College Cravings

12

As I stood inside my dorm room the second week of May, fidgeting with the sleeves of my white button down shirt, I tried to calm my racing heart. I was excited that it was the last day of my first year at Greendale, but also strangely nervous. I was just about to hand in my room key to Tae, thus officially ending our status as RA and resident. But yet my stomach had been filled with butterflies since I still didn't know when he would make things official with us. Was he planning our first date today, like literally when I handed in my key? Tomorrow? A week from now?

I didn't want to ask and risk sounding like a desperate dandy. My thoughts were in a whirl and the stress from the finals I had taken that week were subsiding but still jumbled up in my mind. So I took a deep breath, checked myself in the mirror, and stepped over one of my suitcases to leave the room.

When I arrived at Tae's, Rose was just exiting and we gave each other good-bye hugs with a promise to meet up over the summer. Then with thoughtful steps, I entered the soon-to-be-former-RA's room and before I could even say hello, Tae started talking.

"Are you here to hand in your key?" he asked excitedly.

I leaned against the door jam and folded my arms, acting demure. "That depends," I replied. "What do I get in this exchange?"

"Uh..." Tae started, acting adorably nervous.

Straightening up and windmilling my arms, I instantly regretted my flirty act. Perhaps with my question, I was taking away a moment he had been building up to.

"Sorry! Forget what I said. I won't say anything until you say what you've got to say," I promised, raising my eyebrows.

In three steps, Tae closed the gap between us, making me anticipate something I was hoping and wishing for this whole time. His tall frame made me feel short, but I liked that.

"Sunny, it's okay. I think it's so cute when you flirt with me. I love it. Honestly I couldn't think of a grand gesture to ask you out. I was just gonna ask you in Korean again and make you translate it," he said, snickering.

With galaxies in his eyes, he looked at me with utter adoration and I absolutely melted. When he took his large hand and held mine, he took the key I was holding and flung it over his shoulder onto his desk with one smooth move. Without breaking eye contact, he picked up a form and the paper came into my peripheral view.

"Sign this," he ordered, really building up the suspense.

Upon signing the release form with my free hand, my smile grew impossibly wide. That paper got chucked onto his desk too then he placed his hands on my hips, the warmth of his body welcoming and his musky cologne pleasingly wafting up to my nose.

"Sunny..." Tae said smoothly "...you are the most beautiful, coolest, amazing person I know and the thing that scares me about you is how good you make me feel. The way your smile warms my heart, the comfort I get just from being around you. So...will you go out with me?"

A beat later. "I thought you'd never ask," I said, blushing wildly.

Tae traced his fingers over the line of my jaw and pulled me tight to his chest. I'd wanted his mouth on mine for months, and now that it was happening, I wanted to savor the moment. My lips parted as I combed my fingers into his hair, it felt soft in my hands.

"Do you mind if I kiss you?" he asked, as his tongue darted out to wet his lips.

I shook my head slightly, hoping he couldn't hear my heart pounding against my rib cage. He leaned in to kiss me, my insides getting warmer, but at the last second he pulled back.

"On second thought, I think it's best if we save it for after our first date," he said, giving me a lopsided grin.

I pouted like a kid who had been put in time out. Not a second later, with a breathy laugh, he added, "Just kidding. Come here."