Tenth Paradise : Myungsoo

Today’s the seventh day. The day where I get to spend with Myungsoo. The last Guardian of Paradise. I should be nervous but all I felt was a sense of peace. As if God took pity on my pitiful state and cast a spell that made me stop fighting, resigning myself to my inevitable fate.

I dressed quickly, briefly wondering what would happen to the rest of my clothes once I was gone. I took in the room, my temporary haven here in Paradise. After today, even that will no longer belong to me. I let the door close quietly, watching silently as the door turned from white to black. I smiled to myself, glad that I had guessed right.

Myungsoo was waiting at the bottom of the stairs and to my immense surprise, he wasn’t dressed in all black. The colours and style he wore were still plain and simple, a cream cardigan over a white v-neck, black pants and the same pointed pair of leather shoes completed his outfit. His hair wasn’t styled upwards as usual but let down, so his bangs covered his forehead. But still, some things never change, his face remained expressionless as I descended the last few steps and he took off towards the common room.

Sunggyu, Dongwoo, Hoya and Sungjong were all squashed in the tiny little couch in the centre of the room, their eyes immediately zooming towards us as we entered the room. Sungyeol was nowhere to be seen and I guessed he was still sleeping, remembering the dramas he watches in the dead of night. I scanned the room and spotted the person I was looking for. Woohyun was sitting at the countertop in the kitchen. He was deep in thought but I noticed the twinge of melancholy in his eyes. I made my over to him.

“Hey, Woohyun,” I called out when I neared him.

He looked up, the sadness in his eyes being stomped out instantly as he greeted me with a wide smile.

“Hey beautiful,” he grinned, wriggling his eyebrows suggestively. I rolled my eyes and smacked his arm.

“Thank you, for yesterday. It’s thanks to you…” I let my sentence fade off awkwardly and smiled sheepishly, playing with my fingers. He shook his head, returning my smile.

“Your secret’s safe with me,” his fingers traced a cross above his heart as I rolled my eyes again. The grin he sported melted away as he looked at me, that twinge of melancholy returning to his dark eyes. “Are you going to be okay?”

I shrugged. I didn’t have an answer and in truth, I was afraid of finding out.

“Just…have fun today,” he took my hand and gave it a quick squeeze.

Myungsoo came over, his hand extended out. I waved goodbye to Woohyun before taking his hand. We made our way over to the portal as the other guys waved at us. They looked different, more reserved, their smiles failing to reach their eyes. I unconsciously squeezed Myungsoo’s hand but the gesture went unnoticed by the both of us. Myungsoo released my hand and wrapped his arm around my shoulders and brought me close. I took in his scent, he smelt like detergent, from his cardigan I guessed and another underlying scent, which I couldn’t quite put my finger on.

Together, we jumped into the portal, Myungsoo’s arm practically like a vise that kept us from separating. We were thrown around and shaken roughly repeatedly and I was beginning to feel sick in the stomach when everything just stopped. Myungsoo and I landed with a soft thud onto something warm and fuzzy. I looked around and realized that we had dropped onto a bed. My bed, to be more specific. He lifted himself off me and held out his hand again.

I accepted quietly as he hauled me up onto my feet. I nodded at him and we made our way to Mija’s room together. Cracking her pink bedroom door open, I stuck my head in and scanned the room. She wasn’t there. Feeling slightly puzzled, the sound of the television came blaring from downstairs and I immediately guessed where she could be. We descended the stairs where I spotted her, dressed in her pink pajamas snacking on some cookies, laughing out loud at the television. I snuck up on the unsuspecting girl and wrapped my arms around her, causing her to squeal loudly.

“Mija ahhh,” I cooed, resting my head on her little halo of dark curls.

“Umma!” Mija squealed happily, she hugged me, doing what she could to wrap her short arms around my neck. Then, she noticed Myungsoo, standing off to the side a little awkwardly.

“Who’s the oppa? He’s even better than Sungyeol oppa,” Mija whispered the second part of her sentence to me, eyes shining with excitement when she saw Myungsoo. I laughed when I saw the corners of his mouth lift ever so slightly.

“That’s Myungsoo oppa,” I answered. She scrutinized him with her eyes and held out one of the cookies to him. He looked at the cookie quizzically before cracking a smile and accepting it. Mija was delighted.

“Have you washed up yet, young lady?” I asked her sternly even though the answer was obvious to see. She blushed scarlet and jumped off the couch, scurrying away upstairs to her bedroom. I chuckled and let myself fall onto the couch, stealing one of Mija’s cookies.

