OP I like this a lot, this is exactly the kind of relationship/setting I like (yearning, ambiguous) and it was so lovely to sit down with a tea and make my way through this and discover what's going on. This is probably my first junshua but I love it!! I really do.
I love the relationship between junhui/joshua. like how it's implied that they probably haven't spent a lot of time getting to know each other at first, but still do anyway, "artists labeled geniuses too young", and especially "they had what could have been too much in common". The implication they (or at least Junhui) jumped straight to knowing Joshua through the similarities to himself, latching on to the comraderie with someone experiencing this very niche experience of ethnic (immigrant?) kids pressured into music and running around the world competiting in international music competitions. Knowing /of/ each other, but not knowing each other. ahhhHH and the added layer of love (and junhui not asking)
that first semester of university for junhui ended up being the closest he ever had to peace. joshua understood him in a way no one else did. he was his solace, his lifeline, understood the pressures of the world they were both in, and let junhui release his pent-up stress by going on runs in the park, spending hours taking turns playing the piano in the music hall, talking until the sunrise about the homes they missed, and a kiss.
I /love/ how this is so one-sided. We see Junhui's perspective and how joshua makes him feel, but not the other way around. In a way that's very RL josh as well, having that wall between politeness and intimacy. Oh dear I'm rambling.
Just wanted to say I loved the way you built this nebulous relationship in the story, I love wonwoo's part in it as well, who understands in his one way but not quite (and maybe that distance was large enough that they made an effort to get to know each other? unlike joshua who is too close). I love this brand of yearning, the backdrop of prestige and glamour tinged with melancholy and unresolved love.
oh! lastly, what were your inspirations going into this? I loved the setting because it brought back all the images from the 2021 Chopin Competition (Cateen/Hayato Sumino), Nodame Cantabile, Given (the BL manga, and the relationship between on/off relationship between Ugetsu and Akihito). Within the first few paragraphs it just felt so rich for me, and there seemed to be so many details based off real experience.
thank you for writing! I really enjoyed reading this
Re: [FILL] plum blossom
OP I like this a lot, this is exactly the kind of relationship/setting I like (yearning, ambiguous) and it was so lovely to sit down with a tea and make my way through this and discover what's going on. This is probably my first junshua but I love it!! I really do.
I love the relationship between junhui/joshua. like how it's implied that they probably haven't spent a lot of time getting to know each other at first, but still do anyway, "artists labeled geniuses too young", and especially "they had what could have been too much in common". The implication they (or at least Junhui) jumped straight to knowing Joshua through the similarities to himself, latching on to the comraderie with someone experiencing this very niche experience of ethnic (immigrant?) kids pressured into music and running around the world competiting in international music competitions. Knowing /of/ each other, but not knowing each other. ahhhHH and the added layer of love (and junhui not asking)
I /love/ how this is so one-sided. We see Junhui's perspective and how joshua makes him feel, but not the other way around. In a way that's very RL josh as well, having that wall between politeness and intimacy. Oh dear I'm rambling.
Just wanted to say I loved the way you built this nebulous relationship in the story, I love wonwoo's part in it as well, who understands in his one way but not quite (and maybe that distance was large enough that they made an effort to get to know each other? unlike joshua who is too close). I love this brand of yearning, the backdrop of prestige and glamour tinged with melancholy and unresolved love.
oh! lastly, what were your inspirations going into this? I loved the setting because it brought back all the images from the 2021 Chopin Competition (Cateen/Hayato Sumino), Nodame Cantabile, Given (the BL manga, and the relationship between on/off relationship between Ugetsu and Akihito). Within the first few paragraphs it just felt so rich for me, and there seemed to be so many details based off real experience.
thank you for writing! I really enjoyed reading this