Serene.

Chap | 010

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        Why is he not just another one of your fictional characters? If he is that perfect and unreal, why is he not fictional? Why is he not another one of your characters, Serene? Why is the man that is so dear to you not a made-up character from your imagination? He sure seems like he could be entirely made up.

        Hyunjin, you are being absurd. Your feelings are getting the best of you.

        I turn the tap off and close my eyes. I need to seem happy now. I need to be happy for her. I cannot ruin her happiness. I cannot do that. That would be too selfish and cruel.

        So, with a smile on my lips, I unlock the restroom door and walk out. I go back to her table, and she smiles at me. I apologize for leaving her waiting, and she tells me it is alright. She continues to talk about this man she is now dating.

        Felix. Felix Lee. She says that that is his name. She tells me that they had first met when she was fifteen, while she was on a trip with her father in Belgium. He is not French.

        She tells me he is the same age as me, just a few months younger. I pretend to be enthusiastic, intrigued, and happy. But I am not.

        After some time, she asks me what I had prepared. She asks me to tell her what I did. She asks me how my two weeks have been.

        What do I say?

        "The two weeks have been quite well. Nothing new happened. I still come to work every day and, the usual."

        I am being too quiet.

        "You said you prepared something...?" her dulcet tone says, and I smile.

        And although I cannot do everything I had planned, I still can do one thing at least. Perhaps I can still take you on the walk that I had imagined us going on at the very end of the day.

        For her. And for myself. For Hyunjin and Serene.

        "Can we go on a walk?" I ask her, and her eyes widen as her eyebrows raise. She was not expecting that.

        "A walk? But it just getting late..." her voice trails, and I look down.

        She probably does not want to. She probably has to get home. He is probably waiting for her. What if they have a date later?

        I look up at her again, and with a smile, I say, "it's okay. We don't have to go, but I just wanted to ask. I know you must want to head home now."

        She shakes her head, and she laughs. "No, no, Hyunjin. It is alright. I like nighttime walks. We shall go...now?"

        Finally, a genuine beam finds its way to my lips, and I audibly giggle. "We shall, madame. We shall."

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