That One Hot Summer Day

When Nayeon woke up at 3:00 in the morning with the moon still high up in the sky and the glow up stickers of stars shining bright on her ceiling, two things welcomed her back from dreamland to real life.

1^st. Her dreams are also her reality.

And 2^nd.  It’s all because of one person and one person alone, Yoo Jeongyeon.  

She closes her eyes to recall the events that occurred the other day while the sun burned on her skin.

Her smile is still vividly bright in Nayeon’s memory. Her shirt drenched with sweat, despite doing nothing but sit on the bench placed just a little further away from her house’s balcony. Her hair, lightly being swayed by the scorching breeze. 

Nayeon was reading this sad, tragic, teenage romantic novel she has read a thousand times, but still can’t pronounce the title correctly, right next to her, was Jeongyeon, who was mindlessly swiping through her phone as she fanned herself with one of Nayeon’s books. 

“Do you want to get some ice cream?” Jeongyeon suddenly spoke, peering her eyes off of her phone to look at Nayeon.

“Hush.” She quietly said. “I’m busy.” The other girl watched as she flipped yet another page.

“Will you ever get tired of reading that novel?”

“Probably.”She said, not bothering to look at the one who asked. 

“What’s it even about?” She asked as she scooted closer to try to peak on the pages to no avail, with Nayeon’s hand covering the only page visible to her.

“We’ve seen the movie, you know what’s this about.”  She said while flipping another page.

“Is it one of those boring movie adaptations you made me watch?” She asked once again, moving the other girl’s hand from covering the book.

“No. You cried your balls out watching this one.”

“I did? Or are you talking about yourself?”Shegrabbed the book from Nayeon’s hands and it made her smile now that Nayeon’s eyes are finally fixated on her.. “Let’s go get some ice cream. “ She beamed, smiling so wide, her eyes were completely concealed.

Nayeon smiles as she recalls them walking back home from the convenience store when Jeongyeon stopped her tracks, startling her, as she was walking just a few steps behind.

Jeongyeon took a deep breath, then started to walk once again. Her shirt still drenched, if not even more from walking, her hair still being swayed by the breeze. Nayeon couldn’t help but stare at Jeongyeon’s back, it’s something that has always given her a sense of comfort. It’s something that has always made her feel safe. She could cling herself to her all day, if only the heat wasn’t so severe.

They reached the bench after a few minutes and sat down.

“What’s wrong?” Nayeon asked, as the one sitting right next to her took another deep breath.

“Is it that movie about those teenagers with illnesses, and the guy ended up dying in the end?”

“Hmm, why do you ask?”

“That movie made me really sad.”

“Yeah, You cried buckets.” Nayeon said, as she quickly l!cks on her ice cream.

“I know, it just- it made me realize that it could happen to all of us like, you know…” She snapped her fingers in the air. “In an instant it could all be gone. You could be gone.” She turned to look at Nayeon.

Nayeon tried to hold her stare and she quietly said. “I’m not going anywhere, Jeongyeon.” Dismissing the thought.

“You might… and you will.”

They stayed silent for a while, nothing to hear but the sound of leaves being blown by the wind, until Jeongyeon spoke, looking at Nayeon’s house just across the street. “Do you remember the first time we met? When you hit my dog with your bicycle when you were 13?”

“That was an accident!”

Jeongyeon chuckled. “I know.”

“But you still hated me for over a year.”

Jeongyeon laughed. “I know, but do you remember what I was wearing that day?”

Nayeon squinted. “No? Should I?"

“I remember what you were wearing. You were wearing this denim jumper over this shirt with ruffled sleeves.”

“Hmm..I don’t remember.”

Jeongyeon bitterly smiled. “Well, I do. It took me over a year to have the courage to talk to you.”             

Nayeon was confused. She didn’t have a clue where this was going but it made her heart beat unnaturally fast. Jeongyeon looked at her, hair still being blown by the wind, her shirt has dried, lips have this unfamiliar smile.

“What are you trying to say?”

Jeongyeon lowered her head to the books scattered on the grass. She slowly picked each one and piled them up on the space between Nayeon and her, a habit that she has had forever. She cleans when she’s upset, nervous or afraid and it’s also something that Nayeon has always found attractive yet annoying.

“Jeongyeon..”

“What I’m trying to say is that... You don’t have to read those books about love anymore.”  She turned her head to look at Nayeon. “Because I’m right here. -

- And I love you.”