Nayeon was sitting on a park bench under a huge tree in a small deserted park. It was her favorite spot in the whole park – she could see everything from up here. That's right, this particular bench was on a little hill. And this park around her was a very special one.

The trees here grew as they wanted - it looked liked no one cared but the grass was always nearly mowed, as much as it was possible to maneuver around the trees' roots sticking out of the ground. One really had to watch one's step not to trip over and not to sprain one's ankle like it had happened to Nayeon some time ago.

 

Today was a beautiful day – the air was fresh, like always, after the rain. Nayeon felt a tingly sensation twirling in her stomach. Was is because of the weather? Was it because something really was going to happen?

The girl remained seated on her spot, wondering about her weird feeling, for some time. She looked at her watch – an hour had passed. She frowned. Maybe I'm just a bit retarded... I must be imagining things.

Nayeon was about to stand up and make her way home when she heard running. At first she thought she was hearing things, maybe the wind was playing with the trees' leaves, but the noise got louder. Thamp-thamp-thamp-thamp. The runner got nearer and Nayeon could hear panting. She turned her head and saw a boy. It's him!

The boy didn't look at Nayeon though.

This is it! This must be it! I tingle all over my body now... even my palms are sweating!

 

The boy was just few meters away from her. One more step and-

A tree's root which was happily sticking out of the ground caught the boy's leg in its grasp and thus the blonde fell flat in the middle of the road and right infront of Nayeon. Wait a minute... This was it?

What am I thinking!? Maybe he's hurt! Nayeon jumped up run down to the boy.

„Are you, OK? Ahh... You're all muddy now!“

By now the boy was on his feet again. „Huh? Aaa...Yes... Yes, I'm fine.“ he answered with a shy smile and ran off.

Nayeon looked after him and heard him shout from the distance: „I was just checking if the gravity worked!“

 

Nayeon sighed and sat back on the bench. If this was why I felt tingly then I really am retarded...

But she was still tingly so she decided to wait for the boy. Maybe he'll come back.

 

The runnerboy in the other hand... I hope she'll be there when I get back. Holy-, dear Lord, turn on the ventilation!

 

 

Nayeon didn't have to wait very long – the boy ran past her again after half an hour. This time it was different – he noticed the girl and waived at her. The girl waived back as the butterflies in her stomach got unbelievably lively but they calmed down once the blonde boy was out of sight.

 

 

„You have to go back, Minki!“ a middle aged woman was shooing her son outside.

„Why? Mom! No! Why do I have to go back? I embarrassed myself infront of her.“ the blonde boy protested while blow-drying his hair.

„What's all this ruckus about? Is it about that girl you like?“ a friendly looking man smiled.

„Not you, too, dad...“

„Just go back there. Besides, I've embarrassed myself infront of your mother a hundred of times.“ Minki's father assured to his son.

„That's right. Here, take this.“ Minki's mother gave her son a little basket full of muffins and some drinks.

 

Minki made his way back into the park. His heart leaped when he saw Nayeon. This is it. He grasped onto the basket's handle a bit more tightly.

 

„Hi.“ Minki almost whispered. He throat got dry out of the blue.

„Hello, runner-boy.“ Nayeon smiled.

Silence.

„Would you like to sit down?“

„Ah! Yes. Thank you.“ Minki ducked his head and sat down awkwardly.

 

„So... What's your name?“ the boy asked looking anywhere else besides the girl next to him.

„Sol Nayeon.“ she answered glancing at the boy, seeing him smile to himself. Nayeon felt all tingly once again.

„I'm Choi Minki... But people call me Ren.“ the boy said.

„Oh. Then nice to meet you, Ren-sshi.“ Nayeon turned to the boy and their eyes met but both looked away right away.

„Nice to meet you, too, Nayeon-a-... -sshi.“ Ren stuttered keeping his eyes on the basket in his lap. „I...uh... My mom... she thought we could have a picnic together.“ he continued, trying hard not to sound very nervous which he actually was.

„That's nice of her. Could I see what's in the basket then?“ Nayeon got curious. She had a thought that if she changed the subject and focused on something else she could hush down the raging butterflies in her stomach. Apparently it worked.

 

Ren looked at Nayeon with wide eyes like he didn't understand a word the girl just said. Fortunately the the realization struck him fast enough not to get embarrassed again.

Nayeon's assuring smile helped at lot, too. The boy could calm down and open the basket without his hands shaking.

