A lengthy black sweater, a pair of jean shorts, purple lacy lingerie, blue and pink striped socks, a stick of strawberry-flavored lip balm – these were some of the things that occupied her leather rucksack. She threw on a gray cardigan over her loose, faded brown sleeveless shirt, pulled on a pair of white knee-length shorts and later secured the shoelaces of her dark blue Converse high-cut sneakers. She tied her hair up in a messy ponytail and strapped on her backpack hurriedly, not forgetting to take the keys and her wristwatch by her desk and flicking the light switch off. She gave her room one last look before closing the door as careful as she could.

 

It was her first time sneaking out of the house. Adrenaline rapidly coursed through her body and hesitancy at the far back of her mind, as she locked the gate to her house and ran down the street to reach the bus stop. The night was cold and misty, sky devoid of any stars and clouds. She had caught up to the last bus for that night and boarded it for the next three neighborhoods. She trudged down the aisle of seats and settled herself near the window, in the back. No one had recognized her. Not the ahjumma who sat at the opposite side or the ahjusshi who sat behind the driver (because he was asleep) and not even the driver paid any attention to her. It had certainly been a long day.

 

Sohee checked the time on her phone. 11:05 it read, while on her wristwatch it was 11:13. Against the window, raindrops trickled slowly. Soon, it was drizzling quite strongly and the screeching of the bus wipers against the glass began echoing inside Sohee’s head. She hugged her backpack closely and leaned back comfortably in her seat as she continued to watch the downpour. Seoul in the rain was as beautiful as it was in broad daylight, she knew. Yet, she often wondered why gazing at rainfalls always made her sleepy. Sleepy, sleepy…

 

Closing her eyes, amidst the darkness of her fading consciousness, were colorful umbrellas shooting open and twirling under the calm twilight.

 

~*~

 

The rain had subsided. Past three neighborhoods, she had arrived at her destination. She hopped off the bus and jogged to the convenience store there. She entered the building, sighed in relief when there were no customers then smiled upon seeing the cashier dozing off behind the counter. Sohee sneaked to the back of the store, to where the refrigerators were and stared at the bottled beverages inside them. She glimpsed at her reflection in the process and found it quite amusing to see herself haggard and pale from stress. Perhaps that was one of the two reasons why she snuck out of her house and traveled all the way there. The other purpose of her being there, maybe, was because of one person.

 

Sohee fished her phone out from her shorts’ pocket and pressed a button, speed dialing one out of hundreds of contacts saved in her list. She drew the device near her ear and waited. At the same time, as she waited, she tapped the tip of her right shoe against the white tile where she stood on, patiently listening to the ever annoying ringing. The buzzing stopped, Sohee’s heart involuntarily thumped hard in her chest and her knees were so close to giving in. On the other line, an amazing voice was whispering.

 

“Fetch me,” Sohee said.

 

Nervous, hopeful and unsure was she at that moment. Eventually, a small smile curved on her strawberry-colored lips.

 

The call ended.

 

~*~

 

He had gone to fetch Sohee, as the girl demandingly requested. He snuck out of his house as well then returned to sneak in with Sohee now. His parents had gone to sleep and were surprisingly heavy sleepers so he was sure they didn’t hear the gate slightly banging or his and Sohee’s whispers by the entrance as they removed their shoes or even their footsteps creaking along the stairs as they went up to his room. He carefully pushed the door open and welcomed Sohee inside. Kyuhyun’s room was a tad bit messy.

 

“I could’ve cleaned up if only I knew you were coming,” Kyuhyun said as he plopped down at the foot of his bed.

 

Sohee bowed her head as an apology, feet glued by the doorway. There was no turning back now, she realized. Up until a few years ago, the older boy sitting in front of her was only a sunbae in the industry. Now, he was an important oppa – that same person wearing a yellow shirt and black baggy sweats along with a playful smirk at that very moment. The memory of exchanging numbers with him backstage after the filming of that one episode of CTP was still so very vivid in Sohee’s mind. Kyuhyun was the first to approach her and ask for her number, saying that he wanted to get to know her better and be friends. After several months of talking on the phone until late at night and texting each other during breaks, sometimes even secretly meeting somewhere, Kyuhyun confessed that to him, Sohee was a dear dongsaeng and to Sohee, Kyuhyun was an important oppa. Even if Kyuhyun was four years older than Sohee, he was an oppa who understood her better than the others. Naturally, Kyuhyun felt the same way with her.

