CH1: Awkward Moments and Sighs

"Do you believe in love at first sight?"

Shin Seul Yeon looked at him, her half-finished shake positioned near while she contemplated his question.

"Excuse me?"

"I said, do you believe in love at first sight?" He asked again, leaning in closer, his fake glasses catching the rays of the afternoon sun.

She wrinkled her nose, setting down the plastic cup. She didn't know if he was serious about this question, or just making small talk. She didn't even know this guy.

Well, she kinda did. He was Oh Sehun, her classmate. She felt that they were only mere acquaintances, you know. That crazy web of friendship where it started off as two friends, and then another friend came along with 2 more, and so on and so on? Yeah, kinda like that. She was the "friend" and he was the "so on and so on".

They were a small class anyway, but Eun Ji and Yoona, her 2 bestfriends, were very friendly people. And before she knew it, half of the class (including Sehun) were already part of the gang. She wasn't the social type so she was a bit reluctant to hang out with them. She enjoys their company, but sometimes she just wants to have few close friends to share intimate conversations with. Sehun was definitely not one of them.

Naturally, his question surprised her. But his persistent gaze started to get to her so she wanted to get it over with.

"I don't." She finally replied, sipping her shake once again.

"Why?" Sehun asked again.

"Because it’s just impossible. Love is not instant." Seul Yeon replied, getting slightly irritated. "You have to know the person before you could love her."

Where was Eun Ji? She said she'd be here by now. This is getting awkward.

Seul Yeon sighed to herself, glancing at her wristwatch. If she doesn't show up in 15 minutes, I'm leaving.

Sehun still looked at her with that interested look in his face. He crossed his arms in front of his chest, and leaned back on his chair. If it weren’t for the bustling streets and the chatter of other people in the coffee shop, it would’ve been too silent for Seul Yeon’s comfort.

She cleared and snuck a glance at Sehun. He was still looking at her, as if trying to decide to ask another question or not. She frowned.

Do I have something on my face? Why is he looking at me like that?

“Yes? Do you want to say something?” Seul Yeon asked.

Sehun smiled and unhooked his arms. His long fingers began tapping on the table in an unknown rhythm as he opened his mouth to answer.

”Yes actually. But I’m still thinking of how to say it so you won’t be surprised.”

Seul Yeon looked at him with those piercing eyes, the one that she learned from Eun Ji.

If you wanted someone to say the truth, use the piercing glare. You know, to stress them and stuff, she said. But it wasn’t working at the moment. Seul Yeon gave up.

“Well, I could wait all day you know. But I guess Eun Ji’s not coming.” She replied, trying to be as polite.

Eun Ji, you are so dead tomorrow!

But that stare just kept her over the edge that her sarcastic-ness started to show. “As much fun as I had hanging out with you today, I’m afraid I have to go home.” She added, starting to gather her things.

Sehun looked up in alarm.

“Wait!” he exclaimed, grabbing her wrist to stop her from leaving.

She raised an eyebrow at him. He pulled his arm away from hers and raised his arms in defence.

“Sorry! I know you don’t like skinship. Sorry, I forgot.” He finished lamely.

“I never told you that.” She said flatly, still looking at her wrists. The burning sensation from where he touched her seemed to mock her. It wasn’t a happy feeling, that’s for sure.

“Oh. Yoona told me.” He replied. “Could you stay for a while? I really want to ask you something.”

Seul Yeon looked at him again. That sincere look rooted her on the spot. There was something wrong with this boy; she can’t put a finger on it though.

“Alright, fine.” sighing, she sat back on her chair and gave a questioning look from across the table. “What is it?”

“Why do you sigh a lot?” he asked. The most innocent look etched on his face.

“I beg your pardon?” Seul Yeon gawked at him.

Was that the damn question? Was that the reason why he’d been looking at me like some kind of interesting specimen? Was that the reason why he grabbed my wrist and made me stay?

Seul Yeon couldn’t take the image off her mind. And it wasn’t because it felt nice.

