The entire interior of the hotel was delightfully pristine as most hotels were, but this one exuded a marvelous air of history that made it indescribably homey despite the lurking dark of night that encroached in through the windows in the humble lobby. Minho had ended up volunteering to take the wheel, as his only thought at the moment was to flop onto pillows and drift off as soon as humanly possible. Much to his own surprise though, the distance was incredibly brief compared to his set assumptions and the already minor distance combined with the almost nonexistent traffic at the unreasonable time they were driving at made the aged exterior of the hotel pop up into view in no time. Now, the pair just had to wait on the fully-suited man they'd seen earlier to return with his full uniform of the hotel and this time two room keys in hand.
Jisung was entirely a ghost at this point, acting as an elusive figure secluded off to the side. The only evidence to the argument that he was a real living and breathing being emerged in the form of the occasional yawn that rippled almost silently through the air as he began to nod off here and there. The period of waiting only offered Minho a tad bit longer to study both the familiar patterns of weariness etched into his best friend and only the most obvious of architectural structures. As of current, it was dark enough to thwart any attempts to properly delve into the intricate details that his brain had vividly imagined existing in such a place, leaving him with only broad strokes and outlines. Nearly fully engrossed in his boredom to the point of counting the number of each letter in the array of words on a sign laid strategically on the face of the front desk, the man returned in all of his navy-blue adorned glory, brandishing four slim cards in only what could be defined as a shade of white exclusive to hotel settings—sleek and cleaner than any other iteration of the bland color he'd ever encountered elsewhere besides in a similar environment.
Focusing attention back on the situation at hand, Minho expressed his thankfulness to the man graciously and guided a less than half awake Jisung down the grayish corridor carved with its simple shell patterned carpet and wallpaper dressed walls. In this scenario though, guiding truly was more akin to dragging him loosely, given the younger boy's uncooperative state consisting of only sporadic bouts of whining and yawning at utter random. The hallway extended on until a set of two elevators broke up the monotonous rhythm the walls and floors had shaped quite boringly and transformed them into intermittent glimpses of shiny silver metal with numbers to make known the floor of present.
Flanking the right of one and the left of the other elevator was a circular button featuring a central dot reserved for the lighting to indicate if it had been pressed or not. Minho, succumbing to a deep yawn that dragged his jaw, chose the left one. Nothing more than gratitude washed over him when the two doors obligingly spread sufficiently for them to enter in. The time of day seemed to prove itself beneficial as it boasted clear roads, brief wait times and empty elevators free of its usual congestion of people.
The elevator itself, a sleek metallic capsule, shot them vertically to the second floor in no time in a swift and seamless ascent. In a like manner it cracked open into two parted sections for their exit out into the similarly themed halls they'd be staying along, a soft chime announcing their arrival. Upon exiting into the halls like to the one from the lobby to the elevators, Minho navigated the dimly lit corridor, their footsteps muted by the plush, burgundy carpet visible underfoot. The subdued lighting gave the hotel a cozy ambiance, shadows dancing along the walls as they made their way to the assigned rooms specified on their keys, and Minho led—or rather dragged—Jisung along into the elegantly designed room full of history as the door yielded a click to welcome them.
Waltzing clumsily onto the carpeted floor, the air remained the same as the charming lobby, grasping a subtle blend of antiquity and nuanced modern details that refined the atmosphere of it all. The interior design remained as an entire nod to the past with ornate draperies in intricate patterns from bygone eras. A rich palette of colors adorned the walls in an array of deep merlot and navy blue with accents of iridescent gold about it. Minho himself felt ushered into a royal milieu from some time ago that he might've held in recollection if he hadn't taken prolonged naps in history class.
Now, as the wordlessly delegated guide of their trek, Minho dutifully glided over the velvety embrace of the carpet with Jisung in tow. In any other instance, he'd have stopped to appreciate the lovely fragrance of aged wood, polished brass and even a hint of lavender from what he imagined came from a sort of cleaner used for the carpet. But this was no other time, as he had a mission. The mission in question being to deliver his beloved best friend to wherever their sleeping quarters were located and potentially prep him for the slumber he was already drifting incrementally into.
Compact were the undivided rooms, though not cramped as one might guess for such an old and quaint building, with a bed tucked into the back of it all. The surrounding space transitioned into a bedroom format from the living room area they'd been dumped into upon entry. Jisung, still in a daze, stumbled along with a soft groan, his fatigue evident in the way he flopped onto the single king-sized bed. Minho chuckled at his friend's state, an affectionate smile playing on his lips as he sat towards the younger boy's feet.
As Jisung softly mumbled indecipherable sounds into the plush pillows, Minho seized a moment to bask in the enchanting mix of nostalgia and comfort that enveloped them in a delightful swirl. This tranquil interlude, however, was swiftly curtained as a surge of intense fatigue assaulted him teasingly as if in jest. Their already vibrant night was on the verge of fading soon, his body already finding solace tucked under the stiff, crisp comforter of the hotel and his arms swaddling Jisung from behind his snoring figure in the pitch black. Finally, without lingering tasks to complete, Minho sealed the night's activities away with a delicate kiss planted onto Jisung's forehead and soon became prisoner to his desired to drift off, his face buried into the warmth of the younger's petite framing.
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I'm sorry that it's been a while since I've updated. In all honesty, I've been caught up with life and procrastination. I'll be putting forth my efforts to try and finish more chapters in this month. But onto the real stuff to discuss. How are all of you? Are you well? Are you healthy? I hope all of you are feeling your best in all ways. If you do wanna vent about anything, you're welcome to message me here or on Instagram if you'd like. I'm not great at advising people, but I will try to listen to you if that's what you need. And with that, stay safe you beautiful beings.
