:: chapter twenty-two ::

She gently tossed side by side on the bed as she finally stirred from her sleep. She quickly brought her hands to cover her eyes from the leaking rays of the sun from their room’s heavy curtain. Then in one go she felt her body was throbbing from the mixture of pain that was beating the crap out of her body yet despite those her lips curved into a smile as everything flashed back in her mind. Their first night in their new home and most of all their first time, and she can’t help not to feel her heart skipped a beat just by thinking how happy it was to always share firsts with him. Last night was just full of bliss, it was magical it was nothing compare to what she had imagined it after reading the book Seung Ri gave her. For her it was not just sex, it was everything... it was making love and it will be forever more than sex. It was never just pleasure or lust it was love... it was love itself.

She tried to push herself up only to fail. She let out a grunt as the door opened revealing him only on his gray sweatpants with his wet hair still dripping and he just look handsome. She smiled. ‘Good morning,’ she greeted him as she tried pushing herself to sit down. ‘Ouch,’ she whined softly as he quickly paced to her to help her. ‘Sorry,’ he mumbled as she let out a chuckle. ‘Don’t be,’ she smiled as he smiled back. ‘Next time I’ll be more gentle,’ he whispered against her hair as he moved reached for her and pull her for a hug. She turned beat red at the thought as she bit her lips.

‘How about we eat breakfast,’ he offered as she nodded in agreement. ‘Right timing, I will have eggs,’ she answered smiling. He then stood up to grabbed one huge shirt and paced back to her. ‘Hands up,’ he smiled as she complied lifting her arms as he slid the shirt to her body. After doing so he gently scooped her in his arms making her yelped in surprise. ‘I can walk Ji,’ she said worried. ‘You’re sore,’ he answered simply as she turned beet red making Jiyong laugh. ‘And look really adorable right now,’ he whispered against her cheek as she felt his breath kissed her skin. With that, he paced out of the door aiming for their kitchen.

Upon reaching the kitchen, he gently made her sit on the sink as she bit her lips looking at him. He walked to the fridge opening it. ‘Just egg? How about we make some French toast?’ he suggested smiling as she bit her lips. She then lifted her hand and gestured him to come closer to her and he did without asking why. She then cling her arms around his neck as she leaned her forehead with his. ‘Mine,’ she whispered staring straight at his beautiful eyes. He let out a giddy smile as he leaned and gave her quick pecks on her lips. ‘All yours,’ he answered fully claiming her lips. She fluttered her eyes close tilting her head giving him a better access.

He had kissed her so many times, countless times and he can’t comprehend on how much he wanted to kiss her all the time, never once did he got tired of it. For him she was getting sweeter and her kisses has always been his oxygen.

They slowly pulled out from their intense kiss as their foreheads leaned on each other still with their eyes closed. ‘I changed my mind how about we have you for breakfast,’ Dara chuckled as she opened her eyes meeting his. He rolled his eyes as he pulled himself away from her. ‘You’re still sore, you can’t even move,’ he said chuckling softly as he paced back to the fridge while she pouted her lips. ‘Ji,’ she whined softly still pouting her lips as Jiyong stared at her. ‘Sandara Park,’ he warned. He then let out a sigh as he walked back to his adorable pouting girlfriend who was only wearing one of his huge tees. ‘Please,’ she said still pouting and now accompanied by her irresistible

puppy

eyes. He rolled his eyes. ‘Sandara Park,’ he warned once more as he tucked her hair behind her ears. ‘But...’ she whispered still trying. Jiyong just let out a sigh as he grabbed a pan and went to the stove trying not to listen to his girlfriend’s oh so tempting request.

‘Kwon Jiyong!!’ Dara whined as she looked longingly at the back of her boyfriend who was busy preparing her breakfast. Jiyong tried ignoring her by keeping himself busy. ‘Babbbyyyyy,’ Dara called him as he turned around staring at her waiting for her next words. God, he wanted to know who got enough guts to ignore her when she was calling him sweet names. ‘I just wanted to...’ she whispered as she starting sobbing with tears forming on the corner of her eyes. Jiyong shut his eyes tightly as he turned the stove off and paced to her. He then wrapped his arms around her as he pulled her into a tight hug. ‘Babe... please not now,’ he whispered hoping and even praying she’ll finally let it off. ‘But I...’ she whispered. ‘Dara Park,’ he warned for the nth time.

