She sang Love Light for him.

She gave him a scrapbook about their journey together, the one she made to the early morning and caused black shadows under her eyes.

She personally prepared and gave him their new couple rings.

Yong Hwa was overwhelmed. Too overwhelmed. He should be happy. But negative questions started to enter his head. Once they seeped in his brain, there’s no stopping them.

Did she do that for me, or because PD-nim asked her to prepare it? She said she came to the idea herself. No wonder, she’s the genius that she was.

But he was afraid then. Scared the hell out of his wits. A part of him just wanted to run away from her, to cut everything off then that he still had the strength to do it. WGM was supposed to be just a reality show.
These days, he found it hard to sleep. Particularly after that day, the fear gnawed at him more and more.

I want her for myself.

That was one of the sentences that appeared on his mind that night, after he came back from WGM shooting. It kept repeating in his consciousness, over and over again.

I want to marry her. Lock us in a room and make love to her. Have a family with her.

But will they ever be together for real? He had confessed to her once, but she still hadn’t answered him. He already said “Sarangheyo” but she had never said she loved him too.

Even if she did, and they end up dating and become a real couple, the thought of marrying her seemed to be impossible.

He sighed as he leaned to the cool bathroom tiles.

He knew it. He God damn well knew this is going to happen since that first day when she asked him the difference between like and love.

This is more than real for me. You’re turning to be my one and only. No other girl could make me feel this way again, Hyun.

He sat on the wet floor and looked at his new couple ring. It gleamed and shone under the white neon. And he remembered her expression then. Lovely, trusting, and beyond beautiful.

What if this show ends, huh, Yong Hwa, then what? What if she doesn’t really care for you, then what next? If this show ends, and she end up with someone else, could you bear the pain?

When he confessed to her, he was so sure if she said yes, he will be able to make it out.

But she never said she loves me. It looked like she cared but—

He chuckled bitterly.

Yong Hwa, are you crazy? Are you a girl to feel this insecurity? Where’s that suave, cool Jung Yong Hwa, who could make a girl like him just with a smile and a few pick up lines? Where did that person go?

Hyun, give me a sign. Show me that you care. I want to hear that one word, Hyun.

His heart. It was painful. The longing for her was painful.

Goddamnit. I love her too much.
--------------------------------------------

So he stopped texting or calling her. It took every cells of his willpower not to text her and told her what he was doing, and to ask her about her days. It was so hard not to hear her voice every day.

He hoped she will contact him first. To show him that she missed him. To show him that he meant a lot to her.

When one week passed, and she still didn’t say a word, he died a little.

But he still had this faint hope and waited for another week. And another and another. And still she said nothing.

He knew she was busy with her debut preparation in Japan. But she must be able to spare him one minute and asked how he was doing.

Don’t you miss me? Because I’m crazy here for you.

One month passed by. He kept holding his cell phone everywhere he went. Even stared at the screen every night before exhaustion took him over. And still she didn’t contact him at all.

And he died some more.
-----------------------------------------------

He bought two rows of goguma field for me.

He gave me and my mother beautiful necklaces.

Most importantly, he admitted he wrote Love Light because of me.

Seo Hyun was high in the air when she came home from WGM shooting that night. Big smiles and all that creepy glow that made Hyo Yeon realized that it’s going to be another sleep deprived night because the maknae would want to chat endlessly about the so called Jung Yong Hwa.

---------------------------------------------

She waited for his “Good night, have a nice dream” call that night. When it didn’t come, she realized maybe he was too tired and decided she called it a night too. felt dry after she poured Hyo Yeon unnie with everything that happened that day.

The next day, there was still no text or call from him. Is he that busy?

Three days passed and still no word. Seo Hyun started to wonder, did she do too much for his birthday and scared him away? Making that new couple rings seemed like she wanted to tie him down, right? Was it wrong? But he looked so happy that night by the fishing lake…..

One week passed and for Seo Hyun, the days filled with worry. Is he okay? Did his management was angry at him and took his cell phone again? Is he alright, is he healthy? Is his voice and throat okay?

Two weeks came. And angry tears started to fill her eyes that night, after a long day, and her phone still didn’t beep from a text or miscall from him.

So is this it? He doesn’t really care about me. When I start to reach out to him and show him my feelings, he threw me away like a burden he doesn’t want to carry. It’s okay to flirt and tease me, but when I want him to wear my ring and when I sang Love Light for him, he thought I’m too much. Now he made this cruel distance.

