๑ WE DON'T REALLY TOUCH
THAT WAY. WE NEVER DO.
the beauty of parallel lines ✧ chapter 35
We haven't spoken for five days. Those five days were the most gut-wrenching, most absolutely foul, most... I don't know, think of more negatively defined words you could fit in this sentence. I'll let you choose them yourself. But, it was pretty bad–that's the point. I returned to my world of modeling and doing photo shoots–and well, let me just tell you...
"Sora, focus!" The photographer claps his hand loudly as I refocus into the camera lens, causing me to mumble an apology. He cocks his head to the side, gritting his teeth at my stupidity. "I've never seen you like this. You're acting like an amateur, and it's pathetic."
I straighten my body, frowning for a moment, and bowing my head. "I'm sorry. I'm not in my best state today, and–"
"I don't care!" The photographer yells, swinging his camera downwards around his neck. I swallow, eyes closing for a moment–breathe, Sora, breathe. Don't forget the rules of being a model: don't bother giving the people an explanation. No matter what, it's not what they want. I exhale slowly, reopening my eyes. "You should know better. Remember your place as a model, and–"
"Okay, that's enough degrading for a day–let's take five," Mr. Choi–Choi Soobin–intervenes, causing the photographer to flinch. He glares at the photographer for a moment, watching as he sighs and walks away, abiding by his rules. Soobin turns back to me and moves forward, placing a hand on my back as I hold back the tears that seem to pool in my eyes. "You okay, Sora? Let's head to your room for a minute."
I inhale sharply. "Okay."
We head to my dressing room and I close the door behind us, Soobin standing with his back facing me. Quickly, he chuckles, taking a seat on the couch once he moves forward. "Sora, I've really never seen you in this condition before. Is everything okay?" Soobin asks, facing me. I press my back against the wall, fidgeting with my fingers. Soobin tilts his head slightly, watching my body language like a hawk. "I guess not. You look like you're going to cry, and not because my ex-photographer was being rude."
I chuckled, wiping away a tear as it came. "You shouldn't fire him. He was only doing his job–I kept being foolish and wasn't focused, so he was overwhelmed."
"But to say that to a model who is taking time out of her day to freely–oh, and that's another thing I need to talk to you about because never do gigs for free–help us with perfume advertising? I don't allow that at my company. That's verbal abuse!" Soobin defends me in the open air, hoping that I'd get the message. Soobin softly taps the seat next to him, beckoning for me to sit. I oblige by walking over and delicately sitting down. "We've been friends for so long, and you still haven't confided in me. I'm willing to hear you now, Sora, so please, tell me what concerns you."
"It's just my relationship."
"You're in a relationship? Wait, let me guess–Mr. Kang?" I nod, causing him to smile big. However, it falls. "You two must've argued, then. What happened?"
"Mr. Choi and him are in this big engagement that's supposed to decide who is the ultimate victor between them–or really, who's the better designer," I explain. "But, Taehyun... he's not very hands-on, and we fought over that a few days ago. He told me I didn't understand how he lived his life, and I agreed out of rage that I didn't understand him entirely. We haven't spoken since then."
Soobin frowns. "Seems pretty heavy, then," He sighs, looking at his feet. "The thing is, both of you are the same in so many ways one could imagine, Sora. Neither of you see it."
I furrow my eyebrows. "What do you mean?" I ask, tilting my head slightly. "I think we're different. Sometimes, I don't even think we belong together."
"You're overexaggerating. Are you serious? You haven't seen the behaviors between you both?" I shake my head as Soobin bites his cheek, hating that I'm oblivious to whatever the hell he was surely talking about. "You guys know how to make business. You guys know when to break the silence. You guys know how to move past someone's faults. You share a passion for creating something out of nothing. You guys smile when it comes to things you like, and when you're talking about something you know in, you never stop talking. Of course, it takes some time to break through that steel shell of yours, but I've never seen someone more fond of people than you and Mr. Kang–even if they're mean."
Then, Soobin adds, "It may seem like nothing. It may seem like insignificant details that attain to your overall, possibly differing, personas. But, they could mean everything to him, just like how his traits mean everything to you. You two do belong in the same world, hell, you're living in it! It may feel different because you two pursue different things and work in different careers–but at least there's something different that allows you two to learn from each other and become better."
