They rode in silence for the duration of the car ride to the stadium. The three of them emerged and headed for the underground stage area. On their way, Hobi saw a family restroom, the kind that was a small room including a toilet and a sink. Its door locked.
Hobi turned towards Sakura. He reached for her hand, his fingers sliding along her own. “Come with me.” To Eunjeong, he intoned, “Please tell the guys I’ll be there in a moment.”
Then he opened the bathroom door and pulled Sakura inside with him, firmly closing the door behind them. Her eyes wide, she looked up into his face.
“Hobi, why did you bring me into a bathroom with you?”
Normally, this would have made her intensely uncomfortable, but for some undefinable reason, she trusted Hobi.
“Come on,” he drew her over to stand in front of the mirror that floated above the sink. “Look at her.” He pointed at her reflection. “Tell me what you see.” He released her hand and moved to stand behind her, his head popping over her shoulder to watch her scrutinizing her appearance.
She closed her eyes. “I don’t want to do this. I’d rather look at you,” she sighed petulantly.
Hobi grinned. “Would you now? I can’t say that that distresses me.” He sighed. “Fine! I’ll tell you what I see. But you have to look! So, open your eyes.”
She opened her eyes, and they met his in the mirror.
“First of all, your eyes are beautiful. Stunning obsidian. Like two shiny stones in your head.”
“But, Hobi, they look just like a million other girls’ eyes. We all have dark eyes.”
He cocked his head at her. He suspected something. He was going to test out his theory. “What about my eyes? Do they look like mine?”
She shook her head.
“Really?” His eyes shifted to peer into themselves. He shrugged. “They look like boring old, dark brown eyes to me.”
“No!” She spun around to face him. “They’re not boring at all! Your eyes are beautiful, Hobi!”
He grinned as he stared down at her. Then he shrugged. “I guess I’ll have to take your word for it. Because I don’t see it.”
“But how can you not? Your eyes – they – they glow! It’s like your happiness and your hope shine out of them. They were the first thing I noticed about you. Well, your eyes and your smile.”
“Me too.”
“What?”
“I noticed your lovely lips first. Then your stunning eyes.”
“My thin lips?” She was truly astounded.
“Your lips aren’t thin! They’re full. They’re just perfect for…” Hobi let that thought trail off. He’d already had several visions of kissing her cross his mind.
“Perfect for what?” Her brow furrowed as she gazed quizzically at him.
“Speaking,” he responded lamely.
“My lips are perfect for speaking?” She laughed.
What an absurd thing to say!
But as she looked at him, she realized his attention was riveted on her lips, and he had a rather dazed look in his eyes. She leaned towards him a little. He followed suit, his eyes never leaving her lips.
“Hobi?” she whispered. “Are you thinking of kissing me?”
Where had she found the courage to ask that absurd question?
His eyes met hers. Were his cheeks turning pink? Was Hobi embarrassed to be thinking of kissing her? Most guys she knew were thinking of far worse things. Now, she wanted to kiss him too. He was just so sweet!
She leaned towards him. He lowered his head some more. Perfect! Now she could just lift herself up on her tiptoes. She planted a quick peck on his cheek. Then she whispered into his ear, “You are the kindest man I have ever met. And if it means that much to you, I’ll try to like my face more.”
He turned his head quickly, before she could move, and his lips grazed her cheek too. She froze. Her eyes fluttered shut. She stopped breathing. She’d never been kissed. Ever. She couldn’t even remember one of her parents kissing her. She felt as if Hobi’s breath had just married itself to her bones as it traveled through skin and flesh to plant itself deep within her.
“Why are you crying? Did I upset you?” he whispered brokenly as his thumb did find her tear this time.
“No,” she whispered right before a sob escaped her mouth.
Out of his depth, Hobi did the only thing he could think of. He reached out and slipped his arms around her, drawing her up against his chest. “Sakura, what’s wrong?”
She buried her face against the fabric of his shirt and bawled like a baby.
Just a little human kindness. That was what Hobi was showing her. It wasn’t anything extraordinary, yet it moved her heart so. No one had ever been as sweet to her as this man had been. Both yesterday and today.
She suddenly wished she still had those sunglasses. If she did, she would give them to him. She would do anything for him. She wanted to make him smile. The whole world could be powered by the energy emanating from Hobi’s smile. Well, her whole world, anyway.
