart churned and you had to look away. Oh could you still get your happiness?

Tanya had always been second. Second in line, second to be cared for. Her parents weren't too ambiguous, they were satisfied living a quiet life in the countryside and Tanya didn't know any other life. But when the war started everything changed. Her parents died, just like so many others in the attacks and she was lucky enough that the royal couple took her in as their niece after the tragedy. She had never liked the Queen and King, in her eyes they were too forgiving, they forgot what they lost in the war when they signed the peace agreements.

Being several years older she had no interest in playing games with the little princess but too afraid to be thrown out she gritted her teeth and beared with it. It was a common boy living in the palace who made it feel like a better place. She had watched him from afar, watching his training whenever she had time. He was the most humble, kind and handsome boy he knew and yet he rather chose the company of a ten years old instead of her. It was the final straw, she had enough of being second, never being the one who got what she had wanted.

And she wouldn't give up on that so easily. You had taken everything from her, now she wanted to do the same with you. It was almost too easy, she heard the guards speaking about the coronation ceremony days before it actually took place, so she made a plan. That morning she made no move, she was lying on the floor, pale and weak. Not even when the guards brought and made noises on the bars had she moved. No, she pretended to be dead or at least seriously ill and the silly, silly guards fell into her trap…

As soon as one of them came into the prison to check on her, she got up, wrapping the chain between her wrists around his neck. The other guard came to help the first one but she was more wicked than any of them. She killed off the first guard, showing no mercy as she took a dagger from his dead body and pointing it at the other's. She flashed a cunning smile at him before splitting his throat and taking the keys off his belt. Too easy, almost too easy.

But now comes the tricky part.

"She's on loose!"

Minhyun came across with Ren's shouting as he was on his way to the coronation hall but these words made him halt.

"What? What happened?"

"We don't know but the Night Mistress managed to kill off her guards and escape prison. She probably doesn't have any more iron on either," the other knight explained and Minhyun's mind went overdrive.

"The Princess!" he gasped as he realized you were in danger and rushed towards your suite.

From the mirror a lot more mature and sophisticated version of you looked back at you. The dress in white and lilac, the royal colours of your Kingdom looked magnificent but you didn't feel like a Queen at all. You still couldn't believe it was happening. You wondered how many things would change, how fast and how drastically. You were scared of the future to be honest bit you had to be brave and it was nice to know that you had great people next to you.

You whipped your head back when the quick knocks on your door interrupted your train of thoughts. For a silly moment you hoped it would be Minhyun to pay a visit before the coronation but it was a regular guard. You tried not to look too disappointed.

"Something happened, Your Highness. You should go to the safe chamber," the guard said in a panicked voice.

"What happened?" you asked for details after a nervous gulp as you took a step towards the hidden corridor behind a painting in your room.

"You will get informed, Your Highness, as soon as you're safe," the guard promised and nodding you hurried along the way he showed you, deeper and deeper in the wall structure of the Palace. You only noticed his absence when you arrived to your destination, the safe suite designed for attacks. And when you realized you weren't quite as safe as you were supposed to be, you had no chance to do anything about it.

"Hello-hello, little cousin," Tanya smiled at you all too confidently. You grabbed the first thing you could, a candlestick, but she didn't seem to care.

"What do you wang?" you hissed and she just laughed.

"Why so rude? You know very well what I want. The throne and my powers back, preferably in that order. But you know what? I can get them both if you're dead," she claimed and she moved so fast flashing the dagger in her hand you barely had time to get out of its way.

It was a tiring and stupid fight: you stumbling backwards while she kept attacking like a madwoman. Maybe she was. At one point you have fallen and you could only block the dagger's way with the golden candlestick that saved your life. Gritting your teeth you tried to fight back but the metal edge got closer and closer to your throat.

"You should have never come back," you cousin snarled.

"You should have never started a fight you cannot win," you returned and pulled up your leg kneeing into her stomach and rolling away before the dagger pierced into the ground. You wanted to run back to the corridor but she grabbed your hair and yanked you backwards with the weapon in her other hand.

"You're a fighter I see, we have that much in common," she said breath fanning over your shoulder.

"But nothing else," a male voice added and you gasped when the grip on you loosened, Tanya being pulled away chained again.

It was a bit of chaos, four High Knights holding and accompanying the screaming girl, some guards asking whether you are alright but you only cared for one.

Minhyun ran up to you checking you had any visible injuries and he looked more than relieved to find none other than a tiny scratch.

"I was so afraid to lose you. I will never let you go again, " he took your face into his hands, soft brown eyes boring into yours and you shoves your hands into his pockets pulling him closer. Funny but in this whole attack for one thing you were actually grateful for.

"I can't believe I had to get myself almost killed for you to make up your mind," you let out a chuckle in disbelief which made his shoulders shake too.

"Sorry it took me too long," he then said in a serious tone, with no uncertainty there. That poug on his lips were adorable.

"You're lucky I love you," you said with a smile on your face as you stood on your tiptoes pressing a kiss on his mouth. You felt a bit like on Earth again, just being silly in love. However, Minhyun the always rational, had to remind you that you were for a fact a soon-to-be queen here.

"You still have suitors coming by tomorrow."

"Oh well you wanna sit on the throne next to mine when they arrive?" You winked at him playfully. For the first time out of all the occasions discussing this he grinned widely.

"Would you change the law for me?"

"Anytime," you answered with the same giddy smile. It seemed so easy coming face to face with the Court about the issue. Minhyun's eyes were melted chocolates, his fingers gentle and soothing on your skin.

"I love you so much," he whispered sealing the confession with a forever promising kiss and in that moment you knew that you didn't have to worry about your happily ever after. With him, it was already given.

So one day you could tell your kids that once upon a time, a girl and a boy met and fell in love under the summer rain…

#hwang minhyun #minhyun imagines #nuest imagines #wanna one imagines #minhyun scenarios #wanna one scenarios #nuest scenarios #minhyun angst #wanna one angst #nuest angst #stories #fantasy au

93 notes · View notes

girls-scenarios · 5 years

Text

For You, My Love

Idols: Hani and LE (EXID)

Prompt: We need EXID! :3 Since the mv had some bride stuff like why not a fantasy scenario where Hani is a princess (but like the tomboy she is) and LE is one of her strongest knights but is able to dress as a boy even with her more “lady-like“ looks. One day Hani should get marry to a nobleman but she got kidnapped at the ceremony and LE chases after the bandits to save her and both fight them back. After they won they decide to secretly marry in the forest (make the true marriage really fluffy pls :3)

Writer: Admin Kiwi

A/N: Your requests are always so good like how? But they also take me forever to write because I actually want to write them as well as possible. Also, I’m probably going to post this on my AO3 and AFF as well, just so you all know. Anyway, I hope you guys enjoy and sorry that I haven’t finished all the EXID requests just yet!

