Fleeting Moments With You

013

Much to my dismay, ever since that rainy day, Dahyun started avoiding me.

There were no more random conversations or invitations. I was back to eating dinner alone. I even wondered if she was still my neighbor because seeing her was as rare as a gem. When I found the courage to knock at her door and confront her one night, I was just met with silence. Frustrated, I decided to go for a jog and that was when I deciphered that no one was answering me back at the apartment because Dahyun was cycling. She was just cycling in circles in the open area of the playground around our neighborhood. Fortunately, there was a gate that I could close in order to not let her escape from talking to me.

"Yah. Kim Dahyun," I called her name, making her know of my presence.

She glanced at me shortly before asking, "What?"

"Are you avoiding me?" I asked as I walked nearer towards her circles.

"No," she quickly denied.

"Then, why don't you stop cycling and sit here with me?" I asked as I took a seat at the swings.

"No way. You're a dangerous guy," she replied.

"Are you mad at me because I kissed you?" I screamed as she refused to stop her bike. After a while and she still didn't reply, I added, "But you kissed me back in El Nido too."

"That... that was different!" she argued.

"What is different? Your feelings?" I questioned, "My feelings are different too. Now they have grown so much more that I could even tell you three words that I never said sincerely to a girl before."

Dahyun then stepped on the brakes and looked at me. She uttered, "Please don't tell me that you like me."

I smiled at her and tilted my head as I replied, "I like you."

She rolled her eyes before cycling again and letting out a frustrated scream afterwards.

"Don't you like me?" I asked, "You wouldn't kiss me in El Nido or attempt to kiss me back several nights ago if you don't."

"I never said that I don't like you," she argued.

"You never said you do too," I argued back.

"Because it'd make things complicated!"

"I like you. You like me. What's complicated about that?" I screamed as my gaze just followed her around.

"Everything else!" she yelled and suddenly, she stopped her bike in front of me.

Panting, she added, "You don't understand, Jimin oppa. I was too bold back in El Nido because I never thought that you'd become my neighbour. Now, we're too close with each other and it'd be better if we stop what we're in right now."

"Why?" I asked, my voice raising.

She looked away from me as she replied, "Because even if I want to be in a relationship with you, I can't."

"Why not?" I asked again, now standing up but then she cycled away from me again.

"Because I can't be anyone's girl! I do not like commitments!"

She attempted to exit the playground, she realized that I had closed the gate and it bought me enough time to catch her. I heard her mumbled, "Oh great. I forgot that you're smart too."

I was panting because I ran towards her, but I managed to say, "You don't have to commit. Let's just be in an open relationship."

She then finally faced me and with furrowed eyebrows, she said, "I told you that open relationships wouldn't work."

"Try. Let's just try," I begged her. Looking straight onto her eyes, I added, "Please, Dahyun."

"No. There are numerous things that I would eventually fail at if I would become your girlfriend. I swear. I may even one day end up hurting you and I don't want to do that!"

I smiled thinking that she was holding back herself for my own sake. I stepped towards her once more and this time, Dahyun didn't run-away when I held both of her hands and replied, "It is okay. The pain would be worth it."

By the look on her eyes, I knew that she had surrendered to the idea especially when she mumbled, "You'd regret this."

"I won't," I promised her as I enveloped her into an embrace.