stray kids oneshots/reactions 🎐

sunshine ; h.hj

hyunjin pulled up his yellow boots and gloves. it was their favorite part of the day - looking after the garden together. the garden was their escapist landscape from reality. for the happier and sadder moments, the garden was their spot. he huffed a breath as he dropped the can of gardening tools on the ground.

the sunlight penetrated through the trees and bushes, giving the perfect visibility. the breeze swayed loose untucked strands of her hair. fluffy clouds wrapped to the blue sky added to the perfect weather. the air smelled sweet and fresh today.

hyunjin attached the water hose to the tap and started watering the plants. this place carried a special meaning to them. the trees bore the fruits of their years-long effort. it reminded him how this same place that's now crowded with greens was only streaks of dry sand before they sowed the plants together. and now, those saplings have grown into gorgeous trees, shrubs, bushes and climbers with luscious leaves and flowers. just like they did too.

he looked over the meadows to see what she was up to. amongst the shades of apricot, lavender and cerise flowers, the one that stood out the most was her. the mere sight of her was all it took to make him smile. looking at her made him understand what it means to fall in love. she sprayed water over the leaves to wash the dust off and trimmed down the dried and rotten leaves. she had that unknowing loving gaze on her plants, like she was enthralled by the beauty of nature and it was all she saw at the current moment. she'd tilt her head and furrow her eyebrows while she worked on the plants with her utmost attention.

a butterfly sat on a leaf near her. it was a passion butterfly, also known as Gulf Fritillary. her already glowing face lit up with marvel when her eyes caught it. he could swear his heart did something when he heard her little giggle. "hyun, come quick it's a butterfly!" "hold on, i'll just go grab my camera."

"pose for the camera, love!" he laughed when she popped her best, widest smile. "and~ done." he took a mental note of putting the photo in his wallet. if he could, he would take a picture for every moment spent together so it could last longer. her gorgeous smile with the butterfly glowed under the golden hour. she saw the picture. "it's so stunning." "yeah. i think this is my new favorite pic of you." she laughed. "you've said that for the 10th time this week." he jokingly rolled his eyes. "well, how can i not when you get prettier everyday." she chuckled and shook her head.

she gently moved the butterfly to her index finger and admired it. he didn't understand how she did it but she made every mundane object that fell upon her gaze special and cherished. its wings had a tangelo orange shade and black streaks ran across the top layers. the underside of the wings was brown with speckled silvery white dots.

she watched as the butterfly left her hand to the vast horizon. its little wings fluttered to its next destination. "i think that butterflies are the most fascinating insects to ever exist." "you say that about every non-human creature ever, love." she laughed. "yeah! because insect anatomy, as weird as it feels to learn it, it's dang cool~." he shook his head. "i beg to differ, but sure."

she plucked a flower and handed it to him. a chrysanthemum, to be exact. chrysanthemums are said to symbolise devoted love, loyalty, longevity and joy. he remembered when they searched what every plant in their garden symbolised together. his heart, already tender from her demeanors, melted. he knew how much the garden meant to her and how protective she was of it. and she proceeded to give it because he knew. "wait." she tucked the chrysanthemum under his blond ponytail. she laughed. "it suits you well." he knew his cheeks were scarlet from blushing without a mirror. he looked away. "i know how much you love our garden. you didn't have to, you know,"  he muttered. "shh, i did it because i love you, and this doesn't happen often. so treasure it while you still have it." she said while twirling her hair. he couldn't help but laugh. "i know, i know." they stared at each other for no reason for a moment. "jinnie, look! the sun is setting right now." he checked his watch. it read 5:40. "oh yeah."

he slipped his arm around her waist and pulled her closer while they watched the sunset together. she leaned her head on his shoulder. it was a comfortable silence, where they only needed their existence to fill in. the familiar scent of her favorite cologne on his beige cardigan calmed her senses. maybe it was the love but the sunset seemed prettier this time. the clouds that were snowy white were turning to a cotton candy pink. ombres of canary yellow, tangerine and chilli red in the sky got intense by the second.

moments like these, he realised, made life worth living for. 

-