A walk to remember II
Salient Love- DAEHEE's POV -
I was almost home.
Everyday I was happy that my house was so near to my school since I didn't need to walk far. But not recently.
I dreaded going home because I had to face my Dad and settle this little fight we have going on.
But he still hasn't apologised for what he said. I sighed.
Why was I getting so worked up about this?
We were so close before, so why should I be so worried and scared?
All he said was something bad about Minhee..
A small voice in me whispered suddenly:
You know why. You know exactly why you're getting so worked up.
- 7 years ago -
"Nobody likes someone like you! Trashy and ugly!"
I bit my lip, tasting blood as my fingers tightened around the rusty chain of the old playground swing.
"No wonder you were thrown away to the orphanage!"
Everything around me was a painful sight.
Laughs and hisses with folded arms.
Smirks and snickers.
Eyes that glistened with malice and screamed " you piece of rubbish ".
Eyebrows raised with scorn, lips twisted into wicked smiles.
I wanted to run away and never come out again.
"You must be nothing but nuisance to your new family! Why did they even want to adopt you?"
I looked down, trying to blink away the tears.
The swing stopped swaying.
I was supposed to be used to this mockery already, but why does it still hurt so much? I felt like my heart was dipped into acid, topped with a sharp blade instead of a cherry.
I hiccuped, trying not to cry.
"Get off the swing! You're dirtying it!"
I felt a strong push at my back, and the next thing I knew, my dress was muddy, and my knee was bleeding.
A tear fell. Not because of the blood or the mud.
But from those words. They stung more than any wound, or anything.
"HEY!" A strong, familiar voice yelled.
I looked up and squinted, past my blurry eyes. I tried to make out who it was.. Was she..? Why was she here?
..Minhee?
She ran towards me and lifted me into a sitting position. She frowned and pointed to the bullies.
"Stop bullying my sister! She's the best sister in the whole world!" She shouted and pushed them away. They hissed at her and pushed her back but she didn't back down.
I tried to tell her to run away but.
I couldn't.
"You think you can bully her just because she's mute?!" Minhee yelled. "Meanies!" And she kicked one of them.
I quickly got to my feet and pulled an enraged Minhee back. She was thrashing about wildly, trying to land a punch on someone's face.
I tapped her shoulder, trying to make her calm down.
The bullies backed away from Minhee. "Crazy bunch!" They yelled and ran away.
I tapped her shoulder harder.
She still blindly kicked around.
I pinched her hard.
"OWWWW! YOU ARE SUPPOSED TO BE ON MY SID- eh where did everybody go?" Minhee stopped and looked around.
"Meh they must be scared of me!" She announced, but upon seeing my dried tears, her face turned sober.
"Don't cry daehee unnie. Otherwise I'll cry too.." She sniffled, and came to hug me. "Those meanies are gone, don't worry!" Her voice muffled in my hair.
I started to cry silently, the tears falling down my cheeks. What did rubbish like me ever did to deserve Minhee?
"Don't cry.." She murmured and she started to sob too.
I sniffed and tried to smile. I didn't want to see her cry too.
"Good unnie!" And she stopped sobbing and hugged me tighter.
"I'll always be with you so those meanies can never get you!" She proudly announced as she pumped her fist into the air.
I shook my head, not wanting her to sacrifice herself for me.
What if she got hurt.
I wrote, " no. You'll get hurt too. I don't want that" on the sand.
She tapped her chin in thought.
" how about we make a deal?" She jumped up jubilantly.
" what deal?" I traced.
" if people ever say mean things to you, I'll fight for you BUT if people say mean things to me, you'll fight back for me until you get a big fat sorry from those meanies!" She grinned widely.
I sniffed back the last of my tears and sadness, and nodded, smiling.
I felt a hand land on my shoulder, pulling me back. At the same time, pulling me back to reality.
It was Luhan.
I looked around and realised a lamp post was right in front of me. We were still on the streets, but nearing my house. We seemed to have taken a wrong turn though.
"Wh-what?" I blinked, trying to regain focus. "I mean, why are we here? We were supposed to make a turn.." I mumbled.
Luhan tilted his head. "I don't know. You were walking straight for that lamp post."
"O-oh.." I stuttered, stepping away from it.
Luhan cleared his throat. "You.. Okay?"
"I was distracted, sorry. Come on, that's the wrong way." I tried to smile yet I was avoiding his question without knowing it.
After that, we both walked in silence towards my house.
Until I heard the soft crinkling of paper,
then followed by quiet slurping.
I frowned and turned to my side, wondering what was Luhan doing.
He was innocently sipping on a packet of juice, a paper bag in his other hand.
I was still a little.. Lost and numb from remembering that scene 7 years ago. So it took me a while before my brain processed what is happening and what it meant.
He didn't throw it away!
I couldn't help but smile a little, my mood slightly lifted as we neared my doorstep.
I paused at the porch, with Luhan throwing the empty juice box in the garbage bin beside.
"Thanks for walking me home," I smiled. I also wanted to thank him for lifting my spirits up even though he didn't know that he did.
He nodded and spun around, walking away.
Then a soft, "thanks too," that was gently carried by the wind, brushed against my ear.
My eyes widened and I turned around.
But he had already left, leaving me to wonder whether it was my imagination or not.
My gut told me it was the latter.
Hey ! :) double update hehe.
And also sorry guys, my exams are starting in like two weeks so it's time for studying :-( i might not be able to update until after the first week of october which is about a month from now :-( I'll try to squeeze in one more update if I have the time but yeah thank you for all your patience :) I'll be able to update frequently after the school terms starts to come to a close later.
.. Wish me luck for the most traumatizing period of my life each year ,_, and good luck to all those taking end year exams too ! xoxo
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