bestie anniv 2020

yoon haneul ;; neo city.

" your smile does miracles. "

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he first found her on her doorstep, huddled in a corner, shivering from the cold, her lips turning blue, her long, thick hair draped around her shoulders, covering her face as she sobbed quietly.

and for some reason, it ached his heart.

jeong jaehyun was not someone who wore his heart on his sleeve. he was cold, he was calculating, he was unpredictable, he was mysterious. no one ever knows what is going on in that head of his, and he doesn't plan on letting them know.

but somehow, when he saw her, when he saw this complete stranger, he felt like he really was wearing his heart on his sleeve. he felt like his heart was pulling him on a leash, dragging him towards her.

his heartstrings were getting tugged.

he was getting tugged. he was strung up by his own heart, tangled in his own heartstrings, a marionette controlled by none other than himself.

strange comparison, but true.

he was the puppet and he was the puppeteer. he was watching the show and controlling the show at the same time.

he was watching himself approach her.

and he was approaching her.

the first thing he noticed about her was how burnt her porch was. wooden porch steps burnt to a crisp, creaking under even the slightest pressure applied. there was a woven rug on the doorstep, also burnt halfway, and the door had black markings from where flames once touched it. dried, shrivelled, burnt plants sat in pots hanging on strings, dangling from ceilings, meant to be decorations but not really lifting the mood now.

the second thing he noticed about her was... well... her.

the way she just sobbed quietly and did nothing. the way she merely wore a simple blue sweater and sweatpants that did nothing to keep out the cold november breeze. the way burn scars peeked out from under her sleeves. the way her clothes were singed at the hem. the way her hair was frizzy, puffy, messy, somewhat knotted. the way blood seemed to present itself as speckles all over her clothes.

jaehyun wanted to give her a hug, but judging by the wounds she was hiding under her clothes, it might hurt her.

so he just took a step forward and squatted down in front of her, observing her silently.

she was obviously taken aback by his sudden appearance, because right then and there she inched back a little, gasping softly. as she moved, her face came into view— petite, soft, pale, sad...

her eyes seemed to hold the galaxy inside them. her blush seemed to hold an entire cherry blossom tree inside them. her pout was comparable to that of a kitten's.

but her scar...

it wasn't even a scar.

it was fresh.

fresh from her house fire. jaehyun was sure of it.

he made his choice on the spot. without saying anything, he gently took her hand, careful not to touch any of her wounds as he helped her up. then, without any explanation at all, he led her down the streets of seoul, weaving through huge sidewalks and small alleyways, squeezing past huge crowds and small crowds, past aesthetic cafes and simple roadside stalls until he reached his home.