she stands at the entrance to the convention center, her hands shoved into her pockets, a pensive look on her face. she can hear all the commotion inside and can feel the cool air coming from the open door, can smell the faint scent of chocolate wafting through it. on other days, she’d be more enthusiastic, but just when she thinks she’s making progress, she’s on a downhill slope again. she stares pensively at the ground, bottom lip tucked between her teeth with her eyebrows furrowed.
with a quiet sigh, she pulls out her cell phone and rereads her messages, hoping she hadn’t come off too strong and scared him off. by now, she’s more than aware that minseok isn’t the extremely social type, but she’d been honest when she’d told him he’s fun to be around. she genuinely enjoys his company, and while she’d reached out to him in desperation for a distraction, she also hopes to become closer to him and get to know him better.
she locks her phone once more and places it into her back pocket before rubbing at her eyes---she hadn’t had a good night’s sleep in days---and decides that if he doesn’t show up in another fifteen minutes, then she’d officially scared him away and ruined her chances.
he’s an idiot. a certified idiot— who just leaves their hard-earned work laying on a table somewhere? yoongi blames it on lack of sleep, lack of everything. but in all honesty, he should have been paying better attention. if he had, he wouldn’t be rushing back to the cafe in an attempt to find his notebook. granted, it’s not anything of...dire importance. it’s just a couple of assignments, a couple of compositions to practice (that are garbage, really). it isn’t as if it’s irreplaceable, yoongi just doesn’t want to have to utilize more time recreating.
he sniffles as he reenters, eyes narrowing as his feet take him quickly over to a table he remembers habitating. but there’s another body there now-- though yoongi gives them no glance as he makes his way over and begins to study the table, eyes flickering over the surface of it before grunting. hand pressed against the edge he squats down to peer under, not seeing the navy folder. “god--” he bites off a curse, scowling. his head tilts up to look at the male, eyes narrowed in a glare as he lets out a soft breath. “oi, you see a notebook? it’s dark blue. i left it here about— twenty minutes ago.”
she’s not sure if she’s extremely lucky, or if minseok is just having a bad month.
she catches him again by pure serendipity at the city hall’s holiday festival, and really, she can’t help herself to once again catch him by surprise. it hadn’t really gone all that badly when she’d approached him last time, and even though the rejection of his offer to hang out with him when she’d asked him before at a dance workshop still plays clearly in her mind, pure curiosity and defiance keeps her feet moving forward until she’s tapping him on the shoulder and sweeping to the other side to play a short prank as she greets him.
“minseok sshi!” she greets him, as bright and effervescent as ever, possibly even moreso now that the chirstmas spirit is surrounding them, what with all the decorations and festivities, plus having just donated a few things in order to gain entry into the festival. “i’m surprised to see you here! are you waiting for someone?”
give it up for: kim minseok, park chanyeol & kim sangbae !
location: yeouido flower festival
date: 20170401
it’s april 1st and he almost wants to tell ian and minseok “april fool’s!!!” about performing at the yeouido flower festival, but the fact of the matter is that he’s far too excited to even fake backing out of it.
it’s been years since the three of them have done anything together, let alone a performance. in fact, chanyeol can’t recall the three of them ever being on stage at the same time, considering ian had only gotten into music recently (he still doesn’t know how to talk about anything related to the beach or surfing around him). to be standing with them now, about to take the stage, reminds him of the past summers and winters when ian would visit los angeles, and the trouble they would cause for all parents involved. they were handful---and they still are. the only difference now is that they’re harnessing that energy and focusing it toward different goals.
as they wait their turn on stage, chanyeol attempts to adjust his tie in the nearest reflective surface, which happens to be some guy’s sunglasses. he’d decided a suit was the best way to start off any flower festival, and while he feels supremely overdressed when he sees everyone else in their light and airy spring clothing, he doesn’t regret it one bit.
