𑣲I Carry Your Heart.

✿                   @bearytender .

the  smile  lingers  for  another  second  before  slowly  fading,  replaced  by  an  honesty  that  comes  much  more  naturally  than  he  intends.  his  gaze  slips  away  for  the  briefest  moment,  settling  somewhere  over  her  shoulder  as  he  lets  out  a  quiet  breath,  searching  for  words  that  feel  fair  to  both  of  them.  “  but...  ”  the  pause  is  short,  born  more  from  uncertainty  than  hesitation,  before  his  eyes  return  to  hers.  “  i  can  pretend...  if  that's  really  what  you  want.  ”  a  small  shrug  follows,  casual  enough  to  seem  effortless,  though  the  expression  on  his  face  gives  away  how  little  effort  actually  has  to  do  with  it.  “  i'm  just  not  sure  i'd  be  very  good  at  it.  ”  the  corner  of  his  mouth  lifts  again  in  another  faint  smile,  softer  now,  almost  self conscious.  “  because  i  don't  really  want  to  pretend  it  never  happened.  ”

pausing, she takes in a deep breath to prepare herself and reaches forward to grasp his bigger hands in hers - gently squeezing them. hannah keeps her eyes on daniel's as she says, "and what i mean by that is when it comes from you, it means something different. it means that you trust me with another part of you and letting me in even more and that means a lot to me. hopefully that makes sense." she hoped it did because if it didn't, hannah would be mortified and never want to show her face around her husband ever again.

for  another  quiet  moment  he  simply  stays  there,  his  hand  still  cradling  her  face,  his  thoughts  drifting  somewhere  beyond  the  conversation  they  had  been  having.  it  takes  him  a  second  to  remember  the  clothes  at  all,  and  when  he  does,  the  words  come  out  in  little  more  than  a  whisper.  “ we  can  start  tomorrow. ”  but  even  as  he  says  it,  his  mind  has  already  wandered  somewhere  else  entirely.

“i guess you’re lucky that you found a better spot, then.” which wouldn’t have been the case if all train tickets were sold out. he nods at the invitation to look at her scrapbook, but is delighted when she begins showing him the contents of the pages even before he responds. “they’re beautiful.” he compliments wholeheartedly. “do you always draw when you’re on train rides like this?” he asks with his own curiosity, before his gaze drifts momentarily to his book upon her question. “oh, this one? it’s called when breath becomes air.” his finger brushes over the bookmark absentmindedly. “it’s about a talented doctor who got end-stage cancer in his 30s.” a brief, thoughtful pause. “quite a heavy read, but quite profound, too.”

his  compliment  catches  her  by  surprise  in  the  gentlest  way,  softening  her  expression  as  she  lowers  her  eyes  to  the  sketchbook  resting  across  her  lap.  “ thank  you, ”  she  says,  her  fingertips  absentmindedly  brushing  over  the  edge  of  one  of  the  pages.  “ i  do,  actually.  i  think  trains, cars and airplanes  are  my  favorite  place  to  draw. ”  her  gaze  wanders  briefly  toward  the  window,  where  the  mountains  continue  slipping  quietly  across  the  glass.  “ everything  is  already  moving,  so  it  somehow  takes  the  pressure  away  from  trying  to  make  anything  perfect.  if  i  miss  a  moment,  another  one  is  already  waiting. ”  when  he  tells  her  about  the  book,  however,  her  attention  returns  to  him  entirely.  the  smile  on  her  face  softens  into  something  quieter,  touched  by  genuine  curiosity.  “ that  sounds  incredibly  heartbreaking, ”  she  admits  gently.  “ but  i  think  some  of  the  most  beautiful  stories  are  the  ones  that  refuse  to  look  away  from  things  like  that. ”  after  a  brief  pause,  she  tilts  her  head  ever  so  slightly.  “ are  you  enjoying  it,  or  is  it  the  kind  of  book  you're  determined  to  finish  even  though  it's  emotionally  devastating? ”

Dabin is sitting on the bed, a phone in her hand, and she's scrolling her social media feed. She looks bored, but she's not. She is waiting. She's waiting for her friend to come out and show off the outfit she urged Naeun to try on. They will be going out to see what the night will bring for them, and it will be fun. At least, that's what the femme has decided. Nothing will ruin their night, and it will be her mission to have Naeun enjoy the night. "Is it on already? Or do you think it's ugly? I have other choices in my closet if you want to look." Her voice is a little raised for the other to hear in the bathroom, and she glances from her phone to look at the bedroom door.

