CHAPTER 15

“And this is the study room for Crown Prince, where he would spend at least half of daylight here to learn from an appointed Scholar…..” The female tour guide dressed in a court lady’s hanbok, explained the place before the class.

“He’s watching you….”

Yoo-Ri’s last word trailed a tad longer as she sneaked another peek at the man, who was now standing right behind us, ignoring that he was intruding onthe school excursion and being the centre of attention among my classmates.

I looked at everywhere but his direction, observing the glances that my classmates were throwing at him, admiring his flawless beauty and his confident stance.

“Stop looking at him!” I quietly pleaded as I tugged her sleeve. Yoo-Ri pouted and turned her head back to face me.

“Do you know him?” She questioned, her eyes watching me like an eagle to a prey.

“Of course not!” I insisted, feeling slightly indignant by her stare. “I don’t even know his name.”

“Then…” She jabbed her thumb at the direction where he stood. “why is he standing behind you, staring at you with a goofy grin on his face?”

My head turned back to take a look. True to her words, the instant my eyes met his, his smile became wider and he even raised his hand up, fingers waving ‘Hi’ at me. I blushed and hastily turned my head to face the front, and as I did, I caught on the envy stares from my female classmates. I bent my head low and focused on the stone pavement, wishing a burrow would magically appear now to swallow me away from these unwanted attention.

“See, see?” Yoo-Ri gushed at me excitedly, “He waved at you! He knows you!”

“But I don’t know him at all!” I moaned quietly, still staring at the stone pavement.

“And this is the end of our trip! I hope everyone here now has a better understanding of Gyeongbokgung Palace! Enjoy your day” Even the female tour guide took a longing look at that man’s direction before giving a bow and walked away.

This should have been the moment when everyone would eagerly start walking away and enjoyed their time somewhere else. Instead, everyone remained at their spots, as if they were transfixed by this beautiful man who was smiling at my back. No one was moving and I could feel their curious stares on me as well, trying to figure out my relationship with him. The tension was stifling, for me at least.

Fine, if no one is moving, I will.

I grabbed Yoo-Ri’s arm and started walking off in brisk manner.

“Hey hey!” Yoo-Ri pats my gripping hand in excitement. “The cute guy is chasing us again!”

I felt my heart lurched forward and without looking back, I only walked on faster, dragging Yoo  Ri along with me.

But I heard the footsteps behind me getting louder and my heart started pounding harder. A flash of white ran past me and in the next second, he was standing before us with arms spread out, stopping us from moving forward any further.

“Hi!” He said breathlessly, but the smile on his face still remained.

I finally stopped and looked at him in annoyance. “What do you want?”

Despite my irritated tone, he still remained smiling. “Your name is Seo-Yun right?”

“So what if it is?” I demanded, an unknown anger was boiling up within me. “What do you want with me?”

“Nothing.” He dropped his arms and took a step forward. “I just want to know you better.”

Beside me, Yoo Ri let out a squeal while I could only drop my jaws at his brazen words. Did he realize what he just said?

I searched his eyes to see if he was joking, but his gaze remained pleasant and sincere, as if he was truly serious to his confession.

I took a breath to calm myself before answering him. “No.”

The smile on his face dropped for the first time and his eyebrow furrowed. “Why?”
“Why?” I repeated after him, hardly able to bring myself to accept his question. Did he truly not see the problem?

“I hardly know you. And what you did just now….hugging me and asking me weird questions! Why should I let you know me better?” By now, my pitch was rising and it took a conscious effort not to shout.

A look of pain flashed on his face as I talked but it quickly disappeared when I ended my short speech.

He smiled again, though it was not as bright as before. “I apologize about that. It’s just….”

 There it was again, his eyes looking straight at mine, as if searching for something deep within.

“You looked so much like a person I treasured....”

My heart pound at his revelation and I bit my lips.

“that I mistaken you as that person.” He finished and his smile widened once more.

For a moment, I truly believed his words and the sincere look in his eyes.

“Everyone knows he’s an infamous playboy…..only seems to target fair skin girls with long black hair…..better be careful around this playboy.”

