"Do not waste your energy worrying. I am in perfect health, both emotionally and physically. I do appreciate your concern, though, especially since we just met. Is such displays of empathy a normal social occurrence? If so, I must apologize, but I am incapable of returning the favor." Seok finally moved, raising a hand to scratch at his left shoulder briefly. "Selena, it appears you have a pair of...good friends. Yes, I believe that is the correct term in this situation, is it not?"

"Wha...?" Livie breathed out in confusion, looking to me in an overwhelmed call for help.

"...Aliens, man," Wade whispered softly, blue eyes wide in amazement.

"Aliens?" Seok repeated blandly. "No, I am quite human, I assure you. At least biologically, in the form of my DNA. Socially and emotionally though, I suppose calling me an alien would be relatively correct. If it helps with your adjustment period, you may see of me as a humanoid robot...More accurately, you can look at me as an android, mentally. That seems the easiest way for others to come to terms with my behavior and 'personality'."

"S-Selena?" Livie mumbled.

Sighing heavily, I stepped forward, slightly in front of Seok. "Trust me, I'm still getting used to how he is. But, this is normal for him. All I can say is try not to take anything he says or how he doesn't or does act personally. Though, good luck with that, honestly," I grumbled.

"I'm not that bad, am I?" Seok inquired calmly. "I thought I was behaving quite well today."

Turning to face him fully, I crossed my arms over my chest, shaking my head. "No. No way, Seok. You can't just—I mean...The least you could do is try to smile when you meet new people," I lectured.

He blinked, lowering his arm back to his side stiffly. "But that requires using up more energy than I feel is required for an action that is not necessary," he responded.

"Seok, do you seriously think you can get away with this for the rest of your life?" I demanded, eyeing him in disbelief.

He studied me right back, dark green eyes calm. "...Yes, Selena, I do. I've gotten through seventeen years just fine."

"Wow. You two get along, um, well," Livie tried in a shakily laughing voice.

"Have you guys been a couple long?" Wade wondered, his voice amused.

I tossed my head slightly to glare at the two of them. "We are not a couple!" I insisted.

Livie's lips twitched and Wade just wore a wide smirk. "You're fighting like one," my traitor of a best friend pointed out in a measured tone.

"Actually, I find that observation ironic," Seok commented.

"Hey!" I cried, turning back to him. I lifted a finger and shook it at him, almost in his face. "Thin ice, Seok...Real thin ice," I warned him darkly.

I swear to God if he says ONE word about his dad's stupid marriage clause!

He blinked, staring down at my finger. "Is that suppose to intimidate me?" he asked in all seriousness. "Selena, you are much too tiny to be appropriately intimidating. Especially since you are so physically weaker than me...Does this work on other men?" he inquired, that observer light back in his eyes. "If so, exactly how is it accomplished? All they would have to do is reach out, grab your hand, and pull you close to stop your 'threat'."

"Or kiss her," Livie suggested with a wicked grin on her face as I gasped and glared at her. Wade stayed silent, but his blue eyes were dancing in glee at how ridiculous this whole situation was.

"No," I said firmly, shaking my head. "No kissing, at all! Don't put bad ideas into his head, okay?" I growled.

"Selena, I am not some dog," Seok said without any anger or irritation in his voice. "Just because someone suggests something does not necessarily mean I will agree to go along with it."

"Who suggested this date?" I asked, crossing my hands over my chest again.

"Your mother," he answered.

"Who suggested that we got to this park?"

"Your sister."

"Who suggested that you sit down and watch all of the Lord of the Ring movies? You know, the marathon you ended up staying awake until two in the morning for?" I asked, smiling thinly.

His eyes very slightly narrowed as he answered honestly. "Maria did."

"You're right, Seok. You're not a dog, you're a little puppy," I smirked. I win.

"Selena, I am not a puppy," he insisted coldly. "Stop insulting me."

"I think we're going to head out," Livie chuckled, smiling widely.

"You two have got it handled from here," Wade agreed. "It was good to meet ya, Seok. Go easy on Selena, alright? You break her heart and I'll be coming to break your leg."

"Well, now I know why I never get asked out," I muttered dryly, glaring at Wade.

He tossed me a carefree smile. "I gotta make sure to keep my little sis safe."

"I'm a year and three months older than you, Wade," I stuck my tongue out at him.

