“I- I don’t understand,” Yoona stuttered. “Why are you being nice?”

“Why can’t I?” Donghae asked indifferently.

“It’s been three years Donghae. Three years since we last saw each other. And we really didn’t separate on good terms.” Yoona bowed down her head in both shame and regret.

After a minute or so, Donghae finally broke the silence between them. “You were my best friend Yoona. More than the love of my life, you were my best friend back then. And it hurt me more to lose my best friend than to lose my girlfriend.”

A wave of disappointment washed through Yoona when she heard him refer to her as his best friend. Was that all she is? Was that all she’d ever be? “I’m sorry.”

“Can’t we start over? As friends.” She looked up to see Donghae smiling at her sweetly.

“But I’ve done you so much wrong and-“

“Let’s just forget about that, shall we? I’ve pretty much gone on with my life and I can see that you have too. Now the only thing missing in my life is my best friend, care to bring her back?”

“I-“ Yoona didn’t know how to answer him. Had he really forgiven her? Had he really moved on?

“Just say yes,” Donghae said frustratingly. He just wanted to have a few more hours with her. Why won’t she just agree?

Yoona couldn’t just ignore the beautiful smile on Donghae’s face. She smiled back and said, “Lead the way?”

Soon, their tour turned out to be hours of reminiscing on their childhood and catching up with each other.

“And remember that time when we set up that tent in the field? Where you couldn’t make the tent remain standing?” Donghae said laughing.

“Meanie! I did make it stand in the end,” Yoona said blushing.

“No you didn’t. We exchanged tents, didn’t we?” Donghae was still laughing loudly. His melodic laugh resounding in her ears.

“Stop it!” she said, joining him in laughter. When they came to the plaza, the crowd thickened and they pushed their way towards the other side.

Yoona was momentarily lost. She wasn’t strong enough to push her way out and she couldn’t see Donghae amidst the people. She was slowly realizing that she had been separated from him and was seriously lost. She had no idea where this was. She was more concentrated on staring at Donghae’s face rather than familiarizing herself with the place.

She almost screamed when she felt someone grab her hands.

“Shh. It’s alright,” she heard Donghae’s sweet voice behind her. She turned her head to see him smiling sweetly at her. “Let’s go?”

She blushed and relaxed. Together, they made their way through the thick crowd with Donghae leading her through, his hand firmly holding hers.

“I’m sorry. I forgot that it’s the feast of Margaux,” he said while scanning the place to determine their next location. He didn’t make any move to let go of her hand. Instead, he intertwined his fingers with hers, loving the familiar feel on his hands, making his heart beat faster.

Yoona blushed as Donghae’s fingers played with hers. She didn’t want to let go, and secretly hoped that he wouldn’t. “Where next?” she asked instead, coming near him.

“I actually have no idea where we are right now,” he chuckled, the sun shining bright behind him.

She laughed aloud. “Are you laughing at me?” Donghae asked her.

“I thought you were a tour guide. How come you got lost?” she chuckled, wiping the tears in her eyes. “Do you need to be somewhere today?” she asked.

“Nah. Not really,” he smiled at her. I just know that I need to be with you today, he thought.

“Then, let’s just follow wherever our feet lead us?” she smiled.

“Was that your original plan?”

“Until I got lost,” she chuckled. He stared at her pretty face and realized just how much he missed her. He longed to kiss those lips and touch her skin. But he couldn’t, he knew he shouldn’t.

Yoona was gazing back at him, looking through his lovely eyes. This day had gone nothing like she had expected. Donghae made sure no awkward moments passed by between them. It was as if they really back to being friends, and maybe, even something more.

“Yoona!” they heard a voice call her name from somewhere. Both of them turned around to find Nicole, the tour guide, running towards them. “Oh gosh. Good thing we caught you again. I was afraid you were lost or-“ she was cut short when her eyes landed on Yoona and Donghae’s interlocked hands. She looked up and exclaimed, “Oh Donghae. You- you’re here.”

Yoona pulled back her hand but Donghae was holding on to it firmly. He now had a concrete reason not to let go. “Hey Nicky. Fancy meeting you here. I’m sorry I couldn’t make it yesterday.”

Nicole’s eyes shifted from Donghae to Yoona and to their interlocked hands. “It’s alright. Guess you were busy,” she scoffed. “So Yoona, I’m guessing you don’t want to go with us in the tour now?” she said looking at Yoona.

“Why? Where are you guys going next?” Yoona asked, shifting uncomfortably under Nicole’s eyes.

