Her steps were uneasy, a mirror of what’s on her mind, she already stumbled twice going down the stairs and Yun was just glad no one was there to witness her anxious state or to read her racing thoughts. she had insisted Youngbae stay….  for one last hug from his mum , maybe a few fatherly advises or even one more out of place joke from his brother  . Saying she would be waiting in the car, Yun departed the family gathering with all sending her away with a smile.

By the time she reached the parking garage, with the grabbing darkness around it … those smiles where no more than a fading memory and she respond to their departure with a weary sight, standing there with her back against the borrowed car, loan to them, just like all the other cars they ever rode in their two years long relationship.

The little garage the Dong’s apartment building provided was glum and not just to her sulking soul. The couple of neon lights surrounding it barely shed lights on the open space, leaving everything standing, her included in shadows. Leaning against the cover of it, she started wondering at Youngbae and her new profound understanding.

Perfect family relations wasn’t something that ever belonged to Yun, she empathized … hell, wasn’t her favorite arguments the - who raised me to be this way! - And the - look who’d talking! -  so she HAD smiled when Taeyang’s mom brought it up , imagining him as a whinny teen wasn’t something she could have conjured up by herself and she would have kept smiling had the older women words stopped at that . In not so many words Youngbae was over his family.  the occasional family gathering  , the birthdays , the holidays , he would be the first to show up , hold the hardest and the most sincere smile , always with the most thoughtful gifts but they all seen it , the distances he put in every hug , always retreating from their assemble before the sure to be there argument with the eye of the experienced .

And It was there … half way in their conversation that the question , the one she is nowhere to find an answer to arose , if Youngbae truly felt this way about his family ? According to his mother was even disappointed with it, then why? Why was he so open and unguarded about introducing her to them? Asking for their approval over their relationship when they didn’t have his?

A loud thud sound reached her, breaking her thoughts.  Its source? Somewhere between the half dozen parked cars. She grimly tried to see what it was, a few seconds past by and Yun couldn’t help her racing heart. Thinking did she miss someone coming in? Was anyone already in there?

Was someone playing a cruel prank? swallowing the uncertainty she felt ,Yun called out at the know seemingly endless space “ Youngbae  … “ her voice died down without a reply to meet it and a griping fear started to grow ,thinking of who might be standing there waiting to surprise her she yelled again  “ HyunBae oppa ?  “But only silence once again and her mind started contemplating her hectic exit that was ….. Till a loud cry of pain came her way fallowed by a flood of pained curses.

“Youngbae!! “She called again, this time with unmasked irritation “damn it … do you think this is funny “she furiously called out at the still obscured figure.

“No, I think this hurts  ... really really hurt, I bumped my knee with something over there “he exclaimed back, hopping in her direction.

“Well, you deserve it! “She sent back but was already rushing to his side, her annoyance disregarded.

“Are you ok? “ Yun asked, her heart still furiously beating, then without thinking she bent down, her sight on the now cut jeans, but before her hand could reach it Youngbae grabbed her arm and straighten her up.

“What do you think you’re doing? “He questioned his voice thick with disapproval.

“Just let me look at it, it could be bleeding! “she insisted , her mind on that aggravated yell that first reach her , Yun leaned over only to be stopped again …  this time his hand was cupping one of her cheeks  , as gentle as could be yet it was able to still her .

“It’s fine … I barely scraped it “Youngbae reassured her, but her eyes roamed down never the less, uneasiness seemed to creep on her and she fell silent. They still had the rest of the day ahead of them and even thought the dark garage didn’t imply it the sun had yet to sit outside … then why was she feeling the separation anxiety already!

Youngbae … seemingly sensing her feelings ever so lightly tilted her head up, for a heartbeat enclosing her vision and her every sense with only him. he didn’t say anything, yet she felt herself frantically looking for a replay, they didn’t move but she was panting and out of breath, he smiled mischievously … a smile she thought he had long abandoned and just like that her heart lifted, that smile reminded her so much of the love seeking Youngbae she first met and for a second she felt as carefree as she did back then.  Yun thought of his failed prank …. As unfunny as it was to her agitated heart, it was a true representation of the once cheery Taeyang and she wanted more of him.

