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[ Better daya] - [ Graham Nash]

The movie dragged on like an endless night. Vienna sat in the cold, shadowy cinema, feeling as though she were entombed in darkness. The film's climax approached, and on the screen, Jack and Rose clung desperately to a piece of floating debris amidst the vast, icy ocean. Jack urged Rose onto the makeshift raft, while he remained in the frigid water, his strength waning as he drifted away.

The future they envisioned together seemed as desolate as the icy expanse of the Arctic night – cold, unyielding, and filled with shadows.

"I love you, Jack."

"Don't say that, don't say goodbye. Not yet, do you hear me?"

"Listen, Rose. You're going to survive this. You'll go on, make a life for yourself, and watch it flourish. You'll die an old woman, warm in her bed, not here, not tonight, not like this. Promise me, do you understand?"

"I can't feel my body."

"Winning that ticket, Rose, was the best thing that ever happened to me... it led me to you. And for that, I am grateful. You must do me this one honor. Promise me you'll survive. Promise you'll never give up, no matter how dire things become, no matter how hopeless it seems. Promise me now, Rose, and never let go of that promise."

"I promise."

As the final scene unfolded, the female lead relinquished her hold on the wooden plank, summoning every ounce of strength to swim towards the shimmering promise of a brighter future. The suave male lead, slowly sinking into the icy depths of the Arctic Ocean, was gently claimed by the abyss.

Emerging from the dim theater, Jungwon noticed the trace of red around Vienna's eyes.

"Did you cry?" he asked softly.

Vienna averted her gaze, shaking her head with stubborn resolve. "I didn't."

"Most people do," Jungwon said, his voice gentle. He raised his hand to offer comfort, but hesitated, pulling it back before it reached her shoulder. Instead, he gave a small, playful shake of the popcorn box. "I didn't realize you were such a light eater – look, there's still plenty of popcorn left."

Vienna's voice was barely above a whisper, "I don't like snacks."

"No wonder you're so slim!" Jungwon said, his eyes twinkling with light-hearted amusement. Checking his watch, he suggested, "It's getting late. How about I give you a ride home?"

The moment Vienna stepped through her front door, the heavens opened, releasing a cascade of icy rain that pounded against the pavement with relentless force.

She waited, the rain intensifying her apprehension, but Ni-ki still hadn't arrived.

Pulling out her phone, Vienna prepared to call Ni-ki, only to find, with mounting frustration, that his contact information had vanished from her list.

Before she could delve into the mystery, a sharp, urgent knock shattered the stillness of the night.

Frightened, she inched closer to the door, only to hear Ni-ki's low voice ring out, "It's me."

Vienna opened the door without a moment's hesitation, and let him into her house. He was entirely drenched from the rain, and the raindrops flowed from his raincoat onto the floor.

Passing him a towel, she asked in a small tone, "How is she?"

"She should be fine."

"Fine?"

"I went to the hill behind your school building. Despite searching the entire hill, she was nowhere to be found."

"Did you go to the wrong place? I should have, accompanied you on your trip."

"No, I went to the right place. I saw the blood stains, but she wasn't there."

Startled, Vienna asked hesitantly, "You're......you're not lying to me?"

"I'm not lying to you. It's true." He continued, "There were very little bloodstains – it was most likely a minor injury. Now that I think about it, when you returned in the afternoon, there were very little bloodstains on your clothes as well."

Vienna gazed at Ni-ki, perplexity, confusion and reliance evident in her eyes.

Vienna's eyes searched Ni-ki's face for reassurance, her expression a tangled mix of confusion and desperation.

Ni-ki's voice was steady as he spoke, trying to offer her some comfort. "Given the minor nature of her injury, I'd bet she just walked away on her own. You weren't sure about the exact number of stabs or their depth—your anxiety likely made it seem worse than it actually was."

Vienna's brow knitted in concern. "But... What if she goes to the police? What if she reports me?"

"She won't," Ni-ki cut her off, wiping the rain from his face with a weary hand. He took off his raincoat and draped it over the clothing rack. "She's used to getting into fights and has been hurt far worse before. Has she ever gone to the police? No. And if she did, she'd have to bring up everything else—like how she and her friends bullied you. That would only bring more trouble to her doorstep."

Vienna's eyes remained locked on Ni-ki, her confusion palpable as she tried to process his words.

