*Tadaah! Another NAP for you dear readers, because it's Christmas, I couldn't say this is fluff, but I've put angst to a minimum, despite of wanting to write it out of being sleep-deprived. I'm being bias again since they're my top ship in teen top, but rest assured, I'll write of other pairings as well, but I think I'll only stick with nap, chunjoe, and changrick, I don't feel like changing their partners. Hehe.

*Merry Christmas dear ones!

#9-N.A.P.

Red is your lips that smiles sweetly

Makes me forget my fear so subtly

When we’re together, I could pretend

Shouldn’t I be happy now that someone could see through me

With him I’m all myself, no makeup or dress

He’ll come to me without a word if that’s what I need

With you I kept on asking, boy what you wanna do

Yet he tells me his plans and asks if I like it too

--

Once it’s over, then it’s over. You don’t expect to keep on running on a marathon if you’ve already crossed the finish line, right? Real love stays, yes. It might keep on haunting you, yes. But the fact remains that no matter how much you adore that special one, or no matter what kindness you show to pull him back to you, as long as he decided to leave, you should let him go. Once he realized that the mere attraction he had for you has faded away, you should not hold him back. ‘Cause once it’s gone, it’s gone for good.

“I’m guessing you’re a masochist.”

Niel’s head snapped towards the direction of the stranger who approached him casually as if they were old acquaintances. And he’s feeling uncomfortable with their proximity especially that they’re the only passengers on the elevator of the hotel where the attendees of his best friend’s wedding would stay for the night, since the reception was just half-through. And last thing Niel wants to see right now is the newlyweds happily dancing and drunk in love. 

His thoughts were broken when he realized that  the other man is drunk.

“I’m sorry, but you probably mistook me for a friend of yours. I don’t know you.”

“Oh, but I do know you.”

Hearing this made the petite guy tense up all of a sudden. Digging up in his memory bank, he’s quite sure that the stranger is just saying those words confidently out of the alcohol’s influence in his system. He haven’t seen this guy around, not in the workplace, nor in his own neighborhood. Perhaps, he thought, he’s a friend of someone who knows Niel. But as far as he could remember, they were never once introduced to each other, before and even after his bestfriend’s wedding took place.

“Mr.-”

“You’re the one that played the piano earlier during the ceremony right? When they were exchanging their vows; you’re really cool back there.”

Sensing that the conversation between them might not end up on a good note since Niel believes that drunk people are unpredictable, he decided to just laugh in response, nodding his head as if agreeing to whatever the stranger blurts out. He’s thankful that he just drank one glass of champagne or else he would have ended up like the stranger, or worse, he would have humiliated his self in front of the crowd.

He knows he’s capable of doing that so he doesn’t try to take actions that he might regret afterwards.

“You’re a brave soul aren’t you? That, or you’re just simply a crazy masochist.”

For a drunk man, he speaks well, that if not for their present closeness that gave out the strong scent of booze, he might believe that he’s talking to a completely sane man. And since his room’s on the 34^th floor of the building, and the screen just shows the number five, he decided to play along.

“Well, what made you say so? And in what floor does your room belong? You haven’t pressed any button yet.” 

“I’ll just press once I’m near my floor, or when I feel like it, since my room would never go anywhere anytime soon.”

Right, he really is drunk.

“About your question, I just know. ‘Cause you see, you look at them as if you’re attending your own funeral. Yet, you play such a sweet melody it deceived anyone who listened that you really are happy for them, even if you’re obviously not. I’m not sure about what the others saw though, ‘cause for me, it clearly shows. Then you smile back at them if they throw a glance at your direction as if on reflex and not out of pure genuineness. I wonder how he couldn’t see it when you two are close.”

“And what made you say that we’re close?”

Now, the other has already taken off his black overcoat and slung it on his right shoulder, body leaning on the elevator’s right wall, while Niel was standing casually, eyes returning to the stranger from its fixated gaze on the screen showing the current floor number. He has worn his white suit, the one he’s planning to wear in his own wedding, ‘cause he could never wear it again for a different person other than the current reason of his clenched heart.

“You’re his best man, and you played for them, so there’s no way that you’re not acquainted well with each other.”

“Yeah, you’re right. We’re close since we’re the best of friends. You’re such a keen observant, aren’t you? I’m fine though, mind you, since I know that I handed her to someone that I can trust to never hurt her at all. I believe it’s better this way. This feels weird, confessing my sentiments to a drunk stranger who attended the same event as me but I haven’t noticed during the whole time.”

“Of course, how would you notice me out of that bunch of attendees earlier? Who told them to choose that maze-like garden as the place for their exchanging of vows, I mean, they should have thought about the guests’ welfare as well, ‘cause you see-”

“Okay, okay, I get it. No need to rant it all out one me, since you know, you’re drunk and all.”

“Oh, but you might see more of me, since I’m your dream girl’s second cousin. But to tell you frankly, I’m just forced to attend that wedding. And I wonder what made you like that witch so much, no offense.”

He should be irritated by now, especially that the stranger just insulted his first love, yet he found himself giggling and just nodding along. On the brighter side, it’s quite fun talking to him.

“Well, I guess that’s the reality when you fall in love. You tend to accept every single detail of her being, that even her flaws become important as well. That you couldn’t bear to hate her even if she’s too oblivious or too careless about you. That as long as she’s happy, no matter how broken you become, you’re fine with it. No questions, no regrets, no promises, ‘cause you would never want to hurt her or make things hard for her.”

