𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒈𝒆 | 𝒆𝒏𝒉𝒚𝒑𝒆𝒏 (𝘦𝘥𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨)

35

小さな肩を並べて歩いた

chiisana kata wo narabete aruita

As we walked together, with our shoulders side by side

何でもない事で笑い合い　同じ夢を見つめていた

nandemonai koto de waraiai onnaji yume wo mitsumeteita

As we laughed over pointless subjects, we were looking at the same dream

耳を澄ませば　今でも聞こえる

mimi wo sumaseba ima demo kikoeru

If I try to listen, I can still hear it now

君の声　オレンジ色に染まる街の中

kimi no koe ORENJI iro ni somaru machi no naka

Your voice, in the town that is dyed in an orange pastel

Orange - 7!!

Chaerin is not sure if she should attend the funeral. The feeling of being in that place is suffocating, at least in her case. On the other hand, she was supposed to pay respect for the dead, and she was sure that she cannot ensure how she will react to it. She had seen too many deaths, and her brain could not handle seeing another funeral or even a person dying.

It started affecting her in worst way possible, and everyone could no longer ignore her weird behavior. While she sat on the chairs provided at the cashier, she watched as her friend and boss, Minho, attend to his costumers as she waited for them to approach with their money. It was not her fault that she would space out always; her mind would always make her worry about everything about her life.

"That would be 10,000 won for the bouquet of roses," Chaerin said, "what color would the ribbons be?"

The costumer blushed, squirming in her place as she fiddled with her fingers. "Please make it green," she said. "It's her favorite color."

Chaerin nodded with a slight smile on her face. She was glad that she was able to work in this place, no matter how exhausting packing dozens of flowers, the smile on their faces was worth it. Also, it was fun teasing the youngsters these days. They would be all blushing or be a fool for their beloved.

"Will this be for a confession?" Chaerin questions as her hands was busy arranging the flowers in a careful way.

"How did you know?" The person asked as the red hue in her face reddened even more that she could be compared to the roses she bought. They waited as Chaerin finished the bouquet, handling the bouquet near her chest with a smile on her face.

"Your phone," Chaerin pointed out at the ringing phone on the costumer's hand. It must have been at silent judging at the surprised reaction of the girl. "You saved the person with a heart emojis, and it was obvious."

If a person could redden more than now, she was sure that the youngster in front of her would be able to do it. Chaerin bid her goodbye, slumping at the table with a flower on her hand. "Boss," she called out. Her hands played with the lilies' petals, smelling it once in a while, and she decided that she could give it at the funeral. "Can you please accompany me at the funeral?"

"Sure."

"I- Wait what?"

"I mean, it would be lonely if you go there with no shoulder to cry on," said Minho. Chaerin looked at him with intense stare. She really did not know what is going on with that man's mind. Something about him makes her want to want to open his head, study how he could be more of a woman with how fast his attitude change. Minho dragged a wooden chair to the cashier, sat down, and chugged down the coke bottle near her.

"You're not going to eat on your break? Again?" Chaerin shook her hand, better to save money, and she is not even hungry. To her surprise, Minho clicked his tongue and shoved a roll of gimbap to her mouth. It caused her to choke as it stuck on her throat, she tried patting herself to remove it on her throat, and it did not work.

She pointed at the coke bottle near Minho with her one hand while the other was still patting herself down. Minho got her hint as he gave the bottle casually, not minding that she was suffering. That bitch. As she got the bottle, she immediately chugged down every sip of the bottle, feeling the lump in her throat go down easily in her throat.

"How dare you!" Chaerin shouted at Minho who laughed even more at her misery. "I could have died, you -"

Minho laughed even more, causing Chaerin to redden in embarrassment. After laughing, he picked up the empty wrappers and bottles, ruffling her hair in amusement. "It's not funny," she grumbled. "It is," he responded back.

Chaerin once again slumped down the counter, watching the scenery outside the window. Maybe Minho was right, she is thinking too much about the guilt this time. All she needs to do is be there for the father, and nevertheless, she would support in raising the child of her cousin. "You're spacing out again," Minho said loudly, gaining the attention of the customers in the shop.

"Sorry!" Chaerin exclaimed, grumbling about how bossy Minho is. How could he treat her again like this? "See if I will help you get together with Nara, you ungrateful brat."

"I heard that!" Minho shouted while raising a bouquet in his arms and hidden from the customers is the raised middle finger only visible to Chaerin.

"I'm glad you know," Chaerin said loudly, raising a middle finger hidden by a rose flower to the costumers with a smirk.

This time, she should just learn to accept that everything is not her fault. It is. Or how she should learn to love herself. She can't. Everything is not her fault. It is her fault.