seven
comforting
 

I only wakeup when I hear the noise coming from someone sitting on the same bench I am. That makes me open my eyes but the sun is right high in the sky, blinding me. However, soon there’s a small shadow on top of my eyes, allowing me to open them once again just to find a hand blocking the sunlight.

“Does this bother your photosynthesis  process?” a feminine voice asks.

As I recognise it immediately, I sit up straight, literally bumping into her hand that slaps my forehead. She retrieves it immediately, but the harm is done and it’s all my fault.

“Gwenchana?” she asks and I shake my head, getting rid of the stupor from both the slap and the nap I was taking.

“Deh,” I say. “Give me five seconds to wake up.”

“Okay, but I wanted to make photosynthesis too, though,” she comments. I tilt my head a little bit, watching her. “Do you mind sharing the spot?”

I don’t know how to answer at first, too awestruck, so she takes the lead and grabs my shoulders to make me rest again, facing the sun. I have to close my eyes immediately because it’s too bright, so I can’t see what she’s doing. I hear the fumble of her clothes against each other when she moves, and the next thing I feel is her head on my shoulder, her cheek next to mine.

I freeze.

I can’t breathe, I can’t move, I can’t even open my eyes, but my heart races furiously in my chest. She’s so close, lying next to me, and if I turned my head my lips would immediately find her temple. I take a shaky breath and I’m immersed in the sweet scent of her shampoo. I think it’s coconut, not sure. I think it’s a smell I didn’t like before, but right now it’s the sweetest thing I’ve ever smelled.

My hand acts on its own, raising and reaching for her head, my fingers barely touching her hair. I notice I’m slightly shaking, especially when I hear her sigh next to me.

“The weather is so great today and this feels nice,” she speaks and as our faces are touching, I can actually feel the movements of her jaw when she speaks. I’m hyperaware of this situation and I’m not sure if I can answer. “Maybe not the most comfortable position, though. I should move,” she muses next and I find my voice.

“Ani! No need to move.” I sound so eager. She doesn’t say anything, but I can feel her smiling.

“I saw this in a drama once and it looked uncomfortable. I wanted to try.”

“I think it’s really comfortable,” I hurry to say once again and this time she chuckles. “You’re more comfortable than the hard wood.”

“Why thank you,” she replies amused. “But if you keep my hair I’m going to fall asleep.”

My hand freezes. I didn’t even notice how I kept her hair until she mentioned it. I, reluctantly, take it away.

“Mian,” I whisper and she shakes her head. “Did you really come to do photosynthesis?” I ask her next.

“Ani. I wanted to ask for a favour to be honest.” I stay silent, just waiting for her to continue. “While we were away, Omma was fixing another room in the house for me so I won’t need to share with eunni anymore. I was wondering if you could help me move things around and those stuff. Eunni has plans this weekend and I don’t want to bother Omma or hire someone. If you can I understand. I’ll just have to ask Yi An ins—.”

“I’ll help!” I blurt out before she can even finish that word. As if my heart wasn’t racing already, knowing that she asked me first is going to give me a . “You don’t need anyone else. I’m super strong.”

She laughs but not in a mocking way, just amused for how I’m saying things.

“Gomawo.” We stay in silence for a little way and all I can hear is my beating heart. “By the way, I’m thinking of taking your advice and stop liking Yi An.”

“Jinja?” 

“Deh,” she replies. “Even if he really likes me and not eunni anymore, it is still weird. And even if he is sure about it, I don’t think I can ever be. He liked her for ten years, only