taleofteal

[taleofteal]

"It was not the sunset, It was you."

Pairing: Lee Juyeon x Q (Ji Changmin)

Group: The Boyz

Inspired by:

— Jukyu's Instagram Post

— Quotes: "If it doesn't move my heart, if it doesn't make my heart flutter, I won't post it" — Lee Juyeon

— Quotes: U.S. tour..... they went to various cities, met so many people, and did so many things, but to juyeon, this was the highlight of it all (twt @cinnamojju)

—

It was the night after their performance in the city. The euphoria had not even left them, but they could feel how they needed their rest time quickly. And they were at the hotel at the moment.

The city of San Jose, where it was quite hot during the day, now they were wrapped in a cool embrace of the low temperature of the city. But it was not one that they couldn't handle. As winter in Seoul is much harsher than this.

That was the first U.S. tour they held with all the 11 members together. Starting from New York, Atlanta, Dallas, the city of angel L.A., and now, they had just finished their last stop. The Capital of Sillicon Valley, San Jose.

Each member went to their own designated room to get some rest. The order was decided much earlier, and him, Ji Changmin, got into the same room with his best friend yet again for God knows how many times ever since the first time they became roommates.

The first thing they did after reaching their room was do the silly game of rock, paper, and scissors to decide who got to use the shower room first. And between these two losers trapped in their hot boddies, luckily enough, Ji Changmin won and got to use the shower first before Chanhee.

During his shower time, that best friend of his in the room just couldn't keep quiet and asked him about their schedule tomorrow. Because Chanhee knows, Changmin would go straight to bed and cover himself with a blanket to send himself to the dreamland after he's done with all the care routine.

They promised to explore the city, or so to say, to walk around the city while sharing some meals together on their break time after their concert. As they thought it would be such a shame to just stay at the hotel and not explore the area when they had the chance to do so. So, better grab the opportunity and do it before they regret it.

After a long discussion, with some banter here and there, they decided to do their promise around noon to evening because they treasured their sleeping time the most and wanted to sleep till noon to catch some sleep.

And that was exactly what they did after finishing their own showers and skincare routin, just as what Chanhee predicted; going right to their bed and closing their eyes to sleep.

—

When the next day greeted them, it was Chanhee's alarm that woke them up. The sunlight had already been trying to peek into their room for a while now from the gap of their closed curtain.

Chanhee woke up first, as he was the one who's trying to turn off his alarm. It took him a few minutes to collect his soul before he got up and tried to call out for Changmin. In which Changmin answered with a muffled, still-sound-sleepy-and-too-lazy-to-wake-up voice.

"New-ssi. Please use the bathroom first, and let me collect my soul while you were there. Thank you," said Changmin after rubbing his eye and going back on hugging one of his pillows.

After a few minutes, Chanhee got out from the shower, and Changmin was already sitting at the edge of his bed, his feet on the floor, his head was looking down at his feet and he bet that his eyes must be closed too.

And he's right.

"Kyu-ssi. Please use the shower now and get ready quickly because I am already hungry, Kyu-ssi."

Chanhee nudged Changmin's shoulder to wake him up once again. Thanks to that nudge, Ji Changmin was dragged back to reality and was able to finish his own shower quickly before his best friend nag him about how much hungry he was.

After checking their outfit, their phone, and their wallet. The two best friends who were said to be bestest friend ever for 75 more years to come started their own journey to walk around the area. But their first priority was to get themselves some food first.

Luckily, they were able to save themselves two seats at a nearby restaurant that served some real good food approved by their stomach.

The sun shone so brightly you could feel the heat from the reflection of the glass from inside the restaurant. The two best friends took their time to enjoy their food while chatting about what they should do, what they should buy, where they should visit next, and many more.

They finished their brunch and were just about to leave the neighborhood when they met a fan of their group. Changmin was zoning off for a while, looking like he was having an eye staring competition with the fan before he snapped out of it and gave their autograph to the fan.

Meeting one of our fans the day after the concert, in public, felt nice actually, thought Changmin.

After that, they fully spent their day together exploring the city together and came back to the meeting spot to take their bus to their next destination. The airport.

It's already the last day of their US tour of them being in the U.S.A. together.

Finding their own comfort zone, their favorite spot, all of THE BOYZ's members were starting to get busy on their own things. Because it was really going to take a while until they reached the airport, each of them is trying to make themselves comfortable.

