CHAPTER 3: Mistake

We were sleeping in the nature peacefully.

But it was happened only for 15 minutes. Because after that I felt so cold. Naturally searching for warmth, I cuddled next to his body. My act woke him up. “Bi, do you feel cold?” He asked.

I was still in the middle between sleep and awake, moreover felt so cold, I couldn’t answered him.

He helped me to sit. Then he cupped my face, and asked again, “Bi, can you hear me? Bi, are you okay?” He sounded so worry, but I couldn’t help to answer him, I felt really cold.

He put his jacket around me to make me warm. He reached my hands and blew it with his warm breath. Then I was awake, not fully awake, but I could see his face who looked so worry. Knowing I opened my eyes, he asked, “Oh Bi.. Are you okay?”

I nodded.

“Let’s go somewhere warm..” He said it and helped me to get up. “Can you walk?” He asked.

I nodded.

“If you can’t, I can piggyback you..” He offered.

“It’s o-kay..” I said it softly.

Then he made me to lean on him, and helped me walk. After reaching the bike, he helped me to sit on the bike and helped me to wear my helmet. Then he positioned himself on the rider seat and wore his helmet. He put my arms around his waist, and said, “Hold on tight, Bi ah..”

Then he started the engine and went away.

While leaning my body to his back, I could smell the scent of his body. I couldn’t describe it, but it was distinct, and surprisingly I liked it. I even tightened my arms around his waist.

And not for so long, he turned off the engine, and said, “I thought we should drop in the minimarket to buy something warm.”

I nodded.

He helped me to get into the minimarket, and placed me to the chair in the side of the minimarket. He bought me a cup of hot coffee and helped me to drink it. It was so warm. The heat of the hot coffee spread into my body. I felt a lot better after drinking that coffee. After a while I became fully awake, and could see clearly what was happened. I looked at Gyu sitting next to me while drinking his coffee. Then I realized that I still wear his jacket. I took off his jacket when Gyu said, “Bi, just wear it. It’s okay..”

“No, I’m okay right now.. You must be the one who feel so cold..” I said it to him while giving his jacket back.

“Bi, it’s okay..” He still hesitant.

“Just wear it Gyu..” I insisted.

“Okay Bi.. “ He surrendered and wore his jacket.

But he didn’t wear it properly. I got closer to him and zipped his jacket, like what he did to me. But in the middle, it got stuck. I still tried to make it go up, but I couldn’t. I stole a glance to look at Gyu, and that was when he looked at me too.

There was silent for a moment, but then Gyu said, “Ah, it’s like that.. yeah, sometimes it got stuck.. Ha ha ha..”

I was directly back to my position and drank my coffee.

Aaah, why suddenly so awkward? It’s only Gyu..

“Mmm, Bi ah.. Should we go to the hospital?” Gyu tried to melt the awkwardness.

“Uh, hospital? Aah, no Gyu.. I’m okay now..” I said it stammering.

He only nodded. Seems he still felt awkward too.

I tried to melt the awkwardness with saying, “Well, we should get the hotel, I think...”

“Ah, why I really don’t like the idea of us going to the hotel, especially in this hour..” He said.

I looked at my watch. O yeah, it was 2 a.m. “So, should we just sleep here?” I asked him.

“No.. you should sleep somewhere better..” He said it just like how he usually said, no made up tone, or emphasis, but why do I feel it was so sweet.

“Ah!”

His loud voice made me back to my sense. “Why?” I asked him.

“We could sleep in the Jjimjilbang*4, Bi!“ He gave the idea.

“Jjimjilbang?”

“Yeah, I have ever been there with my friend.. Why do I remember it just right now?”

-00-

Because I didn’t have another idea where we should sleep, so I just followed him. And yeah, we were in the Jjimjilbang which was none other than a sauna house. When we got in, Gyu said, “Let’s meet at the Center Area later, Bi.. “ Then he got into the Men’s Area. I followed the instruction and got into the Women’s Area. I changed the clothes into pink T-shirt and short, and took sauna for a while. After that, I went to the Center Area. There were so many people there, men, women, and children. Many of them were sleeping, but there were also some drinking iced coffee while reading books, some still watching TV. Then I was looking for Gyu. And that where he was, waving his hand t