“. What am I supposed to do now?” Jung Ah sat on the edge of the rink, tracing her finger on the ice hopelessly. She sighed, wondering who she could ask. She honestly didn’t know a single soul who ice skated also- not to mention anyone on the male side of the spectrum. It all seemed very hopeless; she briefly considered giving up but Ga In’s brutal words were stuck in her mind. She couldn’t let such a comment go without a fight, could she? Oh, why did that stupid girl have to go and add another challenge to the competition? There wasn’t any guy she could possibly ask, other than-

Jung Ah gasped and sat up as realization struck her. As if on cue, the mysterious skater glided onto the ice and into her vision, oblivious as the girl made her decision (it wasn’t like she had anything to lose) and marched up to him determinedly.

“Um... hey,” she said as she approached and he turned to face her. Jung Ah glanced at his shadowed face, hesitating. She had no idea who this guy was, or if he’d even keep a promise. But she couldn’t see any other way to find a partner- so she had to do this. “Um.. It’s kind of out of the blue, sorry, but... I was wondering if you could be my partner for a competition? I know, it’s really random, and I don’t even know you, but I seriously do not know anyone else to ask, and I also know zero guys who skate, except for you of course, so I thought why not, I’ll ask, since this competition is really really important to me and I really need a partner,” Jung Ah babbled, catching herself and sighing. “So... are you up for it?” She looked at his direction hopefully, furrowing her eyebrows as she caught sight of some of his features. He looked scarily familiar... she definitely knew him from somewhere.

Myungsoo, on the other hand, was caught by surprise. She wanted him to skate with her? Competitively? She was one of the best skaters he had seen, and it would be exhilarating to skate with her, but... He wasn’t really one to publicize his skills, and it felt like skating was something very personal to him. He just didn’t feel ready to put those memories out there- not to mention he didn’t exactly look forward to letting the whole school find out that he ice skated. As he mulled it over in his mind, Myungsoo glanced at the girl in front of him and narrowed his eyes. She looked vaguely familiar, even though he couldn't see her face well in the darkness. In fact, she really resembled-

Without warning, the darned street lights finally flickered on after 10 months of outage. As light flooded the ice rink, the two skaters, both caught up in their thoughts, found themselves face to face with each other. They gaped, too surprised to speak.

“You- so you.. you were the- WHAT.” Jung Ah tried to form words, unsuccessfully.

Myungsoo stared at Jung Ah, all the pieces clicking in his mind. She figure skated. She was challenged to a competition. It was her, all along.

“Yah. You- you where the girl those other times? You figure skate?” He asked, coming off more rude than he meant.

“What’s it to you? Yeah, it was me, I skate. I should be the one asking you that. I mean-” Jung Ah paused raising her eyebrows, “I never expected you to skate too. You’re the last person I would have thought to, really. Heck, don’t you play basketball? Total jock and super popular at school? What are you even doing here?”

He gave her a stony glare. “I’ll skate as I please.”

The two stared each other down, uncomfortable tension filling the air.

Myungsoo turned away first, his glare no less unfriendly. She was still the same annoying girl, after all. What did he think?

Jung Ah narrowed her eyes, defenses raised. “Who would have thought? You, of all people, figure skate. I wouldn't have known, you being such a jerk, that you have the emotions to pull it off.”

“Well, you thought wrong. What about you? I didn’t think you would be coordinated enough to balance on the ice, let alone skate. Heck, you can’t even cross the street without tripping.”

Jung Ah’s glare intensified.

“And what are you even doing at this rink?” he continued, “it’s totally abandoned. Why would you come here, to this old place?”

She glared. “I’ll come as I please,” she shot back, rolling her eyes. “I come here because-” her bit her lip, tears pricking her eyes. “because...my family used to come here all the time. This is the only memory I have of them. So yeah.” She retorted quickly and breathed in slowly, gritting her teeth as tears threatened to spill.

“Your... family?” Myungsoo froze, sensing he had gone too far. His gaze softened, remembering the scene in the cafeteria a few days before.

The understanding in his eyes caused something to break inside of Jung Ah- and finally the tears came streaming down. Myungsoo’s eyes widened as the girl in front of him broke down, collapsing onto the ice in tears. He stood over her in mild shock and confusion, trying to grasp the situation as a wave of emotions struck him at the sound of her heartbreaking sobs. He closed his eyes, willing the tears away, and, sitting beside Jung Ah on the ice, and tentatively spoke.

“My family... used to go skating every week, when I was little. My mother was an Olympic figure skater, my father a speed skater. They taught me everything I know. When I was in middle school, my mother fell deathly ill... and her death left my father depressed and guilt-ridden.” He took a breath. “He committed suicide a month later.”

Jung Ah wiped her tears away, eyes wide as she took in his story. She felt foolish for breaking so easily when he too had suffered so much. It seemed that there was more to him than she had assumed- he knew what it was like to lose someone dear. She stared at him in thought for a moment, and Myungsoo cleared his throat uncomfortably, looking away.

“I’m... sorry.” She murmured, at a loss for words. After a moment of silence, she spoke.

“My older sister used to bring me here, to this very rink. It used to be a lot nicer- this is where I learned to skate, and my sister and I would spend the whole day here, skating. She’s the best skater I know, to this day.” Jung Ah took a breath, closing her eyes. "’On the ice, all else is forgotten. The gliding, the twirling, and the beauty takes over, and there is no room for pain or hate. Leave it all behind the second you step into the rink.’ That's what my sister told me to remember." she glanced at him.

He stood still, swallowing hard. "She used to always say that too. My mother, that is." he whispered.

Jung Ah smiled, almost wryly. At least she still had a hope of seeing her sister again someday, no matter how slim the chance. Myungsoo would never see his mother again. “I guess we do have something in common, then. Hmm?”

They sat in silence for what seemed like eternity, both deep in thought.

“You know... I’ll... I’ll do it. If you want.” Myungsoo said suddenly. He took in a breath, knowing he was going to regret it. “I’ll be your partner for the competition.”

Jung Ah looked at him, surprised.

Myungsoo glanced up. “Fine, if you don’t want me to, I won’t. It’s not like I really want to be your partner or anything. That Ga In girl just needs to be shown what real skating is.” He muttered.

“Oh- No! I do need you to be my partner, I mean, yes, yes I accept!” She stumbled, grinning.

“Fine. Oh!” He whirled around, eyes wide. Jung Ah almost laughed out loud at the odd sight of the usually calm and cool Myungsoo so worked up.

“You can’t tell anyone. Alright? Promise.” He gave her a look.

“Fine. You think I would? I’m offended,” she snorted, smiling to herself. How was that even going to work? He was going to have to skate in front of the entire school population, there was no way his secret would still remain safe. “But... a few hints wouldn’t hurt...” she suggested innocently.

“Yah! No hints! Not even a word!” He said indignantly. He glared, already regretting his decision.

“Hmm okay fine, fine.”  Jung Ah grinned teasingly. “No hints.”