“Can I be your boyfriend?” he said this straight and seemed relaxed but his heart is beating in double pedals, and he has been holding his breath for a while as he anticipates her answer.

Though he can’t be sure, he thinks that he saw her eyes widen in shock. The silence from her is killing him. But after a moment, she spoke. “Why?”

His back slumps and he let go of the breath he has been holding. “Do I really need to state the reasons for that?” he asked, looking helpless, his brows arched.

Finding her more stable voice, she said, “Well, yeah, you don’t just ask anyone to have you as her boyfriend and expect them not to ask for your reasons”, she said in a hushed tone, not wanting to wake the others up. Her heart is beating fast, she even can feel herself sweat though the night is cool. This is the first time a guy asked her to be his girlfriend, she’s clueless of what to do, or how to react. Demn.

“I-I guess your right”, he stutters. “Well, you’re nice. And kind. And cute”, he lists.

“That’s it? Because I’m nice and kind, and… cute?” she had a harder time saying his last description.

Seeing her disbelieving expression through the darkness, he hurriedly added, not wanting for the moment to slip, “Not just that. I can’t explain it but when I’m with you, I’m happy, and I love seeing you smile, but being the reason of that smile is the best, I wanna be the reason of your every smile, if not, be a great part of your joy and happiness. I enjoy your company, I love talking to you, I love the sound of your laughter, and how you looked at me. You’re fun to be with, and great to talk to. You listen, that’s why. You hear me when I speak, just like now”, he pauses for a bit, only noticing then that he has been talking fast.

She has been fighting with all her strength to smile, and so far, she’s succeeding, thanks to the darkness that’s hiding her now blushed cheeks, no, flushed face is the right term. Everything is a first, how does she react?

She’s still silent when he has recovered his needed air, he continues. “It’s a great thing that we share a lot in common; books, anime, manga, vampires, even cycling around town, you know, I’ve always wanted to do that with the girl I like, and I’ve already did”, he smiled at this. “I love to share my thoughts with you on things, and I am glad that you listen”, he paused.

“Noona… I love you, please give me an answer”, he said with kind eyes.

As he finished, she let out a great sigh. She hadn’t noticed that she has been holding her breath but her heart started to beat slower and hopefully, they’ll beat back to normalcy again.  She faces him. “Wow! These are all firsts for me”, she halts, he’s hanging from every word she utter.

“Okay, first, thank you for those great things you thought I am, and I also enjoyed the time we spent together, you’re fun and light to be with. You’re thoughts are as deep as your voice”, she chuckles, “and I really love hearing them, few are those who can deliver their thoughts well as you do, suggesting that you really are intelligent. You’re love for cats! That’s really adorable, you always turn into this mushy and gentle being whenever you’re with them, that scene is a sight to behold, I tell you, and I am glad to be granted permission to see that side of you”, she pauses, claiming air for her lungs.

“Your laughter is very infectious, I tell you”, she continues. “The way your eyes shrink into those tiny slits of black when you laugh is so cute. Last night, as we were walking home, I really felt safe when you put your arm around my shoulder, thank you for thinking of protecting me and making me feel safer. And when you debone that fish for me, it’s just so sweet, I loved the gesture”, she’s smiling at him now; her heart is beating in a stable rhythm.

He’s all ears as she talk, yes, everything she say makes him feel happy, but why hasn’t his breathing returning back to normal up till now? Oh, that’s right; he hasn’t heard her answer yet.

“So?” he managed to ask.

She gave him a confused look.

“I told you I love you, what’s your response to that?” he asked nervously.

She fumbles on her thumbs as she looks at it. She hums.

“Mahal kita. Ana Behibak.” His brows started to furrow, obviously not understanding the words she’s saying.

“Wo ai ni”, she continues. “Je t'aime. Gwa ai di. Ich liebe dich…Aieru”, as she say this, she’s already looking up at him; she knows that he knows what that means.

True to her thoughts, he’s now smiling broadly, again, that cute eye smile.

“I love you too”, she too is smiling silly at him.

With that, he covered the distance between them and pulled her into an embrace. He laughs. “Ahh, I am so happy right now. Thank you!”

“But…” her words cut his mood of celebration.

“Huh?” his forehead creased.

“There’s one thing I wanna clear out first.”

Confused, he asked; “What is it?”

“Don’t call me Noona”, she gingerly said.

“Deal, I don’t wanna call you that either, it just felt as though I’ve moved closer to you at that time, so I was happy, but, I don’t really wanna call my girlfriend noona”, he beams, happy to be calling her his girlfriend.

Girlfriend, huh. She giggles at the sound of it. She loves it.

“I have a question though,” Minsoo. He has released her from his embrace and is now holding her at arm’s length. “Why is it that you haven’t said my name? Even once?” he asked.

She blushed. Oh, thank you, darkness! “It’s ‘cause, I’m… shy”, she softly answered.

He chuckled. “Shy? What’s there to be shy about?”

“I don’t know”, she pouts.

“Kawaii”, he exclaimed. “There’s nothing to be shy about anything now, right? I’m already your boyfriend”, he’s beaming as he finish his sentence.

She gave him an equally shining smile.

Her heart beat is back to normal now as she relaxes, but when he speaks again, she almost went deaf from the drumming inside of her chest.

“Can I have your first kiss?” without waiting for her reply, he bends down and gently brush his lips to hers.

It was such a small gesture but it made her feel as though her body was electrocuted though in a pleasant way, could that be possible? His lips are soft and smooth against hers. He withdrew his lips shortly but kept their foreheads together. He softly laughs through the uncontainable happiness he feels inside. She smiles.

As he hugs her again, this time tighter, he said. “Aieru, Hyun Hae-ah!” he grins, those words rhyme greatly with each other.

She puts her arms around his body and rests her cheek onto his chest. “Nado Saranghae, Minsoo-ah”, she smiles. Ah, that felt so great to say.

He tightens his hold to her and tucks her head under his chin.

They stayed like that for a time. They enjoyed the serenity of the night, and the beaming smile the moon is giving them.

__________

END

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this chapter is difficult to write! gah! i don't know how to describe a kiss, demmit!

what do you think?