The next morning, it only took three rocks to wake me up. I opened my windows and as expected, Hoya was grinning up at me.

“Remember to bring your favorite shirt!”

I nodded and rummaged my wardrobe, trying to find a suitable shirt to tie-dye. I finally chose a sleeve-less yellow shirt and ran down the stairs.

“Mom! I’m going! I won’t be eating lunch. Hoya’s mom is treating me!”

“Okay Yoomi! Have fun!”

I skipped out of my house and took a look at Hoya’s shirt.

“Seriously? Purple? And that’s your favorite shirt?” I laughed.

He glanced at his shirt and protested, “What? Purple is such a nice color and it’s my favorite color!”

I snickered, “What? Are you gay?”

I did not wait for his reply as I skipped on.

“I wish I was then I wouldn’t like you.”

We reached Hoya’s house pretty fast. His house was like mine. Two floors and a big backyard. I entered his house wearily. His house was very warm and cozy. I saw photo frames of his parents, him and one older-looking guy. I pointed to him and mouthed, “Your brother?”

He nodded and said that his brother was studying in America and would only be back during Christmas. His mother was at the kitchen, baking cookies. I waved to her and she smiled back and said, “The dye is ready at the backyard. Remember to wear gloves and aprons or else once the dye stains your clothes or hands, it will be troublesome to remove it. And once you are done, I will make sure lunch is ready.”

I followed Hoya to the backyard and said, “Your mom’s nice.”

He smiled and replied, “Because she thinks you are my girlfriend.”

I grinned, “Then I must be an awesome girlfriend to let my boyfriend take me on a tie-dye date.”

He just shook his head and dunked both of our shirts inside a container filled with warm water and soda ash. After ten minutes, we both took our shirts out and wringed as much water as possible. Then we started tying as many parts of the shirts with rubber bands. I looked at Hoya and then smirked as an idea came to my mind. I took a few rubber bands and crept behind him. Before he realized, I tied his really short hair into three pony tails. I took a step back and admired my masterpiece. He looked like The Little Green Men from Toy Story. I laughed until I saw the glint in Hoya’s eyes and my eyes widened as he took the whole bucket full of water, raised it up and before I could say “Peeing monkeys”, he poured it over me.

I gasped through the cold water running down my hair and face, turned around and glared at him. “I’m going to eat all your cookies.”

He laughed and said smugly, “Revenge is sweet.” And then he handed me a dry towel and took out all the rubber bands in his hair.

We then continued with our tasks before dunking our shirts into a container filled with light purple dye. Hoya glanced at his watch and said, “Okay, now we just have to wait for 6 hours. Wanna come into my room?”

I nodded eagerly. I have never been inside a boy’s room before. I bet it was messier than mine, I thought, and then I would have another reason to make fun of him.

My eyes widened and my jaw seemed to have dropped when I entered his room. His room was so neat; there wasn’t even a speck of dust anywhere. I would die to live here because I had to sleep on the floor as my bed was filled with lots of junk that I couldn’t bear to throw. I punched Hoya slightly on his arm.

“Are you a girl? Why are you so organized?”

He scratched his head. “I just can’t stand it when I can’t find my things. What’s that got to do with being a girl?”

I shrugged and lay on his bed. Ah so comfy. I turned around and saw a brochure on his bed. I picked it up and read aloud.

“Seoul Music Festival. Open to anyone who wants to perform. Registration on the day itself.”

I turned to look at Hoya.

“You want to perform?” I held out his brochure.

He nodded.

I smiled encouragingly, “Then go for it. It is on your bucket list right?”

He nodded again but said, “There’s a slight problem though.”

I tilted my head slightly in question.

“I have stage fright.”

--

I looked at him, surprised.

“Wow, you are really scared of lots of things huh?”

He blushed and explained, “Because I am constantly worried over what people think of me and I want to overcome that insecurity of mine. This time, I have decided I’m going to finish my song even if people start booing at me from the audience.”

I smiled and nudged him a bit.

“Play a bit for me. Please?”

I gave him my puppy face and added a little pout for extra effects and he laughed and grabbed his guitar.

“It’s not finished yet so it will get better in the end.”

I nodded and cupped my face in anticipation.

He strung a few notes before closing his eyes. And then he started singing.

“In between the cracks of sunlight

In between the flowing white clouds

In between the blowing wind, you shine”

He stopped and opened his eyes to see me gaping at him. He chuckled uncertainly and asked, “So how is it?”

I clapped slowly, still amazed.

“Your guitar skills are decent but damn, your singing is wonderful. It took my breath away. You have nothing to worry about! And you know I will always be there for you.”

He beamed like as if he just thought of something I would not like.

“Want me to teach you?”

“No it’s okay.”

“Come on, let me teach you.”

“No need really.”

“Let me teach you!”

I sighed. Hoya did not seem to be giving up anytime soon.

“Yes, I would love to.” I said depressingly.