Dara pulled herself away from his embrace she then landed a quick peck on his lips. ‘I just wanted to tell you that I love you... and please fetch me some milk,’ she grinned at him as he stared at her in disbelief with mouth almost hanging open. She then leaned to his ear. ‘And stop thinking nasty things you naughty boyfriend...’ she whispered huskily in his ears as he turned beet red. ‘Look how adorable you are,’ Dara squealed as she pinched both of his cheek. ‘And please let me finish what I’m trying to say next time before thinking things,’ she grinned mockingly at him while moving her brow up and down.

‘Sandara Park!’ Jiyong exclaimed after finally recovering from the trolling of his girlfriend. He then scooped her on his arms out of the blue as Dara let out a surprised yelp. He then gently placed her on the sofa of their living room as he hovered above her with brows meeting in the center. Dara puffed her cheeks suppressing her laughter, and then finally brought her both hands to cover her mouth as she let out her laughter. ‘God, you’re so adorable,’ she said between her laughter as he rolled his eyes and finally let out his laugh.

Dara then placed her hand behind his head as she pulled him closer to him, their lips touched and once more their off to their world. ‘But we can do it if you wanted,’ she smiled innocently at him as he pulled away from her. Jiyong swore his eyes were probably tired of rolling again and again because of the innocent and crazy antics she kept on throwing to him. ‘Oh please leave my pure soul alone,’ he said sarcastically as she laughed. He stood up and scoped her once more.

‘Aren’t you getting tired?’ Dara asked as he gently made her sat on the sink once more. ‘Tired?’ he asked as he walked to the fridge fetching her request, milk. ‘Carrying me around, I can walk Ji,’ she said shrugging. ‘I’m actually practicing,’ he smirked at her as he handed her the glass of milk which she gladly took. ‘Practicing?’ she asked drinking her milk. ‘Yep,’ he nodded. ‘I got a strong feeling that I’ll be doing this for the rest of my life,’ he smiled sheepishly at her as she blushed. She bit her lips to suppress her giddiness. ‘In fact I’m sure I’ll be doing this forever,’ he added as he turned back to cook her breakfast. She pouted thinking how good he was when it comes to words. She then finished her milk as she kept staring at him as he focused on cooking. Guess she was just lucky to have him as her soul mate.

...

‘How do I look?’ Dara asked as she turned around staring at her reflection on the mirror. She was wearing the dress he bought for her a while ago while she was sleeping and resting and while he was off to the town to buy things that they needed. It was a white laced dress that when he landed his eyes on, instinctively he knew it suites her and it did. He stood up as he placed the magazine he was browsing on the wooden table. He then gave her a back hug. ‘Breath taking,’ he whispered as he stared at both of their reflection on the mirror. She let out a giggle.

‘Really?’ she asked. He nodded. She then gently removed his arms around her as she fetched for a brush and started brushing her long hair which has huge waves and was in dark shade of brown. Jiyong stared at her hair as his lips drawn into a smile. Her hair, it was beautiful. But then he knew it was not just her hair, every inch of her was beautiful and her innocent soul and pure heart were the most beautiful of all.

Dara then faced him after placing her head band carefully. ‘Let’s go?’ she asked as he nodded and with that he held her hand and laced it with hers. They then paced out of their room to take a walk all over the place as what he promised her.

He gently closed the gate as the metal clicked while Dara was staring at the blue sea while waiting for him. She smiled as she saw the caretaker of the house that Jiyong hired before. She bowed down at her with the old woman doing the same. She then went to Dara as she handed her a flower. ‘You really are beautiful,’ she complimented as Dara blushed. Jiyong bowed down in respect as he stood beside Dara with the old lady doing the same to me. ‘Ahh, young love,’ she giggled as both blushed a bit.

