Unveiling beauty " Ambw"

When life calls you

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Ki pov 2012

A time existed when our laughter bounced along the convoluted veins of Los Angeles' highways. The memory of it all was vivid and painted with the vibrant colors of the neon signs, the sound of people filling up their cars with convenience store gasoline, and the smell of street food.

We chose to skip school together maybe three weeks before graduation and had just returned to the car after looking at some items at a thrift store which Nani insisted on.

When we were in there all she did was gaze about: "Ki, be serious," Nani admonished, her brows knitted together in a faux stern look, but the gleam in her eyes gave her away. We were haggling over a vintage film camera that she'd spotted in one of the shops.

"Come on, Nani. It doesn't even work," I countered, trying not to smile at her enthusiasm. "Do you even know how to use one of these?"

"No, but I can learn. Plus, it's beautiful, don't you think? There's history in it," she replied, cradling the camera lovingly.

"History, huh?" I teased, earning an elbow in my side.

"Don't mock me, Ki Seong-Ho. I bet you wouldn't know a good camera even if it bit you in the... Ow!" she shrieked as I tickled her.

Laughing, we stumbled into each other, earning amused glances from the passersby watching two teens in catholic school uniforms misbehave.

"Okay, okay, I surrender," I chuckled, holding up my hands in defeat.

"I knew you'd see it my way," Nani grinned, triumphant.

"You are impossible," I sighed dramatically, rolling my eyes.

"Impossible, but you love me anyway," she retorted, her eyes returned to the camera in hand.

Caught off guard, I looked at her, her laughter still singing in my ears, her eyes so full of life. I realized then that she was right. I did love her. We walked back to the car by then. After I sat deep in thought, I found myself saying the words I'd been too afraid to say.

"I do, Nani. I love you."

For a moment, she seemed surprised, and then her face broke into a radiant smile. "About time, Ki. I love you too."

The city lights shone a little brighter that night, or maybe it was just the joy of finally confessing our feelings for each other on such a level. She pulled out a box of pocky from her bookbag a short moment later.

"Hey, Ki," Nani said, her eyes fixed on me. "Have you ever played the pocky game?"

I quirked an eyebrow at her. "The pocky game?" I asked, feigning ignorance. "What's that?"

Her lips quirked up into a sly grin. "Don't pretend you don't know," she said, her tone playfully scolding.

"I truly have no idea what you're talking about," I insisted, unable to keep the smile off my face. She laughed then, her eyes lighting up with amusement.

"Oh, alright," she said, pulling a pack of pocky from her bag. "Here, I'll show you."

She held out a stick of pocky to me. "Each person takes an end of the pocky in their mouth," she explained. "Then, they eat towards the middle without using their hands. The first person to pull away loses."

"And if neither pulls away?" I asked, already knowing the answer but wanting to hear her say it.

She blushed, but her gaze didn't waver. "Then...well, you can figure out the rest."