i want to run to you
i want to run to you
JB/Krystal
878 words, pg-13
If only I'd thought of the right words, I could have held on to your heart
If only I'd thought of the right words, I wouldn't be breaking apart
All my pictures of you
She came to visit today. Drove all the way from San Francisco without even saying anything, as if it wasn’t a 40-hour drive, and showed up at my door at 6 in the morning. Did she even sleep? When she arrived, she just dropped her duffel bag by the door, went straight to the couch and fell asleep right away. God, she’s so thin. She’s always been skinny, but now she’s just skin and bones. She slept for 10 hours. I skipped all of my classes that day and just watched her sleep. But then I fell asleep too, and when I woke up, she was the one staring at me, grinning. “I missed you,” she said. While watching her sleep, I thought about a lot of questions to ask her. But when I heard that, suddenly none of those questions mattered anymore. I smiled back and told her I missed her too. I really did.
She wanted to see the city, so we went out. That was when I realized I hardly went anywhere else other than my university and the place I work part-time at. I took her to the nearest subway station and caught a random train. We didn’t even check where that train was headed to. It was half packed, and we couldn’t even see anything from the window, but she kept smiling. Held my hand and smiled.
The next morning, she said she wanted to come along with me, so I let her. She walked around campus while I was in my class. I went looking for her once I was done, and found her in the photography studio helping out my friend. When it was over, Jinyoung said he’d take our pictures, too. She laughed and shook her head. “I’m too embarrassed.” Laughed again and said thank you, but no. Later that night, Jinyoung sent me an email with this photo attached. A stolen shot when she wasn’t paying attention. It broke my heart. Still does.
I took her to the nicest restaurant I know that night. She was upset because she thought we were just going to some diner. “I could’ve worn something nicer!” she scowled, and said she would order the most expensive thing from the menu to make me pay for it.
“You look pretty enough,” I told her.
She laughed. “I’m not buying your bullshit.” But she said that blushing like this.
We left for San Francisco before dawn. I wanted her to rest, but she insisted on driving. She said she likes the road at this hour. Told me to rest instead. I sat in the backseat and pretended to be sleeping, but I kept watching her the whole time. She didn’t notice. Her eyes were on the road, but I could tell her mind was somewhere else. She looked so sad. All I wanted to do then was wrap my arms around her. But I just kept watching her without a word.
We took an exit from the highway to look for a motel, and stopped by at a diner since we hadn’t eaten anything since morning except for chips and cookies. She didn’t finish her meal, not even half. Said she was already too full. We went for a walk afterwards. I asked if anything happened. She kept quiet and tried to smile, but she knew that I could see right through her so she looked away. We continued to walk in silence until she said she was tired. I stayed up all night thinking about how her smile faded. When she wanted to be the one driving again the next morning, I let her.
When we finally arrived, she insisted on taking me to her favorite restaurant. This was when she asked me why I like taking pictures of her. I thought of the answer right away, but I gave her a different one. “Just because.” She smiled. I wondered if she could see right through me as well.
“Don’t just take pictures of other people. Ask them to take a picture of you too sometimes.”
But I don’t let just anyone take a picture of me, Soojung.
I went back to Brooklyn two days later. At the airport, she finally told me what happened. Her boyfriend had been cheating on her, and she just found out recently. That was when she took off to see me. When your heart is broken, the only person you want to see is the person you trust to never hurt you. That was what she said. I wish I didn’t have to leave. I wish I didn’t leave.
When I told Jinyoung where I had been, he said I’m a fucking idiot. What girl would drive 3000 miles just to see a friend? But I’m not just a friend. I’m the boy she spent her entire life with, until we went separate ways for college. “You’re a fucking idiot.” Am I really? I called her up, and she told me she got back together with her boyfriend. He apologized. I stared at the pictures I took of her.
“You’re a fucking idiot, Jaebum.”
I guess I really am.
Why do I like taking pictures of you?
Because you’re my best friend, and I’m in love with you.
