𖡡 park

@✵ yeo gangbin〘ʀɪᴏ〙ˣ.ᶜʰᵃᵒˢ “protection? wait, what—” a defeated sigh permeated past kion’s lips as soon as the helmet is fastened on his head, knowing there was truly no escaping the elder’s grasp of concern for his well-being. not that he didn’t enjoy it, the youngest of the two appreciated it more than he let on, but he just wasn’t so used to the whole safety aspect of the sport itself. “it can’t be that bad, right? they’d have to excuse us for something like this especially if we’d look super cool! if we crash though, and they catch that.. yikes.” he had his fair share of accidental swerves, skids, and eventual crashes— a good portion of such leaving a mark, let alone good stories to tell. it was, however, the need to feel free that genuinely glued him to skateboarding; its aimlessness, partially choreographed with one move to another that only felt all the better when kion essentially came to discover that he could revel in its thrill with rio.

“you’ve gotta trust me more on this, hyung! you see that mean ramp over there? i could take it on with my eyes closed. easy.” he laughed, his gaze already surging with confidence as he eyed the other skateboarders launching themselves into tricks here and there, practically calling for both of them to join in on the fun. “are you with me?”

@✵ maekawa isekai〘ᴋɪᴏɴ〙ˣ.ᶜʰᵃᵒˢ rio stopped at kion, stepping on the end of his skateboard to launch it into his hand, his eyes keenly observing the lack of protection on him. "hey," he called out in a rough tone as he unbuckled his helmet, "what are you doing out here skating without protection?" rio took off his helmet and placed it on kion's head, adjusting it so it'd fit his small head. "we'd get in trouble if anybody saw you skating unprotected like this," he warned as he snugly fixed his helmet on kion, "you never know if the public will overreact by saying we're bad role models for not wearing safety gear." his hand reached up to pat the top of the helmet on this tall child, smugly grinning to himself as nodded his head, "there, that's better - plus, management would whoop my if i let you bump your head on my watch." he shuddered just thinking about it. his relationship with management was professional, yet friendly, and they wouldn't stop to mention how rio should do a better job reigning in the younger end of the group.

@✵ yeo gangbin〘ʀɪᴏ〙ˣ.ᶜʰᵃᵒˢ unable to remember the last time he was able to unwind with his skateboard, kion was quick to seize the opportunity as soon as he got the slightest semblance of breathing room within schedules. he was a little rusty than he was back then, sighing at the revelation at hand, but his disappointment was quick to dissipate as soon as he’s catching sight of rio. his eyes widening as quick as the smile on his lips. “woah! looks like i missed the memo here?” he shot back teasingly, taking note of the elder that was just a step away from being safeguarded in bubble wrap. “looking good though, hyung!”

@✵ maekawa isekai〘ᴋɪᴏɴ〙ˣ.ᶜʰᵃᵒˢ rio was a good idol :) he came to the park with all his protective gear so he can be a good role model to all the kids at the skatepark to make sure they knew using protection was cool! :D helmet over his messy hair, pads on his joints, he skated over to kion on his board with a wave as he shouted, "ay, kion, on your left!"

@✵ maekawa isekai〘ᴋɪᴏɴ〙ˣ.ᶜʰᵃᵒˢ it was as if the world slowed down at once when kion rested his chin on her shoulder, the hesitation of his arm curling cautiously around her waist, bringing her into a gentle embrace. this wasn't a typical gesture coming from him, the playful and boastful energy energy he usually radiated replaced with something tender and raw, steeped into a vulnerability he'd never shown others before, just like how yiyeon was experiencing it for the first time now. and it got her heart dropping too, the weight of what he revealed combined with the action making her freeze just for a second, before she let herself lean into it, a soft exhale escaping her lips as she brought her arms up, hesitant, one resting against his back while the other lightly cradling the back of his head. holding him as if afraid he might shatter the moment she let go, fingers threading into his hair, the fall of the snow felt muted around them both as she kept quiet for a long moment, letting herself process everything - his words which were like a song that couldn't be turned off, the way his fingers tightened slightly at her back as though afraid she might slip away, and the raw, unspoken ache that was embedded in the embrace. the large figure in her arms felt so small, faltering confidence akin to a flickering light bulb, and it broke something inside her to realise just how much he'd kept hidden.

her breath hitched when he murmured into the soft locks of her hair, afraid that whatever she would be saying was unmatchable to the depth of what he'd just shared. but then she realised it wasn't about finding the perfect words just to soothe his heart and bring him back up on his feet - it was about being real, and kion deserved that from her more than anyone else.

