Midnight Tales | ✔

31

Jaehyun

I used everything I could find around the house to set up a small dining area in the garden. It's just a simple one with a table, and two chairs and decorated the area with some hanging lights I've found at the storage. I've prepared enough food for the both of us—a recipe I learned from my mother—and took out the champagne stored inside the pantry. There weren't many clothes left to choose from so I've picked the better ones—a pair of beige pants and a plain white long-sleeved shirt.

As I waited I turned to Lola who was sitting on the other chair. Licking her paws.

"What do you think of the setup Lola?"

Lola turned to me and just answered with a meow. I chuckled at her. "I hope she'll like it"

Then the back door opened and Soyoung came out on the back porch. I stopped on my spot upon seeing her. Her long hair was curled, falling freely behind her. She wore a long red dress with short sleeves which she matched with a pair of white heeled sandals. Soyoung walked over to me, looking away to avoid my gaze. "I'm sorry I kept you waiting"

I smiled at her and pushed a strand of her hair that has escaped behind her ear and turned her to me. "You look beautiful Soyoung"

I want to pretend–just for this one night—that we weren't two people separated by time and space. That were just two ordinary people out on a dinner date. I want to pretend, just for tonight, that we're not living a dream.

I ushered Soyoung on the vacant chair, Lola jumping off to give her the chair and settled on the ground. Then I went to my chair as we started to eat.

"How is your day Soyoung?"

She raised a brow at me. I turned to her. "I thought you went out with your friends for a picnic near the beach. I heard some guys were looking after you"

Soyoung chuckled after understanding where I was getting to. She shrugged as she cut a piece of steak on her plate. "It was stressful, seeing a bunch of the line for me just to get a handshake"

I scoffed at her answer. "A handshake?!"

"Yes, a handshake. How about you Jaehyun? My friend told me she saw you with your friends"

I smiled. "Oh yeah, I spent the whole day with those idiots. We were too busy running away from our crazy fans" After eating a bite, I turned to her again. "Got any plans for tomorrow?"

Soyoung shook her head at me. "Are we really doing this?" she chuckled but still answered my question. "I think I'm just gonna stay in the music room. My hands have grown stiff, I think it needs some practice. How about you?"

"I'm planning to go to Jeju Island. Do you know that flower field that is often seen in dramas? I heard it's very beautiful during spring since all the flowers bloom there during the season. I was planning to take someone I know there"

Soyoung stopped and stare at me. I turned to my plate. "She likes flowers so much, she has lots of them in her house so I know she'll very much like the place. I wanted to take her there and see the smile on her face when she finally sees the flower field. Do you know she has the brightest laugh?   She likes to goof around, especially with her cat. She loves to listen to music and knows how to play the piano. She likes to cook, and she doesn't know how to play chess"

Soyoung chuckled. "She likes to read, especially that one folktale which everyone seems to find absurd. She likes it very much. She looks so good in a dress, I'd wish I could see her wear more"

I turned to her. "She's a person that has unexpectedly become someone important to me. I hurt her the other day though, I just hope she has forgiven me. She's someone fragile, a person I don't want to see hurt. She has been hurt once, by someone I know. Worst, it was a relative of mine. Because of that, she's been afraid, she no longer let her heart take risks"

I stare at her in the eyes. Those hazelnut ones are now filled with tears. "I really want to take her to places around the country, around the world. Everywhere, I want her to see everything. But most of all I want her to see the flower field in Jeju. I ready want to see it with her"