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illyaana · 3 years

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Collab: Chaos's Bearsday Collab by @chaos-night

Thanks for having this Collab hun! I hope you had/have an amazing birthday <3

Tags: Aged Up! Birthday boy! Izuku Midoriya x Binaural, SFW, Fluff

Synopsis: You thought this was going to be a normal birthday with Deku - the only thing that was different is you were going to make Katsudon, pork cutlet bowls, for Deku. What you weren't prepared for was a flirty Izuku Midoriya.

Word Count: 1689

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You groaned at the sound of your blaring alarm, forcing you awake. You raised your head to meet Izuku’s chin. His hands were wrapped around your waist, pulling you into his body even more. You pressed against the bed, pushing yourself upwards to face the sleeping face of your beloved.

You adored the sight of the defenceless hero.

His dishevelled green hair mimicked a bush in the woods - wild yet so adorable. His lips were slightly parted, allowing soft snores to escape the powerful quirk user. His small freckles glowed under the soft sunlight entering your shared room from the window, leaving you in awe. His long lashes framed his closed eyelids.

Thankfully, your alarm turned itself off - he wasn’t letting you move anymore, not with the vice grip he had around you tightening unknowingly.

You couldn’t resist the urge to run the pad of your thumb against his soft lips - it looked so soft and supple. The rest of your fingers found their place on Izuku’s cheek, enjoying the warmth only he could radiate. You smiled, looking at the sleeping Izuku subconsciously pressing his cheeks against your fingers.

This is what you believed a life spent with him would look like - and you pray so that it stays like this.

“Hey,” you say as you kiss Midoriya’s forehead, “Wake up, sleepyhead.”

Your alarm began to ring again, causing the hero beside you to groan loudly.

“Turn that thing off,” he said, placing his head on your shoulder, “We don’t need to wake up early today.”

This man… how was he the top hero?

You ruffled his hair, chuckling.

“Weren’t you the one who told me to wake you up early today?” you ask, recalling your conversation with him yesterday.

“I just wanted to spend the whole day with you, but I think we can do it from this bed, can’t we?” he said, pressing kisses on the nape of your neck.

“I think you forgot, Deku,” you say, cupping his cheeks, “You have a press conference with Bakugo and Todoroki today - you know, about your job as a hero?”

His eyelids shot open.

“Oh, shit,” he mumbled, making you laugh.

“It’s only,” you looked at the wall clock, “9 am right now. You have about 1 hour to get ready and head to the studio. That trip would take about 20 minutes.”

You smiled when you saw him visibly relax.

“Sadly,” you say, “You aren’t getting breakfast from me since I couldn’t even move one inch from the bed,” you gesture to his arms on your waist.

You kissed his forehead again, trying to wipe off the guilty smile he had on his face.

“Happy birthday, Midoriya Izuku. Now, go get ready.”

He kissed the apples of your cheeks before pressing his forehead against yours.

“Thanks, love.”

⁜

The minute you heard the door close, you got out your phone and called your mother-in-law.

“Hi!” she answered cheerfully, “You ready to do this?”

You turned the voice call into a video call, then propped your phone behind the salt shaker.

“Hopefully…” you trail off as you put on your apron, “You don’t think I’ll burn anything or cause a fire, right?”

“If you’re anything like Izuku in terms of cooking, we’ll be fine.”

You weren’t.

Pancakes, waffles - you could handle that.

But meat? It definitely was not your forte.

Izuku’s the one who handled all the savoury dishes while you were the resident taste tester.

“Don’t worry - the very person who introduced him to the savoury dish is right here, showing you each step in detail. You won’t mess up that much,” you said to yourself as you brought out the ingredients.

You laid them out in front of her, allowing her to examine them thoroughly.

“First things first,” she said, moving to her couch, “You’re wearing your apron wrongly.”

⁜

You stared at the pan filled with onions, eggs and fried pork, feeling defeated.

You were supposed to move all of that into a small bowl of rice.

You were supposed to move a bunch of slippery onions doused in sauce, a steamed omelette that looked like it was going to break into two and a pork cutlet that you slaved over - all of that, into a small bowl of rice.

“Trust me, it’s pretty easy,” Inko said, trying to calm you down, “It just looks intimidating.”

“Intimidating is one way to explain it,” you said, staring at your hard work.

“Just do it, don’t worry - you have multiple backup pork cutlets if you mess up.”

“I know, but-”

“Just do it.”

You immediately placed the toppings into the bowl of rice without any spillage.

...or so you thought.

The whole thing spilt over the sides of the pan, missing the bowl of rice entirely.

“Try again, dear,” she said smiling, “No harm in trying again.”

⁜

After 5 tries, you managed to make two perfect bowls of fresh katsudon. The smell of the fried pork cutlets wafted through the air, making you smile at your hard work.

“It looks really good, dear,” she said, smiling, “He’ll love it.”

You smile at her cheerful gaze towards you.

“You sure you don’t want to come over? It’s just a fifteen-minute drive.”

“I appreciate you asking me,” she said, sighing, “But I think you two should spend the day together. I’m pretty sure you both haven’t spent much time together since your honeymoon.”

“You sure?” you ask once again.

“I’m very, very sure,” she says, chuckling, “Now go get ready.”

You placed your phone flat on the countertop and started to set the table. As soon as you finished, Izuku came into the house, a tired expression painted on his face.

“You okay?” You say as you walk towards him.

“How rude of them to make me work on my own birthday?” he chuckled softly.

He looked to the dining table and his eyes lit up.

“Did you made Katsudon?” he asked, the tired expression he once had leaving his face.

“Yeah, I did,” you say as you help him take off his jacket.

“However,” you place his hands on his chest, “You need to go bathe.”

“What’s with everyone bullying me today?” he huffed.

“Bullying or taking care of you?”

“Well, when you put it that way…” he trailed off.

“Just go bathe,” you say, chuckling as you push him towards your room.

“Oh no,” he said as you pushed him, “My feet can’t move.”

This grown kid.

“So I’m supposed to carry you bridal style now?” you joke.

“ I did it to you, didn’t I?” he whispers in your ear.

You felt blood rush to your cheeks the minute the sentence left his lips.

This man…

“Wow, my feet work now! I’ll go bathe,” he said as he kissed your cheek.

This man is too cute for his own good.

⁜

“This…” he said, mouth stuffed with food, “This is really good!”

You smile, looking at the green-haired male scarfing down the food you made. You loved the little sparkle he had in his eyes whenever he truly enjoyed something - and to your luck, it was the food you prepared for him.

“You seriously made this by yourself?” He asked with his eyebrow raised.

“You don’t see your mom here, do you?”

“You sure you didn’t order in?” He teased again.

You kicked his leg under the table, causing him to wince in pain.

“Oh, how you wound me,” he said, faking tears.

“Serves you right for making fun of me,” you huff.

He got off of his chair and headed to the sink to wash his bowl.

“Well, to be fair,” you add, “I did video call your mom so she could teach me.”

“So I was right, then,” he said as he places his bowl in the sink and turning to face you.

“She didn’t make it, though!”

“You said you made it all by yourself, but you got my mother’s help. Hence, you lied to me,” he put his arms on the countertop.

“I didn’t lie to you,” you say, laughing, “I really made it by myself.”

Izuku was already standing in front of you, cupping your face in his hands.

“You kicked me,” he stared at you, “You kicked a tired hero.”

“Heroes don’t tease others as much as you do,” you retort.

“What is my purpose in your life but to tease you?”

“A lot of things actually,” you say, smiling at him.

“Oh? Like what?”

“First of all,” you put your hand on his chest, “Where did this flirty Izuku come from?”

“Maybe,” he put his thumb on your lower lip, “He came because I am using my birthday privileges to be a little more flirty than usual.”

You stare at his green orbs. They glimmered even under his own shadow. Its golden flecks shined just for you and you alone. The creases of his eyes curved upwards, showing you how happy he was just to be in your presence. The wild forest he calls his hair had rogue strands that tickled your cheeks. You loved how soft they were - especially after him just washing it roughly an hour ago.

Your hand on his chest began to outline the scars he cultivated through his years under All Might’s wing and his hero training back in UA. You smiled as you remembered how strong-willed he was as a boy to become a hero, and now he was - standing on the very top.

“You okay?” he asked, worried.

“I was just thinking of how much you’ve grown from back then,” you look up to his face, meeting his eyes that were staring straight at you.

“For someone who took so many notes back then, you’re really dumb,” you both chuckle.

“How are you still bullying me?” he sighed.

“Endure it, Deku,” you joke, imitating Bakugou.

You close your eyes as you pressed your forehead against his, enjoying the small moment you’re sharing with the male in front of you.

“Happy birthday, Izuku.”

“Thank you, love.”

You both shared a kiss, both bellies and hearts full.

165 notes · View notes

ppaltagon · 5 years

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September - Yanan (pt. 2)

Part 2 out of 3; ~ 4.8k words

[Part 1]; [Part 3]

Starting Wednesday, I spent almost a whole four days hiding from my entire family that I did, in fact, fail my exam a second time, and with it the whole class. Carrying the shame of it by myself wasn’t easy, but it was still a whole lot better than being found out. However, I couldn’t keep up the pretend forever. We were having early dinner on Saturday, so that I would have the chance to leave the house on time. Everything was normal, my eldest brother got scolded for not putting up the dishes perfectly (I didn’t see a difference to when our mother did it, but she insisted he didn’t do it properly), the younger one got scolded for playing games all day and being the last one to sit down at the table, and my dad got scolded for not saying his thanks for the food loudly enough. The only one who skipped the routinely verbal abuse was me. My mother looked at me fondly as we were eating, babbling on about how she was curious who that young man called Yanan I was going out with was, what his face looked like, if he was smart, rich, etc., while I begged her to quiet down as I could already hear the teasing of my brothers that would surely follow. And then came the dreaded question. As soon as she had finished asking, I stopped in the middle of lifting a scoop of rice up to my mouth and froze up, breaking out in cold sweat.

“…did it not go well? Your exam,” my mother repeated her question, assuming I hadn’t heard her the first time. But I had. I had heard perfectly, actually.

“U-uhm…” I considered lying in my panic. But that just scared me more. I knew I was a bad liar, and I knew she would probably disown me if she found out. Suddenly feeling sick in the stomach, I set down my chopsticks and with a low head I answered, “N-no.”

“Did you not get a good grade? But you surely passed, right?” Oh I hated when she was doing this. She already knew that I failed, didn’t she? Then why make me say it?

“Not really, no…” I answered. My voice wasn’t anything but a whimper by now, the fear clenching my throat so I couldn’t breathe properly. She didn’t say anything to that, but by her piercing stare I could feel she was waiting for me to say them. To say those dreaded, shameful words, that would serve as the starting shot for her to explode. But it was inevitable anyway. Finally, I closed my eyes for a moment to prepare me for what was to come, and took a deep breath.

“I failed.” For one peaceful moment the room fell completely silent, then the loud voice of my angered mother sent me right back to reality.

“You did what…?!” she shouted across the table and I noticed my father and brothers ducking away. “You think you can allow yourself to bring such disgrace upon our name? Upon our family?!” The fury in her eyes scared me no less than it usually did when she had her outbreaks, but this time I felt even smaller compared to her because her shouting was directed exclusively at me. She repeatedly made sure to let me know that I was an embarrassment, not worth living under her roof, that I threw away all the years she raised me with time and effort, and that I was not only an academical failure, but also a failure as her daughter.

“Do you even know how much pain that brings me?! I am trying to depend on you to do something right! Studying is literally the only duty you have in this house, and you throw that away like it is nothing!” She jumped up and slammed her hands on the table so that the dishes rattled and her own chopsticks fell off the bowl she had temporarily put them on. “You know what?” she then said, this time with a more silent voice, seeming as if she had calmed down, but really I knew from experience that nothing good could come out of her mouth anymore now. “If you can’t even take studying seriously, then you’re also not worth enjoying yourself.” She put a pause there and I raised my eyebrows. My mind went blank for a second, and even though I should’ve predicted her next words, they still hit me like a ton of bricks. “You’re grounded.”

Side-eyeing the dress still hanging on the inside of my door and suppressing my tears, I took out my phone. I would have to tell him that I got grounded, but everytime I reread our last messages, and how much he was looking forward to this evening, telling him the truth got infinitely harder. I looked out of the window and the heavy clouds hanging in the evening sky make my mood sink a little lower. What do I do? When my look fell to the handle of the window in front of me, I got an idea. A very stupid one, but still an idea.

