Changmin stands silently outside the school gate, waiting for that jolly voice he's learned to really like.

He taps his foot and lets his eyes linger over the students walking out of the school. Then it enters his mind, how did he- they end up like this? When did he start letting himself lose and uncomposed and far too infatuated?

"Hey~" a tap on his shoulder wakes him from his thoughts. Sunhwa beams up at him and Changmin smiles back.

It doesn't matter. Not really.

Changmin starts walking and Sunhwa follows close behind.

"So, where are we going?" Sunhwa asks as she skips ahead of him, "you said you wanted to show me something..."

No words leave Changmin, he just watches her happily skipping.

"Oppa?" she stops and turns around.

Furrowed brows and a glare greets her and she immediately faces forward, continuing her walk.

"Just keep walking" Changmin speaks. He really likes walking with her mostly when the sun is setting, but he would never admit that, especially not to her.

A few blocks later, Changmin ushers Sunhwa into an alley.

"Uhm... I'm not sure about this." Sunhwa's heart beats fast, she doesn't know what to expect but dark alleys were never a good thing.

A hand wraps around hers and she looks up at the owner. Changmin's eyes were looking directly at her and his smile was anything but suspicious.

"Trust me" she hears him say, so she nods and follows him.

The soaked concrete didn't help her feel less uneasy, much less the garbage and who-knows-what lying around.

"We're almost there." Changmin assures her and soon enough they were out the alley and into a dark lot.

The warm hand escapes Sunhwa's grasp and she's a bit more scared, "Changmin... oppa." she squeaks.

She opens to call him again but the sudden flash of light interrupts her.

As she regains her sight, all she could do was stare.

There she stands in a colorful place.

The merry-go-round shines in front of her,  bright tents filled with games and stuffed prizes on almost every corner around her, there were even hotdog-cotton candy- popcorn stands scattered...

"You said you've always wanted to go to a carnival. We have an hour before people start shuffling in. Knock yourself out." Changmin says from behind.

Sunhwa turns around and grins at Changmin, eyes sparkling with excitement.

She immediately runs to one of the tents and Changmin follows close behind her, just watching her enjoy throwing hoops towards the bottles, shooting pellets at bottles and going on rides.

Changmin shoves his hands in his pockets and sighs. He's annoyed at what he's becoming when he's with her but he doesn't know what it is that makes him do such sappy things.

"Look! Changmin-oppa! It's you!!!" Sunhwa laughs out loud while carrying a big deer stuffed toy.

"She won that?" Changmin turns to the guy in the stall, "really?"

The guy nods, raises both his thumbs, and says, "She's a keeper."

"What are you talking about?" Changmin rolls his eyes and shakes his head.

"Deny all you want. Now get to the trailer, we're about to open in 15." the guy shrugs and gets back to fixing the stall.

Changmin whips his head around in search for his companion. He spots her chatting with the lady at the cotton candy stand. "Sunhwa-ya! Let's go!" he calls for her then walks towards the trailer.

"I hope it goes well for you" the cotton candy lady smiles.

Sunhwa bites into the sweet fluff and waves a goodbye as she balances her food and her big deer stuffed toy while running to Changmin.

The boy stops in his steps and turns around to see his friend wobbling towards him.

As soon as the girl got close to him, he grabbed the deer away from her and leads her to a trailer.

"C'mon." he says and they enter a trailer and climb up it's roof.

The top of the trailer-truck is barely reached by the bright lights of the carnival on the other side of the lot. Two chairs were set up on it with a bucket of cold drinks settled between them.

"What's this?" Sunhwa asks.

Changmin sits on one chair and settles the deer beside him. He gestures for Sunhwa to sit on the chair beside him and she complies.

"What are we doing here?" Sunhwa voices out again but Changmin says nothing.

Before Sunhwa could repeat her question for the third time, Changmin points to the sky and a loud BAM followed by a flash of colors fill the horizon.

This leaves the girl speechless with awe.

The flicker of lights against Sunhwa's features captures Changmin's attention. It's been a while since he's looked at a girl like he looks at Sunhwa. His stomach flips at the sight of her. He could feel that nag on the back of his head begging for him to open up and accept him. 

But Changmin is torn.

He thinks he doesn't deserve her... no, he really doesn't.

The fireworks stop popping and the girl is now staring back at him.

"Oppa? What's up?" Sunhwa asks.

The shake of head answers her but the girl isn't satisfied with the reply.

Changmin smiles at her softly. He doesn't know what to say.

She releases a sigh then leans back on the chair, eyes searching the smoke filled aftermath in the skies.

"Oppa, may I ask you something?" she says gently.

A hum of agreement escapes Changmin as he mimics the girl's action.

Sunhwa takes a deep breath of courage then blurts out, "Oppa... what are we?"

Changmin whips his head towards her, "what?" he says.

The girl's stare drops to her hands on her lap, "You've been real sweet since that night you walked me home and we... but you don't talk to me in school. I kinda even think you're avoiding me...  and then after school you accompany me to my house, you do this... I don't... I can't tell what we are. Should I read into these things? or do you really just do these things for friends..."

Words barred up the boy's throat. He wants to tell her that he accepts her feelings for him and he wants to give it back too, but a part of him also wants to tell her that he's just being a good friend. He has so much to say but all he ends up doing is stare.

Usually girls would just assume things, he believes, but Sunhwa... needed assurance. This really takes him by surprise and jams his insides in a clutter of confusion.

He doesn't answer and Sunhwa doesn't look up at him.

thank you for staying and still reading~

I'm really sorry, it's difficult to make time to write for AFF due to school work

(;n;)

I hope you understand~

Thank you again^^

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