“I swear, sometimes you’re like a sadist that loves to torture people,” I said as I sat down beside the flowerbed. I handed Kris a can of soda and opened my own. The coldness sent shivers running through my fingers.

He chuckled as he played with his can. “Oh, I don't like torturing people.” Leaning over, his lips brushed my ear as I was taking a small sip of my drink. “I just love torturing you.”

Soda bubbled in my throat, and I almost choked. He didn’t bother to even laugh, and finally cracked his own can and took a sip. Sweat trickled down the side of my face and I instantly brought my arm up and wiped it away.

“I’m never playing basketball with you again,” I said.

He chuckled. “Why not?” he asked, but with a tone that seemed he knew already.

“You’re like a demon, you know that?”

He continued to laugh, and we sat there just like that for the next few minutes, just sitting in the silence while staring into nothing. I decided to look up and search for the stars.

“Second to the right, and straight on till morning,” Kris suddenly said, and then he turned to me with a smile. I couldn’t help scoffing a little, and I leaned back and was silent again.

“Kris?” I turned to him. He was taking another sip.

“Mhmm?”

“Do you really love Sica?”

The can paused at the edge of his lips.

“I just want to make sure you don’t do anything stupid to make my sister hammer you in the head while I'm gone,” I said, which made him laugh.

He put the can down. “Are you worried about me?”

“I'm worried that she might accidentally murder you for your stupidity.”

He laughed again, which suddenly sent shivers through me. It was probably the night’s air, and I could only blame myself for forgetting my jacket. I kept thinking I was in sunny California.

“Well,” I said, sitting straight, “after I'm gone you're on your own, buddy.”

He suddenly stopped laughing, the broad grin frozen for a second.

“Erika,” he said after the silence passed. It was the first time ever he’s ever said my name in a serious manner. Somehow, I felt a little anxious to what he was going to say next. But then he turned away from me, cutting off right there.

“What?” I said.

“Nothing,” he replied. “Nothing.”

“Are you okay?” I found myself leaning closer.

I watched as he took a sip of his drink again. He made the expression as if he were drinking beer and drowning his worries away. He put the can down, stared at the ground beneath his feet, and sighed.

“What?” I asked. “What is it?”

“I’m asking this because I trust you,” he said.

I gulped. I knew there was something serious with that tone.

“W-What is it?” I asked him.

“What do you think of me, really?”

“Why— Why do you ask?” I cursed myself for stuttering all of a sudden. But it wasn’t my fault. He wasn’t supposed to be asking me such questions!

“Speak truthfully,” he ordered, but softly.

“Well.” I didn’t dare to face him, so I looked at the ground and played with my fingers. “Well,” I said again, warmth suddenly rushing up my body. I continued to play with my fingers, trying to find the perfect words to use. “I think— I-I— I think—”

I jolted when he suddenly grasped my hand, folding his over mine, stopping me from twitching completely. It finally made me realize how small my fists were compared to his. They completely hid mine form sight.

“Be honest,” he said.

“Well— Y-You’re— a p-pretty good basketball player,” I told him, which was the truth. But it made me bite my tongue at how stupid the answer was. Clearly that wasn’t what he wanted to hear.

He chuckled softly, put my hands aside, and sighed.

“But being a good at basketball won’t exactly gain the public’s interest, will it?” he said. He cupped his face within his large hands and I thought I heard him whimper. “I just don’t know what’ll happen. What will people think of me, right after I ‘come out’?”

I caught on quickly.

“Hey,” I said, “they’re going to love you.”

He murmured words that couldn’t be identified, and I knew that he was mumbling something presumably in Chinese.

“I’m not lying,” I said between chuckles. “They will. Why, are you worried?”

He pulled his head down, whispering, “I’m terrified.”

I brought my hand up, and realized that I was actually patting his head. What was I doing? He wasn’t a pet!

“To become an idol,” he said, finally looking up, “is a big task. To gain their love. Am I even ready for something like that?”

“Yes, you are.”

“How am I even going to make them love me?”

I rolled my eyes. “With your mad dancing skills, duh. Heck, think of it as a miracle that you even managed to get on my good side. Mind you, I’m not easy.”

He laughed a little.

“Don’t worry,” I said, and I brought his face up, cupping it in-between my small hands like the way how I’d always do to Dragon. “They’ll love you.”

“Right.”

“Hey, it’s not hard to fall in love with a handsome, tall giant that’s good at basketball and whacking people in the nose with doors.”

If I wasn’t too blind, I thought I almost saw his cheeks turn slightly pink. Now that was a rare sight.

“Huh,” he said. “So that’s what you think of me. You think I’m really that handsome?”

“Don’t push it.”

I let go of his face, picking up my can. I shivered a little at the coldness, and just as I was going to take a sip, Kris wrapped one arm over my shoulder, choking me and pulling me into his tight embrace. I almost fell off the flowerbed, and some of the soda spilled onto the ground.

I felt my heart sink, then rise. “Y-Yah—”

“Come on,” he ushered.

“W-What—”

“Say that I’m the coolest guy in the entire world and I’ll let you go—no, the coolest and most good looking.”

“What are you, loonie? And blegh, you’re too sweaty!”

He was laughing ever more at my reaction. Bet that was what he was aiming for, and being stupid I let him have all the fun and amusement he could get. Darn it.

“Say it,” he ordered.

“Let me go, you giant!”

“Sticks and stones may break my bones, but names will never hurt me