Someone to Love

Seventeen

Ara and I lay down on the bed.
She was still in her wedding dress and I was still on my suit, it would have felt nice if it was our wedding that happened a while ago, but I can't help but feel relief since there wasn't a wedding that happened a while ago.
"Ara, what happened?" I said
"You first, what are you doing here?"
"Well, I received an invitation and you're my friend so, I wanted to see you get married."
"After saying no to me?"
"It was a weird proposal, and I'm not really down on not getting romantic."
She shook her head.
"Well, next time that I blurt out things like that, I'll make sure to hire a pyromusical ensemble or something."
"You can definitely afford it."
"You know, this would be a good set up if we actually got married a while ago." She said
"Yeah, well I'm pretty sure that you would wear a a gown shaped like a pastry or something to our wedding."
"Or a hanbok. If ever we are gonna get married or even go back together."
"Nice place you got here." I said
"Oh, this dump. Yeah, maybe."
"It's not a dump-"
"I'm more of a minimalist kind of girl."
We were silent for a few minutes.
"Can you tell me why William ran off?" I said
She sighed.
"Why he ran off with the wedding planner?" She said
I frowned.
"Oh my god."
She smiled.
"That's why we hired him." She said
"What?"
"Will wasn't really uh, in to girls?" She said
"It's pretty obvious."
"And instead of coming out to his father, he tried to appease any speculations by getting engaged with me."
I nodded.
"Then, we got to hire a wedding planner and he insisted to hire Paul. I didn't really want a big wedding, as you can see I really didn't wear a ball gown. Then Will and I had a talk, which he told me that he really didn't want to get married in the first place."
I frowned.
"But I thought the merger or something would not happen if you said no."
"Let me continue with the story. And then he told me about the love of his life, his perfect person. It was Paul. They have this nice love story that really touched my heart. I didn't want to be the one breaking them up so we staged this thing."
"You staged this?"
She nodded.
"I didn't want to get married either. So, I suggested that Paul run off with Will when the pastor says the line."
"You should have told me."
"What?"
"I was supposed to stand up and run off with you."
She sat up.
"What?"
"I didn't want you marrying that guy."
"Why didn't you?"
"Because the other guy beat me to it. Good thing he ran off with the groom."
She smiled.
"You'd really escape your comfort zone for me?"
"Believe it or not, you're my comfort zone."
She laughed.
"You're just too cheesy, Dr. Seo." She said as she started to remove her veil.
"Well, it's true. I processed for a while the pros and cons of me standing up for my truth. You'd be broke, that's one. I'd have to provide for you, but at a certain extent because I'm not your husband. My father would hate me more, which is good. We'd probably be running off to Europe or something."
"Don't worry, I'd be willing to take care of the kids."
I started to help her remove the hair pins.
"My head is starting to hurt." She said
"Well, that's why I'm helping you remove hair pins." I said
I did a back hug with her.
"I can't believe I almost lost you." I said
"Well-" she said
"I'd say that you shouldn't do that again. But letting you go was my decision, so I'd do my best to win you back."
She turned around and hugged me.
"You're crazy, real crazy." She whispered
"Ara?" I said, as we still hugged each other.
"Yeah?"
"I'm fighting so hard the urge to fucking rip that dress away from you-"
She pinched my nape.
"Shut it you horny Korean." She said as she pulled away from me.
"Where are you going?" I said
"Away from you. And away from this dress, this isn't exactly designer so-"
"Yeah, go. Remove it, if it's not designer, I won't touch it." I said
"Well, I didn't exactly plan on going through with the wedding so why waste on a Vera Wang gown."
"Because of the press."
"Oh no. They're having a field day with William. They wouldn't care less on my dress."
She turned around.
"You wanna go horseback riding?"
"What?" I said
True enough, there were stables here. She just changed out of her dress and took me there.
"I know you'd rather ride the Ferrari than an actual horse but since you're my best friend, I really need you to be with me as I think."
I blinked as we faced the stables. There are four horses here.
"You have four horses."
"No, I only have one. Well, two if you count Art's horse."
"Ara-" I started
She started walking to a stable, which contained a white horse.
"Uh?" She said
"I uh-"
She walked out the horse and let it face me.
"Lucas, meet my trusty steed, Celia." She said
I really did want to touch the horse for Ara's sake but the thing is, I'm terrified of horses.
