Do you know that blue roses don’t exist in nature? Genetic engineers have spent years and efforts all the way back to the 1800’s trying to produce the perfect plant that will yield that most elusive hue. They didn’t know that some people already discovered it hundreds of years ago somewhere in South Korea…

 

               He watched the soft winds sweep through the rose buds in their backyard. It was a routine at the end of the day to sit in their back porch and stare at his grandmother’s rose garden. For years he was the old lady’s companion in selling the flowers in their flower shop in town. He knew that he was adopted but the two of them were too happy for him to bother asking who his true parents were.

 

                It was a chilly night but he was armed with his knitted sweater and a mug of hot chocolate beside him. All the forces of nature won’t stop him from catching the culprit…the person who had been stealing a single blue rose from his halmoni for months now. Every night he would watch him sneak through the gardens wearing a beanie, so low it hides his face effectively. He tried shouting at him and even borrowing the neighbor’s dog just to shoo him away but much to his disappointment, the guy was never intimidated by his tactics. He will still grab the rose and then run away as fast as he could, leaving him catching his breath in the dark, chasing after him. He would stop because he can’t get over his fear of the dark so the chase always ended as the intruder run deep into the woods.

 

                It had been frustrating. His grandma Teukie had been scolding him every day for being such a fail garden police but he just scratched his head explaining to her that he had been doing his best. Tonight, he swore will really do his best to catch this stealer. He gripped the garden rake beside him tightly.

 

                He waited for a few more minutes for he knew that he always came around past 9 pm. He rubbed his palms together and he dug his hands inside his pockets. He was whistling to himself, puffing his high cheeks on his desperate attempt to produce a feeble sound.    

 

                He heard the rustling of the leaves and he was immediately on his toes as he advanced on the edge of the garden. He saw his tall lanky silhouette as he find the right rose to pick. He crouched a bit to hide behind the bushes, his hands still gripping the garden rake ready to strike. He inched a little bit towards the other guy but when he stood up to lunge at the offender, he was shocked to find him gone.

 

                “What the ? Is he some freaking ninja? Can any human being move that fast?!!!!!!!” He threw the rake on the ground in frustration.

 

                Another failed mission and another lengthy sermon from halmoni over breakfast.

 

-------------

 

                He watched his grandmother tend the roses carefully the next day. He saw how she strained her back as he crouched to reach the low lying bushes and he felt guilty. Her roses don’t deserve to be stolen. He knitted his eyebrows as he devised his new plan inside his brain.

 

-----------

 

                He knew the rose stealer knew his hiding place by the porch so he tried to change his strategy tonight. He hid in the middle of the bushes as he held the flashlight on his hand. Attacking the culprit from the back seemed futile so he decided to use a head-on approach. He chose the bush were the only blooming blue rose grew. He waited patiently and he looked at his watch.

 

                “9:15….he would be here anytime soon!”  He squinted his eyes carefully, so that he won’t miss him. He heard footsteps and he curled his body more, hugging his knees closer to his chest. He can see his boots and he was now standing in front of the bush. He tried to hold his breath.

 

                “1…2…3”  He flashed the light on the man’s face and he they were both so shocked. The man was shocked because a jumping man from the bush was clearly unexpected and he was shocked too because he never imagined the criminal to be so….young. He was just a teenage boy, probably even younger than him. He skin was so pale and it made a sharp contrast with his full red lips. His eyes looked genuinely terrified and it seemed that he was not as bad and ghastly as he imagined him to be.

 

                ”Why am I staring at his lips? SNAP OUT OF IT!” 

                He regained his composure and he remembered that his purpose was to catch him and not to check him out. He was about to lunge at him and he managed to grab his beanie revealing the burglar’s soft fine hair and his side swept bangs fell on his eyes.Wookie tried to move forward but his shirt was caught on one of the thorns and he was pulled back to collapse against the rose bushes. The startled boy ran as far as he could as usual and he was left there, stumbled over an entirely destroyed rose bush and badly pricked by the rose thorns all over.

 

----------------

 

                “What’s wrong with you Ryeowook? I was just asking you to identify that burglar and now you’re telling me you can’t even remember his face? GAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!! PABO! PABO!.”

 

                Wookie can still hear his halmoni’s words ringing in his ears that morning. He pulled his hair in sheer frustration. He felt like a fool now. He saw his face but he can’t tell who he was. He was definitely sure that he haven’t seen him from around their neighborhood.