Changmin chose to sit near the window. It's so he could look at the scenery through the window while listening to his favorite song and getting his own "space". Coincidentally enough, the sit across from him was occupied by Juyeon.

The two people silently agreed to each other's seatmate. Changmin honestly thought he enjoys every time and every moment he has with Juyeon because being with that man comforts him so much that even he feels like his soul is being cleansed.

That without him realizing it, that man has a special spot inside him. A very comfortable and nice spot owned by him only.

While Juyeon thought he is very compatible with Changmin. He doesn't understand what exactly, but something about Changmin always draws him closer and closer it pulls a heart string inside of him.

Both of them sat silently on their sit as the bus started to drive through the highway road.

It was near the time for sunset when the inside of the bus started to get dark, and the orange hue started to paint the interior of the bus through the light reflected from the window.

Juyeon was closing his eyes at first, but then he heard the camera sound from his right side. It came from Changmin.

Juyeon opened his eyes slowly, and what came into his sight was a scene so beautiful that his heart skipped a beat and his breath was taken away from him.

The reflection on his eyes at that time was Changmin leaning his head on the window while staring at the outside scenery, the dark sunset light as his background, some part of him couldn't be seen due to the darkness, but his silhouette itself just added more aesthetic into the scene captured through Juyeon's lense.

By the time he woke up from his 'daydream', there was already another camera sound coming from his palm where he held his phone.

He took it.

He took a picture of it.

The beautiful scenery.

And the beauty in front of him.

Juyeon checked the picture he took, and he stared at it while his thumb couldn't help but caress his phone screen.

He suddenly remembered that day when he talked about his Instagram feed meaning.

He said,

"If it doesn't move my heart, if it doesn't make my heart flutter, I won't post it."

At this time, he could feel his heart moved at the sight of this picture. It still is. Right now. While looking at how the man's silhouette was embraced by the dark shadow and the sunset hue as if those two exist just for the man only.

And on this journey, on their US tour, the boys went to various cities, met so many people, and did so many things, but to Lee Juyeon, that moment was the highlight of it all.

It's not the sunset. It's him.

Ji Changmin is the highlight of it all.

With that, the picture of Changmin with the sunset is now successfully framed on Juyeon's feed.

And will forever be there.

[taleofteal]

"Noona, you are the most beautiful"

Inspired by Kim Sunwoo's MY ARTi FILM

—

It was Tuesday night when I was able to get home earlier than usual, a very rare occasion where I asked for early clock out from my work place, thanks to a certain someone who I believed was holding his phone now and checking on his screen for a while.

At the same time the door bell rang as a sign I had unlocked it, another ringing sound was heard from the palm of my hand. A call I had been expecting, from someone who was far from reach yet always there next to me.

Caller ID... Kim Sunwoo

Only the name, and it had successfully brought a smile to my face.

I miss him...

But I won't tell him that. Let's not make the younger guy get all smug from that, because it is annoyingly cute— very, and I know that's not good.

At least for me.

And my heart.

I picked it up, quick, so as not to make the person from across the phone sulk.

And because I miss him..

"Noona"

And his voice.

That deep voice of his, the one he used when he's trying to be serious, the one he used especially when we are on the phone. That exact voice. He really knows his own charm, doesn't he?

See, isn't this annoying?

Although it is very cute of him.

"Mmm, I just got off the office. What's wrong?", I answered, trying to be as calm as possible. Which obviously is very hard.

"Ah- you only got off now? Hmm... do you remember what date is it today?"

I know.

"Date? Why suddenly... isn't it 29— OH NO! It's 30! ... right?", I asked as if I was unsure about my own answer.

And what I got after was a long silent from him, and a sigh. Which almost made me burst into laughing right then and there. I could even picture his expression now. How he closed his eyes before he sighed, leaning his head on the wall as if hope just left his life. He is cute, very cute. I felt bad for playing with him but what to do, this is fun?

"Noona.." Oh dear, there it is, he is sulking.

Feeling bad from playing around too much with him, I called out to his name with a smile on my face that I'm sure he could feel it from my voice.

I dropped my body right on the couch, turned on my TV, clicked right to 'Youtube' and into that video with his face on the thumbnail.

Oh- I miss him.

