Life in Switzerland

Name

Day 7 of #CLOYTOBER ❤️

Name

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Seri had never hated her name. It was quite pretty, powerful, and easy to pronounce for the few years she had spent studying abroad. 

But she had never really liked it either. 

Both her brothers name had been carefully chosen, a carefully considered name selected from among others by both their parents. 

Seri didn't know anything about the history behind her name. Did her father choose it alone? Did her mother help him? Or her biological mother perhaps? This big question mark, this faceless figure that had brought her into the world before vanishing into thin air. 

She had tried asking questions when she was seven, but her mother had locked herself into her room, her father had locked himself in silence, and her brothers had blamed her, accusing her of always ruining everything. 

She had never dared to ask the question again. 

Her name was Seri, period. No story, no anecdote came with it. Just Seri. Yoon Seri. The illegitimate young daughter of the Yoon family, even though appearances had been saved. A name that was both a curse and a blessing. 

Then with the years, her name had only been pronounced with frustration, annoyance, disappointment or anger. She was the best in her class, in school even, always working harder, always surpassing herself. But it was never enough. 

"Seri, you are tiring." 

"Seri, stop asking questions." 

"Seri, can you just stop talking?!" 

"Seri, you will never do anything right, won't you !" 

She had ended up no longer enjoying hearing her name, her indifference turning into rejection when she was a teenager, then into resignation once she was adult. Only her father knew how to pronounce her name with love or pride, but he wasn't present enough for her to really know how it felt. 

And then there was Ri Jeong Hyeok. 

And she had the impression of rediscovering her name, of hearing it for the first time. 

Seri, at first with frustration, but not a frustration that meant "I don't want you" but rather "I want to know more about you". 

Seri, with amusement, not mockery, but tenderness. 

Seri, with fear, not of her but for her, for her safety. 

Seri, with anger, never against her, never to blame her, always to protect her. 

Seri, with pride, whether it was because Seri's choice was in the headlines or because she had managed to make a toast without burning it. 

Seri, with passion, when in their embrace they lost themselves in each other, like a song, a prayer which rose above their burning skin. 

Seri, with love. All the time. Unconditionally. 

The power of a name was in who was bound to say it. 

"Seri?" 

She loved her name in his mouth, rolling on his tongue, spoken through those lips she cherished so much.

"Mmh?" 

" I asked you if you wanted to drink something?" 

He was looking at her curiously and she fully savored the feeling of being able to admire him without restraint. He wore a dark three-piece suit that showcased his broad shoulders and tall stature, his hair combed back revealed his beautiful face, and she almost wanted to send off the college fall gala and drag him back home.