Breaking Down the Wall

Forth & Yo Take a Ride

Yo's POV

"Just go back to training, Shorty. I'm going with Ai'Pring."

I feel like someone just dumped ice water over my head. Why am I so stupid? Of course, Pha would choose to go with her. Pring is beautiful and smart and a girl. I'm just an ugly dog who follows him around and annoys him. Even though I had already decided to go with Forth and was just trying to think of a way to tell him, I couldn't help but be hurt when he chose her so quickly. He made his decision, and I wasn't even an option. I don't matter to him. I never have and I never will.


"Nong Yo?" I heard Forth say as I feel him step up behind me, "Have you been waiting long?"

"No, P'Forth, we just got out," I said, turning to look at him. I put a determined smile on my face and finally come to my own decision. That's the last time I am going to be hurt by Pha. It's past time to move on.

Forth and I walked out to his motorcycle and he handed me a helmet. I was putting it on when he looked at me and asked, "Is it okay if we do something else for tonight? I decided I don't want hot pot."

"We can eat anything you want, but let's hurry, I'm starving."

I got on the motorcycle behind him and put my hands cautiously on his sides, but it seemed like Forth had other ideas. He pulled my arms snugly around him and called over his shoulder, "Hold on tight!"

My smile turns from shy to ecstatic when Forth pulls out of the parking lot. He's going fast and I can't help but feel a thrill at the burst of speed. I tighten my arms around his waist as I lean my head over his shoulder to feel the wind on my face. I'm not sure there is anything more wonderful in the world.

We seem to be heading to the city center and Forth is forced to slow down as the traffic becomes heavier. I can feel my lips starting to pout as we slow down and the wind on my face is replaced by heat from the night and the traffic. He starts to pull into a parking lot and my smile is instantly back when I see where he has taken us. It's a carnival!

Forth's POV

Yo looked like he'd just seen heaven. As soon as he saw where we were, he started smiling and trying to run to everything all at once. His attitude is contagious and I couldn't help but break into a smile watching him.

"P'Forth!" Yo called me from the first street food vendor he found. I guess he really was hungry. His hands are already full and I see he paid for some for me as well. "Beef and vegetable kebabs and cumin pork skewers. Yum!"

"Nong'Yo, slow down!" I have to run to keep up, trying not to drop the skewers he just pushed into my hands. He's halfway through his second skewer and ordering some Pad Thai when I catch up to him. We stopped at four different food stalls and he ordered a lot of food. At each stall he paid and thrust more food into my already full hands, until he seemed to think we had enough food and sat down at a small table. I've never seen anyone so happy to be eating. They must have starved that poor kid all day long.

Yo smiled as he ate and occasionally he looked up at me with a big smile on his face, we started to talk about how he wished he wasn't in the Moon and Star Competition and how he's so glad that Ming is around or he would be so bored. Yo is so genuine and easy going. I wonder how I got so lucky.

I'm used to people being interested in me, I was first runner up for the Campus Moon last year and since then both girls and guys have come up to ask me out. I'd gone out with a lot of them, but never really felt anything special. But ever since I met this Nong, I have felt differently. I want to make him smile and every time he looks at me, I feel happy too. He doesn't try to impress me and he doesn't seem like he is out to prove anything. He's just himself and it draws me in deeper.

"P'Forth?" Yo's smile is replaced by concern, "Are you okay?"

"Oh sorry, Nong'Yo. What were you saying?" I guess I wasn't listening. Not really a great impression for the first date. Luckily, his smile is back on his face and he asked if I'm ready to look around the carnival. I looked down at our table and wondered what happened to all the food. How much food did that kid just inhale? I shrug my shoulders, I had enough to eat so as long as he did too it isn't important. "Yeah, let's go."

We cleaned up all the empty food containers and started walking. Yo was still looking around at everything with a smile on his face, but he must have spotted something that sparked his imagination because he grabbed my hand and started pulling me along with him. I looked at our intertwined fingers and smiled, feeling satisfied that this date was definitely going in the right direction.

He immediately pulled me towards the rides. Yo wanted to do everything. His smile is so adorable and his eyes are filled with excitement. After the first roller coaster though, I pulled him over to a booth. How can he want to go on all the rides after he just ate so much food?

"Yo, do you want to try this game?" I asked, hoping he'll forget the rides for a little while so my stomach has a chance to settle.

"I'm not any good at basketball, P'," he said with a little pout. Does he know how adorable those lips are when he does that? "Can you play? I want that teddy bear!"

"Which teddy bear?" I asked, looking at the prizes lined up on the walls of the booth. Of course, he points to the huge brown teddy bear that was probably the first place prize, "I'll give it a shot."

Ten minutes later, after playing three rounds of the basketball toss, I finally scored enough points to get his bear. I handed it over to him, feeling like a hero when he looked at me with a wide smile and a blush showing on his soft cheeks.

"Can we go on some more rides now, P'Forth?" Yo asked after hugging his new teddy bear tightly. I can't deny him anything, so I just follow along feeling a little bemused.

We went on every ride and occasionally Yo would lead me to another food stall to try more food. I don't think I have laughed so much in the last six months combined. It was getting late, so we're headed to the parking lot to go home when someone stops and asks if we want a souvenir photo. Yo looks at me with a bright smile on his face. He held his bear up with one arm and put his other arm around my back. I put my arm around his shoulders and pull him in closer to my side. I know there's a huge, goofy smile on my face, but I don't care.