“I just noticed you’ve been sighing a lot ever since I got here.” He said simply, the afternoon wind slightly tousling his hair.

“Was it the question you wanted to ask me??” She asked, her temper slowly rising. Noticing this, Sehun shook his head roughly.

“Oh no, sorry! I just got a bit distracted. You were sighing a lot today. so I-“

“What’s it to you anyway?” She cut him off angrily.

“Well, it means that you weren’t really enjoying my company. It means you’re bored, or annoyed at me.” He replied patiently, not minding that she cut him of mid-sentence. "I guess I wanted to know what you think about me."

Damn. She did not mean to raise her voice like that. Friend or not, she always showed respect to everybody around her. It’s just that this boy really has a different effect on her.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to cut you off.” She apologized. “Nor sigh too much. I was annoyed at Eun Ji, not you.” She added, a little white lie couldn’t hurt.

“Okay then.”

There was this look again.

Seul Yeon ran an impatient hand through her hair.

“What is it that you want to ask me again?” she asked, making sure she didn’t raise her voice.

Sehun smiled at her, the afterglow of the setting sun enhanced his handsome features. And for a moment, Seul Yeon actually thought that he was cute. But she just wasn’t the kind of person who could open her heart to new people.

The streetlights began to flicker on, signaling that it was 6pm. As she patiently waited for his reply, she wished she brought a sweater. She unconsciously wrapped her arms around her. The February nights were cooler and Seul Yeon gets cold easily. She didn’t expect to be here at this time anyways, most especially with Sehun. She was sure that Eun Ji and her would be going to the mall to shop.

“Are you alright?” Sehun asked, concern on his face.

“I’m fine.” She replied, a little too quickly. “Just ask me the question so I can go home already.”

Sehun nodded. He once again leaned in closer, a slight smirk playing on his lips.

Seul Yeon gulped. The lights must be playing tricks on me. She had never, until this point in time, thought that Sehun could be so attractive. But cool night overcame her senses and she focused back to the question Sehun was about to ask.

“Can I court you?”

"I said, do you believe in love at first sight?" He asked again, leaning in closer, his fake glasses catching the rays of the afternoon sun.

She wrinkled her nose, setting down the plastic cup. She didn't know if he was serious about this question, or just making small talk. She didn't even know this guy.

Well, she kinda did. He was Oh Sehun, her classmate. She felt that they were only mere acquaintances, you know. That crazy web of friendship where it started off as two friends, and then another friend came along with 2 more, and so on and so on? Yeah, kinda like that. She was the "friend" and he was the "so on and so on".

They were a small class anyway, but Eun Ji and Yoona, her 2 bestfriends, were very friendly people. And before she knew it, half of the class (including Sehun) were already part of the gang. She wasn't the social type so she was a bit reluctant to hang out with them. She enjoys their company, but sometimes she just wants to have few close friends to share intimate conversations with. Sehun was definitely not one of them.

Naturally, his question surprised her. But his persistent gaze started to get to her so she wanted to get it over with.

"I don't." She finally replied, sipping her shake once again.

"Why?" Sehun asked again.

"Because it’s just impossible. Love is not instant. You have to know the person before you could love her." Seul Yeon replied, getting slightly irritated.

Where was Eun Ji? She said she'd be here by now. This is getting awkward.

Seul Yeon sighed to herself, glancing at her wristwatch. If she doesn't show up in 15 minutes, I'm leaving.

Sehun still looked at her with that interested look in his face. He crossed his arms in front of his chest, and leaned back on his chair. If it weren’t for the bustling streets and the chatter of other people in the coffee shop, it would’ve been too silent for Seul Yeon’s comfort.

She cleared and snuck a glance at Sehun. He was still looking at her, as if trying to decide to ask another question or not. She frowned.

Do I have something on my face? Why is he looking at me like that?

“Yes? Do you want to say something?” Seul Yeon asked.

