Affection's Facade

Friends close enemies closer

Author's pov Past

Elera gazed into the sky as if she wished to project herself into the boundless blue above. She wanted to float away on the clouds, to drift into a dream that would keep pace with life's constant motion. Although everything around her moved forward, she felt stagnant. The feeling wasn't terrible, but it was far from great. She seemed caught between the delicate dance of sunlight and shadow, an ephemeral moment where time felt both suspended and inexorably fleeting.

She sighed, momentarily casting glances to her left and right before returning her gaze skyward. The weather was subtle, with only occasional birdsong breaking the silence. The kind of day where it feels like the world is waiting for you to take a breath in before moving forward again.

A yellow butterfly fluttered overhead, casting a spell of momentary peace. Despite this, Elera's thoughts remained turbulent; the stress within her didn't fade. Finally, she began to speak, her fingers playing with the last rays of sunlight before the sky turned into a tapestry of purple and orange hues.

"Am I the only one who hasn't found a dream to call my own? I've fallen in love with so many different things and fantasized about them all. I don't think I've ever been one of them. I can't figure out which dream is truly mine. Even in my own dreams, I feel like an outsider. That's what scares me the most," Elera confessed.

To her left lay Tae-hyung; to her right, So-yeon.They were sprawled on a large blanket in the backyard, letting the gentle wind playfully tousle their hair.

With her eyes closed, So-yeon murmured. " We are in high school, Elera. We are meant to be confused." She began. "I don't think anyone truly loves themselves. In a way, love has become a survival instinct. I can't say love myself, maybe I'm in love with myself sometimes. Anyways, I believe you have every reason to cherish who you are. Letting self-doubt overshadow self-care and love would be the greatest tragedy. You're beautiful, hilarious, gifted, and one of the most genuine souls I know. You're the sister I needed. Don't be too hard on yourself. Give yourself a chance." Before she could finish she was interrupted by someone calling out, notifying her that her mother wanted to see her.

"I'll be right back," she announced, walking away.

As the brief silence enveloped them once more, Tae-hyung whispered, " You could easily be anyone's dream." He said with his eyes remained closed, a faint blush gracing his cheeks.

There was quiet for a moment, as Elera adjusted herself. "What did you say?" Elera asked.

He simply grinned, teasingly replying, "said once is enough."

Suppressing a smile, Elera settled back down, her thoughts adrift.

" Are you going to visit me when I'm in college?" He asked.

" Why do you want me to? " she asked trying to be nonchalant.

Before he could respond, So-yeon returned. "Tae-hyung your mother says you need to be home for dinner. She mentioned something about a Mr. Chang visiting."

Tae-Hyung simply nodded. As he did, So-yeon's eyes lingered on him, noting the tension in his face. She then shifted her gaze to Elera, who had deliberately avoided making eye contact. For Elera, there was a lot of things she learned to keep secret from So-Yeon and one of those things were people she found attractive. It wasn't that she ever " took." Anyone away from her, it just felt comfortable having an aspect of life that So-yeon didn't know too much about.

Regardless, So-yeon was also not an idiot. That's why Later that evening, while the two girls were in their room, So-yeon decided to probe a little.

"So, what's going on between you and Tae-Hyung?" she asked.