Chapter 7: Angel
MY WAITING PLACE
Yoona closed his eyes and saw what is happening outside their world.
“Doctors are taking care of your body. They are removing the bullet from it. Everyone is praying for you..the whole nation.. oops. Nope. People all over the world who knows you are praying for you….woah..you’re really famous.” Yoona said.
Sooyoung opened but nothing’s coming out. This girl can see what’s happening on the real world. Yoona opened his eyes and met Sooyoung’s dazzling eyes. She scanned the ethereal beauty of the girl’s face which is few inches away from her. She swallowed and removed her arm from the girl’s shoulders.
“You can see outside..I mean..outside this world?” Sooyoung said. She felt weird by asking the question. As if she’s accepted she’s in a “magical world”.Yoona just nodded.
“You’re not in heaven.. nor in hell. You’re in your waiting phase. In the real world.. your body is lying on the hospital bed..but your heart, your mind and your soul is with me. In this world.”
My heart, mind and soul is with her? Sooyoung felt something by that line.
“Am I in coma or something..like in the movies?”
Yoona laughed at the girl’s movie reference. But that’s a simple way to put it.
“A..are you an angel?” Sooyoung hesitantly asked. That made the conclusion strong since this girl is really beautiful and it draws her into her. An angel can only do that.
“You might be hoping I am but NO.” Yoona said, smiling “Though I look like one..He he”
“Huh? I thought you are one..” Sooyoung let out another sigh of frustration. Looking at Yoona’s white dress, her smooth white skin and her angelic features really made an impression on her that she’s an angel..
“Oh.. I’m wearing white because it’s my wear-a-white-dress day” Yoona said while playfully looking at her dress.
Sooyoung finally managed to laugh. This girl can be funny and amusing, she thought. Yoona is as much as amazed by Sooyoung’s laugh. Her laughter’s tone will be forever imprinted in her.
“Enough with the angel thing..do you know how long am I gonna be here?” Sooyoung comfortably said.
Yoona scratched her nose.
“An angel will be with you when you’re dead but apparently, you’re not. I don’t know how long you’ll be staying here…. Some of them are being taken by an angel, some just disappeared and I just assume they returned to their bodies..”
Yoona stated it so casually. It sounds so normal and natural as a pizza guy naturally delivers pizza. For sure, this girl has been in this world and she already met and experience the same things before.
“You said this is my own version of Paradise?”
“Yes.”
“but you already met people like me?”
“Yes. It changes everytime, you know?” Yoona said while remembering. “the young girl I met before you had Disneyland as her paradise. The businessman I met before her had the Grand Canyon as his paradise. It was fun, I swear!” Yoona describing her adventures to the newly arrived Sooyoung.
Sooyoung, swallowing hard and letting the information sink in.
“Are you like me..? Y’know.. a person waiting? Like you’re existing as well in the other world?”
Yoona looked outside, her smile fading. “Yet again, a good question. That’s what I’m asking myself as well..”
Sooyoung felt the sadness in her tone. It just made clear to her that Yoona is just as clueless as she is. Wondering why she’s somehow staying in this kind of situation that long, Sooyoung just shrugged the thought to make it easier. Ignorance can really cause bliss sometimes…
“Well, then for me, you’re an angel..” Sooyoung stated her mind aloud. Yoona laughed and looked at her closely.
“Okay..you can think of me that way.”
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Sooyoung went out again and adored the place where she’s at. It’s unbelievable but clearly, she’s seeing, hearing, feeling, and even smelling the reality of the environment. Thinking about it, she really always wanted to own a beach house. She wanted to live near the beach and feel the sea breeze everyday. Summer is even her favorite season…
Every person around is greeting her. In different languages. Weird is that she understands every one of them. Well, maybe that’s how things work in this kind of place. Yoona left her few moments ago to let her rest in her room but now that she decided to go out, her mind automatically looks for her.
She’s now walking on the other side of the beach house where few cottages stand. She’s slowly walking farther away from the seashore. She felt her eyes were covered with familiar hands. She immediately knew who it was.
“Guess who..” Yoona’s standing behind her. Sooyoung can feel her slim body pressing against hers. She felt her lips are so close to her ears.
“Yoo..yoona-ssi” Sooyoung awkwardly said even though a smile is clearly on her face.
“Right!”
Sooyoung faced Yoona. They both smiled at each other.
“So.. do you want me to walk you around this paradise?” Yoona offered.
