21:44

Snow and Fire

D.O stopped the car.

"Why are we stopping? I don't think we're here yet"

D.O threw a sharp stare at Ellie, who, in return, furtively turned her face to the side window, totally ignoring meeting his eyes. He reached for the back seat and took the black backpack in his hands. The sound of ping it made the girl even more uneasy.

"You're coughing too much" he ped it and impatiently took out the black hoodie, stuffed inside.

"Take" Ellie hesitantly looked towards him, her eyes down on the hoodie which D.O, without further ceremony, shoved in her hands.

"Ah! No! I'm fine really!"

No matter how much D.O stared at her, Ellie kept staring at the black window. Her hair was wet, and her jacket as well. D.O didn't know what to feel... pity or something else? It was definitely not pity.

"Just wear it" he said once more, keeping his voice calm.

"No no" she tried to push the hoodie and stuff it in his hands, D.O off handedly grabbed her wrists, slipping the hoodie from her hands.

"My car.. my rules"

Ellie finally raised her eyes and met his. Her expression was like a scared to death puppy, but she tried to hide it well.

"I can.. Go from here..."

D.O chose to ignore her.

"Your hands are freezing" he approached his lips to her freezing cold, shaking hands, and tried to warm them with his breath. For his surprise Ellie didn't respond. She just stared at him calmly.

"Wear it" he said, releasing her hands, and giving her the hoodie once more.

She obediently took off her jacket and pulled the hoodie.

D.O realized he has succeeded in one thing, scaring her to death, but he threw the jacket on the back seats and drove again.

It was so silent, he almost believed this is not Ellie. Ellie would never be this silent. Not with him, not with anyone. Something inside him broke like a tree branch, mercilessly blown by the chilly wind. Trying not to think of the past, D.O found himself reaching into an old wound.

"So where are we going?" Ellie seemed so curious, it made D.O laugh.

"Don't tell her, it has to be a surprise"

"Tell meeeee!"

The look Kai shot Ellie with was one of his knock down look. D.O saw her face in the front mirror. She made a cheesy smile, that was not enough to hide her nervousness.

"Tell me" she repeated "ya if you don't,  I'll just ask Kyungsoo. At least he doesn't act like a dunce"

"YA!" Kai shot a glare at D.O and laughed "shhht"

"I have to head back to the company, boys, I'm a busy person,  unlike you. I have a meeting.." she started counting on her fingers "I have to plan the that concert you have in my mall, I have to see a friend, I have to definitely reject one of the stupid projects offered to me, I have to .."

"Stay quiet. How can a person talk this much?"

Another knock down look was enough to keep her quiet as her eyes turned into two half moons from the smile that covered her face.

Always right in the heart, D.O thought. How could he know her so easily. Everything she said and everything she meant, it was all written on her face. Right now it was love, hidden in a mask of a playful affectation. D.O's lips curled in a timid smile.

He thought it was just his memory, but he felt the smile drawn on his face. He was in the cold car again, with this strange girl who looked like Ellie. Waking up from that dream he just