 

                He was a stranger… a stranger who piqued his interest very much since yesterday. He stared at the beanie he was now holding in his hand. He wondered why would such a young person steal…roses? He was even that particular that he just preferred the blue ones despite all the varied hues around and why did he steal just one? If he’s selling it then why not take a dozen or two right? He looked at the beanie closely for any sign of identification and he saw a letter “K” embroidered on the edge. He looked closely for more details, but he was met by a sweet and woody but pleasant smell and he thought maybe his hair smelled like that.

 

                The image of his wide terrified eyes and gaped mouth flashed in his mind again. He can’t quite figure it out yet but he hated the fact that he can honestly say that the “rose stealer” was quite a looker.

 

                “GAAAAAAAAH! Halmoni is right! I AM A FOOL!”  Ryeowook knocked his own head trying to get the weird thoughts out of his head.

 

------------------

 

                He knew fox traps were pretty painful but he was left with no choice. He had to catch him because even though he found that the burglar was quite charming and disarming, stealing shouldn’t be left unpunished especially when it’s affecting the sales because this man chose to steal the most expensive ones.

 

                He hid on another secret hiding place among the bushes as he waited again for this guy who’s name probably starts with “K”. He saw him coming thanks to the moonlight for letting his eyes adapt a bit to the darkness around them. He watched him closely waiting for him to step on the fox trap anytime soon. He heard the trap launch but he didn’t hear a scream just as he expected. He shoved the bushes a bit and he saw the boy squatting on the ground, staring and grinning at the launched trap.    

 

                His face contorted a bit when he saw the boy chuckling a little later on, as if mocking his poor tactics to catch him. The burglar picked the trap and looked around, searching for him.  He saw that the boy used a fallen branch to fake launch the trap. He gritted his teeth in anger for he knew he was clearly outwitted by the perennial offender hands down.

 

                “IT HAS TO END NOW!”  Without thinking, he rushed towards the boy holding a random tree branch he picked from the ground aiming to strike. The boy started to turn and run away.

 

                But he heard something snap and then it was followed by a scream.

 

                He was stunned to hear that it was his own voice. He stepped on one of the unlaunched traps and indescribable pain was now creeping on his foot. He fell on the ground wincing and he felt his tears started to well up on his eyes.

 

                He can hear running footsteps towards him from the dark. He saw him and his skin seemed so luminous in the dark. Wookie glared at him from head to foot(realizing that he was really tall) but it was so strange because despite his animosity, the boy eyed him with concern.

 

                The boy tried to free his foot from the trap, trying to pry it apart with his bare hands but it just won’t give. He stood up and searched for another tree branch to yank it open. His foot was freed after several tries but it was bloody painful. He didn’t look at his now “savior” because he didn’t want to give him an impression that he can get away with his stealing just by helping him. He looked away smugly and he crossed his arms in front of his chest, trying to keep his dignity while being sprawled on the dirt with a bleeding foot.

 

                He felt arms snaking on his back and behind his knees as he was slowly lifted from the ground. He felt a rush of heat to his cheeks at the slight skin contact. He wanted to just let it go and put his arms around his neck to make both their lives easier but pride got somewhere along the way so instead he thrashed and screamed “HELP SOMEONE’S ATTACKING ME!!!!” on the top of his lungs.

 

                The boy panicked at Wookie’s actions and he looked like he didn’t know what to do. He wanted to cover his mouth with his hands to stop him from shrieking but that would mean he had to drop him to the ground. He resorted to the quick option that came on his mind to shut him up.

 

                Wookie’s eyes went wide open when he realized the tips of their noses where already touching and after a few more gasps, soft lips were now nestled between his thin ones. He stopped thrashing as he felt his mind was ready to overheat and stop working soon. The boy’s lips twitched a bit and Wookie was planning to kill himself later because he even parted his lips slightly, allowing him to taste that the kiss was sickeningly… sweet.

 

                The boy pulled back and he gave him a lopsided grin, like telling him “so it did shut you up”. Wookie was still in daze, unable to say or comprehend anything at the moment except for the fact that he can feel the heat on his cheeks more than his aching feet. Even he himself was not conscious that he had his arms around the boy’s neck now. The boy carried him towards the back door by the porch but the door was locked.

 

                Ryeowook ‘s eyes were still glassy when the boy used his own elbow to press the doorbell. After it seemed like forever, his halmoni opened the door with an equally shaken appearance when he saw his grandson with a bleeding foot and being carried by a stranger.