Her heart was breaking breaking breaking. Because she missed him so much and worried about him a lot but now his silence made her afraid to do anything anymore.

Hyo Yeon came inside and saw Seo Hyun’s back, tense and weary.

“Still no call?” she asked.

Seo Hyun turned to her and shook her head. In a wave of anger, she deleted his number. Bang her phone to the bed and stalked to the bathroom, leaving Hyo Yeon standing sadly looking at her.

-------------------------------------------------

When she got back from the shower, she opened an old text message from him and saved his number again.

I’m hopeless, she thought. I’m hopeless because I kept hoping and missing you though you deceived me like this. Though you shut me out like this.

-------------------------------------------------

“Why is Hyunie looking down lately?” Sunny asked, as they finished another row of dance rehearsal.

Hyo Yeon wiped her sweat with a new towel and sighed. “Yong seobang didn’t call him for three weeks already”

“MWO? But you said he was so sweet to her last time they met!”

“I know. I don’t know what happened. There has been no word from him for these three long weeks. It’s really hard for her. They used to text and call each other everyday. And suddenly…this happened” she said, waving her hand in exasperation.

“That’s really cruel of him! How could he do that to her! It’s better if he was never kind at all. Arrrgggh ottoke? I’m hating him already!” Sunny vent her anger.

“Hey, you’re not looking good yourself” Sunny pointed out.

Hyo Yeon heaved another sigh. “How can I be happy when she’s like that? If I could, I’ll drag that stupid Yong to her this very minute”

“Well said, well said” Sunny nodded and patted her shoulder. “But anyway, sooner or later this has to stop, right? They will meet again to shoot a new episode. I hope they will fix this somehow”.

-----------------------------------------------

When she received the date to film the new WGM episode, she told herself to be calm. She knew it one day before shooting started, no doubt their managers and the PD-nim had discussed this together for there seemed to be no conflict in their schedules. PD-nim asked her about her plan tomorrow. And she answered she wanted to change her hair style.

“That sounds good. Let Jung Yong Hwa waits for you at the salon”

She got an idea and texted his manager, asking where CNBLUE usual hairdresser was and decided to go there. PD-nim then asked Yong Hwa to come there too.

As the hours passed before they meet, Seo Hyun’s mood turned cheerful, because she could not deny that she felt happy, now that she could see him again. She had to endorse one brand at WGM, and they sent her half a dozen dresses to her dorm that week. She chose the prettiest. And then went to bed. Holding on to the childhood belief that if you slept earlier, the morning will come sooner.

--------------------------------------------

As expected, while the hours to meet her again approached, his negativity disappeared, changed into the excitement that finally, after one month, he would get to see her again.

He saw her hair was being washed, and offered to rinse it. Does rinsing a girl’s hair serves as an experience? He laughed to himself. Because holding a handful of her wet hair sent his heart beat into an overdrive.

“Don’t you have something to say to me?” she asked angrily some time later.

He pretended ignorance and indulged her anger, secretly happy that she felt that way. It seemed that the longer they talk, the angrier she got. And in a strange way, it made him happier. So she did miss me. My calls were important for her. It’s just that she wouldn’t admit it.

“I thought if I didn’t call you, you would miss me more”

She got angrier because of what he said and seemed like wanting to scream, but contained herself. He was so ready to accept her anger, but really, that dress made her looked ten times more beautiful.

“You missed me, right? Come on, just say it, you missed me, right?”

She denied that.

Her dejected look made him wanted to apologize so he made a bowing move and placed his head on her shoulder, “I already explained it, right?”

They kept bickering until the mission card came. Wow, they would perform a duet at the famous Incheon Korean Music Wave! What a dream came true to perform on stage with her.

The thing was, their scheduled performance, 29 August, would exactly be their 200th day together. 

Does she know? She doesn’t, I guess. Or just pretending she didn’t know.

He felt that her anger hadn’t fully subsided, but they parted in a friendly atmosphere.

“That dress makes you look good”

“So I’m not good without this?”

He put his hand on his heart and made a wounded face.

“I mean it”

“Liar. I can’t trust you anymore”

“Aish, jinjja!” he grumbled.

Her van and manager came, and her parting warning was, “If you don’t call me today, Yong-oppa, I’ll never speak to you again”

“Ahrasseo, Joo Hyun-ssi” he nodded.

