Chapter 17

The following Monday, Kyungsoo was waiting in front of Krystal's house. That certainly was a first. Usually, he would make Krystal wait for him down the road, hurrying past her when he finally showed up.

A taken aback Krystal stood fidgeting with her school bag's shoulder straps. Kyungsoo hadn't made any move to leave. He was just standing there. Scrutinizing her. After a long moment of frowning Kyungsoo, it seemed like he had finally made up his mind. He stretched a lazy hand out towards her.

"Give it here."

Krystal looked at his hand, taking a step back.

"I d-didn't take anything."

An unimpressed looking Kyungsoo dropped his hand, loudly sighed while shaking his head and stepped so close to her she was certain he could smell what she'd had for breakfast. She promptly pressed her lips together, hoping he couldn't smell the fried rice with cheese on her breath. A stifled 'What are you doing' was squeezed out from her tightly shut mouth. Kyungsoo didn't respond. He just took hold of her crossed arms. Slipping off her school bag,  he proceeded to throw it over his shoulder before quickly walking down the drive way and towards school.

Let's just say Krystal's jaw hit the ground at the incredibly unexpected gesture. Two days ago Kyungsoo had actually talked to her, unforced. For the first time in almost three years. And now he was actually carrying her bag, like the nice guys on television did. Shaking her head, she hurried after him, but kept the mandatory 5 steps behind him.

Halfway there, he started slowing down. Effectively making her slow down as well. Slowing down even further led Krystal into a standstill, not wanting to break her limit. Kyungsoo turned around, hastily making her shift her gaze towards the very interesting side-walk.
"Are you just slow by nature or do you not want to be seen next to me?" Kyungsoo was sporting his ever so unpopular frowny face.

"No! I mean yes.... No?" Krystal could feel her cheeks heating up, coloring her face a deep crimson red.

"Well? What is it?" Kyungsoo started tapping his foot impatiently, giving his watch a quick glance. 

"No. I am not slow by nature and no. I do not, not want to be seen with you." The last words were barely a whisper but Kyungsoo heard them as clear as day.

"Then come on. At this rate we're gonna be late."

'We', resonated in Krystal's head, making her giggle at the thought. She took a deep breath before rushing past a surprised Kyungsoo.

"Well? Hurry up, slow-poke." Krystal shot him a backward glance, smiling at the wide-eyed boy.

"Y-Yah! You're the slow-poke, slow-poke!"

Since then they started a new routine with Kyungsoo picking up Krystal at her house, carrying her bag. After school he would meet her at the gate and not a block away from the school grounds like before, carry her bag and stopping at the nearby convenience store to buy strawberry milk. Like that they would  walk in silence, sipping on their carton of strawberry milk.

Sooner or later, holding hands became part of the routine as well.

It had been in the middle of winter. Their strawberry milk replaced by heat-packs. An annoyed Kyungsoo was starring at the cold girl's bare hands.

"Why do you keep forgetting to wear gloves? It's snowing. Isn't that enough of a reminder?"

"I'm sorry. I just couldn't find anyone that matched my new coat."

Kyungsoo rolled his eyes at her, slipping off his right glove.

"Aish. You don't have to do baby me like that." Kyungsoo chose to ignored her protest. He pulled her to a stop, took her right hand and slipped the glove on her.

"... You're only giving me one?" Krystal pouted her lips, kind of disappointed. Kyungsoo had simply given her a judging stare before pulling out a heat-pack from his coat-pocket. Breaking it, he took her hand, placed the heat-pack in it, before clasping his fingers tightly around the heat-pack and of course, Krystal's hand.

"You are incredible," Kyungsoo said in mock tone before pulling her along, ignoring the irregular beating of his heart.

Somewhere along the way, Kyungsoo wasn't really sure how or when, but before long they became girl- and boyfriend. Or maybe that was a lie. Because Kyungsoo was a boy who didn't like beating around the bush, never hesitating in mouthing out his thoughts. On their way home from school a 14 year old Kyungsoo had bluntly asked her if she was his girlfriend. A stuttering Krystal had replied: "I-if y-you want me t-to." Kyungsoo had cocked his head to the side, thinking it over for a long while.

"I think I do."
"Okay."