Yoon Seri and Ri Jeong Hyeok celebrate their 6 month anniversary with a funfair date, confessing their feelings for the first time.
After what felt like forever, he finally had his woman all to himself.
The prospect of spending an entire weekend away from work wrapped up in the arms of his girlfriend as they enjoyed each others' company made him grin wide. Now, as he watched her make her way through his apartment's double door, a smug smile on her face as she practically runs the last few steps right into his arms. Seri's legs coil themselves around her lover's waist, and her arms come to wrap around his neck, face sinking in the crook of his neck.
"I've missed you," Seri breathes in his deep masculine scent. It reminds her of home. "So much," she puts in as the cherry on top.
"I've missed you more." He kisses the top of her head, welcoming the fragrant coconut smell like a fast friend. "Would you like a drink before we're off?" Jeong Hyeok seats himself on the plush white loveseat in the living room. Seri is still stuck to him like a koala. "I see you dressed appropriately to the occasion." Jeong Hyeok captures her chin between his index finger and thumb, dragging her lips in for a small kiss. His eyes drink in her appearance; dressed in a yellow, strapless summer dress with small flowers loitered all over the fabric, it reaches just above her thighs. Over the dress, she has on a matching round hat with a silk ribbon wrapped around it.
Seri pouts, "It's not fair that you are not telling me where we are going." She sighs dramatically and throws her head against his shoulder. "For future references, Jeong Hyeok-ssi, don't ever tell me words like outdoor, summer, comfortable, and fun when I am trying to pick a dress for our date." He lets out a laugh, eyes crinkling at the corners, "I mean it!" He'll admit, it wasn't the best way to tell her, but he really did want to surprise her. For that, he was willing to go to every length.
"Okay, promise." Jeong Hyeok tells her, "Never again." Knowing the child she was, he holds out his pinkie for her. Seri looks at him then down at his finger. A smile crossing her features, she securely wraps her own pinkie around his. "Stamped-"
"And laminated." Her boyfriend finishes for her before both of them break out in fits of laughter. If anyone saw them in this state, they'd never believe that these two were 38-year-old adults.
There are a few moments and a few moments only when Yoon Seri is speechless. This moment right now, it was one of them. Ri Jeong gives himself a mental pat on the back upon seeing Seri's reaction to his date location. Her jaw is unhinged, and her eyes are wide as she admires the bright lights surrounding her. Small hands fly up to her mouth in awe. "Jeong Hyeok-ssi," she finally turns to him.
He waits for her to scream. In 3...2...1...
"THIS IS SO BEAUTIFUL!"
He can not help but laugh at her childlike antics. His body is pushed back momentarily when his girlfriend practically throws herself over him in a bear hug. "I love it. I love it so much." All the hours of brainstorming the perfect date for their six month anniversary had finally paid off. Jeong Hyeok had initially wanted to go with a three day trip to LA, but both of their schedules were packed. With her working as an assistant fashion designer and himself being occupied with piano lessons to give, Jeong Hyeok knew she'd appreciate a gateway weekend at a funfair/carnival more than an exhausting trip to the States. This way, she could save up for the jetlag time and actually get some rest.
"I love it." she repeats, her eyes really do tell that she loves it. Jeong Hyeok had told her to dress comfortably for their evening date for a reason, after all, he didn't expect her to go running around in fancy heels. Before he knows it, she's already pulling him across the entrance gates. With their arms linked together, Jeong Hyeok tightens his hold on Seri, pushing her slightly next to him so she won't be alone in the small queue for the tickets. His hands come to rest on her waist, guiding her forward with every customer like a train. When they finally reach the ticket booth, Jeong Hyeok is quick to pay for both of them, his other hand latching onto Seriʼs like it was the most natural thing to him.
The act doesn't go unnoticed by Seri who suppresses a smile.
“Wahh...Jeong Hyeok-ssi, this is,” at a loss of words, she lets her body language do the talking— from there onwards, it is not difficult for the ex military captain to confirm just how excited she was. The whole place is decorated with bright lights illuminating every possibly corner their eyes can see. Flashes of various colours paint the small stalls of either food or souvenirs up for grabs that have been set up. As the couple walks through the vast plane, hand in hand, their sight lands on several different cotton candy stalls and photo booths— making Seri a mental note to come by for a picture later.
Laughter of children rings in her ears and she finds herself drowning in the melancholic view the sight presents her on a golden platter. From the cheerful smiles of people descending from the ferris-wheel, to the glum faces of folks coming out of the haunted house; Seri decides that she already loves everything about this place. Hues of gold and white dance around her in sheer delight, her eyes are as radiant as ever.
