Minju POV

The wind started picking up and blowing pages all over the place, so we decided we should each go home. We got up and the wind blew my hair in a twenty two different directions, and did the same to Eunkwang’s blonde strands. I laughed at how he looked when he stopped to brush his hair out of his eyes. He pulled the hood of his jacket over my head.

I put my hand over his. He stuck our intertwined fingers in the jacket pocket, making him walk with his side touching mine. Can he hear how rapidly my heart is beating right now?

We were walking down an empty street as the wind was gradually getting stronger. It got to the point where I stopped walking and just stood there bear its stinging force. I felt a warm mass encircle me and two arms clasp themselves around me back. I hugged Eunkwang right back, my face buried in his chest. The wind stopped but Eunkwang was holding me still. Instead of trying to fight it, I held him too. We slowly pulled apart and I turned a smile to Eunkwang. He looked down at me and smiled, we laughed, still holding each other.

He brought his lips down to mine and brought me closer to him. His lips were chapped because of the wind and cold for the same reason, but I wrapped my arms around his neck anyway and deepened the kiss a little. I smiled into the kiss.

I can’t believe this. I’ve spent so many years crushing on this guy, and here we are now. I never thought I’d be involved with him ever. He just seemed so far off; like we came from two different worlds with different rules. Turns out he’s not too different from me.

I started to break the kiss, but Eunkwang sensed what I was doing and pulled me to him to signal that wanted to keep it going for a little longer. My arms slide down to his sides and he broke the kiss, but he didn’t pull away. He put his forehead against mine and smiled.

Eunkwang POV

“Wow.” I breathed. “That.” I breathed again. “Was really good.”

Minju raised an eyebrow. “Only really good?” I threw my head back and laughed.

“Okay, okay. That was amazing. You’re amazing.”

 Minju smiled. “Yea, I know.”

“Yah!” I laughed and so did she.

“I’m kidding.” She grabbed my hand. “C’mon let’s go home. Today I’ll walk you home.”

“Why?”

“You always walk me home. Let me walk you home this time; a change in routine once in a while is good. Such a thing never hurt anybody.”
“Why do you always have to be right?”

“Because I’m amazing, you said so yourself.” That teasing smile was back. I held out my arm to her and she hooked her right arm through. It felt good to have her so close to me. She put her head on the upper part of my arm and we walked like that. It felt good, natural in a way.  I couldn’t help but smile.

“Minju-yah.”

“Hmmm?”

“If you were to choose, would you sleep on an island surrounded by shark infested waters for a week or try to ride a tiger?”

“I’d prefer to sleep on the island.” To my surprise, she didn’t even pick her head up to give me a puzzled look. “Sounds less dangerous. You?”

“Ride a tiger since it sounds like and adventure.”

“Yea, what a great adventure you’ll have on your way to death.” Her head stayed in place in my arm.

“I’d send you a postcard after it’s all over with.”

She laughed.

“Ok your turn.”

“Hmmmmmmmmm. Ok. Would you rather wear sweaters all your life or wear a leather jacket all-year round.”

“Both choices sound like you’d overheat. What kind of sweaters?”
“Any kind, it just has to be sweater.”

“I’d rather wear the jacket; make people think I’m tough.”

“I’d rather wear the sweaters. They cover you and they feel cozy.”

“A leather jacket could be cozy too.”

“Let’s see how that goes over when winter comes and your jacket fails to provide you with warmth.”

“I’d still look tough.”

“You’d look like an idiot who can’t dress to protect himself from the weather.”

“Same thing.”

She laughed suddenly and loudly.

“What?” I asked her while trying to hold back a laugh.

“That’s so mean.” She replied, finally looking at my face. In the past weeks that we’ve been together, I found out that Minju could be stingingly sarcastic and could go along with jokes more often than not. I would be mistaken to stick with this shy, timid impression I got from her when we first started talking.        

I don’t have to explain what I say to her or apologize for anything that doesn’t sound particularly nice. I don’t have to censor what I say, in a lot of ways. I don’t have to worry about if she won’t understand and if I’ll end up looking like an idiot. Even if I do end up looking stupid in front of her, Minju will just along with it-like she doesn’t expect me to live up to some unknown standard.  It feels natural talking to her.

I could see my house come into view. Evidently, Minju saw it too because she tried to give me the jacket again. I put my hands on either of her arms.

“I’ll get it later, promise.” I assured her. “Keep it today. Wear it with you. You can return it tomorrow.” She stared at me, hesitating.

“Okay.”

We kept walking and I tried to slow my steps.

“Oooh! Let me go greet your mother, she was so nice!” I smiled at her.

“That’s nice of you, but she went into the office today and won’t be back until about 8:00 or so. But I’ll tell her you said hi.”

“Tell your dad I said hi too.”

“I will.” I stopped walking, turned to Minju, pecked her lips really quickly, then ran up to my house, giving her surprised but smiling face a quick wink before going inside.

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Yay an update! Fianlly! It was worth wating for though, right? ;)