𝐒𝐄𝐎𝐔𝐋 | √

i'm afraid of myself because i've already become a part of you

𝐑𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐰𝐚𝐬𝐡𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠. 𝐈𝐧𝐜𝐥𝐮𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐛𝐥𝐞𝐦𝐬.

It was raining.

Ellora stared up at the clouds that hung over the city, dull grey and covering the streets in a misty drizzle that to her felt like gentle caresses of a mother's hand. Standing in front of the café, hands tucked into the pockets of another one of her coats and a serene smile painted on her lips, she tilted her head up to the heavens and let the tiny water droplets fall on the skin and run down her cheeks, reveling in the icy touch of the rain that reminded her of her vacation last year when she had visited Shimla.

Her mind was quiet, like it had been yesterday when she had witnessed the sun wake up from his slumber and shine down on the Han river. This time, however, the scene was different. Around her, people walked in the rain with seemingly no cares and worries, hands held with their significant others and lovesick smiles on their faces as they stayed in their own little world of happiness. Some ran down the rain-drenched streets, laughs echoing under the lights of the neon signs that hung on the buildings every few feet, turning the lifeless grey concrete into a light show of pinks, greens, blues and yellows.

All around, despite the loud noises of the city, there lay a shroud of tranquility over the people and their hearts, and Ellora felt the threads of the unnamed feeling wrap around her heart for a second time. The beats of the life-giving organ slowed down to stay in tune with the pulses of the life of the city, and an unknown feeling grew from the depths of her heart and expanded to douse the rest of her body in a warmth that was new to her. It made her calm down, settled into her bones and snuggled into her side like a sleepy dog who welcomes you when you get home after a long day of work.

She realised what it was.

The city was home. It was home in a way her own country had never been, in a way no other place had never been. Seoul had a life that bonded with hers, threading their loose ends together to make each other feel complete in a way she hadn’t felt complete before.

Ellora sighed, the quiet sound hanging in the air around her before being washed away by the faint shower that poured down on them, stronger now than it was five minutes ago.

She looked down, cold grey eyes landing on her feet, covered in black heeled boots and standing at the edge of a puddle of water. The water rippled with the drops that fell into it in a never ending cascade, reflecting the glowing signs of the Starbucks. The image distorted every time a new rain drop fell into the pool, then became whole again for one miniscule part of a second before it was turned to static once again.

“You must really love staring at water bodies.”

Just like yesterday, the man had come silently, unannounced. His deep voice rang in her ears, informing her that he was close, and she turned to the source of the sound, a small smile growing on her lip-balm covered lips. To her right, a transparent umbrella protecting his silver hair and mask-covered face from the downpour, he stood with his hands tucked into his own warm, autumn brown trench coat that was tinted darker at the hems- courtesy of the rain that had wetted it. Behind the mask, she could see his smile, dark eyes crinkling warmly and invitingly as he pulled his hand out of his pocket and stretched it out towards her, palm up as if waiting for her to place her hand on his.

“Water,” she began, accepting his hand and turning to the door of the café, “is a depiction of order in chaos.”

She pushed the door open, and both of them stepped into the warmth, breathing in deep to savour the strong smell of coffee and baked goods. The atmosphere inside was a far cry from out in the rain. Where the rain was cold and fresh, smelling sharp and earthy like a day in the middle of winter, the café was comfy and sleepy, smelling soft and warm, like a warm night of spring with temperatures that were just right.