It was the week before we went on Christmas break that swimming try-outs started. Thank God I had began to train in these weeks leading up to today because when I got out of the water after the first day, I could feel my muscles cramp up and my lungs hunger for air. Right when I walked out of the sports center, I felt the frozen but moist air blow through my hair, instantly freezing it. I wonder when it's going to start snowing...

I sprinted back to my dorm so that I wouldn't get sick even though I was wrapped up in layer of clothing. When I reached the porch, I saw Taecyeon sitting on one of the benches on the porch. 

When he saw me, he instantly got up. "Hey, there you are."

"Hey, what's up?" He sounded so urgent. I wondered if something was wrong.

"I want to show you something," he said in his deep baritone voice. He grabbed my hand, but instead of dragging me behind him like he always did, he waited for me to drop my things off on the porch first before he wrapped his arms around me from behind, giving me a back-hug. I loved it when he did this. He rested his chin on my shoulder and I leaned my head on his neck.

"Ready?" He asked.

"Mmhmm." I smiled, but he couldn't see.

He pulled my arm through his looped arm so we were linking arms. As we walked, I asked him how basketball try-outs were going, and he told me that they were tough, but he was positive that this year he'd not only make the Varsity team, but also be a starting player. He asked me about swimming, and I told him that my body would be paralyzed the next morning due to the difficulty of the work-outs that our coaches give us. Then, when I told him that I couldn't feel my fingers because of the coldness, he took off his gloves and slipped them on my hands even though I insisted that he kept at least one.

"It doesn't matter, we're almost there anyways," he replied coolly.

He asked me to close my eyes and trust him to lead me to the final place. I obliged, though I wasn't sure if I was going to trip on a rock or something. 

"You're not peeking, right?" he asked cutely

I shook my head, and he chuckled. He continued to lead me. When your eyes are closed, do you realize that all your other senses grow sharper? In that short moment that Taecyeon led me to our final destination, I could hear his deep breaths clearly; his touch became more sensitive, and the familiar smell of his cologne grew stronger. Finally, we stopped. 

"Ready?" 

I nodded.

"Open your eyes."

When I did, I saw that he had led me to the pond/lake next to our school. The silvery moon reflected off the surface of the water and gave the environment a romantic feel. I looked up at the stars and they twinkled happily. My heart fluttered. 

"So?" He asked, waiting for my reaction.

"It's beautiful." I smiled at him.

"There's supposed to be a meteor shower tonight, and there isn't supposed to be another one for another ten years or so.... umm.. I knew that you wouldn't get dinner until after swim practice, which is like now, so I brought you something."

He took off his backpack and rummaged through it. First he pulled out a little picnic blanket, which he set down on the bank of the pond. He sat down and patted the picnic blanket space next to him to get me to sit down. When I did, he rummaged through his backpack some more and pulled out a Peanut Butter and Jelly sandwich and a canteen filled with chicken noodle soup.

"I also brought some tea, if you'd like some. It's so cold tonight, I thought--"

"Taecyeon, why are you suddenly being so nice? We haven't bickered in a while, now," I cut him off.

"Because..." he paused, "because I have the duty to act like an older brother to you, to be your oppa. Oppas aren't supposed to be mean do their dongsaengs. They're supposed to treat them like little princesses."

"Pfft." I sneered silently. I was hoping that he'd confess his love for me in this moment and tell me how big of an idiot he feels for not doing it any earlier. I took a sip of the chicken noodle soup. "Did you make this?" I asked.

"Yeah.. Does it taste okay?" He looked worried.

"No. It tastes terrible." I said sternly.

"Really? Oh God. Jay said it tasted fine." 

I laughed. "I'm just kidding, silly."

He ruffled my bangs, then it started. The stars looked as if they were falling into the pond, silently crashing into the calm surface of the water. I continued to drink the soup that he made. It was actually quite good; maybe I should get him to cook for me more often.

"Did you eat?" I whispered to him as the meteor shower continued.

"Hmm?" He hummed, dazed by the shooting stars.

"Do you want some soup?"

"Oh. It's okay. I packed one for myself too. I'm just not hungry right now."

I nodded as I finished the rest of my soup. I then started to wolf down the PB&J that he packed me as the stars fell like fading fireworks. There are no words that can truly describe how hungry I get after swimming. I must've looked starved too because right as I finished eating my sandwich, I realized that Taecyeon was staring at me, giving me a fake judgemental look. I put the saran wrap back in his backpack, hoping he wouldn't notice that I was being such a bum. What? I didn't want to litter!

When the meteor shower stopped I checked my watch. It was 7:00 PM. I would be late for study hall if we didn't leave soon.

"Taec," I said cutely as I poked his shoulder. "I know you upperclassmen don't do study hall... but I do... and it's seven."

"Oh? I didn't even realize we've been out for that long." He checked his own watch. "We should probably get going."

I nodded as I helped him pack everything up. As we turned away from the water, he held my hand to lead me out of the woods that surrounded the pond. His hand was so warm, and it wasn't sweaty like some other guys'. When we reached familiar grounds, he let go of my hand but still walked really closely.

"Sorry, if I wasted your time, Tiff. I know you have homework to do," he looked so apologetic.

"Taec, don't say that. You just made my day so much better. Look! I almost forgot about how sore my body feels!"

He laughed. "I'm glad you enjoyed it."

I smiled at him, trying to eye-smile even cuter than I usually did. "Just as long as you enjoyed yourself too."

"I did," he replied with a warm tone to his voice. He pulled me in for a hug. "I just wish that it'd snow already!"

"Me too." I pouted.

"I think it's supposed to snow the night after tomorrow." 

"The night of the Christmas dinner?" I asked.

Oh! I forgot to tell you. Christmas dinner is this big tradition at my school where everyone dresses up really nicely and the entire boarding community has dinner in a really nice environment. Some brother-sister dorms do an thing where everyone is paired up with someone in their respective sibling dorm. I don't think Taecyeon's and my dorms do it though. Phooey. Then! After dinner, the girls are supposed to rush back to our dorms and wait on the porches for the boy's dorms to come around to carol to us. Every boy's dorm always has a special thing that they do at the end of their songs. I know that the hot dorm takes off their shirts in the freezing cold to ab-flash us all, and another gets their freshmen to hand out roses to the senior girls; the remaining dorm that isn't Taecyeon's dorm chooses one lucky girl that they write a particular song for. And the last dorm to carol to us is always going to be our brother dorm. They always surprise us with something new every year. I wonder what they'll do this year.

"Yep! Maybe it'll start snowing when those stupid jocks take off their shirts," Taecyeon said.

"Oh shush. Don't be so mean."

"What? Their student dorm head is such a jerk. He's always trying to show off in basketball. It's annoying, you know." 

"I know. I look forward to your carols and the special surprise." I grinned at him.

"You should be. It's going to be great this year. Anyways, you should get in your dorm and start doing your homework before your dorm parents figure out that you're missing."

I laughed. "I'm such a ninja, they never catch that I'm missing from study hall. Plus, it hasn't even started yet!"

"It's starting in a few minutes. Get your inside, I don't want you getting into trouble." He pointed at the door.

I crinkled my nose. "Fine. See you later then, I guess."

"Goodnight, Tiff," he replied in his naturally deep voice. 

He waited for me to get in the dorm before he walked away. He's such a gentleman. I can't wait until the they carol to us. It's going to be so much fun! Plus, I'm extremely curious as to what their surprise is going to be. I guess I'll just have to wait a couple of days....

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Hehehe. Another Chapter! 

Thanks for all your supportive comments, guys! I hope that you'll continue commenting because I truly love to read your comments.

Love you all!
yellowbee