Jisoo's inner voice was yelling loudly in my head, her thoughts pouring one after another, till my mind could no longer comprehend them. Then, I heard a timid whisper coming from her. The soft sound contrasted greatly with the loud echo her words had in my head. So different, as if they were two different people.
"I'm... no good, Lisa. I'm no good to stay by your side."
"Just as I thought." I said with a sigh, taking back my hands and releasing her face. "Those are not your true feelings, are they? Why aren't you being honest with me?"
"Lisa, what do you mean?" She stopped, realization dawning on her a second later. Her eyes widened and she looked downright frightened. "I thought you couldn't... I thought you couldn't hear..."
"I couldn't. Until now." I sighed despondently. "Taehyung said you have a tendency to run away but I didn't expect you to be this cowardly."
"Oppa? What did he..."
"It doesn't matter what he said or didn't say. What matters is what you yourself think and feel."
We stared at each other for a few moments. The silence stretched until I could feel the rising pressure stifling my breath and my throat tightened. I swallowed heavily and clenched my teeth. This was it! It was now or never! The next second I grabbed her by the shirt with both hands and yanked her closer.
"So..." I began, my fervent stare boring into her startled eyes. "How do you feel about me?"
"I... I..." She faltered.
"You. Yes you... You what?!" I snapped, shaking her.
At that moment I wanted nothing more than to continue shaking her until her brains rattled into proper order. It was the first time in my life when I was losing my composure to this degree.
"I like you!" She finally blurted out, gaping at me entranced.
I like you very much! Her thoughts followed.
Indeed, thoughts were still more honest than words, but it was better than nothing at all.
"Then, why are you running away from me? Why have you been avoiding me and why do you want to leave the company?" I fired question after question, still clinging tightly onto her shirt.
Her expression turned painful and her eyes watered slightly.
"But... But even if I like you, Lisa, you don't like women so I know you won't..."
"I never liked women before, I... I don't know but I like you!" It was now my turn to cry out.
I saw her eyes widening until they became round like saucers. Her mouth opened in a silent exclamation; her entire expression screamed astonishment and disbelief.
Seeing her so quiet and muddle-headed, my lips curved into a smile. I even let out a low chuckle.
"I know it must seem like a shock to you. Believe me, it was a shock for me as well when I finally realized my feelings. I never felt this feeling towards women. I spent so many years hiding myself away from people, hardening my heart until it became a block of ice. But ever since I've met you, Jisoo, I've changed. Bit by bit, slowly and gradually, like spring coming after winter, my heart melted and I began feeling things I've long forgotten. I don't know exactly when it happened but, along the way I have fallen in love with you."
I stopped to take a deep breath. Pouring out my feelings like that felt both scary and refreshing, creating a stormy mixture of emotions inside me.
I looked up at her and saw her gaze flickering with passion. Her feelings were engraved on her face, clearly and openly for me to see; love, yearning, tenderness, and a wish to protect. However, there was also a glint of raw desire, hidden somewhere beneath that veil of innocence. Feeling that fire in her stare made my face blush a bright red and I lowered my head, bumping my forehead against her chest.
"Will you really abandon me, Jisoo-ya?" I mumbled softly, my fingers gripping her shirt tighter.
Those words appeared to have sent a jolt through her body. I could feel her quivering and the next moment a pair of strong arms were wrapped around me. She held me tightly, pressing my body into her chest as if wanting to absorb me into her very soul.
After a few seconds of silence, she pushed herself away slightly. With a gentle touch she grabbed my chin and raised my head. Our eyes met and I felt like a strong magnet had caught me. I was unable to look away. My answer was right there, in her deep, clear eyes. Reflected into the lustrous black of her pupils there was only one person: me. It was as if I was her everything.
I felt her gentle touch across my face and I instinctively held my breath. Her warm finger traced my skin, from the corner of my eye all the way down to my lips. The sensitive skin tingled and shivered at her touch and the breath I've been holding slipped away from me.
