molten silver ─ hyunjeong ✓

four

"are you alright?"

his voice was airy, melodious, somehow fitting for the graceful boy jeongin had been watching. he seemed to hesitate before reaching out a hand to help him up, but jeongin only blinked up at him dumbly.

the boy tilted his head to the side innocently. strands of his dark hair slipped over his warm brown eyes, and he absentmindedly brushed them away, "do you want to remain on the ground?"

realizing that he was still on the ground, jeongin scrambled to his feet, ignoring the boy's hand. in his haste to get up, jeongin tripped over his feet, nearly headbutting the silver boy in the stomach.

looking mildly alarmed, the boy reached out an arm to steady jeongin, who only avoided it once again. he awkwardly brushed off the dirt that had stuck to his butt.

"you're a little clumsy."

jeongin felt heat rise to his cheeks, but decided to ignore the comment, "hi."

"hello."

jeongin, still slightly dazed, repeated, "hi...?

the boy tried, and failed, to fight a smile, "what's your name?"

he had a pretty smile, radiating an aura of comfort and warmth. despite that, jeongin felt a shiver go through his body. there was something unusual in the air, the same sort of strange thrumming that had him stand straight, alert.

"jeongin." he managed to reply, nearly letting out a sigh of relief at the fact he was able to give a normal reply.

"jeongin," the other boy repeated thoughtfully. he then gave a small smile, "it's an honour to meet you, jeongin."

jeongin didn't bother to return the sentiment, not when he barely knew the boy.

"who are you?" he asked instead, with a small frown.

the awkwardness started to fade, and the familiar dull ache was beginning to settle in again. yet, he couldn't get the image of the boy dancing out of his mind. the respite in those few minutes, where he felt like he could truly breathe again.

"that is a very philosophical question. do you know who you are?"

"i meant your name," jeongin replied flatly, and the boy gasped rather loudly, making jeongin take a step back in surprise,

"oh my apologies! i'm hyunjin," he bowed and jeongin watched his hair gleam in the light. was he mocking him?

indeed, when hyunjin faced him again, amusement shone in his eyes. however, there was also a sort of childish innocence— "do you normally wander into others' territory to spy on them. and then demand them to tell you who they are?"

"i wasn't spying," jeongin paused, debating on telling him why he had arrived in this situation, but decided against it, "i'm... i'm sorry."

"a creature of few words, i see," hyunjin smiled.

"creature?" jeongin nearly laughed at the absurdness of his wording,

"are we not all creatures of some sort?" hyunjin raised a brow,

"well, i've never heard anyone refer to people as 'creatures' before," jeongin said, confused. hyunjin's eyes widened, and he seemed caught off-guard. jeongin's brows raised at the reaction, as he noticed hyunjin's skin flicker under the moonlight. "what are you?"

"what am i?" curiosity flashed in his eyes, jeongin noted. but under the curiosity... jeongin could see... fear? "that was very straightforward. i must ask, are you usually this blunt?"

jeongin didn't answer.

"you don't seem to like using a lot of words." hyunjin went quiet, staring at him expectantly. he's avoiding my question, jeongin thought.

"i don't like using unnecessary words," he responded nonetheless, "i think they prolong the inevitable."

"but do you not think words are beautiful? the way one can describe things with words filled with elegance and style," hyunjin's starry eyes glittered with humour, as he held jeongin's gaze, "aren't they like art."

"they're just pretty words." jeongin felt the strange inclination to apologize to his books, feeling like his backpack got heavier, as though what he said betrayed them. hypocrite, they seemed to hiss at him, liar. "no matter how pretty they are, they can't hide something ugly beneath them."

hyunjin only smiled a little wider, bowing his head in acceptance. "if your way is to not use words, how would you describe me then?"

jeongin wasn't sure how to respond, and stared at hyunjin for long enough that any normal person would have become incredibly uncomfortable. instead, hyunjin waited patiently. finally, jeongin opted for a vague hand motion that resembled a sort of flapping, and hyunjin raised his brow,

"i'm a bird?"

"a wave," jeongin corrected, before shrinking a little, "this is stupid, why would you ask me that question-"

hyunjin let out a laugh, and the sound was loud and exuberant as it echoed through the woods, making jeongin smile despite his embarrassment.

"i think being compared to a wave is a relatively pretty comparison. graceful and yet powerful." he consoled, his eyes sparkling. he then thought for a second, his expression softening slightly, "i enjoy seeing something from another point of view. i actually think that it's beautiful."

jeongin blinked, feeling a small knot unravel in his stomach, at the fact that hyunjin listened to him, and understood. understood and appreciated.

"thank you..." he said, quietly. he didn't know why he said it, he just needed to show that it meant something to him. it was such a small act and yet... why did it mean so much to him? that someone understood him... and it wasn't just some stuffed toy he was talking to. hyunjin looked at him watchfully before replying softly,

"you intrigue me, jeongin."

─ author's note 🌌

for all the editing and rewriting i did, for some reason i just wasn't able to make it sound natural or flowy cries. having said that... yay finally there's some conversation!

─ mel out of the building :D