Kim Taeyeon
We had to go home the next day, and when I told her she clung onto me for the rest of the day, literally. I felt like a kangaroo, with it's baby in it's pouch. Just hopping around doing stuff. I did everything with her, that included taking a shower with her . . hanging on my back. I brushed my teeth with her on my back. I did the dishes, picked up the bed, swept the floor, mopped it, cleaned the windows and folded all of our clothes neatly back into our carriers with her on my back.
The morning was just a constant bombardment of 'can we stay?' and my answer was always 'no.'
Just as I was loading things in the car and about to unload her off my back, I did a triple check to see if I forgot anything, and when the backseat was empty I tapped Fany's arm and she sulked.
"Where's monkey George?"
She shrugged. I put her on the passenger seat and buckled her seat belt, keeping her there so she wouldn't run out and follow me again while I looked for the fluffy guy. Experience shows that if she doesn't have that stuffed monkey around, she wouldn't sleep, or she'd complain about it till I found the guy.
It was a solid good 20 minutes of searching and I know she deliberately placed him somewhere because when I cam out to ask her where she lat saw him she sighed and said 'if we can't find him, I guess we have to stay here then!'
I found him a minute later stuffed in the deepest darkest corner of the closet, hidden behind some not suspicious looking towels.
I grabbed the fluffy guy and walked back into the car, placing him in the backseat buckling his seat belt too.
"Fany, we're done here, are you ready to go home?" I sighed, hands on my hips awaiting more little mischievous things she'll do.
She rolled her eyes. "No."
I sighed, climbing onto the passengers seat and turning on the engine. She leaned her head against the window and looked so emo and upset. She was always a little whiny, and a sore loser so this was just another one of her 'fuck you Taeyeon' because she didn't get her way.
"You have to go back to work Fany, and plus people are going to ask where you were. Yo wouldn't want them to worry, would you?"
"They can all suck my ass I just want to be with you." She hissed, glaring at me through the rear view mirror.
"You have all my undivided attention for the next I don't know, couple of months till I sort myself out with Jonghyun. I have to hide, and that means staying inside the house waiting for you to come home."
"Okay but . . I want to do that too."
"No, you have a job and you like your job. Don't worry, every time you come home I'll cook you a steak dinner, massage your feet, sprinkle rose petals all over the bed and take a nice hot steamy shower with you. Everyday! After you come home from work of course."
She didn't say anything for the rest of the ride, so I forced her to say something by turning up some horrible country music till she swatted my hand away from the radio button. "I'm going to quit when we get back to the city." She mumbled, still sulking.
"Over my hot, rich, dead body Miyoung."
"Watch me Kim."
"Do it, and I'll be mad at you."
"You're literally never mad at me." She said too confidently.
"Because you're always mad at me Miyoungie! I just sit there, nod and let you nag me, I always say sorry too."
"Okay shut up." She pinched my arm and I was about to knock her out for the rest of the ride.
"Stop! It's dangerous! What if I swerve off the cliff huh?!" I hissed, glaring at her teasingly.
"Then maybe I can spend the rest of my life with you forever without anyone taking you away from me again." She said and her voice suddenly cracked at that.
Obviously, I was alarmed at the sudden seriousness but I didn't know what else to say so I just kind of burped hoping maybe she'd just laugh and talk about maybe something less saddening?
She didn't react as far as I saw, but I did see her eyes become weary.
I slipped my hand from the gear stick into hers resting on her lamp and just held it as I drove, going slower than what I usually drove at.
You think too much, Fany.
I guess staying home for the next couple of weeks wasn't too bad, I enjoyed waiting for her to come home. I liked laying around with no worries except feeding the dogs and making sure I didn't make a mess.
Was it weird to transition from my million dollar mansion to Fany's quaint town house that was 1/10th of my house? Yes. Did I miss my plethora of sports car, expensive useless decoration and a fridge stocked full of my favourite unhealthy snacks. Of course, but if it meant that I got to live in some peace with the one I loved coming home to me unharmed then I'll accept in a heartbeat.
My favourite moment? Laying in bed with her after she had a long day and talking about what she did at work. Only because she usually asked me this, and not the other way around. I didn't know how much joy I liked hearing about her tiny complaints and how her day went. I wish I had done it sooner, because she's always taken care of me.
"So you're saying you left your bag of almonds on your desk and some curious kid took it and ate it . . causing him to have an allergic reaction which made you almost want to cry."
"Yes."
"Hey, that sounds like me." I pointed out.
She suddenly sat up and startled me, she sat up really straight and when she does that I know she's going to go on a 6 minute rant being all serious and stuff. "I know! You're stupid! How old were you?!"
"28 . . " I said, relaxing with my hands behind my head, wiggling my toes in the thin sheets.
She pushed my shoulder, trying to get my attention but I just couldn't stop focusing on the hole in the bed sheet. I bet you my pinky toe could fit through it. "That's right, 28 years of age Taeyeon and I asked if you had any allergies just out of curiosity. You said 'of course not!' and then can you tell me what happened next?"
I sighed and rolled over, giving her my undivided attention because she wanted it so much. ". . . Well Ms. Hwang, I, Kim Taeyeon started to reach into your yellow package of peanut M&M's because I thought your small self wouldn't be able to finish that entire your package-which you did, and being the nice person that I am I helped you eat it."
"What happened next little bear?" She asked unamused. I scared her so bad that day, it was great.
I cleared my throat obnoxiously, propped my head against my palm looking at her with a playful smile. "I had an allergic reaction . . my throat was itchy and I had a hard time breathing."
