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xelasrecords · 13 hours ago

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HI, I'M A BIT (very) LATE TO THE PARTY... but i just got through main story 11.1 and 11.2 WOOO!!!

and i'm not sure what is it about this case that got me so much more paranoid than the other cases, maybe it's the creepy note in the satchel, or how the culprit wasn't obvious at all (at least to me, i didn't want to doubt to sweet old lady).

which brings me to my next point: something about having the sweet old lady be the culprit is deeply unsettling to me... cause she's not like ava kendriks or like... the other culprits we've come across... (wow could someone make a recap of the whole of main story cause i'm forgetting) who you think like "oh they're kinda fucked up in the first place so it makes sense". but why it's unsettling to me is because, the thought that even a sweet looking senile old woman is capable of crime, if the right buttons are pushed... and she did it not only once, BUT TWICE. idk if you've watched bong joon-ho's "mother", but she reminded me of the mother from that movie, who is willing to do anything for her son, whether that may be good or bad, even killing someone herself when she finds out that the truth that her son was a murderer. like, if the circumstances were met, people are capable and are willing to do... wrong.

that said, THIS TRULY WAS A VYN EPISODE... IT OPENED MY MIND. I'M SORRY I'VE BEEN SLEEPING ON YOU VYN!!! like vyn during these two chapters... really intrigued me. when he shot himself with the air gun and knowingly drank the poisoned tea (GOD DOES ANYONE IN THIS HOUSEHOLD HAVE ANY SENSE OF SELF-PRESERVATION. MY GIRL ROSA WOULD BE STRESSED AF). but it's the way he heavily relies on himself, even to his own detriment, that really intrigues me. even when rosa was there, i feel like he isn't even able to let himself fully rely on her either, but he'd rather put himself in harms way to get the results he wants (which i can name TWO BOYS WITH THE SAME LACK OF SELF PRESERVATION, i'm looking at you luke and marius). but the difference between luke and marius' "self-sacrificial"-ness to vyn's is that, vyn fully knows the consequences and is in control of the situation. it's like he has weighed options and run the calculation in his head, and STILL goes for it even if it runs the risk of hurting himself. he's just as reckless, or even more so, than marius and luke if i may argue. and another point to add is, while luke's and marius' "self-sacrificing" nature comes from viewing themselves as "lesser" than the other (eg. luke viewing himself less than rosa, and marius viewing himself less than giann) vyn's "self-sacrificing" act comes from pride and his inability to rely on others (in other words he views himself better than others)

i've also been thinking about how vyn still choose to drank the poisoned tea. like i know it was to pin point jill meadows as the culprit, bUT SURELY, THERE HAS TO BE ANOTHER WAY OF GOING ABOUT THIS, ISN'T THERE??? VYN RICHTER, THE WAY YOUR MIND WORKS........... ahem, anyways, other than what i have mentioned before, i'd like to think that the reason why he did all that for jill meadows, letting her into his house and even drinking the tea, that i think somewhere deep inside, he still wishes to be proven wrong, he still had the tiniest bit of hope that jill was good. honestly maybe i'm reading into this bit too much, but my reasoning for this is that, as you have seen, vyn is also capable of good, even in his little tsundere ways. he doesn't want to admit it, (caUSE HE'S SHY-//HIT) but his kindness is shown in the way he treats albie(the homeless man), and how he leaves his car keys for rosa. ANYWAYS, it wouldn't be so much of a stretch to think that vyn is a believer of "second chances" considering how he wanted to escape from his family, and i think his occupation as a psychiatrist kinda solidifies that theme as well.

the highlight of this chapter to me, was the confrontation between rosa and vyn, when vyn said something along the lines of "please trust me, even in this moment, please trust me," HURT ME SO BAD. (ESPECIALLY WITH THE WHOLE TEAM DISTRUSTING EACH OTHER, WHERE'S MY FOUND FAMILY HUU) it's the first for me to see vyn... this vulnerable, like how his heart is spilling out in this very moment right here. in which i also kind of find him hypocritical in this moment, but in a good way! vyn "distrustful and skeptical of others, extremely hesitant to ask for help" richter wants to be a reliable and trustworthy person. WHICH MAKES SENSE, being trusted by someone means that you hold some power against them. and trusting someone would mean that you'd have to open up and be vulnerable in front of them! so of course vyn would rather be trusted rather than trusting!!! GOD VYN RICHTER THE MAN YOU ARE.

anyways, yes this ended up being a vyn richter appreciation post. please excuse any inaccuracies in my knowledge of vyn-ology (sorry phd vyn-ology experts) your asks has just become a deposit for my rambles, I HOPE YOU DON'T MIND. I WILL NOW NINJA JUTSU MYSELF INTO THIN AIR. FWOOSH!!!!