-------------------------------------------

He started to text her the moment her van disappeared. And she replied, and it continued all day. She came home all smiling and humming, and ended up playing her favorite songs on her piano.

“So I guess they fixed the problem?” Sunny asked to Hyo Yeon.

“Looks like it” Hyo Yeon answered.

“Ah. So she forgave that Yong-seobang whose phone got drowned in the ocean?” Yoona wondered sarcastically.

The other two laughed by her comment. “Maybe she’ll always forgive him, whatever happens”

Yoona and Sunny gasped and looked at Hyo Yeon. Hyo Yeon shrugged and left them, walking to Seo Hyun who was still happily playing on the piano. “Hyo Yeon, unnie, come sit beside me, and let’s sing together".

------------------------------------------

As she was preparing to bed, she noticed her phone on the bed. She decided it was time to stop being cautious and strode to it, dialing his number.

He answered after the first dial.

“Omo, are you calling me?”

“I think I am”

“Uwaaa, Seo Joo Hyun!”

“You were going to sleep without calling me again, right?” she accused.

“No! I was just going to call you”

“Really?”

“I swear”

“I hope I can trust you”

“Trust your nampyeon” he said, and he laughed when she made a disgusted sound, “Hyun-ah, what song should we sing? I’ll rearrange the song so my dongsaes could play together. Ideally, we should sing one of your songs, and one of mine”

“Hmmm, we should sing Run Devil Run”

“What? But I was hoping we could sing Oh. You know, I’ve always liked that part where you sing, ‘Oh, oh, oh, Oppa neul saranghae….”

“Sing it with you at Incheon?”

“Sing it for me in front of all the audience, Hyun, then I’ll always be kind to you”

She made a frustrated sound and he laughed again on the other line.

“Never” she said.

“Ah jeongmalyo?”

“Ne. We should sing Run Devil Run” she moved around to take her pyjamas, “The lyric fits for you”

“How so?”

And she started to sing, “Tteokpareulhae…neon jeongmal bad boy…”

“I’m a bad boy now?”

“Yes, you are. Oh this line fits too, ‘Neon jaemi opseo, manner opseo…Neon devil devil neon neon”

He laughed so hard he almost dropped his phone.

“You can be angry at me. But if you sing to me every time you’re angry, I guess I’ll continue being a bad boy”

“Ya oppa, you’re manipulating the lyric!”

“And my song? What should we sing?”

“Hmmm…”

“Can we sing Love Light?”

“Love Light?”

“Please?”

“Do we really have to?”

“I want it so badly”

“Well, okay then. Anyway, I need to sleep now. It’s an early schedule tomorrow”

“Ya, you’re ending your first call now?”

“Do you want me to be late tomorrow?”

He made a desperate sound.

“Okay then, sweet dreams”

“Gamsahamnida, Oppa. You too”

“Better yet, dream of me”

She made a low scream and he was laughing again.

“No, I won’t”

“Yes, you will”

“You’re impossible”

“I’m just a bad boy”

“Really, I mean it, good night”

“Good night, Seo Joo Hyun”

------------------------------------------

When Jessica and Tae Yeon arrived at the dining table, Seo Hyun already finished her breakfast and was putting the dishes on the sink.

“Good morning, Unnie”

“Morning Hyun” Tae Yeon answered.

“Are you going somewhere?” Jessica sleepily asked, “You look nice”

“Ne. It’s WGM shooting today. Yong-oppa is going to show me the songs that he rearranged for Incheon”

“Is that so?” Jessica asked back.

“Ne. I’m going now. The van is already here”

“Have a nice time” wished Jessica.

“Call us if you’re coming home late, okay? Better still, don’t come home late” Tae Yeon requested.

“Ahrasseo, unnie” Seo Hyun said, as she took her bag and guitar and walked to the door.

Jessica sat down and reached for a clean bowl, taking the soup. Thank God the management arranged to send them food every day. Or else they would have to survive with Yuri’s cooking. She didn’t know if she would survive or not with that.

Tae Yeon waited for her to get the soup too.

“I see that look” Jessica suddenly pointed.

“What look?” Tae Yeon wondered.

“That worried look on your face”

Tae Yeon said nothing as she filled another bowl with rice.

“You’re worried about Hyunnie right?” Jessica asked matter of factly.

Tae Yeon considered to act like she was choking and something. Because really, those straight forward questions from Jessica were not healthy to handle in the morning, especially with an empty stomach. But she got nothing in —yet – so it wouldn’t work.

