DRAGONFISH | NCT's Ten

THE FIRST LINE

—seven

Church of Seoul; 2:19pm [thursday]

Jihae stands in front of the wooden crucifix.

"God. If you bring Ten back to me. I-I promise that I'll... I'll stop stealing my sister's things", Jihae speaks softly.

She knew she had some obsession with her sister's possessions. They were nice, beautiful, and Jihae wanted them.

They were mainly old things that her sister had forgotten about, except when the last time she stole, her sister realised her things were missing. Of course, Jihae conjured up an alibi but that didn't remove her from her sister's suspicions.

In fact, Jihae realised that she hadn't stolen anything in the last few weeks - when Ten came into her life.

And now she was praying for his safety - not just that - his secure return, to Jihae.

Han River; 2:19pm

Ten sits on the bank. His face crumples with the paper in his hand.

He takes a deep sigh and a loud breath.

He didn't know why he was stressed, frustrated.
Was it because of that girl?

Or was it because he couldn't handle death.

Either way, he couldn't understand it.

"This strange, magical feeling. It eats me up from the inside yet makes me smile on the out", he says. And then he quotes,

"When you fall in love, it is a temporary madness. It erupts like an earthquake, and then it subsides. And when it subsides, you have to make a decision. You have to work out whether your roots are to become so entwined together that it is inconceivable that you should ever part. Because this is what love is. Love is not breathlessness, it is not excitement, it is not the desire to mate every second of the day. It is not lying awake at night imagining that he is kissing every part of your body. No ... don't blush. I am telling you some truths. For that is just being in love; which any of us can convince ourselves we are. Love itself is what is left over, when being in love has burned away. Doesn't sound very exciting, does it? But it is!"

He didn't even know he had the part memorised, he didn't. But he did.

Was it love? The question that played in his head over and over.

Church of Seoul; 3:02pm

Jihae walks to leave the church, her head drops down as she walks in despair. Then - suddenly - she feels her arm being grasped by a tall figure.

"Ten", she smiles upon seeing the Thai boy's face.

"Jihae", he smiles back. They both walk back into the church and sit on the last row.

"I've missed you", Jihae starts.

"It hasn't been long since we've last met", Ten replies. He didn't want to see dismissive - what he's come across as - but he couldn't find the right tone to speak to her. "I've missed you too", he finally says.

Jihae's frown turns into a smile. Her expression implied she wanted Ten's approval, and still does.

"Listen", Ten says, "I-I have something for you. It's not a gift or anything and you might throw it away later but I want you to see it - well, read it"

He picks out the scrunched up paper he'd spent so long contemplating on whether he should give it to Jihae or not.

Jihae's face is full of intrigue, excitement. But Ten didn't know why, it was just a letter. And the way he's giving it to her is unusual. A letter should be mailed - but that's not true.

"Sorry. It's not in an envelope", he speaks, stutters. And his broken Korean really shone through.

"Envelope?" Jihae whispers as she takes the paper from his hands. Yellow coloured card, Jihae's favourite colour.

'Dear Jihae'

The first line got her tearing up for some reason. The word, 'dear'. Ten counted Jihae as important, close. He hadn't forgotten her. He came back to her.

"Ten", she cries. He let the letter go, not bothering to read it. And then, she hugged him.

The strong smell of Ten's cologne that she could smell whenever he was near her really stuck to her now. Likewise with her, her sweet but probably cheap scent also caught Ten's attention.

He embraces the hug quickly and was about to whisper words in her that didn't come out.

Three words, three syllables, eight
letters.

The words that could easily mend someone's heart. Crush it also.

The words that every girl dreams of hearing in her life.

The same words a parent uses to care for her children.

The words that Ten wanted to say in that moment. And the words Jihae thinks of every time she sees him.

I love you

THE FIRST LINE

wow, this chap. is so late omg. thanks for the support on this story though