Narrator’s POV

Jonghyun had been right; the hot springs were indeed beautiful and relaxing. At first Ha Neul had only wanted to take a look, it being a traditional Ryokan and all. But then she had laid eyes upon its beautiful architecture and smelled the calming aroma of the water and could no longer resist the temptation. But as she couldn’t possibly borrow a bathing suit from a complete stranger, she had decided wrapping a towel around herself would have to suffice. She told herself that since she was all by herself it wasn’t much different than taking a shower back at home anyway.

Ha Neul put her arms on top of the rim and leaned back against the cool wall. This was life she thought and closed her eyes blissfully. Body soaking in hot water, nose filled with a nice herbal fragrance, and a magnificent scenery to feast the eyes on. Ha Neul opened them again to admire it once more. The hot springs were a bit secluded from the main house so Ha Neul got the feeling as if she was far away from the entire world. Except the part that was facing the small pavilion with the changing rooms and the sauna inside almost the whole hot spring was lined with plants. Some of the bushes’ branches even reached over the water. The whole hot spring was covered with a wooden roof to keep the heat and steam a bit longer. Hence it could only escape to the sides where it melted the snow cover revealing the evergreen plants that grew there. And a bit further away, in the middle of a small lawn, there stood a big Christmas tree illuminated by what seemed a thousand electric candles. It was beautifully decorated with red and golden baubles and garlands.

Ha Neul was just about to shift her position a little to get a better look at it, when she heard a strange noise. She froze; it sounded as if someone had just entered the bath! For several seconds she kept completely still and listened. She could not see the hot spring’s entrance because the hot spring had a curved form and the entrance was just hidden behind a big rock.

But after she couldn’t hear any more sounds, she relaxed again. After all, Jonghyun had said she was the only one here so she must have misheard.

She let go of the wall and slowly let herself be submerged in the water until not even a single strand of her hair looked out anymore. She stayed like that until she ran out of air. Then she pushed herself off from the floor with her feet and broke through the water surface. Slightly panting she shook her head to shake off the water.

She still had her eyes closed; that’s why she didn’t notice the pair of eyes that were watching her every movement with a mixture of surprise and complete awe.

It’s not that Jonghyun had never seen Ha Neul without make-up. But right now was something entirely different. Her black hair was billowing out behind her in the water and her cleansed skin seemed as if it was glowing. Her long eyelashes still resting on her cheeks were glistening with water droplets. And her lips had turned the colour of ripe cherries from the hot water. Entranced, Jonghyun watched her gingerly brush her hair out of her face.

And then she opened her eyes.

Jonghyun could see her eyes focusing on his shadow in the water then travelling from the water surface up his chest to his face and eventually widen with shock as realisation hit her.

Ha Neul made a weird noise that sounded like major hick-up transforming into a choked shriek. At the same time she made – or more like staggered – a step back. But the floor was slippery and she definitely wasn’t concentrating on walking properly. Her foot slipped away under her and she fell backwards.

What came next happened in a blur.

Jonghyun reacted on instinct. His left hand shot forward and caught her falling body a bit above her waist. At the same time his right hand reached out to the rim of the hot spring to keep himself from falling over too and to support the both of them. Water splashed everywhere.

When they had somehow steadied themselves again, Jonghyun exhaled audibly. It seemed Ghosty’s law hadn’t lost an ounce of its force.

“Yah!” Jonghyun then chided weakly. “Can’t you at least try not to give me heart attacks every day?” Had he been just one second later, Ha Neul’s head would have hit the rim… His heart clenched; just thinking about it sent a wave of pain through his body.

Ha Neul swallowed. “I’m sorry.” Though swallowing had nothing to do with her apology. The sole reason for that was their current position. Jonghyun was still bent over her, his one arm wrapped around her back and his other supported by the rim of the hot spring. Their faces were apart only by centimetres. The tension that was crackling in the air between them was almost tangible.

