appreciation: hugs 'n' kisses to my first subscriber: mikado48. i lubb you! <3

Cardboard Box Puppy

“Yuju-ah!” I heard him call as I got up from the chair. I had no way of seeing the expression I had on my face, but within me was a swirl of emotions. In my stomach, they did somersaults, backflips, entire gymnastic repertoires Refusing to remain calm, they energetically sprawled through my entire being. My ears blushed, my heart raced. My fingers twitched and my hands trembled a little.

“I- I’m sorry,” I mumbled, words struggling to get pass the lump that has formed in my throat. I brushed the locks that fell over my eyes, tucking them recklessly behind my ears as I fumbled for my bag. 

“Yuju, I really didn’t mean to keep this from you. I-“ 

“No,” I replied. Jerking him to a stop. Quickly. Almost instinctively. Like I knew what he had wanted to say before he even could. “Nono. Nonono.” I repeated. My head must have shook for emphasis as the locks that were tucked behind my ears fell over my eyes, shielding me from his gaze. 

“I- I can explain” he pleaded, rising to his feet. “If you just would give me some time. I can explain. All of it. Please. I didn’t mean to.”

“Can you?” I blurted. 

He stopped, eyes widening.

I paused, blinked twice and looked away. 

From across the room, I spotted silence in her bright red dress. I knew she was observing us too. Her smug smile confirmed it sas she sauntered over, her scarlet skirt sashaying with each step. Within a couple of steps, silence was shoulder-to-shoulder with me. She made not a sound. Just stared and observed us for a second before taking a small step to her right. Her eyes remained glued on us both, all the time making sure that she was subtle yet present. With careful light steps, she circled around us. Encasing us in an imaginary boundary where she was the main event. She lingered probably no longer than a heartbeat, but with each round she marked, the air grew heavier. Thicker. Muskier. Suffocating.

“I- It’s getting late, Taejun.” I said, surprising silence out of her waltz around us. With shuffled footsteps, she exited, glancing back at us as she made her way across the restaurant, certain that we would call out to her once more.

“I- Let me walk you home.” His voice was small, squeaky, shaky. Not like the guy I knew. Or thought I knew. Heck, he did not even sound like the man standing before me. Tall, lean and buff. With a facial structure that idols pursued after, he was like a modern day Adonis. Except he was not, though he was surely handsome. But besides his divine looks, people were equally captivated by his ever-present confidence that announces his existence even before he could say a single word.

No, Choi Taejun was not a man whose voice would quiver. He was a guy that everybody, unanimously, consented that he would not tremble; not even when face-to-face with Hades three headed mutt. But here he was; voice thin, feeble and trembling in the midst of the cool air-conditioned air. Who would've thought that this man of defined muscles would have such a tender side to him?

I inhaled slowly, avoiding his eyes initially. But as the words pooled at the tip of my tongue, I slowly raised my gaze, and it did not take long for our gazes to meet. I mustered the strength within me to flesh out a smile. The tugging on my lip corners felt odd- awkward almost- in the situation but I kept it on, hoping that it would serve its purpose well.

“I need some time alone, Taejun." I started and quickly realised how foolish those thoughts that I would finish what I wanted to say in a go were. I thought I could handle this: his terrified gaze, his furrowed brow, his trembling lips. But in reality, I couldn't.

"I'll see you at work tomorrow." I mumbled and quickly turned my back towards him. Back facing him, I felt like I had won half the battle. Now the other half was walking to the door, away from this bizarre twist of event. But before I could even do any of that, I was stopped by a soft, quiet plea.

“Please.”

I couldn’t see his eyes, but the tone of his hushed voice described what I could not observe. It painted a picture I could not bear to see. A picture I did not want to see. Like a tiny child standing alone at the steps of a huge building in rags; a puppy in a cardboard box barking at the crowd but receiving no answers. 

I closed my eyes. Took a deep breath. Steadied my faltering heart. Opened my eyes. My mind was set.

And the puppy continued barking to the thinning crowd.

(xoxo)

a/n: aaaaaaaand the first chapter is down! i hope you have enjoyed the first chapter! in this chapter, we are introduced to two characters: yuju and taejun. in the next chapter, yuju approaches her friend for advice. who should yuju approach?

a) the mature and motherly sowon
b) the cheeky and carefree sinb

what do you think? leave your opinion below along with a comment! comments make me soft and floofy. hehehhehe.