민혁 + 설현 · AND TO THE CHILDREN WE ONCE WERE (will remain unfinished)
FEAT MINHYUK & SEOLHYUN OF INSANITY
the age of 5, a blooming year for children who find immense bliss at mundane things: bubbles blown, the crisp cold the air, the static sound of the television when the signal goes off, the whooshing of the plane flying across the vast sky and the bouncing of the ball jumping around the backyard. the age of 5 is intended to be age the where children learn, but all seolhyun and minhyuk ever did was prove that there are always loopholes to notions and rebels to norms. when five year olds seolhyun and minhyuk traded dainty floral sunday dresses for wedding gowns and exchanged toy guns for a oversized tuxedos, they often found adults cooing at them—most sounding as if it is done after a joke because, after all, they are just kids—throwing in a hearty chuckle or two because the sight was, undoubtedly, hilarious. hilarious in the sense that it was cute, but simultaneously amusing, because who in the right mind at the mere age of 5 discusses about the whole concept of weddings as if it's a rather typical topic that everyone could converse about so freely?
"but it's not wrong, mom," seolhyun, age 6, had said when her mother had laughed at minhyuk's birthday gift. it was the day of her birthday; a two layered cake covered in baby pink frosting and polly pocket figures was all it took for seolhyun to shed tears, but it was the sight of little minhyuk—a plastic rose and ring pop in hand, knees pressed against th egrassy field and lanky figure wrapped around the same tuxedo he had stolen from his dad's closet—had overwhelmed her to the point that she had declared it was not only the best birthday of her entire life (totally disregarding that she's just 6), but as well as the best day in existence, with meeting cinderella in real life being unable to live up to that feat. her mom shrugged it off to be a joke, because even though she was a live witness to minhyuk's grand mini proposal (with his "kim seolhyun, when we get older and i start to grow a beard, do you promise to marry me?" still ringing in her head), they were just children. they didn't know two things about the process of a relationship, much less about lifetime commitments, so mrs. kim had simply dismissed it to be words out of playful intentions: nothing serious and nothing to actually heed on.
the age of 7 had finally come to conquer minhyuk's life, and he couldn't remember the last time he had perspired so... profusely. it was not the evident fact that there is a plus one to his previous age that worried him, nor was it the idea that he'll soon find himself screaming in agony when being circumcized—it was the figure of seolhyun sitting right next to him, chortling at cosmo and timmy turner's combined stupidity, with the looming image of two beings leaning forward to one another and soon finding their lips pressed against the other's own. "that's called kissing, son," he vaguely recalls his dad informing when he had asked when a kissing scene had flashed on screen, "it's what your mom and i would do to prove that we love each other." he couldn't care less back then, only paying attention to the action scenes of the film, but when the same movie came on at the exact time seolhyun and minhyuk scheduled a play date, he couldn't figure out if he was relieved or stressed out. the only thing that was relatively definite was that his heart was pounding 700 beats per second. seolhyun intended to gift him a love letter and homemade cupcakes for his 7th birthday, but when she came over the day before with the purpose to plan the games for the celebration, she never figured out nor a expected the idea of giving her lips and first kiss as an advanced birthday gift was remotely imaginable.
"oh?" was the first word that escaped the confinement of seolhyun's lips the moment minhyuk pulled away from the peck he had just given. a disappointed expression was evident in his look, expecting a little more enthusiasm coming from the other party. instead of a dreamy sigh and a bright shade of pink forming across her cheeks, all minhyuk received was a flat oh and bewildered features. but, it took five seconds or so before minhyuk felt the same familiar lips taking over his own and another five seconds before the sight of seolhyun pulling away, flustered, bidding goodbye and running out of the door with her left shoe still sitting on the doormat flashed across his line of sight.
ages 7, 8, 9 and 10 were just as blissful, especially when third and fourth kisses were created. in secret, of course, because even though their parents had a clear idea that their bond was quite different than those typical childhood buddies, they were still of the varying gender, giving the prospect of them actually having a romantic connection a big thumbs down. sure, they have professed their love for one another in the eyes of the public, but all the supposed meticulous adults would claim was that they were "just kids" and that "they don't know what they're doing". however, contrary to the theories the older ones have chosen to be firm about, both seolhyun and minhyuk were more than sure their friendship—or at least, special relationship—is more than a spoof or joke, but something that holds much, much more than a sheer "kid thing to do".
age 11 is usually dubbed to be horror, or something along the lines of frightening and terrible phase every kid hopes to get over as soon as possible. however, the age 11 appeared to be different in the eyes of minhyuk, especially when his romantic senses would often tingle at the presence of seolhyun and whenever his knowledge about the opposing gender increases by the minute. it's trouble when the words "boyfriend" and "girlfriend" began to be meshed together, no longer having a empty space standing in between the two words. it's trouble when the kisses they have shared began to have a deeper meaning, something that rings in the name of lust. it's trouble when your comprehension about the concept of marriage begins to be a lot more tempting. and, it's definitely trouble when every look and every touch felt the need to be officially titled.
