사계절
가을
Leaves the color of fiery infernos swept across the sidewalk while naked tree branches stretched their long forms over the cement pathways. The sun died behind towering skyscrapers in the distance. Its fading light reflected off of the small shops along the street, blanketing them in a warm, golden light. Two figures walked down the wind-swept sidewalk side by side. Jin Yoon was a tiny miniscule compared to Siwon's tall and firm figure. They were wrapped in wool coats with scarves guarding them against the bitter autumn wind that wracked Seoul that evening. Coffee cups sat steaming in their hands.
“How about I make dinner?” asked Siwon, his voice cautious as he tilted his head to look down at the frail being beside him.
Jin Yoon looked up at him, eyes wide at the sudden request. “N-no! I can't let you do that.”
“Please, I insist,” he said, a most perfect smile befalling his lips. “I know your favorite; its going to happen whether you like it or not. Plus, I have wine!”
A small smile crossed Jin Yoon's lips, seeming to brighten the usual denseness that covered her features. “Alright...if you insist.”
“I do,” Siwon stated firmly and clasped his free hand around hers. Heat immediately flushed across Jin Yoon's cheeks as he lead her along down the sidewalk. His long strides shortened to match those of her short ones. Such a gentleman.
Siwon and her had known each other a little over a year. Siwon was a man of suits and ties, conference rooms and five-star restaurants. But his heart was pure and crafted from gold rather than money he was practically swimming in. He had bumped into the frail woman where the both of them shared a regular coffee stop. He was enthralled by her quiet nature, her contagious, timid smile. Siwon knew from the sight of her that she had been hurt far too many times from the moment his kind eyes set on her. Her heart needed to be repaired and from its broken mess—a promise to himself he planned to keep.
–
The apartment was just how Jin Yoon would have guessed: spacious, shiny, and pristine. Stainless steel kitchen appliances with marble counter-tops, white and plush furniture with carpet that felt like clouds underneath bare feet, a grand view of Seoul with ceiling to floor windows. It was truly breathtaking and Jin Yoon felt out of place, like trying to fit a square block in a star-shaped opening. She was readjusting herself, smoothing her hair, almost like she was trying to impress the apartment itself. It was only her and Siwon that stood amongst the high ceilings and white walls.
“Can I take you coat?” asked Siwon, offering his hand.
Jin Yoon shrugged off the wool covering and handed it to him delicately. Every movement she made was delicate, simple. She was a fragile being and it seemed like every movement she made was careful and concise to make sure her porcelain being did not crack. That was partially why Siwon was so distant from her physically; he was afraid if he held her, her shell may break or that he would hurt her in her state of fragility. She was like a dried autumn leaf, breaking to fluttering pieces with the tiniest of persuasion.
Siwon concocted crab soup with homemade kimchi and green beans bathed in butter on the side. He watched from across the mahogany table as Jin Yoon ate slowly, chewing her food as not to dislocate such a thin jaw bone. The wine sat burgundy in crystal glasses, the light striking it in deep shadows of red.
“This is delicious,” Jin Yoon offered after sometime. “I haven't had a home cooked meal in a long time.”
“Yah, ramen isn't good for your system,” Siwon scolded lightly, a perfect smile twinging his lips. Jin Yoon blushed deeply, withdrawing in herself. “But I'm glad you enjoy it. I don't get to cook for anyone, but myself usually.”
“Mm, that's too bad. Your food is too delicious not to share.” Jin Yoon smiled the first genuine smile Siwon had ever seen her omit. He nodded his thanks and they continued to eat in silence. A silence that was no awkward or unfriendly, but a silence that was full of understanding.
–
The room sat in a darkness with morning sunlight cracks underneath the curtains to distinguish the time. Two beings were curled into each other, Jin Yoon's head rest against Siwon's chest, his large arms protectively holding her in place against his body. Hands laced gently through her long strands.
