"Sometimes the heart should hurt, so that people learn the way to cherish one another, moment by moment, second by second." - Nguyễn Ngọc Tư, Tào lao về trái tim hư hao (loosely translated as: Rambling thoughts on a broken heart).

***

This was their first dinner at home after getting back together. Maybe they would have a lovely conversation about their old memories and go back to being lovebirds again?

In fact, it was extremely awkward...

They had been eating in silence for a few moments, and there was nothing to say. 

"...Rintarou, how's your life been lately?" 

"The usual, volleyball, eating and sleeping."

"..."

"..." He looked at her. Well, she was cute when struggling internally with herself. "Why did you come to my game all of a sudden?"

"Part of me... wanted... to see you again..."

He burst out laughing, watching her squeeze out each word while gripping her chopsticks. He wanted to tease her again.

...

After dinner, she was doing the washing up while he was cleaning up the table and counter. Suddenly, she screamed and ran behind him, clutched his T-shirt.

"What's wrong?"

"The c-c-cock..."

"Cockroach?"

She nodded and Suna picked her up, making her wrap her arms around his neck. He carried her to the couch in the living room before heading back to the kitchen.

...Rintarou... has always been like that, hasn't he?

A few minutes passed, he finally dealt with the cockroach, Harie still clung to his shirt when she came back into the kitchen though.

"Ali?"

"..." Hearing him call her name, she slowly let go, sighing. "Go ahead."

"...What about?"

"Teasing or mocking me."

"Why?"

"...Who are you?"

"Hey?"

That night, they ended up laughing. The tension gradually turned into tenderness.

In their familiar cozy house, the dark covered everything, but there was always the dreamy glow of the moon lighting up their misses. The kind moon in the high sky, wished for them to have unregretted moments.

Again, they could be on the same bed, wake up and see the other's face the first in the vague morning. Caressing, hugging, kissing.

It was a weird night to them. No, actually they had so much to say. It's gonna be alright, time is the greatest healer.

So that, she just hugged him from behind, wrapping her arm around his waist. He didn't say anything, yet eyes were still opening, looking at nothing. It wasn't easy to sleep in the least.

Did you know? There was a time near their breakup, when they slept back-to-back without hugs and whispers. Maybe we can become indifferent when we get tired, even with the one we love. That's why, we start to learn the way to cherish others.

"Why do you still love me?"  She whispered.

Suna closed his eyes, holding her hand for a moment.

"I don't know. Maybe because that day... you were smiling." Your smile is always radiant, pure, adorable. Like it's my everything. But it's easy to smother. I don't like that.

"..." She kept silent, burying her head in her partner's back.

"Can I ask the same question?"

"Because... you're Rintarou."

He gently chuckled, rubbed her back of hand. The hand, he'd once let go of, soft and small, that fragile, he didn't want to let go anymore. Just like this vulnerable girl...

...

I feel sad, when you're always too kind to me, even at that time, or this time. Like a flower growing in your hands, the hands cosset me, cherish me. The flower looks at the immense sky, smiling. The sky isn't that vast, is it? It's smaller than the flower's world - him.

Goodnight, sweet dreams. I love you.

***

"Mhm... heavy..." Harie whined.

The soft breezes gently flowed through, blowing across people's skin, shaking the curtains and light-colored flowers in the early morning. The birds slowly sang alongside the leaves.

In the quiet white room, there were two people closing their eyes just for a little peace. They might not have realized that they had been hugging throughout the night. They might not have realized, they might have felt how warm was it.

Yet they still didn't want to let go.

"Be quiet..." He said with a lazy voice, slightly brushed his lips on the top of her head.

"..."

And ultimately, she decided to ignore everything, nuzzled against his chest and just relaxed. Oh... it turned out his heartbeats were like this.

Mhm, yeah, she had work in the company for sure. Never mind.

A few moments later, they finally got up and started their day because "it looked like we should". The sunshine seemed happy today. It was pretty outside, bright and kind, wasn't it?

...

"Rintarou..."

"Mhm..." He hummed in response.

"Stop putting your head on my shoulder while you're brushing teeth." And let go of your hand from my waist already.

...

"You made coffee for me?"

"You always have a cup of coffee in the morning, right?"

He remembered.

"Ah right, you haven't taken a look at the fridge? I made you some jellies."

He smiled.

Even though they didn't often do these things. She often made her own coffee or got it from a vending machine, he often brought jelly at the market.

After all, it doesn't mean they didn't care about each other. But, we still have a lot of ways to show it.

...

"Well... see you."

"Do you want me to pick you up?"

She shook her head, lightly smiling.

"You must be tired after practising."

She looked away for a while, and then tiptoed, slightly brushing her lips against his. He was taken aback a bit, but chuckled after the kiss. His sound was the music to her ears.

"You have difficulty in kissing me when I don't bend over."

"You don't have to say it out loud!"

Suna stopped his teasing, gently rubbed her hair like a child.

"Good job."

Ali isn't used to showing love, she's easy to get embarrassed. I've actually seen her red face many times. So, my little girl did a great job.

Each person left home, went to work as usual. But apparently something had changed. Today, they could smile a lot more.