"oppa..." she whispered, the vapor of white exhaled melting away into the air, along with the tremble of her voice, carrying the weight of whatever she wanted to say. "do you have any idea how much it means to me that you trust me enough to share how hard you've been going through? you've always been the one lifting people up, making their days brighter when everything seemed dark to them. but it never occured to me that maybe you were just doing all of that, being your own boisterous self.... because you didn't know how to share your own darkness." her words wavered, own emotions threatening to spill over as she processed everything that he had said.

"you say i see you," she continued, pulling back slightly to meet his gaze, hands moving to rest on either side of his face, thumbs brushing lightly against his cheeks that were affected by the chill, cold to the touch. "but oppa, you don't know how much i wish you could see yourself the way i do. you've been through so much, carried so much, and yet you're still here. fighting, even when it feels like the whole world is against you. that's not weakness, you know? that is strength, and the kind of strength that i admire more than anything."

her gaze softened, voice dipping, words becoming a little more vulnerable, recalling his confession. "when you said you almost left... do you know how terrifying it was to hear that? the thought of you feeling like you're not enough, so lost, so alone, thinking that there was no place for you here... it makes me so, so mad that i want to go back in time and shake every single person that made you feel that way." her eyes glimmered with unshed tears, hanging right at the edge, though she refused to let them fall. "because like i said before, they were so, so wrong."

taking a deep breath, her fingers trailed downwards lightly to rest on his shoulders, gripping it as if to drill the words into him. "you're not a burden, maekawa isekai. you never have been, and you never will be. not to me, not to anyone who truly cares about you. you know what will be a good way for you to thank me? know that you're not alone anymore. you don't have to carry everything alone anymore. you don't have to smile through the pain if it gets too much for you. i'll be the shoulder that you can lean on, the torch that lights up your way if you can't see what's in front of you, the compass that helps you navigate if it gets too dark. i'm here, and i'll keep being here, no matter how heavy it gets. stay with you?"

the faintest of smiles as she paused, arms slipping back into another embrace, this time being the one to pull him closer, tighter, the side of her face resting against the beating of his heart, clearly and carefully listening to the palpitations of his vulnerability. "you don't even have to ask. i'm staying, always. for as long as you'll have me, want me around, i'm staying."

@✵ cho yiyeon〘ᴊᴀɴɢ ᴡᴏɴʏᴏᴜɴɢ〙ᵗʳᵃⁱⁿᵉᵉ all at once it was almost as if kion had been heard. he had finally found the voice that had been trapped for as long as he could remember. all those painstaking months of being looked down on, jeered behind his back. he almost couldn’t decipher what hurt the most. but all he knew was that in these times when he felt alone, a much younger kion genuinely missed home the most. where if nobody and nowhere else, he at least knew he had a family he could run back to.

but as he remembered them, he also remembered what provided him strength in the first place, and the true resilience to go on. to fight for the spot he had today, despite going against all odds. through trials and tribulations, steadily finding his footing amongst places, let alone people, wonyoung— or yiyeon, as he had always known her so much better by, just so happened to be one of the few surprises in his life that made things a whole lot easier for him. even more than he cared to admit. she whose presence washed a wave of serenity upon him as her words resonated deep within despite his whirlwind of thoughts.

what emotions he felt as they stood before each other, the snow continuously falling around them, began to lighten in the slightest bit. through his silent battles of hesitation, kion stepped closer to rest his chin upon yiyeon’s shoulder with an arm curled around her lithe waist just to engulf her in a gentle embrace. had she listened close enough, then she would’ve felt the rhythm of his heart— skipping palpable beats each time for what pool of vulnerability almost had him conflicted over the immeasurable foreign comfort he never thought was possible. “i’ll admit, i don’t know how to process all of this. i don’t think i was ever made to process it at all, at least not right now. but all i can say is.. thank you.”