“Maybe we could tag along,” Donghae added. “We’re kind of lost.”

Nicole seemed to contemplate it before saying, “We’re going to Lagoonia park next. You guys can tag along if you like. Although, I don’t think there would be a seat available for both of you in the bus.” She was staring at the space between them and Yoona felt that she wasn’t really comfortable with them coming, or rather, with her coming with Donghae.

“Lagoonia park’s awesome Yoong,” Donghae said beside her. She looked at him with disbelief. “We’d just take a cab. Would you mind if we just follow your route?” he asked, smiling at Nicole. Yoona wanted to hit him right there and then.

“Yea sure,” Nicole said simply. “We’re leaving in ten,” she added before walking off, taking one last look at the couple’s hands.

When Nicole was out of earshot, Yoona hit Donghae square in the chest. “Why’d you do that for?”

Donghae tried his best to contain his laughter. “Do what?”

“Tell her we’d tag along and all.”

“Why? Do you want a private tour with me?” Donghae grinned.

“No- I- I mean-“ she blushed. “I was talking about making Nicole uncomfortable. I’m pretty sure you felt that,” she said finally.

Donghae sighed and tightened his grip on Yoona’s hand. “Can I ask you a favor?”

“What?”

“Don’t let go of my hand.”

Yoona blushed, wanting to say that even if he didn’t ask, she wouldn’t. “Why?”

“Nicole’s been...expressing her love for me since the past few years. It wasn’t secretly, mind you. She’d been stalking me since she found out I would stay at Leruthia for a few days every month. She always manages to find out where I was. I don’t want to sound a girl, but it creeps the hell out of me.” Donghae said, even cringing for effect. The truth is, Nicole wasn’t really stalking her. Although, whenever they do meet, she’d be rubbing herself on him all night.

“When did this start?” Yoona asked worriedly. She didn’t know her friend had those kinds of tendencies.

“I couldn’t quite remember. And I tried and tried to push her away but because she doesn’t seem convinced of my reasons, she doesn’t go away.” Donghae gazed at her pleadingly. “Well, of course, you’ve seen how she reacted when she saw the two of us. I was thinking that if she thought that...you know, she’d finally let me go.”

Yoona understood perfectly what he wanted to say. She did that numerous times with Heechul, which she now regrets, seeing as it turned out wrongly. “So what do you want me to do?”

“Nothing much. Just stay by my side and don’t let me go.” Donghae said lovingly, meaning to say more than he was intending her to know.

“Donghae, I think the tour bus left.” She turned to see Donghae sleeping peacefully beside her. He was sprawled on the grass, one hand behind his head, the other was on her waist, securing her beside him. She continued to gaze over him, not bothering about what might happen when the day ends.

The tour was extra special for her. Because they were already following a definite route, Donghae had become even more relaxed with her. They toured the city hand in hand. Occasionally, Donghae would lead her by the waist while they looked at the sights. She tried to push him away at first, against her will and his, but he always uses Nicole as his reason. Not that she minds though; but whenever she glances back at Nicole, she was looking at them angrily. If looks could kill, she’d be long dead. She didn’t want to anger her friend and so she refused at first. But she longed for his touch so much that she eventually succumbed to his will.

She gazed down at his beautiful face and tried her best not to trace his nose down to his lips. He was as gorgeous as before. Her dreams about him were nothing compared to the real thing. She smiled to herself, wondering if it was possible to stop this moment from ending.

The hand on her waist twitched. She was gazing down at him when he opened his eyes.

“Oh. I’m sorry. I fell asleep,” he said squinting at the sun or Yoona’s face; he could not quite draw the line on the difference of the two. She shone beside him and he can still feel her warmness by his side.

“It’s alright. The tour group had gone,” she said simply.

He sat up and brushed the grass from his body. She was disappointed when his hand left her waist but figured that now that Nicole had gone, they had to drop the act.

“So, are we going home now?” she asked, hoping that he had other plans for them.

“Do you want to?”

“Not really. I’m having such a great time and once I go back to Kaiza, all these feelings would probably be gone.” Including that warm feeling when I’m with you, she thought. “That is of course if you’re still available. I’ve taken up your whole day.”

You can take my whole life if you want, he thought. He looked around for their next destination and turned back to her with a smile, “Fancy a drink?”

Thanks for voting FishyYoongie and iTaeny! Me loves you so very much. :D

Sometimes, we really don't say what we mean or mean what we say. Fancy a drink, anyone? ;)