CHANBAEK - THE DRIED TEARS (SHORT STORY)

August 14th, 03.02 p.m., at the central park

That day I asked you to meet me at the central park.

I wanted to make a little surprise for you.
You refused at first, but then you changed your mind. Probably you thought I asked you because I was bored with my loneliness like usual.

I knew, you'd never leave me in my loneliness, never.

My hands were shaking. My heart felt the jolt of pain when I saw you there.

I put back the envelope into my jacket's pocket that I had taken out before.

My smile was gone.

You're standing there, so weak yet so beautiful in the same way. Your sparkling eyes showed me your hidden pains.
There's a red print in your left cheek.

I knew what had happened to you, I just knew.

My feet moved closer to you, when you saw me you smiled immediately.

I forced myself to smile, but I failed.

You frowned, wondered what I was thinking. Wondering what's wrong.

I touched your left red cheek making you grimaced in pain.

"Pabo-" I said to myself.

"Y-Yeolie?" your soft voice reached my ears.

"...I've told you. I've told you to just leave her! ...but why did yo-" you touched my right hand that's still on your cheek gently.

"Yeol..."

You hesitated for a while.

"Yeol, you know all along... I'll never leave her. She's my mother."

"Mother?! She's just an evil... How could you..."
You interrupted my sentence again with your smile, it was weak, really weak and it broke my heart into pieces.

"No, she's not. She's just lost, but she'll find herself, the true her."

I just kept silent. I felt so nauseated with your smile. How could you smile that way when your heart was obviously crying?

"I love her, Yeol. She's the one I love the most in my life." You smiled. Again.

Why did you always show me that smile? I really hate that smile!

"But she doesn't love you!" I shouted. I couldn't control my emotion. I just couldn't.

"... " You stared at me with your teary eyes. You stared at me like you didn't believe with my uttered words.

Shocked? I knew you did.

Your tears began to fall down.

I pushed your hand from mine and looked away.

I made you cry.

Yes, I did and it hurt me badly. But I knew I'd said the truth.

"Sh-she . . . She used to love me, Yeol. I know she used to love me," you said shakily. You wanted to make yourself believe with your own words, but I could hear your heart's crying too.

I kept my eyes away from you and you started to cry terribly.

But you never knew I was the most hurt that time.

I turned back and left you in your loud sobs, I walked away. I couldn't see you cry and that time I was the one who made you cry.

I should be cursed!

No- I've cursed myself when your first tear fell because of my stupid words.

"Yeol..."

I stopped.

"You do understand what is in a love, don't you?"

...

"Bye."

That time I left you without knowing it would be my last chance to see you.

There's no tomorrow for us.