Warnings: Some cursing and some mentions of blood and violence (kinda) Also, like, LONG as in 9,500 words and 16 normal pages long. Buckle in kids.

♡ Tip Jar♡

“Princess, please get down from there, you’re going to fall!” At the sound of a familiar knights voice, Princess Hani of Exildia looked down from her perch on the stable roof, a wide grin on her face. Sure enough, her knight Hyojin was standing at the bottom, hands on her hips and an exasperated look on her face, and Hani laughed, waving at her. This was nothing new. Hani always found new places to climb and explore, but no matter where she went, Hyojin would always find her, letting out loud sighs and shaking her head as she tried to make sure the princess was safe. It was kind of like a game, and Hani was winning.

“Awe, don’t be a worrywart, I’m safe. Come up with me, the wind feels great!” As if to prove her point, she threw up her hands and watched as the wind gently caught at her long sleeves. Her knight didn’t seem to be impressed, though, hands staying at her hips as she shook her head.

“Honestly, one day you’re going to fall and hurt yourself and the king and queen are going to have my head for not doing my job. And what are you doing wearing peasant clothes again? And pants on top of that? Did you steal the poor stableman’s clothes?”

“No, silly, I made them myself.” Hani spread her legs and clutched at the roofing, pouting down at the other woman. “And you wear pants, why can’t I wear pants?”

“Because you’re the princess, and I’m just a knight.”

“Yeah, I’m the princess, so I can do whatever I want.”

“I don’t think that’s how that works.” Despite her long suffering sigh, Hyojin smiled slightly, and Hani grinned again, shaking her head so that her unruly and curly hair could fall down around her shoulders.

“Come up and sit beside me. I need protecting up here.”

“Sure you do. If you fall, I’ll end up falling too, and then we’ll both be hurt.”

“Just come up here.”

“Yes, Princess.” Hyojin moved deftly even with a weapon strapped to her hip, strong hands easily gripping at the bricks on the side of the stable as she scaled the wall in seconds. As she pulled herself up onto the roof, Hani held out her hand, making her laugh. “Are you trying to help me?”

“I’m nice sometimes,” Hani said in return, quickly pulling back her hand as Hyojin moved to sit beside her. “See? Isn’t the breeze nice up here?” Hani’s hair blew slightly, and Hyojin looked away, towards the mountains where the breeze always came in from. On the roof, she could just see them peeking over the top of the castle walls, and as the wind tickled her face, she smiled.

“It is nice.”

“I told you.”

Hyojin turned to look back at the princess, shaking her head slightly. “But what would your parents say if they saw you out here?”

With a snort, Hani shrugged, staring back down at the ground. “My mom would tell me to be more ladylike, and my dad would tell me to behave like a princess. But that’s why I like being with you. You like me just a I am. You aren’t like the rest of them.” The wind blew a little bit harder, and Hyojin instinctively reached out to hold onto Hani’s arm, steadying her. At her touch, Hani looked up, staring into the other woman’s eyes, and Hyojin’s heart jumped. “You’re the only one I like, Hyojin.”

“Really?” She was a little breathless, but Hyojin held her composure, giving the princess a smile. “I’m honored, Princess.”

It apparently wasn’t the reply Hani wanted, because she looked away, back at the ground, and Hyojin could finally breathe again. “Yeah. You should be.”

“Your lessons start in an hour,” Hyojin said, changing the subject. “So you should head back inside to get ready.”

“Help me down.” Hani held out her arms, and Hyojin sighed, knowing that she didn’t need any help at all. Still, it was her job, so she stood and turned around.

“Climb onto my back and I’ll carry you down.”

Even after they hit the ground, Hani didn’t let go, holding on tight. Swallowing, Hyojin turned to look at her, wishing her face wasn’t so close. “We’re on the ground.”

“I know.” Hani closed her eyes and pressed her forehead against Hyojin’s shoulder, hair tickling her skin, and Hyojin knew that she couldn’t say no, even if she wanted to. “Just let me stay here for a little bit longer.”

“Okay.”

As rowdy as she was, Hani loved when it was time to bathe. The warm water felt like an embrace, and she loved the way the roses smelt when her servant put them into the water. She could close her eyes and relax, imagining that someone who smelt like roses was holding her close. Someone like her own mother, who hadn’t done any such thing since she was a child. But all too soon, the water would become cold, and she would be forced back into her huge, empty room. Even when the fireplace was lit, the room was too cold and too lonely, and she wished to be in the bath again.

Tonight, like so many other nights, she tired of shivering and tossing in her bed and slipped silently out of the blankets and into her slippers, carefully making the bed before picking up the candle beside her bed and walking over to the wall near the window. The faint outline of a door could hardly be seen, but she knew perfectly where to fit her fingers, slipping them behind a loose stone. With a tug, the door swung open with a short scrape, and she quickly moved inside, disappearing into the darkness.

The corridor was cold, and she shivered, holding the candle high until she reached the other door and pushed it open. Warmth rushed in, and a smile came to her lips as she stepped inside, gently closing the door behind her.

“Hyojin.” At her voice, the body in the bed sat up, blinking sleepily as her hand immediately reached for the weapon at her side.

“Princess, are you okay?”

“I’m okay. My room was cold and I couldn’t sleep.”

“Ah.” She pushed the sword back down and pulled the covers back to swing her legs over the side of the bed. “Do you need me to light a fire?” The question was just for show. Hani had done this so many times that Hyojin had to know exactly what she wanted, so the princess didn’t even answer the question, just walking to the bed instead. After setting the candle down on the shelf near the bed, she slipped out of her slippers and into the warm bed, settling down at Hyojin’s side.

“Why is your room always so warm?”

“It’s smaller, so it heats up faster.”

Hani hummed and closed her eyes before moving closer to the other woman, curling into her arms. Slowly, Hyojin wrapped her up in a hug, rubbing her cold skin to warm her. The air was intimate, but Hani seemed satisfied, relaxing against Hyojin’s chest.

“I have a question,” she said, voice uncharacteristically soft. It was only like this that Hyojin saw this side of her, sleepy and soft and nothing like the brash girl she knew in the mornings.

