"Here, Yongguk"

I glanced up, giving her my best surprised face. "What's this ?", I took a small box from her hands and stared at it with curiousity.

We were staying at my apartment. Having her in my arms and cuddling each other was the best thing I have ever done in my life. She was really small, really small compared to me, but that adds in for her cuteness.

Sunhee giggled sweetly into my shoulder as she circled her fingers on my chest, "Because we can't spend Christmas together, I think I should give you your gift now".

I frowned. Last Christmas we had promised to have our vacation in Busan on Christmas this year, but my basketball team had a national game and I was needed. She was the best girlfriend ever that gave me a smile when I told her I couldn't make it this Christmas. I felt like I was the worst boyfriend in the world, as I was always the one who ruined our dates.

Pulling her closer to my chest, I buried my nose into her hair, which smelt like apple, I loved the way she laughed and whined saying how ticklish it felt. I found being with my loved one was like magic, nothing could captured my mind and heart like she did.

"I'm sorry, really, I didn't want to play in this game to be truthful, but I couldn't let my team down. If only I could come back sooner for two days and go with you both to our year party and Chrismas Trip", I murmured into her hair, she was like drugs, I didn't want to let her go just yet.

"Himchan will be really mad, I will be okay, we could act like Christmas was not over once you came back. As long as it was with you, I will be the happiest girl in the world", she pecked my lips and hid her face into my chest again. Seriously, why she was so shy like a kitten ? We had been going out for almost two years. The day before Christmas this year will be our second anniversary. And it was too bad that I couldn't be with her on that day.

"I will feel better if you are mad at me. I will not fulfill my role as a boyfriend to you on both our anniversary and Christmas", I sighed longly, tickling her with my breath since I felt her smile against my chest.

Sunhee pushed my chest and blinked at me, her lips tucked up into a sly smile, oh how much I loved her smile. "Mmm, you taste so sweet", I captured her lips with my own and pressed her against the bed, hovering over her and deepened the kiss.

I had to kiss her as much as I could before I left for the game tomorrow and wouldn't get to meet her for a week.

Sunhee at first was surprised at the way I kissed her, I smiled on her lips and she started loosening up. Her arms slowly made their way around my neck and pulled her down, closened all the gap between us.

I her lower lip and she parted them to let my tongue in. I tried to slow down my needs, tried to be gentle and not to show her how much I wanted her.

Of course, I was a fully grown man here, I had my own growing hormones. But my girlfriend didn't want us to do anything wrong until we got married, and I respected her for that. Slowing down myself would help me from going too far.

"Yongguk ...", she breathlessly pushed me off a bit, I reluctantly let go of her lips, seeing how she was so vulnerable and weak under my power was really a turn-on, but she chuckled and kissed me lightly back on the nose.

"Control yourself, little tiger", she tapped my cheeks and hugged my waist, pulling me down to lay on my side next to her. "I will miss you for a long week, aigoo, my little tiger", she pouted while pushing my bang away so that she could see my face better.

"Promise to only open my gift on Christmas ! If I found out you had opened it sooner than even just a minute, I would be really mad !", she put her finger up and pointed at my face. I laughed, nodding like a happy kid, "Sure, sure, come here", I grabbed her finger and pulled her closer.

Sunhee grinned and kissed my lips again. Really, we had grown too attached to each other lips or what ?

"Spend the night here, hmm ?" I murmured, sleepiness started taking over myself. I saw her eyes flashing something like you're-so-erted. I laughed loudly and tackled her head, my little kitten was losing faith in me !

"I will be a good boy and only hug you to sleep, promise, okay, omma ?" I saw her sticking her tongue out and scooting closer to me, I chuckled and pulled the blanket over us. Setting her gift on the small table next to my bed, I turned off the light and dripped off to sleep with my love inside my arms. This was bliss, I told you.
 

Again, why must I remembered that day now ? When can I forget her ? I bet she would forget the existance of this bad boy here, she would never have my image inside her innocent mind. I should be happy that I would not be the cause of her sadness, but then, I felt bitter down to the bottom of my stomach. No, I didn't want her to forget me.

I was being stupid, for either letting her go, or hoping to take her back right now.

She had moved house, she had left nothing but memories back here for me. I had no way of contacting her. None of her friends wanted to give me any information about her. Even after I received a hard punch on the eye by Kiyoung, he refused to tell me anything.

I didn't know how she looked like now, what she did now, or ... did she have move on ? Did she have another better boyfriend than me ?

No.

No way.

Just the mere thought of her being happy with a new guy made me sick. I am selfish, that's who I am. Because I am selfish that I lost her, wasn't I ?

I guessed I knew why I didn't want her to change. Because I wasn't changing a bit.

My apartment was still the same. Except for the fact that I cleaned it more often now. Only after she left that I thought about how much she hated me being dirty.

My room was still the same, a lot of our pictures were stucked on the wall, were put all over the place, were printed into my heart.

I still had her apple scent in the air of my room. Don't ask me how, because I bought her favorite perfume and sprayed it everytime I stressed out.

