About a week later I look at a bunch of totally tired and bored faces while we wait for the elevator to arrive at our floor. All of us have a schedule this morning, but nobody is able to find any motivation. I yawn and take a look at Jjong who seems to be the only one in an upbeat mood.
Finally the elevator’s doors open and I’m about to trudge inside, but then I suddenly feel someone clutching my hand and jerking me away from the others. I’m too tired to fully register what’s going on.
“We’ll take the stairs, let’s see who’s faster!” Jjong exclaims and I stumble after him as he pulls me towards the staircase. I curse inwardly; what’s gotten into that idiot? Is he seriously going to make me exert myself this early in the morning?

“Wait— I hate running!” I manage to get out, but then we are storming down the steps hand in hand. Just when we’ve covered half of the way, I at once erupt in a fit of laughter. Jjong flashes me a confused look, yet keeps pulling forward.

Of course he can’t understand my sudden outburst; he can’t read my mind.

I’ve just realized the irony of our current situation. I’ve thought so much of steps and staircases in the past few days while contemplating our relationship, now that I’m running down an actual one, it feels almost unreal.
As we run, I’m remembering the images that I had in my head during that time. The pictures, in which Jjong was the one to urge me on and make me fall eventually. I thought that we’d gone too far that night, that he’d made me stumble over the last step and that I had crashed to the floor. Yet now his grip on my hand feels so strong and reassuring that I wonder – had I paid closer attention to him – if I had noticed that maybe he didn’t let me fall, but held me last minute. I shut my eyes so tightly that I didn’t realize that I hadn’t crashed to the floor. Instead I was only dangling above the abyss until Jjong pulled me away from the threat.
I feel like a sentimental idiot, still I can’t help but attempt to place a kiss on Jjong’s cheek as I realize all that.
“We don’t have time for that now!” He laughs and forces me to run even faster.
I make an offended noise but don’t complain.
When we reach the first floor, we stop in front of the elevator, panting. It’s still two stories away from us.
“We won!” Jjong exclaims and punches my shoulder. I grin at him.
“Now…” He makes a meaningful pause. “Victory-kiss!” With that he launches himself at me. It’s a little difficult kissing him while still having to pant like a dog and not being able to decide whether to laugh or to be serious.
Finally my arms find their way around Jjong’s back and I calm down a bit until my gaze randomly flickers towards the elevator’s display.

1^st floor. The doors will open every second now.
I frantically try to push Jjong away and attempt to get his name out to warn him, but both fails. Instead, I feel his lips stretching into a grin against mine. They keep moving just as if there weren’t five boys to walk in on us the next moment.
As I hear a “Ping!” I squeeze my eyes shut, prepared for the worst.

Then at once I feel the strength of two hands pressing against my shoulders, shoving me away. I stumble backwards, flustered from the sudden push and from the kiss. Confused, I open my eyes to Onew asking me, “Are you ok? You look kind of jazzed.” while the three boys walk out of the elevator. I shoot Jjong a glance. He stands there, arms crossed in front of his chest, trademark grin on his face, looking totally relaxed.
I snort at that sight, disbelieving. That deceitful prehistoric lizard! How does he dare making me look like a fool! I swear that I will pay him back the moment I get the chance.
“That’s his fault.” I point an accusing finger at Jjong. “He made me run four stories.” Then I suddenly remember something else. “Besides – we won.”
“What do we get as a prize?” Jjong adds.
Minho flashes us a dangerous grin and walks towards me, flicking a finger against my forehead.
“The three of us will take the stairs next time. Jonghyun-hyung and you will have the privilege to ride the elevator… alone.”
The gaze I catch from Jjong is almost leering, hungry, and I storm away with a remark about the rotten youth nowadays.

But in my head I think that maybe riding an elevator will be a welcome change to climbing that huge staircase. No matter how high we need to go, it will neither be tiring nor strenuous; no height gap that we need to overcome.
Simply the smooth glide of the elevator.

Upwards, only upwards.