It was nearly a week before Sooyeon found the time to go back up Taeyeon's mountain. It was later in the afternoon than she would have liked. She did not have much time before she needed to be home so she was not going to be able to bathe like she had wanted to. She had been bringing a bit of soap with her everyday to work, though, in the hopes she would have time to venture back up to the waterfall. She blushed, though, thinking again, as she had so many times, about Taeyeon having perhaps watched her.

Instead, the artist contented herself to sit amongst the flowers. At least it was cooler today. She studied the flowers around her. They were daffodils. She picked out one near her that had some fascinating imperfections in the petals. They were always more interesting to draw when they were not perfect. She bent over to smell it for a moment. For some reason Taeyeon's flowers were always so much more wonderful than the ones that grew in town or in the woods.

The young woman absorbed herself in studying the flower. As she was drawing the second leaf, noting the interesting curl on the end, she did not hear Taeyeon, in his human form, slip up behind her. He stopped behind the boulder beneath the tree for a moment before moving closer. He stopped just close enough to her that his shadow would fall upon her drawing pad. He could not help but smile down at her.

Upon seeing the shadow appear on the beginnings of her picture, she slowly turned. Seeing the dragon lord standing so close to her made her jump a little from the surprise of it. fell open a bit as though she was about to speak, but no words came from her parted lips. She followed him with her still wide eyes as he gracefully sat beside her among the flowers. He was still smiling at her. She could not find the strength to smile back at him through her shock.

For several moments, they did not say anything. Sooyeon could only stare in wonder (and a bit of fear) at the dragon lord. This was the first time she had been this close to him any other time that at the Day of Offering. Like the artist she was, she could not help but study his every detail. She took in his gentle face set with pure silver eyes. His long white hair was back in a loose braid that hung over his left shoulder. It was tied with a silver ribbon. His white wings, with each feather trimmed with silver -just like the feather she still kept tucked up her pillow-, were folded up but slightly curled around his body so they would not touch the ground. His white, toga-like outfit was loose-fitting and he wore the silver belt that Hyoyeon had given him a few years before at the Offering, which was of dwarven craftsmanship. His arms were folded across his chest lightly. Each of his fingers, she realized, ended with a short claw.

Taeyeon continued to smile as she stared at him. He was surprised she had not said anything yet. Perhaps, then, he should speak first. "I am pleased to see you as well, Sooyeon."

The young artist was startled out of her musing over him. She met his silvery gaze. Though his eyes seemed cold, they were welcoming all the same. She rather thought they were like the silvery light from a full moon. "It's just you... you've never come to see me before..." She looked down. "I've come here so often, but you've never come, my lord."

"I have not wished to trouble you with my presence," he said quietly.

"But it's your mountain." Her eyes were still downcast. "You... you may do whatever you desire. And..." She clutched her parchment pad to her chest. "...and I would think my presence would be troublesome to you if anything... my lord."

The dragon lord tilted his head to the side, his smile fading. "If your presence were troublesome to me, Sooyeon, I would have let you know far sooner. I do not desire you to stop coming up to my mountain. Your being here pleases me."

Sooyeon was slightly startled by his words. She looked up at him. "I am sorry for saying such a thing, then."

The town guardian's smile returned, brighter than before. "Please, do not worry about my being here. I just wished to come sit with you for once. I see you so rarely. Surely you think the same thing."

"I do," she whispered, managing a small smile.

The young woman had always liked his smile... always. It made her feel warm and safe. He only seemed to give his smile to her, too, on the Day of Offering. That made it all the more special. He had often looked at her gently when he slept beside her at night