“  so?  ”  she  asks,  giving  her  friend  a  small  twirl  so  the  dress  can  be  seen  from  every  angle.  when  she  comes  to  a  stop,  her  hands  instinctively  smooth  the  fabric  over  her  hips  before  tugging  ever  so  slightly  at  the  neckline.  “  it's  a  little  more  low cut  than  i'm  used  to...  but  it's  pretty.  the  color  is  really  beautiful. ”  her  eyes  lift  to  dabin  with  a  small  smile.  “  what  do  you  think?  ”

“i  don't  think  there's  a  world  where  i  don't  like  you,  cathy,”  he  said,  as  if  it  held  no  weight.  though  it  put  a  heavy  one  on  his  chest,  if  only  for  a  moment.  after  all  this  time,  a  goodbye  that  felt  like  the  last.  the  period  at  the  end  of  the  sentence.  ares  couldn't  look  at  her  with  hate  in  his  heart.  that  would  never  be  the  case.  he  couldn't  let  all  of  these  emotions  through  to  her,  not  in  the  middle  of  this  party,  where  he  noticed  a  few  more  eyes  on  them  than  he'd  predicted.so,  with  a  soft  smile,  he  played  it  off.  it  took  time  to  come  to  terms  with  their  separation,  and  time  had  healed  his  wounds.  but,  every  now  and  then,  he  was  reminded  of  how  true  they  once  were  together.  it  was  like  a  phantom  pain  –  when  the  scar  itches  and  you  just  can't  help  but  scratch  it,  and  you're  reminded  of  how  it  felt  before  you  healed.  yet,  with  her  standing  before  him,  he  didn't  want  to  let  any  of  that  to  interfere  with  what  this  time  could  bring  them.  life  had  changed  so  much  in  the  years  that  had  passed.  ares  would  like  to  get  to  know  who  she  was  now,  in  the  possible  event  she  had  changed  over  time.  after  everything  that  the  past  had  brought  her.  he  knew  chances  of  her  being  back  were  slm  to  none,  yet  this  time  of  year  always  had  a  way  of  bringing  new  beginnings.  “people  missed  you  too,”  he  said,  drinking  from  his  cup  in  practiced  fashion.  undoubtedly,  he  found  himself  on  that  list,  too.  "oh  yeah?  we'll  definitely  make  sure  too.  i  took  some  time  off  to  spend  it  here.  funny  timing."  they  teeter  around  the  inevitable  feelings  that  are  meant  to  surface.  it's  like  they're  saying  just  enough  without  baring  it  all.  tone  easy  as  she  changed  the  subject,  a  bit  of  pride  in  the  look  on  his  face  at  her  praise.  “thats  subjective,  really,  but  it  feels  good.  crazy  to  think  it  happened  to  me,  but  i  feel  lucky.  what  about  you,  cat?”

his  question  earns  another  thoughtful  hum,  and  this  time  she  lets  herself  think  before  answering,  her  fingers  absentmindedly  tracing  the  rim  of  her  cup.  “ i  don't  know  if  i  made  it  big, ”  she  admits  with  a  small  laugh  that  carries  more  honesty  than  self  pity.  “ i  think  i  just...  made  it  through. ”  the  words  leave  her  lighter  than  she  expects  them  to.  “ i've  been  moving  around,  figuring  things  out,  trying  to  become  someone  i  actually  like  being. ”  her  smile  returns,  softer  now,  touched  with  the  quiet  hope  of  someone  still  discovering  herself  rather  than  pretending  she  already  has.  “ i  think  i'm  getting  there. ”  she  tips  her  head  ever  so  slightly  before  looking  back  at  him.  “ i'm  really  happy  for  you,  though.  i  always  knew  you  had  it  in  you. ”  and  she  means  it  with  a  sincerity  that  has  never  learned  how  to  disguise  itself.  “ just  promise  me  becoming  famous  hasn't  made  you  unbearably  full  of  yourself.  i'd  hate  to  find  out  success  ruined  your  personality. ”

She lets out a dramatic, heavy sigh. "Where do I start? So many things have happened." She's exaggerating her words, chuckling afterwards as a sign that she's joking. Of course, a lot has happened over the years, but are they worth mentioning? Not really. "My parents are still together, I'm still an only child, and that will not change. I model on the side to get some money and... That's about it." Miyoung's life? Pretty normal. There are no highlights like he requested.