The old lady then excused herself as both Dara and Jiyong bowed down in respect. Dara then linked her arm with Jiyong as they started walking feeling the cool breeze as they walked under the sun. ‘This place is beautiful,’ Dara whispered as she gently placed the flower on her ear. ‘But nothing compare to you,’ Jiyong grinned as Dara blushed deeply. He let out a chuckle. She was always like that blushing deeply on his every comment even though it was her nth time hearing it. She will blush as if it was her first time hearing him complimenting her. ‘You look adorable,’ he added as her cheeks were painted red once more.

After a not so long walk they stopped on a store selling different kinds of fruits. ‘Ji look strawberries,’ she smiled at him as she showed him a small box of strawberries. She then turned to the lady asking her the price of the fruit. It has been almost a week since they arrived in that place. Jiyong got a part time job as a mechanic while Dara stayed at home doing the chores or more on learning how to do it. And one of her greatest achievement was finally being able to cook various meals for the both of them thanks to the cooking book that she read all day, endlessly. She will even bring him lunch on his work which will cause teasings coming from his workmates that he chose to just ignore. It was like they were married and never did it crossed to his mind that being like one is the most satisfying thing in this messed up world. They chose to forget everything that they left behind. They chose to be happy and living together was that happiness. A happiness that no one will understand, a happiness that they can only feel in the arms of each other.

‘Here’s your strawberries,’ the lady smiled at Dara as Dara happily took the plastic bag of the strawberries she bought. Dara then showed what she bought to Jiyong even though he was practically standing next to her as she bought those. ‘You look familiar,’ a lad said stealing the couple’s attention as they stared at him. He was standing there in his sweat drenched clothes with a white towel hanging on his shoulder. Jiyong’s brow furrowed. The lad wiped his forehead as he let out a loud exhale.

‘What do you mean?’ Dara asked innocently at the guy. ‘I feel like I saw you somewhere but then I forget where,’ the lad answered still busy wiping his sweat off that he earned from carrying tons of crates all day long. ‘Oh well I have to go back to work,’ he said saluting as he jogged his way to a white mini truck parked on the other side of the road. Jiyong and Dara glanced at each other, both confuse. Dara just let out a soft laugh as Jiyong wrapped his arms around her waist. She turned her head and accidentally caught sight of the television of the stall.

She grew pale and it was as if her breathing stopped. She was on news. Her face was on news and it says that she was missing and they are even discussing the possibility of her being kidnapped. She blinked as she continued listening and reading what’s on the screen. She felt her soul left her body as she saw her name next to her brother’s name whom they address as the most brilliant young prosecutor of their country. She felt like she was slowly suffocating how can she forgot about her brother being the most celebrated young prosecutor of their country. She even thought he was pretty overrated since he practically receive all support of the whole nation’s police and heck even the military. How did she forget that major detail.

Jiyong finally noticed her silence and stiffness as he worriedly stared at her. ‘Babe what’s wrong?’ he asked worriedly. ‘Are you hurt?’ he asked again as Dara forced herself to shake her head and smile. ‘I-I’m fine,’ she answered stuttering which he clearly didn’t buy. ‘I’m really fine... but I think we should go home,’ she answered weakly as Jiyong pulled her closer to him. ‘Are you sure you’re okay? We could take a sit and rest first,’ he suggested as he shook her head. The faster they get home the better before everyone who was watching the news recognized her as the same girl on the television. ‘No, I really wanted to go home Ji,’ she smiled weakly at him as he nodded.

Clearly there was something off with her yet he doesn’t want to force her. He was more than willing to wait until she, herself breath to him what was bothering her. They then started walking once more only to bump into someone they never expected. ‘Jiyong...’ the guy said as he glanced at Dara who was pale. ‘Dara...’ he said as Dara took a worried glanced at Jiyong. She was now trembling. They left, wanting to escape from everything, from the reality that was trying to separate them. Everything was beyond perfection these past days, it was as if they were living a perfect life that they knew they both deserved yet everything that they left was slowly catching them. No, it would be more appropriate to say that they never escaped reality for it followed them lurking on the shadows waiting to bury its fang on them once more and now it seemed like its wait was over.

Jiyong held her hand tightly as he kept his eyes on the guy standing in front of them who were beyond shock seeing both of them. ‘Ji,’ Dara voiced out unconsciously as her tears were forming in the corner of her eyes. They reality they were escaping was now in front of them and was about to reach its hand and hold on their neck.

