anticipation - stray kids

appetence

(n.) an eager desire, an instinctive inclination; an attraction or a natural bond

maps - yeah yeah yeah

"wait, they don't love you like i love you"

✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧

present time

jeongin, seungmin, and changbin's perspectives will now be from present time unless stated otherwise.

jeongin stood at the edge of the bustling city square, eyes scanning the streets as people rushed past him. the air was crisp with the chill of the late afternoon, and the sun hung low in the sky, casting long shadows over the cobblestone roads. beside him, seungmin stood with his usual composed expression, though there was a glint in his red eyes that only jeongin could detect—something between curiosity and amusement.

they made an odd pair, and they both knew it. jeongin, with his long black hair braided back except for the loose strands that framed his face, pointy ears peeking out from beneath them, was unmistakably an elf. the black fabric of his coat made him blend into the shadows, but the slight gleam of his eyes, almost luminescent, caught the attention of passersby.

seungmin, on the other hand, with his cherry-red hair that stood out like a beacon and the unmistakable sharpness of his gaze, was impossible to ignore. his vampiric features were subtle, but anyone who looked closely enough would see the crimson glimmer in his eyes. they were an odd mix: jeongin's energy, usually calm but always ready to burst, contrasted with seungmin's quiet, more reserved presence.

"i swear, you never notice how people look at us," jeongin said with a grin, glancing over at seungmin, who only raised an eyebrow in response.

"it's not that i don't notice," seungmin replied calmly, his voice quiet, measured, "i just don't care."

jeongin laughed, the sound bright and free, contrasting sharply with seungmin's more serious demeanor. "well, i notice," he said, swinging the small bag in his hand, filled with whatever they'd just bought from one of the market stalls. "you think they're scared of you or me?"

seungmin gave a soft snort, his eyes flicking sideways to jeongin, amusement playing in the red depths. "they're probably more curious about you. i mean, elves aren't exactly common around here."

jeongin shrugged, not seeming too bothered. "i like standing out. besides, you're the one with the scary vampire eyes. i bet you're the reason half of them move out of the way when we walk past."

"scary?" seungmin echoed, one brow arching higher. "i didn't think you were the type to scare easily, jeongin."

"i'm not," jeongin replied, a mischievous smile curling his lips. "but the rest of these people probably are. they've never seen anyone like you before."

seungmin gave jeongin a small smile, "they've seen plenty of vampires before, I'm nothing special."

"maybe they're all staring because we're weird?" jeongin asked with a small grin, his voice teasing but light. his long fingers fiddled with the end of his braid as he glanced up at seungmin.

seungmin smirked, barely a curve of his lips, but it was enough for jeongin to notice. "maybe because they've never seen an elf and a vampire together, unless it's in a bad novel."

jeongin laughed, the sound bright and cutting through the ambient noise of the city. he tugged lightly at seungmin's sleeve. "well, let's give them something to write about, then."