"Sunwoo-ya~ I remember"

"...."

"I am sorry for playing with you. I was home already when you called me, and now I am on the couch, with your face on my big screen."

"Do you want to accompany me watching it from there?", I continued.

—

The duration for the video was short, but it took me more than half an hour to finish that. And it was all because of 'him'.

I kept on teasing him as we watched it, to be exact, I watched it. I couldn't help it. I needed some distraction that the only thing I could do to distract myself was by teasing him. He was really good at this. Too good, to be very honest. That you felt like at certain point, you were dragged into that scene.

It was dangerous.

Yet, very cute.

We kept chatting through the phone after that, bantering with each other, at some point discussing about some scenes from the short movie. The topic went on and on. But sadly the time won't stop for us to continue on.

I still miss him.

"It's late already. You better sleep now and not use me as an excuse if you're late tomorrow, noona." He said. Where I could only replied with a chuckle.

At least he knows he is the reason.

He always is.

It was a fun time. Very precious time we had there. I don't know when will we be able to have this kind of moment again. But no matter what, I cherish everything, everything about it, everything about you.

As the night went on, we said our goodbye before starting to get ready to face our own 'reality'.

"Sunwoo-ya", I called his name, before slowly continuing my sentences, word by word.

"Thank you. Thank you for taking the opportunity and being part of this masterpiece. You have done really well, it was a great job. And you, you have always been amazing. You are, and you always will."

He was silent for the duration I was talking. Then he let out a soft chuckle, with that voice.

"Heh, I know~ I'm always amazing."

I smiled. Of course, that's how he is. Good confidence suits him really well. And he deserve that. He owns that.

I was about to hang up the phone before I heard his deep voice echoing into my eardrums right to my brain.

"And noona"

" ... mmm?"

"Noona, you are the most beautiful"

—

I slowly opened my eyes.

Oh, it's morning already.

What did I dream about again?

[taleofteal]

"There's a reason for the rainbow through the rain"

ʚ 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐥𝗼 !!

You have arrived at ♯┆Navie's corner .ᐟ ★

INTRO This is Navie speaking. You can call me Navie, Vie, Sherry, Eri, or any name you want to add there as my nickname. I am of legal age, with IxFx as my MBTI because it keeps changing between INFJ, ISFJ, and ISFP depends on my mood I guess. I am a Taurus if that matters.

── .✦

MY INTEREST I like reading manhwa, manga, novel (mostly english and chinese novel), and webnovel. I like playing games (genshin, hsr, wuwa, love&deepspace, enstars music). For K-Pop, I am into SVT, TBZ, NCT Wish, NCT Dream, KIOF, aespa, etc. For western I'm into Sabrina Carpenter and Taylor Swift. For J-Pop, I'm into Official HIGE DANdism, ACE COLLECTION, back number, yorushika, etc.

── .✦

DFI/DNI Basic DNI criteria. Make interest a competition. Expect replies 24/7. Engage in petty, useless discourse. Dislike my favs. Toxic K-Pop fans.

[taleofteal]

Prompt 01 - July Entry

—

It was a sunny day on the weekend when he was watching a TV show alone in his room and suddenly received a notification that he got into his chosen university.

If he could be brutally honest, actually he didn't even expect to get accepted, because while he knows his skill, he doesn't believe that it's that amazing.

“Maybe, I'm just being too harsh at myself.”

He chuckled pathetically at himself as he stared at the announcement.

The gears in his brain turned quickly after the self-pity. It stopped at the realization that he would need to come to the university for his first class right away next Monday.

'Well, I guess everyone always has their first day on anything,' he thought.

After some deliberation, he decided to bring his ass up from his bed to prepare early for his so-called 'first day'. It would be a lie if he said that he is not nervous because he absolutely is. Very nervous at that.

To have to attend his first class alone and meet new people, again, by himself. He thought it was always scary. He is always scared of everything that he doesn't know about. Like a future, for example. He is always afraid of the future.

But he was also very excited.

Excited to write more new pages.

—

“Notes, checked. Pencil case, checked. Film camera, checked....”

The day had come.

After preparing for his first day, he went back to relax his weekends away, but now that the Monday is here, his nervousness built up inside his stomach that he thought maybe he felt full not because of the breakfast he ate but it was because of him feeling nervous.