She slapped my chest, probably still angry. "I almost killed you with my bag of peanut M&M's and the entire time you were laughing." She narrowed her eyes at me, pausing before she hit me again. I flinched and covered my head, afraid she'd hit a vital spot.
"It was funny . . come on . . you were yelling at people to get help. I think you even screamed at my business partner if they had an Epipen or something. I've never seen you so serious, angry, worried, anxious and so bossy before all at one time." I couldn't stop giggling and that was enough for her to just push me off the bed.
When I crawled back up to the bed she opened the covers for me, inviting me once again and I scurried in like a dog. "I got scared okay, the little boy was bright, he enjoyed drinking those yogourt tubes just like you. When he stated coughing and crying I got scared, I felt so sorry to him." She whispered, playing with the tips of my hair absentmindedly. She buried her face into my neck sighing.
I patted her head and she sighed, pushing my shoulder making me lay flat as she slumped onto my chest. "That's okay, at the end when you visited him in the hospital he had a smile on his face right?" I mumbled against her forehead.
"Yes, just like you after that peanut fiasco. I'm going to name this one today the almond fiasco."
"Maybe you should teach your new batch of kids what allergies are and who has them you know, just so it won't happen again." I nodded at my own good idea, gotta keep the little kids young and alive.
"Yeah, I should run it through you too. . you know? So I won't have another surprise panic attack finding out you're allergic to like sunlight, leaves, goldfish crackers, cranberries or some stupid wild crap that you didn't know you were deadly allergic to."
"Hey! It's just peanuts . . as far as I know."
"You're my little peanut now, that's a new nickname for you by the way."
"I like my nickname Bear just as it is thank you very much."
She scrunched her face up and touched her nose with mine. "PeanutBear? I think that's cute." She said quietly, looking at me with round eyes.
"Okay but why peanut . . I'm allergic . . "
"Peanuts kind of a cute name. And you're allergic to it so, I will literally never let you forget that you're allergic to peanuts." She said smiling, batting her eyelashes
I face palmed myself in disbelief. "Are you that paranoid?"
"Yes I'm never letting you scare me like that ever again. Now, let me sleep. I'm a tired emotional lady who really needs her sleep." She flipped her hair and reached over to turn the lights off but I grabbed her hand and placed it underneath my shirt.
"Wanna have sex?" I purred, trying to sound as seductive as I could be.
She deadpanned, looking like she was going to slaughter my puny ass. "Fucking choke Taeyeon." She spat, rolling away from me taking the blankets and covering herself from head to toe.
I couldn't stop laughing for 10 minutes or something till she punched my gut blindly.
"Night." I mumbled, hugging her blanket wrapped body tightly, to the point where it annoyed her.
But I couldn't sleep. Not when my chest was hurting. I don't know why it hurt, the doctor's couldn't properly diagnose me and it's getting to me. I started to think, what if it was more than just a discomfort at the chest, what if it was something worse? I feared that I couldn't do some of the things I wanted to do in life if I left early.
It must've been a couple of hours of me shuffling around the bed, restless. I finally sat up on the edge, looking behind me to see if she was still
asleep, it's not like I wanted to disturb her either. I ruffled my hair in between my hands, sighing a bit too loud. My feet made the hardwood beneath me squeak and the pain started to fizzle out.
A palm held the right side of my waist, the sheets tasselled and I shook my head. "Bear . . what are you doing?" Her voice tired, hoarse.
"My chest is staring to hurt, I'm going to take medicine."
I downed two and drank some water, I felt her fingertips lazily drag around my back and I turned around resuming my spooning position.
She faced my chest, snuggling close to me. "Does it hurt baby?"
"A little."
"Mm."
She slipped her hand underneath my shirt and I got a bit more upset.
"Fany? I have something to tell you."
"And what is that bear?"
"I'm scared." I whispered.
She stared at me, her hand rubbing my chest gently. "Of what?"
"What if I don't get to see you again? What if my chest hurts so much that I-I die. ."
She shook her head and squeezed my hand tightly it was always her signal for me to stop it. "No, don't say that."
I didn't say anything but continued to play with her hair, having too many things in my mind as it was.
"You can't sleep, can you?"
I shook my head. She knew me well, of course she would.
She got up and turned the lamp on as I watched her walk around the room. She picked up a book and monkey George, crawling back onto the bed. I smiled into my pillow, finding the things she do already so . . cute.
She put her pillow against the headboard and rested while sitting up.
She patted her lap and like my body had its mind of its own I moved and placed my head on her lap, watching as she took her book and opened it, the spine of the novel close to my face.
With one hand running through my hair, and the other holding the book she began to read to me in her recognize husky warm voice.
I liked hearing her talk, the way she always sounded so happy and so comforting with her words.
I liked how she did that for me, I can see so clearly she cares for me just through this. I felt bad though, I could never sleep properly. My thoughts would always be too loud, I think too much. I have trouble sleeping, and when I do sleep but wake up again, she'd be there to coax me back to sleep with a couple of stokes to my head.
I liked how only she could do that, any other woman and it doesn't work. It's like she's magic, it's like she is the one.
Just as I was going to drift to sleep, I felt her kiss my forehead, hand brushing my hair back. "I know you want to talk about it Taetae, but how about tomorrow early in the morning? It's not that I don't want you to tell me what's on your mind, but I want you to have a restful sleep, a peaceful one. Sleep through the darkness, and at daylight, we can talk away the bad things."
"I'll be here when you wake up, I promise."
I clutched her hand underneath the bed sheets, got into a more comfortable spot and laid my heavy head on her chest.
I trust you, Fany.