“I might have an answer,” she said, pushing the other woman’s hair behind her ears.

“Why did my parents make you my guard even though you aren’t a man like most knights?” Hani’s eyes were still closed, but the question sounded sincere, and Hyojin thought for a moment, trying to find the best answer.

“Well, I am just as strong as the male knights. And since I’m a woman like you, I can go everywhere with you without worry of indecent things happening.”

“Indecent things? Like loving you? I heard that the daughter of a nobleman recently fell in love with her servant and they ran off together. Is it like that?”

Hyojin swallowed, looking down at Hani’s soft features and her innocent, now wide eyes. The princess was still innocent and sheltered, and she felt almost bad for bringing it up. “Yes, something like that.”

“Oh.” Hani closed her eyes again and Hyojin let out the breath she’d been holding, gently running her fingers through the girl’s hair. Was it really okay to hold her like this? Did Hani even know what sneaking into another person’s quarters could mean? “I don’t think it worked.”

Blinking, Hyojin stalled. “You don’t think what worked?”

“Them giving me a girl so I wouldn’t fall in love. Because I love you.” For a moment, Hani’s words made her heart jump, before she took a deep breath and remembered that Hani hardly knew anything of the world. Hyojin didn’t know if Hani even know what the word “love” meant. But she smiled, determined not to hurt the girl in her care.

“That’s nice. Now, you should go to sleep. You have an early morning to look forward to.” Hani hummed against her chest, apparently taking her advice, and Hyojin lay awake, wondering what she should do. Eventually, after Hani’s breathing had evened and her grip loosened, Hyojin slipped out of bed and collected her slippers before picking her up. The princess was light in her arms, sleeping face tranquil and cute, and she had the urge to kiss her, but she shook the urge away and quickly tucked her back into her own huge bed. As she turned to leave, the chill in the room made her shiver, and she glanced back at the princess, worried she’d wake.

But she didn’t stir, so she quietly slipped away, back to her own room before she could give in to any of the voices in her head, insisting that she loved Hani too.

“My parents are marrying me off.” Hani’s words made Hyojin stop in her tracks, sword mid-strike at the bale of hay she’d been using for practice. Slowly, she turned around to look back at the princess, who sat behind her on a stone, once again wearing pants with her hair wild and untamed, falling around her shoulders. However, her normally playful expression was missing, and Hyojin slowly let her arm fall to her side, searching for the words to say. She’d noticed that Hani was down, but she hadn’t thought it would be this.

“Do you know who to?” She tried to keep her voice even as she put down her sword and reached for her knife, testing its weight in her hands.

“I believe he’s the son of some nobleman. I haven’t been told much about it other than that I’m to be married.” There was something unreadable in Hani’s expression as she kicks at the ground, feet bare, exposed, and dirty. “I don’t want to.”

“You are at that age,” Hyojin said, because that was what she was supposed to say. Still, there was a pang in her chest that she didn’t want to think about as she turned towards the target attached to a tree a few yards off. Deftly, she pulled her arm back and aimed before letting the knife fly. The knife landed with a loud sound, burying itself into the middle of the wood, and Hyojin’s shoulder hurt with the force of it. She didn’t know why she was so mad: this was bound to happen eventually. Hani was a princess, and princesses were married off to whoever their father thought would benefit him the most. That didn’t make it hurt worse, though, and when she turned back to look at Hani, rolling her shoulder, she could see the hurt written on her features too.

“But why should I marry someone I don’t even know? What if I hate him?” Hani shook her head slowly, looking down at the ground. “I need you to be on my side, Hyojin.”

“I’m always on your side, Princess.”

“Then why do you echo the same words as my parents?” Hani had a point, and Hyojin bit her lip, battling within herself as she picked up her sword again.

“Because things aren’t that easy. If you were to tell the king and queen that I said something to contradict them, they might have my head.”

“I would never tell them. I never tell them anything.” Hani stood to her feet and reached for one of the many knives Hyojin had laid out for practice earlier, and Hyojin had to restrain herself from worrying as she picked it up. “I don’t tell them that you let me climb on things or dress like a peasant boy or that you sometimes teach me how to defend myself. I don’t tell them that you let me sleep with you when I’m cold and lonely.” As Hani turned towards the target, Hyojin quickly stepped to the side to be out of her way, watching with a careful yet worried eye as Hani barely aimed before throwing the knife.

It landed at the top of the target, and Hani huffed in annoyance. “How many times do I have to tell you that you’re better if you keep the knife in your hands?” Hyojin said, mostly trying to change the subject. “I taught you to keep the knife close, remember?”

“I remember.” Hani sat back down on her rock with a sigh, cupping her face in her hands. “Please, Hyojin, can you tell me what you really think? About me getting married?”

Those words were dangerous, and Hyojin knew it as she stepped forward to cut down the hay once again, more erratic than before. She thought a lot of things about Hani getting married, but most of them could never leave her lips. With a sigh of her own, she lowered her weapon once again and set her shoulders. “Well, I’ll be sad to see you go. I’ll miss you a lot. And I don’t believe in arranged marriages. But I also know that it would pointless to argue against your parents. They know what they’re doing.” For a moment, the air was silent, and Hyojin thought that Hani might drop it. But as the older girl walked back to begin putting away her things, Hani reached out and caught her hand.

“What if I want to marry you instead?” She sounded completely serious, and Hyojin could feel her face begin to heat up, her heart beating hard in her chest. For a second, she allowed herself to imagine that: imagine marrying the princess she’d loved so long, imagine kissing and touching her, imagine waking up to her every morning. Then she shook her head and forced out a laugh.

“I’m sorry, Hani. You can’t.”

The younger woman’s face fell, but she didn’t let go of Hyojin’s hand, instead tugging her closer. “Is that just because my parents wouldn’t allow it? Or because you don’t want to marry me?” Her eyes were big, and Hyojin swallowed, knowing she couldn’t lie to her.

“Your parents would never allow it.”

“Do you love me too?”

The air suddenly seemed heavy, and the hairs on the back of Hyojin’s neck stood up. She was aware that someone could very well be watching them, or hearing them, and the consequences of that would be dire. She wasn’t safe, but neither was the princess, and as much as she wanted to wrap the other woman up in her arms and love her forever, she knew she couldn’t. So instead, she tugged her arm away and broke eye contact, looking back at her weapons.

