“I wish I could fly.” Tae Jun said out of nowhere – breaking the silence around us.
“Huh?” I turned my head and looked at him. One minute ago he looked like he was about to pound the poor dukbokki guy who did nothing but selling dukbokki on a evening night and now he was telling me he wanted to fly? Something was wrong.
“Tae Jun – Are you drunk?”
Tae Jun slightly arched his eyebrows. “No. Do I look drunk?”
“How am I supposed to know? The Park Tae Jun I know would never say corny things like–”
“Yah babo. Let me finish what I have to say.”
Tae Jun had cut me before I even had a good laugh at him. I was so caught up that I didn’t realize he was really serious this time. Taking it as a warning and not wanting to burst his bubble again, I decided shut up and let him talk.
“When I was little, my mom used to read Peter Pan to me before going to bed. We would all grow to become adults in the future, right? But now – I think I understand why Peter doesn’t want to grow up.” He paused and let a deep sigh before continuing again. “You know, I didn’t have a normal childhood like the other kids around my age. Ever since the day I was born, I was taught to take responsibilities. I was taught to know that one day I would become a grown up – A grown up that will take over his father’s company and have his entire family rely on him. Just like that, my childhood was tinted. This is why I wish I could fly – I wish I could fly to Never Never Land and never come back.”
From the moment he talked I couldn’t get myself to take my eyes off him. Sure his sudden change of mood took me by surprise but I was more intrigued than confused. What he said was sincere and for the first time, I felt his pain. All of this came from his heart. His story drew me in.
My heart was racing at a ridiculous fast pace. So fast that it felt like it was about to leap out of my chest. Millions of things were going through my head and a strange knot started forming in my stomach. The knot was growing bigger and bigger as I listened to him unfolding his life by the second.
“Tae Jun I – I think I love you…” I managed to say loud enough so I could divert his attention.
To be honest I didn’t know what went through my mind the moment I said it. Somehow, deep down, I knew that I couldn’t let the chance slipped away. They say actions mean more than words. In my case, my words were what I had to rely on in order to show what I’ve been feeling this entire time. I guess in a way, I was showing Tae Jun that I really cared for him and that I was there by his side. The more time I spent with him, the more permanent he became in my heart.
Just as I gulped my embarrassment down, Tae Jun, looking even more serious this time, stared back at me and sighed.
“Are you drunk babo?”
“…”
I blinked once. I blinked twice. My jaw dropped and I was utterly speechless. Park Tae Jun had knocked me off my seat. This guy simply knew how to ruin the moment. And after all this time of gathering my guts to confess to him, he asked me if I was the one who was drunk?! ‘He couldn’t possibly be taking my words just like that…could he?’ I thought to myself.
“Wh–What did you just say?”
“Telling someone you love them shouldn’t be taken so lightly. Love is a very serious and hard word to say.”
“Yah! You think I would go around and tell random people that I love them?! Seriously Tae Jun, you think this is a joke? You think I’m bluffing?”
“Look, all I’m trying to say is that when you tell someone you love them it’s like telling them – it’s like telling them ‘I have cancer’ ”
“…And your point is?”
“You don’t tell someone you have cancer unless you REALLY mean it.”
I was completely deflated and I was about to loose my mind. I wanted to mentally slap myself for saying what I just said. I didn’t even know why I was wasting my time debating about what’s been said to him when mister can’t even comprehend the message. Therefore, to save myself from any other forms of embarrassment I decided to do what I’m best at: walking away.
I stood up from the bench and started walking away from him. I guess the more time I spent with Tae Jun, the crazier I’ve become. ‘What in the world was I thinking confessing to a stupid Peter Pan wannabe I-should-be-flattered-a-girl-confessed-her-love-to-me jerk’.
“Wait, Mina.”
“WHAT?!”
I wasn’t able to take more than three steps when a hand gripped onto my left arm, jerking me back to my spot. My heart, that was skipping at an incredibly fast pace because of the frustration building inside, stopped as soon as a set of soft brown eyes stared into mine.
It really amazes me how his eyes were able to take my breath away and hypnotizes me into staring at them forever. Tae Jun must have known by now that he possessed that kind of power because at that moment he was using it against my weakness and quite frankly, he was really good at it.
After what seemed like an eternity of playing at the staring game, I felt very conscious of what was going on that I looked away. Tae Jun grabbed my two arms – this time bringing me closer to him. As soon as I felt his breath inches from my face, he took both of his hands and placed them of my face, cupping my cheeks. He made me looked directly in his eyes once more before smiling reassuringly.
“I have cancer.” He said in a comforting whisper.
------
“Huh?” I turned my head and looked at him. One minute ago he looked like he was about to pound the poor dukbokki guy who did nothing but selling dukbokki on a evening night and now he was telling me he wanted to fly? Something was wrong.
“Tae Jun – Are you drunk?”
Tae Jun slightly arched his eyebrows. “No. Do I look drunk?”