 

                The boy just smiled and he was motioned to leave Wookie on the sofa set. The boy bowed down to Teukie just to say goodbye and he was out the door in a flash.

 

                “Ryeowook! Who was that and what happened to you?”

 

                Ryeowook was still staring into space, biting into his lower lip. He was hearing chirping birds inside his head. A silly smile formed on his thin lips and a soft blush on his cheeks appeared.

 

                “RYEOWOOK!!!!” His grandmother snapped at him.

 

                “Huh? Why are you shouting?!” Ryeowook tried to cover his ears.

 

                “What happened to you?”

 

                “I accidentally stepped on one of my fox traps” He checked his badly wounded foot and then the pain finally kicked in.

 

                “Oh my…but who was that boy carrying you a while ago?”

 

                “Who?”

 

                “You idiot...the one who just went out! Are you with me grandson?”

 

                “Oh…he was just a stranger passing by…” Wookie explained as he watched his grandmother tend his wound.

 

                “AND WHAT HAPPENED TO THE ROSE STEALER?”

 

                “I’m sorry halmoni…but he ran away.”

 

                It was one big bad lie…it scared him a bit because he hated lying but he smiled inside, hoping that the boy will steal a rose again tomorrow night.

 

----------------

 

                He found a new hiding place in the tool shed beside the rose gardens. He peered into the crack on the door and he saw him stealthily looking for a nice rose to steal. He saw him pick one and then the stranger walked towards their porch trying to peer into the back door of their house.

 

                Wookie felt butterflies fluttering inside his stomach.

 

              Wookie: Is he looking for me?

 

                Inner Wookie:WHAT? CRAZY! He’s just wondering if it was a trap and if you’re actually just watching him fall for it. He was so used to you running after him every night like a crazy headless chicken!”

 

                Do you know that blue roses don’t exist in nature? Genetic engineers have spent years and efforts all the way back to the 1800’s trying to produce the perfect plant that will yield that most elusive hue. They didn’t know that some people already discovered it hundreds of years ago somewhere in South Korea…

 

 

 

                He watched the soft winds sweep through the rose buds in their backyard. It was a routine at the end of the day to sit in their back porch and stare at his grandmother’s rose garden. For years he was the old lady’s companion in selling the flowers in their flower shop in town. He knew that he was adopted but the two of them were too happy for him to bother asking who his true parents were.

 

                It was a chilly night but he was armed with his knitted sweater and a mug of hot chocolate beside him. All the forces of nature won’t stop him from catching the culprit…the person who had been stealing a single blue rose from his halmoni for months now. Every night he would watch him sneak through the gardens wearing a beanie, so low it hides his face effectively. He tried shouting at him and even borrowing the neighbor’s dog just to shoo him away but much to his disappointment, the guy was never intimidated by his tactics. He will still grab the rose and then run away as fast as he could, leaving him catching his breath in the dark, chasing after him. He would stop because he can’t get over his fear of the dark so the chase always ended as the intruder run deep into the woods.

 

                It had been frustrating. His grandma Teukie had been scolding him every day for being such a fail garden police but he just scratched his head explaining to her that he had been doing his best. Tonight, he swore will really do his best to catch this stealer. He gripped the garden rake beside him tightly.

 

                He waited for a few more minutes for he knew that he always came around past 9 pm. He rubbed his palms together and he dug his hands inside his pockets. He was whistling to himself, puffing his high cheeks on his desperate attempt to produce a feeble sound.    

 

                He heard the rustling of the leaves and he was immediately on his toes as he advanced on the edge of the garden. He saw his tall lanky silhouette as he find the right rose to pick. He crouched a bit to hide behind the bushes, his hands still gripping the garden rake ready to strike. He inched a little bit towards the other guy but when he stood up to lunge at the offender, he was shocked to find him gone.

 

                “What the ? Is he some freaking ninja? Can any human being move that fast?!!!!!!!” He threw the rake on the ground in frustration.

 

                Another failed mission and another lengthy sermon from halmoni over breakfast.

 

-------------

 

                He watched his grandmother tend the roses carefully the next day. He saw how she strained her back as he crouched to reach the low lying bushes and he felt guilty. Her roses don’t deserve to be stolen. He knitted his eyebrows as he devised his new plan inside his brain.