“I do,” she said, keeping her voice soft. “But I can’t. We can’t do this. I’m sorry, Princess.” It hurt too much to look back at Hani, so she didn’t, plastering a smile on her face as she packed up instead as she prayed that Hani wouldn’t come to hate her. “Come, you have lessons to get ready for.”

Hyojin dreaded the day of the wedding, possibly even more than Hani did. Every day it crept closer, she battled away the complex feelings in her chest, knowing that she could do nothing but watch as the castle prepared and Hani cried on her shoulder because the man she was betrothed to scared her. Every day felt like hell, and Hyojin couldn’t help losing sleep as she practiced her life away, trying to become stronger and stronger, even if she knew there was nothing she could do. Maybe, in the back of her head, she thought once or twice of fighting the nobleman and running away with Hani. But that would be suicide, as the king and queen would not rest until Hani was brought back and Hyojin was executed for treason. So Hyojin sat back and bit her tongue, baring the unbearable and hoping that Hani would be okay.

The day of the wedding was warm and sunny, and as Hyojin stepped into the castle, dressed in her best armor for the occasion, she heard one of the maids say that the gods had blessed the marriage with good weather. Under her breath, Hyojin scoffed, clutching onto her sword tighter and marching past the two ladies towards Hani’s room for the final time. Inside, Hani was dressed in the castle’s finest, white gown flowing to the ground and face covered by a carefully-crafted veil of the finest material the world could offer. Her shoulders were rigid, and although Hyojin couldn’t see her face, she knew the princess was uncomfortable with the transformation. The gown was a far cry from her normal pants, and her feet trembled inside unfamiliar heeled boots as she clasped her hands in front of her, clutching so tightly her knuckles were white.

“It seems like I’m escorting you to the ceremony, Princess,” she said, only speaking up once the servants had scurried out of the room and left the two of them alone. At the sound of her voice, Hani looked up and gently lifted up her veil to peer out at Hyojin, eyes wide. She looked pretty, yet anxious and worried, and the thought of someone else taking off that veil made Hyojin feel sick.

“Hyojin.” Hani let out a breath, and her shoulders slumped slightly. “I can’t believe today is the day.” All around the castle, Hyojin had heard the servants saying the same thing, but hearing it from the other woman’s mouth made it sound like a terrible thing.

“I can hardly believe it myself.”

“I don’t want to get married.” Hani’s voice was uncharacteristically small, and Hyojin cleared the room in a few steps to stand in front of her, reaching down to take her hand.

“I know, and I’m sorry.”

“Can you hug me? One more time?” The armor she had on was uncomfortable, but Hani was earnest as she stood from her chair, so Hyojin gave in, opening up her arms. Hani was small in her arms, even with her giant dress, and for the first time in her life, Hyojin felt like crying. She didn’t, though, staying strong for Hani’s sake as she pulled away to give her a smile.

“Don’t worry. I’ll always be there to protect you. It’ll be okay.” She wasn’t sure how true her words would be. Although she was supposed to travel with Hani, whether or not the nobleman would accept her as a new knight was still a question, and he could easily say he didn’t want her. Still, she couldn’t bring herself to let Hani know that. Not when she was already so scared.

“Really? Do you promise?”

“I promise,” Hyojin said, bringing up the other woman’s hand to press a gentle kiss to her skin, even as the knowledge that she might be lying burnt her throat. “Now. Should we get going, Princess?”

The ceremony was to take place in the gardens, bright and blooming with life just as the king and queen hoped their daughter’s marriage would be. With bated breath and hidden feelings, Hyojin lead the princess down the stairs, holding onto her tight until the doors appeared and she knew she had to let go. On the other side of those doors, the king would be waiting to take her to her new husband. Reluctantly, Hyojin let go of Hani’s arm and opened up the door.

She should have never let go.

At first, everything seemed wonderful. The king took his daughter’s hand and Hyojin returned to her place as a knight, over by the gates to wait and watch. The crowd was large and unfamiliar, but at that point, Hyojin didn’t think that there might be someone in that crowd who might want to cause harm, instead thinking about how she knew Hani was crying under the veil, shoulders shaking in silence as she clutched her father’s hand.

Then, just as Hani reached the end of the aisle, four unfamiliar men in hoods stood up and rushed forward, yelling something unintelligible. Immediately, Hyojin drew her sword and rushed forward with the rest of the knights, but the sound of horses hooves behind them made her turn. There, thundering towards her and the rest of the knights were multiple horsemen in full armor, somehow undetected before as they moved in quickly, plowing over every knight that couldn’t jump out of the way quick enough. Hyojin scrambled to move out of the way and brandished her weapon, swinging at one of the horsemen as he passed. Her sword made contact, but the horse kicked and sent her flying back towards a tree, breath knocked out of her and eyes blurry.

A scream jerked her back to her senses and she looked up to see Hani being hauled onto one of the horses. Kick as she may, the man held her tight, spurring his horse on faster. The king lay on the ground, wounded by one of the horses, while the nobleman and guests dove for cover, desperately trying to figure out what was going on. Jumping to her feet, Hyojin spotted a riderless horse, his rider knocked down by one of the archers on the gates. With no time to reconsider, she ran for it, pulling herself into the saddle and yanking the reins to urge it on, headed for the gates. If she could just reach them before the other riders did....

Just as she rounded the corner of the castle, trashed gates in sight, she saw the riders passing through them. One of them still had a grip on Hani, and Hyojin felt her blood boil as she headed after them, digging her iron-clad heels into the stirrups. She’d promised Hani she would protect her, and she’d be damned if she let these men get away.

Hyojin didn’t really have a plan. She was one knight against multiple horsemen, and she had no idea where they were going after they had escaped her the first time. Still, after a while of trying to scout around and wondering what she should do, she decided to let the horse decide. After she climbed back in the saddle, she let the reins go lax and urged it forward with her heels, clicking her tongue. Thankfully, he began to move quickly, like he knew where he was going, and she brought her hand to the hilt of her sword. Hopefully, he’d take her to wherever the thugs were hiding out with Hani, or at least, somewhere close. It wasn’t the best plan, but there was nothing else she could do, especially not when half of the day was already gone. She was going to get Hani back, even if it was the last thing she did.

The sun was beginning to go down when the horse finally split from the road and headed down a hidden and unfamiliar trail. Sensing danger, Hyojin stopped him to dismount before letting him go again. He walked at an easy canter, apparently feeling safe, and Hyojin took the time to learn her surroundings. They were heading into the thick woods, and although she couldn’t say that she was surprised, she also couldn’t be excited, either. She was a knight, not a scout or anything of the sort. She wasn’t used to the woods, and it would make fighting a lot harder for her. If she could just sneak up on them somehow, or take them one-on-one-.

