aligned ? monsta x

t h i r t y s e v e n

"you know... my grandma used to take me out for walks... just to get me out of the house because i was always stuck with my nintendo. so she'd try to bribe me with an ice cream... but we had these long walks, through parks, through green areas. she'd take pictures around and pictures of me.... and then... we'd go for the ice cream, at the end of our stroll."

he seemed sad talking about this and boki couldn't help but wonder why. but she didn't want to interrupt since it seemed it was lee jooheon's story time and he seemed too invested in it and for the first time he was talking to her about something personal, she didn't want to ruin the moment.

"i never- i... really hated those walks... i never enjoyed them, because it was hot, because there were mosquitoes or my short legs at the time hurt at night after the walk... or it was hot outside... either way i'd always prefer staying home, playing mario... instead of going out with her."

he sighed, his eyes lost in the sea. she noticed how they turned glassy for a second and she felt the need to comfort him somehow, but she didn't know how.

"now she's gone." her heart skipped a beat at the sudden sad confession. "she's gone and... these memories of my hated walks, are the only thing i have left." he turned to look at her, somehow all the sadness in the world reflected on his cute, big and now glassy eyes. "she was an amazing woman... the sweetest ever. she loved me very much and she just wanted to share with me... because she knew... that... she didn't have much time left." she noticed his hands trembling inside the pockets of his hoodie and she guessed he was about to cry.

quickly, boki put her hands inside the pockets of his hoodie, looking for his hands. jooheon's eyes widened at the sudden bold action, but when he felt her touch, her fingers entwining with hers, her sweet touch, her fingers squeezing his softly, comforting him, calming him, he felt as if he could breathe again.

at first, boki didn't say a thing. she just squeezed his hand with a reassuring nod, her eyes spoke volumes and he understood what she meant. it was as if there was certain complicity where words weren't needed somehow.

he felt at ease and knew he didn't need to share anything else for her to understand his feelings.

"i am sure she loved you very much." she finally said after a few minutes in silence, once she was sure he was again strong to talk. his eyes no longer glassy and his sadness, calmed.

he nodded as their hands were still together. "i know."

she smiled at him, a sweet kind of smile and nodded as well. "at least you remember her with love. that's much more than some of us have."

he frowned softly when he felt her hands breaking apart from his. "what do you mean?"

she shrugged, hugging herself. it was starting to turn really cold. "i never met my grandma." his eyes widned in shock as he felt suddenly sad for boki. "really? none of them?"

boki only shook her head. "none of them... my father's mom died when he was a child... and my mom's mom... when she was a teenager, before she even married my father, same thing with my grandads."

he swallowed hard. "no shit... you take the trophy to the saddest grandparents story tonight." he said now, finally both of them laughed.

he noticed boki was cold now. "should we return now? it's getting late." he said, she quickly agreed.

"so... it's just you and your mom?" he asked on their way back. boki seemed to be slightly uncomfortable about the question, but she trusted jooheon. he was kind of... one of her best friends now, so she knew there was no need to hie or keep things from him, from her private life.