TAEYEON’S POV

I made company with my new friend Junhyung on the way home from work. He was kind and he made me laugh. It made me forget how nervous I was for tonight’s date.

“… and fat Jinsu dropped it on poor Jongmin’s foot,” Junhyung said with a smile. I doubled over laughing and tripped on my own feet and almost fell over. Junhyung grabbed my backpack making me hang in the air in a weird way I was still laughing.

“Clumsy Fat-su,” I said and shook my head. Junhyung smiled and helped me regain my balance.

“Almost as clumsy as you,” he said and ruffled my hair. I pushed his hand away with a smile. “I’m going this way.” He pointed with his thumb.

“Oh, okay. I’ll see you tomorrow.” I smiled and walked away.

“I’m home,” I said as I entered the apartment. I went into the kitchen and hugged the twins as they came running towards me. “Hey guys.” They ran off again and I sat down by the table and leaned backwards against the chair. Ah, so tired. I yawned and closed my eyes. Maybe I had time for a nap before the… date. I flung my eyes open. What time was it!? I had to shower, find something nice to wear… Did I have anything nice to wear? Aish. I sat up straight and put my hands on the table, ready to push myself up from the chair. I looked down on my hands when I felt paper against my palms. Just the mail, I thought when something suddenly caught my eye. My name was written on one of the envelopes. I tilted my head and read it again. It really was my name. I picked the letter up from the table and opened it. when it finally realized what it was I gasped and put the letter down while looking around anxiously. It was a letter from my previous school telling me that the tuition fee had been fully refunded. The money had been transferred to an account in my name, there was no way anyone would figure it out. I stood up hastily to go into my room and accidentally swept down another letter from the table onto the floor. I bent down to pick it up and saw the consignor. It was from the hospital. I glanced into the living room. The twins were busy playing on their own and my mother had her back against me. No one would notice, right? I sneakily went into my room with the letters tucked inside my shirt without anyone noticing anything. I sat down on the floor and ripped open the hospital bill. Now all I had to do was figure out how to do this…

There was a sudden knock on the door and I heard my sister’s voice ask for me. I quickly hid the bill and the letter and pretended to read a book.

“Neh?” My sister entered the room with a worried face.

“Have you seen appa’s hospital bill?” she asked. Once again I had to lie straight into her face.

“…No.” I wanted to hit myself. What kind of answer was that, she’ll never fall for it. my sister gave me a weird look.

“What? Have you seen it or not?”

“…No.” Still not convincing enough. “Maybe it was just sent a little late, I’m sure it’ll turn up later this week.” I smiled assuring.

“Maybe… if you say so.” My sister walked out of the room and closed the door. I almost collapsed into a small pile of flesh and bone, too much pressure. I couldn’t believe she just let me go like that, she didn’t believe me. I glanced at the time and my eyes grew wide. I rushed to my feet and ran into the bathroom. Now she really had to hurry!

YOSEOB’S POV

I adjusted  my hair for the umpteenth time and kept on scouting for Taeyeon’s tiny figure. She should be here any minute now. I rearranged my hair again while trying to see my reflection in a window. It didn’t work out that well. I ruffled my hair with a growl and let it be whatever mess it wanted to be.

“You have wronged me,” I scolded my hair.

“Um, Yoseob?” I turned around at the sound of Taeyeon’s voice and saw her standing shyly behind me. I smiled and studied her for a second. She had on a cute simple dress and completely unmatched with a pair of worn out shoes. She looked lovely,

“You’re pretty today.” As usual. She smiled shyly.

“Thank you.” I smiled at her. I’m the one who should thank her…

“Let’s go.” I held my arm out to her and she accepted it.

“Where are we going?”

“How would you feel about… a night at a fair?” I asked and saw her eyes light up.

“That would be lovely,” she said with a bright smile. I just kept walking. Not as lovely as you.

“Yoseob, look at this.” Taeyeon said with a laugh as she tried on a pair of glasses. Why was she laughing? She looked as pretty as ever. I smiled sweetly at her and put a pair of glasses on myself.

“How do I look?” I asked and made a cute pose.

“Silly,” she said and giggled.

“Huh? Aren’t I cute?” I pouted. How could she say the? She kept laughing as I looked myself in a mirror. Oh, that’s why… I laughed at my reflection, it really looked silly.

“Try these.” Taeyeon tapped my shoulder and handed me another pair. “I think they’ll suit you well.” I took off the ones I had on and replaced them with the ones Taeyeon gave me.

“How do I look?” I repeated my question from earlier and made the same pose. Taeyeon eye smiled.

