All I did was look down at my noodles and ate it without a word whereas he chuckled and let me off without an answer. When I was done eating, he insisted on paying for the bill and we went off. I had thought we were about to go home but he still wouldn’t let me go yet.

“Wait. There’s some place that I need to bring you to,”he said and made me promise to stay with him till the end of the date and that he will send me home after that.

He brought me to a shopping mall nearby and we went up to the last floor. When we got out, I saw a pair of glass double door which he opened for me. He smiled and gestured for me to go right in. I walked in and saw a huge ice rink and the cold air blew right into my face. An indoor ice-skating place. I began rubbing my arms since I was clad in just my uniform.

“Omo, I’m sorry for bringing you when you’re only wearing your school uniform. Here, wear my hoodie,”he reached into his bag for a grey hoodie.

“It’s okay, I’ll be alright. But…I’m afraid I’m not in the best condition to ice-skate…,”I started apologetically.

“Oh, why? Are you feeling ill?”he asked, his face full of worry.

“No, no. I’m wearing a skirt. And it’s my first time ice-skating so I’ll fall,”I explained, abashed.

“Oh, don’t worry about that. I’ll make sure you wouldn’t fall,”he smiled.

It was his smile that did it; I trusted him and agreed to ice-skate with him. Wearing his hoodie over my uniform, it was long enough to cover me all the way to my knees. We got a pair of skates each and he helped me put it on. He stretched his hand out for my hand and I let my palm rest on his. He held onto it and smiled before leading me towards the rink.

“Careful now,”he said as he stepped into it.

He held onto my hands tightly, as I stepped into the rink as well. However, since it was my first time, I slipped and was about to fall flat on my stomach when he hurriedly grab me tight and pulled me up straight. Because of that motion, his face was inches away from me and he looked me in the eyes.

“You alright?”he asked.

I nodded, clearly blushing. He smiled and he began teaching me how to ice-skate. All the while, he was patient and gentle. His reflexes were faster than my own and he was quick to grab me before I could even fall. Within a span of 30 minutes, I was able to ice-skate with minimal help and he wouldn’t stop smiling at my achievement. We continued ice-skating for another half an hour before calling it a day. He helped me to take off my skates once again and we went off to grab a mug of hot chocolate to warm up.

“Hyukjae oppa, thanks a lot for today. I really had fun,”I smiled.

“No problem and I really like how you say my name,”he smiled back.

I couldn’t help but blush and gulp down the hot chocolate in an attempt to hide my blushing face. But the beverage was still hot and I scalded my tongue. I swallowed whatever was in my mouth and stuck my tongue out.

“Are you okay? Do you need ice?”he hurriedly look around.

“It’s okay, I’m alright,”I held onto his arm to calm him down.

“Good good,”it seemed that it helped and he was looking at me with a worried expression yet being all still.

 I let go of him and was about to drink the chocolate again when he stopped me.

“Let me cool the drink down for you,”he said and took the cup away from me.

He stood there, blowing the beverage in my cup without any complaint. He even took a sip to make sure that it was warm instead of boiling hot for my consumption before passing the cup back to me.

“Is it better now?”he asked.

I took a sip and nodded. He smiled at me and watched as I finished my drink. When I was done, we grabbed our bags in the locker and walked out of the shopping mall. It was already evening time when we came out since we had a late lunch.

“Where do you stay?”he asked

I told him the name of the street I stayed in and he listened intently.

“We can take a bus from here,”he said as we neared a bus stop.

“I’m fine with going home myself, Hyukjae oppa,”I said hurriedly.

“A gentleman must always send his date home unless she’s going somewhere else. Are you?”he asked.

I shook my head.

“Then, I’ll send you home,”he concluded with no further protest from me.

We boarded a bus and all the way, it was silent as well. But all of a sudden, he asked for my number which I gladly gave. And that was how I had gotten Lee Hyukjae’s mobile number. When the bus turned into my street, I reached out to press the bell.

“Hey, next time, tell me and I’ll press it for you,”he said softly.

“Next time?”I blurt out without thinking.

“Yes, on our future dates,”he smiled before standing up to let me get out.

We alighted from the bus and I led the way to my apartment block. We walked all the way to the lift lobby and he waited together with me for the lift.

“Bye, Hyukjae oppa and thank you for today,”I bowed when the lift door opened.

“Oh, you’re going up alone? I need to make sure you get into your house,”he said.

“I’ll be alright,”I reassured him.

“But a gentleman must always send his date home,”he insisted and I gave up fighting with him.

“Okay then,”I stepped into the lift and waited for him to come in.

After the door closed, the lift began making its way up. The lift door open and I walked towards my door.  He surveyed my door and read the numbers under his breath.

“So, this is where you stay?”he pointed my door with his thumb.

I nodded and he took in a deep breath.

“Haemin, have you decided?”he asked.

“On?”I looked at him.

“On whether you want to go out with me from today onwards,”he said.

It was the same question that lingered in my mind. I wasn’t sure whether I should accept him back then. It was an all too new feeling for me.

“Do you need more time? I can wait,”he said in a soothing voice.

“Can you?”I asked, not wanting to reject nor daring enough to accept either.

“Sure. But remember that I’ll always be waiting every morning just like today for you to say yes. And I mean it,”he said in a firm tone.

I could only smile at his determination.

“Goodnight, Haemin. I had fun today and I’ll see you tomorrow in school,”he bowed.

“Goodnight, Hyukjae oppa. I had fun as well and sleep well tonight,”I bowed back.

He pressed the button for the lift and I watched and waited with him.

“Go in. I’m going off already,”he motioned for me to get into my house.

But I shook my head. I just wanted to watch him go, just in case it was my last time being able to talk to him.

“The lift is here. Go on in when the door closes, alright. I’ll call you when I reach home and don’t worry. I’ll sleep really well tonight because I had a good day today. You sleep well too,”he smiled before entering the lift.

An hour later, he really did call and we had a chat over the phone till the clock struck twelve. I had skipped dinner because I was too full. And for the first time in my life, I hadn’t touched any of my homework and slept way past my bedtime. 

End of Chapter

DarkAngel