Winter Hearts

Sightline

That morning Leo had awoken with a start, feeling as if he had missed the bus, and missed his chance to finally see Siana.

He got up and got ready quickly, needing to get things in order before they got started. He packed a day pack for himself and took on the role of making breakfast for the boys.

He could see N and Ravi were hovering, keeping an eye on him as he moved around the kitchen making eggs and instant coffee. He eyed the gas burner and little pot and vowed he would learn to make greek coffee before he left.

He felt better than he did the day before, and almost optimistic that maybe Siana would be happy to see him and speak to him. He would speak to her somehow or other today, and if he couldn't do it during their trip he would seek her out as soon as they got home.

Talking to Ravi had put some things into perspective for him. Although he hadn't definitively said so, he got the feeling that Ravi wanted him to be happy, and if that meant being with Siana despite the odds... then so be it.

When Ravi had said, "How could you stay away?" it had hit home for Leo.

It was the essence of his dilemma. It was where the opposite forces of his heart and mind found some common ground. Both would agree that he could not stay away.

Despite wanting to keep her safe from harm, despite wanting to spare her a future that wasn't carefree, that wasn't this holiday, that wasn't private and precious - he felt that he was gravitating towards her with gathering force, and that at some point, she had felt that too.

All he had to do today was to find out if she still felt the same, even when he had acted so badly towards her.

He arrived at the car to find Min Seok was warming it up. He took the front seat, wanting to give Siana choice and space when she arrived. As the boys came wandering down the stairs with Joonie, he felt the atmosphere was good, even though anticipation kept him on edge.

Siana came out a few minutes later, her appearance heralded by Hongbin. He stopped himself from looking directly at her, thinking that he might seem overzealous, instead giving her a moment to greet the others. He saw that her snow boots were calf-length and had a rim of black fur around the top of them. Her leggings were thick but he could see the definition in her muscles as she walked, and that her legs were slim but had that elastic grace that dancers and athletes had.

He felt a stab of jealousy that one of those legs had been clinging to Ravi just yesterday. What a fool I am that these are my thoughts, he thought to himself. A fool to be envious of Ravi, a fool to have let her go, a fool to allow her to make me wait for so long.

He should have fixed everything as soon as he could.

If he had had his head about him back then, maybe he would have. But his mind overcame him with doubts and anticipation of bad things happening that had not even happened. But of course, things that were clear to him now, seemed a distant possibility then. Now, he wanted to fix things as soon as he could.

He looked up to find he had missed her gaze, and she had already turned to enter the car.

As they drove off, he realised he had a clear view of her in the rearview mirror, and he sneaked a look at her as she laughed at Ken. When she caught him at it, he knew he made her uncomfortable, so he tried to keep himself out of the sightline.

It was only later when all the cheer and excitement had died down, that he ventured another peek at her, to find her looking out of the window with a wistful smile. Whatever she was thinking, it was both sad and happy and made her beautiful.

He wished she would look at him, and when she did, it was as if she had answered his wish, as if she were seeking out his gaze. In that moment he knew that she was ready to hear whatever he had to say, and it made his heart race.

In Arachova they got out to swap drivers, stretching their legs briefly. Leo watched ahead as Joonie drove carefully up the now narrow road. Siana now sat right behind Joon so that she could guide him.

They had taken the final stretch of road which went straight up to the launch point. They were now at the highest vantage point with the view of the sea before the road would turn inland towards the mountain. The noonday sun was bright and illuminated the valley of dark green olive trees below under a misty haze that hung above them, giving the air a glinting quality.

Siana leaned forward, pointing out an area that had been covered with gravel.

"This is the launch point. But we will have lunch first. We have to hurry, because afternoon winds could be high. We need to start before 2pm. Just follow the bend and we'll stop at the first shop."

As they approached the gravelled area, Leo saw the road turned sharply to the right around a corner of the mountain face. As they followed the bend, everyone gasped in awe.

From being on the edge of a cliff, they were suddenly travelling on flatland, a plateau that was grey with stone but covered with a thin layer of soil and pure green grass.

The plateau stretched for about two or three kilometres, and when their eye travelled to the end, they saw that they hadn't even begun to approach the full height of the mountain. A forest of pines covered the base of the granite that rose out of the plateau like a monolith, and the fine mist that was in the air thickened into a fog further up.

In the plateau, were chalet resorts and sparse housing, and along the main road were dotted eateries and ski supply retailers.

Siana signalled to Joon to park at the first eatery they saw. As they clambered out, they could smell the meat on the grill already. Siana smiled.

"Panos made sure they would be ready for us," she said. Suddenly she waved at the little blonde lady that came out the front door and skipped over to give her a hug.

Leo heard her speak in Greek, her voice lilting with the gentle rise and fall of their chatter.

The boys watched her go in, happy to see a familiar face.

"Does she know everybody in this strange land?" Hyuk asked, staring dreamily out into the distance.

The boys chuckled as they followed in after her.