Sweet Silence

Moon Byul turned off the engine as she placed her legs down on both sides of her bike. She straightened her body and took off her helmet before placing it in front of her. She took a look at her watch and a few minutes later, she heard footsteps coming towards her.

“You’re early!”

A big bright smile with two dimples greeted her as she passed her a helmet.

“I just got here actually.”

“Well, you’re here before I came out, so it’s counted early!”

“You looked happy today.”

Moon Byul commented when she noticed how the bright smile doesn’t fade away from the older girl face.

“That’s because I am… and you’re here to fetch me so I don’t have to squeeze in the public transport!”

“Sure, Ms. Yong Sun. What do you want for dinner?”

“Tteokbokki!”

Solar exclaimed and Moon Byul chuckled before picking up her helmet that was in between her legs. Solar giggled as she put on her helmet.

Moon Byul merely shook her head as she put on her helmet and waited for the older girl to get up on the bike behind her.

Once she felt arms around her waist, she revved the engine and carefully joined in the busy road.

“Hmm… this is sooo delicious!”

Solar commented as she chewed happily on the sweet and spicy rice cake that they bought from the store they frequent often.

“Byul, do you know, today, the project that my colleagues and I had been working hard on got selected!”

Solar said as she eats and flashed a big smile towards Moon Byul who was eating quietly beside her.

“We were so happy! The big boss gave us big praises and said that this project is going to be a success because the other party love it a lot.”

“Although it does means that we’re getting busy real soon, but you know, it’s just like another confirmation our group gotten!”

“And… and! We’re confident that we can make it! I’m so excited!!!”

Solar squealed a little and her body shook with excitement as she looked over at Moon Byul who was chewing silently on her food.

Moon Byul looked up and found a smile creeping up on her face when she saw how Solar’s eyes sparkles from the excitement.

She leaned forward and captured the older girl’s lips, away the sauce that the excited girl had left on the corner of her lips before planting a soft kiss on Solar’s lips.

“Yes, I know you’re excited and I’m excited for you too.”

Moon Byul said with a smile as she watched Solar’s cheeks flushed red at the sudden kiss.

“But go on and finish your Tteokbokki before it turns cold and I don’t wish for you to catch a cold too.”

Solar grinned and rolled her eyes playfully before turning her attention back to her favorite food.

Moon Byul stared at the river in front of them quietly while she waits for Solar to finish her food.

There was silence between them for a while, but nevertheless, it was a sweet silence for both of them.

And Solar never mind this sweet silence, as long as Moon Byul is there with her.

Wet Silence

It was raining heavily. The raindrops pelted painfully on the body and the wind was harsh.

Everybody was running away on the streets, trying to find a shelter nearby but not two figures.

Solar was walking in the heavy rain with an umbrella over her, but she wasn’t looking at the streets.

It was blurry anyway, not because of the heavy rain but because of the tears in her eyes.

It hadn’t stop ever since she learned about the death of her grandfather. And it certainly did not stop since they cremate him just now.

The rain doesn’t help either, for it only makes her feels like crying more.

She was sobbing harshly, tears were falling strongly but she was too sad to say about anything.

She doesn’t want anybody beside her.

She doesn’t want anymore comforting words or condolences words.

She had enough of it since three days ago because none of it would bring her grandfather, her beloved grandfather back to life.

She just wants to be alone.

And Moon Byul respected it.

Which was why she’s drenched in the rain, trailing behind the older girl.

It was cold.

And Moon Byul felt the pain from the heavy raindrops.

But she figured, it will never be as painful or cold as how Solar felt right now.

They managed to walk all the way home in silence.

And once they were inside their home, Solar dropped the umbrella on the floor, leaving a big puddle of water on it.

She then turned around and stared at Moon Byul in silence before throwing herself against the drenched girl.

Moon Byul said nothing but secured the weak girl tightly in her arms.

They were leaving a big puddle of rainwater on the foyer as they stood there with Solar crying in Moon Byul’s arm.

It was uncomfortable and cold.

But she figured, it’s more important to make Solar comfortable and warm first in her arm.

It was silence, a wet silence between them for a long while, but Moon Byul prefers this silence for now than having Solar to be silence for a long period of time while she’s mourning.

Salty Silence

Moon Byul looked up from her laptop screen to the digital clock that on the corner of her study table.

It’s already 7 in the evening, and her stomach growled suddenly. She was so swamped up in her work that she doesn’t even realized that time passed so quickly. Closing her laptop, she stretched her body before standing up and walked towards the bedroom.

She knocked twice softly before entering the dark room. There was a lump under the blanket and Moon Byul felt her heart sank at the sight.

It’s been a week, but Solar is still feeling down.

“Baby? It’s dinner time.”

Moon Byul called out as she sat beside the covered lump and not long after, a hand came out and slapped her lightly.

“I’m not baby.”

Solar retorted in a muffled voice and Moon Byul chuckled, happy to receive this response back as she knew how Solar hates these cheesy nicknames.