“Maybe I am, a little”

Jessica’s right eyebrow went up.

“Fine, maybe I’m worried a lot”

“Me too….”

They faced each other and decided maybe it’s better to share.

“She seemed like she genuinely likes him” Tae Yeon voiced out.

“Please, Taeng-unnie, she has been falling for him since that scrapbook he made for her when they just had their cute house”

“Ne….”

“What if he’s the only one for her?”

Tae Yeon felt her head started to spin. “Ya, don’t say that”

“What, I know that’s what we’re all worrying about. There’s no use dancing around the topic”

“If he is really important for her…..I don’t know what to do. I don’t want her to get hurt. If only they are just an ordinary couple…..”

“Are they even a couple?” Jessica probed.

“I don’t know. Hyo said she doesn’t know exactly too. I guess if they really end up together, she will tell Hyo Yeon, right?”

Jessica nodded.

“Aaah! Ottoke! I think she really loves him! But what will happen to them?”

They looked at each other. One or two of them had secretly dated. Well okay, maybe five or six of them. But they always had to end it, seeing there was no possibility in continuing it. Beside the never ending schedule clashed, they were afraid the management would find out.

“Can we really not date and have a boyfriend?” Jessica asked.

“We could. But the management hinted that there will be hell to pay if the press and fans find out”

“Can she get married for real?”

Tae Yeon noticed the pronoun changed from “We” to “She”.

“She could. But years and years from now, I guess”

“Taeng-unnie, I want her to have her happy ending”

“We all do, I guess. I don’t want this business to swallow her up and send her broken hearted”

“I won’t let anyone hurt her”

Tae Yeon laughed.

“Jinjja? You love uri maknae that much?”

“How could I not? When she saw me crying about my mother only a week after we lived together, she wiped my tears with her bare hands. It’s impossible not to dote on her after that!”

“I want to help her make her happy ending” Tae Yeon wished.

“We’ll all help and make it for her”

Tae Yeon offered her pinky finger and Jessica linked it.

------------------------------------------

“When will the MV comes out?” Yong Hwa asked, as they sat together. The camera had stopped rolling.

“In a week or two. I’ll send it to you when I have it”

“Do you have any other intimate scenes with your Jung Mo-oppa?”

“He’s not my Jung Mo-oppa”

“Malhebwa”

“Hmmm, we held hands”

His eyes went to slits. “Did you enjoy it?”

She laughed, “Waeyo? You’re angry!”

“That’s obvious. And I can see you’re enjoying this”

She openly looked at him and did not deny it.

“Jashik! Here, give me your phone”

“What are you going to do?”

“I want to delete your wedding pictures”

“No! Besides, it’s only pictures!”

“Ya, you like him that much?”

“Who?”

“Your Jung Mo-oppa!”

“No, I don’t”

“But you don’t like me either! You go around posing in a wedding dress with other men”

She giggled.

“That serves you right”

“Mwo?”

“That’s what you get because you ignored me for a month and played hard to get”

“But what you’ve done is worse!”

They stared at each other, playing “who will give up first" game. This time he was the one who closed his eyes and said, “Geumanhe. Stop being angry. Mianhe, okay? Forgive me. I can’t stand your anger anymore”

She looked satisfied.

“I’ll think about it”

“Hyu~n, I have Inkigayo tomorrow and can’t practice with you”

“Is that so? What about in the morning?”

“I have time but it has to be very early”

“I’ll do that”

He smiled and did nothing but looking at her. He wanted to make a comeback for all her mockings that day. At least there was one thing he was capable of, his stares always sent her into blushing and that was what he was trying to do.

“Stop it”

“Stop what?” he asked, aware that his voice went a notch softer.

“Stop staring at me like that”

A shadow of red was crawling on her cheeks.

“Aren’t you excited about our performance?”

“I am. But I’m not excited with my partner”

“Ya! You! You really—I knew it. Would you rather perform with your Jung Mo-oppa?”

“What? Stop dragging poor Jung Mo-oppa into this!”

“Waaaah now you’re protecting him!”

“Stop being irrational”

“Then what should I do?”

“You should be nicer to me”

“I’m planning to do that”

“Don’t break promises”

“I won’t”

“And wear your ring all the time”

“Neeeee”

“If you don’t…..”

“If I don’t?”

“Give me back my ring. I’ll find out someone who is more willing to wear it”

“Ya, Seo Joo Hyun….Spare me please”

“You know what, Oppa, give it back to me now!” she reached for his hand and forced the ring to come off.

