Young Do stood in front of her, waiting. She finally looked up at him and their eyes locked like it was the most natural thing to do. There was something about how the man could always draw her eyes to him like magnet.

“I hope that it’s the right thing to do.” She whispered, her voice trembling just a little. “I really do.”

“Were those your honest words?” Young Do asked.

Eun Sang didn’t hesitate for a moment. “Yes.”

“Then it’s the truth, and it’s up to you to decide if that was what you were going for; the truth.”

He tugged at her hand, and then they were walking.

Trailing behind him like a toddler, Eun Sang’s eyes searched the man from his hair, his shoulders, his back and down to their linked hands. She felt small when she was with him, not the kind of small when he had once made her feel. No, it wasn’t of status or anything like that. Eun Sang felt small and delicate – she felt protected.

Somewhere along the way, Young Do had been guiding her. Just like what he had asked her – whether what she has said to Kim Tan were words true from her heart. She had been confused and unsure then. But like his sharp features, his words cut through the fog that shrouded everything and led her to see the things she has been missing, even blatantly obvious things.

“Thank you, Choi Young Do.”

He whipped around to face her and leaned close, so close that she could smell the cologne he was wearing. The scent etched itself onto the back of her brain. His lips curled into a grin. “And what do you have to thank me for?”

That reminded her. “I can ask you the same question.”

“You’re really brave today.”

“Give and take.”

“Haven’t I given you more though, Cha Eun Sang?” He drawled her name slowly, leaning even closer and she fought against the shiver that threatened roll down her spine. She could see herself reflected from depths of black. 

“Like what?” Eun Sang asked, truly curious.

“Like my heart?”

And just like that, Eun Sang was lost for words. How could he manage to say something like that with such straightforwardness and not even blink once while saying it? As slow as she was beginning to think she was, she knew he wasn’t joking which bothered her even more.

“I really cannot understand you, Choi Young Do.” She found herself speaking her mind.

“Because you haven’t tried to.” Again it was a square response.

She searched his eyes, for a hint – or anything – that could help her. The more time she spent with Young Do, the more she realized just how complicated he was.  Everytime she finally thought she had him figured out, she sees another side to him that she has never seen before. Just how many mysteries are there standing between her and the man in front of her?

“I told you not to look at me like that.” His voice was soft and held an amount of emotions she couldn’t comprehend.

“Why are you treating me so differently?” Eun Sang wasn’t in control of her words anymore.

His hand found her face and gently traced his thumb over her cheek with such gentleness it shocked her. “Isn’t it obvious enough?”

Questions with questions; answers with questions. Yet within the question lies the answer. It was a game, a whole other language that only the two of them spoke.

Young Do smiled, as if knowing what she was thinking.

“You can’t do that.” Eun Sang said.

“Do what?”

“That.” She tried to explain herself. “You can’t just speak your words like they’re riddles. I don’t know if you’re joking or not. I can’t understand – ”

His smile vanished, and for a moment he was serious as he looked straight into her eyes. “But can you handle my true words?”

Eun Sang couldn’t come up with an answer, but her silence spoke for itself.

“You see?”

“I didn’t say anything.”

“You’re brave” He paused, then added. “And stubborn.”

He turned around and continued walking again as if they didn’t just have one of the most significant conversations they’ve ever had. Even if the conversation was a jumble of questions and riddles that Eun Sang wasn’t even sure if she’d understand if she recalled it later on, it wasimportant.

 “I’m in a good mood today, Cha Eun Sang.” Young Do began talking lightheartedly. “Should we just skip classes and eat?”

“Didn’t you just eat ramen?”

He stopped walking, turned his head to look at her and gave her a dirty look. “Don’t be a wet blanket.”

Eun Sang smiled, her heart felt less heavy.

A/N: So hello lovely shippers :) How has your 2014 been so far? I finally decided to title this story ‘The Hand That Held Hers’, it’s actually been on my mind for a while now but this is the one I keep going back to. So there you go c:

This chapter was initially longer but as I continued writing I felt that it’d be better to end the chapter here because of the flow of the storyline. It’s not much but I hope that you guys liked it. I’d like to thank all of you who chose to read my story, and for those who subscribed, liked or messaged me. It made me really happy to see the encouragement and support from all you sweethearts.

Chapter 4 is done but I’ve yet to read it, I’ve been pretty swamped so I scribbled down some of the lines and scenarios on loose sheets of paper just so that I won’t forget them. I finally got the time to write last night and this morning so I went on a frenzy.

Thank you for reading and feel free to message me and talk to me, I love to get to know my readers and their thoughts.

Take care fellow readers and shippers,
Vannie.