When we got into the car, you asked for my camera so that we can take a picture together. As we positioned the camera, I felt your lips on my cheek and I smiled before taking a shot of it. You giggled to yourself as you looked at the camera and became all serious as you started the engine of my car. Just as you were about to reverse to get out of the parking lot, you stepped on the brake all of a sudden.

“I forgot about your present!”you clapped your hands together and turned towards the backseat to get a paper bag.

“And when did you put this bag in my car?”I was really amazed.

“You don’t need to know that. Here, happy birthday, my prince!”you smiled and passed the paper bag to me.

I looked at the paper bag and saw that it was from a branded shop. I opened it to find a black leather backpack which could easily cost a bomb.

“I thought it suits you a lot. I got a white one for myself. We have a couple bag now,”you grinned.

“Thank you, babe. But next time, don’t buy anything for me, alright. You’ve already done so much,”I smiled.

“NO! I like to pamper my boy as well,”you protested.

“Okay, okay! You win, alright!”I chuckled.

“Keep the bag. We’re going off now,”you pinched my cheek.

Without letting me know where we were headed to, you drove across the highway without a word. The roads were becoming familiar and I recognized them as the roads I drove by frequently to get home to visit my parents. I was wondering if you were bringing me back home to meet up with both of our parents. But I pushed the idea away when I remembered that you said the celebration was only going to be between the two of us. Moreover, instead of making a right turn at a particular exit to get home, you continued driving straight ahead, choosing to exit a few minutes later. After driving across some estates and buildings, I had a vague idea of where we were heading to and when you pulled up right in front of the gates, I smiled. It was where we first met. Our college. The security guard gave you a smile and opened the gates for you. You drove into the school compound, towards the field and parked.

“Do you know why we’re here?”you turned to ask me.

“This is where we first met,”I smiled.

“Look in front of you. What do you see?”you asked, turning to face the front.

“The school field?”I answered, not knowing where it was heading to.

“Do you remember the sports meet during our graduating year?”you asked with a sweet smile.

“Of course, you were injured after the relay race,”I chuckled.

“And that was when I first fell in love with you,”you looked into my eyes simply.

My smile disappeared as I got lost in your eyes.

“After so many years of being together, I felt that I should let you know when I fell for you. After all, you told me about the time you fell for me when we first got together unofficially and I felt rather unfair that I was keeping my side of the story to myself,”you explained.

“Gosh, Haemin…,”I was at a loss for words.

“Come on,”you smiled as you got out of the car.

You went to the boot and got out a basket whereas my eyes widened at the sight of it.

“How did you put that into MY car without me knowing?!”I was surprised.

“The thing about you is that you’re too blur sometimes. Ryeowook stole your keys during the surprise party and passed it to me,”you winked.

“Wow, I’m amazed at your planning skills,”I nodded my head as you held onto my hand.

“More like my acting skills. Ryeowook told me you cried. Is that true?”you asked softly.

“Y..eah,”I admitted with an abashed grin.

“Sorry for lying to you. And thank you so much for tearing for me. It means a lot to me,”you stopped walking to hug me.

Although we did hug and do all sorts of couple things a lot of times, times where you initiated these actions were rare to come by. And whenever you did it, it would make me have butterflies in my stomach. I felt like as if I went up to heaven, giddy with happiness. And those moments were so precious and I treasured them deeply.

“Thank you, Eunhyuk,”you smiled before we continued walking.

We settled down at the spectator stands and you placed the basket beside you. Taking things out, you arranged it neatly in between us. There were bottles of strawberry and chocolate milk and your famous kimbaps.

“Where’s the usual alcohol?”I teased.

“Keeping the party clean. Hasn’t that always been your wish?”you looked up with a twinkle in your eye.

I felt like I was having spasms in my heart and I reached out to pinch your cheeks. It was a huge sacrifice on your part to forgo alcohol on a party and doing it for me made me feel even more special.

“My baby girl,”I surveyed your face intently.

“Cheers!”you held out a strawberry milk bottle with a straw poked in.

We clinked our bottles together and drank it silently while looking at the empty field ahead of us. With the night sky as the background, the strong lights helped to brighten the field so that we could see it clearly. I sat quietly, just enjoying the peaceful and calm atmosphere. But you opened your mouth to speak.

