chapter three

"What a day." Sohee mumbled as she layed down on the cool, comfortable sheets.

The comforter on the bed was so fluffy and soft ehile the pillows were overwhelming, the softness she felt on her skin was unbelievable, she could just sleep on her bed like it was a cloud.

"What a terrible day." She added as she rolled on the comforts of her bed.

Flashback

"Kris, I'm fine... Really, so you can go to your basketball practice now." Sohee said as she tried to push Kris off from the infirmary bed she was lying on.

"I'll stay here until you're all better." He said to her as he stubbornly sat back on the bed and crossed his arms. She can't but sigh at his childish act, but despite that a smile dared to creep on her face.

"You're really stubborn." She said to him which made him look at her wide eyed. It looked like he couldn't believe what he just heard.

"Please Sohee, don't call me stubborn... just call me worried." He replied with such a serious face that she was taken aback. And to her surprise, she felt their palms touch and fingers entwine.

For some reason, holding hands with him made her feel safe, like nothing in the world can make her feel more special than she did now. It was strange for her.

"Just get well soon, okay?" He stared at her with the deep chocolate brown of his eyes, that she felt something wrong with her stomach.

She felt her chest tighten, and there was an overwhelming fluttering pain that makes it difficult for her to breath. Then her stomach felt queasy, a feeling so strange and foreign for her.

End of Flashback

"I owe him one." She realized that Kris really did save her from being a dead bull.

Then she thought of giving something to him as a thanksgiving gift. But the question is, what?

"Arrghhh!!" She muffled a scream on her pillow just to let out her confusion. She has never given anything to a man before, except when it's their birthday.

"Is something wrong Sohee?" A sweet voice called out her name and just by that, she already knew who it was. She quickly sat up from her bed and looked at her mother.

"Mom, what's a good thanksgiving gift to give to a guy?" She asked in such a serious manner that her mother was taken aback.

Never had her daughter given anything for a guy when it's not a special celebration. It's only now that is the first time.

"Why don't you bake him cookies dear? You're good at that." Her mom replied after taking her question seriously. With that, her face immediately brightened up.

"Thanks mom! You really are the best." Sohee said as she gave her mom the biggest hug, which made her mom chuckle. Then after that, she dashed towards the kitchen.

*It must be the guy who walked her home... My little Sohee is really moving on now.* Her mother thought as she gave out a sigh of relief.

She had always thought that the past with her ex husband made her terrified of falling in love, but it seems like she's wrong.

...

"All right!" Sohee cheered as she finished baking her cookies.

She looked at her creation and couldn't help but squeel in happiness. Has she ever made a cookie this beautiful and delicious before?

Each of the cookies had its own unique shape. One was decorated and iced like the shape of a basketball, another was shaped like a panda, but the cookie that stood out the most was the cookie which had Kris' famous face on it.

She then took a bite of one of her creations. It was rich, sweet and chewy with the delicious feel of chocolate slowly melting in . It was heaven in a bite.

"I hope he'll like it." She said as she tightened the ribbon of the cute satin cloth that was keeping the cookies inside.

...

"Here goes." Sohee said as she held the satin, where the cookies are, on her hands.

She has been searching for Kris for so long, she didn't realize that he'll be in the garden.

She felt her heart beat fast as she slowly walked towards him, who was very absorbed in the book he was reading. 

*It's just giving cookies Sohee.* She encouraged herself but then two familiar figures appeared in front of her, blocking her way.

"Hi Sohee! What's that?" CL asked so cheerfully that it felt weird.

"Oh my, it's cookies! Can we have them?" Minzy said as she clapped her hands in anticipation.

"Uh no. I'm sorry, it's for someone else." She said as she awkwardly tried to pass through them but CL grabbed her wrist so tightly that she winced in pain.

"Come on. Don't be so selfish." CL said as she tried to get the satin from her.

"Yeah, give us some." Minzy added as she helped her friend grab it from her. Sohee tried to shield it away from them but two against one was just too much.

"Stop it girls!" Dara defended Sohee as she pushed the two away from her. They even ended up landing on the green bermuda grass.

"You dare!" CL said as she pushed Dara towards Sohee which made the two of them stumble on the ground.

But as they stumbled, Sohee's grip on the satin loosened causing it to fall on the ground.

"If you don't want to give us the cookies then fine." CL calmly said as she helped Minzy up from the ground. Then they confidently walked away from them crushing the satin in the process.

"No!" Sohee screamed as she held the crushed satin on her hands. 

"I'm so sorry Sohee. I better talk to them." Dara apologized just before she catched up with the two girls, leaving her there.

...

"What happened?" Kris worriedly asked Sohee who was on the brink of crying.

He was reading a book in the garden while waiting for Sohee but then he suddenly heard her scream.

"Nothing really." She replied as she stood up from the ground and wiped her almost falling tears. That's when he noticed satin on the ground.
 

"What's this?" He asked her as he bent down to pick it up. He untied the ribbon and discovered bunch of crushed cookies inside.

"Is this for me?" He asked as his mouth slowly turned into a smile. 

"Not really." She said while shaking her head. She tried to ge the cookies from him but he stopped her.

The cookies looked beautiful, too bad that it has been crushed. He took one and dropped it in his mouth which made her eyes widen in surprise.

"Why did you eat it?" She asked him as she took the satin from him.

"Why not? It's delicious!" He said as he took it again from her and ate another.

Seeing him enjoying the snack, she can't help but give out a smile. As Kris looked at her smile, he dropped the cookie he was holding.

She smiled, just a little smile at first, but as it grew, it pressed her rosy cheeks up and slowly revealed her teeth, like a perfect Pearl Necklace. Finally the smile reached her eyes, lighting them, causing them to crinkle at the corners.

In that very moment, she was everything he had ever hoped for, she was everything he would ever need.

"I love you." He told her while looking straight at her beautiful hazel eyes. Her beautiful eyes is where he can look into and feel like he's getting lost. It was the kind where he can relate to and is truly windows to the soul. 

"What?" She asked him in disbelief.

She didn't uderstand, as if her brain short-circuited and needed to be rebooted. She felt even more confused as she felt him hold her hand.

"I always have, ever since I caught sight of you. It was the time when you didn't even know I existed." He said to her.

Slowly, a rosy scarlet color spread over Sohee's cheeks, like how it would turn out in a very hot day. She quickly turned her head away, embarassed by his confession.

Then for some unexplainable reason, she felt her heart skip faster and a fluttery feeling seemed to havoc her stomach. It was like walking barefoot through a field of new baby grass, with the sun blazing down on her while she eats a bowl of ice cream.

...

"Come on Sohee, sleep!" She tried pursuading herself but it didn't seem to work. Even the comfy feeling of her pillow didn't help her close even one eye.

The memories of what happened with Kris just kept on repeating in her mind like a broken track. Remembering his confession made her feel something strange again.

"I must be sick." She said as she turned her body to face the wall, never realizing that her face was dangerously painted crimson red.

Countless of times, I closed my eyes and when I open them, I pray you'll be there, that all of this is just a nightmare; that you never left.... but I know the truth