“So cute, they really suit you.” My stomach ran amok at her words. Cute, cute, I am cute. This really gave my ego a boost. Did I have an ego? I glanced at Taeyeon.

“Taeyeon-ah. Do you have an ego?”

“”Hm?” She looked bewildered by my question. “I suppose so.”

“Then, do I have an ego?” I asked and furrowed my eyebrows. Taeyeon put back the glasses she was wearing.

“I think we all have an ego that we unconsciously fertilize all the time, and it comes out without our knowledge, and maybe when we least expect it to.” Her words hit me like an arrow in the bull’s eyes and I realized that my ego was plating tricks on me right in that very moment. I was only thinking of myself when I asked Taeyeon out. If she had any sorts of feelings for me, no matter what they were, I wasn’t being fair to her. My illness was in the way. The leukaemia could force me to leave her any time. I pushed my thoughts away and forced a smile.

“I believe you’re right.”

Taeyeon ran back and forth between the stands and excitedly picked up everything to look at it. She squealed and aww-ed over things. I just watched her with a smile on my lips. Suddenly Taeyeon stopped at a stand and stood absolutely still with her head bent down. Worry immediately rushed over me and I hurried to her side.

“Taeyeon-ah, is everything alright?” I asked. She didn’t answer my question and kept looking down. I followed her gaze curious to see what had caught her attention in that way. It was a notebook. It was leather bound, brown, nothing special. Her hand slid up and gently touched the cover. I looked at her face and saw a sad smile on her lips. I touched her cheek making her look at me. Her eyes looked shiny. “Taeyeon-ah, are you okay?” She nodded.

“I wish I could buy that book,” she whispered.

“Why can’t you buy it?” I asked. She just shook her head and I understood that it was the money issue. “I’ll get it for you,” I said and got ready to pull my wallet out of my jeans pocket. Taeyeon put her hand on mine to stop me. Woah, she’s so close to my…

“No,” was all she said. I furrowed my eyebrows.

“Wae? You obviously want it.” She wanted the book and I wanted to buy it for her, what was the problem? She smiled and turned away.

“Let’s go.” She started to walk away. I could easily lose her in this crowd. I quickly leaned over the table and got the attention of the salesman.

“If anyone else buys this, you’ll be in big trouble.”

TAEYEON’S POV

I turned around and left. I didn’t want to be indebted to anyone. No matter how much I wanted that notebook. I sighed to myself.

“Taeyeon-ah, wait up!” Yoseob was calling for me. I kept walking, he would catch up. “Taeyeon-ah!” I felt a hand grip my arm and looked up at Yoseob. “What is it? Please tell me what is bothering you.” He looked at me with sad pleading eyes. Great, now I totally ruined the mood. I smiled.

“There is nothing bothering me…”

“Don’t lie to me. You’re a terrible liar so don’t even try to hide anything from me, you’ll embarrass yourself… and also, I want to know. I want to lighten your burden…” his eyes were so honest. No matter how cheesy it sounded it made me want to tell him. I bit my lip.

“When I was younger, my father used to have one of those books and he wrote down everything we did, put in pictures… All our memories were collected in there. “I didn’t look at Yoseob. “It might sound silly, but it feels like… if I bought that book I would get back part of the old times back, better times.” Tears threatened to flow. I was being such a sissy. I felt the grip around my arm loosen and another kind of pressure replaced it. Yoseob put his arms around me and pulled me into a gentle embrace.

“You’re not silly,” he whispered into my ear. “You’re being human.” I blushed as I answered his hug by putting my arms around his waste. And you’re being an angel. He suddenly pulled back and kept his gaze behind me with a bright smile. “Taeyeon-ah, look! It’s your sister.” What!? I looked over my shoulder, and indeed, there was my older sister. Before I knew it Yoseob had walked passed me and continued towards my sister.

I threw myself behind a stand with scarves and pretended to look at them. I peeked out between two scarves and saw Yoseob hug my sister. I looked at her. Who was she with? Who was that wannabe blonde guy? He was hot… I noticed that Yoseob looked over my sister’s shoulder and searched for me with his eyes. I waved my hands and shook my head violently while mouthing to him: “NO!” He gave me a confused look and looked back at my sister. I begged to someone that he would’ve understood my gesturing. I turned my back against them and crouched down on the ground. Aish, wasn’t she working today? Suddenly Yoseob plopped down beside me. He put one hand on top pf my head and turned me to face him.

“Why are you hiding?”

“You didn’t tell her I was here, right?” I asked worriedly.

