when the cicadas cry

“let’s break up.”

the cicadas cry loudly while the male tossed and turned in bed, the smell of dirty clothes arising with each passing minute the sun started to bask its rays on them - and him as well. grunting sounds trickled out from the back of his throat and his eyes shut tightly, trying to protect himself from all the dangers around him.

the girls breath gulped, shifting uncomfortably in my room when looking away from him and the bed, a small frown dawned on her face with hands on her lap. slumping down onto the chair as she blinked a few times before opening her lips in attempts to speak.

“i told you not to say that, even if it’s a joke…” a big pout formed soon after with her eyes drooping to a much more melancholic state, still avoiding eye gazes at the male before he risen up from the bed, moved a hand towards the girl and squeezed her shoulder. "

“hey, hey. don’t frown like that. i’m sorry. you don’t have to come by everyday to wake me up, dahyun.” my fingers tapping on her sides in a rhythmic pattern, the other opening the blinds and starting their morning together.

“you have a big presentation today, right? let’s cheer up and get going.”

a big smile appeared on my face, eyes still looming with fatigue and using the back of my hand to rub my orbs to brush away any of the crust that formed overnight. turning himself on the bed and planting himself firmly on the ground. dahyun looked up at him with a gentle smile what she made out to be a content look behind her eyes before nodding her head at him.

“mhm, let’s go with a smile.”

the pair sat alone in an empty breakroom in the midst of their chaotic work schedule. lips quirked out from side to side before turning my head to look at her.

“you don’t have to be at your desk right now?” she leaned her head back into him when nuzzling into my shoulder.

“it’s more comfortable being with you here than out there.” eyes forming into a half lidded state with an arm going to wrap around her body, squeezing her waists as all he could do was hum in contentment. leaning into her, inhaling more of her scent that he adored so much before turning slightly to give a quick peck on the crown of her head.

she wasn’t wrong. there was solace here.

it’d only been a few weeks since they both started dating, despite an obvious difference in roles at the company with her having way more power and authority than him. it’s not like they had a distinct moment that made them click. it just sort of happened.

passing by eachother in corridors. seeing eachother smoke in the parking lot, wandering and loitering around the city…

they met eachother on days like that, they became close without even realizing it. and who knows when, they were in love.

the sound of dahyun’s' phone buzzing with constant noises the past few minutes before she finally gave in and checked who it was. perhaps it wasn’t the best of ideas that she decided to seclude herself from colleagues and stay with her boyfriend instead.

dahyun, come to the conference room. you are needed. was all it said on the sms. a grimacing expression to appear on my face before he pulled away slightly.

“seems like big things are happening over there, huh? is this regarding your overseas trip?” lips quirking out as my head tilted to the side. biting on the innards of my cheek as silence came from her side. only a slight nod came about when he followed suite. no words needed to get exchanged. it was only a matter of time before she had to leave him for a while.

it wasn’t like it was foreign to him. she was always capable of bigger and better things. with or without him. he just happened to get a bit lucky, one could say being her boyfriend. he was seemingly stuck here in my hometown for the foreseeable future.

“we’ll talk about it soon, kay? i’ll text you if something comes up if i don’t show up here again at the normal time…” her eyes wandered off to the sides, avoiding my again, just like this morning. i didn’t question it. a firm nod of my head and a goofy smile before sending her off back to work.

“love you, dahyun!” exclaiming with my whole chest, grabbing her hand to kiss the back of it. blush appeared on her cheeks as she kept avoiding my gaze. she could only nod at me before disappearing off through the doors and running off to do her duties.

waiting a few minutes before exiting the room, walking on out the second entryway with my hands slipped in my jeans.

“you and her were always a bit of a… unbelievable, psychotic combination. in case you hadn’t seen that yet.” gahyun came out from the corner and surprised the male, feeling a bit taken back and a small jumpscare when my body repulsed from switching persona’s so quickly.

