Pure Imagination (Solo Leveling)

Cream Cheese Cookie Choux

When Jin Woo had finally returned home, Yuki and Jin Ah were waiting for him with large smiles and bowls of fried chicken. They decided to celebrate at the Sung's, filling the apartment with laughter and recounting the week's past events. Jin Woo smiled when Jin Ah complained about how hard school was getting, from the tests to the notes she had to take.

"If it weren't for Oppa's cooking this week, I would have died!" Jin Ah threw herself on Yuki's lap, making the man chuckle at his little sister's funny display. The white-haired man have her a fond look, motioning for her to eat more chicken. Jin Woo motioned to Yuki, "How was your week?" For a split second, Yuki's shoulders sagged. Not the usual 'this week was so tiring' sag but the 'dear lord I don't know how I am going to survive another week no matter how much rest I take' kind of sag.

"It's been okay. A mosquito was following me for a bit, but the problem was solved. As for that, nothing besides the usual." 'A mosquito?' Jin Woo raised an eyebrow, unsure how to react to that. Mosquitos typically stayed away from Yuki, because Yuki's go-to body soap smelt of lavender which is a natural mosquito repellent. Jin Woo can count on one hand how many times Yuki has been bit, and often times it has only been once. So, forgive him for being perplexed as to why a mosquito was following Yuki around.

Their dinner continued on. Jin Woo made up fake stories for his 'camping trip' or would quickly divert the attention away from him. Around 10 o'clock is when Jin Ah decided to head to bed, saying something along the lines of having an early study group session. She gave Jin Woo one last hug, telling him how much she missed him, and then gave Yuki a hug goodnight. The two adults were left in the living room, drinking soju and sitting in silence. Yuki had moved to the couch, sharing it with Jin Woo. His toes tucked beneath Jin Woo thighs, and a blanket was thrown over the both of them.

"How's your mom?" Yuki asked, his voice carrying concern and sympathy. Jin Woo smiled. Leave it to Yuki to recognize the smell of a hospital.

"She's good. Nothing has changed." Yuki's lower lip was caught between his teeth and his fingers tapped the can. Jin Woo reached over and cupped Yuki's cheek. Red eyes flashed over to his. Confusion twinkling amongst the red and causing a small wrinkle from his eyebrow being furrowed. Jin Woo squinted his sharp eyes, his thumb running over the bags underneath Yuki's eyes. He didn't have to say anything, because it would appear the Yuki already knew what he was thinking, "It's not the nightmares if that's what you are worried about."

It wasn't a secret in the Sung family of Yuki's nightmares. Although the correct terminology would be memories, Yuki liked to think that by calling them a nightmare then that is all they would remain. Sometimes it worked. Other times it didn't.

"Then what is it?" Yuki began to sweat. 'How do you tell someone you're hearing voices and seeing things without sounding crazy?' He couldn't decide if whether or not to tell Jin Woo about what he was experiencing, because truthfully, every time he said it out loud... he sounded batshit crazy. If Yuki sounded crazy to himself and he was the one experiencing  it, then he couldn't imagine what others would think. Jin Woo would probably give him that blank stare then says 'Is that so?' Like, what kind of answer is that?!

'Ugh! I can totally see it!' Yuki grit his teeth as he pictured how Jin Woo would react. Pushing the thoughts away, Yuki set the can of soju down on the coffee table and hugged his knees with his arms. Consequently, this brought him a little closer to Jin Woo who still had his large hand on Yuki's cheek. Yuki could feel the callouses, scars, and thick skin that marked and made Jin Woo's palms one of a kind. They were the hands of a hard worker. Of someone who fought tooth and nail to be alive. It was of someone who worked hard for their life, and for others.