A loud yell came from her right and she hit the ground, listening closely. It sounded like Hani, and her heartbeat picked up as she crept closer towards the sound, squinting into the dim-lit woods. She was sure that she could see light from a fire not too far off, but was it?

“Ow! She bit me! The lass bit me! Fuck, I think she drew blood!”

“That’s what you get for tying me to a tree and then trying to touch my face.” Yep, that was Hani alright. Despite the situation, Hyojin could feel herself smile a bit. This princess wasn’t going to go easily, and that knowledge but her a little bit more at ease as she crept closer, until she could just see the outlines of the camp.

“Could you just shut up and behave? I was going to try and bribe the king and queen for your release, but now I’m just tempted to kill you instead.”

“Go ahead. Kill me, and my knight will hunt you all to the end of the earth!”

“Your knight, huh?” There were only two men in the camp now, and Hyojin watched as one scoffed and sat down beside the fire, nursing his hand. “You were being married to some noble, but you were courtin’ your knight on the side?”

“We weren’t courting, but she would still never let you hurt me.”

“Oh, a female knight?” The other man laughed, harsh and low. “I don’t think I’m scared of a little girl playing dress-up.”

“You should be. Just wait until she gets here.”

“Listen here, lass,” the last man, who seemed to be the leader, said. “Nobody is going to find us. Not out here. You might as well shut up and sit pretty, you understand?”

“I’ll never shut up.”

“I have ways of making you shut up, you-.” The man lifted his hand, but he never got the chance to do anything else. Hyojin’s knife found it’s home in his back, and he gurgled, stepping back a few times before collapsing. The other man, who had been gazing into the fire, jumped up when he fell, looking around with eyes wide as he pulled out his sword.

“What the fuck? Who’s out there! Show yourself!” Sneaking up wasn’t necessarily the most noble thing to do, but Hyojin didn’t know who else might be out there and she didn’t want him to alert them, so she quickly stepped out of the woods behind him and brandished her sword. The sight wasn’t pretty, and as he fell face-first into the fire, a well-placed slice through his neck, Hyojin wrinkled her nose and hoped that Hani hadn’t seen it.

Thankfully, when she turned to look at the other girl, her eyes were shut tight, face scared. “It’s just me,” Hyojin said softly as she walked up, yanking her knife from the leader’s back and quickly cleaning it before Hani could see. At the sound of her voice, Hani opened her eyes again, and a smile spread across her face.

“I knew you would come for me.”

“Hurry, we have no time. Do you know how many of them there were?” Hyojin spoke as she cut the ropes from around Hani’s wrists, and Hani winced as she rubbed her sore skin, thinking.

“Well, there were two men at the house up ahead, and four who brought me here. I don’t know how many more there might be.”

“So at least six. Here, take this knife. You might have to fight too.”

“There’s no way I can fight in my dress.” That was true. Even when Hani stood up, the dress dragged the floor. After a moment of decision, Hyojin sliced the fabric at her knees, watching as the bundles of tarnished white fell to the ground. Hani seemed happy to be free, snatching the veil from her head as she stepped out of the dress. It seemed she’d already lost her boots, and Hyojin stifled a laugh as Hani wiggled her toes against the mud. “That’s so much better. Thank you.”

“Come on, let’s get going. We can’t be here when they return.” Hyojin reached out, grabbing Hani’s hand out of reflex. Her hand was warm, and for a moment, the knight wondered if it was okay, only for Hani to hold on tight, reassuring her. “Which way was the house?”

“That way. North, I think.”

“Then we won’t head that way. I think heading west is our best option.” It was dark out, now, and Hyojin picked up a discarded torch, lighting it from the fire. She went to head for the woods, but Hani stopped her, quickly grabbing the two men’s bags and slinging them over her shoulder.

“There might be something valuable, like food,” she explained, and Hyojin nodded, quickly taking her hand once again.

“Good thinking. Now let’s get out of here.”

The trees were so dense that hardly any moonlight shone through, and Hyojin had to hold the torch close for fear that it might catch the forest on fire. She didn’t know where she was going, or what might be in the woods, but she did know that she didn’t want to be back at that campsite. So she continued to walk, holding Hani’s hand in the dark silence, leading her in a direction she didn’t know. At least they were heading west, which meant they would be harder to find, by anyone. The thugs would have expected them to head east back to the castle, so Hyojin figured they had a pretty good lead on them. She also knew that there was a small abandoned village to the west of the castle, near to the westernmost border. If she was lucky, they’d find the village empty and would be able to catch some sleep before the morning came.

“Hyojin?” Hani’s voice made her jump a bit, even as soft as it was.

“Yes?”

“Where are we going?”

“I’m not sure myself. But there should be an old Othaya village near here. I’m hoping to find that.”

“Othaya? Isn’t that the kingdom next to ours?” Hani moved closer, her shoulder brushing against Hyojin’s, and it was only then that the knight noticed that the other woman was shivering. She held the dying torch closer, hoping that it could at least provide a bit of warmth.

“That’s right. The village was abandoned when Exildia extended it’s westward borders, before we signed the peace treaty. We were too young to remember the battle, but I visited once with my father during training.”

“Will there still be buildings? If it’s been abandoned since then....”

“The last time I was there, there were still plenty of buildings left. The Othayans build everything with stones, so their homes last for decades with little to do damage.” As she spoke, Hyojin let her eyes roam. She’d gotten used to the darkness now, and as they walked, she’d noticed a change in the trees. There were more sweeping willows here, their branches touching the ground at her feet, which meant they had managed to get quite far, even on foot. The village shouldn’t be much further.

“My feet hurt,” Hani said, and Hyojin swallowed, remembering that the princess didn’t have shoes. They would have to stop soon, village or not.

“Get on my back, I’ll carry you,” she replied, stopping and letting go of Hani’s hand.

“Is that safe? What if someone finds us? Will you be able to fight?”

“Just be ready to jump off and we should be fine.” After a moment of deliberation, Hani climbed onto her back and wrapped her arms tight around Hyojin’s shoulders. As soon as she felt like Hani was safe, she began walking again, taking longer strides now that she didn’t have to worry about Hani keeping up. Her training to march endless miles was finally coming in handy, and she focused on the woods around her once again. They couldn’t be far, now. She would just have to search until she found it.

