#[ do replies instead of make stupid edits challenge.. savage ]

[killingmebtob]

Cross My Heart  // Jung Ilhoon

Author: @killingmebtob // Fiq

Title: Cross My Heart

Characters: Jung Ilhoon 

Summary: Hey, do you still remember the promise we made under the red sky eighteen years ago?

Author’s Note: A little something from the request box and partly inspired by SID’s <Uso>, enjoy!

18 years ago

The little girl laughed as she laid next to her childhood friend on an empty grassy field under the red sky. Hand in hand, they stayed silent for a while. However, she felt that he was buzzing with energy and soon enough, he stood up and started talking about their dreams for the future. She smiled happily at him, even though she did not really know what he was talking about. What is the future? What are dreams? For the little seven-year-old girl, she was only aware of the present. And this present felt right because she was next to him, as always.

Crossing her legs while she sat up, she reached her hands out and used both her thumbs and forefingers to make a frame, as if she was capturing him through an imaginary camera lens. She loved photography, and she was always in awe when her father took their photos. As he stood in front of her, she took everything in slow motion and grinned.

Under that red sky, she held up her pinky finger to him and promised.

“Well, when you’re big, I’ll only take pictures of you! Cross my heart!”

 Present day

Sighing, I dumped the box of albums on the foot of my bed before throwing myself face down on the thick covers. Groaning against the sheets, I stretched my legs out fully before I rolled over on my back. I stared blankly at the ceiling for a few minutes before I felt my phone vibrated. Reaching out for it, I rolled my eyes at my friend’s text.

“Yeah, you better thank me,” I muttered to myself, grinning while replying to her.

Feeling a little energised now, I pushed myself off the bed and walked towards my laptop. Humming to myself, I woke it up and continued where I had left off yesterday. He stood in the middle of the stage, looking at the stage floor while smiling. Grinning to myself, I admired this particular shot. After a few attempts, I knew which angle was the best to capture that moment that would put the other fans in a frenzy. I adjusted the picture’s brightness, humming to their latest song as I worked. While it had been awkward at first whenever I edited my childhood friend’s shots, it was now second nature to me to bring out his best profiles. He was my pride and joy; my muse since eighteen years ago and the only one I would take pictures for.

A soft chuckle escaped my lips when I recalled the childish promise we made under a particular vibrant sunset. We were innocent once, we had thought we would always be together and that promises were meant to be kept. We had uttered our dreams that day but I guessed I was the only one who remembered the promises that came with it. After his debut in 2012, I had consistently attended every single live, concert and any events that featured his group. I ran his fan-page although I hid the fact that I was his friend. It was easier that way; haters could be savage at times to fansites. Besides, in public, I was always his fan before anything else.

Satisfied with the intended outcome, I uploaded it on my Twitter page before I switched accounts to my best friend’s fansite. She had fallen ill the other day and had requested my help to take pictures of her group’s activity earlier today. I relented after she had offered me dinner and a couple of drinks in return for the favour. I scoffed at that. Who would have thought that a promise over food would cause me to break my promise eighteen years ago?

I shook my head at the thought. Here I was, being hung up over a stupid childish pinky swear that I knew the other party did not remember. He had never given any indication that he recalled anything related to our childhood other than my personal embarrassing experiences. And perhaps, it was better that way, especially for his future. Childhood promises were a bittersweet memory because they can be meaningful yet empty at the same time. Sighing, I tried to distract myself from the memory of eighteen years ago. On some days, I really wished I could ask him if he remembered that promise we made under the red sky.

Suddenly, I heard someone entering the code at my door and I rolled my eyes, knowing instantly who it was. There was only someone who made this nightly visits because of his schedule and presently, he was the bane of my existence. With a beep, Jung Ilhoon came into my apartment, unexpectedly looking strung up. He walked in, slamming the door behind him and made a beeline straight to where I stood.

“What, can’t even afford a single hello?” I asked sarcastically, crossing my arms over my chest.

He glared at me, fury radiating off him but I paid him no heed. Instead, I stared back and rose up to his challenge.

“What were you doing earlier?” he snapped, his temper rising.

“I didn’t know I have to report to you my schedule. Wait, let me go and get my diary,” I bit back, rolling my eyes while standing my ground. “Do you need the finer details as well? Like my lunch and toilet breaks?”

With a flash, he closed the distance between us. Reaching out, he pointed to my laptop whose screen was still on my friend’s fansite page.

“What is that?” he growled, his voice low and menacing.

I glanced behind me and shrugged, wondering why he was making a big issue out of it.

“A fansite page, obviously,” I drawled.

