A Rooftop Story

She turned her back due to pure curiosity when she heard the creaking of the heavy metal door of this place. It is about 11 in the evening and is very unusual for occupants of this place to come here or either it is not an ideal time to hang your laundries, so she didn’t expect to have any company for this night. Yet he was just weird enough like her to have some guts to spend time in this rooftop.

“Hey!” the guy about her age greeted her as he paced towards her and took the place beside her. She looked at him from head to toe in return, noticing his cute spongebob pajamas which made her crack up on her mind. Nice pant huh? So manly. She thought. But she settled with smile then replied a short “Hey too!” before she directed her attention back to the where it was   and move a little bit, away from the guy. She do not exactly know this guy and it is quite not pleasing to have him here, but she also don’t want to go back to their unit because probably she will spend a few hours staring at the ceiling again. And that’s stressing and she don’t want to look old just because of a lame stress.

Silence remained still around them. No one speaks. No one tried to have the first move. Just a mute treatment from both of them until she decided to stood up and walked away. She took time to glance back at the guy but seeing him still looking at nowhere she continued walking.

He saw her left. He battled with his mind if he is going to talk to her or not. He turned back and was about to stop her to have a talk when he saw no one. She is already gone. He is already late.

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The next day is the same old story. Around 10.30 in the evening when the girl when out of the door of their apartment and went upstairs to the rooftop. The guy did the same thing for it is his daily habit of spending an hour there, staring at the bright city.

They were going to the same place when they met at the doorway going there.

“It’s you again. Good evening.” The guy greeted but the response of the girl is just a soft smile. She walked directly not to her usual spot but to the laundry cage designated to their unit. The guy looked at how she paced away from him. He watched her collected all the shirt and pants inside the cage, from his spot. He watched her walked pass him and out of the door.

Again he was about to turned around to ask or even just greet her again when he lost his confidence. He just walked near the railing and start thinking about what usually bothers him.

She saw him observing her. She wasn’t oblivious at the pair of eyes watching her do her business but she dismissed it and continued to march out of the place. ‘Crazy mister who wears an angry bird sweat pants’ was the only phase she could utter as she smiled.

And tonight is just another ordinary night they got every day.

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“There’s nothing to do here. I should go back first. You okay being alone here?” the other girl nodded and the taller one paced back to where they are staying.

She sighed. Staying here while the cold air blew is quite soothing and peaceful that you could think of the best story to write. The ambiance of this place is urging you to overthink of about something pleasant or wonderful. I should have brought my stuff here and write.

She thought. She stared back to nothingness, her head on the railings. Then suddenly the creaking of the door breaks the silence of the place.

“You came back? Can’t sleep?” she asked the person who just arrived assuming it’s her friend coming back.

“Yeah. I’m thinking about something,” but rather than a girl voice as what she was expecting, a deep guy voice shocked her. She turned around to see the same guy from last night, looking straight in her eyes.

“I’m sorry, but it’s not mean for you. I thought my friend came back.” She hurriedly explains herself, bowing in the process.

“Oh, that’s okay though,” he came closer and sat beside her.

And it was the uninvited familiar silence between them again.

“Haha, this is awkward. I think we need to have some conversation rather than staring at nowhere.” Out of the blue, he spoke up cracking the layer of quietness and awkwardness in their atmosphere.

“Uhm, sure. You can do the talking while I listen.” said the girl in a monotone. I won’t be talking to a stranger, sorry.

“That can’t be called a convo if I’ll do all the talking. But I’ll be contented on that I guess.” He smiled diverting his gaze on her face.

 “By the way, Lee SungMin.” She looked at him weighing if she should respond to the friendly introduction of the guy.

“Don’t worry I don’t bite and I also don’t take advantage if that’s what you’re thinking.” He added keeping his smile on.

“SoonKyu, Lee SoonKyu.” And she smiled back. That warm innocent smile. I don’t know but it makes me feel light.

“So Lee SoonKyu?” He repeated nodding his head. “You like being here?” She affirmed by nodding her head.

“I also do. True that this city is already populated not to mention polluted but there is something soothing seeing how lively the night here. Those lights,” he pointed on the vast of darkness filled with lights coming from apartments, malls and streets. “It’s beautiful in a messy way. It’s beautiful in a disastrous sense. And being this high feels like you’re the king of the universe. Like those lights are under your control.” And he shut up to take a glance on the girl beside him, the girl who intently listening to his words. ‘He is crazy.’ He looked at her eyes and she did the same thing. Silence again covered them in a good way. No one speaks a word or move a muscle. And out of nowhere her phone ring.

 “I think I need to go, it’s late.” She bowed and made her exit.

“Okay. Good morning. And I’ll be here tomorrow.” He said. He will be here tomorrow? Why did he tell me that? She wonders.

She admit it, the first time she saw him there was something in him that makes her want to see him every day. There is something in his voice that makes her want to listen. There is something in the way he look at her that makes her heart beat. She just knows it is different, different to be with him. She just doesn’t realize it that time.

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“So again as I expected you’re here.” Her body tensed and she was stifled when out of a sudden she heard a voice from muteness. She gazed at him for a minute and then diverted it to the open door. It didn’t make a sound. How come? She asked herself.

“You left it open if you’re wondering,” and after he said that he took a seat. Mind reader huh? She thought. Then just like the other day silence filled the atmosphere. And in that calmness she found a way to observe him. She directed her eyes first to his dishevelled but neatly cut hair, to his eyes, nose and lips. She just realized it, he has good features. And down to his arms, his biceps is being emphasized in that white sando he is wearing.  And she laughed. McQueen pajamas this time? What will be the next character?