WAHHH HI CHIKA and congrats on finishing main story 11!!!

this is such an interesting ask because i totes agree with your thoughts/feelings about the case itself. i too was HEAVILY unsettled by the case for those reasons you pointed out, but also because the victim was a child. if im remembering correctly, this is the first case we've had where it was a kid who died, our youngest casualty to the nxx cases thus far. the culprit being the old lady was also something that i didnt want to suspect. it's not that i hadnt suspected her, it was that i didnt want to entertain the fact that it couldve been her, like how you said it. in her intro scenes, i deeply felt for her and the story also makes you want to be on her side. shes sweet, shes polite, she struggles with tasks and has nobody else in this world. in a way, she was the perfect culprit because the emotional effect she has on the readers at first glance makes you not want her to be the one responsible, even when the evidence begins to point in her direction. it's been a while since i myself completed main story 11, but i couldve sworn that vyn himself said something along these lines too, that emotions can cloud one's judgement into disregarding the truth that starts to come out. while i havent watched the movie you mentioned, i totally agree like. she was such a good culprit because of how it was framed. it makes you think that overall, she wasnt a "bad" person, but one pushed to act. but at the end of the day she killed a kid, man. even if she supposedly didnt intend to and just wanted to "scare" her. just.....what a damn good case. i was really gripped by this one

now, onto your thoughts about vyn. i was FASCINATED by him in this chapter. everything im about to say onwards about vyn should be taken with a GREAT HEAP OF SALT, as the saying goes, because up til now, vyn is the nxx boy who i have the most trouble grasping which is wholly probably because ive read the least cards of him (in comparison to the amount of cards ive read for the other boys) but ksjbfljlfdsd ive pLAYED HIS PERSONAL STORIES COMPLETELY AT LEAST and you articulate well just why hes so fascinating to me in this chapter.

i like what you said "vyn's "self-sacrificing" act comes from pride and his inability to rely on others (in other words he views himself better than others)" but also i think theres another facet to it. i do think it partly comes from pride, but i also think it partly comes from fear. see, what i understand about vyn from previous stories ive read from him, particularly from his pre-anniv personal story 3 (iirc) is how he fears and hates being seen as anything other than perfect, or as someone who has flaws. it's not because he wants to be seen as better than everyone, it's that he cant handle being seen as lesser. he hates to be pitied. that being said, i ABSOLUTELY agree with your judgement of him sometimes....testing the goodness of people. something clear to me in the stories of his that ive experienced is that, if theres one thing that always surprises him, it's people's capacity to be good. it's what constantly takes him off guard with mc, it's why he didnt expect to fall in love with first sight at her. given his background and backstory (and uh, in this main story chapter in particular, given his family members lol) he just....operates under the vague notion that people will not be good. or that theyll fail it. and sometimes he tests whether or not that will happen, because one of vyn's constant questions that he asks in his actions, especially towards mc, is whether or not mc will trust him.

(sidenote: one of vyn's lines when you play old maid with him is something along the lines of "im glad to have won your trust" when you pick the card he tells you to pick and you win as a result. again, this act of testing another person's good will in his character, testing their trust. i think trust is a very key theme in vyn's character as a whole)

vyn's moments of vulnerability in this chapter was also SOOOOOOO YUMMY TO MEEEEE because if theres another thing i think about vyn, it's that he loathes being out of control. he likes being the expert strategist, he likes being able to sway the odds in his favor no matter what the situation is, in his personal story theres even an instance where he was behind the scenes orchestrating several events unbeknownst to mc. he likes being in control and so vulnerability is such a nightmare for him. personally, the highlight of this chapter to me was when vyn already got poisoned and mc was trying to help him throw up the poison, because even WHEN POISONED he was hesitant to have her see him like this. it's good whump, your honor. and also it's good writing.