“all these years, i didn’t think it was worth telling anyone. letting anyone know how i felt. letting anyone.. worry. i hated being in a position where i’d burden anybody when i’d already come to feel like enough of a burden myself overtime, but.. you see me.” kion closed his eyes, fragments of the past rewinding in his head like a broken cassette tape; many of their days filled with laughter, camaraderie that could peel away any sliver of doubt he had for himself, even if just for a moment. “a solid couple of years of training together, and even right now i’d say i am dreaming. but you really do see me, cho yiyeon. and i don’t think i’d ever be able to thank you enough for it.”

“stay with me always, alright?” he ultimately murmured into her soft locks of hair, indulging in the gradual calming to his storm of worries.

@✵ maekawa isekai〘ᴋɪᴏɴ〙ˣ.ᶜʰᵃᵒˢ "it was a prank," his first words, breaking the silence of the still air in between them, and of course yiyeon doubted it, her soft gaze strengthening, knowing him well enough to know that he was lying, but not calling him out for it, not pressurising him in any way she would have wanted to. and he began to break soon enough, the grip on her hand tightening, to which she lightly squeezed reassuringly, a gesture meaning that everything would all be ok, he would be ok with her, because as much as he was an annoying prick around her, he was always genuine, and yiyeon too, was genuine around him as well.

his confessions were heavy, and it was the first time yiyeon saw him that way. first, fueled with anger back at the lounge, then now, dejected, a cold heavy weight bearing on his shoulders, to which she felt from the unsteady gaze, the shakiness of his voice. the squeeze on his hand was a little tighter now, the warmth emanating from her seeking to lift some of his troubles up, hoping to be one of reliance. "oppa..." she began softly, voice steady, though there was a tremor within it - a tremor born of the sheer gravity of what the older male had laid bare before her, thoughts that she'd never expect him to have. "i don't know what made you think of yourself that way... but the people that put those thoughts into your head, making you feel like you don't belong, like you're not enough - they were wrong. utterly and completely wrong. and i hate that they left their mark on you in a way that still makes you question everything, meaning that it still hurts up till now, doesn't it."

her words were carefully thought of, each syllable concise and deliberate, hoping to form a protective shield around him as she continued, leaning in slightly, gaze soft yet unrelenting. "but they don't know what you've been through, only you know it yourself. you don't belong here just because you've pulled through all these tough times and tough training, you belong here because everything you've been through, it shaped you the way you are right now. shaped you into somebody extraordinary, x.mpire's maekawa isekai. every moment of doubt, every single scar, every battle you've fought."

her voice dropped into a soft whisper, hand shifting slightly, fingers brushing against his own, yet not letting go. "and maybe today, win oppa reminded of the you that was hurting, and the pain that you've endured alone opened all up, taking a hold on you, making you the agressor. just for that one moment, you became something i, you, didn't recognize. but that doesn't mean you're the agressor. that just means that you've been holding in so much, and it's okay to feel it, to let it all out. it doesn't undo the countless of times you've been better. kinder. stronger. and i know it, i've seen it, how long have we trained together? 2 years? 3 years?"

giving herself a pause, and him a few moments to understand her words, she filled her lungs with cool air, blinking back up at him, a soft smile etched on the corner of her lips as she tried to get back the confidence the male had, words firmer and stronger. "do you think that the maekawa isekai i see, the one who makes us all entertained with his stupid jokes and his silly antics, who lights up the room and leaves behind his presence, would still be here if he didn't belong? do you think caspian oppa would have held back earlier if he didn't believe in you? or that i would be here, talking to you out in this cold weather, if i didn't see the worth in every part of you, even the parts that you're so scared to show?"

