───아가페┊사랑～

|𝕾𝔠𝔮𝔯𝔢𝔡 𝔱𝔬 𝔏𝔦𝔳𝔢──𝕾𝔠𝔞𝔯𝔢𝔡 𝔱𝔬 𝔡𝔦𝔢|

The wind swirled past the cherry blossoms, taking away their delicate petals gently through the rhythm as if drifting snowflakes. The scent of spring ───sweet and overwhelming, rootless under the air that fleeting away as an illusion of the dreamers.

Na-ra stepped forward, the petal crushing under the weight of her steps and heart held within. The pale lavender jeogori and the soft pink chima impersonating the hues of blossoms that thrive above, claiming her as one of their own constrained by the graceful light of the crack of dawn that tailed behind along with Seo-yul.

He didn't bother to ask where she intended to completely abduct him in the early morning───when even the sun didn't even dare to peek upon. The subtle knocks that creaked open his room, and the gentle smile while her hand pushed forward to hold on was enough.

Enough for him to hold onto as if he's hers to begin with.

The trail came to an end decisively, the remnants of any happiness faded in time while the boy stood afar a few steps aback, giving her the seclusion without any questions. A simple stone marker in front, edges softened prior to now. The name carved out in the stone time-worn regardless of the weight of her gaze is still unstirred. Her knees gradually compelled to sink into the ground, gracefully brushing past the fallen petals that had settled at the base of the grave.

" I met him...." Voice roughly wavering at the end, uplifting the end of her lips as if mocking her own emotions. " He didn't acknowledged himself as my father─── which is of course not the first, but I met him."

" He appeared to be......not very much how you'd like to see, but he's here and no, I haven't told Uk yet. " The second skin of hers started wear down──the strong hatred that etched onto her venom laced words now falling apart parallel to her voice.

" Something tells me he doesn't loathe him much like I do, and I don't even want an ounce of care or love to touch his soul in this world. Not after what he did to you....to us." Resentment of every unanswered questions that festered into out right bitterness, every pointed fingers of accusations that built rage which rooted hatred. Yet, the little girl behind the layers of walls that stared at every father and daughter in any way refusing not to ache for something she could've had.

Hand creased over the stone again, as if caressing a part of her mother like always. The rough surface nearly appears to be soft under the illusion of unattainable love for a person she could never cross paths with.

" But, I'm not here to talk about that man. I want you to meet someone." Her words barely whisper under the rustling trees, as if only to be heard by the two. A simple gesture of glancing to her side as if denoting to her mother who's she's worth mentioning.

" I love him."

Confession that is all too evident from every gaze through love to hate and love again─── begin from the day she could reminisce, now disclosed in between a hundreds of blossoms and the one that is significant in her world.

" I know I swore to you that I wouldn't love like── how you loved someone enough to destroy yourself....but he's nothing like the man you loved. I trust him. Entirely if it's possible. "

The words nearly felt foreign to herself, maybe living off careful under mistrust even to the closest to her may have guided her to the path where the belief of survival interline to lack of faith in others, and the people that somehow continuously proved her stance, fueled it even more so.

Yet, him. His previous actions were preposterous to a point where he utterly trusted her, amending his own principles for her.

Love was something she believes to be protecting on a certain level and he proved so, but can she?

If she's really in love with him, why would she want to pull him to a potential calamity that she could bring to himself by keeping close?

Thousands of arguments that questioned her love for him went on and on again like a parade in the back of her head from the second she confessed to himself. Regardless, The slightest hope of holding his hand once again while his smile blooms effortlessly, like the first rays of sunlight breaking through a cold morning─── not practised, not forced rather the warmth of ease and quiet sincerity that felt like home.

It was hard to keep that hope far away, while having the tiniest possibility that she could enjoy it forever til the last breath.

She turned back to see his gaze that never faltered from her figure, the quiet depth of sorrow that seeped in as he watched her fingers trace the carved name on the grave while whispering incoherent words for his ears. The earnestly unguarded form of hers is brimmed with pain with a hint of serenity, something only his eyes we're reserved for.

Gesturing to come forward, the boy didn't take less than a second to comply with her words. The unguarded hands of her that lacked warmth for a mere few minutes, now latched onto his as she took a step back to stand beside him.

" Say hello to my mother, I already introduced you. " The gentle smile that etched onto her lips turning into something more as she stared at the boy who payed full respects before holding onto her hands again as if it's meant to be there. Until, his gaze slouched back to her as if requesting for more space to talk about his intentions as he was given to her . " Yo-You want me to step back─── there?? "

Her finger pointed to where the boy stood before as the subtle nods of that her conclusions leaped onto the truth nearly baffling herself before she slowly stepped back in pretence of understanding. " I──okay, Whatever."

The feigning nonchalant for the choice he requested was led down to the drain, as the sulking figure of hers were transparent by the reason his words were incomprehensible by the distance in between, yet it was unseen by the other who was amidst an unwavering promise.

