Okay, more than nine minutes passed. Why isn’t he here yet? The coldness tempts me to go in the place and grab something hot but I still can’t. I tip-toed and searched for any incoming vehicle or guy that looks like Ki-bum but there’s no one and nothing on the road that’s coming towards me. I wonder what happened.

 

                Another fifteen minutes passed and I’m sitting in the corner at the front of the restaurant. I hugged my knees close to decrease the coldness even for a bit. The short dress and the coat I’m wearing isn’t helping. What’s worst is I even forgot to bring my gloves. I just hope he arrives here before I turn into a human ice cube.

 

                I pulled out my phone, hoping he sent me a message about what’s happening, but there’s none. I glanced at my clock; 8:05pm. I pushed the phone in my bag again and rubbed my arms. My hands are becoming numb each passing minute and the friction just hurts my aching muscles. I’m still sitting at the corner, hugging my knees and I’m starting to get worried. What if something happened when he’s on his way here? What if he’s sick or if he got lost?

 

                “Why would he be lost? He knew this place better than I do.” I murmured to myself as I pull myself closer together.

 

                At 8:30pm, I’m starting to think about heading back home and checking out on him. He have a good reason, I’m sure of it. But when I think about leaving, the thought of him coming here and waiting for me hits me. So I ended up sitting back in the corner and hugging myself alone.

 

                A hand reached out to me just when I stood up and sat back again on place for the fifth time. I frowned, not wanting to let go of the hug I’m giving myself. I shook my head. Then, the hands pulled me up and shook me hardly. I stared at that face of the man who always helps me whenever I’m having a hard time. Still the same today.

 

                “Are you okay?” he asked and I almost cried as I stared at him. I shook my head and he pulled me in a hug. “I’m here now, okay? Come on, let’s have something warm.” He pulled off. He wiped the tears that stubbornly flowed down from my eyes and grabbed my hands. “Let’s go.”

 

 

 

                We didn’t enter the restaurant behind us, instead we ordered some porridge on the restaurant across the street. I grabbed the bowl hungrily but not to eat the food inside. I just need some warmth for now. That’d be enough.

 

                “You’re really crazy, right?” Kyu-hyun announced as he eat his own bowl of porridge. I ignored him.

 

                Although I’m really thankful he came, I’m still in the process of regaining my strength after that long stay out on the cold street. I don’t have enough strength to talk back.

 

                “Eat it. Don’t just hold it like that.” He ordered. I grabbed the bowl after I felt my muscles relaxed, and then I started on drinking my porridge.

 

                “Chew!” he screeched as he saw the way I’m eating it. He stole the bowl from my hand and placed it on the table carefully. He grabbed the spoon and put it on my hand. “You’ll choke yourself to death if you do that.”

 

                I nodded and started on eating again using the spoon now. The taste doesn’t really matter for now. All that matters is that the porridge gives my body enough warmth and it takes away the painful cold feeling inside me. I finished my food faster than Kyu-hyun. He just laughed at me. I feel full so I laid back and closed my eyes.

 

                I opened my eyes again when I heard Kyu-hyun put his bowl down on the table. He’s done eating too and I guess he’s just as lazy as me as he laid his back on the chair, holding his tummy. I smiled at him.

 

                “Thanks, Kyu-hyun.” I almost whispered. I’ve been saying ‘thank you’s’ a lot today and I think I’m  getting used to it. It’s just that the subject of these thank you’s are the same.

 

                “You owe me a lot.” He whispered back. I giggled. He sat up straight again and stared at me. I just smiled at him at first, but a whole minute passed and he’s still staring! I waved my hand in front of his eyes but he just held them down.

 

                “What are you staring at?” I asked, quite annoyed with the way he’s looking at me.

 

                “You still look the same.” He concluded, accompanying his statement with a firm nod.

 

                It took me a while before I got what he’s saying. I pulled my hands off from his grip and touched my face. “I know.” I nodded to myself. I still look like a wild bear for you.

 

                “And I thought I’d be seeing a superstar version of you tonight. Yoona raised my hopes way too much.” He added. I frowned.

