Everything was ..
LATEHis prayers involved three things:
- Another day
- Another hour
- A chance
02/08/2009
"Saengil chukhahaeyo." she greeted politely. Her shyness was completely showing. In her trembling hands was a box covered into a simple neon wrap and a dotted ribbon.
He walked past her.
And soon, the long corridors were filled by laughter and snickers.
Too late for petty wishing ...
02/14/2009
"Happy Hearts’ Day .."
"Hyung, you should receive it." a friend who was with him suggested.
He grabbed it from her and handed it to SungJong who was standing next to him.
"Don’t you wanna try it yourself WooHyun?" she asked, a glint of hopefulness danced into her eyes and later was replaced by a misty one, mouth was cracked open.
He left. The box of velvet cupcakes were lying lifelessly on the floor.
Too late for regrets ...
03/14/2009
"I personally picked these earlier this morning."
"For what?"
A scornful expression was stamped into his facade.
"T-today is White Day."
He glimpsed at her thin bony fingers. They were covered with band-aids, probably concealing the cuts she got from picking the white roses.
Out of the blue, a pang of guilt rushed down his veins. Maybe a bit. Just a little bit.
"Keep it."
Too late for hoping to wake up next to landscapes of unstained roses ...
09/10/2009
"WooHyun-ssi! Jjamkkanman." She paced swiftly to catch up with his big steps. Strands of hair was disheveled right into her face.
"Here. I brought you .."
Then he turned away.
"sandwich and water." she continued though he was already gone.
Too late for looking back ...
12/25/2009
"M-merry Christmas." with a shaky voice, she said happily. With a crimson nose and a quivering lips, she was holding a knitted sweater neatly folded.
For a second, he thought that she might collapse anytime in the middle of the winter.
But he never showed his care.
He slammed the door inconsiderately, leaving her chilling and miserable.
Too late for greeting her in return ...
03/13/2010
"Good morning WooHyun-ssi." she sang, her sweet smile welcomed him as she fumbled with the strap of her bag.
"Aren’t you tired chasing me?"
"I will never do."
"Then I’m asking you to quit it now."
He kept his words short and straight to the point. He wasn’t interested to talk to her in the first place but he also wasn’t in the mood to tolerate her acts.
"I will from now on."
And her back, shoulders moving up and down, disappeared from his sight.
Too late to let her continue ...
She was obedient.
No more chasing.
No more little presents.
No more her.
One day, he found himself standing in front of a little apartment. It was the kind where dreams seemed to not exist at all. The place was dampened and the hard kisses of dusk were always present. You wouldn’t even believe that someone has lived there.
"Who are you looking for?"
He flipped when he heard the voice. It was a middle-aged woman who introduced herself as the landlady.
"Thank you Ahjumma." he bowed languidly.
Slowly and slowly, he walked soulless.
She left him with shattered heart and disbelief.
He brought five things to sleep and the pain tomorrow will never subside. Not until forever.
She was an orphan.
Her parents passed away when she was 12.
She saved money for the gifts instead of saving it for her necessities.
She chewed on leftovers from the garbage and foods her concerned neighbors give.
She begged for the velvet cupcakes from the bakery downtown.
She worked her off twenty sleepless days and nights to pay for them.
She was beaten up for stealing the white roses.
The cuts on her fingers wasn’t only the wounds she was hiding. Bruises on her body was too many to count.
She was already dead.
Having an empty stomach, damaged soul and a fragmented heart, she decided to end her life.
On that day when he told her to stop.
He was a stone.
He didn’t even get a chance to thank her.
Too late for praying on saints and gods for them to give her back to him ...
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