molten silver ─ hyunjeong ✓

twenty one

if this was some romantic movie, there would have been a lot of tears, snot and dramatic wailing to accompany their farewell, possibly followed by some twist of fate that ended up in jeongin staying and living with hyunjin happily ever after.

but this wasn't a romantic movie. there was no snot filled goodbye, and there would be no wondrous twist of fate.

jeongin had woken up a little earlier than hyunjin, squished against the elder on the couch, hyunjin's nose pressed to his hair and arms wrapped around him. he didn't feel like moving, so he didn't. instead he snuggled closer, relishing the warm feeling of hyunjin's arms bracketing him, where he was safe and protected. 

they were quiet when hyunjin woke up. the nymph made breakfast for them, jeongin silently helping by his side. it wasn't that they didn't have anything to say, or that they didn't want to talk to each other. 

on the contrary, there was so much to say. but sometimes, actions spoke louder than words. and sometimes, neither were needed to convey a meaning.

jeongin knew it was time to let go. it was time to accept. and as he blew on hyunjin's tea to cool it before letting hyunjin sip from it, he knew that hyunjin had accepted it too. 

jeongin always used to be frustrated when he woke up during a good dream, but he had never actually appreciated the dream itself. it was time he started doing that. 

the time passed in snapshots, the memories brief and broken; quick pictures of experiences that jeongin would recall in the future as though flipping through the pages of a fading storybook.

making their way to the portal-thing-disguised-as-a-lake, jeongin didn't let go of hyunjin's hand, their fingers intertwined tightly. and as hyunjin pulled him underneath the water, jeongin welcomed the way his lungs burned for air, the feeling it brought back to his body.

everything had felt as though looking through a film, and as hyunjin held his hands underneath the water that spread in all directions, it suddenly felt so real.

just as jeongin felt as though he were about to run out of air, hyunjin started kicking upward again, dragging him along.

gasping for air, jeongin dragged himself onto the edge of the lake, shaking his head furiously and sending water flying in every direction. hyunjin let out a laugh, and jeongin turned to look at him with a smile of his own. they both got to their feet, sopping wet.

maybe it was just him, but the air seemed so different here, now that he had experienced another world. the rustling leaves of the forest and the whistling winds spoke a different language, whispering secrets that were different from those in hyunjin's world. he was truly back.

"so, this is where we part ways, huh?" he said, his voice catching in his throat.

"i suppose it is," hyunjin offered a hand to shake, "it was a pleasure to make your acquaintance, human."

jeongin rolled his eyes, taking his hand and pulling him into a kiss. smiling against his lips, hyunjin shifted closer, arms snaking around his waist. jeongin felt warm, like melting chocolate in his embrace, and when they finally pulled apart, he reached up to touch the pointed tips of the nymph's ears. his nymph.

hyunjin pressed a kiss to his cheek, and jeongin blurted, without much thought,

"i think i could've loved you too."

"never one for beating around the bush, are you my love."

"would you have fallen for me if i had," jeongin scrunched his nose as hyunjin pressed a kiss to it, and the nymph laughed softly,

"no, i couldn't imagine you as anything else than what you are right now."

"i don't want this to be a sad ending," jeongin said quietly.

"then it won't." hyunjin smiled, though sorrow shone in his eyes. stepping back, he gestured his hand to the lake, and a small silverfly wafted up from the water, to jeongin's surprise. "this little friend will lead you back out of the forest, so that you don't lose your way."

jeongin swallowed with difficulty as hyunjin finally let go of his hand and stepped back further.

this was it.

"maybe we'll meet again, my almost love," hyunjin called as jeongin turned away from him. "this is not an ending."

jeongin looked over his shoulder, "maybe the universe will guide us back to each other."

and with that he turned, stepping past the clearing and into the forest. the silverfly floated in front of him, and as the lake disappeared from view behind him, he paused, hands tightening around the straps of his bag. the silverfly paused as well, as though sensing his hesitation. "i just... just give me a second."

quickly, he turned and bolted back to the lake. or rather, walked as fast as he could without eating dirt.

when he stumbled into the clearing, hyunjin was sitting by the lake, his feet dangling in the water. hearing someone arrive loudly, he turned. confusion clouded his eyes as he stood up, "jeongin? did you forget something?"

"i want to give you this." jeongin opened his bag and pulled out the thick book, its cover decorated with drawings and illustrations of mythical beings and fantastical ideas. he didn't hesitate as he held it out for hyunjin.

hyunjin gaped at the heavy volume in the younger's hands, "jeongin, i can't take this! it means so much to you. you need it."

"i don't need it anymore," jeongin smiled. indeed, it was the book he had kept next to his pillow, the one he had hugged for comfort all those years. he knew he didn't need it anymore. "you helped me grow. i don't need fairytales to hide in anymore."

"but... don't you want these... just to read the stories?" hyunjin stepped forward, hesitantly taking the book in his hands even as he asked the question.

letting go, jeongin stepped back, debating his next words before a small smile graced his features. "if i do... i'll just have to come back for it."

he didn't let hyunjin ponder the words, didn't let himself ponder the implication of what he had just said before he was turning on his heel and to where the silverfly bobbed patiently near the line of trees.

"jeongin," hyunjin called, and said boy half-turned as hyunjin said, a smile audible in his voice, "try not to trip and land on your backside on the way back."

"no promises!"

the echo of hyunjin's laugh still lingered in his ears as he followed the silverfly back to his house. back to another lifetime.

he might have tripped on a few protruding roots and rocks.

and the silverfly might have gone back and tattled on him to hyunjin.

but if either of these things did happen, it is nobody's business but their own.

─ author's note 🌌

the end!

jk you might want to stick around for the.... drumroll..... epilogue (and outroduction which is slightly less important but we don't talk about that)!

─ mel out of the building :D