 

-----------

 

                He knew the rose stealer knew his hiding place by the porch so he tried to change his strategy tonight. He hid in the middle of the bushes as he held the flashlight on his hand. Attacking the culprit from the back seemed futile so he decided to use a head-on approach. He chose the bush were the only blooming blue rose grew. He waited patiently and he looked at his watch.

 

                “9:15….he would be here anytime soon!”  He squinted his eyes carefully, so that he won’t miss him. He heard footsteps and he curled his body more, hugging his knees closer to his chest. He can see his boots and he was now standing in front of the bush. He tried to hold his breath.

 

                “1…2…3”  He flashed the light on the man’s face and he they were both so shocked. The man was shocked because a jumping man from the bush was clearly unexpected and he was shocked too because he never imagined the criminal to be so….young. He was just a teenage boy, probably even younger than him. He skin was so pale and it made a sharp contrast with his full red lips. His eyes looked genuinely terrified and it seemed that he was not as bad and ghastly as he imagined him to be.

 

                ”Why am I staring at his lips? SNAP OUT OF IT!”  He regained his composure and he remembered that his purpose was to catch him and not to check him out. He was about to lunge at him and he managed to grab his beanie revealing the burglar’s soft fine hair and his side swept bangs fell on his eyes.Wookie tried to move forward but his shirt was caught on one of the thorns and he was pulled back to collapse against the rose bushes. The startled boy ran as far as he could as usual and he was left there, stumbled over an entirely destroyed rose bush and badly pricked by the rose thorns all over.

 

----------------

 

                “What’s wrong with you Ryeowook? I was just asking you to identify that burglar and now you’re telling me you can’t even remember his face? GAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!! PABO! PABO!.”

 

                Wookie can still hear his halmoni’s words ringing in his ears that morning. He pulled his hair in sheer frustration. He felt like a fool now. He saw his face but he can’t tell who he was. He was definitely sure that he haven’t seen him from around their neighborhood.

 

                He was a stranger… a stranger who piqued his interest very much since yesterday. He stared at the beanie he was now holding in his hand. He wondered why would such a young person steal…roses? He was even that particular that he just preferred the blue ones despite all the varied hues around and why did he steal just one? If he’s selling it then why not take a dozen or two right? He looked at the beanie closely for any sign of identification and he saw a letter “K” embroidered on the edge. He looked closely for more details, but he was met by a sweet and woody but pleasant smell and he thought maybe his hair smelled like that.

 

                The image of his wide terrified eyes and gaped mouth flashed in his mind again. He can’t quite figure it out yet but he hated the fact that he can honestly say that the “rose stealer” was quite a looker.

 

                “GAAAAAAAAH! Halmoni is right! I AM A FOOL!”  Ryeowook knocked his own head trying to get the weird thoughts out of his head.

 

------------------

 

                He knew fox traps were pretty painful but he was left with no choice. He had to catch him because even though he found that the burglar was quite charming and disarming, stealing shouldn’t be left unpunished especially when it’s affecting the sales because this man chose to steal the most expensive ones.

 

                He hid on another secret hiding place among the bushes as he waited again for this guy who’s name probably starts with “K”. He saw him coming thanks to the moonlight for letting his eyes adapt a bit to the darkness around them. He watched him closely waiting for him to step on the fox trap anytime soon. He heard the trap launch but he didn’t hear a scream just as he expected. He shoved the bushes a bit and he saw the boy squatting on the ground, staring and grinning at the launched trap.    

 

                His face contorted a bit when he saw the boy chuckling a little later on, as if mocking his poor tactics to catch him. The burglar picked the trap and looked around, searching for him.  He saw that the boy used a fallen branch to fake launch the trap. He gritted his teeth in anger for he knew he was clearly outwitted by the perennial offender hands down.

 

                “IT HAS TO END NOW!”  Without thinking, he rushed towards the boy holding a random tree branch he picked from the ground aiming to strike. The boy started to turn and run away.

 

                But he heard something snap and then it was followed by a scream.

 

                He was stunned to hear that it was his own voice. He stepped on one of the unlaunched traps and indescribable pain was now creeping on his foot. He fell on the ground wincing and he felt his tears started to well up on his eyes.

 

                He can hear running footsteps towards him from the dark. He saw him and his skin seemed so luminous in the dark. Wookie glared at him from head to foot(realizing that he was really tall) but it was so strange because despite his animosity, the boy eyed him with concern.

