Their world was a glittering turquoise expanse as far as he could see. Shimmering light drew his eyes to the horizon until Mi-rae slipped into his line of sight.
Her wet black hair was pushed back from her face. The water droplets beaded onto her eyelashes in the sunlight. Her lips, still impossibly red, smiled playfully as they dipped beneath the surface of the water.
She was daring him to make her his own all over again. His hands glided through the water, reaching for her ...
But then something unexpectedly cold touched his face.
"What the...."
Ji-pyeong jerked his head back as his eyes flew open.
Two yellow orbs were staring back at him. Their black pupils contracted into parallel skeptical lines.
Loki.
The black cat's curiosity was rewarded with a puff of laughter, sending him skittering warily to the far side of the bed.
"Oh did I surprise you ?"
Loki stared back at him in silent judgment. Then he lowered himself onto the bed and his legs disappeared underneath his body. Ji-pyeong chuckled.
"You look like a loaf of bread."
Ji-pyeong sat up and ran a hand through his hair.
I must have just fallen asleep for good last night.
He remembered closing his eyes for only a moment. Ji-pyeong pulled the duvet up towards his bare chest. His body felt stiff, as if he had not moved his limbs in a very long time. He blinked slowly as his eyes adjusted to the bright sunlight pouring into the room through the window behind him.
What time is it?
"Mi-rae?"
His only reply was Loki springing off of the bed and onto the floor.
She must already have left for the interview.
Ji-pyeong's eyes followed the flash of black. And then he caught sight of his phone propped against a glass lamp on the nightstand. It was plugged into a charger. His clothes were folded over the back of a leather arm chair.
He smiled at Mi-rae's consideration. And then Ji-pyeong felt a warm tingle go down his spine.
I did not hold back at all.
His hand flew to his mouth as his mind flooded with memories of last night. Ji-pyeong's eyes widened as he remembered how Mi-rae had clutched at his shirt in the taxi. His shoulders reached up to his ears as he recalled his subsequent boldness. Everything that Ji-pyeong had been feeling tore out of him all at once in her arms. And Mi-rae had met him in that new place like it was where they were always supposed to be. Ji-pyeong fell back onto the bed with a contented sigh.
And then it hit him all over again.
"I am getting married!"
A rush of adrenaline coursed through him. Ji-pyeong let out a yelp and kicked his legs furiously in the air. By the time his legs flopped back down onto the bed, Ji-pyeong caught Loki once again quietly staring at him from the doorway.
"Don't tell her about that okay?"
Loki remained noncommittal. Ji-pyeong propped his head onto his hand.
"I think that means you're officially going to be mine too on Friday, little guy. Pretty exciting, isn't it?"
Loki turned and walked away, his tail twitching back and forth indifferently. Ji-pyeong rolled over into her pillow. It smelled like Mi-rae. His arms pulled it closer, indulging in the ritual of missing her even for a few hours.
