Kris and SooYoung started to see each other frequently, Tao and Gabi were always dragging them alone when they went out, Gabi gave SooYoung all the right excuses to take her out of home and Tao just needed to whine and Kris would follow him... 

First they went out for pizza and that became their habit, every Friday night they would go out together to eat, sometimes they would go for sushi and sometimes for hamburgers, SooYoung and Tao didn't really like healthy food and since they were the loudest ones out of them four, Gabi and Kris had to give in just to make them shut up. 

Kris and SooYoung's friendship was growing stronger after hanging out a lot, and they were already comfortable enough to annoy each other. It was like a competition to see who wins by pissing off the other the most, but of course, Kris was always the biggest winner of every single night, after a whiny pouting SooYoung punched his arm and turned her back at him saying she was going home plenty of times. 

Kris got to know about SooYoung's fears and aspirations, as she tried to get him to talk about his frustrations and future plans... But somehow he always made her talk about herself more than to make her listen to him. After learning that he was very reserved, SooYoung tried to not pressure him, because she knew herself how it was bad when people ask for something you can't give them, so in the right moment, she believed he would open up about every single detail of his life, she just needed to patient. 

They talked about the incident where Kris had to take her to the hospital, and after understanding why, he made a spontaneous promise to her. 

"Whenever you feel like you're unable to breathe, you call me and I'll be there for you." 

She didn't understand why, but that promise kept wandering inside her mind and every single day before she went to sleep she reminded herself of that, she could even listen to his voice... It was like a permanent ink that could never be erased from her heart. A goofy 1,87cm tall was going to be there for her. 

It was strange, as closer they got the more she wanted to back off. He was always too nice, too kind, too gentle, too goofy and sometimes too serious. He was mysteriously funny and the more she spent time with him the more she wanted to make that last forever... And just the need to make it last was a warning, she was going to get hurt, she should stop it before it was too late. 

She was addicted to his presence, and she was becoming dependent on someone else other than her mother... SooYoung thought that nothing good would come from that, so she tried to refrain her needs to talk to him, text him, to see his smile and ask if he was okay or if he had eaten but for the very first time, her brain failed her. 

Even if every single inch of her conscious mind yelled "stop right there, don't you dare to take another step", she kept on going and walking through the path of life that lead to him and his tall presence. He was good for her, and she wanted to be good for him.

Kris didn't seem to be bothered by her lame jokes and her childish side, but he was not very happy about one habit she suddenly got used to: The need to 'protect and take care' of him. It was annoying to him to have a half inch 18 years old girl on his track always telling him stuff and ordering him to do this and that, and the worst: He always obeyed. At the end of the day he ate, brushed his teeth after eating, took his 10 minutes rest and tried to sleep as much as he could [which didn't consist of much time] just because she was always checking up on him. He felt comfortable about their relationship, even though he didn't really know what kind of relation that was. He was 100% sure that a friend wouldn't care that much about his schedules and wouldn't be yelling through texts at him just because he didn't sit for 10 freaking minutes during the day... That was odd, but he wasn't sure if he wanted to dig into a hole she wasn't ready to open up with him.
 

