Sungkyu stopped by a nearby alley and slouched on the building wall. He rustled through his hair maniacally. He was a total mess.

“Why? Why God, why? Why am I like this?”

People were passing by, staring at him with dirty eyes as though he was a drunk. He hated the way they looked at him, but he let it go. The sound of someone running caught his attention, it was Nayeon.

She was out of breath, but when she locked eyes with him, she still managed to put up a smile.

“Whaddya’ want?”

“I just want to talk.”

“About what? How you made Mina cry?”

Nayeon scoffed, irritated by his concern over Mina, “Who cares? She got what was coming to her.”

Sungkyu retorted, “You serious? And you want me to like you?”

Nayeon’s expression changed, her irritation seemed to cool off as she fixed her eyes on his. She walked toward Sungkyu, stopping directly in front of him. They were less than a foot apart and both could see the haze of their breaths as it departed from their lips.

She had a white hairband on, Sungkyu looked at it and felt conflicted. How could a girl so innocent looking, so beautiful, be this cruel? As she tucked her hair behind her ear in the most captivating manner, Sungkyu’s chest tightened. He began heaving a bit.

“Am I too close?” Nayeon asked him.

Sungkyu swallowed his spit and nodded, “Yeah.”

“But, I could get closer.” Nayeon took a tiny step forward.

“Why?”

“Because the distance between you and I is infinite.”

“I don’t get it,” Sungkyu replied

Nayeon’s big eyes glistened, the white of them being more beautiful than fine porcelain. Her irises were splendid, a color that reminded Sungkyu of fall’s charming foliage. He tried all he could, but his eyes refused to leave her sight. He couldn’t help but keep staring at her, admiring her more and more.

“I don’t get it either.”

Sungkyu was puzzled, “Get what?”

Nayeon pulled on Sungkyu’s collar. He could feel the warmth of her breath caressing his throat. It was a dangerous moment, a moment that seemed to swallow time and everything around him. Yet, he couldn’t help but feel mesmerized by it. He had fallen into a dreamlike trance…

“Stop,” he said under his breath.

“I don’t think I can,” she said delicately, “You can’t stop love once it’s awakened.”

Her breath continued to tickle Sungkyu, “Please.”

“Why, aren’t I cute?”

Her breath kept tickling him.

“Yeah, but…it feels like I’m being violated. I don’t like this.”

Nayeon pushed him off, Sungkyu hit the wall behind him. She laughed like a cruel witch as she created some distance between the two of them.

“What’s with that,” she told him, “I’m not even doing anything. Besides, you know you liked it.”

“What?! No!”

“Come on, don’t lie. You know you did! Stop denying it. I did, I’ll be honest with you,” she replied with a devilish grin.

Sunkgyu then remembered the reason for his previous state of reckless anger, “But what about…”

Nayeon rolled her eyes, scoffing. “You better not say Mina.”

“Why’d you make her cry?”

Nayeon stared at the snow-covered concrete, making figure eights with the tip of her shoes. It had begun to feel a bit wet, but she still continued making those figure eights.  “I just…”

“Just what?”

Nayeon’s demeanor was like that of a tantrum-throwing child. She crossed her arms, avoiding his eyes, “I just told her it’s not’s right to be alone with you, since Hoya asked her out I mean.”

“They’re not going out though. She hasn’t answered yet. She told me. She came over to my house to ask for my opinion…”

Nayeon scoffed, “Really now? You two were alone at home?”

Sungkyu’s face grew red, “Who said we were alone?! You don’t know that!”

“Yeah, I do. Your dad went to work today, I saw him on my way out after I asked my dad for some money. He even waved hi and everything.”

He was flustered, “Okay fine, but we didn’t do anything.”

“You better not have!”

Sungkyu remained quiet.

“She lied to you though. She texted me last night that she second-thought it, but consented to Hoya in the end after he looked too hopeful.”

“What?! She can’t lie! She’s never lied!”