“Your daughter is…interesting,” Myungsoo sat next to me, helping himself to another cookie. From what I’ve seen in the rare occasions I spent time with the Guardians in Paradise, I’ve noticed that he ate the most, oftentimes stealing off Sungjong’s or Sungyeol’s plates when they weren’t looking.

“I think the word you’re looking for is cute,” I laughed. He hummed a reply, chewing contently.

Mija came trundling down the staircase, her hair flying wildly behind her as she barreled right into us, squeezing her small body between Myungsoo and I. She lifted the plate of cookies and placed it on her lap before beginning to devour them quickly. Myungsoo however had other plans. He began stuffing the cookies into his mouth, two at a time, trying to out-eat her. I watched on in amusement as they had their little race with Mija snatching up the last piece of cookie. She waved in triumphantly at Myungsoo, causing him to burst out laughing. In the end, she gave the last cookie to Myungsoo who held it out to me.

“Don’t you want it?” I asked, surprised. He never lets an opportunity to eat pass like this.

“You can have it,” he grinned.

Wondering whether this was the first time I’ve seen him grin like that, I took the cookie and began munching on it slowly. Two pairs of eyes bored into me as I kept my eyes trained on the television. Mija tugged on the shirt of my sleeve as I popped the last bit of cookie into my mouth.

“Umma, I’m hungry. I think Myungsoo oppa is too,” she whined, tugging forcefully now.

“Didn’t you just have those cookies,” I . She whined somemore, tugging harder.

“Yeah Hyeri, don’t starve your daughter,” Myungsoo joined in Mija’s efforts to get me to feed them, his grin still intact.

Is this really the Myungsoo that I’ve been spending time with in Paradise? The Myungsoo I know doesn’t smile like that, a stoic expression and an occasional smirk was all I’ve ever seen. Who was this boy that was smiling at me like that? His lips pulled into a crooked smile, eyes shining with life.

“Umma!” I pinched her pink cheeks and pushed her off the couch, asking her to go get ready. She pumped one triumphant fist and rushed off towards the entrance, putting on her shoes hastily. I grabbed Myungsoo’s hand and pulled him off the couch and the three of us left the house to begin our little adventure.

I was glad that Mija didn’t have school today. I get to spend the whole day with her without any interruptions, make the best of today before it’s over. Myungsoo breaking out of his cold exterior was an added bonus. I admit, I was a little uncertain on how he was going to react to Mija. His cold demeanor may have softened over the past six days but I could never be sure since I spent so little time with him and most of those times we were surrounded by his brothers, people he was comfortable with. It was relieving to see him laugh and smile. He looked…younger. Closer to the age he should be when he became a Guardian.

We stopped by a diner for a quick lunch, where Mija and Myungsoo once again had their own little competition to see who could eat more. Myungsoo emerged the obvious victor, causing Mija to pout in disappointment before he tempted her with a lollipop, lifting her spirits immediately. The three of us snacked on our respective lollipops as I led our little group towards the subway station. I planned on going somewhere a little further away from home today, as a treat for Mija. We boarded the train, settling into the available seats and waited for the train to bring us to our destination. Mija fell asleep about halfway through the trip and refused to wake up even when we reached our stop. In the end, Myungsoo cradled her in his arms, her head resting on his shoulder as we exited the underground station.

“Where are we going?” Myungsoo questioned as he hoisted Mija’s limp body, making sure she was secure in his arms.

“Somewhere nice,” I grinned, popping a marshmallow, which I had bought earlier, into his mouth as we strolled through the busy street.

I became even more excited as we neared our destination. I skipped ahead of them, rounding the corner quickly. Myungsoo came trailing along hurriedly behind me, ready to yell out before his words died in his mouth as his eyes focused on the beautiful sight.

White sand stretched on as far as the eye could see before it disappeared into the crystal clear water that was an aquamarine blue. The salty air kissed our skin as we kicked off our shoes, leaving it on the grassy hillside before sinking our bare feet into the fine sand. The sound of the waves of the ocean crashing against each other woke Mija up. She squealed gleefully, clambering her way out of Myungsoo’s arms and tumbling down the sandy hills, laughing her heart out despite her fall. Myungsoo was on the verge of tripping himself, his left foot sinking into the sand a little too deep as I caught him, stifling my laugh as he blushed. We made our way towards the beachside together, a cool breeze caressing our bodies, the sound of the waves like a sweet lullaby.