Jin Yoon rose slowly from sleep, stretching her slim body slightly. She looked at the sleeping man beside her, neck tilting back to kiss at his throat and the collarbones that stuck out along muscular shoulders. Siwon's eyes fluttered. His arms tightened around her frame and Jin Yoon smiled.
The two of them had been together for nearly two years and Jin Yoon could not remember whenever her heart had been happier. It felt so whole when she was in Siwon's presence, she almost thought her chest would burst. He treated her better than any man ever had, wanting to be with her simply to peer into those beautifully large eyes she adored. He bought her anything she asked—and didn't ask, but also wanted to go on a simple walk in the park by his apartment at midnight. He had refused to make love to her until after they married—if they ever did. They had talked about it in passing, both to afraid to make it sound like a serious issue in the fear of scaring the other away. However, both were drawing close to being too tired of waiting.
“I love you,” Siwon spoke, adjusting himself on an elbow to look down on the woman in a cocoon of sheets. She wore a loose tank top and sweats underneath all the silken blankets.
“I know,” she said, a smile peeling her lips apart. “I love you too.”
His hand grasped hers and brought it to his lips. Thumb running over her knuckles, he asked, “do you think you always will?” Jin Yoon looked at him questioningly. “I know you can't guarantee it and that you've...been through a lot. But you've brought down your wall for me and I fell in love what lay behind it.”
Jin Yoon felt her cheeks burn and she unlatched her eyes from his. “Because I trust you more than anyone...in a long while.”
“And you love me?”
“Of course.”
“Then, marry me.” Siwon's statement came so sudden, but so sturdy. Like the wall that he had broken down to reach Jin Yoon.
Her eyes widened, stomach plummeting the the soles of her feet. “W-what?”
“I want you in my life forever,” Siwon went on. “Marry me.”
Jin Yoon was unable to stop the tears that came to her eyes, they came too quickly. “Y-yes, I will marry you.”
Siwon leaned forward, hand pressing against the back of her head to bring them together in a kiss that made Jin Yoon's heart fill with an overwhelming amount of joy. She had found him, the one that could keep her heart whole and her happiness from wandering. Seasons change and so do people, but it was finding that being that would stand steadfast beside her that she had finally found.
“How about I make dinner?” asked Siwon, his voice cautious as he tilted his head to look down at the frail being beside him.
Jin Yoon looked up at him, eyes wide at the sudden request. “N-no! I can't let you do that.”
“Please, I insist,” he said, a most perfect smile befalling his lips. “I know your favorite; its going to happen whether you like it or not. Plus, I have wine!”
A small smile crossed Jin Yoon's lips, seeming to brighten the usual denseness that covered her features. “Alright...if you insist.”
“I do,” Siwon stated firmly and clasped his free hand around hers. Heat immediately flushed across Jin Yoon's cheeks as he lead her along down the sidewalk. His long strides shortened to match those of her short ones. Such a gentleman.
Siwon and her had known each other a little over a year. Siwon was a man of suits and ties, conference rooms and five-star restaurants. But his heart was pure and crafted from gold rather than money he was practically swimming in. He had bumped into the frail woman where the both of them shared a regular coffee stop. He was enthralled by her quiet nature, her contagious, timid smile. Siwon knew from the sight of her that she had been hurt far too many times from the moment his kind eyes set on her. Her heart needed to be repaired and from its broken mess—a promise to himself he planned to keep.
–
The apartment was just how Jin Yoon would have guessed: spacious, shiny, and pristine. Stainless steel kitchen appliances with marble counter-tops, white and plush furniture with carpet that felt like clouds underneath bare feet, a grand view of Seoul with ceiling to floor windows. It was truly breathtaking and Jin Yoon felt out of place, like trying to fit a square block in a star-shaped opening. She was readjusting herself, smoothing her hair, almost like she was trying to impress the apartment itself. It was only her and Siwon that stood amongst the high ceilings and white walls.