I opened the door to my room slightly to check if there was anyone outside. I could hear my mother still doing the dishes in the kitchen but other than that, everyone seemed to be busy elsewhere. I silently walked out of my room and snuck downstairs, peeking into the kitchen to see her back directed at me. I walked past the entrance with a fuzzy feeling in my stomach that was about to kill me from nervousness, but I managed to grab my coat from the entrance and silently ran back into my room. After closing the door behind me, trying to make as little noise as possible, I leaned against it and took a few deep breaths to calm my racing heartbeat. My heated up cheeks stayed hot while I put on some light make up and slipped into the dress. I threw the coat over my shoulders and closed its buttons, tying the attached belt tightly. Before grabbing my handbag with one hand and my shoes with the other, I opened the window above my desk. If I’m careful I should make it out without being noticed, I thought to myself and prayed that I was right. So I stepped out onto the roof, feeling the cool tiles on my feet and another wave of adrenaline rushed through my body. My heart about to leap out of my chest, I carefully made my way down to the edge, where I let my bag and shoes fall onto the ground first. Then I took a deep breath and grabbed the gutter, slowly descending my body and eventually letting go to land with my feet in the grass. I picked up my stuff and put on my shoes that made me a little taller than I actually was thanks to the heels, then I took off running.

Worried and out of breath, I arrived at our meeting point, in front of the stairs leading to platform B. I wondered if Yanan had waited for me, since I was terribly late, and when I didn’t find him among the people surrounding the station, it hit me like a punch to the face.

“I let him down… what do I do?” I worriedly mumbled and got out my phone to call him and apologize. That’s when I stopped moving my hand for a moment because another unwelcome thought entered my brain. He hasn’t called or texted me either. Why isn’t he asking about why I’m late? Did something happen to him? Or did he just give up on me after I didn’t show up? …That would be plausible, I mean, we don’t know each other that well… But still… he’s the one who invited me in the first place…?

Suddenly overcome with disappointment, I let my hand sink, still clutching my phone. My eyes fell to the ground and I focused on the grey asphalt in front of me, when my phone buzzed and I flinched. A feeling of hope, accompanied by something else that made my heart speed up, arose within me as I read the name shown on the display.

“Turn around.”

And there he stood. Softly smiling, red hair parted a little on the left. Dressed in a white suit, first two buttons of his shirt unbuttoned, and he held out his hand to me.

“I’m glad you came.” I could hear his words clearly, even though we stood apart, and all other noises and visual sensations around me faded for a moment in which I was only focused on him, drawn to his elegant figure, and my feet carried me towards him until my hand lay in his.

“I’m so sorry for being late,” I said to him and slightly bowed my head, wondering if I should be honest about the reason.

“Don’t worry about it.” He still smiled at me fondly when I looked back up at his face, the soft features making me feel weirdly reassured. “You’re here now. Let’s go.”

I didn’t think he would have so much understanding without even knowing what’s going on really. Being late wasn’t exactly a charming expression you could leave on an occasion like this. Still he didn’t seem to mind, or he was just very good at hiding it. However, looking at his face, his cheeks that were lifted up from smiling, how he sometimes glanced over to me shyly, but very apparently carrying a lot of happiness in his heart, I just couldn‘t bring myself to believe that he was really disappointed.

His aunt’s house wasn’t far from the station, the walk there took about ten minutes. Still I was glad my shoes were rather comfortable compared to most heels. Arriving there, he held open the door for me and we were greeted by his aunt and uncle, who made it very obvious just how happy they were to see him after a long while, and how glad they were that he found such a beautiful girl. I blushed and wondered if I should clarify that we weren‘t dating, but he was faster.

“There’s no such deep connection between us,” he explained, always staying at the appropriate level of politeness and familiarity. After taking off my coat, we progressed to what seemed like a huge dining hall. Tables filled with food and drinks were lined up at the sides, and in the middle, people were dancing to beautiful piano music. I couldn’t help but think it all seemed a little like a royal dinner party, and I chuckled to myself.

“What…?” Yanan asked with a broad grin on his face, who seemed to have caught me laughing to myself.

“Nothing,” I said, shaking my head. “I was just thinking how this party seems fancier than I expected it to be.”

“Ahh. Well, that’s what you get when your relatives are rich.” It made sense to me now. Observing the people all around me and him, I figured I was probably among the least wealthy currently in this house. Still caught in thought, he placed himself in front of me, holding out his hands.

“Do you like dancing?”

“Huh?” Taken by surprise, I peeked up at him with huge eyes. “I mean… I don’t dislike it. I’m just not very good…”

“Don’t worry about that. Just follow my lead.” I nodded, letting him guide me through the people dancing around us, becoming one with the moving masses. I wasn‘t sure where to step at first, but as I began trusting him to take the lead more and more, it became easier and it felt like we were becoming one with the rhythm, dancing as a strange kind of peaceful feeling settled in my stomach.

“Do you like this song?” he asked as he noticed me smiling at a particular tune and I nodded my head.

“I’ve listened to it a lot when it first came out.” Fond memories of high school came back to me. Yes, this song had given me comfort many times. And it had made me think that maybe there was something like that one true love in this world after all. I smiled at myself at the thought. What a romantic I had used to be back then…

“I like it too. Very much,” he explained. “It might be my favourite song actually.”

“Oh? I didn’t think we’d like the same kind of music.” We kept slowly spinning, swaying with the rhythm, when his expression slightly changed and he mouthed the lyrics to a certain part.

“…I don’t deserve this…”

“You know the words?” I asked.

“Yes, mostly.”

“We should try singing it together some time!” I suggested and he gave a nod.

“We should.”

The evening progressed like that, always with a peaceful feeling accompanying me, and I completely forgot about my worries from earlier. We had a bite to eat and I marveled at the exquisite taste of the food offered. I even got to enjoy a glass of real champagne together with him and some members of his family and friends of theirs. The evening turned into night, and hours passed faster than I had thought they would, until most people had left and it looked like it was time for us to go as well. He helped me put on my coat in the entrance area, before we bid our goodbyes and walked outside, where it had started to rain heavily. I sighed at the bad weather.

“Guess I’ll just have to run home then.” While I was already mentally preparing myself to get soaked, Yanan took off the jacket of his suit next to me and put it over our heads.

“I’ll take you home.”

“What? No, it’s fine, really! But… aren’t you cold like this?” It wasn’t exactly freezing outside, but with just a shirt he couldn’t possibly be warm enough.

“I’m fine. You don’t live far from here anyway, do you?”

“No… I just don’t want you to catch a cold because of me,” I stated and received a rather playful smile from him.

“Then we’ll just have to run.” And in the end we did, even though we weren’t as fast as we wanted to be, since I couldn’t move as quickly with my shoes as he could in his. I kept slipping out of one of them because of the water getting into them, and when we were about halfway there, I stopped him in the middle of the street.

“Let me take them off, then we’re faster…” I said, lifting one foot and automatically holding onto his shoulder for balance. We looked at each other and for the first time ever I had the chance to peer directly into his warm brown eyes for just a moment, before he shyly turned his head away, still trying to somehow hold his jacket so I wouldn’t get wet. However, now I stopped moving and instead let my foot sink back to the ground. The air around us suddenly changed, and the slight blush on his cheeks told me he could feel it too.

“Thank you… for today,” I spoke in between the sound of countless raindrops meeting the ground around us in the dimly lit street. “It was a lot of fun.” I showed him a genuine smile, when he slowly turned back to look at me, then one of his hands let go of the jacket to brush a stray strand of hair out of my face. Even a small touch such as this sent a fuzzy feeling throughout my whole body. He rested his palm against my cheek and slightly tilted my head, before his eyes landed on my lips and he leaned in, kissing me softly, and with so much care, making me feel as if I was something close to his most precious treasure. Or maybe I was just that… I closed my eyes, letting my hands find his shirt, my fingers wandering up the fabric until they were holding onto his shoulders. The rain had long started to soak my hair and my coat, and was running down my face so that I could faintly taste it on my lips as we kissed, but I couldn’t care less about the consequences that might have. All I could think about in this moment that seemed like an eternity, but still so far too short, was him, how his hands holding me made me feel so at ease, and how his soft lips moving against mine gave me a sense of home. When we finally parted, neither of us said anything for a while. We both just looked at each other, unsure if we should share another kiss, and though I was sure both of us would’ve wanted to feel the other’s lips on ours again, the sudden cold sent a heavy shiver through my body and he immediately wrapped his jacket around me.

“I don’t think this will help anymore…” I commented with an amused but somewhat worried smile, seeing how every single piece of clothing we carried on us was completely soaked from the rain by now.

“Then let’s run and get you home, before you get sick,” he decided. “Want to get on my back?” I hesitated at first as I didn’t want to burden him, however I quickly figured we’d both be dry faster if he carried me. Holding on to him tightly, I mumbled directions into his ear, and it didn’t take us long until he let me back down onto the ground in front of my house.

“Thank you again for today,” I smiled and he shook his head.

“No, I should thank you for coming along. The evening with you was perfect. But now hurry and get back inside!” When I hesitated, he raised his eyebrows. I quickly got on tiptoes, lightly holding onto his sleeves to pull myself up, and I placed a quick kiss on his lips, leaving him smiling adorably.

“We’ll see each other soon, promise?” I asked, and he nodded.

“Promise.” Then I ran back inside.

As soon as I opened the door and saw that there was still light on inside, I felt like my stomach had just been tied into a tight knot, and I felt a slight urge to throw up. Nobody should still be up by now, considering that it must have been well past midnight, which gave me a bad feeling in the gut about what was to come. I could barely take off my shoes, when my mother towered in front of me, fury in her eyes. l couldn’t even take a breath to attempt saying something before the yelling started, and all I could do was just stand there, petrified. For minutes that seemed endless, there was just me, the cold, wet feeling all over my body, and the loud voice of my mother, shaking my ears but not getting far enough for me to comprehend anything. I was frozen up completely, starting to cry at some point, but still unable to move, so the tears just fell in silence while she kept directing the heaviest verbal punches at me that I had ever received. Only when she finally disappeared and I had recovered from the shock enough to drag myself up the stairs to my room, I began to realize that she had, in fact, just very bitterly told me to get out of her house by tomorrow.

So here I stood now. At the station on a Sunday morning, a heavy bag packed with my most important belongings next to me on the ground, and the bag I always used for school, filled to the brim. I crouched down next to my possessions, feeling strangely calm even though I knew I had nowhere to go now and that I would have to sleep outside tonight if I didn’t find a place until the sun set. A hotel was unaffordable for a student like me who only worked on occasion, and most of my friends from college that could’ve taken me in for at least a few days didn’t even live in this town. At least I’m lucky with the weather today, I thought to myself as I looked up into the clear blue sky. Letting the October sun warm my face, I leaned against the rather cool wall behind me and began to count the few clouds visible. Slowly, my thoughts started working, and with them a whole jumble of complicated emotions arose from the depths of my heart.

“Fuck,” I cursed silently, forming a fist to punch the wall next to me. I choked up all of a sudden, and bit down on my lip hard to avoid crying in public. Even though there was barely anyone here on a Sunday, I still didn’t want to risk getting caught. My phone buzzed and I took it out to see a message from the younger one of my brothers. As expected, he was asking what happened, though he also let me know that mom had told him she threw me out.

“That’s all there is to it. I failed a class and snuck out yesterday, so I got what I deserved I guess,” I answered, and didn’t have to wait long for his response.

“You snuck out? I totally didn’t hear you.” Mindful as always, isn’t he…? I laughed bitterly before receiving the next text. “But you can always ask me for help if you need something. We’ll get you a place to stay somehow…”

“How exactly do you wanna help me here?” I answered. After that I didn’t get another text. Of course he had no clue how to get me out of this situation, but at least he tried.

“Shit, what do I do now? I can’t exactly live in front of the station…” I put my phone away and took my head into my hands, thinking hard, but not really getting anywhere. No matter what way I mentally took, it always boiled down to me having nowhere to go. And that hurt pretty badly. When I was close to tearing up again, I noticed someone had stopped to stand in front of me. The person crouched down and held out a cup of warm take-out coffee.

“Yanan… What are you doing here?” I asked him with wide eyes.

“The same I would like to ask you,” he said as he handed me the cup. “And why do I have the feeling you’re moving out…?” I glanced to the side in shame.

“Because… that’s kinda what I’m doing.” Question marks appeared over his head, so I clarified, “I got kicked out because I failed a class and snuck out even though I got grounded for it.” Actually saying the truth left a bitter feeling lingering in the air around me. Almost like the coffee he bought for me. “Meaning I kinda… have nowhere to go at the moment.” For a second he looked at me in devastation. But then he got up and heaved the heavy bag I brought all the way here on his back.

“Come with me then. I’m living in a small apartment by myself while I’m here. But there’s space for a second person.”

“What? I can’t-“ I wanted to protest, but he shook his head, shooting me a serious look instead.

“I can’t leave you out here on the street all by yourself.” His expression softened when he saw how I was still indecisive. “I won’t charge you anything,” he assured. As if that was what I was worried about. On the way to his place I kept asking if it was really okay, if it wasn’t a burden, if I could actually just freeload there, until he suddenly turned around at some point, resulting in me almost bumping straight into him.