anyhoo, thank you for this ask!!! i am NOT a vyn-ology expert, quite the opposite, but i do adore when he takes the front row seat in main stories because it's always a treat to see

#fuels my vyn brainrot oh yes #tears of themis #vyn richter #meta

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xelasrecords · 6 days ago

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This fic may include joking around and almost sex and food as a love language and magical hijinks, but above all it is an ode to friendship. When I was writing this, "hazy whimsical quality" was the note I pinned on top of the document. I wanted it to feel like a warm hug, like those lazy mornings where you're content with your life because you're hanging out with your loved ones and they love you back and you think to yourself, "So this is why I survived. I'm so glad I didn't give up."

As Daylight Comes

Han Jumin x MC

Jumin and MC have been married for a while, and their friendship with Jihyun is stronger than ever, so what better way to spend their morning together than to have breakfast with a side of teasing and musing on life?

Challenging myself to write a fluffy domestic scene because I realised I rarely write one. I also wanted to write Jihyun with his good ending personality because I barely see it in fics, so here he is at his healthiest mentally.

Words: 3.8k

Masterlist Read on AO3

The two men's hushed laughter eased her awake, the morning sun a soft gleam behind her closed eyelids. The first voice was clear and deep, one that she heard every day and night spoken like an oath to her soul. The second was gentler, a pleasant lilting voice that she and her husband often heard in their regular calls. She smiled to herself and threw the covers aside; she had already known who she would see before reaching the doorway. They were the sounds that she knew well and loved.

At the dining table, Jumin, her Jumin, was sitting with his back facing her, the sleeves of his navy sweater rolled up. He was leaning forwards, engrossed in telling what she was sure to be a fascinating idea he had recently thought of and possibly should not ever be acted upon. Jihyun was sitting on the other side, his head ducked in an attempt to smother his laughter, mint hair catching the glimmer of sunlight that passed through the floor-length windows as he moved.

Her heart felt whole at the sight of their dearest friend. Finally, they were together. They did not have to painstakingly arrange calls that were always cut too short by their own lives anymore.

She didn't think it was possible for them to be any less content than they were now and almost didn't want to intrude. Jumin's sincere laugh, the unrestrained kind only she could pull out, was floating across their spacious home. But she knew them, and knew that they would rather her join them and make their happiness complete. Time did not wear out their love for her, or her love for them. It strengthened their bond, pulling them in tighter than ever.

She could never grow tired of it. It was a feeling she had become accustomed to, yet still marvelled at the wonder, the near impossibility of it.

She padded across the room, the granite floor cold beneath her feet, and slid her arm around Jumin's shoulders. "Wonderful morning everyone. I wasn't aware we had company." She pressed her lips against his mussed black hair, catching a faint whiff of fresh wild cedar. Jihyun, having seen her approach, visibly brightened and gave her a wide smile, one she graciously returned.

With one hand around her waist, Jumin pulled her onto his lap and kissed her shoulder, sliding up the thin strap of her loose top that had drooped down. "The company had stopped by unannounced."

Jihyun looked sheepish. "I'm sorry we woke you up. I thought we had been quiet enough."

"I'm honestly furious that you didn't wake me up earlier," she said good-naturedly. "Were you just going to leave if I didn't?"

"Jumin told me how you had to stay up all night for work. I didn't want to disturb you."

She waved it away and picked up a turkey sandwich in front of her, eating it with enthusiasm. "Disturb me all you want. I welcome it."

"Are you sure you don't need more rest?" Jumin murmured into her ear, both arms circling her waist. "I could force him to stay until you wake up later. Glue him to the chair with a powerful adhesive or a magic spell. I may not be the pioneer of creativity, but I have brought several creative projects to fruition. I could think of something."

"With determination comes great result?" she suggested.

"Exactly. There is no reason I can't attempt sorcery if nothing else works."

She turned around and winked. "I could help you with the enchantment."

