pavement ↠ kim sunwoo

twenty six

"Hana, will you go to the dance with me?"

Hana looked up from her lunch tray to see Hyori, alone. "What?"

"The summer dance," the girl explained. "I understand that you probably already have someone to go with, but I was wondering if we could go-"

"Don't you have anyone to go with?" Hana chuckled at the girl, not in a pitiful way. "I'm sure someone would've asked you."

"Maybe," Hyori shrugged. "But I'd rather go with you, if you'd let me."

Even though Hana was a little sick of the admiration from her, she found herself smiling. It was nice to feel wanted and included, even if she wasn't sure if it was for the right reasons.

"Sure, Hyori," Hana watched as she gushed. "I'll be your date to the dance."

"My 'date'?" She somewhat squealed. "This doesn't feel real."

The girl chuckled, shaking her head as Hyori hugged her lazily but nonetheless ecstatically, before running away to her friends who she was evidently telling.

Hana smiled to herself, yet somehow at any minute she expected the mocking voice of Kim Sunwoo in her ear.

It never appeared, although she thanked the heavens that he wasn't around right now.

She would have to get used to it eventually. If he hadn't fully moved away yet, that meant he was staying until the school year was over.

But if he was quiet, practically silent, what good would that be?

On her walk home, she turned that familiar corner to see the tall, red head of hair up ahead. He walked slower than usual, his arms swinging lazily.

Hana crossed the road, out of habit and strangely on purpose. Her legs moved at a faster pace, hoping the boy would see and give her that all too familiar chase. But it never came.

The girl wanted to slap herself for thinking so stupidly, but it was a force of habit - a routine.

It was as if she had forgotten that he let his friend cheat on her behind her back.

"Have you forgotten what I did to you?" The boy asked as he crossed the street, the girl stopping.

"No," Hana said straight away, denying. "Of course not."

"Then walk at a pace that won't pull your calf muscles," Sunwoo shrugged. She noticed how tired his eyes were. "I've given up."

The girl was dumbfounded as he stopped on the kerbside. "W-What?"

"Whatever rivalry we had," he explained, loosening his shoulders. "I'm done with it. You don't have to be, but I am."

"Why?" Hana asked, her hands awkwardly finding her blazer pockets.

"Isn't that a good thing?" He chuckled. "I'm tired, Hana. And I've done something horrible to you, I need to live with that now. It's exhausting."

The girl watched as he began to walk towards their street. "You never said sorry."

"I know," Sunwoo said, turning on his heels. "I'll make it up to you, one day. I promise."

"What makes you think I'd ever believe you?"