Querencia

28

Her mind went blank, so clear and clean like a piece of white paper that just came out from its packaging. The loudness in the area she occupied sounded so faint in her ears, that everything seemed blurry in her eyes as she sat there on the bench near the field.

It felt weird for her to sit here, watching a boy standing in a position with a bat in his grasp, waiting for another boy in the middle of the field throwing the pitch.

She used to sit at the bleacher, watching basketball and wondering how the game worked. Never once did she ever think to watch her brother playing baseball, and never once did she ever think to stop watching basketball - though she never knew how to play.

Just when her heart has changed so rapidly?

However, her heart had chosen - to start everything anew.

Coldness suddenly engulfed her when a metal thing came in contact with her warm cheek. It had woken her up from the daydream, so quickly whipping her head towards the once vacant seat on her left side on the bench but now it wasn't.

"You were in a very deep thought", the boy clicked his tongue as he plopped down next to her, passing her the can of drink he put on her cheek earlier. "Someone may think you are sleeping with your eyes open."

Hana was entertained, a soft chuckle escaping her lips as she took the drink.

"I am thinking, if you are questioning", she said, opening the can and downing the liquid, the coldness flowed down her throat.

"What were you thinking about?" Kevin was suddenly intrigued. His attention was fully on her, his brows wriggled as if he was begging for her to quickly tell.

"I am thinking, why I did do this?" she put down the can, crossing her legs as she looked at Eric running around the field. "After all those years."

Silence fell upon them for a few seconds, Kevin nodded in agreement. He understood every single word she delivered, of course he did.

He wanted to tell her that she did a good job avoiding Juyeon at any cost for the sake of her feelings. He wanted her to know that she should have taken care of her own heart first, not to let herself get hurt again.

But, when he saw how her eyes fixated on Eric in the field, how her lips tugged upwards when Eric successfully hit a home run, Kevin did not think that talking about Juyeon was important right now.

"You know, a few days ago, I was talking with Eric", he turned his body wholly facing her, his eyes lit up with excitement to attract her with his story.

And it was a success when Hana intrigued, looking at Kevin straight in the eyes, "What did you guys talk about?"

"I asked him why he chose this college."

"The baseball", she was not interested anymore, almost turning her back on him. The answer was so obvious but Kevin softly tugged her sleeve, wanting her attention back.

"No! That's not the reason."

"Then what?"

"It's you."

"Me?"

"Yes, you!"

It was then Hana was left stunned, speechless even. She had always been told that Eric wanted to be in this college because of the baseball team and because he wanted to pursue his passion. But, right now Kevin was saying something else, that it was because of her - she was confused.

She thought Eric would never lie to her. But she also thought that Kevin too would not.

And Kevin found her cute when she was thinking. Her big eyes that resembled her to a rabbit could not be unseen, her slightly partly lips made him want to cackle but it might be rude of him, so he cancelled the intention.

For he did not want her to feel offended.

"Eric told me that he's proud that his sister is one of the excellent students on this campus. He will make sure that all of his friends know that you are his sister", he spilled on the story, in which Hana's eyes suddenly glistened. "Wait, are you crying?"

He pondered finding her eyes, but Hana avoided looking into his. She insisted that some fine dust got into her eyes and Kevin knew it was a big fat lie.

But, Kevin also knew, Hana could not lie and she wouldn't.

"That night, when everything was over for me, Eric stayed with me in my room until I fell asleep", and so she started her storytelling without any pressure. "I've never thought that he would do that. We are always on each other's necks."

Kevin smiled, he could have imagined the whole thing in his head and it was an incredibly beautiful picture.

"I understand if Eric did that", he said with the biggest smile plastered on his face which was quite questionable for Hana to see. That smile was not the normal one, it was full of love. "Me and Eric are the same."

"What does that mean?"

"You know, I have an older sister", he finally admitted, startling the girl to the core. "Siblings fight a lot, I know... But, like Eric, I do care for my sister. It just feels like I'm obliged to do that. So if you're wondering, I'd say that it naturally comes out from a brother."

"Psychology student sounds so different", she chuckled, jokingly rolling her eyes in the process. "But, I'm overwhelmed."

She put her hand on her chest, shutting her eyes to engulf herself in the mood she had invited in. However, when she opened her eyes back, she was hit by a surprise, at the sight of Kevin who was adoring every feature on her small face.

She almost forgot that the boy across her was the one who once confessed to her that she was being mean by rejecting him.

And now, when karma hit her, this boy was still loyal staying with her without expecting anything in return.

"Don't say anything", Kevin spoke up after a while drowning in a comfortable silence. He knew what was lingering in her head, and he hoped she wouldn't say it aloud. "I don't want you to feel guilty."

It was then, that Hana covered her mouth with her palm, eyes getting bigger.

"Are you a mind reader?"

"I am", Kevin played along, intimidating her with his serious expression. "But, I tend to choose whoever I want to read. And I choose you."

"Scary!"

They both then laughed together, picking up random stuff to be a topic till they felt their stomachs cramp from laughing too hard.

But then, Kevin suddenly emphasized something that would disturb Hana's mind for a while.

"I hope I can call you mine."