Unrequited [First Meet] - 유키 님

 

 

With no care in the world, I walk blindly. Music in my ears, hands in my pockets. Avoiding the eyes of strangers, eyes fixed to my destination. Not caring about my surroundings, nor the people I bump into, yet I lightly bow.

The wind is weird, its blowing too hard. I took off my earphones and I hear it. The busy traffic, the honking cars, the sound of the leaves shuddering, the sky threatening to rain. I move my hands both in my pockets. Felt nothing but a phone and a wallet. Hoping an umbrella would magically appear. I smiled to myself. Rain droplets are already falling as I dashed to the nearest building. A café. It was warmer inside, but not too warm. I sat at the far end corner, near the window. I took off my earphones, to listen to the music they were playing. It was Nuvole Bianché by Ludivico Eunaudi. I chuckled. I didn't know they could have such a wide set of music. Currently I am enjoying the music, with a cup of tea on my hand, and a book on the other. I smile. I took a quick glance at the window and it’s still raining, hard as ever it seems that it has no intention of stopping. I scrunch up my nose and let go of the book, to cover my nose. I smell smoke. I coughed. I observed, and I could see the smoke dispersing from behind me, I smell like cigarettes now, I thought to myself. I held my breath and turned around, to tell the person if he would kindly put it out.

And I see him.

Ash brown hair, droplets of water drips.

His hair tucked behind his elven ears.

Hazel brown eyes, little dark circle under his eyes. Creamy complexion, not too pale, and in his large hands, in between his long fingers, a lit up cigarette. And he blows. I coughed, and before one of us could even do anything, one of the desk persons came to him, told him to put it out or he leaves. He smiled at the desk person, puts it out and bows a little. Then he turns his gaze on me. My heart just skipped a beat. He smiles and then he put his hand under his chin and rests on it. I bowed a little and shrunk back to my seat. I finished my cup of tea and the book... I don't know what went through me but I did it. I took my phone, pretending to look at myself, but actually just to see... If he was still there. He chuckled and waved. I was embarrassed, but I didn't let him get to me. I glance at the window, and the rain had stopped. And so I left. Hearing a faint chuckle, I smile.

Once again I am alone. Music plugged in my ears, eyes fixed to my destination. The subway. I love subways. It's a place where people doesn't really care about anything but to just get to where they are going. Like a give and take situation. I don't care about your business and you don't care about mine. Love it here. And like I always do... I listen to my full blast music, I slump back, closes my eyes... And I rest. Though before I could even do that... I see him. To my shock I almost jumped, my heart is beating too fast, I can feel my cheeks burn... I slumped deeper, maybe, just maybe I could disappear... All kinds of thought went into my head, what if he's going to follow me and... No... He doesn't seem like a bad guy. But it is better safe than sorry. Or maybe he just like taking subways too, to save up. Thoughts didn't stop me from dozing off. And soon as I know it, I'm at my stop. He is gone. On the way to my flat, unluckily, my phone died. Seems like I've used up all its battery life. Maybe next time I'll just get me some MP3 player. My flat is 2 blocks away... I held my breath to the familiar smell of cigarette once more. It is half finished and still lit, probably thrown on the ground by its former owner. I cursed it, as I stepped on it, putting it out. Why do people want to watch other people suffer. Spreading diseases, oh sure you don't feel anything but sooner or later you would. And that would be cancer. Getting cancer is the last thing on my list, and I don't dream of it coming true. I climbed the stairs to my flat, the 4th floor. I don't like the elevator here, it is way too faulty, and I don't want to risk anything. Surely the cashier lady from the nearby convenient store will miss me. I reach my floor and to my surprise... My eyes grew wide, my heart races. That familiar ash brown hair, straight nose, elven ears... He was rather tall... It was him. I tried to ignore him, controlling my facial expression, he looks at me with a smile. I turn my back on him, facing my door. I heard his door unlock, and he spoke with a deep voice. Smooth like melody to my ears. "Have a great day, neighbor." And once again that chuckle. I turned around to catch a glimpse of him, disappointingly, the door was closed. I breathed a deep sigh.

"What is happening to me?" I asked myself aloud.

The next morning.

