JUNSU’S POV

     I saw Ara watching me and she didn’t look happy. Then she shook her head and hopped off the bar stool. Was she leaving? I stood up.

“Hey, guy, I’ve gotta go. See you later.” And with that, I followed her.

But I couldn’t catch up, there were too many people between me and her. No matter how hard I pushed or how much I struggled, I couldn’t move fast enough.

“Ara!” I tried waved, but she didn’t see or hear me. She looked like she was in a hurry. “Ara!” I tried reaching for her, but I wasn’t close enough. “Ara! Wait!” Then she was gone. Out of the building. I reached the door and pushed through them. “Ara!” I spotted her leaned against the outside wall and she looked surprised to see me. I rushed over to her and hugged her. “Ara…” I leaned back and held her face in my hands. “Are you ok? I saw you leave and you looked so troubled, so I followed. I tried calling your name, but I guess you didn’t hear me. Are you alright? What’s wrong?”

She smiled and her eyes glistened. She shook her head and said, “Nothing’s wrong, Sweetie.” I stared at her. She had never called me anything like that before… Then she spontaneously hugged me tightly. “I love you.”

Whatever she had been upset about…seeing me must have made her feel better. I wanted to hold her and comfort her. She needed me right now, for whatever reason. “I love you too…” I murmured into her hair. “Are you sure you’re fine?”

She stepped back and nodded. “Yes. I’m just not used to all…” She motioned vaguely toward the door. “That.”

I nodded. I knew what she meant. It was a lot to take in all at once, especially if you’d never been there before. And she didn’t strike me as that type of girl in the first place anyways. I tilted her face up.

“Do you want to go home?”

The look she gave me seemed like a little girl and she nodded. So I called for the valley to get my car and held her from behind as we waited until it was brought around to the front. I opened her door for her, then got in and drove her home. All the way there, she leaned her head against the window and every once in a while, I’d look over to see if she had fallen asleep.

     When she got out of the car, I gave her a warm hug. “Are you sure nothing is wrong?” I asked her.

She nodded and looked up at me with a smile. “Ya, I’m just tired.”

But the faltering smile she gave me wasn’t a weary one, it was a bittersweet smile. I wished she would talk to me about whatever it was that was bothering her. She started to walk away from me, but I grabbed her arm and pulled her back. I slipped a hand under her chin to turn her face towards me. Butterflies fluttered in my stomach just thinking about what I was about to do. I leaned in and kissed her.

When I pulled back, I looked into her eyes meaningfully. “You know I love you very much, right? I always will. I promise.”

Tears appeared in her eyes and this time her smile was happy, which made me smile in return. She hugged me again before going back inside. I watch her go, and even when she was out of sight, I stay there until I saw the light from her dorm room window turn on. Only then did I get in my car and go home. Note to self—Ara doesn’t like clubbing…

 

ARA’S POV

     I leaned my forehead against the cool window and stayed silent for the ride home. I didn’t want to worry him, but I wasn’t feeling talkative. I didn’t wait for him to open my door to get out of the car and walk around. He hugged me like he didn’t want to hurt me or let me go. It hadn’t been a bad night, but it hadn’t best our best date by far.

“Are you sure nothing is wrong?” He questioned.

I nodded and tried smiling for him. “Ya, I’m just tired.” But he didn’t look convince. So I turned away, but he caught me by the arm and turned my face. Then he kissed me sweetly.

The look in his eyes then was all the assurance I ever needed that he loved me. “You know I love you very much, right? I always will. I promise.”

I wasn’t sure if he could really keep that promise, but I wanted to believe it to be so. My vision blurred momentarily with tears and hugged him tight. Then I finally went inside to my room. A good night’s sleep would clear my mind and I would feel much better in the morning.

     I tip-toed into the room quietly, hoping to not wake anyone. Then I tripped over my own backpack and fell to the floor noisily. I cringed when I leaning by the door with her arms crossed. She put one finger to her lips and shushed me.

“Eun Hye, why did you sneak up on me like that?!” I whispered harshly.

“I wasn’t sneaking, I had left the room for something was coming back.” She explained to me. Then she walked into the room. Kyung-sook went to bed early tonight, so don’t wake her up.” She glanced at me. “So how was your night?” She asked me. “You’re home early.”

I got up and put my backpack out of the way. “It was fine.”

She raised her eyebrows ever-so-slightly. “Just fine? That’s a first. Usually it’s “very good” or “really great” or “amazing!” What happened tonight?”

I sighed. I didn’t feel like hiding anything from Eun Hye. “I just felt…out of place. He took me to a club and it’s…just not my thing. But he tried really hard to make it a good night for me, so it’s ok.”

She nodded. “He’s a good guy. I’m glad you’re with him.”

I looked at her as I sat on my bunk. “Really?”

She nodded again. “Mhm. He takes good care of you…or at least he tries. And he seems to make you very happy most of the time.”

I tilted my head. “You really care that much about me, Eun Hye.”

She cleared and looked away, but answered softly, “Yes.”

I stood and walked over to her, wrapping my arms around her neck. “Thank you, Eun Hye.”

She just sat there for a second…then she hugged me back. It was just the thing I needed to make me feel better and I went to bed that night happily thinking of all the friends I had. The music from when Junsu and I danced that night drifted in and out of my dreams, making me smile in my sleep.