Daehyun: Chapter 23
The Way They Shine
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Is this a dream? Because it feels like a dream. It's one of those things that people would dub as "too good to be true." It probably won't last. That's how things work in this life. Nothing ever lasts. But ... you hope that this will last longer than most things.
Last night, you and Daehyun had sat on his front steps and just stared up at the stars. Your hands intertwined the whole time, he'd point out silly little things in the sky, weaving stories around the constellations he'd see, just to humor you. You had laughed, and told him he's a dorky kid, but he'd just smile at you in that way that makes your heart melt, and he'd squeeze your hand, and you'd suddenly forget to create a witty reply. It doesn't matter, really. Just being with him was one of the best experience you could have imagined.
You had told him about Jungwook being the writer of the notes. Daehyun hadn't been angry, like a part of you had expected. He simply nodded and only said, "I gotta thank him."
"For what?" You asked.
"For making you smile, too."
On and on. That's how it went, with Daehyun crumbling all your defenses with the straight forward sweetness of his words. You had gone separate ways in the end, when you finally decided to care about the time and realized how late it was. You said your goodnights, and Daehyun promised to walk you to school tomorrow.
And here he is now, standing in front of your door, a grin on his face. The sun shines behind him, making his hair glow brighter than it already is. He pulls out from behind his back a tiny flower, the same color has his hair. You stare at it, and tentatively take it from his hands, afraid that its petals will fall off. It seems so fragile. But its beautiful.
"I saw this when I was walking home yesterday. I meant to give it to you last night, but ... here it is," he says nervously. "Sorry its not ... a rose ... or anything like that. I hope you don't mind."
No. You don't mind. How could you? Daehyun isn't exactly rich. And to be honest, you're content with banal things as this now. You don't need lavishness anymore. You can live without it.
"I'll keep it here," you say, laying it gently on the counter. Then you close the door firmly shut behind you and walk beside Daehyun as he leads the way to the school. Your hands bump against each other, and you want to hold his hand, but you're not sure whether you can make that move first. Your worries aren't long lived, however; he easily slips his hand around yours, and you walk towards the school with a smile on your face.
Once at the school, the whispers are louder, but the topic is different. Gossips of how the once top girl of the school is dating the guy of lowest class circulate. They stare at you wonderingly, as if they can't quite comprehend why you'd do such a thing, as if you still have a reputation to protect. It doesn't matter to you anymore. Not when Daehyun had told you, indirectly, that you're worth something to him. You don't care what 'worth' you have in those people's eyes. What matters is that you're happy. Right now, you're happy, and you're not about to let those petty, cutting words shatter your heart.
You see Jungwook in the hallway after your first class. He's not with his two other comrades, but instead walks along, his head down and eyes on the floor. You wave to him, and he looks up. He gives a half-hearted wave and approaches you.
"Hey," he greets. "I hear you and Daehyun are an item," he says, getting straight to the point.
You'd almost forgotten that just yesterday, Jungwook had revealed his feelings for you. For some reason, you feel guilty, and you nod slowly, afraid to completely admit it in case you'd hurt him. But he smiles, surprising you with his reaction.
"Are you happy?" He asks you. You've never been asked that before, and you can't help but be thankful for Jungwook. Even if he had been rude in the beginning, only to contradict his previous reactions with the current state of his feelings for you. It's because he honestly cares for you, even if he doesn't know how to express it. You like him for that.
"I am," you smile genuinely. "Thanks."
He grins, a huge grin that you've never seen from him before. "That's good," he says. "I'll see you around. I don't want Dae to get jealous."
"Dae?"
"Daehyun," he smirks. "See you later," he says, and he walks away, leaving you to smile over the significance of his words.
You sit with Daehyun at the cafeteria. The whispers are made more present here, but the intent is different. It's like they admire you from far away, these people talking about you. As if, secretly, they appreciate how, despite your downfall, you've managed to keep your ground, but they refuse to admit it to your face. It doesn't matter to you as much, anyway. Not when Daehyun's beside you. But that's only one point. You've learned something about yourself. That even when you've lost everything you've known, you're still worth something in someone's eyes. You can still shine.
Daehyun goes looking for a job after school, and although you want to accompany him, he won't let you, insisting that he wants it to be a surprise. So you go home alone, feeling more content than you have been in a long time, and do your homework.
Time passes by slowly though, probably because you're not focusing on your homework and are instead thinking about Daehyun, and when he'll come home. You tap your pencil on the desk and try to focus, but it's proving to be futile as the hours pass. You stand up and head for the kitchen, wanting to get a glass of water. You see the flower on the counter and are about to get a small cup of water to place it in when, just then, someone knocks on your door.
It's probably Daehyun. Excited, you skip to the door and swing it open, only to freeze in your steps when you see the face of your surprise visitor.
"Hey, sweetheart," your dad says. He wrings the hat in his hands and gives you a timid smile. "I've come to take you home."
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