 

                The boy tried to free his foot from the trap, trying to pry it apart with his bare hands but it just won’t give. He stood up and searched for another tree branch to yank it open. His foot was freed after several tries but it was bloody painful. He didn’t look at his now “savior” because he didn’t want to give him an impression that he can get away with his stealing just by helping him. He looked away smugly and he crossed his arms in front of his chest, trying to keep his dignity while being sprawled on the dirt with a bleeding foot.

 

                He felt arms snaking on his back and behind his knees as he was slowly lifted from the ground. He felt a rush of heat to his cheeks at the slight skin contact. He wanted to just let it go and put his arms around his neck to make both their lives easier but pride got somewhere along the way so instead he thrashed and screamed “HELP SOMEONE’S ATTACKING ME!!!!” on the top of his lungs.

 

                The boy panicked at Wookie’s actions and he looked like he didn’t know what to do. He wanted to cover his mouth with his hands to stop him from shrieking but that would mean he had to drop him to the ground. He resorted to the quick option that came on his mind to shut him up.

 

                Wookie’s eyes went wide open when he realized the tips of their noses where already touching and after a few more gasps, soft lips were now nestled between his thin ones. He stopped thrashing as he felt his mind was ready to overheat and stop working soon. The boy’s lips twitched a bit and Wookie was planning to kill himself later because he even parted his lips slightly, allowing him to taste that the kiss was sickeningly… sweet.

 

                The boy pulled back and he gave him a lopsided grin, like telling him “so it did shut you up”. Wookie was still in daze, unable to say or comprehend anything at the moment except for the fact that he can feel the heat on his cheeks more than his aching feet. Even he himself was not conscious that he had his arms around the boy’s neck now. The boy carried him towards the back door by the porch but the door was locked.

 

                Ryeowook ‘s eyes were still glassy when the boy used his own elbow to press the doorbell. After it seemed like forever, his halmoni opened the door with an equally shaken appearance when he saw his grandson with a bleeding foot and being carried by a stranger.

 

                The boy just smiled and he was motioned to leave Wookie on the sofa set. The boy bowed down to Teukie just to say goodbye and he was out the door in a flash.

 

                “Ryeowook! Who was that and what happened to you?”

 

                Ryeowook was still staring into space, biting into his lower lip. He was hearing chirping birds inside his head. A silly smile formed on his thin lips and a soft blush on his cheeks appeared.

 

                “RYEOWOOK!!!!” His grandmother snapped at him.

 

                “Huh? Why are you shouting?!” Ryeowook tried to cover his ears.

 

                “What happened to you?”

 

                “I accidentally stepped on one of my fox traps” He checked his badly wounded foot and then the pain finally kicked in.

 

                “Oh my…but who was that boy carrying you a while ago?”

 

                “Who?”

 

                “You idiot...the one who just went out! Are you with me grandson?”

 

                “Oh…he was just a stranger passing by…” Wookie explained as he watched his grandmother tend his wound.

 

                “AND WHAT HAPPENED TO THE ROSE STEALER?”

 

                “I’m sorry halmoni…but he ran away.”

 

                It was one big bad lie…it scared him a bit because he hated lying but he smiled inside, hoping that the boy will steal a rose again tomorrow night.

 

----------------

 

                He found a new hiding place in the tool shed beside the rose gardens. He peered into the crack on the door and he saw him stealthily looking for a nice rose to steal. He saw him pick one and then the stranger walked towards their porch trying to peer into the back door of their house.

 

                Wookie felt butterflies fluttering inside his stomach.

         

                 Wookie: Is he looking for me?

 

                Inner Wookie:WHAT? CRAZY! He’s just wondering if it was a trap and if you’re actually just watching him fall for it. He was so used to you running after him every night like a crazy headless chicken!”

 

                Wookie: Really?

 

                Inner Wookie: Freak!

 

              The boy turned and walked away when he didn’t saw anyone running after him this time. When he was a few meters away, Ryeowook crawled quietly out of the tool shed towards to follow the boy. He silently thanked him for not running because if not, he can’t stalk him like this because of his aching foot.

 

------------

 

                The boy opened his flashlight deep into the wounds and it was the only source of light even for his stalker. There were times that he sensed that someone was following so he turned around but Wookie was quick to hide behind the trees.

 

                There was suddenly a clearing at the end of the woods and Ryeowook was surprised to see an iron wrought gate in which the boy entered.

 

                He read the letters on the arch above the gate.