“Told you it's somewhere nice,” I , poking his stunned face.

“How did you find out about this place?” Mija was already building a sandcastle near the edge of the waters when we joined her. I sat down, bathing myself in the sun and let the two kids build their sandcastle together.

“Let’s just say Mija will always have a connection to the sea,” I answered him mischievously, smiling to myself at the fond memory.

“I don’t understand,” he said, eyebrows furrowing together. I giggled and refused to say anymore, growing pink at just the thought of how exactly I knew about this particular beach.

The kids cheered when their sandcastle, which looked more like a miniature fortress with its spires and towers, was completed. I helped them dig a moat around it, oohing along with them when the waters swept to shore and filled it. Mija and Myungsoo then raced each other into the water, not before I yelled for them to stay close to shore and began splashing each other playfully. I was enjoying the sun on my skin when a splash of cold water drenched me from head to toe. I sat up and glared at the culprit who was doubled over with laughter. Jumping up and sprinting right for him, I tackled Myungsoo who was still busy laughing his off, sending the both of us straight into the crystal blue water, Mija cheering loudly in the background.

∞

“Don't go too far Mija!” I hollered to the small girl collecting seashells excitedly by the beachside. My words fell on deaf ears as she rushed forwards after scanning the sand in front of her and finding it void of the little seashells.

Myungsoo and I strolled leisurely behind her, the slowly setting sun bathing the both of us in an orange glow. He had his hands stuffed into his pockets and I could see he was deep in thought. We followed Mija in silence, the only sounds coming from the crashing waves and the crunch of sand beneath our feet.

“Today was…interesting,” he began.

“I think the word you’re looking for is fun, Myungsoo.”

“Today was fun,” he grinned.

“You should smile more often,” I poked his cheek again. “It’s a better look on you,” I grinned back.

We were nearing a small group of people, a family. They had two boys who looked around Mija’s age. They ran towards her after spotting her digging around in the sand. The elder one began digging in the sand as well followed by the younger one. Their laughter rang loudly in the air as they played together. Myungsoo and I stood a little distance away and watched them while the boys’ parents did the same. I smiled at the couple while nodding my head at them. The returned the gesture warmly.

“How have you been sleeping?” he asked suddenly, catching me off guard with his strange question. He ignored the curious look I sent him, eyes focused on Mija.

“No more nightmares. I never did thank you for that day,” he raised one eyebrow at me. “Sungyeol told me you were the one who stopped them.”

“You’re welcome.”

We lapsed into silence again.

“And…how are your memories?” I asked timidly, playing with my fingers. He was quiet before he let out a long sigh.

“Sungjong?” I nodded.

“To be honest, I’m more worried for him. He won’t have anybody to share his worries with anymore once my memory disappears completely. He’s strong but in the end, he’s still a kid,” he frowned, lips pressing together into a thin line.

“You’re still a kid as well,” I corrected him, earning a snort from him. “Don’t worry about Sungjong, he’ll pull through. He’s tougher than you think.” I smiled.

“I know. I just…worry for him.”

“Did you ever wonder why you were chosen, out of the millions of people in the world. Why you?”

That anger from before surfaced again, anger that they were bound to Paradise without their consent. I was too caught up in my own emotions that I didn’t notice Myungsoo had stopped walking. I turned back to face him. He was looking at the dying sun, a thoughtful expression gracing his features. He directed his attention towards me and smiled, a crooked smile that honestly, took my breath away. I’ve always been aware that the Guardians were good-looking, all seven of them, their beauty was almost unnatural, their perfection almost inhumane. But it was only then did I realize why.

The answer was simple.

They were the Guardians of Paradise. The bridge to the ultimate abode. If they weren’t perfect, what would Heaven be? But, they were so much more than that.

Myungsoo spoke slowly, his dark eyes boring into mine.

“It was fate that brought us together. The seven of us. We’re infinite.”

The way he said it, softly without a tremble in his voice nearly had me in tears.

∞

 “Myungsoo, let’s go.”

I pulled on his sleeve, signaling him to get up. He looked at me confusedly before following me out of the house. The sun had set long ago and we had returned home just as the stars began to shine in the night sky. Mija, exhausted from the days’ excitement slept peacefully in Myungsoo’s arms all the way until he set her gently on her bed. We were about to head back to Paradise when I remembered something really important.

“Where are we going?”