“Ready to hear my side of the story?”you turned to look while asking.

“Go ahead,”I nodded.

You reached out to stuff a piece of kimbap in your mouth and swallowed it before talking. You remembered how Donghae, you and I were stretching to get ready for the races that we were participating in. As Donghae and I were in a different class from you, we hardly got to talk throughout the sports meet. Donghae was chosen to run for the 100m race while I was in the 100m hurdles. The both of us cleared the races without any problems with Donghae coming in second whereas I clinched the top position.

As you continued talking, the memory came back into my mind and it was as if I was watching the whole scene happening right in front of me. After our races, Donghae and I had met up to go to your starting point to wish you good luck for your race. It was a 100m x 4 relay race and you were the second runner. Instead of going back to the stands to watch, Donghae and I insisted on standing at the field to watch. The view was better since we were so up close. Moreover, we weren’t that interested in the other runners. We just wanted to be there to support you when you ran. The gun sounded and the first runners started running. I remembered it happening so quickly and all the runners had passed the baton on.

“HAEMIN! HAEMIN!” was what we cheered although we were supposed to be cheering for our own class. My fists were clenched so tightly, nervous about whether you would be able to pass on the baton before any of your fellow racers. But my hopes were dashed as I watched you lose your footing and stopped running totally, with one knee on the ground as you held on tightly onto your ankle. During that moment, I couldn’t hear any of the cheers from the spectators, I only knew I had to get to you and I ran as fast I could, ignoring all the tiredness I felt after the hurdles race.

“Haemin, are you okay?”I asked when I reached your side.

“I sprained my ankle,”you answered while gritting your teeth with tears threatening to fall.

Without any word, I put one of your arms round my shoulder and carried you bridal style off the racing track and towards the medic. And of course, your class was disqualified from the race but that didn’t matter to any one of your classmates. They had all rushed towards the medic to see how you were doing. It really broke my heart to see you tearing because of the pain and I had looked away to prevent my tears from falling.

“When I looked into your eyes at the racing track, I saw how worried you were for me. And I saw how hard you tried not to cry at the medic. That day was when I fell for you,”you reached out to hold my hand, bringing me back to reality.

I had only smiled my gummy smile, not knowing what to say.

“Eunhyuk,”you called out to me.

I looked up to see how watery your eyes were.

“Why are you crying?”I pushed the kimbaps in the lunchbox away and scooted near you to hold you tight.

“I just want to say thank you so much for being so patient with me and for my lack of response. No words can ever express how thankful I am for you and how much I love you. Although I don’t always show it, please know that I really do have you in my heart..,”but I cut you off once again with a kiss.

“Chill, babe. I know how you are and I love you for being like that,”I smiled.

“Why are you always cutting me off, idiot?”you didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

“Okay, okay. Carry on,”I laughed.

“You ruined the moment. I forgot what I was going to say,”you laughed a little.

All I could do was laugh.

“Oh right,”you sat up straighter.

I stopped laughing to look at you seriously.

“I’m sorry that we’re not doing anything special. But I just really wanted you to know about this and how much your concern for me back then meant to me,”you smiled.

“No, this is really special for me, princess. Thank you,”I ruffled your hair and you grinned.

“Don’t I deserve a second kiss for this?”you asked cheekily.

“No,”I rolled my eyes.

“YAH!”you whacked me.

“This is revenge for what you ALWAYS do to me when I ask you for one,”I replied.

“You are evil, you know that?”you tilted your head a little.

“Do you really want it?”I teased.

“Yes,”you nodded your head.

And since it was the first time you ever demanded for a kiss, I decided to play hard to get.

“Do an aegyo for me then,”I smiled, knowing that I was winning the battle.

“You know I don’t do aegyo!”you protested.

“Then you won’t get your kiss,”I smiled triumphantly.

“Oh, Lee Hyukjae. You’re really evil,”you whacked me again.

“You just don’t want it bad enough,”I grinned.

In the end, you admitted defeat and did the aegyo that I rarely ever saw coming from you. And of course, you got your reward.

End of Chapter

DarkAngel