You attempt not to get annoyed by his plain description of you and force a smile. "Nice to meet you," you respond, refusing to properly introduce yourself. She smiles back at you, but there's a fleck of victory in her eyes, like she's won a competition for which she hadn't fought. 

"I think I've met you before," she says, reaching over to stir Kai's drink. He doesn't stop her and watches as she takes a careful sip. She smacks her lips, muttering underneath her breath, and Kai just laughs. 

It's really hard not to glare at her right now.

"I think so. Beginning of school year," you remind her. She nods, but she doesn't actually seem interested in your recollection. 

"Are you busy, Kai?" She turns to him.

"What do you think?" Kai his head, a sarcastic tone in his low voice. She looks miffed, and noticing this, Kai backtracks and asks, "Why?"

"I was wondering if you wanted to hang out," she says. Remembering something, she looks at you and adds, "You can come if you want."

And be a third wheel? No, thanks.

"To do what?" Kai wonders, reaching over to bring the cup to his lips. You watch as he takes a sip, his face composed as he consumes the hot liquid. "Attend meetings with your dad again?"

"Of course not," she pulls back, looking hurt. A struggle of emotions flicker behind Kai's dark eyes, and after looking at her deliberately, he sighs. He glances at you briefly, but the moment is too short for you to be able to infer the meaning behind the action. "Do you think I talk to you just because your dad's company is doing bad?" She asks him incredulously.

"Do you think I actually think of you as a friend?" Kai snaps back. The air turns cold, and her eyes sharpen. "Don't act like you know me," he mutters bitterly. A wave of feelings clutches your heart. Those words ... he had said those exact words to you. So what does that mean, then? That he looks at you in the same way he looks at this girl? But ... that's the last thing you want to be viewed as.

"I know enough," she glowers. "Do you think I actually like attending all those crappy meetings, too? We're just alike, you and I, Kai. Doing things we hate. Being forced to do stuff. We're both caged. So don't you act like you're any different from me, or higher than me. Because you're in the same place as I am." She laughs, but there is no happiness in her voice when she says, "No, I didn't mean that. We're not equal. Not anymore."

Kai suddenly slams a hard fist on the table, making his drink spill over the sides of his mug. The customers in the restaurant pause to stare, and Miyoung nervously gulps and watches as the streaking brown liquid drips down the table. Feeling uncomfortable, you grab a handful of napkins and start wiping the mess down, wanting to be distracted. Kai doesn't move his fist away, so you wipe around his hand, making sure to look focused and quietly reminding them that you're still there.

"Sorry," Kai mutters, shaking his head and burying his face in his hands. He stays in that posture for a few minutes, thinking and thinking, before he looks up, his eyes dull, as if the shutters to an old window have been firmly closed. Miyoung looks like she's about to apologize, but before she can utter a word, Kai gets up, the feet of the chair sharply scraping the floor. "I'm going," he informs her and grabs your wrist as he starts walking away. He practically drags you out of the place and doesn't let go of you until you're about two blocks away from the shop. His hand slips from your wrist, and he stands there in that empty street, his back turned to you.

"Are you okay?" You ask him, your voice sounding feeble to your ears. You reach out, but then think better of it and return your hand to your side. You suppose the last thing Kai wants right now is to talk to someone. You can understand that.

"She pisses me off," he confesses. He turns to you, his eyes glazed with a thin sheen of tears. It breaks your heart to see him like that. He looks so darn helpless. "But at the same time, I like her."

"What?"

"That doesn't make sense, right?" He shrugs. "I know. I don't really get it. What she said back there was right. We're exactly alike. But not anymore." He looks down at his hands, at the lines that shape his palm. "You should be glad I listened to you." He raises his head, and a sorry smile quirks his lips. "Remember?" Raising one of his hands, he gestures for you to take a step closer, and so you do. "You told me not to get hurt anymore. You see? My hand isn't bleeding this time."

You smile as much as you can right there, because you don't know how else you could respond. "Ah ... good job, I suppose."

"Thank you," he states. He looks over your head, squinting at an image you don't bother to turn around and recognize. "I'm sorry you had to see that. I don't usually ... get angry. She's just ... my dad. She mentioned my dad. Saying stuff like that. You know, my dad, he's been meaning to have us know each other on a more ... intimate basis." He clears his throat. "But I can't really bring myself to do that. I like to ignore her. Because my dad wants me to talk to her. And I don't get her, anyway. Telling me she likes me, then acting like she's better than me. I don't get people like that."

"She told you that?" You question him, trying not to look surprised and threatened. He glances at you off-handedly, but then, remembering something, he gives you a small, cocky smile. 

"You like me, don't you?"

The question startles you so much that you squeak reflexively. "How would you," you stutter, "You don't know ... it's not like - "

"I remember you saying it," he says. "Why? Have you forgotten already?"

"No, I - "

He leans in close just to say, "Or maybe ... you're trying not to remember."

Confused and disoriented, you finally burst out, "Why do you do that?"

He furrows his brows, bewildered. "Do what?"

"You know what I mean," you half implore him. You feel so flustered right now, you don't even know what you're saying, but you can't stop the words from leaving your lips. "Dang it, Kai!" You shout, taking a step back to grant yourself some space. You feel your back press against a post and try not to think about how you've unintentionally cornered yourself. "You act sweet, and then you act like a jerk. You say one thing, you do something else. I can't figure you out." Perplexed, you run an irritated hand through your hair, trying to look at everywhere, at anything, but Kai. "You always do that. Always. Why? Why do you have to be so hard to understand and adorable and so mean and so amazing all at the same time? I hate you," you defensively whisper. You don't mean it. You know you don't. But for some reason, you can't bring yourself to say the very thing you're feeling. "I hate you ... " You repeat. You feel like all the words have been released from your heart, and you sigh dejectedly. Right now, you're just a big mess and portrayal of all the complex thoughts that are forming knots in your head.

"Are you done?" Kai asks, his eyes expressionless.

You reply, "I only - "

He places a hand on the post over your head and, leaning over you with that entirely too sweet face, gently murmurs, "Now will you stop saying you hate me... and let me kiss you already?"

You stare into his eyes, at those mischievous eyes that glint with both truth and playfulness. His question ... his offer ... you want to take it. You want to. You want to have his lips meet yours, to have those arms wrap around your waist, to have him so close to you that he's all you see and all you can feel. You've wondered, countless times, about what it's like to kiss him., about what it's like to feel him. And here he is right now, asking you if you're willing.

But you can't. You can't say yes. Not at this moment.

"Kai?" You say softly, looking up at him as he draws nearer, his attention focused on your mouth.

"Hm?"

He leans in - closer, closer - and just before those beautiful lips can touch yours, you whisper, "I am not ... a push over."

He stops, and he stares at you for what feels like hours, like days, like weeks, just looking at you, stripping your walls bare with those black eyes. You feel lost. You feel weak. But then Kai relaxes. Slowly, he lowers his hand. Slowly, he pulls back. Kai his lips and looks away, whatever confidence he had held suddenly dispersing into the wind. Without another word, without another glance, you turn around and walk away.