Happy Endings ⁘ Chenle

70 ⁘ Memories

welcome to Da-eun's acting debut 🥰✨

⁘ 70 ⁘

Dae-hyun's and Ah-in's laughter was loud and full of life. It danced through the air, accompanied by the rustling of the wind that brushed through the treetops and the cars rushing by on the nearby street. 

Every inhale filled their lungs with warmth and every exhale seemed to heat up the already boiling-hot air around them. The day's heat only seemed bearable in the shadow of the tall trees near their houses. At some point in time, this had become their favourite spot. It was far enough to feel like they were on their own and close enough to still feel at home.  

This year's summer was warm and bright and lively. Every day was either filled with the excitement of going on little adventures together or full of the comfort that came with simply enjoying each other's presence. 

Life was never before worth living as much as it was in that summer. 

Dae-hyun's eyes were drawn to Ah-in. She was grinning widely, her head tilted back as she took deep breaths. She had been laughing for what felt like an eternity, causing her to end up breathless. 

Of course, he had been laughing too. He was having fun. But he didn't have to laugh and he didn't have to smile to feel that way. Seeing Ah-in happy, hearing her voice, watching her - nothing made him happier. 

Dae-hyun knew that what he felt towards her wasn't just a feeling of friendship. He could tell from many things. Like how, in his eyes, all colour accumulated around her. How the sun felt warmer when he was with her and his problems seemed to ease away. 

But what gave it away was that her smile was more important than his own. That her happiness was his happiness. That he was willing to give himself up for her. 

That was what made him realize that he loved her. 

"Ah-in," he called her name. A name so simple, yet he couldn't imagine anything that sounded prettier than it. She turned her head. Their eyes locked as her grin faded and she pushed a soft hum against her closed lips. "Let's go somewhere before school starts again." 

Their last year of school. One more year of being confined to the same four walls and surrounded by the same people. A last year in which it was tolerable for them to remain simple-minded and childish. 

Ah-in's smile was glued to her face. It didn't fade nor waver as she watched Dae-hyun who grew more and more worried with every passing second in which she didn't reply. 

Eventually though, she took a deep breath, her smile growing disingenuine. "There's something I have to take care of, so I won't get to see you for a while," she told him, her tone of voice eerily empty. 

Dae-hyun nodded, pretending to understand. "So we won't see each other until school starts?" he questioned. 

Ah-in laughed softly. "You already sound impatient. I haven't even left yet." 

"I like spending time with you," he mumbled, "so it's a bit sad for me." 

"I'm sad too," she admitted. She pushed out a heavy sigh that turned into a laugh towards the end. "Do you remember that time we slept in the amusement park?"

She threw her head back to laugh, eyes closed as she recalled the warm night from back then. It wasn't a recent memory, yet she remembered it vividly as if it had only been days. 

After being stuck at home with their families, both needed a break. Some time off. They wanted to go far away but they were too young. Instead, they went somewhere loud, somewhere full of life, somewhere that felt nothing like home.