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"Hi!"
A little girl with a bright smile greeted me, making me crouch to her level. "Hello to you too, young one. What can I help you with?" I asked.
"Mom told me that you are a very lonely person." She said.
I couldn't help but to chuckle quietly. "Do I look lonely now?" I asked as I gave her the brightest smile that I could ever make.
The little girl shook her head earnestly, "That's not how you smile, mister!" She exclaimed.
Mister, huh? I brushed my short raven mane, ruffling down in tresses. "How do you smile, then?" I asked.
She started to crinkle her face into a cheeky smile, doing her utter best to show her rows of growing teeth. That was so adorable, and I tried doing the same but she kept disapproving my attempts. With more vague instructions and eagerness in hand, I couldn't satisfy the little girl's standards. That didn't mean I was having a hard time keeping up with her.
After some time, the little girl's mom came by to fetch her.
"Hi, did my daughter bother you? I'm really sorry for that." She ushered her to her side, giving an apologetic smile.
"Not at all," I waved it off. "She was a behaved young one. I enjoyed her company." I said.
"Is that so? Even so, she wandered off without asking for my permission. I can't handle the house while you're out here having your silly little adventures, hmm?" She turned to look at her daughter, who was not looking guilty at all.
"But I wanted to see the loneliest person of the island like you've said!" She chided.
I smirked in amusement and nodded in approval. "And so I've heard." I looked at the mother's eyes, a guilty expression reflecting on her face.
"That...was just an exaggeration." She said, averting away from my gaze. "She is mostly seen on her own along the shoreline. You don't call strangers like that, okay?" She reprimanded, which made her daughter mumble the softest and most defeated "okay" that I have ever heard.
Then the little girl suddenly perked up, "But she's not a mister?" She asked in disbelief.
I shook my head, "Yes, I am not a mister. What made you think that I am a mister?" I asked.
"No way!" She exclaimed, then she turned to her mom. "She's so handsome! I wanted my prince charming to look like you!" She continued to exclaim as I let out a laugh, my heart feeling light to the little girl's words.
"You flatter me, young one. May you find your own prince charming, because a face like mine only comes once in a blue moon." I smirked as I sought the mother's gaze again.
Come to think of it, I haven't found the opportunity to appreciate the timeless beauty before me. Her brown tresses that fanned on her shoulders, hiding the exposed skin underneath, the dimples beneath the corner of her lips and her poised demeanor... I might get lost if I observe a bit more into her, so I left my train of thought to attempt a conversation with her.
"It's getting a bit late now, isn't it?" I commented as I marvelled to the sight of an orange sky, the sun setting beautifully to the endless horizon.
"Yes, and thank you for keeping my daughter company."
"I wouldn't do anything better but to converse with your little one. She seems to have a very curious mind."
"She got it from her father, though that man isn't around anymore to take responsibility." Her tone became solemn, and I noticed how she grasped her daughter's hand tighter before letting her go to play with pebbles.
"Children are like blank canvases. There are colors that we wish for them to possess, yet we do not have and thus, we cannot provide. Little we did know, there is no masterpiece in this world that required every color that existed." I put my hands behind, looking down to the pebbled ground.
A comfortable silence ensued between us as we heard the little girl expressing her awe to the pieces of sea glasses she had found.
"I can see her growing up as a brilliant person. Give yourself credit on where it's due. You are doing a wonderful job on raising her." I said and looked to my side, meeting her unreadable expression.
"What's your name?" The mother asked, looking at me in the eyes. Our gazes met for a considerable amount of time, before I turned to watch the dusk again.
"Wheein. My name is Jung Wheein."
I heard her sigh deeply, "I'm Yongsun. Kim Yongsun, to be exact. Her name is Yonghye, and I'm glad that she got to meet you today." Her fond smile drew as she watched her daughter play around, and she turned to me with that bright smile of hers.
"So that's where Yonghye got that pretty smile of hers." I said, and I immediately earned a playful slap from Yongsun as she tried her best to cover the blush forming on her cheeks.
"What does that even mean?" She blurted out.
"It is what it is. Yonghye got her beauty from you. Mind you that I have no possible reasons to come up with lies." I said, seriousness seeping through my tone.
"Wheein," I flinched, and hearing her call my name was a new experience for me to feel. "I don't know if you're being genuine or you're just good with flirting, but I appreciate your compliments." Yongsun mumbled.
"And about what you had said earlier, I—" She interrupted herself, her eyes seeming glassy as she continued. "I've heard nothing good from the people around me when I ended up raising Yonghye alone. Hearing that from you, Wheein, a total stranger to me and my daughter, felt so relieving." She brought her hands together, placing it on her chest.
I wasn't surprised about that. She seemed so young to be a mother. There might have been a lot of risky decisions made along the way, but she still took responsibility in the end. Such a strong woman was more than enough of a role model for Yonghye to take after. Unfortunately, the world was inherently cruel, and the society's standard about perfection was pure hypocrisy.
To think that she heard the worst things to hear from the people she trusted the most... it was heartbreaking, to say at least.
The night had finally settled. Stars glittered across the dark skies, and Yonghye was pointing and asking what was the name of this and that star as we walked back to their home. I obliged answering with pleasure, making Yongsun laugh with those pretty dimples surfacing beneath her lips.
I could never get tired doing this on every chance I might get.
We arrived at their house's front yard, and Yonghye suddenly sprinted straight to the door, shouting that she might miss her favorite cartoons. She left her mom with me, and because this was such a good opportunity, I probably would give her my sea glass collection the next we'd play.
"This is where we part ways." I said, capturing Yongsun's attention. "Glad that your daughter had fun today, because I did too. I'm not the loneliest person in this island anymore." I jested.
"Stop with that already," Yongsun whined. "I'll never say anything exaggerated to Yonghye anymore. She takes things too seriously." She said.
"If she didn't get curious, I couldn't have met her. Not even you."
Our eyes met with such intensity, yet my entire being longed to know her more, deeper, and clearer than ever. I cleared my throat, averting my gaze as we both tried to continue where we left off.
I felt her hand grasping on the hem of my coat. Yongsun didn't speak for a moment but then she whispered, "Thank you, Wheein. I can't thank you enough." She sounded like she was almost about to cry, but she held it in for so long because her daughter might hear her if she let it go earlier.
If there's anyone who's the loneliest person in this island, that's you, Yongsun.
"Can I..." I trailed off, the rush of courage dying so fast within seconds. I chose to be blind and kept going, damned be the shame. "Can I hold you?" I sought her eyes once again, looking through her glassy orbs.
Without missing a beat, Yongsun nodded and I pulled her right into my arms. I wrapped around her waist as she hugged me by my shoulders, leaning on as she cried everything she held in for a long time. Soothing rubs could help her let it out more, and I did my best to make her feel safe within my space.
"Wheein," She called.
I hummed in response, "Yes?"
"You'll be there again tomorrow, right?" She wiped her tears away, "You'll play with Yonghye and you'll hold me like this again." Her breaking voice made my heart hurt, and I didn't have the heart to have it in any other way.
"Not just tomorrow, the next day, the following week, months, years..." I cupped her face in my hands. I wiped the tears streaming down her face with my thumb. "I will always be there, okay?" I planted soft kisses on Yongsun's crown.
I came to this island with the intention of perishing alone. Somehow, before I could spiral down into the abyss, I suddenly found something worth living and dying for.