You ask Wonyoung a stupid question.
It was a lazy afternoon spent lounging on your couch when you asked it. Like it was nothing, just tossed out while the world moved around the two of you.
“Would you love me if I was a rock?”
Wonyoung froze mid-scroll, her thumb hovering over her phone slowly. She stares at you, forehead creased as she ponders her life choices of choosing you as her partner in high school.
“A rock?” She repeated, softer this time.
“Yeah, just a rock, no talking, no moving, just…you know, rock.” You shrug, staring at her.
She stares at you, then she bursts out laughing.
It wasn’t just that dainty laugh she did to seem polite when RD made one of his deeply unfunny jokes. It was bright, breathy, the kind that made her shoulders lift slightly as she tried to hold it in, and failed anyways.
“Is this question from the fabled “what brand is your microwave.” conversation extender playbook? You know I’m okay with us just lounging around right?”
“Answer the question Wony.”
“If you were a rock, I’d probably step on you.”
You gasped. “That’s so cruel.”
She let out another giggle then leaned back, as if properly considering the question now.
“Hmm. Okay…if you were a rock…” She drags it out, glancing at you from the corner of her eyes. “What kind of rock would you be?”
You blinked, confused. “What do you mean what kind of rock?”
“Like, would you be a nice, smooth pebble? Or one of those ugly jagged ones that hurt when you stepped on them?”
“Hey,” You scoffed, “Of course I’d be a good looking rock. I managed to pull Jang Wonyoung. An ugly rock couldn’t do that, could it?”
She laughed again, her gaze lingering on you.
“Someone’s confident.”
“You’d be surprised how helpful dating a girl as pretty as you is for my self esteem.”
She playfully rolled her eyes, “Okay, well, if you were an ugly rock, then no, I wouldn’t love you.”
“Wow, et tu Wony?” You gasped, hand flying to your chest in mock indignance.
“But,” She continues quickly, holding up a finger, “if you were a really pretty rock, I think, yeah, maybe.”
“Maybe???” You echoed, offended.
“Maybe,” She repeats, a look of conviction in her eyes, as if she had just made a very reasonable judgement.
You leaned closer, squinting at her. “Define pretty, and know that our relationship rides on this.”
She meets your gaze, playful in that quiet, teasing way she had.
“Smooth. Warm, nice to hold.”
You raised an eyebrow. “You’re literally describing me right now.”
“Hmm, really? I don’t think so.” She tilted her head, feigning ignorance.
“This coming from the woman who clings onto me like a koala every chance she gets?”
She smiled, small and knowing, then reaching out to pinch your cheek.
“Then I guess you’re already qualified.”
“Hah! So you would love me!”
She shook her head, laughing under her breath, “You’re twisting my words! I’d still need to see rock form you first.”
“I’m sure you’d fall for my rocky charms, like you fell for my humanly charms too.”
“You’re so annoying, you know that?” Wonyoung rolls her eyes.
“Annoyingly loveable.”
She pauses, unable to hide the smile on her face.
“Fine, that too.” She said, her expression softening.
You watched her, curious now, “So, would you love me if I was a rock?”
She sighs, like you were exhausting her, or exasperating her, but there was no real frustration, just fondness that she couldn’t hide.
“Fine.” She muttered under her breath. “If you were a rock, I think I’d keep you.”
“Keep me?” You blinked
She nodded, looking down at her hands as she spoke, like it was easier that way.
“Yeah, I’d keep you somewhere safe, next to my bedside, or on my desk.” She glances back at you, a little more shy this time. “That way I can see you all the time.”
Your chest tightens, just a little. “That’s surprisingly sweet.”
“Shut up. Don’t get used to it.”
“Oh, I’m absolutely getting used to it.”
She rolls her eyes again, but the smile on her face couldn’t be hidden.
“And,” She added, almost just an afterthought. “I’d probably carry you around sometimes.”
“Like in your pocket?”
“Maybe. Or like a necklace.” She shrugged, trying her hardest to stay nonchalant. “What if you got lonely?”