As if acting on a signal, she caught my breath with her mouth, her lips pressing down against mine. It was slow at first, then it became more ardent. Her arms caught me in an even sweeter embrace than before, while her tongue traced and licked my trembling lips. Her mouth was like an army conquering a new territory; nipping, biting, licking and sucking, all in a hazy succession and leaving behind traces of its devastation. Her advancing tongue was chasing mine continuously, not allowing it one moment of rest.
This was a completely different Jisoo. As if a switch had been pressed, she became someone else; someone who was passionate, domineering and possessive; someone who could create jolts of passion with a single touch. Still, I could hear her heart beating with the same love and devotion, and her caresses were just as gentle as before. Right now, Jisoo was showing me different sides of her, exposing herself little by little, trusting me to accept all of her. In the end isn't that what love means? To trust the other person to accept everything about you?
After several minutes, we were both out of breath, gazing at each other with a mixture of emotions. She pulled me closer, breathing softly into my ear.
"Lisa... Lisa... Lisa..."
This fluttering whisper caused a shiver to course through my body and I felt like I was about to melt into a puddle. With each time she called my name my heart felt fuller and fuller; her words were like small droplets of water that were falling inside a half empty glass. It felt both wonderful and tormenting. I never knew that someone's voice could carry such feelings and cause so many reactions to a person's body. I had to hold onto her tightly for fear of collapsing.
"Lisa, I'm sorry. I will never leave you. I'll stay by your side, for however long you wish me to."
"Oh." I nodded my head, feeling extremely muddlehead and weak-kneed. "I'll hold you to it. So never act stupid again."
"Yes. I won't."
Her voice carried a warm smile. She kissed the top of my forehead and glanced at me. I bet my face was quite a spectacle at that moment, all red and flushed with embarrassment.
"But Lisa, I am curious about something. How come you could hear my thoughts earlier?"
That's right! I almost forgot about that. But I really didn't know how to answer. The truth of the matter was that I didn't know if I would be able to do it. I simply took the risk and tried it.
"To be honest, I am not quite sure either. The only thing I did was touch your face."
"Then what about now? Can you hear something now?" She asked, suddenly cupping my face closely, making our noses bump into each other.
"Too... too close, Jisoo-yaaa." I muttered, blushing furiously.
"Eh?! Earlier we were even closer, so what are you being all embarrassed for now? If you're like this just because of a kiss, then how are we supposed to do... that later." She blinked at me innocently.
Thinking about what she was insinuating I felt like my soul was just about to escape from my body. My face turned into a spectacular shade of red, and even my ears and neck were flushed with a bright pink.
"Stop talking nonsense." I said through gritted teeth, trying to shy away from her intense stare.
"Lisa, what are you saying? How is this nonsense?! Isn't it normal for couples to..."
"Enough about that! You pervert!" I snapped, pushing myself away from her and bristling like an angry cat. "You stay away from me!"
"But I can't. I want to kiss you." She pouted, stepping closer.
"Out of the question! Once was enough for now." I threw at her resolutely, trying to maintain a safe distance from this dangerous creature.
"Eeeh?! But I want more! Lisa, don't be so unreasonable." She whined loudly.
Perhaps I have been too trusting before in thinking she was an innocent puppy, when she was in fact a wolf in disguise, just waiting to devour its prey. I guess that kiss earlier was simply a preview for the things that would follow.
"Lisa, what are you thinking about in broad daylight? You're blushing so much. Are you perhaps thinking about naughty things? And yet you won't even let me kiss you."
She grinned teasingly, catching up with my faltering steps. In less than two seconds I was trapped again in her embrace and she kissed the side of my head gently. Her low, mellow voice drifted into my ears, sipping tenderness all the way down to my heart.
"I don't mind waiting, Lisa, so there is no need to worry. We'll take it slowly until you get used to everything. After all, we have a whole life ahead of us to enjoy each other." She smiled down at me lovingly.
"Yeah. We have many years ahead of us to make beautiful memories together." I agreed, my tone warming up considerably and I returned her loving gaze.
During that warm summer evening, a soft whisper drifted out into the wind. It flew off towards the sky, being witness to a kiss and carrying with it our solemn promise to each other.
"I love you."
FIN.-