A WISH UPON A STAR
Part 1 Night
The stars rained from the sky tonight. Choi Young extended his hand catching an imaginary message from heaven: "I'm OK. I'm coming. Fast on a tail of this star I will cross the heaven into your arms."
He closed his fist tightly, pressing it against his heart - I'll keep it right here.
Looking up, he made a wish upon a falling star, as she taught him: Hurry up, please.
* * * (5 years ago)
Choi Young saw star showers a few times before; it was pretty and amusing, but fleeting and inconsequential. But with Imja next to him, he found a hidden mystery behind this cosmological happening.
They were watching the sky late at night, dark canvas studded by a fancy arrangement of twinkling lights. "Look," she excitedly pulled his sleeve for attention. "A falling star, quickly make a wish. It always comes true."
He caught a glimpse of it in silence, thinking: For Imja to stay by my side forever.
"Hey, did you? Wait, don't tell me, otherwise it will not happen."
"Never, you won't get it out of me even with burning iron."
Part 2 Sunrise
The nightly dew reflected pinkish glow of the rising sun. Birds waking up sang morning hymns. Half asleep, shivering from a night's cold air, he could not fully open his eyes, squinting at the brightness. Warm sunrays caressed his face gently, like a lover. "Imja, good morning", – the usual greeting rolling of his lips. He got up, stretching. At the first light of dawn, the sky was a deep pink and yellow, turning into beautiful lavender in front of his eyes. Everything was permeated with bright promise of a magical day.
A hundred years before, EUN SOO was ready: her walking stick and her hat set by the door. She looked around and stepped outside… She hoped that it would be the last time she needs to make this journey. The whole year she was suffering from this strange affliction: feeling of physical pain, feeling like her lungs did not allow enough air in, when her beloved Choi Young was not next to her. She needed to have him near so that she could fully live and fully breathe. So crossing time, she entered the day that met Choi Young under the Tree of Hope.
They both pictured their reunion many times, with all the wonderful details, making fantasies so attractive and seductive. But when they found each other after all the angst and pain, sustained by the sheer faith that got them through the loneliness and longing, it was nothing like they imagined. The truth is, it was nothing like that at all. The reality was much better than fantasy!
The sight of Choi Young took her by surprise. He was there, in front of her eyes, and when he turned, she felt the kind of indescribable joy that permeates your whole being, the kind of joy she missed out on till she could finally see his face. Eun Soo thought that now she would be able to breathe fully again. As she tried to fill her lungs with the air, he was standing in front her, smiling,.. and instead taking her breath away. And although he was not as surprised to see her, still he was amazed at this comforting reality. It seemed like after a long, dark night, the first ray of sunshine warmed his soul.
They were inescapably drawn toward each other, with each step forward, closer, and closer, till he finally reached out and pulled her fast and powerfully into a hug. The way he pulls her in with such strength, and the way only he can hug, as if it's not a body, but his soul that is holding her tightly, pressed against hers. Suddenly, the time was erased. Immediate familiarity enveloped them. Standing there glued to each other, they both were crying in complete happiness. A hug, then a momentary step back… and a kiss that lasts infinity. Then a step back… just to make sure: He is real. She is real. Never letting go, not for a second. Neither of them wanted to move. They stayed where they were, getting used to the idea of being together again. Tentatively… Testing the waters, they kissed and hugged and held each other.
Eyes meeting, connection is stronger than ever. At last able to speak.
- I missed you so much.
- Me too.
(Eun Soo) I watched and watched making sure he was real. He is alive, I am alive; we are both at the same place at the same time. This IS the reason for everything. I started feeling dizzy. My knees gave out…
In one swift motion he swept her off her feet as soon as he saw her fainting.
"Imja, imja, come to your senses, please. Are you OK?"
How can she not be in his arms?
His face darkened by distress… He rushed to take her under the shade of the tree. Tenderly holding her face, looking at her with such anxiety, he realized that it has been long since he felt worried like that. He has not felt these emotions for the last 5 years. For the first time ever this feeling made him happy. This feeling – worrying about Imja. Taking care of her. Not because he did not know where she was or how she was doing, but because he knew! He CAN worry and be anxious about her, because she is right here. He CAN take care of her, because she is in front of him. Happiest man alive!
