Instead of the cold, bitter winter winds clawing at his face, the spring breeze caressed his face. March was mid way done, April was just around the corner. Despite the warm weather and sun shining down on him, he felt awfully cold. The spot beside him was empty, as it continued to be for the past two weeks. Instead of a sassy voice and small smile keeping him company, all he had for company was the occasional car honks and a bright sun.

They haven’t met for almost two months now.

Sehun sat there, his knees bobbing up and down, a box balancing on his lap.

Leaning forward, he craned his neck as he looked behind the corner. He didn’t see her. Sighing, he slumped back in his seat. His hands wrapped around the box on his lap and he opened it. Inside were paper cranes carefully laid within the box, ranging from pastel bakery papers to random black and white receipts. Smiling, he picked up a coffee stained paper crane.

Sehun had made a silent promise to her that no matter what he was doing or where he was, he would fold a single paper crane regardless of the situation. And it just so happened that day that he was sitting in the airport’s coffee shop with the only paper eligible enough to fold a crane was a receipt. Which he may or may not had spilled his iced macchiato over.

Setting it back into the box, he glanced around him for a sign of her. Not a sign of her witty mouth or dazzling smile. Nope, nothing.

Sighing for the umpteenth time that afternoon, he gently placed the lid back on the box. Just as he was about to get up and leave, an elderly woman stopped in her tracks for a moment’s time. It seemed like she was going to keep going but surprisingly, she stopped. 

He watched as the elderly woman walked up to him. “You’re that brat that can dance from that huge boy group under Lee Soo Man, right son?”

Sehun had to sniffle back a laugh at the women’s description of him. Well, that was one way to call him. Nodding, he made a small bow to her. He may have been a brat but that didn’t mean that all of the manners that his mom had taught him went out the window.

"You wouldn’t happen to be looking for a girl for the past couple of weeks have you?" The woman asked. 

Immediately his lips curled up into a bright smile.

At the sight of Sehun’s bright expression, the elderly woman laughed. “So you’re him then.” She laid on his shoulder, grasping it lightly. “She’s been sitting at that exact same spot you’ve been sitting at for the past two months. I thought she was waiting for a bus but after countless of buses passing this track, she never got up. She remained rooted in her seat. That’s some waiting you made her do, son.”

As the words of the woman reached his ears, his heart began to clench uncomfortably in his chest. Glancing over at the spot next to him on the metal bench, his lips were quickly turned upside down. 

If only the stupid tour hadn’t happened, he would have been here about an month earlier… 

"You’re probably wondering where she is aren’t you?" 

Turning his attention back to the woman in front of him, he nodded. 

The response that he got back from the woman made his heart clenched even further as his breath was locked in his throat. The slight smile that the elderly woman had her lips became sad as she shook her head. 

"Time was certainly not in your favor son." Looking at him dead in the eyes, she told him, "And I don’t think it’ll ever be."

Quietly, the women reached into her purse and pulled out a small piece of paper. It was the golden chocolate paper. Placing it into his palm, she gripped his hand tightly. Smiling sadly, she wished him, “I hope luck is on your side. For the both of you. If not, I’ll pray that time will at least be on your side.”

Without another word, the woman simply shook her head and withdrew her hand from his grasp. 

He didn’t trust himself to look at the wrapper in his hand until the silhouette of the woman disappeared into the afternoon’s sun. Bracing himself for the worst, he allowed himself to look down at the gold paper.

—-

It was an address. 

An address written in small letters; beautiful handwriting in comparison to his atrocious one. 

It was an address of a local hospital.

Just like deja-vu, Sehun sat there as the spring breeze danced around him. Instead of a cold metal bench, this time it was a relatively warm wooden bench beneath a tree. Around him, instead of car horns blaring and buses polluting the air with its exhaust, nurses talked quietly to their patients as they pushed them around in wheelchairs. The only color present in the courtyard were the scrubs of the nurses. They looked like a giant, big fat unicorn threw up all over them. The nurses looked like disco balls compared to the white gowns of their pale patients.

It was then that a single brightly colored beanie caught his attention.

He watched as the girl with the bright beanie exchanged a few words with the nurse pushing her wheelchair. After what seemed like a small quarrel between the duo, the nurse seemed to back down unwillingly and allowed the girl to wheel herself. 

