In the other universe…

‘Psssshsttttsttttttt’ The sound of the machine coming to a stop, white smoke gushing out from all sides onto the lush field of green grass (that will make anyone hop onto the other side). The boys have successfully transported themselves to Nornia, the land of myths.

A particular teenage boy hid behind a sturdy grown tree, inspecting the machine. His dark-brown eyes slowly looked the machine up and down. Taemin had never seen anything like that. What was that?

After several minutes of scrutinizing and contemplating whether it was safe to go near that metal ship, Taemin finally gave in to his curiosity, his legs bringing him forward involuntarily. He circled the silver machine once, then twice.

“What the hell is that?” Taemin thought curiously, fingers straddling his chin for a dramatic effect.

Bold enough, Taemin let his fingers run down the sides of the metal and almost immediately pulled back and on his scalded fingers. The machine was still hot. And now the grass that he had been standing on began to radiate the heat as well. Taemin circled the machine for the third time, trying desperately to work out the mysterious thing that suddenly appeared.

Forgetting the pain, Taemin’s hand landed on the silver ship again, this time on the sliding door. Since it wasn’t hot, Taemin began to pull his hands to the side, almost like he was going to go around the machine for the fourth time.

Click. The door slid open. Therein lays the four young men, tumbling on top of one another, Onew being closest to the door since he went in last.

Taemin squatted down beside the beautiful human. And caressed his cheek, like he’d never seen anything, anyone like that.

Onew stirred and opened his eyes. His first gaze in Nornia met with Taemin’s. The younger’s hazelnut brown hair flowing with the wind, away from his face, allowing the sun to shine brightly at Taemin’s orbs that sparkled. The little button nose. The pink pouty lips, pretty in color like the flowers nearby, yet it wasn’t smiling. Taemin was clad in a simple white tee, not prettily made though, complemented with simple white berms.

The cool breeze brought with it the sweet scent of roses and lavenders from the green field. There were birds singing and little beetles chirping their mating song. It was serene, one where Onew can live in forever peacefully working on his experiments.

“H-hey…” Onew started, “I’m Onew!”

Taemin just looked right at him, as if he could see his soul.

“Hello.” Onew tried again, waving his hands in Taemin’s face. “Does he understand my language?”

Still no response. Onew tried to gesture to him but didn’t exactly know what to say. And will he understand those gestures anyway? The older looked away, slightly embarrassed like he was a clown and Taemin was his audience, who isn’t laughing.

“I’m Taemin,” he began, “What are you?”

“Wha-what am I?” Onew pondered, looking towards the younger for answers.

“What creature are you? I thought I knew everything there is to this place. I lived here for 19 years, mind you.” Taemin replied flatly.

“Eh? If you’re honestly asking what am I, I’m human. And the name’s Onew.” Onew shot back.

This first meeting was not going well. He might even land the gang in danger.

“Keurae?” Taemin’s eyes suddenly turned into half-moons as he grinned silly.

He’s excited, because there isn’t anything else like him in Nornia, he was the only human, with his parents. He grew up in Nornia, played with all the creatures there and knew them by name. He even adopted a stunning rainbow-coloured Unicorn for companionship. All creatures there could speak, by the way.

“Yeah, why? Is it weird?” Onew wondered.

“Of course! I grew up here with no friends, only my parents. There wasn’t anyone else like me to play with. Though I had Jake, Lumpy, Bubblegum and Rainicorn, they were really different from me.” Taemin explained, counting his fingers as he spoke, the smile remained as he talked about his friends.

Onew must’ve have been thinking loudly about who in the world was Jake, Lumpy, Bubblegum and Rainicorn, because the next thing he heard Taemin say was pretty ludicrous.

“Jake’s a shape shifting dog, Lumpy is a puff of purple cloud, Bubblegum is almost like human but with pink bubblegum hair and Rainicorn is my faithful steed Unicorn!” Taemin ended proudly, pointing towards the tree that he has been hiding at earlier where Rainicorn stood graciously.

Onew was in shock. He expected mystical creatures but not this way. The ones Taemin described doesn’t sound like anything he’s heard off.

“And you named them?” Onew was even more curious in the place now, more so than Taemin was curious about who he is and what was he doing here.

“Named them? What are you talking about, that’s kind of rude. You don’t name your friends!” Taemin huffed at Onew, “They have parents that gave them names too you know!”

Now Onew looked like the silly one and Taemin was the smart one. Taemin felt offended. He stood up, dusted brown soil off his pants and started to walk away when Onew grabbed him by the wrist, almost pulling the frail boy down again.

“Look Taemin, I’m awfully sorry for speaking like that. I didn’t know better,” Onew apologised, “I was expecting something else.”

“Like what?” was the curt response.

 “Trolls, fairies, dwarves and the like.” Onew stated with integrity.

“We have that too! Are you from outer space? Wait, are you really from outer space?” Taemin suddenly gained interest again and sat down next to Onew.

“No, I’m not. It’s quite a complex and absurd story. If I told you, would you promise to listen?” Onew wanted to explain his story to Taemin and how he ended up here. Perhaps Taemin could help him. 

Get it? Grass greener on the other side, so people will always want to get to the other side? Get it???? HAHAHA sorry I just had to add that in. OnTae moment in next chapter!:)