“I don’t want you to die.” I heard her say. I believe her and yet every inch of my body couldn’t. Her eyes were a glowing, fiery red, and so were a few more behind her. They were mocking her, threatening.

My heart thumped as hard as it might, as if it was trying to run away from these predatory eyes surrounding me, despite how weak my body has become. With each breath I take it had become more laborious, and with each minute or second passing, I can sense every part of my body growing numb and cold. Tears sting my eyes, I wasn’t master of my own limbs anymore, they grow weak and pale as the blood left them, I was afraid, very afraid but I wished she’d kill me as soon as possible, if that were the only way out, if there was no other option but for me to die.

“Sun…”

“Sungmin!” I blinked out of my nap and as I blinked a few times to make do with my surroundings, I realized I was still in the classroom, weird I’ve never dozed off in class before, and stranger that the teacher hadn’t hit me for it. Or was this my punishment instead, to not wake me up until who knows when? Bad joke sir, I grumbled in my head.

“God, you’re one hell of a sleeper,” Sunny said exasperatedly.

“What are you doing here?” an eyebrow cocked up from curiosity.

“I had been to Choral practice, I came back because I left a notebook, I was surprised to see you still asleep,” she replied compliantly and with a hint of worry may be? “I didn’t think they would really just leave you here,” she muttered out of displeasure. I laughed.

“Shouldn’t I be the one to feel hurt?”

“Well, I surely don’t want to go to the concert alone. Speaking of concert, what time will we meet up?”

“I could just come get you from your house,” I suggested.

“No, it’s okay, it’ll be much of a hassle,” she said immediately. I pursed my lips, but didn’t argue and told her what time and where and then we left the school together.

It had often come across my mind, Sunny never lets anyone come to her place and when it’s brought in a conversation she is quick to change the topic. I wonder why. Of course, one would feel uneasy or something at one point, especially if you’re new but it had been a month already and not one knows where she actually lives that people talks of her being actually a rich girl, living in a huge mansion and despite her carefree, outgoing disposition she was actually a spoiled brat but then again she was ‘Must be a Guy’ Sunny so the rumor was set aside. Some say that she’s probably lived in the most dangerous neighborhood of the city. Others think she lives in a haunted house. And a few more thinks she’s just shy or not as outgoing as we think she is. Well, it doesn’t matter, even if I really wanted to know myself, I’m going on a date with her – annoying, sweet, caring, outgoing, personal space trespasser Sunny.

“Sungmin,” she calls out, jutting her lower lip, “hurry up, we can’t catch the next bus if you’re as slow as a turtle,” she says and grabbed my hand, pulling me further.

“I don’t want you to die.”

The soft, heart-broken, tear-filled voice popped out of my mind, bringing back the dream I just had which made me stop abruptly, tugging along Sunny. “Sungmin, are you okay? What’s wrong?” she asked, worry sketched on her face. I shook my head, “Nothing,” I said and tightened my grip on her hand which perfectly molded into mine, earning a faint shade of pink to her cheeks which surprised me a little. So Sunny knows how to blush too, and here everyone thought she was close to being shameless, I hope she doesn’t show this side often. I want this expression for myself only.

“Are you sure there’s nothing wrong?” she pushed on, “We’ll really be late for the bus and it’s another half hour of waiting,” she began to pout and whine. Why? Why am I so infatuated with her in such a short time? She’s annoying, sometimes overbearing and undoubtedly has disregard for any privacy, and too chatty at times.

“Sungmin, you’ve pick a bad time to be having a seizure,” she said.

I chuckled, “I was just thinking that pink suits you that’s all.”

“What’re you blabbering about?” and there it is again, despite how she acts oblivious and dense, her cheeks were naturally tinted with a light blush. Yes, this should really be just for me. And I started to walk and lead the way before she says anything else. I wonder how else I could make the firm, confident Sunny falter. Uncertain, troubled, shy Sunny… and the nightmare I’ve been having lately have vanished. I wonder what she’ll make of it, will she worry or will she laugh knowing that whatever she catches me writing is no creative literary text but dreams that haunt me at night and some worse than others.

“You’re really okay?” she asked again, when we’ve finally sat down and miraculously or luckily did not miss the bus. As I tilted my head slightly to see not just half of her face I realized there had been that faint blush again and her hand had gotten quite cold.

“Shouldn’t I be asking you that? I mean your hand has become really cold,” I joked.

I sensed her become tense and a warm smile crept up my face. I should be feeling shy myself but somehow all I can do is just really feel proud of myself, Sunny had always been the talkative one, always the active one and it’s a rare opportunity to have her silent and still and I’m proud it’s because of my doing – simple-minded, half-home buddy Sungmin. Cleverly, I think, I put our connected hands in one of my jacket’s pocket that is convenient to both of us. She tug her hand out; I frown a little, trying to hide my amusement. We both know she liked what I did, and I liked how she acted suddenly shy in front of strangers.

“If you’d let me walk you home I would let go of your hand,” I muttered under the palm I had propped up at the window sill of the bus. She stopped wiggling and scowled at me. I glanced at her and smirked. “Then hold hands we will until you get off.” I said.