#onkey request

[sasaranomiya]

Koukyuu no Karasu Volume 3 Chapter 2 - The Turtle King (Part 3)

The antagonist of the series is revealed...

Translation Notes

1. The Japanese reading for this word is “dango”

2. The ancient Chinese believed that ingesting cinnabar will make you immortal

3. I don’t feel like typing the characters out but the “Gou” in “Gou-no-Kami” and “Goushi Palace” are different characters but very similar looking

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The next morning, Kajou came to Yamei Palace with several books. It was a casual visit accompanied by only one of her attendants. Kajou, dressed in a light green dress, reminded one of a cool breeze.

“Thank you,” Jusetsu thanked her and accepted the books.

“It was my pleasure,” Kajou said happily. “Since it was a request from Ah-mei, I picked them out enthusiastically. If you need more, please let me know. I have many more in my palace.”

Jusetsu became a little puzzled by the happy Kajou.

“You don’t find this a nuisance?”

Kajou gave a refreshing and broad smile. “Goodness, of course not. I’m very glad that you’re relying on me.”

��…Is that so?”

“It is.”

Koushun also seemed to be pleased with Jusetsu’s request. Jusetsu still didn’t understand his feelings.

“This is for you, Ah-mei,” Kajou said, then took out a vessel from the pail the attendant was holding. Dumplings (1) covered in white honey were piled up in the celadon porcelain vessel. Jusetsu’s eyes were drawn to them, and Kajou smiled.

“Let’s eat together.”

She sounded like an older sister. Jusetsu, whose eyes were captivated by the dumplings, nodded.

“——Oh my, a ghost holding a turtle vessel?”

Jusetsu and Kajou were sitting across from each other, scooping up the smooth dumplings with spoons and eating them.

“And, there’s apparently an old tale passed down in the north, about an old servant who was killed.”

She told her what she heard from Koushun. The dumplings with white honey were sweet, chewy, and delicious.

Kajou, who was listening closely, put her finger on her cheek in thought and remained silent.

“Is there something wrong with the story?” Jusetsu asked.

“You said it was a story handed down. Stories handed down orally are bound to change.”

Jusetsu tilted her head a little. Kajou continued.

“An old servant who served a fallen noble house died after being treated unjustly and brought down a curse on the people involved—I’ve sometimes read such variant tales in books.”

“Variant tales?”

“It means stories that are very similar to each other. There is a certain template. There are probably similar stories in various places, and they are compiled in books and spread to even more regions. The story you told me is more in line with the pattern of the story in that book. ——What I mean is, the story might have been that type of story originally, but it could also have been in a different form.”

“A different form…” She never even considered it.

“So, this story might not have much to do with the inner court ghost?”

When she said that disappointedly, Kajou seemed to be in deep thought again.

“No…I’m not saying that it has nothing to do with the ghost, because the points about the turtle vessel and medicine are distinctive. However, I think you should think more carefully about taking this story as it is and confronting the ghost.”

Hmm, Jusetsu nodded. “I see.”

“I’m sorry if it was unnecessary,” Kajou smiled.

No, Jusetsu shook her head. “It’s interesting to hear different opinions from different people. It’s fascinating.”

Onkei had immediately replied that the ghost was a person of loyalty. Senri felt that this person must have had a sick master. Each of them said what they said because they were who they were.

“It’s fascinating…” Jusetsu murmured again.

Past noon, Koushun came to get her himself. Of course, he was accompanied by Ei Sei as usual.

On the way to the inner court, Jusetsu talked about her conversation with Kajou.

“Indeed,” Koushun replied calmly. “Kajou has a point. Even written materials can become wrong when they are transcribed.”

“So, I thought about it a lot, but…”

“What is it?”

“Medicine can also be poison.”

Koushun looked at her profile. “Oh?”

“Even good medicine can become poison if you give the wrong dosage. Even if it’s life-prolonging medicine, it might work for some people, but make others sicker. In the first place, all medicines that prolong life and longevity since ancient times are all poison.”

“Cinnabar is one of those.” (2)

“I don’t know if it is divine medicine or not, but even if the royal family in that story handed over the real thing, it’s not known if that sick young lady would have been saved. Rather—”

“You think she might have died instead?”

Mm, Jusetsu nodded. And, maybe——

“…”

Jusetsu had fallen silent, and Koushun didn’t speak to her any more than that.

Gyoukou Hall, which was usually only visited by the emperor and eunuchs, was quiet even in the early afternoon. Perhaps it was because it was cloudy and looked like it might rain at any moment, but the inside of the palace was dimly lit and strangely cold, even though the weather was hot and humid. Only the sound of footsteps on the stone floor could be heard. They passed through the corridors and arrived at the treasure room. As expected, Ui was standing in front of the door.

“I’ve been waiting for you.”

He bowed deeply. Invited into the treasure room, Jusetsu immediately asked, “Does the medicine that was in the turtle vessel still remain anywhere?”

“It does not,” Ui said in a monotone voice without his expression changing in any way.

“Are you sure? There must be some old medicine left here. Is it not there?”

“There isn’t any,” Ui said flatly. Jusetsu took in a faint breath.

“Is that so? –Then, regarding that medicine, does it matter if someone who is weak and sick takes it?”

Ui looked at Jusetsu with round eyes for a while, as if he didn’t understand the intent of her question or he was searching through his memories. He tilted his head slightly.

“I do not know.”

“Didn’t you say that it was a life-prolonging elixir? Is it true that anyone who takes it will prolong their life?”

“I do not know,” Ui repeated the same thing.

“In other words, there are no stories of such people left?”

Ui tilted his head to the other side this time. “I don’t know of any such stories.”

Jusetsu nodded. “I see. Thank you. –May I see that casket one more time?”

“Of course.”

Ui disappeared between the shelves like the wind. He almost immediately came back with the box in his arms. He wasn’t even breathing hard.

Holding the turtle vessel in her hands, Jusetsu looked at it intently. Koushun was also looking at it from the side.

“It isn’t a flashy masterpiece, but it’s a finely crafted item,” he quietly evaluated.

“Precisely, Your Majesty,” Ui responded. “This stone is a precious rock that can be mined from the northern mountain range, but it was considered too solid and difficult to work with, so the best craftsman of the time put their heart and soul into carving it. The design is both intricate and generous—”

“Ui.”

Jusetsu interrupted Ui, who was speaking like he was reading out from a book. Ui closed his mouth and stared fixedly at her.

“A ghost holding that vessel is wandering about. How do you think such a ghost can release its attachment to this world and cross over to paradise.”

That question always brought back unexpected answers, depending on the person she asked it to. She was curious as to how this person would respond, but the answer she got was succinct.

“Breaking the vessel will release the ghost.”

“Huh?”

“Breaking the vessel will—”

“Are you saying that I should break this vessel?”

“Yes.”

“Why?”

“If the ghost is holding the vessel, then it has an attachment to it. If you break the vessel, the attachment will disappear.”

It was a very simple and crude solution.

“Breaking the vessel is—not allowed. Right?”

Jusetsu looked at Koushun. Before, she had asked if she could destroy the biwa that was stored here. Koushun looked troubled. It seemed that it wouldn’t be allowed.

“Breaking it would be…problematic,” Koushun looked somewhat baffled as he said it.

“Is that so, Your Majesty.”

No one expected the keeper of the treasure room to suggest destroying a treasure. Jusetsu looked at his expressionless face. It was different from Koushun’s blank face. It was flat and lifeless.

“Then,” Ui continued in his monotone voice. “It is better to borrow the power of Gou-no-Kami.”

“What?”

“Gou-no-Kami’s—”

“No, what do you mean?”

“Goushi Palace is the answer.”

“…? Hmm?”

“You should bring that vessel to Goushi Palace and pray.”

Jusetsu glanced up at Koushun. He also looked like he had no idea what Ui was talking about.

“Why is that so?”

“The shell of Gou-no-Kami is used to decorate Goushi Palace. The ‘Gou’ in Goushi means Great Sea Turtle, the same as the Gou in Gou-no-Kami. (3) It is imbued with divine power.”

Jusetsu was speechless for a while.

“——What?”

A god’s shell was used as decorations? She was deeply confused.

“This is the first time I’m hearing of this,” Koushun said in a calm voice.

“The first emperor who built this imperial palace arranged it to be so.���

“The first dynasty of this palace…the Ran dynasty. It was Ran Yuu?”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

“Why did he do that?”

“It was for protection against Wulian Niangniang, just in case. It is the same as a shaman. You may think of it as a wall.”

Jusetsu and Koushun looked at each other. What did he mean?

“He told me that he couldn’t feel safe without the power to fight back.”

“Told you? Who—”

Ran Yuu?

“Ui, you—”

Jusetsu took a step toward Ui, but he closed his mouth and stared vaguely ahead with nothing reflected in his smooth eyes.

“Please go to Goushi Palace,” he repeated. He showed no more sign of speaking beyond that.

“Shall we go there?” Koushun asked. After thinking it over for a while, Jusetsu nodded.

“I still have things I want to ask you,” she told Ui before leaving the treasure room with Koushun. They were heading to Goushi Palace. It was a palace located near the inner palace.

“Defence against Wulian Niangniang…just in case…”

Jusetsu muttered as she walked briskly. What does that mean? What was Ran Yuu thinking?

They climbed the steps and entered the palace. It wasn’t a very large building. They had a musician play the biwa for them and send a ghost possessing a cloth mask to paradise. At that time, she didn’t get a good look at the palace’s structure…

Jusetsu looked around the palace. It had a cold stone floor, several pillars supporting beams, and couches, a table and folding screens.

Jusetsu suddenly pulled back. The stone floor. It was laid with polished round stones—but that wasn’t the only thing. Something that looked like mottled tortoiseshell was embedded here and there. They were light grey, not brown, and difficult to distinguish from the stone. Looking at the entire floor, one could see a large floral pattern made from these embedded objects.

Is it these?

Jusetsu headed towards the center of the pattern while staring at her feet. There was a table at the center of the flower.

“…Koushun.”

She received the turtle vessel from Koushun and put it down on the table. She moved back a little and knelt down on the spot.

She touched the flower pattern with her fingers. It was hard, but not as cold as the stone and contained a mysterious warmth. Suddenly, she smelled a fishy, damp smell.

“This is…the smell of the sea,” Koushun murmured.

The smell of the sea. Jusetsu never smelled it. But she also felt a feeling of nostalgia, like she knew it well. Her fingertips suddenly felt wet, and she drew back her hands in surprise. The flower pattern wavered and rippled.

Water?

The flower pattern swayed like the surface of a lake and shone a faint silver. Before she even had time to be startled, bare legs appeared from behind the turtle vessel on the table. She looked up to see the ghost of the old servant standing there with his head hanging down. He was holding out the vessel. His hands were trembling.

He’s wailing.

Looking up at him from the floor, she could see his expression clearly. The ghost was crying.

“I’m sorry.”

His voice was hoarse and thin. Sobbing, the old servant apologized again and again.

“My lady…my lady…it’s all my fault…”

He was constantly blaming himself in between his sobs. Jusetsu listened to him intently.

“I thought that if you took the medicine…you would be saved…”

As I thought.

Jusetsu stared at the old servant’s face.

“You gave that life-prolonging medicine to your mistress, didn’t you.”

The old servant didn’t react. It seemed her voice didn’t reach him.

“…Then, in other words?” Koushun asked.

“The medicine he received from the royal family was most likely the genuine article. He gave it to the sick young lady. However, rather than prolonging her life, she died.”

“…So the medicine became poison?”

Jusetsu nodded. The old servant thought that the young lady would get better if she drank the medicine. And yet—

“It must have been too strong for the sickly lady.”

The people who gave the medicine to the old servant probably did so out of the goodness of their hearts. Perhaps they felt sorry for the old servant’s desperation.

Jusetsu could only furrow her brow and stare at the sobbing old servant. There was nothing she could say to him, nor would she ever be able to reach him. What could she do?

She looked at the floor. The flower pattern still shone with a faint silver color and was undulating. She slowly brought her hand closer.

“…Gou no Kami.”

Did he have another name? She didn’t know. She simply called out to the god.

“Will you save this person?”

She touched it with her fingertips. It didn’t feel cold. It had the warmth and feel of lukewarm water. Like water warmed by the sun. It swayed and bumped against her fingers, making a watery sound. It felt terribly nostalgic, even though she had no memory of it.

The sea.

Suddenly, her fingers were drawn in with a strong force. It wasn’t that they were grabbed and pulled in. It felt like a power of absorption. Her hand was sinking into the water.

Jusetsu put her hands on the floor and resisted the force. However, the power of absorption was so strong that it felt like if she exhaled, she would be swallowed up in that moment.

“Jusetsu!”

Koushun held her in his arms. Jusetsu could finally breathe. As she inhaled, she pulled her hand back with all her strength.

Let go of me!

She chanted that in her mind, and her chest became hot. Heat flowed from her chest to her arms, from her arms to her fingertips. The force that was sucking her in seemed to slacken, and her arm slipped loose. There was a dry sound, like something popped, and Jusetsu fell backwards with Koushun.

“Dajia!” “Niangniang.” Ei Sei and Onkei, who had been watching the situation, rushed over to them. Koushun lightly raised his hand to restrain them and got up. Then, he put his arm around Jusetsu’s shoulders and held her up.

“Are you alright?”

Jusetsu nodded. She was out of breath and couldn’t speak for a while. She pressed her hand against her chest. That heat. An unpleasant heat.

She suddenly looked up at the table and let out a small “ah.” The vessel had split right into two. The ghost had also disappeared. The flower pattern on the floor had gone back to normal, no longer that silver glittering water.

“It’s broken,” Koushun said nonchalantly. It was the emperor’s treasure. Everyone except Koushun stared at the treasure with bated breath.

“There’s nothing you can do about something that’s been destroyed. This is how the ghost disappeared, right?” he asked Jusetsu.

“…Yes.”

There was no sign of that ghost anymore. She couldn’t hear his crying either.

“If that’s the case, then it’s fine.”

It was a quick thing. Jusetsu let out a small sigh.

Right at that moment, a charcoal-colored sleeve stretched out from the side and picked up the vessel that was on the table. No one had noticed him approaching.

“Ui.”

With that expressionless face, Ui stood there with the pieces of the vessel in his hands. No emotion or intention could be sensed from that face.

“W-When did you—”

Ei Sei was unusually flustered. He was looking at Koushun, seeming to be at a loss as to how to deal with this. Koushun stood up.

“Ui, just as you said, the ghost disappeared once the vessel was broken.”

“Yes,” Ui replied in his monotone voice. Jusetsu stood up as well. She stared at Ui’s face intently. She had always thought that it seemed familiar. It was just as she thought. This expression wasn’t a face.

“Ui, you…”

You have the same expression as Shougetsu.

“You’re a doll—a tsukaibe.”

His eyes that looked like gaping holes were directed at Jusetsu. Eyes that were smooth and seemed to reflect nothing.

“Yes, I am.”

Ui said it like it was nothing.

“Whose tsukaibe are you? Wulian Niangniang’s? I don’t believe you’re the Owl’s.”

Ui tilted his head to the side a little. “Until this moment, I was Wulian Niangniang’s tsukaibe. Before that, I belonged to Gou-no-Kami. I was created by Gou-no-Kami.”

Gou-no-Kami’s tsukaibe.

“Gou-no-Kami has gone into hiding, so I was made Wulian Niangniang’s property. But, Gou-no-Kami has summoned me again—”

The flower pattern on the floor wavered again and emitted that silvery light.

“This is the end. It seems that Wulian Niangniang is no longer strong enough to detain me. This is where I take my leave. So long, princess of Ran—no, princess of Hi.”

The ground beneath Ui’s feet transformed into water, and his body sank down.

“I shall leave you for a short time.”

Ui and the turtle vessel he was holding sank into the water. At the same time, the light disappeared and the floor returned to how it was before. No one spoke for a while.

“…Did he call me ‘princess of Hi?’” Jusetsu’s voice was hoarse. “What does he mean by that?”

Even at a time like this, Koushun spoke with a quiet, unwavering voice. “The Ran clan was from a minority tribe in the north. It’s said that they descended from a old dynasty, but…”

Jusetsu had also heard that story. They were the descendants of a family that once ruled the country or the descendants of priests.

Was that the Hi dynasty?

After thinking about it for a while, Jusetsu shook her head. So what did that mean? Being a Ran survivor was already a troublesome fact, but what was the significance of a long-gone dynasty like the Hi dynasty?

“What’s certain is that we’ve lost one of our treasures, and the treasure room’s keeper…”

Koushun murmured, sounding just a little lonely.

That day, Jusetsu headed for the Winter Ministry.

“I see, the treasure room’s keeper…”

Jusetsu told Senri about what happened to the turtle vessel as they sat at a table in the middle of the outer corridor.

“It was the Great Sea Turtle who created Ui, but because the god had ‘gone into hiding,’ he became Wulian Niangniang’s possession, and now he has returned to the Great Sea Turtle—what does all that mean?”

Senri blinked and looked at her face.

“Before, you told me that you wondered why the ghost of the old servant has appeared now of all times. At that time, I was at a loss as to whether or not to say it, but…”

Come to think of it, he did seem like he wanted to say something.

“What is it?”

“…This is my personal theory, but faith comes in waves,” Senri spoke in a voice as gentle as basking in the sun. “It may safely be said that it has trends.”

“I understand that,” Jusetsu nodded. There was the desolate Seiu Temple and the new beliefs in new gods arising in many places. Beliefs came and went.