“What would you like to have for dinner?”

Solar pulled down the cover with a pout and Moon Byul laughed out before leaning down and kiss her gently on the lips.

“I’ll order jjajangmyun, jjampong and tangsukyook?”

Moon Byul whispered and Solar nodded before closing her eyes as Moon Byul kissed her gently again.

Solar remained in her cocoon until Moon Byul came in again when the food was delivered.

“C’mon, the food is here, it won’t be nice if it’s cold.”

Moon Byul tapped on her and left the room, giving her some time to get ready and wash up.

“Jjampong?”

“No, I want Jjajang.”

“Eh? But I can’t take spicy – ”

Moon Byul was taken aback at the sudden change of taste but Solar has already taken the noodles, said her thanks and started eating it.

Moon Byul could only sigh in despair as she forced herself to eat the spicy seafood noodles.

 They were eating in silence once again, with Solar enjoying the slightly salty and sweet taste of the black bean sauce noodles and fried pork cultet.

It was a salty silence, but halfway through it, Solar break into a big laughter when she saw how cute Moon Byul was.

The poor younger blonde was hissing her way throughout her meal due to the spiciness.

There was a death stare sent towards Solar, but the older girl couldn’t care less. She twirled her noodles around her chopsticks before stuffing it into Moon Byul’s mouth, stopping the hissing sound for a while.

She giggled, then swopped their noodles.

It was a total silence again, without any hissing sound.

But Solar could feel her hearty laughter from just now lingering around them. It’s been a while since she laughed like this.

And tears crept into her eyes, but she felt warmth in her chest.

Moon Byul is never a person that talks too much, but her actions does speak louder than words.

Solar is grateful for that.

She tastes saltiness when she’s eating her spicy noodles.

It was her tears, and she knew Moon Byul saw it.

There was no words exchanged but she gave a bright smile to Moon Byul, conveying her thanks to the younger girl.

The younger girl just gave her a wink and Solar rolled her eyes playfully.

Uncomfortable Silence

It was quiet, too quiet for Solar.

The silence was too unbearable.

It’s not the first time that Moon Byul is not home for the night.

But it’s the first time that Solar felt so suffocated under the silence she’s experiencing now.

There’s no Moon Byul in sight, and Solar felt like crying.

In the middle of the night, Solar left the house.

“What a scare!”

Moon Byul exclaimed when she saw a head of black at the side of her bandaged arm.

Solar woke up at the voice and smiled blearily at Moon Byul who was lying on the hospital bed.

The younger girl was involved in a traffic accident while riding her bike during work and was hospitalized.

She had unfortunately broke her right arm and sprained her left leg when a car banged on her right side from the back, making her bike toppled to the left and she was left skidding on the road for a few metres.

When Solar received the news, her heart almost dropped.

She was livid and wanted to scold and lashed out at Moon Byul but she couldn’t.

Because the accident happened when the younger girl was chasing after a criminal.

It wasn’t that Moon Byul was driving dangerously, but it was the circumstance that puts Moon Byul in danger.

It’s bound to happen, Moon Byul had always said this.

But Solar tends to brush it off and forced herself to believe that it would not.

“What are you doing here so late?”

Moon Byul whispered as she reached out to hold onto Solar’s hands with her left hand.

“I… it’s too quiet at home.”

Solar confessed quietly.

“I thought we agreed that you’re just going to take it as I’m working night shift before you went home just now?”

“We did… but the fact that you are in hospital… just doesn’t make that thought right.”

Solar muttered and Moon Byul could only let out a soft sigh.

“You still have work tomorrow, you can’t sleep over here.”

Moon Byul explained calmly but the older girl shook her head.

“I can’t sleep at home too!”

“But it’s going to be uncomfortable for you to sleep here!”

“I’ll be fine! At least, it’s better than the uncomfortable silence at home.”

Solar argued and Moon Byul blow out exasperatedly.

There was a comfortable silence for a while before Moon Byul shifted carefully on the bed.

“Come up and sleep.”

She lifted the blanket and Solar smiled before climbing up the bed and lied carefully beside Moon Byul.

“I’d still prefer you to go home and sleep comfortably honestly. It’s going to be very uncomfortable for you and you’re going to have a bad ache on your body tomorrow from sleeping like this.”

Moon Byul grumbled and was hushed by Solar.

“Shh… I want to sleep.”

With that, Moon Byul hushed and closed her eyes reluctantly.

Solar doesn’t mind being uncomfortable for a night.

It was a long silence between them until Solar whispered as she snuggled close to Moon Byul.

“I don’t mind being uncomfortable for a night… as long as I’ve with you beside me.”

She was glad her eyes were closed.

She was glad the room was dark.

She was glad that Moon Byul could not see the flush on her face.

She was glad that Moon Byul did not say anything and stay in silence.

She was glad for the comfortable silence between them.

She felt a kiss on her forehead before a soft “I love you” was heard.

For once, she was glad that the comfortable silence was broken too.

“I love you too.”