Happy Endings ⁘ Chenle

39 ⁘ Peachy

this picture is 100% unrelated to the chapter but I thought I'd put it here as a reminder in case you forgot it existed

⁘ 39 ⁘

Let me set the scene: 

It was a beautiful summer day. You were walking along the river, enjoying the sun and the calmness of the early day. Occasionally you would hear birds chirping and kids laughing. 

Truly magnificent. Nothing less than a masterpiece painted by life itself. 

You sat down on a bench on the side of the sidewalk with a view of the river. Occasionally, your eyes got drawn to the people walking past you. 

There was an elderly couple holding hands, walking slowly. The sunlight seemingly deepened the wrinkles on their faces and you smiled, knowing behind every single one of them lay years of life. Years of memories. 

Then a young woman walked past you, the cutest and fluffiest dog you had ever seen trotting alongside her. It looked at you briefly and you felt like heaven's doors opened there for just a moment. 

A little while later, a young guy on a bike passed you. He seemed to enjoy the weather and he seemed to enjoy being able to move his body. You turned your head only to spot a girl right behind him. She too was on a bike and judging by the way the boy glimpsed back at her you figured that they are, at the very least, friends. 

As you drew your gaze up to the girl's face you noticed that she looked like--

Death. 

Oh wow. 

Well. Enough nature for today. 

You decide to go home. 

Meanwhile, said girl tried her best to keep up with the boy who eventually decided to ask, 

"Da-eun, are you okay?" 

She smiled. A fake smile that might have convinced him if her face wasn't redder than a tomato and her lungs didn't sound like a rusty gate about to unhinge. 

"Peachy." 

"Okay..." Jun-seo said doubtfully, yet slowed down. "Let's take a break here, hm?" 

Da-eun managed to push out a very quiet, "If you insist." 

Jun-seo got off his bike and Da-eun did the same as soon as she reached him. Now, while the boy sat down on the grass carefully, Da-eun just plopped down without hesitation. She lay down completely, legs and arms stretched away from her. 

Jun-seo laughed. "Was it really so exhausting?" 

"Dude," she said between breaths, defending her poor stamina by saying, "It's super hot."

"Okay, that's fair," he said, allowing her excuse. "Then let's rest until you are ready to continue." 

She hummed, and gave him a thumbs up. 

She tilted her head back, eyes on the cloudless, vibrant blue sky above her. The beauty of the sight was hard to deny, yet the heat from the unfiltered sun shining down on them made her wish for a cloud or two. 

Head tumbling to the side, she spotted a small shop near them. 

With a bright smile, she got up. Her sudden burst of enegery surprised the boy who watched her run away without prior notice. 

"Where are you going?" he asked loudly. 

"Wait for me!" she shouted. 

Said wait wasn't long. She soon returned with two small ice cream cups. Handing one over to Jun-seo, she kept the other for herself as she sat back down.