Mood: ecstatic

Star Wars References (and possible spoilers).

If only I could wake you from your long slumber

Geu jiteun eodum sok gin jame ppajin neoreul

in the jet black darkness

kkaewonael suman idamyeon

Baekhyun entered the room with a grin so big it can almost split his face in half, just to be disappointed upon seeing (hearing) Chanyeol snoring loudly, one foot dangling off the bed, the rest of his body underneath all the duvet. The crisp December air is making it harder for him to wake up.

“Yah”, he gave him a shove.

“Wake up wake up wake up wake up wake up”, he started annoying him with that singsong voice of his, Chanyeol groans pulling the comforter off his head.

“What? This better be good”, he said, half squinting.

“Oh it is, because…..” Baekhyun was all smiles, almost too giddy to finish the rest of the sentence, “In a galaxy far far away..”, then he pulls out two tickets from his back pocket and dangles them at Chanyeol’s face.

“WE’RE GOING TO SEE STAR WARS?  “, Chanyeol lifts himself off the bed, shaking the sleepiness in his eyes he grab the tickets from Baekhyun’s hand.

“Damn right we are”.

Chanyeol couldn’t believe it, in his hands are two premier tickets to Star Wars VII: The Force Awakens, not just any ticket, but this one’s for the hardcore fans, it’s the midnight showing where everyone’s required to be in Star Wars costume.

“How did you get a hold of this?” pure amazement trickles from Chanyeol’s voice because those are rare tickets, only a handful of people are/can be invited to this VIP advanced midnight showing.

“Oh I have my ways”, Baekhyun said proudly. That and they collaborated with Disney Korea for the movie franchise anyway.

“Who are you going as?” Chanyeol asked, the showing’s two nights from now and that’s hardly any time to prepare for a costume.

“I’m not telling. Let’s surprise each other on Sunday, what do you think?” Baekhyun’s eyes were sparkling with pure fan- ish enthusiasm; Chanyeol knew then that Baekhyun had picked out a costume already.

Outside, in the living room, the other boys are busy with their non-Star Wars related life. Lay and Suho are putting up Christmas decorations, red and green striped socks pinned on the walls, Christmas balls rolling everywhere. Kyungsoo and Xiumin are busy pattering in the kitchen with what smells like almost baked cinnamon cookies, and Kai and Chen are slouching on the couch while signing up a few of their limited edition Christmas albums.

Baekhyun and Chanyeol stood awkwardly in the middle of the room, Baekhyun let out a fake cough.

“Me and Chanyeol are going to see Star Wars on Sunday, I am sorry I wasn’t able to get all of us tickets, it was really hard getting them VIPs, it’s practically bloodshed”, Baekhyun stuttered, afraid that the others might take this the wrong way.

The others looked at Baekhyun as if he is speaking in Jabba the Hutt’s alien language. Suho turned to him from the box of ornaments, “It’s okay, you guys enjoy yourselves. I’m not really a fan”.

This was followed by a series of “Me neither” and “Not a fan too” by the other members. Chanyeol grabs at his chest dramatically as if he was hurt by their sudden admission, “What? How could you have existed without watching Star Wars? That’s like the greatest story ever!”

“We had a song written for the movie, and you’re telling me you guys aren’t fans?” Baekhyun looked at them as if they are the scum of the earth.

Suho shrugged, he went back to hanging the Christmas lights.

(“La la la light light”, Kai started singing.)

“Is that the one with the evil ring and wizards?” Sehun came out of the kitchen holding a piece of cookie.

Baekhyun looked at him with dagger eyes, “That’s Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter you’re talking about” you idiot.

Sehun took a bite off the cookie, “Fantasy movies are all the same anyway”.

Baekhyun and Chanyeol walked out of the apartment, they cannot stand another second with the non- fans.

