Final ; One Way Link

Byun Baekhyun loves orange and hates blue. There was a longing peace he found within orange and dwelling of monochrome in blue. But, he still regarded them nonetheless. For as long as they exist, the colors would make Baekhyun’s day felt lively. He appreciated the colors.

He observed the pavement even when he felt nothing was worth to look at it. The pavement was built along the path according to the shape structure of the rocks. Nothing was interesting to see. The color was brown with a hint of maroon and grey. The colors were dull.

Baekhyun gritted his teeth. He shook his head.

His raven hair was tousled thanks to the spring breeze. He ran his fingers through his hair. He sighed unknowingly. His eyes still set on the pavement, he continued to amble along the path.

He stepped by, step by step. Once in a while, he backed a step again. Likewise, he still continued two more steps further before backing again. Then, he did that again. Even Baekhyun didn’t know why he did that, it will help him to clear his mind or maybe, could help ease the feeling bottled up in his heart.

Baekhyun stopped. Finally, he shifted his gaze to the blue sky above. He twists his head a little due to the numb feeling he got. He looked down so long. His neck felt the pain. After feeling a bit better, Baekhyun haven’t removed his gaze from the sky.

The sky was baby blue, without a hint of cloud in Baekhyun’s sight. The day was calm even when the wind was singing slowly inkling bit of chilly weather on a nice day. The sun was up in the sky, only a little hot was the sensation that go through him.

He sighed again. Averting his eyes from the sky, he turned to his left when he heard the sound of someone coughing. Baekhyun squint his eyes when he saw an orange rolled towards his shoe.

He picked the orange. In front of him there was a girl gripping an orange in her left hand as he r right hand on . Baekhyun took a step towards her. She was frozen on her spot. Baekhyun could see her lithe body trembling, in attempt to cough. Yet, she didn’t dare to initiate it.

Her white hanbok sleeve was accosted by the breeze. The flower designed on her hair ornament began to move.

“This orange fell earlier.” Baekhyun said, handing out his palm so that she could reach out for the orange. Baekhyun met contact with her eyes. He stepped closer until he was in front of her. “Here.” He took her hand and put the orange in her palm.

She blinked.

“I can take it.” She voiced. Her voice was soft but firm.

“You’re too slow.” He told. “Besides, you’re wearing hanbok. Don’t you feel sorry if the white hanbok become dirty later? It’s beautiful. White is a pure color, you have to look after it with care. So, it won’t stain. You will not have hard time to wash it just to make sure the dirt is cleaned away.”

She laughed. The stranger in front of her sound so distant earlier. Ironically, when he mentioned about the color, he’s quite talkative.

“I have another set of hanbok. There are about five in white color aside from this one. You don’t have to worry. I appreciate it.”

Baekhyun shook his head. “You won’t understand.”

Her lips curled into a playful smile. She didn’t talk though, the girl was indicating Baekhyun to go on. “Even if it’s the same color, there won’t be another one like this. Things can’t always be replaced. It won’t even feel the same. What if this is your favorite one?” He asked. She kept her mum. Her eyes trailing off to the side, as she was thinking about it seriously.

“That might be true.” She mumbled. Baekhyun could listen to her muffle giggle. What was so funny with his words? Baekhyun rolled his eyes.

“What are you doing here?” She queried after a few moment.

“Is it wrong to take a walk at a park?” Baekhyun sassed. She shook her head.

“I never saw you before.” She answered. Baekhyun bit his lips. His fist turned into ball. He didn’t know how to explain it to the girl.

As if realization hit in, he realized he just talked with a complete stranger. He didn’t even know her that well, neither did her. Yet, he could talk with her normally like they had know each other for a long time . Concluding, she was just being nice, Baekhyun stands.

Before he walked away, she grabbed his hand. Baekhyun glared at her. “What?”

“A token of thanks. Eat it.” She gave Baekhyun an orange and let go of his hand. “There, you’re free to go.”

“I don’t need an or…” He declined. Her smile stops Baekhyun from rejecting.

“I hope your sour day will turn sweet like the taste of this orange. I wish your day will be like the orange color, very cheerful and bold color. Have a nice day.” She uttered. Baekhyun laughed in hope to mock her simple thinking. But, she didn’t buy it. She pretended not to hear and ignored the laugh. It made Baekhyun felt guilty.

“Okay. I’ll take this.” He commented and left away.

However, as he traced his steps slowly, Baekhyun was reminded to her smile and the way her eyes crinkled when he took the orange. She was happy about it.

