#I just realized her name is going to be Moon Mun Yeong

[sweetestlamb]

Lighting Up Your World (Forever)

MoonMun Wedding Special! 

Summary: "Are you crying?" She teases, "I never thought I'd marry a crier."He scoffs denying her accusation, stealthily wiping a lone tear. "I'm not crying."She looks at him skeptically, before smirking mischievously, "Mmmm you do look so pretty when you cry though.

Author’s Note: These are still not all the details I wanted for the wedding but unfortunately life is catching up with me and I go back to work on Tuesday, this means I won’t have much free time to write. Wrote the majority of this today in one sitting, so I’m sorry if it feels rushed (it kinda was lol) I hope you guys enjoy this! This might be my last story for a while, but I promise to try to write some drabbles here and there and help keep this beautiful fandom alive. Thank you guys for the best summer, I had the best time!! 

"We looked so happy." He says aloud, fondly looking at their smiling faces shining back at him, the light from his phone glowing in the dark of the room. He'd taken a selfie of Mun-yeong and himself after her first successful swim, it'd taken her five tries but she had succeeded, battled her demons and came out stronger albeit wetter as well. The pride that had colored her face had to be savored and disregarding any watery harm that could become his phone, he'd hastily snapped a candid picture of them. Her soaking wet from her splashes before something slippery had touched her foot and she'd left the water, declaring it had to be a shark. He'd snickered at her, eyes bemusedly glancing around at the still lake water.

In the photo their faces were pressed together, her rosy cheeks mashed against his own. Her eyes had disappeared into half moons beaming with joy, his smile was free and unguarded. He almost didn't recognize himself. Happiness unnatural on his face.

A year ago, driving aimlessly with her had ironically led him to finding himself. It wasn't an epiphany per say, there was no definitive moment that unconcealed his inner being. Rather he'd seen the extent of himself, how happy he could be if he allowed happiness in. If he stopped slamming the door shut every time he felt glee running through his veins. She'd been the first bang at his door and hadn't stopped since they met. The trip was once in a lifetime. He'd fallen for her long ago but seeing her on that trip made him truly understand what love was. What it meant to love her. All-consuming.

They weren't perfect, they still fought. Slamming doors and crashing into the van walls tangled as they ripped their clothes off and fell into angered fits of passion. They worked on apologizing with words too instead of actions, but at times actions spoke louder for both. They also smiled so much so his cheeks ached from it, holding her in his arms felt like a gift. It was the best time of his life, he embraced the good and the bad.

She shuffles in the bed, rolling into him and accidentally knocking the phone from his hands. Simultaneously knocking him back into reality. Even in the depths of slumber demanding his full attention. He can't control the loving way his eyes peruse her face, gorgeous under the soft moonlight trickling in through their sheer curtains.

After the trip the thought of sleeping without seemed unfathomable and surprising him once more Sang-tae had been the one to encourage him to move into her room. "I'm an adult, I can't share a room with my little brother. See if Mun-yeong wants you, I need space. I'm an adult Moon Gang-tae, you can't sleep in my room." His brother uttered those words as he'd pushed him out the door of said room, his meager belongings stuffed haphazardly into a book bag. He feigned indignation before all but skipping to join Mun-yeong in her, no their new room. 

Her smile when she came in and saw him putting his clothes away in an empty drawer had been so beautiful, so soft and vulnerable. He didn't fight the urge to collect her into his arms, as they fell into bed. He was right where he was always meant to be.

A year later, he's still here. With his first love, his only love. His heart beat. His bulldozer. His tempest.

"Aishhh... Why are you awake? Do you want to have some fun? Again?" Her sleep raspy voice is filled with mischief and promise as she presses her naked body into his own slipping from slumber into consciousness with seductive ease. 

Putting the phone away he turns to her, eyes bright as he leers down at her offering. After a lifetime spent refusing the things he wanted most, he's ready to be indulgent, greedy even. Slowly he crawls over her, warm bodies melting into each other, her legs parting under his weight as he slides into the space given. A soft gasp falls from her swollen lips as he caresses her hip, fingers trailing in exploration.

"I like playing with you." Her eyes crinkle at his words, adorable half moons greeting him. Without hesitation he captures her mouth in a deep languid kiss, tongue parting her flesh and swallowing her subsequent moan. Capitalizing on her distracted state, he drags his hand down to her treasure, sighing as he feels her warm wetness. Arousal washes over him as her moistness coats his fingers as he penetrates with the tips of his fingers. Beneath him she writhes in pleasure, drawing him closer as she grinds on his hand.

Shifting he maneuvers himself, hard erection at her opening, their eyes meet as he breaks their kiss.

"I love you Ko Mun-yeong."

He means it. Loves her with every fiber of his being, and spontaneity spurs him on, driving his words. With a deep thrust he fills her, his name a sermon on her lips as her hands wraps around his neck.

"Marry me?"

Her eyes are clouded with desire, so much so that at first his inquiry only elicits stillness as her brain processes his word. He watches mesmerized as her eyes fill with tears, love leaking down her cheeks. A quiet sob shatters his heart but her answer sews it back together.

"Only you would turn sex into a marriage proposal." Her breathing increases as he draws back longer to plunge deeper into her, eyes ravaging her face. When she discloses no more words, lost in their tangled limbs and the incessant motion of him driving into her, he draws out completely, tip teasing her folds.

He chuckles at her annoyed huff, catching her hands as she tries to drag him back into their dance.

"This is emotional manipulation." She glares at him, enticing breasts jiggling from her long suffering inhale.

He shrugs, "You've done worst. You almost ran me over one time." Cutting off her rebuttal, he presses a single digit to her mouth, grabbing her hand and removing the promise ring he placed one year ago.

She watches with rapt eyes as he meets her gaze once more, "Mun-yeong, will you marry me?"

Emotions swirl in her eyes, underneath the love he sees wonder and...doubt.

"I mean it. I really want to. I want you forever. I'm ready to turn that promise ring into your engagement ring. What do you think about forever?"

Her smile is bright enough to blind him, "Okay. Forever sounds like a good start." With gentle hands he places the ring back, perfectly fitting on the marked skin of her finger. The ring looks more beautiful than it did seconds ago, its purpose renewed.

After a not so gentle nudge, he laughs sliding back into her. They fall into a slow searching rhythm, her legs tightly wrapped around his waist as he thrusts into her.

"If you ever try to leave me I'll break your legs and drag you back." She promises.

He laughs louder, her declaration like a love letter. Their lovemaking somehow sweeter now and they find pleasure and solace in each other's warmth.

You're so warm.

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"Hyung, I have to tell you something."

Sang-tae glances at him momentarily, the scratches of his pencil on his notepad loud in the silence of the living room. The verbal confirmation that his brother has heard his words is a slight mmm he receives in response.

Taking a deep assuring breath he says with a nervous grin, "I'm going to marry Mun-yeong." Saying the words aloud forces a awkward laugh to explode from his chest.

He's marrying Mun-yeong.

His brain still struggles to wrap around that staggering reality. The urge to pinch himself to see if he's in a dream rises over him.

The pencil scratches pause and he hears the soft pat of the utensil hitting the pad and in a matter of seconds his brother is a ball of animated excitement.

"Married? My little brother is getting married? I'm so happy! When? I can't believe my little brother is getting married! I always took care of you but now you will be Mun-yeong's problem. Not mine."

He chuckles at his brother's pure reaction, ignoring the smidgen offense he feels at the latter part of his brother's exclamation, he's not a problem. If anything those two will be the death of him.

"We didn't set a date yet. I only proposed last night, I wanted you to be the first person I told."

His heart swells up when his brother jumps out of his seat to pull him into a tight embrace, Sang-tae has come a long way in showing affection. Giving him hugs and back pats on a regular now, he never knew how much he longed for that closeness with his brother until he received it. It makes him speechless every time his brother initiates a hug.

