“Please…”

They were now outside of the car. After Mira gave him an excuse that she didn’t want to burden him, she got out of the lavish car, only to have him tagging along too.

“Please say yes, Mira usually do this, but—please just say yes..” he held onto her elbow.

This is hard for Mira. She feels that she still needs to thanks Soohyun for helping her out in the hospital. But the poor girl didn’t like the idea of going out with him.

What do I do..what do I do.. Kyuhyun wouldn’t like it if he finds out. Wait—why is Kyuhyun involved in this? Ergh. I’m a mess.

The guy in front of her let her arms go and shoved them into his own pockets. He retained his normal attitude and stood still. “I guess we can try again next time. Hmm?” he lowered his head to catch her eye contact.

“Yeah.. I guess..” she murmured, pretending to tuck her loose hair behind her ears.

“and put on a scarf or something,” he said, and reached for the collars of her shirt to wrap it a tad bit tighter around her neck. “It’s still cold. Ok?”.

He smiled in satisfaction. Finally, he gets to be the person he always wanted to be—caring, lovable, and warm. Other girls just didn’t draw this kind of feeling into him. With Mira, he feels that he could. He likes it when the lady lacks in certain elements, that’s where he gets to show his concern for them. Others he had dated are of the higher rank women with power. They didn’t like it when he does little things like ask them to wear a thicker sweater or drink lots of water. So, he feels contended that Mira allows him to do those kinds of things.

“Uh. Ok,” she said as she softly pushed his hands away and tugged on the collar herself, like she was afraid an insect was going to bite her or something. “Y-You better get going, Soohyun. Thank you for the ride,” she said, full of manner, but really just wanted to shoo him away.

He left after giving her that rare smile.

It was chilly.

But Mira stood in front of her house still, thinking about the reasons why she turned Soohyun down. Was it because I don’t have feelings for him. Or was it because of—

“You could have told me you were seeing him”

Kyuhyun?

She turned around, and there he was leaning against a tree, with folded arms, not far from where Mira stood. He came closer to her.

Mira saw he was wearing a hurtful look on his face. There was that frown she used to see.

“Why are you here? You have that session with sunbae tomorrow, don’t you?” she earnestly asked him, readjusting her backpack on her back, so that she could talk to him comfortably. She knew he must’ve seen her with Soohyun just now. She was sure the coming conversation was going to be an interesting one. She was prepared for it, sort of.

“Why are you with him?” he asked.

“Why are you here?” she asked.

“Are you going out with him?” he asked again.

“Did you just got here?” she asked again too.

“Are you dating him?” he provoked.

“No!” she finally answered.

A smile on his face was visible, while Mira looked away from him in irritation. She folded her arms in annoyance. This was exactly what she predicted. Kyuhyun saw Soohyun leaving just now, and being him, would easily assume that they are seeing each other. Just as I expected..

“Then what did he say just now? It looked serious..” he smirked at her annoyed expression, but then remembered seeing Soohyun shamelessly adjusted Mira’s collar. “Are you sure he’s not into you?” he asked, feeling  protective of her all of a sudden.

“Well,” Mira flipped the bangs of her hair. “Maybe. You never know..” she purposely said that with a hint of arrogance playfully, as she left him and head for the front door of her house.

“Yahh..yahhh..!” he hissed, not wanting to break the silence of the quiet alley. He grabbed hold of her backpack and pulled her back, just as she was about to open the door.

“Whaaatt?!” she hissed back, noting the distance left between them wasn’t that much, for Kyuhyun had pulled her forcefully and the petite figure of her sort of flung into his direction.

Kyuhyun felt his heart race. The last time they were this close, they were fighting about bigger issues, but this time, well yeah, still fighting, but more like bickering. It felt different, Kyuhyun thought. Feels nice.. honestly, he didn’t mind fighting or bickering with Mira, because if they didn’t, then that would mean that there is nothing for them to fight for.

He gazed into her eyes, which were furious just now, but mellowed the longer Kyuhyun gazed into it.

“But do you like him?” it came out almost as soft as a whisper—unsure of what her answer would be. It could be a positive, or a negative. People change in a blink of an eye. You just never know.

She acknowledged the palms of his hands were no longer on her bag, but had securely shifted to the side of her small waist. Kyuhyun was still in his working attire—his buttoned up shirt and the necktie that was in a messy way. Slowly, she dragged her hands, like she couldn’t stop herself. Adjusting the necktie, feeling the need she had to do it, not wanting anybody else to do it for him. She tugged the collar of his shirt so that they stood nice and symmetrical.

As she did before, the palms of her hands laid flat on the top of his chest to ease the soft crease. “I don’t like him, Kyu..” she finally answered him, avoiding Kyuhyun’s gaze. “Not in that way..”

If there was one thing she finds difficult doing was looking into his distracting eyes. She knew she would get lost in his gaze. It was like hypnotic. Once she looks into it, everything else seemed like it didn’t matter anymore. And she didn’t like the fact that she easily loses control of herself when that happens. Self-control seems foreign whenever he is close.

‘then don’t let him touch you like that..” he said, his hands grasping a little bit tighter on her waist, as if telling her that only he is allowed to. No other man could. Only him. “It was painful for me to sit back and watch just now ok..” he caressed the side of her blushing cheeks with the back of his fingers—making her flinch at the swift contact, but underhandedly yearning for more of his touch.

Can you imagine how fast Mira’s heart is beating at that moment? She just wants to snuggle into him and tell him that he shouldn’t worry about those crap, because her heart was full of him. But that would feel awkward, since they’re not in that kind of position to pour out feelings to each other.

Mira knew he was referring to the moment when Soohyun adjusted her collar for her. Only she was a bit taken aback by how Kyuhyun was affected, to the point that he had to mention it straightforwardly. Like, even that act of small gesture was enough to stir jealousy in him.

“D—do you want to come in and see Sehun?” she asked, slowly letting go of his grasp, and took a tiny step back from him.

She was shy. It’s just that at certain times, she just cannot stop herself from getting proximate with Kyuhyun, like she couldn’t resist him, that kind of effect.

“Can I spend the night here?” he jokingly with his dreamy gaze, to which she just laughed it off. “Is that a yes?”

“No!” she offered him a playful glare.

“I’ll come and pick you up tomorrow morning,” he announced.

“What? Aren’t you having that session with sunbae? Is it cancelled?”

Kyuhyun smiled, recognizing the girl in front of him is actually feeling excited about it—about going out with him. “Mhmm..” he nodded a simple answer. “Actually I plan to just surprise you..and Sehun..tomorrow. But—I had a feeling I should come here straight. So.. here I am.”

“You had a feeling?” she giggled, laughing at him having weird ideas. 

“Yes I had a feeling,” he felt slightly embarrassed, but happy to hear that addictive laughter he hadn’t heard for a while. “I always have feelings,” he proudly stated.

“Especially for you..”