“Can I take you coat?” asked Siwon, offering his hand.
Jin Yoon shrugged off the wool covering and handed it to him delicately. Every movement she made was delicate, simple. She was a fragile being and it seemed like every movement she made was careful and concise to make sure her porcelain being did not crack. That was partially why Siwon was so distant from her physically; he was afraid if he held her, her shell may break or that he would hurt her in her state of fragility. She was like a dried autumn leaf, breaking to fluttering pieces with the tiniest of persuasion.
Siwon concocted crab soup with homemade kimchi and green beans bathed in butter on the side. He watched from across the mahogany table as Jin Yoon ate slowly, chewing her food as not to dislocate such a thin jaw bone. The wine sat burgundy in crystal glasses, the light striking it in deep shadows of red.
“This is delicious,” Jin Yoon offered after sometime. “I haven't had a home cooked meal in a long time.”
“Yah, ramen isn't good for your system,” Siwon scolded lightly, a perfect smile twinging his lips. Jin Yoon blushed deeply, withdrawing in herself. “But I'm glad you enjoy it. I don't get to cook for anyone, but myself usually.”
“Mm, that's too bad. Your food is too delicious not to share.” Jin Yoon smiled the first genuine smile Siwon had ever seen her omit. He nodded his thanks and they continued to eat in silence. A silence that was no awkward or unfriendly, but a silence that was full of understanding.
–
The room sat in a darkness with morning sunlight cracks underneath the curtains to distinguish the time. Two beings were curled into each other, Jin Yoon's head rest against Siwon's chest, his large arms protectively holding her in place against his body. Hands laced gently through her long strands.
Jin Yoon rose slowly from sleep, stretching her slim body slightly. She looked at the sleeping man beside her, neck tilting back to kiss at his throat and the collarbones that stuck out along muscular shoulders. Siwon's eyes fluttered. His arms tightened around her frame and Jin Yoon smiled.
The two of them had been together for nearly two years and Jin Yoon could not remember whenever her heart had been happier. It felt so whole when she was in Siwon's presence, she almost thought her chest would burst. He treated her better than any man ever had, wanting to be with her simply to peer into those beautifully large eyes she adored. He bought her anything she asked—and didn't ask, but also wanted to go on a simple walk in the park by his apartment at midnight. He had refused to make love to her until after they married—if they ever did. They had talked about it in passing, both to afraid to make it sound like a serious issue in the fear of scaring the other away. However, both were drawing close to being too tired of waiting.
“I love you,” Siwon spoke, adjusting himself on an elbow to look down on the woman in a cocoon of sheets. She wore a loose tank top and sweats underneath all the silken blankets.
“I know,” she said, a smile peeling her lips apart. “I love you too.”
His hand grasped hers and brought it to his lips. Thumb running over her knuckles, he asked, “do you think you always will?” Jin Yoon looked at him questioningly. “I know you can't guarantee it and that you've...been through a lot. But you've brought down your wall for me and I fell in love what lay behind it.”
Jin Yoon felt her cheeks burn and she unlatched her eyes from his. “Because I trust you more than anyone...in a long while.”
“And you love me?”
“Of course.”
“Then, marry me.” Siwon's statement came so sudden, but so sturdy. Like the wall that he had broken down to reach Jin Yoon.
Her eyes widened, stomach plummeting the the soles of her feet. “W-what?”
“I want you in my life forever,” Siwon went on. “Marry me.”
Jin Yoon was unable to stop the tears that came to her eyes, they came too quickly. “Y-yes, I will marry you.”
Siwon leaned forward, hand pressing against the back of her head to bring them together in a kiss that made Jin Yoon's heart fill with an overwhelming amount of joy. She had found him, the one that could keep her heart whole and her happiness from wandering. Seasons change and so do people, but it was finding that being that would stand steadfast beside her that she had finally found.
♠ ♠ ♠
THE END. FINALLY.