Heaven's Cloud
I missed you
김지연
“Ha… haa…”
My heart didn't calm down easily.
She gasped, her chest tight, as if she had run away from something and was just catching her breath again.
How many minutes did you sleep?
Slowly, little by little, my heart was calming down.
It was already dark outside, and the hazy evening light was settling outside the window.
Jiyeon slowly opened her eyes.
For a moment, my mind felt dizzy, as if I'd lost touch with reality. But I turned my head and looked out the window, where darkness had spread, and exhaled quietly.
And then, turning my head again and lying down on the sofa, a ridiculous emotion burst out of my mouth.
김지연
"miss you..."
For a moment, her eyes widened.
김지연
'…uh?'
The mouth reacts before the brain. The heart reacts before the mouth.
김지연
‘What did I just say…?’
Jiyeon was so surprised at herself for saying that that she froze and couldn't move.
Those words came out so naturally, without a single moment of hesitation.
That was definitely not a word that came out by mistake.
The emotions that had been welling up deep within me were finally peeking out through the cracks in the collapse.
김지연
"...Oh, really, what am I."
My face turned red.
It was as if my whole body was on fire, and my cheeks and ears felt hot.
Jiyeon struggled, hugging the cushions on the sofa.
My face was so flushed that I felt fortunate to be alone in the quiet house.
She tossed and turned, burying her face in the cushions.
I just wanted to fall asleep quickly.
Then, I thought I could forget this shame and confusion for a while.
***
김지연
“Yeah….”
A time when I don't even know when I fell asleep.
Between the hazy sensations of dream and reality, I felt a soft presence.
Beyond the narrowed eyes, a shadow approached with a faint light.
승관
“Oh, you’re awake? I’m sorry. I was trying to cover you with a blanket…”
A low, cautious voice. It was Seung-kwan.
He saw Jiyeon sleeping on the sofa and was about to carefully cover her with a blanket.
But, as Jiyeon opened her eyes with a slight flinch, we came face to face.
Seung-kwan stopped, clutching the blanket slightly as if he was flustered.
Jiyeon was still looking at him with half-closed eyes, half-asleep.
She didn't seem to be fully awake yet, but her lips moved as if mumbling something.
김지연
"...Hehe, I missed you...."
The moment those words fell, the air seemed to stand still, and even time stopped.
승관
“……!”
Seung-kwan's eyes widened, unable to continue speaking. He simply stared blankly at Ji-yeon, frozen in place.
His face flushed red in an instant, and heat rose to his fingertips.
승관
“…What, all of a sudden…”
His voice trembled between panicked breaths.
But Jiyeon closed her eyes, smiled quietly, and continued whispering.
김지연
“…It’s true. Just… all day long…”
With those words, she fell back into her pillow.
He kept his mouth shut and said nothing more.
As if shame had settled over her eyelids, she became quiet again.
Seung-kwan froze in place, unable to move for a long time.
My heart was beating fast, my mind was blank, and that one word kept repeating over and over again.
'I missed you.'
승관
“……Aww, why am I like this…”
He ruffled his hair and stepped back quietly. But his mind was already in turmoil.
At her word.