Colors

XXV : Together

"Thank you damnit. I love you so much."

He stayed quiet, giving me a stare instead of an answer. I felt my body temperature rise as I realized what I just said.

"W-what?" I crossed my arms and stared back right at him, pretending like what I just said was completely normal and empty.

After blinking a for few times, he finally cleared his throat and looked away.

"I'm buying you chu-chu bar*," he grabbed my wrist and pulled me away from where I was standing.

With him leading our path, my view to his face was limited. But I thought I saw a glimpse of his smile, which brought the same expression to my face as I walked behind him.

After walking around the park and finding a kiosk selling frozen treats, we agreed on picking a melon flavored one and Jimin paid for it.

"Here you go," he said as he split the melon flavored popsicle into two and handed half of it towards me.

"Yaaaa-" my cheer was cut midways as the piece of popsicle, which was supposed to be mine, slipped out from Jimin's hand, giving the ground a green-colored splatter.

All we did was stare at the ground. I let out a long exasperated sigh as Jimin looked at me and started laughing in a very awkward manner.

"Umm," he immediately stopped as I shot him a glare, "Sorry?"

"Here, you can just take mine." He extended his hand which was holding the other half towards me, scratching the back of his head with his other hand.

If it was a typical afternoon, I would've accepted it without even hesitating. If Jimin was always here, and had not just returned three days ago, I would've accepted it. But the moment was way too familiar as I was reminded of the kids I saw at the park near Jimin's mourning house that day.

I swallowed the knot that was starting to form in my throat away and stared at the ground, where the splatter was, wondering why the memory was still this vivid even though time had passed.

"Jinhee-yah?" Jimin waved his hand in front of my face as he called me out, who was being lost in my own thoughts.

"Yeah?" I looked back up towards him and took a deep breath before saying, "It's okay, just... eat yours."

"Really?" Jimin looked kinda surprised at what I just said.

"Yeah," I blinked my eyes rapidly, trying to dry the moist feeling away and made an assuring smile.

"I don't think I'm in the mood for chu-chu bar in the first place anyways."

"Then.." Jimin paused and thought, "Just make sure to tell me if you want a bite or even more, okay?"

I nodded at him, who then found a map of the park and started scanning the image for an attraction we should get on next while eating his popsicle.

Calm down, Lee Jinhee. What matters is that now Jimin's together with you again, right?

"Jinhee-yah! Come here and let's pick a ride!"

Once again, I inhaled a deep breath before walking towards him. We stared at the map for quite a long time, with Jimin muttering some inaudible words which I suppose was about the rides that are the closest to our area.

"Hey, you know what? I might want to ride the roller coaster today," he said, averting his view from the map towards me. I was distracted by the chu-chu bar in his right hand. The popsicle was starting to melt away in his hold, and green liquid started dripping out to his hand. He came to realize that I was staring at his chu-chu bar and chuckled.

"Here, say 'aahhh'," he extended his hand towards me, intending to feed me his chu-chu bar.

I giggled instead and pulled out some tissues from my bag. I started wiping the green mess with one hand, and held his hand steady with my other. I could feel his eyes watching me as I did so, but when I looked at him, he started giggling too.

I bit a small part of his popsicle before saying, "Now let's experience your first roller coaster ride." 

-

We were on a bus, riding our way towards home. It was nine o'clock at night. I sat between the window and Jimin, and was staring at the pedestrian zones. I watched people who I suppose was also heading back home, just like us. Some were walking in groups, some in pairs, and some alone. I was adoring the street lights that formed neon lines as the bus sped up, when suddenly a translucent reflection of Park Jimin, who was making ugly faces, became visible on the bus window. I responded him by sticking out my tongue, facing the window, before finally turning my head towards him and chuckle at his actions.

"Yah, I told you not to zone out when you're with me." He nudged my elbow with his own.

"Why zone out when you have the fun and witty Jimin to talk to," we said, almost in harmony.

I giggled at our timing, "You're right."

"Now let's welcome Miss Lee Jinhee as she will deliver us her speech!" he said. He then made throaty voices and giving sound effects as if the crowd was roaring, while trying to keep the voice down at the same time since we were inside public transportation.

"Hmm," I mumbled "Miss Lee Jinhee wants to hear Mr. Park Jimin talk instead.."

"Really?"

"Yeah, I would like to hear you talk." I answered, trying to copy his "crowd roaring" sound effects right after, making him chuckle.

"Let's see.. What should I talk about?" He tried thinking of a topic.

"Anything would do," I smiled at him.

After a few seconds of silence, he finally started talking.

"Today, I went to Lotte World with someone.."

"I really had fun today, I even rode a roller coaster with a loop for the first time." He made me smile.

"Today I also smuggled that person inside the men's restroom," I giggled at the memory.

"But it wasn't the roller coaster, and obviously," he rolled his eyes "Not the men's restroom, that made me happy today.."

I stayed quiet and listened.  

"I know, that it was being together with that certain someone that made me happy."

He turned his head towards me and flashed a warm smile.

For the zillionth time in the day, my cheeks heated up again. If I was made of some kind of ceramic, I was certain that I would've broke or at least fracture from the change of temperatures.

The bus came to a stop, I looked out the window and learned that this is where we should get off. With some other passengers, we got off the bus and walked home.

_______________

* = a kind of popsicle which is able to be split into two, and has two wooden sticks.