Hani was asleep on her back when the trees finally broke from their crowded clusters some time later to reveal the remains of the village in a clearing ahead. Despite the want to run ahead and find shelter from the chill in the air, Hyojin stopped and surveyed the scene in front of her. Although the village should be safe, any sort of people could be hiding or squatting there, and she couldn’t risk just running in.

“Hani, wake up.” The woman on her back stirred at her words, and Hyojin moved towards a willow with exposed roots, providing the perfect hiding spot. “I found the village. Stay here while I stake it out.”

“Okay.” Hani’s voice was sleepy as she climbed down and sat between the roots clutching at her legs and the bags, still shivering. After making sure that Hani was well-hidden, Hyojin went ahead carefully. She wasn’t trained for stealth operations, but she tried to best to be quiet as she approached the large main house. It loomed in the dark, tattered and worn, but standing tall despite the toll of the weather. When she opened the door, it creaked loudly, making her wince. Thankfully, though, the inside of the house was still, with no sign of any recent attention. A pile of hay was near the fireplace, where someone had slept at some point, but it was stale and old, and Hyojin knew that this meant the coast was clear.

Still, just to be safe, she checked the rest of the house, entering every room. Dust hung in the air, and she coughed slightly, but other than some mice that scurried out of the house as soon as she entered, she was the only living thing that had been in the house for a long time. After checking that the fireplace was still usable and gathering some tinder for a fire at the back of the house, she made her way back outside for Hani.

“It’s safe. Once we get inside, I’ll start a fire. They have some blankets in one of the rooms as well that I can clean for you.”

Hani was so tired that she just nodded, letting Hyojin help her up and lead her inside. Once inside, Hani checked the pile of hay for insects before collapsing down and closing her eyes, obviously exhausted. Quickly, Hyojin pushed the tinder together in the fireplace and pressed the last of the torch against it, sighing in relief when the fire jumped back to life, growing larger with the new material to burn. The fire warmed the space quickly, and Hyojin walked back to the door to bolt it before heading into one of the rooms where she’d seen blankets. They were old and worn, with holes through the once beautiful fabric and dust covering their edges, but a couple shakes cleared the dust and Hyojin held it up against the smoke of the fire to drive out any bugs. After making sure they were as clean as she could get them in this situation, she gently wrapped Hani up in them, smiling when she curled up a little more in her makeshift bed.

As Hyojin turned away, a hand grabbed her arm, and she looked down to see Hani looking up at her with tired eyes. “You aren’t leaving me, right?”

“Of course I’m not. I was just going to sleep near the fireplace.”

“Sleep with me.”

Hyojin’s face colored at the implications, but she knew Hani didn’t mean it like that. Swallowing, she glanced at the fireplace, then took her weapons and laid them on the floor. “I’m not sure there’s enough room.”

“I’ll make room. I just want you near me,” Hani said, gripping tightly at Hyojin’s hand, and the knight knew she couldn’t say no.

“Just let me put away my armor.” After the cold metal was gently laid out on the floor, Hyojin climbed onto the small pile of hay, laying beside Hani, who turned to look at her so that there would be more room. Despite the hay being uncomfortable, Hyojin was reminded of the many days Hani would sneak into her room for warmth, and tangled feelings climbed their way into her throat, making her heart beat hard. Hani, blissfully unaware of Hyojin’s inner turmoil, closed her eyes and wrapped her arms around her, curling in close. Out of instinct, Hyojin held her tight in return, hand coming up to tangle in the other woman’s hair. For a moment, she thought Hani might already be asleep, but then the princess shifted beside her and let out a sigh.

“Hyojin, I love you.”

Those feelings rose up again, and out here, it felt like it was safe to bare them to the world. So Hyojin closed her eyes and pressed her forehead against the top of Hani’s head, breathing in her scent. “I love you too, Hani.” The tension in the other woman’s shoulders loosened, and soon, her breathing was even, signalling that she was asleep.

Even though Hyojin’s eyes were closed, she struggled to sleep, thoughts whirling through her mind as she listened closely for any sound. Eventually, she did fall asleep, and dreamed of Hani smiling at her in her wedding dress, telling her that she loved her.

The morning came too soon, and Hyojin awoke with a jolt, totally awake as she listened for any movement. She hadn’t intended to fall asleep, and she felt a little guilty, but thankfully, nothing seemed amiss. Hani was still asleep in her arms, and the fire had died down overnight, now just a glowing ember. Sunlight slipped in through cracks in the roof and through the windows, and Hyojin took a deep breath, calming herself down. Beside her, Hani stirred, and she turned to look at her, watching as the sunlight drifted over her face.

“Good morning,” the princess said softly, her eyes fluttering open, and Hyojin’s heart jumped in her chest. She’d wanted to kiss the other woman so many times before, but now the urge burned in her chest. Was this what it was like to wake up to the person you loved every morning?

“Good morning,” she said, hoping her voice didn’t waver too much. “Sleep well?”

“Yes, because you finally told me that you loved me too.”

“Didn’t I tell you that before?”

“You did, but then you apologized for loving me and said you couldn’t. Last night, you just said you loved me.” Her hair was wild and all over the place, just like Hyojin was used to it being, and she smiled softly as she sat up, affectionately tucking it behind her ears.

“I guess that’s true.”

“You meant it, right?” Hani sat up, eyes wide as she grabbed Hyojin’s hand. “You weren’t just saying that, right?”

Something about the woods made it easier to tell the truth, so Hyojin nodded her head when she normally would have made an excuse. “I meant it. I love you, Hani.” The other woman bloomed into a smile.

“Then you won’t take me back to the castle, right?”

“I-.” Hyojin bit her lip, not knowing what to say. “That’s a tall order. Where else would we go?”

“We can run away together. If you take me back to the castle, I’ll have to get married. But if you don’t, we can marry each other. We can stay here!”

“We can’t stay here,” Hyojin said, shaking her head. “This place is regularly used by the royal army for war training.” Hani’s face fell, and she clutched at Hyojin’s hands.

“Then you’re really going to take me back?” Hani seemed on the verge of tears, and Hyojin swallowed, knowing that she couldn’t do that. She couldn’t experience all of this, only to give Hani up again.

“No. We’ll escape to Othaya. But it’s not going to be easy. You’re still wearing your destroyed wedding dress, and I’m in my royal armor. I know a place where we can cross over without being checked, but we’ll have to buy clothes, not to mention we’ll need money, and all of my things are back at the castle.”