"Sunhee ..."

I let out her name unconsiously. Urgh. I couldn't cry. Hold it back, Yongguk, you couldn't cry after what you had done to her. You were not supposed to be the one crying ...

Thanks god, my phone rang in time to stop me from breaking into tears.

Himchan.

His name flashed on the screen. This guy, should I be thankful or annoyed now.

"What, Himchan ?"

I heard loud talking on his side, I could make out those voices, Daehyun and Youngjae.

"Baby Yongguk !! Can you come out right now ? Zelo called me asking for help at his coffee shop ! You know, tomorrow is Chirstmas already, his shop must be really crowded now. But me and the boys were busy with some ladies at the club right now, so yeah, can you go help him ?"

That's it. I was annoyed now. He brought no good news whenever he called.

"And why should I be there to work while you three have fun ?", I hoped he could track annoyance inside my tone. And I knew he did. We were bestfriends for so long. But that punk chose to ignore it.

"I love you, thank you, Yongguk-ah ! Zelo will be waiting for you. Daehyun had informed about your coming"

And he hang up.

Aish. I hated him. And those twins DaeJae.

Wait, did Himchan say tomorrow was Christmas ? Which meaned ... today was supposed to be me and Sunhee's third anniversary.

Sorrow mood dawned on me again. I decided to just go help Zelo, maybe I would help myself from being down a little, which I bet would never work, because it's our coffee shop that I was heading to.

As I grabbed my wallet, I saw that box. The gift she gave me last year. I had not opened it after that break up.

Tomorrow was Christmas, should I consider this as her gift for me this year ?

I opened the box quickly. My eyes widened then softened at what she had got me. This was so much Sunhee-like. She never got me something costly, not that I complained, I love her for being so unique.

Seriously, who got her boyfriend for 2 years a pair of shoelaces ? Only my Yoon Sunhee.

A note was put inside, I took it and read, while controling my emotion.

Tiger-ah, Merry Christmas !

I hope you don't think I am so weird to get you this pair of shoelaces ! >.<

Because you got us a couple sneakers last Christmas, so I think it would be sweet if we had our own couple shoelaces too !

Let's wish us happy forever as this year Chirstmas's wish, okay ?

I love you, love you, love you, my little tiger !

Oh gosh. What had I done ? What had I done in my last life that I had to lose her right now ?

She was just too precious, and I was deserved to be crushed into pieces for hurting her.

I decided to change my shoelaces with what she had got me. A neon color on black sneakers, just her style. Did she still wearing our couple sneakers after what I had done ? That question was in my head all the time I ran to our coffee shop.

***

"Hyung !"

A tall, jumpy boy almost crashed me down on the floor if I wasn't awared of his happiness.

"Where are the other workers ?", I sighed, taking my jacket off and threw it somewhere in the corner of the kitchen. This coffee shop had more than 3 workers for each shift, why I only saw Junhong alone was a big question.

"Miyoung noona came and Jongup hyung left me here. Boss has a date with his girlfriend too ! All of them left this forever alone me here !", he chirped with a hint of disappointment inside his tone, he was busy making drink and I couldn't help but to take the order for him.

I actually had fun working with Zelo. It's better than spending my supposed-to-be third anniversary with no one. The shop was really really packed with people coming in and out, sit back and take away. I started feeling pity towards my youngest friend Junhong. He was a third year in campus, but he had to live on his own in this big city. While I myself had a really good job - as a captain of Korea's National Basketball Team.

My dream of being the professional basketball player had come true 7 months ago. I always had a go to compete here and there, but in this winter, I decided to let my team had a month off. I also wanted to rest myself.

"Zelo, I seriously want you to come and stay with me", I rolled my wrists and leaned back on the counter. The shop was less crowded now, people started going home as it was almost 10 at night.

Zelo beamed, he bowed to the few last couples with cheery smile and shut the door. He turned back, grinning at me, "Nah, I prefer staying with Jongup hyung"

I frowned. "His family will soon find you annoying, why don't go and stay with a lone man like me ?"

The kid chuckled, shaking his head, mumbled something I didn't hear. Only caught up with few words like: really; not anymore ...

I glanced around the room and took note that there was no one left. I took off the uniform jacket and placed it back to the locker. "Make me americano, I will pay you later", I called out and Zelo replied with a loud yes.

As I was busy washing my hands and face in the back, I heard Zelo greeted someone and assumed it as another customer. But his voice was way cheerier than its usual tone.

"Who came ? Is it Himchan and the boys ?", I walked out, wiping my hands on my thighs and was about to reach for my cup of coffee when Zelo stopped me abruptly. "Hyung !"

"What ... ?" I blinked at him as he slapped my hand away.

Beaming, he handed me a tray of two cups, one of which was my americano !

He nodded his head towards the window, a little sly smile on his lips, "New customer ! Can you bring this to them ? For me, hyung ?"

I squinted my eyes, this was suspicious, I couldn't see the face of this new customer as the couch was higher than people's head, and they were sitting facing their backs to me.