Sehun smiled and unhooked his arms. His long fingers began tapping on the table in an unknown rhythm as he opened his mouth to answer.

“”Yes actually. But I’m still thinking of how to say it so you won’t be surprised.”

Seul Yeon looked at him with those piercing eyes, the one that she learned from Eun Ji.

If you wanted someone to say the truth, use the piercing glare. You know, to stress them and stuff, she said. But it wasn’t working at the moment. Seul Yeon gave up.

“Well, I could wait all day you know. But I guess Eun Ji’s not coming.” She replied, trying to be as polite.

Eun Ji, you are so dead tomorrow!

But that stare just kept her over the edge that her sarcastic-ness started to show. “As much fun as I had hanging out with you today, I’m afraid I have to go home.” She added, starting to gather her things.

Sehun looked up in alarm.

“Wait!” he exclaimed, grabbing her wrist to stop her from leaving.

She raised an eyebrow at him. He pulled his arm away from hers and raised his arms in defence.

“Sorry! I know you don’t like skinship. Sorry, I forgot.” He finished lamely.

“I never told you that.” She said flatly, still looking at her wrists. The burning sensation from where he touched her seemed to mock her. It wasn’t a happy feeling, that’s for sure.

“Oh. Yoona told me.” He replied. “Could you stay for a while? I really want to ask you something.”

Seul Yeon looked at him again. That sincere look rooted her on the spot. There was something wrong with this boy; she can’t put a finger on it though.

“Alright, fine.” sighing, she sat back on her chair and gave a questioning look from across the table. “What is it?”

“Why do you sigh a lot?” he asked. The most innocent look etched on his face.

“I beg your pardon?” Seul Yeon gawked at him.

Was that the damn question? Was that the reason why he’d been looking at me like some kind of interesting specimen? Was that the reason why he grabbed my wrist and made me stay?

Seul Yeon couldn’t take the image off her mind. And it wasn’t because it felt nice.

“I just noticed you’ve been sighing a lot ever since I got here.” He said simply, the afternoon wind slightly tousling his hair.

“Was it the question you wanted to ask me??” She asked, her temper slowly rising. Noticing this, Sehun shook his head roughly.

“Oh no, sorry! I just got a bit distracted. You were sighing a lot today., so I-“

“What’s it to you anyway?” She cut him off angrily.

“Well, it means that you weren’t really enjoying my company. It means you’re bored, or annoyed at me. I guess I wanted to know what you think about me.” He replied patiently, not minding that she cut him of mid-sentence.

Damn. She did not mean to raise her voice like that. Friend or not, she always showed respect to everybody around her. It’s just that this boy really has a different effect on her.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to cut you off.” She apologized. “Nor sigh too much. I was annoyed at Eun Ji, not you.” She added, a little white lie couldn’t hurt.

“Okay then.”

There was this look again.

Seul Yeon ran an impatient hand through her hair.

“What is it that you want to ask me again?” she asked, making sure she didn’t raise her voice again.

Sehun smiled at her, the afterglow of the setting sun enhanced his handsome features. And for a moment, Seul Yeon actually thought that he was cute. But she just wasn’t the kind of person who could open her heart to new people.

The streetlights began to flicker on, signalling that it was 6pm. As she patiently waited for his reply, she wished she brought a sweater. She unconsciously wrapped her arms around her. The February nights were cooler and Seul Yeon gets cold easily. She didn’t expect to be here at this time anyways, most especially with Sehun. She was sure that Eun Ji and her would be going to the mall to shop.

“Are you alright?” Sehun asked, concern on his face.

“I’m fine.” She replied, a little too quickly. “Just ask me the question so I can go home already.”

Sehun nodded. He once again leaned in closer, a slight smirk playing on his lips.

Seul Yeon gulped. The lights must be playing tricks on me. She had never, until this point in time, thought that Sehun could be so attractive. But cool night overcame her senses and she focused back to the question Sehun was about to ask.

“Can I court you?”