She watched him as he ate heartwarmingly. He didn't even seem to notice. She found herself staring at him lovingly; his eyes that were looking at the food excitedly, his mouth that was chewing the food as fast as it could. She suddenly felt sad inside. How long has it been since that smile has been on his face? Did she really hurt him that bad? His mood change was the talk of the house when they went to his parents' place. His mom talked about how he had piled himself with work and how all he kept on doing was waking up just so he could live another day. Those things seemed so much far away from the Lee Min Ho that was sitting in front of her. Maybe they were right; she was the reason why. 

        "Ya! Am I that attractive and handsome?"

        She almost jumped out of her sit. "Aish. Way to scare people." She muttered, looking away. 

      "Ani! Way to creep out people!" He said, his mouth full. 

     "Ani! Way to disgust people!" She said, pointing at his mouth.

     He smirked. "What can I do? It's your fault. Shouldn't have stared at me." 

      "Chincha.." She smiled, shaking her head. His self confidence was always there. 

      "Yeah, really. At least, that's how you used to think 10 years ago."

     As soon as he said it, the whole room went in a deadly silence. Min Ho cursed himself silently for ruining the night. Shin Hye was bothered too, looking anywhere but at his face. 

       "I'll be back." Min Ho quietly said, looking down. Without giving Shin Hye a chance to respond, he got up and left the dinning table. 

       She could only look at him leave. She tried to eat but there was no avail. She had lost her appetite. Getting up, she put the dishes into the dishwasher. Then, she sat down, trying to think. It had been 30 minutes since he had left and he still was outside. 

      He had tried so hard to make tonight fun for her. She wasn't going to let him feel guilty any longer. Making up her mind, she poured two mugs of coffee. Then, she walked upstairs to pick up two blankets; it had to be snowing outside. When she was on her way to the balcony, she stopped by the couch. The lion pillow was still on there. She thought that it was cute, staring inecently at her. Therefore, she picked it up too.

         The freezing breeze grazed her face as she walked in with the coffees, blankets and the pillow. Min Ho was in his own world though, staring at the tall buildings in front of him as he was seated on a chair,  

       "It's cold!" Shin Hye exclaimed. 

       Min Ho turned around surprised and stared at her wide eyed. 

      "How in the world have you been sitting here with only that shirt on????" 

     "Shin Hye ya! What are you doing here? Go back! It's freezing!" He said, immediately getting up as he walked over to her. 

      Her stomach did a backflip as she heard his soft voice, calling her name. 

    "Ani! I like it here. See! I even have coffee and blanket! I have your talking pillow too!" She raised Fluffy. 

      Min Ho looked at Fluffy and back at her. Then, he looked down and silently walked over to the table in the balcony. She was confused but she wasn't about to let go. 

       She walked over happily and put down the coffee mugs. Then, she carefully put down Fluffy on the third chair as if it was a person. Min Ho looked at Fluffy with a strange look on his face and sat down awkwardly. 

       "Here, it's freezing." She handed him the blanket. 

      He didn't look at her direction. "I'm fine."

      "You said it yourself; that it's freezing. You're a human being too. There is no way that you're not cold." She said, insisting. 

     He looked at her. He had the same look that he had on earlier; lost but calm. It seemed like his eyes were desperately searching for something in her eyes but as if he couldn't find it, he just took the blanket and looked away. 

        Shin Hye sat down as well, smiling ear to ear. Then, she picked up the coffee and sipped. "Aren't you going to drink?" 

      He slowly looked at her direction as he touched the coffee mug. "Thank you." He softly whispered. 

     The smile vanished from her face. This wasn't the Lee Min Ho she knew. As if he could sense that she was bothered as well, he looked down quickly. His eyes reached Fluffy. He had to be cold. 

     She followed his eyes and reached Fluffy. 

     "Fluffy is probably cold.." He muttered under his breath.

    "Ohh! So his name is Fluffy?? Oh poor Mr.Fluffy! Come here!" She picked the pillow up and hugged it tight to herself as if trying to keep it warm. 

     Min Ho smiled at her sweet gesture. This girl.. This amazingly beautiful and loving girl, never failed to touch his heart. "Are you mocking me now?"

     She looked at him wide eyed. "No way! Mr.Fluffy is cold! How can I ignore that?" 

    Min Ho chuckled as he shook his head. Then he picked up the coffee and sipped slowly. 

      "I'm sorry.. For ruining dinner.." 

       Shin Hye looked at his sad face. She couldn't bother to see him like this. 

      "So, why do you talk to Fluffy?" She asked, trying to change the subject. 

     He looked at her strangely. Did she even hear him?

     "I said that I'm sorry." He repeated again. 

     "He's cute. I like his eyes." She smiled, trying desperately to ignore him. 

    "I said that I'm sorry!" He said harshly, a sense of hurt in his voice. It was so hard for him to talk about it. How can she just ignore his apology?

       "I know! That is why I'm ignoring it, because you did nothing wrong!" She finally gave up, raising her voice. 

      Min Ho closed his eyes and breathed in deeply. This was going no where near good. 

    She felt guilty soon afterwards. He was hurt for sure. His apology seemed sincere and she just ignored it. 

    "Because he's the only person that would just listen without judging me." Min Ho softly said. 

     "Ehh?" Shin Hye looked up confused. 