the moment they had between them now was certainly too raw, too fragile, something that they've never had, with the snow starting to fall once again, tiniest of snowflakes leaving marks on them, witnesses to the scene. "you're the guy who debuted on such a big stage, the guy who pulled through and survived, not the guy they tried to break. maekawa isekai. kion. the kion who stayed, and is so much more than the pain he's carrying right now."

finally loosening up her hand, yet leaving their fingers intertwined, she stepped closer, eyes softening, voice gentling as she added, "whatever pain you're feeling right now, you don't have to face it alone. you never did face it alone, oppa, and you'll never have to. because i'm here. wonyo- no, yiyeon is here." a soft smile, and a firm voice. "and you'll always have me to lean on, to confide in."

@✵ cho yiyeon〘ᴊᴀɴɢ ᴡᴏɴʏᴏᴜɴɢ〙ᵗʳᵃⁱⁿᵉᵉ what should have been an almost immediate embrace of an ice-cold blanket, was instead, nothing in comparison to the carnage of heat that kion still radiated so prominently from. his body an absolute swirl of emotions that tugged at him, only brought about from a plethora of frustration that had been boiling beneath his usual cheerful facade for almost ages now. the confrontation from much earlier simmering into bubbles of impending reflection— something he knew he had to shine a light upon.

“it was a prank.” he soon revealed, his voice low and shaky, not as confident as he would have intended. for if caspian was already considered quite the risk to be truthful with of such a stunt, kion surely wasn’t prepared to explain to someone like wonyoung. someone whose touch he found an unexplainable sense of comfort in; her concern wrapping around him, and pulling him back from the edge of his fury, especially through such a conflicting time. a time when he knew he was certainly out of place and out of line.

a silence fell between them for several moments as he registered how formidably screwed he was at this rate. kion was a horrible liar. but worse of all? he was the absolute worst with his feelings. yet, the female that stood in front of him made him feel like just once it was okay to not be okay. to be real with himself, as much as it seemed like she was being real with him. all at once he would allow the cool air to fill his lungs as he took a deep breath, searching for the right words as the weight of the moment pressed down against his shoulders, his grip on her hand tightening in the slightest bit. almost as if things would seem all that much harder to bare, had he not had her warmth to keep him grounded. “but i won’t lie when i say, this all honestly hit a little too close to home. and for the first time— /i/ was the aggressor.”

kion admitted after some time with a little more weight in his words, confirming her statement. his gaze that once easily matched up to hers now unsteady as he felt a little small in her eyes despite his stature that towered over many. “for many months i was made to feel like i didn’t belong here, like i didn’t deserve to be where i was. and while that might still be true, i— i still can’t bear the sight of being reminded of how i almost gave up, you know? how i.. almost left for good.” bullying was never the answer. being made to feel worthless, or at the very least disposable was not quite it either. and yet unfortunately, kion of all people came to know better as a victim of such echoes of cruelty and disdain etched into his psyche, leaving behind scars that were hard to heal. “win hyung, reminded me of that.”

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@✵ maekawa isekai〘ᴋɪᴏɴ〙ˣ.ᶜʰᵃᵒˢ The chilly winter air nipped at them both when the younger girl tugged him out of the comforting warmth, yet tense atmosphere of the lounge out into the nearby park, the scenic white of Seoul's thickest snowfall in 117 years muffling the usual hum of activity. Letting go, she stood a few paces away from Kion, giving him time to calm down while she processed her words, hands now tucked into the pockets of her pants, expression of concern now more obvious than when it was back there at the situation. After a long moment, she finally stepped closer, coming face to face with the taller male, the faint sound of her boots scrunching against the snow breaking their silence.

"Seriously... this was the last thing I expected you to do," a tone soft yet exasperated, long hair shifting with the wind as her brown eyes studied him. "You know you're an idol, yet you go around lunging at collars like that? What the hell were you even thinking, Maekawa Isekai?"

