“What do you mean?”, was the only thing Sohyun could utter upon hearing the words ‘Do you have a boyfriend?’

“I was expecting ‘what?’ ‘excuse me’ but that’s a new!”, Jaeha remarked with a smirk. When Sohyun’s eyes shifted towards his hand that was grabbing his bag, he loosened his hold on it and said, “It means what it means. Think about it” and took his leave. Before he left, he added, “About the treat, save it until next time”. He smiled at her and left without expecting any response from her. His statements didn’t make a sense to her, so she brushed it off without giving it much thought.

On reaching home, Sohyun found that Jaeha has left for America to take care of some unfinished business along with Mrs. Shin. Mrs. Shin left a message for her that she will be back soon.

 After the dinner, Jiwoo came to Sohyun’s room and asked, “After Jaeha dropped me, did he say anything to you?”. On recollecting, Sohyun told Jiwoo about the morning. Jiwoo’s eyes widened, “I had my doubts at the wedding ceremony. But now, I’m sure. Sohyun-ah, if you are not careful, my mom is gonna parcel you in her baggage and ship it to Jaeha!”. Sohyun responded, “She is just sweet, don’t think too much into it”.

Seungho is planning to open his start-up once he completes his master’s degree this autumn and hence he was busy preparing for it. Seven of his project mates joined his venture. They rented a room in a boarding house for a month in the locality of the conference since the hotel rooms were expensive in Jeju island.

Seungho’s schedule should have kept him busy, but instead it gave him the time to miss her. He called her every day and basked in her voice which dropped few hertz just for him. He took pride in that mellifluous voice which is reserved only for him. He missed the eyes which could tell tales without uttering any words and the way she looks at him like she had just fallen in love with him, no matter how many times she sees him. Her eyes never failed to express her love though the words fail her. He missed the one who never forgot to smile at his antics however stupid they be.

One day, Seungho received a call from her, usually he is the one who calls her in the past weeks. He answered the call excitedly,

My leading lady!

Can we talk? Or is it the wrong time?

Not at all. I’m glad that you called.

I got my cast removed…

(chuckled) So, you are free to walk without crutches… but are you free to fly to me without anyone’s knowledge?

Should I take it as ‘I miss you’? Why would you beat around the bush to say it?

Then, Should I spell it aloud? (he asked raising his volume)

(Sohyun interrupted and screamed) No! Please don’t!

(Seungho chuckled and waited for Sohyun to talk)

Actually… the Medical association has organised a medical camp in Gwangju. I have to represent our college’s sophomore. So, we are leaving tomorrow and will only be back on this weekend.

This weekend? Two days after my arrival? Then, will our date go down the drain?

Sohyun promised to go on a date next time. Seungho told her about the progress and conferences. He started explaining about the topic which interested him the most. Though she couldn’t understand anything, she listened to him patiently.

After they hung up, he felt unsettled about the date, because to her, a date is like going on a covert Russian spy mission. She’ll always be on the lookout. While he goes out like there’s no tomorrow.

On the first day of medical camp, Sohyun and few other girls from other college of the same year were allotted a room to stay. Together with their seniors and doctors, they have been given a neighbourhood to attend to. Even though sophomores are only allowed to do preliminary check-up, medical camp at Gwangju helped Sohyun to experience the joy of social service and also the motivation to pursue her career seriously than before, because to people, they are not sophomores but doctors.

After the continuous days of work at the camp, the professors have cleared the schedule for the students on the last day, so they can enjoy the visit. Sohyun felt defeated on the thought that she is free on the day of their date but couldn’t go on one due to the obligations. She didn’t tell him about the change in schedule because it would pour the fuel into the fire.

On the last day, everyone was planned to visit the town and insisted Sohyun to join them. They left early in the morning since it’s an hour journey to the town. They walked to the nearby bus stop and waited for the bus whereas few of them who wanted to shop in the local market, took the train adjacent to the bus stop. Sohyun and others boarded the bus to the market. The bus was almost empty and there were only three people sitting in the first few rows, so Sohyun decided to sit on the last row of the bus in the corner while others took the front seats. Sohyun took her seat and rummaged her handbag in search of her earphones.

