I parked my car near the kimchi stew restaurant and made my way in. I looked around the place just like how I did at the noodle house. The staff there, however just looked at me cluelessly. One of them even asked me whether I needed a table.

“Erm, excuse me! But did a guy come in to make any arrangements of some sort? The guy has brown hair,”I asked.

The waiters looked at each other before shaking their head. I bowed while thanking them before making my way out again. This is weird. Wasn’t this the place where we came to when we first held hands? I took out the piece of paper again.

[Not bad, Haemin. I had guessed that you could make it this far. This is the last clue so you better guess it right!

Clue: The first time our hands touched

Think carefully, Haemin. This isn’t as easy as the other two! Good luck!]

Think carefully? This isn’t easy? Which means that he knew that I wouldn’t think of the answer straight away? I was deep in thought as I made my way back to my car. When was the first time our hands touched? That was when it hit me! Aish! How could I forget that particular moment! That one moment that melted my heart! I hurriedly got into the car and drove. It has to be that place! This time, I was sure of it! How could I have been so stupid?!

As I parked the car, I grabbed my bouquet of lilies, the box of earrings and the papers. I made my way to the elevator and pressed the button for the top level. All the way there, my heart began racing. I don’t know why I was so nervous. I knew who I was going to meet after all. Reaching the top level, I made my way to the ice-skating rink. A staff who was at the door, spotted me and she surveyed the bouquet of lilies and the box of earrings I was holding. She smiled and opened the door for me.

“This way,”she said softly.

She led me towards the other side of the skating rink. Instead of the one that was open to public, she opened another set of doors, leading me to one that was used for practice by ice hockey teams of the schools nearby. Before I could ask her anything, she closed the door behind. There was a loud echo that came with the shutting of the door and I slowly made my way in.

“Hyukjae oppa?”I called out uncertainly.

Seeing as how it was brightly lit with nobody at the rink, I slowly sat down at the spectator stands. As I let my eyes roam about, I spotted a small figure at the opposite end.

“Hyukjae oppa?”I called out again, louder this time.

The figure didn’t reply but he did stand up. I watched him make his way towards the rink. That was when I realised how slowly he was walking. Instead of stopping at the outside of the rink, he made his way into the rink, skating effortlessly. He made sure to stay close to the circumference when he came towards me.

“Not bad, Haemin! You made your way here in the end,”Hyukjae oppa clapped.

“So, it was all a set up? The call and everything?”I asked.

“Hmmm, you can say that. I asked them to schedule a person less so that you wouldn’t be beside me to make this plan work,”he chuckled.

“What’s with the sudden surprise event eh?”I smiled.

It seems that his eyes were twinkling when the lights suddenly went off. I was about to scream for Hyukjae oppa when I saw that there was something glowing on the surface of the ice. Realising that it were some characters, I began reading. Will you…

My jaw dropped and as if on cue, the lights came back on. Hyukjae oppa was kneeling on the ice with a box of ring in his hand.

“Kim Haemin, will you marry me?”he repeated the words that I’ve just read on the ice.

I closed my mouth as I felt my throat go dry. This time round, I closed my eyes and images of the time I had been crying at Donghae’s house came to mind. The time where I had been hurting because of the fall I had. The blood I saw came flooding to me suddenly. I opened my eyes wide for I was scared out of my wits. I looked at Hyukjae oppa and the smile on his face had disappeared. Sure, getting back together was not much of a problem. But marriage is a big thing. I was to be with Hyukjae oppa for the rest of my life. I knew that was what I wanted but I was still frightened.

“Haemin, are you alright?”Hyukjae oppa slowly stood up.

“I…..sorry, Hyukjae oppa,”I bowed and ran off as quickly as I can.

“HAEMIN!”I could hear Hyukjae oppa shouting for me.

As fast as I could, I ran out of the skating rink and when I saw that the elevator was at the first floor, I grew even more anxious. I looked around for an alternative and spotted the escalator. I ran over and began running downstairs. Once I reached the carpark, I took out my car keys. I managed to unlock my car thanks to the button but when I tried to stick the key into the keyhole to start the engine, my hands wouldn’t stop shaking. I don’t know why I was shaking so badly. Just as I was about to stick it in, the door to my car opened and I came face to face with Hyukjae oppa again.

I tried to calm myself down as I held onto the key tightly. Seeing as how my knuckles were turning white, Hyukjae oppa reached out to get the key out of my hand.

“I’m sorry…,”

“Did I scare you? Was I too rash?”he asked, cutting off my apology.

“Sorry, I just…the images of the time…at Donghae’s house and everything…just came to me…I’m so sorry, Hyukjae oppa…I just…,”I began sobbing.

“Hush. I know, I understand. I’m sorry for being so rash,”he reached out to hug me.

“No, I know why you wanted to do it. Everything has been settled. This is a good timing for you to ask but I’m sorry, I’m just…,”I cried.

“It’s okay, it’s okay. Hyukjae oppa understands, alright?”he my hair as he tried to calm me down.

“I’m sorry for hurting you like that. I seriously wasn’t expecting you to propose,”I hugged him tighter.

“I’m not hurt. I’m just upset seeing you like that. I shouldn’t have pushed it,”he gently let go of me as he looked at me with a pain expression.

He reached out to wipe the tears away.

“But I really liked the whole idea. It was really romantic of you. I just…,”I tried to cheer him up.

To that, he chuckled at my silliness.

“But….I’m not totally rejecting you. Can you give me some time to sort out my thoughts?”I asked.

“You’re…not rejecting me?”he stuttered.

“I don’t know. I’m confused. I just…got scared all of a sudden when you proposed…I can’t think straight,”I admitted.

“Okay, I’ll give you time…,”Hyukjae oppa nodded his head.

“Er….I don’t think I’ll be going home tonight. Don’t wait up, alright?”I lowered my eyes.

“Where are you…I mean, alright. Be careful, okay?”he gave me another hug.

End of Chapter

DarkAngel