He knew he had a long way to go until he discovered all of her fears and needs, but as she was being patient about his own problems, he would be patient with her. Kris knew enough: she's had a tough life, both at home and out of it, people had hurt her really bad, not the type you can cure by giving some hugs and much love... The type only time and courage could heal, only herself could have that powered. But in his hands he cared the decision to not be like her father, or like the other people who made she suffer... He wanted to be good for her, a friend or whatever he could be. 

~~~~

Kris and SooYoung didn't need to wait for Tao and Gabi to see each other now, they could pretty well communicate without any help from others and they seemed to be stupid enough to make plans who never really worked. Someone always got hurt. 

They went to play paintball and Kris ended up with a huge cut on his leg after falling to prevent SooYoung from breaking an arm after slipping on a lot of paint on the floor. He laughed, but she cried. 

The other night they decided to sing at a karaoke to relax from all the stress both were going through when Kris decided to drink a little (way too much) and decided they should go to the roof of the place... They had a nice talk while staring at the stars, until he realized he needed to pee and asked for SooYoung to go back inside the place, while both were on the stairs, Kris lost his balance and SooYoung tried to steady that giant little drunk baby... Her plan worked, for him. Because then she was the one who fell off the stairs, fortunately he was way too drunk to worry too much and because of that she was glad he wouldn't make her go to the hospital. 

They forgot why they were stressed about for the rest of the night and they both had the best laugh they could have had in a very long time.

Before they could count, three months have passed since they met for the first time and now they seemed to be used to each other's company... Way more than they should, way more than they were going to let each other know. 

~~ 

After falling off the stairs on the night before her big interview, SooYoung was a little hurt, but nothing could stop her at that point. She was scared, anxious, but very determined... She needed the job. SooYoung believed that if you truly wish something, it can become real... If you give the right thought on the right thing and keep your mind concentrated on one particular wish, all the good energies surrounding the person will help. She was not losing hope even if she spent the last whole month looking for something and finding nothing.

She got up really early on the big day, her stomach betraying her didn't let SooYoung eat anything, even though she wanted to. Her mind was a little dizzy and her heartbeats faster than normal, but she needed to calm down, if she wanted to do great on the interview, she needed to get her mind straight and focus on answering everything right. 

SooYoung was suffering a lot without having her mother to help her with these big things, she was always dependent, and now she needed to do everything on her own, even if she had someone to take her mind off of her problems at the night, when the sun was back in everything came back as well. For most people being independent is something to be proud of, something people truly wish and expect as they grow up... But SooYoung never wished to grow, nor to be independent. She always thought that living with her mother was the right thing to do, she could go travel around the world but then come back to her mother's house. SooYoung's fears were bigger than her at that time, and she couldn't lean on anyone else. 

After getting ready, well dressed and after taking a really deep breath, she entered her friend's car and went to the interview. All the way there, she repeated to herself "I'm going to be great, I'm going to get the job" endlessly. 

After a 15 minute's ride, she was there, the car parked right in front of the clinic and she seemed to not be able to move an inch. Her anxiety taking the best of her again... But her friend knew better and didn't even dare to ask how SooYoung was feeling. 

"It's okay, you're gonna be great." Gabi said looking at her a little worried. 

"I will try, at least." SooYoung half smiled, trying to regain the confidence she lost a long time ago. 

"You still have a few minutes, so just wait here and get ready. I'm going to take a walk around and when you're prepared, get out of this car and go." Gabi gently said, understanding how SooYoung needed sometime for herself to calm down. 

After listening to Ed Sheeran, and trying to breathe properly, SooYoung's phone vibrated and she was surprised by the name appearing on the screen. 

I've heard you're going to do a job interview today... Good luck ^-^ - Kris. 

It shouldn't be a big deal. It really shouldn't have had any effect on her, but she felt something... She felt how her stomach ached in a good way and how her lips involuntary curved forming a smile on her face. Her heartbeats were still increased, but now it was for a good reason. 

Instead of giving much thought to what she felt, she answered quickly before getting off the car. 

Thanks, Kris... If I get the job, I'll buy you some snacks. Gtg now. - SooYoung. 

Okay, tell me the news after you're done. I'll be waiting for only good ones :p - Kris. 

I hope so. - SooYoung. 

I believe in you... Just go for it. And remember, if you can't breathe, just think about how stupid a look fighting an imaginary dragon after drinking too much. I know I was hilarious. :') - Kris. 

It was odd how she suddenly felt confident again... It was like, he said what she needed to 'listen'. SooYoung was never the type to fall for something silly, but that guy was really something else. All his gestures were kind, he was extremely well mannered and his smile was the highlight of all his features. When he smiled she asked herself why someone had to be so beautiful. 

It was odd how he was always appearing or sending texts to her out of nowhere, but always on the exact right time she was needing it... It made she feel like there was a trick of destiny surrounding her, but even if she was about to fall into a trap, she wanted to keep walking towards it, because she wanted to know Kris better, she wanted to repay him for all his kindness and wanted to thank him for all the right words and encouragement he sent her, even though he wasn't aware of how she was needing it, she still felt like she needed to make sure he understood how helpful he was for her on those past few months. 

He was being her light at the end of the darkest tunnel... And he had the right to know it.

***TO BE CONTINUED***