The driver noticed someone running towards the bus, so he waited till that person boarded. Upon boarding the bus, to catch his breath, he placed his hands on his knees and thanked him while panting heavily. At the mention of the ‘thanks’, Sohyun turned towards the front. She found Seungho walking towards her with a smile, but still panting from the chase. Sohyun was agape at the sight of him. She breathed out with incredulity and smiled at the unbelievable sight in front of her. Seungho bit his lips trying to hide his smile on seeing her speechless. Since, none of the students in the bus are from their college, he sat beside her confidently. He looked around the bus to see their empty row and stealthily scooted over her side. When Sohyun smiled at him for scooting over, he closed in such that her shoulder rested on his. When she turned to look at him, his eyes wandered through her entire face trying to register every inch of it. She asked him in a whispering tone with her eyes beaming with happiness, “What are you doing here?”.

“Sightseeing!”

She raised her brows, “You do this often?”

“Sightseeing?”

“Stalking!”

(He chuckled)

“How did you manage to come?”

“I took a ferry and a train here. As I walked towards the bus stop, I saw you and chased after the bus you boarded!”

“What if I was in the medical camp?”

“Then…”, he rolled his eyes in thought and continued, “Too bad”

She just gazed at him at loss of words.

When bus started to crowd, they gave up their seats to the elderly. As the bus neared the market with just three stops away, it became too crowded to maintain their balance. At that time, Seungho grabbed Sohyun’s hand, pulled her towards him and said, “Let’s go for a date”. She stood puzzled at his statement and looked at him blankly. As he gazed into her eyes looking for an answer, the bus halted at a stop, “Let’s get down now” he said. As he made his way through the crowd holding her hand, she followed him unconsciously. When they got down the bus, her eyes widened on realisation and she anxiously said, “Let’s board the next bus and catch up with them.”

“Come away with me!”, he said gripping his hold on her hand.

“They’ll be waiting for me!”

“Why?”

“They will come looking for me”

“Let them”

Sohyun laughed at his bluntness and said smiling, “Fine, let them”.

As they walked towards the next stop, Seungho saw a shop in an alley across the street which rents motorbikes. He immediately turned towards her and asked Sohyun to wait there. She saw him running across the street but then, he disappeared into the alley.

 As she waited without any clue, he appeared driving the bike with the helmet on and halted beside her. He lifted the windshield of his helmet and handed over a helmet to her. Her eyes wandered the bike and looked at him. When he realised, she was wearing a skirt, he asked, “Shall I wheel the bike and walk with you?”. She just smiled at him, took the helmet, and hopped on gathering her long skirt.  

To maintain the secrecy, they practically never travelled together in these three years. It was their first time to ride together and it’s the first time for Sohyun on a bike.  She felt a little uncomfortable in embracing him in public though it’s just a ride, so, she sat up straight and placed her hands on his shoulder.

On catching the glimpse of her act through the wing mirror, he braked suddenly and halted. Due to unexpected stoppage, she fell on him, while wrapping her arms around his torso in a reflex response. He held the hands that wrapped around him and asked while looking at her through the wing mirror, “Comfortable?”. She shook her head in denial, embraced him tighter and said, “Now, I am!”. He smirked and drove away. When they stopped for the signal, she turned the wing mirror to face her and adjusted her fringes. He was glad that she was comfortable with the ride. He just looked at her grooming herself and waited for her to finish before turning the mirror back.

After reaching the local market and parking the bike, they walked towards the shops. When Sohyun suddenly stopped walking, Seungho looked at her puzzled. As she took a step back, Seungho was reminded of the distance they maintained during their previous dates in Seoul to keep their relationship a secret. When he thought of the distance, he became dejected. But, she smiled at his bewildered face and held out her hand for him to hold it. After he sighed in relief, he took her hand and smiled at her, remarking, “You caught me there!”.

As they walked clasping their hands, Seungho asked, “What did you tell them for disappearing in the middle?”

“That I’m going out for a date with my secret boyfriend!”

