He left, and this lipstick was his final gift;
She must lose it if she wants to lose this stupid love...
She needs companionship, redemption -- someone to end this awful loneliness;
Lipstick and cats are her saviours;
An ownerless stick of expen...
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Chapter 4 - Maple leaf 🍁
Lisa froze in her spot. She was so overwhelmed by the warm and sweet hug that she was no longer crying. Jungkook broke the hug slowly and looked at her in the eye. "Feel a little better now?" He asked with a smile. Lisa nodded her head in response.
They both got up from the ground and dusted their pants. "Let's go," Jungkook said with a warm smile. "We can find a place to chill out a bit, alright?" Lisa was startled and happy at the same time. He finally smiled. Lisa couldn't be happier.
They went to a nearby snack bar and Lisa started munching on her food right away. Jungkook was amazed at the amount of food this woman could intake. Lisa spoke while eating, "This is the reason I chose to be a tour guide. My dad never smiled in the days before he killed himself. And after that, my mom also stopped smiling. I wanted to work in an environment where you can see smiling faces to escape the gloomy haze of life. So, then I thought, aren't the happiest people the ones who are out enjoying themselves?"
"And that's what drew you to an unsmiling tourist like me?" Jungkook chuckled.
Lisa panicked and her face immediately turned red due to the embarrassment, "Ah! That's not what I mean! I know I have given you a ton of trouble today, I'm sorry."
"No, you haven't given me much trouble, I should be the one thanking you..." Jungkook said with a warm but faint smile. "All along, all the scenery was colourless in my eyes. Even though the maple leaves are so beautiful, in my eyes, everything seemed grey. Until I encountered you... I'm able to see colours again. I'm able to see the flame red colour of the maple leaves, just like flames of passion" that can warm a frozen heart... Jungkook thought.
"You were right, these red leaves are indeed beautiful..." Jungkook looked around and continued, " ...but, I think, the most beautiful thing here definitely isn't the scenery." He said while looking at Lisa. Lisa blushed, and her gaze immediately shifted towards the food.
To avoid the awkward silence, Lisa spoke, "This lipstick was in your bag, it's also the colour of maple leaves. It's truly very beautiful..." she said, handing over the lipstick to him.
"I chose this for chaeyoung. I was going to give it to her for her birthday." Lisa could detect the sadness in his voice. "But that day, she got into a traffic accident and never once got to use this lipstick."
"But I'm sure she's still happy with this gift, up in heaven. The colour is truly pretty." Lisa said in a consoling voice. Jungkook gave a small smile and nodded in response.
"Do you like maple leaves?" He asked.
"Yes! I super-duper like it!" Lisa squealed like a kid.
And they both laughed at each other, embracing the moment amid the maple leaves...
This line of work as a tour guide... it's tough and the money's not great. But Lisa still likes it. It allows her to see many beautiful smiles. These tiny blessings warm her life.
The sky turned from blue to yellowish-orange. The sun looked beautiful among the clouds, taking its throne. And it was time to go back home...
Lisa made all the tourists take their seats and started calling out their names one by one.
"Lee Minho!" "Here!"
"Park min Jae!" "Here!"
"Jeon Jungkook! ...is Jeon Jungkook here?"
Just then an old lady called out to Lisa "Young lady, the person you just called for asked me to give you a message along with this." The old lady gave Lisa a very attractive rectangular box. She opened the box and found the maple coloured lipstick and a letter inside. She wasted no time and started reading the letter...
Dear miss tour guide, It was just as I picked up my pen that I realised that I don't know your name. I am deeply apologetic about my unauthorised departure From the group. I'll explain it to your company later. I left because I no longer needed to rely on travelling to escape. Now, I just want to hurry home and be back by my family's side.
While I wasn't lying at the time, I also wasn't being completely honest with you. Back on the edge of that hill, I honestly didn't plan to jump down. But your prediction wasn't wrong. I was indeed about to give up on my life. But you realised this. Because of you, my world was suddenly awash with colour again. I don't know you. Just like you don't know me. Perhaps we will always be strangers, only brushing past each other. But by lightly touching shoulders just once, you have changed my life. Thank you.
So, please accept this red lipstick, help me to pass on the blessing of life. This is just a tiny thank you for rescuing me. I think it will suit you.
Lisa's eyes were welled up with tears. "You idiot, don't you know that lipstick can look different after it's put on? It might not work..." she spoke softly to herself
• • •
It was a brand new day. The sun shone brightly, basking its surroundings with its warm light.
Kim jisoo, Lisa's colleague, greeted her warmly and noticed something in her, "huh? Lisa, did you change your lipstick colour today? It suits you!" She squealed.
Lisa gave her a big, bright smile, "Really? That's great!" He was right. This colour does suit me.
"Visitors, look at the little red flag in my hand! Come this way!" And Lisa began with her day.
This red is the colour of her life... the colour of warmth and enthusiasm.
