EPHEMERAL || BBH

The Black Bucket Hat ❁

It was just then I noticed his voice. It wasn't so deep but it did sure have its character. There was seriousness in his tone too. And before I could start gushing over his voice, I demanded myself to think of something I could do. Ignoring his protest, I opened my purse and I fished for a small bottle of water and a handkerchief.

"I know it's not going to kill you but..." I paused. "Whatever," I added as I took his bleeding hand again.

I felt him struggle trying stop me.

"Will you just let me help you?" I said firmly. "Please." I was also surprised at my tone. I certainly didn't sound like I was begging him. It was more of telling him to let me.

He didn't answer but I felt him relaxed so I took it as an agreement. I felt him watching my every move so I made sure to do it right. I asked him to hold his hand steady as I poured water on his bleeding area and just as I expected, his hand jolted a little because of the contact of water to his wound. Right after clearing the blood, I folded my handkerchief and gently tied it around his hand.

"There, it'll stop the bleeding for now," I announced after making sure that it was tied securely.

I saw him lift his hand next to his face, probably to examine what I had done. It was just then I noticed my handkerchief. I watched him stare at the light pink and flowery handkerchief tied to his hand. He must think that it was too girly but that's all I had.

"You didn't have to do this." He said and his statement sounded ungrateful that it somehow annoyed me.

"Yes." I snapped. "And I shouldn't have stopped you from jumping too right?" I couldn't help but be sarcastic.

"Who told you I was going to jump?" Though I couldn't see his face clearly, I could imagine how his eyebrows furrowed.

"I saw you." I insisted confidently.

"What did you see?" His tone was challenging.

"I saw you preparing to jump," I answered, making sure he'd feel the firmness of my words.

"No, you were the one jumping to conclusions." He replied emphasizing the words 'jumping' and 'conclusions'.

Then it hit me. Uncertainty suddenly hit me. I suddenly felt my face heating upon realizing that maybe he didn't plan on jumping. What if he was just really standing? Gah, how could I be so impulsive? If he was right, then everything was my fault. And to think that he did lose his balance a while ago because I came rushing towards him made me feel more uncomfortable.

"I'm sorry," I muttered, my voice automatically sounded unsure. "You're right, I shouldn't have assumed," I added as I turned away from him.

I faced the view trying to hide the embarrassment that was already written all over my face. Gosh, I had been embarrassing myself in front of him for the nth time. Biting my lower lip, I gazed at the community where I live to take my mind off of the situation. The houses looked so small from where I stood but I could still recognize the town centre where my aunt's flower shop was located. I closed my eyes and filled my lungs with air because this was what I came here to do. To take in the view and relax.

"You know..." I heard him say, so I immediately opened my eyes and looked at him.

I noticed that he was now standing a few feet away next to me with his eyes on the view.

"I was just doing the same thing before you almost killed me." He added though I couldn't hear any sarcasm in his tone now.

It sounded like a plain statement like he was just really telling me about it.

"I guess, I just didn't think of the possibility that someone might like this place the same way I do," I replied.

He looked my way and all I could see were his nose and his lips. Only the parts of his face that weren't covered by his black bucket hat. Maybe it was because the other parts of his face were hidden that I almost had my jaw dropped when I saw his lips form into a small smile.

"Me too." He said.

I didn't know how to respond to that but mostly because I was still speechless by how beautiful his smile was. What was happening to me? This guy seemed so mysterious and I am drawn to it.

"Do you live there?" He asked, breaking my train of thought.

"Y-yeah..." I muttered. "You?"

He moved his head sideways.

"I have a feeling I shouldn't ask you a follow-up question." I said cautiously and he might have found it funny because he let out a soft laugh all of a sudden.

I bit my lower lip to stop myself from gaping at him again like what I had been doing almost the whole time. Gosh, his laugh sounded so good. We stood there for the next few minutes without talking to each other. However, I find myself secretly glancing at him a few times. And the more I think about it, the more I realize that there must be something about him. Well, based on what he's wearing, it somehow gave me the feeling that he was trying to hide his identity. His voice, his aura, his stance, and his undeniably good-looking face which I openly saw earlier.

He must be someone famous. I concluded right after I dismissed the thought of him being a criminal. This man was way too handsome to be a criminal.

"Are you trying to figure me out?" He asked and it almost made me jump on my feet.

Oh gosh, he must have seen me gawking all this time.

"Sorry, I was just...I just get this feeling that you're someone famous." I answered as I carefully watched his reaction. "And you might be wondering why I haven't recognized you yet after seeing your face." I paused to check if it was okay for me to continue and he didn't seem to mind. "Well, that's because I left Korea after middle school and just came back recently," I added hoping that the unsolicited information from me would help.

He didn't respond but I could sense his uneasiness as he lifted his left hand to fix his hat before turning away. My eyes fell on his injured hand and realized that if he was indeed famous, he could sue me for what happened a while ago. What did I get myself into? I couldn't be imprisoned three months after going back to Korea.

"Name." He muttered, turning to me again. "What's your name?"

I hesitated for a while but realized that I was at fault. "Haewon. Park Haewon."

"Haewon." I heard him say as if testing my name on his mouth.

He remained silent for a moment, making me uncomfortable because I didn't know what he was thinking.

"Haewon?" He called.

"Yes?" I absent-mindedly answered upon hearing my name.

I saw him nod. "Nothing. I was just making sure you weren't making up names."

"You're not going to sue me because of what happened to your hand, right?" I asked worriedly.

I saw his lips form into a lopsided smile before turning around to leave. I followed him with my eyes while I remained standing on my spot. He was about a few steps away from me when I got the courage to open my mouth.

"So, I guess I'm not supposed to know who you are."

He stopped on his feet and turned around to face me.

"I hope you don't." He replied, his lips giving away a subtle smile once more.

I didn't know how to react to that. I was speechless for a second as I watched him leave.

When he was already out of sight, I inhaled and filled my lungs with air as I turned to the wondrous view in front of me.

That was weird. I thought.

A beautiful kind of weird. Actually.

~♥~