He sighed into the crook of her neck. "This is why I married you, my exceptional wife. You are ever supportive and full of love."

Jihyun smiled despairingly into his slice of sandwich. "Why are you two the way you are?"

She and Jumin shrugged in one coordinated movement.

As she scanned the table for more food, she realised there were a variety of sandwiches and fruits spread across the marble top. Silently, she sent Jihyun her gratitude for bringing an abundance of anything other than pancakes. However much she loved Jumin, she was quite sick of slathering strawberry jam or maple syrup or even more strawberries on the pancakes he made.

The fruit assortment interestingly lacked strawberries too.

"This sandwich is good, Jihyun. Did you make this?" She examined her second helping of a toasted cheese sandwich in her hand. The cheese was still oozing when she bit into it.

He grinned. "Ah, it is?"

She performed a dramatic moan. "Orgasmically so."

She held back her laugh at the mischievous glint in his sea-green eyes. Truthfully, she might have sent a text to Jihyun to save her from a lifetime of pancake breakfast. And he might have responded to her plea with utmost seriousness and come to her rescue the very next day.

It was a possibility that they might have conspired on something that would have mildly offended Jumin, yes.

Some secrets were best kept as secrets.

Jumin, blissfully oblivious, studied her with extreme amusement. "I have to remind you that we skipped our morning sex. If you are heavily aroused, you only need to ask." His voice had dropped low, his breathing fanning her neck. "I will give you everything that you desire. It is what I wish for myself as well."

She leaned against his chest and whispered, "Make it an afternoon quickie. Let's do it later."

"So you're giving me the order to wait." His hands ran up the inside of her bare thighs until they reached the lining of her shorts, his clothed knees nudging her legs open. She suppressed a shiver; familiar as his touch was, a pleasurable rush still spread across her skin whenever he did it. "What do I get in return? A fair bargain has to benefit both parties."

She squirmed against his thighs on purpose, knowing the friction would crack his composure. "You get a lesson in patience," she drawled, voice low and raspy, "and I get to watch you exercise your iron will. I will be satisfied. Didn't you want me to feel good?"

Jumin looked scandalised. "In nowhere would that be constituted as a fair deal, and patience is a virtue I have long been practising. I wish to propose an alternative."

"Shall I take my leave?" Jihyun interrupted. "I don't have to see to know what you two are doing down there."

"Nothing!" Hastily, she put away Jumin's hands and grabbed Jihyun's over the table before he could stand, ignoring Jumin's huffing. "Please stay. We are two very chaste adults."

Jihyun's smile was wry. "That's not what I heard about your sex life."

"You told him?" She whirled on Jumin. "I thought you'd have more respect for my intimate life. This is a breach of my privacy. I'd never got a betrayal of this magnitude, and from my own husband!"

"Interesting," Jumin said. "Would you like to know how he reacted when I recounted our latest session? He was not surprised. Not one bit. In fact, he was too ready to supply a reaction. I have to wonder if he had prepared himself beforehand."

She narrowed her eyes at Jihyun. "You traitor."

"I was just trying to be supportive, but I suppose Jumin has always been too good at reading my intentions." Jihyun shook his head in regret.

"That's right," Jumin said, a smug tone in his voice. He was always proud when he could prove their decades of friendship through their mutual understanding.

With a scoff, she shifted to the chair beside him and scooped a handful of blueberries and an egg sandwich into his plate before doing the same for Jihyun. When she looked down, she saw that Jihyun had filled hers as well. For a while, the dining room was silent as they dug into their meal, save for the cutleries clinking against plates and fabrics rustling when they helped each other with more food and drinks.

She could live like this every day, she thought. It wouldn't be so bad to have Jihyun here more often. Jumin was one of the kindest people she had ever known, but he had edges that remained sharp and could only soften in the presence of his best friend. Jumin with Jihyun was fully at peace, and Jihyun was no different. He spoke his mind without holding back and did not hesitate to share his art with him. Between them was a sense of safety she never found between anyone else.

Anyone else except her own friendship with him.

