I know it’s a super belated Christmas and New Year gift…but I’ve tried my best (>_<)

Can you guess what is this for….?

And lastly….here’s a kiss to all my readers and commenter’s and subscribers! Really big thanks to all your encouraging comments and wall posts! *Muacks* =x

“Taemin….”

For the first time in days, I finally spoke out his name.

My mind, which was so muddled with predicting the events that might occur, suddenly became a vast piece of black blankness before this standing man.

I opened my mouth and closed it again.

I opened my mouth again and released a breath I was holding.

Yet no words came out.

I closed my mouth again and my lips pressed into a thin line as I frowned.

Now what?

I stood at my spot, wondering how ridiculous my lack of reaction now seems with each passing second. But seriously, what am I suppose to do after rushing all the way here, to him? Cry? Run to him? Tell him I’m sorry for leaving him? Asking him how he has been doing?

Just be my usual self?

Right…I clenched my fist. Just be my usual self.

But…I bit my lips.

How did I usually act around him? What did I usually talk about with him? How was I with him before?

I couldn’t remember any of them clearly any longer…

I took my courage with me, looked at him properly only to find a gasp escaping from my lips.

“Taemin! Aren’t you freezing?” My eyes locked in astonishment at the thinness of his outfit – a black printed t shirt, a pair of dark gray jeans and his pair of black leather boots. The only thing remotely considered as ‘warm clothing’ was a black jacket he wore. But even the sleeves weren’t long enough to cover his arms fully.

I could have swore that the weather broadcaster said tonight’s temperature was going to drop to minus 15 degrees Celsius.

Taemin simply shook his head, laughed his quiet musical laugh and walked up to me.

“I came here….waiting for an hour, my thoughts racing through on whether you will come, pondering what I’m supposed to do if you don’t. And then you, Seo-Yun, suddenly appear and of all things…” He reached out to me, taking me into his arms. “the first thing you said when you finally see me was to ask if I was freezing?” He laughed softly again. “Unbelievable…”

I shivered against his cold body, my heart was thumping unsteadily from a mix of emotions – pained from knowing that he was freezing, guilty that I was the one who had put him through this suffering and above all, overwhelmingly happy that he choose to stay here and wait for me.

The insane anxiety that was swarming over me just a few moments ago dissipates upon his magical embrace.

I hid my face against his shoulders. “You’re crazy, you know?”

I felt the tremor of his breath on my neck as he laughed that delightful laugh again. “That’s another unbelievable thing you say, calling me crazy…” He rocked us back and forth for a while in silence.

“But that’s true…” he calmly agreed. “I wanted to see you so much that I rushed down here without changing my performance outfit.  That’s pretty crazy…”

We stopped in motion; just standing at the same spot, in each other’s arms.

 “Taemin…” I whispered in his embrace. He made no reply, simply resting his head on my shoulder.

“Taemin…” I whispered again and gently shrugged my shoulder. Yet his head still laid heavily on my shoulder….even his whole body seemed to be leaning on mine.

Horror crept out to me at his lack of response and I held him up and saw him in a dazed state.

“Taemin!” I breathed out and shook him lightly. His dull eyes refocused as he stood up wobbly and pressed a hand to his head to steady himself.

“Sorry...” he gave an apologetic look. “I guess I’m just a bit tired these days.” He threw in a sheepish smile to relieve my worries. I shot my hand out and pressed against his forehead. It was too warm.

“You got a fever!” 

He threw me another sheepish smile. “I’m fine…” he tried to reach out and pat my head to assure me. But his body gave way and I managed to catch hold of him in time.

Definitely not alright.

“Hold on…just hold on…” My voice was choked; my eyes were tearing from these fresh fears as I summoned a wind.

In a blink of an eye, we were at his room. Despite my clumsiness, I managed to hoist Taemin to his bed; flung all the blankets I could find in the room and snuggled him in tightly.

 “Hold on…I…” I tried miserably to keep my voice calm as I stood up. “I’ll get you a warm drink and find you some fever medicine..”

His hand locked my wrists in an unbreakable hold and forced me to sit on his bed instead. I cast a perplexed look and found myself surprised at his stubborn expression.

“No…” his weak voice was barely audible. “I’m not going to let you leave me again…” He struggled to sit up as well and faced me properly.

My heart skipped a beat at his words. “I won’t go…” I assured him.

His chocolate eyes narrowed slightly and the grip on my wrist refused to let go. “I don’t believe you…I’m not taking any chances. No…I can’t let you go again, Seo-Yun.” He pressed his hand against his head momentarily as if to clear the haze of his fever.

Then, his hands reached out and for the second time tonight, I found myself trapped in his warm embrace again. I took in his alluring scent, amazed at how safe and happy this man can make me feel.

My hands found themselves around his back and I hugged him as well.

Yet…a trail of sadness was creeping out from this overflowing pool of happiness. Was it possible? To feel sad when you’re too happy?

“Is it really okay to stay by your side?” My voice cracked out from the surge of emotion conflicting within me. “Is it really okay for me to be here and turn your life upside down? You know you can’t have a normal life if I’m here beside you…” I clutched my hands on his shoulders, fearing to hear his answer, fearing to lose him this time not because I had choose to run away but because I had stayed on to listen to his choice.