She wasn't lying, we talked about my endless worries during breakfast while she combed my hair back into its place and while I ate my mounds of pancakes.
In the end she kissed my cheek and said comforting thoughts that I needed to
hear, and honestly. It's ridiculously hard to find someone who will listen, yet provide words that'll lessen the dead weight on my chest.
She was that someone, and it also helped that she was funny cute and pretty too, there's that going on for me.
"Do you want me to drive you to school today?" I mumbled against her palm as she fixed my messy bed hair.
She scratched my chin like I was her puppy and nodded. "I'd like that." The comb in her hand was placed on the table and she bent forward kissing my cheek before patting my shoulder to get me to dress.
I looked behind me once more as she cleaned up my plates but hummed a tune while doing it.
In a busy moment she took the time to comfort me in a way that felt like she truly cared. No rushing, it was just me and her and that was the centre of her spotlight.
I'm really at ease, I could get use to this in the impending days. I knelt down to the two fluffs on the ground going around circles chasing me around. I patted their heads, rolling on the floor with them till they cuddled close to my arms and I cradled their tiny selves.
"Can I marry your mother?" I asked quietly. Princess licked by face, and Prince bit my finger, growling. I still didn't get past Fany's little 4 legged knight, but I'll get there soon.
So, I liked driving her to work. It felt right. Nothing crazy was going to happen. Burned in the back of my mind was just this morning, how her gentle caresses managed to calm me and how she lent me her ear.
"Have a good day at work honey! I'm going to be a stay at home father while you're at work!" I gave her my widest smile and a thumbs up, trying to shoo her away quickly.
"Bye baby, be good!" She beamed, waving at me before she shut the car door and I literally pressed the gas pedal and swerved the hell out of the school parking lot.
I made up my mind. I had to go get ready.
I squinted at the calendar on my phone, making sure I got the right date. Today should be the day, hell it could be any day but I had to make sure it didn't contradict with any other 'special' days.
I had to get groomed at the barbers today, pick up my shirt, wash the car and a bunch of other errands that needed to be run.
But before all of that needed to be done there was one thing I needed to do.
I had a flight to catch.
San Francisco.
The familiar family home with the dock so close to it, I recognized the battered down boat bobbing up and down the water attached to the side with rope. My eyes met the figure tending to his front porch, watering his plants before going back in.
I took a deep breath in, shaking out my jitters hoping it wouldn't be too bad.
I walked up the stairs, myself trembling. My lone finger pressed the doorbell, stepping back and looking at myself in the reflection of the hazy glass pane.
The door opened and I stared at the man who merely flared back at me, closing the door halfway like some sort of 'protection.'
Mr. Hwang.
He was the one who intimated the cops to run after me, he tried to get me arrested, hell he could've even plotted to kill me.
What wouldn't a father do to protect his daughter from someone like me?
I understand his intentions, but it still bothers me to the bone that he tried to get rid of me from his daughters life; well at least tried.
I cleared my throat and bowed slightly, he was going to close the door right in my face but is edged my feet against the crack of the door and pushed it slightly.
"Please listen to what I have to say." I said firmly, he didn't let go of the door but didn't make any further advances to shut it.
My hold on the door knob loosened and I stepped back.
"I know what you did to me and I understand what you did even though you didn't know what happened, who I am exactly and what I did."
He opened the door and stepped on the porch, he got real close to my face and shoved me back. "You almost killed my daughter!"
"I know, but it wasn't intentional. I wouldn't hurt her intentionally, up to this point I've taken care of her."
He slaps me on the face and kicked my shin, making me kneel right in front of him. His arm held my shoulder down and I did what he made me do. I saw how he was getting ready to launch his fist into my face but just before it hit me I held it with both my hands with all my might, staring at his hard eyes.
"Please don't hurt me, I will see Fany in a couple of hours." I whisper, feeling the force of his fist start to lessen.
He swallowed the lump in his throat and stood back. "I told you, I wouldn't let anything happen to her. My feeling was right, you were someone you didn't claim to be. I called the police yes, I launched a private investigator yes, but it was for her own good. There's no one to blame but yourself. You think I want to see my daughter missing running around with a playboy felon who's committed murders? Be realistic, she's a kindergarten teacher-"
"Mr. Hwang I'm-I'm tired! I-I can't do this anymore, I can't run away anymore nor participate in the lifestyle you despised anymore. Tell me right now, when I was locked away in jail and you had full control of your daughter in those vulnerable months, did she call for me? Did she say she still wanted me? Did she want to see me still?"
He closed his eyes and leaned against the wooden pillar, slamming his fist on it. I didn't turn around, just watching the reflection of the glass pane.
"Anything she wanted, I'd give it to her. She wanted you, she still asked for you and still called for you. Those months you were gone I tried to coax her away from you, painted you the bad guy in every thing I could but you know what she said to me?"
"She picked up that damned stuffed monkey named George, hugged it to her chest and whispered 'gentle bear.' I found out, that was your nick name. At night, when she couldn't sleep I thought she was upset at what happened to her with that guy who almost touched her in ungodly places, she was upset you weren't here. She kept calling you 'Taetae' do you realize how I can't take you away from her?"
My heart thumped, knowing how I was still anted yet she pushed me so far away when I was there in front of her. I was still thought of, still yearned for despite thinking that I was going to be long forgotten and abandoned.
"She was the happiest with you. She loves you and I can't do anything to change that." He sighs, rubbing his temples. "I don't think I can get rid of you."
My lips tugged at his last words. I don't think you can get rid of me either.