“Why is it that the shrines of Wulian Niangniang have become deserted in rural areas, and the belief in other gods has grown stronger? The Great Sea Turtle god, who was worshipped in ancient times, is now nowhere to be seen. –I believe these are all due to the weakening of those gods.”

“Weakening?”

“If a god’s power weakens and no longer brings benefits to the people, their faith will fade away. Little by little, like the waves receding. And then, faith will gather in a god with a different power. I believe that gods can also be replaced like that.”

“A god’s…replacement?”

“It’s more like a struggle for supremacy. There are many temples to many gods in this country, from big to small ones. Aren’t the gods competing against each other for power?”

Jusetsu recalled Shougetsu’s…the Owl’s words.

Koushou made the Raven eat flowers. She continually fed them to her. They were poison.

The Raven has already—lost itself.

And then, Ui’s words.

It seems that Wulian Niangniang no longer has the power to detain me.

Was Wulian Niangniang weakening?

“Then…does the fact that Ui has returned to the Great Sea Turtle God means that that god’s power has returned?”

“I believe there’s a high possibility of that.”

“But on the other hand, Wulian Niangniang…”

Senri had a difficult look on his face. “I can’t say for sure that my theory is correct. However, I believe that Wulian Niangniang was in a similar crisis in the past.”

“Crisis?”

“When the Winter King was killed. The world was plunged into war after that. A new Winter King hadn’t appeared during that time, and Wulian Niangniang remained silent. Why was that? It is said that the country was devastated because of this silence, but since the war continued, it is natural that it was devastated. However, I also think that the silence was due to some kind of crisis that Wulian Niangniang had to deal with. It is all hypothetical, just my supposition.”

“No…it was very helpful. It is not something I would have thought of, since I have no knowledge of such things.”

When she said that, Senri’s eyes narrowed into a smile. “Thank you very much.”

“Lady Raven Consort, Master,” an acolyte approached them. “His Majesty is calling upon you.”

“What, Koushun also comes to see you?”

“Yes, sometimes. I play Go with him in Master Gyoei’s place.”

“It must be tough playing against him.”

Senri smiled at Jusetsu’s words. It seems that he was a good opponent. A strong one.

“You’re here too?” Koushun, who appeared in the outer corridor, said after seeing Jusetsu. “Do you play Go with Senri too?”

He probably said that because of the Go board on the table.

“No,” Jusetsu shook her head. “I came to ask his opinion.”

“I see. I came here to play Go with him.”

However, Senri pointed to the chair he was sitting on. “Why don’t you play a game with the Lady Raven Consort today?” he suggested.

Jusetsu frowned. “I won’t play with him.”

“Because you hate to lose.”

Jusetsu hated how Koushun said that with a cool face.

“You don’t think you can lose?”

“I don’t care about losing, though.”

She considered throwing the stones at him.

“Sit there.”

Jusetsu pointed to the chair across from her. She then took off the lid from the bowl and gripped a stone. Koushun obediently sat down. Senri bowed with a smile and quietly left. Jusetsu watched him from behind. He wore the same grey color as Gyoei, but he looked completely different from behind compared to Gyoei.

“…It’s helpful to hear other people’s opinions.”

“It is.”

“It makes me realize how little I know.”

“Is that so.”

“I’ve been meaning to ask you this for a while.”

“What is it?”

“Gyoei died, didn’t he?”

Koushun’s hand, about to put down a Go stone, stopped.

“Looking at how you and Senri remained silent, I don’t think it’s because of his age. Was it suicide?”

“…”

“Then, he must have taken responsibility. –Was it Gyoei who let Shougetsu into the inner palace?”

Jusetsu repeated her words with a calmness that surprised even herself.

“He must have hated me,” Reijou appeared in her mind. Reijou, who lived alone, grew old, and died, just as the Raven Consort should. “I suppose it’s natural.”

“…Jusetsu.”

Koushun’s voice that quietly called out her name was something that shook the bottom of Jusetsu’s heart. It always did. This time it sounded even deeper and stronger. Feeling a sharp pain at the back of her nose, Jusetsu swallowed her breath.

“I’ve told you this before, you’re too considerate. You’re so considerate and thoughtful that it makes people angry instead.”

“…You did say that.”

Are you angry? He quietly asked.

Jusetsu shook her head. “You’re concerned for me…but then, who will take care of you? Are you going to keep the pain of losing Gyoei to yourself and never tell anyone?”

All the while keeping those wounds open.

“…There are many who worry about the emperor.”

That wasn’t what she’s talking about. The back of Jusetsu’s chest hurt. This pain was for Koushun’s sake.

“You accept your wounds as a matter of course. That’s because you think of them as your punishment. I thought that way as well. But…” Jusetsu looked down at the Go stone in her hand. “Some time ago, I exorcised a curse put on an attendant of Hakkaku Palace.”

Koushun nodded.

“The attendant’s life was saved by her betrothed, but she deeply regretted leaving him to his death. However, I think that regretting like that would also mean denying the choice that her betrothed staked his life on. So, I—”

Jusetsu sighed.

“I can’t say it well. But I…don’t want to deny my mother’s decision at that time.”

She tried to say more, but couldn’t find the right words.

“Is that so,” Koushun said. He seemed to understand what she was trying to say. “I see…”

He didn’t say anything more after that. He also stared at the stone.

“I’ve never considered it a good thing to associate with others,” Jusetsu put a stone on the board. “But there are many things that you are able to see when you interact with people.”

Even if that’s the wrong path for the Raven Consort.

What people did with the best of intentions didn’t always bring good results. So maybe this was all a mistake as well. I might be falling into a dark pit, little by little, little by little.

Still, I cannot think that I would have been better off without the connections that I have now.

After she returned to Yamei Palace, a familiar attendant visited. She was no longer wearing the white coral ornament on her sash. It was Ki Senjo.

“I have come to deliver a letter from the Lady Crane Consort.”

Senjo was holding a tray in her hands. There was a letter on the ostentatious brocade cloth. Wondering what it was about, Jusetsu picked up the letter and spread it out. The writing was beautiful, as one would expect from a consort. Contrary to the Crane Consort’s mysterious impression, the contents were terribly ceremonious and formal. However, it was simply an invitation to tea.

“…She shouldn’t have gone out of her way to send a letter like this.”

Senjo, who apparently didn’t know what was in the letter, looked dumbfounded.

“She asked me to have you write an answer. May I please ask you to do so?”

Jiujiu started to grind ink with an inkstone. Jusetsu hesitated over how to reply. Her eyes caught on Senjo’s tray. The brocade cloth was embroidered with tortoiseshell crests in gold and silver threads.

“Are those turtles?”

Senjo looked down at the tray after she murmured that.

“Are you talking about this cloth? Of all the ones that the Crane Consort owns, this one is the finest. The Lady Crane Consort was reluctant at first, saying that the tortoiseshell pattern wasn’t cute, but after much deliberation, she chose this one, saying that the ones with dyed flower patterns were too light and that she couldn’t find any other brocade that she liked.”

“All that for a single piece of cloth?”

“Since this is the first letter she’s delivering to the Lady Raven Consort, she agonized over how to write it. The Lady Crane Consort wants to get along with you.”

That was surprising. Jusetsu’s impression of her was that of a “girl who’s difficult to grasp.”

“Not cranes, but turtles?” the person who cut in was Jiujiu, who was rubbing out the ink. “Since it’s Hakkaku Palace, I thought you would use a crane crest more often.”

“Tortoiseshell crests are everywhere at our palace. The attendants also favor that pattern for their ruqun… It is the crest of Lord Hakumyoushi, after all.”

Hakumyoushi. The god the Eight Truths Sect worships.

Jusetsu, who was about to pick up the brush, lifted her head.

“The tortoiseshell crest is the crest of Hakumyoushi?”

“Yes. Because Lord Hakumyoushi is the Great Sea Turtle God.”

The brush fell onto the table.

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[infallible-dreamers]

Fanfic Origin Story

Tagged by the lovely @bekkachaos. Thank you for the tag. Sorry I'm so late.

What was your first fandom (reading and/or writing)?

I was once and forever a shawol (fan of Kpop group Shinee for those who don't know), and started of reading and writing for Shinee back when I was 16 on asian fanfics and falling down a rabbit hole of fandom. My ships were 2min (my OTP!! Minho and Taemin), Jongyu (Jonghyun and Onew), and Onkey (Onew and Key).

What was first story you ever wrote.

It was for the Joonew fic (Joon from MBLAQ and Onew from Shinee) which surprisingly wasn't even my OTP. This is probably all really weird for people who don't know the 2nd generation Kpop bands.

What's a piece of advice you would give your younger fic writing self?

Write what you want, just have fun. It's not about how many comments or kudoses or even who reads your work. It's about you and how happy it makes you.

What’s an early fandom interaction that stuck with you (be it a nice comment , a friend you made, a fic that got a lot of feedback)

I think my favourite early fandom experience was that my twin and I used to make posters and book trailers and although it was a lot of work and we could only ever take 10 requests per release. I loved doing it. Unfortunately we both got way too busy to do it anymore.

Post a sentence or two from an older fic and a sentence or two from a newer one (if you want)

From a million flowers may bloom. A westallen story set in 1940s. Its from 2015 so I still consider it old.

The thing that struck Iris about working in a newspaper was no one wanted her to do anything important. The most they let her do was organise the articles or run reports from one journalist to another. But she was itching to write. Her editor brushed it off, giving her more menial tasks. That’s how she was stuck trying to organize a photographer for the new crime journalist.

Barry Allen, the new journalist had just transferred in after working 3 years as some sort of hotshot consultant with the cops. Iris was a little peeved that a man that had little journalistic experience was already writing pieces before her. But what could she do, her college degree seemed to mean nothing in the long run.

From against a rule set for us by time. My most recent malex time travel story.

Instead of answering, Alex just sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose as he collected his racing thoughts. The silence only served to heighten Michael’s anxiety. He had jumped the gun and now Alex was going to feel awkward around him - or worse - hate him. 

Alex doesn’t have to regret this, he reminded himself – he could undo it.

Realisation quickly followed by panic washed over Alex’s face. “Don’t go back!” Alex’s hand returned to Michael’s chest to stop him as if he could hear his thoughts. He looked afraid.

Tagging these lovely beings if they feel like it💕 @4ever-the-nme @theartofdreaming1 @alex-guerin @heart-like-paper

[onkey-bedtime-stories]

Stronger

This one is for my anon who requested #18. Angst always killing me but I hope you like it :)

Prompt is from this list 

—————————————

“It’s okay to cry..”

Jinki cannot help but blurted out the words after seeing Kibum kept pacing back and forth from the living room to the kitchen, the kitchen to the laundry room, the laundry room to the reading room, the reading room back to the living room, but then jumped out from the couch after not until five minutes sitting on it.

He ended up standing alone at the porch facing the crisp air of a solemn autumn evening, battling with his own head, the urge to run away to nowhere suppress him to the edge of his patience.

And there is Jinki, who calmly approaching with his soothing presence, but slowly wrecking the tall fortress he built to shield his soul from the pity of others eyes.

“You don’t need to be this strong all the time. You’re a human, Kibum.”

“If I’m not this strong, how do you think I can walk through my day?”

“Who do you think I am?”

Jinki’s sad eyes are mirroring his disappointment and all the weary feeling that had been washing him since the morning.

“Three years ago I promised you that whatever happened to you, to me, to us, I will be there, bearing all the strength left in my vein to take your hand and help you to pass all those shit tackling you on the way. Didn’t I?”

Kibum’s mind wandered for couple of second to the happiest day of his life, when Jinki smiled the brightest, asking him to be forever his.

“But Jinki..”

The brim of his eyes started to be filled up, the tears he avoided so hard formed inevitably there, shredding Jinki’s heart second by second.

“We did all the best, Kibum.. You did everything you can..”

“But it’s not fair, Jinx.. Not even slightly! You can’t give false hope one morning and then dropped the bomb the next day.”

“No one gave false hope, baby.”

“No one you said?! No one?! Damn, Jinki! I might be angry but I’m not stupid! Those doctors tried to play with my life!”

Kibum’s face now drenched as if waterfall move to those feline eyes on his pale skin.

“Honey, listen.”

“No, Jinki, you listen! I took the earliest flight to Japan because they said they had the liver donor for my brother but when I arrived at the hospital legs almost fell of my body they said they gave it to a girl who happened to be there already and also needed it! I put Jonghyun name on the list since five months ago, Jinki! Five months!!”

“Everything happened for a reason, Kibum.”

“The universe has no reason to not let Jonghyun live, Jinki!”

He’s wrapping his face with both hands, sobbing with all his might, whole body shaking uncontrollably. Jinki closed their distance and brought him to his chest and ran his hand along Kibum’s spine to calm the younger down. He kissed the top of his head repeatedly, however, Kibum’s enraged by himself not able to keep his promise to his brother.

“I shouldn’t tell Jonghyun about the news at the first time. I supposed to not getting ahead myself, Jinki..,” he murmured to Jinki’s sweater, both arms clutched around his waist.

The latter just stay in silent, patting Kibum’s head once in a while, or just rocking his body in a very slow rhythm to comfort both of them because at this point Jinki’s head almost exploded as well.

“I don’t know what to say to Jonghyun.. The sparks on his eyes after I ended up that fuckin’ phone call is the prettiest I’ve ever seen in this past year.”

“You don’t need to say anything to him..”

“I am not that heartless, Jinki..”

“Jonghyun..,” Jinki bites his lips in warry, contemplating should he tell his fiancée or should he stay in silence, “Jonghyun knew already..”

Kibum retreated himself from Jinki’s warm hug with total horror all over his face.

“WHAT?! Who told him?! You!! You told him?!”

“Baby, no, calm down, shit,” Jinki took one deep breathe before he reopened his mouth, “Jonghyun knew something wrong happened when the next morning you didn’t call us. He.. he said to me, that maybe it is not his turn yet. He realized he needs to wait longer for the transplantation surgery..”

His heart sunk to the ground when Jinki’s eyes crimson red holding the same tears Kibum evaded ten minutes ago. The minute Jinki ducked his head, Kibum bawled into dreadful cry.

“It’s not fair, Jinki.. Why Jonghyun? Why not me?! He’s supposed to be the strong one! He’s the one that always kick those stupid jocks on high school! He’s the strong one, Jinki!! He’s my strong brother!!”

Jinki wiped Kibum’s cheeks even though he knew it’s a futile attempt seeing how devastated Kibum at this point.

“He’s strong, Kibum.. Jonghyun is stronger than we think.. He’s been fighting for five years and not every single day I saw him showing any intention to give up. Never had I found him getting angry to whatever happened to him.”

The words just pierced his heart even worst. However, Jinki’s right. Not even once during the MRI, chemo, and weekly checkups he complained about how uncomfortable and tiring those stuffs can be. Though it’s hard for him, those puppy eyes are always smiling.

“I.. I have something to tell you, Kibum.”

Kibum didn’t say anything, but Jinki knows he’s listening.

“Taemin dropped me to the hospital yesterday.”

“What happened to you? Are you sick?! Oh my God, I’m sorry I’ve been busy these past weeks, baby! I’m so sorry!! Are you alright?!”

Jinki felt guilty looking at Kibum in panic.

“No, no, everything’s good, I’m alright, I’m super healthy..”

“Thank God!”

“That’s why I asked the doctor to run a test to check whether I can be a donor for Jonghyun..”

It was the longest silence in Jinki’s life because the beautiful man in front of him just freezes and drilled the hole to his soul through his eyes.

“Babe?”

“Are you out of your mind? First, I would fight the world to not let it happen! Second, you have different blood type with Jonghyun! I’m exhausted right now, Jinki, so please, just.. just don’t..”

“I’m a universal donor, Kibum. And I did once for Jonghyun, remember?”

Kibum kept his mouth zipped, silently cursing the cruel reality.

“If we matched again this time, it would be great for Jonghyun.”

“Stop making scenarios, Jinki!! I’m about to lose one of the two people I love the most! I can’t spare any more hour being haunted to lose both!”

“Honey, baby, listen. Listen to me, please. I asked the doctor about how it works. They will only take one third or half of mine because Jonghyun’s liver still can work up until 25%. We.. we will have more hope..”

Kibum didn’t say anything despite the tears keep coming down without any intention to stop. Everything that Jinki said is make sense but not in any world Kibum would let that jeopardized two beautiful souls he care so much.

“Jinki..”

One deep sigh and Jinki tried to give his best smile. He caresses Kibum side, kisses his forehead and to the south until finally he rests his lips on Kibum’s. It still tastes sweet for Jinki regardless of the traces of tears.

“Baby, I love you. And I love Jonghyun just like my own brother. Remember your grandmother said we need to try everything as our best? This is.. this is just another chance we should take, Kibum. The test scheduled next week. Can you tell Jonghyun about this?”

Kibum shut his eyes in fear and weakly nods into the request. Jinki winked to him when he open his eyes and pulled out another bitter smile. The younger peppers him with sad kisses.

Before his tears fall again, Jinki pulled Kibum into a hug. This time harder than before. He knows this is too risky. He knows it’s not as easy as he said. He knows it sounds impossible. He knows he might die during the procedure. But what he knows best is the fact that he loves Kibum too much he’s willing to do anything even crawling into hell to put back the smile into the love of his life.

[eorumverba]

Oh um... 12 please with onkey. And if you're okay with it, could key be daddy?

But it’s too much, it’s too much having Jinki fresh from the shower and smelling so nice, smiling so prettily up at him with shy eyes and red cheeks, small and soft in that way he gets whenever he’s in Kibum’s lap. It’s too much, and Kibum breaks so easily, fitting his hands around Jinki’s waist and nosing into the curve of his neck to brush his lips in a soft kiss to his skin.

