Worlds Apart | Ssamkkura

4: Promises

Chaewon POV

Raeix is almost exactly how you imagined it to be. Bright, sunny, and the blue sky almost being too much for your eyes. You've read about blue skies in a book from the Yimrell Library, and you've wanted to see it ever since then. Except now that you see it, they seem slightly gray to the eye. To yours, at least.

Paridian skies were covered with the gray of the clouds during the day, and they never dissipated. Only during the night did the sky clear and let the Moon and Luna shine. Raeix differs in that aspect.

Everything is bright. The white buildings, the shiny gold plating, the glass windows that reflect the star's brilliant glowing light, everything. Even Sakura glows, her smile widening as she watches the commotion going on outside from inside her room.

Sakura did as she promised, returning to her room after the ship landed. The first thing she did was ask if you were all right during the process, and while you didn't want to answer, you were forced to say that everything was fine. It is the truth, but it bothers you that she's become so caring after you let her see you so vulnerable so quickly.

In all honesty, you didn't know you would react in such a manner. You didn't know that entering an atmosphere would be so... unsteady. With the things that happened to Paridiy, the rumbling and humming of the planet being destroyed, the entrance reminded you too much of those fresh memories, and it hurt.

You didn't have your comfort then, and you don't have your comfort now. You suppose that you're the slightest bit grateful for Sakura to have been there to calm you down, but it's not what you wanted. Even in the midst of your panic, the only person you want is Minju. You yearn for her, for her warmth, her soft voice, but she's not here. She will never be here. Not anymore.

"Hey, you okay?" Sakura looks at you, concern written on her face. You sigh. You weren't being as discreet as you wanted to be.

"Yeah, I'm good," You lie, lifting your hands in front of you and playing with them. It's the perfect distraction, because your planet is almost gone from your thoughts in an instant.

"We may have just met today, but I think I'm a pretty good listener," Sakura says softly, and you realize how wrong you were about your change of thoughts.

Sakura's eyes focus on you while yours focus on your hands. You know how much she helped earlier, and you really are thankful, but you can't ignore what she did. Her actions are there, the pieces of Paridiy still float in the cosmos, and there isn't a way you can turn your head away from actions as big as that.

You tear your gaze away from your hands, preferring to look at the wall. "I'll tell you soon, Sakura."

It's only after your mouth closes when you realize what your words imply. Do you plan on staying with her long enough to reveal the truth? Or do you mean the truth about Minju? You're not sure of your own words, and you feel regret beginning to take over.

"Soon, hm?" You can hear the grin on her face, but she doesn't push for an answer. "I'll be sure to be there when you decide to tell me."

Just like before, a small smile forces itself onto your face.

Sakura sighs as she picks herself up from her bed. "I think we've spent enough time lazing around. We have to help unload the cargo too."

The smile on your face quickly goes away as you look at her in disbelief from your position on her bed. "I'm helping too?"

You don't mean to sound like a snob. You're the opposite, actually. You hate the feeling of being useless more than anything, you think, but how are you supposed to carry things with broken ribs?