"Selena, you need to realize just how serious it is that you stop referring to me as a puppy. That is a completely false statement and I don't appreciate it," Seok broke in. His gaze shot to Livie and Wade for half a second. "It was nice to meet you both. May the rest of your day go well—Selena, are you listening to me?"

I felt a smile pulling at my lips as I waved at my friends' departing backs. A second later, a small laugh broke free. Raising a hand to my face, I smiled up at Seok, who blinked in reaction to my behavior. "Look, if it's honestly going to upset you that much, I'm sorry. I never thought you could be bothered by something...Especially something as innocent as being called a puppy, Seok," I grinned mischievously. "It seems almost ridiculous. It makes you seem a lot more human, but that's a good thing, I think."

"I am not upset," he denied, voice bored. "I don't get upset," he kept insisting. "I merely dislike lies and your words were one such lie."

I found a crack in that armor of yours, Seok. Just accept it and let's move on. Now I have to wonder what I'm going to do with this new information? Hold it against him or use it to my advantage? If I do, what advantage do I seek?

"Okay, okay," I agreed evenly. "You're not upset, just like I wasn't earlier," I half-compromised.

"...You are lying again," he responded after a few seconds.

I stuck my tongue out at him childishly. As I did, I saw a shift in his eyes that made the green flash darker for half a second. Shaking my head, I realized it was just a trick of the sunlight. "Are we going or not?" I demanded crossly.

He closed his eyes for a few seconds, letting out a long breath. Opening them again, his dark green eyes had resumed their normal, distant reflection of the light. "Yes." Stepping forward and to my side, he paused long enough to glance down at me. "Coming?" he inquired.

Letting out a huff of annoyance, I had to speed up my steps in order to keep up with his long stride. As we passed beneath the bower, the sweet, earthy scent of almonds filled my nose. I glanced up at the flowers, but Seok was making a left turn and leaving me behind. "Wait!" I panted to catch up. "You're too tall, Seok, and you're a lot faster than me!"

He paused, turning to take me in. "Hmm...I apologize. I will try to slow down."

"Thanks," I sighed, catching up and trying to get my breath back. I brushed a stray strand of hair behind my ear, inhaling three deeps breaths. Lifting my head a little, I glanced up into his face. I felt a frown tugging at my brow. Really, he was just so freaking tall! My neck was starting to ache, standing so close. I took a few steps to the side, as far away from him as I could get while staying on the bleached-white stone path.

Blinking, I was able to look at him better. Worrying my bottom lip between my teeth, I stared up at him curiously. His profile in this light, the sunlight filtering from his left side, framed his body. His hair was messily half pushed up into its normal soft spikes, leaving the top of his forehead bare. Seok only seemed to have bangs when he was asleep or hadn't used his fingers as a brush to half-heartedly force his hair out of his eyes and into a big, puffy mess. The sides and back of his head had close-cropped, neatly kept lines, in complete opposition to the front and top of his black hair.

He still had that blank, bored expression on his face, though his eyes did flicker down to me. As our gazes clashed, I fought to not allow a blush to take over. It really bothered me how easy Seok seemed to get under my skin and call forth evidence of my embarrassment. Especially when it didn't seem to matter to him at all.

Suddenly, his dark green eyes narrowed and his right hand rose up, reaching out to me.

My heart flew up into my mouth, pounding like crazy, as he took a step closer, half-turning toward me. His hand shifted, moving around the side of my head. My eyes were glued to it, straining in my peripheral vision as I stayed absolutely still. I had no idea what he was planning or why he was doing it, but I was frozen in a mixture of fear and breathless anticipation.

I could feel the gentle, feather-light touch of his fingertips against my shoulder. It was so light, I almost thought I'd imagined his touch, especially with how brief it was there. A tightening around the corners of his eyes appeared and then his hand was retracting slowly. In between the tips of his right forefinger and thumb he was holding a small green leaf. "It must have fallen when you passed beneath the bower," he explained. His fingers released the leaf and it fluttered, slowly and sadly, down to the ground.

My heart was much the same, the rise of it's beating coming down in half-disappointment.

Wait, disappointment? No, not at all!

I rolled my eyes, reaching up to brush at my shoulder that had held the leaf. "You could have just told me," I grumbled. My words came out sharper than I meant because of my own self-annoyance at my reaction to the little moment we'd just shared.

He blinked, those green eyes unreadable as he continued to watch the leaf descend. When it had reached the ground, he lifted his gaze back to my face. "Yes," he answered dead-pan. "I suppose I could have." Without another word, he turned and started off down the path again.