CHAPTER 2: The Pool of Tears

Jiyeon was a normal little girl, like all the others. Perhaps a bit shy, but very friendly and loyal with those who managed to get close to her. She was not the perfect girl, but had always managed to make her family proud: high grades in school and excellent results in piano lessons.

But despite all the efforts made, when she was ten, she learned that what apparently was perfect in the deep was not.

Her parents often quarreled and she and her big brother spent their evenings huddled under blankets.

The screams sometimes were really terrible so to protect her Jinyoung oppa used to put on her little head the headphones with Yiruma’s lullabies while hugging her tightly to his chest.

Her parents divorced a year later.

From those nights that she spent curled up in her brother’s bed she slowly begun to change.

Satisfy the expectations of all was more difficult as she was growing but when this became unbearable she put the headphones and was transported to another world.

Her life however was tiring. Jiyeon didn’t hate her life only she was kind of unsatisfied.

She was waiting for something, just an event able to give a new unexpected vision of life.

And He came.

It was the first day of her last middle school year. She remembered that day like it was yesterday, with veiled melancholy.

It was quite cloudy outside, when she saw her new transferred classmate the first thing she thought was the sun. Like a ray of sunshine that pierces the clouds.

The new guy was unique, with his honey hair and an angel’s like expression.

The boy watched everyone in the class with a almost surprised look.Then he suddenly made eye contact with Jiyeon.

And he smiled.

His name was Lu Han and was a transferred student from China. He moved to Seoul due to his father’s business.

Jiyeon’s classmates started to love him since the first day. He was really friendly and helpfull to everyone. The girls called him Prince Charming because he looked like a fairy character.

Jiyeon fell in love with him in early winter.

Jiyeon was in the library looking for “Alice's Adventures in Wonderland”.

That book was one of her favorite after Peter Pan, and she read it very often. She preferred to go to the library because it was her refuge. She was able to identify with each story.

When things at school or in family weren’t good Jiyeon closed her eyes and hoped wholeheartedly to live inside a book.

She did not care the genre, she just wanted a final... good or bad.

Perhaps the monotony of her life made her unable to look over, but Jiyeon wanted to know how her story would end.

She was surprised when she saw Lu Han sitting on one of the red armchairs holding the book she was looking for.

Jiyeon approached him quietly, but tripped and fell into his arms.

«Are you ok?» said the boy with his sweet voice made even nicer by its lovely accent.

LuHan was looking at her with warm eyes.

It was like magic.

Jiyeon is falling. Around her it’s all dark. She doesn’t know why she has begun to think about Luhan. Surely this doesn’t help to stay calm.

She’s falling, she doesn’t know by how long. She suddenly lands on a white surface.

She’s lying on the ground with her eyes closed. She tries to move a hand and feels a fine sand between her fingers.

Jiyeon is on a white beach, as white as snow. *What happened to me? Where am I?*

Jiyeon sits slightly dazed and looks around. On the horizon she sees a blue wave that slowly blends with sand. After a few seconds Jiyeon is in a crystal sea. But the current is too strong and she's too scared to swim.

She is carried away by the waves. A strong wind gust lifts her into the air and drags her on an island.

Disorientated Jiyeon stands up; in the middle of nowhere she sees a big flower like a dahlia. But instead of dark petals there are thousands of fireflies.

Jiyeon approaches and touches it. The flower fades, revealing a sign written in an unknown language. However, there is an arrow pointing a small passage in the green vegetation just ahead.

She goes into the forest. Trees with bright blue trunks and leaves of the sunset colors. It’s a breathtaking vision.

She keeps walking but the path becomes more insidious. Plants and shrubs blocking the flow.

Jiyeon trips into a protruding root and falls into a hole in the ground.

She tries to climb but the walls are too slippery. She is stuck.

«Help! Someone help me!» No reply.

Jiyeon tries several times to climb but loses a grip and falls to the ground with a big thud.

The uniform jacket is torned and on her right forearm appears a cut that goes from the wrist to the elbow.

The wound hurts but Jiyeon has no time to think about the pain, she must find a way to get out of there before the light disappears.

She doen’t know how long she's trapped in the hole but the dense texture of the leaves does not allow sunlight to penetrate through.

She almost lost hope when she hears some footsteps in the distance.

With her already hoarse voice she starts screaming.

«Hey! Who is speaking?» says a boy's voice.