"can i court you?" seolhyun heard minhyuk utter through the phone, voice slightly muffled but audible enough for the female to choke on her chip. "c-court?" they were now 11, and the word court was now in their dictionary. "like, i.... i try to appeal you, and attract you so you'd.... you'd want to become my girlfriend in the future...." minhyuk's soft voice sent shivers to trickle down her spine, and although she was tempted to keep him from doing so and immediately take the opportunity to have my pasted at the beginning of his name when referred to, she didn't want to sound needy. besides, seolhyun was the romantic kind, and if minhyuk really meant when he said he wanted to be with her when he gets his first chest hair (circa, 2004), she wanted to be assured determination was definitely present.
the first night minhyuk had turned 13 was also the first night they shared a kiss as boyfriend and girlfriend. it was a long run, minhyuk noted, remembering every crucial and arduous circumstance he had to take on, but worth it. seolhyun didn't mean to drag it on for nearly two years, especially when the both of them have reciprocated sentiments at an early life stage, but with lingering disappointed snickers and judgemental remarks from the general adult population, it was seolhyun's hesitance that acted as the hindrance for them to be together. "you are too young to get into a relationship, babe" inserted her aunt, "studies first, boyfriends later, hmm? good education is hard to achieve, while boys can easily be taken." it was never her liking for minhyuk that faltered, despite that half their relationship consist of childhood endeavours, but it's the idea of being with him—being his girlfriend—that was quite blurry. sure, they have defied the laws of the universe since the beginning of time considering that they've learned the art of weddings at the age of 5, but as she grows older, it's not only emotions and dictionaries that grow. dubiousness and conflicted opinions begin to exist in her life, too, playing as the obstacle that held minhyuk's desire to be together with her apart from reality. it's uncertainty of how the real world worked that made their bond a lot more senseless when concerned romantically. however, they were still seolhyun and minhyuk—the same kids that have gone against every odd and every jeer and the same kids that swore to an allegiance half their age would never find the capability to fully percieve.
it's year 2009 and middle schoolers lee minhyuk and kim seolhyun had skipped gym class together, replacing their schedule with a spontaneous and extended homeroom class ("if we get in trouble, all the blame goes to you", "like i'm not used to that, seol"). it wasn't the first time they have skipped class, or at least have the conciousness to do so (at times, seolhyun thinks having a 30 minute bathroom break doesn't count as class skipping since, technically, she had asked permission), and every single time minhyuk would offer, seolhyun would be skeptical but soon find herself obliging. besides, if it wasn't for the fact that the male is fairly witty and is, in fact, her boyfriend, she wouldn't have complied to his escapades nor bother hearing his illogical theories. "okay, but imagine this—lee seolhyun." it was 14 minutes into gym class and two students are hiding behind the bleachers, one of them blushing madly because of a foolish thought rather than a volleyball ball striking her square on the face. it was the first time minhyuk made seolhyun fluster, at least by the means of him declaring another of his irrational musings, and with the smug look that fleeted across his visage, the latter pondered if getting skinned alive was a lot better.
it's been years since the two have last spoken about marriage, granted that neither of them wouldn't actually have the guts to bring the topic up. when you're 14 and you're already in a relationship, it's not exactly a prudent choice to discuss about your future, especially when it's a renowned perception that you don't get the girl after highschool (or middle school, in their case), much less get the girl walking down the aisle. it's one thing to be ridiculed when, at such an early age, you've gotten into your first romantic affair and it's another to be gossipped about by the student body by simply voicing out a thought about permanent commitments. but minhyuk couldn't care less. lee seolhyun had a very nice ring to it, and if he finds himself calling out that name once he steps into the adult life, he's going to make sure he's going to attain that happiness no one would understand but him and the center of his affection.
summer of 2011 and minhyuk, one hand in the bowl of popcorn they were sharing and the other sitting comfortably by seolhyun's side, had muttered: "moon taeil was staring at you earlier". a puffed grin casted upon seolhyun's facial features, her corresponding "and yeah?" sounding a tad bit too eager than usual.
voice shaky, minhyuk responded, "nothing. i just wanted you to know."
seolhyun was inwardly shrieking, slowly replying with a loose "sure, alright" in attempt to appear remotely nonchalant. the probability of witnessing a fumbling and possibly jealous minhyuk is everything but high, so when those set of words had oozed out of the minhyuk's mouth, all seolhyun wanted to do was provoke the man and bring out his inner possessiveness. the both of them had established a mutual solid trust subsequently giving evident enviousness a low chance. so, when minhyuk answered back with a tentative "i think he, you know, likes you...", seolhyun was grinning like crazy, taking every bit of the advantage this new sight is granting. a standard response would've been "yeah, but like it matters, right?" but she was feeling slightly mischievous at the moment, especially with her boyfriend sweating greatly, and so, with a pleased tone, she said back: "oh really? wow, i... i feel... flattered? oh, wow."
the way seolhyun marveled at the idea of her next door neighbour taeil bearing a crush on her, which little did he know was all a hoax, upsetted minhyuk in many different ways. seolhyun? liking a different man? that is not me? everything but a felony, he muses. minhyuk sure knew he was a jealous man, but with pride considered a priority for him, he never really favored looking desperate in front of others, much less his girlfriend, but this one was a different case. he, too, knew that chances of seolhyun liking another man is lower than his math average back in 6th grade, but what was she doing... amazed at that information?
... 끝 ...
(will not be continued)
(will not be continued)
image edit credits to momo (@gandapky)
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