29. Non Tamen Factum

 

Non Tamen Factum: "Not Yet Done"

 

 

 

"Just when I thought that it can't get any better..."

 

 

His work regarding her is still non tamen factum.

 

 

"... he astounds me with more tricks up his sleeve."

 

 

 

= = = Soundtrack: EXO-K - What Is Love = = =

 

Moving scenery passed by my eyes as I sat steadily on the passenger side of Kai-sshi's car, fresh from the fun at Lotte World. It's been a few hours since he started this 'giving back' thing when he picked me up from school, about three in the afternoon. Even as the sun began to set, and the sky got darker, we still had a nice time together.

 

It was really fun, truthfully. After the ice-skating escapade we had, we went to see the fireworks display that Lotte World occasionally gives its visitors. It was magical, I tell you. The colors had brightened up the sky and it made you feel like you were in a dream. Seriously.

 

I looked at the familiar scenery we passed by in the car, and I couldn't help but smile as a fuzzy feeling began to pool in my stomach again. Now that we're going back home, all of the things that happened in Lotte World began feeling like it's going to just be a memory now. It started sinking in that the magical time was already over.

 

It had been such a fun time... and I wish that it wouldn't end just yet.

 

Suddenly, the scenery in front of me morphed into unfamiliar surroundings. I quickly looked at Kai-sshi driving who sported a normal look on his face, as if nothing was wrong with the road we were taking. This unsettled me for some reason.

 

"Uhm, Kai-sshi, I thought---" I began saying but he cut me off with a playful smirk.

 

"--- that we were going home already? Of course not. It's still early, Shirin-ah." He told me before chuckling, and I just shrugged my shoulders, my eyes travelling to the clock inside the car and reading the time.

 

7:05 P.M.

 

"So, what are we gonna do now?" I asked him, now seeing Kai-sshi's car slow down in front of a hotel... which looks scarily like Hotel Thornefille. I swallowed the lump forming on my throat when he turned off the engine and got out of the car.

 

"Changkaman. What's happening?" I couldn't help but ask as I also got off Kai-sshi's car and took my school bag from the seats behind me. When I looked at him, he just held his fingers out and snapped them.

 

Not long after, a young man [perhaps my age] came to Kai-sshi, and I heard the clinking of Kai-sshi's car keys as it came in contact with the young man's palm.

 

"Yah, Minwoo-yah, don't damage it, arachi? Just park it somewhere safe." Was all Kai-sshi said before looking at me and beckoning me to come closer to him. I did.

 

Out of the blue, he grabbed my hand and immediately broke into a run, making me increase the pace of my steps, too.

 

"Just where the heck do you plan on bringing me, Kai-sshi?!"

 

= = =

 

"So, THIS is where you wanted to bring me..."

 

Kai-sshi exploded into laughter as I finally understood things and I found myself standing in front of N Seoul Tower, which was glowing with different lights. It looked very beautiful, really, and it made smile as I continued to gaze at the infrastructure.

 

"Going here by car isn't ideal, and is prohibited, so I just decided to taking you here via bus ride." He whispered to me, and the joyous feeling of being inside a euphoric world immediately sprung up inside me again.

 

I guess the day still isn't over.

 

"Come on. We still have a long way to go, so let's get started already." He told me before taking my hand again and proceeding to walk to the tower's base.

 

Warmth entered my system as Kai-sshi laced his fingers with mine, and I caught myself lagging behind in walking pace. I guess he actually noticed it because he looked back at me and our linked hands. He shot me a concerned look, which I dismissed with a smile. When I shook my head, he took it as a signal to walk again.

 

I might act like it's nothing, but actually, my heartbeats are twice as quick as the gallop of a running horse right now. Kai-sshi had been really kind to me all day, and now that I think about it, there wasn't a time that he didn't treat me well... starting from the time when the truth has been revealed to me. He had been really sweet and caring towards me, and he even is protective of me at times.

 

It hasn't struck me clearly back when we were in the brown room, or the first night I slept at the SkullBeaters' property. But as the days passed by, things began presenting more and more of themselves to me, and I always stop and think when something new comes up.

 

Kai-sshi might be merciless in the battlefield. But when it comes to me... he's different.

 

"Alright. First stop." He said, and I looked at him before looking at the beautifully lit pavilion in front of me. My mouth opened in pleasant surprise.

 

"Beautiful..." I murmured while loosening my grip on Kai-sshi's hand and going near the pavillion. Despite this, he still followed me and smiled at my child-like demeanor as I admired the place.

 

"It's nice, neh?" He asked me softly when I faced him, and I nodded in silent reply. But he just leaned closer to my ear and whispered.

 

"But this one is NOTHING compared to what you'll see from high above."

 

= = =

 

"Omona..." I brokenly whispered as I got to the roof terrace of the N Seoul Tower, seeing a fence-like grilling with lots of locks clipped on it. I raised an eyebrow in curiosity at this, only for my thoughts to be broken by soft chuckling from Kai-sshi... who was holding two markers and two locks in his hand.

 

"Well, they say that the rooftop terrace here is a symbol of the love by romantic people. Many of the clipped locks on the fence have words about love of many couples. You wanna try writing on a lock too?" He asked me in quite an innocent voice, which made me say yes pretty quickly.

 

Only when I was about to write the words did I realize that I don't know what to write... especially since I don't have a boyfriend.

