When they cut Bomi (Yes!  Now I’m positive it’s me he was talking about!) Luhan and Sehun offer to walk Hyerin and I home.  We both accept and casually stroll along the sidewalk.  We take a detour through the gardens, which is nice and romantic and the perfect spot for Luhan to confess to Hyerin, or the other way around.  Sehun must share my brainwaves, because he links Luhan’s left hand with Hyerin’s right hand.  

   “Isn’t this romantic?”  He chirps.  Luhan just stares at him in disbelief.  Hyerin likes it and doesn’t even bother turning around.  “If two people really like each other, I think the perfect place to admit it is in the gardens.  When they’re ready, of course.”

   Sehun’s grin is the most devilishly handsome one I’ve ever seen.  I join him in his fun.  

   “You know, Sehun and I might have found sweethearts, but we’re not as deserving as you two are of a loving partner.  If only, if only my dreams of the HyeHan ship would set sail!”  I exclaim.  Sehun puts his arm around my shoulder in approval and flicks my forehead.

   “You’re right, Eunji.  Maybe we should take the shortcut to your dorm that’s coming up in a few yards and let the HyeHan couple settle their feelings for each other,” he suggests.

   “That sounds like a wonderful idea,” I agree.  He takes my hand and starts jogging.  I’m pulled behind him but follow him with glee.

   “See you later!”  Sehun shouts as we cut through some bushes and under the small iron bridge leading to the bell tower.  We begin panting, so we start walking once we’re sure they aren’t following us.

   “Maybe they’ll finally start dating,” I croak.  I’m out of air, and Sehun laughs at me.

   “We sound like them,” he adds.  “Shipping them like they ship us.”  

   “So juvenile,” I sarcastically comment and he let’s out the famous one-syllable-laugh.  Our hands are still connected and he puts them in the pocket of his jacket.  

   “That ‘other guy’ you were talking about tonight...  Is he handsome?”  He’s probing.  I like it. 

   “I definitely think so.  But he’s really stubborn.”

   “How so?”

   “He won’t admit he likes me.”

   “Well, you won’t admit you like him,” he spats.

   “I did tonight, on camera,” I argue.  This is a playful argument, and it sort of feels good.  

   “But you won’t face him and directly say it,” he softly says.  “Why is that?” 

   “I’m scared I could be reading the situation wrong.”

   He laughs and shakes his head.

   “Is he that confusing?”

   “Yes,” I quickly answer.  “He’s the most confusing man I’ve ever met.”

   “Oh, so he’s a man?  Is he manly?”

   “Stop it,” I giggle.  “When I first met him, I thought for sure that he’d be someone I’d never be interested in.  Then I went to a cat café with him, and he showed me a soft side to him that made him really cute.  He piggybacked me all the way from the canal to the VC once, and that drove me wild.  He even told me he looked forward to seeing me-- what a charmer!  But I kept getting confused because of all the times he made fun of me and picked on me.  It wasn’t until the other day that I decided he really likes me.”

   “You may be cute, but you’re incredibly slow,” he laughs.  

   “How do you know that?”  

   “I spied the entire time.’

   “Oh really?”  I chuckle.  

   “Really.  That time you told him you hadn’t had your first kiss-- remember that?”

   “That was forever ago.”

   “He kept thinking to himself, ‘Man, I wonder who will be lucky enough to give that to her.’  He told me.  He tells me everything.”

   I stop talking.  I’m too romanced; speaking now would interrupt Sehun, and that’s the last thing I want to do.  

   “When he fell into the canal with you, he thought ‘Wow, this is the coolest girl I’ve ever met.’  And when he saw you cry for the first time...”  He pauses.  “He wished over and over again that she hadn’t been hurt so bad.  He was too scared to continue comforting you, though; he didn’t want to admit to himself that he was falling for this girl.”

   Falling for?  He’s falling in love with me? 

   “Wow, he thinks a lot of things,” I sheepishly joke.  I feel him squeeze my hand the hardest he ever has.  

   “You bet.  When he got you in his lap and smelled your hair for the first time, he went wild with desire.  Remember that?  At the loft? There was a reason he flipped you on your back, Eunji; he was going to confess to you and kiss you on the spot.”

   “Kiss me?!”  I ask, dumbfounded.  He smiles at the ground and sighs.

   “Yeah, kiss you.  But his friends came in and ruined everything.  Then Baekhyun dared to steal you away and take your first kiss.”

   “That jerk.”

   “Yeah, that jerk.  But that’s when the guy realized that he couldn’t just win you over by being the arrogant jerk like you see in movies.  He actually had to be sweet to you.”

   “Imagine that,” I mumble.  He shoots me a sarcastic glare and I shrug my shoulders with a smile.  

   “So that’s exactly what he did.  He even went along with a stupid plan of seducing Baekhyun, just because she hugged him the warmest hug he’d ever felt.  He got so jealous when the guy at the Halloween store kept hitting on her; so much so that he pulled her into his arms and kissed her cheek.  But the odds were in his favor and brought her to him; he confirmed it when they went on a date last Saturday.”  

   I’m melting at this point, by the way.  We’re just outside my residence hall now, and Sehun pulls me back before we’re right next to it.  He wraps his arms around me and places his lips on the top of my head.  

   “I know you’re frustrated that he won’t tell you he likes you,” he whispers.  His breath warms the top of my head in the cool air.  “But...  He’s waiting for you to say it first, so he knows that you’re ready to hear him say it.” 

   I can’t keep my eyes open, despite my racing heart.  He’s waiting for me, but I feel so much less pressured than I did with Baekhyun.  

   “I think she’ll tell you soon,” I mumble into his chest.  He gently spins me around (after a quick, tighter hug) and finishes walking me to the door.  

   “Text me when Hyerin gets back; I want to hear all the details before Luhan gets home.”

   “Okay,” I agree and start shutting the door. 

   “Oh, wait!”  He shouts.  I open the door and he just barely kisses the edge of my lips.  I cover my mouth with a hand, in shock, and he shrugs.  “Something has to hold me over until you tell me.” 

   He walks off, looking cool and handsome, and I’m standing in the doorway staring at him.  

   I have to tell him.  Soon.