Chapter 7 : Glimpse

Naeun stood in front if a full length mirror in Myungsoo's bathroom. A white T-shirt hung loosely from her shoulders and the hem ended just above her knees.

It was the closest thing she could find to pyjamas in Myungsoo's too vogue wardrobe which mostly compromised of varying shades of noir.

Hoya wasn't kidding when he mentioned Myungsoo's obsession with the colour.

She brushed her hair back with her fingers but she honestly just wanted to hide behind it.

Borrowing a pair of house slippers, she stepped through the bedroom and quietly walked around the living room. The apartment was very spacious and modern but there were little touches and hints of the owner's personality. There were occasional flashes of colour and texture here and there amongst the contemporary furnishings.

An acoustic guitar leaned against his bookcase which she could see was filled with crime fiction and photoshop and camera guides as well as a small personal collection of black leather bound journals. The balcony doors were closed shut and through the voile, she could see the lights of the apartments across the building.

Naeun sat down on the sofa, shivering when the cold leather made contact with her skin. Feeling chilly; she draped a quilt over her legs.

Even from where she was sitting, she could see the little details that represent Kim Myungsoo. From the anime DVD's that littered the coffee table to the electric guitars hanging on the wall decoratively, and even the numerous sepia photos that bespeckled the room.

One particular picture caught her eye; it was a family portrait. His parents sat on Queen Anne chairs; his mother elegantly swathed in cream silk and his father pulling off a smart suit despite the strands of grey starting to show in his hair. They were flanked by Sunggyu and Woohyun who she recognised by their impish smiles and mischievous eyes. The youngest stood in the middle behind his parents; the third son; Myungsoo.

He was much younger in the photo, maybe fresh-off high school. His face was pulled into a forced smile, his discomfort apparent in his stance. But he was still handsome. In fact, his awkwardness only enhanced his looks, he had the characteristics of an innocent boy.

Speak of the devil.

“Here, I made hot chocolate.”
He handed her a mug of instant hot chocolate; she inhaled the smell of cinnamon and chocolate as she took a careful sip.

“Thank you. It's lovely.” She smiled

“It's not the best hot chocolate in Paris but it's nice to drink on a cold night.” He said before sitting down next to her and taking a sip himself.

Naeun leaned back against the sofa and sighed closing her eyes momentarily from fatigue.

She opened her right eye only to find a bemused Myungsoo staring right at her, a crooked smile played on his lips.

Feeling discomfited and ill mannered she straightened in her seat.

Why did he have such an effect on her?
It was unnerving.

“I'm sorry... I'm being terribly rude aren't I?”

“Not at all. Mi casa es su casa.” He waved his hands in the air in a dismissive gesture.

“Je suis désolée, I've only been causing you trouble, Myungsoo ssi.” She gulped, in some way she did feel like an intruder into his home.

“You don't need to apologise and drop the formalities. We're friends are we not?”

“I guess we are.”

“Then because I'm older than you, you are obliged to call me oppa.” He smirked.

“Obliged to call you oppa?! Heol!” She sputtered, almost spilling the contents of her mug.

“Yah! then at least drop the ssi.”

Naeun nodded and took a sip of her chocolat chaud. Silence filtered in between them and she noticed Myungsoo pouting.

He was sulking at Naeun's reluctance of calling him oppa.

Not that Naeun realised this.

“You play guitar as well?” She asked, genuinely curious and dying to break the stifling silence in between them.

“Whilst my oeuvre is hardly as massive or as varied as yours, but I do occasionally dabble in music and photography.”

“I never thought you were the type.” She admitted and for a minute, he looked offended by the stereotype.

“Art washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life.” He quoted coyly.

“Picasso.” Naeun recalled correctly.

“Oh! so you've heard of him, songsaengnim?” He teased.

“I teach art, what do you-”

A clap of thunder made her jump and stopped talking abruptly, she scrunched her eyes shut until the rupture stopped. She had almost forgotten that it was raining.

When she opened her eyes, she found Myungsoo absent from his seat.

Where did he go? She wondered for a second before he reappeared with an mp3 player. She suddenly felt him put headphones over her ears before the melodious notes of Clair de Lune started playing; totaling blocking off outside noise.

Naeun listened for awhile, humming along to the familiar tune when she realised that Myungsoo's eyes were trailing hers. She pushed the headphones down to hang on her neck before turning to him quizzically.

“Why did you do that?”

“I've been observing you. You have astrophobia but I'm sure you're already aware of it yourself.”

Naeun gapped.
She felt stripped.
Disarmed.
He had read her so easily.

“How did you know I had a phobia of thunder and lightning?”

“I'm a genius.” He answered seriously without hesitation.

“Genius my .” She snorted in the most unladylike manner at his stupid answer.

“I would like to assume you get your crassness from living with Eunji for so long.” He noted.

“She'd punch you if she was here.”

“I'm well aware of what Eunji is capable of doing. Sometimes I forget that she's one of the cremé de la cremé in Korea.”

Naeun raised an eyebrow.

“Being a snob is hardly something to be proud of.”

“Whilst I agree with you, I can assure you my ego comes from my own self confidence. It has nothing to do with my status.” He flashed her a winning smile.

“Said the comonglerates son!”

“That's circumstancial.” He smirked

“I guess so.” She laughed, taking another sip of her instant hot chocolate before placing it on the coffee table.

“Seriously though, how did you know?” She asked timidly.

“You jump every time you hear thunder. You also close your eyes. It's pretty obvious. But you don't have to be ashamed, it's quite a common fear in children.”

“I'm not a child” She frowned.

“We all have ridiculous fears that have legitimate reasons.” He smiled whilst putting her headphones back on for her.

“Just don't let that fear rule your life.”

Sometime later after conversing on various topics, Naeun fell asleep against his shoulder; her head was bobbing up and down which he found adorable. He gently carried her in his arms towards the bedroom.

She was carefully settled on the black sheets. He untangled the mess of wires of the headphones before placing it on his bedside table.

The shirt she was wearing rode up her thigh, revealing her milky smooth skin. He blushed and mentally scolded himself for having such sinful thoughts. He then covered her with the duvet until her chin.

He watched her a moment.

She was a goddess even whilst sleeping.

She roused a bit, the fine lines started to appear on her forehead and she had an agitated expression as if she was having a bad dream. He stayed by her side patiently until she murmured a name in her sleep;

“Kai”

"Il n'y a pas de hasards,Il n'y a que des rendz-vous"

There are no coincidences, only encounters.

- Paul Eluard

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a/n:

I'm so bad !!! I'm having too much fun writing this one. I'm totally neglecting my other fanfics ! T_T