after  that,  he  lets  himself  simply  listen.  there  is  something  deeply  familiar  about  hearing  her  voice  again,  even  when  it  is  telling  stories  he  had  never  been  there  to  witness,  and  he  realizes  how  many  blank  spaces  he  had  quietly  filled  over  the  years  with  nothing  more  than  imagination.  her  answers  are  shorter  than  the  questions  he  still  carries,  but  he  does  not  mind.  there  is  time  now.  time  he  never  thought  they  would  get  back.  his  eyebrows  lift  in  genuine  surprise.  “  modeling?  seriously?  ”  a  bright  grin  spreads  across  his  face.  “  so  you’re  famous  now? ”  he  teases  lightly,  though  there  is  unmistakable  admiration  beneath  the  joke.  “  that  actually  sounds  really  fun. ”  he  tilts  his  head  just  slightly,  curiosity  returning  almost  immediately.  “  and  what  did  you  end  up  choosing  to  study?  ”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀❛ estela ⸺ hi. it's been ... a while, ❜ a pause, then a quiet exhale, almost a laugh. the words feel inadequate, years reduced to four syllables. he looks briefly toward the ice behind her, then back at her before he's stepping closer to the boards. close enough to talk, but still far enough to give her the choice of whether she wants the conversation to continue. ❛ i was working nearby ⸺ wasn't sure if i should come say hello. ❜ a rare admission : usually, siwan knows what to ask. usually has a reason for approaching someone, a story to chase. this time around, he doesn't and maybe that is what makes it different. ❛ i just wanted to ... see how you were. ❜ not how what he presumes was training was going, not to confirm if there really is a comeback story waiting to be written. just estela. ❛ ... you looked like you were enjoying it. ❜

“  i  was...  very  much.  ”  she  admitted  without  hesitation,  glancing  briefly  toward  the  empty  sheet  of  ice  behind  her  before  lowering  herself  onto  the  bench  to  begin  loosening  the  laces  of  one  skate.  “  i  didn't  realize  how  much  i  could  miss  it  until  i  came  back.  it's  strange...  for  so  long  i  convinced  myself  i  was  done  with  this,  and  now  i  can't  seem  to  stay  away.  ”  she  laughed  quietly  to  herself  before  lifting  her  eyes  to  him  again.  “  but  what  about  you?  how  have  you  been?  are  you  still  working  at  the  newspaper?  ”  there  was  a  small  pause,  her  fingers  slowing  against  the  knot  of  the  lace.  “  i  kept  waiting  for  you  to  call  me  after  that  day...  but  i  never  heard  from  you  again.  ”  her  voice  remained  gentle,  without  accusation,  carrying  only  the  honesty  of  something  that  had  lingered  longer  than  she  ever  admitted  aloud.  she  offered  him  another  small  smile,  one  that  tried  much  harder  than  it  should  have  to  pretend  everything  was  exactly  as  it  ought  to  be.  “  where  were you  working?  ”

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀still, hands slip into the pocket of her jacket to pull out the device — the screen is cracked, spiderweb fractures stretching across one corner, but it still flickers to life beneath her thumb. ❛ you're lucky. ❜ is the only and last thing she throws his way as the phone finds its way to her ear, figure stepping a few paces away, just enough to hear over the ringing that still lingers after the collision. she gives their location, answers a handful of questions through a hoarse, exhausted tone, explains that neither car is drivable ... and, when asked whether anyone is injured, head spins to glance back at donghan for a brief second almost instinctively. still sitting there, still pretending. the silence lingers for a heartbeat before she's quietly confirming that someone should come prepared to treat injuries, even if the person injured in question is too stubborn to admit to the need for it. the line of conversation ends with jieun hastily shoving her phone back into her pocket, the sound of her boots stepping tiredly against the pavement echoing. ❛ they're coming. ❜ is all she gives, the words settling into the empty street between them. ❛ and before you say anything ⸺ i'm not admitting you were right, or that this is my fault, ❜ not until she knows what happened and until she figures out why her steering failed, because it had failed. she'd stake the few things she owned on that. ❛ ... but you are hurt. so stop acting like you're made of steel, at least. ❜

