Until The End of Time | Wonho [√]

28: PARO

PARO: THE FEELING THAT NO MATTER WHAT YOU DO IS ALWAYS SOMEHOW WRONG

August brought heaps of even more rain and blasts of sunny days when the heat became so unbearable that I thought my face would dissolve along with the evaporating earth water. My electrical fan no longer satiated my constant need to cool down and I had to finally install an AC. The news said it was going to be a hot and long-lasting summer this year. Despite the horrible consequences of the weather, I sure hoped it did.

Things with Wonho were escalating at a steady pace. We still did not have a name for us, but between the late night phone calls, suddenly inspired talks, and conversations, random outings, sometimes chatting feverishly and sometimes silently musings at cafes, or at our ancient library, the campus, or before his kendo club, or taking evening walks together, I realized it was enough.

As I was locking the door to my apartment, crooning the gashina song that had been blowing up in the radios and overseas, I heard a thudding sound and flinched, almost dropping the keys.

"I told you not to creep up to me like a ghost, Hyungwon," I said before turning to face him, which eventually I did. "Remember that I once almost attacked you with my spray?"

His nonchalant and unobtrusive face, yet the very looming figure shadowed over me. "I just came to make sure you were going to meet Wonho today."

"You've asked about today twice already." I jammed the key inside my small purse and gave him a hard look in the eyes. The boy, of course, did not bat an eye.

"Where are you going to meet him?"

"To a western-styled restaurant he wanted to take me out," I almost groaned with the answer, frustrated. As time passed Hyungwon only got wearier of the situation and investigated me in a precise manner almost every day.

Not that I did not enjoy the invasive Q&A session with him, I liked talking to him in general — there was always something serene about Hyungwon, albeit I just did not have any newfound information to give him other than what kind of stunt Wonho's cat pulled the other day.

There was always a growing uncertainty hanging about the air, but, when with Wonho I could not think of much else. Everything else but us faded into the background like when the camera zooms and pans around to the main actors and everything else remains unnoticeable to the eyes of the watchers.

I still did not know why Wonho killed himself in the other worlds. Would he really do that here?

"Is today important of any sorts?" I asked just when Hyungwon was about to descend the staircase to his apartment. The question was just there, being asked without a real motive or meaning behind it but it seemed to shock him a little.

"I don't know." He then disappeared downstairs.

Whatever, I thought. He was moody and always had been moody. The sun in contrast was as bright as an innocent child's smile.