Merry Christmas! Hopefully this is an good enough gift for every one of my readers! Have a safe and wonderful holiday!
We were now walking in the park. I admired all the beautiful lights. I warmed my hands with my breath and rubbed them together. Yi-Jeong must've noticed my shivering. He took off his left glove and put it on my hand. He put his and my other hand in his pocket.
"Aren't you romantic." I said. "You know I could've just used my own pockets."
"Yeah, but I like the way your hand fits in mine."
"You're so cheesy."
"Just being polite."
"What a pain."
"Here, let's sit down." He guided us toward a bench and we sat closer. I suddenly pressed my forehead on his shoulder and sighed.
"What?"
"I just remembered what I forgot." I said in frustration.
"Where?" He asked.
"My purse, at Jun-Pyo's house during the auction."
"Purse?" Yi-Jeong then shifted and pulled something out of his pocket. It was a small clutch that had gold bindings.
"Why do you have it?" I said taking it and shuffling inside.
"Since you were dying to get out of there I took your purse to give it to you next time." He glanced at me looking through it. "What do you think I would've stolen? Your supermarket discount card?" I shoved him over and slid the purse in my coat pocket.
"That's hidden in my wallet thank you very much." I said. We spent a few moments in silence before he started talking again.
"You know, I don't think I've ever told you this,"
I butt in, "–Well you don't tell me a lot of things."
"I have never truly held a girl's hand like this, or brought one to nice place just to talk. As a matter fact I don't think I've ever sat next to a girl because I wanted to. I always needed to before."
"What are you talking about? I saw you bring girls home everyday before I actually spoke to you."
"I only did that because I wanted something to distract me,"
"Am I merely a distraction for you then?" I asked. He stared at the ground.
"It's that I want to sit next to you, forever. I don't ever want to leave your side." I noticed his serious attitude and looked into his eyes. He pulled my face closer to his as he whispered in my ear.
"Stay still."
I remembered his words very clearly. It was almost night, and the moon was just coming out. In his pocket our hands intertwined and his hot breath tickled the hairs on my neck. My eyes widened and I mentally prepared myself for my very first kiss.
Ring, ring.
I pulled away and took my phone out of my pocket. Yi-Jeong was surprised by the sudden movement but chuckled.
"Hello? Eomma?" I said.
"So-Young! Where are you?"
"In the park Eomma. Don't worry about me! I'll come back home in a couple hours." I ensured her. She made an uneasy noise and sighed.
"It's almost seven. Come back before nine-thirty, alright?" I hummed cheerfully and spoke once more before ending the call.
"I love you. Tell all of them I miss them too. Goodbye!" I said through the phone. I giggled and ended it. I put my phone back in my pocket and sighed.
"We have an hour and a half left. What do you want to do?" I said.
"Let's go to this place downtown."
"I told you already Yi-Jeong!"
"Adolescents go there all the time and the bartender is okay with it. He just gives them substituted drinks; no harm done." I hesitated as my eyes scanned his features.
"I'll keep you safe don't worry."
"You promise?"
"Pinky swear." He held out his pinky and forced mine up. I interlocked my finger with his and kissed my thumb. He chuckled and led us to his car.
We arrived and got out. He swung an arm around me and we grabbed two seats at the bar.
"One Shirley Temple and orange juice please."
"You're allowed to drink without an ID?"
"They know me. And I know I can handle it." He said. I nodded and took a sip of my orange juice. He drank his drink and played with the straw.
"What made you want to bring me here so bad?"
"No reason. I guess it's better to have someone with you at a place like this."
"Is it comforting?"
"Yeah, you could say that." I smiled and took another sip of my orange juice. I touched my face and put the glove in my coat pocket.
"I'm going to go the restroom."
"Okay." I hopped off my seat and headed into the bathroom. I washed my face and fixed my hair. My cheeks were red, but my hands were cold. I sighed and headed out after a couple minutes. Though when I went out, Yi-Jeong was pummeling and getting pummeled by a guy that I saw near the door before I left. I ran to his side to straighten his back up.
"You idiot! What were you thinking picking fight when you've already had something to drink?" He mumbled incoherently and slammed his head into my shoulder.
"Yi-Jeong! I don't know how to drive so how am I supposed to bring you home?"
"Just walk. . . "
"And leave your car here?" He nodded slowly and drooled on my jacket. I gathered all our things and thanked the bartender.
I started staggering to his house with him beside me. I laid his arm on my shoulder and trudged on.
"You're so heavy," I mumbled.
"Why did you have to pick me oh lord? To bring this bag of nonsense home,"
"Because I love you," Yi-Jeong said groggily.
"He chose you because you are the only one who would care if I got like this."
"Then why did you fight that guy if you'd know I wouldn't approve?"
"I was just protecting my girl. He was talking about you like you were a highly-priced item."
"Huh?"
"He was a pervert! He was going to take advantage of you so I needed to do something." He then continued sleeping on my shoulder. I thought for a while before shaking my head, as I tried to get the nonsense out of my head.
"You," I whispered.
"You're not thinking straight. Just stop talking until we get home." I grunted as we got closer.
We finally were back and I used his keys to unlock the door. I quickly directed him to his bed and laid him down. I got a warm towel and placed it on his forehead.
"You child. I never thought I would have to take care of someone older than me." I whispered. I patted his face with a towel to try and attempt to tend to the black bruises on his cheeks and neck. I sat down on the other side of the bed and sighed. I cracked my neck and rubbed my arm. My eyes then trailed over to Yi-Jeong's sleeping features. I guess when he wasn't talking so much then there would be much more to him then what meets the eye. I leaned down and managed to keep my eyes open. I fixed his hair and the blanket.
"All the things you said about me. Were they true? Or was it your drunken self just speaking nonsense?" I whispered.
I then slowly but surely started to close the space between us and pressed my lips gently against the corner of his mouth. I stepped back and gathered my things.
"Goodnight, Yi-Jeong."
I opened the door to my home as it remained dark and quiet. I went into my room and closed the door silently. I sighed and laid on my bed. I was about to take off my jacket when I felt something in it's pocket. I pulled out a leather glove and inspected it. His initials were marked on it's tag. I took out my purse and put it in my drawer, also throwing on some pajamas and hopping into bed. I was about to turn off my light when I took the glove once again in my hand. I put it on and admired how it fit. I slowly slid it off and intertwined my hands together over my chest.
"What am I doing?" I whispered to myself. But that wasn't the question I should've been asking.
I should've been wondering of what this feeling in my heart was. It didn't feel the same as when I was with Ji-Hoo, but felt warmer and softer. I questioned myself once more.
Was this really love?