silence  settles  over  them  once  again,  no  longer  as  sharp  as  before,  only  interrupted  by  the  distant  sounds  of  a  city  that  continues  moving  without  them.  donghan  keeps  his  eyes  ahead  for  another  moment  before  speaking  again,  quieter  this  time,  almost  absentmindedly.  "  for  what  it's  worth...  i  know  you  can  drive.  "  there  is  no  apology  attached  to  the  admission  and  no  attempt  to  explain  everything  he  had  thrown  at  her  minutes  earlier.  he  simply  states  it  because  denying  it  would  be  ridiculous.  after  another  glance  toward  what  used  to  be  her  car,  one  corner  of  his  mouth  twitches  into  the  faintest  shadow  of  a  grin.  "  i  hope  you're  not  expecting  me  to  pay  for  that.  i'd  have  to  start  selling  drugs...  or  my  kidney.  "  the  joke  is  delivered  so  naturally  that  it  almost  sounds  rehearsed,  though  the  pulse  of  pain  running  through  his  arm  quickly  reminds  him  he  is  in  no  position  to  be  making  jokes  about  losing  body  parts.  he  exhales  through  his  nose  and  looks  back  down  the  empty  road.  "  are  they  taking  us  to  the  hospital?  "  he  asks,  already  sounding  annoyed  by  the  possibility.  "  because  that's  really  not  how  i  wanted  to  spend  the  rest  of  my  night.  "

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀❛  wow, this is the first time tonight anyone's asked me that without needing something afterward, ❜ the admission slips out before she can hold it back or polish it, eyes remaining fixed on the skyline still instead of him. ❛ i'm alright. just exhausted in a way no more flutes of champagne can help. ❜ a light laugh, followed by a brief pause. head finally moves so she's eyeing him properly now as she nudges his figure gently with her elbow. hyeonju knows that look in the man's eyes, has seen several versions of it from across countless ballrooms before, long before either of them ever admitted these rooftop escapes had become routine — the expression of someone who has been applauded all evening, but wasn't actually really seen once. it all feels achingly familiar. ❛ they're proud of you tonight. i heard your mom introduce you to like ⸺ three different groups of people before dessert time. ❜ she lets out a quiet breath through her nose ; no judgement, just observation.

silence  stretches  comfortably  between  them,  filled  only  by  the  distant  music  spilling  through  the  rooftop  door  and  the  breeze  dancing  between  the  buildings.  when  he  finally  speaks  again,  his  voice  has  softened  in  a  way  that  almost  catches  him  by  surprise.  “  you  look  beautiful  tonight,  hyeonju.  ”  his  eyes  wander  over  her  only  for  a  second  before  finding  hers  again,  a  smile  tugging  gently  at  the  corner  of  his  lips.  “  somehow  you're  always  even  more  beautiful  than  the  last  time  i  saw  you.  ”  he  lets  the  compliment  settle  without  trying  to  dress  it  up  as  anything  else,  then  tilts  his  head  ever  so  slightly.  “  do  you  already  have  plans  after  this?  ”  the  question  sounds  casual  enough,  though  there  is  quiet  hope  tucked  somewhere  beneath  it.  “  or  can  i  steal  you  away  for  a  little  while  before  somebody  comes  looking  for  us?  ”

his  eyes  widen,  and  june  smiles  widely,  his  teeth  showing.  he  clears  his  throat  a  second  after  that,  trying  to  contain  his  smile  as  much  as  he  possibly  can.  but  to  be  fair  he  is  not  really  good  at  it.  "really?"  he  asks  as  if  lucas  did  not  say  it  two  times  already.  "maybe  just  bring  as  many  notes  as  you  can,  little  bit  is  still  better  than  nothing.  and  your  books.  and  if  we  don't  find  anything  in  either  one  of  our  notes,  we  just  check  the  books.  we  got  this!"  june  nods  rather  seriously,  very  much  convinced  about  their  success  already.  to  be  fair,  biology  is  not  his  strongest  suit,  but  he  wants  to  try  anyway.  and  he  knows  that  lucas  will  not  bring  him  down  either. "and  you  can  stay  as  long  as  you  want!  we  can  uhm...."  suddenly  overwhelmed  with  so  many  things  that  they  can  do  and  not  really  sure  about  what  he  wants  to  do  first.  and  what  lucas  would  even  want  to  do  in  the  first  place.  "you  know,  i  learned  how  to  make  pizza  dough.  do  you  want  to  try  it?  i  can  teach  you  too,"  he  sounds  rather  excited  about  the  prospect  of  having  lucas  at  his  home.

