The Sky and You

Chapter 7: The 4rth Wheel

Keun Suk reached for Belle’s arm and grabbed her. She stopped but didn’t look at him. “Can we talk?” he asked.

Tanya and Abby looked at her then to him, then back to her. She won’t say anything, she just avoided everyone’s look.

“Let’s go Ab. See you at the room Belle,” said Tanya then grabbed Abby by the arm.

After the incident at Bankei Ski Area, Keun Suk felt that Belle started avoiding him. She won’t meet his eyes, nor would she let them be alone together. She is laughing and smiling with her friends and would join the conversations with his friends but she would tactically stay away from him.

He offered to drive them back to their hotel which Abby was very much happy to accept, though he was sure Belle would have declined if not for her friends. He knew he was wrong, he must have scared her, that’s why she must be really mad at him and he won't be able to sleep knowing that.

Belle was quiet. The weather was so cold yet she didn’t say no to walking with him in the snow white yard of the hotel. He couldn’t take the silence anymore. He stopped and faced her but she was still looking at the snow on her feet.

“You’re still mad at me right? I am sorry. I didn’t mean it,” he told her. There was complete silence. He took a snow, rolled it in his hands and throw it at her.

At first she was just shielding but after a few hit, he then received a direct hit from her, straight to his face. He quivered from the cold. Then he heard her laughter. Finally.

“Are you still mad at me?” he asked her again.

“I am not mad at you Oppa, I can never get mad at you,” then she smiled.

“But still you won't look at me, and earlier you won't even talk to me. Is that what you mean with not mad?” he threw the last snow ball on the ground next to her but she didn’t even budge.

“Why did you even do that Oppa? Do you have any idea how worried I was? You could have broken a limb or two. You could have hurt yourself. Why did you even do that?” she looked at him with questioning eyes. She was finally looking at him. The tip of her nose were so red and her skin white-ashen from the cold, yet her eyes were sparkling from the tears that were threatening to come.

“Haven’t I told you? I like you. I like you so much and I want you to be my girlfriend. I stayed on your tracks because I want to catch you and hug you. Speaking, I won right, that is my wish. I wish that you’d go out with me.”

She breathe heavily, white smoke came out from her mouth. She looked away once more. “ Oppa,” she bit her lips, “I can’t. I honor our race, I acknowledge you won, but wish for something else.”

“Why? I thought you like me. Why not?” he don’t understand. Why? Eels would die from excitement if he asks them to be his girl. She’d be the envy of everyone. She likes me, even cares for me so much, but why? I don’t understand why am I being turned down right now?  He couldn't help wonder.

She tried to smile, “Oppa, I-… I…” she kept on hesitating.

“Do you have a boyfriend?” he asked.

Her eyes went wide with shock. “No!”, she said, “ what I mean is no I don’t have.”

“Then? why not? I am serious with what I said. It is not just a game for me, if that’s what you are thinking.”

“No oppa… I didn’t think of that,” that’s what she said but that’s not what her face was saying. She continued to smile at him. “Oppa, I truly care for you... As your eel, its a great honor to be liked by you, but you don’t know anything about me Oppa. Soon we will go back to our own lives and I’ll be back to where I am supposed to be… by then I hope you won't forget about me as one of your faithful eel.