“So, how do we do start?”

Choosing who should ask the first question was always crucial.

“Rock, Paper, Scissors, right?”

Hyomin drew her hand into a fist, “Rock, Pa—“

“Wait,” Henry said, taking hold of her hand. “I think there’s a better way to do this.”

Hyomin smiled, “Well?”

Henry tilted his head to the side in a manner that was purely his.

“Why don’t we have a staring contest?”

She laughed, “You are so on.”

With so little a distance apart, Hyomin and Henry locked gazes with each other. It was a long, silent moment with only the drumbeat of their hearts gliding in the waves of sound. It was more of a shared pleasure between the couple, than a competition, really.

To look into the eyes of the person you loved was like looking at all the wonders that the whole galaxy could reveal.

But when Hyomin’s eyes began to tear and once Henry’s nose started to itch, it was really on.

Hyomin puffed her cheeks and blew air into the center of his face while a drop of wetness found its way down her cheek.

Henry, keeping his eyes as wide as possible, made funny faces to distract her. He wrinkled his nose up and down, distracting himself from the uncomfortable sensation.

An eternity passed with neither of the two giving up.

And they were looking pretty damn ridiculous.

By now, they seemed like two people who just watched the tragic ending of a drama with the amount of tears they were shedding.

“I’m giving up. Let’s end this.” Hyomin said, glassy-eyed.

“Me too,” Henry answered. “On the count of three, okay? 1, 2—“

He closed his eyes with a sigh.

Oh God that felt good

He blinked what was left of the tears away and opened his eyes to a smiling Hyomin.

Her smile grew wider as she watched him.

“I win.”

“What?” Henry said, his eyes widening in realization. “You cheated!”

“No, I didn’t. You just happened to fall for my really awesome acting skills.” Hyomin answered with a mischievous grin.

Henry frowned, “Fine. Ask away.”

Hyomin touched the end of her finger to her chin, thinking. She turned towards him, a little shy; it was actually really nerve-wracking. It felt as if they were still in the early stages of what they had now.

She breathed, “How many girlfriends did you have after your debut?”

“One.” he said with utter directness.

“Who?”

He turned his head away, then chuckled, “You.”

Girlfriend

That word was always a taboo between them. Hyomin often wondered, but she did not ask. She always thought that this was how things happened where he came from, what he grew up with. Whatever it was, they just fell into it. A little lost, Hyomin went with it, nonetheless.

She never really felt that it was official until now.

And she was glad that the words had come from his mouth.

Hyomin was filled with an overwhelming sense of gladness, but she kept herself composed.

“Your turn.”

Henry smiled.

“How did you come to like me?”

Hyomin bit her lower lip, fumbling for words.

 “I…”

Henry waited.

“This will sound really crazy, but I guess, it happened on the very first day.” Hyomin answered.

“First da