“Y/N, I wouldn’t have offered if I wasn’t sure about this. Of course I’ll help you out here.” He bowed down a little so his face was on the same level as mine. “I’m doing this because I want to.” I almost got startled when he stared right into my eyes for a moment, finding such dedication in his look that it washed away all my doubts at once. I didn’t know he could look like that.

So Yanan took me across half the city and to an area where the streets were narrow and the sunlight barely got through the many tall buildings. He shot me an apologetic smile as we were making our way through the busy people and slowly driving and sometimes angrily honking cars. In front of a beige colored door on the second floor of a huge but cheap looking apartment complex we came to a halt and he got out the keys from his pocket to unlock it.

“I hope you don’t mind the area… it’s a little more crowded than where you’re used to living.” Again, he furrowed his eyebrows, so I shook my head strongly.

“No, I really don’t mind! I don’t think I’m even in a place to complain when you’re taking on such a huge burden for me…”

“What burden…?” he asked. “Stop acting like taking you in is troublesome for me.”

“But… you’ll have to adjust to living with another person now… and so spontaneously too…” I kept expressing my worries and how uncomfortable I felt that I was relying on him like that. Nevertheless, he let me enter his tiny flat first and I took off my shoes. Then he gave me a quick tour of the place and we put my things down in the living room area that was combined with a small cooking space.

“Is it okay for you to sleep over here?” he asked and pointed over to a couch covered with a thin blanket. It looked comfortable even from here, so I nodded.

“Of course.” I walked over to take a seat and smiled at how soft it was. “This almost feels even better than my bed at home!” I laughed and made him giggle too. He offered me something to drink and handed me a glass of iced water, then he disappeared into his own bedroom for a while to get me a proper pillow and blanket. The cool feeling of the ice still on my lips, I put down the glass and a thought wandered through my head. It wasn’t like people usually came by the station on a Sunday, and with Yanan living rather far away from it… did he know that I got in trouble? No, that was totally impossible. Still I felt like him finding me there wasn’t completely coincidental.

I took some time to properly take in my surroundings. When entering I had already noticed the flat wasn’t really decorated. There was the most important furniture, but nothing out of the ordinary. Only the couch I was sitting on and the old clock in the kitchen area similar to the one in my parents’ house added a little color to the otherwise plain interior. No pictures up on the walls, the curtains were in a standard white, the wooden table and shelves seemed like they were used before.

“Has somebody else lived here before you?” I wanted to know when Yanan came back and put the bedding down next to me.

“It’s my cousin’s flat. I’m just staying here while I’m in town and he’ll move back in when I leave in about a month,” he explained to me.

“Ahh, so you’re just freeloading now?”

“Basically, yes. But now that I have a partner in crime I don’t feel so bad about it anymore,” he chuckled at me. I got ready to protest, but held back. He was right after all. “Now we’re just two freeloaders trying to get through life, I guess,” he added.

“Don’t make it sound that dramatic.” I lightly hit his shoulder and he shot me a look, almost as if he was startled by the sudden touch. “But don’t you think you should make it a little more comfortable here? At least until you move back out.”

“What do you mean?”

“Like… little decorations,” I suggested. “A poster of a person you admire, some pretty paintings, or just flowers! That makes it feel livelier in here!” He hesitated though.

“I’m not really the type for stuff like that…” he argued, voice low.

“Then maybe we can compromise? Let’s get at least flowers!”

“For being worried that you’re burdening me you’re very proactive all of a sudden,” Yanan remarked with a smirk and I blushed.

“U-uhm…” Flustered, I didn’t know what to say next, but he saved me from the awkward silence.

“Fine. Let’s get flowers then. Do you have any in mind?”

To be continued...

~Admin Salty

#universe net #pentagon #ptg #yanan #pentagon yanan #oneshot #pentagon oneshot #pentagon fic #pentagon fanfic #pentagon scenarios #pentagon imagines #pentagon drabbles #angst #fluff #pentagon fluff #pentagon angst

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seventeen-scenarios-blog · 7 years

Text

[FIC] Unbound (T)

Prompt: Stepbrother!Mingyu Sequel Word Count: 4,911 Genre: Angst Warnings: Mild substance abuse

A/N: Y'ALL ASKED FOR IT, AND HERE IT IS, FINALLY. I really wanted to get this done in time for Mingyu's birthday, but I guess fate had other plans :( But still, it's done! THE SEQUEL TO TIES IS FINALLY COMPLETED, THE FATE OF OUR HEROES SHALL BE DETERMINED *cough*. I know it's been a while since that monster-sized fic, so I'd recommend giving it a read again before delving into this one. Thank you so much for the love you've shown for this story. There would not have been a sequel if it weren't for the support <3 ENJOY!

-wooed<3

Read the first installment, Ties, here!

Short Recap:

“I understand,” he says again, as though trying to convince himself, and he crushes you into his arms tighter. “But for now, please… Let me hold onto you for a little longer before I let you go. Just for tonight.”A little longer, that’s all the time the both of you have. Compared to the past thirteen years you’ve spent together, five hours seems like a laughably, cruelly short amount of time now. You sniffle and manage a nod, and he takes in your consent with by nuzzling his nose against the crook of your neck. “I understand.”

It seems like your mind had been playing tricks with you the whole time.

Whenever you tried recalling moments spent with your older brother Mingyu, you recalled of the countless times he had given the you cold shoulder in Junior High, how he avoided you at all costs in the halls of your high school, embarrassed by the thought of being seen with the bottom percentile of the school.

Pretending like you’ve never existed, that was what he was like to you. All this time you thought that you meant this little to Mingyu.

But ever since that fateful night at Jihyun’s house, you’ve started recollecting other memories; whether selectively repressed or not, you had no idea.

The memories of him staring down bullies at the playground with a darkly uttered: “Don’t mess with my sister”, the memories of him incessantly slipping his prized study notes into your room while you’re busy playing video games, memories of a warm meal of stew and rice being left out in the dining table when you come home from late night studies in the library during your senior year.

There was even a memory of him when he was in the 7th Grade while you were in the 6th, when your parents were both overseas on a business trip. He had ran to your elementary school through the thundering rain, just to pass you the umbrella you had carelessly forgotten before turning on his heels and sprinting off for basketball practice completely drenched.

The memories made you break out into cold sweat in the middle of the night, waking up panting and in desperate need of a warm drink to soothe yourself.

You hardly left your room since that incident, opting to hole yourself in your duvet covers and coming out only in mealtimes. Your mother is especially worried, noting how little you’ve been eating, while your step-father gets increasingly aggravated every time Mingyu’s seat remains empty at the dining table.

“He’s heading off to America for who knows how long, and he still wants to spend his last few days in Korea with his friends,” he would grumble around a mouthful of food. “It’s like he doesn’t care about our feelings at all.”

But you know what Mingyu is doing. The tension that exploded between the both of you has made it so that you aren’t able to stay in the same room for more than three seconds. It is already suffocating living under the same roof with him. Bumping into each other in the mornings always called for your awkward bowing before scampering off like he was the boogeyman, while his unreadable yet heated gaze bore down your back like the glaring sun.

A part of you wanted him to quickly leave for America, and put the two of you out of your misery for the next few years and yet… The tug on your heartstrings let you know that you’re definitely feeling otherwise.

But before you know it, the day Mingyu leaves Korea arrives, and you wake up that morning with a sickeningly nauseated feeling deep in your stomach. Your parents had offered you a ride with them to the airport to send your step-brother off, but you turn them down, mumbling a half-hearted excuse about coming down with the flu.

While initially disappointed that you aren’t going to be there, your mother sensed that something is awry (or rather, more awry than usual) between you and Mingyu, but chose to probe no further when you assured her that you’ve already said your goodbyes to each other the night before.

It isn’t a complete lie; Mingyu had felt the compulsive need to settle the things that were left unspoken between the both of you, and when both your parents had fallen asleep, he had come knocking on your door, very well aware that you would still be awake at this hour. Obviously, you wouldn’t be sleeping at all, not with conflicting thoughts and emotions running through your mind a mile a minute.

The sound of his knuckles rapping against your wooden door sends your heart jumping out of your throat, and you froze in your foetal position in bed.

“I know you’re awake,” he said with sadness lacing his voice. The same broken voice from that night. The voice you had prayed with all your might you’ll never hear again. “Please, I just want to talk to you.”

You had pressed your lips together, unable to muster the courage to open the door. At your silence, he let out a sigh.

“I want to talk to you,” he murmured, almost with resign, “Just as a brother.”

A brother… You had almost snorted in incredulity. After all the turmoil you both had went through, the emotions he had bestowed upon you, the fiery sensations from that night that still lingers in your dreams, he still wanted to simply refer to himself as your goddamned brother?

“I know, I was a terrible older brother to you, I know I don’t deserve to talk to you now, but please listen.” As if your body had a mind of its own, you found yourself sitting against the door, your back pressed up against the cool wood. Your head tilted back and rested against it with a soft bump, and you wondered if he was doing the same.

His despair was potent and seemed to permeate through the door and overwhelm you. “I’m leaving tomorrow,” he began, as though knowing that you’re already alert and listening to his every word. “I’m leaving for another continent, and I don’t know when I will be coming back.”

His words did nothing but send another wave of agony coursing through your body, and it took all you could to remain silent.

“All I ask of you is that you take good care of yourself,” he said. “Please, eat well, sleep well and stay healthy. College life isn’t going to be any easier than high school, but I know you’ve matured enough to make your own rational decisions. I know you’ll shine in school.” Those words, though encouraging, sounds forced and laced with a heavy tone that dragged the entire atmosphere down. “And if I’m not at home, you’ll have to be there for mom and dad. They get lonely really easily.”

And what about me? How am I going to eat or sleep well, if all I ever think about right at every moment is you, bastard?

He stopped talking, leaving his words hanging in the air and ringing in your ears. You lowered your head, tucking it in between your knees, hoping to block out the rushing sounds of blood in your ears.

“Fuck,” he suddenly cursed, “I can’t do this…”

You barely had the time to wonder about his sudden change in behaviour before the hard thumping of presumably his fists colliding with the ground has you jumping out of your skin.

“I’m sorry,” he had said abruptly. “What happened back last week, I know you want to forget about it all. But I simply can’t. Shit, I’d do anything to forget that because it hurts so fucking much thinking about it. It hurts to think that we’ve left things like this. It hurts that we can’t even talk to each other anymore. It hurts that we just have to keep pretending that we can’t possibly love each other…”

And his voice cracked, leaving broken sobs in the wake of his words. You could hardly keep yourself together as well, his emotions effectively reflecting your own as clearly as if you were looking at a mirror. What kind of sin would the both of you had committed to have landed yourselves in a fucked up position like this one? Neither of you deserved this.

But you weren’t prepared for his next desperate utterings. “Please, it’s not too late. We can still make this work. I promise… I’ll take care of you, I won’t let anyone tear us apart--”

“Stop it, right there,” you had blurted out before you can stop yourself, a cathartic mixture of rage and grief engulfing your mind completely shrouding any coherent thoughts in your brain. “Kim Mingyu, I already told you that we can’t do this. There’s no way that this can work.”

“We’ll find a way,” he insisted, with renewed vigour as he finally heard your response, your voice for the first time in a whole week. “We’ll talk to our parents, we’ll get help from our friends, I’ll stay in Korea!”

“No, you won’t!” you snapped back, shooting back up on your feet, “Listen to yourself right now! Do you even understand what you’re saying? You’re giving up so much; so many students out there would kill for a scholarship like yours. There’s so much in the future in store for you, there’s dad’s company you’re set to inherit, there’s all of your friends… You’re willing to give all of that up for what? A measly relationship?”

Even though the door’s obstructing your view of Mingyu, you could see how his eyes darken in your mind’s eye. “There’s nothing measly about the way I feel about you, you know that.”

He softened and you heard the way his fingers drag across the wood of the door. “Is this really what you feel? Do you really think that what we had meant this little to me?”

Of course you didn’t, shuddering as you recalled all the fiery sensations Mingyu had given you that night. “Mingyu…” you dropped your voice to a whisper. “I can’t ruin your life the same way I ruined mine before. You’ll regret this.”

“I won’t,” he pleaded. “I’ve never wanted anything more for the past thirteen years. If you give me the chance, I’ll protect you, I’ll give you the happiness you deserve.”

There he went with his delusional thoughts again… and the way they influenced you to believe in him. Maybe, he can fulfill that: he can bring you happiness, he can take care of you. You want to be with him. You want to take his hand, run away and never look back. But alas, as tempting as it sounds, you’d be a fool to believe him. Try as you both might, there will never be a future. He’s too perfect, his future is blindingly bright; how selfish would you have to be to bring him down like that? Who were you do dull his shining potential?

You couldn’t allow it, and despite the painful sensations crushing against your ribs and rendering you almost breathless, you had to do what needed to be done. “Mingyu, I said this before and I’m going to say this again… No, don’t do this.”

