The Hwang Hwang Couple
18
“What are you thinking?”
Yeji flinched from the daydream as soon as Hyunjin's voice caught her hearing.
He was staring at the dark sky outside the window as Hyunjin moved from his side to grab a drink. Now that Hyunjin had returned and thrust out a can of beer, her eyes began to focus on the atmosphere in the young man's apartment room. On a digital wall clock that shows the number 11:45. Soon it was midnight and Yeji had not felt any sleepiness at all. As well as Hyunjin who is now sipping her beer in silence, her eyes stare at the twinkling lights of Seoul from the apartment window.
Their fingers unintentionally touched as Yeji grabbed the beer can from Hyunjin's hand, creating a strange rumble that made her breath slightly restrained. “Neither.”
The young man snorted a little too quickly to hear Yeji's reply, half in disbelief. The girl beside him reflexively threw an annoyed look.
“Do not lie,” Hyunjin sipped her beer again before leaning full against the back of the chair. His dark hair was messy, his shirt neck was slightly wrinkled. Yeji had to refrain from reaching out to Hyunjin's shoulders to tidy up her hair, clothes, or just touch Hyunjin to defuse the vague-sounding prejudices of her speech. Yeji knew the young man was still thinking about his past.
Hyunjin seems to think Yeji still can't forget Felix.
Yeji is not sad at all to learn that Felix is finally married to someone other than himself. Yeji had never expected much from the young man. He never expected much of anyone. Yeji was too scared to face the disappointment that could potentially destroy her. Blame her father for making Yeji grow up to be a girl who finds it hard to trust others.
If he could choose, Yeji would ask God to let him be born into a simple normal family so that he would not have to make Hyunjin wait too long just because he was afraid.
His relationship with Felix has been over for a long time. But Hyunjin thought that Yeji was still in the shadow of the young man to this day. Yeji did not know what he had to do for Hyunjin to understand. If this was all because of her rejecting the young man's invitation to live together, then Hyunjin was wrong. Yeji was not unwilling to be with Hyunjin; he was just afraid.
Fear that Hyunjin is just a dream that is too beautiful and will disappear once he is awake.
“I'm fine, Hyunjinie,” Yeji raised the corner of her lips, giving Hyunjin a smile. It was just that Hyunjin's gaze was still directed at the scene before her until she missed the smile. Yeji's heart felt slipping.
“Oke.”
“If you think I'm still thinking about Felix, you're wrong.”
Yeji could not hold himself back anymore. Maybe he was wrong for being prejudiced, but Hyunjin had gone too far if this prejudice was true.
“Who thinks so-”
“You, Hwang Hyunjin. You think I don't know?” the girl was only able to say the sentence in a slow voice, even though in her heart she was almost exploding. His eyes began to glaze over. “If you think I'm asking for time because I still can't forget Lee Felix, you're wrong. He has nothing to do with any of this. I am like this. I am afraid of commitment, with everything that binds. If one day you will get bored and leave. I'm scared, Hyunjin.”
The silence that followed after was stifling. Yeji let a few soft suction slip from her lips before moving from Hyunjin's side. The young man was perhaps too shocked by his words so he did not react immediately. Yeji took the opportunity to grab her jacket and handbag, about to step towards the exit. But Hyunjin's arms quickly wrapped around Yeji's waist until she was caught in his arms. Although Yeji rebelled for Hyunjin to let go, but the young man did not give up so easily.
“Hyunjin, i..”.
“I can wait. I'll wait,” the whisper of the young man made Yeji's legs weaken instantly, as if turned into jelly, “I don't want to be with anyone but you.”
A silent atmosphere surrounded them for a while before Hyunjin's whispers were heard again, “Stay here.”
Hwang Yeji's tears fell back on his cheeks. Twice Hyunjin made her cry today and Yeji swore he would not forgive the young man if it turned out that in the future he reneged on his own promise. His hand rubbed the wet cheek at a glance before touching Hyunjin's fingers on her waist. Slowly he makes Hyunjin loosen the embrace so that Yeji can twist the body and make them face to face. His arms were coiled around Hyunjin's neck, his head looked up.
Hyunjin was seen holding her breath as she looked at him.
“You...crying?”
Yeji could not help but roll the eyeball, even though it was just playful. Hyunjin's expression looked amusing - a mixture of confusion and guilt - but Yeji said nothing. The girl flashed a small smile before tiptoe to kiss the tip of Hyunjin's nose at a glance.
“Tast. Now that I'm okay,” Yeji nodded, “I was happy.”
“Why?”
“Because my girlfriend finally understood that I was too affectionate with her to the point of being disappointed,” the girl sighed, one hand moved to touch Hyunjin's cheek. “If you also leave me, I don't know. Maybe I can go crazy.”
Suddenly Hyunjin pulled her body so quickly into the embrace that Yeji jumped up. “Ngot going! I'm not going to do that, Hwang Yeji. Believe this. Ah, that's not what it should be. I mean, just look. I won't leave you even if you tell me to leave. I won't let you go until anytime.”
Hyunjin involuntarily spoke more when she was nervous. Yeji did not protest at all. He hugged Hyunjin even tighter so the young man had to lean toward her, then swing their bodies from side to side in a fit of anxiety.
When the hug came off, Yeji cupped Hyunjin's face with a palm. Their gazes lingered for a few seconds before Yeji returned on his tiptoes to give him a brief kiss on the lips. Hyunjin blinked, but he did not say anything as Yeji linked their fingers. Instead of talking, he just gave the girl a half smile that made Yeji's heart flap even tighter inside his chest.
“Because you agreed to stay,” Hyunjin brought Yeji's hand back to her neck while saying, “mau dance before bed?”
Yeji nodded, then let Hyunjin swing their bodies slowly. Stepping in the rhythm of dance music that runs through their heads. Drowning in the silence of the night and the warmth of each other's bodies. Who needs words when every touch that leaves a warm trace on the surface of their skin speaks louder?
This is all more than enough.***