“Wony. I’d be a rock.”
“You’re my rock.” she shot back without thinking. Well, so much for nonchalance.
The words hung there for a second longer than either of you really expected.
Her eyes widened, like she just realised she’d said.
You stared at her.
“I didn’t mean that.” She mumbled, suddenly very interested in the ceiling.
You leaned closer, unable to help yourself, “No no no, I require some clarification. I’m your rock?”
She groaned, covering her face with her hands. “You’re the worst.”
“Hey, you said it.” You grinned
“Well I’m taking it back.”
“Too late.”
She peeked at you through her fingers, cheeks flushed.
“I’d still talk to you.” She admitted quietly.
Your teasing softened.
“Yeah?”
She nodded, lowering her head.
“Even if you couldn’t answer me,” She said, “I’d just…tell you things. About my day. About stupid stuff. About Yujin’s shenanigans. About things I can’t tell anyone else.”
There’s something in her voice, something that didn’t feel like just a silly question anymore.
“Would you love me?” You asked again, leaning on her shoulder.
She turned her head, looking at you, placing a gentle kiss on your forehead.
“I think I’d always love you.”
The moment stretched, warm, fragile, holding you in a comfortable embrace.
Then she flicked you on the exact same spot she had kissed you just moments earlier.
“But only if you’re a really pretty rock.”
You groaned, grabbing your head. “You’re unbelievable.”
“You asked.” She shot back, sticking her tongue out.
You bumped her shoulder into hers, before nuzzling into her neck, and she leaned in, her head on yours, like it was the most natural thing in the world.
She remembers every word.
Every stupid, soft, impossible word.
The way you smiled when she said yes.
The way you looked at her like she was your whole world.
Thinking back, she should have known.
Wonyoung stands still, the memory pressing into her chest in a way that makes it hard to breathe.
A small rock in her hand.
Smooth
The chain cool against her skin
“A pretty rock” She whispers, her voice barely steady.
Her lips trembled, but she forced a smile anyways.
“I kept my promise.”
She kneels down slowly, running her hand over the smooth stone slab, adorned with beautiful flowers.
“I told you I’d keep you safe.”
Her fingers tracing the carvings in the stone.
“I’d still talk to you.” She continues, quieter now. “Even if you can’t answer.”
Her throat tightens.
“So you don’t get to complain, okay?”
A weak shaky laugh barely escapes her throat.
“I hold you in bed, and tell you everything. Then I hold you when I sleep. You’re cold at first, but…it’s okay, I just hold you closer.”
The wind moves softly around her, brushing past like something that almost feels like you.
She closes her eyes for a moment, allowing herself to pretend, for just a moment, like it really was you.
“I try to think that it doesn’t feel that different.” She admits, voice breaking a little. “You’re still here, just…quieter.”
Her thumb presses lightly on the small stone in her hand.
“And I meant it, you know?” She whispers. “Back then. What I said.”
She pauses.
“I mean it now too.”
Her hand on the slab lingers, fingers curling slightly as if trying to hold onto something beneath the surface.
“I talk to you about everything,” she continues, barely audible now. “The small things. The things I don’t tell anyone else. I keep thinking… if I say enough, maybe you’ll get interested and answer me again.”
Her breath falters.
“But you don’t.”
“I think I would have been okay,” She murmurs, “If you were really just a rock.”
Her shoulders trembled, as if trying to contain an implosion.
“Then at least I could pretend it was always like this. I could pretend you were always this quiet, always this cold.”
Her grip tightens around the stone in her hand.
“But you weren’t. You were warm, you laughed like I was the funniest person in the world. You answered me whenever I asked you something. I just didn’t think it would end so soon.”
Her voice fractures on the last one, something finally slipping through despite everything she’s tried to hold in.
Her fingers finally still against the surface in front of her, resting just beneath the carved letters she’s been avoiding this whole time.
Slowly, like it might undo her if she does it too quickly, her gaze drops.
To your name.
“I’ll always love you,” Wonyoung whispers.
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