CHAPTER 3

        THE girl slowly pulled off her T-shirt and ped her dark blue skinny jeans, then threw them away to the basket under the sink. For a moment she stared at the mirror, looked at her own body. Despite of her gloom eyes, she was still beautiful. She un-tie her bun and in a blink, her long hair just felt until her upper chest. Again, she stared at the girl inside the mirror, as if she’s somebody else. A beautiful face, but full of hidden sorrow was captured on it. Then she shifted her gaze lower; her eyes run across her neck, her , her middle, her ribs… Everything was perfect on it. The smooth milky skin, the round mound, the flat shaped abs, the skinny leg. Everything on it was so adorable, if only…

        When her eyes spotted some point, she squeezed her eyes and suddenly. The bruises. She bit her bottom lips instinctively, while her right hand voluntarily rubbed the bruises around her left ribs. It’s indeed painful; however her heart was painful more.

       She quickly the faucet and in a blink the water just streamed. She wet her hand with the water and rubbed the bruises again. Again and again though she knew it wouldn’t erase the mark. After she felt it’s enough she turned off the faucet and walked to the stall. She stepped into the stall and the shower. As the head of shower began to spread the drizzle, she let her tears run down her cheek along. She used to do it. She used to hide her tears and let it flew afterward, along with rain or the drizzle earned by the shower. Because she knew, by that, no one would’ve known the sorrow and pain she’d hide during this time.

        I JOLTED in surprise as my alarm sound like banging in my head that morning. As I said, I wasn’t good in waking up early; but I was kind of person who never break my own words. So this morning was another matter to tell; it wasn’t like me used to do – groaned and hit the alarm again to prolong my slumber; anticipating for the next 5 minutes to wake me up again. I didn’t spin out the time; instead when I noticed it was already 6.45, I hastily run into my bathroom. I pulled off my pajama and let it scattered on the floor; brushed my teeth and turned the shower on. As the drizzle earned by shower head began to hit my face I felt sudden refreshment overwhelmed my body. Somehow I felt slightly excited to start this day. I had no idea whether it was because I was about to meet her or… it was just my mind was playing a trick. Dunno.

        This morning, as I caught my window was slightly fogged I began to get a feeling that the weather would probably bit colder than usual. I put my thick clothes on and sandwiched my body with a black leather jacket. I wore my navy blue favorite jeans and hastily went down the stairs; making unmistakable audible sound of footsteps. From the halfway of stairs I could see my mother who was preparing the breakfast peered up, probably wondering why I was so noisy this morning.

        “Am I dreaming?” I heard she asked confusingly and I giggled hearing her remarks.

        “No, you aren’t. This is your real beloved daughter who had already awake.”

        I caught she glance at the clock pinning on the wall and she was frowning when put back her gaze on me.

        “Yeah I knew, Omma,” I said nonchalantly. “It’s early.”

        “What’s up?” she smiled then back to prepare the breakfast.

        “I have to pick up a friend,” I told her honestly; then looking at the sandwich she already made.

        “A friend? Who?” she asked and shifted her gaze at me again. I deliberately displayed a mysterious smile.

        “You’d find it later,” I giggled and kissed her cheek; then grabbing the sandwich that already captured my eyes previously.

        “Can I have this one?” I asked and before she answered I already bitten it.

        “You don’t have breakfast with us?” she asked back.

        “Ummm,” I trailed off and after glimpsed at the clock again, I shook my head. “I don’t think so. I have to go now, Omma. Bye,” I smiled and grabbed my bag after waving my hand. A second before I reached the porch, I heard my mother chuckled. I knew she must be wondered what was happening to her beloved daughter. Yaaa, I promise I’d let you know after I made sure everything, Omma. Don’t worry!

        When I reached her home at 7.10, out of my expectation, she’d already stood at the porch, waiting for me. Once she noticed my car, she slowly walked toward passenger side and opened the door. I threw a friendly smile toward her after she adjusted her seat and buckled the seatbelt.

        “Hi,” I greeted casually and she greeted back to me; that for me was the first morning greeting I heard from her during we’re occupied at the same college.

        I secretly scrutinized her for a moment and I caught her in this sight: she let her hair falling down instead of tying it, she wore pink wool sweater with cute bunny picture in the middle of it; completed her lower part were a pair of black trousers and dark brown short boot. For a moment the memory suddenly conjured up again in my mind. Pink. Hell.

        When it came about pink, automatically, it came to her as well. Yeah. She’s totally obsessed with pink, I guessed. No matter how much I gave her many pink items, she’d always receive it joyfully; she’d never bored with that color and all the things I could remember about her room was… it’s fulfilled with anything pink. The last stuff I gave them before she left was a pink totoro doll. She yelled in amusement just like a child and peppered me with many kisses afterward. I couldn’t help but giggled finding her childish and cute action. Only toward me, I could tell you, she might act like this. Then she hugged the doll tightly and leaned forward, smooching my lips playfully once again.

        “Thank you, Tae. Thank youuuuu… I love ittttt,” she said.

        “Whenever you’re missing me, always remember, I’ll always be with you. You can tell totoro and she’d forward it to me,” I giggled dorkily and she laughed hearing my absurd remarks.

        “Tae, I love it,” she uttered again.

        “I know, that’s why I bought it for you.”

        “No, I’m not talking about this doll,” she shook her head and made another cute expression that I thought I’d gonna die soon if she kept displaying this kind of face. I’d die in happiness.

        “I love it – because you’re the only one who can make me feel free. You’re the one who know how to treat me. You’re the only one who can make me feel this way… You make me be nothing, but the way I am.”

