SCENE II.
A THOUGHT IN THE MIST
give me warmth, please?

THE RAIN was no competition to Yerim. For someone like her who has every part of her heart reserved for nature and the environment, she amusingly despised it. She hated being cold. She hated the cold. She hated people who were. She hated the cold more than ever. It gives her unnecessary chills and frozen lips in which no one would definitely kiss nor speak with. And the rain was one factor of such temperature.

︎ ︎ ︎Correction, it was. The rain was a great foe of hers, but it always won against her.

︎ ︎ ︎Being left alone in the streets with no one to be with, Yerim felt cold. She felt it consuming her, swallowing her, drowning her and suffocating her within its frigid arms encircled around her bare neck. The clouds continued to pour its tears that night, not knowing about a latter who was once wandering in the streets, now remains seated upon the pavements, praying for the only warmth to caress her rather than the malevolent cold persisting to attack her but she was resilient. So suddenly, a prayer under the rain was then answered, and Yerim no longer felt the rain pour but the shadow of a person who stood forth, with an umbrella protecting them two.

︎ ︎ ︎"I can't believe I'm doing this." Groaned a familiar tone. "What are you even doing here? Don't you have a home to stay in? A family who awaits you? You know, those kinds of stuff?"

  ︎ ︎ ︎Wet and cold, Yerim looked up to the man who brought her clandestine prayers to life. The man who must be the very purpose of her existence in that dimension, her favorite character who she finally met that day. He, who was once only a figment of her wits, described by mere words written by a writer who had the wisdom for beautiful descriptions. To that very moment, she still could not believe what a blink of an eye could lead her to.

︎ ︎ ︎It's not that she hadn't expected for him to come, especially with the fact that she left him with a cliffhanger to ponder on and make him debate. It was a smart move, really. Yerim was proud of herself the sooner she realized her doings. It was, however, seemingly insignificant to throw a party over.

︎ ︎ ︎"I'm guilt tripping you." The woman ridiculed. She slowly was sliding into the fields of laughter, halted by his serious demeanor she did not even pray for. "Come on! Haven't I already told you I come from another dimension? Where must I come home to, then?"

︎ ︎ ︎"You must have just escaped from jail or from the psych ward." Said Jungwon, deadpanning one more time. Him being covered in rain showers no longer even bothered him, provided she was given more shed than he could ever have. Another one of his involuntary motions only his hands did for him.

︎ ︎ ︎But the cold was still winning. After all, it was one autumn night. Yerim was only tucked into her sweatshirt and loose pajamas which definitely bore no use against a fight with the freezing dusk. Every trace of her numbing in the cold was evident, from the way her lips quivered to how her arms were crisscrossed, her bare palms continuously brushed against rigid skin. "Yang, give me warmth, please? The sun gave up on me." She could only plead amid the numbness of her body.

︎ ︎ ︎So suddenly, a thought in a mist was disclosed by the rims of his mind.

  ︎ ︎ ︎Doubts, Jungwon had his doubts. Their amount was greater than the raindrops that fell that night. But like the rain, his doubts faltered upon meeting Yerim's eyes, desperate for the sole warmth she ever yearned for. She didn't even bother his humor of her presence, nor the fact that he was holding onto the umbrella and was doing all the best he could do to cast her underneath where the rain was not falling. It seemed like what mattered to her was to witness the impossible sun's heat in the middle of a raining night, the same sun who gave up on her.

︎ ︎ ︎"Here, take this." Jungwon, referring to the umbrella, soon found himself giving in to her yearnings. As soon as she took this, he took off his coat, fixating it on the woman right next to her. "Still, I'm not buying it. What's the catch, young lady?"

︎ ︎ ︎Yerim never once cared about the concept of heat. The world never did care about it. As long as the sun persists to shine, there's nothing much to care about this colossal body of the heavens. It was until this certain day no one would be ready to embark came, when there was nothing but the sinister of the mist engrossing her until she barely could breathe within the weather, that its gravity to her and to human life was realized.

︎ ︎ ︎Most of all, she was not fond of lying, believing it is one of the ultimate factors of betrayal. No, the sun didn't give up on her. The sun is no quitter. It ages way beyond an average human's lifespan to call it one. Maybe she was too desperate for heat to come up with random metaphors of the sun and the cold that were delivered straight right out from her mouth without having enough time to think about the outcomes she'd be receiving. No, she wasn't guilt tripping the man (but at some point, maybe she really was). Maybe it was Jungwon guilt tripping her for her spoken hypocritical dramas. They all were her thoughts in the mist, anyway.

