Disclaimer: Don't own SC. This fic would have been inserted into the ending if I did...!

Before the sun goes down.


If she was the one who said it was better to take three different paths at the turn of the road, it doesn't make sense that now she is longing to open her eyes and see him walking ahead of her, as he always does, always did. But when she opens her eyes a lazy field outstretching for endless miles is the only thing she sees. In fact she doesn't know where the road she has taken goes. She didn't care when she started walking it, even less she cares now. She only knows it isn't the same road he took, and just thinking about that makes her chest pound in a way she never thought would be possible.

But the sweet, unfamiliar bitterness is so inherent to humanity.

Inherent to nature. And nature can be so cruel...

Eyes saddened she turns round, looking his way. Her intent gaze follows him as he starts to get out of view, hating herself for not being able to call after him and tell him to wait for her. A lump of red strolls further with no apparent haste, into a path of greenery and thin-stemmed trees. She know it is him.

The orange light of the coming twilight is making the air thick with something she doesn't recognize. Flashing a quick glance to the opposite direction, she sees that Jin is already out of sight. But not him. His image still lingers against the untamed, foliaged horizon and she doesn't seem to understand why him, the one who always strode ahead of her and complaint because she was so slow, is now walking so slackly. Without being really conscious she takes a step forwards. Her feet feel grass beneath the sandals, instead of the warm earth of the path. She could easily go on, but she doesn't know if she will be welcome if she does.

Her chocolate eyes follow him tenderly, hurting each time more and more; and her knees tremble, betraying her resolution not to waver at the newly discovered feeling. She should be feeling the same towards Jin. But she isn't. She takes another step forward, she knows she wants to see him.

How ironic, she always thought she hated the smug look on his face. But it doesn't matter now, because she has matured in this time and she knows, that letting him go without objecting is something she could regret later on.

Because it doesn't matter any more if he isn't her ideal man, the one she could have dreamt of but she didn't. The lazy fields look lazier as she starts retracing her steps. The pounding in her chest won't stop, and it doesn't matter if he isn't perfect.

Everyone looks pretty before the sun goes down.



A/N: Well... nothing to say. I watched the last episode yesterday and liked it a lot, but of course, I would have liked it to end more Fuugen-esque. So I came up with this little piece. Personally, I think it's...cute. Dunno, you tell me, k?

I'd love it if you reviewed. My other oneshot, Suave y Gris, got 208 hits and 5 reviews. Kind of sad, no?