In anger, he slammed the screen shut and the force caused the table to shake slightly. Cursing him under my breath, I snatched the computer from under his hand and walked away from him. After placing it on my bed, I confronted the madman still standing by my desk. I stood by the doorway of my bedroom, too angry to pacify or even stand close to him.

“Look, what’s your problem! You came in, waltzing as if you own the house and you just man-handled my computer! I know you’re mad over something but that’s no excuse,” I exclaimed in an exasperated tone.

Ilhoon continued to seethe in anger, his glare burning holes into my eyes. Realising that I did not read minds, he took a few deep breaths before finally speaking.

“You don’t remember, do you?”

“Remember what? You’re not making this easier, Ilhoon,” I spat.

“Our promise when we were kids!”

I blinked at his words, not fully registering them. Was he referring to that sunset eighteen years ago or…

As if he sensed that I was not comprehending him, he sighed angrily while running his hand through his hair. It took me a while to find my voice but when I did, I could only croak.

“What promise?”

“You promised me that you’ll only take pictures of me!”

Unable to control myself, I let out a bark of harsh laughter at the incredulity of the situation. Who was he to lecture me about broken promises when he broke his first?

“Grow up, Ilhoon. That was eighteen years ago and we were just kids then,” I scoffed aloud, waving a dismissive hand at his argument.

“Yeah, I can see that you’ve forgotten it clearly now. Guess I was the only one who was keeping it,” he rebutted, his temper rising as his fingers gripped at the edge of the study table.

“Hah! You broke it first and I was just meeting you halfway,” I shook my head.

A part of me was in disbelief at how childish our argument was but I was too riled up to even care.

“I never did!” he argued back.

“Yes, you did! I’ve been waiting, waiting for years for you to fulfill your half of the bargain, Ilhoon. And I’m done, I’m done waiting while knowing that you don’t give a shit about us,” I snapped, throwing my hands up in the air to articulate my point.

As if something in him snapped, he pushed himself from the desk and closed the distance between us. In my rage, I ignored the creeping fear and stayed still and unchallenged until he stood right before me. In this close distance, I was able to feel his fury emitting from every pore on his body but I was not about to let that get me. He stopped short, just an inch between us.

“I have never forgotten,” he muttered under his breath.

In a swift motion, he reached his right hand out and gripped my hips. He pulled me close and using his other hand, he held my chin and tilted it up. Before I could push myself off him, he pressed his soft lips against mine forcefully. As I gasped from the contact, he took the chance and angled his head to deepen the kiss. He became gentle, as if all of his suppressed anger had been released from that touch. His lips coaxed me to respond and too soon, I closed my eyes and gave in. He gripped my hips tighter and pulled me closer so that our bodies touched each other fully. I wound my arms around his neck and responded to his kiss with fervour, matching his pace and touch. I felt our breaths against each other and our soft pants filled the room. I felt him push as he directed me backward until my calves hit the box of albums on the foot of my bed.

That contact ended the daze I was in and I pulled away, panting heavily. But before I could extract myself, he wrapped his arms around my waist and pulled me into a deep embrace. Stunned, I stood still as I tried to get my mind to process just what had happened. Was I dreaming? Had I been wanting him for too long that I just imagined us kissing like two teenagers in heat?

With a sigh, he took a step back but did not release me. Instead, he held both of my hands while leaning his forehead on my shoulder. His breath tickled my skin as he spoke.

“I have never forgotten our promise,” he repeated softly. “I just keep thinking that it wasn’t time yet and… I thought you knew and you were waiting. It just wasn’t time yet, and we are finally growing after six years. But after seeing you today, at another group’s event, I just have to know if you still remember. If you are still waiting for me.”

“About today, I was just covering for my friend. It’s just for today ‘coz she’s sick,” I reasoned, my voice barely a whisper. “I didn’t mean to break it. I just thought it won’t matter because I thought you didn’t remember.”

I patted his shoulder awkwardly as I tried to use my touch to convey my guilt and apology. With a sigh, he lifted his head and stared tenderly into my eyes. He cupped my cheek and with a small smile, he ran his thumb over my lips.

“Well, you thought wrong,” he stated simply.

18 years ago

Under that red sky, she held up her pinky finger to him and promised.

“Well, when you’re big, I’ll only take pictures of you! Cross my heart!”

Ilhoon stared at her, laughing at the sheer relief that there would be someone to support his dreams. Squatting next to her, he offered his pinky finger and made his promise.

“Then, when I’m big and rich, I’ll marry you!”

They linked their pinky fingers together, giggling at their first promise together. With a few motions, they sealed their deal. But before they went back home, they decided to spend a few more minutes together.

As they laid next to each other, their small fingers intertwined, he gazed up and made a silent promise to the red sky and to himself.

He would keep this promise. He would make her happy when he grew older.

He promised.