Red Bench

Pak Pak Pak

 

Groan

 

Pak Pak Pak

 

Ugh what the hell, can’t they leave me alone?

 

Pak Pak Pak

 

‘Bloody hell!’ Eva cussed under her breath as she abruptly sat up on her bed.

Her room was quiet and dark — maybe the whole house too — she glanced at the digital watch on her side table, 12.45 sparkling in the red line.

Hell, what noise that disturb my sleep?

 

Pak Pak Pak

 

It came from outside, Eva’s eyes followed the sound and concluded to murder whoever to cause of the noise.

Grunted, Eva hauled herself out off the bed and headed to her balcony only to find somebody she hates the most grinned from ear to ear upon seeing her.

 

‘What!!!’ Eva snapped which he hurriedly pressed his forefinger onto his mouth to silence her.

‘Idiot,’ Eva muttered.

 

Eva was about to turned around and decided to continue her nice sleep when that guy raised up a paper,

 

“Come down, I’ll show you something”

 

Scribbled in his usual ugly font.

Eva’s eyes widened, is that guy mental? What time is it for good sake? Eva scoffed when he made puppy’s eyes, pleading her to come down.

He’s crazy, Eva concluded. And Eva found herself even crazier because she got back to her room, grabbed her coat and picked up random sneaker before dashed down, careful enough not to make any noise to wake the whole house up.

 

‘Are you crazy?!’ Eva snapped in low voice once she was face to face with the one who ordered her to go out in such hour.

 

He was just grinning.

 

‘Come on,’ he tugged Eva’s arm.

‘Where are we going actually?’ Eva questioned him as she slipped up her sneaker.

‘Somewhere,’ he said as he gestured Eva to hop up to the bicycle that she failed to notice before.

 

Eva’s eyes squinted.

 

‘Oh come on, it’s unlike I’ll kidnapped you or something,’ he persuaded.

‘I don’t want to do something crazy,’ Eva pointed out — although Eva was clearly aware by going out in such hours was already crazy enough — but he was only laughing. ‘Shinnie, I mean it,’

‘Alright, I promise’ Jungshin nodded; he raised his right hand to swear.

 

Of course Eva had worry because whenever she went out with the said Shinnie — nickname she gave to Jungshin — who happened to be her best and only friend — will always end up in bad ways. It was not because jungshin was trouble maker or such, but his trolling way sometimes brought them into trouble.

Jungshin was Eva’s only friend who was born an hour earlier than her. Both of them almost spent all the time together since they were in diapers. They were inseparable back then, until Jungshin had moved to the other country for his collage. But once in while he would pay Eva visit, and just like this holiday. He spent his summer holiday in his hometown, Locarno.

 

‘Seriously though, where are we going?’ Eva asked as both of them started riding down the lonely road with Eva standing on each foot-step and had her both arms hugged Jungshin’s neck.

 

The neighborhood was rather quiet, and here, almost impossible to find any vesicle went to and fro, it was just rare couples of people that they meet.

 

‘Just to enjoy the night,’ Jungshin simply said.

 

It was new for Eva; she was never going out late, not to mention cycling. Sure sometimes she went to party, but for casual outing like this, it was her first time.

 

‘Like what you see?’ Jungshin asked.

‘Yeah, I’ve never see such things before,’ Eva stated.

‘Well, ‘cause usually around this hours you must be drunk,’ Jungshin chuckled, and his chuckled grew as laughter as he felt paunch on his shoulder, causing them to shake bit.

‘Be ready,’ Jungshin all of sudden announced and before Eva could register both of them gliding fastly, instinctively Eva tightening her hug but after moment she remembered some scenes on the movies about her position right now.

 

It just one of them!

Slowly but carefully she loosened up her grip, slowly, very slowly she was steadying her step and spread her hands.

 

‘Hey! Be careful?!’ Jungshin shouted.

‘Keep steady okay,’ Eva said as she completely spread her hands and shouted on top of her lungs.

‘Wuhuuu…’

‘You said you won’t do something crazy but look at you,’ Jungshin laughed.

‘It’s nice you know,’ Eva chuckled and placed her hand onto the previous place.

‘You know, it’s rare moment and I bet you’ve never pay attention about how beautiful our place is when the night comes.’ Jungshin spoke when both of them reached sloping road.

Quiet, it was looked like no one around but Jungshin and Eva.

‘What is it?’ Eva asked.

‘I mean it, look at that?’ Jungshin stopped his cycle and pointed out to the distance.

 

Just then Eva realized that they were no longer at their neighborhood. Much to her surprise they were at Rivapiana Muralto.

 

 

Gasp.

 

 

How long they were cycling?

 

‘It’s scary to be here in such hour you know,’ Eva mindlessly said.

‘But it’s quiet and peaceful.’ Jungshin reasoned as he left his cycle and led both of them to lean forward to the railing bar.