"So where do you want to go first?” Jeong Hyeok breaks her out of her train of thought. He has the most handsome smile on his face and Seri wonders how did she get so lucky with him? What were the odds of a pianist and an assistant fashion designer meeting at her company dinner when he was scheduled to play that day for the grand event? Seri had never believed in a god or deity all her life but when her gaze had settled on Jeong Hyeok for the first time in the dark hall illuminated just by his presence, it was like he had been handpicked by god himself for her.
“I'll wait for you at the pirate boat, don't forget to bring cotton candy!” Jeong Hyeok chuckles at his girlfriend's actions, trying not to show any emotion at the word pirate boat.
He shakes his head before blowing her a kiss and going off to get what she's asked for. While Seri patently waits in line, admiring the vibrant spheres moving in thin air with her lips parted, Jeong Hyeok makes his way towards her, catching her off guard by using two fingers to push her jaw close.
Slightly embarrassed, she faces him, the smile on her face is unmatched upon getting a hold of the cotton candy on his hand. As expected, she urges him to eat some too, as also expected, she shoves some in his mouth when he declines repeatedly. “I'll kiss you more if you taste sweet.” she had winked at him only for Jeong Hyeok to remain expressionless for a while until he took a bite of the soft cloud on his own.
Ri Jeong Hyeok doesn't remember the last time he has screamed this much. Maybe when his older brother had put a toy spider on his shoulder when he was eight, yes, definitely that. But he knows this, that now, at the age of 37, he must be the only man to have screamed on a pirate boat. He is thankful of Seriʼs presence, and also embarrassed at the same time, for she gets to not only be his anchor on this crazy ride that literally does a full 90 degrees (though he was dead sure it might have been a little more than that) in air, but also gets to witness a an ex military captain scream his lungs out.
“Don't say it.” he warns her, trying to steady himself against the steel railing as they make their way out. Seriʼs lips curl inwards at the mere mention of it. “I mean it, don't you dare say anything about it.” when she breaks into a smile instead of complying with his words, all he can do is throw up his hands in surrender, walking ahead of her like a child who has been refused his favorite candy. “That's it. I'm breaking up with you.” He jokes.
Seri is by his side in an instant. Her fingers curling around his bicep to drag him down to meet his eyes. She has the most adorable pout on her face and Jeong Hyeok can not hell but kiss her then and there. “Just kidding. How can I ever say no to that face?” his words hold the promise of a lifetime, she doesn't know but he does. The moment he had first seen her, Jeong Hyeok had always known somewhere in the back of his heart, that she was going to be his undoing. The one he would want to grow old with, the one he'd want to be the mother of his children, the face he wanted to see the first thing he woke up on a lousy Sunday morning, the lips he wanted to kiss under a the starry blanket of the sky, the hands he wanted to hold in cold December mornings and the smile he wanted to see for the years to come.
If all went well today, he might just say what he's been keeping in his heart for so long.
“Jeong Hyeok-ssi,” Seri pulls his arm toward a food stall, adorably pointing at a fish cake. “Get me one,” the kiss she presses to his cheek just after that takes him by surprise, “Please?”
After enjoying the fish cake, as well as several other small snack like hot dogs and spicy rice cakes, they are off to wherever Seri pulls them to. Ri Jeong Hyeok has to steady himself against his enthusiastic girlfriend who seems to be having a mind of her own today. Seeing her eyes light up with the occasional fireworks they shit through the sky really made his heart flutter.
Ah, so this was the butterfly affect they all talked about in movies and books.
Truth be told, be had had his fair share of girlfriends in the past but no one even held a candle to Seri. The ball of sunshine was all his to cherish. It was just one of those times where one could tell that this was different from the rest.
The couple finds themselves at a secluded area in the middle of the fair. The whole place is filled with children, teenagers, adults and couples on dates, much simlair to themselves, either getting their faces painted or playing a game on the arcade to win a prize for their lover.
“Let me,” Seri snatches the brush from the girl's hand and proceeds to paint a round tomato on her boyfriend's cheek. Instant jealousy bloomed in her heart at the sight of anther woman touching her man. She didn't say it but yes, she was a possessive woman and she did not like her man being touched by anyone else other than her. Jeong Hyeok regards her with a soft smile, knowing all too well what came over her. “Would you like me to paint your cheek too?”
“Yes please.” she gives the woman a death glare. Jutting out her cheek to him, she feels his one hand cup her chin and the other, brushing delicate strokes up her cheek. Such close proximity has brought his face so close to her own, that she can see the little hairs on his chin, indicating he had shaved no less than yesterday. The calming scent of his body is like a blessing to her soul. His eyes are focused on her cheek, but hers, only on him.
