We would meet up randomly when Kyu comes after his work to the children’s home. Sometimes I brought my lap top there and be with the children as I do my work.

Kyu and I have already gotten the gifts and we were now preparing some activities for the children to enjoy when we go to their village up in the mountains. There were a lot of paperwork to be done as well, and since the director was already busy, I volunteered to take over some of his paperwork duties for the group who was going on the mission trip.

I was sitting in the reading room, typing away, eyes fixed on the computer screen in front of me when suddenly an aroma filled the room.

I stopped typing as I looked up and saw Kyu walking in with a starbucks paper bag in one hand and a another brown paper bag in the other.

We are on an alright stage of friendship now I guess. He didn’t probe why I was treating him nicely either which was good for me because if he asked, I wouldn’t know how to answer him.

“Hey Rae!  I bought you green tea latte and a sandwich.”  Kyu said with a smile as he sat the food down on the table in front of me.

“Oh? Thanks, Kyu.” I said.

“You look like you need a break.” He said as he pushed my lap top away.

“There is a lot of paperwork to be done and we’re leaving next week already! I can’t stop now.” I whined.

“It’s a short tea time break. It won’t harm, Rae.” He looked at me.

I stared back at him and I knew he wouldn’t budge so I decided to go along with his decision.

“Alright, alright.” I said taking a sip of the green tea latte. It does feel good to take a break.

I leaned against the chair as I closed my eyes for a while.

I opened them after a while and found Kyu missing. Before I could look around, a pair of hands was at my shoulders, massaging them.

I turned my head immediately and found Kyu standing behind me.

“Kyu, you don’t have to, you know.” I said brushing his hands off my shoulders.

“Rae, just relax. You’re so stressed this few days, doing all the documents for the entire group and your own workload. Just relax okay?” He said and he continued massaging.

I hate to admit but it felt so good I couldn’t resist it. I just closed my eyes and let Kyu massaged my shoulders.

The way his hand gripped my shoulders, the way Kyu touched me, that sensation left a tingling feeling in me. To have him so close to me after such a long time, I bit my bottom lip.

What was I doing? I shouldn’t even be letting him do this to me but he’s driving me crazy. My eyes shot open and I leaned forward, letting his hand fall off my shoulders.

“I think that’s enough. Thanks.” I said quietly, drinking my green tea latte.

Kyu must have got the hint that I was feeling uncomfortable about him massaging as he rubbed the back of his neck.

“N-No worries.” He stuttered.

I pulled my lap top back and continued doing the document even though I couldn’t even concentrate on what I was doing.

Just a touch from Kyu and I am unable to continue doing my work. How weak can I get? His touch linger against my skin, I could still feel the tingling feeling as his fingers brushed my back.  I shook my head and threw those thoughts out. I couldn’t be thinking about it, why do I keep on doing so?

At the mountains overseas, in the village.

“Okay, everyone, today’s day one! I will read out the rooming list. It’s two to a room.” The director said.

Thankfully, he didn’t allow both genders to be sleeping in the same room. But he did place my room opposite Kyu’s.

In the afternoon, the local children’s home in charge came and brought us around the village, showing us their local culture which was very different from our fast pace city high end living. Everyone took their own time to finish their tasks; the village was an old town, it seemed like a tired old town.

People moved slowly, they ambled across the street, shuffled in and out of the stores around it; they took their time about everything. They was no hurry, for there was nowhere to go, nothing to buy and no money to buy it with, nothing to see outside the boundaries of their town.

We lived on the main residential street as the children’s home was there. They had a hostel built behind the home and it was more than I expected. It was decent.

There was a make-shift shelter for the children to have their lessons in. I felt so ashamed of myself when I saw what the children had to go through and what I took for granted, living in my developed country.

The children came from all over the village, their age ranged from 2-18. Most of them couldn’t spell or write their names. They just knew how to speak.

Other than building a school, we decided to teach the village children English which was the global language across the world.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

My relationship with Kyu did progress but it isn’t as close as how we used to be. I still have that barrier against him which I’m afraid to break. I could see his sincerity in the way he did things, unlike in the past. Change was obvious.

But was it obvious just for me to see?

The days passed by and I was growing slightly closer to Kyu, not in that intimate way but as a friend. Understanding him from a normal friend’s point of view.

I could see the sad look on his face when the village children ran to their parent’s at the end of the day. He never had that privilege. He did but somehow that person also left him. His aunt was now in prison. I sighed as I thought about what had happened.

That poor boy, finding out his parent’s death through a situation like that. It was so difficult to bear but he did.

We were going into the seventh week that we’re at the village. Time had flown by so fast. The school was already halfway through; the main construction was already done; now we just left the roof and painting.

I just ended English class with the children and was packing up the stationary when Kyu came into the make-shift shelter.

“Rae?” He called.

I looked up and smile at him, “And what brings you here, Mr Cho?” I teased.

He rubbed the back of his neck as he shifted his weight on both feet uneasily. “Erm, are you free tonight? I want to bring you out for dinner. Please say yes. It’s very important.” He said as he looked at his feet and then he looked at me.

I thought for awhile. I’ve been rejecting Kyu ever since the day we met at the children’s home. Should I just give this a try? I mean, a dinner with a friend seems harmless right? It’s not possible that I’ll fall head over heels with Kyu after one dinner, right?

It was possible though.

Kyu stared at me “It’s okay, I understand.  I shall leave now.” and then he turned to leave.

“Wait! Kyu!” I called out.

“Hmmm?” He quickly turned around.

“I was just thinking what time do you want to meet?” I said with a small smile.

Kyu’s face immediately lit up. His grin got bigger and it somehow struck something in me.

“I’ll wait for you at the entrance of the children’s home at 6.30pm! See you later!” He said as he ran out of the shelter.

I chuckled.

Maybe things could work out after all.

Now let me think about what to wear to tonight’s dinner…

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