“Wait.” Hani turned and pointed near the fireplace. When Hyojin followed her gaze, she saw the bags that Hani had grabbed from the thugs before they left. “We never checked the bags. They probably had money on them, right?” Quickly, Hyojin moved from her spot and walked over to the bags, with Hani on her heels. In one was food and a canteen, and she handed a piece of bread to Hani as she continued to look through it. In one of the pockets, she found gold pieces and quickly pulled them out, breathing a sigh of relief. The other bag contained a hat, shoes, a journal of some sort, a knife, and more money. Much more money.

“Whatever those thugs were doing, they were making money,” Hyojin said, raising her eyebrows as she ran her fingers through the coins. “With this, we should be able to make a start for ourselves.” She turned to look at the other woman, who beamed and threw her arms around her shoulders.

“That makes me so happy!” Her face was so close, and Hyojin swallowed, eyes moving down to her lips. Before, it had been wrong to even think, but now....

“Princess, can I kiss you?” Her question took the princess by surprise, and her face colored, mouth dropping slightly open. Hyojin had never seen her like this, cute and flustered, and it made her smile, reaching up to caress her face as Hani leaned in.

“Yes, please.” Hani’s lips were soft, even after travelling all night with hardly any water. Even though Hyojin had imagined this moment for ages, nothing could compare to actually kissing Hani. Although her movements were slow and unsure, everything about her was soft and warm, and Hyojin didn’t mind taking it slow, learning alongside her as she tangled her fingers into her hair. When she finally pulled away, Hani was breathless, cheeks painted red and lips even redder, eyes wide.

As her heart tried to beat its way out of her chest, Hyojin reached under her shirt and pulled out the ring she always held on the chain around her neck. Gently, she took it off as Hani watched, slipping the ring from the chain. “This was my mother’s wedding ring. I’m giving it to you. This might not be the wedding you imagined, and I promise I’ll give you a proper wedding once we’re safe and settled in Othaya. But I want you to have this, as proof of my love.” Tears welled up in Hani’s eyes, and she held out her hand, letting Hyojin slide the ring onto her finger and smiling before she dove back in to kiss her again.

As much as Hyojin wanted to sit there and kiss Hani forever, she knew that they had to get going. Gently, she pulled away and pressed a final kiss to Hani’s forehead. “Let’s get ready to go. Finish breakfast and I’ll get us some water. There’s a well outside.” Hani nodded, smiling widely as she watched Hyojin get to her feet. Hyojin’s heart skipped a beat, and she found herself smiling too, elated. Was this really happening?

Half of her expected to wake up from a dream, or for something bad to happen. But no, when she came back to the house with water, Hani was still there with her hair now tied back into a ponytail, bags packed and ready to go. She had the shoes from the bag on, and although they were much too big, it was a relief to know that she didn’t have to go barefoot anymore.

Once they’d both drank from the water and filled the canteen, Hyojin put back on her armor and they were off, walking once again towards the western border, no sign of them left in the house and the castle far behind them. Hani’s dress was tattered, and her shoes were too big, and the ring was hardly anything special, but she glowed in the sun, hand holding tight to Hyojin’s, and Hyojin knew that she wouldn’t change this for the world. There was no going back now, and she didn’t want to. So she turned her sights to the west, held Hani’s hand tight, and never once looked behind her.

Despite Hyojin’s worries, Othaya was easy to get into. Once they were over the border and Hyojin had slipped out of her armor and headed into the next town to buy some clothes, a horse, and a moving cart, they had easily blended in. Princess Hani was no longer a princess, she was just Ahn Hani, an “orphan” who just happened to be skilled with a needle and pen. And Hyojin was just Hyojin, no longer a royal knight but a traveling swordsman with no home. And it felt better that way.

After staying for a short while in a small village where Hyojin worked as a bartender at the pub for a room and Hani worked with a local tailor, they settled down in a bustling village with enough money to keep them on their feet, buying a small cabin on the outskirts near the woods. Though small, the cabin was cute and warm, with flowers, fruits, and vegetables blooming in the gardens and flowered ivies climbing the walls. Everything inside was cozy and personal, and tucked into a back room was a trunk, where Hani’s torn wedding dress and Hyojin’s old royal armor was stored away from any prying eyes. The front of the house functioned as Hani’s parlor, where customers seeking her expert tailoring and sewing would come calling. People just seemed to accept her as an eccentric seamstress who wore pants sometimes and spoke and read just a little better than everyone else, and business was good. Hyojin put her skills with a knife to use as a butcher in town, her well-toned muscles and tall figure making it easy for people to accept her as man. She never said she was, per-se, but it was easier for people to assume that anyway, so she went with it.

It was only when she came home from work one night and saw Hani working on a wedding dress that she realized that she’d never given Hani the wedding she’d promised. Hani still wore the ring, but they’d never had an official ceremony. And although Hani hadn’t said anything, it bothered Hyojin that she’d forgotten. So she brewed some tea and brought Hani over a cup, placing it gently on the table in front of her as the other woman put away the fancy garment to smile at her.

“How was work today?”

“It went well, the shop was busy as always. Our new dried meats are very popular these days.” As Hyojin blew on her tea to cool it, she glanced at the wedding dress. “It looks like you’ve had your hands full as well.”

With a laugh, Hani nodded her head, patting the garment. “I have, but it’s for a woman who has been coming to me since we started, so I’m working hard on it. Business is good these days.” The younger woman pulled her legs up onto the chair, and Hyojin noticed with a smile that she was wearing the pants that she’d bought her when they first moved to Othaya.

“Is this the only wedding dress you’re working on?” She asked, and Hani shot her a look, tilting her head slightly.

“Well, yes. I think so. Why?”

“Maybe you should start making another one.” Hyojin wasn’t the best with words, and her face colored slightly as she sipped her drink to calm herself down. A slow smile was making its way onto Hani’s face, and she raised her eyebrows, leaning forward and making the flickering lamp on the table sway slightly.

“What are you trying to say, Hyojin?”

“I’m trying to say that you should make your own wedding dress. Because I’m going to give you the wedding I promised.” At her words, Hani stood from her chair and squealed, moving around to plop herself down in Hyojin’s lap and throw her arms around the other woman’s shoulders.

“Do you mean it?”

“Of course I do. I’m sorry I took so long.”

“Don’t apologize, we’ve been busy. As long as I have this ring, I know that you love me.” Hani giggled and pressed her forehead against Hyojin’s. “I do have to say, though. I’m happy to finally marry you.” The light flickered again, and the smell of tea and flowers drifted through the room as Hyojin leaned up to kiss her bride, pulling her in close. Even with the windows open, the house was warm. It was home. And it was everything they could have ever wished for.

