“Ari-ya”

    My lips shape themselves in the correct syllables of her name but I’m not even sure if I make a sound. Everything seems muted as I peer down at her but I must have because she stirs. I hold my breath as her eyes slowly flutter open. Our eyes lock followed by complete silence. I feel like I’m orbiting around the earthy brown of her eyes falling deeper and deeper into her pupils as if I’ve lost all sense of gravity. I’m free-falling into her and I relish in it. She doesn't blink or make any indication that she’s gonna move.

    She... just stares.

    Her eyes bore into mine as if she can see the contents of me from just one look. I can feel my heart in my throat as she closes her eyes again; breaking me out of the trance and rushing me back into the world of reality. It’s as if she could care less that I’m here. But then she smiles. And I let out a relieved sigh because the world seems right again.

I can hear her barely audible mumble, "This has to be a dream."

Without even realizing it I reply with "I’m glad it’s not." 

Her eyes fly open and forms a small O of disbelief. Did she really think I was a figment of her imagination?

    Quickly Ari sits up, looking around frantically. She tucks her feet under her and struggles to stands up almost bumping into one of the tombstones.  “Jimin? What the hell are you doing here?”

I swallow back a laugh seeing her stumble around, she looks so shocked. She brushes off her dress and fixes her hair. Ari doesn’t meet my eyes as she busies herself with unnecessary actions. I smile and wait for her to settle down. The peaceful serene Ari I saw a few minutes resting on the ground is long gone. I’m not sure which I prefer. I kind of like knowing I can make her this flustered.

I smirk, putting my hands in my coat pockets, “Hey, don’t hurt yourself. I’m not in the mood to take anyone to the hospital. I don’t even know where on is in...”I pause not sure what city we’re in.

Ari scoffs, working her toe in the grass making dirt fly up, successfully not meeting my eye “Gusan. We’re in Gusan.”

“Yeah, we’re in Gunsan. Of course…” Now it’s my time to be flustered.

                                                          ⇜⇜

Ari’s POV

I briefly look up at Jimin, wondering if he really is here. In my hometown. In this graveyard. In front of my parents and I. “How are you here right now? How did-”

“Ooo these look good.” He bends his knees and lowers himself to the ground studying the cupcakes that I even forgot were there.

I watch Jimin for a few moments, trying to get my racing heart under control. “What are you doing here?”

After he’s done examining the cupcakes inside their plastic container, he looks back up with a boyish grin. “Can I have one?”

Why is he just disregarding my questions? “Are you not gonna answer me?” Of course all he can think about is food right now. He is a teenage boy after all.

All he does is tilt his head in the direction of the cupcakes. I lift my hand up and brush my hair away from my face, sighing.

I shrug, quickly losing interest in a fight. I’m too tired to argue anymore. “Go ahead. I bet they aren’t very good. They’re really artificial.”

“The frosting is yes.” Jimin interrupts me while popping open the carton and picking up one of the goodies. “But once you take all the fake artificial seemingly appealing stuff away..” Jimin pauses to wipe off the bright yellow frosting away with his thumb. He catches my eye and I look away, clearing my throat. I only look back when I’m sure he isn’t watching me. He wipes it off on the plastic container but there are still some remains on his appendage so he sticks it inside his mouth.

He peers up at me while standing up, thumb still in his mouth. Until pop, he’s gazing d