Affection's Facade

To our Demise

Tae-Hyung's First Person Pov

"We're constantly growing and learning from our mistakes. But we're human. We'll continue to get hurt, and we'll do a little hurting as well," she said, her fingers deftly tying the laces of her shoes. We sat side by side on the ground, the iron gate of my house behind us, creating a partition between the world and us. Our eyes lifted to the sky, our backs leaning against the cool stone wall. I looked at her for a moment before returning my gaze to the heavens.

"You know, when I'm with you, it's nice to know I don't have to talk too much, but you still hear me," she added, her voice soft and contemplative. She lowered her gaze, her fingers now absentmindedly playing with her thumb.

"It's the opposite for me," I said after a moment's pause.

"What do you mean?" she asked, her eyes curious as they met mine.

"When you're near me, I tend to talk more. Before I met you, talking to anyone felt like a demand, almost dictative, like a suffocating burden. With you, I don't feel that restraint," I explained. I watched as a smile tugged at the corners of her lips, a small, coy grin that she tried to hide. In that moment, it was just us and the streetlights casting a warm, golden glow around us.

She pulled out her phone and began playing a song – "Chama" by Sung Si-Kyong. She tapped her foot to the beat, her knees pulled up to her chest, her chin resting atop them. The song's soft melody filled the space between us, creating an intimate atmosphere.

"I love this song," she said, her eyes closing as she immersed herself in the music. "His voice is amazing isn't it?" She asked.

"Yeah," I agreed, I looked at her, taking in the sight of her relaxed expression, the way the streetlights danced on her face, casting shadows that seemed to emphasize her features.

She opened her eyes and looked at me, her smile more genuine now. "I'm glad you feel comfortable talking to me. It's nice to have someone you can open up to without feeling judged."

I nodded in agreement, feeling a warmth spread through me. "Thank you for being that person for me," I said sincerely. We sat there for a few moments, lost in the music and the comfortable silence that enveloped us. The world outside seemed to fade away, leaving just the two of us and the melody of the song.

Those were the days we enjoyed each other's company, the days when we had sanity. Now, every time I see her, I feel like I want to disconnect. Like that day at the restaurant. We've seen each other countless times, but we no longer spoke, not like we did. To be frank I don't want to. However my eyes always found her.

The clinking of glasses was the smell of high class society fizzled around us. Among the chatter and subtle laughter, it was Elera. I caught sight of her afro from behind as I walked in for a drink. She was seated at a window table, staring absentmindedly out at the street, occasionally speaking to Min-Ji.

She wore a simple navy-blue dress that fell gracefully just above her knees, accentuating her elegant silhouette. Her afro was pinned up in a bun. She looked around for a moment, following Min-Ji's gaze.

I quickly averted my eyes, pretending not to have seen her. Despite our past closeness, we hadn't exchanged many words in the last six years. Our encounters had been reduced to occasional glimpses in crowded rooms, our shared history now buried beneath layers of indifference.

But then, why would I? She was the woman who had nearly ruined my life. She had claimed that I assaulted her. That I forced myself on her. If it hadn't been for So-Yeon's family, I would've been imprisoned.

I had heard it from the lips of my own father, who had declared Elera a liar, he was right to. As a result, I couldn't say I liked the idea of her. In an odd way though I was still slightly tempted emotionally with the person she was.