Kyuhyun's POV

Dinner went pretty smoothly.  Ryeowook seemed a lot more relaxed and I could tell he was enjoying himself.  Unfortunately, I was more anxious than ever.  I was nervous and the very thought of the talk we needed to have made my stomach clench.

The sun was setting right when we finished eating.  The warm orange of the sky gave the gentle waves a peachy glow.  Ryeowook's eyes grew shiny and bright as he looked around.  It was like the whole island had been painted in warm water colors. 

We walked slowly, letting the cool water splash up to our ankles.  At first, we didn't talk, only the gentle crashing of the waves and the calls of the sea gulls permeating the silence.  Our hands swung at our sides, and they brushed every so often.  As our fingers met for the nth time, he hesitantly hooked his ponter finger with mine.  We weren't really holding hands, but the way our fingers loosely entertwined was intimate.

He looked up at me, and smiled brightly, seemingly unaffected by the contact.  I, on the other hand, was battling the butterflies in my stomach and the accelerated beating of my heart.  I looked away, not wanting him to see my blushing face. 

After a while, the sun disappeared, leaving us in a lingering purple shadow.  The ocean became an inky stain across the slightly lighter sky.  The crickets came out, and their cheerful chrips mingled with the ocean's constant murmer.  It was peaceful and in the dark, I finally gathered my courage.

I tugged his hand, causing him to stop and look at me questioningly.  I led him over to the white sand, just out of the waves' reach.  I sat down and he sat beside me, knowing why we had stopped.  I didn't look at him, choosing instead to face the water, he didn't say anything,  but I could feel him waiting expectantly.

I took a deep breath and finally asked,

"What exactly do you remember about us?"

He was quiet for a moment, but I didn't turn to face him, not sure I wanted to see his expression.

"Um, I know we were close..." he said, sounding a bit uncertain.

I nodded, showing him he was right and I suppose he gained more confidence from my agreement.  He lost the hesitant quality of his voice and quickly blurted,

"Actually, I've been meaning to ask you some things.  That day I went to meet you in the park, I went because we had a promise, right?"

I nodded, but he didn't say anything and I knew he wanted me to explain.  I began fiddling with the sand, picking up a handful and watching it as it ran through my fingers.  The sand was cool and silky, the way I imagined his hair to feel. 

"Y-yeah" I answered, searching for the best words to explain. "Y-you... we... um~"

He interuppted my struggle when he nodded and replied,

"I agreed to stay with you.  I promised to be yours, forever, right?"

I finally looked down at him, blushing as he recounted such things so easily.  He looked back up at me, and smiled slightly.  He pulled his knees to his chest and wrapped his arms around them.  He continued to study me, searching my face seriously as he asked,

"What exactly did my promise mean?"

Ryeowook's POV

I waited patiently, I was curious, but a little worried about knowing.  Part of me wanted to just forget the whole thing and just laugh it off, but a bigger part of me wanted desperatley to know the truth.  A strange feeling was building in my chest.

It was almost like my heart was filled with helium, it was so light I could barely feel it beating in my chest.  I didn't know what to think about such feelings, and I wasn't sure if what I was feeling was apprehension or hope. 

Kyuhyun cleared his throat, and stared at the sand pile that he had built during the course of our conbersation.  Even though the sun had set, the light of the moon was enough to make out the discomfort on his face.  I bit my lip, feeling slightly guilty for making him feel awkward, but my desire to know overpowered my guilt and I just continued to wait for his explanation.

"At the time... it was sort of like a proposal..."

I looked up and couldn't help but squeak,

"Y-you mean like a marriage~" I trailed off, blushing as he nodded his head.

"B-but we were just kids!  I mean it couldn't have been that serious, right?"

I saw him flinch slightly, and his cheeks flushed.

"Um, I-i can't really answer for you, but I meant it..."

Now it was my turn to blush.  The idea that Kyuhyun had loved me, even if it was in the far past, made my stomach feel funny.  I couldn't help but feel a little special.  Even if it was only the love of a child, I found myself smiling faintly to myself.

