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SEOUL WAS NEVER SILENT.
Cars were driving past her as she walked down the dark street. Her eyes were trained on the road in front of her, not once glancing at the cars beside her. There was no use, they were driving too slow to kill her anyway.
Stopping in her tracks, Jiyeon realised that she had been walking the wrong way. Mentally cursing herself for being so careless and not paying attention to the way she walked, Jiyeon glanced over her shoulder before turning her head back and continuing to head the same direction.
The familiar bridge soon came into view, yet there was something that was different.
Out of instinct, her feet began moving faster before she broke into a run. The sight in front of her did not surprise her, for it was a daily occurrence. A boy ━ a few years younger than herself was trying to climb over the ledge of the bridge. He seemed to hold a close resemblance to the one she saw outside on the balcony a few days prior. Tall and young.
Her hands wrapped themselves around his arm, desperately trying to pull him away from the ledge.
'Please don't touch me,' he pleaded, eyes glossy and voice broken. 'Please━'
'Just one moment, please just one moment,' Jiyeon uttered, her voice soft and friendly ━ a rare occurrence.
'Leave me be.' The boy refused to look at her, his eyes trained on the water below them. 'Let me jump, please.'
'I can't do that,' Jiyeon replied, her hands holding onto his arm in a tight grip.
'I don't want this, please let go of me.'
'Sit with me for one moment, just for one moment.' Jiyeon's voice was equally as pleading as his.
Her left hand slowly slid down his arm and into his hand, lacing their fingers together to let him know that she was there with him.
Seeing people in pain hurt Jiyeon more than it should've. No one deserved that amount of pain, not deserved to be in such a hell that death was their only escape ━ no one but Jiyeon.
Too weak to fight back, the boy turned around, pushing his back against the railing before slowly sliding down until he hit the ground. With a breath of relief, Jiyeon let go of his arm but held onto his hand and sat down beside him.
Sobs left the boy's lips, causing Jiyeon to glance at him. She could feel his pain.
'Suicide is not the answer for you, you're young, you've got so much to live for,' Jiyeon mumbled, slowly turning her head back to the road in front of her.
'You don't understand━'
'But I do,' Jiyeon interrupted him. 'There hasn't been a day in my life since I was ten where I wasn't thinking about killing myself.'
'You're strong,' she suddenly said. 'Stronger than I am. It takes a lot of courage to do it.'
The boy sniffled, drying his tears with the hem of his sleeves. 'Have you tried it?'
'I have,' Jiyeon answered with a small nod. 'Over there━' she pointed at a spot a few metres away. 'I stood on the other side of the edge, leaning forward. I remember I was about to let go but someone caught me before I could.'
Playing with her hand, the boy was silent, only listening to her words.
'I was so angry at him for stopping me but━' Jiyeon cut herself off, having trouble finding the right words to continue.
'But?'
Jiyeon only shook her head. 'It might feel like the whole world is against you. . .' her eyes flickered down to their intertwined hands for a second. '━but you're not alone in this.'
'How do you know?'
She smiled.
'Why were you trying to take your life?'
He drew a sharp breath. 'I thought I. . . I could see her again.'
'Did she kill herself?'
'No. I saw her in my dreams. Every time I wake up I feel empty. I just want to see her again so I━ I can sleep forever and then I'll be able to spend an eternity with her.'
