Hello everyone!
Thank you for keeping up with me and for waiting for the next chapter of this story!
Here is another brand new chapter! With this one, there are still 3 for us to arrive at the end of the story!=,)
Enjoy!
Chapter 21 - Christmas Day
-So… - started Il Hyun, though he really couldn't recall any reason for doing so.
After their "meeting" they had moved to the sofas in Yi Jung's room while the maids brought them tea. They were sitting in front of each others, Ga Eul by Yi Jung's side and Eun Jae in front of her, by Yi Jung's brother side.
They were all looking at Yi Jung's brother, waiting for him to say anything more.
- So…
Suddenly, Yi Jung looked at Ga Eul and she made also eye contact with him and both started laughing. Even thought she didn't knew why she was laughing when the situation was deadly embarrassing, she felt good as if she was giving up her nervousness.
Unwillingly, Il Hyun also started laughing and Eun Jae slowly caught up with them. They looked like fools, laughing without an apparent reason. But it felt good, to all of them.
When they had calmed down a little, Yi Jung was the first one to talk.
- Sorry… I guess, a stupid idea… sorry…
- What are you talking about? – asked his brother.
- I just started thinking that… you didn't seem to know any other words besides "so"… and I just couldn't help it… I feel like I'm 15 or 16 years old and being caught doing something bad… sorry… - he started laughing again.
They smiled and laughed a little. Then Eun Jae said:
- So… - she said, with a smile to Ga Eul. – It seems you finally won over the infamous So Yi Jung?
- Yeah, I could say the same. It was the first time I ever saw a completely dressed up girls in my brother's bed… ouch! – Il Hyun said, when Eun Jae pinched him.
- That wasn't really nice! – he told her.
- You weren't being very polite either… - she answered him, throwing him an accurate smile.
- Guys! – Yi Jung asked, while lifting his hands. – We don't need a private love show, ok?
Eun Jae smiled at him.
- You've got yourself a precious diamond, Yi Jung. – she said. – Don't try to lapidate him too much...
- Are you kidding? – he said, while placing a hand upon Ga Eul's, on her lap and intertwined their fingers. – How can I lapidate it, when it's already too perfect for me?
Ga Eul blushed at the comment and Eun Jae smiled sweetly at both. Il Hyun, however, seemed to be having a hard time in believing the man in front of him was his brother, the one who had pleaded him to escape with himself from their family… the eternal Casanova…
- Okay, - he finally said, looking at Ga Eul – Who are you and what have you done with my brother?
- She blushed but also answered him:
- He's right in front of you. The only difference was that he gave his cool collected mask an early retirement…
Yi Jung smiled at her choice of words, for they had been the most rightful he had heard. He had retired himself from his bad habits and he wasn't intending to return to them so soon. Not with the beautiful girl by his side.
After that, Il Hyun warmly admitted Ga Eul's presence, after noticing by himself how she was more needed by Yi Jung than any other balsam he could order to cure himself.
They chatted almost all night about how they had met, what they had done… it was good, for both Yi Jung and Ga Eul to remember some moments they had shared together and how funny they had been. Il Hyun was completely into their story and curious about why and in the name of whom, wasn't his brother making a move, or a more direct one towards this girl.
It was the look in both of their eyes that rendered him speechless. There was so much feeling inside it he felt overwhelmed by it. He had never expected to ever see his little brother so happy again… and, what was even more surprising, so much in love as he seemed.
Eun Jae ended up telling them that she and Il Hyun were getting married and invited immediately Ga Eul to her wedding.
- She would go anyway. – said Yi Jung, looking at her surprised face. – She's my girlfriend after all.
She had smiled and pecked him on the lips.
A few hours later, Yi Jung drove Ga Eul home. He placed his car beside her apartment building and turned off the engine. She looked over at him, surprised.
- Did you have fun? – he asked.
