☾ ⋆ ☆⋆ ✨ ⋆ ☄ ⋆ ✨ ⋆☆ ⋆ ☽

Lay didn’t know colors have such huge impacts on people’s emotions and physical wellbeing. Red. The first color of the rainbow. The color of blood and fire. Red is associated with the meanings of love, passion, desire, longing, heat, lust, romance, uality but also danger, anger, stress. Red is daring. Red is determined and powerful. It symbolizes action, confidence and courage. Studies show that the color red can create physical effects such as elevated blood pressure, increased respiratory rates, higher levels of energy, increased enthusiasm.

He thought it was because of the color red. He felt all the above because of the red skater dress Halley was wearing. The summer night breeze brushed through her fading pinkish hair and she smiled beamingly when she arrived.

“Sorry for being late.” She looked at him with her beautiful eyes.

“I’ve just arrived too.” He lied. He was waiting for her more than twenty minutes but it wasn’t a big deal to him. “Should we ahead?”

“Of course.” They headed to a nearby café to have a smoothie and something to eat. They chatted lightly about their daily life and the dance competition as always.

Lay opened the door for her. They sat down at a table at the corner. Lay ordered their smoothie, a blueberry cheesecake for Halley, and a green tea cheesecake for himself.

“Can I have a bite?” she asked him.

“Sure. Go on.” He offered her his cake. Halley cut a bite with her fork and tasted it.

“Mhm. Nice. So.” she started after she swallowed the dessert. “How are you feeling in Seoul?”

“Good. I’m glad I made friends. I might be really lonely without them.” he teared his gaze away from his plate and laid eyes on the girl in front of him.

“Damn sure. I’m lonely without them in Busan.” she pouted cutely.

“Don’t you have friends in Busan?” he enquired. He thought Halley might be popular everywhere she goes.

“I do. But it’s different. I do not have this bond with my friends in Busan, which I definitely have with Hyejeong, Chanmi, Chanyeol or…” she became quiet. Lay thought the next name might be Sehun. “Or Jongin.” Seems like he was wrong. 

He tried to ease the conversation. “Then why don’t you go to college here?”

“I tried. But the thing is, I have an overprotective mother.” she was poking her cake with the fork and peeked out the window next to her. People flooded the streets, no wonder, the weather was nice, it was a Friday night and also summer.

“I see. At least you can be with your family.” He leaned back in his chair sent her a sad dimpled grin.

“Oh. right, I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to complain.” worried that she might have offended him, she flushed red.

“It’s okay. I do miss them, but at the same time I really like it here.” to reassure her, he gave her his sincerest smile.

“I’m glad. Oh! What’s that?” she pointed behind him. Lay peeked behind but couldn’t see what was Halley pointing at. He couldn’t see anything interesting.

“What?” He looked back and saw, well, a hamster. Halley stole his last piece of cake. He couldn’t help but laugh at her cute stuffed face.

“I’m sorry!” she put her hands up in defeat. “It’s so delicious. If I gain weight, that’s on you.”

“Eat well. You’ll be pretty even if you gain weight.” he grinned at her lovingly. “Should we go somewhere else?”

“Yes.” she agreed.

They took a walk in the wooded park, near the café. There were food stalls, drink stalls and small gift stalls around the way, crowded with people. The fresh summer air was mixed with the spicy smell of rice cake. Trees rustled loudly in the summer breeze, brushing Halley’s hair to her face. Lay gently tucked the strands of hair behind her ear to which she chuckled gratefully. The wind became sensibly chilly, Halley wore nothing over her dress, she had forgotten her blazer, so he offered his jacket to her, which she gladly accepted. She made a joke about herself, that she might look ridiculous with the denim jacket over her little red dress, nonetheless she was dashing in anything in Lay’s opinion.

“Look, a Ferris Wheel!” she pointed at the blue and purple amusement ride. It was smaller than what they had seen in Everland. “Should we go on?” she asked sheepishly.

“I thought you don’t like the Ferris Wheel.” he peeked at her, examining her face.

“Eventually, I have to overcome my fear. Come on!” he dragged him to the queue. They were waiting for ten minutes then hopped in one cabin, Halley quickly sit nex