Chapter 4: The Jig Is Up
Shy Boy Secret SantaOn the way from Kikwang and Hyosung's neighborhood to the cafe, there was a park. You had to pass by it to get to the cafe, which Hyosung did that afternoon. The park was usually empty around this time, as it was winter, but Hyosung saw a familiar person attempting a backflip there.
"Ooh! Daebak!" She clapped as Kikwang landed perfectly on his feet.
"Oh, Hyosung-ssi! I didn't see you there!" Kikwang said. In fact, this was another one of his plans that tied in with his presents. "Nice shoes." Hyosung had worn the new shoes that she had gotten that day. "Where'd you get them? They look new."
"I got them-" Hyosung hesitated. She felt embarrassed telling him about the secret Santa. "As a Christmas gift."
"It's a little early, isn't it?" Kikwang asked, confused.
There's no harm in telling him... "Um, we're doing secret Santa in my class," Hyosung said as her eyes wandered.
"That's sounds fun!" Kikwang said. "Why didn't you tell me about it?" He paused, and when Hyosung didn't answered, he gasped with realization. "They didn't give you something embarrassing, did they? Like underwear?" He moved in closer to Hyosung then whispered. "Or something... illegal?"
"What? No, of course not!" She said, alarmed. "It's just..." she saw Kikwang nodding, waiting for her to continue. "The gifts were fine, nothing like that. But they..." she took a deep breath. "They each came with a note. The notes were all so sweet I couldn't help but think that the writer, my secret Santa, must know me really well, like, really know me. Knows exactly what to say to me. Silly, isn't it? I don't think anyone knows me that well." She walked over to a nearby bench and sat down. "There is another thing though..."
"What?" Kikwang sat down beside her on the bench.
"All the gifts and the notes, they-they remind me of you." She unknowingly leaned closer to Kikwang, staring him right in the eye.
Uh oh, she might be onto you! Change the subject! "Um, you said that the gifts came with notes, right?" Kikwang said as he discreetly slid away from Hyosung on the bench.
"Yeah." Hyosung straightened up in her seat, unaware that Kikwang moved away from her or that she was so close to him in the first place.
"What did the, uh, note say today?" Kikwang asked.
"It was kinda weird today. All the other notes I understood on their own. Everything I needed to know from the note was in the note," Hyosung said. "But this one was kind of vague. It was, 'You wanna d-d-d-d-dance, get your dancing shoes,' like the song."
"And you said the notes remind you of me?"
"Neh. It reminded me of when we went to karaoke and you sang that song."
"That's interesting," Kikwang said as he leaned back against the bench. "You know why I'm here?"
"Not really."
"Well, I was kinda dancing. You know, it's a hobby," Kikwang said. "But there's really not a lot of space in my house for me to do things like that without breaking things."
"So you came here?"
"Yep." Kikwang nodded. "Hey, wanna join me?" He asked as he stood up from the bench.
"I really shouldn't-"
"No, it's fine! I even brought my iPod speakers." He walked to where he set the speakers down and pressed play on his iPod. Hyosung and his cheeks both flushed when a slow, romantic song started playing. "I had it on shuffle," Kikwang said quickly before skipping to the next song.
Gotta get get. Gotta get-get.
"Boom Boom Pow" came on. Kikwang noticed that Hyosung was still sitting on the bench. "Come on, aren't you gonna dance?"
"Well..."
"Here, I'll start." Kikwang started moving to the beat, popping and krumping. "Go." He spun around then pointed to Hyosung. She slowly got up then hesitantly did a few dance moves.
"That all?" Kikwang asked, raising his eyebrows.
"Shut up, I haven't even started yet!" Hyosung defended. She responded back to Kikwang's dance with equally powerful moves. "Ha!" She pointed back to Kikwang as she stopped. He started dancing again, but this time he didn't stop for Hyosung to get a turn, but gradually danced closer to her as he tried to get her to dance with him. When she didn't respond right away, he started doing really dorky moves. "Oh, like you can do better," He said when he noticed her laughing at him.
