Clash of Colors

Five Feet from You

The moment diffused when she palmed the pad against his back with what felt like a slap. Sehun cried out in pain. Bending over to hug himself as Namjoo collected the remnants of her things and scrambled out of the guest room.

"Freaking..." he mumbled pulling his shirt back down. "What's wrong with her?"

Groaning again when he realized she left the door open. Pushing himself up he took two strides toward the door to shut it. Sighing tiredly when he finally lay down to nap. He woke up half an hour later to no disturbance surprisingly. Lying there staring up at the ceiling. Feeling no doubt like he was in some kind of facility abandoned, uncared for.

Thirsty he got up to go find water. Discovering the house empty when he arrived in the kitchen. Having no clue that even out in the countryside there was as much to do as in the city, or so Namjoo and her dad made it seem. He didn't get it. There were no constructed roads leading toward high rise buildings. No window shops within miles. Not a coffee bar or arcade to hang out at or meet friends. A fast food joint didn't even exist here. Father and daughter were merely in the middle of nowhere. Constantly spending their time outside of the house and not glued to the sofa in front of the television, as if that was how they spent their money.

How did two people live so isolated from the city?

Sehun shook his head sipping the cool water from his cup. Walking out of the kitchen into the cozy living room he stared out the windows. Taking a step and another as he followed Namjoo outside. Moving along as she talked to an attentive group of couples. Showing them the cow in the pasture, the ducks in the field, and Klairs who was eating her usual bale of hay and in the process of destroying his pyramid.

Namjoo was speaking so energetically with her wide smile. Laughing with the group. He watched her walk out of view and flinched when Sambok jumped onto the perch in front of the window. His deep black eyes settled on him before he clucked.

Someday, Sehun promised, he would roast that bird.

Turning on his heels he walked back to his room. When he awoke again the sky was dimmer. Colors of dark blue merging with a purple-aqua hue. Tiny silver stars popping one by one outside his window. A pretty backdrop to the tiny potted flower still sitting on his window sill. He had watered it with the remaining water in his cup which was now empty and sitting beside the flower.

Grabbing the cup, he wondered if dinner was already cooked and they were just waiting for him to wake up. His was a little dizzy from all the sleeping, but one thing was for sure. He certainly felt well rested. Better than any day since he had arrived under the steaming sun.

The home was still quiet. He wondered if Namjoo and her father were still outside doing whatever it was they did. Why didn't they turn in already he wondered. Yawning as he passed the living room. His arms froze mid-air when he caught Namjoo sleeping on the couch. A book lay spread open upside down over her chest.

For the first time appearing like a regular person. Sleeping after work. So, he thought, she could appear normal too. Amazing.

Namjoo clicked her tongue and smacked her lips. Shifting to bury her face into the cushion. The book landed with a thud on the floor. He moved to pick it up but quickly whirled away when the front door opened and her father walked in. Pretentiously walking into the kitchen to refill his cup of water he eyed Namjoo's father who had not turned his way.

"This girl..." he could hear the old man mumbling as he picked up the book. "Sleep the other way. You'll hurt your neck."

Namjoo groaned sleepily.

"Go sleep in your room," her father chided. Namjoo mumbled, ignoring him. Uncle Kim sighed, giving up. Appearing surprised when he saw him in the kitchen. "You are up? How is your back?"