Baekhyun would be sorry if he rejected her offer. Thus, he took the orange unwillingly. When he was about to eat the orange, he was recalled of what she told him before. Baekhyun shook his head, for the orange she told to be sweet tasted sour on Baekhyun’s tongue.

Very sour.

A week passed by. Baekhyun visited the park again. This time, when his head was lower to look at the pavement, he saw the fallen petals of cherry blossom trees planted along the path. It made him wondered where and how did she get the orange last time.

His eyes were heavy and he was feeling under the weather. Baekhyun needs to sleep. He wanted to, but he couldn’t. Not when his heart was urging him to take a walk at the nearby park near the café he always stops by to buy donuts and latte.

He couldn’t take his eyes off from the park. When he noticed it, the park was lovely with so many cherry blossom trees were there. It made a perfect dating spot for couples. They must have thought it was a romantic sport. Family wasn’t left behind too, in the weekend, he always see a few families having a picnic in the park.

Baekhyun yawned. It was a very boring day for him. The entire week felt like the same scenery repeating again like a broken record. To have a change of scenery, Baekhyun was very glad about it. As he was strutting, he saw her back. Her straight black hair wasn’t tied. It looked messy when the breeze swayed her hair.

Baekhyun knew it was her when he saw the hanbok. After all, she was one rare girl out of modern girls in this time. She was a lady that holds pride in traditional and historical things. That’s what Baekhyun could assume about her. This time she was wearing a pale baby blue hanbok. It compliments her fair skin well.

No one would wear pretty hanbok like this, she must be from a rich family. Hanbok is expensive. Baekhyun thought.

“Hello.” She turned her head when she heard movement.

“Hello.” Baekhyun repeated in the same manner. Her eyebrows were furrowed. Her sharp gaze turned into a gentle one.

“You’re the person from last time, right?”

“Yes. The one you gave orange for.” Baekhyun replied. He folded his arms over his chest. She nods, Baekhyun took it as she knew it was him. A smile was plastered on his face when she gasped.

“How’s the orange?” She questioned. A hopeful smile played on her lips as she widened her eyes in hope for an answer.

“Very sour.” Lie.

Baekhyun scowled. As if it was a very bad thing to remember.

The smile she shown fell. Her head hang low. “I’m sorry. I was pretty sure it was sweet by the time I picked it.”. Her back was slouched. Her posture wasn’t poise and kind of a noble lady anymore. She was so disappointed. Just because of an orange.

A wave of resentment sent flicker to Baekhyun’s soul. He was lamenting to answer that with a lie. But, she was depressed just because of an orange. Baekhyun knew she was genuine. He could see it. She wasn’t the type to lie.

However, people said humans have many kind of mask in one self. Everyone was a trickster, Baekhyun wasn’t sure about her though. He cleared his throat to avoid the awkwardness with her.

“Maybe, I can try another. Perhaps, it will taste different.” Baekhyun offered. One of his hand touching the nape of his neck. The thing he did when he was nervous.

There was a silly grin on her face, Baekhyun swore it. His eyes followed her right hand to the side. She gave an orange by her right side to him.

Baekhyun raised one of his eyebrows. He looked around the park, searching for a trail of orange tree in sight.

“Where’d you get this?” He queried.

“I picked it in my family orchard. It’s quite near to this park. You just don’t notice it.” She twiddled her index fingers. Baekhyun stifled a laugh. She pouted.

“What?”

“Nothing.” He started to peel the orange she presented him earlier. He took a bite of it.

Sweet. Very much.

“How’s is it?” Her eyes never leaving Baekhyun. He showed her a thumbs up.

“Tastes good. This orange.”

She clapped her hands. “I’m very glad!”

Baekhyun slow another one. He didn’t know why it felt bitter after that. The sweetness still lingering but there was a tinge of bitterness he didn’t want to acknowledge. She asked for his name and it felt very bittersweet when he answered it.

With two lattes and four chocolate donuts, Baekhyun jogged towards the park carefully. He didn’t want the drink to spill over or the chocolate stain the box. If he meets her again, he wanted her to taste this kind of food today. He didn’t get it why when he always meets her she insisted him to eat an orange. So, this time, he was determined to make her eat what he loves.

It was in the middle of the spring. The cherry blossom tree mostly turned green than the pink from the start of the season. Baekhyun could see the figure with pink hanbok whn he walked a bit further. Her hair was kept in a bun this time.

She was standing in the middle of the path, her eyes never leaving the sky above. Baekhyun glanced to the sky. It was a very cloudy day. From afar, he could see her chewing on some bits of orange. The orange skin fell on the path. She kneeled to collect it.

