“Your smile… it looks like a heart.”  “Really? That’s what a lot of people tells me.”

“It’s.. pretty.”

Saturday- The 5th Day

“Someone… remind me… why I’m doing this… again?” You pant, the words spilling out in shaky chokes of syllables as you re-adjust the backpack on your shoulders, sticking your thumbs under the polyester belt to allow the heat that’s forming underneath some relief.

The well-trodden mountain path feels just a bit unreal under your feet and you think it may be the lack of oxygen supply to your brain at this ungodly hour or maybe you are still dreaming and your body is actually lying in the safety of your very soft and warm blanket.

Gosh, that very thought makes you want to weep.

“You said you wanted to get a little closer to heaven.”

Kyungsoo’s voice draws you back to reality.

“If heaven… is anything like that… I sure ain’t going…” You protest, digging your feet harder than necessary into the next step, the cool morning air responding to your movement, chilling your exposed ankles.

“The process isn’t much to go by, but we’re reaching the top soon. It’s only a half an hour walk.” Kyungsoo eggs on encouragingly.

“At 6:30… in the morning? This is not… how I visualize… a very… good… Saturday morning… to be like.” You whimper, still puffing like a dog.

Kyungsoo merely laughs.

“Achasan is a popular spot, any later and we’ll be jostling and marching in a straight line up with a bustling crowd which I’m sure you’ll very much want to avoid.” He reasons, “And what is a very good Saturday morning supposed to be like?”

“Not. mountain. climbing.” You punctuate each word and pause for a second to glare at him.

He just thinks your maddening expression looks absolutely adorable.

“Ok… But you are doing great. We’ll do something else that makes for a very good Saturday morning after we reach the top ok?” His eyes are kind and gentle and you’d like to think that sudden tension in your chest is just a reaction to your lack of exercise.

“Ok…”

Kyungsoo ceases walking as he thinks he detects a flush of pink coloring your cheeks. Is he over-working you? He knows you aren’t exactly prone to physical work, but he wants to try and engage you in at least some sort of body regulation, allow a healthy outlet for the pent-up stress. Maybe he should offer some help though.

With that thought in mind, he sticks out his hand.

“W-What?” You want to slap yourself for stammering.

“Come on, it’s just another few steps. We’ll do it together.” He smiles, the tenderness in his voice making you grow weak in the knees.

You hesitate for a second before taking his hand.

It is soft and warm, your hand feeling small in his. You just wish your palms aren’t sweating already.

Kyungsoo lightly tugs you along, feeling your grip tighten as the two of you negotiate a slope of boulders ahead.

His heart is pounding just a tad faster than usual and it’s confounding because he’s quite sure this breezy hike isn’t anything of a challenge to his otherwise pretty good physique. Has the time up there dull his fitness? 

It’s also rather hard to ignore the fact your hand feels so supple and delicate against his skin. The last time he held a girl’s hand was in middle school and that was for the mass dance. He still remembers her scowl because of his less than nimble dance moves.

This isn’t a dance, but the same weighty feeling is there.

He’s nervous and he doesn’t know why.

It doesn’t bide well because when he’s nervous he tends to screw things up and he doesn’t want to screw this up.

He’s only glad the peak is in view and that probably means the highlight is near.

“It’s just there.” He points.

He’s right. This is a really short walk. Twenty minutes? Thirty? And the course isn’t even that thrilling.

You find your steps quickening with new found energy and Kyungsoo follows your pace, his grip still snug and comforting. You climb the last few larger boulders with Kyungsoo helping with the balancing.

When the sight of misty Seoul sprawls before you with the lapping breeze tickling your face, you feel a kick of breath swelling up in your chest.

The upper stream of the Hangang River looks still and serene in the drowsy morning and the trees like fluffy mosses in the distance.

“It’s beautiful.” You sigh as you face Kyungsoo. “Almost heavenly.”

“I’d say.” He smiles, his plump lips curving up.

“Your smile… it looks like a heart.” You sign an under-arch with your finger.

“Really? That’s what a lot of people tells me.” He beams even wider.

“It’s.. pretty.”

He snickers as he faces down, scratching the side of his nose carelessly.

“I… take that as a compliment?” His eyes resting on yours again.

“It is.”

“Yours is pretty too.” He replies. Suddenly he looks all too smouldering to you. Your heart quickens.

You belatedly realize he’s still holding your hand.

Somewhere through the climb, his fingers had intertwined with yours and the closeness only amplifies now with the two of you standing still.

You don't dare to breathe out loud.

Kyungsoo sees you staring at your hand and fakes another invisible itch on his nose to let go.

That flitting in his heart is back and he swallows thickly, tongue drawing moisture across his lips that feels too dry.

You steer yourself to concentrate on the glorious view and tries to ignore the faint mix of dizzy relief and disappointment from the lost contact.

“A-Are you hungry?” Kyungsoo is quietly flustered with his spluttering.

You aren’t but that sounds like a good idea now.

________________________

Thank you to the new subscribers! And the current ones too! Here is Kyungsoo's heart shaped smile for you!!!