Broken String

Chapter 1

 Kim Minyeong:

A picture of loud arguments sizzled under the scorching sun. Blood with bubbles of jealousy flowed through the winding lines embossed through my neck as the staccato rhythm of indignant and painful voice blew up my mouth. The wild horses in my chest galloped and interspersed with warriors fighting for love. A liter of tears glistened my pink-dusted cheeks solemnly dedicated to the one I love, who now was standing right in front of me as his deceiving words hid the truth. Hours ago, I was observing. I was looking. I was listening. I was feeling the green atmosphere not of nature but of envy. I saw it. His arms enveloped such tiny frame of a stranger as hers wrapped his broad ones. I heard it. The sweet melody of laughter tasted so bitter instead. Now he took a step closer as I took a step backwards. His hand, which once was touching an unfamiliar being, reached out to wipe the tiny bead of agony against my cheek. I looked away. And before I turned to leave, I broke the string that once connected a passionate bond.

The tiny beads of agony blurred my vision as I ran across the paved lines. I heard cars screeching, I heard the horns beeping, I heard people screaming, and I heard him yell my name while weeping. I felt pressure hit my head down to my chest, my ribs, my thighs, my waist. And all of a sudden, the gray pavement was against my face. The painful silver beads mixed with the thick red liquid. And then I saw a silhouette of a man in front of me. He cupped the back of my head full of blood. And my heart skipped a beat from the electricity of his touch. He looked familiar, but everything turned fuzzy. So I closed my eyes, and in one second I opened it back only to see bright lights all focused on me. A figure in blue mask blocked my view of the surroundings. I felt my eyes getting heavy, I felt my breathing to be inconstant, I felt the world around me turning like a wheel so fickle, but other than that, I couldn't feel anything else. Then the world shut down and turned black.

A few moments later, this mystical land of pearl white appeared. A ball of pinkish white cloud powdered with magical silver dust puffed and welcomed me as if it wanted me to come in. The peaceful scent of the cooling breeze tempted me to walk through the entrance, so I came in. A woman in a glimmering white dress opened her arms wide. She gave me a smile. A very comforting smile. Then not long after, I realized in which paradise I were at. The whole place gave me a comforting feeling, and I felt as if I never wanted to go out again. But the woman told me it wasn't time just yet. It wasn't time yet to stay. I still had a mission to finish back to the mother land I was born. I nodded, and all of a sudden, I dropped with the paradise as it vanished in a warped black hole.

I opened my eyes and noticed myself lying on a room of white. I squinted my eyes, trying to focus on something as if I was trying to make an image out of a blank, white paper. And as I shifted my gaze to the right, there I saw a messy bundle of ebony black hair. My eyebrows met each other, lips curled into a tiny pout as I wondered who the stranger was. I gazed at his luminous strands while spacing out as I figured what my previous state was, digging deep down my brain the memories of what brought me here. I remembered. . . Nothing. I felt a heavy weight on my chest that held my breathing into exhaustion. Who would’ve thought that thinking about nothingness would be this tiring? It was as if I dug on vastness looking for treasure but found an empty, old box instead. I breathed out the smallest amount of air, and the stranger flinched as if I blew out a flare of burning fire.

The stranger lifted his head up that was previously pillowed on his long and lean arms, revealing his tired eyes that were as droopy as a new-born pup’s. A face of heaven I thought he had just by looking at his pure and youthful features. His smooth skin, as white as snow, highlighted such swollen cheeks that puffed as soon as he smiled. His red-pigmented lips squared and exposed his healthy, white teeth, which were perfectly aligned with pointing canines. Was it just me that I forgot who I was just by looking at such perfect view from a perfect angle, or was it just because I was in heaven? I thought I dropped down from that paradise not long ago. Perhaps he was an angel who came down with me as my soul descended back to earth? I repeatedly pressed my lids down to see if I was still dreaming. But I wasn’t. I guess he was too flawless to be real. I heard him chuckle. The melody of his sweet laughter was pure music itself, and the waves of his voice as he spoke was a melodious ballad.