Her breathing hitches when she feels him glide his thumb over her chin before he finally pulls away to admire his work. Unbeknown to him, Seriʼs heart is pounding in her chest; it's been six months with him, how come she has never told him that she loves him even though she has known this fact since day one? She thinks there is part of her that's scared; scared to rush into something so beautiful only for it to end up in ruins. She wants to tell him but the fear of ruining everything is holding her back. It's not fair to him; she realizes, he deserves to know just how loved and appreciated he is by her.
Soon, maybe today, she tells herself.
This time, it's Jeong Hyeok who has brought them in front of a small, red tent. At about a distance of little more than four feet, there are moving ducks, each with a target attached to them, they are moving in a synced manner— up the hilly mountain, then down. His eyes settle on the water rifles attached to a box just next to them. A bunch of stuffed animals are attached to the railing above them; all it takes for Seri to jump up and down in excitement. “Oh! Oh! Oh! That one! Jeong Hyeok-ssi!” unmistakably, it's the giant pink octopus with big doe like eyes.
Of course, you just had to have that.
This should be a piece of cake, if he were a woman, he would've flipped his hair at the audacity of this young stall owner to put a gun in an ex military captain's hands. Years of training will finally pay for the right thing now— impressing his girl.
After he has paid for his turn, Jeong Hyeok adjusts the gun in his hands, his fingers clenching and unclenching in trying to familiarize themselves with the weapon, albeit, still a mere toy.
“Go Jeong Hyeok-ssi!” Seri cheers from behind him, clapping her hands in delight. He gives her one final dimpled smile before turning his focus back to the game.
A piece of cake.
Well, not when your gun won't work.
“This isn't working,” he tells the owner who just rolls his eyes like he hasn't heard that one before. When his thirty seconds go by, he is awfully aware of the embarrassment. “It really isn't! I mean it!” like a child looking for his mother, he tunrs to Seri. “It really isn't—”
“Then try anyother one.” the young man with a bored expression urges him.
Good idea.
As instructed, he picks up the gun next in line only to end up with the same fate as the previous one. “I have a real gun back home, I'll show you how they work.” he stifles a smile when the man widens his eyes. “Seri-ah!” he throws his hands up in frustration, if only he knew how cute he looked, Seri thought, he would be his own lover too.
“You're hopeless, Jeong Hyeok-ssi.” she marches up to him, taking the gun from his hand and aiming for the top most duck. Just like lightning, her shot is fast, only when the buzzer goes off do they know that she really has won. Jeong Hyeok is in a state of utter shock, his jaw agape and eyebrows knitted in confusion, he doesn't even realise when Seri winks at the owner and slips an extra bill in his hands for the comedic display. The soft toy is in her arms before she can even ask for it. Seri knows she shouldn't have been so mean to him but it was worth it, seeing the ex captain crack under his girlfriend's skillful tactics.
“I should just jump off a cliff.” he finally tells her, immobile to even walk until Seri drags him to their final destination— the ferris-wheel. It's like a thick cloud of gloominess is roaming over his head. “All those years in the military and I could not shoot at a toy duck, wow.” Seriʼs laugh echoes in his ears, it's a welcoming distraction from contemplating his life decisions in mere seconds. Her smile is contagious, he realises. Gone are his worries the instant his eyes land on her— she really was like that, his own little ball of sunshine.
“Cheer up Jeong Hyeok-ssi,” she kisses his cheek, “Look, it's almost our turn!” the octopus is snuggled warmly against her chest as she points ahead.
True to her words, it is their turn.
Jeong Hyeok helps his girlfriend get into the bright orange sphere first followed by himself. His weight was obviously more than her fragile self, causing the sphere to dip where he was sitting. The instructor assured them that once they were up, all would be neutral. Taking his shady word for it, both of them nod, trusting the magic. Gradually, the wheel starts moving, little by little then all at once they are enveloped in the golden hues at the very top of the fair. His hand never leaves hers, rubbing down on her knuckles in a loving manner. “This is so beautiful.” her eyes soften at the florescent lights outside up for display, the whole place right at their feet under the starry sky.
He looks at her, smiles. “I know.”
Seriegaze cuts to him sharply, she knows what talking about.
“I love it.” she tells him, long forgotten is the fair, the lights, the octopus and everything in between.
It's only them.
“I love it too,” his eyes are directed right at her, hand squeezing hers softly. She watches him pick up their entwined fingers before kissing the back of her hand. “So much,” then another, “Have loved it for six months now.”
Her heart is heavy, she wants to cradle his face in her hands and kiss him, just him.
“Ri Jeong Hyeok-ssi...” his name lingers on her lips like a promise.
Just say it.
“I love you.” both of them say in unison.
Silence.
“I love you, too.” they both say again at the same time only to break out in laughter. “Just kiss me.” she pulls him in for a kiss, this time, the for works outside can not compete with the ones in her heart.