I had no idea why my mind went blank and my heart was about to explode the closer I got to the customer. I had always felt like this whenever Sunhee was around me, and I was sure that I stopped having that kind of reaction when she left.

As I got closer, my hands almost gave up and I didn't care if these two cups of drink be shattered on the floor.

I regconized those sneakers ! That's the same with the pair I was wearing right now. It would be okay if it's in different color, but, it's a black one, with neon shoelaces ...

"Junhong, why you keep staring at my back like that ?" - her voice, oh gosh, please tell me that I was dreaming. It's her voice, my girl's voice.

I thought she could feel my gaze on her side profile but thought that I was Zelo instead. Of course, she didn't want to meet me, why should she think of me ?

"Sunhee-ah ...". My voice cracked, I barely had that much of energy to call her name. My little source of power after running around the shop for the last three hours was out of my body as soon as I saw her. I couldn't see her face, but I swore she was still that beautiful, still sweet and boyish at the same time.

Who else gonna wear a neon tee with black jeans along with those sneakers on a winter day ? I wanted to grabbed her shoulders and scolded her for wearing something so not right in winter, what if she caught a cold ? What if she was sick and no one would be there to take care of her ? But then again, I knew I had no right to think like that, she was a happy-spirited, she had friends surrounded her, and I ddn't want to mention, but a lot of guys wanted to be with her. I am jealous. I still do even though she was not mine anymore.

She stopped playing with her phone and I swore my heart stop beating at the moment she turned around and met eyes with me.

I was expected a surprise look and some scowling on her face. Wasn't it funny that I told her to not appear in front of my eyes before but now I was the one doing that thing ?

Sunhee was still the same, her long, black hair was still put aside of her shoulder, she never put make-up on, and she still shined the most in my eyes.

She was always hyper, always jumping around whenever she saw me. I wouldn't be surprised if she shot up and ran out of my reach once again. But, she was Sunhee after all, that caring and thoughtful girlfriend of mine.

"Yongguk" - the way my name rolled off her tongue was like toxic, I felt sick to the bottom of my heart. Guilty washed over me and my heart began beating faster for her.

She smiled at me. Wait, what ? Did she just smile at me ? Was I dreaming ? Was anyone else behind my back and trolling me ?

"I'm sorry for appearing again", she started, and my foot were rooted on the ground as she stood up. No, no, no, no, you couldn't leaving me again.

But once again, I was suprirsed by her move. She took the tray off my hands and placed it down on the table. She sat back down and turned to face me with her old, breathtaking smile. "I will leave if you don't want to see me again after a year", she murmured.

I shook my head, no words were able to fly out of my froze lips. Don't leave me, I wanted to say those three words so badly.

She chuckled at my attempt to tell her to stay. At her expression, I knew she understood my mind, she always knew, she was the only could understand me without me talking.

"What about having a little talk ? Your americano may want to have my cappuchino as a friend", she beamed softly. I was having a hard time to move, but just the thought of losing her again, I forced my legs to approach her.

I sank down on the seat opposite her, my legs unconsiously stretched out and my sneakers stepped on her. Sunhee glanced down and I could tell her face lit up like a little girl. "You still had them", she smiled, gazing at our couple sneakers, couple shoelaces.

I found myself after that question. I couldn't be a coward anymore, I needed to tell her how much I had been missing her, how much I loved her, and how much I wanted us to be together again.

"I'm sorry, kitten", I wondered if she could hear my low, husky, yet small voice.

My wonder was answered quickly after that she lifted her gaze up, meeting my anticipating eyes. Her eyes softened then teared up a little. I wanted to wipe those tears away, I had promised to never bring tears to her eyes.

"Tiger, it's not your fault. It's mine, I was a liar, I kept the truth about Kiyoung for so long, and I deserve to everything that happened to me", she spoke, clearly and straightly. That's her way of blaming herself, but it's always give me a feeling that I was at fault, not her. She never blamed anyone on anything, it's always her who accepted everyone's mistake.

"Where were you ?", I couldn't help but to ask that question. I wanted to know how she was doing without me, if she was also in depression and also missed me as much as I missed her. I hoped she did, because after all, I am selfish.

"Um, I can't tell you ...", she looked away, sipping on her drink.

"When did you come back ?", I asked again, my eyes never left her face.

She sighed, playing with her fingers, "Few days ago ..."

"Where are you staying ? Kiyoung is not here, he is on the go to Hongkong for his soccer championship", I made sure to keep track of everything, and anything that related to Sunhee, in hope to know at least where she was, but now she was here, right in front of me, but refused to tell me even a little thing.

She looked up abruptly into my eyes, guilt flashed throught her eyes and I was worried sickly, I didn't even want to listen to her answer now as I could feel my stomach churned together.

"I am staying with him", her head turned and I heard the sound of swinging bell on the shop's door. A few guys stepped in and I felt like the whole world had crashed into my head as I saw who was coming.

Him ?

Why him ?!

Comment, anyone ?

Oh, and do you have any idea about who is Him ? =))