Sooyoung watched his ever so warm presence descend into the distance, getting further away from her. With every single step that he took, Sooyoung felt this indescribable cold chill running down her back. It was a type of feeling that never quite overtook her body whenever he was around her.

Her surroundings darkened as if now only a bright spotlight illuminated over the oak door in which Changmin just walked out from. The white tint called out to her as if guiding her to what she had to do.

She stood up immediately --only knowing that she had to go after the guy.

He was a hot tempered idiotic guy who possessively claimed her like a piece of trophy, but Sooyoung oddly found it attractive.

When ““maybe you both are a better match after all” escaped his mouth, she felt like a ton of bricks fell down over her body. She was amazed at how stupid the guy could be, but yet Sooyoung found him attractive.

“Mianhae…” Sooyoung said to Minho who looked up at her dumbfounded. She began to take furious steps to that door in which her eyes never once left her line of vision.

Just then a firm force held her back. Minho was holding onto her wrist, stopping her from attempting to move any further.

“Sooyoung noona…” his voice trailed off.

She looked at him broken hearted for the guy didn’t look the best at that moment. Although painful to do so, she brushed his arm off of her and reminded herself that somewhere out that door that lies ahead, is Changmin who at this particular second needs her more than anyone else.

Sooyoung shook her head slowly and apologized once more to Minho before now running like an Olympic athlete towards the exit. For one of the very first times in her life, she had awoken her calf muscles that were forever sleeping from the girl’s lack of physical activity, but as of now were contracting like never before.

--

As she seeped right out of his grip, the memories kept flashing back into his mind like a whirlpool. Minho once again pulled out his leather wallet from within his pocket and stared at the picture of a smiling girl that he kept in perfect condition from all these years.

It was a summer day with the bright yellow sun shining down from above them. They sat side by side upon the rainbow colored beach towel looking over the ocean waves that glistened before their very own eyes.

In the near distance a familiar voice called out to the two --a voice that would forever be engraved into the young Minho’s thoughts. Those were the days where everything was smooth sailing, with not one single worry in the world.

--

She ran out of the bar only to be bombarded with hundreds of nameless faces surrounding her. Sooyoung pushed through the crowd aggressively while in return they ruthlessly knocked her from side to side. Sooyoung was too caught up in searching for Changmin that she didn’t realize that in the process she had lost one of her shoes.

Nothing but Shim Changmin occupied her thoughts; therefore, a petty little situation like a missing shoe was irrelevant. Sooyoung had bigger things to worry about. She couldn’t find him.

His tall lean body, his chestnut coloured hair, his broad yet slender shoulders, his warm presence...Sooyoung desperately called out for him to appear before her eyes, but absolutely nothing occurred in response.

She dropped down to the dirty floor feeling defeated. This sense of loss burned through every inch of her body, making her feel worthless.

An alarm from her cell phone erupted randomly at that moment. For such a brand new model, the thing had its odd qualities about it. The ring irritated her ears as if it stung her eardrums completely. She reached into her purse and pulled the silver colored cell phone out.

“Shut the hell up!!” She whimpered at it.

Gathering all the strength she had accumulated in her weak and tired arms, she threw the thing far away from her.

“Bring me Shim Changmin~” She cried as she brought her head down and immediately, salty streams of water cascaded down her porcelain doll like cheeks.

A hand reached down before her face. Right away as if on cue, he appeared before her.

He kneeled down and pulled out her very own missing shoe that she had lost somewhere along the lines of her search for the tall guy.

Changmin lightly smiled, but still kept his calm and cool composure, as he placed the plain rubber shoe onto the girl’s foot. The casual essence about her always drew him closer to her.

“What are you doing with one shoe on…trying to act like Cinderella…”

Sooyoung looked at the guy who was carefully placing her shoe back on. She was in a lost for words.

“How are you going to answer all my text messages and answer all my phone calls if you don’t have this?” Changmin handed the cell phone back to her while giving her a weak smile.

She pulled him down to the ground where she sat and began lightly punching his chest.

“What are you doing you babo?!?! You idiotic tall freak of nature!??! You…you..you~”

She was crying out at him while her hits soon then became softer, until she laid her head onto his firm chest. The familiar scent of his cologne calmed her every nerve, but her eyes couldn’t stop watering. She was afraid that his stupid self would leave once again whenever he felt like doing so, much to her dislike.

He shot his head up high trying to hold his own tears from falling down as he placed his arms around her, hugging the girl as close as possible.

When Changmin exited that pub, he had one thing on his mind…keep that bright smile forever engraved upon her beautiful face. But as he walked away, he selfishly thought to himself that he wanted to be the reason for her smiles. He wanted to witness them up close.

He pulled her out for just one second, taking a look at the person who sent him shivers down his body even on a warm day…at the person who made his heart burn with an overwhelmingly tremendous sensation like the flames of a wild fire.

“Why did you come out?” He asked her.

“…to find you…” she innocently replied. She batted her full eyelashes at him; an action that could easily be described as the definition of cute.

“From now on, I only want to be the reason for your smiles and nothing else.”

Changmin cupped her face lightly in his arms before slowly wiping the tears away from her face while looking deep within those dark brown pupils.

He promised himself that he will be the one to cook her porridge.

He promised himself that he would earnestly show how much he cared for her.

He promised himself that he will earn the right to be given the honor to be her boyfriend.

He pulled her close and kissed the top of her head, while his favorite scent of her shampoo welcomed him.

He pulled her in.

Changmin tightened his arms around Sooyoung, wrapping her more intensely until he could feel her small breaths upon his skin. He patted the girl’s long straight hair with his left hand while the right hand rubbed her back with the guidance of her straight spine. He felt her arms respond back as she gripped her fingers along his plain black cotton shirt.

“Do not ever do something stupid like that again.” She quietly whispered at him before embracing him back with all her might.

Her every touch is like a warm caress and her voice a sweet symphony.

--

Minho drove off that night in full speed upon his motor bike. He drove off into the dark night as the shade of black surrounded him everywhere. The loud roar of his engine synchronized with the memories of his past calling out to him.

“Annyeong-haseyo,” the girl called out to him the very first time they met on that specific hot summer day. She wore a light pink shirt along with a flower printed skirt.

“Remember, not to say anything when you’re with her…” he recalled his grandmother explaining to him as the girl who eluded a warm, nice vibe made her way closer to him on the sandy beach.

…it was her smile that she wore best.