After a few seconds of their warm embrace he feels his brother pulling away, then he says, "I have to go tell Mom. She should be the second one to know, she's going to be so proud. Moon Gang-tae is getting married. You're an adult too."

"Let's all go tell her together."

When he enters the room to ask Mun-yeong to join them in telling their mom, he finds her at her vanity looking effortlessly glamorous in a bold yellow silk dress, although she's in front of the mirror her eyes are locked on her hand, her ring more precisely.

He watches her silently captivated by her and the open awe that is filling her eyes to a brim. She lightly touches the ring with her index finger seemingly lost in the glimmer of the diamond.

"Hi." He breathes out, chest tight with emotion.

Slowly she turns to look at him, those eyes now directed at him and he can feel her love surrounding him like a thick wool blanket.

Holding out a hand he says softly, "We're going to tell my mom about our wedding. Let's go."

Without even a moment of hesitation she takes his hand, smiling tenderly at him. He draws her into his arms, engulfing her in his strong arms. He sniffles as he breaths in the fresh floral scent of her hair, magnolia sweet.

"Are you crying?" She teases, "I never thought I'd marry a crier."

He scoffs denying her accusation, stealthily wiping a lone tear. "I'm not crying."

She looks at him skeptically, before smirking mischievously, "Mmmm you do look so pretty when you cry though.

A vibrant red blush blooms on his cheeks as he coughs at her praise, still not comfortable with direct compliments or comments on his looks.

She gleefully watches him squirm before grabbing his hand, "Lets go pretty boy, we have a wedding to plan."

The drive to the hospital is boisterous as Sang-tae and Mun-yeong cheerfully discuss the wedding, he merely listens and nods along. Content just hearing how excited they are.

When they tell his mother about his upcoming nuptials, the tears flow freely. When Mun-yeong trails off to fix her makeup in the bathroom and Sang-tae wonders off to greet the patients in the hospital he has a private moment with his mother.

"Mom. I wish you were here, I miss you so much. Mom, I'm scared. I know you didn't mean to but I grew up thinking you only had me to take care of hyung. I'm so happy right now it scares me. I don't know if I deserve this. If I deserve her." He falls to his knees, suddenly a stray leaf falls on his shoulder and he looks at his mother in surprise.

Blinking through his tears he hiccups, "Thank you mom. I'm going to be happy. I'm going to live a life you would be proud of." With a final sob he stands, putting his mother's leaf in his pocket.

The drive home is quiet, emotions saturating the air. There is no need for words.

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"It's too...common." Mun-yeong dismisses another elaborate wedding dress as the store clerk runs off to bring her another.

Ju-ri and her mother watch in genuine shock, the dress in question was anything but common with it's pearl detailing and mile long train. They'd both been similarly baffled when the writer pulled up to their house and announced her wedding and demanded that they all go dress shopping. 

Ju-ri felt her mom's wary eyes on her face, gauging her reaction. Their was none except happiness, she'd long given up her crush on Gang-tae, Sang-in's persistence wearing down her walls. He wasn't perfect but he made her feel special and Gang-tae had never done that. She'd also come to consider Mun-yeong a friend, finally recognizing that she never hated her, jealousy had been the driving force in their antagonistic relationship.

So she'd been honored when Mun-yeong had invited them to choose her dress, even inviting Seung-jae along, the art director squealing in excitement at the news of nuptials.

To no shock to anyone, Mun-yeong's taste was extravagant and every gown that had been shown to her simply didn't meet her high standard.

She watched with sad eyes as Mun-yeong seemed to gravitate to her mom, wordlessly asking for her opinion with her eyes. They had grown close in the past year, at times she found the two together in the house after work, her mother nagging Mun-yeong about eating as she piled food onto her plate. Mun-yeong would grumble about her persistent nagging but every Thursday like clockwork they would have dinner together.

Mun-yeong walks out in another jaw-dropping gown, off the shoulders with a cinched waist and full dress, resembling a princess from a fairy tale. They all ohh and ahh at her, sans her mom who merely looks inquisitively, eyes locked on Mun-yeong's face.

The store clerk is all praise and compliments, flowery words bursting free like a dam, "You look gorgeous! This is the dress! Your husband will be blown away!"

Mun-yeong looks over her shoulder, face impassive as she peers at her vision. Unimpressed she responds, "My husband will be blown away by my face alone."

Ju-ri chuckles under her breath at the clerk's barely concealed annoyance.

Her mother speaks up, "Try the next dress I picked it out. I think it's quite lovely." Mun-yeong's eyes are shining as she goes to the dressing room, Ju-ri is certain that dress will be the one.

The dress is exquisite, the bodice immaculately detailed with embroidered floral swirls that bleed into the body of the dress, which is equally gorgeous with effervescent sheer material that falls in powdery waves, bellowing up when she twirls around with a radiant smile on her face.

"Wow." They all gasp at her, knowing that this will be her dress. This dress was meant for her, they're all in agreement.

No one mentions how that dress was taken from the hands of another hopeful bride, how Ju-ri had distracted the woman as her mother sneakily took the dress and snuck in his Mun-yeong's dressing room. Then Seung-jae had innocently stared at the woman convincing her that no such dress had been there, as they all giggled and left her to her confusion.

Ju-ri begins to pack up ready to leave the store before Mun-yeong speaks, "We're not done yet." She suppresses a sigh they'd been at the store for hours now, Mun-yeong scaring off the first two clerks who had attempted to help her. The first bringing a dress so plain and unappealing that Mun-yeong had declared she was trying to sabotage her wedding before threatening to twist her neck. It was a wonder they were not instantly removed.

"You all need to get dresses too especially you Ju-ri, I can't trust you to not show up to my wedding looking like a country bumpkin." They glare at each other as Mun-yeong's eyes run up and down her outfit-a frumpy but comfortable t-shirt and loose jeans- in disdain.

"Yah! Don't insult my sweet daughter!" Her mother rushes to her defense yanking Mun-yeong's ear harshly.

"I'm not insulting her! It's the truth she dresses like a little boy!"

Ju-ri laughs loudly as her mother's grip tightens as she punishes Mun-yeong. Basking in the chaos around her.

Hours are spent until they all have dresses for the wedding, Mun-yeong slamming her card down ignoring her mother's protest as she pays for everything.

The small smile on her face reveals how important this trip was to her, how significant they’d all come to be in each other’s life. 

*****************************************************************************************

She gets a call from one of Gang-tae's university friends imploring that she come and collect her wasted fiancee. She rushes to the car, knowing that the ants will be even more insistent in his drunken state, driving at a breakneck speed she arrives in no time.

All eyes dart to her as she enters, casually dressed in a denim mini dress and knee high brown boots, ridiculously tiny Louis Vuitton handbag dangling from her wrist.

"Mun-yeong! Hey! That's my fiancee! She's so beautiful..." Gang-tae's slurred voice grabs her attention, easily identifying him in a corner of the dingy bar. She makes sure not to touch anything as she approaches their table.

Gang-tae's friend wave sheepishly at her as she eyes the exorbitant amount of empty beer and soju bottles on the table. He'd promised to stay within his limit which they'd found was embarrassingly low, from his vivid scarlet cheeks it was evident that he did not keep his word.

"Are you trying to kill him before we get married?" They all flinch jumping at the low cold register of her voice, frozen under her glare.

"Yah! Don't glare at my friends, they're scared of you already." Gang-tae chastises her, pulling her into his lap, pressing a wet peck on her cheek. She smacks his shoulder complaining about the heavy stench of alcohol on his breath.

"You said you were only going to have two beers. Why are you so drunk? You're so annoying."