 

"Uhm... Kai-sshi?" I tried calling out to my companion, who was already clipping his lock on the fence, making sure there was space enough for me. He turned to me with a small smile and a soft "Hmm?".

 

"Well, I... don't know what to write. I don't have a boyfriend." I said softly, and I breathed a sigh.

 

But my next breath got caught in my throat when I felt a soft touch on my chin, and a gentle force making me stare into Kai-sshi's eyes.

 

"Then, write about yourself and what you feel. It should be pretty easy." He told me before winking... causing my cheeks to heat up again.

 

"O-o-okay. I'l write now." I told him before turning my back towards him and breathing deeply, searching my heart for the words to write.

 

Then and there, words began appearing on the lock as I let my hand do the writing.

 

This is one of the best days of my life.

I've never felt so happy in such a long time.

I don't know if it was because of the place...

... or the person I'm with that's why I'm like this.

But I'm happy with him right now. That's what matters.

 

I went to where a smiling Kai-sshi stood before clipping my lock into place. Once more letting a smile crawl on my lips, I didn't notice that Kai-sshi had already gone ahead of me. When I looked to the space beside me, I didn't see him anymore.

 

That's why as curiosity once more rushed through my veins, I looked at the words Kai-sshi had written on his lock.

 

I fell in love with an angel in the middle of the hell I'm living in.

Does she know of the love I have for her that I just suppress?

Have I been found out? Does she have an idea about it already?

I have so many questions. But at the end of the day, it matters not.

As long as I could hold her hand tightly and love her, I know I'll be okay.

 

The wheels in my head began turning as I finished reading what he wrote. Well, if he was supposed to write here about himself and he wrote here about love, then it must mean that he's in love. But with whom?

 

A small voice inside me told me that it could be me, but I just swatted the thought away. I don't think Kai-sshi would just waste time on me. I'm not really pretty even, and I don't even know my own surname. It couldn't possibly be me.

 

But then again, I didn't know that Kai-sshi actually had a romantic side to him. 

 

I let myself release a giggle before breaking out into a run to follow Kai-sshi and taking hold of his arm. He just laughed softly while wrapping the same arm I held a few moments ago around my shoulder and leading me to one of the most wonderful places I've even been in.

 

N-Grill.

 

= = =

 

"So, how do you like the 'giving back' so far, Shirin-ah?" Kai-sshi asked me as I took a bite out of the steak he had ordered me, and moaned in delight at how good the food is.

 

"Like? It's nowhere close. I LOVE it." I joked to Kai-sshi when I had swallowed, and both of us just chuckled before returning to our meals. 

 

Kai-sshi and I were sitting side by side in a huge crescent shaped seat facing the windows of the N-Grill Restaurant, enjoying the wonderful view of the whole city from above. It was what he had told me before about the pavillion being nowhere as good as the view from here, and I'd have to agree with him. Everything in this place is absolutely priceless.

 

Thinking about how great everything is just made me stop eating temporarily and just look around me, taking everything in. I haven't been able to experience this even back when I was still a sister of the Song Brothers.. and I thought that it was impossible for me to be able to go back to my childhood and be able to feel like a princess at the same time.

 

But it happened today.

 

"Hey, Shirin-ah. Why did you stop eating?" Came Kai-sshi's question in his soft, concerned tone... and I was snapped out of my thoughts at exactly that moment.

 

"Ah. It's nothing. I was just thinking about something..." I began to say, turning my head towards Kai-sshi's face...

 

...and making the huge mistake of looking into his eyes.

 

All at once, his dark magnetic orbs got into full effect of bringing me to the depths of his thoughts. I felt his arm wrap itself around my frame, and I found myself speaking close to a whisper.

 

"Are you in love with someone, Kai-sshi?" I asked him, and with his soft "Mhmm..." he had answered my question.

 

He continued staring at me, and I to him, and it felt like nothing else mattered in the world. As his warmth once more invaded my system, his arm pulled me gently to come closer to his figure, which I let myself be directed to.

 

"With who?" I can't help but ask it to him with my voice once more softening to a whisper as our faces inched towards each other.

 

This time, he gave out no ho-hums nor did any antics. He just gently held the back of my head and pressed his forehead to mine. I saw his eyes gently closing as he breathed in, and I followed suit with chills running down my spine at this thrilling moment.

 

"With my angel, of course." He whispered to my quivering lips...

 

...before pressing his own to it.

 

= = = =

IMPORTANT NOTE:

 

NEXT UPDATE: TOMORROW.

 

WHAT TO EXPECT: THE LEADING MAN'S POINT OF VIEW.

 

PREAPARE YOURSELF FOR: SLIGHTLY MATURE THEMES. UPCOMING CHAPTER WILL BE MARKED AS M.

 

WHAT YOU'RE GOING TO FACE: THE HUGEST DOES OF KAI-RIN SWEETNESS YET.

 

Oh, and before I forget... I replied to ThisShipHathSailed's comment again! =]

 

Hope everyone liked the update. <3

 

= = =

 

All pictures used are for the sake of clothing recognition and venue identification, which aids in better visualization of the story. The pictures are not mine, and I stake no claim on them. Credits go the rightful and respective owners of the media. No copyright infringement intended. Were only re-uploaded for the sake of compilation and assurance of long-lasting viewing activity. Thank you.