molten silver ─ hyunjeong ✓

fourteen

"i have one last thing to show you," hyunjin said as he took hold of jeongin's hands in his own delicate ones. the sun was setting over the horizon, the soft golden glow interrupted by the last line of scattered cottages and leaving long shadows stretching across the ground. the colours were so rich and tangible that jeongin wanted to reach out and touch them, wished to bathe in the deep hues. hyunjin's eyes glittered under the light cast by the sinking sun, causing them to blaze fiery and bright.

they had spent the entire day wandering in the rain, exploring the little nooks and crannies that hyunjin knew off the back of his hand, secluded areas hidden in the most unexpected places where hyunjin had left a carving or a piece of cloth to declare his presence.

hyunjin had decided they would eat their lunch in one said hideout, leading them into a garden of sorts. jeongin had been rather flustered when the nymph seemingly disappeared into a hedge, but then the nymphs slender hand had popped out and dragged jeongin into a hidden alcove — not without the younger getting a fair share of branches to his face. there were fairy lights strewn across the ground, illuminating the small space in an enchanting glow.

"another one of my safe havens," hyunjin said as he set up a blanket and a small spread of food on the ground, "this is kind of my hideout."

jeongin sat on the blanket and crossed his legs under him. he ran his fingers over the ground, letting the blades of grass slip between them, "it's very comforting here."

hyunjin only smiled and gestured toward the small picnic between them, motioning for him to eat, saying that they still had so much to see.

where did the day go? jeongin thought as hyunjin led him out of the little village. they traipsed into a small thicket of trees, and hyunjin intertwined their fingers, yanking jeongin along so eagerly that the younger nearly stumbled over his feet.

"you're excited," jeongin huffed as he regained balance, trying — and failing — to maintain his annoyed expression. the nymph's fervor was infectious, radiating the pure childlike energy behind his mature look.

"this is my most treasured place," hyunjin answered, tightening his grasp around jeongin's hand just as they reached the other side of the dense trees into a wide clearing. jeongin's breath caught in his throat as he took in the grassy glade. the lush grass stood tall and wild, untouched and tangled, waving gently in the evening breeze. blue-silver flowers were scattered throughout the meadow, and underneath the darkening sky, they stood out as strangely luminous against the dullness of the grass.

jeongin was about to turn to hyunjin and spout words in a fruitless attempt to describe how he felt seeing the beauty of this place, but hyunjin stopped him with a secretive smile. "this isn't why it's so special."

jeongin watched curiously as the nymph let go of his hand and stepped forward into the long grass, the blades swishing around his legs. jeongin gasped as a small glowing orb flitted into the air, and as jeongin moved to stand next to hyunjin, he noticed the small fluttering wings attached.

"silverflies," hyunjin whispered, "their light comes from the same source of energy as the wisps."

as they stood and watched underneath the soft gaze of dusk, more and more of the silverflies drifted out of the grass, until the air was clustered with the dancing fragments of moonlight. it was a magical sight, their slow moving glow flooding the dark sky with the shimmering silver light as though they were a firework suspended in motion.

"i think i might be dreaming..." jeongin breathed.

"i thought the same thing the first time the wisps brought me here," hyunjin replied, reaching up to softly brush his fingers against a silverfly that flitted past.

jeongin's eyes widened, and he turned to look at hyunjin, "the wisps...?"

"the lake is very special to me," hyunjin said softly, "but it's always a reminder of who i am, and what i have to return to. this... here... no place can heal me as much as this field, where i am hidden away from the rest of the world, where i am nothing but a nameless being amongst the stars."

"thank you for letting me see it," were they only words jeongin found appropriate to say. the fact that hyunjin had brought him to his most treasured place, to the place the wisps had guided him, knowing he probably needed it.

"there's no need to thank me, jeongin," hyunjin said, "i think you were meant to see this too. where both of us can forget everything around us and just... exist. together."

jeongin didn't trust himself to speak, and so he opted to lean into hyunjin's side instead, feeling the nymph wrap and arm around him warmly. honestly, there was no need to speak. for a while, they just stood there in the swaying grass, surrounded by silverflies.

a silverfly floated barely a hair's breadth away from them, and jeongin stretched a hand. almost timidly, the glimmering drop of light came to rest on his palm, and under the stars that had begun to stud the night sky, he felt as though he was holding a fallen star.

and so, standing in the glowing meadow and cradling the silverfly, jeongin closed his eyes and made a wish.

─ author's note 🌌

don't even start on me about my update schedule 😭😭

─ mel out of the building :D