Chanyeol is bedazzled by the colour that bedecks the garlands, painting the heavenly east. Pupils dilated and skimming, he witnesses the horizon which paints the sky in an inky orange and hot pink –basking in the scenery. His bottom lip quivers as he digs his fingernails in the ball of his hand; his pace across the grassy green doesn’t waver; neither does his spirit of confronting an old acquaintance.

He realizes that she wasn’t an acquaintance at all.

“Hi,” he begins to practice as he continues trudging north, his skin like warm satin under the chilly weather. He lets out a triumphant sigh.

This wasn’t going to work.

“Chanyeol?” a familiar voice calls and he turns around abruptly, mouth hanging slightly agape and hands tucked neatly in the pocket of his rigged jeans. “You’re here,” she comments and her eyes turn into crescent moons; lips curved into a smug smile and content grin.

“Hi,” his rehearsed line comes out in a croaked whimper; he swallows. “Good to see you again. Been a while, huh?”

She lets out an amused chortle as she extends a hand which Chanyeol takes without hesitation. He notices that the abrupt handshake seems more towards a judgemental greeting than a light confrontation. His footsteps reverse, creating a comfortable one metre radius between her unknowingly. “How are you?”

The question is simple, three words that resemble a hidden agenda that could possibly resemble the amount of worry Chanyeol has for this lady whom he hasn’t seen for so long. Chanyeol sees the way her eyebrows create a crease in the middle and how her expression falters within milliseconds of his polite approach at a stimulating conversation; hesitation is slightly painted across her delicate features before she replies curtly with the slight tug of her lips. “It’s been good.”

“I’m glad.”

The silence seems much more agonizing than the chafe in Chanyeol’s chest.

“I hear you’re doing great now with your business,” she attempts to continue with her fingers twining in the grass and her yellow sundress seeming to dip in Chanyeol’s engrossed thoughts. She comments shortly after her first statement. “I know I’m doing fine all the way in the city,”

“What do you do now, by the way?” his lips question.

“Oh, I’m actually a medical doctor at Seoul University.”

He already knows.

He laughs because he already knows.

She laughs because she doesn’t really know why he’s laughing, but she does anyway.

“Oh the with this courtesy, “ Chanyeol says. “I’m taking you away from here,”