"We gain feelings and understanding through our experiences."
Friendships, first loves, and self reflective moments: all things that define us and remain with us as we try to live on. The triumphs and hardships we face in youth are what make us huma...
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Promt: Hoseok tries to cheer up a stranger on a park bench.
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The birds perched in the trees, chirping as the afternoon breeze wafted through the park. Crispy leaves crunched under ongoer's feet as they made their way down the paths.
A small smile graced Hoseok's face as he took in the nature surrounding him. He brought his coat closer to his body as sudden gust of wind blew past.
Hoseok just loved walking through the park in the fall. Every time he visited he would sit on the same bench, watching the leaves transition from green to brown as the season went on.
One thing he didn't count on was seeing someone sitting in his usual spot.
The small girl (seemingly around his age) ucurled up on the seat, hiding her tear stained face in her knees. Her jacket-less form shivered as the cold seeped into her skin.
Upon seeing her, Hoseok was struck with a bit of surprise. On instinct, the man went up to the bench. He walked over slowly as to not startle her.
"May I sit here?" He asked gently.
The girl's head rose from her knees at the sound of his voice. She paused before nodding her head and skooching over. Hoseok slowly sat down beside her, looking up at the swaying trees surrounding them.
"You know, I always come here when I need some time to think," he began, "I guess I'm not the only one with that idea."
Hoseok smiled slightly as the girl peaked at him. He continued, "May I ask why you're upset? Sometimes it helps to tell a stranger your worries without fear of judgement."
The girl's E/C eyes softened on Hoseok's form. She nodded her head, accepting his proposal.
"Well," she began, "I've just been having a really rough time with life recently. Things are changing so fast, and I feel so lost and confused. And as you can tell, I'm terrible at managing my emotions." The girl let out a sad, humorless chuckle as she fiddled with her fingers. Hoseok let out a deep sigh in thought. After a few seconds of silence, he finally gathered his thoughts.
"I won't lie to you and say that life will slow down. Things are always changing, whether it be in small or big ways. What matters is how we handle those changes. We can take them in stride, or shut down and try to reject them." Hoseok paused and glanced at the girl. Her brows furrowed, showing that she was taking his words into consideration.
Hoseok breathed in before continuing, "You seem like a strong person, that much is clear by the way you're still holding out. I think you just need time to adjust to these changes in your life. It's okay to be startled or hurt by them, like you are right now. But in the end you must hold your head up high and continue onward."
As he spoke the girl had planted her feet back on the ground, no longer curled up on the bench. She dried her cheeks and truly took in the boy's words.
After a moment, she gave him a smile, the burdens weighing down her shoulders lightening by the second. "Thank you for being concerned about me, and for your kind words. I'll try and give things time like you said, even if it takes a while. All of this means a lot to me, even if I don't exactly know you."
"It's really no problem. I'm glad I was able to make you feel better!" Hoseok smiled brightly at the girl, causing her cheeks to tint a light pink.
After collecting herself, the girl stood from the bench. "I really should be going now. Thank you for everything," She gave him a shy grin, bowing her head slightly in gratitude.
"It was really nothing," Hoseok shook his head playfully, standing up as well.
With that, the two went their separate ways. As Hoseok took a few steps, he realized something:
He never asked for her name.
Turning on his heel, he called out to her, "Wait!"
The girl turned around, eyes wide in confusion. Hoseok jogged up to her and gave her a reassuring smile.
"I never introduced myself! I'm Hoseok," he put his hand out for a handshake. The girl took his hand and gave it a light shake before smiling.
"I'm Y/N!"
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A/N: Y'ALL DON'T KNOW HOW LONG IT TOOK ME TO WRITE THIS CHAPTER- This has been in the works since around December of last year. I had the first half typed up immediately, but I left it unfinished for like... 5-7 months 😐 I had no idea how to write it, but I knew that I wanted to finish it eventually. The problem was: I didn't know why Y/N was going to be upset. But, it suddenly came to me and I wrote up the other half of the chapter. Y/N's conflict comes from myself, and how I've been feeling recently. The things Hoseok said to her are things I wish someone had said to me when I was confused and frustrated at the world. I think Hoseok being the Male lead in this is perfect, since Hobi irl is so comforting to me.
I hope whoever's reading this enjoyed it, because it came from my heart. (It was also about 730 words, not terrible by my standards 👀)