The venue was perfect. Technically, Hyojin had stumbled upon it completely on accident while hunting in the woods for work, but she liked to think that it had drawn her there. It was a small clearing in the woods where a stream ran through, surrounded by daisies and honeysuckle. There was a path, though slightly overgrown, leading through the flowers and up to an abandoned wind pump near the water’s edge. The air seemed almost magical, teeming with life and smells as Hyojin stood staring at the gorgeous sight in front of her. In order to find her way back, she pulled stones from her pouch and began to drop them on her way to the end of the forest near the cabin. Then, she followed them back, until she could recognize marks in the woods and made marks herself, familiarizing herself with the path until she knew she’d be able to lead the wedding party to it.

The day of the wedding, it was sunny out, with birds chirping in the trees as the party made their way through the woods. Hyojin was wearing her armor, polished until it shone with no resemblance to Exildia left behind, and it felt weird to once again tramp through the woods in full armor. Beside her, Hani held her hand, dressed in a plain yet gorgeous white gown that ended just above her ankles, but hid the pants underneath. A crown of flowers sat atop her head, and on her feet were her most comfortable shoes, contrasting slightly with the pure white of her dress.

“Just in case,” Hani had said with a laugh when she showed her shoes to Hyojin. “I never want to go on a life changing journey barefoot again.”

The wedding party was small, extremely so compared to the one Hani had before. But it was made up of people they loved: the woman who’d been buying from Hani since day one, Hyojin’s business partner, their lovely neighbors, a couple who’d helped them move in, the town friar who loved to visit and chat. They were true friends, and the air felt light and exciting as they headed deeper into the woods on a well-marked trail.

Once they reached the clearing, Hyojin stepped aside to let everyone see. Hani’s gasp of wonder and the tears that gathered in her eyes were more than Hyojin could have asked for, and she squeezed her bride’s hand as she watched her take in the scenery.

“Oh, Hyojin. It’s so beautiful. How did you find such a perfect place?”

“Anything for you, my love,” Hyojin said softly, and Hani sniffled, quickly wiping at her eyes.

“Don’t make me cry before the ceremony even begins,” she replied, but she giggled and Hyojin knew she was happy.

“Shall we begin the ceremony?” The friar asked from behind them, and the two women nodded. He led the way up to the wind pump and stood waiting as Hani and Hyojin followed him up, smiling thankfully as their friends clapped. “On this wonderful day, we are here to celebrate the union of Ahn Hani and Ahn Hyojin. If anyone here opposes the marriage, speak now or forever hold your peace.”

As he spoke, Hyojin mostly tuned him out, busy trying to remember everything she’d wanted to say. Hani was stunning in front of her, holding her hands while framed by the shining sun and an array of flowers. Birds sang in the air, and the sound of the river lapping at the rocks and splashing near the wind pump calmed her nerves, making her focus instead on the happy feeling in her chest as Hani beamed at her. She loved Hani. Loved her more than words could even comprehend. But as the friar turned to her, she knew she had to attempt to put her feelings into words, so she cleared her throat and tightened her grip ever so slightly on Hani’s familiar hands.

“Hani, I’ve known you for a long time. We grew up together, learned together, laughed together, shared our hardships with each other. At some point, my feelings for you turned into love, and I realized that I couldn’t live without you. On that day I almost lost you, I felt so hollow and hopeless that I didn’t know what to do: I had come to realize that I didn’t know how to function without you there at my side. I needed to love you, needed to protect you and keep you warm. Without you, my life had no purpose. Finally, I stopped denying my feelings for you, and I’m so glad I did. When I finally told you I loved you the next day, it felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders. It felt so right and I knew as soon as you smiled at me that I could never let you go again. Then, I promised to marry you and protect you forever. By marrying you now, I’m proving to you that I’ll always keep my promises, and so I want to make some more. I promise that I’ll always love you, and always support you, as long as I’m alive. I promise that I’ll help you whenever you need me. I promise to always keep you warm and healthy. I promise to always let you know just how much you mean to me. And I promise to never let you go again. I’m yours, I always have been and always will be. You mean the world to me, and for you, my love, I’d do anything.”

Hyojin felt a bit winded after speaking, her heart thumping hard in her chest, but the tears welling up in Hani’s eyes and spilling over made it all worth it, and she smiling, letting go of one of her hands to wipe away her tears.

“I love you,” Hani said, choked up as she clutched at Hyojin’s other hand.

“Those are good tears this time, right?”

“Yes, they are.” Hani took a deep breath to steady herself, and she was all Hyojin could look at. The glowing, stunning princess-turned-seamstress. “I’ve always loved you, Hyojin, and I want to make some promises of my own. I’ll always love you, and always be there when you need me. I’ll always make you smile. And I promise that I’ll never leave your side, as long as I’m alive. I’m yours, and only yours. And nobody will ever take that love I have for you away. Thank you for staying by my side all this time, and I look forward to spending forever with you.”

Hyojin had never been a crier, but she felt tears welling up in her own eyes at Hani’s words. Forever. They were really getting married, and Hani was hers forever. And nobody could take her away.

The friar said something that she didn’t hear, and then Hani kissed her, gentle and soft. For a moment, she got to kiss her back, holding her close and smelling her flowered perfume, before they pulled away from each other to the cheers of their newfound friends, smiling widely.

“I love you,” Hani whispered as she took Hyojin’s hand and the two walked back through the path of flowers, towards their friends.

“I love you too,” Hyojin whispered back, and she was reminded of that day that felt so long ago, where she’d finally said she loved Hani, huddled together on an old stack of hay. They’d come so far, yet Hani was still Hani, and Hyojin was still Hyojin, and that love had only grown.

As the local minstrels began to play and everyone joined together to dance, Hyojin took Hani into her arms and kissed her once again, quick and sly in a way that made Hani giggle and poke her side. The memories of the terrible wedding before faded away, and all Hyojin could think about was Hani.

And as Hani beamed up at her, mouthing along to the words of the love song the minstrels were singing, Hyojin knew that her love would only grow stronger. So she smiled and held Hani a bit tighter, ready for whatever tomorrow would bring as long as her princess was there beside her.

#exid #le #ahn hyojin #hani #femifics #ahn sisters #2ahn #exid fanfiction #exid fanfics #girl group fanfiction #kpop fanfiction #girl groups #kpop girl groups

31 notes · View notes