Plot Twist

Laugh it off

Jiwan was woken up by a knock on a door.

Her room was dark, and she can hear the raindrops from outside. She turned to the side of her bed and 7:45 pm flashed on the face of the digital clock. She knew she was supposed to go somewhere tonight but she was a bit disoriented to remember.

Oh. Right.

She's supposed to meet with her sculpture friends at 8:00 pm to celebrate the end of the semester. Early that afternoon though, she felt tired and feverish so she decided to take a nap thinking that it can maybe help her feel better.

She got up and felt lightheaded at first but managed to steady herself by placing one hand on the wall. Slowly she took her steps, taking her cardigan that hanged on the wall to wear it,  carefully making her way to the door of her apartment.

She opened it and found Sol, closing her umbrella.  She was wearing an oversized navy blue shirt printed with what seemed like a bright red bleeding heart. She had on her a black leather jacket and paired it with wide legged blue jeans.

Meanwhile Jiwan was still in her yellow pajamas.

"Are you okay? I was trying to call you but you weren't answering". Sol's face looked really concerned.

"Yoon Sol, sorry I forgot to-" she was going to get off balance but Sol was able to catch her. She held Jiwan's forehead and was alarmed, "You're burning up!" she exclaimed.

"No wonder you looked unwell when we parted ways yesterday." Sol said like she's trying to put in pieces of puzzle together. "Let's get you back to bed."

Sol guided her as they walk carefully back to her bed where she gently lay down. Sol covered her with a blanket then made a quick call, probably notifying the rest of them that she's unwell and couldn't make it.

Sol hastily brought a towel she took from the closet and a small basin that she filled with water, giving her a cold compress.

Next thing that Jiwan knew Sol is at the kitchen familiarly navigating it, she can hear the sound of the cupboard and the refrigerator opening, then the stove. Not long after, Sol brought a tray of egg drop soup, rice, sausage and kimchi for Jiwan.

"Sorry it's not much, I only worked on what's available" Sol explained it like she's caused Jiwan some trouble.

She helped Jiwan sit up to eat her light meal, afterwards giving her a paracetamol for her migraine and fever. She was then tucked in and Sol applied ointment in her forehead.

"Sol, thank you. I think I'll be okay now so you can still make it if you want to go with Nabi and the rest." Jiwan said.

"It's okay, I'll stay with you. It's Saturday tomorrow anyway, and I was only gonna go because you asked me". Sol smiled sincerely as her hand applied more peppermint ointment to massage Jiwan's forehead.

What happened next was hazy, maybe because of the medicine that she took, or perhaps it's the fever. She can't tell if she dozed off or just spaced out but the next thing she knew, Sol is lying beside her, eyes closed. They were both on their sides, facing each other, their faces only inches away. Jiwan couldn't help but stare at Sol's face.

Sol seem to be getting more and more beautiful, she thought. Her eyes traced Sol's thin eyebrows and long lashes, then the curve of her nose. She had cheeks that looked like they it had blush-on but Jiwan knew Sol hates applying those. She admired her thin lips, slightly curved even when she's not smiling.

If Sol wanted, she can probably get a career as a model. But Sol doesn't. She hates being in the spotlight and prefer working silently on her craft. Jiwan can't help but smile at the thought that as reclusive as Sol is, she welcomed Jiwan into her life and let her stay by her side. She knew things about Sol that most people won't ever know of. She hardly smiles to other art majors and won't even set her eyes on other students in their campus. Jiwan felt special.

With eyes still darted at Sol's lips and her thoughts drifting, Jiwan realized that Sol has now woken. Their eyes met and held gaze for what seemed like forever. And then, as if  it was the most natural thing to do, Jiwan whispered:
"Sol, will you kiss me?"

Sol just held her gaze and inched closer and closer, their warm breath against each other. Jiwan closed her eyes as their lips touched slowly, and she felt a soul stirring, amazing feeling that she has never felt before.

The rain was falling harder by then, but all Jiwan can hear is the sound of her heart beating.

"--Jiwan"

"Oi, Seo Jiwan"

Sol tapped her shoulders.

She was dumbfounded for a few seconds before she got back to her senses.

"I was asking if you have raw sienna? Mine ran out" Sol said, she was pointing towards Jiwan's acrylic paints. They were having a painting class when Jiwan's mind wandered back to rhat dream she had during their recent out of town trip.

She is working on an expressionistic abstract painting of what looked like a woman's lips. Sol studied Jiwan's canvas as she wait for her reply, her left hand cupped on her chin and slightly nodding as she carefully observe the composition.

Jiwan felt guilty, like a kid who just got caught eating so much chocolates from the refrigerator. She secretly worried that her thoughts may be written all over her face and Sol would freak out.

She didn't even mention that dream to Sol (when normally she tells her everything), deciding that she must forget it at all cost. But it has been a few days now and she can still remember every single detail of it like it was imprinted in her mind. She can remember the softness of Sol's lips, how sweet it tasted, how she felt like her heart fluttered.

"Ah, yeah raw sienna" she rummaged through her acrylic paints, eyes fixated on Sol's lips, unable to glance away. She took a tube of paint and hurriedly gave it to Sol.

"Ahm, this is white". Sol giggled looking amused.

"Oh!" Jiwan blurted as she quickly took the paint from Sol's hand and distractedly searched again, finally locating the correct color which she handed to Sol. Their hands touched for a bit and Jiwan flinched. What was that spark just now?

"Great work on this, I liked the way you blended the colors of the upper and lower part" Sol referred to her work in progress.

On a normal day she would have treasured those words from Sol because she's not really the type to patronize someone's work. She rarely compliments others and when she does, she means every bit of it. But right now, Jiwan was too self-conscious to entertain her feedback. If Sol asks her more questions about her painting, she might accidentally spill what inspired her to come up with this idea. She's just gonna have to be dismissive and act cool.

"What's with you today? Sol flashed a wide smile as she teased Jiwan.

"What do you mean? I've always been like this.", Jiwan answered, scratching her head, and laughing it off, hoping that Sol doesn't notice anything suspicious.

Under no circumstances must Sol find anything suspicious. You hear me, Seo Jiwan? Aaagghh hurry up and come to your senses!