 

                “St.Hugo’s Cemetery”

 

                Wookie: HOLY CRAP! IM SO ED!!!

 

                Inner Wookie: Yeah…you’re so ed. If this stranger will kill you here…no one will find you…

 

 

 

                Wookie felt goosebumps on his nape, for this is all too freaky now. He wondered what on earth was this guy doing inside a cemetery in the middle of the night? Flashes of demonic rituals and animals/humans being sacrificed ran through his mind but then he realized blue roses don’t fit the picture.

 

                “Silly me! Surely he doesn’t look like a demon worshipper”  He giggled at himself. He followed him inside and he saw him kneel to put down the blue rose in front of one of the tombs with a tender smile on his face. Wookie squinted a bit and he saw the other blue roses in different degrees of wilting and decay on the ground.

 

                “So this is where he puts all of them…” Wookie wondered who was this particular deceased person that this mysterious boy had been offering flowers. Luckily a willow tree was behind the boy so Wookie sprinted fast behind it and peered carefully to read the tombstone.

 

CHO ARA

 

September 23, 1984- September 23, 2007

 

To a dear daughter and sister…

 

May you rest in peace forever in the midst of God in heaven

 

You will be missed…

 

              

 

                  “She is a girl…but who is she? An ex-girlfriend?” Wookie computed the deceased girl’s age. She died when she was 23, if she was still alive, she’d be 25. That would be too old for this boy, he can say that he was just about his age. Maybe…she was his older sister?

 

                 Inner Wookie: Oh you’re such a smart …how you wish it was really just his sister….

 

                Wookie: I know…

 

 

 

                Wookie felt his heart soften and guilt crept in. There he was, setting all this traps and devising his evil plans just to catch this boy who was stealing flowers to give to his dead sister. It was strange feeling but Ryeowook felt very touched by all these things that he had discovered. He took a deep breath as he stepped towards the kneeling boy. His shoes against the slightly damp grass resulted into a very noisy scrunching sound so he wondered why the boy was still very oblivious of his presence.

 

                The boy noticed a shadow forming in the tombstone because of the moonlight. He turned around and he fell back on the ground, leaning back on his outstretched hands. He gained balance and was about to crawl away fast when Wookie grabbed the collar of his shirt.

 

                “DON’T RUN AWAY PLEASE!” Wookie screamed.

 

                The boy stopped to look at him with a big question mark on his face.

 

                “I said please stop running.”

 

                The boy tilted his head on the side.

 

                “Huh? Can’t you understand Korean?” Wookie wondered… the boy looked every bit Korean to him. The boy then made gestures with his hands. He pointed to his lips and he made a “no” waving gesture with his hand. Wookie thought it was getting weirder with each passing minute.

 

                Ryeowook tried to do makeshift sign languages of his own just to communicate. He made a “talking hand” gesture and he made a cross sign. The boy nodded frantically with wide smile on his face. He wondered how can anyone would be so happy to break the news that he was mute. The taller boy cupped his right ear making a “hearing gesture” and he waved “no” again. He then pointed to his left ear and he gestured “a little”.

 

                That was quite clear for Wookie now. This boy was mute and he can only hear a little on his left ear. He felt his chest constrict a bit because of the insurmountable misfortune this boy have. He was complaining to the heavens that he was not tall enough, but this boy was happy at being mute and deaf on one ear. Such ironies in life…do exist.

 

                Wookie sighed and he smiled pleasantly at the boy who beamed back happily.

 

                “I’m Kim Ryeowook” Wookie extended his hand and the boy gladly took it. His hand was soft like cotton pillows, he was slightly insecure because his where rough because of too much gardening. The boy suddenly placed his left ear closer to Wookie’s face signaling that he didn’t hear his name the first time. Wookie was caught off guard when he realized his lips were already dangerously close to the boy’s ear. He tried to calm his heart against his chest as he said “KIM RYEOWOOK” slightly louder than the first time. The boy let go of his hand and he pointed to himself. He made letter gestures but Wookie was clueless, he didn’t memorize those. The boy understood the frustrated expression so he took Wookie’s hand and he wrote the letters on his palm.

 

                C-H-O K-Y-U-H-Y-U-N

 

                “CHO KYUHYUN!” This time, he talked a little louder than the usual. The boy grinned showing his set of perfect white teeth. Wookie thought his guess was right, the dead girl was his sister.

 

                “Cho Kyuhyun...” He was happy this “beautiful stranger” finally has a name.