And then silence ensued, so deep yet so deafening, as Mingyu finally swallowed your words. Every hair in your limbs stood on end as you waited for his response.

“Will you be there tomorrow?”

Such despondency, such defeat in five simple words, so poignant you felt all of your defences crumbling into a messy heap with one fell swoop. But you force yourself to eke out the following words: “I think it’s best if we don’t see each other, for the both of us.”

“Then…” A long pause, as though he was contemplating his words. “can you at least open the door, to let me look at you for the last time? Please?”

That, you absolutely couldn’t do. You feared heavily that one look into his imploring eyes would make you retract every statement you’ve forced out, would make you fall into his warm, inviting arms and forget about every sin and mistake you’ve committed.

“That… wouldn’t be a good idea, Mingyu,” you choked out like it was your last breath.

“I see.” You can barely hear his voice anymore. “Take care of yourself, then.”

“I will, oppa.”

You wondered if he had managed to hear you utter that one term of endearment for the first time in years, because the next things you hear are the dull clumps of his feet against the plywood, growing fainter, and fainter as he strode away from you.

At least he wouldn’t be able to hear the shattering sob that ruptured out of your chest that had you sliding down the walls in utmost despair. Pulling your legs close to your chest, you cried yourself to sleep, curled up by the door like the loathsome, vile creature you know you are, unworthy of any attention, pity or love.

And so as the morning comes, you can only listen to the roar of the car at the driveway, the car that will take Mingyu away from your life forever.

After finding you in your current desolate state, your mother had wrapped you up in your quilt, and had left the door open, perhaps as an open invitation for you in case you change your mind. But you know that you neither had the strength nor willpower to get up anymore.

Wallowing in your own self pity, you writhe deeper into your sheets. It hasn’t even been minutes, but you’re already feeling lonelier than ever. You draw in a deep breath until your lungs ache, then let the air out shakily. If only the negative thoughts cluttering your mind could be gotten rid off as easily as exhaling.

You wonder if you should just fall back asleep, the bottle of sleeping pills by your nightstand suddenly looking so tempting to your eyes. You won’t know when you’d awaken again, but it is better than allowing the wound in your heart to fester. Before you know it, your fingers close around the small, plastic bottle, and you pop two white pills onto your hand.

“All I ask is for you to take care of yourself…”

It hasn’t even been a whole day since, but you’re already going back on the one promise you made to him.

I’m sorry, Mingyu, but I want to get rid of these feelings. Your eyes squeeze shut us you roll the sinful capsules in your steadily sweating palm. Just two will do. You wouldn’t want to hurt yourself more than necessary; you needed just enough to knock you out for the next few hours.

Your heart is pounding so loudly in your ears, you can’t hear opening and closing of your front door. Your mind made, you tilt your head back to drop the pills into your mouth. The bitter tang of the medication spreads through the base of your tongue and almost makes you gag, but you force yourself to swallow anyway.

But even the pills disobey you, getting stubbornly caught at the back of your dry throat without anything to wash them down. As a result, you choke and retch, doubling over in utter disgust with yourself.

“Hey, babe? Where you at-- Oh my god, spit that out!”

Your mind too thick with dense fog, you barely see the blurry figure dashing into your room in panic. Within seconds the newcomer has one arm fastened across your chest while the other is repeatedly tapping against your back. Hacking violently, you manage to dislodge the medicine, leaving two powdery lumps in your wake.

Completely spent and haggard, you feel yourself get dragged back onto the bed, chest heaving heavily from the ordeal.

“How could you, babe? I was so worried!” You get yanked into a skinny but warm embrace, the pounding in your head ceasing just enough for you to recognise the newcomer’s voice. “Are you okay? Please talk to me…”

“Ji...hyun?” you stutter out confusedly, feebly pulling yourself out of your friend’s arms. “W-what are you doing here?”

“I came here as soon as he called me. Your…” The girl in front of you nervously shifts her eyes, as though contemplating on her word use, “... brother called me before he left. Said you were alone at home, told me to come over to take care of you and make sure you were okay. And… oh god…” She breaks off once she notices your freshly fallen tears.

Mingyu still cared. Even after your constant rejection, your constant avoidance, the final blow you’ve delivered to him last night… He still cared. The emotions you had struggled so hard to repress finally reach a breaking point and before you know it, your eyes and nose burn up and you’re crying again. Your hands find a death grip on the cloth on your chest, squeezing it until your knuckles turn pale and tremble as though it’s the only thing keeping you together.

“Oh baby,” Jihyun sighs, gently cupping your face between her small hands. Her thumb smears away the wet droplets on your cheeks before she pulls you into her bosom. “It’s okay, just cry it out. I’m here for you.”

You almost feel ashamed of yourself. You hate this, you hate feeling like this, you hate yourself, and you want to hate Mingyu for making you feel like this. But yet…

“I love him, Jihyun,” you sob into her chest. “I love him. I love him so fucking much.”

“I know baby, I know you do...” she murmurs sympathetically, one hand softly cradling the back of your head. You are pretty sure your tears are soaking through her expensive branded clothes by now, but she makes no move to let you go. “He loves you too, you know?”

You can’t trust your voice anymore, opting to shake your head miserably instead. No, you don’t deserve him. You’re not worthy for his love. “It’s true,” she insists. “I had to admit, I was caught off-guard by the truth last week, and I never got a chance to ask you about it because you both left so quickly that night. But you know what that crazy bastard Mingyu did?”

At that last sentence, you tilt your head up curiously, staring at your best friend through the sheen of moisture in your eyes. “He came back and pleaded to talk to me. He wanted to clear everything up and explain your situation. He told me about Donghyuk and why he had to act out like that, he told me… what happened after you left. He told me all about his feelings for you, hoping that I would be able to understand your plight and not blame you for anything.”

It is like your chest had just been squeezed through a wringer, your lungs constricting so much that you can barely breathe between your cries. Jihyun rubs a soothing hand down your back in circular motions. “It was a lot for me to take in at first, but I do know one thing: Mingyu really, really does love you. And you love him back now, don’t you?”

You are torn between a nod and a shake of your head, so you can only pathetically tighten the hold you have on your best friend.

“He’s too good for me,” you manage to wheeze out. “We can never be together.”

Jihyun’s embrace abruptly cuts off as she suddenly grips you by your shoulders. “You listen to me now, missy. No, he’s not too good for you. No one’s too good for you. You deserve him as much as he deserves you, do you hear me?!” The words were spoken with such harsh conviction, it sends a blow straight through your head. Something that could be equivalent to an epiphany hits you like a truck. Is Jihyun right? Just five simple sentences. That was all it took to send you reeling back into reality.

Your mouth falls open and you stare at her, dumbstruck by this revelation.

Jihyun watches you ponder over her words, and she flashes you a knowing, motherly smile while her hand props your fallen jaw back up to its proper place. “It’s not too late, you know… You can still get to say your goodbyes.”

“C-Cab,” you stupidly mumble, clumsily clambering back up onto your feet. “I need to get a cab, now!” It’s not too late… It’s not too late! His flight is scheduled to take off an hour from now. If you hurry, you might just be able to catch up with him.

But the metallic tinkling of keys catches your attention, and you look up to see your best friend holding a set of keys up with a smirk.

“You tell me now,” she winks. “Exactly how many broken traffic laws is this man worth?”

Jihyun’s motorcycle screeches to a halt by the curb of the airport amongst a chorus of noisy car honks and disapproving shouts from other vehicles, but you can’t care less. Muttering a quick ‘thank you’ to Jihyun, you all but throw your helmet onto the gravel pavement, bolting towards the departure hall like your life depends on it.

It must have been a strange sight to behold, a girl with a messy bun of hair dressed in nothing but an oversized white sleeping shirt and a pair of boxers in the middle of an airport, but you disregard all the stares and whispers, your mind fixated on one thing and one thing only.

Your lungs are burning, your legs are screaming in protest, and your body is completely exhausted from yesterday and today, yet you continued to shove yourself past the crowd with unbridled strength, desperate to find him.

Oh my god, where is he?!

You push your way to the entrance of the departure hall, recognising his flight number displayed on the screen all too well. You stand on your toes, trying to find Mingyu amongst the crowd of passengers, forcing yourself to suppress the mounting panic rising like bile up your throat. No, it can’t be. I can’t be too late. He couldn’t have left. He couldn’t have left you just like that!

But what you can only describe as utter euphoria spreads through your body like an electrical current when you see a tall figure sticking out amongst the masses, his favourite matte black cap and trenchcoat all too familiar to your eyes. Though you’ve spent thirteen years with him, this is the first time seeing him this sullen and lifeless, his back drooping with the weight of the world.

From the other side of the gate, you watch helplessly as he stands in the queue in front of the check-in counter, knowing fully well that he wouldn’t ever be able to turn around once he crosses that barrier. Every cell in your body screams at you to call out to him, but standing in front of a pair of formidable looking security guards blocking the gates, you can only watch him shuffle closer and closer towards the counter. You’ve lost your chance to reconcile. You’ll never be able to see him again, and you can never bring yourself to look at him ever again either, thoroughly ashamed of what you had done to him.

“Mingyu…” Your whisper comes out piteous and broken.

But to your amazement, standing next in line at the check-in counter, Mingyu pauses and turns around, like he had heard you. He sweeps his eyes across the hall, as though searching… waiting for someone, his dull eyes having a tint of hopefulness in them which steels your resolve.

And you do what you never thought you’d do.

Darting in between the two security guards, you sprint into the departure hall. The subsequent caterwauling from the surrounding crowd is nothing compared to the thrashing and hammering of your heart.

“KIM MINGYU!”

His name flies out of your mouth on its own accord, and floored by your own actions, you skid to a stop in the middle of the hall. Your knees are in the verge of buckling under the tremendous amount of emotions, you are sweating icy cold bullets, and you thought that you are going to pass out, but you miraculously remain standing with your chin up high.

Kim Mingyu stares back at you, his eyes blown wide, every muscle of his stiff and motionless. The other passengers break into curious whispers, casting you borderline irritated glances. You suck in a shaky breath, your fingers unwittingly curling into fists behind your back.

“Am I too late?” you softly breathe out.

Time seems to crawl by as Mingyu takes the longest two seconds of your life to drink in your words.

Then he drops everything in his hands.

“Oh fuck this,” is the only thing you hear coming out of him before he closes the distance in between the both of you in three lengthy strides and proceeds to crush his lips against yours. At that moment, everything disappears: the people, the guards hollering at you, the entire airport dissipates into nothingness. In you mind’s eye, it is only the two of you. All air escapes your system and you feel like you’re literally floating in air out of pure elation as his body molds into yours perfectly once again. This is where you are truly meant to be; in his arms. You’re thrown back to that fateful night with the sheer amount of passion in his kiss. Except now, it’s different. You’re no longer rejecting his affections. You want him, you want to be with him. And feeling the way he smiles against your lips, you know he’s feeling the same way.

Feeling lightheaded and giddy, you finally pull away to catch your breath, only to be met with Mingyu’s blindingly shining eyes. “You came,” he says. “You finally came.”

“Of course I did,” you reply with a shy turn of your head, embarrassed by the sheer magnitude of the grin that threatens to break across your face. Your body still held between his arms, he throws his head back and lets out a short laugh of both delight and disbelief. “Please tell me this isn’t a dream.”

You soften, feeling the tinge of guilt again for putting him through this much emotional suffering. To reassure him, you lift a hand and placed it on his cheek. “I’m sorry I’m so late,” you tell him. “But I’m here now. I love you, Mingyu.”

Yet another melodious bout of laughter escapes his lips as he leans into your touch. How long he must have waited, you realise, to have been able to hear those three words coming from your mouth. “I love you,” you repeat, hoping to compensate for lost time. “I love you, Kim Mingyu.”

His grip around your body impossibly tightens. “Oh god,” he sighs, about to pull you in for another mind-blowing kiss but you are both interrupted by the announcer on the PA system.

“Passengers bound for Pennsylvania, America, are to report to their boarding gates. The flight will take off at ten-thirty.”

The both of you turn to meet each other’s gazes, suddenly dragged back down into reality. Mingyu’s eyes dart between the check-in counter and you, and you can sense the amount of conflict whirling in his mind. “Come with me,” he breathes out. “Come to America. We can start a life there. Or… Or I’ll stay in Korea. We… we can-”

“Mingyu,” you giggle, bringing your other hand to the other side of his face, prompting him to look directly into your eyes. “It’s okay, you can go to America.”

He flinches at your words, as though he has never expected those words to come from you. “But-”

“I’ll wait for you, Mingyu,” you assure him. “It’s okay, I’m just really glad I got the chance to talk to you before you left for America.”

He frowns, a shadow of pain flickering across his irises. “So, nothing’s changed? We still won’t be together.”

