Storyteller | JHS ✓

Chapter eight; Filter

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ᴡᴇ ᴡɪʟʟ ʙᴇᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴀ ɴᴇᴡ ᴜꜱ

ᴀʏ

ᴀᴘᴘʟʏ ᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ʏᴏᴜʀ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛ

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I immediately stashed the drawing into a folder. Being caught drawing a portrait of someone I hardly knew with such detail would unquestionably reek stalker vibes. Instead, I tuned my ears towards the crickets, towards the stars even though they didn't make noise.

The sound of my heartbeat serenaded me to sleep.

_____

If someone was watching me, they would definitely call the police.

"Aigoo, you never change." the librarian's voice came out muffled from the opened window.

I crawled along the neatly trimmed hedges, avoiding any twigs, willing that the duo whom I was eavesdropping wouldn't detect my presence.

How I got here was simple: I came for my weekly story-readings like I was in third-grade, the librarian was at the front door, and I quickly dove into the bushes. It hadn't been my intention to snoop on the two most mysterious people in my life at the time. But, Dear Reader, can it really be called "eavesdropping" when I had no idea what they were saying?

Hope then quickly followed, "What? No 'Hyung'?"

"Yah, I'm older than you now."

"Yeah, yeah, sorry, I forgot you're twenty-six already."

"You have to call me Hyung now." The librarian's playful voice gave me no indication of what they were saying.

"C'mon, Mr. Kim, it's only two years."

'Kim.' The only word I understood amidst what I figured out was Korean.

'So Mr. Know-It-All's name is Kim...At least his last name anyway.'

Before I made my getaway escape, a stern voice came from the window, "Tell our moonchild here that we're done talking."

In Japanese.

The half-opened window suddenly opened with full force, leaving me exposed. Feigning ignorance, I plastered on my best innocent smile, "What are you talking about?"

He rolled his eyes while Hope only chuckled as if seeing me covered in leaves was something endearing.

"Mr.Kim" waltzed out and left us alone.

"So, how much of our conversation did you hear?"

I wondered if he would believe me if I said practically none. He seemed like the type of person to trust others too much and ultimately end up hurt. So I stated the truth and only the facts, "I heard the entire conversation, but I understood about .001% of it."

He let out an amused chortle. Hope had a faraway look in his eyes, "It wasn't anything important anyway." He tugged on the sleeves of his cashmere sweater. I couldn't help but think of how he was dressed so nicely all the time.

'Must be nice being an idol...You get to have everything...' I immediately chastised myself for thinking such a thought.

'Don't think like that. Hope has his fair share of worries as well...'