„Muffins!“ Nayeon squealed clapping her hands. She quickly grabbed the first muffin she could reach and had a bite from it. „Oh-my-gosh... They're delicious!“ she said with half-full.

 

Ren felt joy rushing over his body and he smiled at the girl. Mum, you really know things better than I do. These are the muffins we made this morning!

„I'm glad you like them.“ the boy said looking into the basket and taking one of the muffins himself.

„Who made these? I need to know. I want to eat these godly muffins every day!“ Nayeon spazzed on.

Ren started coughing – he had forgot that he had to swallow the muffin in his mouth.

 

„Ah! Ren!“ Nayeon gasped and slightly hit the boy's back.

„Thank you.“ the latter said with a raspy voice once he could breathe again.

„What happened there? Did you forgot how to eat?“ the girl joked.

„Kind of... The muffins – I made these... with my mum.“ Ren blurted out.

„Really? That's awesome! Can you make more of these?“ Nayeon got happy and excited.

„I can't see why not. If you like my cooking, then I'll make more tomorrow.“ the blonde agreed, „Oh, and, Nayeon-... -ah, please call me Oppa.“

 

Nayeon blinked a couple of times and raised her brows. Well, that escalated quickly.

„Oppa.“ she breathed out in a way like it was the very first time saying that word.

 

The tension died down with that simple word and by the evening, when all the muffins were eaten, the two got along pretty well. They promised to meet up the next day and have another picnic.

 

 

The next day, though, when Nayeon got to the meeting place, there was no sign of Ren - only an empty park bench. The girl waited for some time, an hour and a half to be exact, but the boy didn't show up.

That's odd. He was so exited about today. Maybe something happened. Yes, something must have come up.

Nayeon left. Just when she had stepped onto the street and was out of sight Ren reached the park. The boy's heart fell when he saw that the girl wasn't there. What was I thinking? That she would wait for me for this long?! She met me for the first time just yesterday! You, fool...

Plus now I'm leaving and can't even tell her. But I need to... somehow.

 

 

When Nayeon went up to the park the next day she found a box with her name on it behind the bench in the grass. As few people actually came to this park it was safe to leave the box like this, to wait for its rightful owner.

The girl could already tell that there were going to be muffins inside but she was still curious about the box's contents. Opening the box Nayeon saw the sweets and smiled. He remembered. But there was one other thing aswell – an envelope.

 Inside the envelope there was a letter, obviously, but there was something else, too – a silver necklace with a beautiful star-shaped pendant.

 

The letter said:

 

I'm sorry I couldn't meet you yesterday. Please don't be mad. I did come afterwards but you had already left :(

Please take this necklace and wait for me. I'll be back in two weeks.

Sorry for leaving so suddenly but my grandparents needed help at their place. Our family really has to work on telling the big news on time. :)

 

I guess if I'm already writing this I should tell you the whole story. What story? The story about the fact that I've been stalking you, well, kind of.

The thing is that I'm not very good with words and the only reason I found courage to come back to talk to you the other day is that  my mother told me to. God bless mums, huh?

 

So the thing I want to say is that...

I like you, Nayeon. I' ve  been liking you for a quite some time now.

Would you be mine, please?

 

 

Ren                          

 

 

Nayeon smiled like an idiot and started giggling. She danced around the hill and read the letter over and over again.

„Ah! The necklace!“ she remembered. „It's so pretty.“ the girl looked the jewelry in awe.

 

 

After weeks when Nayeon walked up to the bench she noticed that Ren was already there. The boy, who she had been dreaming about at night, was there.

When Ren noticed the girl he smiled. Nayeon's heart leaped in joy and she ran up to the boy and hugged him. He hugged her back.

 

„What about that answer?“ he asked still holding her.

„What answer?“ the girl didn't follow.

„Will you be mine?“

„Oh, that answer... I don't know...“ Nayeon started, „You did stalk me.“ she said looking into the boy's eyes.

„I did.“ Ren with a bitter smile and let go of the girl.

„But you know what? You weren't a good stalker – I saw you.“

The boy froze.

„You did?“ he asked awkwardly.

„Mhmh. And I didn't mind. Because... you like me and...“ she said. „I like you, too.“ Nayeon said and kissed Ren on his cheek.

The boy smiled and wrapped his hands around the girl.

„That's good because I love you.“