But Kibum’s warning from yesterday rang in my mind and brought me back to my senses.

I laughed bitterly at the man before me. “Oh really? What you said just sound like an extremely corny pick-up line.” Turning back to Yoo-Ri, I said “Let’s go” and tugged her arm to get her to walk away with me.

I ignored the look of shock on his face as I walked past him and also ignored the look of disbelief on my best friend’s face for refusing this ‘cute guy’. I trudged on, determined to escape from this place that seem to bring insanity to me when…..

“At least tell me which school you’re from!” His voice hollered from behind, not caring that his actions had earned him stares from curious passerby. I simply walked on, not wanting to reply him.

“Daechi High School!” The voice beside me shouted back.

I stared incredulously at Yoo Ri for betraying me. She simply returned me an innocent look, with blinking puppy eyes.

I sighed and in a few moments, we were out of the place that had driven me half-crazed.

Taemin’s eyes widened when he answered the ringing bell and opened the door to see Seo-Yun standing before him.

“Hi.” She greeted.

His lips couldn’t help but crack a small smile as he stepped aside. “What brought you here?”

She smiled cheerlessly and walked past him to enter the house. “I was thinking of visiting you since I was in the vicinity. I called you a few times but you didn’t pick up. So I called Kibum Oppa and he said you will be at home. Are you feeling better?”

“Oh yes…” He closed the door behind him and gestured her to the couch. “I guessed I was too engrossed with the games to check my phone.” He scratched his head, feeling slightly embarrassed at his explanation.

He watched as her eyes examined the sprawled out Wii controllers on the floor.

“What are you playing?” She sat down, slouched forward with her arms propped on her laps and rests her chin against her palms.

“Tennis.” He sat beside her and observed her expression. It’s funny, he thought. It took just one look at her face and he could naturally sense she wasn’t in her usual self. Worry rose in his heart as he stared at her listless face.

“What happened? You don’t seem to be in a good mood.”

Her eyes widened upon his words and she sat up straight. “Do I look that mad?” She pressed a hand against her face to check herself.

“Someone made you mad?” He probed.

She sighed and set her hand down. “I just met a crazy person today who refuses to let me off...” Her eyes trailed to the white controllers. “Do you mind if I play one game?” she pointed at them.

Taemin frowned briefly at the incident she mentioned....someone was disturbing her?

The idea was haunting him slightly…..

He instantly caught onto his feelings and was surprised at his concerns towards her.

How is it…he questioned himself.

When it comes to her, I simply can’t not care at all?

Is because we’re friends?

His mouth twitched at the word, as if finding that answer to be lacking in some aspects. But other than that, he could find no other reasons for his strange concerns.

Realizing he had been mulling quietly for a while and she was still patiently waiting for his reply, he quickly replaced his frown with a smile. “Why not? It’ll be a good way to vent your anger.”

She laughed at his words.

Taemin stared at her, musing how her laughter could easily lighten the anxiety in his heart.

“I guess so.” She replied, bringing forth her usual bright smile.   

He picked up both controllers and passed one to her.

“Loser will have to follow the winner’s command!” He grinned at her.

“Bring it on!” She agreed to the challenge readily. His grin turned wider at her words.

The rabbit has fallen for the trap.

**********

“How could this be?” I moaned as I stared at the score-board on the screen. 6-0

Taemin puts away the controllers and beamed at me. “Now you will have to listen to me!”

I looked at him uncertainly; the innocent expression on his face did little to lift the feeling in my heart. “So what do I have to do?”

He continued smiling at me. The edges of his eyes curved up and the look in his eyes twinkle as if they were keeping a secret message behind those dark chocolate orbs.

I stood in front of him, rubbing the back of my neck, feeling awkward from his teasing gaze.

“Well....” He trailed off, tapping his index finger on his chin as if deep in thought. I gulped lightly, feeling tenser with each passing moments.

He’s not going to ask me to do something ridiculous…right?

He looked another look at my nervous expression before chuckling softly.

“Let’s go out!”

Before I could respond, he dashed into his room, leaving me staring dumbly at an empty space…

“Wait…what?” I finally reacted.

