It's been a while since we've been in this café but she didn't even let a word out. How quiet!
Looking out of the window, I took a sip of cold coffee. Hum, it tastes good. "It's been a while-" I turned to her and she paused. Shivering and looking down on the cappuccino placed on the table. "Said something?" I said quietly.
Forwarding her eyes towards the window, through it. She made a lip moment, "I just don't know what to say…, As we met again after a long time." I slowed down my eyes to my cold coffee and responded with a bitter smile. "Hm. Yeah." I was a little surprised that a chatterbox like her could ever hesitate to talk with her bestie one day.
Simply – I have no idea… What changed her? "How come you got so quiet in a while, Yeran?" She maintained silence for a moment, staring through the window at the unpredicted shower, droplets forming patterns on the glass. That's a spontaneous shower.
"A little practice." She then passed me a bright smile. I was a bit moved by that but then I realized her relationship with Lu Yong from our schooling days. Is that sudden change because of…Lu Yong?
"That's not possible, Yeran. Are you leaving anything behind me?" She suddenly flashed in dullness and I shortly started to scroll into the matter. That was hidden by her from me. Keeping my cup down on the table, I said, "I got it." Being straight.
"Huh?" She responded with a plain question but then sighed. "You didn't get it, Moon." A black face and I just blinked twice at her. Then she continued, "We broke up a long time ago." Word-for-word, I experienced the 200-volt shock by this! More than her I was out of my soul!
How…how does that even happen?!
"What? What are you talking about?!" I screamed. Banged on the table and I stood straight up. Soon I was embarrassed enough to pull myself into my seat and drag my hoodie onto my head. Sh*t! That's a shame! All were staring at me in amusement!
"Don't worry, I got a new boyfriend." I don't know whether to be happy for her to have fallen in someone else's arms or to be bummed out over the break-up with Lu Yong. But…Why am I caring about it?! I do care… I'm the one who worked hard to make them together…!
Boohoo! "Who's that?" I said in a neither bliss nor pathetic voice. She drank down half of the cappuccino and then with a slap of the cup on the table, she said, "Carl Edwin! My boyfriend. Haha!" Ca-Carl Edwin?!!! How come…? Though… I'm happy! "Congratulations, Yeran!" I lifted my cold coffee cup in the air as if I was holding a beer glass. How stupidity!
But…, deep down there's a hole of love within that envelope of a bunch of old letters written on someone at an age when I was oblivious of what I was doing, learning any consequences of it yet… There was a small question raised in me – I have to vanish those letters after that.
Though that question gave me a new passage, I would still be convinced how beautiful it would be if that person had allowed entrance to those letters written for him by heart.
Nothing's on my hand but an ash of leaves. Huh…
"But… you shouldn't have let Lu Yong go." Quiet, hush like a doll, I said.
Down to her heart, she was not able to see me as she knew that Carl Edwin was my kindergarten crush, rounded by the clouds of the images she saw me with Carl Edwin in my room. How simple has it come to be for teenagers to go over their love for one another?
'Love is not a game you play for fun, it is an affection… where you understand the other, and be an ear to the other. A solver to their problems, a detective to their mysteries, a treasure to their happiness and a tracker to their adventures.'
In this generation, this love has become a game eventually. Ha!
"Maybe I have chosen the wrong guy from my high school. He never gives time for me." How simple. A grin appeared on my face, thinking how simple it is to express a scar of the person but not the reason behind it. Not giving time…, is that even a reason?
"Okay. But were you giving time for him? Were you waiting for him?"
"I… Yeah, I do wait for him to have dinner together. But he would often arrive tardily…-"
I got it. "I don't mean that. I mean did you ever wait for him to open his expressions, understand his own business and the reason behind not making time for you?" She looked quietly at me. As for me, I know the reason behind their break-up but in the form of being a responsible girlfriend… My bestie ceased to function.
"I-I have to go, M-moon. Here is the m-money from my d-drink."
I don't have to be foolish to not be able to figure out the situation, noting down her nervous face. There are a million ways to run but only one is correct in that, Yeran. Million-one ways to adapt, yet you have to be the only one. In the end, you may end one if you don't be reasonable today.
