“Where do you want to go?” Jae Hee asked Jongup, the ice cream she was holding. They were walking down the street, thinking where to go.

“…….”

“Jongup.” Jae Hee turned to look at the man beside her.

She laughed, finding something in her bag. She wiped the ice cream that melted on Jongup’s hand.

“Jae!” Jongup sounded so surprised. Did he make a fool out of himself?

Jae Hee laughed. “Eat your ice cream already. Hurry! Hurry!” She walked ahead of Jongup.

Jongup stared at the girl walking in front of him and shook his head. He couldn’t stop looking at her. Not even when the ice cream was already melting in his hand. He hadn’t even felt the ice cream melting in the first place.

“Up! Are you not going to eat it?” Jae Hee came back to stand in front of Jongup. “Don’t let your money go to waste.” She stared hard at him, waiting.

Jongup started his ice cream. He laughed, not only because he felt like it. But also because that was the only way he could express the relief he felt when Jae Hee came back.

He thought she would not look back at him again. It’s funny, really. How absurd that idea must have sounded. He stopped the urge to grin despite of himself. It seemed like he can’t think right when he was with her.

“I know what I want to do.” Jae Hee grabbed Jongup’s hand, dragging him to where she wanted to go.

“Where are we going?” Jongup asked Jae Hee.

Jae Hee grinned. “Somewhere with a roller coaster.”

“Why?”

“What why? I’ve been stressed out these past few days. I want to play.”

Jongup took a peek at her, smiling.

Jae Hee covered her face with her hand. “Don’t stare at me. I have bags under my eyes.”

Jongup laughed loudly, taking her hand away from her face. He has been staring at her for some time now. Couldn’t she feel it? He couldn’t even take his eyes off her.

“Roller coaster!” Jae Hee pointed at the roller coaster, jumping excitedly.

Jongup laughed at how Jae Hee acted like a child when she saw the roller coaster. She really was serious when she said she wanted to play.

“Up! Hurry!” Jae Hee waved at Jongup. She was already lining up to ride the roller coaster.

“You really wanted to ride that?”

Jae Hee nodded her head vigorously.

“You might get dizzy.”

 “I won’t.” Jae Hee turned to look at Jongup. “Are you afraid?” Jongup hasn’t even started to shake his head when she started to drag him out of the line. “Let’s not ride that then.”

“Why are we getting out of the line?” Jongup stopped her, walking back to the spot they just left.

“Because you’re afraid to ride the roller coaster.”

Where did she come up with that conclusion? “I’m not.”

“Oh.” Jae Hee walked back to his side. “Okay. Let’s ride that then.”

“Are you still going to ride another ride in this park after that one?” Jongup leaned backwards, closing his eyes.

“Are you chickening out already?” Jae Hee asked Jongup, grinning.

 The roller coaster ride made him dizzy. But he sure as hell won't admit that in front of Jae Hee. Jongup stood up. “Who said so?”

“I’m kidding. I’m hungry.” She patted her stomach. “Up?”

“Let’s go there before having dinner.”

“What?”

Jongup pointed at a nearby stall that was laden with stuffed animal toys.

“Shooting?”

“Mm.”

-----------------

“I’m going to get one with just one shot.” Jongup boasted.

Jae Hee made an okay sign. “Shoot the bear.”

Jongup aimed for the bear and shot.

Failed.

Jae Hee groaned. “Try again.”

Jongup paid for another shot.

“I’m really going to get this one.”

“Fighting!”

Jongup shot once again.

And failed.

“That’s your second shot already.”

Jongup paid for another shot.

“It’s the last one. If I’m not going to shoot it, we’re going to eat dinner.”

Jongup shot once more.

And, “Aaaaaaaah!” Jongup and Jae Hee jumped up and down. Jae Hee ran in circles.

The store owner handed Jongup their prize. “Thank you.” He bowed at the owner.

Jongup gave Jae Hee the stuffed animal toy. It was a big brown bunny.

“Thank you.” Jae Hee hugged the bunny tightly.

“It’s not a bear though.” Jongup rubbed his neck.

“But it’s a big bunny though!” Jae Hee held the bunny at arm’s length, laughing. “It’s almost my size.”

“I’ll hold it for you.” Jongup slung the stuffed bunny on his back. “Do I not look like an idiot?” He asked Jae Hee, laughing at himself.

Jae Hee shook her head. “It suits you.”

Jongup couldn’t help it. He ruffled Jae Hee’s hair, laughing.  

“I’m so full.” Jongup laughingly patted his tummy. Forget about dieting. He wanted to enjoy dinner with Jae Hee fully.

“That’s because you ate much.”

“I’ve never eaten that much in so long.”

“Why? You’re not poor. You won’t even let me pay for what I ate.”

Jongup laughed. “Diet. And not letting you pay for what you ate is called being a gentleman.”

Jae Hee secretly smiled. Oh what to do with her rapidly beating heart? It was almost a wonder he did not hear it.

Then she straightened up, belatedly realizing something. “Diet? Why are you on a diet?”

Jongup just shrugged.

Oh. Was that the reason why he had such a muscular physique?

Jae Hee had not realized she was spacing out until Jongup nudged her. She widened her eyes and turned at him.

Jongup grinned at her. “Stop spacing out.”

And she did not utter even a single word. Because really, what can she say except that she’s delighted to be with him?

Jongup stood up from the stairs they were sitting. “I’ll be right back.”

Where could he be going?

He came back after a few minutes bringing sparklers. “Let’s celebrate the start of your winter break.”

“Arasso. Let’s celebrate.” Jae Hee stood up beside Jongup while he was lighting the sparklers.

Jongup handed her one lighted sparkler. “Wave it in the air. Like this.” And he did wave the sparkler he was holding in the air, forming shapes.

Jae Hee did the same.

“They’re pretty.”

Jongup turned to look at her face which was bright with her smile. His hand froze, heart hammering in his rib cage. He never thought he could look at a girl and be this mesmerized.

“You’re pretty.” He murmured.

Jae Hee looked at him, pushing his head to the direction of the lights. “You’re not even looking at the lights I was referring.” She chuckled.

I was looking at someone even prettier, he thought. He really would like to voice out that thought, but his eloquence seemed to have left him at the moment.

“Light some more.” Jae Hee broke his reverie.

Jongup lighted the sparklers and handed two to Jae Hee. Then, he stepped backwards and did some dance moves.

“Waaaah.” Jae Hee clapped in amazement. “You dance so well.”

“I do?”

“Mmmmm. I don’t dance that well.”

And they laughed in unison.

“But my oppas do.”

“Oppas?”

“Actually, I only have one older brother. But I call his friends brothers too. I grew up with them, and they really are like siblings to me.”

Jongup lighted the remaining sparklers and sat down. He patted the space beside him telling Jae Hee to sit down.

“Where are you going to spend your winter break?” He asked her, watching the lights emitted by the sparklers.

“I’m going home to the province.”

“Province?”

“Mmm. I live in Busan.”

“Just like.” He coughed. “You do?” He stammered. He almost said that Daehyun was from the same province too, but bit his tongue in time. Did she really not know him?

 Jae Hee laughed. “I do.”

“The accent is not there.”

“I’ve been in the city for quite some time.”

Jae Hee leaned back and looked up the sky. “There are many stars tonight.” She outstretched her arms to the sky, as if picking up the stars.

Jongup leaned back too and looked at her. He seemed to be doing more of that lately. He looked up at the sky. “Yes, there are many of them tonight.”

Tonight, with Jae Hee close to him, he felt really happy. He could not explain it but it seemed that the stars were shining brighter tonight.