he’s always felt comfortable performing. it’s like chilling in his mom’s living room playing video games with his brothers in sweatpants (because his mom hates when he doesn’t wear pants on the new couch he bought her), and almost makes him forget how homesick he gets. but being able to perform on stage with people he grew up with transports him back to los angeles and the beach and the sunshine and that feeling of being carefree despite living in a shitty neighborhood and struggling to get by, and it allows him to embody the spirit of spring, of the crispness of the weather, the lightheartedness of the season, as he performs.
it’s been a while since he’s heard minseok sing, and it brings a smile to his face when he opens the song, the laid back feeling making his body loose and his expression looser. his head bops slowly, his own mic pressed into the fist of his hand as he walks around the stage as if drunk, and he is in this moment, on life and its subtle moments, so delicate and yet so profound. if he ever had a doubt about whether or not performing is his calling, it’s oh so clear now, the breeze whispering encouragement as it passes by, leaving behind goosebumps on otherwise smooth skin.
he’s completely immersed into the song, settling into the pocket, body moving along with the groove, lack of dance skills be damned. by the time minseok’s verse and chorus finishes, chanyeol is ready to take over, seamlessly sliding into the opening that minseok’s provided.
love has either got you over heels or overdosed
it's got you off your feet or on your toes
it's got you out your seat or in your place
it's got you diggin' it or your grave
admittedly, chanyeol doesn’t have a ton of experience without love, and despite english being his first language, it took him some time to decipher just what everything meant. but what eventually comes to understand is that love isn’t all sunshine and rainbows and puppies, but it’s hard work. just like the first flower that blooms after the winter, it’s a natural struggle, an unavoidable one, but with great reward. chanyeol has yet to experience a love that lasts through hardship, and at the moment, he’s not interested in finding it, but he’s hopeful enough for the future to be able to portray that as he raps.
love has got you mad about or just about mad
got you in a crush or it's got you in a crash
what used to make your heart sing a hit, sing a smash
will make you wanna hit, wanna smash
everything that you had into pieces
but love becomes clear when in pieces
what you couldn't see and hear during peace is
why a heart becomes ears in two pieces, yeah
his short verse ends and ian comes in with his verse, an airy take that’s perfect for his voice. his favorite line of the song (gravity makes wonders, but on us it doesn’t seem to weigh) is delivered perfectly and his smile is never-ending. before long, the song reaches its slow and smooth conclusion, a marriage of their three voices blending together in a sweet ending that has them each standing at the very edge of the stage, looking out over the scenery before them.
it’s a perfect way to start, and he can’t wait to help finish it off.
→ it’s a christmas miracle !
feat. mama park, the twins, & kim minseok ♡
on the first day of christmas, trc gave to me---get to leave the company early.
it's a line he's been singing leaving the company building and served as the background track to the nice drive back to his apartment. he's entirely equipped for christmas evening: his laptop is set up in the living room for him to skype his mother and little brothers, and minseok will be arriving shortly after he gets home. once chanyeol arrives, he cleans up as quickly and as best as he can, which isn't hard considering he's hardly ever home these days to make much of a mess anyway. all it involves is a quick sweep and throwing some dirty clothes into the hamper in his room and everything is nice and tidy.
the doorbells rings right as he's thrown a pot of milk onto the stove for hot chocolate.
he's ecstatic to see minseok, who is as much a part of his family as his brothers and mother, and instantly greets him with a christmas greeting that shows just how grateful he is to have gotten out of training early. unfortunately, there isn't any food prepared for the feast he's more used to getting during christmases in los angeles, and he's about to apologize for it when the doorbell rings again.
confusion is immediately etched on his features as he stares at the door, looking back at minseok as if his best friend would have the answers. nothing comes out of the older boy's mouth, though, so chanyeol cautiously makes his way to the door, wary of whoever---or whatever---may be behind it. he can't even peek out of the peep hole because all he's getting is pitch black, and even though his heart is racing at the thought that there might be a gun pointed at his face as soon as he opens it, he twists the knob and throws the door wide open.