“You know you scream …. “She started teasingly, meaning to send out her own playful smile, but her words turned to mumbles when he started leaning forward.  His lips met hers, sending a jolt of warmth deep within her and she responded by moving closer. Her hands … out of habit went up to his head, but instead of the softness that usually met them, there was only the smooth tingle of his new buzz cut.... then he was gone, already standing by his side of the car. Her mind apparently wondered off, and the few seconds she missed were nowhere to be found.

“We should head off “Youngbae said as he opened the car door. he gazed at her intensely , what he was looking for or what he eventually saw was beyond her and it seemed unimportant when he started grinning like a little boy … adding in mocked defensiveness “ I didn’t scream .. And even if I did I bet it was a very manly one “

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Her footsteps beat heavily on the cement road; even her low heeled sandals felt too much for the walk Youngbae was putting her through. and with the sun on its way down and it’s throbbing heat almost gone ,  people started flooding into what she presumed was the local market  , making it that much more difficult for her to keep up with him .

Yun kept quiet for a while, apologizing whenever her dragged figure pumped into someone but they still ended up getting a dirty look more than once, she was a little taken back at first only to realize what people saw wasn’t a young couple rushing to a date but comically … or rather not comically a women being pulled by a hooded guy, so Yun self-consciously increased her pace, walking next to him rather than creeping behind him.

“ Youngbae ,  isn’t it time you tell me what is it you’re planning ? “ she asked , Yun patient was running low and her curiosity was quickly turning to annoyance , her simple hope of spending their last night alone tighter … well , ‘alone tighter ‘ seemed to fade the more they venture into this side of the city .

“I don’t want to ruin the surprise “he absently replied, looking to his left into a narrow alley, then shaking his head and continuing on.

She wanted to make a silly face at him, sticking her tongue out would have been her expression of choice... but it wouldn’t have erased the unsettling , heart grapping feeling she had and she simply let it go  . a couple of steps more and Youngbae seemed to find the side road he was looking for , yet his pace didn’t slow and the special place he was taking her to nowhere in sight . she again hesitated , having almost said what’s on her mind a dozen times through their 40 minute drive but as soon as he said “ it’s right around the corner “ instinctively her feet stopped , forcing her to say something  to the shocked Youngbae .

“ umm  “ seemed to be all she could say , how did she master bringing that topic up before was beyond her , yet she needed it done , feeling foolish and weak she let her hand slip out of his and quite awkwardly uttered “ you remember our agreement … ?”

Youngbae’s face was heavily shadowed under its cover, but she read it all, she saw surprise, on top of the one he had already, faint distress then a blank calculative expression … yet none of these lasted and she was soon met with a cheerful laugh. he moved closer , allowing her eyes a view of his since smile “  I didn’t mean to lead you on into thinking … “ he trailed off  , likely to spare her the embarrassment of the rest of the sentence , then continued “ .. I was just excited about bringing you here and it’s not even that big of a thing, I guess it was a lame idea “

“No “she responded, her voice a notch too loud, again attracting curious eyes.  Yun was starting to feel light headed and for good reason , she was after all telling the most absurdly ideal guy that she happened to be reversibly in love with not to propose to her … and she seemed quite persistent about it .

“I’m sure I will love it and that’s exactly what I want … no big things! “Or big shine things at that. She didn’t have much time to think about it but the idea did seem right. in the back of her mind she knew she was pushing their relationship into old habits, bad ones and it was strange because it was never her own, it was always Youngbae who thought too much, worried too much and belittled their affection for one another, but for once she saw it necessity … yes, she wasn’t keen to the idea of him proposing before leaving, not when she knew just a week ago he saw his enlistment as their end. If his decision was made while he’s happy and cheerful, she could only imagine the amount of regret he would feel if his previous weary thought were to come back, she will wait and it wouldn’t be because of some ring or the promise behind it.

“Lim Yun “he called affectingly, “regarding our agreement, I promise. No sudden last minute decisions “and he laughed again. She pondered a little at his words, they were exactly right, word by word but somehow the way they were said seemed too calculative and she frowned at them.

“Now can we please go … we’re going to miss it “ and he forcefully grabbed her hand again and walked that one last corner?