Nayeon rolled her eyes, “Don’t you know that even angels fell from grace. Why do you think the world of her?”

Sungkyu was dumbfounded. Mina’s whole character became a thing of doubt for him.

Nayeon walked up to him, only a handbreadth away from making physical contact with him. “I’m still waiting for my response though.”

Sungkyu became mesmerized for a split second as he looked at her sincere eyes. He could not help but fall into them, he just felt so good by simply looking at her. She slipped a paper inside his pocket without him noticing.She walked away and Sungkyu left home.

 At home, he couldn’t help it. It was gnawing him inside, did Mina really lie to him? If so, was it the first time? Why? He called her. They spoke for a while, reminiscing about past times together until he finally asked.

Mina cried, whimpering, “I’m sorry. It’s just that… I don’t know.”

Sungkyu was disturbed. He felt like hanging up then and there, but he forgave her. “I think Hoya’s a good guy, maybe you should go out with him.”

“But what about us? I think I like you,” Mina protested, “I want you.”

Sungkyu bit his lips, hesitating, unsure of how to answer. Yet, it became clear to him, “I thought for a short while I liked you too, but I think it was just the passion of the moment...”

“Hold on,” she cleared her voice, “let me give you the address for where I’m supposed to meet up with Hoya. If you go, I’ll leave him for you. If not, I’ll leave him and go home.”

Sungkyu had a pen at hand but needed something to write on. He scavenged through his pockets. A piece of paper flew out, but he ignored it after retrieving another piece of paper, a receipt, a Baskin Robbin’s receipt. Without a thought, Sungkyu jotted down the address as well as the time of Mina’s date, 5pm on the Baskin Robbin’s receipt. He hung up after saying goodbye and walked over to the piece of paper that had flown out in his haste.

It was another Baskin Robbins receipt. It had writing on it, he recognized it as Nayeon’s, remembering the time she had written down notes for him. It had an address there with the words, Meet me here at 4:55 pm if you love me, sweetie, on it. Sungkyu was at a loss for words.

No one contacted him, nor did he feel inclined to talk to anyone himself for the last few days before Christmas.

Christmas morning came. At church, Sungkyu questioned his existence. What should I do? I don’t want to choose…Why am I so frail? What’s the point of living? Wait, that’s not right…Stupid Hamlet.

His father left him after dropping him off at home, seeing he would help Nayeon’s father out in setting up for the party. Sungkyu looked at the clock, “12:13”. He had four hours to decide where he would go. He dawdled around the house, distraught and looking at the clock every now and then. “14:12. Dad messed up the clock and it’s reading 24 hour-time now… I should probably fix it.” He fixed the clock but kept looking for stuff to do afterwards. He was restless…

Later, at 4pm, Sungkyu got ready. He combed his hair and dressed himself up as best as his could, thinking how his mother would say, “You’re the most handsome in the world… after your dad.”

Sungkyu left home and met up with the girl. She smiled. Her eyes were tender, almost to the point of crying. Crying, not because she was sad, but because he was there. It was as though and angel had graced her with his beauty. She admired Sungkyu’s doe eyes which, though small, seemed as though the whole beauty of the universe could be contained therein. She admired his nicely combed hair, slicked back, she had never seen him like this. Did she smell cologne on him? A definite first. She admired the effort he put into dressing nice for once too. When he walked up to her, she drank in the scent of his cologne. It reminded her of her father’s.

She was happy, so she puckered up her lips for a kiss.

Sungkyu kissed her forehead, “This is as far as I’m willing to go.”

“How about when we marry? Because you choosing me…means just that, right?” she told him.

He smiled.

“I’ll wait,” she smiled, “I’ve been waiting for you for so long, so I’m used to it.” She then pulled up a small wrapped present from within her jacket, “Merry Christmas.”

Sungkyu opened it, it was a white scarf. “Thanks, I love it.”

He casually laughed and apologized, “I’m sorry, I forgot yours.”

“That’s fine. You being here is enough…for now.”

The end. Thanks for reading! God bless.