«Me! Please help me I’m stuck in a hole, I’m begging you! »

«Ok! Don’t worry, I'm coming! Keep talking otherwise I can not find you .. what's your name? »

«Thanks but ... I don’t know who you are .. I cannot tell you my name.. »

«But if you don’t tell me, how can I reassure you?It’s the basic in a research mission you know ... »

«Ok..I get it.. I’m Jiyeon... »

«Good girl! Hi Jiyeon! Don’t worry I'm coming to rescue you! See? Now don’t you feel more peaceful?» the young man sprouts from the hole where is Jiyeon.

Startled the girl looks at him shaking.

«Hey dragonfly don’t worry now I’ll pull you out.Are you hurt? Can you climb?»

«I’m ... I'm not hurt, but the walls are too slippery ... do you have a rope? » Jiyeon hides her injured arm behind her back.

«It’s not that I go around with a rope haha ...I mean.. wait here I go to look for help, I'll be right back»

«Don’t leave me here please... »

«Don’t worry I promise I’ll come back» says the boy before throwing her a thick black jacket.

«Use this,it will keep you warm. I’ll be as fast as I can! »

Minutes pass, Jiyeon wears the jacket of the boy. It's warm and conveys a sense of security.

She feels a fresh scent, a fragrance she  used to call "scent of snow" whe she was a little girl.

A mixture of scents that bring to mind the warm and happy family warmth, so different from the fresh scent that tasted of summer ... so different from the Lu Han’s one.

*But it isn’t the time to think about him.*

«Jiyeon-ssi! Are you ok?Are you cold?»

*He’s back* Jiyeon feels happy.

«Yes.. a little.. »

«I’m sorry It’s my fault I should’ve been faster! I’m always in a rush but when it comes to important things I’m slow as a turtle... »

The boy throws a rope into the hole, at the end of which is securely fitted a wooden board.

Jiyeon sits on the board with her hands firmly on the rope.

«You ready? Use  your feet to give the push... I'll pull you out! »

After some efforts Jiyeon finally sees a ray of moonlight that enlightens her saviors hand. She grabs it firmly and the guy helps her out of the hole.

Both collapse to the ground gasping for breath.

Jiyeon looks up and scans the face of the young man. She’s dazzled.

His face is the amber color of pure silk. Soft strands of hair dark like the night slip on his face covering slightly two black eyes deep like the infinite.

What affects Jiyeon the most is his smile. Two full lips opened in a crooked smile and a row of pearly teeth.

*I have already seen him*

«Kim Jongin-ssi?»

«W-Who?»

«Are you Kim Jongin-ssi?»

«N-NO! I’m not! I’m.. I’m.. My name is Kai! »

«I see.. well thank you so much for your help! I owe you! »

«Nah..It’s ok. It was fate.. »

«Fate? What are you talking about? »

«Fate! You know.. everything already written but.. OMG you're bleeding! You said you weren't hurt!»

«Ah it’s nothing really I’ll deal with it don’t worry... »

«No! Now you come with me we need to take care of the wound! C’mon! »

Kai takes her hand and drags her. They walk for about an hour. Every now and then Jiyeon stumbles but Kai is ready to help her.They come out of the undergrowth and in a wide glade.

The moonlight shines on the flowers' petals spreadings rainbow lights all around. The deep blue sky is dotted with little stars. Across the glade hovers a thin mist that sparkles like the sky. Distant there is a waterfall that flows vertically into a ravine to join with a clear river.

Kai guides Jiyeon to a hollow tree where there is a thick wood door. He opens it.

A cozy little room with a bed, a stove with a steaming teapot on it, a big armchair and many old books and antiques goods.

«Do you live here?» asks Jiyeon.

«Yes.. come here» Kai makes the girl sit on a big chair and goes to look for the first aid kit.

When he comes back he takes her arm gently and cleans the wound.

The atmosphere is cozy and in the air hovers a sweet scent of tea.

«Done! Do you want a cup of tea?»

«Oh yes.. thank you so much.. »

Kai goes to get two large colored cups and pours a hot black tea. Then he hands one to Jiyeon, which agrees with a shy smile.

«Thank you.. really you have done so much for me.. but can you tell me where are we? »

«Where do you think you are?» Kai whispers almost imperceptibly while Jiyeon looks at him dubiously.

«You're far from home huh? » Kai sips his hot tea. Jiyeon nods shyly.

