SOLAR

Trot, go sideways, stop, a few steps back, turn….and gallop

She had been practicing this routine for a week and wasn’t able to move past the “go sideways” part. Her horse wouldn’t stop on her command.

Her teacher, an aged man that always looked like life bore him out of his mind insisted on offering the same old advice when she got frustrated “The horse feels that you aren’t relaxed, that’s why it won’t stop”. But even if she thought he was incompetent, he had to be right since the man had been a worldwide champion. Hell, her family paid him handsomely just because of that. She sighed and tried to do the sequence again, under the dull gaze of her teacher.

Being the daughter of a wealthy family is not as glamorous as people think. Since a young age, she’d been taught the proper manners at the table, because the ones people are not enough when you have 3 forks and 4 knives in each meal or when you have celebrities as usual guests. Free time doesn’t exist, it’s not allowed. When other kids were hanging out in the park after classes, she was trapped between thick walls practicing piano and guitar, taking singing lessons, swimming… and of course, horse riding. The last one was different, at least she got to enjoy some fresh air and had fun (to some extent). 

And let’s not forget about your image. You had to look perfect even when you were n your pajamas. Her father sometimes made some remarks like “That dress it fits you a little tight, I’m gonna ask the cook to make smaller portions for you” or “Are you sure you don’t want to wear makeup? You’d look pretty” 

Sometimes they were innocent, other were more direct. And her mother was no different, choosing her clothes like she was still a five year old. She was never able to express her personality in any way. She even doubted she had one.

She sometimes just wanted to stop, take a break, breathe. She’d say she’d hang out with friends, but she had very few whom she barely saw due to her strict schedule. Yongsun was also aware that many people approached her because who she was, or because of her family. They always wanted something.

At least horses don’t have any hidden interest, they just want food, water, and love she thought as she brushed the mane of her horse after the class. She really enjoyed the quiet moments with the animal, just talking about random topics, pretending the animal was listening whilst she made sure all her necessities were covered.

Aeos was the gift for her 20th birthday. When she received him, he was still a youngster that jumped around, making silly moves and interacting with anyone who got close. Since he still was unnamed, she used the opportunity to name him after one of the horses of the sun god Helios as a clever pun with her own her name, or at least she thought so. 

His mane perfectly captured this solar essence with a dark honey coat and a blonde mane. In the two years she’d had him, he’d grown to be a tall stunning muscular horse that looked like he came from a fairytale. And he loved her, he used to be a happy mess when he saw her, now he was able to contain his happiness just enough not to be too harsh because his now huge body could create a mess pretty quickly. Some of the people thought he was half dog because he had all the manners of a lab minus the wagging tail.

She knew she was another present her parents gave her to make up for the little time they spent with her, another materialistic way of apologizing, but at least this one loved her back.

MOONBYUL

Here, like in most places, if you don’t come from a middle or upper class, horse riding is out of your league. Yes, you can take a few classes, but doing it as a hobby and/or owning a horse…. “normal people” don’t have that kind of money.

She had tried riding a horse in a summer camp when she was 10 and she instantly felt she had found her vocation. She just wanted to be around the majestic animal, to know how to ride them and to understand them.

“Hell, I’ll do anything” she remembered thinking.

As tenacious as she was now, when she was younger she didn’t lack any of those witts. When she was 15 she found out that not far from her home, there was a rather professional equestrian center, those in which you had to have a certain amount of money in your bank account just to be able to look at the horses.

Week after week she grabbed her bike and pedaled her way to the furthest part of the installations where she could hide in a bushy area whilst she contemplated the jockeys train. Being patient has its rewards, one day when the weather was being a bit unpredictable, the center was quite deserted so she sought the chance and got closer to the stalls. She could hear the soft neighs accompanied by the rhythmic breathings of the animals.

Her inner cricket shouted many times that getting in was wrong but she was beyond any care up to this point. The horses rested in big stalls with fresh hay and in the farthest corner water and food was in big containers. 

As she started to take in the different horses surrounding her, she couldn’t help but find funny those who were wearing what you could call a “jacket” for a horse, to warm them in the cold weather.

Well, she didn’t have one of those, and soon enough she was sneezing. One thing she hadn’t known at that moment is that, if you spook a horse, there’s going to be a lot of noise, but if you spook a whole stable, well… hell is gonna break loose.

Great, perfect stealth skills she cursed herself mentally.

With a gust of air, a man came in  “Hey, what are you doing here? he asked. He looked like a stable man but this fact didn’t scared her less.  

I’m screwed she thought. Fear is an interesting thing, everyone experiences it but in different ways. She could feel herself trembling ever so slightly as she tried to explain herself hurriedly “Please don’t call the cops, I just want to watch the horses up close… I meant no harm, I’m so so sorry… I’ll just leave and never come ba-“ Her terrible ramble was cut off short when the man raised one hand signaling her to stop, while he used the other one to scratch his chin.

“You don’t look like a jockey from another rivaling team trying to gather intel” she shook vigorously her head “So why did you want to see them so badly?”

“I just … I love horses… so much. I don’t come from a family that can afford this” she gestured around her “I just wanted an opportunity to spend some time with them, learn more about them, pet them.. all of that. But don’t worry, I won’t come back. I’m truly sorry” the words just seemed to bubble up on her chest and pushed through in a quick cascade of regret, her eyes getting mistier by the minute.

While Byul was battling to compose herself, the man seemed torn between confusion and understanding. After what seemed an eternity he talked again “Let’s say I forget this intrusion; What would you be willing to do to spend more time with these animals?”

“Whatever” she blurted without a thought “I would even clean the stables”

“Is that so?” he paused “Come here every day after school, even on weekends. You’ll have to work hard. And if I see that you’re really that passionate, I’ll teach you how to ride them”

Her brain wasn’t even able to grasp what the man had implied, leaving her in a state of daze and confusion. I must be dreaming

Once her brain cells were able to send a coherent message, immediately accepted the deal.

That's the end of the chapter. I hope you liked it since it's my first attempt writting a kpop fic. 

Comments are appreciated ^^