"She's the best, truly the best. I cant find anyone else like her, I absolutely adore her, I find her extraordinary." I said, my eyes probably looking like they're sparkling.
He scoffed. "You two are inseparable, I realized that when she was crying on my shoulder about learning your jail time."
He looked at me with a raised brow. It was a moment of long silence and I gave him a smile.
"I came here to ask for you blessing. I want to marry your daughter Mr. Hwang." I said steadily, making sure I sounded I was sure because I was.
He clenched his jaw and I was ready for him to say no, I was ready to stay here, beg him and make him know that my decision has been firm. Blessing, or not I want to marry her. I will marry her.
I sighed. "I just want to start a family, I want to be happy Mr. Hwang." I closed my eyes when he didn't say anything.
"Please promise me you'll take care of her, keep her happy. I can't lose her, not like I did with her mother."
"I will, trust in me. B-But will you come to our wedding? You know, be there for your daughter?"
No chance in expression but he looked at me sadly. "I give you my blessing on one condition."
"What will it be?" I asked cautiously.
"When I pass away, don't let her stay at my grave for more than an hour." He said in a monotone voice. There was no change in pitch and I had so many thoughts create from that.
"What?"
"Accept the condition and go."
"I-I, Mr. Hwang. What-"
He glared at me, and I nodded furiously knowing that I could lose my chance. I shook his hand, giving him my deepest bow before scurrying off his porch practically skipping.
"I won't disappoint General Hwang! I love her to bits and enjoy her company, and soon I hope you'll love me to bits and enjoy my company too!" I shouted at the top of my lungs.
Holy shit, I got his blessing.
I skipped back to the streets, looking both ways before crossing the busy roadway to hail a taxi to go home quickly. My smile? The widest it has been since the early morning when I dropped Fany off.
Flying back from San Francisco in two hours on the plane gave me time to think. First, I got the okay sign from him. Barely. Secondly, I wanted to give her a taste of 'normal.' Something she has requested, it was simple and it can be done. At this moment, it's doable.
So with the time ticking down to 5 o'clock and back to back 2 hour flights, I got myself groomed and in a semi formal attire. I kept glancing at my watch, touching the box on the passenger side and the bouquet of earth goodness.
I parked my car behind the school, knowing she'll walk home since it was a nice and sunny day. I gestured for the delivery man to play along with my little scheme and he stood in the corner awkwardly waiting for my cue.
When my little button walked out the front doors of the school I threw a stick at the delivery man, whistling lowly to get him to play his part.
I hid behind a shrub, watching as the delivery man looked behind me. I shooed him away and tried to squeeze myself behind the green shrubbery.
"Flowers, for Ms. Hwang?"
She stopped in her tracks and smiled warmly to the deliveryman, giving her famous little 90 degree bow and accepted it, taking the white card off the bouquet as I squatted here biting on my fingers.
Miyoung,
Date tonight with little bear, wear something pretty :)
- Taeyeon
She cracked a smile, a really big one to the point where her pair of crescents decided to show. Now, I felt warm.
What a cute smiley little baby, plus her hair looked gorgeous in the lighting.
"Delivery, for Ms. Hwang . . again."
She looked up confused and accepted the big blue box with a ribbon on top. She shook her head, knowing it was from me.
She placed it down on the bench and opened it and my calves were burning from all the squatting and hiding.
She pulled apart the ribbon and opened the lid, I even heard her small gasp. She took the pink dress out and started to squeal, looking around her before jumping up and down in excitement.
Thank god she liked it.
I stood up and patted my trousers down, making sure my shoelaces were tied and my dress shirt wasn't too crumpled.
"Psst." I said, hiding behind a lamp pole immediately.
She turned around and I heard the clicks of the heels on the pavement. I held my breath, afraid she'd see me. But I peeked out of the pole and she turned around putting things away.
"Psst." I repeated, taking a couple of steps closer before hiding behind a trash can.
"Hello?" She said quietly.
I let the silence pass by till I walked extremely quiet to her, tip toeing as I stood right behind her.
"Psst." I whispered in her ear, he jolted and shrieked, screaming, yelling and punching me right in the gut.
"Ow."
"Taetae!" She wrapped her arms around my waist and buried her face into my chest, not caring we were in public.
"Hi love, I came to pick you up for our date, not get holes punched into me by you."
She looked up and rested her chin on my chest, asking for a kiss. We rocked back and forth, just standing in front entrance of the school.
"Uncle Taetae! Yucky!" The girlish voice came to me loud. I knew exactly who it was and I pulled back a bit embarrassed.
I glanced up from Fany, waving a goodbye to little Anna, who ran away to the playground with a group of friends. That little booger is going to get it one day.
My hand patted Fany's back, running my fingers through the tips of her silky brown hair.
"Thank you for the gifts, I liked it."
"I didn't know what flowers you liked so I asked the Ahjussi to give me one of each flower. It's a safe bet because you have to like at least one of them right?"
She giggled and nodded. "I like your shirt Taetae." Her fingers played with the buttons and unbuttoned the top one, and then the second one till I held her finger and bit on it.
"It's pink, of course you like it. Come on now, I want to hold hands with a pretty girl like you." I kissed the top of her head and glared at any on goers that looked at us.
She pulled away but held my hand as I stood in place watching her gather up her items, she handed me the box with her dress and shouldered her bag before waving the flowers in front of me and smiled. "You're so cute sometimes. I like this part of you."
I beamed a cheeky smile at her which prompted some squeals and cheek pinching from her.
I looked around, making sure no one was looking because it was slightly embarrassing.