Jihyun meant just as much to her, and she to him. They would sacrifice their sleep if one was ringing up the other in dire trouble, despite being on opposite sides of the globe. And sometimes Jumin would leave them to talk into the night while he slept, knowing they had things they were more comfortable sharing alone, though he would chide her for the black rings under her eyes in the morning and fuss over her.

Jumin was never jealous. Rather, he was delighted that his wife got along well with his best friend and had no qualms announcing it whenever he could, not caring if anyone thought it strange. To him, the joy of seeing the two people he loved the most being close surpassed other petty emotions. She could read it on his face. It would have broken his heart if they found each other's company distasteful.

She wondered if it was the same for Jumin, if he could see that she cherished Jihyun and had missed him too. She might have entered their lives later, but time did not dictate closeness. If someone were to be taken out of the equation, the other two would be left flailing, stranded with half of their string cut.

She felt the three of them were always better when they existed in the same space.

"Did you know why he came here?" Jumin cut through her thoughts and gestured at Jihyun. "He claimed to have forgotten his camera. Under normal circumstances, I would have accepted it as a reasonable excuse, except he has done this three times."

"You said it like it's a bad thing. Do you not want me to drop by?" Jihyun asked mildly.

Jumin raised his brows. "You're an artist. You could have come up with a more creative excuse."

She straightened up and looked right into Jihyun's lively eyes. They were the eyes that had freed themselves from the sorrow that plagued his younger, more foolish years. "Ignore this cynical guy. He doesn't know that joy is found in little things. I, for one, commend you for your intricate planning. That is some strategising and determination you have shown. Anyone who doesn't appreciate your effort shouldn't be eating your food." She glared at Jumin.

"Thank you for recognising my effort, but that isn't all." Jihyun paused. "I also missed you. I enjoyed my trip, but the places I visited made me yearn to come back because you weren't there. Of course, I speak including you, Jumin."

"I see I have been demoted to an afterthought," remarked Jumin.

"That is what you get for acting all mighty." She rose to fetch a glass of orange juice from across the table. Jumin held back the front of her loose top as she leaned, but Jihyun was faster. He had noticed what she had been eyeing before and placed the glass in front of her. She smiled gratefully at him; she doubted there was anyone more eager to help than Jihyun. It was a quality she and Jumin liked to discuss with admiration among themselves.

Jumin settled back into his seat and picked a grape from a plate. "I don't appreciate the poor translation of my intention."

"At least you know you can rhyme," she said and turned to Jihyun. "You have to know how much he pined for you. He stared out the window like a Victorian lady waiting for her husband to be relieved from his duty. I thought he was one second away from being locked in the attic." She shook her head solemnly. "So close to being driven to madness from yearning."

Jumin let out a flat gasp. "Why, I never."

"Nevertheless," she pounced on, "I am not without conscience and virtue to lock anyone away, especially when that person is someone of my own heart, so I had no choice but to persist. Have some pity on me, I beg you!" She clutched at her chest.

Jihyun burst into laughter, which produced a small smile from Jumin. "All right, I'll admit I missed you," Jumin gave in. "I could use seeing you more often."

A brief look of wonder flashed in Jihyun's eyes, searching Jumin's and was quickly reassured when they recognised the familiar fondness in his unwavering gaze. The steel in Jumin's grey eyes dared Jihyun to refute it, but he wouldn't, not this grown version of him.

Some people struggled with getting used to being loved unabashedly. She recalled when Jihyun was a younger boy and how he would rather stake himself than accept the love he was given, but that was long ago. Time and their persistence in loving him had encouraged him to be brave, and Jihyun himself had learned to allow people to love him. The vulnerability of baring your soul to love someone could be unbearable, but believing you were worthy of love could be just as unthinkable.

She was glad he had Jumin to rely on when they were children, and Jumin had him to be his true self with. What had been a constant, stumbling search for faith in each other had grown into intrinsic trust.

"How long can we do this still?" she wondered aloud. "Sometimes I feel like we haven't changed—we have eaten together like this more times than I could count—but we're not who we were anymore, are we?"

"Four hundred and five times," Jumin stated. "Barring other types of gatherings and casual hang-outs. A lot of things have happened since the first one." He lifted her hand against his lips and kissed the back of it reverently. She remembered the time before they fell for each other and how after they had, their connection had become more intimate than she had thought possible.

