affixed | jjk ✓

53. comfort

053

He witnessed the misery in her watering eyes, holding tightly onto his forearm like she was petrified of letting go.

"Okay, okay. I'm not going anywhere, it's fine." He unwinded into his seat again, grabbing her hands.

He sat with a tentative expression, however, his deep-set eyes donned solicitude. Patiently waiting for her to open up, and let down her masonry walls. Waiting for her to show him her wounds, so he could patch them up, to make her worries evanesce permanently.

She gripped tightly to his hands.

"It's not that I don't like the song, I love that song, that's why I cried." Devora explained to him. "It just means so much to me, to Adele."

"Adele, the singer?"

She shook her head. "I had a cousin named Adele. She was my best friend, and we did everything together. She was always there for me and helped me with everything I was going through. We were so close. Like we were sisters."

Jungkook watched as her eyes began to rush with tears again, struggling to tell him without some inevitable tears falling.

"She loved the singer, Adele, one being that they shared the same name. But, we used to always sing her songs, and this was one of her favorite songs. It just reminded me of how much I miss her."

By these past tense words Devora was utilizing, Jungkook presumed that Adele had passed away.

"She had boy problems all the time." Devora laughed, staring at the ground. "And, this one time we went on a family vacation, I was sixteen and she was only eighteen. She had been texting this guy who she thought was nineteen, but he was only pretending to be."

"On the last night, we argued because she was gonna go meet up with this man, and I kept telling her not to go. I begged her to stay, and she promised me she wouldn't go. But, the next morning I woke up, and she was gone." Her voice trembled, that traumatizing morning was now fresh in her memory again.

Devora's eyes stained a faint red, trying vigorously to keep her tears collected.

At some point, crying over what happened had to stop.

Adele had to rest in peace, and crying wouldn't help.

"She died. Whoever that older man was, he killed her." Sighing, finally getting the story out. "And, it's been hard to feel right nowadays without her."

Jungkook swallowed, throat dry from her astonishing story. "I'm so sorry you had to go through that, Devora. That's horrible."

She just nodded, keeping her hands intermingled with his.

"I can only imagine how hard it was for you, and how difficult it was to move on from something like that." 

It was hard for him to put himself into a situation like that, but he pushed himself to understand her. He was convinced it was more damaging for Devora than it was for him — when he imagined himself in her position.

"It was very challenging. It was hard to see things the same way once she passed. I mean, I've learned, and I'm okay now. But that doesn't mean it doesn't hurt." Devora continued.

"She was everything to me, and the fact that we argued before she passed hurts the most."

"But, you know she's not mad at you anymore, right?" Jungkook asked.

"I know." She agreed. "I just wish I could talk to her, and leave off on a better note."

"I know it's hard to get past the fact that you left each other on unfinished amends. But, I have a feeling she isn't upset, she doesn't even think about the argument you two had. There are only good memories with her, and those good memories should overlap the bad ones for you."

"The happy pictures that you guys took together, the songs you both sang; those are the memories that should bury the sorrowful and rueful memories."

Those words were so simple, yet so complete at the same time.

He was right, allowing the wistful memories to take over the innumerable pleasant ones that she and Adele shared wasn't fair.

Devora was sure that Adele wouldn't want to be remembered for all the arguments they had. Knowing her, she wanted to be remembered as a high-spirited person.

She was someone that was able to light up the mood with one word, with her presence alone.

Someone who was generous, and so giving to almost every living thing on the planet.

She was able to revive a bundle of fallen flowers just by standing near them, allowing her ring of enthusiasm to supply the plants, giving them vibrance. 

That's how Devora needed to remember her.

She was that pretty white butterfly that Devora saw whenever she headed to work early mornings.

"You're right." Her hand pressed against his chest, her forehead leaning against their one holding hand. "Thank you for being here, and comforting me." Her fingers swept over his knuckles, collecting his warmth.

His hand swiftly moved under her chin, gently directing her face up to his. "There's no need to thank me, I want to make you feel better. Always." His voice was smooth and delicate, like if honey was transferred into a voice.

Devora placed her hands on each side of his tempered cheeks, her chilling fingers taking advantage of his furnishing body.

Her lips reached for his nose, leaving a small sweet kiss on the bridge.

Kissing his lips would give him a better representation of just how much she appreciated him, but some things are better left for the future. She didn't have enough courage to kiss him.

Her hand reached behind the nape of his neck, driving him close to her body, embracing his figure with every ounce of might she had left.

Maybe a hug could be enough.

Enough to describe how thankful she was for him.

For his meaningful words.

His hands wrapped over her, one on her upper back and the other in the middle, caressing her slightly smaller figure.

Devora felt secure in his hold, planting her face into his broad shoulder, keeping a handful of his soft hair in her hand — craving to keep his body in her grasp, feeling a sense of consolation each time they touched.

She wanted that moment forever, staying in his arms was where she felt most confident.

Most protected.

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