Seungho chuckled and said while closing in, “Then I guess they won’t disturb us”. He kept closing in and pressed his forehead against her. As his eyes darted between her eyes and lips, she said softly, “My leading man should stop here. We are in a market”

While leaning his forehead against hers, he said, “Don’t worry no one will look at us, I told everyone here to go shopping in the market”

Sohyun smirked and pulled back immediately. As Seungho leaned back spiritless, Sohyun looked around, tiptoed to place a peck on his cheek.

Seungho’s eyes widened at the sudden sweetness. When he immediately leaned in towards her to meet her eyes, she said looking into his eyes, “Tell me, ‘it’s enough’”

“It’s enough”

“Then stop coming in closer”

“I can’t help it!”

“No more”, she said while pulling back again.

“If you say so”, he sighed and pulled back.

They sat on a bench with Seungho’s arm wrapped around her shoulder. Seungho’s phone buzzed. He grimaced on looking at the phone. “Who is it?”, she asked. “My colleagues-to-be”. “You are not colleagues yet but you’re already grimacing at their calls?”. “I lied to leave early”, and answered the call,

Hello, Yoonpark! What is it?

Nothing… Just that you left early saying you had some issues to attend to. So, we called to check up on you. So, reached Seoul? How are things there?

“Tell them, you are on a date with your secret girlfriend. Tell them the truth”, Sohyun teased in whispering voice. As she laughed, Seungho covered on wrapping his arm around her.

No… I haven’t reached there yet. I’m on the way… in the train.

“Wah! You lie pretty well”, Sohyun whispered again releasing herself from his hold. Seungho covered again.

Oh really… We are in the same train too. (Yoonpark exclaimed). (Seungho bewildered while Yoon park continued) Look to your left.

Seungho turned to his left doubtfully, Sohyun looked in the same direction on freeing herself from his grip. They saw Yoon park and his other colleagues staring at him.

“Is this place called ‘train’?”, Yoonpark remarked while others nodded crossing their arms.

Seungho smiled sheepishly. Sohyun leaned forward away from his arm that wrapped her.

“what’s wrong with that?”, Seungho asked them while everyone looked puzzled.

“If you haven’t seen your girlfriend for a month and you got a chance to see her, will you meet her or not?”

“We will”, everyone chorused hesitantly.

“If you are in a secret relationship, will you lie to others to meet her or not?”

“We will”

“And if someone intruded in your long-awaited date, will you be furious or not?”

“We will”

“Thank you for understanding. You can take your leave!”, Seungho said smiling at them and wrapped his arms around Sohyun.

On realising what they had answered to collectively, his colleagues looked at him with incredulity. Yoonpark remarked defeatedly, “Ok, looks like you’re busy. I’ll hear your explanations in Seoul. Bye Seungho-ya. Bye Sohyun-sshi”. Everyone left the scene without another word. Sohyun witnessed the whole scene unfolding before her in a daze.

After their dinner, Seungho dropped Sohyun at her stay. She got down and handed him some souvenirs she bought.

“For me”, he asked with raised brows.

“No… for your sister and your uncle. I bought one for your mom too, since you didn’t buy anything, but I wrapped it under your name.” she hesitantly continued, “Why did you tell them?”

He held her hand and pulled her towards him and asked, “Shall I say the reason?”

She nodded gazing at him.

“I love you”, he said staring into her eyes.

“So?”, she asked slyly while trying to hide her smile

He smirked and said, “So… let’s meet this weekend. I want to introduce someone to you”

Sohyun kept silent.

He continued, “I’m not calling you to movies or to the beach. I’m only calling you to meet …”

Sohyun shut him up by covering his mouth with her hand and kissed him on her hands that was covering his lips. She took her leave as he stood surprised.

Author's note on Chapter image(Cr. Bony8108)

 Isn't the drawing cute and sweet? I just found it on Instagram belonging to Bony8108. Please check it out on instagram, like or share or comment. Thankyou Bony8108 for such wonderful pictures, really sweet :)  It looks like Bony8108 draws shyshy pictures her/himself. A picture is worth more than thousand words, isn't it?  

P.S: I don't know if Bony8108 is ok with me using it, if anyone happens to know that person is not ok with it, please do tell me. Thanks in advance:)