The soft autumn breeze wafted the far away scents close. The minimal trees in my neighborhood strayed from their average green for more earthy tones of yellow, orange, red, purple, and even brown. The soft crunches of the fallen leaves accompanied me on my walk home from a long day at school. After hours of studying and learning, the quiet walk home was like curling up to a nice cup of tea and a book on a cold winter day.
My feet unconsciously carried me to the quiet park a couple blocks away from home. This is the one thing that doesn’t change, no matter how many times I move, no matter how many neighborhoods I visit, the parks are always the same. A swing set swaying all in its lonesome. Slides and benches sit solitarily begging for attention. These unoccupied parks became my safe haven after a day at school. These few minutes away from people was what I craved for.
With a sigh I swung my backpack off my shoulders and onto the worn bench. I strolled my way over to the swaying swing. It creaked under my weight, screaming in protest. I didn’t listen. I lifted my legs up and let myself be carried away by the wind. My eyes closed, involuntarily. I got lost in myself, in my world, in my head where anything could happen.
--
“Bye, I’ll text you ok?” Her angelic voice whispered in my ear. Goodbyes were always hard, especially when we only get to see each other once in a blue moon. I nod into her hair, smelling her shampoo one last time, trying to imprint it into my memory. My muscular arms were wrapped around her slender waist. Her thin arms threatened to release me from her embrace, and I strengthened my hold on her. I didn’t want to let go. I didn’t want to go back to my busy, restless schedule. I didn’t want to get caught up in fanservice.
“I should go,” she murmured, “They’ll find us, and we don’t want a scandal, now do we?”
I hummed in agreement into her perfectly colored hair. I wanted so badly to escape. I wanted to grab her by the arm and take her by her freshly manicured hand and run away. I reluctantly released her from my hold. The gap between our bodies grew as she took a step back. Almost instantly I felt her loss like the feeling followed by eating your chocolate cake too quickly, then realizing there was no more left.
Before I knew what happened, her face was buried in my chest. Her breathing heavy and her body shaking. Her gentle hands clung to my grey polo as if it was the only thing in the world.
“Whats wrong?” I asked taking her hands and covering them with mine.
“They’re here Ilhoon, they’ll find out!” Her voice was filled with panic.
Acidic worry clawed my stomach. Before a rash decision could form in either of our brains, my body reacted. Within seconds the two of us ran out the back door of the discrete indie coffee shop.
"Go," I whispered nudging her down one side of the ally.
"But they'll-"
"Its okay. Just listen to me." I cut her off before running in the opposite direction. Although my feelings for her were growing as time passed, our careers were still more important, and we both realized that.
My lungs burned as I pushed myself harder, sprinting down the dark alleyway. Every push and pull of my muscles, every burning breath I took in, screamed for me to stop. The dim streetlights couldn’t reach behind the buildings where I was. I blindly stumble past the array of dumpsters and storage boxes. My knees were sore from the constant collisions with the small objects, but I pushed on trying to get out of this predicament.
My pursuer's steady footsteps began to falter as the chase continued, but I couldn’t move any faster. My muscles ached, my lungs were unable to keep up with my oxygenationary needs. My head hurt from the lack of oxygen. My vision started to blacken at the edges, but I saw my salvation just in time.
