The Bulletproof Man
Antonio Stark Kim
My eyes peered into the distance , where the sky bled city ’ s blueness to reveal red flesh .
“ Will you be here with me , forever , till our sleeps last more than the length of our lives ?” She whispered into my ear , rustling the hair as a sliver of wind might .
“ I will be here , by your side , forever , as you wish me be .” I answered , the words slipping out , dropping down like pebbles , splashing into the blood-red water .
Years had passed since she left my side , and yet she was still here beside me , tangible , alive , and tinged with a scarlet blush .
I was in love , but with an entity that was long gone from this world .
My heart beat on , pumping fresh blood to my body . Yet was my heart truly alive ? Able to feel and empathize ? I had lost count on how many times I have stood over this river , sometimes alone , but mostly holding hands . Never were they twice the same hands . These were the hands I stroked , hands that touched my cheeks , hands which pulled my face closer and wet my lips . Lips that formed names , lips that would caress souls , and would later , stream away the tears that didn ’ t come .
I leaned forward , being immersed in her soft hair . She giggled and nibbled on my left earlobe . It tickled .
She scrunched her shoulders together and spooned herself into my chest . The red flesh of the sun was now gone , leaving what seemed like a badly bruised corpse over the wide expanse . I covered her up in my jacket , her head right under my chin . It was getting chilly after all .
“… Your heart is beating .”
I smiled , not saying anything , ruffled her head . The aroma of her lavender shampoo wafted up through the river scent .
“ This is mine , you know , this heart of yours .” “ Be it so , and everything of me that you should desire .” I replied , her breast pressing into my shirt .
‘ It technically wasn ’ t a lie ,’ I thought . I can ’ t give what I don ’ t have , but who is to blame one who desires something that is nonexistent ?
Love . It was something that came from the environment . One falls in love because of the book she read a week before , from the story her friend told her a day before , from the food she ate hours ago , and the music she was listening to as she let her eyes focus onto my face . Love at first sight . To me , that was what it was .
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This I knew , and so I forgave . This little head that rested against my chest poured worries into the void in my mind , decorating it with dreams of the house we ’ ll have , the children we ’ ll have , the kitchen where I will feed her pieces of Ghiradelli while she makes breakfast . All this she will soon abandon , as she realizes it was the book she read a week ago , the story a day before , the food hours ago , and the music right now that she was in love with , and not me . She will get confused , still play with my fingers out of loyalty to what she felt weeks ago , but will slowly start to drift away . All this I forgave , making only the tiniest ripples to aid her in her journey away from me . When her raft is gone below the horizon , I would look back at the white sand