⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ ˳༄꠶ ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ ˳༄꠶ ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯

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[Seasons ] - [Wave to earth]

Some people survive in chaos, finding strength in its madness, while others thrive in it because chaos is all they've ever known.

Vienna and Ni-ki were those two kinds—polar opposites in every sense. You'd expect them to collide, like fire and ice, but instead, they found balance, like yin and yang. They molded into each other, fitting in ways neither could have anticipated.

Day after day, Ni-ki kept the same steady distance, always lingering just far enough to be unseen yet close enough to protect Vienna. Like a silent shadow, he trailed her on her way to and from school, watching over her without ever drawing attention.

After school ended, Ni-ki would quietly walk Vienna back to the entrance of her house. Some days, instead of parting ways, they'd make their way to the rooftop of his home.

There, seated side by side, they'd go over her Primary School textbook, Ni-ki helping her with her speech as the sky darkened around them.

The silence between them felt comfortable, a world apart from the chaos they'd both known.

After the brief school holiday, Vienna found herself buried in her studies, the weight of exams pressing down on her.

As a result, she and Ni-ki rarely spoke. Their conversations were brief, mostly spent on correcting her speech. Other than that, their time together was filled with a familiar, comfortable silence.

Sometimes, Vienna would notice fresh wounds on Ni-ki's neck and arms—faint bruises, the occasional cut. She knew it meant he'd been in another fight, caught up in his world of chaos. But she never asked.

Instead, she tended to him quietly, patching up his cuts without a word. It was their unspoken understanding; Ni-ki fought his battles, and Vienna healed the scars left behind.

There were moments when Ni-ki would overhear students from Vienna's school chattering about the latest exam questions, their voices excited or anxious. He knew by now that she had sat for yet another mock examination.

But, just as always, he never asked about her scores or how she did.

That was a world beyond his reach, one that had nothing to do with him. He didn't belong in that space of grades and futures.

His concern was never with her marks—it was with her.

One day, as Vienna turned the corner of the street, she glanced behind her out of habit, expecting to catch a glimpse of Ni-ki trailing a few paces back.

But instead, she saw Jungwon running towards her, his face lighting up as he called out her name.

"Vienna!"

She blinked, momentarily thrown off, then glanced quickly at Ni-ki, who had been keeping his usual distance. Turning her attention back to Jungwon, she gave him a small nod. He began walking alongside her, their shoulders nearly brushing as they moved down the street.

"Your house isn't in this direction," she pointed out, raising an eyebrow.

"Oh, it's my aunt's birthday today, so I'm heading to her house for dinner." Jungwon beamed, his bright and cheery smile lighting up his entire face.

He glanced at her. "Vienna, you seem to have improved in this round of exams, and your voice sounds clearer now."

"The questions were... easy," she replied softly, her gaze dropping to the pavement.

In truth, her ranking had dropped in this round of exams. The constant bullying from Hana and her classmates had taken a toll, no matter how much she tried to pretend otherwise.

It was impossible to deny that the relentless torment had affected her concentration and well-being, but she wasn't about to admit that.

However, at that precise moment, Vienna wasn't concerned about her ranking at all. Instead, what consumed her thoughts was the unmistakable gaze she felt on her back.

She didn't need to turn around to know who it belonged to.

She could already imagine Ni-ki's cold, distant expression, his eyes watching her from a distance like he always did.

Jungwon ran his fingers through his hair, clearly awkward and unsure. He knew Vienna's ranking had dropped, and his original intention was to encourage her. But seeing her half-hearted, distracted response, it was obvious he'd miscalculated.

Trying to salvage the conversation, he hurriedly pulled out a stack of exam papers from his bag and handed them to her. "Here," he said, with a forced smile.

Vienna glanced at the papers, her eyebrows knitting in confusion.

"They're exam papers and revision materials from the top schools around here,"

Vienna hesitated but eventually accepted the stack, her fingers brushing over the crumpled edges of the papers. "Thanks."

"There's only a month left until exams, so don't give up!" Jungwon encouraged, flashing a smile that didn't quite meet her eyes. "Remember, we said we'd both meet in Tokyo."

His words felt distant, almost foreign. Vienna's lips pressed into a thin line as a cold chill ran up her spine.