At that, you immediately shake your head. “Everything’s changed, Mingyu. Sure, we are still separated, but we won’t be avoiding each other anymore, we won’t live in lies anymore. We can still talk to each other. You can come back during your breaks, I’ll come visit during mine. It’s We’ll find a way to make this work, I promise.” You echo the words he said to you before. “I know it’s not going to be easy for us, but we’ll be okay, Mingyu.”

“I don’t know when I’ll be back,” he confesses. “It could take three years, maybe four.”

“You waited for thirteen years, Mingyu,” you try to lightheartedly say despite the aching in your heart, “I think it’s time I reciprocate.” In response, he squeezes your hand tight in his. “But I’ll miss you so much.”

“I will too.” You press your head against his rapidly beating chest. “We’ll be okay, Mingyu. I know we will.”

Mingyu cradles your head lovingly, and you both take in the sight of each other, neither of you quite willing to pull away. “I love you,” he says again, but you know that you’ll never be tired of hearing that.

With the last, heartfelt kiss of farewell, you feel the strings that had suffocated you for the past week come completely undone, dissolving like dew in the morning sun. Even when he returns to his spot in the check-in counter and you’re rudely shoved out of the departure hall by the more-than-disgruntled guards, you can’t help but draw in a breath of pure happiness.

There are more trials and tribulations to come as a result of the decision you both have made. Your relationship will be difficult, tumultuous even. This is only the beginning of your struggles. Yet, as you him disappear amongst the crowd of passengers, looking brighter than you’ve ever seen him before...

You feel free.

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writings-from-the-wolf-den · 7 years

Text

Night of Holies

One thing that Nicholas never got tired of in Trampoli was the Night of Holies. In the capital where he was from, it was a large holiday. Many people would visit the grand church near the center of the city in remembrance of the past Year and to quietly release any negativity they had built up over the year in preparation for the new Year. As a prince he was required to participate and lead much of the congregation. It was strange how quiet a large group could get when all of them began their silent remembrance.

In Trampoli, though, it was much different. Although there was a church that many visited during the day, the night time was to be spent with loved ones. He and Alianna had learned in their first Year that the Night of Holies was a common date night. He had been invited by a couple of girls to spend the evening with them, but he had rejected on account of the fact that Alianna was with him (although she had gently told him not to mind her. She could always “go to sleep” to give them privacy. She just didn’t get that that wasn’t the reason Nick had rejected them).

The first Year he and Alianna had wandered around the farm quietly talking with each other. Alianna had never celebrated the holiday before, so he had explained to her all that he knew about it. Eventually his feet had taken him through the forest path and back to the large tree behind the church. It was there that he decided they would spend the rest of their evening.

The next Year was much the same with the two of them sharing the evening together at the same tree. This Year, nearly five years since he had first met Alianna, found the two of them there again. Only this time, Alianna was beside him rather than inside of him. And it made all of the difference.

The clearing wasn’t a large one, but the giant tree in the middle made it seem all the more spacious. The forest opened its canopy here, allowing the bright light of the full moon to gently illuminate the fallen snow. The air itself always seemed to glitter on this night. Nick wasn’t sure of the cause of it, but he was certain that the magic in the air resonated from the Runeys. The air was chilly, but still as he and Alianna crunched over to the edge of the tree root and looked up. Around them danced Runeys of different types, glowing rhythmically to a song that seemed to hum in the forest. Nick absorbed it with quiet reverence. The Runeys tonight looked like fairy lights that were usually strung up in the city. Perhaps it was because of the lack of Runeys in the city.

In the darkness, the lighting in the clearing seemed brighter. The whole sky seemed darker in comparison despite the constellations Nick could still see from where they stood. The large tree wasn’t as covered with snow –almost like someone had kept it clear. He never figured out who or what did that.

His breath wafted past his face as he turned his head to stare at his companion. Different features of her face were highlighted by playful Runeys that floated past her. Ever since she had returned to this world, the Runeys seemed more attracted to Alianna than ever. They often seemed like pets in the way they crowded her. Sometimes there would be clouds of them twirling in the slightest breezes. Alianna had managed to convince them off of her, but it seemed a few of the younger ones were getting curious.

Alianna’s eyes met his. For a moment her gaze was hidden as light flashed across her glasses before they settled into their usual translucent selves. Her dark blue eyes mirrored the sky, the lights of the Runeys reflecting like stars in their depths. Nick could feel his face warming despite the cold. She always had such intense eyes no matter how soft they looked right now. He was still learning to read her expressions.

A small smile turned up her lips, her entire head relaxing slightly into a tilt. “It’s so quiet.” She said, her voice soft with a reverence that it seemed everyone developed on this night. Everything was so silent, feeling almost contemplative as if holding its breath for the approaching new Year.

“Yeah.” Nick agreed, and tore his eyes away from hers. He felt a shiver caress his neck and spine, and he looked skywards again in an effort to hide it. He wasn’t sure where the shiver had come from, but he was almost certain it wasn’t the cold. He crossed his arms across his chest, the shift of his clothes and the crinkle of his leather bag sounding loud in the air.

Alianna moved over to the tree and flicked out the thick blanket she carried in her arms until it was flat on the ground. The both of them took their seats on it, sitting close together. Alianna pressed her shoulder gently to Nick’s, relaxing the man. He opened the bag to pull out the boxes with a dinner he had whipped up for the both of them. Alianna looked surprised.

“You made food?”

“Yeah.” He offered a box to her. “Did you eat already?”

She nodded a little, but still took the box. “I didn’t eat much. I was going to have a snack at home.”

“Now you don’t have to.” Nick joked, grinning a bit. Alianna smiled and opened her box, revealing the small meal of rice, hot sandwiches, and a bowl of soup. Alianna looked amused at the choices, but Nick already knew from experience that these were light foods she enjoyed and preferred so late in the evening. She didn’t like a heavy meal past eight.

“Thank you.” She said as the two of them ate. It was the last words they spoke for a while. They shared a thermos of hot cocoa between the two of them, having little care for sharing of germs considering previous circumstances. It was only after the two of them were finished eating did they scoot closer together, arms interlocking behind them as they supported their weight while leaning into each other.

“I’m glad you agreed to come with me tonight.” Nick finally spoke, breaking their reverie.

Alianna gave a breathy laugh. “We came here every year together.”

Nick shook his head and looked down. His hand curled a little, palm aching with the need to grip something. “No, it’s different.” He looked at her and she met his gaze. “You’re actually here with me.”

Alianna’s eyes softened. “I understand.” She tilted her head forward so their foreheads tapped together, her eyes falling closed. “I’m glad to be here with you.”

Nick’s heart was racing. He loved the dry warmth coming from his best friend even as his core seemed to tremble with possibility. He licked his lips, eyes darting to her own lips. He could kiss her right now. He wanted to. Now would be a good moment. He just needed to lean forward a bit. It would be no effort at all.

Instead, he pulled away. Alianna’s eyes opened, watching him curiously. Nick’s throat felt thick and hot with his own nervousness. His hands were sweating in his gloves as he straightened to reach into his pocket, fingers wrapping around the item hidden in there.

“I...” Nick swallowed the lump in his throat. He needed to be courageous. He could face all sorts of monsters and had saved the future from a terrible fate. He just needed to tell this woman his feelings. He just needed to offer himself and everything that he was to her. No big deal. Even if she rejected him (and the thought made him cringe) he could carry on. He needed to do it now, though. There was no better time.

Nicholas steeled his nerves and looked Alianna in the eyes. Her gaze was questioning but open. Nicholas felt some part of himself relax despite himself. There was no need to be so afraid. Alianna was his best friend and knew...frankly a bit too much about him. This would just be another thing for her to learn. And it was a miracle (and a pain) that she hadn’t already guessed it. He would tell her now and pray, on this night, that his next Year would be one filled hopefully with her.

“I love you.” He told her. Alianna blinked. “I love you,” he repeated and pulled out the item in his pocket to hold out to her, “and I have for a long time. I...I’ve loved you before I’ve even seen you. And I knew back then that I didn’t want anyone else with me. In me. Beside me.” He flushed a little bit at his stumbled words as Alianna smiled teasingly. The “in me” thing would never not be taken as an innuendo, it seemed. He pushed on, “And even though you have your own body now...I’m hoping you’ll still wish to share the rest of your life with me. I’ll have nobody else.”

Alianna gazed down at the gift in his hand. It was a necklace decorated simply with a tiny preserved blue feather. Nicholas had used his own magic to craft the accessory, shrinking and preserving the feather so that it could be used. Alianna liked practical gifts, after all, and he wanted her to show off his skills. He would make her a ring later for a possible wedding. The feather itself was old fashioned, but it was a tradition Nicholas had always admired because it required effort on the proposer’s part. He really needed to want to marry Alianna if he was to find the rare royal blue feather. And it had taken him seasons to find one.

The effort, though, paid off as Alianna gathered up her hair, smiling brightly. “Put it on me?”

Nicholas lit up. “You accept?”

“Of course, you silly boy.” She lifted her hair and turned so that he could drape the necklace over her neck, locking it in place. She turned back to him and dropped her hair. “Did you honestly think I wouldn’t?”

“I had doubts.” Nick admitted even as he brought his hands up to cup her face. Alianna laughed lightly, tapping their foreheads together again as her own arms wrapped around his neck.

“Nicholas, how could you honestly think I could resist your charms when no other person can?” Her eyes were mischievous. Nick removed her glasses to kiss her eyelids.

“You’ve always been different.”

“Being in your body doesn’t count.” That was definitely an innuendo.

“Maybe this time I can be in yours.” He flirted back. Alianna seemed surprised, used to him getting flustered when she joked about that kind of thing. Now her eyelids lowered, interested.

“Maybe.” She agreed as her eyes dropped to his lips. She leaned in close so her words ghosted across the sensitive skin of his lips. She wetted her own lips. Nick shivered as her tongue brushed against his mouth. “But first...maybe you should start with kissing me.”

“Gladly.” He breathed before he followed through, kissing her passionately. Alianna pulled him tight against her, not allowing for anything chaste. Nick was beginning to realize how much she had craved this kind of touch just as he had as he tilted his head to deepen the kiss. Her nails scrapped lightly against the skin of his neck and scalp as her fingers ran upwards into his hair. Nick’s own hands slid down the sides of her neck. One continued its descent down the side of her ribs to her waist while the other twisted back around to cup the back of her head. The soft exhalation into his mouth made his hands reflexively tighten to pull her more against him until she leaning more on him than sitting beside him.

They pulled away from each other half-reluctantly, but allowed their hands to drop. Alianna trapped him between her arms, leaning against him with a pleased smile. Nick beamed at her, pressing another kiss to her lips. Then he pressed a third, allowing himself to linger longer before he murmured, “I love you.”

Alianna’s hands curled into the blanket as she pressed into a deeper kiss. When she pulled away, her smile was a little coy as she murmured, “Me too...I love you too.”

“Marry me.” Nicholas begged quietly.

“I already said yes.” She laughed.

“Say it again?” He smiled.

“Yes, I’ll marry you.” She acquiesced.

“Good.” He laughed breathily, unable to get his voice any louder. He felt like he might cry, but he would be making a fool of himself in front of her again. He always cried way too much when it came to her. “Good. Thank you. Thank you.” He added again quieter, more reverent.

Alianna looked away, shy as he kissed her cheek. His hand found hers, squeezing it. She squeezed it back and then met his gaze again. “It’s rather late. And cold. Shall we head back?” Nick was rather chilly, but he rather liked this closeness. He was reluctant to let it go. He couldn’t wait until they were married so that they wouldn’t have to separate at the end of the night. He already could imagine coming home at the end of his day to be with her. Going to the bath house together. Waking up in the same bed. He couldn’t wait to hold her while they slept.

“Yeah. I’ll walk you home.” They shifted to stand and flick the snow off of the blanket while Alianna packed the bag back up.

“Can I stay the night?” Her voice took on that mischievous tone again, “Maybe you can be in me instead?”

Nick froze, cheeks immediately turning red at the images her words produced. He definitely was not against them. He grinned nervously. “Perhaps we should wait until after the marriage?”

Alianna paused, frowning a bit. He could see she was startled and her confidence faded a bit, much to his displeasure. “Oh...why?”

“Tradition.” He quickly explained. He didn’t want her to think he was against it. Hell, he was surprised she was so on board with the idea. Most women he knew were much more conservative. It’s not that it wasn’t done, it just wasn’t done often. “I mean...if you really want to, I’m totally for it. But the wedding won’t be too far, and I can wait if you can.”

Alianna considered the idea, fingers running over the seams of the quilt. Nicholas followed the fingers, imagining them ghosting across his skin. He was already starting to regret his decision. “Okay.” She finally said, smiling at him. “I don’t mind waiting. But...can I still stay over? I’m not ready to go home yet.”

