'𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓 𝐘𝐎𝐔 ‣ jeon wonwoo

012

'BOUT YOU
012

"It's really you, Isla." The man exclaimed, a tone of happiness evident in his voice. However, the woman remained emotionless, her poker face concealing her true feelings as she stood face-to-face with him. Her gaze, cold as stone, remained fixed on him. "Yes?" She responded, as though he were a distant acquaintance rather than someone she had known years ago.

"It's me, Wonwoo. I can't believe you're here in New York." He introduced himself, attempting to jog the woman's memory after four long years of separation, a duration that could easily blur memories.

Yet, how could she forget him? He was her first love—the man who had ignited butterflies in her stomach and set her heart racing as if she had run a marathon. How could she erase from her mind the person who had served as the very inspiration for the leading male character in a book she had penned years ago?

"Of course. I remember you, old man." She replied, her lips curving into a smile that never reached her eyes. "I've heard you're writing books now. My cousin is an avid fan of yours." He shared, his smile unwavering as he spoke.

"I'm an architect too, besides being an author. I write only when the spark of inspiration strikes." She clarified, her tone tapering off at the end of her explanation.

"That's wonderful. I've tried to reach out to you over the years, but you never seemed to respond," he revealed, prompting a perplexed frown from the woman. He had been sending her messages?

"I apologize, life has kept me too occupied to check my messages." She fabricated, conjuring an excuse to explain her apparent neglect. "Busy for four years, yet remarkably active on Twitter," he murmured, but not loud enough to make the woman hear.

"Pardon?" Isla arched an eyebrow, eliciting a soft chuckle from him. "Nothing," he grinned, his expression gentle. "You've grown a lot, kid." He remarked, bestowing a nickname upon her that earned a disapproving furrow of her brows. "I'm no longer a kid; I'm well into my twenties," she retorted, her irritation at being treated like a child evident.

"Understood," he chuckled, a silence descending upon them as neither dared to break it. "I should be on my way now. It was a pleasure reconnecting, Wonwoo." She bid her farewell, turning her back on him. As she was about the stride away, the man spoke, causing her to stop.

"I'm truly glad that you've chosen to reside here, Isla.  I finally have someone special to take care of." The man's words resonated, causing Isla to feel her heart pound in her chest. Overwhelmed by the weight of his statement, she instinctively closed her eyes for a brief moment, drawing in a deep breath before continuing to walk away, choosing not to confront him directly.

The realization that she held a special place in his thoughts was both heartening and unnerving, stirring a cascade of emotions within her. Her footsteps carried her further, each step a deliberate attempt to distance herself from the intensity of the situation. In that fleeting pause, memories surged to the surface, memories of a time when their paths were closely intertwined.

"Isla?" The tranquility of her thoughts was shattered as a chance encounter abruptly yanked her back to the present. A gentle touch on her shoulder jolted her, and she turned to face the person responsible—a concerned Vernon, his brows knitted as he noticed the glistening trails of tears clinging to the corners of her eyes. Overwhelmed by emotions, she managed to murmur his name, "Vernon," the syllables carrying the weight of her distress. The dam of her composure broke, and a solitary teardrop traversed her cheek, leaving a trail of vulnerability in its wake.

In a hushed and compassionate tone, he inquired, "What's troubling you?" With an instinctual tenderness, his hand found its place on the back of her head, drawing her into an embrace that provided solace—a comfort Isla was yearning for. It was in this embrace, a fusion of familiarity and warmth, that she felt safe enough to reveal her heartache. "I saw him again," she confessed, her voice muffled by the fabric of his dark shirt as she sought refuge against his chest. Her tears seeped into the cloth, leaving a mark that mirrored her emotional turmoil.

Vernon's query carried both concern and confusion, "I thought you had moved on from him?" His words hinted at a belief that time had worked its healing magic, allowing her to let go of the grip her first love had on her heart.

"How can I possibly move on, when the roots of my heart are still entwined with him?"

'BOUT YOU
written by luna