Morning Dew | Yang Jungwon

~ 10 ~

They sat silently in the shade. Cool grass under their bare feet. With fingers laced together, they enjoyed the swift breeze that caressed their supple skin.

"What would you do if I disappeared?"

Jungwon's eyes opened at her question, a bit worried.

"I would find you again."

A warm feeling spread through Iseul's chest at his words.

"Do you promise?" She asked

"Promise," he smiled back.

"I might be away for a while," she spoke, her voice lowering with her eyes.

"What do you mean?"

"There's just something I have to do," a sad smile coated her lips.

He gave her hand a light squeeze mumbling something.

"What?" She asked.

His lips moved, but no sound came out. She looked at the shape trying to read what he was saying, but darkness overtook the place.

Sundown in the woods; no fireflies, no moon.

Her breath hitched in her throat. What was happening?

She turned to him, but he was no longer there.

"Won?"

Enveloped in darkness, a single spotlight illuminated Iseul in the woods. Her heart started to sink in her chest, fear consuming her.

She ran and ran, through the trees, the bushes, until she found his figure in the distance again.

She exhaled, slowing down as she approached him resting against a tree trunk. He smiled sweetly at her.

"It's a beautiful night," he said looking up at the sky.

Through the leaves she could make out a faraway constellation.

"Hey Won," she said, "remember when I asked if we could fly together and you said to ask you again later?"

He nodded.

"Can we... fly now?"

A soft smile coated his lips, eyes never leaving hers as he closed the distance between them. He wrapped her arms around his shoulders, noses almost touching at the proximity before he leaned down and picked her up.

Iseul's eyes widened at the appearance of his wings, almost as if she'd forgotten their beauty. Butterflies swarmed her stomach as they started ascending.

Warm spring breeze engulfed their bodies as they lifted into the night; the woods becoming small specks underneath their feet.

She looked at him and smiled.

This is what it must feel like to be free.

The air was thin so up high and Iseul swore she could almost touch the stars that adorned the night with a simple reach of a hand.

Higher and higher the darkness of the sky started to recede and the clouds around them reclaimed their pink shade. Time was ticking backwards or forward, she couldn't tell.

"We should go back," he said after a while.

"What? Why?"

"We can't go any further, Iseul."

They started their descent, the previous darkness washed over the bright hues of the clouds surrounding them.

"No," she shook her head, "I like it up here."

"You shouldn't. You're not meant to be here."

They were back at the castle, having flown in through her bedroom window, Jungwon placed her back on her feet.

She looked around at the walls she knew too well. They constrained her all her life.

"You'll be okay now," he said taking a step backwards, towards the window, before turning around and stepping on the edge.

"Where are you going?" Iseul ran to him. He showed her the kindest smile he could offer, running a finger through her cheek and wiping a tear—she didn't know she'd shed—away.

"Wait! Don't leave!" Was all she could yell as she watched his figure fly away into the night. "Please..." she felt herself fall to her knees, more tears at the brink of her eyes.

"I love you."