        I was speechless as her remark already caught me off guard. She rarely showed her feeling bluntly. It’s usually me, who revealed my feelings that blunt. She wasn’t really good in talking; but her expression was more than enough for me. But this is her first time showed me her feelings, truly and deeply, by remarks.

        “With you, I’d never want anything more,” she added genuinely and our eyes fixed each other.

        I was so dreadfully touched at that time. My hand extended and reached her waist. She adjusted and leaned forward, getting herself closer to me. I calmly angled my head and she’s too. I could see she’d already shut her eyes; anticipating what’s going next and I smiled. My hand wandered upward and cupped her cheek. Afterward I rewarded the girl I loved most in this universe with a kiss.

        “I promise,” I whispered. “I’d always be the reason behind your smile.”

        “Tae? Tae?” The nasal voice interrupted my reverie. I slightly jolted and quickly managed my expression. I tilted my head and found Jessica looked at me confusingly.

        “Uh, oh, what? Sorry, losing in thought,” I admitted. “Were you asking me something?”

        “Oh, no,” she replied. “Am I ruining your daydreaming?” She asked innocently.

        I giggled. “No. It’s okay,” I hastily answered. “Anyway, it’s my bad habit, you know. Daydreaming,” I added.

        “Jinjja?” she asked. “You often did it?”

        “Yes,” I said.”Um, no,” I rephrased it again. “I mean…,” I trailed off. “I suddenly remembered something.”

I caught she nodded her head, but remained silent; probably waiting me to add something, but I just didn’t do it. I didn’t think it was right to tell her about Tiffany or my past. I meant how it would give me any benefit to tell her all the stories?

        “Anyway, have you already searched for the journal?” I rose up a new topic.

        “Not yet,” she shook her head.

        “Were you busy lately?” I asked wonderingly, as I thought a diligent student like her supposed to find some journals already.

        “I’m sorry?” She seemed didn’t really get my question. I laughed smoothly.

        “I thought you’d already start to search or so,” I said.

        “I supposed to,” I heard she said heavily. “Lately…,” she trailed off, seemed hesitated to continue, but finally she went on.

        “I was kind of slightly…,” she trailed off again and I patiently waited. “I thought I wasn’t in good condition.”

        “Owh,” I slightly startled. “Are you sick?” I asked in concern and caught she quickly displayed a smile; but I thought she only forced it.

        “Aniya,” she shook her head. “I mean I was in boring phase, perhaps. You know… sometimes all the routine could kill you.”

        I widened my smile. “Ah I see… Why don’t you try something new? Or did some refreshing?”

        “Hmmm…,” she paused momentarily. “Dunno. I just don’t think it’d help much.”

        “You even don’t try,” I smiled casually. She remained silence, so I added my sentence – after considering it fast.

        “Ummm,” I exhaled first. “This weekend I plan to go to Seoraksan,” I said and learned her expression secretly. She stayed nonchalant; her expression was unable to read.

        “You may join me,” finally I release the invitation. “I’d be glad if you’re joining me,” I emphasized, out of the blue, and afterward I just thought back, did I do a right thing?

        Don’t get me wrong. I mean I sincerely invited her; however I wasn’t really sure about her thought toward my invitation. We just built any nice interaction just by yesterday and though it run well, was it would be right to offer her to go along all out sudden?

        “I jumare?” she repeated confusingly and somehow my anxiety was just subsided.

        “Uh-uh,” I nodded. “Anyway, it’s not any courtesy,” I gave her broad smile.

        “Oh…,” she made an expression. “I didn’t think that way,” she quickly explained. “No worries.”

        “Glad you know that. I offer genuinely since I thought… you need any refreshing,” I explained. “Are you cool with it?”

        “Hmmm,” she seemed considering my invitation. Say yes, please say yes! I heard my own self yelled and suddenly I felt so confuse about my own self. Why I just be that excited???

        “I’d love to…,” she trailed off.

        “But?” I raised my eyebrows. I knew she’d add “but”.

        “There’s but, isn’t it?” I smirked.

        She couldn’t help but smile. “I’m not so sure about it.”

        I didn’t responded yet; thinking she would add something to explain her reason, but as she seemed already hushed , I decided to ask her again, though I thought it was slightly out of my business. But hell, I was so curious.

        “Why?” I asked briefly.

        “I thought I’d spend this weekend to search for the journal and translate it afterward. You know… the professor ordered us to give him the paper by next week.”

        Hearing her reason somehow made me relief. You know why? Hey, you know why?

        You really had no idea? Ah come on.

        Because I could overcome it! Ha ha.

        “Why you’re smiling?” suddenly she asked as I “forgot” to hide my smile.

        “What if this afternoon you began to start it?”

        “What?” I was sure she heard me clearly, but I repeated once again.

        “Yeah, what if this afternoon you start it so this weekend you’d get your free day.”

        “I still wasn’t sure I’d accomplished it by this weekend,” she murmured. “I wasn’t that good on…”

        “Oh,” I chimed in. “I might rephrase.”

        She threw me a baffled look.

        “I mean what if we start the journal this afternoon and make it possible to accomplish it before this weekend coming.”

        She looked at me with unbelievable sight. As if I could read her mind, I added casually.

        “Don’t say that,” I smirked. “You don’t bother me at all. Instead, as I said, I’d be glad if you can make it happen.”

        “Call me cocky if you want,” I smirked. “But I’m sure I’m good in sort of things.”

        I hide my victorious smile when I caught her slowly widened her smile. Yes! I made her smile again. Yes!

        “Thanks…,” she trailed off. “… cocky…”

to be continued...