Cloud Watcher [OneShot]
Title: Cloud Watcher
Pairings: Yoochun-centric, Yoosu
Length: one shot
Author: zorata
Rating: PG
Genre: AU, Angst
Summary: Yoochun returns to his long forgotten childhood place, and was surprised beyond what his brain can handle.
------------------------------------------------
He remembers those times when he slid down the slide, wind rushing past him, the closest feeling to flying. When friction slowed him down at the bottom, he would lean back, static sticking his hair to the plastic, he would reach for the clouds, never quite make it, only catching wind.
Funny how certain incidents would bring back that nostalgic feeling, memories long forgotten, memories he purposely shut away.
Today, his feet had a mind of their own and strolled back to this childhood place. His shoes crunched heavily against the wood chips that ladened the playground. Now an adult, he did not see fit to slide down that tiny equipment anymore, and so he sat down gingerly at the bottom, letting the waves of memories over take him.
---
When he was young, he loved looking at the sky. He didn't know what he was looking for, but something about laying down on the slide and staring at the wide blue sky made him feel free. It was one winter day that his experience was changed forever.
---
"It's a cute bunny, don't you think so?"
Yoochun was shocked to hear a voice when he was sure he was alone there. He abruptly sat up and looked around, yet he couldn't spot anyone.
"Lay back down. How can you see the bunny while sitting up?"
Yoochun frowned, but laid back down anyway because he wanted to see the bunny. His eyes roamed all over, yet all he saw was the sky. "Where's the bunny? I don't see it!"
The voice laughed. "Right there, on the left! Don't you see the two round white balls?"
He pouted at how the stranger made it sound like the most obvious thing in the world. Nevertheless, he glanced to the left, trying to find two round things. After a few minutes, he gave up. "Ah! I can't find it! Can't you just show me? Where are you hiding?"
The voice only replied "If you can't even find the bunny, how can you find me?"
---
For days on end, Yoochun learned to find shapes in the clouds with the stranger. It was the thing that he looked forward to everyday after school. Although the stranger was always hiding, Yoochun felt like he was a friend that was always waiting for him, someone he knew inside out.
Until one day...
---
He wanted to show his mom the shapes in the sky like the stranger had taught him. He was excited to share what he saw.
"Umma! Look, it's a dragon!"
"There's no such thing as a dragon Yoochun."
"No! Look at the sky! It's right there!"
His mother did not reply him, only silently washing the dishes, not even glancing at the window right in front of her. Yoochun looked at her, trying to get her interested, but he saw something unexpected.
His mother was crying.
"...umma... why...?"
His mother sniffled, trying to calm herself down. "Yoochun...it'll just be the two of us from now on ok? We have to stick together alright?"
Yoochun nodded, although he didn't quite understand.
---
The next day, he went back to the slide. The day was clear, so clear that not even a tiny bit of white can be seen in the sky.
Yoochun sighed. "There's no clouds. It's just the sky. Do you see anything?"
He waited for an hour, yet there was no reply.
---
It's been fifteen years since he's been back to this hometown. Fifteen years since his parents divorced, since his mom took him to Seoul so she can find a job to support them.
He didn't know why came back to this place. Not even when his mother passed away from cancer did he come back here. He sighed, then leaned back against the slide, not caring about dirtying his black suit.
Facing the bright blue sky, his tears welled up and started to fall. He didn't even bothered wiping them.
Junsu always loved looking at the sky. He said it made him feel free. Junsu...
"That crocodile looks vicious huh?"
Yoochun sprung to a sitting position, absolutely startled. He thought he was alone! He desperately wiped his tears away, embarrassed that someone saw him this way.
"Lie back down! The crocodile's up there!"
Yoochun froze, the voice too familiar to ignore. His brain told him to turn around, but his body too scared to move. "Who...who are you...?"
He could hear the pout in the voice. "I want to show you the crocodile, so stop being distracted!"
Yoochun couldn't help it anymore. He jumped away from the slide and whirled around.
And there at the top of the slide, relaxed against the bar... he couldn't believe his eyes...
"...Junsu...?"
The person tilted his head to the side, confused. "That's a nice name. Is that what you want to call me?"
Yoochun's tense body shivered. He didn't know what to think, seeing his best friend, no, more than best friend, sitting there nonchalantly, as if... as if nothing had happened.