"They kept buying me more, it's not my fault." He whines, head falling on her shoulder, warm breath tickling her neck.

One of Gang-tae's friends finally speaks up, the only one brave enough to do so, "That's not technically true. We bought you two beers and tried to cut you off you demanded more."

His bravery seems to embolden the rest who all nod and hum in agreement, another speaking up, "And you started drinking our beers."

"Then you started singing about your pretty fiancee and how much you loved her and wanted to kiss--"

Gang-tae slams a hand on the table, flushed face hiding his blush but his red ears reveal the truth, "I wasn't screaming.... It's this room. Everything echoes, I sound louder here."

She looks at him in disbelief, containing the smile that's itching to come out. He's so cheesy. Maintaining her icy facade she pretends to be bothered by his actions.

Before she can pin them under another icy glare, the waitress appears next to them, "Just checking on you all, do you need anything else?" She asks, eyes slightly widening when she sees Mun-yeong perched on Gang-tae's lap. Signs of a hungry disillusioned ant.

"Gang-tae?.." immediately Mun-yeong's eyes narrow at the waitress lack of honorifics, far too familiar addressing her fiancee.

"Do you know my fiancee that well? You're speaking to him very casually."

"You're fiancee...I didn't know.." She trails off blushing as she glances at the ground.

The waitress flounders under her hard stare as she grabs the lone knife on the table, using it to punctuate her next words, "Consider this your first and only warning then, don't salivate over my fiancee. Or I'll cut out your tongue." She stabs the knife into the table, smiling serenely as everyone looks at her in horror.

Grabbing her mouth the girl rushes away before inquiring if anyone else needs anything.

"Mun-yeong ah I told you to stop threatening people. She's nice she always gives me free drinks."

She jolts at the revelation, hopping out of his lap and grabbing his arm, "We're leaving right now. You are not allowed to come back here ever again."

Without a word to his friends at the table who are watching with gaped mouths, she drags him from the bar shoving him into the driver's seat, angrily buckling him in.

After a few minutes driving he breaks the silence.

"Are you jealous?" He smirks at her.

"Shut up." She retorts, making sure to accelerate over speed bumps.

Then somewhere along the drive she starts to feel his hands caressing the naked skin of her thigh. When she gazes over she meets his glossy unfocused eyes, she looks down at the wondering hand with a raised eyebrow.

"What are you doing?"

Running his hands even higher, he looks at her with innocent eyes, "Nothing."

Rolling her eyes she looks back at the road, trying her best to ignore his provocations.

Her breath hitches as his fingers reach the edge of her panties. She wiggles in her chair in complete shock at his bold move.

"You're really drunk aren't you?"

He hums in response, fingering at her panties, poking under to meet naked skin.

"I wanted to do this as soon as I saw you come in. You've been wearing shorter dresses lately. It's driving me crazy."

She's flabbergasted at his confession, completely unaware that he paid attention to what she wore.

"Are you doing this on purpose? Are you trying to tease me?" He sticks his hand inside the thin lace of her underwear, nudging at her warmth, her eyes roll in the back of her head.

She's unprepared for his finger to suddenly sink into her, as he leans dangerously over the console to torture her.

"What are you doing?" She hisses trying with all her might to stay in her lane, swerving before righting the car with a firm pull of the steering wheel.

She moans as he sinks in deeper, knuckles deep in her wet center, his eyes enraptured in his own movement under her dress.

"Pull over." He commands leaving no space for a refusal.

She obeys immediately, body vibrating from pleasure.

He unbuckles them both before tugging her dress further up her torso, then tugging her panties down her hips, leaving her bare for his viewing.

"Put your hands on the steering wheel, don't move them."

Her breath stutters at his dark seductive tone, before placing her hands around the steering wheel.

"Good girl." He praises her, rewarding her with two fingers plunging into her empty hole, she groans at the sensation, widening her legs tempting him to take more. He raises to the challenge, thrusting into her harder, curling his fingers to scrape at her walls.

"Please, please." She begs, thrashing in her seat as pleasure coils in the pits of her belly.

"Touch yourself."

Lightning fast, she releases the steering wheel and presses an urgent finger against her swollen nub, rubbing at it roughly, teetering on the edge, his voices shove her over, "Come, my beautiful fiancee come for me."

Her walls clamp down on his fingers, squeezing tight as he continues to thrust into her, eyes locked on her face openly watching her fall apart on his fingers.

She sighs, pressing her head into chair and closing her eyes to savor the euphoric thrill that shoots through her bloodstream.

Her eyes snap open at the soft familiar sound that comes from his direction.

He's snoring, head lolling awkwardly between them fingers still deep inside of her. She can't help the shocked laughter that bursts from her chest.

"I'm marrying a psycho." She chuckles to herself, pushing his hand away and driving back onto the road.

*****************************************************************************************

Planning for the wedding goes off without a hitch, she reluctantly asks Sang-in to be their announcer at the wedding, pushing him away when he begins to obnoxiously cry on her shoulder.

The idiot does find them a beautiful venue, a grand hall overlooking the ocean with outdoor seating and a surplus of cherry blossoms. She complains about the nuisance petals but the way Gang-tae's eyes sparkle when he sees the location makes her decision an easy one.

Every minute detail is organized, all t's are crossed and i's dotted and suddenly it is the day before the wedding.

Her nerves are rampant, conjuring every issue that could plague the long waited day. Gang-tae's exuberance keeps her buoyed through her pessimism, his unwavering love pulling her from darkness and uncertainty.

She's sitting silently on the couch when she hears the front door open, taking a deep breath she calls out, "Gang-tae? Is that you?"

There's no answer and that piques her interest, pushing off the couch she walks to the entrance, calling out again, "Gang ta--"

Her voice tampers off as she sees who's at the door. Forced to look down to meet the huge eyes that are staring up at her, tears pooling before they spill over.

"Miss Witch?" Min-jo's small voice rattles her heart as she stands frozen.

She glanced at Gang-tae in question, they hadn't discussed this at all.

He shrugs with a huge grin on his handsome face, "I know you wrote her letters. I thought you would want her there."

"Can I hug you Miss Witch?" Min-jo pleads hopefully, already stepping into her space.

".....No. Don't touch me."

The brat ignores her, wrapping her thin arms around her knees in a tight embrace.

She doesn't push her away.

Immediately.

Sang-tae is unaffected by the sudden appearance of a small child in the house and happily greets her before dragging her to look at his newest fairy tale book, "Mother Tree".

The castle is bustling with life, joy and laughter, nothing like the home she grew up in.

*****************************************************************************************

The wedding day arrives on a sunny summer day, the sun setting the world ablaze. She forces Gang-tae to get ready in a separate room, recalling an American movie she watched as a young girl. It was bad luck for the bride and groom to see each other before the wedding, they needed all the luck they could get.

Soon-duk pins her hair up, securing the braids she'd carefully twisted into a stylishly messy bun on the top of her head. Tendrils frame her face beautifully as she stares at herself in the mirror.

"Final touch." Ju-ri states pushing the tiara into her hair and lowering the veil to cover her face.

"You look beautiful!" Sang-in claps his hands in excitement, rushing over to peer closer at her. She simply nods in agreement, she does look beautiful no need to state facts.

"How about me? How do I look?" Min-jo curtsies in her hanbok, it had cost a small fortune to have it delivered in just a day but she had no regrets. The girl has squealed in amazement when she showed her the attire.

"You look enchanting, definitely the prettiest girl in the room." Sang-in coos at the child, getting goosebumps from the sudden temperature drop in the room.

"What did you just say? Do you have a death wish?!"

The idiot manager is saved by Jae-su peeking his head in to announce that the wedding is about to begin.

As he locks eyes with her he smiles, "You look...nice. Gang-tae is going to be blown away." She sniffs at his compliment, nodding her thank you.

