The Afterlife

20) Spring Rain

Spring rain is a boundless promise - it comes on its own accord, and it bestows on the world a trasitional wamrth with which the earth has enough time to flower, to raise its reds and greens and blues and offer the dead and the living an offer of what is its own, for flowers rise on grounds whether it be a yard or a grave, and flowers, they are, pretty and proud.

Spring rain lowered its wings on the very people that asked for it the most, and spring, a name like no other, took their hands religiously and guided them for a while on a path of feathers through the world in which they struggled the most. With spring rain came yet another season, the water of said rain erasing all sights of the past and bringing with its gentleness a new page on which they can draw.

The world had its ways to create the whole scene for its people, and said scene was pure immersion on their days to come, happily, easily, and beautifully regardless of what was to follow.

Hyejin figured it best to ease out the severety of their work, and she asked Sihyeon to have their family whole join the trip they promised to use against their enemy.

It took her days, and it goes without saying, that the older girl refused over and over, uttering the letters of the word no like they are the only ones she ever learned. Hyejin had to keep asking for days on, coming up with whatever excuses she had in stock.

She had told Sihyeon that it was safe, that danger can have them trapped anywhere, and that it would not stop Namjoon to find them if they remain back home and not join the week they had prepared for Maui, yet it was not until Hyejin's father himself had spoken to her that Sihyeon budge from unwavering in her stance; when Hyungsik spoke to Sihyeon of how he would guarantee their safety, with what plans they had, Sihyeon started to consider the favor the man wanted to return.

That mere consideration did not need to be awaited, and confirmation drew itself on the eyes of every lasting one of them, throwing away what other plans they had to start packing for the week they had decided to spoil their hours with.

"Were you a friend to him?" Hyungsik's head rested on the wall behind him, all corners cold as they could be in the missing of his boy as soon as he figured he was to never return. The city beyond his sight was as cold, and the rain defied even the protection of the windows, reaching easily his heart.

"No," Taehyun closed his eyes, more composed in his sitting but never not comfortable; behind his lids were his memories, and behind his chest was his heart beating with a rhythm of words he had read over and over every time he went to visit the cottage, "I was his brother, sir."

"I am sure he was happy, then," Hyungsik looked like he rested back assured, a little smile following the beauty of his words on their own, "my boy, he really loved company."

"Hyejin never told me of him," Taehyun looked the bedroom's way, right at the door where he knew his betrothed was resting; they both had spent hours packing for the trip, and he knew Hyejin had no been sleeping well, so he left her to find some sleep before he joined her father in the living room, "not until she saw his pictures where me and him used to work."

"She still gets nightmares, dear Taehyun," the father's frown returned, although not fully, but still hurting for his girl all the same, "of her mother, of Sunghoon - she still can not sleep."

"That, I know," Taehyun's figure slouched, and he looked down at his hands that sat on his lap instead; his eyes wandered away from the room for his sadness to not reach far behind the door, and he silently prayed the little sleep Hyejin was having would be a peaceful one this time, "there is not much I managed to do about it."

"There can't be," Hyungsik shook his head, and his frown still remained, but then it was one of concern, disapproval, "you can not fix the world, can you?"