Placing the lattes and the box on the bench near him, he approached her. “Hello.” It became his usual greeting when he came to the park. When he met her, the way he said that word seemed to differ from usual.

“Hello.”

Forcefully taking the shredded orange skin from her hand, Baekhyun ran towards a bin two trees away from them. He threw it and got back to her again. She was walking away from him. Baekhyun was fast to catch her hand. He could smell the scent on her. It wasn’t perfume. But, the smell reminded him of orange.

“You’re too slow. Don’t sulk.”

“I’m not!” She protested, stomping her feet in the process. Baekhyun led her to the bench and made her sat there. Opening the box, he took the one of the donuts.

“Here.” With care, he put the donut between her thumb and pinky. “Eat.”

She bit the donut. Baekhyun watched her eat with satisfaction, he sipped on his latte. “How’s the taste?” He asked.

“Exquisite sweetness.” She responded with a smile. Baekhyun was happy to see her eating the donuts he bought happily. She did ask him to eat the donut together, Baekhyun refused because he was full. When he gave her the extra latte, she complained about having her being fat. Baekhyun snorted when she said if she was fat, she couldn’t wear her hanbok anymore.

“Just for one day, eat my favorite food.” He commented. Even when his voice sound so straightforward like it means nothing, to her it was like someone pleading.

But, their day didn’t get away with just sweets. Apparently, orange will have a way to be involved in their day.

“Baekhyun, what color is you day today?”

Baekhyun didn’t know how to describe it.

“Grey,” he shrugged. “Let’s add, a bit red in it. Then, a huge pink on the white canvas.”

She giggled. “I wonder how that will turn out.”

Baekhyun quieted down. He looked at the orange in his hand.

The cherry blossom tress in the park turned green. Spring was ending. Yet, Baekhyun could see the flowing petals in pink color on the path. He sighed. He massaged his stiff shoulder as he waited for her at their rendezvous. She was late.

Baekhyun scratched his head. She was never late. She was punctual. Not that she mind their meeting time or not, it didn’t make sense to Baekhyun. She was always presence in the park. She was always in the park.

Baekhyun saw her walking slowly when he was about to leave. He was waiting for her over one hour and thirty minutes, he could see the pain on her expression. Her gaze was still soft. Her eyes were gentle. Baekhyun ambled towards her.

She bumped into Baekhyun. “Ouch!”

“I’m sorry! I was in a rush!” She bowed, her eyes on the pavement.

“It’s me.” He confessed.

“You’re still here…?” She asked in disbelief. Baekhyun eyed her from head to toe. She looked like a mess. Like she was rushing and he didn’t have any say about that. He was afraid he would offend her in some way.

“I’m here for a friend.” He remarked. A smile played on her lips.

“I’m sorry for being late.” She uttered. “I tried to pick orange, I failed instead. I wanted to get three for you and one for me. But, I only got two as always. I’m vexed!”

“It’s okay.” Baekhyun soothed her down. His hands on her shoulder as he bored into her eyes. She blinked. “I was very regretful because your white hanbok is in a mess. It is dirty.”

Baekhyun guessed she fell on the ground. Since her hanbok was stained with dark color all over below it. He felt her hands circling his waist. Her head was in the crook of his neck. Baekhyun patted her head when he felt wetness trickling on his neck. She was crying. Honestly, Baekhyun didn’t know for what reason she would shed her tears for.

Was it for the extra oranges she wanted to get or was it for another reason instead?

Baekhyun looked at his reflection in rear mirror. His eyes looked dead. Maybe, because of how the eye bags surround his eyes. His skin felt so rough and itchy. Maybe, he spent a whole day didn’t bath because of the autumn reproaching. It wasn’t that cold. However, Baekhyun was busy because of his work. He was exhausted. He wanted to stop. The latte didn’t help at all. Neither the donuts he loves.

Nothing helps anymore. His mind was heavy. His dyed blonde hair turning back to the original color. He didn’t even notice that. When was the last time he took care of his hair color? Baekhyun grinned. He forgot it.

Everything about himself felt white due to his meeting with Lee Ji Ah. The girl that wears hanbok and always giving out the orange in the evening at a park. The girl that always have a smile on her face. The girl that always ask how everyone day using colors.

Yes.

Lee Ji Ah was white. A purity, a soul that was very kind and nice. She was everything everybody dreamed off, Baekhyun was certain about that when he first saw her. Everything about her screams innocence. Baekhyun was sure she loves white, white was always wrapping her body and never had he saw she wearing anything out of her norm aside from hanbok.