They all leave the room quietly, patting her on the shoulder as if she's going off to war.

With a final glance in the mirror, she stands up and approaches the door. Ready to begin the next chapter of her life, their life.

*****************************************************************************************

First, Min-jo comes out with a little basket in her arms looking adorable in her hanbok as she throws magnolias petals on the floor.

She grins at him before whispering, "You look like a real prince." He winks at her as she takes her seat in the front aisle.

Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry.

Gang-tae chants to himself, shuffling in his suit, loosening his tie as he waits at the end of the altar. Jae-su announces his bride and his reaction is instant, at the first sight of her moisture runs down his face.

When he sees her finally, time slips away. Time stands still.

She's dazzling in a bellowing white dress that flows with every step she makes, her diamond studded tiara glimmering in the plentiful braids adorning her head. He doesn't breathe the entire time she walks down the aisle, breath stolen by the goddess before him.

He inhales when she stops before him, softly scoffing at him as she holds his hand, "You're already crying." Despite her callous tone she wipes the tears from his cheeks and squeezes his hands in comfort.

"The bride and groom will say their vows." Sang-in announces over the microphone, surreptitiously wiping at his own wet face. There isn't a dry eye in the room. He's in good company.

Taking a settling breath he starts first as they had discussed, "Mun-yeong, being with you has made me the happiest I've ever been. Before you I wasn't living, merely existing. You saw through my lies and saw my deepest desires, you never gave up on me every though I was stubborn. You're the only woman who's ever had my heart. You're my first love and...I want you to be my last."

He watches her lips quiver at his declaration of love, before a single delicate teardrop escapes. He brushes it away, drawing her into a warm embrace letting her find comfort in his arms, "I love you. I love you so much." He whispers into her skin, holding her together as she breaks apart.

With a shuddering breath she draws back, fortifying herself before reciting her vows, "Moon Gang-tae, I grew up never knowing what love was, thinking it was something only others would experience. You are the first person to ever come to my rescue, to treat me like I'm something precious and worth protecting. You gave me a family, for that I'll forever be grateful. I don't know what I did to deserve you but I'll fight for you everyday. I love you."

They gaze into each other's eyes, their relationship flashing before their eyes. Everything they've overcome, all the tears and heartbreak has led them to this moment. Destiny.

"Kiss her." Sang-tae nudges him impatiently.

He smiles listening to his brother, leaning over to lift her veil, revealing her gorgeous face before kissing his wife. Their first kiss as a married couple. He tries to keep it chaste but she's having none of that as she slips her tongue into his mouth.

The sounds of cheers fill his ears as he's kissed passionately.

"The bride and groom will have their first dance." Sang-in announces as the first note of Sam Kim's "Breath" fills the air.

I’ll remember the moment I laughed with you. I’ll remember the time I was holding you.

Her body is smooth temptation against his own, she'd slithered away after the ceremony only to return in a silky white dress that hugged every curve of her body. It would take every bit of control to stop himself from dragging her to the bathroom and ravishing her, the coy smile she flashes at him lets him know she is well aware of her effect.

Wrapping her in his arms, they sway to the haunting romantic lyrics of the song, bodies firmly pressed together.

"You know what this dress is doing to me." He whispers, grabbing at her slightly to release some of the pressure in his pants.

Laying her head against the wide berth of his chest she hums, "I do. I plan on doing this to you for the rest of your life."

He groans at the threat wrapped in a promise.

He's looking forward to it.

Clink. Clink.

Jae-su garners everyone's attention with a sharp tsp of his fork against his champagne glasses. Gang-tae turns away from his wife, they'd been locked in another eye embrace, lost in their own world as they fed each other. 

"I'd like everyone's attention please."

Everyone stops and turns their full focus on Jae-su, Sang-tae hovering on his side, wriggling from his glee.

"Sang-tae and I have a few words to say to our little brother."

"He's not your little brother, he's mine. You're just his friend."

Jae-su sputters, glaring at Sang-tae. "He told me I'm his brother! Let me be apart of your family, stop rejecting me!"

Sang-in clears his throat in the microphone, loudly, eyes locked in Mun-yeong's glowering form, saving them both from her wrath.

Jae-su flinches when he sees the dark glare the bride is sending his way, swallowing nervously he presses on, "I've known Gang-tae for many years, we've been through everything together. When he first met Mun-yeong I wasn't sure what it would lead it. I thought she was a lun--an interesting woman!" He recovers quickly, ""But now I know I've never truly seen Gang-tae smile before, a true smile not his joker smile. Since he's met Mun-yeong his smile is real now. My little brother is truly happy for the first time in his life."

Sang-tae hastily steals the microphone, "You're not our brother." He adds first, making Jae-su sputter defensively before he continues speaking eyes locked on the couple.

"My little brother is a coward, he's never been brave or strong. I protect him all the time because I'm his big brother and it's just job. But Mun-yeong is strong too, she's one hell of a fighter and I know she'll always protect my little brother. We are a family, all of us." He pulls their mother's leaf from his pocket, adamant that their mother should witness the wedding and bringing the leaf with him. 

"Mom and I are so proud of you little brother, you have a wife now. You need to be brave and strong too, always protect her."

Gang-tae sniffles loudly as he listens to his brothers speeches, turning to Mun-yeong with a liquid smile. She only shakes her head before using a handkerchief to wipe his tears, the cloth was for her but he clearly was more in need of it. Spontaneously crying at any given moment. It was sickeningly endearing.

Everyone claps at the speeches, swallowing expensive bubbly champagne as the wedding swings into motion.

The music is loud as they all twirl on the dance floor, Jae-su and Seung-jae screeching into the microphone as they sing over the music blasting from the speakers. Mun-yeong considers cutting their microphone before Ju-ri pulls her away, spinning her around.

Min-jo captures her hand as well, joining them, happily jumping up and down completely out of sync with the music. It takes her a moment of dancing and being forced into picture after picture before she realizes that her husband is missing.

"Where's Gang-tae?" She asks Sang-tae who is drunk after one sip of champagne, he sways lazily to the music, fists pumping in the air.

He stumbles a little before answering her, "He went to the bathroom."

Pushing Min-jo into Ju-ri, she walks away without an explanation, the heat causing her dress to stick to her moist skin. She fans herself as she wonders out to find her wayward husband.

She walks down a dimly lit hallway, wobbly on her heels using the walls to support her as she searches for Gang-tae. She turns into an enclave, turning in a circle before retreating too intoxicated to walk any further.

Then she feels a hand clamp down on her wrist and drag her into a room.

It's the room she used to get ready today, the scent of her own perfume wafts around her making her dizzy.

"Are you looking for me my wife?" She sighs falling into his arms, delighted at the sound of her new title on his lips.

"Yes, where did you go?"

"I couldn't take my eyes off you in this dress....I needed a minute."

She perks up at his words, walking him backwards until he's pressed against the wall. His hands latch onto the satiny smoothness of her hip.

He groans at the invitation in her eyes, "They'll notice we're gone."

She shrugs nonchalant as she tugs at his bow tie, "You'd better be quick then."

He stares blankly before spinning them around and slamming her into the wall, immediately devouring her champagne flavored lips. Tongue swiping and plunging into her slack mouth, groaning at her firm grind into his erection.

Her fingers trail down his chest, stroking his abs before reaching his fly and tugging his zipper down the metallic sound sinfully loud.

He loses his mind when he slips his hand under her dress and meets bare hot skin. She'd been dancing all night with no panties.

"Mun-yeong, what are you doing to me?" He whimpers, fingering her and grunting when she readily accepts his invasion, spreading her legs wide and riding his finger. 

"I told you we have to hurry. I've been ready since I saw you in this suit." She tugs him against her, pulling up her own dress to rock into his cock, before spinning around to present herself to his ravenous eyes.

