96. Watching Leaves Fall
Somin and Junu
Somin stayed more quiet than usual when she headed to lunch with Junu. They opted for quick takeout and it was Somin's idea to put down their coats to have the smallest picnic in the park near school.
The base of the old tree granted them a fine space to rest their back on, while they unpack their meal. Leaves were slowly turning yellow and both artists were enjoying the fairy-like moment, sipping their respective beverages. Somin watched the leaves lazily falling down.
"How do you feel?" Junu asked the burning question. "You seem very upset."
The small boy at her new bandage with fear, touching her hand lightly.
"I think I still am," Somin answered and when she caught his glare she added, "but this was an ugly coincidence, don't worry, it's all past me now." She felt the pulsing scar underneath.
She breathed the bottled-up stress out, watching another beautiful yellow leaf drawing eights in the air.
"You really like him," Junu stated out of nowhere.
"You mean Teho?" Somin asked and he nodded.
"The photographer," he clarified again.
"I..." She sipped her coffee. "I think I maybe love him," she finally said out loud.
The young friend hypnotized her pale eyes and she fidgeted, confused from the secret hospital trip this morning. His closeness and the sweet words sounded way too serious.
"Alright, alright, I do," Somin confessed. "I love him."
"Too bad he is not available," Junu noted.
"I don't even know," Somin answered and ate her tortilla. "Maybe it's for the better."
"And if he wasn't taken?" Junu pushed his questions, feeling she needed to answer them for herself.
"Then I'm fucked. I can't hurt Mia by taking her place," she almost whispered.
"Well, that is a pickle," the young boy seriously noted but smiled at her.
The blue girl softly brushed his hair and her heart beat louder with all the heavy realization. At this moment the young boy felt like he had a sibling. Safeness was everything to the newly formed friends and they both needed company.
"C'mon." Somin tugged slightly at his clothes and he voluntarily lay in her lap.
Watching the blue sky through the dense branches of the birch trees around. Although the car's honking was ever present, Junu heard the soft rustling of the small leaves. He closed his eyes and let her brush his hair, pretending he was far away.
"I was never in love," the naive boy said out of nowhere. "I am a little bit afraid that I will never be."
"Don't say that, you never know. Do you think I wanted any of this? To love somebody I can't have and to lose somebody who I thought I loved and gave everything to?" Somin caressed the boy in the dark green pullover and he brushed past her wrist.
"I just wonder how it feels," he pensively said.
"It's the worst nervousness combined with all the unbearable desires hidden in you," Somin said.
"Unbearable?" Junu stared at her with a plea to understand.
Somin closed her eyes. "When he's closer I feel this unbelievably strong draw to him. Time is suddenly slower and it leaves me wondering, does he feel the same, or is it just all in my head?" she vocalized her worries.
"He looks at you differently," Junu stated. "Isn't that good?"
"What good is it when it means hurting my friend?" Somin asked and Junu bit his vegetable tortilla too.
"So love is this complicated feeling which leaves you hurting." He again brushed against her wrist, hoping its cause wasn't the more sinister.
"This whole ordeal wasn't connected to him," Somin felt the need to state.
Birds played in the leaves on the ground and the sad paintress told Junu about Cholsu. Tears filled her eyes again, but she managed to blink them away.
I'm stronger now and it hasn't killed me.
"I..." Junu still tried to comprehend everything she said. "I want to experience it anyway. I think the risk is worth it.
Either I end up with a broken heart or a partner who will make me complete." He dreamt his romanticized dream.
"I want to have your enthusiasm." Somin smiled.
...
😳 Author's corner 😊
😎 Is it easy for you to speak your truth? 😎
...
🎨Illustrations of each chapter are available on my Wattpad acc, AO3 acc -klubickoArt🎨