I ignored his question as I hurried along, almost running towards the small jewelry stall, thanking God when I saw it was still open. Myungsoo caught up with me as I was paying the cashier. I dropped the silver band embedded with the black stone onto his open palm, grinning at him.

“It wouldn’t be right if I missed out yours when I got all the other guys matching rings,” he analyzed the ring before slipping it onto his finger, then he looked at my own fingers.

“Did you get one for yourself?”

“Huh?”

“The ring. You said you got one for all of us right? Did you get one for yourself?”

“I…didn’t think of it.”

“You should,” Myungsoo began scanning the rows of silver. He picked out one that was identical in design to the ones I bought previously, only with a lightning blue stone.

“Is this one okay?” I nodded as he handed it over to the cashier and I paid for it. He slipped the cold piece of metal onto my finger and admired it from a distance. “It suits you.”

“Thank you,” I smiled at the ring, feeling rather happy.

We were about to leave the area when a light rain began to fall. The light rain soon turned into an all out storm. I didn’t bring an umbrella with me so we huddled at the entrance, waiting for it to pass. The rain lasted for a long time. I grew tired of standing and sank down at a nearby pillar, resting my back against it. Myungsoo remained standing near the entrance. I played with my fingers before sensing a pair of eyes on me. I looked up to see him staring at me.

“Did you notice that you stare a lot?” I asked him, not knowing whether my voice would be able to reach him through the howling wind that blew violently on the outside.

“It’s a habit. I stare at anything that catches my interest,” came his reply though I barely caught it. I smiled bemusedly at his strange habit.

“Does this mean I caught your eye?” I asked jokingly.

“Well, there’s nothing else around here worth looking at,” he replied coolly while smirking.

“Ouch, Myungsoo,” I feigned hurt, clutching at the fabric above my heart dramatically, earning an eye roll from him. I laughed along with him and added, “I think I’ve been spending too much time around Woohyun. His greasiness is rubbing off on me.”

“You should stay away from him then,” his smirk widened as his eyes became smaller, turning into crescents that were not that different from a certain hamster I knew.

“But honestly,” he began. “You really are strange Han Hyeri,” his last sentence was drowned away in the whistling of the wind. I shook my hand, signaling for him to repeat himself but he only laughed and shook his head.

We decided to make a run for the house after the rain began letting up since it didn’t look like it was going to stop anytime soon. After the rain had reduced to a light drizzle, we bolted from the entrance, Myungsoo’s cardigan acting as a temporary but honestly rather useless shield from the droplets of rain. We made it to the house, thoroughly soaked and laughing our heads off.

“That was…” he began.

“Interesting?” I cut him off.

“I think the word I’m looking for is fun,” he smirked again.

∞

After removing my soaked clothes and slipping into something warm and dry, I knew it was time to go. My seven days were up. It was finally beginning to sink in. The thought never crossed my mind today and it was something I felt accomplished for. I promised myself that I wouldn’t think about leaving or dying the entire day I’m with Mija today and I had succeeded. But now, the weight on my shoulders was heavier than ever as I leaned against her doorframe, watching her sleep, her small chest rising up and down steadily. The ache in my heart was growing rapidly, as if there was something clamped onto it, squeezing it tight till it was difficult for me to breathe.

“Hyeri.”

I turned to look at Myungsoo, his clothes were now dry after I tossed them into the dryer. I didn't have any spare men’s clothes around so we had to deal with him waiting for his own clothes to dry before we returned to Paradise. I nodded, acknowledging his presence before turning my eyes back to my daughter. He let out a small sigh.

“Why don't you spend the night here?” I looked at him again, surprised by his sudden suggestion.

“Am I allowed to?” I raised one eyebrow at him.

He shrugged casually and leaned on the other side of the doorframe. “One night wouldn’t hurt.”

I took his hands in mine and squeezed them, smiling sincerely at him. I made my way over to Mija’s bed and curled my body around hers, pushing her hair back and kissing her forehead lightly. Myungsoo was about to leave when I called his name.

“Thank you, for everything,” I said after I finally found my voice. He smiled gently at me. It was so warm, just like him. He pushed himself off the doorframe, approached the bed and sat down.

“I really wish we could do more. Luck was never in your favor.”

“You’ve already done enough.” I returned his smile, closing my eyes as I felt slumber beginning to take me.

“Not nearly enough,” he whispered. I felt his hand on my face. He pushed some of the stray hair away from my face before settling his palm above my eyes. He whispered again.

“Sleep well, Han Hyeri. See you in Paradise.”