"Come on, husband. Fuck me."

Viciously pulling his length from its cloth prison he takes the rigid flesh in his hands, positioning it at her entrance before sinking into her, his arms planted on the wall beside her head.

The rhythm is immediately brutal, she surges back onto him and he thrusts forward, on edge from watching her all night, envisioning this very moment on loop. Drawing back only to plunge back in, over and over, hands sliding over her mouth smothering her harsh moans.

He twists her head forcing her into a dirty kiss that's all tongue, sucking her moans from her throat before they can escape.

Suddenly they hear voices in the hallway.

"Where did those two go? It's their wedding they can't just disappear." Jae-su complains loudly, whine in his voice.

"They're probably together doing something naughty." Seung-jae replies giggling as astute as usual, much smarter than people give her credit for.

"What? No way! Gang-tae would never do that!" He exclaims dismissing her claim as their voices fade down the hallway.

Gang-tae blushes embarrassment stilling his movement until Mun-yeong sinks back onto him, eyes narrowed as she glares at him.

"If you stop I'll kill you."

As if he could even if he wanted to, it feels too amazing.

The slap of skin against skin is hypnotic as two becomes one.

His balls tighten as he nears the end, he reaches down desperately finding her clit in one motion and rubbing against her until those smooth walls clamp around him, a little slice of paradise.

Pistoning into her wet depths, he falls over the edge groaning at she shakes in his arms, silently tumbling with him, milking him dry. Watching as she drags her nails down the wall, wishing that was his back, craving her marks and the pain.

Next time.

When they stumble back into the reception, he can feel the director's knowing eyes on him. Almost choking on his champagne when he's cornered and interrogated by the shameless ex-director. 

“Why are you smiling like that? Did you get some action?” 

The man slaps him hardily on the back, guffawing at his blush and telling him the wonders of young love and short refraction periods. He contemplates drowning himself in the water outside, but he dismisses the idea knowing his wife would follow him into the afterlife and drag him back only to follow through on her threat to break his legs. 

They dance all night, the stars twinkling above them. Neither seeing the shooting star flying across the sky, neither needing its elusive wish. 

Somehow, they make it home safely, both disgustingly drunk as they fall into their bed. They kisses sloppily until they pass out, clothes thrown on the floor as they pass out in tangled limbs on the plush mattress. 

She refuses to tell him where they are going for their honeymoon. Avoiding his question as she hands over their boarding passes and they get their passports stamped. She covers his eyes to prevent him from seeing where they are ended. 

When they are finally seated in their first class seats, he hears the pilot welcome them aboard and promise a safe trip to Africa. 

Where do you want to go? 

Serengeti. 

All his dreams are coming through because of her. 

[komunyeong]

Safety Pinless (Moon/Mun) It’s Okay to Not be Okay

Genre- Pure smut

Pairing- Moon Gang-tae/Ko Mun-yeong

Warnings- Unprotected sex, bit of struggle for dominance, some exhibitionism if you squint, your general warning that this is smut so...

Word Count- 3527

Summary- Gang-tae can only let go in his dreams. Set the morning after the drunken night Gang-tae gave Mun-yeong Mang-tae.

A/N: SORRY SORRY SORRY! I know this took a while but life got fucky yesterday and I didn’t get to work on this. This is completely unedited because I wanted to get it posted. I’ll be pinning this until I write more; then I’ll make a Masterlist and pin that. Requests will be attempted, but I can’t promise to write them all.

It had to be the alcohol. Sure, Gang-tae  had experienced wet dreams before. He was human. He still had urges, no  matter how deep he tried to bury them. But never had they been this  visceral, this real, this... messy. With a grimace he kicked the sheet  off of himself and realized that he was on the couch, still dressed in  the same clothes from the night before, only now there was a sticky spot  in his pants and wrinkles in his shirt. The jacket he’d worn was draped  over the back of the couch. Clearly, he’d not been able to sleep in the  room he shared with Sang-tae after his attack of memories, and given  his current condition, he was glad for it.  

It wouldn’t have been the  first time he’d had the soul-crushingly embarrassing experience of  having Sang-tae  hear him, as they’d shared rooms ever since... well. Ever since. But he  knew his very honest and forthright brother would have no qualms about  telling Mun-yeong about what he’d heard and that was the last thing  Gang-tae  needed. It was difficult enough to resist with her constant teasing;  she’d make it unbearable if she knew he’d dreamed about her as she’d  teasingly told him she’d dreamed of him.  

Adjusting  his hips with a groan, he knew he needed to get up and deal with the mess he’d made of himself, but his face pressed into the back of the couch was too comfortable, and the headache he knew was coming was lurking too close to the surface. Plus, the longer he laid there, the longer he could let the dream linger, the more he could allow himself the smallest escape as he relived the vision of Mun-yeong  pressed against the cushions below him as she writhed to his  ministrations. With a low moan, he rolled over, knowing it would do him  no good to dwell on a dream he would never allow to become reality.  

An answering moan sounded from near him, and Gang-tae  shot up, wincing as his eyes flew open, the sunlight sending jagged  shards of pain through his head. It took a moment for his eyes to focus  enough to find Mun-yeong  herself, sitting in a chair by the couch, her legs crossed under the  flowing skirt of her nightgown, a feline smile gracing her lips. As he  was trying to decide whether he was still dreaming or about to lose one  more bit of his dignity, Mun-yeong leaned in, her smile growing wider.

Her eyes closed, and she moaned in a deep voice, “Mun-yeonnnnnng... so good...”

Not a dream, then.

Fantastic. Great. Closing his eyes with a deep breath, he shoved aside the shot of lingering lust at the sound of her moans. This morning couldn’t get anymore mortifying.

He was proven wrong by the sound of Sang-tae walking through the room, saying, “Nocturnal emissions are a spontaneous orgasm during sleep. 83% of men experience nocturnal emissions sometime in their life. Moon Gang-tae is not hurt, it is a normal part of-”

His voice faded as he entered the kitchen and Gang-tae considered what force it would take to snap his own neck. Hearing a snicker from the direction of the chair Mun-yeong sat in, he knew that he was going to have to open his eyes again at some point. Inhaling steadily, he reached back to slowly pull his jacket off the back of the couch, only opening his eyes once it was draped over the prominent damp spot in the front of his pants. It had been too long since he’d even allowed himself to jerk off, and it showed in the copious amounts of cum filling his underwear.

There was a momentary silence, then his eyes flew open as the jacket was ripped from his lap. Heart leaping to his throat, he found Mun-yeong standing over him, looking down with a hungry curl to her lips at the wet spot in his lap. The heat in her gaze had his dick stirring, and he quickly placed his hands over his crotch, averting his eyes. How the hell could she be so bold? No one had trampled his boundaries in the way she had, and he was powerless against the draw of her. Even after all these years...

He felt the couch next to him dip, and he tried not to turn to her, knowing that Mun-yeong now sat next to him. But his resolve crumbled after a moment, his eyes drawn to her face in a way that even his iron will couldn’t control. Finding her giving him that salacious smile once more, he swallowed, dropping his eyes. Mistake. He now saw the tent in his sticky pants, the scent of Mun-yeong and her nearness bringing the blood to his groin again, the memory of the dream he’d had still far too fresh in his mind. As he groaned under his breath, he tried his hardest to shove away the memory of the dream, which of course only led him to thinking about it more.

It hadn’t started out as anything other than the usual weird dream. He’d been running through the woods, chased by some indescribable something, when he’d stumbled between two trees and found himself in the cursed castle. Mun-yeong had stood before him on the steps, wearing a dressing gown. As he’d walked closer, drawn by the gravity she emitted specifically for him, she had pulled the tie around her waist open, the dressing gown slipping open to show that she wore nothing below it. Dream-Gang-tae had stopped for a moment, then rushed forward, grabbing her hips. All control abandoned, he’d dove his mouth to her neck, hearing her husky voice moan into his ear, her hands tangling in his hair.

