Seventeen: One-shots

JiHan : Waves

     “People are like waves...” Jisoo murmured, looking up into the vast, blue sky, captivated by its beauty. “They come and go.” he stood up and shook off the grasses that were now in his shirt as he was about to leave.

     He started walking, without plans of where to go. He just let his feet lead him somewhere. Dumbfounded, he finds himself stopping by on a seashore—where they first met. Memories pour all over him, as he unconsciously sat down on the spot where they would usually talk. He started reminiscing.

     It was about 3:00 PM when he decided to go out for some walk. He doesn’t have anything to do, aside from watching his favorite show, watering the plants and baby-sitting on his niece. He brought his notebook and pen with him; he always does that, knowing that he will succumb into his deep thoughts later on. He likes writing them—the things he couldn’t muster to tell to anyone but himself.

     Looking for a good spot, he finds himself sitting beside a beautiful woman—no, a man. It felt weird for he really looked so pretty. He stared at the lad for he-doesn’t-know-how-many-minutes, and the latter seemed to notice what he was doing.

     The man cleared his throat, tilting his head to look at him. “Problem?”

     He blinked, trying to compose himself. He shook his head, “O-oh, nothing.” He let out an awkward smile. “You’re just too beautiful for a man—” it was too late when he realized what he just said. The other one replied with a soft chuckle.

     He opened his notebook and started to write some of his thoughts.

     “For you, I crossed the ocean, but you left me ashore; you hurt me already, yet you wanted more.” He was shocked when he heard him read one of his notes out loud. “Deep, huh?”

     He shrugged. He continued writing down some, when the man, once again, spoke. But this time, it was something.

     “People,” he started, “are like waves.” he smiled at Jisoo, who was bewildered at the moment. “They come and go.” The man beside him offered a hand. “Yoon Jeonghan, they call me angel. However, you can call me Han.”

     He stretched out his hand and took the lad’s. “Hong Jisoo, they call me Joshua. Call me Soo.” he wiggled his eyebrows.

     “I see. So you like writing prose and poetry...” he raised one of his eyebrows.

     He nodded, “Yeah.” and closed his notebook, keeping his pen between the last two pages where he’d last written.

     They talked and talked for hours, not minding how long they’ve spent together, until it was already dark and they had no choice but to bid good bye.

     They both enjoyed each other’s company, so it became a habit for them to see each other twice a week, in their usual spot, until it became daily.

     For Jisoo, time stops whenever he was with Jeonghan. All he could ever think about was him, his long hair, his eyes, his warm smile. All that matters to Jisoo was Jeonghan.

     For Jeonghan, he knows why some people meet. There are reasons of why things happen. He even said once, “People come and go as a lesson,” yet, he doesn’t seem to know the reason why he was falling harder with the man every single day.

     They both knew their feelings and went on with it, although they are completely aware that what they were doing was completely wrong. Society doesn’t allow the kind of relationship that they have, since they were both of the same gender. But then, everything feels so right whenever they’re together.

     Days turned into months, and months turned into a year, but it only kept them strong. Everything was in peace and at the right place, when something came up.

     Jeonghan was sick, and they got nothing to do but to trust the doctors and pray for the success of his operation.

     Jisoo held his lover’s hand tightly, kneading it as he rubs his thumb on his palm.

     Jeonghan, on the other hand, reached out for Jisoo’s face and touched it gently, wiping the man’s tears away. He stared at him the way he stared at the most beautiful thing on earth, memorizing his features. Before closing his eyes, he saw him mouthing the words I love you.

     Good things come to an end, don’t they? Jeonghan was gone... not temporarily, but forever. Jeonghan was dead. And he was left alone, fighting the war, having scars that he knows time can never heal.

     How long has it been? Jisoo thought. Two years? He bitterly smiled as his tears won’t stop from flowing. He buried his face between his knees and sobbed.

     “People are like waves...” he squinted his eyes, hoping to stop the tears from falling as he repeated the words. “They come and go.” he stared at the beautiful sunset and whispered, “So I stopped admiring the sea.”