A/N. Before you start reading, PLEASE listen to Aqualung - Strange and Beautiful while you read. It'll give a better feel to the story because I was listening to the song when I typed this story. Anywho, do enjoy the story and mistakes are all mine.

 

 

 

"I've been watching your world from afar,
I've been trying to be where you are,
And I've been secretly falling apart,
Unseen"

 

 

I remembered when you first walked into my life. With your shy eyes glancing around, your beautiful sculpture deadpanned face. It didn't suited you well, having an emotionless expression. But, to me, you were the most beautiful creature my eyes has ever laid on. It was like you walked straight out of a fairy tale. Funny how I sounded like a love sick fool. Or maybe I was, I haven't known yet. All I knew, was that you definitely caught my eyes with your eyes.

As if fate was blessing or toying with me, with a lot of other vacant seat around the class, you sat next to me. Maybe because I wasn't as boisterous as the others around the class. Maybe because I wasn't begging for your attention like anyone else did. I don't really know, because having you by my side, messed up my already haywired mind. Deep down inside me, wished that the reason you sat next to me was simply because I caught your eyes. We only exchanged a small smile at each other.

When it was time for Physical Education, instead of heading out like the rest of the people, you waited for me. You waited for me. It felt surreal. Like I was hallucinating that I had to stare at you for a few moment until you stared back, unperturbed by my staring. It was the longest of time we've ever locked eyes. I swore you were smirking when I scurried passed you wordlessly. I knew why you were smirking. Oh, I knew. I was freaking blushing. 

Things changed a little then.

 

 

"To me, you're strange and you're beautiful,
You'd be so perfect with me,
But you just can't see,
You turn every head but you don't see me"

 

 

It didn't took long for you to be well known around the campus with your visual. Despite your rising popularity, you didn't embraced it. We'd occasionally bumped into each other in the hallway, exchanging small smiles. If it was our class together, you'd still be my seat mate. I only knew you by name, and that was it. Your name was Bae JooHyun. A common name, but not common face.

I noticed that you came to school with a car, but going back home on foot. It was weird. Shouldn't you be going back with a car too? Then, there was the day I was crazy enough to follow you home. I tried my best to blend in with everything, remaining incognito. You didn't took the usual road. I also noticed that you preferred the longer road to reach around, not using any detour. When there was a crowd, it was easier for me to tail behind. Even when we were not around campus, you still managed to turn heads with your calm and poised exterior. It was something I envied about as well as I admired it. I can never be like you. I was too jumpy for my liking.

You then headed to the subways, buying a ticket with me falling a few steps behind. While you were waiting, you were doing nothing, but staring into spaces. You'd occasionally glanced around with me ducking behind a pillar when you did that. When you entered the train, I followed suit, two cabins down. It was far, but I managed to see you. Luckily, there wasn't that much people seeing it was the weekdays. And again, you intrigued me when you chose to stand when there was obviously empty seats everywhere.

You were roaming around aimlessly. It was like you were lost, but you knew where you were going. You just had no certain destination to head to. Weird as it was, I didn't felt the fatigueness eating me up with me following you all day. And then, you stopped. Like, stopped in the middle of the sidewalk. I panicked when you did that. Did you discovered that I was following you all day? With my jumpy attitude, to my disadvantage, I turned around hastily, my body stiff when you turned around unexpectedly.

"You followed me." It came out as a statement instead of a question, and you sounded calm.

When I turned around all fidgety on my feet, you surprised me when I heard an airy laughter escaped from your mouth. You were smiling when I glanced up, feeling bashful that I was busted. You weren't smiling the radiant smile, but it was a genuine smile that reached your eyes. I liked it. You took me off guard when you said,

"Walk me home."

 

 

"I'll put a spell on you,
You'll fall asleep,
When I put a spell on you,
And when I wake you I'll be the first thing you see,
And you'll realize that you love me"

 

 

A year and a half months passed by, and you and I were closer than before. When I get to know you, you were fragile and sensitive. All those tough look was a facade you put on to mask everything you considered your flaw. But to me, your flaws was what made you beautiful. That your imperfections reminded me, you were human. I was a human. That I should be there to remind you that your imperfections, was perfect to me. I remembered the way you cringed when I playfully said those cheesy words. It was a memory to be engraved into my heart, and hopefully yours.

In those years we knew each other, it felt like it wasn't enough to fully understand you. I actually loved it. You were a challenge to me, harder than any quizzes I encountered on Biology and Physics. When people said that the eyes are the window to the soul, I thought it wasn't entirely true. But when I gazed into yours, I acknowledged it. The phrase couldn't be any more true. That was when I figured and understood everything about you. You knew not to hide everything, because my pair of eyes, was also your weakness. I was ecstatic, though I tried not to show it. Keyword: tried.

There was a night, you called me. You didn't greeted me like you usually did, and I felt my stomach dropped. The first thing that came out of your mouth was a "come to me". I didn't need to be told twice.

