Two weeks later.

The phone woke me up. Growling, I answered.

“Hello?”

“Aria-Li? Did I wake you up?”

This voice. I smiled, forgetting my frustration.

“Ryeowook! Yeah, but it’s okay, I don’t mind.”

“Oh, sorry anyways. Sorry that I’m calling so early, I forgot to call you yesterday when I came back from work. I’m not working today, do you want to go somewhere?”

I smiled more.

“I’d love to.”

We met two hours later in front of the building. I took a quick look at myself and nodded, satisfied. I was wearing a light skirt with a white, neat top. My hair was untied but I had put white roses in it. I raised a brow when I noticed he was planning to drive me again.

“What a gentleman.”

“Anything for the Lady.”

This time, we just went to walk around in Old Montreal, doing nothing much but talking and learning to know more about each other. We walked and talked for a while, laughing together, smiling together, being happy together, until we took a break and stopped near the water. I leaned against the little barrier that kept people from falling into it, wind blowing through my hair and making my skirt fly softly around me. I smiled sadly when I remembered that he was learning to know the girl me and not the real me. His hand softly landed on my shoulder and I looked at him. I noticed how caring his eyes were and it only made me feel sadder.

“Nothing’s wrong,” I said before he could ask me what was wrong. “It’s just me being randomly moody.”

“May I ask why?”

His voice was so calm, so beautiful. I chuckled.

“You may, but I’ll answer that the reasons are personal.”

He nodded softly. “And I will understand. These reasons can only be told to the people we trust the most.”

I bit my lip. “I’m sorry that I…”

“Which is why I will do my very best to be someone trustworthy for Miina, so I can help her when she needs someone to talk to.”

I stayed silent for a while, raising a brow. I knew he was being completely serious. I sighed.

“I’m sorry. These reasons can’t be told to anyone. Not even trustworthy people.”

He pouted. “I will still try.”

I ended up smiling, laughing softly. “Persistent, huh?”

“Yes, and I am pretty sure you don’t mind it.”

I looked at him in the eyes, smiling in the gentlest way I could. “I don’t.”

He smiled too and the tip of his fingers brushed against the skin of my cheek before sliding slowly under my ear, his hand cupping my jaw. I shivered. His touch was so tender. I slowly closed my eyes, unconsciously, and I stopped breathing when I felt his lips touching mine in a very soft kiss. When he slowly moved back, I was blushing like crazy and he smiled.

“You’re so beautiful. And so cute. And so lovely. And so nice. How come haven’t I met you before…?” he whispered.

I looked away sadly.

“Because I wasn’t like this…” I sighed, too low for him to hear me.

He looked at me with caring eyes. “Hey… are you okay? Sorry if I shouldn’t have done this, I…”

“It’s okay… it’s okay…”

“That’s not what your eyes are telling me. Maybe it was too soon for a kiss…?”

I looked at him, shaking my head.

“No! No, I… I enjoyed the kiss… but…”

I bit my lip. “You don’t know who I really am…”

“Will you let me know, then?”

“I can’t. I’m sorry.”

I looked away again. “You shouldn’t be with me. I’m a very bad person. This is why I’m being punished. I did something horrible.”

I mentally frowned. Wait. Something horrible? I did this because that dared follow me home. It was not that horrible. But…

I looked at my body. My girl body. I was just like them now. Just like those creatures I hated so much. I was one of them. I could get beaten up. I could get . I couldn’t hit as strongly as before. I was weak, vulnerable. And my heart would beat so fast whenever I saw Ryeowook, or hear his voice. I felt like I could go anywhere for him, with him. Was that what this girl had felt for me? Was that what had made her follow me home? How did she feel when I had her?

I sighed and closed my eyes softly. I had almost forgotten about Ryeowook being right next to me, until his gentle voice made me get out of my thoughts.

“Miina… I’m sure you’re not that bad of a person. Everyone makes mistakes. Maybe yours was just more serious. But you’ll have a way to make up for it, I’m sure of it. Everyone can make up for the mistakes they do. You just have to catch that moment when life gives you that chance.”

I chuckled, opening my eyes again.

“Maybe. But I’m still a horrible person. You deserve much better than me…”

I started to walk away from him, but he caught my hand softly.

“But I don’t want anyone else. I don’t want anyone better. I want you. Only you, Miina.”

I didn’t look at him. “What if… I don’t want you?”

“I’ll make you want me.”

I laughed.

“What if I’m some kind of monster being punished because of my actions?”

“I’ll forgive you and I’ll wait until you trust me enough to tell me what you did, so I can forgive you again.”

“What if… what if I’m someone else? I mean… what if… all of this… my name, my identity, my appearance, what if all of this is fake?”

“I’ll wait until you trust me enough to show me who you really are.”

His grip on my hand became tighter and he approached me, hugging me from behind, hiding his face in my hair.

“I want you, only you… I really need you… we don’t really know each other, but since that very first day, I keep thinking about you. I just can’t get my mind off you…”

“Stop seeing me then. Stop seeing me and forget about me.”

He clenched his teeth and hugged me a bit tighter. I started freaking out. I didn’t know what he would do now that I was rejecting him.

“Then… how long do you want me to not see you?”

“Huh?”

“I won’t forget about you, I’m sure of it. But if you need me to prove it… then, how long do you want me to wait?”

“One year. At least.”

I hadn’t really thought before saying this and I bit my lip once I had said it not to take it back. He sighed.

“One year. Okay, one year. We won’t see each other for one year. I won’t call you either. After one year, I’ll call you and we’ll see each other again.”

“If you haven’t forgotten about me.”

“I won’t forget about you. I will never forget about you.”