Chapter 8 (1/1)

On his way home Jiyong decided to stop at Dara’s house. He parked his car and sat there a few minutes contemplating what he wanted to do. In his heart he knew he wanted Dara, but how to go about it? As he sat there a car pulled up in the driveway and he saw that it was Dara’s parents. Jiyong got out of the car and bowed as he said hello.“Jiyong!” Mrs. Park smiled at him while Mr. Park went to the tailgate and opened it to bring out a suitcase.“I’ll take that,” Jiyong said, running back to help Mr. Park. He noticed then Mrs. Park’s travel clothes. “Are you just coming back from the U.S.” he asked, and Mrs. Park nodded. Jiyong walked the two of them to the door. Mr. Park took the suitcase and went inside as he invited Jiyong to join them.“No thank you, I need to head home.” But his gaze went to Mrs. Park who was standing on the porch watching him. She waited, seeing that he wanted to say something to her. When he hesitated, she led him over to the chairs on the porch and had him take a seat.“What’s on your mind, Jiyong?” she asked, her smile gentle. Dara hadn’t told her everything but Mrs. Park had read between the lines and knew that her daughter was in love with this young man sitting in front of her. And from the look on his face, she had a feeling Jiyong felt the same way about Dara.“I don’t quite know where to start,” he admitted.The corner of her mouth tilted upwards, a move that reminded Jiyong of Dara. He sighed and started. “I’m an idiot,” he stated, and this time Mrs. Park laughed. She’d been worried for Dara when she left her, but now finding Jiyong here like this, Mrs. Park suddenly felt that maybe everything was going to be alright after all.“I have a daughter that I think has been acting like an idiot as well,” Mrs. Park said. Jiyong looked over to her, and then a grin spread across his face.“She drives me crazy,” he confessed.  “And when she left like this, without saying a word to me about it… it killed me.”Mrs. Park nodded knowingly. He had the same look she’d witnessed on Dara’s face a lot lately. “So what are you going to do about it?” she asked.“Well that’s what I wanted to talk to you about,” he said. ** Dara unlocked the door to her apartment as she balanced her purse and books in her other hand. Once inside she shut the door and locked it then turned to make her way to the kitchen to put her things down on the table. She halted, almost screaming, when she saw someone sleeping on her couch. What made her stop was that she recognized the person immediately. It was Jiyong.She put her things down on the table and made her way over to where he lay. How in the world did he get in here? And what was he doing here in Boston! She knelt down and looked over him closely. God how she missed him! He looked so tired.Dara reached over and gently moved his hair back off of his face. She drew her hand back though when he stirred and his eyes opened. They stared at each other for several seconds. And then Jiyong reached out and put his hand behind her neck and drew her forward while he leaned in and pressed his lips gently to hers.“Jiyong!” She gasped in surprise and tried to pull back, but he held her close and brushed his lips against her once more.“Dee… I love you.” Only then did he pull back a little so that he could look in her eyes. “I love you so much.”Her face scrunched into a frown and tears filled her eyes. Jiyong caressed her cheek with his thumb, wiping her tears as they fell. Wordlessly she fell against him as he embraced and held her.“What about Chaerin?” she asked.“We broke up. She said basically that I was a fool to let you go when you’re the one that’s in my heart.”“She said that?” Dara asked, pulling back to look at him. He smiled and confirmed it. “She’s so nice, Ji. I didn’t want to come between you two. Not when you loved her and…”He leaned and kissed her to stop her from talking. His lips moved over hers, his tongue gliding along her lower lip in a silent request. She opened her lips and allowed him entrance. Soon they were both on the couch, bodies entangled, lips locked, hearts racing.“I love you, Ji,” she whispered, and he moaned at her confession.“You’ve made me so miserable,” he replied between kisses. He thought of all the times she avoided him this past year and how it had hurt him badly.“I’ve been miserable too,” she admitted, and he pulled back and smirked at her.“Serves you right.”“What?!” She slapped his shoulder lightly while he laughed and gathered her near and hugged her tight.“I’m not letting you go ever again.”“Ha, how can you let me go when we were never even together in the first place?” she challenged. He sat up and pulled her onto his lap. His arms went around her while she lay her head on his shoulder, her face buried in the crook of his neck.“We’re together now,” he stated. “Therefore I’m never letting you go again.”“How did you get in here anyway? And what are you doing here?” she asked.“Your mom gave me her key. She knew you’d be in class when I arrived so she gave me the key. She also told me that I was not to sleep here though.” He smiled at Dara, a twinkle in his eyes. “I think this is some sort of test.”“Pfft! As if I’d even let you sleep here,” Dara replied, rolling her eyes. She didn’t want to admit that his nearness was driving her hormones into overdrive and if he pushed the issue she probably would end up losing her virginity to this crazy guy right here. “Does my dad know you’re here?”Jiyong shook his head, his smile growing wider, and Dara laughed.“He’d kill you if he knew.”“I think so too.”He caressed her face before leaning down to kiss her deeply again.  When they parted he rubbed the tip of his nose against hers, then along her cheek and close to her ear where he placed a gentle kiss.“Dee?”“Hmm?”“I think I’m going to fail your mother’s test.”She giggled and reached up to kiss him. “I love you…” Four years later Jiyong was at the airport waiting for Dara to arrive home. He had just returned from his military service two days earlier, which was why he had not been able to make it to Dara’s graduation. He waited anxiously now for his future bride and parents in law to exit from immigration. He didn’t have to wait long before he saw them coming. His heart skipped a beat and he laughed when she saw him and ran towards him.“Oppa!” She pulled his cap off and laughed at his short hair. “Omo, you look silly with such short hair!”He laughed back at her and bent to give her a quick kiss. “Welcome back home, Dee.”“Same to you,” she said, smiling at him. They stared at each other, smiling like fools. “Maybe we should delay the wedding until your hair grows back,” she teased. “I want your hair long when we take photos.”“We’ll put off the photo taking until my hair grows back. But we’re not changing the wedding date. Next week you become mine legally and forever.”Dara laughed as Jiyong released her to walk over to where her parents were. He bowed in greeting before taking the suitcases and leading them to where his car was waiting.“We have our car here,” Mr. Park informed him, so Jiyong helped take the suitcases to their car and loaded it in. He and Dara then said goodbye as they went to his car. Once they were seated he leaned over and kissed her slowly and deeply. She in turn and placed the palm of her hand to his cheek and caressed it softly.“I love you.”“And I you,” he answered. He settled back and smiled as he maneuvered the car out of the parking lot and out on to the road. One more week and they would begin their life as Mr. and Mrs. Kwon Jiyong. He couldn’t wait and neither could she. They’d known each other from childhood, had grown into best friends, and then lovers.“I’m hungry,” she said.“You’re always hungry,” he answered.“Hurry up and feed me!”“Eeh, so demanding this lady.”He grinned and she giggled as he slid his hand over and took hold of hers, content in knowing that they belonged to each other for now and forever. The end.