✓ SIX THIRTY ━ johnny suh

. . . . chapter fifty-six.

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SONG   OF  THE  DAY   :
six thirty - ariana grande

. . . . . .

after a long time, youngho and chia sat by the rooftop edge again. there stayed their old pile of cigarette ashes. surprising how they were intact in spite of the winds that have gone by.

chia broke the comfortable silence with a vague query.

"who are you?"

he chuckled. "when have you become so philosophical?"

"i mean, you know so much about me. i've told you almost every detail to my sobby life and yet the only thing i know about you is that you're a law student with a white name and nine exes who cooks sick omelets."

"well . . . i'm from illinois, i like to take pictures, and i'm supposed to inherit this building. but anyway the last one's not imp--"

her jaw fell slack.

"you're joking."

"i told you, right? i've been going up this rooftop since childhood."

she followed-up, "so your running from the landlord thing is an act?"

"no, i really didn't pay. not worth it. and i really was scared of him."

"you could've told the guy about who you are. you know, to avoid getting chased around with a butcher's knife."

"it's nothing to be proud of."

"your family own the building he lives in. he'd probably forget about pay in no time. sometimes using your privilege is okay."

"i own a building with health and safety complaints. surprising how many people still live here. again, not proud of it."

"you're a little not-so-bright for a lawyer, no? you can be unproud and still use the nepotism card, it's okay," she said. "anyway, you should give me triple the price of the smoking bet if you're all mighty and rich."

"i thought you didn't care about my money?"

"that was something i said in the spur of the moment!"

"okay then. but instead of money, i'll just find us a house to move in as payment. i've been eyeing one in un village."

"hannam-dong? that'd be great."

wistful, she took a glance at the tattoo, now understanding its design.

"i'll miss this condo though. and how the sunset looks perfect here at 6:30PM."

"i can't believe you still remember six thirty."

"how could i not? it was the weirdest thing a man has ever said to me. and i have my fair share of weird men. imagine just having a dude come up to you and recite the exact time you two met to start a conversation. and then he suddenly buddies up with you for the next days.

"you annoyed me, that's for sure, but i liked you. at first sight. i realized it late, but there was surely something there. when you didn't come for a whole week during christmas season i realized how fun you were to have in my life.

"and now you're here. wow."

at that point, youngho couldn't say anything. he only smiled, looking into her eyes.

"it wasn't our first time meeting at the rooftop actually," he piped up, building up a bit of confusion.

"huh? really?"

"that's a story for next time. now i just have to . . . . "

he pulled out a random crumpled pink post it from his pocket. all of a sudden, he began making origami out of it.

he didn't strike her as the artsy type.

"what's that?"

"paper promise ring." youngho slipped it on her ring finger. to their delight, it fit perfectly. "ever listened to that song by taylor swift?"

enthusiastically, he sang the 'i like shiny things but i'd marry you with paper rings' line, making her laugh.

"it's gonna rain if you keep singing like that."

"oh, you should've heard your voice last night. while we were walking by the--"

"don't remind me about last night."

"okay but--"

she pursed her lips. it was enough to signal him to stop, so instead, his eyes turned into crescents and he cooed--

"i love you, chialove."

it was the first time he said it. hers too, if you put the one she blurted out while wasted out of consideration. all in all, it felt light. it felt like it took them back to their teenage years again.

"love you too, johnnylove."

"can you not call me johnny?"

"no," she replied, stern.

disappointed, he attempted to fight fire with fire. "okay, chiasa."

"okay, john jun."

another round of quietude circulated in the midst of their feigned glares from calling each other by their government first names and the air of new love.

"i do love you though," he said.

"me too. is this the part where we--"

to fulfill her expectations, he cut her off with a long, gentle kiss. he rested his warm hands on her cheeks.

after the longest time of being used in roads of chaos, chia felt at peace.

he gave her intoxication no other substance could. cigarettes could never give her the butterflies she was feeling now. alcohol wouldn't caress her soul as soft as he did. he was the perfect drug.

(and he was good for her health!)

youngho felt the same. he couldn't ask for anything more. if his joy was conveyed into the scenery, fireworks would've colored the sky for hours.

how great it was to fall in love.

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