Its dawn, and Se Hee finally wakes up because of the strong breeze he feels on his face.

“Hhm…,” he mumbles, blinking. Through his slightly opened eyes, he can see that its not his room. He is not in his room. Where is it…….........

Then his memory floods in.

The faint, familiar scent.

The cool air.

The softer, sheet less bed.

The empty echo.

He fell asleep in Ji Ho’s room, after crying his heart out the night before

.

“Strange…,” he says to himself, “..I thought saying it out loud will help..,”

He sighes, then slowly, rises to sit on the bed’s edge. Staring through his swollen eyes, to the rays of dusky light coming from the window grid.

He wonders briefly, what is she doing. Will she be alright alone on the trip. Will she able to fend for herself…

He takes a deep, heavy breath.

Se Hee knows that Ji Ho is a very strong girl, and that she has learned to reject things properly. However….,

“I cant help but worrying about her,” he confesses honestly to the empty room. 

...

"...about who?,” a soft voice suddenly comes from the far corner of the room.

“..what do you mean who, “ he answers, still  half musing. “..Ji Ho-ssi, of course, “

“ So...you worry about her?,”

“…Neh,”

......

“But why didn’t you tell her?..” the voice inquires, growing a little bit louder.

Just then, Se Hee realizes that the voice is not inside his head. It is real. And it cant be Kitty….

He slowly turns to see the source of that voice, too afraid to assume.

Ji Ho, still in her traveling gear, is sitting on the head of the other side of the bed, hugging her knees close. Her face looks tired, and tears are glistening on her face. But she is smiling. She is smiling her sweetest smile at him.

“Ji Ho-ssi…, you…,” he rubs his eyes in disbelief, “..but you said you were going….,”

“ Se He-ssi, did you cry last night?,” she cut him mid-question.

“..Neh?..,” her question catch him off-guard.

“ Aah…neh,” he answered sheepishly. Then a sudden thought comes to his mind.

“ But Ji Ho-ssi…, did something wrong happen? Why are you here..? You cry..,” he moved to face her, scrutinizing her appearance. She looks fine, shaking her head to dispel his concern.

“..I’m fine.. But Se He-ssi.., why did you cry?,” she asks him, her gaze unflinching. 

At that question, Se Hee gulps. There is finality in that soft tone that he cant ignore any longer. Should he tell her the truth? Will it hold her back from the path she is eager to walk through? Will it be a selfish thing to do? Will it make her mad..?

So many things come to his mind at once. So many worrisome things. And so he opens his mouth. 

“…because I missed you.”

“..I miss you, Ji Ho-ssi”

..since more than anything, all he wants to do at that moment is being honest to himself, even more than to her.

Meeting her eyes, he doesn’t say a word anymore, as tears begin to pool in his own. Its him, baring his soul to her. Now its her turn to decide. 

.....

“…Finally I can see you cry, “ she finally chuckles, through her own, new stream of tears.

“ ..Finally I can hear what is  on your mind…,”

“ Ji Ho-ssi, I…,” he shuffles, unsure what to do, seeing her crying but looking so blissfully happy at the same time.

“ Can I…stay by your side?,” she asks softly.

Se Hee stares at her for a long beat. At her light brown eyes, b with sincerity.

“..Yes, “ he says quietly, “it will be nice,”

And a tiny ghost of smile hovers on the corner of his mouth, as he scoots closer to her, and she to him. He offers his hand to her tiny ones, and she grasps it tight. She is staring at his red eyes, and her hand reaches up to touch his tears. He does the same, gently wipes hers away. It lingers long, to caress her flawless, rosy cheeks.

“..Can I..kiss you?,” he says tenderly.

Ji Ho blushes at that, but earnestly answers.

“..Neh, “

Smiling, he reaches out to her, pulling her into his embrace, before stopping in front of her face, and slowly, very slowly, descends his lips to hers.

it feels very soft, and a little cold, but he never feels something as good as it. Ji Ho responds to him passionately, as her fingers lands on his cheeks, then his nape, holding him close. Se Hee deepens the kiss, the side of her cheeks and neck as he does so, and after a while, pulls out just in time to say to her,

“ I love you,”

“ I love you too, Se Hee-ssi.”

Then they continue to kiss, under the glimmering golden ray of morning sunshine.

---

- Fin -