A Second Strike Of Lightning

A Prelude to a Fire Storm

When they were still a couple, Seo Jin took pride in the fact that him and Jin Ah complemented each other, from small nuances such as her being an eager cook and him being a hearty eater to significant ones like him pushing things that she would rather pull back. He told her stories she patiently listened to and she anchored him to reality when his imagination took him a bit too far. She was a true-blue pessimist, yet he was always there to remind her that the glass was likewise half-full as it was half-empty. While she relentlessly chased time, he constantly slowed her down to savor the moment instead of simply letting it slip through their fingers. His eyes were set on the promises of the future; hers subconsciously lingered on the wounds of the past.

He was not enthusiastic about socializing, so she usually saved him from the awkward conversations among acquaintances and families. She would be the one initiating small talk on his behalf and come up with excuses to leave parties early or avoid attending gatherings altogether. On the other hand, she was able to overcome her bouts with self-doubts thanks to his persistent will to validate and reassure. He was generous with his affections, especially when they were in the privacy of each other’s company, and never failed to be her rock whenever she felt small. He was her true north, the compass that tirelessly kept her from going astray; she was his muse, the guiding genius that inspired him to live in color.

On a lighter note, he also liked the fact that she looked so tiny against him. She was petite and slender standing five feet and five inches tall, a stark contrast to his lean and sinewy built and his height of six feet one. He found this more convenient – quite handy when he wanted to sweep her off her feet like a knight in shining armor – and ideal since he could easily wrap himself around her as if he was her own brand of comfort blanket.

He was doing exactly that after they printed copies of the images they were browsing in his study, hugging her from the back as she reviewed the photographs on her hand. With his chin perched on the top of her head, he could not help but intoxicate himself with the scent of vanilla emanating from her skin which seemed a little too warm to the touch.

“So it turns out that we only had three pictures from that spring trip,” Jin Ah mused as she shuffled through the printouts. “And you took them prior to us checking in.”

“I did, yeah,” Seo Jin agreed absentmindedly while staring at their reflection in the tall window. “We did not leave the room until Sunday night.”

She dramatically sighed and remarked, “Such a shame.”

“It is,” he concurred, nodding slightly. “We can visit the place again if you like.”

She snorted, initially wanting to burst his bubble with a witty retort although she ended up not saying anything.

“Is that a ‘yes’?” he asked when she maintained her silence.

To his surprise, Jin Ah pivoted on her heel and reluctantly faced him without stepping out of his embrace, her lower lip pouting out in the same manner that brought him to his feet and compelled him to submit to her bidding any given Sunday. He tightened his arms around her, jumping at the chance to draw her in. Seeing that her eyebrows were pulling themselves together in a knot on her forehead, he figured that she was torn between letting him down and getting his hopes up.

“You don’t have to answer right away,” Seo Jin told her, withdrawing a hand to soothe that crease with his thumb. “Just… please don’t say ‘no’ for now.”

She hesitated for a while, pursing her lips together before replying, “Then, I won’t.”

At once, the corners of his mouth curled up into a bittersweet smile and he did not need to speak another word for her to understand that he would prefer an open ending over a sad one.