With Love, your Cupid (Chaennie)

Little do you know

Her gaze is on me.

No eye contact, just like observing or rather studying. My cheeks warm up and I hear the calming sound of birds chirping.

The real challenge happens when I manage to look up and our eyes meet for the first time, she smiles.

Do you believe that your smile can someday change someone's life? Well, me, I didn't believe it,

till I smiled back.

The girl's facials hardened and she flinched as she was backing away almost stumbling.

Could my smile be this strange or lifeless that the girl decided to look down and run away?

But she didn't run away.

After a second she meet my tearful eyes and we were staring at each other carefully. Something seemed right with this encounter, actually I've never felt this alive during these months of trying to remember.

Everything seemed right. And my little heart couldn't believe that something can be this right. So, if somebody ran away that day,

It was me.

***

The next time I went to that bridge was also the next day after I ran away, I was nervous, my heart pumping and my abdomen so tense as if I was getting ready to run again.

"You are fast."

I flinched at the hoarse voice behind me and stayed still. My limbs frozen and I couldn't think about anything beside the sound of the girl's voice.

After a second I realized that she wasn't going to come closer to me, and I understood that she gave a chance to run again, wherever I want.

Something rather cold touched my fingers and I instinctively stepped away, yet the object somehow was in my hand.

A leaf.

Perfectly shaped and yellow leaf that got my attention with its simplicity.

My fingertips traced the surface, my skin felt chilly and my eyes relaxed just like my breath normalized.

I didn't have the courage to turn back yet. Did she feel it? Because I heard a little chuckle and a soft;

"Can you hear me?"

I was dumbfounded by her question.

I nodded nevertheless.

"Do I look scary?"

I shook my head.

"It's a pity."

A chuckle. I frowned.

She stepped forward I felt it; after months of being in that mansion and wanting to hide I've grown sensitive to people presence. She stood beside me with good distance between us, just so we could hear each other.

I took a glance at her and was met with dimples. The smile she gave me was the one I've always found charming. I quickly averted my gaze.

"You look like a mandu." I suddenly felt triggered and stared right at her eyes, realizing then that I was tricked when she grinned.

Something about her eyes seemed a bit sad, she wasn't just beautiful but ethereally built, like a greek goddess looking down all the way from the mount Olympus, her smile was shinning, yet looking deep enough, you see some kind of sad acceptance.

I fully faced her now and she stayed unbothered and childishly happy with her small smiles and grins.

Suddenly she poke my cheek with her finger which felt awkwardly cold, and...

She started dancing with no bother in this world, like a crazy; no people around us, nothing mattered to her,

It crossed my mind that I've came across a psycho, If it wasn't for-

She was so careless that stumbled on her foot and fell all the way into the lake. Immediately I woke up from my stupor and ran after her into the cold, autumn lake and meticulously tapped the water trying to find the girl who seemed to disappear from my radar.

She came out of the water without any problems, it actually looked creepy how much carefree she coughed the water, when she looked up she seemed more worried about me than herself, with a frown between her eyebrows.

My feet and whole body were freezing by the way.

"Aish! You shouldn't have been trying to save me!" I got an earful and few more comments as I was dragged out of the lake. I felt drained. And scared. And so

Alive.

"Hold on for a second," she bit her lip and started rubbing my hands with hers, while I was standing there dumbfounded, probably because of the cold.

I felt my whole body warming up and the feeling of drenched clothes on my body slowly dissipated. Actually, I could feel the sun rays nibbling on my skin and I appreciated the warm radiating from it, I closed my eyes and let them caress my skin. Or was it the warmness of the stranger girl with her gentlest touch?

"Don't you know about priorities? Your health first then the others' so that you can really help them." The soft voice said and I opened my eyes looking deeply into almond ones.

"Do you believe it?"

I spoke for the first time.

She smiled again and it made me feel at ease.

"No." She slightly shook her head.

"Me neither." We fell into comfortable silence.

"You see me?" She suddenly asked with her eyes slightly smiling.

"Pretty well."

"Well, you're quite blessed."

Little did I know that her cocky smile that day meant much, much more in it.

End of the flashback

***

I went straight to person I've been thinking about after my father's call. The one that made my life full of love and light when I felt like it isn't worth it. The one who made me believe that there is much more than just our little world.

I opened the door after a quick knock and immediately felt embraced by familiar, warm arms.

"What's wrong, my mandu?"

"Nothing. I love you Jichu."