Fall Again // Lipsoul

Chapter Five

God. No matter what I say, she just manages to make me feel flustered. But I, of course, still grabbed her hand, and we went onto the rink together. 

It took me a few minutes to stand firmly since I really hadn't skated in years. Jinsol, however, seemed quite accustomed to it. She slid on the ice easily, not losing her balance even once, which made me think that she was probably a frequent visitor of this place. Finally, I managed to get myself together and actually moved without tripping. One step followed another and I was successfully sliding on the ice.

"Well, you weren't lying when you said that you wouldn't fall"- Jinsol said as she approached me- "would you mind if I helped you move around a little quicker? I'm afraid I'll have to grab your hand again, though". 

"It's not like I mind you holding my hand, Jinsol. What I'm scared of is that you might be the cause behind me eventually falling"- I said as I looked.

"I promise that won't happen"- she didn't leave me any more time to consider, since she grabbed my hand and began to move, forcing me to move along with her. I, of course, in the most classical Kim Jungeun fashion, began to panic:

"HEY! JUNG JINSOL! SLOW DOWN A LITTLE!"- I practically yelled out as I tried to keep up with her, which caused her to grab my second hand. We were not standing face-to-face and she was sliding across the ice backward, still somehow managing to keep up the speed. 

"Sorry, Jungeun, but it's only fun when you're moving quickly"- she said as she continued to drag me along, so I just closed my eyes out of fear and continued to move along.

"Why are you so scared? the worst thing that could happen is both of us falling simultaneously, so it would be funny"- I heard her speaking to me, realizing that she probably got closer to me while my eyes were closed since I could hear her voice more clearly. 

"I'm not scared. Just a little panicked, that's all"- the truth was that I was, indeed, extremely scared, but I wasn't about to tell Jinsol that I was the biggest coward on the planet. 

"Yeah, I somehow find that less believable. Jungeun, I want you to have fun, not to be panicking all the time. If you don't like this, we can leave"- she spoke to me with her soft voice, but I understood that she wanted to be here and wanted me to enjoy something that made her happy, so I simply could not back out now. 

"No, it's fine. I just needed some time to adjust"- I said as I was slowly opening my eyes. At last, when I had fully opened them, I realized that we were standing still and that I was staring right at Jinsol, and that we were pretty close. Almost too close, actually. But, I couldn't dare to move away. I was too lost in her stare. 

"Want to try it again?"- Jinsol spoke, at last, still not taking her gaze away from mine.

"Yep. Let's go for it"- I said and, this time, grabbed both of her hands myself, which she clearly didn't expect. But, in order to keep her cool, she simply started to slide across the ice again, moving in a graceful, but also simultaneously quick way. I had now realized that I was not scared anymore. I was simply enjoying the sound of my skates cutting through the rink and the tingly feeling of the air hitting my face. 

"Well, now you really do seem relaxed"- Jinsol said when she noticed the fact that I had calmed down. 

"I told you, I just needed some time to adjust. I loved ice skating when I was a kid, my dad would always bring me to the local rink in Cheongju"- I replied, but the sudden mention of my father made me remember our last conversation, which was nowhere as sweet and happy as the childhood memory I had just remembered. But, I shook the thought off. 

"Well, I began coming here when I was young too, but I was actually very serious about it at one point. Some people would even tell me to try becoming a professional skater, but I decided that  I had a bigger shot at getting a job if I followed something more realistic. To this day, I come here to clear my head. I'm pretty sure I've never brought anyone along, though, so this is a first. Be honored"- she said with a slight smirk, which made me scoff.