I slightly caught her wrist when she was in a hurry-burry. "At least give him a chance. If not, don't blame me for not noticing you before." She paid attention quietly, as I let her off. She rushed out of the café. I sighed and stood up, pressing the cash into the menu, I left.
The sun is setting up. It was like the red sun playing hide-and-sick with clouds – they were turning red. A spectacular view. Eventually, after a weary play, the sun gave a goodbye kiss to the clouds – they blushed and saw the sun off.
And here I, lying on the grass with a calm fragrance tickling my nostrils, was stretching out my hands and legs on the grass. It's like resting on a cotton mattress!
"Ha…, I'm relieved."
"Same with me." A soothing voice into my ears and I shuddered. Made a shocking turn towards the person. I was astounded to find that no one was at the place where I located my sight. How could there be no one?! Does the ghost talk to me?! OMG!
"Hey yo~" Huh? Another… no, similar voice. From where…? I immediately turned my face to the other side and found… "Race?" It was the Race Page! How did he discover me?
"Were you the one who just called my name?" I sounded it in a rush as I found him in a sudden search for the invisible ghost. He abruptly smiled, saying,
"Yup! Were you scared, Sister Moonnn?" For a second, I figured he was special… with his bright, sunshine-like smile. How glamorous! Is this what Miko tracked down in him…? With a change of my strict face, I said. "I'm not okay! Well, why are you here?"
"Ha…, aside from that, I have a question for you, Sister Moon."
He dropped to the ground with his arms behind his neck. I followed him, saying
"What can it be, Race?"
"Don't you… like me for being… Miko's boyfriend? Have any reason, Sister Moon."
That was the stupidest question anyone had ever asked me! No clenching of my fist not even grinding of my tooth, instead I wanna speak out clearly about this question though his age isn't for asking such questions. However, he raised the right one from me.
"See yourself first." He shortly began rolling his head around him.
"I don't mean that!" Haiz. What a boy!
"Then what, Sister Moon?"
"I mean your age, Race." Before I could, "Ohho!" Finish my words, he exclaimed. You're raising my temperature, Race! "Let me finish, Race!" I really can't bear this boy to be my Little Monster's Boyfriend. Patience, Moon. Patience. Ha…!
"Ok. Ok. You continue, Sister Moon."
Thank you. "Well, Race. Is your age the right one to be involved in such matters?" I paused and then continued, "No, right? It's your learning epoch. A playing age and developing age, not an epoch of walking in such ways where you don't even know what it actually means."
"But, Sister-in-law." Huh! My god, Why am I still alive after this horrible address?! Oh my, poor ears! My god, my god!
"Ah, sorry. I mean, Sister Moon…" I know you're already well-planned to address me sister-in-law, huh!? I know your mind, Race. Phew for at least saying sorry. "Continue now."
"Ah. I was saying that… Love doesn't count… age, right?" I didn't answer as he was right but
"Love is an art, how beautifully you draw that beautiful your love will be. And I strongly believe this, Sister Moon. Though my age is not the right one, I know very well about it."
I began driving deep into this boy. "Your meaning about love is so exquisite, Race." I might have turned low here but I would have never expected such heartwarming words from a boy belonging to the kindergarten stage. The most beautiful part I loved in this era must be the ravishing explanation about love at a young age. Not even a teenage stage love.
I'm impressed by you, Race. I smiled, not for something that sounded new but for someone that was heart-touching to me. "What about your studies then?" I need a response now.
"Don't worry about that, As we work hard on our foundation of love we'll eventually give the same response toward studies. Trust me, Sister Moon." Trust…? I'll rarely think about it.
"What if you can't?" An immediate answer he said, "I will never let that take place." That's the answer I was expecting from him. Once again, Thank you but trust. "My eye will be on you, to develop trust in you, Race." With a thumbs-up, he delivered me the brightest smile. And I reflected like a mirror to his face.
...….
"Can you buy me ice cream, Sister Moon?"
"Even Miko loves to have ice cream, do you too?"