“Such a selfless explanation huh. You’re such a hopeless romantic. And an idiot as well. You’re too giving and kind that’s why you always end up at the losing side.”

“Now, the way you’re saying that makes me think that you’ve known me for a long time already. Oh, it’s my floor already. Bye, nice to meet you-?”

“Minsoo.” The other responded, together with a slight wave of his right hand to express goodbye.

--

But why is it that, I’m with him, my mind’s with you

When he laughs, I hear you too

Completely insane, this heart longs for the memories of you

I miss the pain, just on the couch with you

Even if we’re dancing like a couple should do

Ain’t this stupid, look how unfair I am

Letting the love take over that should already be gone

And as the elevator’s doors closed, the remaining passenger leaned his head towards the side where the buttons lie, mentally scolding his self for not grabbing the chance to prove his self to the person he had always admired since the day he had seen Niel’s piano recital back in high school. That was the time his cousin  pulled him as a chauffeur, though he ended up leaving much earlier than expected, too shy to be introduced to Niel and have a chat with him. it was a game of hide and seek for him ever since, of him being like a stalker but not planning of revealing his self, since he’s not courageous enough. He hates it that it doesn’t fit his face at all.

Right now, it’s also the alcohol that makes him talk, not his aloof side. And it took him almost 7 years to strike a conversation and he just let it slide like that. now he wonders if it would take double of that for him to ask the pianist out.

“Really Minsoo? The thing that should be asked is why she didn’t like you back. Such a good person like you and not even once did she look at you the way you look at her. Don’t you think that’s unfair Niel? Don’t you think that you deserve so much better than where you’ve put yourself right now? And why is-”

His rant was cut off when the door suddenly opened again, revealing the subject of his current thoughts. Looking at the buttons, he then realized that he hasn’t pushed any of those at all.

“Now you look like a drunken idiot who couldn’t take care of his self in front of the person you like. Nice one Minsoo. Nice one.” He murmured to himself, his hands covering his flushed face out of embarrassment and trying to calm his rushed heartbeat that feels like slamming his chest.

“Minsoo, right? Would you mind drinking coffee with me? You don’t look good right now. You shouldn’t have drink that much when you couldn’t-”

A sudden hug and Niel’s eye grew wide, starting to panic for the sudden intimate contact.

“You’re seriously too kind Niel, you shouldn’t be. What if the person you decided to help is actually a serial killer? Or a thief? Or a crazy sadist?!”

”Well, I don’t think you belong to what you just said, right?’’

‘’Of course not! And I could never hurt the person I like you know.’’

Awkward silence, with Niel now walking slowly towards his room, Minsoo clinging to him like tree sloth about to fall asleep. If not for the wide childish smile on the other’s face, Niel would have been scared with the actions alone. But he couldn’t help but help the stranger, since he doesn’t look like he’ll be able to reach his own room at the moment.

‘’Niel, you smell like bright mornings and fresh dewdrops, It’s nice.’’

Laughter.

‘’What do that even smell like? You really need a warm cup of coffee right now. Don’t cling to me that tight or I’ll leave you here all by yourself.’’

Minsoo quickly loosen his hold, yet his hands held tightly on Niel’s suit, as if a child on his first travel to a supermarket with his mother not wanting to get lost.

‘’How funny, you’re the opposite of your cousin. She’s too independent for her own good.’’

‘’Stop that.’’

Niel’s face shows confusion, especially when he felt warm arms wrap around his waist, chin rested on his right shoulder, words whispered on his ear.

‘’You’re just torturing yourself every time you remember the reasons why you fell for her. Stop hurting yourself. ‘Cause you see, you’re hurting me as well.’’

Silence. Just the sound of breathing filling the whole corridor devoid of other guests.

‘’Did you just… confess to me?’’

‘’Right, and I probably not believable right now since I’m a bastard who drank too much and taking advantage of you by hugging you this much.’’

Instead of answering back or asking another question, Niel settled with walking once again, Minsoo still with his hugging position, yawning once in a while.

And as they reached his room and he succeeded on making the other sit on the nearest couch, he quickly brewed two cups of coffee, one for Minsoo to relieve his drunk state, and one for him for being nervous after hearing such caring words.

He’ll let his self and the other rest for tonight, and tomorrow, he’ll try to make sure he wasn’t just imagining and hearing things.

He believes Minsoo would be such a good friend and a kind man once he’s sober.

And he’ll wait to hear those words again, without him reminding Minsoo of what happened earlier.

‘’You know what Niel? I think I already love you.’’ A fit of giggle erupted from his lips, like a girl confessing to his high school crush, totally not fitting with his strong presence and manly features, that Niel found it to be such an adorable sight.

‘’Thank you, I guess. Rest well for tonight. I’ll bring you to your room tomorrow. If you need my help, just approach me, okay?’’

‘’And Niel. You can cry you know. I wouldn’t mind.’’

‘’Thank you. A lot.’’

A smile formed on his face, and Niel realized, having this kind of attention and affection around him isn’t that bad.

*Such a tiring week it has been, graveyard shift suits me but three days straight of 12 hours duty each day has drained my my proper thinking within, so I'm more crazy these days. I need to regain it again. You guys, don't overwork yourself alright?

*Have a happy week guys! Advance Happy New Year!

#niel.is.for.cap