STORMS

deux

02 —
RAIN.

jeongguk laid himself onto the cold wooden floor, legs crossed and feet moving to the beat of his blasting music. the entire complex could probably hear his intense choice of heavy rock, making his raging headache worse. but times like this only happen when his thoughts interfered with his life. he couldn't stop thinking about the girl at the park, wondering what it was that she was so sad about. the girl at the park that smelled of faint lavender and mint with the pretty hair. he didn't bother asking for her name, thinking it would be the last time he'd ever see her. the last time he'd ever see a beauty like that again. jeongguk had a bad habit of pushing people away only because deep down he's afraid of hurting them, but he continues to tell himself it's because he hates the way people are so scared of dying. "we all die eventually." he sighs as his tired dough eyes stare up and down at the beige ceiling.

he groans in annoyance at the three aggressive knocks at his door. the three knocks that could only mean his landlord had come for the fourth time this week to repeat the same pay your rent or your out through the door that jeongguk never opens. "jeon jeongguk. it's been four fucking days. tomorrow's your last warning, better start packing your shit up." the drowsy male yells echoing in the complex hallway, earning an eye roll from jeongguk. "i know you're in there, i can hear your shitty music!" jeongguk decides to be rebellious and switch up his routine of hiding behind the door.

"sorry, sir. couldn't hear you over my shitty music." he smiles sarcastically. "just kick me out so i have a reason to leave." the wrinkly man was shocked by jeongguk's dark appearance, the bags under his eyes more visible than the last time he'd seen the boy which was probably months ago. jeongguk was pretty much an insomniac lately, his tumor constantly awakening him. the landlord screams at the boy to get out, so he does. leaves his blaring music behind, the only thing he needed was the almost empty pack of cigarettes in his jean pocket. it's raining again he thinks to himself while lighting his last cigarette up, shutting his eyes at the nicotine suffocating his lungs.

a trip to the convenience store was necessary since he'd just smoked his last cigarette, the bell dinging indicating a customer had arrived. normally there were only two people who worked at the store, one day it'd be a round bellied man and another day it'd be the gum smacking girl who was only part time. jeongguk had observed too much with his umpteen visits for cigarettes. "jeongguk, was it?" the voice sounded slightly different without the loud rain muffling over it. he turns to see the girl from the park leaning against the register. hair up with small pieces framing her face, work short a little too big. he'd gotten a better look at her eyes that weren't smudged with mascara this time, her eyes that were big and held many stories.

"girl from the park. i'll have two packs of marlboro." he shuffles through his pocket, cursing himself when he pulls out only one dollar. "since we're acquainted, will that get me a discount?"

"so we're acquainted, huh? i'll give this to you for free, think of it as my hope that you'll stop smoking." jeongguk lets out an airy laugh at her attempt. she only smiled, lips curving up to her cheekbones sending sudden warmth down jeongguk's spine. "well acquaintance, my name is jiho." her small hand peaks out from behind the register waiting for the boy to complete the proper introduction.

"you already know my name." still offers his shaky hands, the size perfect wrapped around her cold ones.

jeongguk found himself seated on the plastic chair in front of the convenience store, umbrella protecting him from the never ending rain. he was still there with no place to go after he was kicked out of his own apartment, although he practically asked for it. so the old convenience store it was, not knowing how long his stay would last under the now starry busan night. the moon sharing loneliness with jeongguk. the moon and his free pack of cigarettes that he struggled to open, jiho's words roaming his mind . . . think of it as my hope that you'll stop smoking. "tsk, since when do i listen to strangers?" he mutters to himself as he opens the pack of marlboro, fishing for a lighter in his back pocket. was almost startled by the familiar cold hands ripping it away from him. but maybe happy was a better word. maybe he stuck around because he knew she'd come out sooner or later.

"what happened to being acquaintances?" she sits in the chair before him tucking the lighter away into her own pocket. he watches as she unties her hair, easily falling down over her narrow shoulders. eyes following each finger that brushes through the silkiness reminding him of the way caramel would feel when it melts into the tongue.

"i guess strangers wouldn't steal lighters from other people. so yesterday, what were you crying about?" he studies her carefully noticing the flicker in her eyes changing to immediate fear and sadness.

"nothing really. just a stupid breakup. what were you doing sitting on that bench?"

"living in the past, trying to kill my future." once again his eyes couldn't leave her, the night sky reflecting constellations in her irises and the shadow of the moon complimenting her features in the most perfect way. she was the epitome of beauty. he knew jiho was trying to open him up, but jeongguk was too scared to get close.

"you keep staring at me so intensely, but you only distance yourself." jiho returns the favor of staring, noticing the glint of pain in his eyes.

"you just remind me of someone." he stares into his thighs, the exposed skin from his ripped jeans becoming cold from the rainy weather. jeongguk couldn't help his bad habit of living in the past, heart stuck in time while his mind can only count the seconds before he finally breaks. that is, if he does. "it's not a good thing." he half–heartedly jokes with an aching chest, his smile showing otherwise. something about her dark hair and bright complexion reminded him too much of something he wants to forget.

"well, we can be the bad things in each others lives."