     "The reason why I talk to Fluffy. It seems crazy but I can only trust him because perhaps, he's not alive." He chuckled sadly, thinking how crazy he is sounding right now. He was expecting her to laugh at his face and ask him if he's joking but her reaction was nowhere near what he thought. 

       "You're right," she sighed sadly. "People tend to be so judgmental these days.." 

     He looked at her and his lips suddenly formed a smile. It was crazy. He was falling in love all over again. 

     "So, Fluffy, tell me. Do you approve of me , hanging out with that weirdo over there?" She asked Fluffy cutely. 

    He giggled at her cute face. "Probably not cause you called me a weirdo." 

     "Aish. But don't you agree with me Mr.Fluffy? He IS a weirdo!" She exclaimed. 

    Min Ho laughed. "I am. After all, I'm spending Christmas Eve with you, an even bigger weirdo than me!" 

     Shin Hye burst out laughing. "Jerk! I'm not a weirdo!" 

      "You are. You know it too dummy. After all, you're talking to a pillow!" He giggled. 

      "That's because SOMEONE who happens to be a weirdo as well is driving me nuts!" She smirked. 

      "Seems legit." Min Ho smirked as well. 

       Suddenly, a hard breeze hit them both, leaving Shin Hye frozen. "A..a..a..ish. It's freezing!" Shin Hye Shivered. 

       Min Ho got up immediately, walking to her side. "Here." He gentally put his own blanket around Shin Hye as she buried her freezing face into his leaning chest. 

      "What about you oppa?" She softly whispered.  

      His heart was set jumping as he heard her sweet voice. Slowly bending beside her, he smiled at her as she hugged Fluffy tight. 

      "Do you want to go in now?" He asked her gentally, brushing the strains of hair from her face. 

       Her heart started beating fast as he looked at her lovingly. "Ani." She shook her head. 

      "But what should we do? Now I'm cold so I need someone to snuggle with." He smiled. 

       Now, she was sure that her heart was beating out of her chest because he picked her up and sat down on a chair, placing her on his lap. 

      Then, he hugged her close, burying his face into her good smelling hair. "It's cold Shin Hye ya.." He whisperd affectionately into her left ear. She felt chills running down her spine and she was sure that it had nothing to do with the cold weather. She put her hands on his shoulders and hugged him tightly as well; the weather was cold. 

        "What is the question that you want to ask?" He whispered. 

       "What question?" She asked, leaning on his well built chest. 

      "Something's been bothering you the whole time and you never ask me it. Now it's the time or I'll tickle you." He said playfully. 

       "Fine!! Just please don't tickle me!" She pleaded. He was a tickling monster. 

      She slowly pulled away to look at his eyes. He looked back at her warmly. 

     "Where is Choco?" She asked carefully. 

     His warm eyes changed into a deeply sad expression. "She.. Got lost about a month ago.." He muttered, looking away. 

      Shin Hye didn't reply. 

      "I.. I took care of her for 10 years and one day, she was suddenly gone. There's no trace of her.." He continued. 

     Shin Hye slowly cupped his face as she turned his head around and looked at him deeply. He didn't dare to look at her though. 

      "She.. Was my everything.. This is why I ended up taking to Fluffy.. Cause otherwise, I would have died and and.." He stopped talking. He was emotional and he hadn't even realized. 

       It pained her heart to see him cry. It showed her how much he must have loved Choco.. And how badly she had hurted him by walking away; bad enough that he had lived through it thanks to a dog. 

       His eyes finally met hers as she wiped his tears. "I'm sorry.. I'm sorry for loosing her.." He says weakly. 

      She shook her head. "Don't apologize.. You're making me feel so inhuman and nasty. I was the one who left and tried to forget." 

        His heart calmed down when he saw her smile. She wrapped her left arm around his neck and hugged him tight as her right hand went through his hair gentally. 

       He rested against her shoulder as he closed his eyes. 

       His calm breathing made her smile even deeper. 

       It might have sounded crazy... But she was falling in love all over again. 

                             *************

I couldn't get my eyes off from her beautiful face.

She looked like an angel even when she was sleeping. 

I threw the covers on her and with one last look, I got up to leave. 

That was before she grabbed my arm. 

"Don't go.. Fluffy wants you here, sleeping next to him." She whispered pleadingly. 

I turned back and smiled. "Such stupid excuse." 

She smiled as I lay down beside her, under the covers with only Fluffy separating us. 

Suddenly, she moved over, picking up Fluffy. She put him on my chest as she hugged me tight and close like we were long time lovers.

"What are.." I started to say but I was immediately stopped by the sweet taste of her lips. 

She kissed me sweetly and slowly. I tried to remain frozen but my lips subconsciously moved over hers, tasting them desperately. The kiss lasted a few more seconds with my mouth, now dominating her soft lips as if I wanted to eat them. 

Then she pulled away. Her cheeks were bright pink but she was smiling. I looked at her shocked. "What.. Was..?" I tried to talk. 

"A thank you kiss. I appreciate your efforts today, jerk." 

Then she lay on my chest, hugging both me and Fluffy. "Sorry Fluffy. But you just had to see that." Then she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep but not before I heard her sweet voice again. "Good night jerk."

I smiled as I hugged her and Fluffy with my shaking hand and turned to left so now her face and Fluffy were buried onto my chest. Then I kissed her forehead as I close my eyes, smiling like an idiot. "Good night dummy."

 Yes, I was in love again....

...And Fluffy kept teasing me about it the whole night..