No Question ||《Jenyong》

My Love Is: a Gift From You

First Year

"Chin up, darling, we're confident not cowardly." His mother held onto his arm primly, walking beside him but ultimately leading somehow. Their house elf silently pushed Taeyong's cart through Platform Nine and Three Quarters, trying his best to catch up to the fast pace set by Taeyong's ruthless mother. The bustle of students excited Taeyong, never having actually seen so many people his age at once. The commotion juxstaposed so vividly to his home life he nearly felt over stimulated.

His mother fussed over him some more, blabbering off rules and regulations and all that blah blah blah. Throughout the years, he's mastered the art of faking listening to his mother to the point that she only catches him some of the time.

Today, he's using all that training to take in every single detail of the platform: from the high ceilings, to the owls that were sitting in cages, to the groups of children bidding their families farewell. He happened to notice a pretty ginormous cat, sitting patiently on a stack of luggage. It pawed at the hair of it's owner, as if to let them know they were taking too long. That's when he saw her. She was being held closely by her father, almost swaying back and forth in a tight hug.

Taeyong's father hadn't even bothered coming at all.

It felt almost like a slap in the face. Such domesticity. Taeyong, long ago, had come to terms with the fact that he'll never have that kind of relationship with his parents, but the heart wants what it wants. He wondered about the warmth he'd feel, about the colors that could have filled his empty, gray days from a bit of comfort from his parents. He felt wistful.

The girl finally let go of her father, turning her face in the direction of the train. Her catlike eyes crinkled as she smiled, he noticed. Her hair seemed a bit off though. He watched as she entered the train with her belongings, his attention only being torn away from her by a firm smack on the arm from his mother.

He wouldn't see her until the sorting ceremony later that night when she's placed into the noble house of Slytherin. He didn't know why, but a part of him felt pleased, watching as she slipped next to the other students sitting at the table. With a thoughtful glance, he looked back up at the ceremony taking place, thinking about how pretty he happened to find Jennie Kim.

Second Year

Her hair is different... it's still wrong though. Over the course of their first year, he's managed to become, what most would call, acquaintances with the pretty girl. Yet, they're somehow rigid with eachother, uncomfortable and awkward. Taeyong guesses that might have been his fault. Growing up sheltered hardly does any good for anyone's social life. He felt bad that he couldn't connect with her, though, feeling as though they could have been really good friends.

Stealing one more glance at her, he stands to leave the Great Hall, noting that Ten, a boy that managed to worm himself into Taeyong's life, slid into the seat next to Jennie. He was speaking to Lisa, someone he came to know as bright and bubbly, openly staring at her with complete fascination. Taeyong clicked his tongue, heading straight for the doors.

Ten, however, had other plans, deciding to ensnare Taeyong's wrist. "Look, here let's ask Taeyong. Twelve is a good age to date, right?" He tilted his head, yanking his arm away from Ten's grip. He noticed Jennie in front of him, sitting as still as a statue, back straight and leaning forward towards the table. As if she was avoiding touching him.

"If you're asking me," he began, thinking about his mother and father, "I'd say don't date at all. Our parents are the ones who are going to choose a woman or man for us in the future, anyway."