When Jae looked over, he saw her sitting and staring blankly ahead, her expression no longer joyful. Instead, her lips were mashed together, set in a grim line. Her hands clenched and unclenched, her short nails creating light half-moon crescents on her sweaty palms.

 

She was cold.

 

Hea Jung suppressed a shiver as rainwater dripped from her long brown hair and on to her bare knees. She wondered what her mother was going to do to her.

 

Bye bye, Korea.

 

The little voice laughed in her head, menacing and accusatory.

 

I told you to stick to law, but you didn’t listen, did you? Now look at what you’ve gotten into.

 

She reached out for Jae’s hand, found it, and grabbed on to it.

 

He gave her a sympathetic glance.

 

After her mother had asked about her whereabouts, she had stood there in the falling rain, unsure of what to do. Rashly, after several long seconds, she had pressed her finger to the red icon on the phone screen, ending the call without saying anything.

 

And now… She regretted it. She knew it could have been better if she had just explained to her mother that she had snuck out to pursue her passion. But she didn’t.

 

The moment her mother had said, “Where are you?” Hea Jung was completely frozen. It was a simple question, but the meaning and effect of the words chilled the girl to her very core and she knew that she wouldn’t thaw for a while.

 

The cold metal of the subway seats began to seep through the fabric of the dress and Hea Jung finally allowed herself to give in to a shiver. Her mother’s words repeated themselves in her head, like haunting whispers foreshadowing the bleak near future.

 

She couldn’t even think of a proper excuse. There was nothing to prevent her inevitable consequences.

 

Furthermore, her mother hadn’t even attempted calling her after she had abruptly ended the phone call. This only further worried Hea Jung.

 

She held on to Jae’s warm hand tighter.

 

He looked over at her. “Your hand is really cold.”

 

“I know.”

 

He wished he could have given her his jacket, but of course, that was soaking wet as well.

 

They reached the subway stop.

 

Hea Jung stood up shakily, her knees seemingly ready to crumble down for her.

 

“Wait.” Jae’s light touch on her hand stopped her. He pulled her back down so that she was sitting once again. “Let’s sit for a while.”

 

She looked at him gratefully before sighing and leaning over so that her head rested on his shoulder.

 

The bell rang once, twice, before the doors closed and they began moving again, away from her future. The subway car rumbled back into its steady rhythm.

 

While many passengers would find the rumbling tediously bothersome; to the two of them, it was a rocking sway, keeping them frozen in time and away from whatever lay ahead of them outside of the automatic doors.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

When they finally stepped out of the underground vehicle and on to the platform, it was already late evening. Hea jung’s dress and hair was still damp; her skin ached, but it was better than going home.

 

She shivered again before teasing through her hair with her fingers. Her feet were freezing, and her flats were still wet, not helping.

 

Jae, seeing her shiver, put an arm around her shoulders, guiding her small figure closer to his, allowing her to steal some of his warmth. She nodded at him gratefully once again as they began walking, his arm still around her shoulders.

 

They were about to take the escalator, but Hea Jung stopped him. “Let’s take the stairs.”

 

Jae nodded, and as they took the steps on, one by one, he turned to her. “I have an even better idea?”

 

She lifted her right eyebrow at him, giving him a skeptical look. Her infamous look was so endearing to him, he almost forgot to breathe.

 

“Kim Hea Jung, would you like to spend the night on an adventure with me?”

 

She laughed, and he was relieved to see her smile. “Yes, Jae Lee, I will go on an overnight adventure with you.”

 

He responded with a bright grin of his own, before enthusiastically tugging her up the steps. They hurried through the crowds with soft laughter, in their own world before they reached the doors of the station. Jae opened the door for her before stepping out himself.

 

The sun had almost finished setting now, and the scorching heat of the day remained behind like a whisper in the tepid breeze that blew softly through Hea Jung’s hair.

 

The worst of the busy bustling of the day had finished and only a few people wandered out of the station. The daily sounds of work were now quieted, and Jae found himself putting his arm over her shoulders once again, guiding her out of the near empty lot.

 

“Where are we going?”

 

He smiled cryptically. He took her to a tiny midnight Asian street shop. They sat down together to dig into fresh green tea crepes with curry fishballs on wooden sticks, enjoying each other’s company. Together, they shared a jumbo sized bubble tea as well as lame jokes, laughing until their stomachs hurt.

 

Once they had finished their meal, they walked together to the park and sat down on the swings, side by side. They subtly swung back and forth, Hea Jung’s toes barely touching the soft sand on the ground.

 

They watched the moon as it hung high with the stars in the sky. When he looked over, her angelic face was illuminated by the entrancing moonlight and he took her hand without thinking.

 

If she was surprised, she didn’t show it.

 

“Hea, I have to tell you something.”

 

“Hm?” She didn’t look away from the moon.

 

He hesitated.

 

Was this really worth it?

 

“Hea Jung, I…. Hea. I mean, I just….”

 

He swallowed. “Just…. never mind.”

 

He let go of her hand.

 

~~~~~~~~~~~

 

late update sorreh. upvote, comment, subscribe! :D

 

~keyz_locket