#ofseok

     jinnie still couldn’t believe that she was home. sure, touring was a long and grueling process but it had become such an integral part of her life. things had completely changed since the end; thankfully, she had v!olet preparations and working on her own songs to fill the immense amount of time the lack of concerts left behind. though she was looking forward to the next steps for her creatively, a part of her did miss being on the road. mainly because, she had the chance to see her boyfriend every day without complications. it wasn’t as easy to do back in seoul. they got by with text updates and facetime calls, but it wasn’t the same as being near him. lulu was a great cuddle buddy and all, but jinnie definitely slept better with minseok by her side. 

    after several days of trying to get their schedules to match up, they’d finally succeeded and made plans for the night. jinnie looked forward to it all day, truthfully. she passed the time in the morning by playing with lulu at home. in the afternoon, she chilled in the studio, toying around with possible melodies on her guitar. once it was night time, jinnie headed back home to pack an overnight bag and feed lulu before kissing her goodbye. it seemed easier to meet minseok’s instead of the braveheart dorm. that way, they wouldn’t have to deal with her unnies’ presences, always as ready to tease their maknae as they were to dote on her. the weather was nice and the apartment building was only a few blocks away. soon enough, she made it to the complex and went inside. at the door. she knocked gently, a smile blooming on her face. it only widened when the door opened, revealing her boyfriend to her. wrapping her arms around his neck, jinnie pressed a quick kiss to his cheek. content as could be. “ hi, baby. ”

     “ you ever done this before ? ” haneul spoke as he walked alongside minseok, clapping a hand on the younger’s shoulder as they headed for the range. archery was a deceptively dangerous sport. it just seemed like it was chucking sticks at targets, but people often times underestimated how many injuries could happen if it wasn’t done properly. muscles could be strained if the bow was held the wrong way. the string could cut into the skin due to the strong recoil. and of course, the most obvious — the arrows were sharp as fuck and could cause a puncture even without much pressure. he would never let a single bad thing happen to his brother for as long as he lived, so these were all things han kept in mind as they began to set up. a part of him was surprised seok’s team even agreed to let him do the activity but another part of him highly doubted that the soloist even told them to begin with. that was fine; he could keep the secret. the bodyguard would always keep an eye out for him, anyways. “ it’s okay if you haven’t. i’m just trying to gauge if we use the practice bow and arrows, or real ones. ”

     rio de janeiro really was a beautiful city. the weather, the colors — it was all so lovely. tour demanded a lot from jinnie and everyone around her, but it was times like these that reminder her that it was worth it. not many people got to do what they love, especially with the added bonus of exploring the world to their heart’s content. she refused to ever take it for granted. the maknae felt that more than ever as she sat next to minseok, positioned in front of a fire pit at copacabana beach. while the daytime gave the beach a more livelier vibe, it was much quieter at night. the crowded spaces had all but disappeared, replaced by smaller groups or couples who wanted to enjoy the cooler weather and more intimate surroundings. it felt right to be here with her boyfriend.

     the brunette sighed peacefully as her wide eyes took in the crackling fire, head leaning to rest against minseok’s shoulders as her arms wrapped around his own arm. she felt so comfortable in that moment; she honestly could have probably dozed off right then and there. being around him always made her feel safest to let her guard down. but sleeping could wait until they got back to his hotel room. in the meantime, jinnie untangled her grip on him, reaching out for her purse buried into the sand. “ are you hungry ? ” she inquired as she peeled the bag open, revealing the chocolate bars, box of graham crackers, and marshmallows she harbored inside. it wouldn’t have been a proper bonfire without s’mores, after all. 

     chicago was definitely one of the colder cities they’d been to and even now that they were inside of the planetarium, the building itself was rather chilly. it was probably to add to the ambience of seeming like they were outside, about to stargaze. jinnie was grateful that they’d made a quick stop at the hotel cafe before taking a car over. she took a careful sip of her hot chocolate, relieved to feel the warmth coursing through her body as she followed alongside her boyfriend. it felt strange to be here after hours, almost like the two of them had broken in for their own private tour. that wasn’t the case, though. it was just the ‘adler after dark’ event that the planetarium apparently did every week.