He checked, and checked, and kept on checking at everything he needed to bring. Making sure he really had everything in his bag before he took his foot out of the house and made his way to his university.

He walked. He took the bus. He took the train. Then, he walked again.

The day was surprisingly nice for him to take the public transportation and walked on foot to his destination with his headphones on each of his ears, playing his music playlist for the day.

The name of the playlist was 'move your lazy ass'. Made and dedicated for himself, who became listless every time he walked out into the public space or to hype up his energy to move around more inside his house so his body wouldn't age too early.

It was quite a journey, but in the end, he made it to sit on his supposed to be first class. He chose the seat near the window and, of course, near the wall. It was because he just had that little habit of touching a flat and soft surface out of nowhere or suddenly knocking lightly on the wall with his fingers. And of course, looking out from the window, because it was refreshing and calming at the same time.

After 15 minutes of waiting, the class was now packed, and soon, someone who was said to be a professor there finally walked into the class and stood behind the podium in front of the class.

The said professor actually didn't look like a normal professor as in very mature and aged. This professor was what people usually describe as a young-and-rich-looking professor.

“This feels like a scene coming out of a fiction....”

'But at least the committee is letting the new students get energized by a fine look. That's a good strategy.'

He continued his own words inside his head silently.

“Good morning to all new students present here. Firstly, I would like to say welcome to the university. You had worked hard and did amazing with your test as while it might look easy, but it is actually quite hard to get in here...”

The professor started his greeting while screening all students one by one and continued his introduction before informing everyone what they should do on this first day.

“...Every new students are gathered in group and put into different classes to start the formality of the first day which is introduction. You may know each other later slowly, but if you can start today, why wait for another day? You can stand up and introduce yourself by your name, where you are from, and your mayor— We will start from the very end of the class, the student who sits at the left corner in the back, please.”

With that, the turn for introduction had started. One by one, students stood up, introduced themselves, and then sat back on their sits as the people next to them took turns introducing themselves.

There were various students from all kinds of mayors coming from different cities, even countries.

Not long, it's finally his turn.

Having all eyes on him while he stood up and there were probably hundreds eyes right there watching on him, all of those really making cold sweet started running down his spine and his heartbeat to work even faster. He was just praying he wouldn't stutter at his words and for him to do it quickly so he could sit back and be an ordinary guy out of everyone's sight.

“Ahem— hello, everyone. The name is Arlen Haze. I am from around the city, and I'm planning to mayor in photography. It's very nice to meet all of you, thank you.”

He tried his hard to be as calm as possible but also to quickly finish his introduction. Gladly, everyone nicely welcomed him and moved on to the next person going after him.

And with that, the first day of introduction had ended. Now, he only wanted to grow some wings and fly home quickly, but that was his imagination as he needed to take some time before he finally arrived at his home sweet home.

[taleofteal]

Prompt 03 — July Entry

"I like you. Like a lot."

—

— In Paris

The plane had landed, yet the words still hadn't come out. Nor the eyes that usually looked at him with adoration. Nothing was found. Nothing was on him.

Everything looks normal on the surface as both of them rarely talk in public. So nothing seems changed, but only they, or maybe, only he knew that everything had changed.

"New-ssi! We've arrived in the city you love. What's with the pouting!"

A voice came closer to him, followed by an arm hooked perfectly around his neck. He knew who it was just by the voice only.

Ji Changmin.

"Nothing. I'm just a little bit tired from our last schedule. Let's go."

All the eleven men got off the plane together and hurriedly ushered to the car before they drove to the hotel they would be staying in. Everyone seemed exhausted inside the car that either they were sleeping or they were sleeping— he chuckled, looking at these brothers of him before falling into a daze.

Brothers.

Yes. They are all brothers.

He recovered from his short daze and decided to lean back on his seat, closing his eyes, and tried to catch some rest again.

Trying to not think about it too much.

———

After arriving at the hotel, putting down their luggage, and eating some food to patch their stomachs, everyone gathered in the lobby. They had decided to explore the city once they arrived as their schedule would be the day after today. As long as everyone was back at the designated time for rehearsal.

"I will stay in the hotel. You who wants to go, go. If you want to catch up some sleep, then sleep. Just make sure to be careful for those who are gonna go outside."

Everyone nodded as the leader decreed so.

After some reminders, each group went to their own path.

