He pauses, taking my hands in his, his lips tenderly pressing against the bracelet adorning my wrist. The contrast of his warm breath and the cool metal against my skin evokes a rush of emotions.

"I've loved you for such a long time, Celine. I spent two years loving you without even knowing your real name. And I will always love you because it will always be you. Just like this silver, my love for you is timeless, lasting till the end of time. And like the wild rose, growing and blooming despite the thorns, I devote myself to you. It's a small but true symbol of my unwavering commitment to you. Lastly, like the pearl, our love is pure. I have no selfish intentions towards you. I will court you without ill intentions because I love you, and you don't deserve all that hurt. You're too pure to be ruined... I've tasted being apart from you, and I never want to experience that again. I love you, I love you Celine Edwards. I always have and always will... you'll always be my Lu."

His heartfelt words causes a torrent of tears streaming down my cheeks. Our eyes meet as I try to blink away the tears. He cups my face, bringing our noses close, and begins to kiss away the tears. My arms, initially wrapped around his neck, fall to my sides as waves of intense emotions crash over me. I lean against his chest, sobbing softly while he peppers kisses on my head repeatedly.

Damn you Hong Jisoo!
Damn the things you say to me!
Damn the way you make me feel!

After resting on his chest for a while, listening to the rhythm of his heartbeat and inhaling his familiar scent, I lift my head to meet his gaze. In that moment, time seems to stand still as our bodies flush against each other, enveloped in a cocoon of warmth and the shared breaths between us. His bambi eyes gaze into mine, seeking reassurance yet offering unwavering support. It feels like the only existence left in the world is the connection between us.

His lips tenderly meet mine in a gentle, soft kiss, igniting fireworks in my soul. Tell me it's freaking fourth of July in August! My hand rest on his chest as he draws me closer, drinking and tracing my lips. Suddenly, I'm in the 7th heaven, a place of indescribable bliss.

A gentle prodding of his tongue against my lips grants him access, and our mouths entwine in an intimate dance. Heat spreads through my body, desire building within me, and this once, I'm willing to surrender my innocence. My hands slip under his shirt, feeling the warmth of his bare skin, eliciting a deep groan from him against my lips.

Joshua in these checkered shirts with a few undone buttons will end my last streak of sanity soon. My fingertips trace the well-defined contours of his torso as he releases my lips, his attentions now on my neck, causing my breath to hitch at the sensation. Tugging at the hem of his shirt, he withdraws, his eyes smoldering with desire. In that silent moment, our gazes lock, his eyes searches mine and I don't know what look I have on but I hope he reads just how much I want him. Right now.

Minutes pass, neither of us uttering a word, just breathing heavily, his arms still wrapped around my waist while my hand clutches onto his shirt as if my decision tonight hinges on it. I just need him to say it, say how much he wants me because I know he does, the heat radiating from his body has me hanging on to the last thread of feminism, because I've thrown a major chunk out the window the moment our paths crossed. I didn't want to be turned down again for the third time so I need his words, his assurance - eliminate every trace of doubt.

I want Joshua Hong to declare his desire for me, and truly mean it!

More time passes, and I relax my grip on his shirt, taking a step backward. His arm around my waist halts my movement, pulling me back into the solid warmth of his embrace.

"Lu..." His breath caresses my cheek as his hand delicately cups it. "I want you."

His husky voice and the weight of those words send a jolt of electricity through me, igniting a fervent heat within.

ONE HEART 4 STRINGS || Joshua ||SVT ff ||18+Where stories live. Discover now