Myungsoo is confused. He isn’t often confused. Sungjong is not just a friend, but not quite his boyfriend, and still somehow everything he needs in life. So what does that mean for Valentine’s Day?

The south wind tickles one ear. Pretend it isn’t happening. Myungsoo dismisses the thought.

The north wind breezes against the other. Not a just a friend. Myungsoo scoffs. Didn’t he just say that? The winds are no help today. But a boyfriend. With that, Myungsoo stops. His mind churns. His heart stops. His mind churns. His heart stops.

The calendar on his phone beeps and Myungsoo has to fight the urge to ignore it. He flicks his alarm off. He almost throws his phone back into his pocket. Almost.

His wallpaper smiles at him. He smiles back.  I love you, Myungsoo says. He slides his phone back into his pocket. Almost. Myungsoo pulls his phone out again. Something is different today. I love you, Myungsoo says.
 

Sungjong really dislikes Valentine’s Day –and it isn’t just because of the piles of chocolate that tempt him with their deliciousness only to torture him with his weekly weigh-in.

Every year, Sungjong spends Valentine’s Day with his fans, staring coldly into the eyes of the really lucky ones and making other fans present swoon with just his presence. Every year, Sungjong spends Valentine’s Night with his manager, staring longingly at the piles of chocolate his manager forbids him to eat. And every year, Sungjong spends the day before Valentine’s dreading the inevitable events that would follow.

This year, Sungjong spends the entire week dreading Valentine’s Day.

Sungjong’s mind is like a child playing hopscotch; he throws a thought, and watches it land on a square. He hobbles on one idea, Myungsoo, until it splits into two, Valentine’s Day, and collides into one again. Sungjong picks the rock up, throws it, watches it land again.

Myungsoo. Valentine’s Day. Myungsoo.

Sungjong has always had the answers. It unnerves him not to have the answers. It makes him anxious, and nervous, and sends butterfly shivers through his body –although his chibi would argue those shivers had another, more immediate cause.

Then he met Myungsoo.

This week, Sungjong has the anxiety of the question.

Myungsoo has oceans of patience.

Myungsoo has oceans of patience, and a droplet of water that refuses to return to the ocean.

The ice has melted, but the water won’t run.

Myungsoo doesn’t mind walking.

Sungjong tosses the rock in the air. Myungsoo. Valentine’s Day. Myungsoo. Valentine’s Day. He gives up on hopscotch and skips the rock across the water instead.

Myungsoo. Plip. Valentine’s Day. Plop. Myungsoo. Plip.

The north wind tickles one ear. Pretend it isn’t happening. Sungjong agrees a little a too quickly, and his chibi bops him on the head in retaliation. Sungjong wonders how a chibi –located inside one’s head, can bop that same person on the head.

He receives another bop.

The south wind breezes over the other ear. Not just a friend. Sungjong blushes. He agrees a little too slowly. His chibi snickers as quietly as possible, but snickering is not a quiet task. But a boyfriend.

Sungjong’s fingers loop over each other and twist like soggy strands of slushed scarves. The petals in his mind are ripped frantically, he loves me, he loves me not, his heart matches the pace ironically, and his chibi snickers contently.

But when the petals fall to the floor, the scarf becomes so knotted that it unwinds and drifts into his hands, and the snickers give way to the scratch of initials drawn inside hearts…

Sungjong has nothing but the answer.

For those of you who have yet to receive the memo... there be-ith a contest!

In honor of Nam Woohyun's birthday, I challenge you to name chapters 4 and 5! The winning titles will replace the extremely original titles I currently have and be credited for their originality.

Please submit your entry as a comment on the chapter that you are entering for to help me keep things organized! 

As for the pattern:
(1) Of
(2) any noun significant to the chapter
(3) and
(4) something significant to the chapter that begins with "L"

Good luck, happy birthday to the loveable greaseball, and thanks for being with me and "Through My Lens" for this long!