 

                “Yoona Unnie did her best to make me look beautiful.” I snorted. “And I think she did a pretty good job on it.”

 

                “Beautiful?” he smirked. “How could a wild bear be beautiful?”

 

                “Kyu-hyun, you’re supposed to make me feel better.” I pretended to be mad.

 

                “Then feel free to call me mean dragon for tonight. You’d miss it when I’m gone.” He laughed.

 

                “Mean dragon.” I laughed with him. “Stop that non-sense joke about you leaving, okay?”

 

                He didn’t reply but his stern smile remained. “So, what do you want to do now?” he suddenly asked.

 

                “Uhmm, go home, perhaps. I want to know what happened to Ki-bum oppa.” I suggested. He shook his head and stood up.

 

                “We should at least tour around so that your efforts won’t be wasted.” He smiled. I stared at him in disbelief.

 

                “I’m tired, Puffy.” I pouted.

 

                “That won’t work.” He smirked as he pulled me out of the restaurant, into the cold again.

 

                He pulled me with him going nowhere, specifically. The night breeze is cool now on my skin; unlike the freezing hell I experienced earlier. And, instead of fighting and arguing with Kyu-hyun, I just tried to enjoy the scenery around us.

 

                It worries me a bit; walking with Kyu-hyun this way. He doesn’t have anything to cover his face. His identity will be recognized anytime a fan girl comes our way. But perhaps, the night population isn’t that much rude to stare at other people’s faces. We’re there, but no one actually looks or cares about us. [And I think this is more effective as a camouflage than wearing sunglasses at night.]

 

                “Look!” Kyu-hyun pointed and my eyes followed his finger.

 

                His finger is pointing at the most beautiful and colorful thing I’ve seen in my life. Well, actually he’s pointing at a bridge where water sprouts off freely; dancing together with colorful lights and creating much illusion that you’d like to go with it. I feel like I was dreaming.

 

 

                I started to edge near the water to at least experience touching it; make believe that what I’m seeing is real. But Kyu-hyun pulled me from behind.

 

                “Don’t.” he murmured as he pulled me closer than what is needed. “Don’t go away from me. You’ll get hurt.” He secured his grip on my arm as his other hand firmly grasped my left hand. I nodded, not being able to take my eyes off the beautiful sight.

 

                “It’s wonderful.” I whispered, still enjoying the scene. I felt him nod behind me as his arm s around my waist. His other hand still holds mine and I had no escape from our position. Why would I escape anyway? I feel secured here; it’s like a protective angel shields me from any harm possible.

 

                I sighed in contentment and rested the back of my head on his chest. I felt the edge of his chin at the top of my head as he stared at the water continuously flowing and dancing in front of us.

 

                “I wish we could stay like this…” I heard Kyu-hyun murmur after taking in a deep breath. “…forever.”

 

                I smiled; not sure if he’s telling me this thing or if he’s just talking to himself. He wanted to stay like this with me forever. That’s nice.

 

                “Me too.” I sighed. He giggled and I giggled with him. “I wish this would last.” I nodded as I tilted my head up to look at him. He looked down on me and returned the smile.

 

                I stared at him; at his face. He have some pimple marks on it, but it doesn’t affect the appeal he’s showing off. His own glowing aura makes everyone comfortable with him and it’s amazing. His tiny, pointed eyes smiles together with his lips when it’s curved up in a smile. It’s like it has its own language or communicating tool that sends messages towards me. His pointed nose creates a shadow which hides half of his face, but you can still trace it out. His curvy, smiling lips are funny as they create that one of a kind smirk of his. All in all, he’s lovely. I guess I’d never get tired of looking at him no matter how long it is.

 

                We stayed like that for I don’t know how long. Then everything went dark. I turned and saw that the lights died out. Maybe the show for tonight is over. I sighed and shook my head. I felt Kyu-hyun’s arm slip off me and it made me regret shaking my head. Without his arms, I think I might fall over or get into an accident.