When they reached the intersection, Jungwon waved goodbye with a final encouraging smile, leaving Vienna standing alone on the now-empty street. No more classmates. No more cheerful chatter.

Vienna stood beside Ni-ki, her eyes locked on his figure, quietly observing. He didn't look at her, didn't acknowledge her, not even a flicker of recognition in his expression.

The tension between them hung heavy, like a string pulled too tight.

He mounted the motorcycle with a determined air, his back a rigid wall of silence and loneliness. Not a single glance, not a word.

As she had done countless times before, Vienna positioned herself on the motorcycle, her hands resting lightly on his shoulders for balance. The familiar gesture was a small comfort amidst the sea of uncertainty.

The warmth of his body against hers, the solidity of his presence, was a steady anchor in her turbulent world.

Once Vienna was settled, Ni-ki ignited the engine with a gruff growl. The motorcycle surged forward, slicing through the warm glow of the setting sun.

They sped away, leaving behind the city's clamor, the unspoken words, and the troubling questions.

The road ahead was theirs alone, and for a fleeting moment, the world seemed to blur into a single streak of gold and shadow.

They didn't head home. This evening, Ni-ki had mentioned a dance competition at Maruyama Park, and Vienna had eagerly accepted the invitation. The park buzzed with excitement, alive with music and the chatter.

Amidst the sea of people, Vienna, in her white uniform, and Ni-ki, cloaked in black, moved through the crowd like parallel lines on a collision course, never losing sight of each other despite the throng of bodies that surged between them.

The air was thick with the aroma of street food and anticipation. As they neared a hotdog stand, Ni-ki's rough demeanor softened just enough to order two hotdogs. He handed one to Vienna, along with a bottle of iced red tea.

His movements were brisk and slightly awkward, his eyes stubbornly fixed ahead, avoiding hers.

Vienna kept her gaze fixed on his back as they walked through the throngs of people filling Yoyogi Park. The crowd's energy was palpable, but Ni-ki remained distant, his silence a tangible barrier between them.

His silence was a clear sign of his anger, and she felt a pang of guilt for his anger.

After a moment of indecision, Vienna decided to break the silence, hoping to ease the tension. "You're not performing?" she asked, her voice steady but tinged with curiosity.

Ni-ki's gaze, sharp and enigmatic like the darkening sky behind him, met Vienna's for a fleeting moment. His eyes, shadowed and unreadable, made her heart skip a beat. A fleeting, uncomfortable silence stretched between them before Vienna averted her eyes, her voice soft and tentative.

"You like dancing, right?"

Ni-ki's response was almost mechanical, his tone distant as he refocused on the stage ahead. "I do it for fun."

His words carried an undertone of dismissiveness, as if he were downplaying the significance of his own passion.

Vienna felt a pang of disappointment but pressed on, her voice gentle yet earnest. "You were really good the last time I saw you dance. Very, very good."

Ni-ki's expression remained a mask of cold detachment, but a faint, almost imperceptible grin tugged at the corner of his mouth—one that Vienna couldn't see.

Vienna, observing Ni-ki's unyielding exterior, felt a mix of frustration and determination.

Internally, she resolved, He's so hard to please. I'll need to work harder to get through to him. Maybe next time, I'll ask him to dance with me. It might break the ice.

Just as Vienna was about to speak, a thunderous drumbeat erupted from the speakers, shaking the air and signaling the start of the competition. The atmosphere in the park instantly transformed.

The crowd's energy surged, their cheers and shouts blending into a single, electrifying roar. Teens raised their arms, dancing and swaying to the pounding rhythm of the music, their voices melding into a sea of excitement and anticipation as they cheered on the performers on stage.

Vienna found herself engulfed by the frenzied crowd, pushed and pulled in every direction by the energetic throngs of people. Amid the chaos, Ni-ki had vanished from her sight.

She strained to catch a glimpse of him, her gaze darting frantically through the sea of bodies.

The crowd's clamor intensified with each passing minute, mingling with the pungent mix of perfumes, body odors, and other indiscernible scents that overwhelmed her senses.

Despite her efforts, he was nowhere to be found.

The music blared with the lyrics, "I can't be your love 'cause I'm afraid I'll ruin your life," reverberating through the park.