A dangerous tension, Ha Neul thought. Because the captivating effect of Jonghyun’s eyes made it impossible for her to keep up her intruding-roommate façade. She liked him. No, she loved him. And ever since she had realised that she was trying her hardest to act like she didn’t. But in situations like these, when he was this close to her, when she could smell his familiar scent (of the shampoo company she still hadn’t sued), when she could feel his warmth being transferred through their skin; in these situations she stood no chance. It would only be a matter of time until he would read her feelings from her eyes. Thought she had to congratulate her for still being able to make such assessments in her current situation…

That’s why, before his fragrance clouded her mind again, she first she had to get away from him. She swallowed, closed her eyes to escape his mesmerising gaze, and brought her feet under her body to support herself again. Then she twisted herself free from his arms and turned away.

And second she had to erase all suspicions of her feelings. And the easiest way to do that was by picking a fight. That is to ensure he would have no doubt that the happenings just now left her completely unaffected. “Well, it was you who decided to scare the living daylights out of me by appearing out of nowhere!” She thus answered his question snappily. “And in a hot spring, if I might add!” She fiddled with her bathing towel; on one hand to help calming her nerves and on the other to make sure it was tightly secured at its place. The fact that she was ONLY wearing a bathing towel already nerve-wracking enough; Got help her, if it would fall off right now as well! Still, to be on the safe side she bent her knees so the water would come up to her chin.

“You know that wasn’t intentional” Jonghyun pulled her out of her thoughts, trying to defend himself. “I thought you hadn’t come to the hot spring! You said you didn’t need a bath!”

“You said that too!” Ha Neul shot back and turned around to face him again. Her plan was working.

“I changed my mind…” He said lightly but he averted his eyes.

“Well, me too…”

Jonghyun sighed. “Well, since we’re already here, might as well stay. The water is opaque enough, so if you stay over there – he pointed to the opposite side of the hot spring – and I over here, then there’s nothing wrong. Even a winter coat wouldn’t cover up more.”

“WHAT?!” Ha Neul was scandalised. Though not as much as she would have expected. Somehow the thought of enjoying a bath together with Jonghyun and the prospect of getting to admire his strong physic was quite inviting. Silently cursing her lack of self-control she went over to the other side of the hot spring.

However, she still kept her whole body except her head submerged in the water. Jonghyun quizzically looked at her head as it – all ghost-like – ‘floated’ over the water surface. “What the hell are you doing? Is that some new Ghosty walking technique?”

“It’s not. Obviously.” Ha Neul had arrived at the rim and now leaned against the cool wall. “You might be comfortable wearing nothing but a towel or a bathing suit or whatever you’re wearing right now but I’m not!” She had wanted to sound pissed off but her flushed red face ruined it.

“I’m wearing but a bathing towel also,” he smirked.

Unwanted information! Unwanted information! Ha Neul tried to convince her mind in vain.

For several minutes they both didn’t say anything. But then Jonghyun’s expression suddenly turned worried.

“Yah Ghosty, are you alright?” He frowned. “Your head looks red…”

“I’m fine,” Ha Neul reassured him immediately. But truthfully she was starting to feel a bit dizzy.

And rightfully, Jonghyun wasn’t convinced. “You sure? Aren’t you overheating from keeping your entire body submerged in the hot water?”

Stupid dino! And whose fault is it?! Ha Neul thought tiredly but she still denied it. “I told you, I’m fine!”

“Like I’d believe that!” Jonghyun mumbled and pushed himself of the rim.

“Don’t come over!” Ha Neul protested when she saw him walking over to her. He just ignored her. Admittedly, her voice had sounded weaker than she had intended. But her head was spinning like crazy now.

Then, Jonghyun was next to her. And without thinking twice or giving her a chance to object he grabbed her below her arms and lifted her up onto the rim.

“Yah!” Ha Neul yelled weakly and immediately crossed her arms in front of her chest. Thank the heavens; the towel had stayed in place. But to say that she wasn’t feeling a bit thankful would have been a lie too. The dizziness was already ebbing away thanks to the cold winter air.

But as her head got clearer again the embarrassment also returned. And his intense stare, although it probably was just worry, wasn’t any help either. “Okay, I’m going back in,” she thus announced and ignored that hear head was still spinning a bit.

However, before she could even inch a bit closer to the water Jonghyun grabbed her shoulders stopping her. “No way. You’re staying up there for at least another three minutes!”