It’s not an accident, definitely not. Kibum wouldn’t have said anything if it were just one or two pages, but Jinki’s visited more than ten different pages on the site, all of them the same thing. And it’s something Jinki wants Kibum to see - he would’ve cleared the laptop’s browser history otherwise, would’ve used incognito. But this…this is something he wants Kibum to see. It’s just like the videos he’s left Kibum to find, the things he wants but is too shy to ask for, the things that make him flush pink and tremble with want.

Despite what Jinki may want, Kibum doesn’t bring it up right away, enjoying the way Jinki fidgets and opens his mouth like he wants to ask, flushes pink and closes his mouth from something like embarrassment. It’s cute, it’s adorable, and Kibum almost breaks every time, almost takes Jinki into his arms and tells him to order what he wants, but he doesn’t. The building anticipation will only make this better for both of them.

But it’s too much, it’s too much having Jinki fresh from the shower and smelling so nice, smiling so prettily up at him with shy eyes and red cheeks, small and soft in that way he gets whenever he’s in Kibum’s lap. It’s too much, and Kibum breaks so easily, fitting his hands around Jinki’s waist and nosing into the curve of his neck to brush his lips in a soft kiss to his skin.

“Baby,” he ends up murmuring, “pause the movie, okay?”

Jinki draws in a quick, tight breath before nodding and turning to do as he’s told, and he whines when Kibum types in those first few letters to go to the site again. He buries his face in Kibum’s neck, mumbling out a shy, “Thought you didn’t…”

“Thought I wouldn’t notice, baby? But you’d look so pretty, my pretty baby boy with his pretty panties.”

And there’s the word - Jinki’s breath catches in his throat and he whines again, softer, needier. “Not fair, Kibummie!”

“I’m not allowed to call my baby pretty?” and before Jinki can pout and protest, Kibum points to a pair that’s caught his eye from the beginning. “I think you’d look gorgeous in these, baby.”

They’re pretty and delicate, lavender and lace, and Jinki flushes even more as he nods. “I liked those too, Kibummie. And these?” It’s not a question, but Jinki phrases it like one, scrolling down a little like he’s memorized the site before stopping on a pretty light blue pair. They’re boyshorts, less lacey and dainty than the pair Kibum had chosen, but they’re still pretty and soft.

“Pick out the ones you want, baby boy, I’ll buy them for you.”

When Jinki turns to look at Kibum, his eyes are wide and his mouth dropped open. “Kibummie-”

“You’re not burdening me, baby. I want to see you in them too.”

“I…okay, Kibummie. Thank you.”

Kibum hums and nods, catching Jinki around the waist again and drifting into his own thoughts while Jinki peruses the site again, making pleased little noises and click click clicking as he goes. When he’s done, he turns back around, a radient little smile on his lips as he wordlessly asks for Kibum’s approval, and Kibum gives it with a kiss and the choice of rush shipping, and even if it costs more that way, the excited noise Jinki makes and the kisses pressed to his mouth more than make up for it.

Kibum is out when the panties arrive - he comes home to find Jinki fidgeting on the couch with the box in front of him, and he springs up when Kibum shuffles inside and toes off his shoes. “Kibummie! I wanted to open it, but I didn’t!”

“Proud of you, baby boy. Brought you doughnuts, do you want one?”

“Not yet, I wanna open them. Please, can we?”

“Of course, baby boy.” Kibum sits where Jinki’s directed him to, huffing out a little breath of laughter when Jinki plops himself down in Kibum’s lap, the box on the couch in front of them both.

“Can I…?” he asks, and the way his voice tilts up tells Kibum exactly what he’s asking.

“Always, baby. I like it too.”

Jinki wiggles a little, nosing back to kiss Kibum’s jaw before turning back around and opening the box carefully, carefully. He pulls out the first pair of panties even more gently, wiggling again because of how pretty they are. They’re a pretty pastel mint green, and Jinki beams as he shows Kibum.

“Pretty, Jinki. Can I see the rest?”

Jinki nods and puts the first pair carefully down before picking up the next, pale pale pink and see through, a third that are a plain, pretty gray. But as Jinki keeps going through the box, his gaze keeps falling on the pink see-through ones, and Kibum has to stop him.

“Jinki, baby, do you want to do something for me?”

“Please,” Jinki whispers, and it’s so honest that a current of heat swoops through Kibum’s stomach.

“Be a good boy for me and put these on. Daddy wants to see how pretty you’ll look with them on, so try that on, and I’ll wait here.”

Jinki’s breath catches on the high, breathy noise he makes, and he nods, small and soft and shy in Kibum’s lap. “Okay, daddy.”

“Good boy,” Kibum murmurs, brushing soft kisses to Jinki’s cheeks and lips and forehead before letting him slip from his lap to let him go.

When Jinki comes back, his cheeks are burning pink, and he’s got his lip bitten between his teeth, shier than Kibum’s ever seen and hunched down, small. “Daddy,” he whines, “it’s embarrassing!”

“Why is it embarrassing, baby boy? Show me.”

“Daddy!”

“Daddy wants to see, can you be good and show me?”

“Don’t wanna.” But he wants to, Kibum can tell. It’s clear in the way he fidgets, the uncertainty of his fingers as they twist at the hem of his sweater.

“Come here, Jinki.” And Jinki comes, sliding easily into Kibum’s lap and only grumbling quietly when Kibum’s hands fall to palm at his ass.

“Can you show me?”

Jinki whines again, a half-hearted protest even as he pulls up the front of his sweater to show off the panties. They look even prettier than Kibum thought they would, and Jinki’s cheeks glow a soft pink to match. “Do you like them?” Jinki sounds shy, uncertain, and Kibum frowns a little.

“I love them, baby boy. You look gorgeous, so pretty for daddy.”

The flustered smile that curves up Jinki’s lips makes Kibum’s heart melt. “Really, Kibummie?”

“Mmhm, daddy’s pretty baby boy.”

“Kibummie!” Jinki protests, but he’s giggling as he whines, and even that is muffled into Kibum’s mouth when he leans up for another soft kiss.

[onkeywritings]

if youre taking requests how about au where only one of onkey is an idol? you can choose what the others career is

yesss! and i love this au i created so ill be writing more about how they actually got to meet and introduce them more and all but it just felt right to stop it here. ; - ;

Beautiful Life

“Kim Kibum! Kim Kibum! Kim Kibum!” 

Fans keep chanting and Jinki watches with awe as the raspberry coloured light sticks colours the concert hall. He’s waving his own light stick in rhythm to the chants just like everybody else. 

Beside him on his right sits his best friend Junghee with a raised eyebrow. On her right is her boyfriend Minho bouncing in his seat excited. 

Junghee is their excuse. She’s also the only one of them that isn’t acting like a fangirl. She sighs and Jinki turns to look at her with a wide smile.

“Enthusiasm!” he shouts to be heard over the loud chorus of fans. Junghee rolls her eyes and squeaks when Minho surprises her with a quick kiss. 

“Come on babe, it’s gonna be great!” he says and Jinki nods to confirm Minho’s words. 

“But I wanted to explore Tokyo now that we’re actually here!”

She pouts a little and Jinki rolls his eyes. This won’t be their last trip to Japan, he’s sure. They’re here because Kibum is having his first Japanese concert and Jinki wouldn’t miss it for the world. 

He hasn’t told Kibum that he’s here because he’s supposed to be on Jeju Island studying Indo-Pacific Bottlenose dolphins but as much as he loves the sea mammals, he loves his fiancé more. 

Junghee is about to protest again when the light dims and the fan chants reach deafening heights. Even Minho has to wince at the sound for a second before he jumps from his seat and screams his lungs out. 

Junghee accepts that her boyfriend is a fanboy and Jinki sends her a smile as he is blinded by the sight of his fiancé on the large screen in a VCR.

The concert is exactly what Jinki had wished for it to be. Kibum performs flawlessly like always, his dance moves sharp and his voice strong. He laughs on stage during his ments and even sheds a few tears in the end when fans write out a message to him. 

Jinki is bursting with pride as he stands from his seat when the lights slowly lights up the venue to lead fans safely out. He’s not leaving the venue, however.

 As people slowly file out, Jinki drags his friends with him towards the stage. There are staff cleaning the area from balloons and confetti and she cocks an eyebrow at him. 

Jinki reaches out towards his chest to find it empty. Right, he doesn’t own a backstage pass now. 

Junghee rolls her eyes when they’re asked to leave the venue and fishes through her pockets to find her cell phone. 

“Hey Jinks,” she says and Jinki looks up with a soft smile. “Don’t make a sound.” 

Jinki blinks a few times before he realises what Junghee’s plan is and he sends her a wicked smile. 

He can hear her voice as she talks on the phone with presumably Kibum, demanding that he lets them backstage now that she and Minho are actually there. 

There are still fangirls around them, but none of them seem to take notice of the phone conversation as they discuss the greatest concert they have just attended. 

5 minutes later, when a staff arrives in casual clothing and asks them if they’re Junghee and Minho, Junghee grabs Jinki’s hands and assures the staff member that he must join them. Jinki isn’t really sure it’s a good idea when the staff member eyes him suspiciously. Maybe he should just call Kibum and tell him that he’s here as well. 

Junghee insists, however, and she can be persuasive when she wants to be. 

Backstage is a confusing maze of hallways and doors and Jinki would undoubtedly get lost if he was on his own. 

The A4 paper on the door says Kim Kibum and as the staff member knocks on the door and gestures for them to go inside, Jinki bites his lower lip in anticipation. 

He only gets to peep inside before he hears “what the fuck” from the couch in the other end. 

As he steps inside, he’s yanked forward by his shirt and strong arms embrace him in a hug. Jinki closes his eyes as he inhales and lets the familiar scent of his fiancé take over. 

When Kibum pulls back he sends Jinki a smile before he presses their lips together. The kiss is sweet, passionate, bordering on longing until Junghee clears her throat behind them and Kibum slowly lets him go. 

“Oh,” he says and looks over Jinki’s shoulder to look at her. “Hey Junghee.” Then he turns back to Jinki and presses their lips together again in a sweet and innocent kiss. 

“I thought you were on Jeju this week?” he questions when he pulls Jinki into the room and the door is shut behind Minho. 

Junghee places herself in the make-up chair and reaches towards a half-eaten plate of sushi and Minho sinks onto the couch as he stretches his long arms above his head. Jinki doesn’t care much for his friends as he leans in to press a kiss to Kibum’s nosetip.

“But it’s my fiancé’s first concert in Japan. That’s more important.” 

Kibum shakes his head slightly but still smiles wide as he pulls away from Jinki. He intertwines their fingers, his forehead still sweaty from the concert. 

Jinki loves him like this. Jinki loves him in whichever way he is, but especially like this. Tired but filled with adrenaline from his performances. Sweaty and hot and with his heart beating loudly in his chest in excitement. The pure joy in his eyes is what Jinki lives for. 

Kibum pulls him towards the couch before he plops down beside Minho and Jinki sinks down in his lap, hands wrapped around Kibum’s shoulder so he can feel as close as possible. Kibum turns to Junghee and scolds her for eating his dinner and she sticks out her tongue and eats the last piece of sushi. 

Jinki and Minho bursts into laughter at the childish retort.

Kibum smells of shampoo and love and Jinki buries his head into his chest. They’re lying in the bed in Kibum’s hotel room, Kibum slowly letting his nails over Jinki’s back in a comforting motion. The adrenaline from the concert has been replaced with comfort and love and exhaustion yet they’re still awake.  

“Thank you,” Kibum whispers against Jinki’s temple and Jinki pulls away so he can look at Kibum. Kibum with his black hair cut in the newest trend, his dark brown eyes without the contacts and the flawless skin that highlights just how beautiful he truly is. 

Jinki was lucky when they met, really. He still doesn’t really understand how they fell in love but even when it’s difficult at times, even when they’re apart, it feels like they’re together. It may actually help them that they’re apart at times, it makes it easier to miss each other. 

“I love you,” Jinki says and in those words lie so much more than just love. They mean “I’m proud of you” and “I admire you”. They mean “I want to spend my entire life with you because you’re the only one for me” and they mean “I’m so happy you’re here with me right now”. 

Kibum just chuckles and presses his lips to Jinki’s forehead. Jinki closes his eyes as Kibum lets his eyes drift to his nose until they land on his lips. 

Their kiss is soft and vulnerable but so pure it makes Jinki’s toes curl with love. 

Kibum’s light scratches stop as he deepens the kiss and lets his hands rest on Jinki’s chest instead and Jinki lets his fingers find their way to Kibum’s pyjama shirt.

[saltskinandasociopath]

a very earthling question (onkey, 2min - teen)

summary: 'their names are jinki and minho. minho's the one in blue. jinki's out back trying to fix the ship. they crashed.'

'you talked to them.'

'no, they're telepathic. just - beamed it. right into my head,' taemin says, his eyes sparkling with mockery. 'yeah of course. i even introduced you too.'

(earth girls are easy, onkey (and 2min) style.)

pairing: onew/key, taemin/minho

notes/warnings: some fluffy alien romcom for this valentine’s day.

can be found on ao3 here.

———————————————————————

there is a spaceship outside of kim kibum's salon. it was not there last night, and it has no right to be there now.

this is, coincidentally, the least of kim kibum's problems. he is a colored-in shade of human misery, from breaking up with his on and off (permanently off) boyfriend, and ritualistically categorizing all the places in his life he has yet to cleanse of his presence; to the impending foreclosure of his business; to the sniffing bloodhounds of the other competitors in the area, ready to acquire his, frankly, absurdly sizeable space.

(it is absurdly sizeable, to taemin's key observation, because there's hardly ever customers. it's a hard market to break into, temperamental and not temperamental enough, in equal measure.)

the apartment he occupies above the space is tiny, made tinier with taemin's form crowding the couch, and kibum is mulling the utter dead end that his life has become, when a great collision rocks the dumpster.

and. it is a spaceship. it is definitely a spaceship, almost cartoonishly so. it's about the size of a parade float.

it's probably a parade float, is the second thought. some idiot drunkenly taking it for a joyride down an alley. look, there's an opening, light beaming out before it's blocked out by one body, then another. two figures that are probably human, beneath their bobbled helmets, their thick, stuffy jumpsuits.

this neighborhood gets all sorts of characters. it's why kibum chose it a little over a year ago, taking a chance on the already crowded area, the unfriendly lease agreement, the questionable landlord. these are just two more characters, talking in a garbled tongue that kibum just isn't hearing right.

it's 4am, anyway, and kibum doesn't have time for this. so he throws on his headphones, viciously tugs off taemin's socks in a pique of spiteful vengeance, and heads to his bed to mull over ways to make his bank account stretch even thinner.

--------------------------------------

'hey kibum, there's someone banging on the door. hey. hey, kibum.'

kibum is sleeping, he would be horrified to recognize, halfway on his laptop, lodging a canyon of a line across his cheek. when he scrambles up, his joints aching from the unnatural position he had dozed off in, he finds the time on his phone - 7:17 am.

'do you mind? i'm trying to sleep.' taemin says, nonchalant.

'god you are just the worst,' kibum says. he is looking down at his phone, checking his email when the reminder comes up - bank visit 730.

FUCK. SHIT. goddamn it. the bank, his loans for the space, seeing if he's using the space as intended and isn't secretly - something? insolvent? incompetent? kibum is certainly something, something sharp and biting and near-poisonous in proximity, as he throws on his clothes and tries to arrange his hair into something presentable. taemin holds up his bar of deodorant as he passes and kibum grabs it and pauses to apply it, unwilling even in his panic to let the stink of body odor be his signature scent.

he hurtles downstairs, his shoes sliding off at the heel as he careens down the stairs. in the salon he can see the banker (? is that even the term - auditor? realtor? pain in the ass, really) standing outside the door. whoever it is, is an actual asshole, because it's only 7:27 and he's been at the door for 10 minutes, chomping at the bit to rob kibum of his pride and joy. what a miserable bastard.

he is flipping on the lights, and taking one last duck into the bathroom when he spies them. the aliens. the parade floaters. whoever. they're just standing there, one of them a good 4 inches than the other, helmets still on like they're robbing him. one of them has a device in his hand that looks halfway between a smartphone and a gun.

holy fuck he's being robbed. he has literally negative to give, and he's being robbed.

or

or

he's desperate, is his excuse. he puts his hands together, and extends them out.

'look. i will give you anything you need, if you can just let me pretend you are customers for 15 minutes. just to get his asshole off my back? alright? just - ' he nods, looking between the two of them. the shorter one on the left, clad all in yellow, makes a jerky motion that might be a nod? he'll take it, especially when he moves to put away his gun phone. kibum makes a reckless motion to grab his hand and lead him out. the other one in blue is following when kibum glances over the top of the yellow-tinged helmet. the one whose being tugged along, his grip is loose, almost skittish, but kim kibum is not a quitter. he maneuvers both of them into chairs and holds out his hands again.

'just - stay there. and play along. please.'

before they can respond, or decide kibum's meager wealth is worth the charade, he turns away and schools his features as he strides to the door, popping it open with a cool, professional 'good morning'.

'mr. kim,' the bank asshole says, like he's the one being inconvenienced in every aspect of his life. 'am i interrupting?'

'actually, you are,' kibum replies, opening the door wider. 'i had some urgent client requests to handle this morning, so we'll have some company. i hope that helps you make an informed determination on our operations.'

he's impressing even himself with his handling. the asshole is looking at the two, weird as they are, like they aren't random intruders. which, no, of course not. of course. kibum moves forward to make the case more persuasive.