“Why did you laugh?” he asked confuse and that muffled her.

“No, nothing.” She lied. Good thing she didn’t just shake her head.  He smiled at the thought.

“Seriously?” she bobbed her head to reassure.

“Okay, so SoonKyu.  Am I still the one to talk?”

“uhm, yes,” that time she met his eyes and formed a curve in her face in a teasing way.

“Okay, so you’re new here?” he started the conversation and he received a nod from the girl.

“That’s why I hadn’t seen you before. Vacation? Or you just move in?” the question made the girl shrugged and the guy frowned with the response.

“Haha. I’m here for a vacation but I’m thinking about moving here two years from now,” she sincerely answered.  Talking to him will bring me no harm, right? It’s just a friendly conversation at all. The girl thought.

“Trying to familiarize the city?” I am not going out of bounds right? Just being friendly, keeping the conversation alive? The guy thought.

“Kinda,”

“You will be here until when?”

“End of the month, a week and a half to go.” And girl answered and he ran out of question to ask.

“In case you wanna know, I’m living with my grandma fourteenth floor. And my parents are both in abroad.” So he told his story and is a bold move for him. But, that caught the girl’s attention. He tells so much about himself. She said in her mind remembering his last night’s tale about how he likes rooftop.

“And—“ a phone stopped him from saying another word.

After reading what the text said, the girl gave him a sad look and bid her goodbye.

He looked at his watched as soon as the girls left. Again it was already 12 midnight. ‘Is she some Cinderella who always leaves before 12?’ he uttered as he also took his leave.

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Just like the other nights, door sends a creaking sound just like how doors on horror movies are. Scary? Creepy? I bet not on her part. And again her curiosity caused her to look back and she was expecting no one but the guy last night. He paced towards her in his fancy baymax pajamas. She smiled for how much she liked that character.

“You’re early huh?” He was the first one to speak up.

“There’s nothing to do in there. My cousin isn’t going home so is my aunt. And my friend fell asleep while I do the talking,” She said tapping her fingers in the railing in the rhythm of her favourite song, the script’s song. There’s, there’s something in him that makes me want to talk. And actually he isn’t that hard to be close to.

“Opps. Sad story. Chips?” he offered taking the space beside her. “And soda?” and the girl gladly accepted.

“Midnight snacks huh?” she teased.

“Uh huh. Just my favourite.” He chuckled.

“So we’re living on the same floor, you’re in the unit on the corner?” he asked and the girl affirmed.

“How did you know?” she take a handful of chips while the guy offered to open her cola.

“Just saw you in the morning leaving with you friend and,” and he made an awkward pause.

“And?” she felt that pause, like he was about to say something else but stop.

“Nothing, never mind.”

“I know you’re about to say something else.” She probed.

“Is your friend living with you?” he was caught on the part so he got no choice but to say what he was supposed to say and that made her laughed.

“For the mean time. She is here for a vacation slash internship,” he nodded his head. 

“Internship for what?” he followed up.

“I don’t know but she’s taking up pre-med,”

“Tough course,” she agreed in what the guy said.

“Seems interested in her,” She eyed him and the guy just affirmed.

“She is beautiful right?” she asked looking at the guy from time to time. He nodded again.

“You like her?” she asked again which caught the guy off guard.

“How could you ask that? I don’t even know her.” He burst out defending himself.

“No need to be such defensive.”

And again the same silence came back while both of them have their eyes set on the view in front while sipping their drinks. And again, there’s her phone ringing.

“Yah! Come back now.”  It says.

“I should go! Thanks for the snacks.” She bid her goodbye and turned her heel away from him.

“Yeah, see you tomorrow. And I like someone else.” She glanced back at him and smiled.

“I know. By the way, nice baymax pajamas. Good night.”

She knows? He wonders.

Baymax, huh? She shakes her head while smiling to herself.

She wished. She wished her friend isn’t that kill joy enough to cut the conversation they had. And she wished. She wished that there will be tomorrow.

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“Where will we going today? Any schedule you have?” SoonKyu and her friend were waiting for the elevator when a man in blue suit stood beside them. They glanced at him for a second and went back to their own conversation.

“Hi girls,” polite enough he greeted the two but even a smile in return, he got none.

“I have no idea, maybe we should visit the hospital, let the rest happened,” SoonKyu replied to her friend’s question just as the elevator door opened. They moved inside quietly and the guy took the initiative to press the ground bottom. For the short time being inside the small closed place the guy tried to catch the eye of the lass, and he did. They had a short eye contact where the guy flashed a smile but just as what happened to his greeting it wasn’t reciprocated. They reached the ground floor and went the opposite ways.

Later that day.

She went up to the rooftop that night carrying the feeling of guilt. She knows she shouldn’t have done that, but it is just that, things happen and she doesn't want to be tease by her younger friend even though there is nothing going on in between them.

It was later than the usual time when she went there and she knows he is already there. She slowly opened the door and tiptoed towards their usual spot when—

“Yah!” she felt her soul made a quick escape out of her body as she jumped in fear.

“Why did you do that?!” she uttered in annoyance as she turned to the laughing suspect.

“That’s for being a snob,” He said incoherently because he kept laughing. She just stared at him, a deadly glare that made the guy stop.

“Stop,” he let out as he calmed himself, “Just a reminder, murder is a crime.” Funny him for being literally get scared of her stare.

“Please, I was sorry, just stop staring,” he pleaded again. Oh, looks could really kill a person.

She’s laughing inside when suddenly something from inside her also made its point.

“What was that?” he asked hearing that weird sound.

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