Lost in Caratland

genre: drama, slice of life, angst, romance

characters: seventeen, oc (no specific pairing yet)

word count: 300+

warnings: none yet

Character anecdote: Part 1 || Part 2 || Part 3

The unexpected heavy downpour throughout the afternoon until the evening held Soonyoung back from going home early. More than that, work got into the way. Jihoon, his friend and apparently his boss, asked him to stay to cover for someone. The harsh weather resulted in a lessened workforce. Everyone in the bar did not have a choice but to work overtime. Without meaning to, one of his promises went down the drain once again. He wanted to be the best. In reality, he was nothing but a failure. 

On his way home, regrets and worries kept him company while he was walking down the street. His boots were already wet from the inside, rain water seeping through the battered leather, damping his socks. He hated his predicament, but he hated being a disappointment more than anything. 

***

When the elevator dinged and its doors opened, he saw an unfamiliar woman going out of the unit that had been unoccupied for quite some time. He wondered if she was the new neighbor; the one who was mentioned by Mrs. Seo, the owner of the flower shop and one of the neighborhood elders. 

The woman was headed towards the elevator. Out of habit, Soonyoung pushed the button to keep the doors from closing. He basically waited for the woman to board the elevator.  Once the woman entered, Soonyoung bowed slightly and immediately began moving. But before he could walk further, the woman spoke. "Thank you!" The cheerfulness in the way she expressed her gratitude almost made Soonyoung trip on his way out. Throughout his shift, he met one rude customer after another. It was one tough day, and hearing someone so carefree and happy made him feel lost. Nonetheless, it got him smiling.

Soonyoung would have looked back and replied to her if not for another voice coming from across the hall. 

Mingyu does not know if he is being punished for knocking up his wife so early into their marriage. Everything, from her mood swings to her constant requests, is driving him over the edge. He wants a break from such a torturing circumstance. However, as he sees her cute baby bump, the frustration of being stuck in a vicious cycle called pregnancy ebbs away. He is just as excited as any expecting fathers.

“Gyu, you know I hate it when I smell coffee.” Mingyu wonders if pregnancy can really change a person. "You used to like it," he mutters under his breath as he dumps the rest of his coffee on the sink, washing the dark liquid down the drain with running water.

"Better?" He turns to her. She acknowledges his sacrifice with a nod, too busy to glance his way, busy working even on a Saturday.

genre: drama, slice of life, angst, romance

characters: seventeen, oc (no specific pairing yet)

word count: 300+

warnings: none yet

Character anecdote: Part 1 || Part 2 || Part 3

Wonwoo was confident that she would wait for him, no matter how long it would take for him to accept their fate. After all, she used to wear her heart on her sleeves. Her feelings were pretty much obvious no matter how she outright denied them while they were growing up.

Although from an affluent family like him, Wonwoo never saw her act all high and mighty. She was someone reserved yet polite. She preferred to blend into the shadows, never once taking the spotlight for herself. She was pretty much the opposite of her older brother, a certified social butterfly. Seokmin was her only friend. Him and her, on the other hand? They were never friends. He barely knew her.

***

The soft jazz music from the speaker kept Wonwoo company. The sun had long bid its goodbye, yet he was still stuck in his office thousands of kilometers away from home.

While reading one document out of the mountains piled on his desk, his phone went off. The sudden ringing made him jerk backwards. The paper in his hold almost fell and scattered around him, if not for his fast reflex.

He could have ignored the call like he would usually do. Nobody important would phone him so late in the evening anyway. However, when he saw the name on the screen of his phone, he slammed the document back on the desk and hastily took the call.

"My sister left, and mom wants you to do something about it." The line went dead afterwards. The person on the other line did not even wait for his reply. He was left hanging and confused.

genre: drama, slice of life, angst, romance

characters: seventeen, oc (no specific pairing yet)

word count: 300+

warnings: none yet

Character anecdote: Part 1 || Part 2 || Part 3

The overall condition of the building with its creaking doors, chipping walls, and hair-raising vibe gave Seokmin the impression that his best friend would not be able to commit to her act of rebellion. He wanted to be the supportive best friend. He had been acting the role out since they were in elementary anyway. However, he had this gut-feeling that whatever she had in her mind would not be fruitful, not because she was a quitter but more because of her family.

A distant ding snapped Seokmin out of his thoughts and worries. The elevator finally arrived. The doors opened slowly. A little creaking sound coming from its confines had Seokmin frowning. But then again, he had no choice, so he boarded it after his best friend. The closing doors, what with its broken censor, barely missed his shoulders. The ride was one shaky experience that convinced Seokmin to take the stairs after helping his friend. Looking at her, though, the bounce on her every step and the smile that was etched on her face, lessened Seokmin's worries. He never saw this kind of happiness from her, not even when she won in that art contest years back.

She unlocked the door to her new home. She gave the wooden door a slight push, its hinges letting out soft whines. The inside of the apartment was not too disappointing. Although it was almost bare, save for the old table pushed near the window, it seemed like the previous owners took their time to make it look as homely as possible.

"Not too bad," Seokmin uttered, slowly bobbing his head up and down. She walked over to him and stood by his side. "Told you." Then she nudged him playfully, the corner of her lips slightly upturned.

"It's not as bad." Seokmin could only hum in response.