 

It’s a bit cold now, yeah no wonder because fall will soon approaching.

For a moment of silence fallen over them and Jungshin and Eva were simply enjoying the night view before them.

Yes it was quite peaceful, but however Eva still preferred to visit this place on a day, not when most of the people had gone to bed.

The twinkling of lamplight from afar was reflected on the dark grey water since the moon gave a little bit of its light.

Its half moon tonight, Eva thought to herself.

The sycamore behind them was swaying its branches slowly as the wind blowing, late summer breeze caressed their face and Jungshin was humming a song which Eva did not know what song it was.

Jungshin reached the girl’s hand and led Eva to the bench. It was still quiet between them; Eva did not bother to start conversation since she was also found this silence was endearing. It was a rare moment for them to have such silence like this. Because everyone knew how Jungshin was the biggest troll on earth. But this time, there was something odd with this guy.

But what is it?

He has been quiet. Check

He looked like little — or perhaps much — lost. Check

He was not like people who love to go outside and usually it took Eva much effort to make the guy sat next to her to go outside, let alone walking — or rather cycling.

So, the walking and cycling Jungshin was weird. Check.

Eva looked at him, and he was leaning his head on the back rest, gazing straight to the half moon on the night sky.

 

‘Ev,’ Jungshin called.

‘Hm?’

‘What is it like to be obedient?’

 

Huh? What a weird question.

 

‘What do you mean?’ Eva asked in confusion.

‘You know who I am, and how I always oppose my Mum’s wish,’ Jungshin stated but then he stopped there, he did not continue his statement as if he lost his word.

‘Did something happen?’

‘I don’t want to leave tomorrow,’ Jungshin flatly said.

 

Only then Eva realized that his holiday comes to an end. And for some reason she did not want it to happen either. It was odd but ugh… she could not explain it.

 

‘You’re at your last year right now,’ Eva stated in a matter of fact.

 

And yes, both of them are.

 

‘Shinnie-ah you’re already an obedient kid since you agree to study abroad,’ Eva continued.

‘Because I think; that the only way to save myself.’ Jungshin mumbled.

 

Eva stretched out her hands before pulled up her knees so she could hug it. The cloud began to move away, revealing tiny glitters that make Eva smiled. The idea of went out was not such a bad idea apparently.

 

‘And now you think you made mistake?’ Eva questioned him.

 

Jungshin tore his gaze and looked at the girl next to him, sighed and looked away, it was better to look elsewhere but her.

 

‘Yes, isn’t that obvious?’ he irritatingly asked.

‘You know, whatever choice you made, you should have continued and complete it until the end, you can’t just drop it halfway, and not to mention your graduation is around the corner.’

‘You don’t know how it feels,’ Jungshin retorted.

 

Eva silenced, does she? Of course not, she knows exactly how it feels.

 

‘You should be braver back then,’ she said in low voice. Her gaze was straight to the darkness before them.

 

Yeah, she was true; he must be braver back then. He must have enough courage to fight, but then again, he was treasuring their friendship so much. He was not ready to lose it yet. The image that it would ruined their relationship was bigger and scarier him. He was not ready.

 

‘I should have but I wasn’t ready yet. There are too many consequences if I go on with my will back then.’

‘And you think you’re ready now?’

 

Jungshin shook his head. Truth to be told, he was still not ready yet, but sometimes — just sometimes — he had feeling that what he felt all these times were mutual. Maybe it gave him some crazy idea to take leap of faith, just like free fall or something.

It was all about the bet after all and maybe will be his biggest gamble on his life.

 

‘I don’t want to leave,’ Jungshin whined.

 

Eva sighed, and turned her body to face her — now childish — friend.

 

 

Poke

 

‘What?!’ Jungshin turned his head almost immediately.

 

Eva giggled, she knew how much he hates when someone poke his cheek.

 

‘Just go with the flow, finish your study first then if you decided to comeback I think you’ll find the same situation, none will change. But make sure don’t messed up with Aunty, told her nicely or you can kiss goodbye about everything.’ Eva told him.

‘Promise?’ his eyes were glistening in delight upon hearing the words.

‘But I mean it about Aunty,’ Eva warned him.

 ‘Okay, lets seal the deal and you can check to Mum when the day comes,’ Jungshin chuckled and extended his hand.

Eva reached his, ‘deal,’

 

The night was growing older, the sky brightened some more and both Jungshin and Eva still did not bother to go home. The pair was hugging each other witnessing the sky cracked into slit golden red which become greater every ticking time.

Sunrise, is always brings a new day and can we hope for new story as well?

Who knows what will happen in the future; for now let’s just savor the silent moment that was colored by chirp of birds that were singing their morning every now and then.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here in Rivapiana Muralto, hoping another story to be a reality. Just there, sitting on the red bench.