“No! It’s mine! You gave it to me, so it’s mine!”

“Really, I rather have it back than seeing you not wearing it”

“But I’m wearing it now!”

“Give it back!”

“No! See, even the ring refused to be taken off!” Yong Hwa defended, as it was true, she could not get the ring past his knuckle.

“Take it off!” she was so on fire and he noticed again blood rushing fast all over himself. She was standing so close and he could see nothing else anymore beside her as she was pulling his hand and tried as she might, he kept curling his fingers so that the ring would stay at its proper place.

“Joo Hyun-ah, are you attacking me?”

“That’s right, I am!”

He was so close to jump at her right then and there, now that they were alone and the crews already went outside.

“I don’t know what I’ll do if you keep being this close to me” he warned.

She realized by then that in her attempt to force his ring off, she got one leg up on his chair beside his thigh. She froze and looked at him. He grinned and laughed at her.

“Surely, I won’t refuse you”

She gritted her teeth and sat on her chair again. “I’m not offering anything”

“Weren’t you?”

Their chairs got wheels on it and he moved closer to hers.

“Stay away”

“No”

“You know, what couples do after they held hands?”

She gave him a warning glare.

“After holding hand, couples usually k—“

“I don’t want to hear it!”

“Couples usually kiss after they hold hands”

“I’m going! Bye, Oppa” she said, taking her bag and ran from the room.

“Seo Joo Hyun!” he called. But she really went out of the room, leaving him laughing to himself.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------

They rehearsed separately after that. He practiced together with his friends. He called her and sang together on the phone, making sure which lines will be sing by whom.

“You’re going to dance during Run Devil Run, right?”

“Hmmm….maybe”

“Make me happy and let me see you dance”

“Haha. Yeah, I will. It’s impossible to just stand and sing that song”

“I’ll wait for it”

“Ne”

------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Next time they met again, it was at the music festival backstage. They already tried the stage and now changed to their costumes. He couldn’t help to run his eyes all over her. He thought she looked hot in that black outfit.

“I hope this will turn out well” she wished nervously.

“I’m sure it will”

The MCs were calling them and his friends walked out to the stage first.

“Yong-oppa, fighting!”

“Gomawo, Hyun”

After he finished his CNBLUE song, and they started to play the intro of Run Devil Run, he announced, “And now please welcome, Seo Hyun!”

She appeared on stage and started to sing. She turned into someone else on stage, always. Gone the shy Seo Hyun. What came out was the y, talented diva, who could capture anyone’s eyes and reached high notes effortlessly.

He had wished to see her dance personally, but never dreamed to witness it 10 inches apart from her. It couldn’t get more up close than this, he thought.

The music changed into Love Light and he couldn’t help but remember that night by the lake. He smiled from ear to ear as she continued to sing. He sang his part too, and the lyrics felt true.

Smiling, he held out his hand and she instinctively took it.

It couldn’t get any better than this, he thought.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

SNSD members went into hysterics as Seo Hyun appeared on stage and sang so confidently with Yong Hwa. Tiffany and Yuri screamed “Seo Hyuuuuuuuun” until their throat went dry. Jessica screamed “Hyunniiiiiieeee you rock!!! You’re the best!”. Everybody went crazy beside the stage until they turned into an impossible bundle of screamings and squeals. They all exploded louder when Yong Hwa put his hand on her shoulder.

And then they started Love Light and they all went “Awwww, aren’t they so cute?”

They looked genuinely in love. It seemed they forgot that they were singing in front of thousands pairs of eyes.

Soo Young was suddenly caught with a worried feeling as she noticed one of their managers standing near her, watching the performance.

“Whose side are you on?” she asked with her best intimidating look.

The manager looked at her and Soo Young thanked God he didn’t pretend not to understand.

“Whose side are you on? Her side or the management’s?”

“I should side with the management Soo Young-ssi, don’t you think so?”

“If you ever do anything to hurt uri Seo Hyun…..”

“Don’t talk like that. I saw her grew up, how could I ever hurt her?”

“Let her be happy”

“I will. She just has to be careful”

“Does the management know, that—that they are real?”

“Are they?”

“I think they are”

Their manager looked troubled there and Soo Young felt angry.

“What if she never finds another Jung Yong Hwa, huh? Then what? What if she’ll only be happy with him?”

“Be calm, nothing bad will happen to them yet”

“What do you mean, yet?”

