Chapter 7

“Mind if I seat here?” Ask Leeteuk while approaching Sora who is seated alone by the seaside. She seems to be in a deep thought before he approached her just now. It was the same look when he first saw her alone at the restaurant earlier this evening.

“Sure..” Sora said while pointing at the seat beside her. The seat occupied by Sungmin earlier.

“Where’s Sungmin?”

“I’m not sure.. He said he need to go somewhere for a while..” She smiled.

“How can he leave you here alone…” Leeteuk is trying to show his protecting self.

Sora giggled. The tone that Leeteuk use while saying it makes it sounds funny.

“It’s okay..” She wasn’t waiting for him. She feels glad to have that time alone until Leeteuk came.

“What were you thinking.. It looks like you’re in a deep thought just now..” Ask Leeteuk after seeing Sora is feeling comfortable with him now.

“Nothing really.. Just some work matters..” She smiled. This time, that smile seems a bit reserved. He knows it must be more than that, but he knows he has his limits. It’s not an area where he can encroach in if Sora doesn’t want to be open about it.

“Thanks for coming tonight. I haven’t had the chance to tell you that.” Said Leeteuk.

“My pleasure!  It’s quite boring for me to spend my time alone anyway, so I might as well come here...” Sora said while hugging her knees. Her eyes are still on the wave that hits the seashore. “

“I love your group by the way. It’s so lively. I never had this big group of friends ever in my live..”

“Never?” Ask Leeteuk confirming what she just said.

“Never. Even in high school” She further explains. “You are lucky to be in this big group, Leeteuk-shi..” Sora said in half-envy tone. Seeing how they are having fun together today and have a vacation trip together makes her jealous. She wish she can join them often - In this big lively group they have.

“Just call me oppa..” Leeteuk said.

Sora looked at him surprised. The request is a tough one. They just knew each other for a day.

“It’s uncomfortable for me when you call Sungmin oppa but you’re being formal with me...” Leeteuk is trying to explain his reason further.

“Ahh.. Dae..” Sora nodded, agreeing at Leeteuk’s explanation. She’s been feeling uncomfortable herself every time she has to switch tones whenever she’s interacting with both Leeteuk and Sungmin at the same time.

Her eyes are on the shore again, taking her somewhere else.

“Do you want to walk with me?” Leeteuk get up from his seat while offering his hand to Sora. Looking at how she’s a bit dreamy sometimes seems like her mind is bothered with something.

“Where?”

“Just along this beach..” It’s a small beach area around the gulf.

Slowly Sora nodded while accepting Leeteuk’s hand. Doesn’t really feel that she need the walk, but looking at how Leeteuk is insisting, maybe it will be good for her to forget what’s on her mind too.

“Being 7 years in the industry, it must not have been easy for you right?” Sora asked.

“7 years, and being a leader to a big idol group, it was never easy. But I learned how to overcome all those barriers..” Leeteuk said to her.

“Have you ever thought that you’ve done a bad move and regretting it?”

“Multiple times.  But I learned from it and still trying to improve” He smiled, hoping that his words will make her a bit better.

“Are you regretting something?”

“Kind of..” She said while sighing.

“What’s been bothering you? Maybe if you share your burden with somebody, it will make your heart feel a bit at ease?”

“I wish it was that easy..” Again she sighed.

“Maybe..” Leeteuk suddenly stopped and started to look at the trees behind him for a long time. He’s been feeling that they are being followed for a while now, but he is quite unsure.

“Oppa, what’s wrong?” Asked Sora after seeing Leeteuk acting a bit weird.

“I think somebody is following us..” Say Leeteuk, still trying to look around the area where he is suspecting somebody is following them. Wouldn’t dare to proceed to see what’s there before he confirms what situation that they are in; calculating the way to get out and protecting Sora in case they are being ambushed.

Sora looked around the trees where Leeteuk is looking at. “I don’t think there’s anything oppa.. Maybe just a cat..” Said Sora.

“No... I’m sure I saw something just now. This is not just my feelings.” Leeteuk’s not comfortable to just leave it that way.

“I don’t see anything.. Let’s just go back to the barbeque area, shall we?” Sora said while clasping her hand with his. Drag him away from those areas.

Leeteuk look at their clasping hands. He is surprised. He only asked for her to be comfortable with him and being informal in their speech, but he never thought she would be this comfortable.

“Sora..” Leeteuk is calling Sora’s name softly; the owner of that hand which is clasped with his now. The hand that makes his heart feel like it’s going to explode soon.

“Oppa?” Sora looked at him. “You called my name just now.. Didn’t you?” Ask Sora. She doesn’t think she heard it wrongly.

“Oh? Did I?”” He is caught. He cannot explain what he feels. He cannot explain why he called her just now. His mind and his body don’t seem to be in sync. Sora might freak out if she can hear his fast beating heart.

“Whatever thing behind those trees must have given you a shock for you to act this way.” Sora giggled. Try to make a joke to diffuse the situation.

“Maybe we should go back to the barbeque area..” Says Leeteuk while tightening their clasp and leading her towards where the others are gathered.

“Hyung! We’re all searching for you..” Eunhyuk came towards them after seeing Leeteuk came from the seaside.

“What’s wrong? Are you running from something?” Ask Eunhyuk again. His eyes are capturing looking at Leeteuk’s hand that is clasped tightly with Sora’s.

“I think I saw something behind those trees..”

“What is it?” Eunhyuk’s curious.

“Anieya.. I think it’s just your feeling oppa. I didn’t see anything..” Sora is denying Leeteuk’s feeling again.

“He’s doing that to hold your hands, Sora-shi..” Eunhyuk giggles. Listening to how Sora starting to call Leeteuk oppa and seeing how tight those hands are clasping with each other, Leeteuk is doing well tonight, he thought to himself.

As soon as she heard what Eunhyuk’s saying, Sora started to slowly pull her hand from Leeteuk’s. It must be weird for others to see they are holding hands already. It’s kind of weird for them too. But she knows, she did that to purposely drag him away from that area. She thinks she knows who is behind those trees. That person is always not good at following her instruction.

“It’s not that.. I really saw something..” Leeteuk is trying to explain his situation. Eunhyuk’s theory will make him looks like a pervert in front of Sora’s eyes.

“It’s okay hyung.. Don’t need to explain it to me..” Eunhyuk said while he continues to giggle.

Leeteuk went quiet. The more he’s trying to deny, the more Eunhyuk will feel his theory is real. There’s no use to explain about it either.

“Why are you looking for me just now?” Leeteuk is diverting the topic.

“Ahh.. Sorry, I forgot. Siwon is looking for you. He just arrived from his drama filming..” Say Eunhyuk, reverting back to his original intention of finding Leeteuk.

“Siwon…” Sora whispered to herself. That name sounds familiar to her.

She looked at both Eunhyuk and Leeteuk who are standing in front of her and talking to each other - Ignoring her existence for a couple of minutes.

Her mind can't help thinking of that 'Siwon' mentioned by Eunhyuk just now. It better not be Siwon that she knows. She thought to herself.