...

‘It’s really nice to see you both. CL missed you both and so were Youngbae and Minzy. Heck everyone missed you,’ he smiled as he took a sip from his cup of coffee. They were now sitting inside the cafe that he claimed his family owned and run for years now. ‘How are you Seung Ri?’ Dara asked still looking at him with a smile. She missed him and in that thought that’s when reality crashed in her heart. She missed him, she missed their friends, her old life, the school, being a president, her mom and of course her brother. She missed everything. ‘We’re fine and we missed you both,’ he grinned as he looked at Jiyong who rolled his eyes on him. ‘And who would have thought that out of all the places you’ll be staying in my hometown!’ he added cheerfully. He crossed his arms on his chest as he nodded showing how proud he was of their hometown.

‘This place is beautiful,’ Dara smiled as she took a sip from her fresh mango smoothie. ‘I know right!’ he answered oozing with arrogance making Jiyong roll his eyes once more. Then there was a complete silence between them. The three of them were all locked in confusion, they got tons of things to say, to ask yet it was as if there were too much that they can’t say a single thing. ‘Err...’ Seung Ri started as he finally broke the silence that was slowly turning into awkwardness. ‘How are things there Seung Ri?’ Dara asked finally not able to hold herself as Jiyong glanced at her. She was staring at her glass, playing with it. Jiyong then turned his head staring at the sea. He knew she will ask yet he felt pretty disappointed. He knew he was being selfish. He wanted her to be only his but with her asking for things he knew she will slowly miss the life they left. He shut his eyes tightly as he felt his fist clenched. He let go a sigh as his fist unclenched slowly. He needed to be calm.

He doesn’t want to think more for the more he does the more he was aware that there’ll always this possibility of her leaving him. And just the thought of it was enough to suffocate him. It was enough to inflict a strong pain in his chest.

‘I will not try to lie here... it’s actually chaos,’ Seung Ri chuckled bitterly as he stared at his cup of coffee rubbing his fingers on the cup. ‘You’re brother is practically flipping the whole place of everyone just to find you, I don’t even know if he still sleep,’ he continued with lips pressing on a thin line. He then looked at the couple. He glanced at Dara as she bit her lips and in instant he knew guilt was slowly dragging her. He glanced at Jiyong his face like usual it was void of emotion and it scared him more not knowing what he was exactly feeling.

‘I didn’t know you’re the heir of Kwons,’ Seung Ri chuckled as Jiyong’s eyes widened obviously he was shocked. Dara stared at Seung Ri in confusion as she glanced at Jiyong who turned his head facing Seung Ri. ‘I was totally shock upon knowing that you are the richest guy in the whole continent,’ he chuckled as Dara got more confused making Jiyong kick Seung Ri’s leg under the table. ‘Ouch,’ he whined as he reached for his leg. Jiyong let out sigh.

‘How did you know?’ he asked at him who was still busy massaging his leg. ‘Well while Dara’s brother was in the school I happened to hear him talking on his phone with someone,’ he confessed as the couple rolled their eyes concluding that Seung Ri was someone who practically breath to meddle around people’s businesses. ‘I think he was talking to your parents. He was warning them that he can jeopardize your family’s group of hospitals,’ he added. Dara stared worriedly at Jiyong as the lad held her hand and pulled her closer to him. Dara leaned her head on his shoulder. Seung Ri sighed seeing the two and if only her brother can see what he sees. If only her brother open his heart to see how much they love each other then all this drama should not be taking place.

‘Guys, you do know that you can’t hide forever... especially if your family will start world war 3,’ Seung Ri said as he kept his eyes on the two who kept on listening to him, all ears. ‘To be honest I don’t know why Dara's brother seemed to hate you so much that he was itching to push you to hell... but guys you can’t just escape,’ he continued. Dara gave a forced nod as Jiyong kept a straight face practically telling him that there’ll be no way that he’ll give up after going this far. Jiyong let out a sigh as he closed his eyes tightly before opening it and looking at Seung Ri. He stood up with Seung Ri and Dara staring at him.