The feeling of his hair being tugged had released something feral in Dream-Gang-tae, and he’d slid his hands back from her hips to cup her ass, lifting her and turning to carry her to the same couch they both now sat on. He felt the red in his face deepen as he remembered the sensation of her slim legs wrapping around his hips, pressing his straining cock against her core. While the memory of this dream would fuel many of his future sessions alone in the shower, this was doing nothing to abate the raging storm building in his already ruined pants right now.

His struggle was interrupted by Mun-yeong’s low, controlled voice near his ear, asking, “Are you thinking of me again?”

Taking a controlled breath, Gang-tae tried to regain some form of control, turning his flushed face to find hers far too close. The words he had prepared died on his lips as hers were mere centimeters away. Her intense, predatory gaze had his dick twitching before she softened it, giving him her eye-crinkling smile that ruined him every time. His eyes flicked to her lips for what felt like the millionth time since she had reappeared in his life. And just like every other time, he felt the driving urge to kiss her. But he had 30 years of practice in abating his urges, so he simply sat, watching her reach out to lay a hand on his thigh, far higher up than was decent.

She leaned her smile closer to his lips, driving his heart rate even higher, and asked in her teasing murmur, “You didn’t have to hump my couch. You could have come to my room. I would make you moan my name better than that.”

His mind short circuited for a flash of a moment, picturing himself climbing into her bed and doing the things he’d dreamed of. The way she would tear at the sheets, her head throwing back as he would delve his tongue between her folds... and this was not at all helping. Nope. Abort. Back off. His dick was already fully erect and leaking more into his underwear. Time to get away before she broke through the tight control she’d been chipping away at. Shower. He needed a shower. A cold one. Now.

He scrambled to his feet, wincing as his cock strained against his pants, and he stumbled towards the stairs, hearing her behind him, “Where are you going?”

He kept going, leaning forward a bit to ease the pressure on his dick as he stumbled up the stairs, groaning as he heard Mun-yeong’s soft footsteps following him. His steps quickened, and so did hers. He reached the bathroom, rushing in and closing the door, leaning back against it and taking a deep breath. Hearing her feet come to a halt outside the door, he dropped his eyes closed, leaning his head back against the door as he tried his hardest to regain his composure. She’d very nearly pulled his safety pin. Panting softly, he pressed a hand to his groin, moaning at the pressure, his hips thrusting slightly of their own volition, seeking another release. Taking a steadying breath, he straightened, stepping towards the shower as he pulled his shirt over his head.

The door handle turned, and Mun-yeong stood, arms crossed, in the opening. Gang-tae cursed his libido, wincing as he realized he’d been to lost in his lust to think to lock the door. Mun-yeong sauntered into the bathroom, shutting the door behind her and sizing him up, her lips still curled into a smile that had his breath speeding. He stood frozen as she swayed closer, her eyes now glued to his bared chest. He felt her gaze slide lower to the substantial bulge tenting his pants, and her focus narrowed, the acquisitional gleam entering her eyes that she always got when she saw something she wanted. Her hand raised, moving towards his body, and Gang-tae felt his heart pounding as he remained frozen, torn between being absolutely terrified and wanting to feel her hand on him.

“Wow...” she murmured, her hand now nearly to his groin and he finally snapped, grabbing her wrist and pushing her back against the wall, the wrist in his hand pinned above her head as he leaned in, panting.

“Mun-yeong...” he growled, biting back a moan at the feeling of her body pressed between his and the wall, his hips rutting against her without his permission, “You cannot just take everything you want.”

Her eyes showed triumph as she turned her teasing gaze up to him and pressed herself harder against him, retorting, “I can. You want this too. Take it.”

To prove her point she reached her free hand up, gripping the back of his hair, pulling his head backwards as she ground herself against his erection. A long moan escaped him, unbidden, and he arched against her, the fist in his hair setting a fire within that his control could not put out immediately. He rolled his hips, thrusting against her movements, and a deep growl formed in his chest as he felt himself pull away. His body demanded that he return to her, that he rip her nightgown off of her, bend her over the sink, and fill her with his seed. Never had he wanted a woman the way he wanted Mun-yeong. But his shell of cold control was not broken yet. His safety pin was dislodged, but not pulled. He needed to get in that cold shower before she broke him entirely.

Hearing her scoff as he tugged away, turning to lean his hands on the counter, dropping his head to catch his breath, he said in a strained voice, “Mun-yeong. I need to shower. This isn’t appropriate.”

There was a pause, and he turned to see her straighten from the wall, composing herself. The glimpse of her undone, the momentary view of her eyes closed, lips parted as she caught her breath against the wall very nearly undid him. This was too dangerous. He was too close to letting himself take her, and as much as he wanted to sink himself into her, he had to be responsible. He was so fucking sick of being responsible.

Turning to the shower, he reached in, turning on the water, but she spoke behind him once more, “Appropriate? What is inappropriate about doing what you want? You want me and I want you. Should we fuck in the shower? It’s a bit awkward, but if that’s what you like-”

He cut her off, turning and clamping a hand over her mouth, his eyes hard as he intoned, “Stop. Please. I...”

He but back a huff of frustration, then met her eyes, saying, “I am going to shower. Alone.”

He then turned, opening the door and standing in wait for her to leave. She stood her ground, her eyes sending a challenge to him, his groin beginning to ache with need as he noticed that her hair was mussed and pink tinted her cheeks, reminding of her arching beneath him in his dream. Moaning out a curse, he stepped forward, sliding a hand over her hair to smooth it, asking her with his eyes to take pity on him. She sighed, placing her hand squarely over his dick, meeting his eyes.

“This will belong to me,” she said, her gaze direct and firm as she held his eyes, then she strode out, closing the door behind her.

Gang-tae nearly sank to the floor in frustration and confusion. Swaying back against the wall, he screwed his eyes shut tight, catching his breath. He felt his hips jerk as he fought the urge to go slam her against a wall and thrust into her until he’d wrung every bit of pleasure from them both. Wrenching his pants open, he peeled his ruined underwear down, freeing his cock finally. His hand wrapped around the base, squeezing as a whimper sounded from him. Kicking his pants and underwear away, he stroked himself slowly, stepping into the shower. The warm water enveloped him, and he gave in. No cold shower today. He was too far gone for that. His forearm slammed into the shower wall as he leaned forward, resting his head on the wall just below his fisted hand, his other hand working his length in long, tightly gripped strokes.

Eyes closed tight, he sank into the memory of the dream, his breathing stuttering as he pictured it once again. He’d laid Dream-Mun-yeong back on the couch, positioning himself over her, his hips dancing between her thighs, thrusting against her bare core with his clothed cock fighting to free itself and sink into her. Her hand had still been fisted in his hair, and he still felt the tingle of pain from her doing just that moments ago in this bathroom. His breath stuttered and his hand sped. Dream-Mun-yeong had pulled his mouth from her neck, dragging him in for a kiss that had his head spinning. Her lips finally met his, her tongue sliding past them almost immediately. She took control of the kiss, her other hand coming up to join the one fisted in his hair.

He had cried out into the kiss, and she took the moment to pull him back, her eyes meeting his. The unspoken connection between them had intensified and she’d thrown her head back, arching as she moved his mouth to her chest. He panted, stroking himself harder as he remembered the feel of her soft breasts against his lips, the sound of her cries as he wrapped his lips around her nipple and bit down. He slowed his hand as he felt his climax approaching, wanting to enjoy this, wanting to relive the entire dream. She had bucked, squirming as his mouth had worked across her chest, paying equal hungry attention to each breast. But all too soon, the grip in his hair had begun to push him further down.

