Can we be living in a world made of paper mache?

Everything is clear and so neat

Both of them spent the day together talking about ideas and reading art-related stuffs from Chaerin’s book collection, Jiyong enjoyed his time on the swinging while Chaerin was lying around in the gazebo, humming her favorite songs which surprisingly, most of them were also Jiyong’s.

It was around 5 when Jiyong realized that things had gotten a little bit too quiet and when he looked up from the book he read he found Chaerin sleeping with books scattered around her. For a moment Jiyong decided to just let himself savor the beauty in front of him, and a smile unknowingly crept up his face.

Chaerin was surely not the most beautiful girl he had ever met, but at the same time Jiyong believed she was one of the most intriguing, mysterious, and interesting, which in his opinion is way better than being pretty or beautiful, not that she wasn't beautiful anyway.

To see her sleeping so soundly in front of him, it felt like he was opening yet another new page of a Lee Chaerin Book. And not surprisingly, it's yet another different side of her, which deep down inside, he knew he missed so much. Too see her simply lying there without any facade and free from the weight of the world on her shoulder he felt happy, so happy he felt like crying. An overwhelming emotion he himself couldn't bother trying to understand.

Jiyong lost track of time staring at her just lying there with her breathing steady and eyes closed, it was almost twilight when he finally decided to put his book aside and moved closer to her, entering the gazebo and sat beside her. He stared at her a little more while before finally trying to wake her up.

"Hey...” he her chin softly, calling her in an almost inaudible sound. Partly afraid to wake her up which was funny because it was what he intended to do.

Chaerin stirred a little, but her eyes still closed. He chuckled, so she drooled after all. Trying to wake her up once again he shook her body gently.

"Mmh..?" She lazily opened her eyes, his smiling face was the first thing she saw, and she smiled back at him.

"Wake up?" He asked, knowing that she was awake, or at least half awake.

Chaerin shook her head, "don't want..." She said softly and closed her eyes again. He chuckled, this lazy queen...

"At least we should move inside," he suggested, hoping she could still hear him through thick layer of consciousness.

Her eyes kept closed, but she answered anyways, "Carry me... too lazy to move..." she answered sluggishly. To which Jiyong smiled as he got the permission to what he wanted to do and without hesitation gathered her in his arms.

"Lazy lazy queen..." He whispered to her in a sing song tune with a smile on his face, lifting her up from the hard wooden floor.

"Hmmm..." Chaerin mumbled, snuggling closer to him to get as much warmth as she could from him. Her tiny body fit in just perfectly in his arms, like it was where she belonged.

With a little struggle he finally could open the door and entered the house, which was huge and empty. He didn't know why but the emptiness made him feel a little bit sad. For such a huge house, the interior was definitely too little and simple, and it was weird enough not to find anyone inside the house.

"So tired...” Chaerin mumbled half awake, Jiyong couldn't tell if she was talking to him or simply talked in her sleep but he decided to play along anyway. Her lazy, half-conscious raspy voice was like music to his ears, definitely one of his favorite sounds he decided.

"Why are you tired?" He asked, trying to figure out which room was Chaerin's. When he found a room in the far end of the first floor he automatically moved there.

Chaerin pouted, "I cleaned up the house alone," answering him still with her eyes closed.

Jiyong looked around, Chaerin cleaned the house? Alone? No maid? "Why would you clean the house?" He asked, entering the room, he was right, it was her room. It was warm and simple; the walls were painted with a simple rosy color, the furniture were nothing fancy.

"Because you're coming..." She sighed as Jiyong laid her on the bed and she automatically snuggled to her blanket, "my boyfriend is coming..."

Jiyong smiled.

---

Chaerin woke up hours later to a nice smell, she couldn’t remember sleeping but her limbs were surely better now compared to this morning after a whole night cleaning the house and making sure everything was shiny and clean. She had originally planned to bake cookies for Jiyong, but it seemed like her body protesting just right after she collected the ingredients. She ended up sleeping in the kitchen yesterday in an uncomfortable position.

She looked at her watch and realized it was already dinner time, Jiyong must have had gone home already. So he carried me inside? She thought and blush crept on her cheeks, instead of feeling ashamed, she felt more thankful and in love. How long had it been since the last time they spent times together?

Her train of thoughts was interrupted when her door opened and Jiyong stood there complete with her favorite apron on him. She raised her eyebrow in surprise as she didn’t think he was still around.

"Ah, you're awake, dinner is ready" he grinned.

"You cooked dinner?" She questioned, getting out of her bed.

"I sure did," he wiggled his eyebrow, "You're one lucky girlfriend, you see?"

She laughed, "So now I'm your girlfriend?"

He shrugged, "You kept saying so," he grinned his boyish grin, something she sure missed so much. For the long years, tonight was probably the time they chatted the most, and it should be a wonder how they clicked just easily.

But neither was even bothered with that fact.

"What's for dinner?"

Once again he only wiggled his eyebrow playfully, "you'll love it," he answered.

Chaerin rolled her eyes, "I'm not sure I will... knowing your cooking skill, I bet you ordered pizza or Chinese,"

Jiyong stopped his step and turned around with a shocked face, "How did you know?"

Chaerin only laughed out loud.

---

After slices of pizza and hours of good talk about their project and laughter over Jiyong’s stupidity which almost burnt the house

down, he finally, halfheartedly decided to go home.

“When should we continue?” he asked, his eyes shining.

Chaerin laughed, “What? Missing me already?” her eyes twinkled brightly.

Jiyong couldn’t remember the last time he felt so light headed and fuzzy inside, and he couldn’t understand why hadn’t the scene today happened earlier since they’ve known each other since high school. “You see, I’m being considerate… I know you won’t be able to stay away from me for too long,” he teased.

She rolled her eyes playfully, a wide smile was on her face, and Jiyong couldn’t help questioning himself when was the last time he had seen her this bright, “Good boyfriend being so kind,” she grinned. “I’ll be free the day after tomorrow, okay?”

Jiyong was sure his heart skipped a beat for the sake of her grin alone, today was pretty much a new world to him. But instead of feeling weird and bizzare, it felt like coming home instead. To the smiling Chaerin, the Chaerin he knew she hadn’t showed to anyone else.

The Chaerin for Jiyong and Jiyong only.

Anything that’s wrong can be just swept away 
Spray it with cologne and the whole world smells sweet 
Like paper mache

(Paper Mache – Dionne Warwick)

Author’s (not so) little note:

So…

 1. I finally find time to make a poster; I hope it’s nice enough. If you ask me, I’m pretty much proud of it, heh. Talk about self-confidence.

2. A chapter filled with Skydragon (uh.. it’s a Skydragon story after all), I guess you can all just sit and enjoy the sweet moments of them knowing more of each other, I’m pretty happy with the way they are right now.

3. of course there are more to come, I haven’t even revealed any of the mysteries about Chaerin and Jiyong and his mother (and his father?), so stay tuned.

4. Thank you so much for every comment, every view and every subscription. I love you all, guys! Keep ‘em coming, tell me what you think! Thank you so much!