She was beautiful. A very lovely soul.

Baekhyun couldn’t forget the orange scent on her. It always in his mind, the orange. The smell lingers in the air.

Baekhyun was anxious if he was infatuated with her. He was scared if he didn’t have a point to return from where he started. He didn’t know everything would turn out like this. He felt the canvas painting his life is blacking each day.

He felt broken.

Broken beyond repair. As if he was fallen from his grace, Baekhyun sure he was deemed to be cursed all of his eternity.

He fixated his gaze on the man that was chatting with a few people in the restaurant. Baekhyun clenched his teeth and fished out his phone, typing something.

He yawned.

Accelerating the oil pedal, he went to the café he always goes by. He sipped on his latte as he walked to the park.

Lee Ji Ah was wearing an unreadable expression on her face. Her soulless eyes were evident from the start even when she tried to curtain her sorrows drowned by her smile. Baekhyun could see through it all. She was nice. A genuine person.

“How’s your day, Baekhyun?” The question made Baekhyun thought of a long time to think. Her gaze was unyielding, unchangeable. Baekhyun exhaled, taking in deep breath.

“Black and white is dancing. But, orange top it all. Blue is just a sidekick.” He commented.

“What’s that?” She furrowed her eyebrows, thinking of how the colors may get to be.

“Nothing.” Baekhyun remarked lowly. “See you, Lee Ji Ah.”

Her face turned shocked. “Why?”

Her queried of hers was left unanswered by Baekhyun that made sure to remember her face as he glanced back.

He watched the orange he left on the seat.

Baekhyun watched as the flames of orange and red dancing in his eyes. He wanted to shift his gaze away, but he was fixed to look at it. He couldn’t remove it. If he was to remove his eyes, he was worried if he couldn’t take in the guilt.

His phone rang. It takes about a few seconds for Baekhyun to answer it.

“Hello.”

Baekhyun’s voice was cold. If Ji Ah was to listen, she was sure it wasn’t the Baekhyun she had ever take her time to know.

“Your job is done. The money is all yours, Byun Baekhyun. You’re the best informant after all. We will call you again for help.”

Baekhyun ended the call without replying. He let out a heavy sigh. He heard the screams and cries. He listen to the woe of voices that night. The dark sky being his witnessed. He could hear Ji Ah voice pleading for help. The sound of bullet where the assassin beside him shot Kim Jongin, the most respected influential figure when he tried to run away, leaving his wife, the workers and the mistress to burn away.

The helpless mistress screamed for help so much. Likewise, no one came to her aid. She couldn’t be saved. Not anymore. She couldn’t even help herself.

Baekhyun gritted his teeth. He knew it from the first time he met her.

Lee Ji Ah, the mistress of Kim Jongin. She came from the infamous prostration ring in town. She was blind that explained her soulless eyes and slow action. She often wear white hanbok to cover her flaws with purity she lost. She wanted to make sure no one would saw the scars she got in her life. Even the orange orchard in Kim household did help to refrain her sadness from growing, she still remember the bitterness in her day. At least, with the orange, she could at least taste the sweetness in her life.

Sweetness exists even for someone like her. Baekhyun wanted to give her that, a wish that she never gets. Baekhyun watched as the beautiful white dress burned and turned dark and dark. It soon to be black. Then, everything reduced to ashes.

Deep in his heart, Baekhyun knew he wouldn’t forget Lee Ji Ah.

Not when he passed by a certain park or saw oranges. Not even when he saw the sky. Not when the spring came and how the autumn greeted him.

It all lingers with Lee Ji Ah’s scent.

She was a hopeless girl with imperfection. She was a mask of broken mistakes like Baekhyun. Both of them were the same – innocence lost as they called it.

They didn’t have anything to go back to square one. They didn’t have a place to return. They have nothingness. They were the same.

When he accepted the job to be the informant to the assassin, as he investigated the family. Byun Baekhyun knew there was only one thing that could connect him with Lee Ji Ah. There was only one way to do so. Ji Ah was the same. She fully acknowledged the key to link herself with Baekhyun. Both of them have the same one way link.

It’s not the orange, not the sky. It was themselves. They were both trickster. They had a mask full of lies. Ji Ah didn’t even realize he knew her name until it was the last day, he had never ask, he didn’t need to.

Time passes by a lot since then but there was one thing didn’t change within him. Byun Baekhyun loves orange and hates blue. There was a longing peace he found within orange and dwelling of monochrome in blue. But, he still regarded them nonetheless. For as long as they exist, the colors would make Baekhyun’s day felt lively. He appreciated the colors.