“How am I supposed to know? The Park Tae Jun I know would never say corny things like–”
“Yah babo. Let me finish what I have to say.”
Tae Jun had cut me before I even had a good laugh at him. I was so caught up that I didn’t realize he was really serious this time. Taking it as a warning and not wanting to burst his bubble again, I decided shut up and let him talk.
“When I was little, my mom used to read Peter Pan to me before going to bed. We would all grow to become adults in the future, right? But now – I think I understand why Peter doesn’t want to grow up.” He paused and let a deep sigh before continuing again. “You know, I didn’t have a normal childhood like the other kids around my age. Ever since the day I was born, I was taught to take responsibilities. I was taught to know that one day I would become a grown up – A grown up that will take over his father’s company and have his entire family rely on him. Just like that, my childhood was tinted. This is why I wish I could fly – I wish I could fly to Never Never Land and never come back.”
From the moment he talked I couldn’t get myself to take my eyes off him. Sure his sudden change of mood took me by surprise but I was more intrigued than confused. What he said was sincere and for the first time, I felt his pain. All of this came from his heart. His story drew me in.
My heart was racing at a ridiculous fast pace. So fast that it felt like it was about to leap out of my chest. Millions of things were going through my head and a strange knot started forming in my stomach. The knot was growing bigger and bigger as I listened to him unfolding his life by the second.
“Tae Jun I – I think I love you…” I managed to say loud enough so I could divert his attention.
To be honest I didn’t know what went through my mind the moment I said it. Somehow, deep down, I knew that I couldn’t let the chance slipped away. They say actions mean more than words. In my case, my words were what I had to rely on in order to show what I’ve been feeling this entire time. I guess in a way, I was showing Tae Jun that I really cared for him and that I was there by his side. The more time I spent with him, the more permanent he became in my heart.
Just as I gulped my embarrassment down, Tae Jun, looking even more serious this time, stared back at me and sighed.
“Are you drunk babo?”
“…”
I blinked once. I blinked twice. My jaw dropped and I was utterly speechless. Park Tae Jun had knocked me off my seat. This guy simply knew how to ruin the moment. And after all this time of gathering my guts to confess to him, he asked me if I was the one who was drunk?! ‘He couldn’t possibly be taking my words just like that…could he?’ I thought to myself.
“Wh–What did you just say?”
“Telling someone you love them shouldn’t be taken so lightly. Love is a very serious and hard word to say.”
“Yah! You think I would go around and tell random people that I love them?! Seriously Tae Jun, you think this is a joke? You think I’m bluffing?”
“Look, all I’m trying to say is that when you tell someone you love them it’s like telling them – it’s like telling them ‘I have cancer’ ”
“…And your point is?”
“You don’t tell someone you have cancer unless you REALLY mean it.”
I was completely deflated and I was about to loose my mind. I wanted to mentally slap myself for saying what I just said. I didn’t even know why I was wasting my time debating about what’s been said to him when mister can’t even comprehend the message. Therefore, to save myself from any other forms of embarrassment I decided to do what I’m best at: walking away.
I stood up from the bench and started walking away from him. I guess the more time I spent with Tae Jun, the crazier I’ve become. ‘What in the world was I thinking confessing to a stupid Peter Pan wannabe I-should-be-flattered-a-girl-confessed-her-love-to-me jerk’.
“Wait, Mina.”
“WHAT?!”
I wasn’t able to take more than three steps when a hand gripped onto my left arm, jerking me back to my spot. My heart, that was skipping at an incredibly fast pace because of the frustration building inside, stopped as soon as a set of soft brown eyes stared into mine.
It really amazes me how his eyes were able to take my breath away and hypnotizes me into staring at them forever. Tae Jun must have known by now that he possessed that kind of power because at that moment he was using it against my weakness and quite frankly, he was really good at it.
After what seemed like an eternity of playing at the staring game, I felt very conscious of what was going on that I looked away. Tae Jun grabbed my two arms – this time bringing me closer to him. As soon as I felt his breath inches from my face, he took both of his hands and placed them of my face, cupping my cheeks. He made me looked directly in his eyes once more before smiling reassuringly.
“I have cancer.” He said in a comforting whisper.
------
Another short story written by yours truly four years ago and probably the cheesiest of the bunch (haha). Back in high school, i would always write a new story during my summer vacation of that year. But ever since i started college, i've been on author's block and i've lost all inspiration. I'm a bit bummed out that I lost all of my stories because i had to reformat my entire hard drive thinking the guy would only fix parts of it. This short was the only one i had on my usb key, whereas a bunch of prologues are in there too.
I miss writing, but knowing the kind of person that i am, i lack in the idea and the update department *cough*thisblog*cough* But we'll see. I might reconsider writing again if motivation and time are given to me. Btw, Lee Seung Gi and Han Hyo Joo are flipping amazing together!!! If you haven't seen it yet, Shining Inheritance is a must watch drama. What in this world can make my manly brother cry? Oh yeah, this drama did! :D I had to post the vid because I find it fitting to my story above (hehe)
