Painted with Words

1

Advanced physicists say that we live in a multiverse. Meaning that there is an infinite number of parallel universes and in each one of them exists a different version of ourselves.

But no matter the universe, I know I'm gonna meet you someday.

I wanna kiss you in every reality.

***

"My hand! Take my hand!" he tried to make prince Haneul focus. "Can you feel it?"

The young prince knew nothing but fear in that moment. The war was over, battlefield full of fallen soldiers.

As tears rivered out of his eyes, a shaky hand shily made its way up, touching Leejun's palm, which was cold at the touch.

Haneul nodded, squinting his eyes shut while the knight slowly massaged the prince's hand, his freezing skin slowly bringing the boy back to earth.

"As long as you can feel it, my prince, know that I'm here. I'm here, and I'm real."

Haneul le

Jisung's pen stopped when he noticed a wet spot on the page. He was crying and he didn't even realize it.

He never thought he would come to write the last scene of his book, Deus ex Machina, a project that he was really attached to emotionally. He wasn't the type to finish anything early, with probably hundreds of unfinished wips still waiting for him to finish them. But this book was special to him in a way that nothing has ever been.

Jisung was lonely, and every day since he knew himself, he longed to be loved.

He never really had anyone to lean on, anyone to hold or anyone to be comfortable enough with. There were some little things he craved for every day. A kiss. A touch. A simple eye to eye connection or a warm voice to tell him "You're safe with me".

He never had that. But he missed it oh so much.

Writing had been his passion ever since he was seven. Whenever the world was too harsh with him, he wrote. And when he wrote, he was able to create anything to protect him. Like his own group of friends that would never betray him. Or a father that was actually there for him.

And when he grew older, he created a lover. A knight in shining armor that would protect him, and love him unconditionally.

Jisung swore he didn't do it on purpose, but when he created the two main characters, prince Haneul and sir Leejun, the words just flew onto the page naturally. Without his will, he started to see himself in primce Haneul. And in sir Leejun, the partner of his dreams.

Sir Leejun was just a little bit taller than hi- than prince Haneul. He had dark brown hair, big cat-like eyes, an angelic smile and bunny teeth (which was a detail Jisung considered too cute not to add). Whenever he saw Haneul, his eyes would turn to sparkling crescent moons and he would lick his top lip shily. He would look at Haneul like he hung the moon and the stars.

Every time Jisung faced a slump, he would write prince Haneul grieving, with sir Leejun always there to hold him and wipe his tears. A little word-built character became his safe space whenever he needed a 'someone'.

Jisung had always thought of how happy he would be when finishing the book. He thought he'd be excited to edit it and publish it right away. But now that he was at the ending scene, he felt empty, as if his feelings were numbed or stolen.

He did feel pathetic, falling for his own creation like that, so he never told anyone about it. But writing Leejun had genuinely helped him mentally in the past months and it sort of became a healthy coping mechanism for him.

What will he do without him now?

Han let his tears be brushed away gently by Leejun's thumb. The older smiled so warm, his heart couldn't help but ignite more and more for him. For his existence. For his realness.

'Please, don't go' Haneul wanted to beg, but he couldn't. His words were like echoes in his brain, flying from one corner to the other with no sense. He just cried harder and held Lino's hand tighter.

And then he kissed him.

Haneul's lips were glued to Leejun's in a chaste kiss. The latter was surprised, but shortly melted into the touch, kissing him back. Time stopped. And they realized they were both finally where they wanted to be: in love.

Jisung sighed as he wrote the last word.

"It can't end like that" he whined at his own work. But if he didn't stop himself, he would write the story of their relationship, marriage, and maybe them having kids as well. It had already went too far. Jisung knew he had to wake up to the real world. The real world where he had no one but at least it was tangible.

The time on his phone read 02:16. He rested his face in his palms. He needed to go to sleep, otherwise, he would fall asleep right there at his desk, with his notebook as a pillow. It wouldn't be the first time though.

But he still wasn't satisfied. The ending was too abrupt. So he just wrote whatever came to mind.

A little ladybug landed above Leejun's stomach, close to where the fresh wound was.

"Look! It's a sign of good luck! It means you're gonna be okay!" the prince tried to beg the laws of nature for his lover to stay alive.

"Hannie" he only looked at him and said.

"What?"

"I'm already lucky to have you next to me."

Jisung closed his pen, took a last look at his creation and closed his notebook, letting his forehead touch the cover.

"And when will I be lucky too?" he asked no one.

And no one answered.