They jerked back and forth, lurching exactly at the same time.
"Aishhhh" Changmin ground his teeth together.
"Easy, Yoona!"
"I'm trying!"
"You're not trying hard enough..." he gasped for breath, "Too fast..."
"I can't..."
"Easy... nice and slow... gently..." Changmin lowered his smooth baritone voice, trying to calm himself as well as her.
"I don't know what to do!" Yoona breathed, rushed almost hyperventilating.
"Don't rush it," he coaxed, "We have all day."
Her eyes were filled with emotion and he knew she was overcome ... it was all so new to her, unchartered waters.
Her head tossed from side to side, "I can't do this!"
"Yes you can! Just trust me..."
Her eyes met his and she nodded, biting her lower lip.
"You need to let it come naturally," he explained, "Take a deep breath."
She inhaled deeply, slowly and and he heard the quiver in her breath.
He rubbed her arm gently, trying to encourage and soothe her.
"You can do this," he said very softly, calming her jagged nerves.
"I can do this," she repeated.
She inhaled again, more confidently this time.
She felt his left hand cover her right and give it a squeeze.
She nodded and then slowly lifted her right foot from the the brake and gently pressed down on the accelerator while simultaneously lifting her left foot off of the clutch. They moved forward, much smoother and slower this time, no jerking, no lurching.
"Shift ..." he guided her hand with his own.
That required her to press in the clutch again, which she focused on, and pressed it down while shifting gears. A huge smile broke across her face in elated surprise.
"I did it!" she cheered.
"Steady..." he instructed.
She carefully watched the road ahead, concentrating on the white lines down the center of the street that separated the right side from the left. He had told her to keep the front of the car parallel with those lines.
"Time to shift again," he gave her right hand another squeeze.
Everything was coming together, slowly, yes, but she now could 'feel' when the gears needed to be shifted! She couldn't believe she had come this far in less than a week!
After another hour of instruction, she pulled to the side of the country road and parked. She unbuckled her seat belt and let out a huge breath that she had seem to be holding in for awhile. She closed her eyes and smiled.
He watched her as she breathed.
"I still don't know how you maneuvered me into this," he admitted.
"It was either this or the photos," she answered, "And I guess I don't rate high enough on your friend chain to get the photos."
That brought a smile to his lips. Friend. Yes, well, technically they were friends.
For now.
In the two very short weeks that he had know Yoona Im, he found himself wanting to know more and more about her, spend more time with her. He enjoyed himself when he was in her company.
He unfastened his own seat belt and turned to face her.
"Why don't you have a boyfriend?"
Her eyes opened and she saw him angled toward her. He had such a pleasant face, dark, very dark eyes, and full lips. Changmin Shim was a handsome man. His tan, smooth, flawless skin was tempting. Several times during the past week she had wanted to reach up and touch his cheek, and see if it was as smooth and soft as it appeared.
"Because the right guy hasn't asked me."
He smirked at her response. Evasive, but alluring.
"And what's Mr. Right like?"
"Oh you know," she raised her hand and held up a finger for each attribute she named: "Attractive, smart, great sense of humor, talented... " she paused and then a twinkle in her eye provoked him as she continued, "and rich!"
He folded his arms and frowned.
"I wouldn't have pegged you for a gold digger."
"Why do you think I'm working for Director Jihoon?" she squinted her eyes and watched for his reaction.
He unfolded his arms and turned back around in his seat to face forward.
"So it's about the money?"
She shrugged.
"Everyone needs money, Changmin. Money makes the world go around."
"So they say."
"You want to know how much he's paying me?" she asked him a bit too earnestly.
"No, Yoona. I don't. And quite frankly, I am a bit surprised."
"Why," she asked him, continuing to play with him.
"Because... I thought you were different is all."
"He gave me this car." she said in a more serious tone.
His head jerked to the side, facing her once more.
"He what?"
"You heard me... he gave me this car."
"Bloody hell..." Changmin swore, his mind racing now. This came from left field... it didn't fit his image of Yoona. She wasn't greedy. She didn't care about money.
"And you accepted it?"
She shrugged. She watched him.
When he didn't respond immediately she put her hand on his shoulder and he looked back into her eyes.
"Changmin," she licked her lips, "You and I can see the world. He can make it happen. We'll see the places that we've only seen in photo books!"
"No," he shook his head. "It's not for me."
It wasn't working... she would have to try a different tactic. He definitely wasn't into money. She knew he wouldn't be, but she just wanted to verify.
When in doubt, be honest.
"It's not about the money." she admitted.
His eyes bore into hers, seeking the truth.
"I was kidding with you. He does pay me a lot, that part is true. And yes, he did give me this car, for work. But, Changmin, although those things are nice, and yes, even necessary to live comfortably, it's not why I do it."
She had his undivided attention.
"I know when you see those models, you see arrogance, conceit and plastic surgery-altered men and women. But Changmin, there's much more. In the last three weeks that I've worked for him, Director Jihoon has shown me so many important things as well. And I've got so much more to learn!"
He nodded at her enthusiasm and she continued, "I do want to travel the world. I do want to see the beautiful sites, and smell the perfumed air, taste the exotic foods. But that isn't going to change who I am ... it isn't going to turn me into a plastic person."
"Did he ask you to convince me?"
"Yes, but that's not why I'm telling you this ... I'm telling you because I personally want you to come. I think you're making a big mistake by turning down his offer."
He considered her words, and saw the truthfulness in her eyes.
"It's not just because I don't want to..." he explained. "What if..." he paused.
"What if... I can't do it?"
She didn't understand him. He was so overtly talented, what did he mean?
"When I take photographs, I 'see' them first, with my minds eye. It's hard to explain but I think you understand, because Yoona, you recognized it when you saw my photos. But these are people we're talking about... egocentric, spoiled, materialistic people that think their beauty surpasses that of the sunset, or sunrise."
"What if.. I can't photograph them?"
"I guess it's a possibility," she weighed, "But Changmin, what if you can? Are you going to take that chance of missing out on the world, because you were too afraid to try?"
"I didn't say I was afraid."
"But you are."
"Well I was also afraid you'd kill me in this car, but I survived."
"Yah!" she reached over to smack his shoulder.
"I was also afraid you'd sell my photos on eBay... so I didn't give them to you."
His lips twitched with a smirk when she raised her hand again and he caught it.
"But you know what I am most afraid of?"
She tugged at her hand and when he didn't let it go she leaned over and tried to pinch his chest.
"Are you going to let go?" she threatened.
He pulled both her wrists together and easily held them with a single hand, his long fingers wrapping around securely.
"What I'm most afraid of," he lowered his voice to a near whisper, he eyes darkening with intensity as he stilled her. What I'm most afraid of is that I will fall for a bowlegged girl who will break my heart...
"What I'm most afraid of is that I will agree to go to see the world, and get stuck with you as my travel companion." he lied.
"What?" she sputtered.
"You heard me. I can just see it now, we'll be in Paris, and you'll be overcome by both the surrounding atmosphere and my sexy manliness, and sneak in to my hotel room at night..."
"YAH!" she yelled and he laughed at her, releasing her hands. She began pelting him with light slaps as he covered his head.
"Rape!" he cried out, "Help! I'm being raped!"