hide the fear/seek the shadows
—MINA⋆ˊˎ
“thank you. i have a lot of practice.” she pauses briefly, smile turning into something a little more knowing. “you have a lot of anxiety for someone that acts so carefree,” she teases him lightly, then turns more serious, a more characteristic state for her. “that’s often true.” many carefree people truly aren’t at all; they compensate for something. underneath there is a great deal of grief, or fear. maybe in time, she’ll grow to understand yujin’s feelings as well.
**•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚ —
it's parties like these that truly utilize all of yujin's patience. it is the constant feeling of being watched, of his parents’ eyes on him and his every move, it is the way that they encourage others to put eyes on him too. these are the moments he truly feels like a puppet on strings, his mother's hands behind her back as he holds his posture straight, he smiles carefully-— tries to make the expression reach his eyes.
it does— but anyone who really knew yujin knew that it was empty.
amid yujin being constantly pulled away to be introduced to someone, to greet someone he's met before, to have those who know of the business slyly pat him on the back like they both know of a grand secret, he finds solace in mina. returning to her side throughout the night, he finally finds a moment to breathe.
his smile must be too tight, when she asks him to come with her. he doesn't even protest, and hopes quietly that they'll be able to go outside, get some fresh air. he’s getting to the point where his lungs feel too tight, keeps clenching his fists way too much.
he takes as deep of a breath he can manage of the evening air, looking to mina as she takes his arm and letting his eyes fall shut. they had done this so often, and yujin doesn't know how to finds the words to thank her for it.
at first, he had been so adamant that she not take any of his emotions away— it made him feel worse to even consider that she might feel just a slight amount of what he's feeling in the process, couldn't bare to let her feel, to let her see. as time progressed, as more helpless hours slipped through their fingers as they entertained people at the party and tried to find small moment of reprieve together, yujin had allowed it.
he still thinks, wonders, if it's something he shouldn't allow, but the small moment where she takes it all away, it makes him settle and sink. his posture immediately crumples into something less structured, and he holds onto her for a moment longer until he lets go, leaving her with a gentle squeeze.
when he offers her a smile, it’s genuine. the night seems a lot more peaceful and quiet when he looks out onto it, crossing to lean his arms against the balcony railing.
“i know that you do. shows in the magic that you have, when you do things like that. it's brilliant. almost feels like.. warmth under the sun, when you sit out after being cold for a little while. warms you from within, i want to just—,” he sighs, closes his eyes again.
“just sit in the warmth and relax,” he finishes, gives himself a moment and opens his eyes. there's half a laugh falling past his lips at her comment.