- Of course I did! Though, it was a little embarrassing…
- What was? We weren't even doing anything yet…
- Yet…? – she asked him, while seeing his devious grin.
- Well , we were getting to the good part…
- You pervert! – she said, punching his arm.
- Ouch!
- Serves you well…
- Oh come on! Don't be angry… I told you I wouldn't force you, didn't I? And I plan on keep that… so, don't be mad at me? – he said, a pleading look in his face.
She cast him a side glance and started laughing before giving him peck on the lips.
- Forgive me?
- Always… - she said.
- So… what are you doing tomorrow?
- Me? Nothing much… ending things for Christmas's dinner… you?
- Probably hanging around somewhere…
- And your Christmas's Eve?
- Don't know… usually I go drinking somewhere… and then go to sleep… Il Hyun will be with Eun Jae…
- I wish I could spent it with you… - she said, placing her hand on his face.
- I wish I could too… but we can still go on a date tomorrow, can't we?
- Of course. Though I'll have to be home early…
- Where do you want to go?
- … The zoo?
- The zoo?
- What? You don't like it?
- No, it's just… I wasn't expecting it…
- If you don't want to…
- No, it's okay. The zoo is perfect. I haven't been there since… since I was 6…
She smiled at him and kissed him.
- Thank you.
- For what?
- For making me the happiest woman in earth… and for loving me back…
- Pabo… I should be the one saying it… - he said, before kissing her senseless.
When they parted she had a huge smile in her face and her eyes, he thought, could easily light up the whole world. She went out of his car and into her apartment. She bid him goodbye and then she was gone.
Yi Jung drove off, without being able to put away the huge grin in his face.
"I must seem an idiot, grinning like this… but I'm a really happy idiot!"
The next day hold so much fun for him that even he couldn't have imagined it. Ga Eul was, as he expected, the best of the date's he could have wished for: caring, funny, serious and spontaneous…
He had so much fun at the zoo he didn't even noticed how fast the time had passed. It was already 7 in the afternoon and they had to leave in time for Ga Eul to be home by 7.30.
He made the drive, while they recalled their date laughing and talking. She was holding a toy-shaped-koala and was laughing when they reached her home. Sadly that the drive was over, he turned to her… and paused at her look.
- What? You look like you know something I don't?
- Actually, I do…
- What is it?
- My mom asked me yesterday a question but… I haven't answered it yet…
- What question?
- Do you want to spend Christmas' Eve with us?
- Us? – he looked at her, in shock. – You mean, with your family and you?
- Yes… - she looked quite expectantly.
- Well… I don't want to bother… - he was afraid and she knew why.
- You don't have to, but… my mother wanted you to come… I unwilling told her you were spending your Christma's alone so… your presence tonight is my Christmas birthday… I asked my mother for it…
- … will it be okay?
- Of course it will! – she said, smiling at him.
- Then, I accept.
- Yay! – she screamed and kissed him hard.
- Wow! – he panted. – I would have already agreed if I knew you'd kiss me like this!
- Pabo! – she said, while leading him into her house, after he had reached for her present in the back truck of his car.
He was welcomed warmly by all the members of her family, especially the women. But he paid almost no mind to any other than Ga Eul. It was the first night in many years he felt like Christmas was a familiar celebration and not just another drinking night. For the first time in years he got the thrilling joy of offering a gift to a person he cared for (a small jewelry box, handmade by him, carved with his and hers initials intertwined), that she rewarded him with a soft kiss; the thrill of opening up a present from under a tree, under Ga Eul's expecting and soft glaze. He didn't have to say it; she already knew how this was important to him. And when he kissed her for her gift, he made sure to put in his lips all he couldn't say in words.
It was a perfect night… or it would have been, if it wasn't for a phone call from a really drunken Woo Bin in, what Yi Jung could tell by the back grounding sounds, an extremely busy road:
- Yi Jung-ah, I really want to die…
So, what do you think? Comment please!
See you next chapter!