He saw him from the corner of his eyes, leaving with some brothers, still in that outfit of him that he chose way back before the departure. He couldn't help but lift up his lips a little bit into an invisible smile.

"The makne lines are going with Hyunjae hyung?" asked Lee Juyeon.

"Yes. Erigi has not been here last time, right? So they're going together. "

"Ah- that's right! I see, I see..". He nodded at what Changmin said.

"Then me and Kyu will go together as well." He continued.

Then, just like the other small groups, his two-person-group also decided to walk around the city of love together. Although the name is the city of love, being accompanied by his best friends for 75 years was enough.

Yes.

It was enough.

Although it was different than the last time they came here. This was enough.

And just like that, he strolled around the city of love with his bestest friend. Luckily, they arrived during the day so they could go around the city right away. Ignoring the jetlag they felt.

He visited some clothing store, coffee shop— this one is a must go to for him—, some cafés, and stopped by to eat their meal in a restaurant together.

"So, what happened between you and him?"

The question he had been avoiding so much finally reached him from his best friend's lips. It took him a few seconds to react to that question. But then, he didn't even know how to answer nor how he really had to react.

"Is it really obvious?," he asked.

"Do you really think you can hide it away from me? From 'us'?!"

He looked at Ji Changmin abruptly as he heard what Changmin said to him.

"Us? Who 'us'?"

"Who else? Sangyeon hyung, Younghoon hyung, Jacob hyung, Juyeon, and obviously me. " Changmin shrugged.

"We realized you have been— becoming really strange lately. You are quiet usually, but now you are either 'super' quiet, or you become talkative when usually you don't— as if you're trying to run away from something, " continued the man who was sitting in front of him.

He was silent for a while as he looked at Ji Changmin. He thought maybe it's time for him to stop to bear this burden alone in his heart. He, then, decided to order some menu as the stomach came first, and they could wait for the food while trying to talk together about his issue.

After everything was settled, he took a deep breath as he was ready to face it.

"I don't know where should I start...."

"....but at some point, everything just ended, and over, just like that. It went by so fast. Then suddenly the days changed, but I felt like I'm stuck somewhere, while the other seemed like he is able to move on and very fast at that."

Without him realizing it, his fingers curled and clenched into a fist, trying to suppress that weird feeling around his hands every time some angst was about to happen to him.

"Maybe it was a fear of being left behind... alone," he continued as he lowered his head, looking at the black coffee on the tea cup in front of him.

Yes. He is scared being left behind.

Isn't that such a scary thing to happen to you?

Or.

Maybe he is just too weak.

...

"New-ya, you are not weak."

The clear and firm voice woke him up from his mind.

"You are not alone as well. He is not the only one. Everything is not about him."

"And you are very precious. You are very worthy. And very important for us."

Ji Changmin firmly looked at his best friend's eyes, as if he was trying to reach out his hand to grab his best friend's soul out from the abyss.

He was startled at the words said by the man in front of him. The very man who usually acts very silly around him now holding onto his fist very tightly. As if to express...

'I am here with you, too'

Those firm eyes looking at him, making him choked up from suppressing his feeling to burst out from deep down in him that it made his skin flushed in red from his colar up to his neck, even his nose.

"Hey— I know you are touched and want to cry, but please mind our public image, alright? Not to mention, I am hungry as well," said Ji Changmin.

"Shut up! Whose fault do you think it is?!" He complained.

"Obviously not me. Probably that other guy somewhere, anyway, what do I care whose fault is it?" said Ji Changmin again, which resulted in him getting nuts thrown at him, followed with the waiter putting down their food and ended with both of them laughing and giggling foolishly with reasons only they knew about.

—

Later that night, it was Kim Younghoon and Lee Juyeon's turn to ask him out for a 'triple date,' they said, which actually only a night strolling together and taking a bunch of blurred pictures of each other, doing some silly stuff in the middle of the street without caring of people looking.

But, thanks to that, he was able to forget about the heavy feeling in his heart. As if he was freed from the dark clouds inside, which was swept by the night wind and the beauty of the night city view.

"Nu-ya, do you want to go for the second round? But, it's just the two of us"

They were at the hotel corridor after sending Kim Younghoon back to his room because he's gonna sleep early.

He looked at Lee Juyeon with eyes saying 'what possessed you?'