Ni-ki's voice was gentle but firm, aiming to calm her. "Don't torment yourself over this. The injuries you caused are minor—she's endured far worse from other fights."

His tone carried an undertone of reassurance, as if trying to instill a sense of calm. "She'll recover, just like she always does. And you," he added, his gaze softening, "you need to give yourself a break. You're not alone in this."

Vienna's confusion lingered, her gaze distant and unfocused. Slowly, she retrieved a mobile SIM card from her bag, her hands trembling slightly. Ni-ki took the card from her with a decisive movement, cutting it into fragments with a pair of scissors.

"The trash bin's right there," Vienna murmured, pointing vaguely towards the bin.

Ni-ki shook his head softly, a reassuring smile on his lips. "I'll take care of this. I'll dispose of it outside."

Vienna looked up, meeting his steady gaze. As he brushed a stray lock of hair from her face, the red string on his wrist brushed lightly against her cheek, the gesture tender and comforting.

"She's fine," Ni-ki said gently, his voice cutting through the storm's chaos. "Don't dwell on it. Focus on your studies and prepare for the exams."

Vienna nodded numbly, her gaze unfocused as she absorbed his words.

Outside, the storm raged on, the relentless wind and rain whipping against the windows. The light bulb overhead flickered erratically, casting wavering shadows that danced across the walls. In that dim, unstable light, the two figures seemed small and vulnerable, their shadows trembling with the uncertainty of the storm's fury.

Ni-ki slumped wearily onto the edge of the bed, the day's fatigue evident in his posture. He glanced up and saw Vienna sitting in the corner, her eyes lost in the turmoil of her thoughts. The storm outside battered the windows, but inside, the atmosphere was heavy with an unspoken weight.

After a moment of silence, Ni-ki broke the stillness with a soft question, "How was the movie?"

"It wasn't nice." Vienna shook her head vigorously. "It had a tragic ending, so I didn't like it."

"Tragic ending?"

"Yes. The male lead gave the female lead the opportunity to live. In the end, he sacrificed himself."

"What about the female lead? What happened to her?"

"She got married, had children, and lived to a ripe old age."

"That sounds pretty good." A tiny smile tugged at Ni-ki's lips.

"What's so good about that?" Vienna protested, her brow furrowing in confusion.

Ni-ki raised his head to look at Vienna. He opened his mouth as though about to speak, but no words emerged. Instead, he closed his mouth slowly, his eyes remaining fixed on Vienna with a calm, unwavering intensity.

His gaze was like the depths of an ancient, tranquil well, reflecting both determination and warmth.

Vienna stood still, her gaze locked with his. An overwhelming urge to cry surged within her, as if the quiet strength in Ni-ki's eyes was unraveling the tightly wound emotions she had kept at bay.

Gazing into each other's eyes, the two youths saw more than mere reflections; they saw the depths of each other's struggles and the raw wounds that life had inflicted. Each understood the silent desperation, the profound hurt, and the boundless love that the other held, yet neither spoke. Words felt inadequate, almost trivial, in the face of such profound pain.

Even if they tried to articulate their feelings and struggles, it would change nothing. Their shared understanding was a silent testament to their bond, but it remained a poignant reminder of their helplessness in the face of their circumstances.

The tiny and frail shoulders of the two youths were beginning to buckle beneath the overwhelming weight of their burdens. So young, yet already weathered by the harsh and unrelenting world, they had only each other to cling to.

One might ponder whether their meeting was a stroke of fortune or merely another twist of fate's cruelty.

As they gazed at each other, the weight of their shared struggles hung heavily in the air. Ni-ki's lips curved into a small, gentle smile, a fleeting spark of warmth in the midst of their cold reality. He extended his arms towards her, an open invitation for solace.

Vienna wiped away her tears and, gathering her courage, closed the distance between them. She sat down on Ni-ki's lap, encircling her arms around his neck as if he were her most treasured possession. She rested her head on his shoulder, clutching him tightly.

Ni-ki, sensing her need for comfort, embraced her as best as he could. Slowly, he eased back, pulling her with him until they were both lying on the bed. The howling wind and torrential rain outside seemed to dissolve into nothingness.

In that cocoon of warmth and security, Vienna and Ni-ki held each other close, their fears and longings mingling in the quiet space they created together.

They wished, with all their hearts, that time could freeze in this perfect moment, where only their shared solace mattered and the storm outside was nothing more than a distant memory.

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