celestial strings | h.js

seven.

You were fast asleep on the blankets when Jisung finished taking his shower. A slight confusion blurred his senses when he opened the door to his room to find you nowhere to be found. It was until he cast his gaze downwards when he found that you had betrayed his decision and took the opportunity to lay yourself on the floor anyway.

He sighed. Why couldn't you just sleep on the bed? Why was that so hard for you? He reached over to the light switch by the door to turn the bright lights off. The room went dark temporarily before it was illuminated again when Jisung approached his desk to turn on the table lamp.

His eyes glanced past the opened textbook on the wooden surface and dread filled him instantly, the idea of having to spend another several hours trying to pry his eyes open just to study consuming him. Throwing the object a grimace, he pulled off his towel from around his neck and draped it over the back of his chair before turning around.

He sighed at the sight of you. He supposed he could always just move you back on his bed, it should not be that hard of a task. Finally making up his mind, he carefully made his way over to the floor and he knelt next to your figure.

His eyes trailed past your features and his thoughtful gaze lingered on your face for longer than intended, curiously studying your features. Your face was pulled into a neutral expression, and Jisung found it relieving that you seem less angry than you do when you are awake. At least you are peaceful in dreams; some people can't be and it is truly tragic.

Shaking his head to pull himself out of his trance, Jisung breathed out a puff of soft air to calm his unnerving heart and to feel less shy about the fact that he just spent a good minute staring at your sleeping face. It was an all too familiar feeling, the pumping heart and the pink cheeks. It has happened to him time after time throughout his life.

But he didn't quite want to fully devote himself to a small crush yet. He still believed the irregular feeling would fade away soon.

"Oh, shut up," he told himself under his breath and trembled in annoyance.

Then, as he was about to move his hands carefully underneath you so he could hoist you up, his eyes were once again caught by the sight of the strings on your arm. Unlike today, they were green instead of red. The compelling emerald green shone despite the lack of light in the room, and Jisung unconsciously reached his hand out to touch it.

You jolted away at the force that suddenly blasted from your wrist. Knowing very well that it was the explosion spell you recently chanted going off, you quickly scanned your surroundings to look for any potential harm. Jisung's room came into view, much to your confusion, and nothing was wrong aside from the fact that the books from his shelf had fallen off, and he was lying on the ground with a pained expression on his face.

That was when it clicked—you weren't sleeping outside.

"Oh, shit–Jisung!" You scrambled up, touching the green on your arm instinctively. The material was slightly slashed, indicating that it had just been used.

Eyebrows furrowing, you immediately deactivated the magic with a wave of your hands and pulled the strings off. When they fell to the floor, you turned your attention back to Jisung, who most likely had just endured a wind blast to his body. On second thought, you snatched the green strings from the ground and laced them through your fingers again.

"[Name]! You really–" Jisung groaned as he sat up, coughs erupting from his throat at the impact he suffered from his lungs. His arm reached behind him to knock at his back a few times to overpower the pain before he glanced up at you through his bangs.

A knock came through his door and his mother's voice sounded through with concern. Jisung pursed his lips, one of his eyes squinted so he could concentrate on separate senses: the sound coming from the door, the pain on his body, and the sight of strings floating in the air. What was happening, exactly?

"I'm okay, mom! My books just fell from the shelf, sorry!" He yelled out without facing the door.

He was staring at you and he looked less than angry. It was more betrayed than frustrated. You breathed heavily, feeling intimidated at the way he was staring at you. His eyes were questioning with demand written over its determined fiery. You knew he would be pestering you for answers until you give it to him this time. He has changed his mind about playing around and letting you brush matters off, and his change of heart was rightfully placed.

"I'm sorry," you said as you dropped to his side urgently and placed your hands on his shoulders. "I have to do this just in case—" you closed your eyes and quickly chanted a healing spell, "Imperium Pertrix."

Jisung almost jolted away from you when he saw the green glow of your strings. It was the same glow he saw just before he got thrown across his room, so it was natural he has grown cautious of it. But instead of a wind blast, he felt a cold sensation soothing over his aching bones. The pain from the previous impact faded out quickly and was replaced with stillness. It felt as if he was sitting in cold, still water.

"I'm so sorry about that," you repeated again when the spell was done.

"Yeah, sure. This is not the first time you have thrown me to the ground," Jisung muttered, finally deciding to stand up. His posture remained rigid despite feeling normal. It him appear just a tad bit larger than he was. And when he ran a hand through his hair, he clenched his jaw in irritation and he arched an eyebrow at you. "You, though, got some explaining to do."

He paused for a second. You knew what he planned to say.

"Are you sure they are just bracelets, [Name]?"