“You’re always welcome at my house.” He told her, not for the first time. He held his hand out to her and she took it. He tugged her closer so he could tuck her cold hands into his coat pocket. Honestly, who wore fingerless gloves so late in the year? He kissed her temple as they began their trek back to his house. “I’ll get a nice fire going.”

“Perhaps more hot cocoa?” She coaxed. Nicholas smiled, ducking his head to hide how amused he was.

“Always.”

#Alianna and Nicholas #Rune Factory AU

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ecotone99 · 5 years

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[SF] The finest meal you'll ever have

At the turn of the twenty-second century, many of Earth’s colonies revolted. Within days, enemies of Earth’s mighty empire declared war, hoping to take advantage of the chaos. Forced to fight battles on all fronts, we had been dragged into the center of the third galactic war. After nearly three decades of bloodshed and meaningless carnage, Earth and her allies emerged on top. In the aftermath, countless planets lay destroyed and people all around the universe prayed for peace and prosperity. All the involved parties ceased fire and finally, soldiers could return to their homes.

Like many others, General Rayleigh wanted to put all that had happened behind him. He had led many of Earth’s troupes to countless victories and now longed to peacefully settle down and discover his place in the new world. For his service to the Empire, the president awarded him with a hefty pension and a manor on planet Leos, the birthplace of his late mother. He had spent his last twenty years fighting. War was all he knew and all that he was good at. To somebody who’d been in battle his entire adult life, the normal world seemed foreign and empty. Rayleigh, however, was not a man to live life without a purpose. He planned to spend his first month introspecting and thinking about how he wanted his new life to shape up. Leos consisted of many fertile and uncultivated lands. He could spend his money to buy land near his house and become a farmer. Else, he could use it to buy a spaceship and spend his remaining years exploring the galaxies. The possibilities were endless and soon, Rayleigh was overwhelmed with choices. One day, an unusual guest came to visit him. She was an old woman who’d traveled halfway across the galaxy to speak to him. By the time she left his house, Rayleigh had once again found purpose in life.

Ellis had been Rayleigh’s closest friend in the war. They originally met each other as recruits in the training camp and later, they’d been assigned to the same battalion. For eight long years, they fought countless battles side by side. On one of their missions, they had been stranded on an inhospitable planet. After roaming the land for many days, they finally came across a crashed and abandoned space ship. Ellis confirmed that he could fix the radio and by help would arrive by the next day. That night, as they waited for rescue, they ate their first meal in days. It was a rotten apple they’d found in the cockpit. It tasted bitter but the two quickly divided it amongst themselves and devoured it within seconds. Later that night, they talked about what all they’d do once the war was over. It had become a tradition for them to do so after every mission. It was one of the few things that kept them going. This time, they talked about opening their own restaurant. They would offer customers the “finest meal they’ll ever have”. Both knew, however, that the end of the war was nowhere in sight. They had even begun to lose hope of ever seeing the planets co-exist peacefully in harmony.

Less than a year later, Ellis was gravely injured in combat. He succumbed to his injuries before a medic could get to him. Following that day, Rayleigh started having a regular occurrence of nightmares.

Rayleigh’s unexpected visitor was Ellis’s mother. Having lost her only son, she had waited thirteen years for the war to end. When it did, she left to seek out Ellis’s dearest friend and learn about her son’s final moments. The two talked for hours, telling each other stories about the man who had meant so much to them. In the midst of their conversation, Ellis’s mother talked about his lifelong dream to open a restaurant. Rayleigh was taken aback when he heard this. He was reminded about the time they’d talked about doing so together. He’d never realized that his friend genuinely held such a dream. The moment he found out, Rayleigh made up his mind. He would honor his best friend’s memory by accomplishing his lifelong dream. He would open a restaurant and figure out a way to offer its customers the finest meal of their lives.

Rayleigh was a smart man. He had ranked first in his military when it came to mental proficiency and was one of the youngest generals in his quadrant’s history. His strategies and tactics had tipped the tide in his side’s favor on many occasions. He realized that although he was no longer a soldier fighting in a war, the mindset and strategies he had developed in wartime would be of use in the business world.

Acknowledging that his knowledge regarding the dining industry was scare and lacking, he made a decision to spend the next five years studying the history, science, and psychology of food. He traveled to Earth in an attempt to study its galaxy - renowned cuisines. By his second year, he learned Italian, Indian, Thai, Chinese, Mexican and every other cuisine he had ever read off or seen. At each step, his main focus lay on thinking about how he could use his new knowledge to craft the finest meal a customer could have. He held the belief that successful business was driven by innovation, which came only from technology and research.

By the end of the fifth year, Rayleigh had a clear vision of what his restaurant would be and how it would operate. He spent the next three years documenting and refining his plan. By this time, his friends from the war had reached high positions. He proceeded to schedule meetings with investors he’d served with. They invited him to pitch his idea in front of everyone. Within the span of twenty minutes, everyone in the room was floored by Rayleigh’s idea and a huge number of venture capitalists agreed to pour in huge amounts of money for the project. As a year went by, suspense and mystery regarding the restaurant continued to build up.

Eleven years after he’d first decided to honor his dearest friend’s legacy, Rayleigh finally declared “Ellis and Rayleigh” open. The tagline read “The finest meal of your life”. He had carefully selected and invited various food critiques and journalists who were now lined up outside. Sharp at twelve, the doors opened for the very first wave of customers. Standing on top of the tallest tower in the city, the view from Ellis and Rayleigh was impeccable and it’s interior was impressive. Rayleigh stood proud in the center, waiting for everyone to head to their assigned seats. None of the tables had any menus or cutleries. Instead, in front of each person, there lay a sleek rectangular slab of glass. Transparent with a light shade of blue. Many brought up it’s resemblance to a smartphone. When everyone had finally been seated, Rayleigh spoke

“Thank you all for coming. Initially, the plan was to start with a huge ceremony. However, we collectively decided that it would best if instead, we cut right down to the chase and begin the demonstration. I request all of you to pick up the rectangular slab you see on your table.”

Puzzled, everyone did as he asked.

“Now hold it front and place your tongue on it, as if you’re licking it”

The entire restaurant erupted with laughter. General Rayleigh had to be joking. He couldn't possibly be serious, they spoke amongst each other.

Rayleigh joined in with a friendly laugh. After everyone calmed down, he proceeded to demonstrate. Holding up one of the slabs that he’d been keeping in his pocket, he proceeded to open his mouth and place his tongue on it. After a few seconds, the device beeped and turned to a light shade of green. On the slab, there was now a digital timer. It had been set to nine minutes and instantly started counting downwards.

Curious, everybody around the room proceeded to imitate what Rayleigh had just done. Slowly, slabs all around turned green and multiple counters started. Some started from as few as five minutes and some even started all the way from twenty-five. This time, when Rayleigh spoke, all eyes were on him.

“When the timer ends, it means that your meal has been prepared. One of our waiters will bring the dish to you. Your dish will initially be covered with a lid. We request all of you to not open the lid until everybody else has also been served”

Everyone waited. When the final dish had been served, Rayleigh finally asked them to open their lids and have a look at their food.

The entire room gave out a collective gasp. On each plate, they lay a different dish. Some people had been served pizza, some others had gotten noodles and rice. Countless dishes spanning a huge variety of cuisine could be found in the room. Even people who were served the same dish noticed huge variations in ingredients and flavors. Few of the meals were even accompanied by a custom made dessert or drink.

“Using state of the art technology, our research team has devised a way to analyze your tastebuds and monitor their interactions with your brain. Using this rectangular device, we determine the dish you’re most likely to prefer. Once determined, our team of versatile chefs begins making your favorite dish, ensuring that it’s cooked and made it in the manner you’d enjoy the most.”

The demonstration left the crowd wild. Most of the attendees were still shocked from having seen their personal favorite dishes suddenly appear in front of them. Business analysts unanimously predicted that this new restaurant would revolutionize the entire food industry and go on to become massively profitable and successful. They turned out to be right. When the first word of “Ellis and Rayleigh” got out, residents from all over the galaxy rushed to experience the finest meal they’d ever have. Within weeks of the opening, the restaurant became one of the hottest places to dine at in the galaxy. Within a year, reservations were required to be made weeks, if not months in advance. After a hugely successful IPO, Rayleigh began work to set up branches throughout the universe.

By the time he turned ninety, Ellis and Rayleigh had turned into one of the most profitable organizations of the century. Rayleigh retired soon after, passing on his responsibility and leaving the company in the hands of a trusted board of directors. A few years later, he was invited as the guest of honor for one of the company’s press conference. The research department had been working very hard and it was finally time to announce their latest innovation. The new restaurants would now do more than just analyze one’s tastebuds to create meals. They would also factor in the customer’s DNA and brain activity. This would allow the company to factor in dietary restrictions for certain meals and even recreate items from the customer’s memory. The crowds cheered as General Rayleigh walked to the stage, soon to become the first person to try out Ellis and Rayleigh’s revamped technology.

As he had done so many years ago, Rayleigh picked up the slab and placed his tongue on it. He then proceeded to let the device scan his brain and collect a sample of his DNA. When he was done, the timer displayed a waiting time of just three minutes.

Soon, his food arrived. Rayleigh lifted the lid for everyone to see. On the plate, lay nothing but a crudely cut piece of a rotten apple. Everybody in the crowd looked puzzled. A voice shouted from the back of the crowd.

“Does it not work?”, it asked.

“Quite the contrary” replied Rayleigh. Wiping off a tear that just formed in his eye, he proceeded to eat, truly the finest meal he would ever have in his life.

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#Blogger #Story

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teesandcoffee · 7 years

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After Italy, we had about 24 hours to prepare for our trip to Southeast Asia. I’ve never experienced such a hectic day; multiple loads of laundry and bittersweet goodbyes later, we found ourselves again at Pearson Airport headed for Malaysia.

I was born in Malaysia and lived there for four years before coming to Canada, so going back to visit Kuala Lumpur is generally personal. I get to see my grandparents and entire extended family on my mother’s side. What I’m trying to say here is that I don’t have a lot of touristy experiences from Malaysia to share here because I’ve mostly already done them all at a younger age and lack updated photos.

However, this trip was a little different, because we took a girls’ trip to Ubud, Bali. Yes, I had an Eat, Pray, Love summer minus the praying. That’s for another day. Bali, though, was magical. It’s certainly touristy and certain areas are fairly whitewashed, but Ubud creates a fusion of both Southeast Asian and Western cultures that results in a marvellous melange of food, tradition, and experiences. That is what Bali is known for. Ubud, in particular, is known for its hippie vibe, and the Ubud Market really emanates this. As the only Hindu island in Indonesia, yoga seems to be a popular part of the Balinese experience, and Ubud seems to be the hub of all things yoga.

Although my trip was nearly three months ago, I think the brink of fall really makes me nostalgic of the few days I spent in Bali. Here are my favourite places/things to do to visit in Ubud.

Where I stayed: Maya Ubud

Maya Ubud Resort takes the definition of 5-star hotels to an entirely new level. Favoured by influencers and celebrities that enjoy a more off-the-grid Balinese experience, this place seems to go on forever. We were greeted with tropical fruit drinks and towels (super appreciative of that, because the drive to the resort took over two hours). Some (just some) of its features include:

two infinity pools (one of them adult only) overlooking the backyard jungle

a backyard jungle

fitness center/golf course/tennis courts

AN OPEN AIR YOGA STUDIO (with complementary beginner yoga classes in the morning and the opportunity to have private lessons)

there’s a waterfall on the resort (about a mile trek away but there’s guided hikes that lead you there)

dancing shows to accompany your dinner (traditional Balinese dance, of course)

the best breakfast buffet I’ve ever had (the coconut yogurt was so good I can’t even eat it in North America anymore because nothing compares)

beautiful hotel rooms (you can also get villas)

the most hospitable staff I have ever encountered: on our day trip to Tegenungan/Tegalalang/the Kopi Lewak plantation, our driver treated us to a visit to his village and was more than happy to tell us all about his culture, religion, and customs. More on that later. The convenience of the drivers at the hotel is that you have fixed hourly fees (no need to bargain for taxi prices!), AND you can leave all of your stuff in the car knowing that it is safe and secure!

If you’re looking for a luxury getaway, Maya Ubud is my #1 recommendation. I would absolutely come back here in the future, and this is my [non-sponsored] opinion.

If you’re looking more into affordable options/yoga retreats, I would check out Yoga Barn. Keep scrolling down to find out more!

Where to Eat

My family lives by this: we may not remember exactly what we did or where we went, but we will never forget or fail to tell you what we ate and how amazing it was. My mother’s side of the family laughs at my sister and I because we are “failed foodies” (apparently if you cannot eat nonstop all day, you qualify!). However, I still like to think that we have impeccable taste in food and are a bunch of food snobs when it comes to travelling. That doesn’t mean we eat at Michelin star restaurants, but we can tell you where to go.