She was still unconscious and to give her more air, he undid her robes, and slightly opened up the front. This style of clothing was very loose and the sleeves easily dropped to the ground, exposing her milky arms and dragging the rest of the fabric down. Only with a cloth wrapped around her breasts, she was half naked. He lifted her up and tried to loosen the bondage around her chest, but the only way to do it was to completely unwrap it. First, he took off his own upper caftan and covered her, then cut the wrap on the back with his sword and lowered himself, positioning her so that he became a blanket that protected her from laying the ground.
"Imja, are you hurting? What is wrong? Can you breathe?"
She still seemed unconscious. Remembering what she taught him before: he put his lips on hers and blew the air into her lungs: 1, 2, 3. Eun Soo slowly opened her eyes, only to see his locked on her, their connection still unbroken.
"Are you OK?"
"What happened?"
"You collapsed. I gave you my breath, like you taught me. It seemed to have helped." You could see that he was proud of himself and, of course, relieved that it worked.
"It did" she said, "that's what I really needed to breathe." Only then she realized that she was undressed.
As if reading her mind, blushing Choi Young explained: "I did not have any choice, your chest was too tight."
"It does feel better, thanks." She really wanted to tease him, but she knew how vulnerable he felt now. She moved, taking her arms from under the covers and holding his face, Eun Soo looked deep into his eyes making sure he understood her intention and requested "Kiss me". He knew what she meant without any further explanation.
His body forgot the closeness of a woman. Awakening of desire, burgeoning pull was of humongous proportions. Enormous. His whole being was overflowing with adoration of this beautiful female form. Tenderness and eagerness to please her, to show her how much he cared and how much he wanted to be with her guided his actions. He felt clumsy and unable to fully express what it meant to him. His lips walked along her arm not missing any curves or dips around the wrist and elbow. Coming up to the perfectly rounded shoulder, he lingered there for a while. "You taste sweet" - he whispered into her ear. His warm breath tickling her.
Eun Soo reveled in the experience. Each touch of his lips sent shivers down her spine and up the neck. Tiny tingles dispersing in waves of pleasure, her skin responding to the touch completely taken over by the experience. She is a mere hostage of his lips. His hands moving in opposite direction running from the neckline downward. Everything he does is with the slightest amount of pressure, on the cusp of driving her to unimaginable heights of pleasure, keeping it just one notch below, to prolong it indefinitely. Only a man who is trained to control and maintain emotions can be so precise and hold himself back from bursting into a wild sea of passion. It was amazing how he could continuously keep steadily the same level of intensity, while keeping at bay the build up of 5 years long. Is it even humanly possible? Maybe not, but this gentle warrior did not think about what or how he did it. Loving this woman, who loved him back, and being with her, allowed Choi Young to experience something absolutely unique and indescribable. With each passing minute he gained confidence as a man who can make her happy and who can be himself in every way possible especially during such intimate moments. As for her, she was just grateful to be joined with him and to love and be loved so utterly and completely.
"Eun Soo - ya" like a soft rustle of the wind.
"You said my name" closing her eyes she took in the sound of his velvety voice, how wonderful it was to hear him say it.
"Thank you. For coming back."
Part 3 Nightfall
Still resting under the tree, they were facing the skies. After the sunset, the pitch black settled in quickly, and the stars came out one after another, populating the gauze of Milky way. Among the orderly placement of constellations, a shooting star lit up the sky.
"Imja, look, make a wish quickly."
"I do not need to. My wish already came true."
"As did mine. Now I believe in the magic of falling stars. Would you like to hear my wishes?"
"Aha."
"Now I can tell you. My first one was for you to stay by my side forever. And my second one from last night – for you to come and find me quickly."
They looked at each other, smiling, content and at peace.
The sky lit up with a firework of stars diving to the ground, fleeting moments of brightness, disappearing fast… The two lovers did not wish for anything else, just enjoyed the unexpected show, saluting them from the heaven's world to the world where they lived.