"Really?" I asked, almost teasingly.

Instead of just laughing and telling me to shut up, he sent me a rather nervous look.  The grin left my face, and I became concerned.

"Kyu?" I asked, worried about his reaction.

He seemed to pull into himself, and in a barely audible voice he whispered,

"I-i'm still serious about it now"

My eyes widened, and I wondered briefly if I had misheard him.

"W-what do y-you mean?" I asked tentatively.

He looked me in my eyes, and I could clearly see the determination in his.  His face was solemn, and I knew whatever he was going to say was important.

"Ryeowook, I still want the proposal to stand... I need it to..."

His voice wavered and he turned away.  My heart was racing, but my thoughts were swirling even faster.  I didn't even breathe as the impact of what he was saying hit me full on.  I honestly didn't know how to respond, and I didn't know what he wanted to hear from me.

I stared at him, trying to dechipher his meaning.  He sat, huddled over, looking like he wanted to just disappear within himself.  I didn't know what to say, but I knew I could never let him retreat back into his cold shell.  I grabbed his arm, hoping I could keep him from hiding away.

"K-kyu~" I stuttered, not able to speak clearly.

I was frustrated with my inability to process the information, and aggravated tears sprang to my eyes.  My grip on his arm tightened as I tried to fight the tremors that ran through my arm.

A warm hand came and covered mine, providing me with an anchor that kept me from being completely lost in the swirl of conflicting emotions.  I buried my face into Kyuhyun's arm, crying softly.  I felt him shift hesitantly, patting my back awkwardly.

"I-i'm so s-so sorry" I sobbed, "I-i don't e-even k-know~"

"Ssshhh" he hushed, "I know, I know.  You've always been like this"

He was right of course.  Everytime I became overwhelmed, I always ended up in tears.  I knew it was pathetic, but it was my immediate response. 

He let me cry it out, occasionally my hair while he acted as my literal shoulder to cry on.  As I managed to calm myself, my brain also began to think again.  By the time I stopped, I was finally thinking clearly, my emotions no longer obstructing my reasoning.

There were so many confusing, unclear things that needed to be explained, but I judged them less important.  The most pressing issue was the proposal.

What did he mean when he said he was serious?

What did he mean when he said he needed the proposal to be stand?

And most importantly, what did it mean for the two of us?

Kyuhyun's POV

I sighed when tears glistened in his eyes.  I forgot how sensitive he could be, especialy when he was feeling flustered and overwhelmed.  I waited patiently as he worked to compose himself.  I let myself run my fingers through his hair, enjoying how he clutched my arm so tightly.

As he calmed himself down, I saw the questions that lingered in his eyes.  I stifled a sigh, knowing full well that I had some serious explaining to do.  I knew I would also have to come right out and tell him how I felt about him.  It was unfair to leave him confused and uncertain about my reasons for wanting a marriage.

It still scared me to have to tell him how I really felt, and the threat of rejection was prevalent in my mind.  My heart was so invested in him, that I knew rejection might crush me. 

However, as he glanced up at me, wiping his nose shepishly, I couldn't deny how my chest grew warm or how my heart beat double time.  When he sent me a small smile, the warm stirrings of hope bloomed and spread though my whole body.

Every fiber of my being needed him, and the very promise of his love was enough to make me swallow my fear.  

Because for Ryeowook, even a coward like me could be brave. 

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This wasn't exactly what I was going for, but I guess it will have to do...

I don't know if you thought Wookie's reaction was weird, but that's how I react when I'm feeling stressed and confused >.<

Sorry for taking so long to update, I have an after school cooking class that goes till 6:30 on Mondays and Wednesdays, and I have tennis preactice till 6:00 the rest of the week.  Add that to homework and I'm about ready to scream!!!!!

Plus, my coach is being an a**!  He's making us practice at 6:30 in the morning on a freakin' Saturday!!!

He's the devil...

Location: couch, creating a voodoo doll of my tennis coach *now where did I leave my needles?...*

Mood: pissed, looking for revenge *insert evil laugh here*

Music: "Run Devil Run" by SNSD *smirks*