Innocence // STRAY KIDS' Han Jisung

epilogue

In which he reads her innocent letter.

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The boy sat cross-legged on his bed, music blasting from his phone and the TV screen displaying an old movie he probably saw when he was still in primary in the background. But his attention was on one thing only, and that thing was making him anxious.

It was Wednesday late evening. The curtains of his windows were swinging back and forth almost violently due to the strong wind outside. It seemed as if it was going to rain later in the night, maybe even in the early morning, but honestly he didn't care about it either. If it was going to rain, well. And if not, it was still going to be well.

His attention, his worries and his anxiousness was all in the object in front of him.

The object in front of him had been given to himself about three hours ago. It had been given to him by the girl he didn't want to say goodbye to, because he feared it'd be the last time he'd be seeing her face-to-face. Even if he was living in the digital era and international communication was just one click away, it wouldn't be the same, especially since there was a big fifteen-hour gap between them.

Jisung had to focus on himself so he wouldn't start shaking in front of Mirae. As the Choi family were going through the check-in at the airport, Jisung stood back with his friends waiting to say his goodbyes and wishes for Mirae's future.

He was looking down on his dirty converse as he leaned his body against Jeongin, who was trying to refrain himself from crying. I do not need to give them more reasons to call me baby, Jeongin was thinking as he focused on anything but the girl who was getting ready to leave the continent, right before getting caught by Jisung, who instantly hugged him tightly.

"It's okay, she's just moving out not dying," he had tried to joke, but the smile he pulled up did not reach his eyes.

And Jeongin had noticed it too, and he made sure to point it out. "It does seem like that, 'cause you look really gloomy."

"Well, I love her, how could I not feel like trash?"

And right after he had mumbled those words that held more feel than anything he had ever said before, Mirae had gasped loudly from the front of the counter. Her eyes were down on a red bag she had been carrying around ever since Jisung had arrived, and it seemed that she was just realizing it.

He had watched the girl mumbling something to her father before rushing out of the line, going to where the rest were waiting. More precisely, to where Jisung was.

"I, um, I forgot," she gasped as she arrived in front of him, pulling the bag in front of her. "You—you forgot this on the table last Sunday. And—um, I was supposed to give it back to you but, well, I couldn't find the right moment. And it isn't like this is the right moment either, but, um, you know... this—this is for you.."

Thinking back to what he did, Jisung still couldn't understand where the sudden courage came from, but what he knew is that he wanted to kiss her right then and there. And he did. Just as he was receiving the bad, his other hand found its way to Mirae's waist and he quickly pulled her up into a soft kiss that lasted long enough for him to feel regret since that was most likely the last time he'd be able to kiss her.

And just as she had arrived, she ran back to her parents.

Watching the bad still unopened, he couldn't help but think about the kiss. And thinking about that made him think about Mirae and how regretful she seemed when saying her goodbyes. He wanted to talk to her, but not through the screen of the phone. He wanted to see her he wanted to feel the touch of her hand against his, he wanted to see her blushing cutely under his stare—he just wanted to be with her.