Work Text:
Autumn Leaves
It was a crisp autumn afternoon, the kind where the air felt alive with the scent of falling leaves and distant bonfires.
Hongjoong, with his hands tucked into the pockets of his wool coat, wandered through the park. He inhaled the crisp air while strolling around and the world seemed to slow down just enough for him to catch his breath.
As he strolled along the path, his thoughts drifted from one thing to another. A song idea he couldn’t quite finish. The upcoming schedules. But today, there was something calming in the air, something that seemed to tell him to stop thinking so hard. To just be.
He found a quiet bench beneath a tree, Leaves falling like golden raindrops all around him. As he sat down, he let out a soft sigh, closing his eyes for just a moment. It was then that he heard a soft laugh, bright and musical, cutting through the stillness of the park.
He looked around. Not far from him, he noticed a playful little puppy bouncing through the leaves, its tiny tail wagging with pure joy. The puppy's owner, a beautiful young woman with soft brown hair, stood nearby, laughing softly as she watched her furry friend. Their eyes met for a brief moment, and Hongjoong couldn't help but smile at the peaceful, heartwarming scene.
He watched as she laughed again, the sound making his heart skip a beat. It wasn’t the kind of laugh you could ignore, it was full of life, completely unselfconscious.
She was radiant in her simplicity, the kind of beauty that didn’t come from trying, but from just being.
For a moment, he hesitated. What was he supposed to do? Approach her? Say something? He wasn’t exactly the type to make bold moves, especially not with strangers. But there was a pull, something about the way she lit up the moment around her that made him want to know her.
Hongjoong watch her for a moment, captivated by the gentle interaction between the woman and her puppy. The pup, a small bundle of energy, tumbled through the leaves before running back to the woman, who crouched down to ruffle its fur. Her laugh was light, matching the soft rustling of the wind through the trees.
As the puppy bounded closer to Hongjoong, curious about the new face, the woman stood and called out: "Sorry! He's really friendly."
Hongjoong chuckled, crouching to pet the excitable puppy.
"No problem. He's adorable."
He glanced up at her:
"I'm Hongjoong, by the way," he added, standing up and offering a friendly smile.
The woman smiled back, brushing a strand of hair from her face.
"Nice to meet you, I'm Areum."
She glanced down at the puppy.
"And this little troublemaker is Mila."
As they stood there, talking about the puppy, the golden leaves continued to fall around them.
Hongjoong found himself relaxing into the conversation as Areum told him stories about Mila's adventures in the park. The way she spoke, with her eyes sparkling in the fading autumn light, made the ordinary day seem special. Mila, now calmer, sat contently at Hongjoong’s feet, occasionally nuzzling against him for attention.
“You must come here often,”
Hongjoong said, noting how familiar she seemed with the park and its surroundings.
Areum nodded, glancing around.
“Yeah, it’s our little escape. Mila loves it here, and I do too. There’s something peaceful about autumn, don’t you think?”
Hongjoong agreed, taking a deep breath of the cool air.
“It’s my favorite season. Everything feels alive in a different way, even though the leaves are falling.”
They shared a quiet moment, watching as a little wind sent more leaves swirling around them. Hongjoong felt an unexpected sense of calm in Areum’s presence, as if he had known her far longer than just these few minutes.
“Maybe we’ll run into each other again,” Areum said with a soft smile, breaking the comfortable silence. She looked down at Mila, who was playfully tugging at her leash, ready for another adventure.
Hongjoong grinned. “I’d like that.” He reached down to give Mila one last pat, feeling it strange to leave yet.
Areum gave him a small wave as she started to walk away, Mila trotting happily beside her.
“See you around, Hongjoong.”
As she disappeared down the path, Hongjoong stood for a moment, watching the autumn leaves continue to drift through the air. He couldn’t help but smile, already looking forward to the possibility of another chance encounter in the park.