«You don’t talk much right? I was like you not long ago like the perfect wallflower. At first it was hard but I had to change. I was missing too many things in life..I was hurt after a person I respected a lot left to pursue his dream. I had lost the desire to see the world but around me there were kind people who loved me, and that, despite my behavior remained next to me. The moment I decided to look up at the sky I realized the  opportunities I had lost. For example look at the sky, look at the moon. Isn’t it beautiful? While ago I was unable to appreciate its beauty, but now it has become my passion.» Kai raises a hand and pointing at the full moon shining in the dark sky.

Jiyeon is affected and can not help but observe the bright ball. «You’re right.. »

Kai laughs and his laugh is captivating. «Have you ever dreamed of being the moon?»

Jiyeon looks at him wonderingly, slightly shaking her head.

«You're not an ordinary person.. » Jiyeon whispers.

The boy smiles «well, but who decides what is normal and what is not? if everything in life would follow patterns already written living would be awfully boring!»

«Maybe you’re right but.. being the moon would be so lonely.. I could be at best a small star» The speech was taking a turn more and more strange but there was something in the boy’s words that made Jiyeon very curious. So why not talk nonsense?

«You underestimate yourself. I think you are the moon. Strong and independent, able to give light in the darkest moments. Maybe you're afraid of a lunar eclipse? »

«What do you mean? » Jiyeon is more and more curious despite the boy's words begin to settle in her mind making her feel a strange sensation.

«Are you afraid that the sun might overshadow you? Just because the night takes the place of the day doesn't mean that the sun disappears and vice versa. The moon will continue to shine. »

Kai's words hit Jiyeon. Their meaning gets to the girl's heart. Her sun is gone but maybe it hasn't disappeared totally.

Out of blue Kai approaches Jiyeon putting tenderly a hand on her shoulder «The wound still hurts you right? »

«What?»

«Jiyeon-ah you’re almost crying.. are you still hurt? »

«No really I’m fine look I’m not bleeding anymore.. »

«I’m not talking about that wound.. I’m talking about the wound in your heart»

Jiyeon doesn’t notice her wet eyes until a tear runs down her cheek.

«How do you.. I don’t know you.. How? »

«This is not true, we met a while ago. Our lives are now intertwined. You’ve become part of mine and I of yours. You know, it happens every time you meet someone. Each person leaves a mark in the life of the others. Both those who stay and those who leave. It’s inevitable. So the question is: why are you crying?»

Jiyeon is lost. She seems unable to stop the tears that now are running down her face.

«I.. I don't know. Really, I don't know, these tears came out of nowhere, I don't know, and they don't wanna stop, they do not stop. But I won't cry. I made a promise ... I will not ... »

Kai comes near her «Hey it’s ok... Someone once told me that crying without any reason means having too much to cry about. It means having retained too long. It means having held inside an ocean of tears that sooner or later had to get out. He also said that we are like large containers that slowly fill up, and bear, bear, bear, but as you know, there is a limit to everything. Even the strongest and largest ones can’t keep everything inside. They simply burst.»

Jiyeon starts to sob and shake. Kai wraps her in a comforting embrace, patting her back. Then, with a soft voice he whispers

«Cry, cry all the tears you haven't cried so far. You were strong, but now forget everything and throws out the pain, I'm here.»

Kai's voice is reassuring and Jiyeon now is no longer able to restrain herself. The boy's words gave the green to an endless stream of tears.

Jiyeon cries for a long time until she falls asleep, exhausted, in the warm embrace of the boy.

Kai has never left . He stayed.

The boy raises Jiyeon bridal style and brings her on the big bed, tucking her blankets. Softly he caresses her face, then whispers with a kind smile.

«Goodnight my Gongju*» and with these words he leaves the room.

Jiyeon for the first time in forever dreams blissfully, unaware of what will happen...

*means princess is Korean

AUTHOR'S NOTES

Hi there lovely people!

Here we come with a pretty long second chapter... and yes something is slowly changing... Are you curious? Keep reading to know~♥ ㅋ ㅋ ㅋ ㅋ

Just wondering..Who do you think Kai is talking about? Anyway.. sorry for any typos or grammar errors ^^

I hope that until now you've enjoyed the story, I would be happy to know your impressions so feel free to comment! I love talking with you ^^ Subscribe and upvote if you like /insert her best puppy eyes/

See you next time, and thanks for your support ♥

If you wanna know me better or simply talk to me come find me! I'm quite nice you know... ^3^ 

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[edited 2015.02.13]