"Actually, I can."
"So then show me."
Hyosung started dancing, and when she didn't stop for Kikwang, he started dancing with her. They started dancing in sync almost, but then Hyosung stepped in the wrong place, sending them both to the ground. "Oof." She rubbed her backside briefly before noticing Kikwang's blank facial expression. "Bwa-ha ha ha!"
"What? Why are you laughing?" Kikwang asked, turning to her on the ground.
"Nothing - just your face is - aha ha ha!" Hyosung continued laughing.
Kikwang didn't really understand why she was laughing, but seeing her gummy smile could make anyone smile.
"Hey," Hyosung said after she stopped laughing and caught her breath. "This was really fun, Saeho-ah."
"Yeah." Kikwang nodded then turn away from Hyosung. He tried to keep his smile from falling when heard the last part of what Hyosung said to him, but something started to break inside him. Yeah, I'm "Saeho," not Kikwang, to her. “It’s getting dark. We should both head home.”
“Omo!” Hyosung stood up. “Is it that late already?” The sun was starting to set and Kikwang’s iPod already played through several songs. “Yeah, we should go." Kikwang walked over to his iPod speakers and picked them up and turned it off. "It was nice seeing you." Kikwang lifted his head to meet Hyosung's eyes as she started to exit the park.
"Wait!" Kikwang reached out with one arm as he ran to catch up to Hyosung. "Let me walk you back."
"Oh, no. You don't have to," Hyosung said as Kikwang stopped in front of her.
"It's fine," said Kikwang. "Besides, I've already walked you home for the past... week?"
"Oh, yeah." Hyosung thought back to the previous days they met. She started to walk away, and when Kikwang didn't come with her, she said, "I thought you were walking me home?" She smirked.
"Oh, right!" Kikwang caught up with her again. "So... you never told me you were such a good dancer."
"You didn't tell me you were a good dancer either!" Hyosung said with a playful smile.
"Well, I do my best." Kikwang lifted up his chin in pride. "But really, how long have you been dancing?"
"Hmm." Hyosung put her finger on her chin. "Since I was little, I guess. I wasn't really involved in it until middle school."
"Oh, really?"
"Gina-unnie got me into the competitive and performing aspect of it."
"Who?" It was the first time Kikwang heard of this person.
"Oh, right. I forget you haven't been here long," Hyosung said as she kept walking. "She's an unnie of mine, a neighbor. We were really close growing up."
"Okay." Kikwang nodded.
"But she went to college overseas this year," Hyosung said. "So I haven't seen her in a while." She sighed. "I was hoping I'd get to see her during the break, but I don't think she can come since it takes a lot of money."
Kikwang nodded. "That . But you shouldn't think that way. After all, you're only assuming that she can't come."
"That's true," Hyosung said. "But I still don't think she will come." She looked down at her feet as she walked a little further. "Well, I guess this my stop," she said, halting in front of her house. "Nice seeing you, Saeho-ssi."
Right, you're Saeho. You're Saeho. "Yeah, see you, Hyosung." He waited until she was inside her house before heading to his house. He saw the lights of an airplane in the night sky. That's right... I don't have Monday's present yet.
~
"Ugh!" Sunhwa plopped down in the seat beside Hyosung. "I can't believe we have school on Monday before break. I'm ready to leave after today."
"Hey, at least there'll be more gifts," Hyosung said from her desk.
"Easy for you to say," said Sunhwa. "You get really good gifts, even if they're kinda sappy. Look!" She pointed at the black box on Hyosung's desk. "I'm pretty sure you got jewelry. Might be real gold or diamonds or something, too." At the back of the room, Kikwang blushed, overhearing their conversation.
"Oh, stop," Hyosung said to Sunhwa.
"Did you even open it yet?" Hyosung shook her head. "Why not?" Sunhwa asked.
