digital heart | minsung | ✔

21

A few hours later, we find ourselves in the lush fields surrounding Nox. The day is already nearing its end and the sun is sinking deeper and deeper towards the horizon. Various hues of oranges, reds and purples paint the sky, and the lavender sways back and forth gently in the evening breeze.

It reminds me of a few weeks earlier, that evening when I almost ended up dead if it wasn't for Lino saving me.

The only difference is that today, I can enjoy the beautiful scenery. There are no monsters nearby, not a single threat to be seen. So I close my eyes, relishing how the gentle summer breeze ghosts over my cheeks and rustles my hair.

Laughter mixed the clashing of swords echoes over the plains, and I open my eyes again.

In the distance, I see Bin and Felix lingering around the forest edge, the boy in black laughing when Felix tries to achieve something with Bin's sword. The huge zweihander appears to be way too heavy for my best friend and he's struggling greatly just to lift it.

Further down the field, a little closer to us, are Lino and Chris, engaged in a playful battle of sparring. They dance around each other, attacking each other with playful jabs of swords and daggers.

For a while, I try to focus on both of the boys, to see every detail of their fight. But my eyes wander to Lino every time and I decide to let them there.

He is as graceful as always, moving as swiftly as a black cat in the night. Even from here, I can see the smile that graces his lips as he whirls around, his black hair dancing along with his every move. He doesn't slow down and doesn't give up
when Chris keeps dodging his attacks.

Everything seems so easy when Lino does it, as if it all goes naturally for the boy. His gleeful laughter echoes over the lavender fields, and I feel my heart skipping a beat in joy.

Lino is gorgeous when he fights, even from afar. With a stupid smile, I avert my eyes and rake my fingers through the tall grass that surrounds me.

"I'm so gay," I mutter, chuckling softly.

"Tell me something I don't know yet," Seungmin scoffs, but the amusement is obviously present in his tone. "You literally have hearts in your eyes when you look at him."

"Ah, it be like that sometimes."

I smile softly and glance over at the boys again. While I wasn't looking, Lino managed to work Chris to the ground and the blond-haired surrenders, holding up his hands while laughing heartily. At least, that's what I think he's doing; I can only see his hands over the tall lavender plants that lay like a blanket over the soil.

I watch how Lino helps him up, and they do a fistbump before they separate ways. While Chris walks towards the treeline -where Felix and Bin are still fooling around, Lino goes the other way, towards the patch of shorter grass Seungmin and I are seated.

"Oh no, you guys are going to flirt again, huh?" Seungmin groans, pushing himself off the ground and dusting his pants off. "Not in front of my salad. Not this time."

"You're using the meme wrong," I inform my best friend, but he just scrunches up his nose and walks off, muttering something about not wanting to get diabetes from the amount of flirting in the air or something among those lines.

Lino glances at Seungmin, who is now heading towards Felix, Bin, and Chris.

"Why is he leaving?" he asks, looking at me in confusion.

"Dunno, he didn't want to get diabetes," I shrug, patting the now empty spot next to me on the soft grass.

Personal space was becoming a myth between us, and Lino flops down quite close to me, his shoulder leaning against mine as he sighs happily.