Winter Hearts

No Time For More

Siana was a little surprised by her own reaction to seeing Hongbin. She had hugged him like she hadn't seen him for weeks. She realised she didn't just miss Leo, she missed all the boys. Seeing Hongbin was like seeing a friend who understood her as a comrade-in-arms, one who had been through her troubles with her, and seen her at her worst there.

She listened to him answering Min, and realised she had never really spoken to him about what he was looking for in his life. It amazed her how relative strangers could find an affinity for one another, even without knowing anything that would seem pertinent to understanding them - such as what they wanted for in love. She had found comfort in his gentle friendship, without really knowing him very well.

As she watched his interaction with Min, she realised he was handling Min's directness with ease, which made her think his strengths lay in interactions with people. He was an observer, a diplomat, and a critic, and on all points he exuded charm, which, as Min had so succinctly put it, made people want to stick their fingers in his dimples.

She thought back to her rather flippant comment that he wouldn't take kindly to a direct approach from Min. She guessed that she had underestimated him, and had mistook his gentleness for reticence. He seemed to hold his own very well with Min, who was blatantly staring at him.

She wondered if Min would ever consider a deeper relationship than the one she was possibly contemplating. Her question was downright cheesy, Siana thought, but designed to elicit a response that was more than just the answer that was required. She thought Hongbin negotiated Min's frontal assault quite deftly, which meant that he had much experience in handling situations like these. Siana saw him in a new light, as someone who may have much more going on underneath that cool and charming exterior than she had fathomed.

She realised Min was watching her, but kept her eyes on Hongbin as she sipped more retsina. She sensed a curiosity which led her to believe Min's interest about her friendship with Hongbin was piqued. She would love to clue Min in on just how lovely Hongbin truly was.

She watched him make room for the beer he had ordered. She reached for his hand and touched it briefly, to get his attention. He looked down to where her hand had been and then looked up at her with a kind of sweetness in his eyes that she hadn't noticed before.

"How come you are separate from the rest?" she asked.

"Oh, Kkomae wanted individual footage, and since I was having trouble playing with the others, he sent me off with this," he laughed, pointing to the camera in his lap.

"Excuse me, I'll be right back," Min said as she got up to go to the bathroom. Hongbin stood politely, elliciting a double take from Min, who Siana realised must have thought that his gesture was unnecessary or old-fashioned. He sat back down after Min walked inside.

"Min seems very nice," he said, taking a drink from his beer bottle and looking at Siana.

"Yeah, she's fun. She likes to party, no strings attached. Who would think we could be such good friends?" Siana laughed. Hongbin smiled politely.

"So you don't think you're that kind of girl?" he asked. Siana was a little startled that he would ask her such a question. She saw him immediately regret asking, wiping his hand over his mouth.

"Sorry, that's a bit personal, I didn't mean-"

"It's okay, we're close enough to ask these things I think." Siana saw his eyes widen briefly. She supposed people who had been through something together could afford to be a little personal. After all, Hongbin had already seen parts of her that no one else had. Not even Leo. She felt she owed him a little honesty, when he had asked the question in all honesty.