"Have you rode a horse before?" She asked me as she fixed up the horse's saddle.
"Uh, I don't think so-"
"There aren't horses in Korea?"
"Not in our villa."
"Oh, that's sad. You can ride Celia."
"I'd pretty much sure like it if you ride me but-"
"What?!" She said
Oh god that came out wrong.
"I mean-"
She smiled and gave me a hug.
"Not today." She whispered
"Ara-"
She pulled back.
"I'm supposed to get married today. But then the groom ran off with the wedding planner, as much as I'd like to, I can't-" she smiled "-ride you tonight. It'll raise a lot of eyebrows and create a stir so-"
I frowned.
"Fine, you can ride with me." She said as she mounted herself on her horse and offered me her hand.
"Come on, I won't let you fall. At least on the horse. You can fall for me anytime and anywhere." She said
I stared at her hand.
"Come on, please?" She said
At least ask me if I want to ride a horse.
I sighed again and took her hand.
"Okay, normally a guy would take control of the horse. But, Lucas hold on tight on me. Because I don't want to break your leg or your arm because we need it to date."
Oh god, I think I am also afraid of heights.
This horse is high.
Also, she didn't need to remind me to hold on tight. Because I actually know what to do, hold her tight because I might actually fall.
"You're not gonna fall." Ara said as I held her tight.
Actually it wasn't so bad once the horse started moving.
But then the horse was steady fast and it made me clutch Ara tighter.
"Ara-"
But she was so keen and concentrated with the horse and I think she couldn't even hear me.
I'm actually fearing for my life now.
A life saving phone call disrupted the silence.
"You have to answer that?" She asked
"Uh, yeah. Might be an emergency." I said
She halted the horse and I picked up the phone.
"Dr. Seo." I said
It turns out I am needed in the hospital.
"You have to go back?" She said
"Yeah."
She nodded.
When we reached the stables, we just stood there mounted on the horse.
"Uh, can we go down now?" I said
"Yeah." She said
"Okay. You go first."
"What? Are you kidding me?"
No.
She laughed.
"I can't go down if you're at my back."
"Well, you have to make do. You're the one used with horses."
She shook her head, and then unmounted from the horse.
"Go, it's your turn." She said
I sighed.
And did the best I could do and went down from the horse.
"I'll walk you out, yeah?" She said
It felt good to be on the ground right now. The experience was great but I think I'm not doing it again.
"Ara, will you be coming back to live with me?" I asked
"Oh, why?"
"Well, to be honest, because it's the right thing. We are the right thing."
She laughed.
"Well, we haven't even had a second date."
"That can be arranged."
"I can't live with you. Especially for the next few months and especially since William and I are still pretty on the watch." She said
"I understand that. But always know that Chateau de la Seo is open to you."
"Thank you. I think if we are gonna go through with what we left off a month ago, living apart actually gives the both of us space and mystery to each other." She said
I nodded.
"Well then, I'll call you." I said
We stood in front of a golf cart.
"I guess you're in a hurry. Come on." She said as she sat on the driver's side.
"Why do you have a golf cart?" I said
"Well, it's for my potential neurosurgeon of a boyfriend when we're in a middle of something and he gets called in." She said
"Don't you have drivers for this?"
She smiled.
"Ah, I thought you and I needed a little more time."
"My potential girlfriend drives a Maserati, a horse and a golf cart."
She laughed.
"You should see me in a Ducati."
I frowned.
"You have a motorcycle?"
She nodded.
"You do know that many people die on them, right?"
"Also in cars, horses, bicycles-"
"Ara, about 15% of my patients are from motorcycle accidents. And 10% of them don't even come out of the OR alive."
She frowned.
"Okay-" she halted the golf cart "when I get into an accident I'll put in my license that I won't be treated by you. So that you won't panic on me and end up killing me. I will be on that 5%." She said, smiling.
"I can't even treat you or operate on you if you're my girlfriend. They won't let me."
"Oh, what a shame. I won't be treated by the best neurosurgeon? I'd rather die." She said
"I'm not the best."
"Now I'm not dating the best neurosurgeon? This is bad."
"What, you're not the best rich girl either."
"Okay, if there was such a thing as a best rich girl, it would actually require being a bitch. I'm not, so I'd actually lose that competition. But since I'm over competitive, I may have a chance in winning."
"I'll see you soon." I said as we faced the main door.
"Soon." She said