Mirage

30

Haeun peeked out from the windows with pursed lips, envying the event took place in her backyard. The smile spread on her father's face as he laughed along with Eric and Jia by the barbeque pit was not what she envied for, but seeing her best friends could freely do whatever they want.

Their story telling session somehow halted midway when Haeun noticed the glimpse of discomfort in Sunwoo's eyes. It was as if he was being forced though he kept insisting that he was not.

But, Haeun still refused to keep it going. So, she randomly chose a movie, insisting that she really wanted to watch it with them.

As Eric and Jia sprawled on the spread blanket on the floor, whilst the couple sat next to each other on the couch, Haeun's father then announced the plan to do grilling.

Nobody could resist it, obviously. However, Haeun herself had been warned not to join and stay inside for her own sake.

Sunwoo was right, she did look like a spoiled kid at this rate.

Talking about him, he had willingly stayed inside with her, so that Haeun won't be lonely watching the movie.

However, the movie seemed had been long forgotten.

"They look happy", she said, sounding a little bit sad.

Sunwoo remained in silent as he watched Haeun walked up to him from the window, her hands were clasped behind her body.

She seemed suspicious - that was sure. Every steps she made were full with hesitancy. Sunwoo could have guessed by now what exactly she was thinking.

"Come here", he beckoned her to come more closer to him on the couch, pulling her down as he was able to reach for her hand.

She was stunned by the impact of Sunwoo's energy. A small yelp unknowingly escaping her mouth as she landed on the couch, too close to Sunwoo's figure.

"Don't startle me like that", she playfully hit him on the arm. "I have a weak heart. You know that too".

Sunwoo's laughter then filling in the area, something that Haeun could not hate. His laughter was like an additional of her medication.

"I can read it on your face", he suddenly said, they both were now facing each other at a very close proximity. "I can see the curiosity. You want to know more of my story, don't you?"

Pulling herself back, Haeun pondered, "me? N-No...?"

"You're a bad liar".

It was then, Haeun admitting her defeat. She rolled her eyes, huffing heavily before she leaned sideway against the headrest of the couch, staring straight into his eyes.

"Can you tell me more about the friend you talked about?"

Unbeknownst to Haeun, Sunwoo was copying his posture, making every features on his face prominent.

Such a bless for her eyesight.

"I'd never keep a secret from you", he assured, reaching for pieces of hair that was covering her eye.

The emotion in Sunwoo's eyes finally made a comeback. An urgency was then consuming Haeun all along. An urgency to stop him.

"You know I won't push you right?"

"I'm insisted", his stare was stern and Haeun knew she needed to keep quiet. Nobody would want to summon a grumpy Sunwoo again this time.

She motioned as if she was zipping her mouth, nodding at him with closed eyes as a signal for him to continue.

And the signal luckily had reached Sunwoo.

"What Eric said was true, that friend was my best friend", Sunwoo paused. He gulped as if he was downing a lump. "With him, I did everything well in school. Until one day he moved out without telling me anything".

"Oh my god", Haeun felt an irregular beating inside her chest, her breath was heavy but not concerning. "No one knew where he was?"

"No one", he confirmed. "And I doubted myself if our friendship was real. I'd lost trust to anyone afterwards".

Tears started brimming in his eyes, they surely would be rolling down soon but Sunwoo mask the emotion with an airy chuckle, rubbing his eyes with the back of his palm.

He surely did not see this coming when Haeun push his hand away softly, replacing them with her sleeve instead. She trailed the bag under his eyes carefully, his tears wetting the soft sleeve. When she retrieved her hand back, a sigh was then escaping as if something was weighting her down.

"Was that when you met Jihoon?"

Sunwoo nodded, "like I was under his spell, he convinced me that he understood me and I should join him and his friends".

"That sounds really like Jihoon", as a long time friend of the said boy, Haeun confirmed. "But I understand you. It was hard to trust new people again".

Her gaze was fixated on a space, a memory came crawling from the back of her head. It was something she wished she had erased but to forget something that had given you an impact was not easy.

"Haeun", Sunwoo called, in which she hum but still not looking at him. He ran his finger down his silky fringe, bringing her gaze back to him. "If you're telling me that you're saying this based on your experience, I won't believe".

"Why not?"

"Your character - bubbly and bright, will make anyone feel comfortable with you", he reasoned but Haeun's expression was quite a sight.

"Will you believe me if I say that I'm cold?"

"No", Sunwoo strongly denied, sitting up straight. "Who can confirm this, huh?"

"Jihoon".

Tension started filling in Sunwoo's body, he intensely looking for hint of lies but unfortunately he found none.

He did witness few encounters the two had, Haeun indeed was not lying. Her bubbly character seemed had vanished everytime the two talked, Jihoon himself would become someone nobody had seen.

"Then Eric and Jia..?" Sunwoo was stuck in his own question, did not know how to continue. Nonetheless, Haeun knew what he was going to ask.

"Jia was my seatmate, so she approached me first", she smiled, that specific memory was memorable. "And Eric...let's say he was shameless. He'd do anything just to befriend me and Jia".

"Ahhh..." Sunwoo understandingly nodded. "He's never changed".

That one remark had sent Haeun laugh hard, almost fainting against the couch. Specifically when Sunwoo spilled the untold story about Eric getting chased by some teachers.

"I'm still thinking why must he run. It's nothing anyways".

"Stop it Sunwoo", Haeun playfully hit him, her oxygen was dropping due to the constant laughing.

Sunwoo's straight face was more funnier than the story itself.

Peace started taking over them after some moments, Sunwoo tried to focus on the movie back did not realize that Haeun was looking at him intently, watching his chest rising and falling.

"Sunwoo, can I..." she spoke up without thinking, still watching at his steady breathing. When Sunwoo looked at her way, then only she realized, she had gone insane. "Nothing".

Nonetheless, unbeknownst to her, Sunwoo absolutely could read her mind.

He took her hand without her consent and placed it on his chest where his heart was thumping. And unknowingly Haeun shut her eyes tight, her smile slowly forming in every Sunwoo's heartbeats.

"It's beautiful", she said, sighing heavily. "Mine would never beat like yours".

Sunwoo slumped comfortably against the couch - Haeun's hand was still on his chest. "Let me know anytime you want to hear it. I'll willingly let you have it".

Suddenly Haeun felt her eyelids getting heavier, the rhythm of his heartbeats was like a lullaby.

"Sunwoo", she called, eyes already closed as she laid her head down the headrest of the couch. "You make me feel alive".

He chuckled, head tilted like magnets pulling, until his touched hers.

"I'm glad to hear that", his finger did the routine again - fixing her hair. "Now I have a reason to keep living".