I swallow, unable to push away my initial belief. It's simply not that easy. "I guess you're right."
"I am," Soobin, that stubborn CEO. He crosses his arms, leaning back. "Of course I'm right! Haven't you already changed? You used to ask me to pay you per hour, but now you're doing this favor for free. Also, haven't you heard about what Taehyun's doing?"
"If I did, do you think I'd be here, sulking?"
"Gosh, this was a few weeks ago," Soobin hisses. I raise an eyebrow, fully unaware of his words. "Oh. Well, maybe you're not supposed to know, but he was asking me and Yeonjun hyung to make stuff for you–I was supposed to make you a personal collection of perfumes, and Yeonjun hyung was going to produce heels under his design. He was going to pay us and all of our workers, although hyung and I told him we'd do it for free."
I widen my eyes. "Really?"
"Yeah," Soobin exhaled, cocking his head. "Usually, he'll take what he can get–at least from me since he hates owing Yeonjun hyung–but for the first time, he insisted. Don't you find that a little funny?"
Taehyun was making items for me? Not just buying me anything–but custom items? And paying for everyone in full? That didn't seem like something he did. Okay, I'll admit it–Soobin was right. I'm pushing away my pride to fully say that he's right. Maybe even Mr. Li was right too about how we've adjusted and improved ourselves because of each other. I just don't get why–
"Anyway, let's head back," Soobin looks at his watch. "I gave them a seven-minute break. I'll have to deduct your nonexistent pay by two minutes–oh, three! Let's hurry!"
"Ha... you're stupid, Choi."
"Must've had a rough day," Sorin sighs over the phone, eating chips. The bag is so loud that I have to keep moving my phone away from my ear. Of course, I don't want to mention it because we'll lose track of our conversation, and right now, I need comfort. "I get what Mr. Choi means, though. You guys seem pretty similar if you think about it, and I'm sure that you guys will make up."
"If Taehyun grows a pair."
"Yanxi!" Sorin groans. Right, she was here too. The whole time, Yanxi's been doing her makeup silently and I almost forgot she was part of this conversation. I chuckle, partially agreeing–but I was also part of this problem. "Don't forget what we talked about when we were drinking. They were both at fault."
"Yeah, I know, but he's taking way too long to reconcile, and it's pissing me off! I thought I told him that–" Yanxi suddenly stops to fix her eyeliner, sighing once she finishes. "Nevermind. You were too drunk to remember that night anyway, Sora. You probably wouldn't know what I'm talking about."
"If you're talking about when you told him to convince me I'm the only one he had eyes for, I heard it."
"Oh, good!" Yanxi exclaims somewhat happily, still focused on her appearance. I take a bite out of my sushi, chewing quietly. "That means he knows my threat well and so do you. I mean, I thought he'd know that my words go beyond choosing you and that it means entirely to treat you right and not make you cry but I forget he's a man."
"Sometimes Mr. Kang can be metaphorical and understand female insinuations. Yanxi, have faith in my boss," Sorin sighs, clicking her tongue soon after. "But he surely is taking quite some time. Hmm, what do they call it? Manifesting! Let's manifest for Mr. Kang to reconcile with Sora."
"You guys are dumb. I'm not doing that."
"More the desire to do it! Let's do it, Sorin!" Sorin and Yanxi clap their hands together, beginning to speak some gibberish that I can't quite understand because they're both speaking too fast–but I caught some words. "Kang Taehyun... bring him... make him... reconcile with... and kiss–"
"I'm leaving this conversation."
"Wait, n–!" I hang up and put my plate of sushi down, groaning as I swing my head back.
"My body is aching," I whisper into the air, hoping that at least one person if it was the deities above, could hear. I stretch my neck back and forth on the couch, pushing out my legs. "Maybe I should go back to my daily jogs. I feel unfit."
Knock, knock!
Damn. At this hour? It better be some free food, Mr. Li, or someone significant. If it's a fan, an advertiser, or paparazzi, I might as well just go to sleep and end the night entirely. I pick myself off the couch, slumbering over. I clear my throat and open the door wide, looking at the ground–and at the sight of familiar sneakers, I look up, seeing Taehyun.