"You keep track, I should've guessed." Jihyun's voice held infinite softness. "It was an eternity ago. Goodness, we were such wide-eyed kids then."

"Perhaps the time we have left doesn't matter as much as the time we have shared together—the time we are sharing now," Jumin said. "But sometimes as I'm living in the present, I can already see how we will be entombed in history, though it's a memory that I will look back on fondly."

"Please don't say 'entombed'," she said. "Memories don't die just because they have passed. We keep them alive, just like this. We'll continue to talk about nonsense and eat good food and be there for one another. Otherwise, we wouldn't have anything to hold on to when life gets hard."

"Or maybe we won't do this forever. We can't tell what the future holds," Jihyun mused. "Change is the natural order of the universe, but in this life full of changes, I can always count on you two to be here for me, to make me happy." He smiled at them, the corner of his eyes crinkling. Jumin nodded and she laid her head on his shoulder, sharing his peace.

"I certainly would be appalled if I stayed the same all these years." She shuddered. "I like that we change together, that our new shapes still fit each other somehow. I've grown out of enough friendships to know that this isn't always the case."

"I'm afraid I cannot comment much on friendships." Jumin frowned. "My friendship with Jihyun is the only true one that I have, but it wouldn't be complete if you never came into my life—our lives. I will always be thankful for that. You brought us all closer."

With an arm propped on the table, she watched Jumin's thoughtful expression and eased the crease between his forehead. He had spoken aloud of what she was thinking about earlier, the completeness of the bond between the three of them. It was funny, how sometimes it was as if his mind and hers were intertwined. The time they spent together had left an indisputable mark, seemingly without her notice.

Time was often like that. One day you clambered through life with cuts on your knees and found yourself standing on steadier ground, wiser but irreparably changed in the next. It did not beat on a steady rhythm; it sprinted and languished at the exact moments you wished it not to.

"Everything he said was true," Jihyun reached over the table to squeeze her hand. It was soft in her touch. "You're a blessing on earth. I was right to come here right away."

"Meeting us is always the right decision," said Jumin adamantly.

"Except if he's asking you to translate an ancient necromancy spellbook that's 99% fake, then maybe it isn't a good idea to be here," she added.

Jihyun ignored him and looked at her warily.

"Pardon?" Jumin sounded offended. "Do honour a book that holds mystical wonders unimaginable to mankind as the prized artefact it is."

"He made me light up pungent-smelling candles around the house with him. I still don't want to know what kind of candles they were." She grimaced at the memory. "We had to move out for a few weeks until the smell disappeared."

Jihyun wrinkled his nose at Jumin. "What dead creature were you trying to raise?"

"A mouse that my bodyguard accused Elizabeth the Third has killed. Petty murders are below a lady as dignified as she," he declared with conviction. "I should know."

A look of surprise passed over Jihyun's face. "And you care enough about the mouse to call it back from death?"

"I needed to put it under interrogation to extract the exact cause of its death," Jumin said. "It was imperative that I clear Elizabeth the Third's name."

"Naturally," she cut in cheerfully. "When one dies, one can simply be revived and questioned about one's lethal injury. No worries whatsoever that recalling the event might be traumatic to them."

"Did it, um"—Jihyun struggled to find the right word—"come alive?"

Jumin sighed in defeat. "I would have to try again another time."

"You would not." Her tone was severe. "You will either lose the truth of Elizabeth the Third's innocence or me. Your choice."

Jumin looked tortured, but she did not budge. Jihyun's eyes danced between them with amusement.

Eventually, Jumin splayed his hands out in resignation. "I shall comply with your wishes."

She patted his arm. "It's for the best. You don't want to accidentally exorcise the whole world with your corpse-raising activities. I can only support your hobbies up to a point, love."

At that, Jihyun chortled into his drink and Jumin shot him a betrayed look, though he still offered his handkerchief to him. "Not that I don't believe in you," Jihyun said when he calmed down, "but your experiments tend to be disastrous. Maybe you should consider those around you. We're the ones who have to deal with your mess."

Jumin crossed his arms. "You two have no loyalty towards me, especially you, dear lovely wife." He tilted his head at her. "You're supposed to be the love of my life. My sworn life partner for eternity."