I wake up sluggishly, realizing it was too bright outside, I suddenly sat up, now clutching my head, from the banging pain, probably from my sudden movement. I sat there staring at the blank wall, thinking about my 'neighbor' how come I only noticed him now? Was he that person who just moved in last week? I don't pay attention to people as much as I did before, last time I knew I was the newcomer here, I guess there is a new one. As neighborly as I am. I got up to look for something in the fridge... Empty. I sigh in frustration. It is the first time I'm being nice, maybe apologize for the things I thought about him. , drug dealer, thief... All those things. Maybe some of them are true, we can never be too sure about a person. But I will apologize. I always like the proverb "Don't judge a book by its cover." So... Yep. Putting on my favorite sweater and I head outside, according to my phone it is already 2 in the afternoon. I put my hands in my pockets. Wallet, check. I didn't bother taking my phone with me. The convenient store is close by, and the people there are really fun to talk to. Bunch of knowledgable people. Mostly gossipers, but that is how I still know things, even though I don't go out much or watch T.V., or any of that fact. Well... I do teach online. It helps a lot.
As I got there the cashier lady Mrs. Byun, already greeted me.

"Oh!! It's been a while~ What did you come to buy? What ran out? Food? Supplies? Sanitary pads? Is it that month?" She asks in a somewhat insulting yet enthusiastic way. I just chuckle.

"Hello, nice to see you too Mrs. Byun. Well, I-- I wanted to be neighborly and cook something. There is this person who moved in... I think just last week--"

She looked excited and cut me off.

"Oh! That tall boy? With the big ears? Always smoking? Oh, its the only bad thing about him. Tsk, tsk. Everything is perfect... Except for that habit of his. He's a friend of my son. He's a good boy."

I smiled.

"Ah~ I see. Well... What do you think is good as a welcoming gift for the guy?"

"Ah... I remember him not refusing anything when I cooked for them. I think this is good enough."

She then gets a paper and starts to write down a recipe. I just nod in agreement, it is not the first time I cooked. For almost 5 years now, I've been cooking for myself, and I've always asked Mrs. Byun to help me out. Best mentor ever!
After cooking and all that mess. I tasted it. It was just right. Not too salty, not too oily. I put it in a topper wear, and left some for myself. I write down a letter, saying all my apologies and stuff and left it in front of his door, and locked myself inside my flat again.

 

 

A tall man stood in front of his door, a package in front. He picked it up, it was still warm. He then peeked inside. Topper wear filled with food. Carbonara. One of his favorites. He unlocked his door and settle down the food on the table. He took the letter taped on the bag.

It reads…

"Dear Elf,

Hi, sorry if I'm offending you by calling you an 'elf' but I only do so because of your elf like ears... And I don't really know you well to call you by your name.
I apologize for thinking bad things about you. Whether you are a , a thief, or anything, everything bad. I apologize. I give this carbonara as a present, as a welcoming gift perhaps. Don't worry, it's not poisoned, Mrs. Byun helped me cook it. She said her son is a friend of yours? I believe you know her. I also advise less smoking, you're not only slowly killing yourself, but anyone who inhales the smoke you exhaled. It actually does worst for us. But... It is your business and I shall leave you be. Like a give and take situation, I leave you be, and you leave me be.

Sincerely, your neighbor"

He smiled, almost a smirk. A small deep dimple on his cheek. And so he ate his carbonara, and a faint chuckle can be heard outside his door.

 

 

A week after that welcome gift. I still haven't gone out. Until I ran out of food to eat. It is 8 in the evening, it is quite late... But I am starving. I opened the door to head out only to find plastic bags full of... Food. I picked it up                                and look around, seeing an envelope sticked near my doorbell, i take it. Written at the back was 'To: Miss Hyemi' my eyes widen in shock resulting for me to look around cautiously. I see no one. I retreated back to my flat and cooked up something. Everything was in those bags. Meat, rice, condiments, chips, sweets, eggs, biscuits, cereal, about 5 canned goods, ramen... Just what does this guy think of me?! Gosh... Oh well... These will last for about a month, and I am thankful. I should write him a le-- oh, right. His letter.

Once again I read the back.

'To: Miss Hyemi'

I tilt my head on the side, while on a lollipop.

"How did he know my name?" I ask myself.

"Maybe, he asked Mrs. Byun, or someone at the building." I answered my own question.

I smiled and opened the letter.

It says:

"Dear Hyemi,

Hello. Before I just called you neighbor, because you never really bothered to tell me your name. Well... I've been observing, you've been locked up in there for a while now. So, I took the curtesy to buy you goods, I figured you would run out of stock and in a while you would come out to buy new stocks. It is 7:30 pm right now so don't worry about anything. Its not expired. Well... You go take care of yourself alright? Have a good day Hyemi~!

Sincerely, Elf

P.S. The carbonara was delicious!"

I chuckled as I finished the letter and quickly wrote a reply.