“Oppa!” Byeol jumped into Ryeowook's arms when she saw him coming out of his best friend's car, “I missed you!”

“I missed you too, my dear sister.”

He kissed her forehead and hugged her tight until Kyuhyun told them to go home before they would freeze. They went inside, left shoes, coats and luggage in the living room and sat on the sofa with the pizza the two young men had bought on their ways.

“So you're definitely back, right?” Byeol asked with sparkles in her eyes and shivering voice from excitement.

“I am.”

“And you're going to live here from now?”

“Until I find a house yes, Kyuhyun doesn’t mind sharing his place with me.”

“Oppa,” she turned to Kyuhyun, “you don't mind me coming here when I want to, right?”

“I'll be even more happy to have you here than this annoying brat here,” he chuckled and Ryeowook simply punched his shoulder.

February had started two weeks over ago and Ryeowook was now back in Korea, just like he had promised. And though Byeol was supposed to spend her Saturday with Taekwoon, when she had found out her brother was coming back, she wanted to be here to welcome him. She had waited at Kyuhyun's house and now they were finally reunited.

They spent their afternoon and early evening speaking and laughing together, Byeol never wanted to leave, but Hongbin gently sent her a text message around six pm to remind her that she had a date and that she'd better not be late.

“A date?!” Ryeowook read above her shoulder, “a date?! Like in a real date?! With whom?! How?!”

“I-it's not that...” she blushed and stood up, putting her jacket over her shoulders, “I'm just going to the cinema with a friend.”

“A boy friend or a girl friend?”

“Someone.”

She stuck her tongue out, thanked Kyuhyun for having her stay the whole afternoon and then she left, ignoring her brother calling for her. But before really leaving, she promised him she would called him later to tell him everything since he deserved to know. After all, her brother was the reason she had joined to group and she had started to open up a bit more. Today, without his help, she would still spy on Taekwoon from behind a shelf from the school library.

She took the bus and went back home.

“Byeol!” Hongbin quickly went out of his bedroom when she was about to enter hers (and from behind him, she saw a silhouette which looked a lot like Hyuk), “hurry up! Hyung should be here soon!”

“Relax,” she chuckled, “I'm the one going out, not you.”

“But I don't want you to mess things up, especially since-”

“Don't worry,” she smiled to reassure him, “I'll be fine.”

She took a quick shower and changed clothes to something more casual yet not too fancy. She put on a black skirt and a light gray shirt tucked inside, but black tights and a red cardigan over. She tied her hair into a messy bun and put a bit of make-up on.

“I'm leaving!” she said.

“Where are you going?” her mom asked from the kitchen.

“Out, I won't be here for dinner!”

“But Byeol-”

“Goodbye!”

She smiled and left the house, meeting Taekwoon who was leaning against his car. When he saw her, his small smile grew up and Byeol sightly bowed her head when she stopped in front of him. He opened the door car for her and she thanked him while going inside. He sat behind the wheel and started the engine.

“How did it go with your brother?” he asked.

“Fine. I was really happy to see him and just to know that he is back makes me feel better,” she admitted, “but I'm still sorry I couldn't go out this afternoon.”

“Don't apologize, your brother comes first. And if it makes you happy, then so am I.”

“Thank you, sunbae,” she blushed and looked at the road for him not to see her blushing face.

At the cinema, Taekwoon insisted on buying their tickets no matter how much she refused but before she could pay, but he didn't give up either and so she just let him pay, promising that she would pay next. “You've paid for our meal last time, at the restaurant, next time it's my turn”, “yes, if you want to,” he shook his head and pushed her inside the room. They sat at the back of the room and soon the movie started.

They didn't talk during the movie, which was normal, but Byeol couldn't help but be more concentrated on Taekwoon smiling or laughing whenever something funny was happening. Once or twice, he caught her staring and she was quickly looking away, hiding her blush behind her hands which only made him chuckled even more. Yet, it wasn't embarrassing or anything, Byeol had truly an amazing time just by being around him: he made her feel safe and confident, which was something which hadn't happen to her in years. And somehow, she couldn't help but thinking that if he had known the previous her, the one she was before the accident, he wouldn't mind being with her again. So she knew she could be at ease with him.

And also, she couldn't deny it, she was feeling something which was clearly something more than just friendship for him, but that, she was too shy to admit it out loud though Yun kept telling her her feelings were showing into her eyes whenever she was looking at Taekwoon. And she didn't try to deny this because she knew it was probably true.

Once the movie was done, they decided to walk down the side of the Han River to admire the lights over the water and to enjoy the soothing atmosphere.

“The exams are next week,” Byeol said, “do you think you'll succeed?”

“Of course,” he nodded, “despite my image I work hard at home to pass.”

“It... it will determine whether you'll can enter a university or not, right?”

“You'll have it next year too.”

“Oh... that's right.”

Silence.

“And what are you going to do if you don't go to the university?”

“I don't want to go anyway, I have something else in mind.”

“What?”

“I can't tell you yet, it's a secret.”

“Why? What is it about? Can you at least give me a clue?”

“No,” he smiled and shook his head, “not now. But if I succeed, I promise you'll be the first to know.”

“Yah...” Byeol sighed, “you're really no fun.”

“I'm not supposed to be either,” he chuckled and ruffled her hair.

She pretended to be offended and did a few steps forward for him to be away from her, but since he had long legs he quickly came back by her side. He even put his arm around her waist.

“Just to make sure you won't run away from me.”

“I won't,” she mumbled.

“Good, that's what I wanted to hear.”

Somehow, and without them really realizing it, their hands found each other and they intertwined their fingers together. Byeol bit on her lower lip and looked down for him not to see how embarrassed she actually looked but she only heard him giggled a bit.

“Byeol...” he cleared his throat, “do you want to be my girlfriend?”

She froze and felt a shiver running down her spine. They stopped in the middle of the pathway and they faced each other. Byeol stood still with wide open eyes.

“I know it might be a little sudden and that I haven't really officially confessed my feelings for you before but... I... I really like you, I've been liking you for years now and... I don't want to leave high school regretting. So now that we're here and that I'm about to take the university application test which means that I'm really going to leave high school, I want to say it to you. Byeol I-I like you. Please be my girlfriend.”

She kept mum and stared right at him, not really knowing what to do or not answer.

“You... you don't have to answer now if you want to, just take your time, I'm not-”

She cut him and stood on her tip-toes to reach his face. She pressed her lips against his in a very chaste kiss before she quickly stepped back.

“I'll be your girlfriend, oppa,” she ended up saying with a big shy grin, “I'll be.”

Hello guys, it's been two weeks and I'm sorry for not uploading last week-end. I hope you won't mind too much. 

Anyway, we're reaching the end: two chapters + the epilogue are left so I hope you'll like what coming next now that Ryeowook is back and that Taekwoon and Byeol are officially dating. 

Please leave a comment to tell me what you thought of this chapter, I would appreciate it :)

Thx

xx

Mae