︎ ︎ ︎Ones who- like the mist, definitely deserve nothing yet to let go of.

︎ ︎ ︎"You wouldn't believe me if I told you that I'm doing this for you and for the world around you." Yerim chuckled, creating a fog as a huff was liberated from her mouth. "But you're actually doing a good job. Just learn when to trust people and when to not. You'll get there when you get there." The lady paused again, processing the words she delivered out of impulsiveness. "But really-"

︎ ︎ ︎Nevertheless, eventually earning the coat together with his authenticity and the belonging fragrance of his lingering in such cloth, Yerim felt warm. She no longer felt cold. She no longer felt the urge to utter futile poetry. For once, the cold was defeated, and Yoo Yerim was no longer alone by then.

︎ ︎ ︎And it was because of him and the thoughts he had in that mist.

︎ ︎ ︎"8 hours." Jungwon lets go of this pocketed decision of his breathily, declaring as he looks at his translucent reflection on the water beneath him.

︎ ︎ ︎"What?" An ass departed from the solid cement of the sidewalk, followed by Jungwon's who was quick on his feet to come after her behavior.

︎ ︎ ︎"Did I say that I already trust you? I'll be giving you 8 hours to prove that you're worthy of gaining my trust. I'll allow you to stay at my place for the night, provided that you'll right away leave first thing in the morning; never to be seen again." He averts his gaze to the sight of her, seeing a head enveloped by his coat. "That, if you prove yourself wrong. I'll reckon you staying if you succeed."

︎ ︎ ︎His statement sparked bedazzlement among Yerim's spirit, for the very first time in their history of constant encounters. Once, he was only there, sitting in the pockets of his abode and believing whatever false blathers that grew from his neighbors' boredom. Now, he was here, finally setting his credulity aside and putting it to test.

︎ ︎ ︎By certain means, he still was gullible, though.

︎ ︎ ︎"Your trust in me already seems to be strong enough to allow a complete stranger to stay with you overnight." Her brows raised as she peeped. "But sure. I'm up for that! Please, I don't even need hours to convince you."

︎ ︎ ︎A glare from the man nearby was subsequently conceded by Yerim, before the same man who gave her such glare coiled his eyeballs towards the corners of this cornea and trailed across the tiny street of the village which led to his home. Only did the lady come to follow him as he ultimately reached the other side of the street, deliberately seizing her meager steps with a tiny grin, watching her slippers touch the sodden ground every time. Her eyes then flow along the horizon of her vision, perceiving the silhouette of a man's head hanging low with no intent on looking back at her yet to proceed meandering down the road.

...

︎ ︎ ︎"Ah yes, heat." Feeling lethargic, Yerim vigorously jolted herself away from sleep, yawning. She threw herself to a massive chair that was seated right next to the kitchen stove, where the kettle stood and was waiting for the waters within it to attain their boiling point. "Say, Yang. What is today's date?"

︎ ︎ ︎Jungwon was that much on the verge of releasing a groan of misery after seeing the girl he last wanted to be within the walls of his household precisely just a step away from him. But that would seem too irregular for that actual circumstance. Surely, with the time being later than evening, the neighbors must have dozed off to the comfort of their beds, and to wake up with the sound of his aimless grouse may possibly put him to brief lockup.

︎ ︎ ︎"Are you serious?"

︎ ︎ ︎The tone of this question just seemed too off for him. For a stranger who looked too far to come from a parallel dimension, she sounded so genuine. He didn't even knew her name yet, but she did knew his. The following thing he came in for an arbitrary reality was the sight of her flipping through the calendar with checks placed over numbers to mark the passing of a certain date, relentlessly looking for something until she eventually halted, exclaiming, "22nd of October it is!"

︎ ︎ ︎Fixating her posture, Yerim zoned out to process her thoughts, specifically around the purpose of knowing that day's date. Jungwon didn't even care to complain nor speak in regards to this and simply let himself think with the lady, watching her as she did so.

︎ ︎ ︎"That bluetooth game controller you've been waiting for a shit ton of weeks? It's got this lovely brown-colored box as its parcel and it'll be arriving tomorrow. October 23, at exactly seven in the morning." She announced, hesitating in between words. "Not to mention a brunette named Dohyun will be delivering it to you."

