In The Arms Of Morpheus || CHOI SAN

XXIII

 
 
"How do you know him?"

"God! You scared me." Sieon caught her breath before looking at the boy in front of her with furrowed brows.

"I didn't mean to." He tried to suppress his laugh but ended up chuckling.

"You," she pointed at him, "stay out of my business, and my land."

"Come on, I'm here to say sorry." He stopped her from going inside her cabin.

"Why would you apologize to me, Mr. Choi?"

"I didn't think you'll take me so seriously, though." San shook his head, "and can you please, please stop calling me Mr. Choi?"

"You are older than me, Mr. Choi."

"Stop," he begged making Sieon laugh and San smile in return. "Yeosang and I are same age, 22, yet you call him Yeosang and me, Mr. Choi."

"That's because he never had a problem with it."

"I don't too, okay." He pursed his lips making his dimples pop up, "I said it as a joke."

"Whatever, San. You done?" Sieon wasn't really being uninterested on purpose. Her mind was going back to Jongho and she just needed a while alone.

"No." Sieon had already unlocked her door before San appeared from the side, so taking advantage of it, he pushed her inside and sat with her on the floor. "Let's talk comfortably."

Sieon passed him a 'really?' look before telling him to speak up. "I thought about it, and that day when I got angry that you were blaming me for Dohyun.. I would've asked the same if I was in your shoes." He paused, "So, sorry for that."

"No, it's alright. I just wished that you had given me a chance to explain but it's alright now."

Silence took over again but it wasn't bothersome.

"What were you doing out that night, though?"

Sieon's he's snapped at his direction before she looked down at her lap, "What were you doing?"

"You didn't answer my question."

"You didn't either."

San paused for a moment before puffing out and he nodded, "But... Are you and Jongho friends?"

Again..?  Sieon mentally rolled her eyes and refrained herself from asking him, ‘Why are you interfering in my life?’

But according to Sieon, there are less people who live in mountains so they all must've been really friendly –probably the reason why San is like that with her. Also, they already had so many friends in the village that San probably thought it was fine to ask her personal questions.

With that though, she just sighed and decided to answer, "Yes, he's an old friend."

"Then why were you both so awkward? You were more."

"It wasn't that obvious."

"Yeah, because it was way more. Everyone could sense something was off."

"Really, it wasn't anything, we..just met after a long time." She knew San didn't find the answer satisfactory. Sieon glanced at him, "I find boys being better friend than girls here. Jongho had stopped talking to me suddenly and I was kind of angry and upset so today, having lunch with him was unexpected." She breathed, "I hope your curiosity died now."

He started laughing suddenly making Sieon stare at him in disbelief, "It's cute that you think guy friends are better. We are friends too right?"

"There is nothing to laugh about, and do you think of me as a friend?"

"Yes," he admired her for a moment, "It's nice, you talked to me about him. And lastly, no, my curiosity didn't die, because I want to know more about it." He stood up and gave her a hand to do the same which she accepted, "I won't force you though. It's your wish to share or not. Take care."

He left without glancing back and for some reason Sieon felt better realizing someone knew about it now.

She had told no one about what had happened to her and Jongho, no one knew if they were even close or not and no one suspected anything either, gladly.

Jongho was Sieon's first crush.
She knew nothing about him when she was 15, the only interactions between the pair being secret glances and shy smiles. They both knew what they felt but no one ever spoke up.

Sieon was shy so it was understandable why she couldn't, but Jongho was confident enough –being the first one to approach. They became good friends and Sieon got to know more about him. Their feelings were still concealed during the time though.

Everything stopped when Jongho started to leave for city every week and they rarely talked. What broke Sieon's feelings were when a rumor was spread that Jongho was already arranged with a girl in city and it was understandable because by then, he was already 18.

Sieon had seen him allot of times and he probably did too, but she had no feelings left and made herself believe that he never had too.

Something which made her a little uncomfortable during the latter conversation was, when San asked her about that night. She had a simple answer but when she asked him, he didn't answer. And that caused her to not answer either.

Why was he even interested in that when he himself said that let's forget about it..?
 
 
✄┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈
 
 

The summer festival was a week away.
A festival known as ‘spring festival’ a few years ago was now summer festival because of the hot weather in April.

"Don't you think they've informed us too late, Chae?" Sieon asked picking up the poster Chaeyoung has shown her when she came to the shop, "Will we be able to complete our goal in a week?"

"Everyone thinks it's late to inform but we cannot delay the festival... Actually Nayeon unni told me that this year, the festival wasn't supposed to happen because of the frequent bell nights, but allot of people consider it necessary so the date is not confirmed, see. It will be held right after the bell night in a week." Chaeyoung took the poster and taped it near the door, "We don't have a specific goal, just as much as we can make."

"Sure thing. I'll start as soon as the last shirt I have is done."

Sieon and Chaeyoung didn't have a stall of their own in the festival but they contributed with Nayeon's shop who payed them for it.

Now, Sieon knew what she had to do in the sleepless nights and that would be somewhat helpful in the dark too.

 
"Wait!" A sudden realization hit Sieon.

"What happened?" Chaeyoung asked.

"I also have to help Mrs. Shin twins."

Mrs. Shin twins were a pair of twins who married two brothers –one older and one younger. They had a stall of sweets in the festival and Sieon always helped them.

"Oh my God," Chaeyoung groaned, "It's not compulsory."

Sieon looked at her with pursed lips and mumbled, "I've been doing it for years, though..."