playlist: come a little closer - neon bunny

(bc soundcloud coding isn't working anymore for me, i'll just use youtube. up to you if you want to listen to it, i recomment it though.

 

 

phase two; knight in dull armor

» Minan's arms dropped to her sides as she bluntly said, “Kris.”

 

“Dammit,” the boy who was covering her eyes let go. “I tried making my voice sound different.”

 

She crossed her arms and exaggeratedly said, “I can tell it's you from a mile away. But besides that, you're finally here! I haven't seen you in a week!”

 

Kris nervously laughed as Minan tightly hugged him, patting her on the back gently. “Right...”

 

“What were you here for?”

 

“Hmm why? Did you think I came for you?” Kris sneered.

 

“E-excuse me!” Minan exclaimed.

 

Kris laughed and started walking, Minan following suit. “Are you saying you didn't?” Minan asked, completely serious.

 

Kris gave her an incredulous look. “I—came to do business, you know...”

 

Minan did feel a little hurt that Kris came, in fact, just because he had to and fell silent.

 

“Ah sorry,” Kris apologized, swinging his arm over her shoulder. “After I'm done, let's go do something fun, okay?”

 

“No...” Minan pulled away. Looking back at him with a small smile, she said, “Just do what you came for. It’s fine, I know you’re busy.”

 

“W-wait—” Kris only managed to say before Minan fleeted quickly.

 

 

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

 

 

Minan quickly ran away to a residential area, where it was a lot more quieter, blinking away warm tears that she had no idea had formed.

 

“W-why...why am I even crying,” Minan wiped her eyes, laughing silently to herself. She felt so lame...it'd be embarrassing for someone to see her—

 

“Why is this beautiful girl crying?” a mysteriously cloaked man appeared.

 

A little shocked, Minan took out her knife on instinct from her more-often-than-usual exploration trips. She tried to act like she hadn't cried at all. “Who's this?”

 

The man turned and she found a familiar face. Taking the hood off, the man smiled at her. “Hello, Minan.”

 

“JR,” she breathed out, relieved. “It's just you. Don't scare me like that by wearing that!”

 

“I have to wear this...or else my parents will kill me.”

 

Raising her eyebrow, Minan asked, “Why are you here then?”

 

“Why aren't you in your room studying?” JR retaliated.

 

“Tch, you rebellious boy,” Minan scoffed.

 

“Just like you.”

 

JR, or “Junior Royale” was only his nickname, but self-given. He was the rebellious child of young parents struggling to live in Valcoast, Kris's family's kingdom. JR hated Kris with all his heart because of his jealousy to be royalty, as he was more of a farmer boy. The only person who knew this was Minan, who vowed to keep a secret among just the two of them.

 

The two sat down on a staircase nearby. It was summer time, so the stony slabs of the stairs were warm, even under the shadow of the buildings. Times like these reminded Minan of all the times she went exploring with her several friends in forests and mysterious caves. But it stopped once they all became old enough to help around the kingdom, and she missed it a lot. After they all stopped, she became a lot closer to JR, since he wasn't part of a royal family and liked sneaking out to Eriso since it was so close.

 

“So...why were you crying here?”

 

“Nothing...just something stupid.”

 

“Does it have to do with Kris?”

 

Minan was shocked at how JR guessed it right away. “W-why is everyone saying Kris is doing things to me!”

 

“W-what? He's doing things to you?”

 

“I—I mean...not like that...” Minan retorted shyly, embarrassed. “Never mind.”

 

He simply sighed before straightforwardly stating, “You do realize that no one makes you sad like Kris does, right?”

 

“I have no idea what that means.”

 

“Are you really this dense?” JR smirked.

 

“...What do you mean?” Minan asked, still completely clueless.

 

“Never mind,” JR laughed, patting Minan on her back. “Forget it. Who cares about what Kris did? It doesn't matter because he's just like that right?”

 

“You just don't like him, silly,” Minan poked JR's forehead.

 

“There's a good reason, you know. He's always so stuck up.”

 

“He's hard working. He cares for Valcoast. Too bad I can't be more like him.”

 

“Tch...he makes you cry but then you defend him. I don't get you,” JR shook his head.

 

Minan shrugged, “I guess I was just sad because I was disappointed at how lazy and stupid I am.”