“Well, I have nothing against them. She just has to act normally. If they really has something going on, they better treat it as their secret”

Soo Young wanted to threaten their manager badly, but then Yongseo couple held hands and together with her sisters, she screamed out loud.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She waited for him to go backstage together.

“How was it?” he asked.

“It was cool! I really enjoyed it. We should do that again”

“Yeah” he agreed. And then suddenly her unnies were there. As well as Suju, SHINee and F(x), ready to congratulate her performance. He let her disappear to the loving crowd.

He turned back to his dongsaes and Hong Ki was there too, ready to pat his back and said, “Yo~ong, you were great”

“Haha. Gomawo. Don’t get jealous” he mocked. Hong Ki threw a cushion at him and he ducked, causing that to land on Min Hyuk’s unassuming face.

He looked for his phone, eager to see a message from his mom. She said she will watch the performance on the internet and will text him afterwards.

There were several messages from his mom, indeed. But the newest was from Hyun. That’s strange. He checked the time, and it was barely two minutes ago.

From : Seo Joo Hyun

He clicked the Yes button.

There was only one word.

Sarangheyo.

WHAT?

He immediately called her number.

“Yeoboseyo?”

“Malhebwa. If you really mean it, say it to me out loud”

He waited but no answer came. He bolted from his dressing room and ran to SNSD’s. He knocked the door and it was Tiffany that opened it.

“Seo Joo Hyun, come here now!”

“What? Shiro!”

“What the hell are you doing, getting here and yelling at her like that!” Fany yelled.

“Is this your revenge? Do you even understand what you said? Seriously, come here!”

“No!” she ran past him and he was too late to caught her hand.

“Jung Yong Hwa-ssi, what have you done?” Jessica asked.

“You can scold me later, really. But I just have to get her now. I’m sorry” he bowed and ran after Seo Hyun.

She could hear her laughing as she passed Super Junior.

“Why are you running?” Choi Si Won asked her.

“Because Yong-oppa is chasing after me!”

By that time F(x) came and they praised her duet once again. That was when Yong Hwa reached her and without saying anything, he pulled her and kept running. They went out and arrived at the parking lot. “Where are we going?”

“Somewhere where you can’t run away from me”

He had their company van’s key on his pocket. Their manager drove them but he could still use it now, right? He turned off the lock and opened the sliding door. “Get in, please”.

“Oppa, surely we can’t go”

“We’re not going anywhere. I just want to talk to you”

He went to the front seat and the air conditioner. He then got inside with her and locked the door.

They sat facing each other and he opened the message.

“Malhebwa. If you mean it, you must say it to me”

“It’s not easy. Actually, it’s really hard. To say it”

“Joo Hyun-ah. Have mercy. You know. You know I’ve been dying to hear you say this to me. Please. Say it. I’ll never force you to do anything ever again. Just. Complete me and say it”

For once after a very long time, she looked nervous. She played with the creases on her dress, and all he wanted to do was to make her look at him again.

“Hyun-ah. Seo Joo Hyun. Please…..”

In one second she seemed to pull her strength together and took a deep breath. He felt he could hear his heart beating madly inside as she said in an exhale, “Sarangheyo”

He blinked. He could see her eyes wet with unshed tears but she was smiling.

“Oh my God. Thank you!”

She smiled shyly.

“One more time, please! I need to make sure I didn’t dream it”

“Sarangheyo, Yong Hwa oppa”

He couldn’t contain himself anymore and laughed triumphantly, holding his face. “Oh God I’m going crazy!” he laughed.

When his laughter died down, he stretched out his hand like he showed “Five”.

“What?”

He just waved his hand.

Doubtfully, she reached out her hand too, and he intertwined their fingers.

“I love you too” he said in English. “I think I showed you how I feel clearly enough. Let’s be together from now on, alright?”

“De. Let’s do that”

“Don’t ever smile to anyone else again”

“That’s impossible”

“Wear that ring everywhere. People should know that you’re mine”

“I should say the same to you” she reminded him.

“I will”

She was smiling, and that was blinding. And it should be enough, but maybe he was just greedy.

He pulled her to him. She was surprised. He pulled really slowly, giving her a chance to draw back anytime. Her face was questioning but she didn’t resist. Finally she stood up from her seat and he held her other hand.

He pulled her even closer until there was no room between them.

She should understand what I want her to do, he prayed. She did.