Follow the bright light stretching far ahead,

Meolli chanranhage ppeodeun bicceul ttarawa

feel the overflowing brightness

yeogi chaoreuneun nunbusimeul neukkyeobwa

“You’re going as what exactly?” Suho is covering his mouth with his hands, trying to conceal his laughter. The others are looking at Chanyeol as if he’s gone crazy.

“You can’t recognize me? I’m going as Yoda!” he stretched his arms and made a full turn for everyone to see, “Ah what’s the point, you haven’t heard of Yoda anyway”.

“But why are you green?” Sehun crossed his legs, he looked mortified.

Chanyeol covered his head with what seems to be a green bonnet, and then he has those tiny elf ears, his face and neck is covered with a green substance of sorts, and he’s wearing like a taekwondo robe, black belt, tight brown pants and boots. His costume practically screams YODA.

“Because he is green! He is the greatest Jedi there is! Oh for god’s sake, Baekhyun! You can come out now!”, he shouted at one of the rooms.

“I thought you’re one of Santa’s little helper, oh- Santa’s tall helper” Lay added.

“Or people might get you mistaken for Shrek. Skinny Shrek!” Kai was laughing as he high- fived Sehun and Chen who both dig his joke.

What do these guys know anyway? Chanyeol wouldn’t let a bunch of non-Star Wars people dampen his night.

Baekhyun came out of the room wearing a blonde wig, something like a taekwondo robe too, with a black belt, tight black pants and black boots; he’s holding a blue light saber.

“Oh cool we’re both coming as Jedis”, Baekhyun said to Chanyeol as he immediately recognized his costume.

“You’re going as Luke Skywalker?” Chanyeol looked at him as if he’s missing the point, “I thought we are supposed to be unrecognizable? We can’t get mobbed by fans today, it’s Star Wars day!” he declared.

“I don’t think the fans are going to recognize me” Baekhyun shrugged, adjusting his blonde wig.

“Yeah, because holding that blue sword makes you invisible to fans am I right?” Sehun too.

“Oh come on, I’ve been wanting to be Luke since I was in fifth grade!”, Baekhyun complained, “And do you realize that Yoda is freakin’ two feet tall or something and you’re way over six feet? Wow, good job on picking out costumes Chanyeol- ah” he rolled his eyes.

“Tease all you want, but I will not let you go out of the house exposed like that, I’ve been waiting for this movie for years and we can’t get stuck outside the cinema signing for fans or whatever” Chanyeol crossed his shoulders.

Baekhyun ended up being Luke Skywalker with a Darth Vader helmet, “This ”, he said, voice sounding gurgled over the black plastic head dress.

“We need to be careful, Luke. Darth Vader’s your father anyway so you’re cool” Chanyeol said half smiling as he looked at Baekhyun’s mismatched costume.

As they are heading for the door, “You know with your height, there’s one character that suits you well”. Baekhyun cannot resist adding.

“Who?”

“Chewbacca”.

Chanyeol poked his ribs with the light saber.

Spilling forth like stars, defying the darkness,

Byeolcheoreom ssodajyeo eodumeul geoseulleo

It’s time for me to make you bloom

Neoreul piwonael sigan

They arrived at the cinema thirty minutes before the movie schedule. Around them is a sea of Star Wars characters- Princess Leias in those signature braids, Stormtroopers, Han Solos, there is even a girl dressed as a Death Star.

“This is so awesome”, Chanyeol gushed, they are in line inside a Starbucks directly across the theatre, in front of them is an Obi wan Kenobi and someone dressed as C-3PO. It is such a refreshing feeling when they are the ones who are fans instead of the ones fans are drooling on.

“I hope the movie holds you know? What if it’s not what we expected?” Baekhyun removed his helmet up to his nose and took a sip from his venti Peppermint Mocha Frappuccino, “Share?” he offered Chanyeol the special Starbucks Christmas drink.

“Nah that’s too sweet for my liking” he declined but took two sips anyway.

