You then walked and sat on the bench at the very first row, trying to calm yourself up and wipe the tears with the back side of your hands. You were sighing, as if you want to blow away the heavy thing inside your heart through your breath. “I’m so sorry Mom, for not having chance to play every little pray for you” you said as the tears start to roll down your cheeks again. “I miss you so much Mom…Dad” you continued in a broken voice, buried your face on your lap, trying to muffle the sound of your sobs. You startled when suddenly there was a hand laid on your shoulder and hear voice asking “Are you okay?” in a very soft tone. When you lift your head, you were expecting to see a nun or a pastor as the owner of that soft voice since you were in a church, but you were wrong. Instead, there was a boy with a straight soft brown hair standing in front of you.

You weren’t sure if it’s because of the tears that filled your eyes and the effect of the lamp there, but that boy’s face was so pale and…glowing? Feeling a little embarrass, you cleared the tears on your cheeks and nod your head. “I’m fine” you simply stated.

You clearly don’t know what was on that boy’s mind when he then sat down next to you instead of just leaving you there alone, which make the situation was kinda awkward for both of you. You barely know him to say anything and with you just crying over your parent’s death, you obviously have nothing to say to someone u just met no more than 5 minutes. Two minutes passed just like that, in silent, before that boy finally say something.

“Don’t you feel cold with just that outfit? It’s snowing hard outside” he said as he started to roll off the scarf around his neck.

“Ah no, I’m fine. Really” you replied, knowing his intention to give his scarf to you. “That’s why I’m here. Avoiding the snow and try to make myself warm here” you continued as you forced a little smile on your lips.

He murmured an “hmm” and lay his eyes straight to the altar in front of him.

There was a moment of silent again after that.

You gave him a furtive look and amazed by his feature. He has a really pale and smooth face skin. He has a sharp and plump red lips. And his eyes, although you can tell that he’s Asian, but his eyes are surprisingly big and looks so clear, as if he wears transparent soft lens on it. You stopped admiring his face when he caught you with a look.

You try to manage yourself calm although you know you can never hide that red face whenever you feel embarrassed, and that’s what you hate the most from your face, It gets red so easily.

“Sorry” you said,

“For what?” he smiled, “For observing my face?” that smile never leaves his lips when he’s talking and I wonder how could he do that?

Damn, he knew it.

“Well, I actually said sorry for disturbing your pray earlier but yea, I guess I have to say sorry for that as well” your face gets more red as you say it.

He laughs, cutely.

“Don’t worry. I wasn’t really praying though. I just happen to sit here after..er..getting lost when I walk around to take some pictures”.

This time you laughed, “Getting lost? You remind me of those most famous Christmas movie “Home Alone”. Lost in New York and ended up at Rockefeller Center”.

“Hahaha relevant” he laughed along with you, “Glad to see you like this. You look more beautiful smiling, do you know?”

His last sentence stopped your laugh and added more red color to your cheeks. You feel like you were shooting a drama scene to hear something like that from a guy you met no more than 30 minutes ago, in a church, and outside the snow are falling down. Perfect drama scene, wasn’t it?

“Thank you for making me smile” you said, “I know you actually did it unintentionally but I my feeling was kinda messed up earlier and I feel better now so….thank you”

“I know it’s sounds private but…may I know what made you cry?” the way he ask the question doesn’t make it sounds like he wanna meddle in anyone’s business, you can sense pure curiosity and caring in his tone.

“I…”

“You don’t have to tell me if you don’t want” he cut you before you finish your words.

“No..no it’s fine with me” you paused, and continue “that piano”

“Piano?” he repeated.

“Yes. That piano reminds me of my mother. She composed and wrote a song for me for my last birthday and I was planning to play it for her on a talent show but it never happened” you paused; take another long breath before you continue, “Because an accident took her and my dad away”.

“Oh I’m really sorry” he looked at you with that face you know people will give you whenever you tell someone about this, pity face.

“So every little pray is the song that your mom wrote for you” He asked,

You nod, without looking at him and just keep your eyes on the church’s ground below you.

“And you never play it for her even just once” he asked again

“Never” you murmured. You feel your eyes hot and tears started to come out of it but you hold it back as hard as you can. You just can’t let yourself crying in front of a stranger, no matter how good he is.

“It’s Christmas night now. Do you want to fulfill your promise to your mom?”

“W-what?” you replied, unsure of what he mean by that.

“Come On” He said as he hold your left hand and lead you to the altar and stop in front of the piano.

“Let’s play the song your mom wrote for you” he exclaimed with a smile on his face.

You laugh, “How? With my arm plastered like this?”

“I’ll be your right hand” He said, “Here’s my cellphone. Please type the chords and I promise I’ll learn it fast so we can do it together” he continue as he reach out with his cellphone on his hand.

“You crazy” you said as you turn your body walk off, but his hand quickly reach your hand again and stopped you.

“Don’t you want to fulfill your promise? Why don’t you try it? Please..” he begged me.

You look at him and feel sincere in his eyes. So then you decided to do what he wants.

He let go off your hand and pull the chair in front of the piano, sign his hand to let you sit on it. He placed himself beside you when you finally sit.

“Wait a minute” you said.

You open your bag and pull a paper out the diary. “I have the music sheet here” you said as you placed the music sheet in front of us and this brings a big smile to his face.

“Great. Ready? Let’s try it” he asked in excitement. You nodded.

It’s a little bit awkward to play piano with just a left hand, but the song played better than you thought. A piano player like you would instantly figure out he’s surely not amateur by seeing the way he play his fingers on the piano. He played it perfectly for the first time and It sounds perfect as if you both practice it for million times before.

A tear rolled down your right cheek when you both finally finished the song.

“If only my mom was here to see this” you said as you wipe the tears on your cheeks.

He looked at you, turned his body towards you and slowly said in a very low voice as if he whispered the words, “She did. I mean she might not physically be here to see this, but I’m sure she always watches you from up above and tonight too”.

You sat there, wordlessly. Tears keep flowing down your cheek and you just give yourself in when he wrapped his arms around you to comfort you.

You know it sounds ridiculous but you somehow feel so safe and warm in his hug. The feeling reminds you of your childhood days when your mom took you in her arms whenever you feel afraid at the sound of thunder.

You were about to let go the hug when his phone suddenly rang and he answered it immediately. He talked to someone he called “Onew hyung” in language you couldn’t understand and ended it after a while.

He got up from the chair, “I have to go now; my brothers are looking for me. It was nice meeting you”. That smile formed again on his lips.

You look at him, lost for words. “Oh,....thank you for….” you couldn’t finish you sentence as he bent his body and suddenly press his lips against yours for a quick kiss.

“Merry Christmas” He said in a smile when our lips parted before he started to walk off. Leave me stunned and in confusion of what just happened.

“Wait” I shout, “w-what’s your name?” You asked when he about to reach the door.

He turned his body, “Taemin. Taemin Lee” he replied in smile and gone in the distance the second after.