“Sit down” he said. To say “Sit on me” would be more proper, but that might freak her out.

He pulled her waist and awkwardly, she placed her feet over his thighs and placed her weight on him carefully.

She wanted to look another way but she couldn’t as he was looking at her like she was so precious.

He ran his hand on her hair and put some behind her ears.

“Listen. Don’t panic. I want to kiss you”

“What? You’re—“

“Yes”

“I’m giving you five seconds to say no” he said, putting his fingers as five then four then three then two and one.

He pulled her face down slowly, and could feel no resistance. “Hyun, one last chance. Stop me now while you still can”

She still said nothing, only giving him that look that was impossible to resist. So he reached up to her face and brushed their lips together. It was as soft and brief as he could manage.

“How was it?”

“Not scary” she whispered.

“Good” he said, tilting his face to another angle and captured her lips again. He didn’t move his lips but that time it was longer. He let go again and take a good look at her. She was breathing hard out of nervousness but her lack of resistance showed him her real feelings. He was supposed to make it innocent. But is there any human being who could taste Seo Hyun and does not want for more? Not that he will ever let any other guy tastes her. Not even over his dead body.

He reached out and pushed the parting of her lips with his thumb. “Open up” he said. The pressure made her opened her lips and he kissed her again. Deeply, like how he always wanted to. She opened up and he didn’t waste the chance. He ran his tongue everywhere he could reach, biting her lower lip softly and when she made a protesting sound, he soothed her by it.

He pulled off and looked at her. She was panting by then and her lips got redder. She didn’t look away as he pulled her waist closer and was practically wrapping herself around him. He then circled one hand on her waist and put one hand beside her head. They couldn’t get any closer than that.

“Hyun…” he called, before he started kissing her again. They found a rhythm and it was torturously sweet. He ran his hand on her long hair and she made a soft sigh that made him kiss her harder. She pulled off to take a breath but he refused to let her go and caught her again. After another minute she finally closed her eyes and kissed him back.

He stopped and kissed her neck, inhaling her perfume and called out her name again. “Oppa…” she called, “Yong Hwa-oppa….sarangheyo”.

He took her hand and kissed her fingers. “Saranghe, Hyun. Since the first time we met”. She might want to answer but he kissed her again. Again and again and again until she trembled and shivered. Her lips, cheeks, eyes, neck, arms, and repeated it all over again.

He caressed her hair and back one last time before he stopped kissing her, smiling and admiring the glowing look on her face.

He then let her put her head on his shoulder and said nothing while he held her like that. She put her cheek on his head as her breathing got normal. He ran his hand up and down her back to calm her down, feeling her heart throbbed so fast on his chest.

“How long have we been here?” she asked.

“A while”

“We should go back”

“Hm”

“We really should”

“Okay”

She moved up from his lap and rearranged her hair.

“Are you alright?” he inquired.

“I’m fine. You? You look fine”

“You have no idea what’s inside my mind now” he grinned.

“Do you think I look neat now?”

“You’re beautiful”

“Oppa, stop it. I need to use my senses”

He laughed.

“Let’s go back?”

“My feet felt weak”

“I’ll help you” he opened the door and got out first. Took the key from the driver’s seat and offered his hand and helped her out.

He locked the car. “No holding hands in public” he said, letting go of hers.

“You’re right”

They even took care to keep the distance as they walked back. It’s okay. As long as they carry their promise in their heart.

----------------------------------------------------------------------

“Hey, do you smell a perfume in this car?” Jong Hyun asked, as they sat on their car for the drive home.

“What perfume?” Jung Shin wondered.

“A girl’s perfume”

“What?”

“You’re delusional” Min Hyuk accused.

“No I’m not. I smell it here”

He must be right, because he was sitting on the seat where Yong Hwa and Seo Hyun kissed earlier.

“But I don’t smell anything” Min Hyuk argued. “Hyung, do you smell anything?”

“Huh? No, not at all” he answered convincingly.

“See! I told you!”

“But I’m not lying” Jong Hyun protested.

“That’s because you’re too obsessed with girls! That’s why you feel you can smell a girl’s perfume everywhere you go. Seriously, you’re so creepy sometimes” Min Hyuk mocked.

“You! I’ll teach you a lesson and—“

“Come on, can’t you guys be quiet? I want to sleep” Yong Hwa requested.

Jong Hyun made a fist at Min Hyuk but then they went quiet.

Good, Yong Hwa thought. Let me dream of her peacefully