WAR OF HEARTS
CHAPTER THIRTY NINE
❝COME TO ME IN THE NIGHT HOURS, I WILL WAIT FOR YOU, AND I CAN'T SLEEP 'CAUSE THOUGHTS DEVOUR, THOUGHTS OF YOU CONSUMES ME. I CAN'T HELP BUT LOVE YOU EVEN THOUGH I TRIED NOT TO, I CAN'T HELP BUT WANT YOU, I KNOW THAT I'D DIE WITHOUT YOU.❞

♔ ♔ ♔

      Seth hesitantly followed as Rosé held his hands, guiding them onto her hips. They settled on the exposed skin that her cropped shirt revealed, the thin sliver of skin hot against his cold fingers. He closed his eyes as she leaned forward, her breath hot and fanning against his upper lip. The photographer could smell the sweet strawberry gum she had chewed after their early dinner and could practically taste the bitter taste of tea that lingered on her tongue.

      "I'm not going to do this unless you want this too, Annie," he whispered to her, slowly he opened his eyes and gazed into her dark, brown ones. She nodded carefully as her hands found their way on the small of his back. He could feel the hesitance practically radiating off of her as her fingers grasped the back of his shirt tightly, forming balls of cloth in her hands. "Because there's no backing out of this, you know that right? Once we do this, there's no turning back."

      "I . . . I want this, Seth. Please."

      And he gave her what she had wanted. He leaned downward and captured her lips with his own, his slightly chapped ones placed on her soft, pink painted lips. The sensation of his chapped lips over her soft ones created an addicting buzz that neither of them could get rid of. And the racing of their hearts never slowed down, but increased at the action.

      It's hard to describe what a kiss is like. But you can say that it is like two souls dancing together, finally meeting one another. It's as if they're meeting for the first time and reading each other's intentions. Almost like they're getting to know one another for the first and last time, like this is their last opportunity to do so.

      This kiss held the answers to every question Rosé had about love. It corrected her vision on what love should be, and what it shouldn't be as well. It fixated her gaze on what love should stand for and what love meant for her. Maybe it brushed off the little bruises and cuts she had formed along the way, but, it didn't heal the broken heart that remained in pieces. Because love isn't meant to fix you, it's supposed to guide you to your journey about yourself. Love isn't supposed to determine every choice you make in your life, but rather assist you on what you should value.

      This was something she eventually had to face and accept.

♔ ♔ ♔

mum:
i'm extremely proud of you, you know that right? and i know that you won't need me to help you and that this is something you can do on your own. so i hope you know that whatever decision you decide to make i am supporting you 110% along the way.
delivered 7:01 PM

roseanne cha:
thanks mum
delivered 7:01 PM

mum:
have you told anyone else other than your father, noah, clara, and i? it's big news sweets
delivered 7:02 PM

roseanne cha:
not yet, they don't want to me to announce it yet
delivered 7:02 PM

mum:
not even tom?
delivered 7:03 PM

roseanne cha:
he's busy, i don't want to bother him
delivered 7:03 PM

roseanne cha:
maybe later when things start to die down
delivered 7:03 PM

mum:
have you found a flat yet?
delivered 7:04 PM

roseanne cha:
yeah they're helping me find one near the city so i commuting won't be too difficult
delivered 7:04 PM

mum:
i love you so much sweets
delivered 7:05 PM

roseanne cha:
i love you too 엄마
delivered 7:05 PM

♔ ♔ ♔

      Rosé pointed her fork at Seth who laughed at her as chili sauce drooped down to her chin. He tried to stifle his laughter as he handed her a napkin. She huffed out a breath and muttered curses quietly as she cleaned herself up. "I don't get why we're eating Chinese food in Germany," she complained to him. Seth shrugged before he drank his iced water. "This is disrespectful of us, you know that right?"

      "This was the only place that was close to your hotel," he defended himself with a small smile. As Rosé picked up a piece of the Peking duck with her chopsticks, Seth took out his camera from his camera bag and showed a selection of the photos he had taken over the last few days. He leaned over and handed her his camera, "I took these photos when I was in Munich with Roscoe. Not the best, but nothing an editing program can't fix."

      She stared in awe at the photos of the Asam Church, the English Garden, and the Eisbach Wave. Rosé flickered through the different pictures and couldn't help but remain speechless at Seth's talent. She was never the type of girl to understand photography or the importance of it, but Seth was different. He captured the perfect lighting and the perfect angle almost allowing the photo to tell a story itself.

      "These are beautiful, Seth," she complimented. She looked up at the camera screen and met eyes with the flustered Seth who scratched the nape of his neck, a habit he did whenever he was embarrassed or overly shy. "I'm serious. The sightseeing company will love these!"

      "They're not my best work, but I had to do what I could with the amount of time I had in the city," Seth said humbly as he accepted the camera back. He smiled sadly at his friend causing her to furrow her eyebrows in confusion. "Look, I'm sorry I haven't been there for you the last few days. That was bad on my part."

      "Seth, it's fine — "

      "No, Annie, it's not. You needed someone and I'm sorry I wasn't there for you."

      "I'm a big girl, Seth, I can handle myself. I just . . . I need you right now to help me figure this all out," Rosé admitted reluctantly. She placed her chopsticks down and began playing with one of the clean napkins, her fingers ripping them into bits and pieces which she knew would be a hassle to clean up. "You said that you like me, and I was wondering if anything has changed?"

      "What, my feelings for you? I'm not exactly the type to just move on quickly, Annie. I mean I've had a crush on you since we were 15, it's pretty hard to just forget about you."

      "I want to ask you for a favor, but I'm scared that if I do it may look like I'm taking advantage of you. I'd never hurt you intentionally, Seth — "

      "I know," he whispered to stop her ranting. He placed his hand over her own and interlocked their fingers together. His thumb rubbed the spot below her knuckles tenderly. "It's okay, Annie, I'm not hurt anymore. I get it, really. I'd do anything for you, and it's not just because of my feelings for you, but because you're still one of my best friends. What do you want me to do?"

      "Help me figure out what love really is? I know it sounds cheesy and stupid, but, I want to know what that feeling is, that feeling you have for me. I want to know if it's the same as what I feel for Tom."

      "Annie, I don't know . . . are you sure you won't regret this?"

      "I'm positive. I'm desperate, Seth, I need to get over him. And quick."

♔ ♔ ♔

A/N;

I literally wrote this update in twenty minutes so it's not exactly the best? I'm sorry about that. But yes, I know this chapter makes absolutely no sense, let me clear it up for you:

Yes, Seth and Rosé did kiss. It wasn't some weird drama or time lapse, or whatever.

The texts between Rosé and her mother are hinting on the ending of the story.

And finally, the last dinner scene between Rosé and Seth happened before the kiss.

It's like two in the morning right now so I'm going to bed because I have school in like six hours. But good morning / night!

Dedicated to my_names_chloe because her profile picture is absolutely beautiful (stan monsta x, stan kings) and because her support is overwhelming!

Much Love Guys.

( written: august 31, 2017 )
( published: august 31, 2017 )