"It's actually for her. I know which flavour she hits on more."
As an older sister of hers, I eventually took a year to understand that idiot whereas this lad has gotten only a few months to read the mind of a dumb girl, Miko Kiyoko! It must be noted as a shame to me. Tsk! Now what is the use of mentioning my shame? It will be just a double cream on a cream that exists already. Haiz…
Poor little ice cream flavours! Make a way to your houses! As one of you guys is gonna enter a black hole of Miko's! I might not act stupid at least. Well, all the flavours look alike to me, how am I supposed to recognize the one before this lad? I could barely remember what I ate yesterday, how could it be possible to remember others' matters? Impossible!
Ouf – where are you flavour of my Miko's favourite?!
"So, did you catch it? The one you are in need of." I said calmly, scrolling my eyes here and there. And the sh*t I couldn't recall it! If I have to find the flavour before this lad then I have to follow his eyes. If his eyes sparkle on one of these flavours then it would be guaranteed – the one we or… I need it. How cruel am I to cheat on a lad! Sh, sh!
He strolled his eyeballs like Newton's Cradle Balancing Balls. "What a balance?" I muttered.
"I might not make you upset, as I finally found it out! Did you, Sister Moon?"
"Umm…, Yes. Yes, I found it before you." Fu*k I missed the way. I don't even know when he even caught the flavour so soon – now how?! What should I do if I pick up the wrong one? Wouldn't that be an embarrassment to me?! Shall be, shall be!
With a surprised eye, he immediately said. "You're smarter than my Bro. He doesn't even remember what he did yesterday." Ahha! Same disease as me! Might be suffering so hard. I really suffer so formidable – I can give an account of myself to his mental condition.
"Why don't you guys admit him in a whack shack?" I honestly don't suffer such high-intensity Obliviousness as much as Winter Page to get an entry into an insane asylum. People like me are so clever – remember everything from top to bottom of a man and also a woman's body. Bodies are simpler to remember than things…, right?
Perhaps, I'm not going to Whack Shack. "Huh? He must be sent into shape. What's the point in keeping a senseless creature in the home?"
I cracked up as Race expressed his Bro as a senseless creature. Oh my. "Race. Are you serious? I can't believe it, it's you recognizing your Bro as a senseless creature after a whole 5 years of your birth! I knew that when I first saw your Bro!" He said nothing.
Maybe I said too much to crack out.
"Yes. He's senseless but at the same time, he is good too. Though he shouts at me for everything – soon he would be beside me to comfort me. He teaches me everything in a manner. And… he was the one who understood me when I said I had a crush on Miko. He first became so feverish and heated. Yelped at me and even gave punishment – making me stand out of the house on such a steamy sunny day." He paused.
Down-looking eyes – he just managed to lay his sight on the floor rather than on other corners. "But then… I don't know what happened to him. But he gave me tips to impress Miko and finally, she became my girlfriend. That is why my Bro didn't help you in separating me and Miko. Indeed he is dumb, but at the same time my hero too."
A supporter to his shoulder, I smiled while I was deep down underestimating Winter Page. Whenever I think the opposite person is weird – I soon get the opposite answer about that behaviour of that person. Like my Uncle Ren's kindness story from Winter and Winter's heartwarming story from his Brother Race. More how many stories are left that I'm not aware of yet. Every story has its moral thought. And in the end, I would finish with a story.
How… I don't know how to describe this unsought feeling or sensation. I just run into silence – escaping from the thoughts I'm tired of. But I wasn't mindful that silence is a killer too.
"Please give me a butterscotch ice cream."
"Here is your ice cream, Dear."
"Thank you, Sister."
I quietly paid the bill and before leaving I realized that I paid double the cash. "Please give me two double scoops of ice cream." She rightly scrolled down her eyes on the screen of the flavour selection and said, "Choose your flavours, Ma'am." I nodded and looked at the screen. "Almond crush and vanilla choco chips." She immediately tapped on the screen.
"Here you go, Ma'am."
"Have one, Race. We will leave soon."
"Enh. Thank you, sister Moon."