3.

I would be lying if I said I wasn’t feeling the first slivers of apprehension as we wove through outstretched pine branches, thick foliage, and chunky roots that threatened to topple one of us any second now. Well, if anyone was guaranteed to fall flat on their face here, it was most likely me, because there were far too many times thus far to count how many spindly roots and long twigs on the forest floor snagged my heels and threatened to throw me off course.

‘Are we there yet?’

I asked for the third time, feeling my fingers slip from Hansol’s as he walked ahead of me looking like he’d been here several times before. He seemed to know the lay of the land – the flashlight on his phone sufficing as we meandered through the darkness – however I was certain this point was nothing more than my overactive imagination… or that Hansol really did know the route well because he’d been planning our anniversary surprise for a while.

I found a great deal of comfort in entertaining this thought. In fact, right beside the fuzzy feeling was also a pang of guilt for ever imagining he’d forgotten about the important day. But was I really to blame? He didn’t so as breathe a word about it over the past week or even suggested anything of the like, but I now realised it was all for a reason.

‘Hansol,’ I called out, having let go of his hand entirely at this point to consciously pluck out my right heel from the soft soil. ‘How far is this place?’

‘Don’t worry, it’s not long to go.’

‘Are you sure?’ successfully managing to free myself, I caught up to his waiting form and stuck close behind him. ‘Feels like we've been walking for ages.’

‘It’s just up this slope,’ he explained upon climbing again. ‘We’ll be there soon. I promise.’

By the time we made it up the supposed slope, the sounds of the forest were beginning to get to me. I couldn’t tell what was more unnerving. The fact that I could hear rustling from somewhere other than from the ground we stepped on, or that when I tried to pinpoint the source of it, all I was met with was pure darkness. The forest shots in movies always appeared so glamorous with the help of a bright moon, but now that I was in a similar situation, there was not a shred of light whatsoever apart from Hansol’s cell phone from ahead. But that too offered little reprieve. As excited as I was to uncover the surprise, disquiet was slowly beginning to mask that anticipation.

Hearing the loudest rustle on my left that I had since taking notice of them, I was about to bring it to Hansol’s attention before he stopped, and I almost went stumbling into his back.

‘We’re here.’

I didn’t know what to expect. Maybe something way over the top, like tall candles, a Persian rug, a basketful of picnic goodies, and a meticulously-wrapped gift to beckon me… but wherever ‘here’ was, it certainly was none of the above. The place was, in fact, not a spot of interest. We were still surrounded by darkness and the eerie sounds of the night, and with a prick of disappointment, my thoughts lurched in the opposite direction.

‘Nice joke, Hansol,’ I said, however my voice was anything but composed. ‘Now where’s the real surprise, hmm?’

‘This is it.’

I was too mind-boggled and unexpectedly hurt by whatever prank he was pulling off here. What was I supposed to expect? A helicopter swooping down any minute now that we were about to board, where we’d share flutes of champagne to commemorate the anniversary passed? Maybe fireworks going off a tad later than he scheduled for them to, and I’d soon be in complete awe of it all?

But minutes passed with the two of us standing completely still in the heart of the deep dark forest and there was no sign of such fantasies. The rustles I’d grown overly conscious of as we walked were now long forgotten, replaced by my own whirling, disbelieving thoughts. I opened my mouth, ready to unleash a barrage of them at him, however Hansol stopped me by turning around and reaching into his jacket.

And there it was. A white box, just like the one I had in my purse. And just as quickly as the betrayal came, it was now replaced by awe.

'Hansol...'

He smiled at me. Wide eyes narrowing and lips curving coyly as he opened it, revealing a thin silver necklace that winked under the light of his phone.

'It's beautiful.'

'Here,' he moved to stand behind me. 'Let me.'

I watched his fingers pinch either side of it before slithering it around my neck, and the coolness of the metal against my skin was oddly pleasant. He fidgeted with the clasp and that was when I realised it was as good as any a time to exchange it for the one I'd gotten him. I reached into my purse, felt it brush the tips of my fingers, but Hansol's voice near the shell of my ear made me pause mid-grab.

'Saerin,' he said in a tone I couldn