sequel to Standing in the Rain 

Krystal was in the passenger’s seat of Taemin’s car when she took out her compact powder from her purse and started checking her make-up. The night was young and she wasn’t done having fun in the club yet – even if Sehun decided not to join them. She decided her lipstick need some refurbishing, so she took out her usual pinkish-red shade and reapplied. She checked her reflection again through the rear mirror of the car and got a glimpse of a shadow at the back seat.

A drip of blood streamed down from Sehun’s temple to his cheeks as he stares at her blankly.

Krystal’s face was wet with sweat when she woke up on her bed, her breathing quick and not stable. Her head filled with the image of Sehun’s blank look. She shook it off, almost on the brink of letting her brain flop out so that she will never remember that image again. It was just a bad dream, Krystal told herself.

She noticed it was still late at night. She glanced to her side to see Sehun in deep sleep beside her. They were in Krystal’s apartment. Krystal could barely remember what happened last night, but she trusted her boyfriend. Nothing bad could ever happen – Sehun was responsible and protective. He would never hurt Krystal. She went back to his side, feeling safe. He moved a bit, but didn’t wake up. Krystal went back to sleep with a smile – a nice dream of soft clouds and bright days where the grass looked greener than usual accompanying her.

The next morning when Krystal woke up, the air filled with the smell of blueberry pancakes. She looked beside her and Sehun wasn’t there. The window was open, the bright sunlight coming through and lighted up her room. The translucent curtains flew about aimlessly, bringing fresh air that brings a smile to Krystal’s just-awoken face. She rubbed her eyes a bit and got up, pushing her covers away. She glanced at the kitchen from the side of her bedroom door. Sehun was in an apron, a t-shirt and boxers under it. He winced at some burnt pancakes that he just placed on a plate stacked with similar looking circulars. Krystal laughed a bit under her breath. She pulled on an over-sized t-shirt before coming out to greet the boy.

“Burnt dough for breakfast?” Krystal teased.

“It’s the best I could do,” Sehun told, a small smirk forming on the corner of his blank expression.

“Well I’d eat it all,” Krystal told, walking towards some cupboards to take a fork.

“Please do,” Sehun said as he placed his hands on the counter behind Krystal, cornering her from escape. She looked at him lazily, and he smiled playfully as he lowers his head a little to place his lips on hers. She kissed him back, pushing him back slightly. They made out a little until Krystal sat Sehun on one of the chairs of the dining table. She went back to the kitchen to pour some O.J. for the two of them.

“You taste like last night,” Sehun commented.

“What did we do last night anyway?” Krystal asked, sincerely not remembering at all. Her head was blank – all she could remember was the bad dream, mixed together with the smell of Sehun’s shirt and the green grass. She took the two glasses of O.J. with one hand, expertly placing her fingers so that it won’t slip from her grasp, and the other hand bringing the plate of burnt pancakes with two forks on its edge. Then she walked towards the dining table, appealed by how good her boyfriend looked with sunlight falling on the side of his face from the window nearby.

“I don’t know, what do you think we did last night?” Sehun smirked as he looked at Krystal, his eyes dropping from her eyes to the pancakes. Krystal found that answer a bit odd. She was expecting something more straight forward from Sehun. Something like “How can you not remember?” but it slipped off her mind.

The two didn’t say much after that. Their right hands were holding forks, cutting and popping a piece of the pancakes into their mouth. Their left hands were on the table, trailing each other’s fingers. They only let go when the other needed to take a sip of the orange drink. Then they’d rejoin and start touching each other again.

“Well, you can still taste the blueberry,” Sehun commented as Krystal finished off the last piece. Krystal only smiled and squeezed his left hand a little. She didn’t just taste the blueberry – she also tasted a sense of sincerity. And that was all that mattered.

 “Where are we going today?” Krystal asked, her sunglasses halfway down the bridge of her nose. Her long straight hair flew softly when the slow wind blew it. She wore a loose blouse, letting the hole for the head fall down her shoulders and sleeves hanging on her elbows. Her denim shorts did little in covering her slim legs. Beside her, Sehun wore a green shirt, the buttons carelessly done, showing the wife beater under it. His cap was placed backwards, pushing his fringe back. He held Krystal’s hands tightly as they walked down the street of her apartment building.

“Nowhere,” he answered.

Krystal almost laughed. She held back a smile as she replied “What a wonderful place to visit.”

“It is,” Sehun said, going further with the joke. “A place with no care – I’d love to live there.”

“How’d you like the movie?” Sehun asked when they walked out of the cinema. It was a romantic comedy, and every time it got to a soppy scene Krystal would rest her head on Sehun’s broad shoulder. Once he turned over to kiss her head. Krystal didn’t really concentrate on the movie, and they both knew it.

“I like that part when you rested your head on mine,” Krystal said bluntly.

“It wasn’t in the movie,” Sehun told, chuckling.

“Still my favourite part.”

“Wanna go back now?” Sehun asked as they ordered some frozen yogurt for snacks.

“Sure, why not?” Krystal said. “Back to nowhere.”

“Do you know why humans only have one heart, on the left side?” Krystal asked when they were in bed together, doing nothing but lying down, staring at the blank ceiling. Their hands were clasped together, as usual.

“No, why?” Sehun replied.

“So that when two hearts that beat together come closer, the two would be one.” Krystal turned sideways, observing Sehun’s facial structures – his high nose, his slanted eyes. He turned to look at hers – her wide eyes, her sharp nose and pretty lips.

“I don’t get it.”

“Like this,” Krystal said, moving closer and wrapping her arms around Sehun’s waist. He slung his around her. “Can you feel my heart beat?”

“Slightly.”

“On your right chest, right? It beats together with yours, on the left.”

Sehun didn’t tell Krystal that they didn’t beat together. His was slightly off-track, beating a millisecond after hers.

“I just want to be close to you, Sehun.” Krystal told, burying her face in his chest. Sehun jerked a little at the sound of his name. He loosened his grip on Krystal, his hands slowly making its way to Krystal’s face. He pushed it upwards, so that she would face him. Sehun’s eyes weren’t slanted. It was wide and alive. His clean-cut dark brown hair was now replaced with a slightly over-grown chestnut coloured hair, and his lips were plump and his nose was round.

It wasn’t Sehun. It never was. It was Taemin.

Krystal pulled back, her heart dropping to her stomach. The playful response to her question. The sad and regretful eyes. His hair looked nice in the sunlight – because it was a chestnut shade, glowing. Tears formed a layer on Krystal’s eye sockets as she remembered what they were doing yesterday. They visited Sehun, Kai and Sulli’s graves. Then they went for a drink and ended up passing out as they made out in bed. They were depressed and lonely, even with each other’s company. They would have their good days, but every night they would end up crying to sleep.

But today, Sehun came back. Only, it wasn’t Sehun. It was a delusion. And it broke Krystal’s heart to know he’s never coming back for real.

“T-Taemin…” Krystal said as she started to sob. Taemin shushed her gently, pulling her into his chest. He can’t help but tear up too. Slowly, he had fallen for Krystal. But Krystal could never forget Sehun. All he can do is protect Krystal, but he can’t even mend her broken soul.

 Taemin pulled Krystal closer as the sobbing became heavier. He didn’t say anything. Krystal eventually slept – not because of Taemin’s protection, but because she sensed Sehun hugging her from the back. He kept her safe, and their hearts beat together as one.

***

this sucks OTL