“No, I said I was with… a friend.” Yoseob averted his gaze for a second. Why didn’t you want your sister to see you? Are you ashamed of me?” He pouted cutely and looked at me with sad eyes.

“No, of course no, I just…” Why didn’t I want her to see me?” I didn’t even know. I just had this feeling that she didn’t need to know.

“Another secret?”

YOSEOB’S POV

“Another secret?” I asked. I didn’t want us to be, but if that’s how she wanted it I was fine with it. She bit the inside of her cheek while thinking hard. She looked me into the eyes.

“For now.” She looked so serious. I was a bit disappointed, but she looked so cute that my mood couldn’t stay down.

“Have you eaten?” I asked cheerfully. She looked away.

“No…” I stood up and reached my hand out. She accepted it and I pulled her to her feet.

“Let’s go and eat some noodles!”

She was wolfing the noodles as if she hadn’t eaten for days. I looked at her with big eyes and with my almost untouched noodles in front of me. I glanced into my bowl.

“Do you want mine?” I asked but she shook her head.

“I’m so full it feels like I’m going to burst.” She leaned back in her chair and patted her stomach. Her portion had been pretty small, how could she be so full just by that?

“Are you sure?” I asked and reached my bowl to her. She nodded and held her hands up.

“Completely.” She waited for me to finish my food and then stood up in eager to continue our walk at the market place. I purposely fell behind and waited until Taeyeon was out of my sight before turning around 180 degrees and hurrying back along the street.

“Yoseob oppa?” Taeyeon grabbed my arm and I looked down at her. She pouted cutely. “Where did you go for so long? I thought you had left me here,” she whined. I smiled and ruffled her hair.

“Silly, Taeyeon-ah. I would never leave you.” She smiled back at me.

“Oh, you bought something?” Taeyeon asked and pointed at the bag dangling on my wrist.

“Yeh,” I said and put my hand into my bag. “These were too wonderful to resist.” I put the tiara with the pink/purple-isch leopard patterned cat ears on my head and put my fists up in a squirrel pose. Taeyeon’s mouth fell open.

“Omo.” Her surprised face turned into a smile. “You’re so cute, let me hug you!” Before I had time to react she put her arms around me, squeezed my tightly and then let go again. I looked at her with wide eyes and my mouth open. She laughed and grabbed my arm. “Come on, let’s go my little kitten.” She pulled me along and I gladly followed. What just happened?

“Taeyeon-ah, it’s about to close for tonight,” I said after another two hours of looking in different stands and avoiding her sister. Taeyeon pouted.

“Already?” She looked so disappointed. I touched her hand.

“Don’t look so sad. We’ll go here another time,” I said encouragingly. Her face lit up in a smile.

“Really? We must go together,” she sang and started skipping back the way we had arrived. Together? She wanted us to go together! I  made a squeaky sound, like a mouse, which was stupid since I was wearing kitten-ears… and ran after Taeyeon and joined her in her skipping. This was the best first date of my life. It was also my first first date, but that’s not important at the moment. I offered to follow Taeyeon home but she refused. She told me to go home and get some rest, get ready for school… She walked me to the bus stop from where my bus left. I turned to her.

“I feel like a girl,” I whined. I wanted to be the manly one and see her home. She crooked her eyebrow.

“We’re living in the 21^stcentury, the era of rebellion, we have to break stupid traditions like that,” she said. I was quiet for a few seconds and then looked at her.

“Huh?”

“I have no idea,” she said and laughed and I couldn’t help but laugh with her. She is so cute when she is weird. I saw my bus approaching and pouted.

“I don’t want this night to ever end,” I said.

“It’s the laws of nature,” Taeyeon said and tilted her head. She was talking no sense again. The bus made a mosey sound and the doors opened.

“I have to go.” I looked at her with a smile. “Thank you for a wonderful night.” She returned my smile.

“No, thank you,” she said quietly. She put her hands on my shoulders, got on her toes and pecked my cheek. I was in a daze. I was in trance. I had turned into a statue with a silly look on its face. “Goodnight, Yoseob.”

I entered Gikwang’s house in the state of a God. I took of my shoes and slipped my feet into my pink piggy slippers. I walked towards the stairs that led up to Gikwang’s bedroom, but Gikwang himself was barging down the stairs and stopped me from walking any further.

“Where the hell have you been!”? he hissed at me. “You didn’t answer my texts, you didn’t answer my calls and left me with only a vague description of where you were going.” I just sighed and lay down on the couch with my legs dangling over the arm rest.

“You can yell at me as much as you want, it doesn’t matter, because… I’m in love.”