︎ ︎ ︎Yoo Yerim's mind was a great outlet of memory. It does not recall everything that she ever came to read, which pretty much explains how she was uncertain about it. Above else, her memory was quite good, something that's always been appreciated by her siblings. Thus, the majority of what she read from the book that universe was in were noteworthy- including the essential details the author pointed out, dates and distinct motions done by the characters. It was no wonder she immediately figured about the parcel's arrival.

︎ ︎ ︎For Jungwon, however, it was beyond wonder. Not a sound came from him over that. She has definitely surprised him quite a lot of times within that day, made him question about a mass of things and has forsaken them, wholly unanswered. Jungwon could solely suspend himself from motion upon this massive prediction, clutched that the thin sheets of his brain might once more be bothered by sharp inquiries.

︎ ︎ ︎Soon, the sound of the kettle occupied the atmosphere with the indication of boiling water, having Jungwon to pause and stretch his body to turn this off.

︎ ︎ ︎"I don't know who you are and why you're telling me about this but as far as I know-" Turning back to her, he slid away from his devastation, tensed. "The parcel isn't arriving for another 6 days! At least that's what the seller told me!"

︎ ︎ ︎"That's how far you know about it. What I know is way farther than you do." Yerim retorts with a sly grin. "Yoo Yerim's the name and I'm feeling quite sleepy."

︎ ︎ ︎After a while, she finally emerged from that conversation and headed straight for the corridors, where there lay two bedroom doors faced contrary to each other. The one seated on the right corner was labeled as a guest room, and the other was Jungwon's, establishing it on the somber shade of blue it channeled.

︎ ︎ ︎"Where are you going?" A whiney voice loomed near, from Jungwon who was behind her.

︎ ︎ ︎"Off to sleep, Yang. It's been a long day and you can't believe it. Well, at least not yet." Protracting the word long, the female gave in to her exasperation with her voice succumbing low. "Oh, and one last thing. For the warmth you brought to me tonight, thank you. You don't understand how much I hate being under the rain wearing ordinary home clothes- the cold, generally."

︎ ︎ ︎It was a long day for Jungwon, too. Something he hasn't witnessed for an eternity. Something unexpected for a day that started with his usual loneliness. Something absurd. Something questionable. Something far from believable. During that day's end, he finally knew her name, but unsettling felt not a trace of urge to tell his.

︎ ︎ ︎"I haven't even introduced you to your room yet!" He bellowed, not wanting her to leave yet. He had lots of things to learn from her, and she still had countless things to do in order to persuade him into thinking that she was right. Despite wanting to stop her, he could only stand on his feet and move not a single toe.

︎ ︎ ︎"Need not do that. The author already did it themselves. Good night."

︎ ︎ ︎"Remember, I brought you in to convince me, not to lazy around!"

  ︎ ︎ ︎Medium-sized and with walls light-colored, the brightest amongst all rooms there were in that residence; that's how author-nim described the room bound for guests to stay in. Yerim was assuming erroneousness based on those details, similar to how Jungwon's personality altered when she met him. However, as she entered the room, everything was as perfect as described. The walls were white, it gave such a beautiful ambience of serenity, and indeed, was it medium sized. Closing the door, Yerim was captivated by the warmth it gave her, melting into its acquaintance as her back glided itself down the door. It was a soothing reality spiced with uncertainty.

︎ ︎ ︎"You're still damp from the rain!" She once again heard his voice from outside the door.

︎ ︎ ︎No one knew whether the future was like Jungwon or like the room. Whether it could ever be changed like Jungwon's trust tolerance or was already set in stone as the room's characteristic was. Yerim knew it was now up to her to save the people from their vicious fates merely made by pens driven by a mighty writer.

︎ ︎ ︎But she couldn't be more thankful. She couldn't be more glad that she was saved from the cold that once was always winning. She couldn't be more grateful that, at last, she would no longer worry about the cold defeating her again. Perhaps, like Jungwon, she'd be able to spare those people away from adversities and grant them a longer life, as no one but an ordinary reader of their very lore.

︎ ︎ ︎Though she never knew what went on within Jungwon's head and what convinced him into saving her, one thing kept her mind at peace: it all was due to a thought in the mist.

︎ ︎ ︎"I can dry myself, dumbass. I'll use some of your clothes here, thanks!"

︎ ︎ ︎And thanks to that thought, she was saved.

Nabi's log! - May 1, 2022 10:34PM
Lol what do you guys think actually
happened at the ending of the
story that Yerim wanted to change
it so bad? Share your thoughts!
A thought in the mist, everyone :)