Archive of Our Own ^beta

The telephone booth is on the side of a straight asphalt road, in the middle of nowhere. It is as if it sprouted out from nothing suddenly. On either side of the road are golden fields that stretch to the horizon and the tall grass sway to the rhythm of the gentle wind. When the day takes its curtain call, and the background night sky is unrolled, a tall man walks comfortably down the road. He squints at the silver orb in the velvet black sky, amid the smattering of white twinkles. Then, he shades his eyes with his right hand and turns slightly to see the second moon, radiating a yellow hue brilliantly. He smiles wryly. The human moon is always reminds him of cheese, with its yellow texture and concave craters.

He hops over a crack on the road, with both hands stuck in the pockets of his windbreaker. Because of this, he almost loses his balance. He teeters on tiptoes for a second. A pump of adrenaline rushes through him, and the wind gently knocks him backwards so he stumbles back instead of falling flat on his face. He smiles ruefully.

The telephone booth is brick red, but the paint is peeling in pencil-shaving curls by the corners. There is condensation on the outside of the glass panels. He closes the door for privacy, letting loose a peal of laughter at the irony of its necessity. He’s in the middle of the godforsaken nowhere.

He slumps against one glass wall, twirling the metallic cord between his thin fingers. “Hello,” greets a voice stiffly.

It is good that the man’s legs were long enough to touch the other side of the booth to prop him up easily. Otherwise, he would have fallen over. It’s been two years since the two moons appeared in the same sky. So, it’s been a long, long time since he’s heard his voice.

“Hi Kyungsoo,” he breathes into the phone receiver. “I miss you.”

He hears a sharp intake of breath, and his heart leaps into his throat.

“Jongin.” The stiff voice dramatically changes. Choked sobs come through the receiver, and then astounded laughter mingles in. It’s the happiest sound Jongin has heard. It’s music to his ears. The conversation reverses itself. “I miss you. Jongin. Hi.” Kyungsoo starts crying again.

Jongin smiles so widely it hurts his face. He leans back comfortably, and just listens.

He has until the two moons crosses paths. Then the overlap of the two worlds will cease to exist, and it will be back to work in the human world again.