Eating in Bali can be so affordable for Western tourists (this is true of most of Southeast Asia; the living costs are cheaper and people can afford to eat well for less. If only North America adopted this principle). Eating at the Maya Ubud was, honestly, really expensive. Yes, it was all you can eat, but you can get fantastic food in Bali for an average of USD$10 or less per meal if you do it right.

A note on currency in Bali: it is SO easy for CAD-rupiah price conversions to have an initial shock factor. It takes some adjusting, but 1 rupiah is about 0.000092 Canadian dollars, and you will never see a single ‘1 rupiah’ anywhere. Just keep in mind that 10000 rupiah is about a dollar (0.92), and 1 000 000 rupiah is nearly $100 (about $92).

Here are some of my favourite places that we ate at:

Soma Cafe (Jl. Dewisita, Ubud, Gianyar, Kabupaten Gianyar, Bali 80515, Indonesia)

I saw this place recommended on TripAdvisor, and we stumbled upon it while exploring Ubud town. It’s got amazing vegan friendly food (and I’m not vegan). I tried noni and jamu juice, ayurvedic cuisine, and learned to love tempeh! The flavour on the ayurvedic food was a little mild for my taste (I guess that’s a part of the cuisine; it’s supposed to be mild on your stomach), but everything that my sister and mother ordered was divine. I would say that trying Ubud Raw Chocolate, available at Soma, is a must. You can find it at multiple places on the island as well. The vibe at Soma is like a lounge/cafe meets restaurant meets treehouse. Check them out here.

Ātman Kafe (38 Jl. Hanoman Ubud)

This is a picture of my sister absolutely overjoyed at the prospect of drinking a coconut (which we did every day, at least once). I lack better photos of the actual food at Ātman because I was too busy enjoying the food. This is definitely my favourite place that we ate at. It’s nice because it has traditional Indonesian cuisine AND fusion food, so there is something for everyone. This place is another yogi hub, so expect it to appear a little more on the Western side, but that does not mean that they compromise flavour! I love Southeast Asian street food – I was raised on it. I recommend the Nasi Goreng and Nasi Campur (pronounced ‘champoor’). I recommend anything with ‘nasi’ in front of it (it means rice!)

Garden Kafe

This place is inside the Yoga Barn complex. Fresh juice, fresh ingredients, AND Ubud Raw Chocolate. That is all.

Tukies Cafe (Jl. Gootama No.13, Ubud, Kabupaten Gianyar, Bali 80571, Indonesia)

I LOVE ICE CREAM. It is my favourite food group. What do I love more than ice cream? Gelato. What do I love just as much as/potentially more than gelato? Vegan coconut ice cream. It is not because of the healthy connotations. There is nothing healthy about it, except that coconut cream is not dairy. Everyone who visits Ubud will want to beat the heat, and there’s no better way to do that than at Tukies Cafe, renowned for its coconut ice cream sweetened with palm sugar. This is Asian dessert heaven. AND it comes with a little coconut and palm sugar sprinkled on top.

What to do

Visit a Kopi Luwak plantation

There is a lot of controversy surrounding this activity, and reasonably so. Luwak coffee is produced from the coffee cherries eaten and defecated by the Asian palm civet; they have an enzyme in their digestive system that ferments the beans. People take issue with the living conditions of the civet cats and how they are treated. There’s also controversy over the fact that the coffee is quite hyped up, which leads people to feel disappointed when they’ve expected something above and beyond and end up with a simple cup of coffee. Therefore, I highly recommend doing your research. I did not do that prior to this trip, and will leave the place I visited unmentioned because I do not officially know how humanely they treat their animals. I recommend searching on TripAdvisor forums and other travel blogs before doing this. I did have a pleasant time sampling all different types of regular coffee as well as luwak coffee on my trip, and hope there’s an ethical method of luwak coffee production! When authentic coffee beans (WARNING: lots of fake beans out there) are properly brewed, it’s much smoother than regular coffee.

Visit the Tegalalang Rice Paddies

This place is as magical and breathtaking as it appears on the Internet. It’s a fantastic hike, and not too far from Maya Ubud. It’s usually free to enter if you find the right gate (our driver was kind enough to help us with this). Crossing paddies does require a small donation (no more than 50 000 rupiah per person) to support the fields and the families that own them (they are, after all, letting you walk all over their property). The irrigation systems in this field structure is fascinating and worth a visit. Wear shoes that you don’t care about. It’s muddy.

Visit Tegenungan Falls

This was a magical experience, and SO MUCH FUN. It’s not far from Tegalalang, so both can be visited within the same day. It’s a long way down a hill, but there are steps that help you get there (they are a bear to climb up later, but consider that your workout). Make sure you swim in the water close to the falls, but watch where you swim so you don’t bump into a middle aged guy wearing a speedo. There’s quite a few of them. Washrooms ARE available by the falls, but you have to donate to use them. I also recommend eating in one of the little restaurants just up the stairs. It’s more local food without the health food emphasis (a.k.a. delicious).

Take a class at Yoga Barn

This place is the mecca for yogis. A beautiful yoga resort, if you will. People come from all over just to experience the atmosphere that Yoga Barn cultivates. It’s a little tricky to find because it’s slightly off the beaten path, but once you get there it’s as if the complex just keeps going forever. You can sleep, eat, dance, and practice there. It’s a yogini’s dream. I took class with Murni, and she’s an absolute enigma. It’s certainly an environment worth experimenting, open to people of all levels and experiences. Next time I visit I will definitely be going to an ecstatic dance. People line up hours in advance just to score a ticket to an ecstatic dance at Yoga Barn. Check out their website to find out more, because no description or pictures can captivate the overwhelming and amazing experience I had here.

Shop at Ubud Market

This place is nuts. There’s Ubud’s downtown core and then there’s the Ubud market. The actual market area is marked off and takes a little figuring out to find it, but I consider the downtown core just as fundamental a component, though unofficial, of the market. This is where you shop. Bali is known for its artisans and craftsmanship, and the market is the hub of where Bali-made products and goods congregate. Popular items include sterling silver jewellery, crochet tops, rattan bags, textiles, coconut shell products, and macrame. Remember that prices (unless in a commercial boutique) are ALWAYS negotiable in the market, and you have to be slightly relentless. To the locals, bargaining is a game! A regular visitor told me to start bargaining at 25% of the original price they give you. You won’t get it, but work up in increments until you find a price that you both settle on.

A few bargaining tips:

do not show commitment to anything

don’t have your heart set on anything. It’s hard to hide

know that walking away can have a profound effect on price settlement, and don’t be afraid to walk away.

never look at the actual product when giving a price rebuttal. Always look the vendor in the eye.

Ubud Market is also a really great place to find inexpensive massages. I read on an Indonesian blog somewhere that massages are simply a part of life, which explains why they are so affordable. I found one for a total of CAD$22, which is absolutely unheard of in North America. Some places will let you bargain prices, but they’re already pretty affordable. Make sure you go to a place with a TripAdvisor owl sticker on the front of them, and be sure to read any information/pamphlets available. Most places are reliable when they are TripAdvisor certified!

I’m already trying to plan when I can visit this beautiful island next. Bali is so charming.

Bali Travel Diary After Italy, we had about 24 hours to prepare for our trip to Southeast Asia. I've never experienced such a hectic day; multiple loads of laundry and bittersweet goodbyes later, we found ourselves again at Pearson Airport headed for Malaysia.

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chefbstrikesagain · 7 years

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Hiking Mount Kinabalu

What a past 2 days this has been. I have successfully taken 3 students and 1 teacher hiking up Mount Kinabalu! As I sit here in the canteen eating my nasi goreng and reflecting on the past 48 hours I couldn’t be prouder of my students and myself for the perseverance shown.

The hike was way harder than I ever could have anticipated and at some points I felt like giving up and saying ‘this is high enough’. However, we kept going even if at some points we were inching along. Through altitude sickness, using gloves for the first time, and extreme cold weather- we made it!.

On Sunday morning, around 7:30am, I met my 2 students at our school. Marline and Azley were already there waiting and ready to go. We decided that we should take breakfast first and headed over to Hakka food court to grab some nasi goreng to give us energy for our hike. After taking our sweet time, we finally arrived at Sabah parks after picking up Yayan in Kundasang around 9am. We proceeded to fill out our paperwork and get things going when I realized I still owed money for the transportation, the guide, and the conservation fees. I was under the impression that everything had been paid for and of course it was a cash only operation. Zeddy and I took a trip to the ATM in Kundasang while the students had a photo-shoot by the mountain.

After sorting out paying for everything we began our trek up the mountain with our guide. We had to hike 6km to our 'rest house’ for the night and then we would summit the remaining 2.5km around 2:30am. Our ascent took a gruelling 5 hours and consisted of many breaks. The path on the way up was nearly all stairs and rocks. About every 1km or so there would be a rest house with a spot to throw out trash, benches for sitting, and toilets. We took advantage of every rest stop and enjoyed some of the snacks I brought along. A favourite snack being Belvita breakfast bars- go figure.

When we reached the 6km at the top we were all so relieved and the view was incredible. We spent a lot of time sitting and just watching the clouds below us float on by over our school and homes. Our elevation was just under 10,000 feet at base camp and we felt the change in elevation. The wind started to really pick up and made us shiver as our sweat began to dry. For the first time in Malaysia I actually felt cold… It was such a strange feeling and I’m not looking forward to winter back in the U.S..

We checked into our hostel and all immediately collapsed on the comfy beds with giant duvet’s. We decided to take quick naps until dinner was served around 5pm. I was having the craziest dreams in the 1.5 hours I was asleep. I woke with a start and the students were all ready to grab dinner- I quickly put my shoes on, and with tired eyes, made my way towards the dinner hall. The view was astounding as we were eating dinner. There were floor to ceiling windows in the hall and it let in an abundance of light which warmed our cold bodies. I ate vegetables, rice, and a bunch of these fried dough balls. I was extremely full and began to feel a bit sick. I blamed the water and the altitude but it very well could have been the fried dough balls….

After dinner everyone went back to our hostel and got ready for bed as alarms were set for around 1:30am. I was staying in the Malaysian Hostel because I booked for all Malaysian people- which is very rare for a non-Malaysian to be able to use these quarters. This was such a cool experience in itself. I got ready for bed and was on my phone when someone in the room asked me if it was alright if they prayed. I looked up quickly and said of course, no problem. They opened up their phone to an app which shows them in what direction to lay their prayer matt (towards Mecca). They rolled out their matt not even an inch from my bed and put on berka-looking clothing and began praying. The 3 women in the room prayed first. I tried not to stare but have never seen a Muslim pray because it is usually done in private or in a Sarau. It was fascinating to watch but I felt like I was seeing something I shouldn’t. When the women were finished praying, which only last about 5 minutes per person, it was the men’s turn to pray. 2 of them at a time began to pray 1 on the mat and in similar, fluid motions they went from standing to kneeling.

The next morning our alarms woke us up at 1:30am, still the middle of the night technically, and we began to prepare for the looming hike. I added about 4 layers to my outfit, brushed my teeth, and tip toed around the wet frozen bathroom. We made our way towards breakfast and met our guide at 2:30am for our remaining 2.5km to the summit! It wasn’t as cold as I thought initially but as our altitude increased the wind and temperature became more brutal. The hike was mostly stairs carved into the mountain in the beginning and then switched over to long ropes, like what you would see a large ship docked with, for oursleves to pull our bodies up cliffs with. While pulling and putting my full weight on the rope I could only pray that the rope held. Our light came from a small AAA battery powered headlight I wore and illuminated a small patch of ground 2 feet in front of me. The stars were unlike anything I’ve ever seen before. I remember thinking to myself while looking at the jagged landscape around me, struggling to breathe, that this is what it must feel like to walk on the moon.

The altitude began to get to me as we got higher and higher and I felt it hard to catch my breath. It was such a strange feeling because it was the opposite of running. Normally, my legs give out before my lungs and I can push myself to keep going. Here I was like a fish out of water gasping for air and my legs felt totally fine. Again, this is what I imagine walking on the moon to be like- like an astronaut trying to take everything in for the first time while acknowledging your environment couldn't be more hostile. Our hike took about 3 hours total and we reached the summit for sunrise with no time to spare. The sunrise was so beautiful and illuminated the skyline and whole valley below with deep shades of red and orange. If I’m being completely honest it was hard to enjoy with the cold wind whipping against my face but there were a few moments where I just stared in disbelief, like my eyes were playing some sort of trick on me. The temperature seemed to get colder as the sun rose– which made no sense. We got our picture quickly and then proceeded to hike down to a less windy area to hangout.

We took many photos and began our trek down towards base camp. Going down was surprisingly easier than going up, maybe because it was light out and I didn’t feel the pressure of time like I had on the way up. We ate some food and then hiked down the mountain, everyone still talking about the incredible view we had saw earlier. After finishing we said our goodbyes and couldn’t wait to get back home to take a shower and change out of our smelly clothes. I am so proud of how hard the students worked to reach the summit as I struggled myself. They showed an incredible amount of maturity and integrity to keep moving forward on the hike. I hope this experience teaches them that some parts of life are hard, but the view at the top makes it all worth it. They just have to keep pushing. Sharing this with them is something I'll remember for the rest of my life.