“But—“

“It’s fine, if I do this, right?” He cut her off but then let go of her arms and turned his back on her.

Ha Neul was taken aback; she hadn’t thought of that. This way he wouldn’t see her. Ha Neul felt touched.

“Thanks,” she mumbled. And without thinking but simply acting on impulse she bent down and rested her forehead against his right shoulder.

Jonghyun stiffened. He could feel her wet hair on his shoulder and back as well as her warm breath.

Damn, what was that woman doing now? He cursed and tried to resist the temptation of turning his head to look over his right shoulder. To no avail. It was as if his head had a life on its own. And the same seemed to apply to his hand which was already hovering over her hair wanting to pet it. Again, he fought with himself for a second but then he sighed, closed his eyes, and gave in.

But the moment Ha Neul felt his hand on her head, she shot up again and she looked at Jonghyun surprised. “Wha—“

Her voice got caught in when Jonghyun, who now had turned back around to her, extended his still raised hand to and brushed away the strand of her hair that had gotten stuck between her lips just now. She was blushing furiously. She knew it from the way the corner of his lips twitched upwards.

Jonghyun however didn’t retract his hand. On the contrary, he reached out with his other hand too and gently cupped Ha Neul’s cheek making her gasp slightly.

And that did it for Jonghyun. He had been battling with himself ever since he’d seen Ha Neul emerging from the water like a nymph from a fairy tale. And her resting her forehead against his shoulder, her glistening hair getting stuck between her lips, and the bathing towel certainly weren’t fighting for his mind’s side.

But now her deeply flushed face and the little gasp that parted her lips ever so slightly…! It shattered his self-restraint completely.

Still holding her face in his hands, he took a step closer to Ha Neul; close enough for her shins to touch his hips. Then he pulled her head down to him until their lips were almost touching. For a rapt moment they both stared at each other completely trapped in their world. Then, Jonghyun tiptoed and closed the distance by softly pressing his lips on hers.

Up until now each of their kisses had been different. Their first kiss had been while drunk. The second one Jonghyun had chastely stolen from her in the middle of the night. The third one on that meadow had been short, tentative, and maybe a bit clumsy. The fourth one at the airport forceful, desperate, and laced with longing.

And now this one was different again. Gentle but passionate.

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Hey everyone~!
Here's the next chapter! ^^ Sorry for taking my time again with the update! I've been on a trip; to the south! I enjoyed it a lot haha... the weather was so nice!! Warm and lots of sun... *whistful sigh* I already want to go back again lol

Okay, now back to the chapie: haha I really hope I counted their kisses correctly. Else, shame on me *^.^*

Then, I need to thank all the lovely people who upvoted my story so far!! <3 I came back from my three month AFF vacation and found this story had already 19 upvotes! XDD Really thank you guys so much!! <3 (Of course, this can't even compare to some other fics here on AFF, but I don't care about that ^^ It's you guys who think it's worth an upvote so I'm happy about that! :DD) Also, I know I used to thank everyone personally but I just can't keep track of it anymore, I'm sorry... ! >< Unfortunately AFF doesn't send me a notice when someone upvoted... :(

Next, I also got some friend requests recently of people who I don't know (yet). For the chance of some of them being among the readers of this fic I decided to quickly explain my "principles" for accepting friend requests here: It's quite simple actually, I don't accept friend requests from people who I don't know. Please don't take this personal or anything because this is simply my own definition of my "friend circle" here on AFF! (Okay, this sounds very weird now... *><*) Anyway, it just means that for me to accept a friend request I need to at least have exchanged some words with that person. Be that over a comment to my stories, a wall post (and not just one asking to check out some story), etc. However, I also won't ignore a friend request. Just because I haven't chatted with someone yet doesn't mean it won't happen in the future, after all... :DD Well, I hope this cleared some things... ^^

And lastly, many (respectively to what I expected at least) of you wrote that this fic is your favourit or one of your favourite fics here on AFF... WHAAAAA, I was so touched!!! >////< And honoured and embarrassed too... *>.<* No seriously! I never even imagined one of my fics becoming someone's favourite! Moreover at a place like AFF where there are many stories which are much more amazing to me than my own fics...! So, well... umm... just.. thank you very much! *>_<*