We walked home together and I laid in bed playing on my phone waiting for her to shower and get dressed, as soon as the door clicked I placed my phone down and leaned my face on my hand laying there seductively with my legs crossed.
"Ooo." She purred, giving me a wink.
Instead of purring back I roared an she didn't expect that.
"You suck at being sexy." She threw her towel at me and instructed I kept it covering my eyes and I sighed.
"Welp. That's a problem we can fix later. I'm hungry, so we have to fix this now." I mumbled, trying to take a peek but her spidey senses knew and she threw something else at me.
"Fany, hurry up you take forever-ever-ever-ever-ever-ever-" I kept whining to the point Prince was howling with me too.
"Okay I get it shut up." She muttered. I got so impatient, I kicked my feet on the bed, squirming.
"So can you hurry up?" I whined. She didn't reply so I continued with my endless babble. "Are you done changing yet? Why do you have to hide from me? I've seen you butt naked before and-"
She turned around. "How do I look?"
"Whoa." I thought my eyes twinkled. I didn't notice that she walked over to me. She pushed my chin up and I closed my mouth, rolling out of bed getting ready to head out. I tried so hard not to look again because if I did I wouldn't be able to control myself.
She trailed behind me, tucking my shirt into my pants and smoothing the wrinkles.
She sighed and shouldered her bag, opening the door too but I turned around and walked backwards, keeping my eyes on her just because she looked so damn good. Guess I stared too long and God had other plans for me because I started to stumble and fall flat on the stairs, rolling down just a bit with the loudest thump.
Ow.
". . . Are you okay?" She asked worriedly.
"Y-You." I choked out still gawking at her while I got up limping and patting down my attire.
"Taeyeon? Did you break a bone . . how did you even trip."
"Let's not go out anymore." I stood back up, grabbing her arm and pushing her in the room.
"What?! Why! I did not get ready all this time just for you to cancel on me."
"Get in the room honeypig." I mumbled, trying to push her in and close the door but she latched onto the railing and kicked at me.
"Taeyeon!"
"Sex? Sex! You look hot!"
". . ." She walked past me and I heard the door car shut.
I sighed, but that's no problem. I'll figure out how to get some later.
"Where are we going?" She asks as I get into the drivers seat.
"A place you'll like."
"Disneyland?"
"Fany."
"Okay, Okay." She pulled the mirror down and started applying make up in front of me, I asked her why she didn't do that earlier at
Home and she slapped my thigh stupid hard.
"Weren't you the one moments ago telling me to hurry up? I didn't even wear my dress yet."
"Oh." Right, haha.
She was pretty occupied getting herself
dolled up but I expressed my opinion saying she's as beautiful as a makeup less whale. I've never felt my ears twisted in such an angle before.
I pulled up into the parking spot and she placed her hand on mine. "You're kidding." She muttered under her breath, still staring at the front of her.
"Well, I said it's a place you'll like. Am I wrong."
". . ."
"I know, I know but it'll be fun! I'll even buy you a happy meal and we can play in the play pen!" I tried to reassure her with a good pat on the back and a nudge.
"We are not. No. We are not going in a kids play pen."
I didn't expect a yes anyways.
"Fine, fine. Eat in or take out?"
"Take out, dear god take out Taetae."
I went in and came back out holding the famous paper brown bag with golden arches on it. I climbed into the seat and plopped the big bag in her lap, even the red box Happy Meal too.
She opened the Happy Meal and she sighed out laughing, shaking her head as I laughed too.
I drove us to our date place, telling her to keep off the nuggets and stuff because it's meant as our dinner for our date night but she pretty much growled at me like a tiger in cage, occasionally swatting my hand away when I tried to get her to stop.
"Sheesh, you eat so much. It's like non stop vacuum, you inhale your food Fany."
"Can you blame me?"
"Not really, eat all you want. I like it when you're well fed. It makes my job easier and your mom won't haunt me. I'm absolutely terrified of superstitious things, like your mom could possibly flicker the bedroom lights and I'd run out with my legs trembling. Oh goodness."
"Like, if you take weird and multiply it by the power of 60, you're that weird."
"So that's a lot of weird. I'm very weird, I'm lots of weird. Got it."
"I can't believe I love you."
"I can."
Smooth. I'm smooth, when she picked up what I had just said a second ago he started going all red, blushing an shying away from me.
Hah.
"So where are we going again?"
"A place you'll like."
"That's what you said last time and we ended up in McDonald's." She groaned.
"Okay but this is a place you'll actually like trust."
She jutted her lips out and looked skeptical but ate a nugget. I let her eat only one as compensation.
When we stopped only a minute later she clutched her bag of food, not expecting us to stop after talking about where we'd go.
"Santa Monica Pier?"
"Yup, the place you said you felt that you loved me." I said so proudly.
"Wow, you remember?"
"Fany!"
"I'm sorry! I'm just saying!"
I got out of the car with my fast food in my arms, circling around my squeaky clean vehicle to open the door for my lady, bowing as I escorted her out of the car. I even got a little peck on the cheek as a reward. A true gentlebear, as she would say.
I held her pretty hand, my walk had some sort of a 'pep' into it and I was pretty excited. She saw it too and shook her head asking me what I was so happy about. I cleaned the marble like seat off with my handkerchief, gesturing her to sit.
"We haven't been on a date in so long, the last time we had one was when I made salty sandwiches for you." I answered, pulling out all the food and arranging it nicely on the bench.
"Okay but Taeyeon . . you almost brought me to McDonald's to have our date. We're eating fast food on a park bench." She laughed, but I wasn't really laughing with her.