'i think we're ready to take that off now, sir,' he says to the one in yellow, whose gripping the ends of the chair like he's terrified. still, he doesn't make any motions when kibum moves towards the - neck latch? of the helmet - where it clicks into his get-up. when kibum fumbles with it, he gently moves his hands aside to do it himself, releasing the catches and lifting it up off his head in a smooth, practiced motion.

and, well. shit. kibum doesn't really have time to dwell on how gorgeous one of his assailants is, with sweet, expressive brown eyes. there's a discoloration to his cheeks, a yellow blush brought out by the vibrant tones of his clothes. his nose is thick, straight, and sharp cheekbones and jawline that together are really affecting his ability to make this whole thing believable. he clears his throat and meets those eyes with his own eyes wide, encouraging and asking for forgiveness as he moves to run his fingers through his hair.

his purple hair. it's one of the nicest dye jobs he's seen in a while, perfectly and naturally applied like it had grown out of his scalp like that. if his robber is from one of his competitors, coming in here and scaring the hell out of him, he's going to be monumentally pissed, but at that point he'll have to concede he's outskilled. it's not even fried out, it's almost inhumanely soft. perfect styling, too, framing his face - jesus, that face - like art.

he plays with it for a moment - a half-second - too long, but hides it with a murmur of consideration.

'excellent, i think this is about what you were expecting?' he turns the chair around to face the mirror and the man growls, like he's surprised, or scared, by the motion - like he's never been in a spinning chair? goddamn everyone loves these chairs, it's weird. but it tapers off when kibum steadies it at the stop, his black-painted fingernails resting at his shoulders.

(he can feel them shift slightly beneath his touch, and he's keyed up on panic, chalking his noting of that up to panic)

the man is just staring, silent now, at his reflection, and the asshole is still watching them. his (gorgeous, awkward) robber must have stage fright, so kibum smiles wide in the mirror, meeting his eyes. after a moment he follows the silent instruction, crinkling his eyes, breaking his face into an all new level to kibum's panic, with a wide, warm smile that feels like sunshine. he looks like sunshine, all in yellow, like a lavender flower blooming.

'great!' he says, chirpy in a way that sounds unbelievable to his own ears, but he's moving onto the other one, who is already moving to take his helmet off.

well, fuck, they're both good-looking. this one is a hell of lot less tolerant of kibum's performance, spinning himself around, moving away from his hands as he goes to check out his hair (black, surprisingly close to standard, especially in comparison). it's short in the nape of the neck and when he makes a motion to get up, kibum pinches, hard, giving himself a moment of surprise to push down, his hands full-weighted against his trapezius muscles.

at that point, he goes with the program; his smiling motion is a little quicker, but kibum has already picked his favorite and it's too little, too late, robber asshole.

'we can settle up after we're done, okay, guys? thanks again!' he hates his customer service voice - he doesn't even use this voice for real clients - but bank asshole seems like the type of guy who says 'the customer is always right' so he rubs it in extra sweet. he takes his time settling in, setting his shoulders down and back, lifting his chin high as he plays the part.

'these were just two of the clients we have booked today. actually - they were multi-day appointments, follow-up to ensure all their services were to their exact requests. performers, you know?' he knows he doesn't know. and he knows that bank asshole knows he doesn't know, that he has no idea what's trendy, or stylish, or experimental. helmets for protecting hair? why the fuck not. he'll sell that line all day long if he has to.

he doesn't have to. bank asshole is taking photos - without even asking! - and making notes on his phone. he made the case that he could make, and it was better to have someone here than not. even if they were a little difficult and a little criminal.

'well, thank you for your time,' bank asshole says suddenly. he moves to stand and shakes kibum's hand. when he turns, the two - instead of waiting in their chairs - are standing shoulder to shoulder, their helmets at their hips, expressionless, like a low-rent daft punk. he squares his shoulders like everything's normal here, and sees the asshole out with a cool nod.

as soon as he leaves -

he exhales, letting his shoulders and his head drop, releasing a moan to start, and then turning it into a yawn as the adrenaline starts to settle. the lack of sleep, the push to herd his brain into performative professionalism, on top of negotiating his own robbery.

oh. right. he's being robbed.

giving less than a fuck (but not zero fucks), he turns and resigns himself.

'thank you,' he says firstly, pointing it towards the one in yellow. 'ironically you probably saved my ass.'

the one in blue rumbles, like a whiny drunk, before it turns into a questioning 'ass?' the one in yellow turns to him, sharp, an obvious look of dismay on his face. he gestures, hurky, at his gun-phone - kibum tries to take a look at it, but suddenly takes several steps back as the one in yellow - not blue, it would have been easier if it were blue - raises it and aims it at him.

'whoa whoa, just - wait, i can get you - i can get you whatever money, i just have to go upstairs - ' and he squeezes his eyes shut as the one in yellow squeezes his hand, and it fires -

nothing happens. well, not nothing - there's some odd, light noise, like chimes, like the rounding noise of a balloon being blown up, and kibum dares to open its eyes and there are bubbles, iridescent in a way that doesn't quite look right, black and purple and green and red, stringing from one color to the next in a rhythm that's shifting, like it's looking for the perfect hue to settle on, shrinking and expanding out with little explorative tones that feel, inexplicably, like sticking your tongue out to taste the air, except with sound.

it doesn't look real, so jury's out if he's now suffering visual hallucinations, but he glances at the other two and finds the one in yellow is looking at him, with increasing levels of horror.

he opens his mouth and shrieks, incomprehensible syllables that make kibum want to cringe in on himself, but he's also still looking at him long enough to see his eyes shift, from the human brown to an alien orange.

alien.

spaceship.

he's not proud of it, but he passes out. at least in unconsciousness, he doesn't have to worry about dignity.

--------------------------------------

when he comes to, he's propped up in one of the salon chairs. across from him, taemin is sitting on the counter, playing with a pair of scissors. honestly, it's one of the most disconcerting things he can think of, and that's before the blue alien walks into view. taemin beams at him, and gets a smile in return, more tentative than earlier, more genuine.

'taemin,' he says, urgent and undecided about whether or not he needs to risk his life for his worst friend. 'what are you doing?'

'waiting for you to wake up. eating cereal.'

he doesn't have cereal. he ignores this discrepancy and slowly starts to get up. the one in blue doesn't stop him from steering taemin away so they can have this conversation slightly more privately. he still doesn't know where the one in yellow is.

'this is going to sound crazy. but these guys - they're not human - i don't think so, anyway.'

taemin puts his finger on his lips to shush him - to actually shush him, like he's a child and not the most rational, most human individual in the building.

'i know. they showed me their ship outside. it's pretty cool, actually.'

he turns to retrieve a box of cereal from behind the nearest mirror. this would explain kibum's ant problem. his arm goes elbow-deep as he takes a handful and starts eating it dry, talking around it.

'their names are jinki and minho. minho's the one in blue. jinki's out back trying to fix the ship. they crashed.'

'you talked to them.'

'no, they're telepathic. just - beamed it. right into my head,' taemin says, his eyes sparkling with mockery. 'yeah of course. i even introduced you too.'

'kibum,' says a new voice behind him. taemin keeps munching his cereal. kibum turns.

jinki looks infinitely more composed from earlier, which is impressive considering he looks like he's been actively rooting around in an engine, dark smears across his forehead, his gloves covered in something undeniably gooey. unfortunately nothing has really changed the actual look of him, and kibum - who will need therapy - chokes around his first 'hi' like an idiot.

the second one comes out a little smoother. it's hard to hear himself over taemin's chewing.

'kibum,' jinki says again.

'what?' he asks.

'that's all we've managed so far,' taemin says from behind him. when kibum turns to look, he shrugs and puts the box down, licking his fingers clean. 'but it's impressive, right? i'm probably going to be in history books.'

'lucky us,' he hisses. 'you don't even know they're peaceful.'

'um, you've been passed out for at least 30 minutes. and they left you alone and put you in that chair. i was up for leaving you on the floor. they're better than me.'

'low. fucking. bar.'

minho has moved to their side, looking between them like he's unsure whether to intervene or not. kibum turns away in a huff. so now he gets to handle aliens. he can't just leave them to taemin.

with a start, he realizes how much brighter it is outside, and, checking his phone, realizes he's near to the opening hours. he can't afford to leave the little he has, to take up recreational alien-babysitting. he also has, like, an obligation as a member of the human race to not have their ambassador be taemin.

he takes what he thinks is a discreet glance at the other three, and finds jinki looking back at him, patiently waiting. he flashes a nervous smile and looks back down to his phone.

ok.

plan.

small kernel of a plan. jinki is working on their ship. he can keep an eye on him from the salon, with the back door popped open. and he'd rather keep both aliens handy, but if he has them both down here, then taemin will undoubtedly lurk around too. so.

'go back upstairs,' he orders the pair of them. minho doesn't understand him, but he jabs his finger up to communicate the general spirit of it. taemin shrugs, but grabs minho's hand all the same.

his human-looking hand. he must have taken off his gloves at some point, which means that jinki's hands are probably similar.

it's traitorous or selfish or maybe just horny if he wonders what the chances are of the rest of their bodies being human like.

anyway.

jinki turns to follow them, but kibum reaches out to grab him by the sleeve. jinki looks at him, confused, and then takes his own gloves off - and, yes, they are human-like too. he clips them to his belt and grabs for kibum's hand, his grip still as light as earlier. outside of the glove, his hand feels terribly small and delicate, easy to dwarf in kibum's.

'your ship,' he starts, then falters. taemin has already disappeared up the stairs. he starts moving back towards the alley, prattling about taemin's ability to preoccupy people, for lack of anything else; jinki keeps pace beside him, his eyes kept trained on kibum's face, dipping down to watch his lips move. kibum tries valiantly to ignore what that does to him.

he pushes out into the alley, where the ship is opened up, a couple pigeons perched on its antennae.

'you can work on it,' he says, semi-helplessly gesturing towards the ship with their still-joined hands. 'and i'll be inside - ' he puts his free hand to his chest and then nods his head towards the path they just took. ' - if you need anything.' he lets go of jinki's hand and tries to reiterate with slightly more smooth motions.

jinki seems to get the gist of it, at first, but he grabs kibum's hand again and brings it up between them. bizarrely, kibum thinks he's about to kiss the back of it, he just has a gentle, warm look in his eyes that doesn't belong at all - but he doesn't. instead he meticulously opens his fingers, one by one, and then puts his gun-phone against his palm, and wraps his hand around to close it again. he maneuvers kibum's fingers into a series of motions, clicking a switch here, and there, until one of the screens lights up, with a series of lines running seamlessly from left to right.

jinki meets his eyes seriously and brings the device to his mouth. he speaks, clear and decisive: 'jinki'.

then, he moves it back to kibum and nods encouragingly.

'um, okay,' he says. he leans in, and clears his throat. 'kibum.'

jinki nods again and releases his hold. he clutches his hands together in mimicry of kibum's own posture, and mouths silently.

'you want me to talk into this,' he holds it closer to his mouth again, and, in doing so, notices the lines from earlier spiking with each syllable. oh. okay. translation device. or recording device. or... communicator? either way, it's not like it can do any harm. probably, anyway. his life is suddenly full of probabilities, when he had felt dead set on the certainty of failure.

'okay,' he says, deliberately slow, into the device, and is granted with a wide, happy smile from jinki.

he starts backing away from jinki, out of his own preservation instincts and the need to get the salon opened on time. he keeps his eye on the alien, on the off chance he has misunderstood, but jinki is also turning away, casting one last glance back at kibum, and nodding encouragingly when kibum clicks the button and says 'goodbye' into it. if it sounds a little sappy, well, there's no one here to call him out on it.

when he steps back into the building, he takes a few deep breaths and buoys himself up to start the day. everything else before this moment won't count for a good 10 hours.

--------------------------------------

he can't hold it the entire time, it's just not possible. but he does keep it on whenever he has one hand free, from greeting customers and employees as they arrive to clock in. he puts it aside when he's intent on a cut, or a wash, conscious at all times of when he's left it alone, peeking more often down the back way. occasionally he catches a glimpse of yellow, and once he saw jinki staring upwards towards the sky, lost in thought.

it twangs something in his chest, that he has to push aside.

he manages to get through the majority of his day like this, when his stomach suddenly and angrily growls. one of his stylists is nearby, and quirks an eyebrow at him.

'don't even start,' he says, and she sticks her tongue out, making him laugh. why not, he has to take a break at some time. he'll run upstairs and make sure minho and taemin are fine, and drag jinki along with him, and make sure he has something to eat to.

the question of what aliens eat is a good one, and kibum doesn't know, but he can at least ask. they're aliens, they can probably figure out if something will kill them.

'jinki,' he calls as he heads outside. there's a great clatter from the spaceship and jinki pops up, his lips parted and he lets out a pleased bark. kibum, fighting his own smile, motions for him to come down and simultaneously says 'let's eat some lunch, okay?' into the device.

'okay,' jinki repeats amiably, and kibum is positive he doesn't know what he's saying, but he isn't about to object to his sweet agreeability. especially considering they're going upstairs.

he waits semi-patiently for jinki to come down and then sneaks them both inside after looking, shooing jinki up the stairs.

'taemin, minho, have you guys eaten anything yet?' kibum calls out as he turns the key - there's no click, taemin didn't even bother locking - and enters. he waves jinki inside and takes a quick scan to make sure everything is in order. it looks like there's plates in the sink, the TV is loud from around the wall, but neither taemin or minho are anywhere to be seen. but, if they ate, then that speaks positively towards jinki being able to eat something. he clicks the button and starts talking.

'i'm going to give you some water. food...normally i'd just run out to GS25 and grab something, but i should have some packets here...taemin! what did you eat, i'm trying to feed for four here....'  he trails off as he realizes he hasn't heard much of anything since coming in except the TV. he abruptly turns and jinki senses the sudden change in his mood, setting his shoulders back and walking with more caution into the underlit apartment.

it's a small place, with a hole of a bedroom and a bathroom split off from the hybrid kitchen/sitting area. there's only so many places for people to lurk. kibum throws open the door to the bedroom, half-expected taemin to have taken over his bed, and minho resigned to the small desk in the corner, his helmet a pillow. but no such find waits for him there. which means they've either left, and they're altogether fucked, or -

jinki, following kibum's example, apparently is already turning the handle on the bathroom, and when he opens it he jumps back with a noise kibum can't even properly describe - it's like a gasp, gurgled through a mixer of soju and rock salt. when kibum takes the three steps necessary to arrive at his vantage point, minho is turned away, shoulders hunched in, his right arm in an all-too-human motion, and taemin is wiping his mouth and looking exceedingly - exceedingly - unapologetic.

'tell me you did not just suck an extraterrestrial dick, taemin, jesus!'

jinki makes some more noises that kibum trusts has the same energy.

kibum has always known about taemin's hobgoblin-esque exploratory promiscuity. he only asks that his friend be safe, perfectly unbothered that his metaphorical line in the sand is the human race.

he, understandably, never expected to have that sanguine understanding stress-tested.

while he's been busy engaging in a one-sided staring contest, jinki has pulled minho out into the hallway, and is having a furious conversation that sounds halfway between static and muzak. kibum has to consciously tune them out, has to do something to communicate that this cannot happen again, and also - how the fuck did this happen?

'how the fuck did this happen?' he yells. 'i left you alone for a morning, and you put him in your mouth? you don't know where he's been!'

'space,' taemin says. 'and this apartment.'

'you don't even speak the same language, you - you asshole - how can you even call that consensual?'

'hey,' taemin looks genuinely offended. 'i gave him some porn first and showed him how to turn it off and turn it back on. he found a blowjob one and had a boner. i asked and made sure he was good with it. c'mon, hyung, i'm not that guy.'

'fine. you are still the guy who just sucked a dick without having any idea of what it could look like, or what - what it was like when he came - or if the - if it was okay for you to swallow.'

'i didn't swallow,' taemin looks incredibly pleased with himself for his foresight, and holds his hands up in the universal sign for obviously. 'it's fine.'

'it is no way fine,' kibum hisses. 'you are such a dumbass.'

as he lets out the invective he turns and faces the other pair, who have stopped their own discussion and are now looking at him with expressions of apology and confusion - jinki - and...resolve? consternation? whatever. minho doesn't look nearly apologetic enough for kibum's mood.

'you're a dumbass too,' he hisses, stabbing a finger at minho.

'dumbass?' he parrots tentatively, pointing at himself, and then taemin. kibum rubs his temples.

'yes, exactly. both of you. glad we're all on the same page.'

'dumbass?' jinki asks, quieter, and pointing at himself.

'....no,' kibum responds, shaking his head. he can't even be bothered to try to explain, he just heads back to the kitchen. 'c'mon let's eat something. taemin, you are gargling and brushing your teeth first.'

'ok, but that means i have to use your toothbrush.'

the only respite kibum can take is that jinki helps him as best he can in the kitchen, monitoring the water he sets to boil and handing out the chopsticks when the convenience store ramyeon is done cooking.

--------------------------------------

he doesn't have much of a choice except to leave minho and taemin again. jinki seems much more opposed to it, pausing in at the bottom of the stairwell. he gestures towards kibum's pocket, where the edge of his device is poking out. at the motion, kibum pulls it out.

