"So..." You straightened your legs and stretched out your hands. "... how come you're a soldier now, when you don't really want to be one?"

     "Let's just say... I'm protecting my father's dignity."

     The look on your face must had explained the confusion that swept over you when he looked and laughed at your expression. "Well do you want to hear about it?"

     "Yes, yes please."

     Hoya randomly took a pebble beside him on the ground and tossed it repeatedly into the air. "My father's a soldier, a very dedicated one. He served for our country for almost one and a half decades now. Back at our place, everybody look up to him. He's respected, feared, shortly he ranked himself and our family quite at a high place because of his deeds. And me, being the only son in the family... they just, automatically expect me to follow in the footsteps of my father. I.... I can't say no now can I?" There was a hint of regret in his voice, and you just watched the small pebble drop into a puddle as he flung it across the wide space in front of you.

     "So... you're doing this... just to, uhh, live up to people's expectations?" your eyes traced his expression, afraid that you might offend him.

     "More or less, yes..." he replied, heaving a sigh.

     "Ah well," you stretched out your arms in front of you and inhaled the night breeze that already started to blow in between the leaves. "Nothing in life is always pleasant."

     Hoya smiled at your statement. "Pity I can't do things that I find pleasant."

     "Like what?"

     "All my life, since I was small, I've been greatly influenced by my mother. She's a wonderful woman," A smile quietly bloomed at the edge of his lips, "she taught me that life isn't all... dark clouds and thunderstorms. She showed me that life still gives us sunlight and rainbows after all the misery. My mother adored music, all kinds of them!" He laughed, probably reminiscing the times spent with his mother. "She even writes poems, and then line by line she would weave it into a song... and then she would sing it, make it as a lullaby, and sang me to sleep."

     Looking at his face brighten when talking about his mother made your heart flutter. That wide smile, how his face lighted up, and the facial expressions that certainly showed his adoration towards his mother.

     Hoya looked at you. "What?"

     "Wow," The word escaped your mouth without hesitation. You lightly gasped and pursed your lips.

     "Ahaha, I know." He looked up to the sky. "One thing she always said to me was, find someone unlike her." Hoya let out a weak laugh. "Someone... opposite her. Someone tough on the outside but gentle on the inside probably, because my mother was gentle on the outside but tough on the inside."

     You giggled, amused. "And why's that?"

     He shrugged. "I never knew. She... was gone before she could tell me the reason for it."

     "Oh... I'm sorry."

     Amazingly, Hoya just smiled. "She died peacefully, smiling. Ah, I guess she wanted me to find out for myself." He stood up, brushed off the grass from his pants, stepped forward a few steps and scanned the blue-black sky. Stars were already twinkling a thousand light years away. "Tell you what mum!" he shouted to the sky, "I think I know what you mean now!" He stole a glance at you who was still resting underneath the shade. "And thanks! You always bring the best for me!"

     He stepped back and held out a hand. "Let's go for a walk, shall we? The scenery's really picturesque now, and it's bound to get more beautiful."

     You took his hand, still blushing, heart still pounding in your chest because of what you heard. Hand in hand, fingers entwined, you and Hoya walked side by side through the sea of wild flowers and grass.

     "Enough about me then. I want to know more about you, you. Tell me about your childhood."

     You lowered your head. It wasn't that you didn't want to tell him about your childhood, it was simply because, "I... don't remember anything from my childhood."

     "Oh? Nothing at all?"

     "It's     I    there was f-fire, I remember my brother's frightened face, I remember the thick smoke, and me getting carried out, people chattering around me... and... and..." The bitter memories that you fought so hard to forget flashed through your mind like flash cards. You felt his grip on your hand tightened. "... and... getting orp-phaned... at the age of four..." Unnoticed tears dropped to your cheeks as he pulled you into an embrace and whispered into your ear.

     "Shh, shh... it's okay, it's okay, no need to remember those. Shh... I'm sorry for bringing it up. Let's think of flowers and butterflies, uhh, pleasant things, okay?"

     "Flowers and butterflies? That's just so random!" You giggled, hitting him and planting your face in his chest. He was so warm and felt so comfortable to be with.

     "Well I have no idea what things are pleasant to you!" Hoya pouted.

     You sniffed. "The kids. That's all I am left with and need. They're everything to me."

     He chuckled. "I guessed so." He took your hand and started walking again. "Hmm talking about them, you know, while I was taking care of them, they sure know how to entertain themselves. Never at a point that they lack games to play. NEVER."

     "Ahaha, those are all I have to teach them. At least the cottage never got gloomy and dull."

     "And then there's this game they played. I don't know what it is, it looks similar to the 'tag' game... but they    "

     "Kiss each other's cheek to tag?" you cut him. His suprised expression got you bursting out laughing. "It's one of their favourites."

     "It looks... fun."

     "Then let me teach you." You let go of his hand and stood in front of him. "Let's say I'm 'it' now. I run and catch you. Instead of tagging you like this," you patted his shoulder, "I kiss you... like... this." You lightly pecked his cheek and stepped backwards, "And now, you chase me."

     And then you took off. Ran as fast as your feet could carry.

     "Wait what?" You heard him shout after you.

     "Catch me! If you can!" you shouted back.

     You glanced back. And gasped. He was right behind you already.

     You felt  your waist being grabbed and Hoya kissed your cheek right back. Then he released you and ran towards the opposite direction. "You're it!"

     "Ah, Hoya~!!! You know I can never catch you!" Suddenly, a brilliant idea struck you.

     You trotted a few steps and then pretended to fall to the ground. "Oww~!" Rubbing your ankles and putting a fake painful face, you waited for him to come to your rescue.

     "You know, you, you don't have to do that."

     "Eh?!" you turned around and saw him smirking, hands akimbo. "How did   "

     Hoya knelt and placed a finger on your lips before you could continue. "I'm a soldier. I'm trained for this. And..." He leaned in to you. You tried to lean as far back as you could, but your effort was blocked by a big boulder behind you. Well that boulder came from nowhere.

     "... I don't really care if I'm 'it' forever, chasing after you." He leaned in and kissed you on the lips briefly. You didn't know how to react to this situation, but you knew, deep down, that this man in front of you was the one. Your hands moved and placed theirselves behind his neck and you said, "Then I don't care if I'm being chased by you, forever."

     He smiled, revealing his neatly arranged teeth and leaned in to kiss you again, and this time more intense. You kissed him back passionately, and as you glanced over his shoulder, you saw a star wink at you once. Your heart skipped.

     Thank you, Hoya's mother, wherever you are. Thank you.