Years may roll

but your heart shall refuse,

to accept anything

beyond those bleeding eyes.

For they bleed blue

and his tears will drain you.

FOUR

“Can I cut your hair, Baek?” I asked. We were having breakfast, I cooked the fishes that we had caught yesterday. I had finished mine to be accurate.

He suddenly choked on his water. “You okay?” I asked, worried that he might have gotten a fish bone stuck in his throat.

“Baek?” he asked as he caught his breath, his eyes watered up because of the choking.

“Huh?”

“You just called me ‘Baek’,” he said, still coughing.

“Yeah… should I not?” Did I just open a gate of memories for him? A trigger?

“Yeah? Are we now on friendly terms?” Baekhyun suddenly became somber. Typical of his mood swings. “I am a criminal; you better keep that in mind. In fact, you should’ve disassociated yourself with me already.”

“Ummm…” I decided to bring him back from his mood swings. “I just asked if I can cut your hair, not our relationship status.”

He gave me an angry eye-roll, a habit he does a lot before he sighs and nods.

“I guess I need a hair-cut.”

“Yay!” I dashed to my room. I already borrowed a pair of scissors, razors and cheap shaving cream from the villagers for this very occasion. I have actually been planning this for a long time. Baekhyun looked scared and suspicious as he eyed the pair of scissors in my hands.

“Are you sure you can cut my hair? I don’t want to end up looking ridiculous,” he appeared rather bothered and kept glancing at the sharp object.

“Trust me, I may not be the best, but I can cut hair. And besides, you already look like Sirius Black who just got out of Azkaban. So, shut up and let me do the work.” I arranged a seat for him just outside, a little further away from our house.

“Who’s Sirius Black?” he asked as he sat down.

“Oh. He’s just my Godfather.” I smile a little as he nods. “And, I am also a witch.”

“A what?”

“A wizard, Harry. You’re a wizard,” I silently chuckled to myself with the stupid conversation that I was having.

“What are you saying?” He sounded really confused.

“Nothing,” I chuckled a little as I started snipping off his hair.

The day was significantly amusing and also slightly heart stopping as Baekhyun walked out of his room, looking slightly abashed and red in the face as he donned his new do. It was shorter than before, which meant his pretty face peeked out, and I had made it short enough to keep his hair out of his beautiful eyes.

He looked good. No, he looked very annoyingly attractive. He had done a fine job shaving off his facial hair. Why couldn’t he be someone who isn’t good-looking?

“Woooo… You look good,” I praised him as his face blushed a shade deeper than before. “I must say I have fine skills.”

He simply shrugged and rolled his eyes, but he kept avoiding my gaze. However, that did not stop me from studying him. He had delicate features, unlike what a typical thug would have. He was beautiful, almost feminine. His skin was a little tanned from all the fishing he did but still flawless. His beautiful eyes, the most striking feature, which funnily resembled sad puppy eyes, seemed a little brighter these days. His lips got their color back. Altogether, he has become a sight to see.

* * *

Both Baekhyun and I obtained stuff from people all over the village. The people offered us clothes, foods and necessities like soap and oil. My hair was badly in need of good shampooing but even soap was a luxury here.

Our house looked a little more like a home now that we were filling it up with stuff. I asked Baekhyun to pick me some wildflowers for decoration whenever he goes out fishing. He brings it without fail, and it was different every day. I sometimes go down the beach to collect pretty shells and stones to decorate the house, particularly the kitchen.

The villagers will come at times to gift us baby octopuses, clams, snails, and shrimps then they would go around admiring what we’ve done to the place.

Another month simply went by in haste. Baekhyun and I made progress in our relationship considerably since we were, after all, living under the same roof. We talked casually, relaxed as friends. There was something about his company that I liked a lot. Even though we do not have many conversations, there’s this comforting aura that I when I’m with him… as though we connect at a deeper level.

We had a way of communicating even without words. It felt as though I had known him for a long, long time. I could tell what he felt just by looking at him and vice versa. He was an incredibly honest person. He makes it feel like he understands me!

That was funny considering he was once branded a criminal, but that fact was always thrown out of wind