She was losing her mind. There was no other explanation to all this madness. Never in a million years would she had acted the way she did at dinner earlier that night, would have never raised her voice at her father the way she did when their guests had gone and he came to lectured her, but most of all she would have never been caught dead sneaking out of her house to meet a boy her parents would never approve of the way they approved of Junmyeon.

Thankful for the shawl she had grabbed at the last minute, before leaving the safety of her bedroom, she tightened it around her shoulders in an attempt to keep herself warm from the cool night breeze. She pondered over the possibility of the sudden coldness as a warning and for a split second she thought about turning around. The thought quickly disappeared when she spotted a familiar figure standing underneath a light post at the end of the street.  

She arched an eyebrow in confusion when he made his way towards her. Didn’t he say he’d wait at the old abandoned cottage for her?

“What kind of man would I be if I had let you walk by yourself? You know what they say, bad things happens to pretty girls at night.”

His words sent shivers down her spine and she was suddenly afraid of the dark that seemed to be creeping in on her.

“Never fear though, as long as I’m here, I won’t let anything bad happen to you.”

Somehow his words made her feel better and as bizarre as it sounded, she trusted him, perhaps even with her life.

“Now stop being so scared and come with me.” His outstretched hand begged for hers and with little hesitation, she connected her hands with his.

“Where are we going?” They hadn’t been walking for too long, but she was beginning to feel uneasy. This whole experience was new to her and she didn’t even know she had it in her to go out alone, in the dark with a boy, a stranger at that. Yes, Park Chanyeol was very much a stranger and though she had grown up hearing stories about him, he had disappeared for four years. It also didn’t help that they were getting further and further away from the town.

“Ah, she finally speaks.” He turned around just long enough for her to see a playful smile spread across his face.

“There it is!” He exclaimed before she could protest his teasing. Looking pass his shoulder she saw something that resembled a motorbike, hidden in the tall grass. She watched as he released her hand and pushed the bike out of the grass with after a quick inspection, hoped on the bike before extending his hand towards her.

“What? You didn’t think we were going to walk the whole time did you? Hop on.” There was just enough room behind him, but she couldn’t possibly get on behind him right? Maybe she should just go back, walking with him here was already enough for her.

“What’s the matter?” She took a step back from the bike, from him, from the fantasy she could only dream about.

“Are you afraid?”

When she didn’t answer him she heard him sigh, “I see. I guess four years isn’t long enough. Do they still talk about me?”

Guilt immediately consumed her. He was wrong. Yes she was afraid, but she wasn’t afraid because of the stories she heard in high school. She was afraid of herself. Afraid of the feelings brewing inside of her. Afraid that she would be the only one longing for him after all was said and done.

“I suppose I’m nothing like the boys your parents have in mind for you right?” She looked at him, did he want to be like the boys her parents had in mind for her? She didn’t answer him, she didn’t have too, because he knew her parents would never accept him. He was nothing like the boys who visited her house with their parents.

Nothing like the arrogant Sungjae who rode off the fame of his prestigious father, or the awkward Junmyeon who seemed too smart for his own good.

Chanyeol was different, not because he grew up in a broken household, but because whenever she was around him, she finally felt alive. Alive. It had been so long since she felt the blood rush throughout her body, heard the beating of her own heart, and it was all because of him. Chanyeol made her feel alive and for now feeling alive was all she could ever ask for.

Wasting no time, she took the few steps necessary and placed herself behind him.

“Wha-“

“-take me somewhere,” it was her turn to do the talking now.

When he didn’t turn the engine on, her heart sank. Was it too late? Did she wait too long to get on?

“You’ll fall if you don’t hold on,” he chuckled as he wrapped her arms around his waist before turning on the bike. The roaring scared her, causing her to tighten her hold around him and another laugh was heard over the engine.

“Let’s get out of this town Sooyoung,” he stated, before they rode off into the distance. 

♥

“Tell me about Seoul?” They were currently laying on the grass, gazing up at the night sky in a field he grass. How she ended up using one of his arm as a pillow, she had no idea, but she did know she preferred his arm over any old pillow.

“Seoul?” She turned to her side so that she was facing him. The distance between them was minimal, so close that she if leaned up enough her lips would touch his. The thought crossed her mind, but was quickly dismiss.

“Is it true, what they say? How it’s the city that never sleeps and how magical the place se