I stared at her with a blank face. "Do you want like . . the fancy stuff? I mean . . we can do a full 180 and go the other way if you're not happy . . " I said a bit disappointed.
"I'm just teasing you baby, don't look so glum." She pinched my nose but I couldn't help but think is our date too simple.
I still looked at her with a strange face and she sighed, her face written with guilt.
"Taeyeon, we could be watching Netflix with a bowl of off brand potato chips between the two of us and I'd still call it a date that I'd still cherish. I thought you knew?"
I shrugged. "I thought I knew you too . . so was I right? You prefer just little small things rather than big extravagant things?" Please tell me this date was correct. I'd hate to be wrong.
She nodded, wiping the corner of my mouth with a napkin. "I'd love to eat chicken nuggets with you in my pretty pink dress and with you all groomed up like a handsome man." Fany patted my cheek and fed me some fries to get me to shut up from my endless rambles.
"You really don't mind?"
"Sigh. I teased you too much didn't I, hm?"
"I'm sorry I'm a party pooper." I engulfed my sandwich and took a sip of soda a bit too loudly.
"Do you remember the first time you took me on your boat, you fed me dinosaur shaped chicken nuggets? I had a lot of fun then just sitting and talking with you, and I'm enjoying my time with you now, because it's just the two of us."
"You promise?" I muttered, holding my pinky finger out slightly.
She starts laughing and hooked her finger with mine. "I haven't lied to you since we've begun dating." Now that I think about it she hasn't.
"Do you want me to feed you chicken nuggets? Do you fancy that type of pampering?"
"Oh yes, please my little bear. Feed me two chicken nuggets with french fries sandwiched in between. Don't forget the BBQ sauce too."
We sat there eating chatting quietly till I saw the bike cart pass by me with it's balloons drifting from it's back.
I ran to the cart, digging into my pockets for some loose change and when I pulled up with a few random buttons, paperclips, receipts and some lint I gave him the dollar. I pointed at the pink ones and he looked at me with disgust, pocketing the gross change I handed him.
When the clown I hobbled over back to Fany who leaned against the railing staring at me with amusement.
"You have to hold this, or else I won't be able to find you." I handed the bouquet of pink blown sacs of air.
"Really . . this again?"
I looked up at the 5 floating pink balls and I thought it was a bit too much. So I grabbed 4, and popped them all in front of Fany who only blinked. "There, now it's low key, and it's the only pink one in the pier.
"Taeyeon . . I'm like . . 27."
"I don't care. Give me your finger so I can tie it on or I'm pushing you into the sea."
"Wow, what a gentleman." She rolled her eyes and extended her hand out, wiggling her fingers daintily.
I tied the string on her finger, letting it go when I thought it was well secured. I liked my work when I saw the obnoxious colour floating around in the air. Now, I can never lose her.
"You are so . . extra."
"Can you blame me?"
"Okay well, no but-"
"No buts. Shh. Let's go." I held her hand and directed her to the seawall, wanting to take her on a quiet walk. When we got there I surveyed the beach, there wasn't anyone there yet and the timing was perfect the sun had set somewhat, making it a bit dark but there were still lights dotted around the shore so it was semi lit.
"Hi, my name is Taeyeon and I enjoy romantic walks by the beach."
She bursted out laughing, shoving my shoulder gently. I reached my hand out and she took it instantly, not even questioning it as we walked down the stone stairs down to the beach.
As soon as my heels dug into the and I knelt down to roll my trousers up, taking off my dress shoes and hooking them on my two fingers as I held her hand with the other.
Naturally, like the clumsy puppy she is, she never walked straight. Always bumping into me making me go closer and closer to the washing waves. My feet went into damp sand and the waves occasionally washed by before being pulled back, and I couldn't think straight anymore.
Somehow, it felt good. It always felt good to be by the ocean that created many memories, the place where my mother loved being, the place Fany found me when I was so lost. The feeling was stronger tonight and I figured out why for once; her.
I glanced slightly to the corner of my eye, seeing her beautiful complexion slightly lit up by the burning wood pots dotted around the walls of the beach. I loved how her eyes still managed to show a hint of purity in them despite all she's been through, I loved her slight smile, her positivity that still oozed no matter what situation we were in.
I've fallen in love.
"Taeyeon-ah, your palm."
"What about it?"
"It's sweaty." She laughed, squeezing my hand.
I stopped in my spot and wanted to sink in a hole. "Sigh."
"I find it kind of cute." She confessed, hiding her face into my shoulder.
"Uh, sorry?"
"Your hands don't get like this . . unless you're with me."
Well shit, I guess my secret is exposed.
I shrugged. "I'm just trying to hold hands with-"
"a pretty girl like you." She finished and I looked at her in disbelief before breaking into a fit of laughter.
"Taetae, you say it so many times to me that I remember the entire phrase now"
I shook my head, looking to the sky thinking where did I land such a good catch? So many fish in the sea yet it had to be miraculously her.
"I'm lucky to have found you, really." I mumbled, and she heard it.
I brought our clasped hands up and kissed her hand, rubbing the back of it with my thumb. She looked at me with loving eyes and we kept walking along the length of the beach with our feet submerged in the water occasionally.
We reached the end in quietness, but I was smiling from ear to ear, I didn't know what else to say. She shook her other hand and pulled on the string, letting the balloon go and I was about to yell at her for doing such thing but she looked at it as it drifted up into the sky.
"It's cute, look at it." She pointed out, eyes looking fuller under dark blue sky. So pretty, still so full of innocence.
I gave her a peck on the cheek and she shied away into my shoulder, covering my eyes with her hand. I peeked between her fingers and saw her smiling at me, her eyes crescents like the moon. I kissed her palm and laced it with my hand again.