She rolled her eyes. "Please, I did agree to glue Jihyun earlier. Was that not enough?"

"This is about me now?" asked Jihyun.

She produced a coy smile. "You're always in our hearts."

Jumin, seeing the opportunity to shift the blame, quickly said, "That's true."

"You two have sadistic hearts," Jihyun pointed out.

"Don't even try to deny that sadism isn't what you're into," she said and grinned when his cheeks heated up. "I know about your fantasies too."

Unfortunately, Jumin took this moment to inspect the table and made an astute observation, cutting off Jihyun's stammering. "It has occurred to me that we have too many sandwiches and no pancake in sight."

Her and Jihyun's attention snapped on each other, eyes widening in horror.

"Did you know how easy it is to make a strawberry pancake, Jihyun? We could eat it every day," Jumin went on.

"We could, yes," Jihyun said tactfully, "but it doesn't mean we should. Anything too much could make you sick, my friend."

"And I'm full," she chimed in. "Maybe next time?"

"She did eat a lot earlier," Jihyun said.

"Did you?" Jumin stared at her with suspicion.

She leaned back and rubbed her stomach. "A whole lot. If you force me to eat, I'd have no choice but to vomit everything onto your lap. That would disrespect Jihyun's hard work on packing all this food, and I'd be sick and have to eat again—which would be a major annoyance with a burned throat—and you'd have to change into stripeless pants."

Jumin looked puzzled. "But I have other striped pants."

"Not if I used all of them to clean up the vomit."

He sighed but relented. "If you say so."

When Jumin averted his gaze, she breathed out a silent air of relief and felt Jihyun nudging her foot beneath the table, a playful twinkle in his eyes. His lips were pressed into a flat line, fighting the smile threatening to break his sympathetic ruse. She prodded his foot back and gave him a light shrug.

Not long after, Jihyun would have to leave for yet another thing, and she and Jumin would have to count the days until the next time they met. But it was not their concern yet. Right now, the murmurs of their talk and the music of their laughs were enough for her. There was nothing to complain about when they made her happy.

Distance and frequency of meetings did not matter. She could have one minute with them together and still be satisfied, however temporary the satisfaction might be. A mere minute would make her yearn for more until they piled up to make an infinite, but she was not demanding. Whatever little time they could carve out of their routine was enough.

This was good. They were happy and radiant and comfortable that she allowed herself to believe that it could last forever.

And it would. Their love would never wane.

Footnotes:

One thing I love about their friendship is how honest they are with their appreciation. They're not ashamed of showing that they care, and their elegant linguistic style (though V's is more casual than Jumin's) makes it easy to write their vulnerable feelings just as they are. They don't toughen up their words or purposely censor them when they get emotional. They're fluent in articulating their feelings, and I think this would be even more natural when they've all been close for a long time.

The domestic scene challenge was made easier since I was vibrating with giddiness to express more love for Jumin and V. I'm the happiest when I write about love and them. Grinning maniacally every time I type their story out.

Before anyone comes at me, I don't think Jumin would be jealous. He could be possessive when he's gripped by his darker thoughts, but in this phase of his life, he's stable. He's secure in his marriage, he has a grounded relationship that's nurtured over the years with MC, and he shares a safe emotional space with V. Everyone is at their best here. The three of them have complete trust and respect for each other.

When I first started writing here, I used to think I have to make the MC's personality neutral enough so that most readers could relate, but now it's free real estate. I do whatever I want.

I was nostalgic about my college days' friendship, hence the more sombre tone in the middle. It feels natural in my friendships to joke around and make sexual quips in one moment and reflect on life in the next. I wanted to recreate that safety and sense of belonging I used to feel.

This was supposed to be finished earlier but I suddenly went through a friendship breakup during the editing stage, so I couldn't find it in me to write about the joys of friendship when I just severed one of mine. She was my close friend for almost a decade. I still think about her from time to time.

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#i miss her #the girl who could write this because she was so full of love and gratitude #i hope she's still somewhere within me #anyway i AM funny #at least i made myself laugh #xela writes #mystic messenger #jumin han

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