'sorry, i forgot to use it upstairs. don't think you'd want to remember much of it, to be honest.'

jinki shakes his head, and silently holds his hand out. kibum passes it over, watching as he holds it up to the side of his head, and presses a smaller button. the device says 'jinki', then 'kibum', and the rest of all the little pieces of conversation kibum has had throughout the day, speeding up until it's completely unintelligible, spitting noise into jinki's waiting ear. when it finishes, jinki nods, a small smile.

'thank you,' he says, clearly, carefully watching kibum's face.

'oh,' he replies faintly. 'you're learning? that helps you speak?'

jinki narrows his eyes in effort, and kibum realizes it's limited just to what has been recorded. has he talked about learning today, with the elderly mrs. park, or the chatty server from down the street? probably not. 'thank you' is thrown around so much in customer service, no wonder it's the first thing he picked up.

'you're welcome,' he says back, and jinki's smile is a quickly blooming thing that smacks kibum right across the face. he takes a step closer and presses it back into kibum's hand.

'use it more,' he asks softly. 'please.'

--------------------------------------

it's stupid, but he does. he memorizes the feel of pressing it just enough so it activates, and what it's like when his finger slips. he finds a little clip and fashions an attachment to his apron, so it's sitting on his collarbone. when there's an odd question about it, he says he's taking better notes of his day for record-keeping, and that seems to work well enough, though one or two stylists keep giving him odd looks. he doesn't acknowledge them.

at the back of his mind, he knows he's doing this for more than just improved communication, that he likes the way jinki smiles at him, the cadence of his voice when he says his name - the proud look in his eyes when they managed to exchange just a few words. he likes his steady, reserved presence. he has a sweet temperament that smooths down kibum's rough edges, just by being.

it's a crush. kibum brooks no self-deception. it hasn't been a week since he's broken up with his last boyfriend, and jinki is an alien, an actual alien, preparing to leave the planet, that he's known for all of nine hours. and he has a crush on him.

maybe when they lift off, he'll get burned up in the rocket fumes. frankly it's the only satisfiable outcome kibum can see from this.

he has one last appointment for the day, an older lady of the neighborhood who likes to talk, even when kibum doesn't. for once, this anticipated division doesn't bother him much, because it can be put to good use. he makes sure the button is pressed down and secure and leads mrs. choi to the chair, nodding along as she starts laying out her day, her impending anniversary, her entrenched drama with the other salon down the street (the cause for her patronage of kibum's location). it's all much formless noise to him, to be certain. luckily for him she doesn't need a partner to have a conversation, and he's lost in the focus of trimming when there's an unmistakable 'kibum?' from his right.

both he and mrs. choi turn to find jinki standing there, lavender hair a stringy mess, coated through with goop. kibum almost swears in dismay, stopping himself only in the nick of time. he looks down at mrs. choi and, before he can say anything, she swats up at him like they're friends. important to note that they are not friends, but kibum needs the money, and also needs jinki to stay undiscovered.

'jinki,' he says cautiously. 'what's wrong?'

visibly uncertain on how to proceed, jinki raises his shoulders, and lets them drop.

'it's a mess,' he says, and, yes, kibum did call a few things a mess today. 'i need to clean up. upstairs. okay?'

'oh honey,' mrs. choi says, feigning an unwarranted level of camaraderie. 'you really do. are you kibum's boyfriend?'

'friend,' kibum hastily corrects. he doesn't need to get himself into a fake-boyfriend scenario for further emotional torture. he looks square at jinki and nods. 'okay. take my key and go upstairs. wash.'

jinki nods, and kibum is grateful, glad that he managed to phrase it in a way he could understand. he excuses himself to go to the desk and pulls out the key ring, wiggling out his apartment key. jinki saw him use his key earlier, right? he should be able to figure it out. he takes a moment to send a text to taemin too to warn him.

'thank you,' jinki says again, and kibum dips his head back, oddly formal, and familiarly warm with pleasure when jinki turns with a small smile.

mrs. choi should go back to her old stylist, he'll lose her business gladly, because she greets him with a loud 'how handsome your friend is! you must be close, to let him use your shower.'

she says the last part with a relish to her voice, and god, kibum could kill her so easily. he laughs, hollowly, and she continues on.

'he's very polite too. have you known him long?'

'no.'

'mmmm, well. if you don't mind me saying, you shouldn't let him get away. and he seems to like you too!'

'well it doesn't matter who we like. can't really help that he's leaving town soon,' he says tightly.

she lets out a hiss of disappointment. he could give her a terrible asymmetrical cut in return.

'well, that's too bad. he seems to like you well enough, and well enough could be, well, enough to get him to stay!' she laughs gaily.

'ha ha,' he says.

--------------------------------------

'hey, it's me,' he calls through the door. knocking on his own door is just the way to end this day, tired and more emotional than he ever cares to disclose. 'let me in already.'

he hopes taemin hasn't gotten so far as to fuck minho. or let minho fuck him. or let minho suck his dick. if there's any chance they're incompatible, then spitting could hardly have been the apex of protection. taemin could be rotting from the mouth in, or minho from the dick out.

a small, tiny part of him thinks they'd deserve it. a larger part says if that happened, his crush on jinki would have the shit topper of misfortune it deserves. just to round it out perfectly.

he knows jinki must still be up there - because he checked out back before locking up, and the ship was half-dissembled, with jinki nowhere to be seen even when kibum called out - but he did not expect it to be jinki opening the door. he also did not expect jinki to be wearing some of his clothes, an oversized sweatshirt that makes him look like a college student.

'hi kibum,' he says, and he beams when he says, 'welcome back.'

it's so cute, is the thing, so exceedingly domestic and homely that kibum may not survive its cruelty, knowing it won't last.

'i washed,' he continues as kibum sets down his things blindly. 'taemin gave me clothes.'

'good,' he croaks. he fishes out the device before he can forget, hands it over to jinki's obvious pleasure. he holds it up to his ear, and kibum just watches his face, his eyes closed, as he learns. it's not fair, is it? life's not fair, is what they always say, but they're talking about things like losing your job, being left behind by the people you thought were you friends. not being teased with happiness, with love, and having it literally leave for the stars.

well, maybe there's an astronaut or something who can relate. whatever. kibum isn't about to argue technicalities with his own feelings.

'where's taemin and minho?' he asks, instead, when jinki has finished and is setting the device back down in the table. kibum presses the button before he asks, leaning back against the couch. he might as well keep giving his words, it's all he can do.

'they went out,' jinki says. 'for food.'

'okay,' kibum says. he's tired, but jinki looks like he's on the precipice of a question, and kibum knows he's going to have to say goodbye, so he doesn't wave it off.

'earlier,' he starts. 'taemin and minho. what are they doing?'

trust him to ask the hard question.

'sex,' he says. he hasn't said it at all today, it's not something you talk about with your customers. he's open, but he's not that open. he casts his mind back to some of the idle chatter from the afternoon. 'they kissed. taemin was making him happy.'

'oh,' jinki says. he sounds unfinished. he brings his fingers to his lips, and asks in confirmation. 'kissed?'

kibum nods.

'okay,' jinki says, then repeats it to himself. 'kibum?'

'yes?'

'does kissing make you happy?'

he snorts.

'sometimes.'

jinki tilts his head, his brows gone quizzical. there isn't enough vocabulary between them to explain it, but something in his eyes feels compassionate, and - kibum is just sunk. there's no way he's getting out of this without some damage.

'you're good,' he says, plain and honest. kibum flushes and turns away, but jinki continues speaking. 'you're good to us and to others. you should be happy.'

'i want to be,' kibum confesses to his hands. 'i want to be happy.'

jinki moves to his side, the couch arm between them.

'"sometimes"', he says back to him. he touches his lips, and then reaches out, stopping short of touching kibum, but pointing towards him all the same. 'tonight?'

kibum looks at him, and considers a thousand things that don't matter, because he's already saying 'yes', already watching jinki go down on one knee, then the other, folds his arms across the couch until his hands are resting on kibum's upper arms. he smells like his soap, but in this light his brown eyes spark orange once more, and there's a buzzing beneath his touch that hasn't been there before, and then he can see every star in his eyes, can see countless worlds in every freckle, and he surrenders at the first brush of jinki's lips against his.

it's only a momentary touch, but it lives past its occurrence. isn't that a thing? like the light shining down well after the sun had exploded, kibum can still feel his lips after he moves away.

jinki asks.

'are you happy?'

the light is blinking out.

kibum shakes his head, manages to smile a little.

'not tonight.'

--------------------------------------

he closes the salon the next morning, contacting the few appointments by phone call to make sure they get the notice. minho and taemin both slept on the couch overnight, wrapped up in each other, while jinki slept on the floor. the blanket kibum had lent him wrapped tightly around his form. it turned out his bathroom was hosting their suits, the helmets on the floor of the shower, so kibum just washed up the best he could with the sink, brushing his teeth with his finger on the recollection of taemin's earlier use.

apparently minho had also lent his device to taemin for a similar purpose, so the morning was filled with a lot more korean than he was used to, most of it full of minho's innocently profane conversations.

'you had to corrupt him,' he had wearily warned taemin after minho had given an enthusiastic definition of a rimjob to jinki.

'it was educational,' taemin retorted, and in a way, it was. it was certainly more straightforward than anything kibum had given jinki. but still, jinki had cast him his own looks, alternating between amusement and confusion. kibum shrugged helplessly and tapped their shared device reassuringly.

for now, it was much of the same as yesterday, minho and taemin keeping each other company while jinki worked on the ship. kibum was stewing over his business, trying to think past today, or tomorrow, to the return to his regular life.

it was much easier when jinki wasn't calling him out, excitement laced through his voice.

'kibum! come here!'

he gets up and heads out to the back. the ship looks great, with jinki perched atop the cockpit, half his body hidden inside.

'good news?' he asks, careful to have the button clicked.

'yes! very good!' he yells joyfully back. 'come here!'

'how?' he asks, because he doesn't feel like possibly cracking his back from falling onto the pavement. jinki laughs, the slightly alien rhythm of it, and extracts himself, climbing down with no problem at all. when he meets kibum, he turns to present his back and leans forward slightly.

'get on,' he says.

'it's called a piggyback ride,' kibum says uncertainly. he reaches out to touch the broad expanse of his back, before retracting. 'are you sure?'

'yes!' jinki says.

well, when it's said like that, kibum does his best, hopping awkwardly up and wrapping his legs around his hips. jinki grabs at his ankles and starts up, so that kibum is sitting further up on his back. he still smells like kibum's soap, even back as he is in his suit, and it's making the whole experience that much more surreal as jinki clambers easily back up to where he was.

'um, jinki, it's a little small,' because the entry is. looking into it, he's not sure how jinki expects both of them to fit, when he must have just had enough room to squeeze his lower half into the porthole-sized space. jinki shakes his head.

'it's not small,' he explains, without explaining. 'watch.'

he starts squeezing himself in, getting to his earlier position of being cut off at the waist. when he moves to slide down further, his upper half disappears in a blink, leaving the gap empty.

'what the fuck - jinki!' he yells, looking down and also watching his own step, now paranoid about being transported god knows where.

'it's okay!' comes his voice from - inside? kibum peers closer and can't see him at all. anxiously, he dips one toe into the space, but nothing happens. as though entering a cold pool, he starts to clamber in, toe, foot, knee, then the other. all of the sudden he can feel a grip around his ankle and shrieks in fear, starting to kick out before jinki's voice calls out again.

'it's me, i'm here.'

'okay,' he says, chanting it to himself, once, twice - on the third time he bends his knees to go lower, and just as the metal siding brushes his belly button he can feel something wrap around him, like a squeezing flash of warmth, and then he really is being squeezed, by jinki's solid arms, the alien smiling at him reassuredly.

'not small,' he says, and releases him so kibum can see he's now inside a spaceship a good three times bigger than it was on the outside.

'yep. you're right,' he concedes. 'not small.'

'i want to show you something,' jinki says, and he takes him to the front. out of the window he can see the entry into his salon, and beneath it is an expanse of controls. on the far left, there's a screen with another alien, his helmet off, pink hair almost cartoonishly bright.

'jonghyun,' jinki says, with clear affection in his voice. 'kibum.'

'hi,' kibum says, waving. jonghyun waves back, but doesn't speak, clearly turning to look at jinki to translate.

he's gotten so used to jinki talking in korean that it's disorienting to hear him let out those indiscernible noises again, and to hear jonghyun respond back in kind, but he doesn't want to interrupt the clearly happy reunion. jinki is smiling wide, and jonghyun's a bit softer, but obviously genuine.

they're talking about his coming home. kibum wraps his arms around his torso and waits, because what else can he do? this was an accident, after all, and accidents get fixed.

they are talking for a while, it seems, their tones shifting into something more serious - as best kibum can tell - so he takes a step back and begins looking around. the ship is bigger than outside, but clearly was only ever meant for two - two seats, two beds towards the back. there has to be some food for their journeys, kept somewhere, or maybe they were fed nutrients, like in the matrix, until it was time to wake up. it's a big universe, and jinki is meant to be somewhere else in it. not here. not with kibum.

'done,' jinki says, cutting through kibum's thoughts. when he turns back, jinki is looking at him, so he comes forward. from the screen, jonghyun looks pleased to have jinki (and minho, but - you know - fuck him, he goes in the same bucket as taemin) coming back soon.

'done?' he asks and jinki nods, pleasure evident on his face. he performs a complex little signal with his hands that jonghyun reciprocates, and then reaches out to turn it off.

'can we go outside?' kibum asks, because he doesn't think he can stand to be in this ship anymore, with its two seats, two beds, and engine ready to leave. he moves aimlessly back towards where jinki caught him, and jinki lets out that alien laugh, richer for having talked to jonghyun, high off of his happiness.

'there,' he guides kibum to one of the circles decorating the floor, hand gently clutching at his elbow. 'wait.'

that bright, warm flash and kibum is on top of the ship, with taemin and minho looking up at him from the blacktop. before he can make an excuse for his expression - because he can feel it - he can feel the pressure of tears at the corner of his eyes, jinki appears as well. he turns and leans forward again, inviting kibum to ride his back once more, and kibum - he's not proud of this at all - he clutches jinki in a hug from behind, before jumping up into the piggyback.

they climb down together, kibum burying his face in jinki's neck. he's sure he can feel a snotty tear or two, and wipes it across his yellow suit before sliding off.

'ready?' minho asks, anticipation evident in his voice.

'ready,' jinki says. in unison they make that hand signal jinki just shared with jonghyun, and kibum clears his throat.

'thanks for - thanks for crashing into our planet,' he offers, with a respectable command of his voice.

'it was our pleasure,' jinki says.

'literally,' taemin interrupts, elbowing at minho, and the taller alien blushes with a greenish tint. he steps forward to be side by side with jinki, and they each bow forward to taemin and kibum, from their waist, in perfect form.

then, jinki turns to minho:

'i've spoken to jonghyun about the return, and he is prepared,' and he turns to taemin, who - kibum is now noticing - has a bag over his shoulder. 'i have marked all foods that can be eaten. do not stare at the stars too long; you will burn your eyes out.'

'what,' says kibum.

'i brought sunglasses,' taemin argues.

'that's not enough,' minho says, and jinki is handing him his helmet, and minho is moving to place it over taemin's head, and jinki is taking off his suit, revealing one of kibum's old t-shirts, and some sweatpants, and -

'what,' says kibum.

'i want to stay,' jinki says. as he steps out of his suit, he stumbles, and minho catches him with long practice. he moves forward and kibum instinctively turns away from minho and taemin's gazes, trying to find some privacy, to find some equilibrium, because jinki is talking like -

'i like you,' he says.

'you don't know what that means,' kibum says, but jinki smiles.

'yes, i do,' he says, gentle, always gentle. 'i'm not leaving town.'

mrs. choi, and kibum's fingers on the button, keeping it on. jinki pressing the device against his ear, listening carefully and telling kibum he should be happy.

'it's not fair to you,' kibum says again, because he is selfish, he has always wanted more for himself, and in his experience what he wants, doesn't agree to be had. 'your planet - '

'my planet doesn't have you.'

jinki closes his hands over his.

'kibum,' he says. 'will kissing make you happy today?'

'yes,' he whispers, and jinki smiles. there are stars in his eyes.

the space between them closes, their lips pressed together, the world is shaking, rumbling like it never has before and jinki is holding him close as the ship lifts off, taemin pressed against the window like a bug. behind him, minho waves, the light bouncing off his helmet.

jinki is pressing another kiss to kibum's hair as he watches the ship become smaller and smaller, until it's little more than another dot of white among the clouds.

and kibum -

he's happy.

[jnksecret]

onkey wallpapers (home + lockscreen)

requested ✿

[lastkim]

Q: If you do change into a girl, who would you probably date with? Onew: I would probably date Key. Unique, strong personality, very interesting, just like my cup of tea…

[jinkisbelly]

Wildest Dreams 3/?

Pairing: Onkey

Raiting: idk pg-13 for kissing in a pool 

w/c:4.6k, altogether so far 18.9k

Summary: Prince Kibum of the Kingdom of Joesan is saved by a mysterious, young swordsman who becomes a lot more than just his personal guard.

Part 1,   Part 2  Ao3    AFF

          It took weeks for everyone that was visiting for the party to leave and return to their own homes. It was only then that Kibum gave into his incapability to sleep and roamed the Castle in the stillness of the night. His attempt to get out of bed without Jinki noticing failed. The moment his legs moved against the silk of his sheets, Jinki’s attention was moved from the balcony doors he was looking through. Noticing he was awake and sitting up on the edge of his bed, Jinki quietly asked as he stepped closer. “Are you alright, Kibum?”

          “I am having trouble sleeping.”