Sooyoung felt her heart skip a beat. She nodded.
“Sure.”
Yoona grabbed Sooyoung’s hand as they walk. Yoona looked at her with a cute smile on her face. She looked back at the beautiful beach house again.
“This place pretty much has anything you wanted.. the sea..this house..the pool, the cottages, the playgrounds.. everything! You won’t get bored.”
Sooyoung smiled. It really has everything that she likes. Paradise indeed, she thought. She closed her eyes and breathed the wonderful smell of nature. When was the last time she stopped and appreciated nature such as this? She can’t even properly remember.
“It’s good to take a rest..at some point. It will make you appreciate life..” Yoona said. Their hands dangling freely as they walk.
Sooyoung nodded. She slightly pressed her hand more to Yoona’s hand. Sooyoung then turn her gaze to the bunch of young people playing tag around the garden. She’s wondering who and why these people are here. Yoona noticed Sooyoung’s curiosity. She knew the girl’s way of thinking despite the fact that she just met her..
“They are called visitors. They happen to stumble upon your place. Most of them are either in a state of dreaming or dying..”
Sooyoung looked at Yoona, her eyebrows rising up. Either of them are dreaming or dying.. This means these people are real people. Sooyoung felt a chill ran down her body. She pressed her other hand on her arm to shake it away.
“..you may not believe it but all of them ..already walked with you in some place else.. Maybe one of them saw you personally or attended your fansign events.. You’ve crossed paths.. They’re dreaming of this place..where you are with them.. that’s what fans could ask for, right?”
Yoona laughed and is waiting for Sooyoung’s reaction.
Sooyoung can’t help but to be amazed. still open, she looked at every single person on that place. There are more than 10 of them. Their ages vary and their nationalities vary. True enough, Sooyoung already traveled to so many places due to her career but it seems that she can’t remember any of these people nor she knows where exactly she’d seen them.
“You don’t have to force yourself to try to recognize them..” Yoona said, making it a lot easier for her.
Sooyoung pressed her lips together and smiled.
“Wait.. I’ll show you something…” Yoona remembered something which made her fully smile and slightly grabbed Sooyoung towards the opposite direction. They are now slightly running towards the wilderness lying behind the beach house. Trees, bushes with beautiful flowers stretched until forever.
“This is my personal favorite!’ Yoona exclaimed, not hiding her delight.
Both of them slightly stopped after slowly running towards the area behind the beach house. Sooyoung then saw trees were no longer that existent in that area of the island. It’s just wide, green meadow with flower beds randomly lying all throughout the green floor. There is one lone tree near a river which stretches towards the sea. It’s majestic and Sooyoung gasped by seeing how beautiful the view is.
“Let’s rest under that tree!” Yoona then grabbed Sooyoung’s hand once again and semi-run towards the peaceful tree.
They sat beneath the tree and Sooyoung just stares at the calm silver river. The blue sea can be seen at it’s edge, opening and revealing a much better view.
“Woah..”
“You’re version of paradise is really outstanding..Sooyoung-ssi” Yoona expresses as they closely sit beside each other. Yoona’s hand is resting on her lap while pointing at the river meets the sea scenery.
Yoona suddenly leaned forward and looked closely at Sooyoung’s face. Sooyoung gulped at the girl’s sudden actions.
There was a long silence between them and they just let each other adore the scenery. Until Yoona straightened up her back and looked at Sooyoung once again. The latter noticed it and looked back.
“Your face… it’s beautiful. You’re not even wearing make-up!” Yoona’s amazed eyes scanned Sooyoung’s bare face. Soo can’t help but to break away from the stare.
“Thanks..” Sooyoung said while her lips were tightly pressed together. She's surpressing the wide grin caused by Yoona's complimenet “You look great yourself..you know..”
“If I’m a real person outside of this place.. I would have wished to be your sister or your best friend..” Yoona said casually.
Sooyoung felt her heart soften and she’s touched by the girl’s remark. She feels the same way. She seems to be very comfortable and at peace to be with her. She felt that this girl is her lifeline towards the other world. She’s wondering if like the others in this island, did Yoona and her already crossed paths? Her heart thudded for a while until it manages to be calm.
“Yoona..” Sooyoung somehow struggled to say her name.
“Hmm?” Yoona responded. “What is it?”
Sooyoung breathed and looked sincerely at the girl’s eyes
….“How come..do you know so much about me?”
Illus. 1.5: the lone tree by the riverside, the river extending to the sea.
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