     “ it’s a good thing i brought a blanket. ” jinnie giggled as she looked over at minseok. when it came to packing her purse or bag, she always over-prepared, much to the amusement of those closest to her. but her planning usually worked to their benefit. “ i also have snacks. i didn’t know how long the sky show was going to be. ” she explained, opening her bag so that he could take a look inside at the options. the sight of her beloved stuffed duck nestled next to the honey butter chips made her giggle. “ oh, and namu too. obviously. ” she liked bringing the plushie to snuggle while they watched things.

     jinnie smiled serenely as she stood at the kitchen sink, eyes trailed across the room out of the window that overlooked the exterior. she admired the view that awaited her outside. leavenworth really was beautiful. it reminded her of those cute, quaint towns from a fairytale book. she and minseok had arrived last night and had already made great use of the chalet, either curled up by the fireplace or enjoying the cool amenities like the classic nintendo console. she couldn’t wait for what the new day would bring them. snow had fallen overnight and now, the yard looked like a winer wonderland. today would be a perfect day to go out and explore, or stay in and snuggle — whichever they so desired. 

    returning her attention back to the two mugs next to her, she was pleased to see that the hot chocolate bombs were working as intended. they had been a part of the welcome basket from the owner of the cabin, and she thought they were a perfect way to start the day. stirring the hot milk and chocolate together, she perked up when she heard footsteps come down the stairs. she turned to spot her boyfriend with lulu trailing close behind him, her heart melting at the sight. she could get used to moments like these. “ morning, sleepyheads~ ” jinnie cooed, grabbing one of the mugs to bring to him. the fluffy white cat rubbed against her leg as she passed by to perch next to the window. lulu had been obsessed with that spot since they arrived. “ look, baby. it’s snowing. ”

     jinnie admitted, she was taking full advantage of this break more than ever before. usually, the short stints in seoul were filled with preparations and promotions of sort. this was the first time ever that she actually got some free time. so, she happily slept in before making a meal and lounging around the braveheart apartment with lulu as she caught up on her dramas. the only downside to this all was that she didn’t have minseok snuggled up next to her. she understood why; he was preparing diligently for his upcoming comeback. jinnie was so proud and excited for him, but it was definitely an adjustment from all the time they got to spend together on tour. plus, it was already dark, and she still hadn’t heard much from him in a couple of hours. the only knowledge she had was that he was at the infinite building today for dance practice.

     deciding to take matters into her own hands, the brunette packed up a container full of the leftover bibimbap she’d made for dinner. she stowed it away in a keroppi tote bag along with chopsticks before she headed down to their gated car garage, masked up and hoodie over her head. just in case. normally, she didn’t mind the walk to the building but it wasn’t safe late at night by herself. a seven minute drive later, she parked and made her way to the practice rooms. it wasn’t difficult to find which one belonged to her boyfriend, the muffled sound of his familiar singing led her to the studio in question. jinnie didn’t dare interrupt him. instead, she smiled fondly, leaning against the door frame as she watched him. he was such an incredible performer and it was always a pleasure to watch. “ seokie. ” she announced her presence once the song ended, gentle as to not startle him. “ baby, it’s late. have you eaten ? ”

    jinnie kept her fingers laced within minseok’s hands as they stepped into the venue, her wide eyes taking in their surroundings. it was a relief to see that her attire seemed to fit in well with the other guests of the night. she’d been super anxious about that, wondering if her outfit was too much or too attention seeking. however, it seemed like extravagance was the theme for the night. she was glad for that. it was fun getting to dress up like a princess and spending the night with the person who made her feel like one every day. smiling at her boyfriend, the brunette turned to face him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders so she could take him in. as if she hadn’t spent hours before the event, doing the same. he looked so gorgeous though, she could hardly help herself. “ what should we do first ? ” she inquired, the excitement in her eyes clear even behind the mask. “ a photobooth’s over there. we could dance. or eat. whatever your heart desires, baby. ”