          “Oh,” Jinki pursed his lips for a moment, “Do you want me to send for something from the kitchens?”

          Slipping on his boots he shook his head, before turning enough to look at Jinki. “If I say I wish to go for a walk are you going to stop me?”

          “Depends on if you try to lose me in the process.”

          “Oh, never. I like your company.”

          “That’s very good to hear.” Jinki held up a thick robe for Kibum to wiggle his arms into before it was laid against his shoulders. “Lead the way.”

          The halls almost echoed as he moved through them. He knew Jinki was just a few steps behind him even with the silence of his footsteps. Soon the looming archway that led into the main courtyard came into view and they no longer needed the light from the candle in their lanterns.

          “It’s so beautiful out,” Kibum softly exclaimed, head moving quickly as he took in how the moonlight fell on the rich gardens of the main courtyard. “So quiet as well. I’ve never experienced the castle so still before.”

          Jinki had stopped walking a few paces behind him. His eyes were closed as he took the light of the moon across his skin. He didn’t notice the Prince gazing at him until he opened his eyes again. His head was gently cocked to the side, curious. “Is something wrong, My Prince?”

          “I haven’t seen you so relaxed.” He replied quietly, giving a small smile. “You’re softer here in the gardens.”

          “It’s the stillness. My senses can take a rest from all the constant stimulants.” He folded his hands in front of his belt with a kind smile. “My mind is quiet, so I am relaxed.”

          “It fits you.” Kibum panicked a little when Jinki’s eyebrow raised, flustered slightly. “I mean, you’re always so focused and vigilant. It’s a nice look on you, for you I mean, to be relaxed like this.”

          “Uh huh.” The corner of Jinki’s lips quirked up. His fingers flexed a little at his belt. “Are you alright, Kibum? You look flushed.”

          “Oh, just fine.” He turned away from him, swallowing thickly as over and over in his thoughts he mumbled ‘stupid just stupid’. The fountain’s edge was cool against his palms as he carefully sat upon it. He was running his fingers through the almost cold water when he glanced back at Jinki. “Thank you for following me down here.”

          The laughter flowing from Jinki’s lips was soft and warm, causing Kibum to freeze his hand movement in the pool of water. Jinki was smiling fondly at him, his amusement dripping off of him in waves, but his eyes showed how tired he really was. “I go wherever you go Kibum.”

          Seeing Jinki move about the gardens, pulling his glove from his right hand to be able to touch the softness of the flower petals and the cool dew on the leaves, Kibum felt his immoral feelings toward the man bubble into his chest. It was getting harder to ignore them with how frequently they slipped through his defenses. Thinking about the way Jinki’s hand felt clasped on his shoulder, the carefree smile he had when he laughed, the way he calmed down over a cup of tea, and the look in his eyes when they sparred. A few strands of hair falling on his forehead, blowing in the soft breeze, made Kibum remember the way he gathered the dark hair from his neck so carefully to put it back up one late night. Remembering the way Jinki’s fingers moved across his neck to catch escaping strands. He forced himself to look away from Jinki, swallowing thickly as he tried to push the feelings away. If he came clean, he knew he could very well ruin the state of their relationship, this friendship, completely. The daydreams of all the positive possibilities confessing his secret love for his friend stopped him from ignoring that option entirely. He knew Jinki favored men, knew he had felt attraction toward his fellow men, but even knowing Jinki wouldn’t react as if disgusted made the next words out of Kibum’s mouth difficult. “Will you come to sit with me?”

          Concern flashed over Jinki’s features, his hand slowly falling from the flower he was reaching up to bring closer to smell. He made his way over gracefully, each footstep silent as he did so, before sitting almost delicately on the fountain’s edge next to him. Their hands would touch if both of them were laid against the stone between them. “You seem bothered by something. Do you wish to return to your rooms?”

          “No, no, I’m fine here.” He waved his hand softly before it fell into his lap. He twisted his fingers nervously. “Something is clouding my thoughts, however.”

          “Anything I can help with?”

          “Actually,” Kibum laughed a little, “All of it really.”

          “Oh?” Jinki breathed out softly, voice quiet with how close they were.

          “In the last two years, we’ve learned a lot about each other, haven’t we?” When Jinki slowly nodded, Kibum continued. “I have been thinking things, immoral things, about you for some time. I’ve tried to block them out, convince myself that they were just passing thoughts, like a feather on the breeze, but they kept coming back even stronger.”

          “I’m not quite sure I understand, Kibum.”

          “Do you remember our conversation on whether you’ve bed a woman?”

          “Quite.” Jinki was staring intently at him, probably trying to figure out what foolishness was actually coming from his mouth.

          “Well, I lied when I told you I didn’t understand what you meant by having an eye for your fellow man.” Kibum bit his bottom lip, eyes falling from Jinki’s face before fluttering close. “I lied because I keep looking at you the way someone such as I should look at a woman.”

          “Kibum…”

          With a shuddering breath, Kibum’s eyes opened, but he stared out at the trees before him, too scared to see the way his friend was looking at him then. Just the soft gasp of his voice was enough to break his heart a little. “And it’s quite more than that I’ve recently realized. I want to hold your hand just, or even more than I wish to kiss your fingers, to feel the roughness of them from all your sword work. I find myself wondering what it’d be like to kiss you, to hold you close, to court you as one would someone they’re involved with. To hear you say you love me as I do you. Because I do Jinki, love you that is.” Kibum licked his lips, nerves shot by that point. Silence fell then, just the rustling of the plant life around them and the trickle of the fountain behind them. Against his better judgement, he turned to look at him as he pleaded. “Please say something Jinki.”

          “I-” He huffed, licking his lips nervously. “I am not worth your love Kibum.”

          “What?” He had expected a kind, yet sweet, dismissal. Maybe even a mumbled, but we can’t.

          “I am not someone you should love.”

          “If you do not feel the same as me, or find me offensive, say so instead of these foolish excuses.” Except, all anger melted from his voice when Jinki lowered, hunched over his lap. Jinki was always tall in structure, never slouching at all, and seeing him bent so heavily on his knees concerned Kibum greatly. “Hey, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean..”

          When Jinki spoke his voice was so soft, each word sounding strained and almost forced. “I told you about my father and my mother. People who love me end up hurt. They die.” He glanced over then, through his falling strands of hair, and Kibum’s heart ached seeing how pink and glossy his eyes were. “I will not allow you to be hurt because of me.”

          “Loving you is not what caused their deaths.” He reached over to grip his arm softly, “People are disgusting creatures. They killed your parents. Not you.”

          As Jinki straightened again there was a sad, almost mocking, smile upon his lips. “I never told you they were killed because of me, who I am. I’m a mutt.” He rose his hands slowly. As his fingers rested against the black cloth he wore around his ears he paused for a moment, as if contemplating if he really wanted to go through with it, but then he was untying it under his braid and the cloth was laid across his palms as he rested his hands in his lap. A shimmer moved across his face as he turned completely toward him. “I lied to you about who I was. I did it to protect myself as my mother requested of me, but I must confess. My mother was a human. The daughter of the baker in the human town close to my father’s farm in the Elven lands. My Father was a dark elf.  Having me, keeping me, was proof of their immoral relationship. I got these scars when I was eleven from the man who was supposed to be my maternal grandfather. My parents were killed protecting me.”

          “Oh, Jinki.” Kibum breathed out, a hand lifting to cover his lips briefly.

          Jinki shook his head, laughing at himself pitifully. “Don’t look at me like that. I look at myself that way more than enough.”

          “You are beautiful Jinki.” When the man tried to move away, Kibum gripped his arm, moving to kneel before him. His hands rested softly on Jinki’s thighs, a gentle smile on his face as he gazed up at him. “I’ve always believed you to be gorgeous. The way you move, how you form your words when you speak, and even how your hair always falls into our eyes. I think the most beautiful I’ve ever seen you is here before me now.”

          “Kibum, please, don’t pity me.”

          “I love you.” He found his hand curling around Jinki’s, feeling the warmth of them as he tried with all his might to make the man believe those three words. Jinki’s walls were crumbling, his resistance scattering. Kibum’s gaze flicked over to the soft, pink, ragged scars. Four lines curving from his right cheekbone down his jaw and his neck slightly. “May I touch them?”

          Jinki’s eyes widened for a moment before he softened, “Yes.”

          When Kibum’s fingers brushed against the scars, they were warm and soft, almost as much as his gaze was. There was no malice in his expression, no disgust. It reminded Jinki of the way Kibum looked at the stars at the night, fond and almost amazed. “My feelings for you, whether or not you return them to me Jinki, haven’t suddenly gone away because of this. You opened up expecting me to be repulsed, but I am not. I want you to feel safe here. No one will harm you because of who you are. If they try, it’s because they want to harm me.”

          “I did expect you to be repulsed.” Jinki quietly confessed as he laid his hand over Kibum’s still touching his cheek. He shifted a little to press a kiss to his palm as he returned the words. “I love you too, Kibum.”

          His breathing hiccuped then, as he cupped Jinki’s other cheek, pushing up to kiss him on the lips. It was sweet, and chaste, if only for a moment. They parted slowly, searching each other’s gaze for some sign of doubt. When finding none, it was Jinki who pressed deeper, opening the kiss to more warmth and feeling. Their kiss was interrupted by the changing of the guard then, Jinki grabbing his wrist and tugging him from the open view of the fountain. His right arm was tight around him, pulling him so their bodies were aligned as they hid behind the line of oak trees. His other hand was lifted, a single finger against his lips, as his eyes seemingly said, be quiet.

          It was when the courtyard was once again clear did it feel as if they could breathe, both beginning to laugh at the circumstance. The laughter was cut off by a simple glance. They were still pressed together, Jinki’s arm wrapped around his waist, and neither had any self-preservation to prevent them from kissing again. Kibum’s fingers curled around the back of Jinki’s neck, feeling how the young man’s grip tightened on his back. Soon though, they parted, with an unspoken promise for more as they walked back to Kibum’s rooms. Before Jinki left he pressed a sweet kiss to Kibum’s lips, smiling with a soft, “Good night, My Prince.” Before slipping through the door. Leaving Kibum with his heart beating fast and his mind floating above the clouds.

----

          Jinki tapped his foot impatiently, arms crossed over his chest as he stared at the closed door he was ordered to not enter yet. He wasn’t sure what Kibum was doing inside of his rooms, but whatever it was didn’t negate Jinki’s duty to be there to protect him through it. He had a feeling Kibum had been keeping him away all day. Ever since their sword lesson, Kibum had made it very clear he had no intention of returning to his chambers yet, which was extremely odd. Then, finally, when they did Kibum had ordered Jinki to wait out here. Not taking any complaints or opinions before shutting the door in his face. That was really not the way you treated someone you supposedly loved and kissed a few nights prior, or anyone really.

          “What do you think he’s doing in there?” Jinki slowly turned toward the voice to find one of the patrol guards.

          “No clue.”

          “Maybe he’s entertaining a girl.”

          Jinki hummed quietly, tapping his fingers on his arms as he kept them still crossed across his chest. “I doubt that greatly. I’d know if there was anyone in there with him.”

          “Maybe.”

          He returned to gaze at the closed door across the hallway from him as he quietly quipped. “Don’t you have a patrol route to finish?”

          “Of course, Sir.”

          Just as the man had turned the far left corner the door opened. Kibum was standing in the opening with the biggest smile on his face. Jinki rose his eyebrow, slowly pushing from the wall to take careful steps toward him. “And what have you been doing, Your Highness?”

          “Oh, this and that.” He stepped aside with a wave of his arm. “Come in and see.”

          Jinki’s eyes were closed as he walked into the room, “This is highly unorthodox and against protocol. What really-” His voice stopped completely as soon as he opened his eyes and saw the spread on the main table straight up the middle of the room. He whipped around to find Kibum, the question on his lips as he moved. “What is this?”

          There were candles lit down the length of the table. There were various plates of food on either side of the candles, but only two place sets laid out. “I don’t know what your people do for people they are with but I recall reading somewhere this is the type of thing you do when you’re courting someone and um I did this for you.”

          Kibum was rocking back and forth on his feet, wringing his fingers in front of him and his bottom lip was pulled through his teeth as he softly chewed on it. Jinki took the few steps and pressed a gentle kiss to his cheek. “It’s very sweet. Thank you.”

          “I was worried you would be angry with me for making you wait out there.” Kibum quietly said as he pulled Jinki’s chair out for him.

          “I was concerned, but far more curious.” Jinki sweetly smiled as he took a closer look at the food on the table. “What did you tell the kitchens to get all this up here?”

          “Oh, that I was practicing for entertaining visiting diplomats.”

          “And they accepted that?”

          Kibum shrugged, but there was a slightly goofy smile on his face. “It worked didn’t it?”

          “That it did.” The juice was poured into his glass carefully as he wiggled a little to get his chair where he wanted it to be. Once happy with the placement, he took the filled glass until it was almost to his lips, looking at Kibum drinking his own over the rim. “And my people give wooden pendants they’ve carved to the people they’re courting.”

          Jinki laughed quietly when Kibum choked a little on his juice. “But you - the pendant wasn’t... We didn’t yet.”

          “No, but it meant something to me and I wanted you to have it.”

          “Does it…did you mean it to mean that?”

          “I did. Does.”

          “And if I hadn’t said anything, you would have just let me wear it all the time without knowing the meaning of it?”

          “I suppose I would have told you what it meant eventually.” There was just a slight curve at the corners of his lips as he cut the meat from the roasted chicken before them. He glanced over quickly to scope out Kibum’s features before returning to cutting. “You seem bewildered.”

          “I was thinking about what would have been if I never said anything.” Kibum ran his tongue over his bottom lip quickly, “You’d have spent the rest of your time guarding me looking at the pendant knowing what you meant by it. Whoa, okay that’s sad. Let’s forget that.”

          “Alright.” Jinki chuckled before reaching to grab Kibum’s hand, giving it a soft squeeze. “Things are just beginning and nothing is set in stone. I just want to enjoy the time I have with you like this.”

          “We don’t want this food to get cold, either.” Jinki pressed a warm kiss to his knuckles before letting the hand go.

-----

          They made a point to sit on Kibum’s balcony after retiring to his rooms from dinner, usually Jinki leaning back between his legs, staring out as the sun fully set over the sea in the distant horizon. However, today was one of Jinki’s off days where he could do whatever he pleased. Kibum was very surprised to see him standing outside the door when he opened it late that morning. He blinked for a moment before stepping aside to let him in, closing the door and locking it numbly. He shook his head as he worked through it all. “What are you doing here?”

          “I was wondering if you’d be up for a little mm rebellious act.”

          “Are you asking me to break the law, Jinki?” Kibum rose his brows as he stepped behind the chair across from Jinki, fingers curling around the back of it.

          “Vaguely.” The grin on his face was so pretty Kibum couldn’t find himself able to hold up the rouse of saying no. “Just… put these on and trust me.”

          Kibum caught the clothes tossed at him, looking through them quickly before turning toward his bedroom to change, the question on his tongue but remaining unasked. Once changed, he glanced into the mirror along the far wall. The clothes were nicely made, but simple. A light tan pant and a white shirt, tight around his forearms, but loose over his upper arms and shoulders. He vaguely looked like a pirate and he wasn’t sure how he felt about that. When he stepped from his room Jinki dropped his riding boots on floor in front of him. “These too?”

          “Trust me.” And he did, so he left it alone as he pulled on his boots. He was given a simple sword to put on his belt before Jinki grabbed his wrist with a bright smile. He pulled Kibum over to the large painting on the wall, pushing the corner to make it slide open revealing a dark passageway. Jinki looked back at him, smile still bright on his face as he asked, “What didn’t know you had secret passageways?”

          “No.” Kibum huffed. “I didn’t. How did you know?”

          It was then he realized Jinki had taken off the wrap he usually had on his head, his ears clearly visible as they wiggled. “Better spatial ability. Let’s go.”

          Jinki had his hand out, palm up as it glowed softly. Could he always do that? “Could you always do that?”

          “Watch your step here.” Jinki quietly warned before answering. “And yeah.”

          “Do you have other mystic powers?”

          “A few yes.” Jinki stopped then, letting go of his hand for a moment to slide the barrier before them slightly. He put a finger to his lips as he kneeled to peer through the small crack. Then he was quickly taking his hand, their fingers intertwining as he tugged him through the opening. Kibum looked back for a moment to see a large tapestry in the south hallway leading from the grand dining room. Then he was tugged around a corner and out into the back lawn toward the stables before he could look more.

          Noticing that the stables were empty, but their horses were saddled, Kibum ventured to ask, “Did you plan this?”

Jinki slipped around the other side of his horse as he leads them out of their stall, smiling over the saddle. “Don’t you usually have to plan to kidnap the crowned prince?”

          “I suppose.”

          “Let’s go.” Jinki quickly swung his leg over the saddle and moved over to the back stable door, which Kibum could have sworn was just closed.

          As he rode alongside him, Kibum asked, “Where are you taking me?”

          “You’ll find out.”

          Kibum needed to talk to him about these vague cryptic answers.

-----

          They managed to ride through town without much trouble, past the far docks and into the thick woods that lead away from the Capital City. They stayed off the main road, cutting through the woods with a familiarity Kibum wondered how Jinki acquired. When they exited the line of trees, Kibum was presented with a stunning view of the bright blue sea. “The horses must remain here.”

          He slowly looked over to find Jinki dismounting and leading his horse toward on of the trees with a low branch to tie the reins. When his horse was also tied up, Kibum noticed the few apples Jinki had rolled onto the ground before each horse. He had a large pack on his back as he straightened, bright smile on his face as he offered his hand. “You aren’t worried about thieves?”