“hm?” was all he could muster, trying not to act like it wasn’t obvious, cause she was right. they aren’t a match at all. who would have put dahyun and himself together. people say opposites attract but at what point does it become too much for him to handle and accept reality?

not yet. i want to enjoy my time for now. live in the present, one would say.

whatever happens, happens. go with the flow of things. who knows? maybe sometime down the line he could change for the better, and be a better person and man for her.

“you two should be living in totally different worlds.” she kept talking and he kept walking, trying to ignore her but her words stuck to him. and she really wasn’t planning on going elsewhere anytime soon. my finger pressed on the button to call the elevator. going down a few levels to kill some time at the cafeteria.

it felt like an eternity. maybe it was with how long it took to come. one minute, two, then three… was there maintenance going on?

“hey, hey. is that dahyun’s boyfriend thats been rumoured? he’s a big slacker and nepo hire, right? why’s he with her?” an unfamiliar voice spoke out. my head drooped down and eyes looked at my feet. lips pressed against one another and grinding my teeth against themselves.

“dahyun’s close to them.” another voice whispered out, not gahyun’s, not the previous voice that came about and rang in my ears. more gossipers. he didn’t have time for this. trying not to make a scene and heading towards the staircase and sprinting on down away from everyone there.

should i have cried? was there even a point to when they were all right? what would it have changed in my life. better out than in, emotionally.

a hefty sigh came out of me before pushing the doorway out to one of the lower levels, hearing more chatter about and the smell of (not so) fresh food being reheated and cooked.

company’s too big and large.

should have gotten hired else where without connections, but it was too easy of a paycheck and everything about it was too good.

“you think dahyun would come join us today?” gahyun plopped down next to him at a circular table, my fingers fiddled with my phone as a sandwich laid in front of him and a bag of crisps. her lunch tray was plentiful full of meat and veggies and a whole separate one for desserts she yoinked from the self serve station.

“i’m sure she will, since she’s never failed yet. the meeting she got called for did seem a bit…” stopping myself off before digging into a bite of some froyo i grabbed earlier.

“god you’re so carefree. shouldn’t you be a bit worried about dahyun? what if she actually doesn’t show up for once and got super busy with it??”

“huh?”

“think for a moment - now that twice has rumours of a comeback, she has more responsibilities. she’ll be pickier than before.” gahyun’s eyes darkened and brows furrowed in on itself. doing her best impression to make a scary face to terrify the man as i kept a confused look at her while chomping down on my lunch. “like, like… what if she doesn’t want to hang out with us anymore? and you know the saying. ‘don’t forget me when you’re at the top’ and stuff like that!” nodding my head slowly, one ridiculous take after the other as he kept looking at her do all these air quotes, and crazy hand gestures. her fingers and hands ran through her blonde locks before facing reality and despair. head face down, looking at the table and her tray of food as she started sniffling.

“i don’t want things to be like that! we need to save her before -”

“what’s she yapping about, oppa?” a familiar voice came about. one too familiar. one that he adored and loved. turning my head to the side and spotting dahyun with her personalized lunch box and taking a seat next to the older male.

“dahyun, listen!” gahyun got up from her seat and placed her hands firmly on the wooden material. "you need to cancel all your meetings and make time for us.” her fingers gestured at all three of them. my eyes never leaving dahyun’s once she’s fully arrived and making herself comfortable for her food.

“what seriously is she talking about?” her big, beautiful doe like eyes peering down my soul as i kept a toothy grin painted on my face. shrugging my shoulders and telling her just to ignore the ‘idiot’ and making air quotes like gahyun did when she went on her long winded diatribe.

moving my eyes to her food and seeing half of it was already eaten, blinking a few times before darting back at gahyun then to dahyun. perhaps gahyun might be onto something.

“did you eat a bit already in the meeting, is that still on-going?” the brunette nodded her head. finishing what bits and pieces lingered when she spoke with her mouth full, as if she were in a rush to get back to it.

“she’s already so busy, huh…” gahyun picked up her utensils and made a portion to bite off herself before stuffing her face.

more gossip. my ears perked up to the sounds of more chatter about as he thought he left that behind on that floor only, but…

their relationship might be making too much noise for him to ignore now.

“how does he know dahyun?”

words like that.