Well, there was no chance of losing her if I held her hand all night. Which I happily am enjoying now.
I held hands with a pretty girl that was her.
We walked back up, and she leaned up me as I knelt down to dust her feetsies off and help her slip her heels back on. I got up and accidental bonked heads with her but she grabbed me by the chin and kissed me, long and deep and when she pulled away her eyes fluttered open and started to walk ahead of me.
I gulped, tucking my dress shirt in and jogging to catch up to her place.
Mysterious Hwang tonight, Alluring Hwang.
We were such a quiet couple all of a sudden from that walk on the beach but it wasn't the awkward type of quiet. There was just something I had to say to her, yet I couldn't gather enough of my tiny selves to do it.
We walked along the seawall, my hands in my pocket as she started to rub her arms up and down and being the caring bear that I am and an observant one having watched so many chick flick with her, I took my jacket off her and draped it on her shoulder.
I didn't even dare look beside me. I was shy enough as is. I walked quickly to the only alleyway that had stores lined up along it, opening the glass door and hearing the familiar two tone chimes.
"Can I get one mint chocolate chip in a cup and two scoops of chocolate on a cone?"
The ice cream man nodded and I waited in my spot, looking around me when Fany wasn't beside me.
I found her looking through the shop's big window, looking so pretty in that pink sundress. Of course she looked pretty in it, because I picked it out for her and made her wear it.
She pulled the jacket closed, her face buried into it and through the reflection of the glass pane she smiled at nothing. My wild guess, was the jacket I so handsomely, so smoothly and so nobly gave her. I think I couldn't wipe that smile off my face till the ice cream man called me up for my order.
With the treats in my hand my nervousness started to to sky rocket through the roof. Every step increased it by a ten fold and when I stood behind her I nudged her heels with my foot, to occupied with things in my hand to get her attention fully.
She turned around and smiled, taking her cup of ice cream from my hands, giving me a peck on the cheek and I had no idea why that made my heart beat just a tad beat faster.
"Fany?" I asked quietly, she answered with a hum turning her head slightly. I extended my hand out, glancing up a bit too shy for my own liking. "Can I hold your hand?" I whispered, and just before she touched me I wiped my hand on my trousers roughly. Sweaty palms will be the bane of my existence.
"Why do you even ask?" She laughed, her small slim soft hand slipped into mine, clasping with mine.
I didn't reply to her question, just enjoying her presence and closeness by me as we walked along the boardwalk, looking in every other direction other than each other. Our hands swung slightly, and I did' know if it was from me or her, but I liked it.
I felt young, like I was on a date with a pretty girl that I Liked. A lot.
I was living.
"You never walk in a straight line, stop bumping into me." I said, slashing the thin quietness between us.
"Sorry, habit of mine." She whined, bumping into me even more to prove a point.
"Loser." I teased, glancing at her when she gave me a smug smile. I licked my ice cream, pretending I didn't see that. Her hold on me instinctively got tighter and when I figured out why I gulped.
We reached the end of the boardwalk. The place she asked me to take a photo with her.
This place she told me she realized she loved me. This very place where I had the photo of us taken, the one where she kissed me on the cheek. I framed it and kept it by my bedside, she never really knew till she came to my house.
That same one she broke into pieces and the one I mended back together.
Somehow, the hold on her hand loosened and we no longer held hands, but we somehow walked together to the bench in the middle of the pier.
We sat close, but not too close. Our knees weren't touching but we sat in a slight angle, like a 45 degree angle away from each other. There was enough space for someone else to squeeze in so I looked behind me, checking to see if the bag was still there like I had told Jonghyun to put.
I pulled little monkey George out of the bag and placed him in between me and Fany. She didn't seem to notice, probably to occupied by the Pacific Park's view in the distance.
My hand reached behind me, digging into the bag for the wooden box. My finger glided over the top, feeling the bumps and dents from all the years it's been buried underneath that apple tree.
I gulped, my fingers hooking onto the back and catching onto it. I placed the box on monkey George's lap, patting his stuffed fluffy head and adjusting his pink little bow tie.
I patted down my shirt, fiddling with the buttons just waiting for her to see it.
I had no idea why we weren't saying anything, we were awfully both quiet tonight. It took 10 minutes for her before she moved a hair or something. She didn't notice anything yet so I nudged her with a shy knuckle to her knee.
"Fany?" I whispered just above the whips of the summer breeze.
"Yeah Taetae?"
I pulled on her fingers that were in her lap, pulling them towards me till she touched the fluffy head of George.
I gulped and let go, and she turned her body to face me a smidge, knitting her brows when she saw her beloved stuffed animal beside her. "Taetae?"
Her hand patted the little guy's head, hand moving down to his lap and stopped. It hovered above the wooden box that was once my mothers, she had asked what was inside it but I couldn't tell her. At least not then.
I kept it a secret, it remained so precious to me.
"Taetae? What's in the box?"
"Open it."
"Can I?"
I nodded, watching her as she gently picked it up, cupping it in her hands before touching the broken lock. She grasped the small iron handle and lifted it up, the lid opening and there sat the dingy velvet box that got my heart in a complete utter mess.
"It's been 90 good days." Times up.
I gulped the lump in my throat. "For 90 days, I'll give you a coin. During those 3 months I'll make you fall in love with me. If I succeed, I'll take the coins and buy rings and we'll marry. If I don't, we use it to buy us a pair of drinks and never see each other again." I whispered at the end, I don't want to say goodbye.