" I wanted to promise something that I'll always keep up. That─── I'm not standing here not just as an man who loves your daughter, rather as someone who'll swears to protect her from anything and I'll take care of her til the last breath of mine. When she's tired, I'll stand beside her to hold on as long as she needs, when the world gets heavy, I'll be there for her, and even if she turns against the whole world... I'll be with her. I promise, no matter what comes her way, I will stand by her side-always. She'll always be my first priority." Words that held more than any value of the world he lived in, the promise of his everything that he forever intended to keep, impending past his lips.

As a seal to the promise between the dead and living, the cherry blossoms above trembled as another breeze passed through, showering them in pale petals.

He slowly turned to watch his world as he held out his hand with quiet sincerity that unveiled the intention of never letting go. Her calculated gaze that lingered on his hands for a second, acknowledging his maneuver as she claimed the warmth of his hands with unblemished ratification, before he pulled her gently into himself, arms coiled around her as his chin rested upon the top of her head.

She didn't question the sudden embrace which she immensely welcomed. Shoulders relaxing as she melted against him while her fingers tugged onto the fine fabric of his. For a while, they remained there, bathed in the soft pink glow of spring, as if the world itself had paused to relish the moment.

Just then, not so lately thought sought back into her mind. Maybe it was the warmth of his arms around her, the security of loving her even at the worst─── she didn't knew what made her to, but she knew what she's about to say felt like one of the most perfection, as if she would never regret it in her entire life.

The determined gaze of hers looked up to his───to make sure he'll notice the resolve in her eyes and words in whatever she's about divulge in, and he did.

" I don't...want us to be a secret anymore──"

" ──What are you two doing?...."

ꕥ

The first light of dawn filtered through the latticed windows of the dorm room, the faint rich scent of pine and damp earth carrying through the air seeking through as the creaked open wooden door.

A single careful step of young-hee's passed through, one hand clutched onto her worn out muted blue skirt that stood out as a contrast to the polished wood, while the other braced onto the brass tray that evinced porcelain teacups that ever so slightly rattled under every cautious step of hers under pressure.

Done it a million times, yet still wavering hands betraying her.

Decisively passing the crisis of safely locking the door without completely shattering the teacups on the ground, the pleased smile that worked her way through the end of her lips soon disappeared in the abrupt loomed face of the familiar man in front from her turn.

" Young master Kim Hwan. "

Pushing aside the jolt of startlement that ran through her veins, she quickly regained her posture conferring her respect to the person that stood above her in hierarchy.

" Is Na-ra....? " Pointing out his eyes to the locked door behind the girl, he came to perceive the idea of absence of the one he's seeking, yet for nontrivial converse he saved for her, he reluctantly pried for her presence from Young-hee.

" Ah, Young Lady appears to be visiting Jang household for the moment. "

Plotting the best pretence to keep the man in dark from the actuality of her lady's absence, which is─── taking a secret morning stroll with the man she appeared to be devoted to rather her entire lifetime, she lied through her teeth with an faithful smile.

" I see....Then, do tell her that I'm looking for her. " Nodding down in endorsement for his request, she hesitantly took the initiative to scurry away from the ambience, unwilling to intermediate in the emotions or words that could amidst between her lady and the man. Yet, her plans were ruined the moment one the most dreadful concern of hers ratified.

Accidentally stepping onto her own skirt, she pulled herself to the ground.

Eyes brimming with horror─── not because of the outlook reason she'll be hurt by crashing down onto the ground, rather the Porcelain teacups in her hands that she pushed apart to survive the fall wouldn't be lucky enough to. Waiting for the collision of her face and ground to take place, she squeezed shut her eyes, welcoming the pain beforehand.

Yet, an abrupt tug onto her wrist from behind, and another steadying the tray in her hands inevitably done with ease, saving her from the mixture of pain and disaster.

" Are you okay?? "

An profound question that interlaced with concern, Not a facade of the show that was put in like the most.

It was genuine.

His gaze that brimmed with concern leaped onto her wrist, where the wide sleeves of her jeogori crooked under his hold. Yet, what caught his eyes weren't the invariably concealed hands that calloused from years of scrubbing, sewing, and carrying many other DUTIES ─── Rather the scar that branded onto her wrist like an imprint.

A mere second it may have seized, her gaze followed his before the dread set in

as she swiftly reclaimed her hand back in the process of unintentionally swatting his hands away, breaking the hold with a sharp, defiant motion.

The porcelain cups shattered into the ground to hundred of pieces, while the tray refused to stop the mourning.

Her duty was to serve, to be unseen, to exist only in the moments between her tasks. Nonetheless now, she was──seen.

The same hand shot out again. The words that surrounded her were incoherent, the only highly audible thing the cluttering brass tray as she found it too hard to even breath.

It was catching onto her.

Just as in the past.

And this time, there'll be no another
One to rescue he───

" ──What is the problem here?! "

The same hands in the past coiled her shoulders to pull into them.

Once again.

◌ ☯ ◌

───아가페┊𝔞𝔰𝔶𝔱𝔥𝔷𝔷𝔨𝔨

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐚𝐩𝐨𝐥𝐨𝐠𝐲 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐚 𝐦𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐡 𝐨𝐟 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 :

𝐓𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐦𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬,
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𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐠𝐮𝐲𝐬𝐬𝐬♡