“S-Sehun—” Before I could finish my feet slipped off the edge. If he hadn’t leaped to grab me I would’ve slid down the barrier.

But I didn’t panic about that. All I could think was, Oh gosh, did he hear me? He didn’t, right? Oh gosh, he must’ve heard me, I was screaming, for crying out loud!

“You okay?” he asked as he helped me get back on my feet.

“W-W-What’re you doing here?” The words blubbered out from my mouth. I suddenly realized that he still had me tight in his arms.

He pulled away, his cheeks burning under the streetlights, then nudged at his bike.

“Uh, night-biking,” he told me.

“You ride your bike at night?” I couldn’t help but gawk.

He shrugged. “Ehh, it’s the bestest way to clear the mind.”

“I take it you’re not in your best mood?” I asked him.

He looked around the place. “Was,” he said, posting a surprising smile towards me. “You’re not in your best moods now, are ya?”

When he said it I wasn’t too shocked. It was obvious he heard me yell out at the river just now. Which totally made me rise to a higher level of freaky weirdness. But unlike other people, who would already turn their back on me, he stayed, smile on, eyes not leaving mine.

I shook my head. “Not really,” I admitted.

He pulled his bike over. “Would you like to take a ride on this unique tour?” he offered.

I laughed at the gentleman tone he was using.

“Complimentary of Oh Sehun,” he added with a businesslike grin.

“You know I don’t ride bikes,” I said.

“Oh, but this is a special bike! Guaranteed!”

I burst out in giggles.

“So,” I said. “How’s it going for you with the training?”

He seemed in deep thought.

“Great,” he said. It didn’t seem like he meant it.

“What’s wrong?” I asked him, cocking my head to the side to capture his expression.

“It’s just, um— Well,” he said. “There’re some…ups and downs. I mean, that’s to be expected, right?”

I nodded. “Right.”

I heard him sigh. “Just some complications. It’s nothing, really.”

“Well, it seems like something.” I waited for him to continue.

He looked up, a tiny grin on his face, then replaced it with a bitter half-smile.

“Me, Luhan, and the guys are just…” He paused. “It’s just a little tiring,” he said at last. “The dance. The choreography. We’re just a little worn-out.”

“Oh, come on. Can’t be that hard,” I said. But honestly, it was a lie. Dancing was hard. I couldn’t even memorize the steps to Gee or even Run Devil Run!

He smiled at me, more genuine this time.

“Anyways,” he said. “I just thought bike-riding would do good. Get some air, you know.”

I agreed.

“Come on,” he said. “Hop on.”

“Err, no. I’m just going back to my apartment. It’s not that far.” Suddenly I remembered something. “Oh, but first I gotta go stop by the dorms.” I’d just realized that before Yoona starts complaining on my lesser visits, I should stop by at least for a minute.

“Good, I’ll give you a ride.”

“N-No, really, it’s fine,” I said, but he kept on insisting.

“Don’t worry. I promise you won’t fall. Okay?”

Just as I was about to decline again, I paused. The glint in his eye seemed real. The promise was real. Maybe it’s just me, but hearing it made me hesitate and think again.

He held out his hand to me. “So?”

“…Okay.”

As soon as I took his hand he swiftly scooped me up, placing me just behind him, and within a second the wind started blowing through my hair.

“N-Not too fast!” I said, and he laughed at the frightful worry in my tone. We rode down the road, my hands wrapped tightly around the edges of the seat. A bump made my heart jolt, and I robotically pulled myself over to his back, releasing my grip on the seat and capturing both his shoulders instead.

As we exited the road and entered the small streets the lights blinded me, and at the same made me feel enlightened. The breeze blew away my worries, and the lights shone away the troubles. In every moment of pain and gloom, I realized that there was one light that would always stay with me throughout the way, and in the end shining brightly as I entered a new, beautiful scene and forgetting the old one.

But the old one returned as soon as Sehun broke out and asked, “So what really happened?”

I froze right there as we passed the brightly-lit stores.

“Uh, puberty phase?” I answered bluntly.

He laughed, getting what I meant. “What’s wrong?” he asked.

“Oh, the usual part,” I said. He understood that I meant the typical phase of a first love and first heartbreak. He could tell even if I hadn’t told him.

Starting from there I wondered if I could even feel again, or if I even wanted to.

Sooner than I’d expected, we were parked right in front of the girls’ condo.

I got down. “Thanks for the ride.”

I brushed my jeans a bit and then made my way—till he stopped me.

“Hey, Rika,” he said. I turned around, then my eyes widened. He was suddenly burning pink, from his cheeks to his ears.

“Yes?”

He rubbed his neck, gaze on the ground, the other hand clutching his bike’s handle tightly.

I waited. He still hasn’t said a word.

“Do you think it’s not too much—” He hesitated. “Can you— I mean, if you want, are you— are you free this Sunday?”

Suddenly I felt anxious. “Um, I guess?”

He bowed his head down and spoke speedily. “Because SM will be holding a good luck party for me and my group mates and I was wondering if you’d want to come.”

I tried to grab hold of his fast words.

“Go…to the party?”

“Everyone will be there,” he said, raising his head nervously. “Your sisters are invited, too. So, uh, that’s— what I was wondering— if you’d want to go?”

“Go…” I trailed off. “But, isn’t it a closed party?”

“Not if you come as my date,” he bl