Mirage

43

"All the feedback are good, maybe we can try".

Haeun was dragged back into the reality upon hearing the suggestion from her sister. During the time the females were engaged in the conversation, it was Harin who was talking and the younger barely listening.

She was just sitting by her study desk facing the window which she could access to the outside world, a racoon plushie occupying her hands.

"I'm pretty sure the cost is high", she sighed, eyeing the sky that suddenly had changed its colour from bright to dark. It would soon be raining. "I just want to stay here. Too much treatments suffocate me".

"I'm sure we've talked about this. Money is not the problem to care, your health come first. Besides, this household has prepared everything for you", Harin retaliated with a frustration from the bed and her sister was just sighing.

By now, it was drizzling outside - something Haeun loved to see. Maybe that was why she chose to stare outside instead of her sister. But, Harin knew something was up.

Leaping around the queen sized bed to get to where her sister was sitting, Harin placed her palm on the latter's shoulder, hoping that her warmth could get to her.

"It most likely seems that something else is interrupting you", she then noticed the plushie her sister was holding - her favourite. "Is it Sunwoo?"

Just a mere mention of the boy's name, a loner tear rolled down her cheek in which she wiped it out in a real quick. She was being too hard on herself to look strong despite the fact that she was falling apart.

She wondered how Sunwoo was doing. She really wanted to find out through her friends but the inside of her kept telling that it was not a good idea.

Forgetting need time.

"I'm terribly missing him today", she finally admitted as she felt the loving touch on her back rubbing circles. "What is the purpose of this breakup if it just makes me miss him more?"

Her heart was wrenching so hard. Guess the world also knew how she was feeling, constant storms were heard outside which had given her the space to wail in every eruptions.

"You two are just innocents souls who fall in love", Harin extended her arms to hug the little girl who used to follow her around. That little girl had grown up into a better figure but still she was the same baby Harin had in mind. "Feelings could not be controlled".

It was comforting, Haeun must agree. However, the longing inside her was unbearable. Doing something opposite to your desire was dreadful.

A knock on the door was then heard as both of the girls whipped their heads just to be met with a head popped in behind the wooden plank.

"Haeun honey", she did not like the tone her mother was using. It filled with thousands emotions that never resulting with something good. "Someone is here for you".

Who could it be?

Considering the time, school had just finished. Jia and Eric could never make it to her house on time. Unless if they skipped classes which they would never.

Coming down to the front door to check was the most regrettable thing she ever did but also, she glad she did. It was killing two birds with one stone.

Ending the longingness she felt by constantly looking at the demeanor who was standing in the rain, she also was questioning why the fate had led them here?

"Oh my god", her reflex worked better this time as she reached for an umbrella near the shoe rack, spreading it in no time as she ran towards him, shielding him from the rain. "You could get sick, silly".

Sunwoo grinned as he looked down at the slightly short girl before his eyes. His hair was wet now, the front part was hooding his eyes but he still could look at her better.

She was still the same as the last time he looked at her within this close proximity. Except now, her face was rosy, like she had just done crying.

The fact that she was running to get to him had crept up thousands feelings in his heart. He instantly knew their love had not died down yet.

"I can't do this, Haeun", he said, a bead of water came down his cheek but he could not tell if it was the tear or only the rain dripping from his hair. "I can't let you go".

Haeun gulped, still holding the umbrella tight despite the fact that her whole body was shaking. She desperately wanted to cry but that definitely could wait.

"I'm dying, Sunwoo", only the thing she managed to say. "You know that too".

"So what if you do?" it was then, Sunwoo lost his mind, he inched closer to the girl. "Maybe I will die first? Nobody knows!"

It was the greatest struggle for Haeun to keep herself gathered. She was too close to breaking down again, her breathing started to be abnormal as her chest moving inward and outward furiously.

"Sunwoo, we-"

"I can be anything you want. I promise you I will be a better person. I will study hard and we will graduate high school together and we will go into any universities you like", he was desperate, his grasp on both of her shoulders tightened as he matched their eyes level, his body was tense as well. "We will do everything together. I promise you I will get myself a decent job and then we.... we will build our family together".

"It probably won't be happening".

"You never know. Nobody knows", he was now crying and it was contagious. Haeun felt her eyes sting as well, her vision started to be cloudy. "Just ask me to do anything, I'll get it done for you but don't.... don't talk about breakup".

Much to Haeun's surprise, Sunwoo broke down. He did not seem to care if his uniform would be staining with the mud from the puddles underneath his feet as he slide down to the ground.

And unbeknownst to Haeun herself, she mirrored him, kneeling on her knees across him. She did nothing, just eyeing the boy who was bawling his eyes as she held the umbrella above them.

Seeing him like this was painful. It was as if her heart was getting stabbed by sharp swords from every corner just to let her being tortured.

"Please Haeun", Sunwoo pleaded, reaching for her free hand. He tried to hold his tears back, hiccuping as he did so. "D-Don't leave me. D-Don't ask for a b-breakup, hmm?"

That was when Sunwoo placed her hand on his beating heart, his cries became more louder.

And at the heartbreaking moment, Haeun had admitted her defeat. The umbrella was no longer in her grasp - one on Sunwoo's chest whilst another one was placed on his back.

No words were heard, in fact nothing had crossed her mind during this time. What she wanted to do now was only comforting the boy across her, assuring him that she was here, not going anywhere even only with several pats and rubs on his back.

It seemed like Jihoon was right. Haeun was an easy girl. Right now, she seemed had to give in, she had let Sunwoo come into her life again.

Besides, all of these dramatic events unveiled seemed had convinced her of one thing.

Living up to its name, mirage indeed was only an illusion.