Across The Paper

Part 13: Breaking Out

- The start of the April diary -

  I came to this village on 12th of the March. There was life before that. In purely factual terms it started in Japan in August 1825. I have discovered many talents of mine, a few close friends, favourite activities or places to go to. I have achieved numerous prizes for my dancing and piano skills, and have read every book that is in my library back in my hometown. But it wasn't until I came to this village that life started to matter. And as time went by, I started to discover more about myself, feelings that I didn't know the existence of, and how easy it actually is for me to love.

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April 2; 1846

   The following hours of the day were an endless slog before the time to go came. My mom didn't ask much about going out, I think she was more happy to see me enjoying the time here. Though she told me to be careful, but was relieved to know that Gahyeon and Yubin would be coming. She also reminded me that we were going to visit Seonghwa early in the morning tomorrow, so I had to be back soon.

We walked in the night, towards the lake. Siyeon told us her friends would meet us there. Yubin, with her long pale limbs, was lighting our way in the dark while Gahyeon followed her from beside, both of them ahead of me and Siyeon. Siyeon, who would flash me a smile every time she turned to me, and I would smile back, though I couldn't tell why she was in such a good mood.

It was refreshing to see her smile so much. Even though she likes to tell jokes, she always looks quite serious.

"Are we close?" Gahyeon turned around to meet Siyeon's eyes, and the blonde girl nodded her head.

"We're almost there," Yubin answered her instead. All of us stayed quiet for a minute, and I think none of us thought Yubin knew the way, too.

But she's also from this village and has been living here from the day she was born. Of course, she knew it. She would know it by heart!

Siyeon left my side then, approaching Yubin to take the lamp. "Here, your arm must be tired."

"Oh, no Siyeon, it is not. I can continue," Yubin argued, but Siyeon had already taken it out of her hand.

"We're here already anyway" She announced then and made a turn left, and all three of us followed her.

It was dark, so I couldn't see the lake at all before standing so near to it. After adjusting my eyes to the moonlight, I released a sigh, astounded by the sight. The lake was not so big, but you couldn't see anything other than big trees all around, and then a clear sky in the middle, the moon shining down and the water reflecting it on us.

It was only when I heard Siyeon introducing someone to Gahyeon and Yubin that I noticed two figures standing next to them, shaking hands with them both. They were boys, both of them around our age, maybe even younger.