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malediviana · 7 years

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I think the last time I actually wrote about my holidays was when I was maybe in 5th grade. First day of class in the new-year, they ask you to write an essay describing what you did during your term break. Here I am now, 17 years on, attempting to write about the holiday I just got back from. So pardon me if it’s not the best you’ve read.. Also, you could probably just look at the pictures and not read if that suits you!

Recently, I’ve been taking Bobbé on small trips for his birthday. Two years back, I took him on a weekend trip to Barcelona as he’s an avid supporter of FCB. Last year, I took him to Lake Como in Italy as he has always been keen on driving a speed boat and I thought the lake would be a good place for him to have a go at it. This year, I decided to venture a bit further than Europe. The Qatar Airways Travel Festival discount offers could not have been announced at a better time. After exploring the destinations and prices, I finally booked a week-long trip to Bali for the two of us for £800 return. Score!!!

First order of business, I decided, was to watch Eat, Pray, Love. (as cliché as it sounds) Bobbé had never watched the movie so we had a movie night to watch it. I simply love the movie, and so did Bobbé. (luckily!) We decided then and there that we must visit Ubud in Bali as we fell in love with the rice paddies and just the overall chilled lifestyle of the town portrayed by the movie. As Bali is quite a big island, (contrary to what Balinese people will tell you- hey, I’m from Maldives.. any island bigger than 2km from one end to the other is very big for me ok!) we decided to stay at a second town too. We decided on Semenyik as it’s close to the beach but not too crowded as it’s counter-part Kuta. I’m not going to bore you with our planning phase, instead I’ll just get right to it.

3rd March – Friday

Our flight was at 8.30pm so we left Southampton around 4pm to get to London Heathrow. The journey was just under 1.5 hours (which is a nice change from our usual drive to London Stansted which is 2 hours). Had an Italian dinner at Carluccio’s before our flight and did some duty-free window shopping. We were buzzing.

4th March – Saturday

After an 18 hour flight (including the transit in Doha, Qatar), we finally landed in Ngurah Rai International Airport in Denpasar, Bali at 11.15pm. May I add that Indonesia is one of the few countries to which Maldivians don’t require a travel visa. This may seem trivial to most people, but for us IT IS A BIG DEAL!

After 18+ hours of travelling, we’re finally in Bali! Poster reminding us we were in Bali in case we forgot

5th March – Sunday

We arrived at “Ayu Homestay” in Ubud at around 1.30am. They provided a hotel pick-up service at a cost of £28. We could’ve gotten it for cheaper, but we went with it anyway, given we landed around midnight and we were quite far from Ubud.

3 nights stay at this homestay cost us £30 and it included a great breakfast too! The place itself looked like a temple (To be honest, everywhere in Ubud looked like a temple!) It’s beautiful. It’s located right in the heart of Ubud near the monkey forest.

Room for the next 3 nights. £10 a night including breakfast. Well worth the money.

Clean toilets at Ayu Homestay

Free breakfast at Ayu Homestay made fresh to order <3

Outside our room

Entrance to Ayu Homestay

Bear in mind, at this point, we had travelled almost 24 hours door to door. We were knackered. But jet lag kicked in (plus all the excitement about exploring Ubud) and we struggled to fall asleep. We finally fell asleep around 5am and slept through both our alarms set for 7.30am. (it happens to everyone I guess? Ha!)

Fast-forward to 11am when we finally woke up, got dressed and headed out.

First thing we wanted to do was indulge our taste-buds with some Nasigoreng at Ibu Rai Bar & Restaurant. (Indonesian fried rice). Being Maldivians, we’ve always known and loved Nasigoreng as it’s quite popular back home. We were in Nasigoreng heaven. *drooool*

First Nasigoreng of the trip!

After a big breakfast/lunch/brunch (whatever you wanna call it), we spent a few hours just walking around and getting a general feel for the town. We were loving the chilled vibe!

Beautiful handmade works of art seen everywhere in Ubud

Walking the streets of Ubud

We rented a scooter for the 2 days we were going to be in Ubud. After all the travelling, eating and walking we decided to head to a spa. We drove to Karsa Spa (set in the midst of rice fields and offered reasonable prices) in hopes of booking an appointment. Unfortunately, the spa was fully booked for the next two days, so guys, we suggest booking in advance! The trip wasn’t a complete waste though; we ended up going to Karsa Café which is right next door and it offers stunning views of the rice fields.

Driving to Karsa Spa

Petrol sold in Vodka bottles

Peaceful huts to just relax and have some food and drinks

Enjoying a cold coconut (not enjoying being asked to pose tho)

Views from the hut

Rice fields seen from Karsa Cafe

Ubud is full of spas of all price ranges. Just because Karsa Spa was fully booked it didn’t keep us from not getting a massage. We ended up getting a massage near our homestay for under £6 for the both of us.

We ended the night with a delicious dinner at Warung Melting Wok.

6th March – Monday

We booked white water rafting in the Ayung River through Ayung Bali Rafting. Cost for the two of us was around £60, which included transport to and from hotel, rafting equipment, insurance, lockers, changing/shower area and lunch. Oh the lunch! Their website claims the buffet lunch is prepared by a 5 star chef. Not sure how true this is, but the food was definitely 5 star in our opinion.

Ready to set off!

Rapids of Ayung River. The guy would shout BOOM BOOM when it’s time to get ready for a big drop.

The pressure from the waterfall was intense!

Posing for pics.

Back to rafting.

Fun rapids!

Five star buffet lunch provided by Ayung Bali Rafting

We got back to our homestay around 1.30pm, rested for a bit, got dressed and headed out on a mission to conquer Tegalalang Rice Terrance, Goa Gajah and Tegenungan Waterfall. We also stopped at a café serving Luwak Coffee for a taste of Indonesia’s infamous “poop coffee”. The taste was interesting to say the least..

Views of Tegallalang rice terrace. Considered trekking down and seeing the fields up close but umm it was too hot. You can still admire its beauty from this view point!

Luwak coffee – made from part-digested coffee cherries eaten and defecated by the Asian Palm Chivet.

Goa Gajah aka Elephant Cave

Exploring Goa Gajah (the elephant cave)

Washing your face with the water being poured out from the bowls is meant to give you good health

Entrance to the cave. Feels like you’re being swallowed!

Huge tree in the temple grounds of Goa Gajah

For most temples, you’re required to wear a sarong if you’re not wearing a full-length dress/pants

Tegenungan Waterfall

The beautiful waterfall just a 20 min drive from Ubud.

Managed to get a shot without the crowd

After a day filled with activities, we treated ourselves at the spa…

Afterwards, we had dinner at Warung Sjaki. We were told that the money they make from the restaurant helps fund the “Sjaki-Tari-Us” school; a school for children and teenagers with mental disabilities. We were given a tour of the school right next to the Warung by two lovely ladies volunteering from Europe. There is also a small shop next to the school and restaurant that sell the teenager’s works of art. Worth visiting this place!

7th March – Tuesday

Last day in Ubud. Need.More.Time!

After Ayu Homestay’s filling healthy breakfast, we headed to Pura Ulun Danu Beratan which is a 1.5 hour ride. Along the way, you get to enjoy spectacular views of the rice fields and mountains.

Exploring temple grounds of Ulun Danu Beratan

Don’t you just love the clouds in the background making this picture of the temple even more perfect??

I gave Bobbé a tiny hat haha

This beautiful temple tho..

On the way back to Ubud, we stopped at a Warung called Spesial Bakmi Ayam Akai with rice terrace views. It cost us only £6 for 2 delicious nasigorengs and 2 soft drinks. How awesome is that?!

Highly recommend this restaurant for cheap eats with this scenic view!

All this for £6!!! We love our Fanta Strawberry

Happy and tanned us

Views of rice fields from the Warung

We came back to Ubud around 2pm. Had some dessert at Grandpa’s Coffee and Eats and decided to spend a few hours at the spa. Feeling refreshed, rejuvenated and any other synonyms you can think of, we headed to Ubud market for some serious haggling.

Haggling.

Beautiful dream catchers!

Are you seriously trying to sell for that price? haha

At around 7pm, we took a cab to Seminyak from Ubud for £12. The driver was lovely. He told us a bit about his life and dreams and how he wants to go to Paris someday with his girlfriend. How cute is that? We wish him all the best with his dreams :) If you’re looking for a driver in Ubud, give him a try! His name is Wayan Nur and you can call or WhatsApp him on +6285792666099 or +6287860338206.

Have I convinced you yet that you should be booking flights to Bali? If not, maybe this will sway you to go: our hotel “Sweet Room Sweet” in Seminyak for just £25 per night!

Bedroom at Room Sweet Room, Seminyak for just £25 per night

Huge shower area

Very clean and modern bathroom

Pool at Room Sweet Room

8th March – Wednesday

4th day in Bali and I’m getting lazy to write, so let me just do some bullet points.

Breakfast at The Coffee Library. Their Dragon Fruit Smoothie is ah-mayy-zinggg!

Drove to the Green Bowl Beach, one of the many hidden beaches in Bali

Sightseeing in Pura Uluwatu (sea temple)

Seafood dinner at Lia Cafe in Jimbaran Beach

Spa time in Seminyak

In love with the dragon fruit smoothie!

Green Bowl Beach

Trekking down towards the hidden beach

Beach views from inside the bat cave

Enjoying the peace

Or maybe just posing. who knows?

Uluwatu Temple

Uluwatu

Cliffs at Uluwatu

Off the beaten path..

Cheeky monkey pouncing on an unsuspecting Chinese tourist when he turned around

And stole his sunglasses!

Seafood dinner at Lia Cafe in Jimbaran Beach

Some seafood loving in Jimbaran Beach

9th March – Thursday

When we planned our trip, we decided that our stay in Bali would not be complete without spending a few nights at a private villa. Also, Bobbés birthday is the 11th of March, so we had an excuse to splurge a little.

After a hearty breakfast at Sisterfields we checked in to Bali Prime Villas which is just a 15 minute drive from Seminyak centre. We stayed here for 2 nights for a total of around £200. Included in this price was breakfast, 1 lunch, 1 dinner, 1 hour spa in the villa, private pool and transport to the airport/hotel. (We happened to stumble upon a really good deal on booking.com) We think this was very reasonable, especially given we saved a lot on the first two hotels.

Pool area

Kitchen/Dining area

Bedroom

Bathroom

Being showered by a half naked statue haha

After a good amount of time enjoying our private pool, we headed out for lunch at a place called Le Labu Health Centre. It’s a vegetarian restaurant with a yoga studio set in the middle of a rice field. We were the only ones there and we loved it. We then headed to Pura Tanah Lot for sunset.

Lunch at Le Labu. So chill!

Enjoying Le Labu’s Mango&Moringa smoothie

Nasi Campur. Must try!

Tried seaweed for the first time..

Pura Tanah Lot

How many Asian Palm Civets can you spot? This was at one of the café’s in Tanah Lot

Tanah Lot

Beautiful views of the temple at sunset

10th March – Friday

I have been wanting to go parasailing for a while now. Bobbé decided to treat me to a Parasailing Adventure in Nusa Dua in the morning. Whoop whoop!!!

Can you see how happy I am?

Thrilling!!!

So much fun!

Parasailing selfie

Got back to Seminyak around 1.30pm and headed to Totem Room Escape; our first time playing this! We were well excited and it was great fun. Sadly, we were just not smart enough to escape the final room. (Maybe next time?)

Quick lunch and then back to our villa for some spa time in our room and then off for a coffee at “Someplace Else Coffee & Lounge” before Bobbé’s birthday dinner that night. We also stopped for some great photo opportunities at a rice field on the way!

Good pancakes and chilled vibes..

Look at this cool chair!

Beautiful fields. Could not pass by without some pictures..

So much of this in Bali!

Dinner decorations

Bobbe’s birthday in our beautiful villa.

11th March – Saturday

It’s Bobbés birthday!!!

After a Nasigoreng breakfast (we probably had a bastha of nasigoreng that week), we went to Waterbom in Kuta which is meant to be the 2nd best waterpark in the world. Boy did we have fun!!! Unfortunately we only have videos from Waterbom and can’t upload videos on free wordpress account :( Came back to our villa around 1pm after getting a take-away Smoothie Bowl from Spicy Coconut.

We chilled out in the villa for the rest of the day till we checked out and headed to the airport promising ourselves we will be returning to this beautiful island with the kindest people we have met.

Bali, you have been a dream come true.

A week in Bali, Indonesia I think the last time I actually wrote about my holidays was when I was maybe in 5th grade.

#Asia #bali #indonesia #seminyak #Travel #ubud

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