For the first time, he wasn't in business attire–he was in a gray hoodie and sweatpants. His hair was disheveled at the top, and my breath hitched at the sight of a new look. This, I could admit, was my favorite look I've seen. There's his business attire, rained business attire, and now, casual.
I swallow, realizing that I've been fully blocking the doorway for half a minute. "Come in."
And he enters my apartment, allowing me to close the door behind him. Once I turn around, I get startled by a box held out in front of me, Taehyun's hands trembling as the item shakes in place. He swallows, seemingly trying to form words, so I don't say anything yet. "Sora, I–" He pauses to take a breath, unable to look me in the eye. "I'm sorry for what I said."
"Don't worry, Taehyun," I smile, happy to hear it. At least we were reconciling. I didn't need anything more than an apology. "It's okay. I'm sorry too."
"No, Sora, I..." Taehyun trails off, evidently overwhelmed. "I never wanted to make you cry or feel like you didn't understand me, because you understand me better than myself. I didn't want to make you feel incompetent or uncomfortable either, because you are one of the best things to have ever happened in my life, Sora–and I can't imagine that I would do you so wrong."
"Taehyun, really, it's–"
"Soobin hyung told me that you felt as if we lived different lives," Darn it, that rat. "And Yanxi made clear that if I wasn't going to make up with you any time soon, we surely would."
Taehyun pauses, his breath hitching. He begins to fiddle with the small box, fingers wrapped around it as if it were his safekeeping. "But I like to think of us as parallel lines, Sora."
I furrow my eyebrows. "What?"
"We're similar–similar in ways neither of us could really describe, but other people can see it," Taehyun says, unraveling a soft, small smile. "We don't really touch that way. We never do."
Then, he opens the small case and reveals a necklace with a butterfly charm on it, and next to it was a star. My eyes flutter to his neck, and he must've noticed I was curious–because a hand pulls out his own chain. With a matching butterfly but instead, it was a thread, it became obvious that it was a couple necklace. "Even if we're parallel lines, Sora, I–" Taehyun blinks profusely, choking over his words. "I don't think there's anybody in this world... I'd rather spend my time with. I don't care what we have in common or we don't, and I don't care if we've never had the same experiences. I've made it clear that you're the only one I want, that you're the only thing I care about, and–"
He must've caught himself spiraling. Taehyun's face turns beet red, and for a moment, he clears his throat. "I just want to be with you."
Wow. He's a sweet talker. It's kind of odd how someone who claims to have no experience with women is so smooth. I seriously almost fell in love with him again.
"Even if we are parallel lines, Taehyun, that never touch..." I begin, grinning as I trail off. I place a hand on his arm, feeling his trembling stop momentarily. "Then at least we continue our lives together, by each other's sides."
Taehyun's lips turn upwards, and for a moment, the tears that glass his eyes finally fall. I don't hesitate to use my thumbs to brush them away. He takes the necklace out of the box and I lift my hair, allowing him to put it around me. "I love you," He whispers as he begins to pull away, taking a look at the necklace around my collar.
I couldn't help myself but grab the butterfly, smiling gently at it.
He's right. Even if we are never meant to cross, something like heaven and hell, like parallel lines, like the sun and the moon–at least there will always be a moment where we lock eyes in secrecy, where we are able to express it verbally. We don't have to exactly touch to understand that we are in love, and we're perfect the way we are.
"I love you too," I reply, fixing his hoodie. "I like seeing you like this. Casual clothing makes you more attractive."
Taehyun raises his eyebrows. "Does it? Maybe I should wear it to work."
"No way!" We laugh together. "Just come over more. You can sleep over at mine, or I can sleep at yours."
"Oh?" Taehyun moves forward and I press my fingers to his lips, stopping him from kissing me. However, that doesn't completely stop him–as I move my fingers, he snatches a chaste kiss on my lips, planting another on my cheek. I can't help but giggle at his romantic gesture. "I'm starting to think you're insinuating more than simply coming over, Miss Kwon."
"Taehyun, stop it–!" Knock, knock.
Once again, I didn't have any visitors coming over. Who could it be? I look over at Taehyun for a moment, a curious look appearing on his face. Mouthing 'Who is it?' I shrug, walking toward the door with a hand in his.
When I open the door, the secret's out, and I swallow hard:
"Mother."