**

She just finished packing her bag when a message popped up on the screen.

I have a thirty minute window on 5. Can you spare me?

Always so proper, her boy.

She put the bag back on her desk, taking the cell to reply.

I have. The usual on Han-Gang?

She didn’t even reached halfway getting her cell inside her pocket when it chimed again.

Please. I love you.

Love you, too.

--

She took a subway there, mindful of the time loss if she was to take her usual bus route.

Her office was located beside Han-Gang, but his was on the quite glamour side of Seoul while hers was on the boring, skyscrapers side of Han-Gang.

After all, the river is long. As long as the possibility of meeting him outside of this.

If this can be called ‘meeting’.

Was it her idea? Or his? She didn’t quite remember, the last financial account on her email still fresh on her mind, clouding the nice memory of him and her meeting through their parents.

Her, a busy-no-time-to-date financial advisor.

Him, an even busier, no-time-to-be-back-home entertainer.

They shouldn’t be able to meet, yet here they were. A year in and going strong.

An announcement of her designated stop shook her out of her stupor. She went down in line with a vibration on her hand. Walking briskly as it was only 15 minutes before the promised time, she didn’t check it.

The spot wasn’t far from station, a less-frequented river bank that often houses couples chilling post working hours. Unlike her stiff grey coat that covers white blouse and black pencil skirt, the couples here dressed casually, as their job entitle them. If she worked in that field, she would be one, too.

Looking at them sprouted a little envy inside her. How she would trade her ensemble anytime with them. Pity she didn’t have any creative bone inside her, thus her boring job, and therefore, boring clothes.

Another vibration.

She looked at the device on hand, back leaning against the railing to cover herself from chilling wind of late winter in the river.

What she saw made her smile so wide.

He sent her his pic, plethora of bare cherry blossom trees on his background.

She tried futilely to make her hair behave, but amidst paved background and nothing against the wind in the bank, it is impossible to achieve.

She sent a pic of her back, saying that she was here as he was there.

Let’s walk.

Let’s.

Are you alone?

Are you?

No, I have Hyung beside me.

Greet him for me, will you?

He said good evening to you too.

Evening.

And droned on what kind of bull this kind of date is.

She laughed out loud, last rays of sun started to fade around her.

What did you say back at him?

I didn’t.

Hmm, so not you not to have a comeback at jabs.

It’s true.

She tilted her head, looking to her right, at the rows of trees far across the Han-Gang.

What do you mean?

This is a bull.

A light bulb lighted up inside her head. There he goes, being emo again.

She walked again, hands still poised on the cell.

No, this is not. A bull.

It is. What kind of couple had their dates like this?

Us. A couple like us.

This doesn’t even make sense anymore. I couldn’t see you, nor can I hear your voice.

She stopped, looking at her darkening surroundings and went to the empty bench nearest to her. She dialed his number.

“You can hear my voice now.”

“Hahaha…” His short laugh was not short on disbelief.

“It is true. You see me 15 minutes ago.”

There was no reply, although she heard murmur of him going away from his manager in a while.

“I don’t understand. How could you stand this? Never meeting-“

“We just saw each other, baby. Last month.”

“In your parents’ house. Rarely.” It wasn’t like both of them want to meet like that. It was their situation that made it like this. His job. Her occupation. It’s almost impossible to meet like a regular couple.

“And-“

“Don’t cut me again.”

She wisely chose to stay put after that.

“I want to walk along with you. Holding your hand while putting my beanie on your hair so it doesn’t go wild in the wind.”

She touched her hair. It was way past salvageable. Another snort escaped .

“You laughed at that?!”

She laughed louder.

“NO. You don’t get to laugh like that! Don’t you miss me? Do you even, a little bit?”

Now he just had to go there, huh.

“Baby. What’s the meaning of that? You don’t make any sense.”

“XX, Don’t you?” The desperation on his tone made her heart ache. It was okay for her to long for him, but she didn’t want him to suffer like this.

This can’t go on.

“Oppa.”

“Eo.”

“Was the script too hard? It stresses you?”

“….”

“I miss you too, you know. It is hard for us to be even in the same city, let alone in the same place like this. But I’m alright. I’m used to this.”

(flashback)

“You’re too cold.”

“Do you even like me?”

“Why am I the only one in this relationship?”

She heard it loud and clear. The accusations, the part where she didn’t seem to put enough. Nevermind that she never forgets their birthday, always sending something from wherever she was to them. Nevermind that she tried to at least text them before ending the day.

Just because she sounded aloof. Her shyness gets the best of her most of the times and it was always misinterpreted.

(end of flashback)

“I don’t like it. I don’t like that we have to walk on different side of the river just to avoid getting into the news. Is dating a crime?”

She knew it was one of his episodes. Having to put up a strong front everywhere, he was most vulnerable at times like these.

“I don’t like it, too.” Her reply lost in the wind.

She was thankful for the cold breeze. The tears on her cheek froze because of it.

“I’m sorry. I’m the one at fault here yet I’m complaining to you like it is your fault.”

She made sure that her sound wouldn’t crack when she spoke

“It’s alright. It’s only when you whine that I realize, aa this person is human too. He isn’t a God as described by his fans.”

“Yha.”

This time the laughs came from both ends. It was good. She didn’t deal well with sadness and she knew their time together was too short to spend on mulling on less than good things.

She heard his manager reminding him. She sometimes forgot that there’d be always the manager on his side.

Their time was up.

“I’ll call you again when I’m finished.”

“Take it easy. Beijing is still two weeks away.”

She hated to remind him of her schedule, but it was their reality.

“Ah right…What am I gonna do without you?”

There went the pouting, aish, if she was beside him right now, that cheeks wouldn’t be free of her clutches.

“You can miss me even more.”

“You’re evil.”

“And you love me for it.”

“Don’t I know it.”

“I’m hanging up now.”

Sounds of his steps are heard alongside the ground crunches beneath him.

She tightened her coat and readjusted her bag when he replied,

“Wait.”

She stopped walking.

“Hm?”

“Look up.”

Whoa. The moon was so bright.

“One day, I’m going to walk with you. Matching our steps together. On a night like this”

“I want to see how the moonlight lights up your face.”

On other day, she would have cringed at that, but tonight, under the moonlight, it felt surreal.

Yes, it was another promise that for once, she received with smiles.

**