They entered the cinema minutes later and Baekhyun is finally free to remove his helmet as darkness engulfed the room. The credits appeared, and then the big bold yellow letters of Star Wars followed by a short prologue, everybody was humming along with the theme music, “Dun dun dun dunnnnnn dun dun dun dun dun dunnnnn”

Here we go.

Danger, it’s dangerous. Figures of light lingering in the darkness,

Danger wiheomhae eodume bicci bakhin moyangsaen

hurry, faster, before the day breaks

Deo seodulleo meondong teugi jeon nugudo mot boge neoreul

Of course the movie holds.

Best damn movie ever, Baekhyun can’t help admiring the effects and cinematography and all the behind the scenes stuff. He even thinks the new characters are a nice addition, and not following too closely on Episode VI’s plot line was a genius. In short, he was unleashing his full on Star Wars fan boy mode.

No one was speaking as the movie came to the ending scenes. Almost everyone inside the cinema was crying when Han Solo died. Baekhyun felt angry though, Han Solo was betrayed by his own son. He was about to turn to Chanyeol to about Darth Vader when he heard muffled sobs.

Chanyeol was crying.

He looked at him as he sniffs inside the hem of his robe. Baekhyun chuckled, gesturing for Chanyeol to lean on his shoulder, and he willfully obliged, “Han Solo lived a good life, come on don’t be such a girl”, Baekhyun whispered.

The last scene faded to black, there was a cheery applause from everyone as the credits appeared. Best damn movie ever, Baekhyun mumbled again, he cannot wait for Star Wars episode VIII.

Chanyeol looked up from his shoulders and Baekhyun saw the tears in his cheeks as the green make up he was wearing was practically smeared. Baekhyun had to stop for a bit, he can’t believe Chanyeol’s this invested in the movie. He finds it amusing.

“Do you wanna leave now?” Chanyeol turned to him.

“Whenever you’re ready” Baekhyun shrugged, putting back his Darth Vader helmet.

“Just a minute”, Chanyeol was wiping up his snot, “So awesome”.

I wandered here to your outreached hand,

Soneul naemin neol jikireo igoseul

found you to protect you, be your savior

Chaja hemaetdeon neoreul wihan savior

They are inside the car as Chanyeol sniffed before starting the engine. Baekhyun removed his Darth Vader mask and looked at him.

“I can’t believe you actually cried”, Baekhyun reclined his chair a bit.

“I can’t believe you didn’t cry” Chanyeol said as he maneuvered to get them out of the parking lot.

Silence filled the car as they drive towards the main road. They stopped at a red light and Chanyeol let out a sigh. “I can’t believe Princess Leia wasn’t there to protect Han”.

“It has to happen” was Baekhyun’s reply. He wonders how long will it take for Chanyeol to get over this character death.

“Well if I’m Princess Leia and you are Han, I’d do a better job at protecting you” the traffic light turned green.

Baekhyun had to smile as he grabbed Chanyeol’s right hand from steering wheel, he clasped his fingers tightly on his.

“Thank you for taking me out today” Chanyeol smiled at him sweetly left hand turning the wheel carefully.

“I lied, I could’ve gotten tickets for the others but I want to spend the night with you”, Baekhyun said sheepishly.

Chanyeol looked at him, his disheveled blonde hair, the Darth Vader mask at his lap, “Well thank you. That was really an awesome movie. I like that I get to share this moment with you. To be honest, I wouldn’t enjoy it as much if the others are here anyway”, he flashed a meaningful smile before looking straight ahead.

Their fingers are still clasped together and Baekhyun kissed his knuckles, “The force is strong with this one” he gestured at their intertwined hands.

“Indeed”, Chanyeol kissed his knuckles too.

The car was filled with laughter as they both sang the Star Wars theme song in full force. DUN DUN DUN DUN DUNNNNNN.

“I love you Yoda!”

“I love you too, Luke Vader!”

They keep shouting and repeating the words over and over, car windows opened; the cold air of early morning Seoul carried their voices to a galaxy far far away.