Pretty Like Poetry | TAEJUN

Taehyun woke up, head thick with the remnants of poor decisions and restless sleep. Sweat clung to his skin, and confusion swirled in his groggy mind.

The soft hum of the shower, muffled by the closed bathroom door, became the white noise that gradually pulled him from the haze of sleep. He blinked and pushed himself up, the soft bed sheets tangled around his legs. As he turned to glance over at Yeonjun's bed, he found it empty, the duvet neatly made.

That explained the shower, he thought, rubbing a hand over his face with a grunt. A low sigh escaped as he settled back into the morning's slow rhythm.

When Yeonjun finally emerged from the bathroom, damp hair tousled and towel draped around his shoulders, steam rolled out behind him. A stray droplet of water traced the curve of his nose before falling to his neck. The scent of fresh cologne mixed with clean clothes filled the air as Yeonjun moved about, already dressed.

"Morning," Yeonjun greeted with a smile, his voice warm despite the early hour. Seemingly not hungover in the slightest.

Taehyun grunted in response, unwilling to engage before he'd had at least something to eat.

Yeonjun chuckled softly, shaking his head as he rummaged through the hotel room in search of the hair dryer. Water droplets flew in all directions, landing in random spots, their quiet splatter unremarkable but oddly soothing.

"I was thinking..." Yeonjun began, his voice hesitant as the sound of objects being knocked over briefly filled the room. "There's this museum not far from here... You could come with me, if you like?"

Taehyun blinked, rubbing the last dregs of sleep from his eyes as Yeonjun's words sank in. A museum? It wasn't what he expected to hear from Yeonjun, who usually preferred more vibrant activities that matched his extroverted energy. But then again, he had moments—quiet, fleeting moments—that made Taehyun question just how much of Yeonjun was the easy-going persona he projected. Moments like that time at the park. 

When Taehyun thought it over again, it made sense. Yeonjun liked a slice of the finer things: he enjoyed literature and poems, and he'd once mentioned an orchestra performance he liked—though he'd brushed it off quickly, muttering about how his parents forced him to go. 

He stretched, feeling the stiffness in his shoulders ease slightly. "You want to go to a museum?" Taehyun asked, his voice still gravelly from sleep. 

"Yeah," Yeonjun replied, his tone casual but his gaze flickering to Taehyun with a hint of anticipation. "I looked it up last week in preparation for the trip. It seemed interesting. They've got some cool exhibits on local history, art... that kind of stuff." 

Taehyun leaned back against the headboard, studying Yeonjun. His hair, still damp from the shower, clung to his forehead, and his shirt was slightly wrinkled from being tossed into his bag. Yet, there was something uncharacteristically earnest in the way Yeonjun avoided direct eye contact, like he was nervous about Taehyun's response. 

"You... planned this?" Taehyun asked, eyebrows lifting slightly. 

Yeonjun shrugged, a faint flush coloring his cheeks. "Yeah, well, I figured we might need something to do today. Better than sitting around, right?" He busied himself with plugging in the hair dryer, the loud whir of the machine filling the room as he spoke over it. "If you're not into it, we don't have to go. I just thought it might be nice." 

Taehyun sat in silence, watching as Yeonjun half-heartedly dried his hair, his movements oddly fidgety. The idea of Yeonjun—charismatic, seemingly spontaneous Yeonjun—taking the time to plan something quiet and thoughtful was both surprising and strangely... consistent. It was like seeing a side of Yeonjun that was always there, but only revealed itself when you weren't looking for it.