"I bought a wine— you have been enjoying it now, right? Let's drink it on the bench outside just near the river," continued Lee Juyeon as he was trying to persuade Choi Chanhee.

He was about to decline, but the mention of wine sold him right away at the invitation. So they walked on tiptoe along the corridor— even if no one would know—, and went outside with a bag of nutella biscuits and a bottle of wine that Lee Juyeon kept inside his bag this whole time. Lucky it didn't break while they were playing around earlier.

"I can't believe you have been bringing this whole bottle of wine with you all along inside your backpack," he was really astonished, looking at Lee Juyeon bringing out all those things from inside his backpack.

'Is that backpack some kind of Doraemon's pocket or something?'

"I protected it don't worry, it's safe with me!," Lee Juyeon said that with so much confidence while trying to open the wine with the tool he brought. He even brought the wine opener tool!

"Here you go. Sadly, I don't bring any cup so we have no other choice than drinking the wine right from the bottle— you're okay, right?." Lee Juyeon put the opened bottle on the free space between the both of them, right next to the opened biscuits that has been eaten a few by Choi Chanhee himself as he waited for the wine.

But as soon as he heard of what Lee Juyeon said to him, he looked at Lee Juyeon incredulously, "What the heck?! It's wine, not a soju!!"

"I know! But what can we do? I don't have any cup, not to mention glass with me"

"Unbelievable." He sighed. He couldn't do anything other than accepting the reality.

So they just did that. Drinking the wine straight from its bottle and sharing it together at that. At first, it was such an embarrassing thing. But since when has he ever been this conscious of Lee Juyeon? It's not like this is their first time sharing drinks together or even drinking from the same spot. So he decided to put it in the back of his mind and not care about it.

They then chatted with some light conversations about the nights, their experience on the first day in the city, and other light topics. which made him grateful because Lee Juyeon didn't bring up any of the heavy topics or the expected topic to be brought up remembering they were drinking wine at that time.

And thanks to the wine, his head felt light, and once again, he could enjoy the night breeze while sipping the wine and eating the biscuits.

"I'm gonna search for some water first, you can just wait here, okay? Don't go running anywhere else." Lee Juyeon stood up and took out his wallet from his backpack and putting back his bag on his sitting spot.

"Oh, sure. I will stay here." He answered as he looked at Lee Juyeon walking away and searching over their surroundings before he walked to a certain direction.

He let out a long sighed before he leaned back and stared at the black long river in front of him.

It's cold. The wind breeze. But it felt really nice. Especially with that, the area is very quiet, with only a few people spotted sitting on the other benches.

It felt very peaceful.

He grabbed the wine bottle and stood up, walking slowly a few steps towards the river, still staring so deeply at the endless dark river in front of him.

He was standing there, silent, and spacing out with no one knows what was he thinking about.

"I like you. Like a lot."

Suddenly, the six words slipped out of his lips, breaking the silence. But, he didn't continue his words. Instead, he looked down at his own feet. His grip on the bottle tightened up, followed by his hardened jaw. As if he was trying to suppress something from surging up from inside. As if at the next moment, a raindrop would fall to the ground.

But instead of a sob, his lips formed a helpless smile— yet, it carried some kind of feeling with it.

"I like you. Like a lot." He said those words again.

"But it's all in the past now."

He lifted his head. His eyes were very clear and filled with determination, like he had made up his mind.

And heart.

He is freed.

...

"Did you wait long?."

Lee Juyeon, who had been away for a few minutes, finally found his way back.

"I'm sorry, I was about to buy our water but I got a call and was told for us to go back to the hotel right away," Juyeon continued.

"Oh, that's okay! Let's go back to the hotel then."

They cleaned after themselves and trying to not leave any trash behind. While he grabbed on to the wine bottle.

"Can I get the rest of the wine and bring it to my room?." He said, which was followed by a laughter from Lee Juyeon, who was standing next to him.

"Yes, yes. You can get it all. Enjoy it well, Nu-ya!"

Lee Juyeon chuckled as he put one of his hands on top of Chanhee's head and rubbed his palm on it. Making a mess out of Chanhee's hair.

After that, they walked back to the hotel together while still chatting along the way. Before they went on their separate way to each of their rooms.

...

That night, Chanhee slept a dreamless night with a smile on his face.