He had left marks of his hunger across her skin as he worked his way down, kneeling between her thighs, and finally finding himself breathing his heavy breaths into her core. His head had turned, sucking deep bruises into the skin of her inner thighs as she’d tried to guide his mouth to her opening. Her voice crying out, first commanding, then begging for him to give her what she wanted had brought his desire to a throbbing ache in his groin, and he had finally relented, moving to slip his tongue up her opening. Her back had arched hard, presenting herself up to him, and he’d taken her offering, fully. His tongue had explored her fervently, sliding inside and reaching for every corner before moving to flatten against her clit. Closing his lips to create suction around her, one of his hands had come up to slide a finger into her, slipping in with ease.

Her hips had trembled as he curled his finger inside of her, swiping his tongue over the clit he had sucked hard between his lips. Feeding in another finger, he had began to press them up into her, working his tongue on her in response to every moan and tug she gave him. Too soon she was ripping him away from her, her hips shaking hard as his fingers kept working, and she pulled him back up harshly to give him a rough kiss, his lips still slippery with her juices.

“Stop,” she’d rasped out, moving a hand to still the wrist still working between her legs, “I want to cum with you inside me.”

That had been the final blow to his control, and once more he had to slow himself in the shower, his cock twitching hard in his hand as he very nearly came undone at the memory of her dreamed words. Dream-Gang-tae had snapped, yanking his fingers from her and kissing her hard, breaking her hold on his hair before wrapping an arm around her and lifting, slamming her back against the wall of the sitting room. He’d pressed his body against hers, kissing her wildly, ignoring her gasp of shock and pressing himself tight between the legs she had wrapped around his hips once more, instinctively. He’d pulled away only long enough to rip open his pants, taking out his leaking cock and stroking his hand over once before pressing to her once more, lifting her as his lips took her once more.

Her legs had encircled his hips once more and he had slid his length along her folds, growling deep into the kisses he worked over her throat and shoulders. Her small body had writhed and struggled against his, her hips trying to catch his, trying to slide him into her. He had pulled his hips back, removing his mouth to hold her gaze as he thrust hard into her, seating himself fully. Her head had thrown back, a long cry erupting from her as he froze, then began to roll his hips, thrusting slow and hard into her, one of his hands gripping her ass and the other fisted against the wall above their heads. In the shower, Gang-tae began to tremble, his hips slamming into his hand in mimicry of how he had fucked Mun-yeong in his dream.

As he felt his climax rising once more, he let his memory languor over the moment in the dream that Mun-yeong had slid a hand down her own body, her fingers finding her clit. She had tightened around him, her walls clamping down as her body had bowed, her orgasm stealing his breath as he had thrust steadily, riding it out, watching her head thrash, gritting his teeth against thrusting faster, wanting to finish her before he finished himself. A long moan rumbled up from his chest as his thrusts stuttered, hard streams of his cum splattering the wall of the shower as he sank into the memory of the dream, Dream-Mun-yeong having fallen still and wrung limp in his arms, catching her breath as she clenched in waves around his cock, milking him into a climax that had him burying himself deep in her, grinding his hips hard as he had filled her with hot spurt after spurt of thick cum.

Finally his shoulders dropped, his hand still clamped tight around his cock, his body drained as he played the last bits of the still vivid dream through his mind, sinking into the sweet relaxation he only felt after a release. Dream-Gang-tae had leaned into Dream-Mun-yeong’s arms as they had slipped up around his neck. He had slowly wrapped trembling arms around her waist, not disconnecting their bodies, and carried her to the couch once more, laying her back on it and only sliding from within her to lay beside her on the couch, pulling her body flush against his and closing his eyes. Taking a long, deep breath, Gang-tae groaned as he straightened, turning to put his face under the hot water, trying to wash away the memory now that he had allowed himself to indulge.

Wiping the water from his face, he turned to grab the shampoo, and froze as his eyes found the door open once more, Mun-yeong standing in the doorway, her eyes sharp, her teasing smile replaced by a hunger that Gang-tae hadn’t seen from her before.

Shit.

[howwelldoyouknowyourmoon]

In 1955, Moon admitted he had falsified his age to dodge the draft. Who made his “Certificate of Innocence”?

It has no court symbol or address on it, which seems inappropriate for a document from the Seoul Superior Court. It states the date of sentencing was November 21, 1955. That does not match multiple newspaper reports from the time. The Dong-A Ilbo was just one of the respected papers that carried the story. They all state that Moon was sentenced on September 21, 1955.

On that day, Moon was indicted and began a two year jail sentence. Other church leaders were also indicted at the same time.

Dong-A Ilbo: “On September 20 ... Defendant Moon did admit that he had raised his age. ... Prosecutor Kang, in the bill of indictment, pointed out that defendant Moon “had raised his age to avoid the draft (military service)””

▲ ‘X’ indicates Moon standing before the judge, probably on the day he was indicted. (Full translation is below.)

How could Sun Myung Moon be innocent if he had admitted his guilt to prosecutor Kang Seo-yong, 姜瑞龍 ? If Moon was innocent, why was he indicted and locked up, as the papers of the time reported.

Oh Yeong-choon, 呉永春, (above) was one of the most important and loyal early disciples. She joined in Busan in early 1952. Her testimonies were published in English in February, March and May 2013 by the UC / FFWPU; she had written them in 1978 after moving to the US. In the early years Moon trusted her with important money matters. During the 1955 Ewha Woman’s University sex scandal she raised a lot of money and paid it to contacts in the police and judiciary to try to stop Moon being investigated or then arrested. According to her words, when finally she had paid enough, Moon was released—furtively, after dark, on October 4, 1955.

The certificate of “innocence”does not seem to have the name of any official. It does not list all the other charges brought against Moon in July 1955. He was “charged with the false imprisonment” for three days of a 22 year-old female university student “who he forced to adopt his new religion”.

The certificate does not look like the usual Korea official documents which famously have multiple stamps on them. The one stamp it does have is so degraded that it is conveniently illegible. The certificate was apparently created on July 1, 1974, shortly before Moon’s Madison Square Gardens speech. Perhaps Moon wanted to forestall negative newspaper reports in the US in the run up to his big public event. The certificate is the same one that Bo Hi Pak presented to Donald Fraser during that Congressional investigation. Pak insisted that Moon was innocent, but the historical record seems to prove otherwise.

How well do you know your Moon?

동아일보   Dong-A Ilbo (East Asia Daily News) September 21, 1955  

어제첫公判 統一教會 事件  ( 공판통일���회사건 )

Yesterday the first trial was held in the ‘Unification Church incident’

On September 20, ‘Unification Church’ leader Moon Sun Myung (real name, Moon Yong Myung), aged 36, appeared for the first day of his trial in Seoul District Court No. 4. At the 10:30a.m. hearing the presiding judge was Yoon Hak-no ( 尹學老 ) and the prosecutor was Kang Seo-yong ( 姜瑞龍 ) who was handling the prosecution of Moon Sun Myung. [The afternoon hearing was at 2:30p.m.] On this day the court was jam-packed with many women who seemed to be ‘Unification Church’ believers.

Defendant Moon, who has been much talked about concerning multiple alleged adulteries, on the day only stood as a defendant for charges of Military Service Act violations. This is because there were no complaints from the alleged victims. Along with him, other defendants from the same church stood trial as well: Kim Won-pil (28, violated the Military Service Act, and had raised his age by six years), Eu Hyo-won (42, failed to report to military record), Eu Hyo-min (36, same charge as above), and Eu Hyo-yeong (35, same charge as above).