"Am I crazy? Am I dreaming?"
"Humans pinch themselves to check if they are dreaming right?" The stranger chirped helpfully.
Yoochun pinched himself, and it hurt. "I'm...I'm not dreaming?"
The voice laughed. "Then maybe you are crazy! I don't know how to check for that though."
Yoochun was still baffled, his mouth opened and closed with no sound. "I just...I just attended your funeral..."
"Fu-ne-ral? Is that the ceremony for dead people? I don't remember dying..."
His mind was spinning. Everything was too confusing. He didn't understand how his dead best friend was right in front of him. How that voice, that same voice from so many years ago, how did he not notice it was so similar to Junsu's voice?
"What are you? Are you a ghost? An angel?"
"I don't know what you humans call me."
"Why are you here? I looked for you before, but you disappeared! And now you suddenly pop up out of nowhere!" Yoochun didn't know where his frustrations come from. It was just a hallucination. Why was he getting so worked up?
"What do you mean? Of course I'm here. I've always been here." The stranger frowned.
Yoochun didn't know how his brain could conjure up something so annoying. "Why do you look like Junsu?"
The person paused, and then smile knowingly. "You know, instead of being so concerned about me, why don't you go back to looking at the sky. The sun is setting soon."
He didn't listen to the voice. Instead he walked up to him, step by step, closer to the apparition. He reached out, nervous yet determine, and grabbed his arm. It was solid.
"Yoochun..."
He looked up to the person who called his name, warm eyes connecting with his.
"Yoochun... I don't know why you're always looking for me. I've always been here. Look at the clouds instead. Why trap yourself here when you can be free?"
Yoochun's eyes followed the person finger pointing skyward. He let go of the arm and turned, his back towards the person.
The voice smiled. "Oh! It turned into a dolphin!"
And Yoochun saw a dolphin.
------------------------------------------------
THE END
------------------------------------------------
A/N: Please interpret as you may. But just in case you are still confused about what happened, here's the key point: Junsu died. Is the supernatural being Junsu? Up to you to decide.
Sorry for those who are waiting for the fic that I haven't started. Finals are happening. ^^"
Pairings: Yoochun-centric, Yoosu
Length: one shot
Author: zorata
Rating: PG
Genre: AU, Angst
Summary: Yoochun returns to his long forgotten childhood place, and was surprised beyond what his brain can handle.
------------------------------------------------
He remembers those times when he slid down the slide, wind rushing past him, the closest feeling to flying. When friction slowed him down at the bottom, he would lean back, static sticking his hair to the plastic, he would reach for the clouds, never quite make it, only catching wind.
Funny how certain incidents would bring back that nostalgic feeling, memories long forgotten, memories he purposely shut away.
Today, his feet had a mind of their own and strolled back to this childhood place. His shoes crunched heavily against the wood chips that ladened the playground. Now an adult, he did not see fit to slide down that tiny equipment anymore, and so he sat down gingerly at the bottom, letting the waves of memories over take him.
---
When he was young, he loved looking at the sky. He didn't know what he was looking for, but something about laying down on the slide and staring at the wide blue sky made him feel free. It was one winter day that his experience was changed forever.
---
"It's a cute bunny, don't you think so?"
Yoochun was shocked to hear a voice when he was sure he was alone there. He abruptly sat up and looked around, yet he couldn't spot anyone.
"Lay back down. How can you see the bunny while sitting up?"
Yoochun frowned, but laid back down anyway because he wanted to see the bunny. His eyes roamed all over, yet all he saw was the sky. "Where's the bunny? I don't see it!"
The voice laughed. "Right there, on the left! Don't you see the two round white balls?"
He pouted at how the stranger made it sound like the most obvious thing in the world. Nevertheless, he glanced to the left, trying to find two round things. After a few minutes, he gave up. "Ah! I can't find it! Can't you just show me? Where are you hiding?"
The voice only replied "If you can't even find the bunny, how can you find me?"
---
For days on end, Yoochun learned to find shapes in the clouds with the stranger. It was the thing that he looked forward to everyday after school. Although the stranger was always hiding, Yoochun felt like he was a friend that was always waiting for him, someone he knew inside out.
Until one day...