She paused to take a deep breath, looking back down at his hands, lips pursed, before starting again with a little hesitation in her voice. "You... you scared me. Not because I'd thought you'd hurt Win oppa, but because I've never seen you like that. You're not that sort of person, you're the one who's always making the dumbest and lamest jokes, the one who's always messing around..." Her gaze shifted back to him once again, softer now, though there was still a hint of frustration in her voice, hand reaching out this time to grasp onto his, sharing the warmth against his cold skin. "So... what happened? What got you so mad back there? And don't you dare say there's nothing. Talk to me... oppa."

@✵ song hyunjun〘ᴏʟɪᴠᴇʀ〙ˣ.ᶜʰᵃᵒˢ Getting out of the dorm silently, especially at two in the morning when it was possibly even more of an issue for him to be going out with no warning, was quite difficult. Jayden had nearly tripped on a few too many occasions while trying to get to his clothed, which in turn had him giving up and just wearing whatever it was he'd been wearing before- which was luckily a pair of white basketball shorts and a plain blue t-shirt rather than some of his more embarrassing options. These more embarrassing options consisted of things such as a penguin onesie (probably his go to choice during the winter months due to how warm it was- thank goodness for summer), and many pajama sets in bright, interesting colors with just as interesting designs on them (usually things such as dogs holding lightsabers, or turtles eating bagels).

Once he was finally out, having run through all the way down to wait outside near a park bench, he did his best to act casually on his phone. Would people think he looked ridiculous if they knew who he was or that he lived in the nearby building? Most likely. Would people assume he was some odd person they should keep their distance from, or perhaps some drunk guy waiting for his ride if they didn't know who he was? Well that was certainly a possibility. Did he care? Not enough to admit defeat, text his groupmate that he'll just try to sleep instead, and go back to his unit's dorm. Instead, he still texted him, but letting the other know where he was.

[ text to: olibear :teddy_bear: ]

- i'm on the bench to your left when you leave the building :detective:

@✵ moon eunhwi〘ᴛᴏᴍᴏ〙ʳᵉⁿᵘ lani had conquered her schedules for the day down to a t as usual. but the one thing she could not seem to get a proper grasp of was a smidgen of her life— and the part that almost always seemed to bite back in the worst ways possible, love life. the dancer had found herself taking over the role of a soldier in a never-ending war that gradually weakened her spirit which only spoke volumes for what courage she often carried herself in the face of many. on her own, times were surely the hardest, but she had easily come to appreciate the fact that she could never be entirely alone. and tomo, of all people, had almost always assured her of this fact as his presence once again engulfed her in a swarm of comfort as soon as she took a seat beside her most trusted companion. out goes a soft sigh as she sits back, her gaze taking in the brightly lit sky of the night that illuminated rather nicely above the two of them. “the stars are always so pretty at this time of the night. don’t you think so?”

@♔ leilani dairoenkul〘lani〙ᶜʰᵒʳᵉᵒᵍʳᵃᵖʰᵉʳ Today had been mostly a lazy day. After spending the entire week either locked up in his room or locked up in the studio in a mix of making music and self-pity, today he had mostly just laid in bed and skimmed through YouTube videos, social media, and possible series to add to his watch-list. He'd come out for the bathroom a couple of times and then got himself some cup noodles mid-afternoon when hunger finally hit. He hadn't planned to leave the dorm for the night but had been surprised by a text from Lani, who he hadn't seen in a while but would check up on him often. Despite the hours, after a quick exchange of texts, they agreed to meet up, and honestly, as he arrived by himself at the nearby park, his eyes shortly scanning the empty and quiet area, he felt a bit at peace. The night was quite comfortable and the chilly breeze felt nice against his skin. He adjusted the hood of his jacket over his head before finally allowing himself to fall into one of the wooden seats, located down the main path but slightly more into the park. His hand reached into the front pocket of his skinny jeans and he brought out the creased pack of cigarettes, proceeding to bring one to his lips before pushing the box back. It took him a moment to find the lighter but once he did, he brought it up as well, using his free hand to shield the small flame. As he exhaled out the smoke slowly, his eyes redirected back to the main entrance of the park as he waited for his company to show up, though not entirely disliking the solitude as it gave him some space and time to think without being locked up in his usual gloomy environment.