DRAGONFISH | NCT's Ten

THAILAND SLEEP

—six

Ten's apartment in Patpong; 7:34am [wednesday]

"You came then?" A tired Ten opens the door to the young and distressed girl.

"Did you just wake up", Jihae does not wait to barge into the apartment, easily making herself comfortable on the leathered couch.

"Is it obvious?" Ten rubs an eye with his left hand. He then walks into the kitchen, the apartment being open planned, he had a perfect view of Jihae flicking through a magazine Ten did not even know he possessed.

"Mhm", Jihae grunts as she carelessly flips the pages. "I've thought about it, you know", she says after a while. "And I don't care. You've repented. You've been forgiven. I don't think it's fair if I do not forgive you or blame you for your actions if God has forgiven you"

"And what a blessing God has given me", Ten smiles under his breath. "How did you manage to slip away?" He asks her.

"It was tricky. Even more tricker as I didn't know my way round. But I made it", she winks.

"Do you want some food?"

"No thank you, I'm full"

"Okay"

"Okay"

8:11am

"I think I'm going to leave now"

"Wait. Let me come with you"

"No, it's fine. You really don't need to"

"Seriously. You're so stubborn"

"Okay. Fine"

"I was still planning to come, whatever your answer"

Hyehwa-Dong (Jihae's house); 4:03am [thursday]

Though what some may consider the crack of dawn, Jihae was more than awake. Squirming and turning in her bed, she could not find the will to fall asleep.

"Why? I can't stop thinking about him?" She speaks the thoughts of her mind. And though they may seem complete and utter nonsense to an outsider, Jihae knew fully well what those words meant, and why she said them.

Her eyes slowly flutter as she beings to find herself in a calmer peace, the will to fall asleep In good thoughts with a good heart.

"Good night Ten", she finally bids. The words of a mad person as Ten was not even present at the time. Nor did she have any solid reason to say that out of the blue. But Jihae meant well in her words.

6:59am

Jihae was always the one who woke up first in her household, her sister was sleeping, her parents probably on another flight. But this time, they were also sleeping.

She walks down to her kitchen after a quick wash and proceeds to make her breakfast. She decides to have omelettes today.

"Another spot", she sighs as she peers into the mirror next to the island. "Ba ma ba ma", she hums to a popular songs that some kids were raving about in school.

After she makes her omelettes, she sits and eats them on stool at the island.

In Jihae's mind was her questioning herself of how she'd forgiven Ten so easily. And it seems now, after all this time, it had hit her that Ten had killed someone. His brother.

He seems remorseful, yes, but does he regret it?

But then Jihae thinks about her being in Ten's position. She couldn't let him go on of course, but was killing him the way to do it?

Ten's apartment in Patpong; 5:15am [thursday]

"Fuck it!" Ten exclaims as he scrunches up the piece of coloured card in front of him.

He wanted to do something nice for Jihae when he came back, to show her appreciation for listening to him and forgiving him. But it was all going wrong.

He couldn't think of the right words.

He couldn't find the right flowers.

He couldn't pick out the chocolates.

He couldn't buy her a present.

All because he didn't know her. He didn't know Jihae. He didn't know what movies she liked or what type of candy she preferred.

As much as Ten hated to admit it, him and Jihae were not as close as he thought.

"What do you like, Jihae", he murmurs to himself. He thought that he'd be able to at least write a note of appreciation, but it turns out he couldn't do even that, and it made him feel useless.

He plays with the green pen, pushing the button which functioned it up and down.

Ten takes a deep sigh when, in all of a sudden, his mood changes as he begins to remember song lyrics in his head. He takes the pen to start writing, beginning the greeting of his letter with 'Dear Jihae'.

'Dear Jihae

I still wonder how you could've forgiven me. I wonder what makes you like this, a good person.
A million shards of glass that haunt me from my past, but I'm prepared for this, this is something I've got to face. There's no more use in running.
More importantly, I want to thank you, Jihae. For being my one and only true friend. My first friend.
I know we haven't known each other for long, and barely know each other, but I've gotten to know something, you're amazing.
You're a bright girl. You look a bit more younger for your age but don't let that stop you, because I trust you can do great things in the future.
I know I'm not perfect. But please don't leave me. I'm afraid of being alone.
I'm afraid of losing you.
You probably think I'm some weird, emotional guy. But. I don't know.
Thank you, Jihae.
For listening to me and smiling at me. For comforting me and talking to me. I pray for you everyday. I hope I'm in your prayers too,

Many thanks, Ten'

THAILAND SLEEP