he's immediately glad that he did.
with it wide open, he's able to immediately step forward and scoop up his mother and brothers in a giant hug, his excitement allowing him to pick up all three as uncontrollable laughter and joy seeps from his mouth. he can't even begin to form any words, and any attempt at trying only releases a series of sputters and made-up languge no one can understand, not even himself. he's so overwhelmed with joy that his mouth remains shut as he just looks at them, completely in shock but eternally grateful that they're standing there before him, that he can actually reach out and touch them.
it's been nearly two years since he's been able to do that, and the realization dawns on him like a ton of bricks. he clasps a hand over his mouth, and he's speechless, a feat thought to be impossible by most who know him and know of him. most wouldn't believe it if they'd seen it. but he's too overcome with all the homesickness he's felt over the past two years, and then the rush of it all washing away just hearing their voices in unison.
and that's when he breaks, the dam he's always been determined to keep closed ever since he'd learned his father had abandoned him before he even knew him. his eyes well up and overflow, and before he even realizes that he's crying, he's enveloped in several pairs of loving arms. he loses track of time, doesn't know how long he's spent crying on his mother's petite shoulder, breathing in her familiar scent, reveling in the warmth of her embrace, but he almost feels completely spent once they finally and regretfully pull apart.
"why didn't you tell me you were coming?" he finally manages to say, voice croaking as he shuffles them all inside.
"then it wouldn't be a surprise, duh," says michael, who has grown far too much since chanyeol last seen him in person.
"yeah, hyung, common sense," matthew adds, grown even more than michael.
chanyeol chuckles. "of course," he responds, patting both his younger siblings on the head. he flashes a soft smile at his mother, who mirrors his actions. he'd always been told their smiles were so similar, but he never really understood it. hers always carried wisdom and grace and charm, of which chanyeol is any. nonetheless, he's always been proud to have something of his mother's as if happily carrying her legacy.
in her smile, he sees it, knows he doesn't have to say it, how much he's missed them all. they already know, because they've missed him just as much.
"do you still not believe in christmas miracles?" she asks him, a teasing lilt in her tone. she's known for years of chanyeol's atheistic stance on religion despite being raised in a christian household.
"you know what, ma?" he says as he pours at the milk he puts another pot of milk onto the stove. "maybe just for today, i'll believe in miracles."
as eloquent as he is, chanyeol will never be able to explain the joy of being let out early from training on christmas day. he makes it home in record time, tired and out of breath, but it’s the most invigorated he’s felt when arriving at his apartment in months. he tidies the place up, making it look presentable for guests after having lacked the time to keep it up to his usual standard of cleanliness in the past few weeks and, once he’s done, sets up his laptop in front of the modest christmas tree he’d manage to throw together with just enough ornaments to not seem sad.
he’s just put some christmas music on when he hears the doorbell and rushes toward it, nearly toppling over as his christmas socks slide against the wooden floor on the way. he opens it up and greets his best friend, a wide grin on his face, immediately pulling the older male into the apartment. “merry christmas, hyung!” he greets him in addition to the huge bear hug reserved only for his closest friends. “ah~ i really miss hanging out with you this early in the day.” he chuckles, even if his words ring a little too true. “do you want some hot chocolate?”
He had done a poor job of hiding the damage to his ego. In fact the look of embarrassment and pure unadulterated shame made his damaged ego -that much more obvious. To be fair, he had never been beaten so badly in a game of basket ball as he had that spring afternoon, and after having your butt thoroughly kicked in a pickup game 29 to 7, was enough to make even the most hardened man weep, and anyone could tell you that Yanan was far from being the most hardened men.
With his basketball tucked firmly underneath his arm, and his proverbial tail tucked firmly between his legs, the tall male wanders the court looking for redemption. He spots a male not much older than he and makes his way over to him, bouncing the ball twice to gain his attention. “Hey care for a game?” He asks, offering the male the ball.