He grinned and handed me his guitar and gave me a crash course on all the scales. I struggled to keep up. He laughed and stretched his legs apart.

“Sit here. It will be easier for me to teach you.” He patted to the space between his legs.

I shook my head. It would be awkward. I mean, I would probably sit there if it was another boy because usually I wouldn’t mind these things but with Hoya, I felt different. I actually was shy.

He smiled as he pulled me across the bed and placed me exactly where he wanted me to be. I sighed inwardly. He placed his guitar on my lap and with both his hands over mine; we played Mary Had A Little Lamb.

We managed to play the nursery rhyme after much difficulty. After he finally let go of me, I scrambled out of the awkward position and heaved a sigh of relief.

“You know, I think I’m going to enter that song into the competition.”

“That’s great. It’s a wonderful song. Have you thought of a name yet?”

“I-I don’t know.”

I sat in silence for a while and then suddenly perked up, “How about Summer?”

He shook his head.

“Last Summer.”

 A moment of silence passed as the both of us were immersed in our own thoughts.

Why Last Summer? What did it mean? Last summer I did my bucket list, that kind of last summer? Or the last summer he’s spending with me? Or it’s the very last summer he is experiencing because he’s migrating to a country where there’s no summer? What exactly does he mean?

I was about to open my mouth and clarify it with him when there was a knock on the door. It was his mom calling us for lunch. He smiled wistfully and headed downstairs, with me tagging along.

“Your shirts are ready already. I have hung them out in the sun to dry.”

“Thank you, Mom.” Hoya smiled, kissing his mother on the cheeks. I smiled lightly, amused at the display of affection. After having lunch, his mother invited me to sit on the couch with her and looked through photos of Hoya when he was a baby.

“See? This is Hoya as a baby. He was a gentleman from birth. He never cried or threw tantrums and he would always smile whenever he is carried by ladies.” I looked at Hoya and he smiled sheepishly. “And this is him at the beach. He always loved going to the beach and playing with the waters. That’s why it’s no surprise his favorite season is summer and his favorite sport is swimming.”

I smiled at the picture of Hoya soaked but smiling widely. Mrs. Lee flipped to the next picture and I could see Hoya playing football with his brother. As she flipped on, I saw snippets of Hoya when he was young and wondered why I didn’t muster my courage to talk to him earlier. As we proceeded to the end of the photo album, I saw Hoya lying down weakly on a hospital bed. He looked really tired and yet there was a smile on his face. Mrs. Lee had not noticed that photo since she was blabbering on about another recent photo of Hoya on a family trip to Japan. But Hoya noticed that I was staring intently at the photo and instantly grabbed the photo album away from my sight.

“Hey!” Mrs. Lee protested while I just sat there, staring as Hoya stomped up the stairs and banged his door shut. I turned around and asked Mrs. Lee, “That photo- was Hoya really sick?”

She didn’t answer my question but said, “Dearie, don’t ask him about that photo. Forget all about it, alright? He would tell you when the time’s right.” I had more questions but I kept quiet, sensing that Mrs. Lee would not entertain them anymore. I headed to the backyard and grabbed my tie-dyed shirt and waved Mrs. Lee goodbye.

I walked on, head filled with lots of thoughts. I didn’t know what to think. What was it that made Hoya so angry? I didn’t even know what I did.

“…Mi!”

That damn Hoya. What’s wrong with him? He’s just like a girl on her period.

“Yoomi!”

I’m never ever going to speak to him again.

“Hey! Yoomi!”

I was suddenly jerked back by someone who pulled my arm roughly.

I turned around, ready to give that person a piece of my mind when I looked up and saw Hoya smiling at me.

“Don’t smile at me you idiot! I’m still mad at you! You are just like a girl on her period you know! What’s with your attitude huh!?”

His smile slowly changed to a frown and he rebutted, “What?! I am a girl?! What the hell? Then why the hell are you so tom-boyish then? Huh? I had never seen you wear a dress or put on make-up! And why are you so crude? Girls are supposed to be dainty and pretty not barbaric like you!”

I harrumphed at him and turned away, arms folded.

“If this is your apology, I am so not accepting it.”

“Who said that I was apologizing? I just came out to see whether you would trip and fall because of your anger.”

“What kind of an excuse is that? Just be a man and apologize,” I muttered before walking away.

“Fine! Fine! I will apologize!”

I stopped in my tracks and turned around, expectantly.

“Sorry…”

“What? I can’t hear youuuu,” I taunted.

He rolled his eyes and shouted, “I’M SORRY PARK YOOMI!”

I covered my eyes and laughed, “Not THAT loud!”

He rolled his eyes again but smiled.

“So we are okay?”

I nodded even though I had burning questions for him. But that would be for another day, I reckoned.

--

So, really long chapter this time. Hope I am not boring you guys. Please do comment to show me your love. School has started and it's already hectic so next chapter would be quite a while. But as always, love you guys!