I sighed as I saw the boat approaching the shore of the river.

“That’s our boat. Come,”he spoke from behind on a low tone. “Let’s go, teacher Cho!”he walked towards the boat. But for some strange motive, I couldn’t move my feet and remained there, watching at the sparkling water of the river the town behind was just a silent, dark shadow. “What are you doing? Regretting already?”he mocked me from near the boat. “We should probably go back then, shouldn’t we?”

My fingers curled into balls. “I’m coming,”my voice echoed empty and emotionless as I walked towards him.

“Let me help you,”he offered his hand as I had already placed one foot on the boat’s bottom.

“No need. It’s not my first time on a…Ahhh!”I felt the boat moving under me. But a pair of strong arms caught me before hitting my head on the wood. “T-thank you,”I muttered as I held tight onto his hand while I moved forward in the boat and finally took place.

“What was that? I didn’t herd it well. Would you repeat, please?”

I threw him a look to see if he was serious or if he was mocking me once again. But his pale face was just the same as earlier:just like a block of ice. “I said…t-thank you!”I felt as if my burning cheeks were illuminating the way through the darkness, to the other side of the river.

“Your welcome.” Simple just like that! And he smiled…a real smile, the only smile I saw playing on his face.

♃~✵~♃

We walked up that mountain road for a couple of hours. I was tired. I could no longer feel my feet under me and every step I took sent daggers through my muscle.

“Is there really no village near this place?”I asked for the nth time.

“I told you, already haven’t I? We still have to walk for a couple of…Yah! Are you ok?”he sustained my body as my feet just refused to hold me. “Are you that tired?”

“I’m sorry I’m not that strong as you, mister Kim-oh-I’m-so-good-at-everything!”

“But you still have those smart replies! That’s good! Means you’re not drained of energy like I thought,”he smirked as he pulled his white backpack in front and put on knee on the ground. “Get on!”

“What?”

“Not lady-like at all,”I heard him whisper.

“Watch your mouth, mister!”I leaned forward to smack his head. “YAH! What do you think you’re doing?!”I hit his shoulders with my fist as he suddenly stood up, pullig my feet around his waist.

“Carrying you. What does it looks like from there?”

“No need for that, teacher Kim,”I tried to keep my body away from his so that he wouldn’t feel the heat that was coming through the clothes.

“Do you want to get there today or not?”he snapped back.

I frowned. Why is he always right? Why does he always have to win over me? I don’t get it. It beats me!

“Be careful not to fall asleep while you’re there,”he suddenly broke the silence as if he just remembered something. “I don’t want your saliva all over my clothes…”

“Very funny, what can I say more? Mature, Kim Jong Woon!”I smacked his head.

“Lean down because there are some branches lower than the others,”his voice became serious all of a sudden. “Say, don’t you think we should find some good lies for the villagers, just in case they ask who we are?”

I loked at my fingers that were holding onto his shoulders. “Maybe…”

“I know. From now on, we’ll forget all about the ‘teacher’ status we have. You’ll call me ‘Jong Woon’ and I’ll call you ‘Ae Ri’. This way we can pass as brother and sister. What do you think?”

I liked the way my name came out from his mouth, sounding so deep and full of meaning.

“And I’m afraid we’ll have to share rooms…”