A/N: I am back with another chapter for this fanfic ! Some of you might have already guessed what that object was, kind of a spoiler x) Embrace yourselves for some really cheesy mushyness near the end ! Sorry for that :/ Anyway, hope you'll enjoy & thanks for subbing to this fanfic you guys ! :D

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Yoseob’s POV

Doojoon had given me the Polaroid picture of me and Aerin – I was bandaging the wound on Aerin’s finger after she got pricked by a splinter – that was taken by a photography student on the day of my 18^th birthday.  The girl’s comment swirled in my mind as I recalled her face saying it.

“You two make a cute couple!”

“Yah!”  I hadn’t realized that the corners of my lips pulled up to a mesmerized smile, until Doojoon snapped me out of my memory.  That day after the incident, I put the picture in Aerin’s bag because I was afraid to lose it, but I had forgotten to retrieve it.

“Why was this picture in Aerin’s wallet anyway?”  I asked.

“You pabo!”  Doojoon’s hand smacked the back of my head.  Though it wasn’t a hard hit, I complained and rubbed the area where he struck me.  “Can’t you tell that Aerin likes you?!”

His words surprised me, as if he had just suddenly slapped me across the face for no reason.  “What are you talking about?”

“Look,” he sighed, and I could tell that he was about to begin a pages-worth of explanation.  “I could tell Aerin has feelings for you.”

“Then why didn’t she just tell me that?”  I interrupted, which got Doojoon shooting me an annoying would-you-let-me-finish look.

“She’s scarred from what happened with Kikwang.  She doesn’t want to take that pain of falling for you because you’re being nice to her; then see you break her heart.  She’s afraid.”

“But I’m not going to break her heart.  I’ve only been trying to mend it.”  I defended myself.  Had this been the reason why Aerin was afraid to confess to me?

“Well then you have to show her!”  Doojoon stood up with intensity, which drove some sense into me.

Talking wasn’t good enough.  Actions speak louder than words.  My body automatically sat up and got off the bed to change.  I knew what I had to do.

Aerin’s POV

“Oh no!  Where is it?”  I didn’t realize that I was speaking my thoughts out loud while I walked around with my eyes staring at the floor nearby Yoseob’s house.

On the day I discovered Yoseob’s secret, I flew down the stairs to grab my bag before running out of his house.  When I got to the hospital, I noticed that my bag was opened the whole time, and my wallet was missing.  But not long after Doojoon met up with me at the hospital again, and returned my wallet – everything was in place, except for the Polaroid picture of Yoseob and me.  I asked Doojoon how he found it, and he said it was lying on the snow just outside of Yoseob’s house.

Poking around outside of Yoseob’s place, I was perching to get a clearer view of the driveway.  Not being bothered by the fact that the snow might have covered the photo, I just knew I had to find it.  Just when I was about to look into brush off some snow to seek for my picture, a familiar pair of shoes stood in my way, along with a voice so sweet that pierced my heart.

“Looking for this?”  The voice asked, sounding more like a confirmation than a question.

I stood up from my squatting position, and saw Yoseob holding up my missing object in his right hand.

“No,” I responded coldly, trying to hide the truth.  Just as I turned to walk away, his free hand caught my wrist and pulled me around so that he met my gaze.  His chocolate brown eyes were filled with hurt, which brought in guilt that made my heart squeeze.  I hated to see him this way – knowing that I caused him to be like this.

“Don’t lie to me, or yourself.  You know you like me, and I know that too!”  His tone sounded determined.  “I know why you’re acting this way.  You’re scared to get hurt again.”  Knowing that he saw right through me, a drop of hot liquid trickled down my cheek.  I just looked at the floor, hoping for my tears not to be visible.

“Aerin, I’m not going to be like Kikwang.”  Yoseob’s voice softened along with his grip, as he freed my wrist and laced his fingers through mine.  My head tilted up to meet his eyes, and they sparkled when his expression turned from anger to sincere.  “I like you, can’t you tell?”  He toned down his voice so much that it came out only as a whisper and mist – due to the cold weather.  “I did all those things for you, because I wanted you to be happy – not so you could owe me back.”

I was such an idiot!  Yoseob had been my guardian angel all this time – helping me when I was in trouble, shielding me from incoming storms, and always being there whenever I needed him.  I liked Kikwang because he cared for me.  But Yoseob cares for me because he likes me.  Another silver tear made its way down, as his right hand slid gently under my left jaw and my long brown hair – with the Polaroid photo still in his hand – and brushed away the droplet with the tip of his thumb.

“Let me protect you.  I won’t let you get hurt again; I promise.”  Yoseob’s lips curved up to a smile once I nodded at him.

“I like you.”  I smiled through my tears.  It sounded dumb the way I said it, but I had to let Yoseob hear what I’d wanted to tell him all along.

With our hands still intertwined, his smile widened.  Stepping closer towards me, he closed the gap between us.  With one smooth movement, Yoseob leaned in and brushed his lips against mine.  My heartbeat accelerated, feeling like my heart would jump out of my body any second.

Joh-ahae, Yang Yoseob ~