JB/Krystal
878 words, pg-13
If only I'd thought of the right words, I could have held on to your heart
If only I'd thought of the right words, I wouldn't be breaking apart
All my pictures of you
She came to visit today. Drove all the way from San Francisco without even saying anything, as if it wasn’t a 40-hour drive, and showed up at my door at 6 in the morning. Did she even sleep? When she arrived, she just dropped her duffel bag by the door, went straight to the couch and fell asleep right away. God, she’s so thin. She’s always been skinny, but now she’s just skin and bones. She slept for 10 hours. I skipped all of my classes that day and just watched her sleep. But then I fell asleep too, and when I woke up, she was the one staring at me, grinning. “I missed you,” she said. While watching her sleep, I thought about a lot of questions to ask her. But when I heard that, suddenly none of those questions mattered anymore. I smiled back and told her I missed her too. I really did.
She wanted to see the city, so we went out. That was when I realized I hardly went anywhere else other than my university and the place I work part-time at. I took her to the nearest subway station and caught a random train. We didn’t even check where that train was headed to. It was half packed, and we couldn’t even see anything from the window, but she kept smiling. Held my hand and smiled.
The next morning, she said she wanted to come along with me, so I let her. She walked around campus while I was in my class. I went looking for her once I was done, and found her in the photography studio helping out my friend. When it was over, Jinyoung said he’d take our pictures, too. She laughed and shook her head. “I’m too embarrassed.” Laughed again and said thank you, but no. Later that night, Jinyoung sent me an email with this photo attached. A stolen shot when she wasn’t paying attention. It broke my heart. Still does.
I took her to the nicest restaurant I know that night. She was upset because she thought we were just going to some diner. “I could’ve worn something nicer!” she scowled, and said she would order the most expensive thing from the menu to make me pay for it.
“You look pretty enough,” I told her.
She laughed. “I’m not buying your bullshit.” But she said that blushing like this.
We left for San Francisco before dawn. I wanted her to rest, but she insisted on driving. She said she likes the road at this hour. Told me to rest instead. I sat in the backseat and pretended to be sleeping, but I kept watching her the whole time. She didn’t notice. Her eyes were on the road, but I could tell her mind was somewhere else. She looked so sad. All I wanted to do then was wrap my arms around her. But I just kept watching her without a word.
We took an exit from the highway to look for a motel, and stopped by at a diner since we hadn’t eaten anything since morning except for chips and cookies. She didn’t finish her meal, not even half. Said she was already too full. We went for a walk afterwards. I asked if anything happened. She kept quiet and tried to smile, but she knew that I could see right through her so she looked away. We continued to walk in silence until she said she was tired. I stayed up all night thinking about how her smile faded. When she wanted to be the one driving again the next morning, I let her.
When we finally arrived, she insisted on taking me to her favorite restaurant. This was when she asked me why I like taking pictures of her. I thought of the answer right away, but I gave her a different one. “Just because.” She smiled. I wondered if she could see right through me as well.
“Don’t just take pictures of other people. Ask them to take a picture of you too sometimes.”
But I don’t let just anyone take a picture of me, Soojung.
I went back to Brooklyn two days later. At the airport, she finally told me what happened. Her boyfriend had been cheating on her, and she just found out recently. That was when she took off to see me. When your heart is broken, the only person you want to see is the person you trust to never hurt you. That was what she said. I wish I didn’t have to leave. I wish I didn’t leave.
When I told Jinyoung where I had been, he said I’m a fucking idiot. What girl would drive 3000 miles just to see a friend? But I’m not just a friend. I’m the boy she spent her entire life with, until we went separate ways for college. “You’re a fucking idiot.” Am I really? I called her up, and she told me she got back together with her boyfriend. He apologized. I stared at the pictures I took of her.
“You’re a fucking idiot, Jaebum.”
I guess I really am.
Why do I like taking pictures of you?
Because you’re my best friend, and I’m in love with you.