“Let’s go out!” His muffled voice answered behind closed door. Moments later, he came out of the room, with a black beanie over his head and a large mouth mask over his face. He slipped on a baggy jacket and grabbed my hands.

“Let’s go!” His hand grabbed mine and started pulling me along.

My eyes widened in surprise at his sudden action. “B-but you’ve just recovered!”

He simply chuckled behind his mouth mask and continued pulling me out of the house. 

**********

“A bit to the left…left…no no…right….” I said anxiously, staring intently at the metal clutch inside the UFO toy catcher.

I watched as the metal clutch descends to pick up Snoopy by the leg and then.....lift up.....nothing.

 Both sighs were heard at the same time and I turned to take a look at Taemin, who leaned his head against the glass box in disappointment.

“How many coins do we have?” I asked.

His eyes trailed to the remaining coin on his palm. “One…”

I pouted and stared at the Snoopy lying on the mountain pile of soft toys before giving a defeated laugh.

“That Snoopy seems to be taunting us.”

A tinkling sound of a coin caught my ears as it was inserted into the coin slot. Turning around, my eyes landed on a determined-looking Taemin, his eyes almost glued to the glass barrier as his fingers delicately maneuvered the control.

I whipped my eyes back to see the metal clutch jerking left and right, as it adjusted itself on top of Snoopy.

A sudden sound of a button pressed, the metal clutch descended and opened its claw for the white soft toy. And then, the metal claws closed it claws securely around the leg once more and pulled it up.

My eyes focused on the dangling Snoopy, not daring to breathe as I watched it precariously transported across the toy pile.

Please do not drop…please do not drop…

I started pleading silently.

And then, I watched in horror as the leg slip out from the closed metal clutch and fell.....

.....into the black hole.

Taemin and I squealed at the same moment as both of us high-fived each other excitedly. He bent over to retrieve Snoopy from the slot and we exited the arcade with big smiles on our faces.

“What should we name him?” Taemin held Snoopy up by the arms as if he was holding up a child.

“Him?” I raised an eyebrow at him. “Since when it was a He?”

“Just now.” His finger pulled down his mouth mask for a moment and stuck his tongue out to tease me.

I mockingly frowned and grabbed the soft toy over. “Let’s call him…..Snoopy!”

He stared incredulously at me. “Snoopy?”

I smiled at Snoopy, ignoring his stare. “Why not? Hey!” I protested as he snatched it back.

“Why not?” He turned his head to face me, and it took just a look into his eyes to know he was smiling as well.

“Snoopy! Snoopy!” He turned his head back to face Snoopy, shaking the soft toy and causing the dog’s nose to jiggle slightly.

I laughed at the scene before me.

Is this the way he always acted? So carefree and happy?

“Feeling better?” His words suddenly brought me back.

I looked at him curiously to find his eyes staring back at me in gentleness.

Is he doing all this to cheer me up?

Watching his smiling eyes staring back at me, a warm sensation starts to fill my heart. I grabbed Snoopy away from him and buried my face against its soft white furry body, not wanting him to see my giddily smiling face.

A soft wind blew up as we stopped in the middle of the walkway. He was protesting for his turn to hug Snoopy while I stubbornly ignored him and hug it to shield my blushing face from his sights.

When I sneaked a peek at him, our eyes met.

Noises of the world starts to tune out of my ears as he smiled at me and I smiled back.

In this moment, I’ve finally gained a vague understanding of my dreams about him; that.....

Bit by bit, knowingly and unknowingly, he has already carved his presence on my heart.

#Author's Note =D

**Snoopy and I need a hug =x

I wanted to post up a chapter quickly but something happened in my life that questioned my ability to write. Again I'm reminded that my heart has never liked someone before...so I was feeling doubtful and ironic about my situation. What position am I in, to write a love story when I have never experience love itself? My friends have also pointed out that my heart seems to be make out of rock, diificult to feel moved by someone else. And  recent events in my life made me share the same sentiments. And I'm still feeling the irony till now. And no, I'm not heartbroken, just feeling troubled about life in general...so I'm doing this random ranting right now...hahahaha (-_-)