 

The nervous girl was frozen stiff in her place. She had not moved an inch since their arrival in the room, to which thought Kyuhyun began to chuckle. Sohee was a charming and strange girl and was oftentimes shy in front of others. She could be talkative every once in a while though it was quite a rare case, if Kyuhyun was to admit so himself. To calm his visitor down, Kyuhyun offered Sohee a reassuring smile.

 

“Come here,” he said softly. “Come here.”

 

Sohee hesitantly obliged, slipping off her rucksack and dragging it toward the bed, as she advanced toward Kyuhyun. The older boy reached his hands out and gripped on to Sohee’s wrists tenderly, guiding her to him carefully. She left her bag on the floor and trembled at the touch of Kyuhyun’s hands now on both sides of her waist, calmly carrying her light body over his lap. She had cautiously perched herself on Kyuhyun’s knees while the boy himself wound her fragile arms around his neck, avoiding the girl’s confused orbs. Gradually, they looked up into each other’s eyes, faces nearing and breaths ghosting on quivering lips until the proximity of it all disappeared and later, sharing the same oxygen. They kissed quietly, so very gently and leisurely. Kyuhyun held Sohee closer to him, as their lips meshed at an ideal pace. Sohee tasted so sweet yet to Kyuhyun, it wasn’t the strawberry lip balm the girl had applied on her lips but it was the girl, herself. Her exact being and warmth, her entirety was the very definition of loveliness.

 

He had easily pulled the gray cardigan off heaving shoulders and swiftly changed positions, Kyuhyun laying Sohee on his bed and hovering on top of her frail, perfect body. Her cheeks were so red, up to her ears, Kyuhyun noticed. She was so pretty that Kyuhyun just couldn’t resist claiming plump lips once more. Sohee closed her eyes and savored the precious seconds.

 

Kyuhyun tore away and lied beside the trembling girl, enveloping her in his tight and secured embrace. Sohee moved her arms too and hugged the boy with even strength, burying her face against his chest and breathing in his addicting scent.

 

“Talk to me,” Kyuhyun cooed as he undid Sohee’s hair and combed his fingers through silky, soft locks. “Is something bothering you?”

 

“I’m tired… Just tired…”

 

Kyuhyun kissed the crown of Sohee’s head lovingly.

 

“I’m sorry…”

 

Sohee faced sideways so that her right ear was against Kyuhyun’s chest now, hearing the loud beating and feeling the fast palpitation of his heart. It was soothing - that simple sensation.

 

“Sohee-ah.”

 

“Mm…?”

 

Kyuhyun hummed.

 

“I thought you were already asleep.”

 

Sohee shook her head slightly.

 

“Sleep if you want to,” Kyuhyun sang. “Rest well.”

 

And Sohee did so, in that important oppa’s arms where she felt calm and relaxed; where her worries and sad thoughts wouldn’t reach her. What ever happened to those years that were full of chances of meeting and talking? To those moments that they only looked at each other as sunbae and hoobae and passed by each other like they were invisible? Such wasted hours, such painful and wasted times, both of them would agree. But even if they admitted that, they had already secretly liked each other back then. Just that now, it was love.

 

Rubbing small circles on her back for comfort, Kyuhyun couldn’t wish for anything more aside from holding his precious dongsaeng like that longer.

 

“Just a little bit longer…”

 

~*~

 

At 04:13, Kyuhyun took Sohee back. No one was awake except for the sun that was sluggishly peeking past the clouds then. They stared at each other and, unexpectedly, yawned.

 

“Talk to you soon,” Kyuhyun said.

 

Sohee nodded.

 

“Thank you, Kyuhyun oppa.”

 

Leaving one last kiss on Sohee’s forehead, Kyuhyun wished his dongsaeng would have sufficient strength for a great day. Flashing one bright smile at Kyuhyun, Sohee hoped for her oppa’s safe trip back home and, someday soon, back in her arms. Then again, she wouldn’t mind sneaking out of the house for a second time and Kyuhyun would certainly appreciate that but that was enough for now. Just being an important oppa and a precious dongsaeng to one another was enough for the time being. Love could tag along silently.

 

 

Someday, love would definitely come.