And then… will I give it to him?
Before meeting him, my answer would’ve been no. Now, after seeing his kind eyes and hearing his happy laughter… and feeling his arms around me – yes.
When my chest begins to overflow with emotions for him, I’ll give him my heart, and I’ll pray that he’ll never give it back to me.
My fingers begin to tingle as if an invisible current is passing in the slight space between us. Lake’s hand brushes against mine for a split-second, and it’s enough to make my breaths speed up.
I can’t focus on anything but this man next to me. I’m aware of every step he takes, and the sound of his shoes crunching against the ground.
I wish I had the courage to reach out first.
I would slide my hand into his and curl my fingers around his palm, and I’d relish in the feel of his skin against mine.
Would he tighten his fingers around mine while chuckling?
I’d probably giggle, only embarrassing myself.
But it would be perfect. A flawless moment where a man I like holds my hand for the first time.LakeIf my heart beats any harder, I’m sure she’s going to hear it.
Twice our hands have touched, and twice I’ve let the opportunity pass me by.
Okay, if our hands touch for a third time, I’m totally going for it.
Shit, what if it doesn’t happen?
How far is it still until we reach the cliff?
Another ten minutes?
Her hand touches mine, and it happens so damn fast I’m left wondering if it was all just my imagination.
Just take hold of her hand, Lake.
A couple of inches to the left, buddy.
Damn, why am I so nervous? It’s not like this is my first time. I’ve hugged her already!
Fuck, we’re at the cliff already?
I stop a couple of feet before the barrier, and I watch as Lee slowly inches closer and then she tries to peek down. Having satisfied her curiosity, she takes a couple of steps back and then stares out into the distance.
“Do you have any friends back home?” I ask.
“Not like you have here,” she answers. “Sometimes I’d go out with my co-workers for dinner, and we’d sing karaoke afterward.”
“You can sing?” I ask, surprise in my voice.
She lets out a burst of laughter and shakes her head. “No, but it’s fun.”
“What else do you do for fun?”
Lee thinks for a while, then answers, “I would sometimes go to the Ajjuma next door and help her make clay pots. Even though she always scolded me for not doing it right, I think she enjoyed my visits.”
Wanting to know everything about her, I ask, “Did you want to study after school?”
She shakes her head. “I never thought of things like that.”
“Then what did you want to become once you finished school?”
She looks up at me and frowns slightly. “What do you mean?”
Rephrasing my question, I ask, “Wasn’t there a certain career you wanted to do? When you thought of your future, what were your dreams?”
“Before I was told I was going to marry you?”
I nod, and she first stares out over the valley where the first rays of the sun are starting to lighten the sky.
“I just wanted to work. I didn’t care what kind of job it was, as long as I could pay the rent and make sure there was enough food.” Lee’s quiet for a moment then she asks, “What are your dreams when you think of the future?”
I let out a silent chuckle and take a step closer to her. “I want to do something that will make me feel content at the end of the day. I’ve thought about opening a café or a restaurant, but it doesn’t fill me with excitement.”
“What do you mean by excitement?” she asks, tilting her head to the side as she focuses all her attention on me.
“Remember Friday night while you were washing dishes?” I ask. When she nods, I continue, “You had this smile of pure contentment on your face. It was as if every plate filled you with excitement, and you couldn’t wait to clean it.”
“Oh, but that’s because I enjoy working. I would do anything as long as I can stay busy.”
For a moment I contemplate whether now is the right time to mention it but then figure what the hell. “Summer vacation starts at the end of May.”
“You’ll be finished with your studies then, right?” she asks.
I nod. “We could spend the summer on Jeju with your mom.”
Her entire face transforms from relaxed to shocked to emotional in a couple of seconds. She slowly brings her hands up and covers her mouth while her eyes widen, and when they begin to shine, I just react instinctively and walk to her.
I wrap my arms around her and pull her to my chest. Pressing a kiss to her hair, I say, “I’m going to take you home.”