TRACK 01 #3
"Mmm, I do," I tell him. "Is that what you're doing walking out here every night?"
When he doesn't answer, I look over to him, and he grins. "Why are you out here every night?"
As someone honest, almost to a fault, I answer him truthfully, "I haven't been sleeping very well lately.
So, I do things during the day to try to exhaust my body and mind.
If it's not enough, like it has been recently, then I stay up later than I should, trying to be tired enough that I know I'll fall asleep. "
"I started coming out for walks to get out of my house," he answers in return. "I love the people that I live with. Sometimes, I just feel like a caged animal, having my entire life controlled and monitored."
More curiosity burns the back of my throat when I want to ask so many questions. I choose to lighten the mood instead. "What kind of animal are you?"
It does the trick, making him bark out a laugh that he tries to hide behind his hand. I laugh with him until he cuts his eyes over to me. "What kind of animal do you think I'd be?"
The way that his voice lowers makes it even deeper than before, and I know without a doubt that he's doing it on purpose with double meaning behind his question.
I have never been more grateful in my life that I don't fluster easily.
I glance toward the sky and give him a few seconds to watch me contemplating how I'm going to answer before answering, "Well, you don't seem much like a bear to me. They're too aggressive."
"How do you know that I'm not?" he teases.
"I don't," flirting back with him. "But you said that you've seen me out here for a while before you approached me. That's not really bear behavior. Same with a wolf. Though, they both tend to not like captivity."
Then it dawns on me. "Oh, some kind of big cat, maybe? A tiger."
His eyes narrow slightly with the lifting of his cheeks as he smiles. "I think I like that one."
I relax into the bench and nibble on my last mochi until it's gone, satisfied that my answer seems to have made him happy.
Waiting until my last bite, he starts packing up our trash before slipping that strap of his mask back on and standing.
I'd noticed how insanely tall he is, but from this angle with me still sitting down, he looks like a giant. A beautiful, mysterious giant.
His head tilts slightly as he looks down at me. A few moments pass between us as we lock eyes, and it makes the tickle in my belly come back.
"Same time tomorrow?" he asks in that low husky tone.
I nod slightly with a smile. "Sure."
As he starts to walk away, I remember my manners. "Thank you for the ice cream."
He turns around and walks backwards as he says, "Any special requests for tomorrow?"
Caught in the moment, I jump in two feet first like I usually do. "Your mask?"
Listen, no one can blame a girl for wanting to see a beautiful man. Apparently, he feels the same way. He stops walking backward, landing him in just enough illumination from the streetlight that I can see that I've made him smile again underneath it. "I'll see what I can do."
He bows ever so slightly toward me, and I stand to return it.
Then, he turns and carries on. Covering my lips with both hands, I watch him until he's out of sight.
I absolutely cannot believe what is happening right now.
Shaking my head in disbelief, I turn around to walk the opposite direction.
There's no point in staying out here now.
I'll likely just be wishing that he was here to talk to the entire time, anyway.
Tucking my hands in my pockets, I slowly walk toward my apartment in a daze.
I had a couple boyfriends in America, especially in college before I moved back home to take care of my omma.
Even my first one in high school didn't make me feel the little butterflies in my belly like I just felt with Kyung.
I didn't get the nervous feeling at the thought of seeing them again.
Most importantly, none of them put me at ease the way that he did with one conversation.
It felt completely natural talking to him, like I've known him for years.
I've even gone out with a few guys here, but all to the same effect. None of them felt like this does.
The optimist in me is looking forward to seeing him tomorrow.
I never really had a pessimist side until I lost my omma, and it's speaking loud and clear right now, telling me I need to stomp on the brakes with feelings.
Maybe that version of me has been in there all along, and I never noticed.
Maybe that's why I haven't ever let anyone close.
Deciding it's the better choice for now, I tuck all of them into a tiny box in the corner of my mind and mentally tie it with a bow.
Closing my eyes, I suck in a lungful of crisp night air before letting it out in a harsh puff. Refocusing so that I don't trip over my own feet, I take my hands out of my pockets and pick my step up into a light jog for a few seconds before going full sprint the rest of the way home.