Her slender fingers wrapped themselves around the wheels of the wheelchair as she pushed herself forward with much effect. Her cheeks were flushed by the time she got pass the first corner of the courtyard.

Tilting her head, she looked back at the nurse with a triumph smile on her pale lips. “See, I told you I was more than capable than pushing myself.”

Sehun knew that sassy tone anywhere. 

Without another thought, Sehun rose to his feet. Before he could take another step towards her though, her witty mouth opened. “Oh no, don’t you even dare minister. You’re going to sit that booty of yours back down on that bench.”

When he didn’t make any move into obeying her command. She sent him the most piercing glare he had ever seen. It would have put Kyungsoo’s to shame. “Oh Sehun, brat, you better sit that booty right back down into that seat, you got it? Yes, I’m a patient but that doesn’t mean I’m render helpless.”

He didn’t bother following her orders until she had managed to reach his side. It was only then that he sat back down, but even then, his eyes lingered on her for a bit longer.

Her cheeks were completely flushed now, some strands of her hair sticking to her forehead. Her lips were pale, almost white against her flushed skin. Her eyes were dull but unlike the last time he saw her, there was a subtle spark to them. Her hair was even shorter now, it was a pixie cut. 

One thing that definitely did not change one bit was that she was still incredibly beautiful. 

"I missed you."

Those were the first words that he had spoke to her. By the drop of her easy smile, he bet they weren’t ones that she was expecting. Not by a long shot.

She was silent.

He wasn expecting her to not say anything anyways.

Reaching for the box that sat beside him, he laid it on her lap.

The glance that he got from her was one of confusion. Her eyebrow rose as her brows knitted together but she didn’t say anything. Rather, she decided to find the answer for herself. She opened the box.

Slowly, her fingers reached inside and picked up one of the paper cranes. She twirled it around her fingers for a while before picking up another one.

Sehun decided to allow her examine the cranes in silence as he leaned back in his seat. Pulling out a pink piece of paper from his pocket he began to fold it in steps that were all too familiar to his hands. 

It was only when that he heard a slight sniffle coming from her that he decided to avert his eyes in her attention. Her eyes seemed a little teary and her nose a little red. 

"I missed you too brat…"

At her comment, his lips threatened to curl up into a smile. Not wanting to bother or associate himself with what he bet was going to be a mushy, cheesy topic if this conversation was going to continue down this track, he reached over to her. Brushing a few rebellious strands out of her face, he said, “Your hair got shorter.”

"No dip…," she was quick to retort.

Tucking those rebellious strands behind her ear, Sehun asked, “Why?”

Sehun may have been a brat and a idiot in some cases but he was not stupid. Although it was something that s had claimed he was. He knew why, he definitely did. But he just refused to believe it. 

"Are you kidding me?" 

"No." 

"Seriously?" Giving him a look, she asked, "Did you fall while you were on tour or something? I know you’re stupid but you can’t be that stupid.”

Shrugging, he ignored her sarcastic question. He decided to counter her with his own.

"Each time I see you, your hair gets shorter. If you keep this trend going, I’m bound to have longer and more luscious hair than you. Maybe I’ll take Chanyeol’s old, long hairstyle into consideration."

She scoffed, a hint of a smile on her lips. “At the rate that you’re dying your hair, you’re bound to become bald in no time.” Looking up from her lap, her smile widened as her voice turned a little smug. “I bet you a cup a bubble tea that you’ll go bald before I do.”

Sehun was stunned at her daring yet sad bet.

Lifting her hand from her lap, she said, “Deal?”

When he didn’t make a move to shake her hand, she reached over and grabbed his hand. He wasn’t expecting how cold her hand would be. Her touch almost sent a shiver down his spine. They felt like ice in his hands. As the sad realization dawned on him, he returned her hold. Slowly, she clasped his hand with hers. Smiling, she shook it, signaling that the deal has been made.

"You better not go back on your word, you brat."

Sehun could only nod. His chest ached at the sight of her light smile; a smile that did not reach her eyes. The sparkle that he saw before was diminishing.

"Since I’m clearly going to win. My favorite is Chai Tea Bubble Tea. Remember that."

All that she got in response was a pink paper crane and a whisper of “I will.”