          “The rock formation there hides them from plain view even if someone happened to be this deep in the woods from the road.” Jinki gestured down the rocky path leading to the beach below. “The only way to get to where we’re going is from the sea, or the way we came. If anyone came we’ll know. Come on and watch your step.”

          Jinki’s hand was sure and warm holding his as they made their way down the narrow path.  There was a soft breeze blowing from the ocean, the waves crashing against the shore in slow intervals, but as they stepped onto the sand Jinki led him away from the water behind a large rock formation just ahead. The light shifted then, from bright to muted and Kibum stood frozen as he gazed around the foliage he now could see.

          It looked very much like a cave except the top was open, allowing the blue sky to be seen through the treetops. There were so many different types of plants in the circular space. Trees almost as tall as the cave itself, flowers he had never seen before in bright flowing colors, and in the distance there was the soft sound of a waterfall. Jinki led him through the thick broad leaves until they were in the middle of the cavern. Kibum looked around dazed, mouth open slightly and eyes wide, as he softly breathed out, “What is this place?”

          “The unique shape of the cave allows the air to be moister than other places which allow more diverse plant life that washes in from the sea. I hid here after ditching the caravan for a few days before heading into town.”

          “It’s very pretty.” Kibum playfully glared. “You still could have told me where you were taking me.”

          “I wanted to surprise you.” Jinki stared off in the distance, chewing on his bottom lip for a minute, before smiling, “Romantic. I was being romantic.”

          Warmth bloomed from his chest seeing Jinki so proud of himself. He kissed his cheek. “You were.”

          That only proved to make his smile grow somehow, “Come sit, I have more romance planned.”

------

          Jinki swam to the edge of the pool slowly, putting his arms onto the warm sand and smiling up at Kibum sitting beside him. “You should come in and swim with me. It’s not that deep.”

          “I’d rather just watch.”

          “But Kibum,” Jinki grinned, his hair fanning around him once it hit the water. “I really want you to come to swim with me.”

          “And if I refuse?”

          “Why don’t you try and find out?” Kibum really didn’t like the way Jinki was looking at him, so with a sigh, he pulled off his shirt and tossed it behind him toward the rest of their things. Jinki was grinning from ear to ear as he slipped into the water slowly. “It’s nice, isn’t it?”

          Kibum curled his fingers around Jinki’s wrist in the water, softly tugging him closer as his other hand cupped his cheek. “C’mere.”

          Jinki returned the kisses slowly, letting Kibum lead. The water was shallow enough they both could stand flat-footed and still have their shoulders out of the water. Jinki pulled his hand from Kibum’s to hold his hips, laughing a little against the kiss when he was twisted and his back was pressed into the bank of the pool. “Eager?”

          Kibum chuckled, pressing his forehead into Jinki’s damp shoulder. When he lifted his head his skin was flushed pink. “Thank you for today. I felt.. Normal.”

          “Thank you for letting me kidnap you.”

          “Any day.” Kibum lifted his hands slowly, water dripping from them before he pushed them through Jinki’s hair. “Your ears are out.”

          Jinki had his hands covering them quickly, eyes widen as he rushed out, “I can hide them if it-”

          He pecked his lips quickly, shaking his head as he pulled away. “You’re so pretty, My little Elfling.” When he realized what words came out of his mouth his eyes widened, “I apologize if that offends you.”

          But Jinki was giving that shy smile of his, a slight curve of his lips and pink on his cheeks, but his eyes were narrow slits to the point of them being all the way closed. “I like it.” He leans forward just enough to press a kiss to Kibum’s jaw. “Princeling.”

          Soon they’d have to pack up and head back to the castle before it got too late the Castle Guard was put on high alert, but until then Kibum was content on enjoying the quiet there with Jinki. And the warmth in his chest knowing Jinki felt safe with him to drop his mask.

-----

[laguz-stone]

Donkey Kong (SSBU) ☆ icons ↳ requested by anon

[sasaranomiya]

Koukyuu no Karasu Volume 1 Chapter 1 - The Jade Earring (Part 5)

Translation Notes

1. The Eastern Palace is the traditional residence/title for the crown prince in Japan

2. The Eastern Palace is the traditional residence/title for the crown prince in Japan.

3. A special type of paper that is "marbled" with wavy lines and graphics for the aesthetic. It originated from the Tang dynasty.

Previous || Index || Next

After she boiled the herbs Onkei brought back and had Kougyou drink them, her fever went down the next morning. When she was fed gruel with carrots and licorice for nourishment, her color improved somewhat. While they were taking care of her, the sun set and Koushun arrived. Jusetsu had sent word for him to come.

“Do you know the name of the eunuch who ordered you to keep quiet and killed Han-oujo?”

Koushun asked Kougyou. When the situation was explained to him, he didn’t look surprised. Kougyou nodded and wrote down the name on a piece of paper. Koushun glanced at it, then passed the paper to Ei Sei.

“A hanger-on of the empress dowager. Someone of low status. He’s currently in the Palace Servants Bureau.”

I’m glad I didn’t finish it all back then. Only Jusetsu and Ei Sei, who were right next to Koushun, heard him mutter that. By “back then,” he must be referring to the empress dowager’s expulsion.

“Do you know the name of the man who was betrothed to Han-oujo?”

Koushun asked. Kougyou immediately wrote, “Niangniang always called him Juurou-sama,” and then seemed to fall into deep thought. “Juurou” was a seniority rank, and it could only be a nickname meaning that the man was the tenth son in the same generation of his clan.

After a while, she seemed to recall the name and hurriedly wrote it down.

The name Kougyou wrote was “Kaku Kou.”

“Kaku Kou…?” Koushun muttered puzzledly.

“Do you know that name?” Ei Sei asked. Koushun put his hand on his chin, seemingly trying to recall.

“I remember hearing it. I believe it was from Meiin.” Meiin was the imperial scholar. He was an advisor to the emperor. “Kaku Kou is a genius. He passed the civil service examinations in the top spot. He is currently an editor at the palace library.”

How well he remembers, Jusetsu thought. Koushun crossed his arms, deep in thought.

“If they were a family of high enough status to enter their daughter into the inner palace as a concubine, then the betrothed must also be a man from a respectable family, so it is reasonable that he would become a civil official, but…”

——What does that betrothed think of Han-oujo?

After his betrothed was taken to the inner palace—in other words, to the emperor, she died.

Jusetsu pressed her hand against the place where she tucked the earring in her sash.

“…Can we not meet this person?” Jusetsu raised her head and asked Koushun. “You?” Koushun asked back. Consorts of the inner palace, unless it was their family, were fundamentally not allowed to meet with people from the outside.

“It appears that Han-oujo pined for her betrothed even after she entered the inner palace. I wish to ask him how their relationship was like.”

If Han-oujo was deeply in love with her betrothed, then it was possible that that was where her regrets lay. If he was in their hometown, then it would be difficult for Jusetsu, who couldn’t leave the palace, to meet him, but it was possible to meet him somehow if he was a civil servant. Although, that depended on Koushun’s cooperation.

“Very well,” Koushun seemed to deliberating on something, but he answered without a moment’s delay. “I’ll arrange for you to meet him.”

Jusetsu studied Koushun’s face for a moment. Although this was his request, the emperor went to the trouble of visiting to listen to a mere palace lady’s appeal and granted Jusetsu’s request readily. She wondered just what exactly that jade earring was to him.

“…I have asked you this at the beginning, but why are you exerting yourself so much? All things considered, it is simply an earring that you found.”

It wasn’t something the emperor did.

Koushun only glanced at Jusetsu’s face and stood up without answering. Indignant at having her question be ignored, Jusetsu followed Koushun as he was about to leave the room.

Right as he was about to leave the palace, Koushun stopped. He opened his mouth without turning around.

“I believe I’ve also told you this at the beginning,” Koushun’s voice was quiet. Jusetsu stood next to him and looked up at his face. “I want to know who dropped that earring.”

“I told you that I cannot—”

“That’s why, if I know the identity of the ghost possessing it, there might be a way of finding out who it was.”

“…So you had me investigate?”

“Thanks to you, I know that this earring belonged to Han-oujo. I give you my gratitude.”

“Even if you knew that, you wouldn’t be able to know who dropped it.”

The person who probably dropped it was a eunuch or palace lady from the previous emperor’s reign to whom Han-oujo gave the earring. They didn’t know how many people fitted that description.

“You never told me why you wanted to know in the first place.”

Koushun seemed like he was answering her questions properly, but he was actually evading them. He was like this from the start. He seemed like a serious man, but she didn’t think he was trustworthy.

Koushun glanced down at Jusetsu from the corner of his eye, and then stooped down a little. “If I tell you, I think it would add to your troubles,” His face was so close that Jusetsu almost backed away, but his voice was even quieter than before, so she stayed in place. This was something he didn’t want anyone overhearing.

“You have already imposed a mountain of troubles onto me.”

“…I wasn’t the one who found that earring.”

Jusetsu looked up at Koushun.

“Then, who?”

“My spy in the inner palace.”

“Spy…”

“The person who dropped it might be a witness to a certain plan. If that’s the case, they would be a great help to me.”

“Dajia,” Ei Sei spoke up. “You do not need to say that much.”

Koushun glanced at him to silence him.

——A plan?

The person who dropped the earring would be a witness to it.

Jusetsu furrowed her brow.

“So, you were working hard for that reason? Not for the sake of the ghost.”

Was saying “I suppose you can call it pity” a lie as well?

“I’ve answered all your questions.” Without changing his expression, that was all Koushun said before he started walking away. Jusetsu glared at his back. ——However.

——Can’t you save her?

Recalling Koushun’s words, the tension dissipated from between her brows.

If all he wanted to do was to reach the person he dropped the earring, he didn’t have to make such a request. However, Jusetsu was at a loss after realizing that. She wondered what it was.

She was sure that Koushun still wasn’t telling her the truth.

“…”

Jusetsu, watching Koushun’s back as he left, stepped forward.

“Wait.” She called out to Koushun just as he was about to head towards the walkway. She approached him as he turned around. “I still need to talk to you.”

“If it’s about the earring—”

“It is not about that.”

Jusetsu interrupted him. There was one thing she had to ask him. She couldn’t leave it as it was.

Koushun looked at her face for a moment and then exchanged a look with Ei Sei. Ei Sei looked at Jusetsu hesitantly, but bowed and stepped away from Koushun. Koushun walked towards the pond. It was a windless night, and the dark surface of the water reflected the moon’s face.

“…Why are you letting me go? I do not understand your intentions.”

Standing by the pond, Jusetsu looked up at Koushun. He was feigning ignorance of her true identity, and she couldn’t read his true intentions at all. What exactly is this man thinking—that was something she had always been curious about.

Koushun looked down at Jusetsu and opened his mouth.

“I have nothing to gain from exposing your true identity.” A quiet and detached voice, like the faint winter sun. No emotions could be read from that voice or his face. “In fact, the disadvantages are greater. If I execute you, we will lose the Raven Consort, and the people will criticize me for being cruel.”

Grandfather went too far, Koushun murmured as he stared at the water surface.

“As soon as he took the throne, he became frightened. His paranoia grew worse with age, and he even killed his sons, believing that everyone around him was trying to steal his throne.”

The emperor before the last had executed two of his sons, who were kings, for treason.

“There’s no need to kill you. It would be another story if you want to kill me, though.”

Koushun turned his gaze towards Jusetsu.

“…I do not wish that.”

When she answered with that, Koushun stared at her, as if trying to determine the truth or falsehood in her answer.

“You don’t hate me? Or perhaps, my grandfather or father?”

Jusetsu let her gaze wander. Moonlight fell onto the water, and it glittered coldly.

“I do not know. I have never thought about hating others. If I do hate someone, then it is myself.”

Koushun’s brows furrowed. “Why?”

“Because I abandoned my mother. When she was arrested, I was cowering and holding my breath. So that I would not be found.”

So that only herself was saved.

“I watched my mother die.”

Muttering that, Jusetsu stared at the moon reflected in the water.

Those were the thoughts that had been tormenting and tearing at her heart. She had abandoned her mother and ran away on her own. She heard her screams, but all she could do was cover her ears and tremble. She only prayed that that terrible time would pass. She foolishly thought that if she just let it pass, everything would go back to normal.

The moment she saw her mother’s head, what crushed Jusetsu’s heart was regret. Why did she abandon her mother? Why couldn’t she jump out back then?

The depths of Jusetsu’s heart chipped away, and there was nothing to fill them.

“…If you are not going to kill me because there is no gain, there may come a time when you will kill me if there is a gain.”

I do not mind that, Jusetsu said carelessly and turned on her heel.

“Jusetsu.”

Koushun called her name for the first time. The sound of it struck her chest in a strangely gentle and quiet way.

When she turned around, Koushun removed an ornament he was wearing on his sash and held it out to her.

“…What is it?”

When she frowned in confusion, he took her hand and placed the ornament in her hand. It was a small fish-shaped ornament made of amber.

“I’ll give you this as a proof of my promise. Take it.”

“Promise?”

“I promise I will not kill you.”

Jusetsu looked between his face and the amber fish. Koushun’s eyes were a deep black, and as clear as a spring.

For some reason, feeling like she couldn’t stare at him too intently, Jusetsu looked away.

“…I do not want it. People would mistake me for a thief.”

Jusetsu thrusted out her hand with the amber fish, but Koushun didn’t take it back and turned away.

“Wa…wait!”

Jusetsu tried to chase after him, but Koushun looked over his shoulder briefly.

“Jusetsu, I’m the same as you.”

“What?”

“I also abandoned my mother to her death.”

Koushun said simply. His jet black and empty eyes seemed to absorb even the darkness. ——There is also something missing in this person’s heart, and there is nothing to fill it, Jusetsu felt.

The moonlight shone on Koushun’s back as he walked further into the distance. The light was also shining on the amber fish in the palm of her hand.

Koushun was ten when his mother died.

He frequently visited his mother, who was prone to depression during that time. His mother was depressed because of the harassment from the empress dowager—the empress at that time.

Koushun was installed as the crown prince, but his mother was made to remain as a consort. That was because she had weak backing. It was, in fact, due to the weakness of her backing that Koushun became the crown prince. The empress’s son died at a young age, and in his place, there was Koushun, who was the perfect choice, as he had no powerful maternal relatives who might butt in.

The emperor, a fainthearted man who hated quarrels and had the philosophy of not rocking the boat, was afraid of the empress and her relatives and neglected Koushun’s mother, never defending her. He only thought that if he left them alone, they would eventually get bored. He was a man who didn’t understand people’s pain at all.

In that respect, the empress understood people’s pain very well. In a wicked way. She knew how to make people suffer.

His mother also hated quarrels, so perhaps she and his father were a good match in that sense. He had no way of knowing that now, though.

His mother tried her utmost not to complain about her suffering. Even when she was mocked in front of a full house with her own father, a low-ranking official, used as a pretext, even when she was laughed at after being forced to dance a dance she wasn’t good at, she endured it. As a child, he felt ashamed of his mother, who only endured and never tried to fight back—that was because he didn’t understand anything.

“Please stop coming here so frequently. I’m sure there are plenty of things you have to do at the Eastern Palace.” (1)

When his mother told him that, he felt like he was being pushed away. Even though he worried so much about his mother, he was being treated like a nuisance.

He had gained some wisdom, but his heart was still immature. Koushun stood up in a huff and said, “All right, I understand. I won’t come here again,” and returned to the Eastern Palace.

——Why did I say such a thing?

That was the last time he saw his mother alive.

After his mother’s funeral, Koushun visited his mother’s now-empty palace. His mother wasn’t there in her room or on the bed. Koushun sat down on a chair in a daze and stared out the door, where he could see the garden.

“The reason why your exalted mother didn’t resist the empress is because she feared that you would be harmed.” It was Tutor Un who admonished him. That was why she told him not to visit her too often.

He heard about his mother’s death just as he was about to visit her.

Every time he thought about the last words he hurled at her, he felt a sharp pain in his chest as if he had been stabbed by a blade, it caved in, and left a gaping hole. He was empty on the inside. In front of the peonies in the garden, Koushun cried.

When he thought about his mother, who couldn’t rely on the emperor, had her son say cold words to her, and died alone, he no longer knew how to atone for it all. The time for atonement had passed. Because his mother was dead.

——That was the moment a shadow fell over Koushun’s back.

“…Who’s this? What’s the matter? Are you crying?”

Koushun remembered that woman, who called out to him in a delicate voice, very well.

“—Dajia.”

Koushun awoke from his doze and looked at Ei Sei. He put his hand on his brow and stood up from the lounge chair. Ei Sei had made him a cup of fragrant-smelling tea, and after taking a sip, his head became clear.

He was lying down in his room in the inner court after finishing the morning’s government affairs. The things he had to do were increasing these days, making him stay up until late at night, and it was getting to the point where it was taking a toll on his body.

——But, this is a crucial time.

He couldn’t afford to make any blunders. He fell into deep thought as he stared at the rising steam. Ei Sei was quietly spooning honey-boiled dates into a bowl so as to not disturb him. After garnishing it with lychees, he presented it to Koushun. He brought the dates to his mouth as he pondered. The lychees were juicy, and the sweetness of the dates soaked into his tongue. It seemed to soothe his fatigue.

“Dajia, this is from Yamei Palace.”

Ei Sei received a letter from an errand-running eunuch and passed it to Koushun. When he opened it, he saw beautiful handwriting on water ripple paper. (3) It was probably Jusetsu’s handwriting. After perusing it, Koushun let out a slight chuckle.