---
He wanted to show his mom the shapes in the sky like the stranger had taught him. He was excited to share what he saw.
"Umma! Look, it's a dragon!"
"There's no such thing as a dragon Yoochun."
"No! Look at the sky! It's right there!"
His mother did not reply him, only silently washing the dishes, not even glancing at the window right in front of her. Yoochun looked at her, trying to get her interested, but he saw something unexpected.
His mother was crying.
"...umma... why...?"
His mother sniffled, trying to calm herself down. "Yoochun...it'll just be the two of us from now on ok? We have to stick together alright?"
Yoochun nodded, although he didn't quite understand.
---
The next day, he went back to the slide. The day was clear, so clear that not even a tiny bit of white can be seen in the sky.
Yoochun sighed. "There's no clouds. It's just the sky. Do you see anything?"
He waited for an hour, yet there was no reply.
---
It's been fifteen years since he's been back to this hometown. Fifteen years since his parents divorced, since his mom took him to Seoul so she can find a job to support them.
He didn't know why came back to this place. Not even when his mother passed away from cancer did he come back here. He sighed, then leaned back against the slide, not caring about dirtying his black suit.
Facing the bright blue sky, his tears welled up and started to fall. He didn't even bothered wiping them.
Junsu always loved looking at the sky. He said it made him feel free. Junsu...
"That crocodile looks vicious huh?"
Yoochun sprung to a sitting position, absolutely startled. He thought he was alone! He desperately wiped his tears away, embarrassed that someone saw him this way.
"Lie back down! The crocodile's up there!"
Yoochun froze, the voice too familiar to ignore. His brain told him to turn around, but his body too scared to move. "Who...who are you...?"
He could hear the pout in the voice. "I want to show you the crocodile, so stop being distracted!"
Yoochun couldn't help it anymore. He jumped away from the slide and whirled around.
And there at the top of the slide, relaxed against the bar... he couldn't believe his eyes...
"...Junsu...?"
The person tilted his head to the side, confused. "That's a nice name. Is that what you want to call me?"
Yoochun's tense body shivered. He didn't know what to think, seeing his best friend, no, more than best friend, sitting there nonchalantly, as if... as if nothing had happened.
"Am I crazy? Am I dreaming?"
"Humans pinch themselves to check if they are dreaming right?" The stranger chirped helpfully.
Yoochun pinched himself, and it hurt. "I'm...I'm not dreaming?"
The voice laughed. "Then maybe you are crazy! I don't know how to check for that though."
Yoochun was still baffled, his mouth opened and closed with no sound. "I just...I just attended your funeral..."
"Fu-ne-ral? Is that the ceremony for dead people? I don't remember dying..."
His mind was spinning. Everything was too confusing. He didn't understand how his dead best friend was right in front of him. How that voice, that same voice from so many years ago, how did he not notice it was so similar to Junsu's voice?
"What are you? Are you a ghost? An angel?"
"I don't know what you humans call me."
"Why are you here? I looked for you before, but you disappeared! And now you suddenly pop up out of nowhere!" Yoochun didn't know where his frustrations come from. It was just a hallucination. Why was he getting so worked up?
"What do you mean? Of course I'm here. I've always been here." The stranger frowned.
Yoochun didn't know how his brain could conjure up something so annoying. "Why do you look like Junsu?"
The person paused, and then smile knowingly. "You know, instead of being so concerned about me, why don't you go back to looking at the sky. The sun is setting soon."
He didn't listen to the voice. Instead he walked up to him, step by step, closer to the apparition. He reached out, nervous yet determine, and grabbed his arm. It was solid.
"Yoochun..."
He looked up to the person who called his name, warm eyes connecting with his.
"Yoochun... I don't know why you're always looking for me. I've always been here. Look at the clouds instead. Why trap yourself here when you can be free?"
Yoochun's eyes followed the person finger pointing skyward. He let go of the arm and turned, his back towards the person.
The voice smiled. "Oh! It turned into a dolphin!"
And Yoochun saw a dolphin.
------------------------------------------------
THE END
------------------------------------------------
A/N: Please interpret as you may. But just in case you are still confused about what happened, here's the key point: Junsu died. Is the supernatural being Junsu? Up to you to decide.
Sorry for those who are waiting for the fic that I haven't started. Finals are happening. ^^"