WITH GRACE.

4장

"you...you're ice boy?"

the memories from five years ago came to mind. albeit they were pretty hazy due to my bad memory, i can make out the similarity between that sad boy's beauty marks and sunghoon's ones.

a small smile graced upon his plump lips.

"but that was already five years ago? how were you so certain i was that girl?" i asked him, curious as to how he can recall a memory that's already vague for me.

"it's hard not to remember memories that heavily influenced your life. at first, i wasn't entirely sure you were that girl but when you sat with us, it gave me an opportunity to observe you better. your honest words rang familiarly in my ear as if i've heard you before... and the chocolate cake. it's not hard to put two on two together,"

"wow... that's the longest you have ever said since i met you earlier...err, again." he chuckled at my comment.

"i'm not the most outspoken of people, that's why."

"then how come you're talking like that to me?"

"i can't explain it. it's just... there's an air of comfort around you. it's almost as if i'm meeting a long lost friend after a long while," he looked ahead and then to me.

his gaze was soft, yet too intense for my liking. i could feel the heat rushing to my ears.

"we weren't even friends when we first met," i grumbled.

"well, you were like one then," he said, smiling even wider.

"CAN YOU STOP IT?" finally, i screamed.

everyone was taken aback by my scream ㅡ sunghoon, who was just beside me; dongkyu and jungwon, who was a few feet ahead of us; some passersby, and myself. yes, i was also shocked at what i have done.

embarassment dawned on me and i felt my ears turn even warmer.

"noona? what's the matter?" jungwon and dongkyu came closer.

"no, nothing. it's nothing. you two go home ahead so you can leave early, okay?" i told the two.

they were still obviously curious and confused, but obediently obliged by my words anyway.

"what do you mean by stop it?" sunghoon spoke out after a long while of silence.

the embarassment never left my system.

"you were disturbing me!" i whined.

"i was?" he looked at me questioningly.

"yes, you were! you kept gazing at me so intently, it disturbed me a lot. not to mention you kept on smiling!"

"what's the matter with that?"

"ugh! can you handsome guys stop using your looks to bewitch women?" i complained, frustrated.

"so, you're saying i'm handsome? and i'm bewitching you? are you bewitched?" he cunningly retorted.

it was only at that moment when i realized the severity of my actions. my words came out like it meant something else and my eyes widened in realization.

"ugh, whatever!" i grumbled and picked up my pace.

i was in desperate need to keep a significant distance away from him.

that guy! this has only been our second time meeting each other and he's getting too comfortable with me. what's more? he's also quite sly! or it could just well be me and my overthinking.

before i rushed home, i turned to take one last look at the guy.

i shouldn't have looked back.

he was smiling at me! it would've been fine if it was just a simple smile, but i know damn well that it held deeper meaning. he was obviously smiling at me like i was some lamb caught on a trap!

no, he's the trap!

i thought the walk home would be the last time i'd look at his face for today. i knew i was forgetting an essential thing. i would've just shrugged the bugging thought away until the two reminded me that they already finished their chores when we were at home.

i sighed as i sat by the couch in the living room, facing sunghoon whose face was still plastered with a teasing smile.

"stop smiling." i grumbled, again.

"why? what's wrong? can't a guy breathe and do normal things?" he defended himself while chuckling.

i didn't retort anymore, seeing as how pointless our conversation will get if it continues any longer.

the two were still in their rooms, preparing their things. sunghoon, on the other hand, arrived way too early. he arrived when the two have just finished showering. i could've gone to my room while this guy waited, but leaving a visitor alone goes against my principles.

"you guys live alone?" he asked after a few moments.

"as it appears to you, yes."

"do your parents live elsewhere?" he continued.

i would've felt awkward with the questions if the topic of parents were still a sore subject to me.

"they've been gone for a couple of years now. car accident,"

a long strip of silence came between us.

"i'm sorry. i shouldn't have pressed questions beyond the line," he apologized.

"it's alright. it's not a sore topic for me anymore. we're living well so far and that's already good for me." i flashed him a sincere smile.

a few moments later, the two emerged out of their rooms, each carrying a backpack. dongkyu headed to me.

"noona, hug" he squished me in a warm hug.

"let me join!" jungwon complained which made me chuckle and i urged him to join our hugging fest.

"i'll miss you, noona," dongkyu confessed.

"me, too," jungwon added.

although i was already habituated to them being affectionate when it comes to me, their sweet words remain fresh, hitting me with a sense of warmth every single time.

i smiled at their display of affection and ruffled their locks.

"i will miss you too," i said to them.

"sorry we're leaving you alone tonight, noona," the two were sincerely apologetic.

"it's okay. you two are growing up. i just can't expect you to be cooped up in here. you have your lives to live," i say to comfort them.

they finally let go of the hug and bade me farewell.

"take care, noona! we'll be back soon!"

sunghoon was the last to leave, and before he did, he smiled at me.

"take care,"