Even breathing hurts so much now…

A break from our embrace was shaking me to the very core – Is this his final answer?

Without words, Taemin put one hand into his pockets, shuffled inside for a bit and brought out something gleaming.

It was a necklace.

I looked up at him, not daring to believe what I see, not daring to believe the little hope that has been planted in my head.

“Does this answer your questions?”

His lips curved up at the edges and his chocolate eyes were warm.

With delicate movements, he reached his hands behind my neck, his slender fingers lightly brushing my hair in its course and with the sound of a light click; I felt a cool sensation at the area slightly below the hollow base of my neck.

I looked down and to my surprise; I saw a blue butterfly pendant hanging around my neck by a thin silver chain. The blue butterfly looked almost real and alive. So pretty was it that I couldn’t keep my eyes away for awhile.

When I finally looked up, my eyes were already b with tears – the happiness and the anxiety that comes along with it.

As always, he greeted my blurry vision with that perfect smile, that gentle smile, that warm smile, that smile that never failed to send butterflies to every single nerve in my body.

“You mean…” I whispered, trying to keep my voice from shaking.  Even now I didn’t dare to believe in this moment. I was afraid, if I did, this entire thing will shatter like fragile glass and I will just find myself back into a bare, void, chasm of despair again.

I didn’t want to confirm anything till I hear something definite.

 I swallowed a lump in my throat.

“You mean I-I can stay by your side, right?” I bored into his gentle eyes. “I-I can touch your hand, hold your hand and be by your side?”

There was a faint smile across his lips as he leaned closer and whispered to me in a tender voice.

“Look….” His eyes trailed below and I followed suit. “Aren’t I already holding your hand now?”

The tears from my eyes fall onto both of our hands – his hand was grasping firmly yet gently on my other hand, the warmth in his hold was indescribable. Only the tears could tell how happy I was feeling at this very instance.

Tens of times…hundreds of times…I replayed this scene and his words in my mind over and over again; telling myself that this is real…this is the present.

But still, everything felt like a dream.

His touch brought me back to reality; his fingers trailed along the silver chain and arrived at the blue butterfly pendant. Carefully, he held the butterfly and brought it to his lips.

“Merry Christmas.” A devastating smile arranged his features as he glanced at my flushed face. It felt almost as if he was kissing me.

My heart couldn’t stop thumping against my chest.  And like a bullet that hit through me, I suddenly realized something terribly wrong.

“Wait…” I opened my eyes in dismay, I can’t believe the sin I have committed as I stared at his quizzical look. “I forgot your Christmas present!”

Taemin’s eyes widened at my reaction and he laughed again with a laugh that sounds like a spring of ringing bells.

I listened in to the sound of his laughter, memorizing every single note of it into my mind, remembering how precious each little tune sounded.

Dear God…I looked at this chuckling person before me.

How could I be so happy…when I gain one more precious item that I will fear to lose?

He caressed a lock of hair away from my face and his fingertips traced slowly down my cheeks and onto my lips. “Just being here by my side is enough. You’re my present. Seo-Yun….I love you…” He murmured.

I closed my eyes and felt a single tear sliding down from my left lid. His breath coming more quickly against my skin and then, his soft warm lips pressed very gently against mine.

The room seemed to spin rapidly in that moment, as we kissed like it was the most natural thing for us. I feel the texture of his lips as he brushed against mine – slightly rough yet tender, with a forest scent that was fast making me drunk. My mind only hold onto a single thought and that was his name I was calling out, over and over again like the rapid beats in my heart.

After an immeasurable period of time, we finally parted and I opened my eyes to see a satisfied grin across his perfect face.

But I couldn’t help but notice a mischievous twinkle in his eyes.

“Let me just say this first….” I stared into his chocolate eyes curiously as he spoke. “this is the second time we kissed.”

My reaction was almost instant. “W-HWHAT? WH-WHEN? EH??!!?”

This only made the cheeky devil’s grin wider. He simply brought a slender finger to his perfect lips and winked at me.

“That’s a secret.” He finished with a smile that stole my heart for the nth time.

“EHHH!!??”

EIGHT MONTH LATER....

#Author's note - Firstly.... BIG THANKS TO EVERYONE!!!!

Its really kind of you to post up such understanding and encouraging comments and wall posts to cheer me up. I'm so cheered up by the comments that I managed to complete the story!!!!!

And yeah as you can read from the last sentence in this chapter...I pretty much lied about this being the last chapter (so sorry!) Because I decided to create ONE more chapter to thank my readers :) (still in the process of editing....bleh)

Official time now - 5.05am (I need sleeeeeeeppp)

Haha...but still, I'm so happy now! :D

For those who are curious about my laptop crashes - According to Acer techinician, its due to WINDOWS AUTO UPDATES that crashed my entire system. I lost everything in my laptop too. BOOOOO~

And I have to reformat this laptop TWICE before I can used it! GRRRR....

Now I've learnt my lesson and prepared a backup hard disk. But this is a painful lesson to be learned. (T^T)

Oh oh...almost forgot.

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