“Okay, kids~ tell your parents to line up all together please.”

The kids who were all seated at the center all stood up and dashed towards us. All parents, were all standing in all corners of the hall. I am here standing beside Baekhyun doing nothing, saying nothing for the past two hours since the program started. Another thing, when Gaeul performed, he went nearer to the stage and started recording it so I was left there for the whole performance.

I’m actually still thankful he even remembered I was there and came back.

Gaeul runs towards our direction as the kids did too and she grabs my hand and Baekhyuns. All of us arrived near the center in a cut-off lines, pair by pair. Oh, man what am I gonna do. I look around and saw the married couples starting to grasp onto each other’s hand. I glance at Baekhyun and he only folded his arms as soon as we were positioned there.

“Appa, Unni, hold hands.” Hana tells while hopping excitedly. “Baby, the announcer didn’t tell us to hold hands.” Baekhyun mutters and gave a forced smile while shaking his head. “Parents? Please hold onto each other’s now~” The announcer tells and I gave Baekhyun a mocking smile as he rolled his eyes. “Heard that?” I brush our arms together and he yank himself away while hissing.

But then, with his head turned to a different direction, I suddenly felt my hand being grasped by his. I go blank for a while as I feel that familiar sensation against the skin of my palm.

I simply look down to our hands and his fingers were interlocked against mine tightly. I’m not very sure what this tightness means. It might mean, ‘I missed holding this hand.’ but it can also mean, ‘I am so mad I can’t wait to let go of this hand.’ to him. He was so difficult to read now.

But instead of caring about that, I held back as tightly making him unknowingly turn. I gaze straight into his cold-looking eyes while letting my thumb the back of his palm. That’s when he tries to pull away but I didn’t let go of his hand. We just did that eye-contact and it was obvious we’re fighting with our eyes alone. But I didn’t let myself falter into those intimidating look of his. I hear the announcer speak again which finally cut such tension between us and I turn straight ahead again.

Oh , we’re gonna do a game.

And hell yeah, of all games. . .

It’s a relay.

Oh, man. A relay's tiring—I stop from my further worries when I feel Baekhyun letting go of my hand. But instead of feeling sad about it, I was surprised to see him starting to pull the sleeves his button-down shirt up while listening to the announcer’s mechanics. I see Gaeul meters away from us holding a baton. The seats were already taken to make the place more spacious for games.

“Y-yah, you’re not going to do it with me right?” I ask. He merely turns to me and just scoffs. “As if I have a choice.” He groans and folds his arms again. “Hands.” I mumble and quickly as I said, he drops one hand again and grasp onto mine. I couldn’t hold onto it anymore and I smile like a teenager. I turn straight head to the announcer and pretended that I was listening.

But all I could feel right now was his hand, nothing else.

Until the announcer, again, said something unbelievable. “While our children does the first portion of the relay, dear parents, we’re gonna do the newspaper game. In front of you right now is a piece of newspaper that you’d be gradually folding while both of you are stepping onto it. We’d count one to three before you stop dancing around it and fit yourselves onto the paper once the music pauses. The couple who ends up with the smallest fold while still fitting onto it together will be able to skip the last portion of the relay and win automatically.” She speaks and this time, both Baekhyun and I had our eyes bulging out.

I thought we were included in the relay!

This is so unfair.

So the kids will only do the relay and come catch us in the end to lead us to the last portion of it and claim the prize.

These teachers are nuts to think of such idea.

I wanted to do the relay, yah!

“Reminder, the last portion of the game is pretty hard~” She adds and I heard Baekhyun groan loudly. “Don’t get mad right there, you’re the one who brought me here. I had a different schedule.” I mutter and he shoots another dagger glare to me. Instead of fighting back, I give him a smile. “You got more handsome.” I mumble and that made him totally turn away while hissing again. “Geez, I wanna kill you.” I hear him muffle but I just giggle in response.

I have nothing to lose now anyway. . .

I don’t even have him.

“Yah, don’t kill me. I’m doing a favor for you right. Boss?” I then answer back which made him turn with another scoff. “It’s good that you’re aware of our levels.” He tells coldly and looks straight head. To avoid that face of his, I just maintained my eyes down to our intertwined hands. This is the only beautiful thing about us at the moment, nothing else.

At least I was able to hold him even just for once.

Within a snap, the game started.

And ! Do you know how hard it was to breathe the whole time?

Every time the music stops, and the game master finishes counting one to three, our bodies meet and I always had to hold onto him