by Mina
The summer air was heavy and sweet and the sky was deep, endless blue. Millions of stars shone in the night and the moon was yellow in the sky. Cicadas hummed in tune with crickets creating the music of the night.
Mina quietly tiptoed across the floor from Hwang's room and into the hallway. The moon and stars led her way as she crossed the hallway and back into her own room. She curled up into a tiny ball on her own bed and thought of Hwang. She had snuck into his room and watched him sleep, afraid that he might wake up and find her standing there. Sighing, she wished on a star that she could tell him how she really felt.
She loved him. She had kissed his cheek lightly and tucked him in before leaving his room. In her mind she could still see his figure under the quilt sleeping peacefully. Sighing to herself, she tried to force the image from her mind to no avail. Another tear slipped from the corner of her eye as she went to sleep. He would never be hers....
**********
Hwang opened his eyes slightly from a deep sleep to see someone sitting lightly on the edge of his bed.
Mina.
He smiled to himself but wondered what she was doing at the same time. He peeked out at her through partly-closed eyes and he knew that the darkness would conceal most of his face as he watched her. Her expression was sad as she suddenly moved from the edge of the bed and began tucking the quilt around him. There was no mistaking the love in her eyes as she leaned down towards him. It took all of his control to not jump up and let her know he was awake but something told him he should watch her for a little longer.
Hwang watched Mina as she leaned in carefully and placed her soft lips upon his face. He wanted to desperately to kiss her back, but still he pretended to be asleep. He noticed that Mina was crying softly as she pulled back and she walked back to the door. She looked at him once more before leaving and he heard her cross the hall into her own room.
Hwang waited for a full 10 minutes before he moved. Quietly, he slipped out of bed and snuck to Mina's doorway. He took in the night as he gazed down at her, just as she had looked at him moments before.
Why had she been crying? He wondered to himself as he very very quietly tiptoed to the edge of her bed where Mina was laying, eyes shut, and her face smudged with tears.
Gently, Hwang brushed back her long dark brown hair and wiped away a tear from her face. Quietly in her sleep, Mina spoke, whispering.
"Hwang...love you." It was a spoken testimony to the look in her eyes as she has sat on his bed minutes ago.
It came to him that she loved him and that realization made him happy. He loved her too; could it be that they had always loved one another but never found to way to say it? Hwang stood thinking for a few moments until finally deciding to act.
Hwang put a hand on her shoulder and shook her lightly, whispering her name to try and wake her up. "Mina....Mina..."
**********
Seung Mina woke up slowly from her disturbed sleep. The vision of Hwang sleeping was burned into her memory, as she lifted her head to see who was waking her.
It was Hwang. For a moment she thought she was still dreaming. Why would he come into her room this late? Mina sat up slowly and looked at him and he smiled at her.
"Mina, I need to talk to you," Hwang stated simply.
At this hour? thought Mina, her heart was racing and she stilled at his nearness to her.
"I love you," Hwang whispered so quietly that Mina had to wait a few seconds to make sure she heard him correctly.
Without any other word, Hwang reached for her. He pulled her into his arms and wiped the tears from her face but they were quickly replaced with small tears of joy. Hwang tilted her face up to his and they lookd into each others eyes for what seemed to be an eternity. They sat holding one another bathed in the milky light of the moon finding peace and love in each others embrace. They knew now that they loved each other and words were not necessary as Hwang kissed Mina tenderly in the quiet night of her room.