I heard her small gasp, and she ran her finger over the top of the velvet box. She picked it up and held it up, and I couldn't look up to her, instead I cupped her hand and opened the lid. I watched in her eyes the reflection of the twinkling ring. It reflected so perfectly in her eyes like how I saw it so many years ago on my mother's hand.
"Marry me."
Her smile faded and it took away mine too. I panicked, the small little Taeyeon's in my head were running around in circles on fire, screaming.
Am I not enough? Everything we did together, was it not enough to convince you? Do you not see us in the future?
I unconsciously let go of my trousers I had balled up in my fist and grabbed the velvet box from her hand.
I knelt down in front of her, looking straight at her.
I'll confess, I'll tell you why I want to marry you.
"I want to love you for a long time, I want to take care of you and make you smile from ear to ear. I want to be the person you come home to and greet, the person you say goodnight to and kiss, and the last thing you see when you fall asleep."
I took a deep breath in, steading my trembling hand.
"I like the way you shove food into your mouth in one side and look like a baby chipmunk,and when you're thinking hard or focused on eating your snacks you have that concerned face going on. I like the way you clap your hands when you laugh like a seal, I like the way when you smile you look like you have no eyes. I like the way you're selfless and humble, your hearts made out of gold and the kindness in you exists in it's purest form."
"I-I've fallen in love with the way you make me happy." I whisper, I felt like tearing up. I stare at her full on and she her expression was soft, I couldn't make out what the other part of her felt and it was killing me. I had to know. I wanted to figure out but in the crucial short moment I had no time.
My knee hurt, my voice sounded hoarse and I was sweating. But my eyes locked onto hers and I was praying leading up to this moment I had done some things right and she'd say yes. Once I saw that look in her eye a minute ago, I had a feeling things would go south so I just said what I was on my mind, a blab of words just poured out and maybe it could've saved this proposal.
"Taeyeon . ." She said in that familiar voice, the soft one that I didn't want to hear. It sounded so bad.
No? You don't want to marry me?
I felt the rejection just coming onto me, like it was me standing in the middle of the lights watching as a truck was coming straight for me as I stared at it's headlights.
I was about to stand back up, gripping the box in my hand. I wanted to run, go away and never come back.
Run, go a far as you can and don't look back.
I saw her arm reach out. It stopped me from getting up. Her trembling lips and the touch of her hand on mine almost made me drop the ring, but her hand touched my chin, making me look up to her and she kissed me.
I think I just . . stopped functioning. Breathing? I don't even know if I did that.
"Yes, I'll marry you." She mumbled against my lips before pulling back and pressing her forehead against mine.
I let out a sigh of relief and watched as she giggled at my response. She combed my hair back with her fingertips, sighing too. I looked down and pulled her hand away from my neck, smiling widely with wet eyes as I slid the ring on hers with my trembling fingers.
"It's pink." She said happily, showing off her pretty fingers.
"The ring being pink was a pure coincidence, the fact that it was my mothers made it even more precious." I pulled away from her but she pulled me back in with her hand on the back of my neck. I wasn't allowed to be so far apart from her and I happily allowed to be held under her gaze.
"Breathe baby, I wasn't going to say no. I was just a little shocked thats all. I didn't think our 90 days would be over so soon." She cooed, looking at me in amusement.
"You seemed hesitent, you stopped smiling and I thought maybe I shoudn't have asked you. Were you even ready? What if you weren't ready and I kind of just put you in an awkward situation. What were you thinking for so long? W-W-"
She put a finger on my lips and frowned and I didn't have the guts to say more. I was out of breathe already, all that nervousness all that waiting and then I just kind of bluted out all my words in a long sentence without breathing. Man, I'd probably faint. "Sorry, I'm a little expressive with my face . . it was all good things I promise. Stop overthinking, it's not good for your hair or your breathing, and your heart." I was going to say something with my big mouth but instead she just kisses me gently.
"F-Fany, you'll marry me right? You'll be me wife?" I whispered.
"This ring says it all Peanutbear." She said cutely, kissing me once more on my lips. "I'll marry you."
Really? I thought in my head but she broke out into those crescent smiles and nodded. "Really." She said, and it was like she read mymind.
I couldn't push anything out, but I knew she knows that I'm happy.
"Can we go make love now? Is that a thing? Do engaged couples go home and like make tons of love on the bed after?" I blurted out.
"Hmm, maybe I don't know." She said, with a playful smile.
"We can make it a thing?" I whined, hating how she's teasing me
"Oh you just have to jump on every chance you get don't you Taetae?"
"I just want to get a head start on things . . maybe our own baby too?"
She shook her head and stood up, lacing her hand with mine and we started walking back from the pier.
I glanced at the glistening ring on her finger. Mine, shes claimed now.
Like the first day I saw her, her smile consisted of the purest form of innocence that I couldn't find in her the first day I met now. That uncertainty was long gone, that mysterious aura that once hung around in her eyes was non existent.
I felt it, I could see it.
I started our story, and this is where I want to close this chapter of our lives and start on a completely blank slate, one consisting of me and her now.
I'm lucky. Finding her in that business gala dinner sitting alone in that table with the pretty white dress of hers was just my luck.
"I win Fany."
"Win what?"
"I won you." I said with a cheeky smile.
She punched my gut, it hurt so bad but it was so worth it.
I pulled her into my hug, wrapping my arms around her. "I love you, Miyoungie."
She scoffed in my chest, wrapping her arms around my waist. "I lwave ywo two TweTaw."
"Sorry?"
She unburried herself from my chest and rested her chin on me, looking up at me with full round eyes. "I love you too."
The End