 

                When the lights again, we’re no longer entwined; except for our hands. He still kept my hand in his supporting grip and it feels really warm. I felt him tug me and I glanced at him for a moment.

 

                “The lights and water will repeat the same movement so let’s get out of here.” He smiled. “Let’s play!”

 

                He pulled me again and the next thing I know is that I’m screaming my lungs out because of the cold liquid being poured down over me. The assuring hand which held me for a while now is gone and I can’t exactly see where I am. When I managed to open my eyes despite of the showering water, I found myself in the middle of the fountains, just beside the river bank. I tried to find Kyu and saw him running around too; enjoying the cold water being splashed on us.

 

                “Kyu-hyun you’re dead!” I screamed as I ran after him.

 

                “What? I didn’t do anything!” he screamed back as he tried to run away from me. It’s a bit slippery and it’s hard to run but I still managed to get across the square.

 

                I screamed as I felt myself falling down. I slipped? I expected to land on hard, wet and cold ground with my but I felt nothing. It’s like I was floating on air, waiting for the end of my fall. But a pair of hands secured me on mid-air.

 

                “Pabo! It’s slippery so don’t run!” Kyu-hyun instructed me as I stand up on my own.

 

                “You ran too!” I pointed out, remembering how he ran off from me. “It’s your fault anyway, look at me!” I stomped my feet.

 

                “I’m not the one controlling the water!” he tried to reason while putting up his cutest expression I’ve ever seen, but oh-no, that’s not going to work out on me.

 

                “You pulled me in here!” I screeched, killing him with daggers as I continue to stare at him.

 

                We’re fully wet now, together with our coats and I don’t think this is advisable for this weather. I shivered and ran out of the square immediately to avoid getting hit by water again. When I made it out, I found Kyu-hyun on my back, following me. I shook my dress and squeezed at its ends to remove as much water as I can. I saw Kyu-hyun doing the same and I laughed at him. He’s struggling too much to squeeze out the water from his thin shirt, avoiding himself from getting exposed by not lifting up his tee. He looked at me in amazement.

 

                “Your mood swings are really…” he paused and stared at me for a while. “…unbelievable.” He finished with an unsatisfied expression on his face as if the word he said doesn’t give justification to what he’s thinking and seeing. I stuck out my tongue.

 

                I felt something vibrate from my pocket and I panicked as I searched for it. The phone! The phone!

 

                “It’s still working.” I said in relief as I saw the screen lit up in front of me.

 

                “What is?” Kyu-hyun asked foolishly. I ignored his question and stared at the screen.

 

                Kim Ki-bum

 

                Hell. I forgot we’re about to meet! But, he can’t be there waiting for me, right? I quickly pressed the answer button and raised the phone at the level of my ear.

 

                “Hello?” I softly whispered through the device.

 

                “Yuna? Where are you?” he asked. Shouldn’t I be the one asking that? “I just arrived here at the restaurant. Lee-teuk hyung said you weren’t at home.”

 

                “I just walked around.” I said honestly. I felt another set of dripping water on my shoulder. I turned my head and saw Kyu-hyun trying to listen to our conversation. I pushed him away.

 

                “Could you come back here? I already begged the owner of the restaurant to extend their closing time for the two of us. He agreed.” Ki-bum said proudly, and I can imagine him smiling on the other line.

 

                “Sure!” my face lit up at the idea. We could still continue with our date! “I’ll be there.” I assured him before I hang up.

 

                “What was that?” Kyu-hyun asked me after I kept my phone inside my pocket.

 

                “Ki-bum oppa.” I beamed at him. “I’m going back to the restaurant! See you at the dorm!” I waved before I ran off to meet Ki-bum.

              

 

---

 

 

* i solemnly swear that the next chapter would be about YUNA and KIBUM!!! *

 

[YuKi for the win!!!]

 

i enjoyed too much in writing this chapter and i didn't realize i consumed 8 pages in MS Word already.. sorry for the long chapter.. i don't know if i should cut it or not but as you can see, i ended up posting the whole long thing.. sorry... ^______^

 

 

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