until february 28 | jaesung

21. Two years without you

By passing a year in middle school, new semester has come by the spring.

This spring was the same as the last year. Weather was not warm nor cold. Golden nectar flies around by pink blossoms with spring breeze. Just like when Jisung used to be in the first year of middle school.

But in this same old streets filled with blossoms and spring. The second year Park Jisung sees no similarity with this year and the last year.

Now Park Jisung walks in these streets all alone.

Jaemin is not there to cling on him and nag about waking up in the early morning. Renjun is not there to nag at Jaemin as well for being too noisy from the begin of the year. Jeno is not there to leave the two and start his own interesting conversation with Jisung. His friends aren't around. That's the huge difference this year's spring has. What an awful missing. What a big flaw.

His friends graduated.

But it didn't feel like a goodbye. Everything happened so fast and formal. Jeno and Renjun kept joking and saying that there's no need to be depressed when they can meet outside of the school. And so Jaemin just said his goodbyes unlike the two. So cold and sad as if there's no return. Yet so insensitive and firm as if Jisung is unknown.

Even that goodbye wasn't fulfilling.

Those three may have not realized but now...little boy is all alone and kind of stressed. That's why this year's spring does not feel so warm.

While Jisung kept passing and walking in silence, to see someone standing afar near to a crossroad made him stop. The sight of that person's long curly hair moving in the breeze made a smile on Jisung's lips and a jump in his heartbeat.

"Areum-ah!" Jisung called her through his breathe as he took long steps.

Soon the girl turned back. Smiling cheerfully at Jisung as she ran towards the boy. Her little figure jumping in the embrace of Jisung. While Jisung was ready to wrap Areum in a hug, such a sudden kiss from Areum on his lips made the little boy to jump. He stared at Areum with widened eyes.

"Other students are around!"

Jisung whispered but his serious tune ended with a little chuckle.

Areum giggled at the sight of Jisung's blushed face as she stepped back and held the boy's arm.

"You were late"

Both started walking in the sidewalk hand in hand. Jisung looked at Areum. So unwantedly, there was a smile drawn on his lips. Did the pass of time make her prettier? He wondered.

Soon a little pink blossoms catched Jisung's gaze through the curls of Areum's hair. Jisung leaned and pick the blossom through her hair. And so little boy smiled again to feel the sweet scent of Areum's hair.

Areum caught Jisung smiling and so the boy looked away with a blushed face.

The girl chuckled. "So happy to start the new year! I'm a senior now! Yay!"

Jisung sighed. "Back at calling you 'sunbae-nim' in front of others again"

"What now? You even used to call me 'noona' in the times we were alone"

Jisung looked at Areum with wonder. "You were the one who wanted me to call you by your name. It's still embarrassing"

Areum smiled and stood even closer to Jisung.

"That's how I want the relationship to work"

Jisung just sighed with a hidden chuckle and looked around while walking.