A gloomy morning accompanied Chaewon's misery. She was in her place, an abandoned waiting shed on a side of the mountain that overlooks the hustling city. The Korean parked her convertible behind it and found shelter under the shed. She was just standing there, admiring the rain, until someone joins her.
As far as she knew, this was her spot. There's no way someone would find this hidden gem. It has been hers for years now. Nonetheless, the woman stood beside her with no hesitation. Chaewon reacted by stealing glances as she was in disbelief of the current situation. She immediately followed by stepping to her right, farther from the foreign presence, and eventually leaning her upper body unto the right pole.
The stranger breaks the silence amidst the sound of the heavy downpour. "Why are you here?"
Chaewon, still confused, looks at the stranger to her left. She answers with uncertainty, "I need a breather." Then, looks back to the view.
The new company could only scoff. She rephrased herself, "I meant, what's suffocating you?"
Chaewon couldn't believe that this is still going on. She just wanted to take a break and for sure, so does the other, so why couldn't they just get it respectively? But, she couldn't just ask that. It was impolite. "And why would I tell you?" She was quick to ask back, subtly adding a hint of annoyance.
More about Chaewon's company, she's slightly taller than the Korean with fair complexion, and arm-length black hair that towers her proportions. She replies at the question. "I've been told that it helps when you share your melancholy." The stranger relaxed by sitting down on the bench.
Chaewon looks from the heavy rain to the woman sitting down and back towards what's in front of her again. She crossed her arms while replying, "Thanks. But, I'm fine on my own."
The other pouted as she was not satisfied with Chaewon's answer. So, she tried biting back. "Really? Well, I'm not. I prefer being sad with someone than being sad alone."
"Not my problem then." It was a cold response from the Korean.
The stranger stands up, trying her best to acquire the upper hand in the situation. She slowly walks towards the edge of the shed. "For one, this place isn't quote unquote yours. Second, you can be sad alone while I'm here but I can't be sad with someone if one of us leaves."
This time, Chaewon did not have the time to sugarcoat her exasperation. She looks at the figure beside her and asks, "Don't you have friends?"
From looking at the irritated Korean, the stranger looks at the rain. "I do, but who even has time for their friends at 26?"
Chaewon suddenly softens at that. "You're 26?"
The other asks confusedly, "Yes. Why do you ask?" It was evident as she had her eyebrows frowned upon that small fact prolonging the agony.
"I am too." The Korean pretended to not care so much but it was a point for the other side. "See? We're same-aged friends. You can tell me what's wrong." The black-haired woman replies.
It was an impulsive move of Chaewon to slowly walk closer to the unexpected company with her arms crossed. "Hey, incase you're not aware, I know nothing about you but that. You're still a stranger." Chaewon made it clear that she wasn't interested— especially when this stranger who just walked into her safe haven and made it hell. She enunciated every word with clear diction.
However, the receiving end managed to turn the tables around. She replied with enthusiasm, "That's great then! They say it's better to vent to a stranger because they don't know you. They can't judge you."
This time, it's the Korean who scoffs. "There's no way I'm risking myself getting hurt by a stranger for being vulnerable." Dragging the words, no way, in order to get her point across.
"I can't." She softly responded to Chaewon, killing the building tension with a hint of defeat.
The Korean only hums to let the other continue.
"Only people you love can hurt you, and clearly with how you act towards me right now, there's not even a single strand of your hair that loves me." Finally, something the stranger said that Chaewon agrees with. Well, not entirely.
"Tell that to the public figures who get hurt by the comments of unknown users." Chaewon is competitive with no exception. Not even to someone whom she didn't know or to an abstract and subjective idea.
"Fair point." The stranger gathers herself for the conversation they're about to have. "Okay. What about this, let's be acquaintances. In that way, we know each other but not so much that we can do any harm to each other."
The Korean is starting to hate how her newfound company is starting to make sense— trying to test her to her limits. "You're persistent."
"And you're acting tough, when you're not." This time, it the other responded swiftly. She was proud of herself for tugging something within Chaewon.
"Okay then." is the only thing the so-called original owner of the shed could muster up, but she doesn't back down without a glare.
"The name's Kazuha." Chaewon found herself a name for the annoying figure. Kazuha reaches her hand out to take Chaewon's.
"Mine's Chaewon." The other lowered her pride and completed the handshake to get whatever they'll do over with.
"So, would you mind telling me now?" Suddenly, after their little introduction, Kazuha's a new person to Chaewon. She saw her smile, heard her giggle, and felt her warm. She became... comfortable and trustworthy.
"My parents just died." It was scary how casual it was for the Korean to drop the bomb. Kazuha did not know how to respond. "O-oh. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have pushed you to—"
The other cuts her off. "It's fine, I guess." She didn't know what words to say as her emotions were confusing enough to not have a term for it. "I don't know. They fed me, sheltered me and they were... parents. They just forgot to spend time with me."
Chaewon was quick to follow her words, so that her story wouldn't be taken the wrong way. "—And it's okay. I knew that they were doing it for me. They were working hard so that they could have all the time with me afterwards."
All she could do was laugh bittersweetly at her words. If she was someone else listening or looking at her, she would pity herself.
Something from her realization started to tug her heart and prick her eyes, but no tears come out. "But, I'm thinking, when will I ever get their time now?"
The whole time she was venting out to Kazuha, she was just staring at the rain— lost and emotionless. She looks at Kazuha after being vulnerable. "The reason why I'm here isn't because I'm mourning. I'm here to sort out what I should be feeling."
Kazuha took the storyteller's look as the end and that she needed to say something. "Hey, this kind of news take everyone in different ways. If you're unsure, if you don't feel like mourning at all, that's alright." The sun waking up— that is what Chaewon saw in the acquaintance's eyes. It was new, warm, and full of hope.
"Come." She simply says, which surprises Kazuha. The Korean holds out her hand and waits for the other to complete it. She looks at the rain and then to the hands in front of her, trying to send a signal.
Kazuha accepts it with no clue. They hold hands, unexpectedly fitting each other's fingers perfectly. "Suddenly? Where are we going?"
"Just trust me." Chaewon slowly smiles and Kazuha could not believe how it made her want to smile too. The Korean then pulls the Japanese with her underneath the downpour.
YOU ARE READING
Hello, Stranger / Summerz
Fanfic#3 summerz Chaewon's not been having it. She doesn't know if it's her lack of emotions or the everything going on her life has just been overwhelming. She takes a breather in her safe haven- until someone turns it into hell. a SHORT STORY// summerz...
