After Us

A short story written by christian loid valenzuela (iamloid)

What may happen after finding love? Other couples may reach more goals, build a family and have kids. But what if love is not just about these?

"I should have never loved you in the first place!" you blurted out. Today became the day of separation after many months of everything. I should also have never given you the chance to be my life, I said to myself. We were sitting next to each other on our favourite bench at our favourite park where, back then, everything started as I recalled.

"I have something to tell you," your voice cracked, explicitly showing your nervousness.

I smiled at you, "Yes? Tell me what you want."

You hold my hands and kissed it. With that, I exactly knew what is really happening.

"I love you," we said in unison. Minutes passed, and we're both laughing.

"I didn't expect that you'll love me in return. Because you know, I'm just this. Only this."

I caressed your face and pinched your nose.

"Don't you dare belittle yourself. You're worth everything."

"And you're worth it, too," you said, and we passionately kissed as the sun sets.

"Why did we break up again?" you asked. Here we are again in our favourite park where everything started to happen. It has been years since we parted ways, but now here we go again.

I forced a smile and refused to answer. You hold my hands, just like before, and kissed it. And just like before, I felt it. I enjoyed it.

"This has to stop," I said, interrupting your moment.

"Why? Don't I deserve another chance?"

"We have our chances. But instead of asking one, why not make it the one?"

You looked down and I felt a sudden tension in the atmosphere. I almost shed a tear, when you started laughing. You gazed at me, with the continuous fountain of tears, just like how you gaze the stars at night. Wanting it for yourself, wanting it so badly.

"You know, it's funny. It is funny that we ended up being more than strangers. Like, you know, before there was an us we kind of feel that we are always meant to be. But now..."

Flashes of memories invaded my mind. Your sweet words start running like a broken melody on repeat in my ears. Your hot kisses before started to burn me now.

"Yeah, it's funny that we thought our love is real. Now, it is too real to the extent of not having an existence anymore." You stopped laughing and crying.

"I love you, Lukas."
"I loved you, Ned."

It was summer when we first met, the hotness of the raging sun cannot be compared to yours. I know, it may sound weird but the first time I've seen you, I know something is with you. Something inexplicable.

Your smile even glowed more especially when it was given to me, whenever we're bumping next to each other.

"Uhm, hi!" you said one boring afternoon. The professor kept on talking about himself as if his whole life story would be present in our quarterly exams. I smiled, and you sat next to me. Good thing, my seatmate is absent.

"Feeling bored, eh?" I looked at you and I instantly forgot what boredom means.

"After class, let's hangout. My treat!" I was about to decline but your latter statement enchanted me to nod.

You brought me to your favourite restaurant-the one serving Korean foods. You're teary before you exclaimed, "Oh, man! This is how spicy feels like!" after eating ramyun.

From that moment on, we kept on hanging out to the extent of going home very early like 2:00 AM from different restaurants and bars. To let you know, the notion of morning and night became all senseless whenever I am with you. The time may be rapid but I feel everything is genuinely gradual.

Before there was us, we are like stars twinkling so bright. But after us, the stars became a supernova. Now, everything is just everything.