SNOW FAIRY

Chapter Four

Haseol gasped, covering her mouth with palms and froze. Her eyes didn't blink, yet they never left whatever she was seeing right now.

There were dozens of reindeer!

"Amazing, isn't it?" The fairy-in-disguise couldn't help but to smile, finding her expression adorable.

"Daebak," She muttered, still in shock. "I didn't know reindeer exist in Korea."

Hope hit realization as soon as she said that. He pursed his lips tight, awkwardly looking away. "W-Well, looks like they do..."

The girl turned to look at the man beside her, hesitantly asked, "C-Can I go nearer? Can I like.. touch them?"

Hope was contemplating for some moments, because of course he didn't want her to find out the truth that the reindeers were actually his friends, the snow fairies.

I should've not brought her here. He mentally cursed.

"Okay then, let's go." He finally said, following the girl going down.

Let's just hope that they won't talk in human language at any time. Oh my God, help me.

"Be careful, it's slippery-"

"Watch out!"

There was a loud thud, followed after a girl's short but loud scream as she fell down the steep surface because she accidentally stepped on the wrong stone.

All the reindeer were startled, ready to run away if only Hope didn't jump in at that time, making them halted in their spot because they recognized Hope.

"I'll explain later, but please stay being reindeer for now." He whispered, clearly heard by all the reindeers with their sharp ears.

He immediately ran to the girl, making sure that she wasn't injured badly.

"You alright? Can you move? Oh God, you're bleeding!"

"It's fine, I'm fine." She spoke. "I even thought that I'd break a bone or something."

"You aren't okay. Let's treat your wound first." He helped her to get up.

When their skin touched, she was startled at how cold his skin was. But then, she remembered that it was cold too before. She stole a glance at him, finding his expression that was on the contrary of his cold skin.

"How are we going to treat this? It's not like we have medicine here," she sat on a giant broken branch nearby.

He only smiled. "Close your eyes."

"Why?"

"Just close your eyes. Trust me."

She contemplated for a moment, before she decided to give in and shut her eyes tight.

Such an unbelievable amount of trust I gave to the man I barely knew.

"Okay..." he bit his lower lip, being hesitant for the umpteenth time.

Am I going to treat her as a snow fairy... or a human?

He looked up, meeting her face with eyes closed. Worry couldn't go unnoticed upon her face. Her cheeks and nose slightly red from the cold weather, and her eyes were puffy, probably didn't get enough sleep... or probably because of crying. But they still looked beautiful. Even more amazing when she opened them and revealed her dark brown orbs.

At that very moment, he finally realized that she was actually beautiful. So beautiful even.

"Hope?" She called out, dragging him back into reality.