Suddenly, the song came to a jarring stop. The speakers continued to blast, but the microphone had been wrenched from the host's grasp.

"Hey."

The single word cut through the chaotic noise, and Vienna's heart skipped a beat. The unmistakable voice was familiar and soothing amid the chaos.

Turning her head sharply toward the stage, Vienna's eyes widened as she caught sight of the striking figure standing under the blinding stage lights.

"Vi," Ni-ki's velvety voice echoed through the park, carrying a dreamlike quality that contrasted sharply with the surrounding frenzy. "Come to the side of the stage."

Even from a distance, his voice was warm and inviting, slicing through the sea of people and guiding her through the tumultuous crowd.

On the massive screen, Ni-ki's dark, intense eyes locked onto Vienna's as he repeated, "Come to the side of the stage."

The thrumming energy of the crowd, which had been wildly pulsating to the beat, began to wane. It was as though a sudden enchantment had been broken, leaving the attendees in stunned silence, their movements gradually halting.

On stage, the host grabbed the microphone from Ni-ki with a scowl and shoved him in irritation. Both were driven by youthful pride, and their confrontation quickly escalated into a full-blown brawl. Stagehands, rushing to intervene, found themselves caught in the fray, becoming unintended casualties in the chaotic struggle.

Vienna's heart raced as she dashed toward the stage, her voice piercing through the chaotic scene. The sky was illuminated by erratic flashes of lightning, each burst mirroring the tumultuous clash unfolding before her eyes.

The stage was now a maelstrom of flailing bodies and flashing lights, with Ni-ki caught in the center of the fray.

She pushed through the crowd, her cries rising above the cacophony, "Ni-ki!!" Her voice trembled with desperation as she shouted, "Ni-ki!!"

The chaos around her seemed to close in, but her singular focus was on reaching him, fighting against the tide of people and the turmoil that surrounded them.

In a moment of chaos and clarity, Vienna's eyes locked onto Ni-ki's. As lightning streaked across the sky, illuminating the stage with brief, blinding flashes, the frenzy on stage grew more intense, with a surge of people pushing and shoving like fish trapped in a net.

Navigating through the tumultuous crowd, Vienna made a beeline for a less crowded corner of the stage. Ni-ki, his gaze fixed on her, mirrored her movements. Their paths converged at the edge of the stage, where the chaos seemed momentarily subdued.

As they reached each other, their hands stretched out instinctively, finding one another's grasp amidst the pandemonium. They clutched each other's hands with a fierce determination, their grip a lifeline in the sea of confusion and noise that engulfed them.

Ni-ki leapt off the stage, and together with Vienna, they bolted into the night.

At the park entrance, they swiftly donned their helmets and mounted the motorcycle. With a roar of the engine, they sped away, their movements synchronized as if driven by an unspoken understanding.

The roads lay empty in the late hour, save for the occasional police car passing by, their red and blue lights casting fleeting reflections on their helmets.

As they raced through the night, Vienna felt a shiver from the brisk breeze, her eyes wide with exhilaration. The wind rushed past her like a suffocating, yet invigorating force, fueling her adrenaline.

In that moment, the thrill of speed and the chase seemed to embody the intense drive that youth often seeks. Confused and dazed, they channeled all their energy into the thrill of the ride, pushing forward.

Vienna's arms were wrapped securely around Ni-ki's waist as neon lights streaked past in a blur.

When they reached the large tree beneath his house, the motorcycle came to a sudden stop, the rushing wind and the screech of tires grinding against the pavement abruptly ceasing.

In the quiet of the night, Vienna was pressed closely against Ni-ki's back.

He didn't move, tacitly allowing her arms to continue circling his body.

She didn't move either, staunchly refusing to let go of him.

After the initial rush of excitement faded, a deep sense of hopelessness and loneliness began to envelop the two youths. The music's melody seemed to drift away, its haunting lyrics filling the silence:

"I can't be your love 'cause I'm afraid I'll ruin your life..."

In that moment, the lyrics took on a more profound meaning.

After all, love is the knife we turn ourselves into.

Even if you can enter someone's heart, the walls are often too strong to breach their life.

⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ ˳༄꠶

lets pretend like wave to earth is a 90s band i was searching for jpop songs from the 90s that had the kind of lyric i had in mind but I knew wave to earth would never disappoint so....