see the beauty of things

It’s a little past six in the afternoon in San Diego, California, the sky turning a mellow shade of blue ( a sort of PERIWINKLE? ), and the air becoming just the right kind of cold.  The main road is unusually empty, save for a few cabs and private vehicles zooming past every few seconds.

Enter WARREN PARK, a boy with a certain level of PECULIARITY as well—there’s a faraway look in his eyes, and there are tiny bolts of energy crackling between his fingers as he makes his way up the hill to the nearest bus stop.  Not usually so careless with exposing his abilities, Warren finds himself preoccupied with the best mixture of anxiety and EXCITEMENT.  The few onlookers that could witness his miraculous act is the least of his concerns right now.

We’re watching Black Panther, Soohyun’s sonorous voice still rings loud and clear in Warren’s head, and just like the first time, he feels AGITATION move through his veins.  ( Let’s just say he almost put Soohyun in REAL danger. )

He hasn’t been in a real theater for quite some time now, and the fact that he’ll be spending his first time back with his hyung makes it all the more special.  (He actually did NOT forget to meet at the bus stop this time! )  He watches on fondly as he continues to allow electricity to spin around his hand.  He’s almost at their meeting place now.  The electricity in his palm intensifies.

Eventually, Warren hears his hyung’s MELODIC laughter, and he couldn’t help the smile that forms on his lips.  Opening his mouth to greet his brother, he’s cut off by another sound——a comparatively lighter, CHIME-LIKE giggle; something that definitely did not come from his hyung.  Warren stops in his tracks; the light in his hand goes out.  Don’t OVERREACT, don’t OVERREACT, he wills himself, but he couldn’t help the words that come out of his mouth.

          “YA ! … You scared me.”

Beside him, hidden in his giant shadow is a young woman he has become very well acquainted with over the past few months, and Soohyun is excited for Warren to finally meet his new friend. Not that he expects his dongsaeng to accept her blindly – ( cue Soohyun’s wildly dramatic imagination ) Warren’s eyes sparkling at the prospect of a new friend and his welcoming arms open wide to embrace her would have been an added bonus – but he knows it’s too close to impossible for him to even picture it.

He almost EXPECTS this reaction of him, but the older male remains calm. “My day was lovely, thanks. How was yours ??” Soohyun must have some cheek to be acting so oblivious, albeit, MOSTLY only to make things less awkward for Hailey. “This is Hailey. She works at the drugstore from down the street,” he flashes Warren his apologetic smile as the realization of how UNEXPECTED this is for him dawns on him. “Remember ??” – TELEPATHY WOULD HAVE BEEN AN INCREDIBLE ABILITY TO HAVE RIGHT NOW.  

She watched intrigued at the two boys before her, laughter still etched on her features as she observed Warren.

‘‘You make it sound like I’m a stray cat and you just had to take me with you,’’ she jokingly knocked her shoulder with Soohyun’s arm, their height difference laughable but never stopping her playful antics.

‘‘Awesome to finally meet you. I’ve heard tons about you,’’ she chirped, animatedly waving at him even though he stood a couple of feet away from her. ‘‘Are you a Marvel fan as well?’’ she started, already feeling her usual avalanche of words bubbling at the base of her throat.