"I'm not sure... "
"Then do it!" Sunhwa inched closer to Hyosung's desk. "Now!"
"Fine! Fine." Hyosung slowly took the black box and hesitantly opened it, for she knew it was a jewelry box. Seriously, I thought the gifts were supposed to be small. (She still liked the gifts anyways XD.) Before she saw the piece of jewelry in the box, though, a folded piece of paper fell out of the box and onto Hyosung's desk. Her attention was immediately diverted to the note.
" 'She who holds the key can unlock my heart,' " she read aloud. As soon as she finished reading, Sunhwa snatched the necklace from the box and attempted to bite it.
"Yep, that's real gold!" She exclaimed happily.
"Sunhwa!" Hyosung took the necklace back from her. It was a golden key on a golden chain. She held in front of her, inspecting it. "I'm not so sure I want to wear this anymore, Sunhwa." She turned her head and glared at her friend.
"Heh, sorry."
Hyosung kept looking at Sunhwa while she wiped off the key. She put reached behind her neck with the necklace and clasped it together. She looked down at the key hanging from her neck, then down at the note on her desk. The note's keep getting shorter... What does that mean?
~
That afternoon, Hyosung made her usual journey to the cafe. When she got there, however, Kikwang was nowhere to be found. She waited and waited, but he never cane. The patrons of the shop noticed that she was alone. Some whispered about this, wondering where her handsome companion was or if they had broken up. Hyosung smiled when she overheard some of the conversations. Did they really think we were a couple? She quickly finished her hot chocolate and left the shop. Yah, Jeon Hyosung, why are you being like this? It's not like he had to come or he promised to come. Ugh, I swear, it's like Wednesday all over again. She sighed. Well, what do you expect? He will pop out of nowhere?
"Boo."
"Argh!" Hyosung shrieked as stumbled backwards into someone's chest.
"Whoa there," Kikwang said as he caught her. "Sorry, I didn't mean to scare you."
"Really?" Hyosung said. "I thought you only used 'boo' when trying to scare someone." She pouted.
"Relax," said Kikwang. "I just noticed that you seemed kinda of gloomy. What's wrong? Did you miss me that much?" He looked surprised when she didn't answer. "Is that a yes?" He smiled slyly.
"Yah, Kang Saeho!" Hyosung narrowed her eyes at Kikwang.
"Well, I wouldn't blame you," Kikwang said, ignoring her outburst. "Who wouldn't miss being around my charming self?"
"Yah, playboy!" Hyosung lightly slapped his arm.
"Yah, Hyosung-ah!" Kikwang yelled back at her in the same tone, making her stop, tipping her head in confusion at why he yelled like that.
Keh, so cute... "That's how your were yelling at me," Kikwang said with a chuckle.
"Oh..." Hyosung nodded slowly, turning her head forward.
"Why were you leaving already?" Kikwang asked. "Weren't you going to wait for me?"
"I was..." Hyosung began to say as she turned towards to Kikwang. She stopped in the middle of her sentence when she saw Kikwang's t-shirt. It had a picture of a lock on it. She who holds the key can unlock my heart?
"Hello? Hyosung-ah!" Kikwang waved his hand in front of Hyosung's face. "You were what?" He asked.
"Oh, right!" Hyosung snapped out of her stupor. "I was going to wait for you, but I thought you were taking long, so I left."
"Really?" Kikwang raised an eyebrow. "That's all?" Hyosung nodded. "You're really impatient."
"Am not!" Hyosung gasped.
"I bet you only waited for 15 minutes," Kikwang said.
Hyosung thought back to when she was waiting. "Wait... Oh."
Kikwang chuckled. "I don't see why you thought I was taking so long, I usually come at that time."
"I don't know..." Hyosung said. "Maybe I was earlier than I usually am. Or maybe I was impatient to..." She hesitated to continue.
"Impatient to what?" Kikwang asked. "You need to remember to finish your sentences, Hyosung-ah."