“  pizza  dough?  ”  the  words  sound  almost  unreal  leaving  his  mouth.  the  offer  feels  like  something  borrowed  from  a  movie,  the  kind  of  thing  that  belongs  to  other  people's  lives.  who  just  knows  how  to  make  pizza  from  scratch,  and  who,  on  top  of  that,  offers  to  teach  someone  else?  moments  like  these  only  make  the  distance  between  their  worlds  feel  more  obvious,  and  somehow,  lucas  cannot  help  finding  it  a  little  amusing. “  yeah,  sure.  sounds  like  a  good  idea.  ”  he  agrees  after  a  moment,  as  though  he  has  finally  caught  up  with  the  conversation.  finishing  the  last  bite  of  food,  his  gaze  drifts  toward  the  clock  hanging  on  the  cafeteria  wall.  time  has  never  meant  much  to  him,  and  classes  even  less,  but  he  does  not  want  june  getting  dragged  into  the  kind  of  reputation  that  already  follows  him  everywhere.  missing  lessons  is  one  thing  when  it  is  only  his  own  name  attached  to  it.  he  refuses  to  let  that  become  true  for  someone  else.  “  what  do  you  have  now?  ”  he  asks,  pushing  the  empty  tray  aside  before  thinking  for  a  second.  “  i  think  i've  got...  math.  ”

the  question  genuinely  surprises  him,  but  in  the  best  way  possible.  "don't  you  guys  also  have  keys  to  it?  if  i  was  the  owner,  i  would  give  them  to  all  of  you  so  you  don't  need  to  rush  after  performance,"  he  rambles  a  little  bit  before  he  realizes  that  he  has  actually  not  replied  to  the  question.  "yes,  i  would  really  like  that.  but  only  if  you  are  not  too  tired,"  june  frowns  a  little  bit,  his  gaze  flickering  all  over  lucas'  body,  as  if  trying  to  see  how  exhausted  he  is  after  the  performance.  "maybe  i  can  treat  you  to  something?"  june  turns  his  hopeful  gaze  to  lucas'  face  now.  suddenly,  he  blushes,  facepalming  himself.  "oh  maybe  i  should  actually  let  you  get  ready  to  leave.  didn't  mean  to  jump  you  and  keep  you  from  undressing."

“  don't  worry.  i'll  just  change  really  quick.  ”  without  a  second  thought,  he  slips  out  of  the  last  pieces  of  his  costume  right  there  in  front  of  june,  moving  with  the  absent  ease  of  someone  who  has  long  forgotten  that  bodies  are  supposed  to  inspire  embarrassment.  years  of  rehearsals  had  reduced  them  to  nothing  more  than  bodies,  muscles  and  bones  doing  what  they  had  been  trained  to  do,  and  growing  up  with  his  own  treated  as  something  that  never  truly  belonged  to  him  had  left  little  room  for  modesty  to  take  root.  only  a  few  moments  later  he  is  dressed,  gathering  the  last  of  his  things  before  giving  a  small  nod  for  june  to  follow.  he  switches  off  the  dressing  room  light  behind  them,  pulls  the  door  closed,  and  together  they  make  their  way  toward  the  theater  exit.  “  where  were  you  thinking  of  going?  ”

his  eyes  widen  and  his  gaze  flickers  between  sara  and  estela.  "what?  you  bought  dresses?"  yohan  gasps.  "and  where  is  my  fashion  show?  nobody  wants  to  show  daddy  the  dresses?  you  should  have  shown  me  the  second  i  got  back,"  he  does  not  whine,  but  only  barely  because  he  really  want  to  see.  it  has  been  difficult  to  get  used  to  this,  sharing  sara's  sole  attention  but  in  return  he  is  getting  estela's  attention  too.  so  it  is  a  really  good  situation  for  him.  "you  are  not  too  tired,  right  sweetie?  wanna  show  your  daddy  what  you  bought?"  he  asks  sara  who  nods  rather  enthusiastically.  probably  because  she  knows  that  right  after  dinner  she  is  supposed  to  have  a  bath  and  even  despite  them  thrying  their  hardest,  sometimes  she  still  doesn't  like  it.  "so  what  do  you  say?  do  i  get  a  little  performance?"

his  reaction  to  the  dresses  draws  another  quiet  laugh  from  her,  softer  this  time,  touched  by  something  almost  impossibly  tender.  a  few  months  ago,  she  would  never  have  imagined  that  someone  could  be  genuinely  offended  over  not  immediately  seeing  two  new  dresses,  and  yet  here  he  was,  looking  almost  betrayed  over  such  a  small  thing,  and  somehow  it  felt  like  the  sweetest  problem  they  could  possibly  have.  “  we  were  waiting  until  after  dinner,  i  promise.  we  couldn't  have  the  fashion  show  before  the  food.  ”  her  eyes  drift  to  sara  for  a  moment  before  returning  to  yohan,  affection  settling  naturally  across  her  features.  “  i  think  someone  has  been  looking  forward  to  showing  them  off  all  afternoon  anyway.  ”  she  smiles,  unable  to  resist  the  invitation  shining  in  both  of  their  faces.  “  i  think  daddy  deserves  his  performance.  after  all,  he  worked  very  hard  defending  his  dignity  today.  ”