When I reached your house, I saw you perched on the roof top of your house. Even from the distance, I saw your eyes glistening. It crushed me. Like any other sappy romance movie, I climbed my way up, with you pulling me up. You didn't let me go. You buried your face into my neck and started to sob uncontrollably. I chose not to say any words because I knew it was what you needed. So, I opted by consoling you with a gentle kiss on your temple, hugging you as tightly as I could.

 

 

"Sometimes the last thing you want comes in first,
Sometimes the first thing you want never comes,
But I know that waiting is all you can do,
Sometimes"

 

 

Your parents filed a divorced. And a week after, your already ill grandmother passed away. The only one whom you really cared and loved, slipped away from your grip. You didn't cried when you were asked to leave with your father. You didn't shed a tear when your grandmother was buried. I was there with you when everything happened, even when you moved out with your father. I tried my best to keep you afloat, to keep you from drowning.

"Why didn't you cried?" I had asked one night, when we were laying on your bed together, eyeing the ceiling. I had thought that the ceiling was a little bare for my liking.

"I have you with me. And I cried enough the other night you came to me," You'd answered, and I stayed silent.

You curled into me when we slept, and you cried in your sleep. I had to wake you up a few times between sleep because you were thrashing around violently it actually scared me. Having no other way to calm you down, I chose to sing. I've never sang to you before and I was actually a little embarrased to do so. But you needed me, and I was ready for you. So I sang the song my own mother used to sung me when I woke up from nightmares. It miraculously worked, but you started to calmed down. It didn't calmed my raging heart when you were staring at me the whole time while I was singing. All the self-conscious was so hard that I buried my face into your hair.
 

You chuckled and told me to always sing to you before you sleep.
 

And I did.

 

 

"I'll put a spell on you,
You'll fall asleep when I put a spell on you,
And when I wake you I'll be the first thing you see,
And you'll realize that you love me"

 

 

Weekend arrived, and I knew you'd visit your grandmother's grave. I remembered how crestfallen you looked when I told you I was busy. It was really hard to lie to you. I had to clench my fist behind me to refrain myself from stuttering. I never said no when you'd visit your grandmother's grave because it was our ritual together.
 

Trudging around your room without your presence was really weird. It was like I was invading your privacy of some sort. But if I wanted to make you happy, I have to ignore it. Arranging the stars into the constellations you loved was a really hard task to do with my arms dangling and bent in an awkward angle, but it was worth the pain and sore. Checking the stars I arranged one last time, I hoped you would loved it.
 

And to make up for the lie I made, I bought you your favourite ice cream, purposely walking out into town just so I won't meet you in the middle of your way home. Taking the longer way to your house, I smiled to myself. It seemed like your love of taking the longer road home had rubbed off on me. I loved it. I knew why you loved it too. It was a chance for you to take in everything, without rushing. A chance for you to immerse yourself with everything that was around. It was a good distraction to be honest.

Pressing on the doorbell of your house, I hoped you haven't entered your room because I didn't want you to found out until later that night. We shared our ice cream together with you feeding me eventhough I resisted. When it was time for us to part ways, you hugged me tightly outside your house patio.

"Why were you busy today?" You asked, voice so soft it came out as a whisper.

Breaking away from the hug, I mustered a smile, kissing your forehead softly. "You'll find out soon."

 

 

"I'll put a spell on you,
You'll fall asleep cause I put a spell on you,
And when I wake you I'll be the first thing you see,
And you'll realize that you love me"

 

 

The next day came and I was anxious. Anxious because I didn't received any calls or texts from you. I tried to call you, but it went to your voicemail. Did you not liked the glow-in-the-dark stars I did? My train of thoughts were stopped when I saw your name flashing on my phone's screen.
"Come to me" it said.

I didn't even have to knock when you all but came out rushing and throwing yourself onto me. I managed to caught you into my arms, but not without stumbling a few steps back.

You were crying. But it was a different reason for you to cry.

It was tears of happiness. Because then, you cupped my jaw and pulled me into you, our lips meeting halfway. It was hard, desperate at first. Teeth clashing, your hands waving into my hair. Only when I carressed your waist with my hands, did you slowed down. The kiss was gentle this time, softer, more passionate as more raw feelings were poured into it. When you pulled out, you were smiling your radiant smile. How you still looked beautiful with tears and snots all over your face, was anybody's guess. Or maybe it was just me, because it was my turn to gift you one of my radiant smile when you said -

"I love it. I love you."

She loved the star. And most importantly, she loved me. And she still did to these days. Because even now, she'd never stopped saying those words. I could never get tired of those affectionate words because I'd always tell her that I love her, too.

And a few kisses here and there. Or maybe not few, but, you know.

She was a little strange when I first met her, but she was also beautiful at the same time which made her a little more special than anyone else.

 

Bae JooHyun was strange and beautiful.