“Is something the matter?”

‘It’s nothing,” Koushun folded the letter and tucked it inside his breast. He immediately summoned Ei Sei to his side with a gesture. “Have you summoned Kaku Kou to Koutou Academy?”

“Yes.”

Koutou Academy’s official name was Koutou Palace Academy, and it was a place where preeminent scholars undertook the work of collecting and collating books. They had summoned Kaku Kou, who had passed the palace exams in the top spot, there under the excuse of asking him to translate a classic manuscript.

“Prepare two eunuch uniforms and send them to Yamei Palace.”

The letter contained a request to let her meet Kaku Kou as soon as possible. It sounded rather self-important.

“Yes…” Ei Sei complied, but he didn’t look happy.

It would be troublesome for Jusetsu to wear the garb of a consort at Koutou Academy, which was outside the inner palace. Even consorts can go outside if they received permission, but it would be too troublesome and conspicuous just to ask a single civil servant questions.

Dressing as a man was the fashion of the day, and even in the inner palace, there were those who dressed in men’s robes, but Jusetsu would only look like a woman dressed in men’s clothes. He thought that they would be able to just barely pull it off if she was dressed like a boy eunuch.

“Dajia, you are doing things that are unlike you,” Ei Sei muttered. “When it comes to that consort.”

Koushun hated breaking customs. However, he overlooked Jusetsu, the last survivor of the previous imperial family, had her dress as a eunuch and took her out of the inner palace.

“There are times when things like these are needed.”

Ei Sei didn’t look like he was satisfied with Koushun’s answer at all. Even as he was saying it himself, Koushun didn’t understand why he was doing this either. He felt like he wanted to see what that girl would do. It was a movement of his heart he hadn’t felt for a long time after losing his mother and his friend.

Koushun stood and took out an accessory case from the cabinet. He took off the lid and tucked the contents within his breast.

Ei Sei reluctantly called an errand runner and ordered him to prepare two eunuch uniforms.

Previous || Index || Next

[stringofhearts]

him

Pairing: Onkey (Jinki x Kibum) Summary: Established relationship AU. I did write this with my Onkey Coworker AU WIP, but it doesn’t have to be. ~700 words. Warnings: homophobia, harassment A/N: Happy Pride, everyone! To a better and more tolerant world where all people are free to live their truth without fear of persecution or discrimination. And because Onkey giving me all the feels lately, a bonus random bit below the cut (it’s not graphic, but it’s not nothing either, so rated R).

“Hey! Are you two together or something?”

Jinki can feel his jaw clench.

But, before he’s had a chance to think about how to handle the situation, he hears Kibum reply, “Do we not look together?”

“Kibum, let’s just—”

“No, Jinki. We aren’t the ones being incredibly rude.”

“We are just two people having lunch, Sir.” Jinki offers softly. Maybe it’ll be enough and the man will leave them alone.

“So, you are together.”

“We are.” Kibum answers.

One of the man’s friends tries to pull him back in deference to the attention they’re were now getting from other customers in the restaurant, but the man shakes him off, coming closer. “No, I want to know. How does it even work? Two men in bed?” He says condescendingly.

Jinki feels his face growing hotter at the man’s crass choice of words.

“If you really want to know. I will tell you.“ Kibum says, beckoning the man to come closer.

“Kibum, no. What are you doing?” Jinki whispers urgently. Kibum waves Jinki off and the man takes step closer to him. Complete illogically, Kibum cups his hand to whisper into the man’s ear and the man lets him.

Jinki looks at them with bated breath. After several long seconds it seems, Kibum leans back against his chair with a smile.

Jinki has no idea what Kibum has told the man that’s has made him so flushed, his cheeks all red, but if Jinki took past experience into account, it could be literally anything.

“Would you like to hear more?” Kibum says louder now, so everyone near them can hear, while cocking his eyebrow tauntingly at the man.

The man’s voice is completely hoarse when he finally opens his mouth to speak, “N-no. I-I wish you two nothing but happiness. I won’t bother you again. If you’ll excuse us, we’ll leave now”

The guy leaves and moves to another table with the rest of his companions.

“What did you tell him, Kibum?!” Jinki asks.

Kibum leans forward, placing his hand on top of Jinki’s with a squeeze and shrugs his shoulders, “The truth.”

Jinki turns his head and sees that the man is still looking over at them. Kibum winks back at the man.

“Oh geez… they’re going to ask us to leave, aren’t they?”

Kibum laughs and shakes his head, drawing Jinki’s attention back with a tight squeeze of his hand, so they can finish the rest of their meal in peace.

“Every night, when it’s late and we’re lying in bed…” Kibum whispers into the man’s ear, his voice flirting between scintillating and warm. “I look deep into his eyes and I tell him that there is absolutely no one else I would rather be with. That it’s him and only him.”

Jinki kisses Kibum’s collarbone as Kibum straddles his waist. “Oh, god, Jinki. Just… just give me a second.” Kibum says breathlessly as he tries to push away from the firm hold of Jinki’s arms on him, but his arms feel kind of like jello as does the rest of his body.

Jinki just smirks, not releasing his hold on Kibum, kissing his way to the other collarbone slowly. “I... will... take... it... into... consideration…” Jinki stops midway and leans his head against Kibum’s chest “What? Okay, I’ll let him know.” As Jinki leans back, he tells Kibum “Your request has been denied.” Jinki moves back up Kibum’s neck, kissing him behind his ear. “It’s been so long, Kibum. Don’t you miss me?” Jinki whispers as he traces the underside of Kibum’s jawline with his nose, trailing slow kisses along Kibum’s neck. Kibum tilts his head further back as Jinki continues to nudge him with his face, soft murmurs escaping his lips. “Because I’ve certainly missed you.” Jinki says as he finally makes it to the other side of Kibum’s neck to nuzzle Kibum’s ear.

Kibum’s hand comes up to grip Jinki’s shoulder, his fingers digging into his skin.

“Shut up, you stupid old man and kiss me.” Kibum says hoarsely before Jinki does just that.

[onkey-bedtime-stories]

One Autumn Morning

This one is for @keybummietomyheart :))

***

Who the heck did forget to put down the curtain?!

Sun’s flares are seeping delicately to the vast room, but failed not to disturb the inhabitant. Jinki’s mind’s already wandering while his head is still covered under the thick blanket, safe and sound. Outside, the autumn sky looks so clean. Soft blue with some white cotton candy like clouds at certain points, young people on the road started to take out their phone capturing the Instagram-able view.

Last night practice was too exhausting for him, once the manager they’re free for a day before next jam packed schedule for the next week, he dragged Kibum sleeve right away to his car and try to catch the quick break he deserved.

I can sleep two more hours.

But the universe decides the contrary. A subtle bell’s ring came closer and Jinki knows what he’s gonna facing in a minute. Cold surface nodes the back of his neck, makes him squirm and groaned under his nose.

“Not now, kid.”

However, the little brown furry animal doesn’t care how much this guy tired and keeps nuzzling around his neck. Jinki checks his back by his shoulder, not like he didn’t know what’s happening, just the only resentment he can do in such limited space and time.

Before he’s able to save himself from the fluffy dog, the other guy slides in the blanket and rest peacefully right in front of his belly. The black ball of fur is lying there, sharing the warmth of Jinki’s skin as if nothing happened.

Jinki unwrapped the blanket from his face and hit his forehead with his fist several times.

“How can I get mad if both of you attack me like this?”

Jinki adjusted his position, creating perfect curve for Garcons who’s practically using Jinki’s stomach as his pillow. As if doesn’t want to miss a chance of Jinki’s attention, Comme Des moved closer to the head of the bed and keep kissing Jinki’s hair while the latter still trying to find his way back to the dreamland.

The sun seems too strong for his weak eyes, tough, inevitably making him open and scrunch his eyes at the same time. The bed next to him cold without any limb on it, he remembers last night he didn’t go to bed alone.

“Where is your Dad?”

He managed to mumble in between reality and deep slumber when he realized the increasing humidity on his hair since five minutes ago. However, his eyes still tight shut whilst his hand rubbing Garcons in very soothing tempo, his indirect method of lullaby.

Second he’s about to snore again, the door slammed open, followed by the highest pitch Jinki could ever imagine in such a serene morning.

“There you are!”

Two puppies jumped their heart out. Comme Des run into his brother side after sending a quick look to the person on the door, both of them now are trying so hard to hide under Jinki’s arm.

“Come on boys, don’t disturb the Old Man, he’s always out of energy at this age.”

“I’m not old..” Jinki growled, feels annoyed by the words.

Kibum laughs and walked closer to the bed, “Kids, come on. Out now. Your breakfast is ready! Now!”

But no one even care with such treat, they’re now snuggled to each other on Jinki’s chest. Still back facing his boyfriend, Jinki slowly pulled the blanket again until his chest, now covering the three of them, suddenly has the feeling to make a safe shelter, not only for the puppies but also himself.

“What the.. Are you betraying me now? Comme Des! Garcons!”

Instead of listening to Kibum’s voice, they prefer to listen into Jinki’s heartbeat. Frustrated, Kibum walks to the other side just to have his heart sunk with such a view. Angle like Jinki enjoying the morning nap with their two babies, what you could ask more, Kim Kibum?

Carefully, he went back behind Jinki and close himself to his lover’s back, rubbing his forearm and kissing his shoulder.

“Wake up, you Old Man.”

As usual, Jinki purposely shut his ear off to obtain more sleep. Kibum, though, knowing this so well cannot help but pranking the older boy. He slides his cold hand under Jinki’s t-shirt and traced a random pattern on his back. This one is really working apparently, because Jinki eventually squirmed and wiggling his limbs a bit, perfect mix of annoyed and appreciation.

“Let me sleep..”

Kibum dragged his palm upside down Jinki’s back and kept peppering his hair with kisses until he found Comme Des’s traces there, left him chuckles and taken aback.

“Alright, just go out when you feeling it, I’ll be at the kitchen,” Kibum hovering his side to kiss his nose and swollen lips, “Comme Des, Garcons, kitchen now. Breakfast!”

“Don’t.”

“Eng?”

“Can you leave the babies here?”

“What?”

“It’s cold, Bumie..”

His jaw dropped to his chest when he heard Jinki’s sulking. Shaking his head, Kibum holds himself not to jump out the bed.

“Two of them? Jinkiiii… that’s not fair! I don’t want to be alone outside.”

“Then don’t.”

“What?”

“Get inside the blanket.”

As if being hypnotized, Kibum retreat his legs from the floor and curled under the thick cotton. He rests his head on the nook of Jinki’s neck and his arm wrapping his torso, once in a while messing with Garcons head.

“Ah, I love morning cuddle.”

“Hmmm.”

“If I knew it would be like this, I wouldn’t bustle myself since the dawn in the kitchen.”

“Hmmm.”

Knowing he won’t get any other respond than humming, he stopped talking right away, catching Jinki to the dreamland.

“Bum-ah.”

“Hmmm.”

“My back.. can you?”

Innocent giggles escaped his bow lips. Without ado, he slips his hand back under Jinki’s t-shirt and start scratching it slowly. It feels like he’s raising three puppies instead of two. Not like he hates it, though.

“I love morning cuddle too, Kibum-ah.”

Suddenly his worry about the beef soup being cold flies away along the puppies’ harmonious snoring to the glorious morning naps.

***

It’s nice to be back! Sorry for the long delay :( I have been sick this past month and unable to even sit more than an hour huhu. Anyway, I hope you like this very quick drabble! I’m sorry this one is not what you request, however, enjoy and thanks for your support for all this time! XOXO

[eorumverba]

Onkey 61

61) Hands On The Other Person’s Back, Fingertips Pressing Under Their Top, Drawing Gentle Circles Against That Small Strip Of Bare Skin That Make Them Break The Kiss With A Gasp

They’ve always been close, and they’ve had moments like this before, but it’s never been about kissing, just about falling asleep together or telling secrets or whispering comforting words. Kissing feels different somehow, but it also sort of doesn’t, because it’s Gwiboon.

Gwiboon’s known Jinki since they were kids, since when Jinki was still Eunsook and Gwiboon still thought they were straight. There have been other changes as well: they’re both poly, Jinki’s finally cut his hair after agonizing over it for years, Gwiboon’s enby. And there’s other things, the way Jinki has shot up in height after being the shorter one for so long, the way Gwiboon has finally figured themself out, who they are and what they like and what they want. But they’re still friends, after so many years, and Jinki loves Gwiboon so much.

“Gwiboonie,” Jinki mumbles, “I’ve never kissed a girl. Is that bad?”

“Course it isn’t, Jinx. I’ve never kissed a boy, if it counts for anything.”

“What about Jonghyunnie?”

“That doesn’t really count though, it’s just Jonghyunnie.”

“But still,” Jinki insists, rolling over to watch Gwiboon’s studying, “you’ve kissed boys and girls. And I haven’t.”

“It’s not that big of a deal though, Jinx. Really, it’s not. And stop pouting at me.” Gwiboon doesn’t even look up, and Jinki loves them so much for how well they know each other.

“Love you, Gwi.”

“Love you too, Jinx.”

Gwiboon goes back to studying, and Jinki goes back to looking at them, the smooth stroke of their eyeliner and the soft curve of their mouth and the harsh cut of their hair. “But, Gwiboonie-”

“How about I kiss you, Jinx?”

“Won’t that not count? Just like Jonghyunnie?”

Gwiboon finally glances up from their books, and they flash a quick grin over at Jinki before answering. “You’re not Jonghyunnie, you’re Jinki. It’s different. So come here.”

It takes another moment, but Jinki finally hauls himself up and over to Gwiboon, fitting himself in their lap and laughing a little when Gwiboon presses their foreheads together. They’ve always been close, and they’ve had moments like this before, but it’s never been about kissing, just about falling asleep together or telling secrets or whispering comforting words. Kissing feels different somehow, but it also sort of doesn’t, because it’s Gwiboon.

“You know,” Jinki decides to mention, “this’ll be my first kiss. If you don’t count Ming.”

“It was a dare, that doesn’t count. Besides, it’s-”

“Just Ming?” Jinki finishes. It still makes him laugh when Gwiboon nods, and the little puff of breath as they laugh feels hot on Jinki’s lips.

“Just Ming,” Gwiboon confirms. “Can I kiss you now?”

For some reason, the words make Jinki’s heart thud in his throat, and his mouth suddenly feels dry. “Yeah,” he manages to get out, “please.”

Another soft puff of laughter before Gwiboon nods and leans in, presses their soft lips to Jinki’s own. It’s soft, gentle, and Jinki kind of really loves it, loves this, loves Gwiboon. His hands shake when he reaches up to cup Gwiboon’s face in his hands, and their skin is soft and their hair tickling against his fingers. Their hair isn’t slicked back with product today so Jinki runs his fingers through the soft strands, and Gwiboon’s hands, bigger and softer and warmer, fall to his hips. It feels natural like that, the way Gwiboon skirts their hands up to glance under Jinki’s shirt, and it doesn’t even seem like Gwiboon is thinking about what they’re doing, but the soft touches make him gasp into their mouth and pull away, startled.

“Jinx,” Gwiboon mumbles, “I really liked that.”

“Yeah, I…” and Jinki doesn’t know what, just knows that Gwiboon’s lips are soft and warm and that he really wants to kiss them again. “Again?”

“Again, but…I want to, all the time?”

“Like Jonghyunnie and Tae?”

“Yeah, but-”

“Gwiboonie, stop worrying. It’ll be fine - we’ll be fine.”

Jinki can literally feel Gwiboon relax, and they’re quick to nod and press their smile to Jinki’s lips.

[suuho]

For the gif request!

I know you are an onho enthusiast so let's make it more difficult: choose between jongyu or onkey

anon, beloved ..... this was so hard to choose, but here! tbh, jongyu and onkey are equal in my heart, so deciding between them took me a whole day.

make me choose!

[digitalgate02]

First of all, pardon from reblogging this. I'll delete it by request (and i'll move this subject to a brand new post instead), but it came into my scope that a ton of people memeing on twitter (where this information had been spread first and i hate it) and making this kind of questions are not aware of a few things:

The drama CD in question was released in 2003. It didn't come in 2001 at all. This is getting lost in the hearsay.

The other thing is, this had a genuine thought, not made for clicks and attention. While the post where this was revealed was about a figure, Kakudou's thoughts on Mimi and said track (plus the Tsunami incident in 2011) proved me those weren't made in a bad sense. Also, he said it was based of American comics.

The said track is not cheerful at all in Maeda's delivery of her lines. It's a very serious deal on said events. There's no fun in it.

Thanks to Kazari for translating said blog entry, and also linking to the Drama CD in the notes (which was translated by Onkei)

Again, pardon for invading the post.

How do you feel about Mimi being canonically a first responder to 9/11?

I had to look up what you were talking about, and it seems to be from the “2 and a half year break” drama CD? I’m not super familiar with drama CDs tbh, but my opinion is that it’s a little weird to reference 9/11 so prominently in one of them. I personally had family living in the NY boroughs at the time so I can’t say I wasn’t affected as an American. It would have rubbed me the wrong way if I read the transcripts back in the early 2000s. But now I don’t have a strong feeling about it. I’m also not the target audience for a Japanese only Digimon CD drama, so what do I know? If some Japanese Digimon writers in the early 2000s want to make Mimi a first responder to deal with the concept of 9/11 as a Japanese person… it’s whatever. It’s in the distant past.

Sorry this answer isn’t thoughtful or funny. I don’t think I have anything Digimon headcanon related to say about this topic