 

“Hey hey, you're not lazy and you're definitely not stupid,” JR put his two hands on Minan reassuringly. “Don't think like that, alright?”

 

Minan smiled, “Y-yeah, I know. Thanks.”

 

“There we go. Be the optimistic girl that I know,” JR brought Minan into a hug. At least someone seemed to care and understand her.

 

In that moment, Kris noticed Minan's brown hair in the sunlight and instantly ran towards her until realizing the situation. “Ohh...hey I...found you...”

 

Minan turned to see Kris right in front of them, and quickly sat straight up again, breaking away from JR. JR turned as well, following with a look of bitterness appeared on his face.

 

“Sorry. I thought you would be somewhere like here,” Kris awkwardly scratched the back of his neck. “Was I disturbi—”

 

“No no,” JR stood up, patting dust off his pants cooly. “Not at all. Prince.”

 

Kris furrowed his eyebrows and avoided JR's glaring eyes. “Well then, I'll get going then. See ya.”

 

Kris headed back to town, leaving just a pissed JR and a meek Minan. “Let's go back too...” Minan pulled JR's arm gently.

 

His anger seethed through his teeth before he shouted out, “GOOOOOOOOD I HATE HIM.”

 

Minan nervously laughed and tried shutting JR up in fear Kris would have heard it. JR eventually calmed at least a little bit and agreed that they should probably head back where people were so it didn't seem suspicious that two kids were wandering around random people's homes.

 

When they arrived, they started heading to Fei's flower/tailor shop, only to be stopped by a large commotion.

 

“What's happening?” Minan asked.

 

“Merlea's son came to visit. It's a six hour boat trip here. I wonder what he’s here for,” a villager was more than happy to answer.

 

“Merlea?” Minan was excited to hear a familiar kingdom's name.

 

“Which son?” JR asked.

 

“Minho.”

 

“Minho is here?!” Minan exclaimed happily. “I haven't seen him in a year!”

 

“Aaaaand?~” a shrill voice came from behind.

 

“Zelo!!!” Minan tightly hugged the giant boy.

 

Zelo was a rebellious child, just like Minan and JR. He has a great sense for excitement and adventure just like the girl. Although a middle-class child, because of his surname that matched with the Merlea kingdom's royal family and youthful good looks, he's often mistakenly thought as part of the royalty to outsiders. He grew attached to Minho whenever Minho was out on the town singing for fun. Somehow, it inspired him, and the two grew decently close.

 

As for Minho, he was always a mysterious person, even to Minan. He didn't really express his feeling too much, so whenever he sang, it was the perfect way to find out how he felt because of all the emotion in his voice. As one of the sons of the royal family of Merlea, he became a suitor for Minan. Instead of falling for each other like their parents had hoped, they instead became good friends when Minan pulled him to explore around. Even now, their relationship was platonic and comfortably so.

 

“You grew so pretty, noonaaaaa,” Zelo pinched Minan's cheeks, giving a huge grin.

 

“And chu gwew weally talllll,” Minan complimented while her cheeks were being squished.

 

“This is a whole reunion, isn't it?” JR laughed, ruffling Zelo's hair.

 

“Hmm? Is someone else here too?”

 

“Kris came too,” Minan said, glancing back at JR carefully, who seemed less than happy to hear his name again.

 

“Ah...” Zelo also glanced at JR too, not really knowing why JR looked so pissed to hear his name. “That's nice.”

 

As the pathway in town were getting more crowded with people, it was clear when Minho arrived as loud murmurings and cheering increased.

 

Minho was in an elegant cart, his face covered with a white hood. Only his lips could be seen and to Minan, it looked...unhappy.

 

“Is there something wrong?” Minan asked the other two boys. “With Minho, I mean.”

 

“Hmm? How could you tell?”

 

“He's wearing a scowl.”

 

“Wow, your eyesight is so sharp.”

 

“Ahehe...just something special I have. But seriously?” Minan felt bothered by it. Why were so many kingdoms coming to Eriso all of a sudden? It's not just a simple visit if it's so grand like this.

 

“Maybe you should find out,” Zelo said, gaining a hard nudge from JR. “Ow!”

 

“Don't tell the princess to do things.”

 

Minan rolled her eyes. “Relax. I am gonna find out.”

 

“...Because there is definitely something up.”