"Okay, I'll tell you," Hyosung said. "Just don't laugh, okay, Saeho-ah?" She asked Kikwang with pleading eyes. She waited until he nodded in agreement before continuing. "Remember how I told you about the secret Santa gifts?" She asked while her new necklace.
"Yeah."
"The gift I got today..."
"Is that it?" Kikwang asked, pointing to Hyosung's necklace.
"Yeah." Hyosung came to a halt in front of her house and turned to face Kikwang-ah. "Notice how it's shaped like a key, Saeho-ah?" Kikwang nodded as he turned to her. "The note that came with it said, 'she who holds the key can unlock my heart. It's probably kinda stupid, and my necklace and your shirt are probably not connected, but I can't help but think that this means something. Maybe not for you, but it does for me. And it's telling me something." She turned away from Kikwang briefly before quickly spinning around to meet his eyes.
"What?" Kikwang asked, confused.
"Kang Saeho, I like yo-"
"Kikwang-ah?" A voice called from the front porch of one of the houses. "Is that you?"
Kikwang laughed nervously, hoping that Hyosung wouldn't notice his mother.
"Oh, it's Mrs. Lee. Annyeong-haseyo!" Hyosung waved to Kikwang's mom.
"Annyeong-haseyo, Hyosung-ssi," Mrs. Lee said from the porch. "I didn't know you were acquainted with my son."
"Oh, no, Mrs. Lee. This Saeho-"
"Well, it's nice to see you two getting along." She smiled and turned to Kikwang. "Kikwang-ah, we're having dinner soon. Don't be late!" She waved before going into the house. Kikwang nodded with a weak smile. After she closed the door, Hyosung turned to Kikwang.
"What was that all about?" She asked.
"Yeah..." Kikwang rubbed the back of his head sheepishly and laughed nervously. "Funny story..."
"What?" Hyosung tipped her head in confusion when an image of a boy with tidier hair and glasses flashed in her mind. "Wait..." She squinted at Kikwang. "Saeho." Kikwang didn't respond. "Or should I even call you that?" Her squint turned into a glare. She turned away to walk to her house, but Kikwang grabbed her shoulder.
"Hyosung-ah!"
She shrugged his hand off her shoulder. "Don't you 'Hyosung-ah,' me!" She turned to Kikwang, and he could see fierce tears in her eyes and cheeks. "You lied to me!"
"I didn't mean any harm-"
"Lying to me is harmful!" She took one last look at him and started backing up. "Goodbye, Sae... Kikwang-ssi." She turned around and ran the rest of the way home.
Kikwang stood frozen in place, watching her. "Argh!" He yelled in frustration. He started trudging to his house, not caring if Hyosung saw and confirmed her angry suspicions.
"So, how was it?" His mother asked him once he entered the house.
"How could you do that?" Kikwang answered her angrily with a question.
"Do what? Give you some alone time with a pretty girl?"
Kikwang closed his mouth, then quickly opened it. "What? No! That's not it!" He yelled heatedly. "You ruined it! She hates me now!"
"I didn't think I did anything that bad..."
Kikwang walked past his mother and took a seat on the stairs. He sighed. "No, you didn't. I'm just angry." He played with his fingers while avoiding his mother's eyes, ashamed. "I... I hurt her, mom. I-"
"You what?!" Mrs. Lee's tone immediately changed from a happy, giddy one to an irate one.
"I-"
"You know what? I don't even care what you did," Mrs. Lee. "It doesn't matter. But you will apologize to her. Now." She walked to the door, opened it and pointed out of it.
"What?" Kikwang jumped to a standing position.
"Aren't you sorry?" Mrs. Lee jabbed finger at the street.
"Yeah, but, mom, I don't think that's a good idea," Kikwang said. "I-I'm not ready and I don't Hyosung is either. I don't think sorry is enough."
"...Fine." Mrs. Lee closed the door. "But you will apologize to her as soon as possible."
"Ne, umma."
"Good. Now, let's have dinner. Your father's waiting."
Comments