❝ love goes toward love as schoolboys from their books ❞

minhoponyo

let's make it gay

feelick

make what gay

feelick

our lives?

feelick

our lives are already pretty gay, min

minhoponyo

ugh no

minhoponyo

romeo and juliet

minhoponyo

= romeo and julius

feelick

oOH

interlude ミ☆

he bounced on the balls of his feet to the side of the stage. the stage blocks were all set up, but the teacher was still making notes on the previous group's performance. now LEE FELIX just had to wait.

LEE MINHO was more nervous than his partner. he tapped his fingers against his leg at a fast pace. felix had friends in the class, who would cheer him on no matter what. minho had nobody. what if something went wrong? what if he tripped or stuttered, and people laughed? he didn't care what anybody thought, and he knew none of it mattered long-term anyway (nothing really matters at all), but it was still embarrassing.

'okay, next group. minho and felix.'

he swallowed. felix grabbed his hand and squeezed it before going onstage. for some reason that gave him the energy he needed to start the play.

interlude ミ☆

lee minho as ROMEO. lee felix as JULIUS.

ROMEO

it's easy for someone to joke about scars if they've never been cut.

JULIUS enters on the balcony.

ROMEO

wait a second, there's a window lit up over there... who would be awake now? oh, it's julius. my love. i wish he knew how much i love him. he's on the phone, but i can't hear him... so what? his eyes say something, and i can answer whatever question he's asking- 

no. i'm nobody. he's not talking to me.

but... his eyes are so pretty and bright. two of the brightest stars in the sky went away on business, and they must have asked his eyes to twinkle in their places until they return. if his eyes were in the night sky, they would shine so bright that birds would start singing because they thought it was day. look at how he's leaning his hand on his cheek. he's just so cute, i could die.

ROMEO climbs the vines that lead to JULIUS' balcony.

JULIUS

oh my god! i wish you would just let me live my damn life!

JULIUS hangs up the phone angrily.

ROMEO (to himself)

he's speaking. his words are angry, but his voice... his voice transports me to a world where he's, like, as glorious as an angel, an angel from heaven who makes mortal men fall over and look up at the sky, watching the angel walk on clouds and sail on air.

JULIUS (not knowing romeo hears him)

romeo, romeo, romeo. why do you have to be romeo? why couldn't you be some other guy who stole my heart? i wish you could just forget about your dad and change your name. and if you can't do that, just tell me you love me and i'll stop being a capulet. we can run away together.

ROMEO

it feels weird listening in on him like this... should i wait and hear more, or speak up now?

JULIUS (still not knowing romeo hears him)

it's only your name that's my enemy. you'd still be the same boy i fell in love with if you just changed your last name, just stopped being a montague. what's a name mean, anyway? roses would smell just as nice, even if they were called something stupid like "snarlafs". romeo... he would be just as perfect if he wasn't called romeo. i wish he could just lose his name. trade in his name, which really has nothing to do with him, and take all of me in exchange.

ROMEO (to JULIUS)

i trust you. just tell me you love me, and i'll change my name. i'll never be a montague again.

JULIUS

who's there? why are you listening to me?

ROMEO

i can't tell you who i am without telling you my name. i hate my name, because my name is like your enemy. i wish i could write it down, tear up the paper, and throw it into the fireplace, and have it be gone.

JULIUS

you haven't said much yet, but i recognize a voice when i hear it... aren't you romeo? a montague?

ROMEO

i'm neither of those words if you don't like them, baby.

[ felix breaks character for a moment and blushes. that wasn't a part of their original script - calling him baby. ]

ROMEO walks into JULIUS' view; now they stand opposite from each other.

JULIUS

how did you get in here? and why did you come? the orchard walls are high, it's hard to climb over them. if any of my relatives - especially my dad - find you here, you'll be dead because of who you are.

ROMEO

stone walls can't keep me out. your relatives don't matter - i'll do anything to see you.

JULIUS

if they find you here, they'll murder you.

ROMEO

so we lock the door.

for me, one angry look from you would be worse than twenty of your relatives with guns pointed at my head. just look at me like you do, and i'm invincible.

JULIUS

i- i mean, i'll try to protect you. i'd give anything to keep them from seeing you here.

ROMEO

i can hide in your closet if they come in here. if you didn't love me, you'd let them find me here, but i'd rather have them kill me than have to live without your love.

JULIUS

who told you how to get here, up to my balcony?

ROMEO

it was love.

JULIUS (blushing)

oh, stop.

ROMEO

also, the climbing vines make for good hand and footholds.

JULIUS

romeo. do you love me? i know you'll say "yes", and i'll believe you. but if you swear you love me, you might turn out to be lying. they say the gods laugh when lovers lie to each other. if you really love me, say it sincerely. or if you think it's too easy to win me over, i'll frown and play hard-to-get, as long as that will make you try to win me, but otherwise i wouldn't act that way ever. truthfully, i like you too much - that must be the reason i'm stumbling over my words. trust me, i'll be more faithful than those girls and boys who fawn over you, acting coy and playing hard-to-get. just don't assume that because you made me love you so easily, my love isn't serious.

ROMEO

i swear on the moon-

JULIUS

don't. the moon is always changing. every month, its position in the sky changes. i don't want you to turn out to be that inconsistent, too. 

ROMEO

what should i swear by, then?

JULIUS

don't bother, but if you have to, swear by your wonderful self, the god i worship like an idol, and then i'll believe you.

ROMEO

if my heart-

JULIUS

wait, wait. stop. don't get me wrong, i love you to pieces, but i can't take joy in this exchange of promises tonight. it's too crazy, too sudden. we haven't done nearly enough thinking. it's too much like lightning - it flashes and disappears before you can point and say, "oh look, it's lightning". romeo, good night. our love is barely flowering, but by the time we meet again it might be a beautiful flower.

ROMEO 

are you really going to leave me, just like that?

JULIUS (teasing)

well, what were you hoping for? a goodbye kiss?

ROMEO

maybe. 

but i would be happy if we told each other we loved each other, for real.

JULIUS

i told you i loved you before you asked me to. i wish i could take that back.

ROMEO

what? why?

JULIUS

so i could tell you again. i can tell you i love you lots of times, but only the first time is really special.

wait. what's that?

ROMEO

what?

JULIUS

my dad's calling. romeo, i have to go.

JULIUS turns away.

ROMEO

wait! 

JULIUS (walking backwards slowly)

if you really love me, and you want to run away together, text me tomorrow! we can work out when and where later, but i'd follow you to the ends of the earth if you needed me to.

ROMEO

julius, wait.

JULIUS

i can't. i have to go.

JULIUS exits.

ROMEO

i'll be waiting for you tomorrow.

interlude ミ☆

'you cracked. when i called you baby.' minho had a smug grin on his face that felix would have liked to tear off.

'well, i- it wasn't part of the script-' he stopped walking, and felix stopped beside him.

'is this part of the script?'

minho's lips were surprisingly soft. felix had never kissed a boy before, but he found it was a lot like kissing girls, except with minho it was more exciting. it took him a few seconds to respond, but eventually, his hands looped around the back of the brunette's neck and pulled him in closer, kissing him back with more fervour. 

felix pulled away, finding that (like most things) he didn't miss oxygen until it was gone, and it was most certainly gone. he regained his breath, arms still around minho's neck. 'so, romeo. wanna run away together?'

minho scoffed. 'what, and commit mutual suicide? no way in hell, babe.'