Secrets and Dreams

Chapter 2 - Another Meeting

Luckily the weather was great and Sicheng needn't worry over rain since he'll be walking all the way to the cleaners. It wasn't far, having been there before with his mother. Merely three blocks from their own building. Besides he could use the fresh air after being cooped up in the house all the time.

Soon he'll be going back to school so he'll be out almost everyday. In a different country, language and culture. But he wasn't worried and he knew he could adapt easily. His gait lightened as he thought of the new things he might learn, new friends to make.

As he turned into the last corner, he noticed a slim figure far up ahead walking towards him and seemed to be looking straight at him. He squinted, eyebrows furrowed, trying to place who it was.

He shrugged and entered the dry-cleaning shop. He gave the receipt to the shopkeeper who returned with the mound of suits and curtains. Sicheng thanked the man, slung the suits over one arm then grabbed the plastic bag of curtains and left.

Sicheng tried to juggle the suits and relatively huge bag of curtains while concentrating on not tripping over the pavement. He then felt someone matching his stride. He looked up and his heart skipped a beat when he realized who it was. The odd fellow from the stairwell, wearing a blue tee this time.

"Hi! So, we meet again." he greeted Sicheng. His smile was captivating.

"Oh, hi!" Sicheng said shyly while offering an awkward grin. "Thank you for the other day..."

The young man gave him the brightest smile that could have melted a pound of ice. "My pleasure.  Are you on your way home or do you have somewhere else to go?"

"Yes...no," said Sicheng. Panicking a little, hoping he understood everything the boy said. "I mean, I'm going home now."

The boy's laughter was music to Sicheng's ears. "Then we're headed the same way," he said.

"Oh, ok."

"Do you always carry stuff around?"

Sicheng stuttered, "O-oh, n-no...not mostly." He wondered if he said the right word for 'always' in Korean.

The boy smiled, his eyes twinkling. "Don't worry, you can speak slowly or in English if its too hard for you. I'm Taeyong by the way," he said in English.

"Thanks. I-I'm Sicheng. " He gave another weak smile while struggling with his burden.

"Nice to meet you," Taeyong replied as he took the bag of curtains from Sicheng's hand. His fingers brushed against Sicheng's skin and to his horror he felt a jolt of electricity shooting down his spine. How could he be affected by a mere accidental touch? By a stranger no less?

"Thanks," Sicheng said weakly. He was mortified and his cheeks felt hotter by the minute. Taeyong didn't seem to notice but did study him quietly.

"You're here for a vacation?"

Taeyong's query seemed to break thru Sicheng's troubled thoughts. "No. We moved from China because my father got assigned for work here," explained Sicheng.

Taeyong nodded. "Ah, I see. So are you finished with school? That's if you don't mind me asking..."

"No, it's alright. I have only two semesters left," supplied Sicheng. "And you?"

Taeyong nodded in response, suddenly clamming up. Sicheng didn't press the matter. He felt there was more to it but it wasn't his place to ask.

Instead, Sicheng inquired "do you live in the same building where I saw you the other day?"