Luminous • Jisung

19 • Better

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• Chapter 19 •

"This is all your fault!" Renjun shouted, not minding the tears that rolled down the little girl's cheeks. "If you weren't alive everything would be better!"

Cho-a inhaled sharply, lungs overworked from her hectic breathing.
"I- I didn't want that to happen Junnie-"

"I don't care!" he spat, pushed her back. She stumbled, tripped over her own feet and fell onto the ground. "It's your fault."

His voice was colder this time, calmer. He looked down at the girl with a blank stare.

Then he stepped back, turned around, walked away and left her sitting on the cold asphalt, cheeks puffy and eyes red from crying.

Maybe it was her fault after all.

Cho-a threw her legs over the edge of the roof, letting them hang down lazily. The air had gotten colder lately but she didn't care.

It felt comforting almost, even though it made her remember things that passed a long time ago. Things she tried to forget before she realized she couldn't.

She exhaled flatly, leaned forward as she stared at the ground far beneath her. It was a long way down. More than three floors this time. Too much for a human to survive.

She thought that that was the problem - she'd survive.

It was a problem that she was who she was. After all, Renjun had told her so long time ago already.

Trapped within her own thoughts, she didn't really hear the steps behind her. Although even if she had, she probably wouldn't have minded.

She only noticed him when she saw his shoes on the ledge from the corner of her eyes. She didn't react at all though.

"Did you climb all the way up here," Jisung questioned calmly. "Or did you teleport?"

Cho-a stayed quiet. She just sat there and didn't move.

Not knowing what to do, Jisung sat down next to her, his feet in line with hers against the outside of the building's wall.

He looked at her - or tried to. The way her hair fell covered her face too much to really make out her expression. He tilted his head to the side, reached out and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear.

She looked up only now. Yet, she didn't look at Jisung but somewhere far into the distance. The stars above and the shining from all the lights in the city made her eyes sparkle - and with them the tears that dared to fall.

It took Jisung by surprise.

He knew she was upset. Why was he so startled by it?

He thought about it for a moment, unsure of what to do. What was he supposed to say? Maybe he wasn't supposed to say anything at all.

Swallowing his nervosity, his eyes dwelled a little longer on hers.

"I don't know if you want to talk," he then said, tone soft. "But I'll stay here, just in case."

Cho-a blinked, her tears sticking her eyelashes together, vision going blurry for a short moment. After that, she looked at Jisung.

He seemed so sincere.

"Why?"

The boy shrugged, held eye-contact with her.
"It feels like you might need it." He shook his head as he continued to ask, "or do you want me to go-?"