orenda (iroquoian, n.) - a mystical force present in all people that empowers them to affect the world, or to effect change in their own lives
Genre: in keeping with my most frequently recurring genre as of late, this piece is very emotional (and I advise reader discretion), but it is comforting. lately, I have been writing to comfort myself, and I share works like this in the hope of sharing comfort with others.
Word Count: 500
Note: This drabble was requested by shinee loving anon using this list. please feel free to make a request using this list!
Onew's favorite fan letter is one he received while on vacation.
"I don't' have to wear a mask," he thought on his walk to the park closet to his hotel. "Nobody will recognize me when I am so far from home."
It was rejuvenating— breathing deeply, feeling the early autumn wind breathing on his face, living among the goldening trees in this beautiful moment of clinging to life before the death of winter. Winter, the time when the sun hides and twinkling Christmas lights sometimes— often— always fail to replicate warmth despite their beauty. Winter, the time when all reflect on the past and all at once, for better or for worse, all feel it in their bones: just how much has changed.
Onew closed his eyes as he eased himself onto the park bench below the line of pine trees, welcoming the rising flood of memories. There was nothing to fear; he would not drown. When his eyes opened, they did not fill with tears despite the needle piercing through his heart and tapping to the tempo of ever-fleeting time. Peace found him once somewhere in a dream; peace wouldn't leave; peace was hard to forget when living for a moment among the trees and the sunlight.
Then she appeared, wearing a bashful smile, crossing her arms tightly over her chest, trying to hide the words "SHINee World" written on her sweater. Holding out a page likely torn from the blue notebook clutched in her hand, she said in his language, in a distinctly American accent: "I love you."
Maybe that was the only phrase she could say in Korean.
All Onew could think as he accepted the papers and scrambled to return her kindness with the quick bow of his head was that this girl leaped over language barriers to speak to him on a day that he hadn't expected— he hadn't dreamed of being recognized.
After he thanked her, grinning down at the page in his hand, marked with English words he could not read, the girl bowed and turned to continue on the hiking trail lined by pine trees. The name on the back of her sweater— not his name but His name— took his breath away and reminded his eyes how to tear.
Onew stayed awake well into the night to type the girl's night into a translating app. He though the effort paid off when he read:
I'm sorry I can't write in a language you understand, and I'm sorry that my handwriting is so terrible. I am trying to write this quickly as I try to gather the courage to share this note with you before you disappear. Please know that your voice— your literal voice and your solo album— is among the most beautiful in the world. Please know that your voice is such a comfort, such an inspiration, one of the brightest lights in the darkness. Thank you, Onew.
"You're welcome," Onew will tell the girl if their paths cross again, "And thank you."
[7:59 P.M] Buying a cake and celebrating with all five of them, screaming into the night, “happy 12th anniversary and many more to come!”
Kibum is laughing, Taemin is doing a little shimmy as Jinki is fairly calm about the whole thing, Minho casually teasing Jonghyun as he’s tearing up and furiously wiping at his eyes, as he mumbles about how he never expected them to stay together this long, nor be this sucessful. All you can do is stare fondly at these five men and how they’ve all grown since debut.
[9:32 AM] Onew asking if you guys can start putting up cute pumpkin lanterns on the porch of your shared home, a month early; with a slight pout and puppy eyes; as he’s willing to give cuddles and kisses in exchange for doing so.
[10:10 PM] Onew and you were watching a Harry Potter movie marathon on T.V, but as time passed, he had fallen asleep, his face buried against the nape of your neck with soft and slow breaths coming from him, as his arms were around your waist; making you feel safe.