and when the guy finally stirs, what feels like another small eternity later (and yes, maybe kitty took a nap in between all this too) and kitty starts seriously needing to pee, kitty gasps, getting up on his feet. he reaches out for him, fingers gripping onto his hand before he can actually realize what he is doing. "are you okay? do you know where you are? do you need water?" wow kitty, ten out of ten for not freaking out and not overwhelming the guy as soon as he wakes up.

only  after  speaking  does  he  properly  notice  the  room  around  him,  the  antiseptic  smell  hanging  in  the  air,  the  pale  walls,  the  iv  connected  to  his  arm,  all  the  unmistakable  signs  that  he  is  in  a  hospital.  confusion  gives  way  to  alarm  almost  immediately  as  he  tries  to  sit  up,  only  to  hiss  through  clenched  teeth  when  pain  shoots  across  his  ribs,  but  instinct  is  stronger  than  common  sense  and  he  forces  himself  to  check  the  rest  of  his  body  anyway.  his  fingers  flex.  his  shoulders  move.  everything  seems  to  answer  him,  sluggish  but  obedient,  until  he  reaches  his  left  leg  and  finds  nothing  but  an  uncomfortable,  stubborn  heaviness  that  refuses  to  cooperate.  frowning,  he  grabs  the  edge  of  the  blanket  and  pulls  it  back  just  enough  for  the  thick  cast  wrapped  around  his  leg  to  come  into  view,  and  the  sight  tears  the  final  piece  of  memory  loose.  tires  screeching.  headlights.  a  car  coming  too  fast.  that  face.  his  head  snaps  toward  the  man  beside  the  bed  so  abruptly  that  the  motion  makes  his  vision  swim  again,  but  this  time  there  is  no  uncertainty  left  in  his  expression,  only  the  sudden  flare  of  anger  burning  through  the  confusion.  “  it  was  you!  ”  he  blurts  out,  pointing  at  him  with  a  trembling  hand.  “  you  were  the  guy  who  hit  me!  ”

“ don't  be  sorry,  i  like  hearing  you  talk, ”  assures her.  tone  dipping  into  a  smooth,  comforting  murmur  that  makes  it  clear  he  would  happily  sit  in  this  booth  for  hours  just  listening  to  the  cadence  of  her  voice. rests  his  chin  thoughtfully  in  his  palm,  taking  a  moment  to  process  her  question.  “ a  place  i  haven't  been,  or  somewhere  i  have ? ”  pauses,  a  small,  amused  smile  returning  to  his  face.  “ if  it's  somewhere  i've  been,  japan. ”  his  deep  appreciation  for  the  art,  the  quiet  backstreets,  and  the  food  makes  the  answer  come  easily  to  his  lips.  “ and  somewhere  i  haven't...  maybe  bali. ”  mind  always  gravitates  toward  peaceful,  undisturbed  horizons  where  the  slow  rhythm  of  the  ocean  can  filter  out  the  remaining  static  in  his  mind. “ what  about  you,  though ? ”  he  asks  softly,  turning  his  body  slightly  to  give  her  his  absolute  focus,  the  question  hanging  gently  in  the  warm  space  between  them.  “ where  would  you  like  to  be ? ”

her  gaze  lingers  on  him  for  another  moment,  softer  now,  almost  thoughtful.  somewhere  between  dinner,  tea,  photographs  and  conversations  that  seemed  incapable  of  running  out,  she  had  stopped  worrying  so  much  about  whether  she  was  saying  the  right  thing.  instead,  she  found  herself  simply  wanting  to  know  more,  to  keep  discovering  all  the  little  pieces  that  made  him  who  he  was.  the  realization  settles  inside  her  with  surprising  ease,  warm  and  steady,  like  something  that  had  been  waiting  for  the  right  person  to  bloom.  “  i  think  i'm  going  to  steal  your  answer  and  say  japan  too, ”  she  admits  with  a  quiet  laugh.  “  although  now  i  kind  of  want  to  go to the  beach  well. ”  she  tilts  her  head,  curiosity  returning  to  her  expression.  “  mmm…  what's  something  people  usually  misunderstand  about  you?  ”