As soon as the court session began the prosecution read the list of indictments and then the investigation into the facts proceeded. Defendant Moon did admit that he had raised his age. The legal profession still had two arguments about whether raising one’s age, even when the person subject to the draft was over 32 or 33 years old, was a violation of the Military Service Act. Nevertheless, Prosecutor Kang, in the bill of indictment, pointed out that defendant Moon “had raised his age to avoid the draft (military service) in accordance with the Christian doctrine against injuring others or taking life”.

동아일보 Dong-A Ilbo newspaper, September 22, 1955

文敎主에二年 統一敎會事件求刑

Religious Leader Moon given two year sentence in the ‘Unification Church incident’ prosecution

文敎主 (문교주) 에二年 (이년) 統一敎會事件求刑 (통일교회사건구형)

작보 = 二 (이) 십일 개정된 『통일교회사건』제一 (일) 회공판에서  사실심리에이어  관여  姜瑞龍 (강서용) 검사는피고들에게  각각다음과같이  체형구형을하였다

▲ 文鮮明 (문선명) (교주) = 懲役二年 (징역이년)

▲ 劉孝元 (유효원) = 懲役二年 (징역이년)

▲ 金元弼 (김원필) 劉孝敏 (유효민) 劉孝永 (유효영) = 各各懲役一年六月 (각각징역일년륙월)

Following earlier report: The first trial regarding the ‘Unification Church incident’ started on the 20th [September 1955]. After investigating the facts, prosecutor Kang Seo-yong ( 姜瑞龍 ), recommended the following terms for the defendants:

▲ Moon Sun Myung (religious leader) = Imprisonment for two years

▲ Eu Hyo-won = Imprisonment for two years

▲ Kim Won-pil, Eu Hyo-min, Eu Hyo-yeong = Each person imprisonment for one year and six months

Why was Eu Hyo-won released in the middle of the night?

Eu Hyo-won’s diary: “September 28, 1955. In the morning, the bamboo pen broke. Yoo Kyung-gyu came to visit us. He told us, “With Teacher you are all going to be released today.” But we were still in a very uncertain mood. In the evening, Kim Won-pil, looking out through his window cried out, “This evening?” “Yes,” I answered with a loud voice, but I wasn’t sure. Thirty minutes later, there was still no news, and we went to bed. After we fell asleep, we finally heard the rattling noise of a door being opened and somebody shouting, “380, come out with your belongings.”

Lee Chang-whan was helping us pack. I gave him underwear, shirts and socks. More than ten came out, but I couldn’t see Teacher. When I went to his room 29, he was already looking in my direction. I said, “Why only me?” Teacher said, “Go as quickly as possible; that’s the way it is.” But I couldn’t turn away. I shed tears. I wanted to go back in. When I came out of jail, I saw Soo-Yung. When Wol-Sun greeted me, Tong-Suk held my hands very tightly. We returned to the church by jeep. There were [Kang] Hyun-Sil, Chung-Sook, Ok-Bong, Hwang Un-Ja, Tong-Chol’s mother, Kim Young-Oon, Kwang Yul [Yoo Kwang-Yol] and Kim Bang-Ul.”

Choi Syn-deok 崔信德 (1921-2016) joined in 1954. Later she was Professor of Sociology at Ewha Womans University in Seoul. She wrote an article about the UC in Transactions of the Royal Asiatic Society, Korea Branch No. 43 (1967) The introduction stated: “She was once an active member of the Tong-il Church [ = Unification Church ] and was closely associated with Mun Son-myong.”

“KOREA’S TONG-IL MOVEMENT” “I present here a brief picture of the Tong-il Church from the sociological point of view. … Many reports have been made about these two religious bodies. [The other was Elder Park Tae-seon’s “Olive-Tree” Church.] There is, however, no one who really knows about their leaders, organizations, beliefs and practices. We have seen many families which have been destroyed, leaving unhappy husbands, sorrowful parents and miserable children because of these new religious movements. The purpose of this research is to help in the solution of these problems of disorganization of homes, and to make a scientific study about these groups, without emotional or biased opinions. … “Before Moon’s marriage [in 1960], believers, male as well as female, who longed to meet him and talk with him could easily arrange to be with him in the living room of a home attached to the church, staying until very late. They used to talk, sing and laugh without realizing how fast the night went, until after one or two o’clock in the morning. They called this their period of direct association with the master. Its purpose was to educate and train the believers, that is, to “restore” them.” … “In July, 1955, several senior members and four leaders as well as Mr. Moon were imprisoned under an accusation of injuring public morals. (This matter was reported in papers and journals.)”

http://anthony.sogang.ac.kr/transactions/VOL43/KORS0749D_VOL43.pdf

▲ Restoring so many women was tiring for Sun Myung Moon

Sex scandal at the Ewha Woman’s University in 1955

A more extensive investigation into this story: Ewha Womans University sex scandal as told in the 1955 newspapers

Tragedy of the Six Marys video transcript (English)

統一教會 事件 = Unification Church Ewha incident [of 1955] The original newspaper articles with Korean text.

Moon found guilty in 1955; started two year jail sentence

Sun Myung Moon’s fake Waseda University Graduation Certificate

[sweetestlamb]

Teenage Dream - All I want for Christmas is You. (Part 1)

Summary: Gang-tae gives Mun-yeong the Christmas she deserves.

Author Note: Wow. Writing IOTNBO again feels surreal honestly. This is for anyone who was waiting for me to write them again, hi I hope you like part 1 but this is my Christmas gift to @truccieeboo​ who regularly tells me that I am awesome and that I can write whenever I want to and I owe no one anything. I already know that of course but it’s so nice to hear that thought echoed by someone else. I’m happy to be back, hi guys!! It has been a busy week but I tried my best to get something out for you to read, there is so much more that I have planned and so I will be breaking it up into parts. 

He hadn't realized it but every moment of their miraculous relationship- he'd been holding his breath, waiting for the other shoe to drop and for Mun Yeong to realize that she was dating a complete and utter nerd. But instead he's consistently greeted by a warm smile and her slight body being flung into his arms.

She doesn't get tired of him and months fly by, the happiest months of his life and suddenly it's Christmas week and he's smiling down at her beautiful face as she hangs off him like a limpet, convinced she's his ultimate gift. They should both be in class but he'd went to the bathroom only to run into her in the hallway, she'd walked over immediately her strut filled with confidence and purpose before redirecting him.

He'd almost tripped over his own feet as she bodily shoved him into a closet he'd never noticed in the hall before.

"Woah where are we going?" He asked over his shoulder as she rolled her eyes and shushed him, pinching his butt and then smirking at his affronted squeal.

"I've been walking around forever trying to accidentally run into you. I'm going to take advantage of this." Her eyes twinkle as he stares with a gaped mouth, it has been a while since their last makeout session and he's just as frustrated as Mun Yeong is. Christmas is always busy for his family with his mother decorating every inch of their humble home, not taking no for an answer.

Sang-tae always swindled his way out of working by complaining about fatigue from work while poking out a tongue when their mom wasn't looking. Leaving most of the heavy lifting to Gang-tae himself, literally their box of ornaments and lights made his arms strain.

He reaches out to gently palm Mun Yeong's face, looking deeply into her eyes.

"I missed you." He breathes out, heart growing three times larger as she smiles until her eyes disappear into perfect crescents. He's only ever seen that particular smile directed at him.

"You're such a sap." She snuggles in closer to him, actions contradicting her words. He holds her tighter, breathing in the intoxicating scent of her shampoo.

She gently sways in his arms, fingers swirling aimlessly on his broadening back. She's told him many times how he makes her feel small, contrarily she makes him feel huge. Like he's important and worth her time.

Again those words are on the tip of his tongue. He can feel them right there, bursting to come out. But fear cripples him and he pushes them back down into an abyss, locking them away with a key.

Next time.

"Okay. We've been nice, can we be naughty now?"

"Wha--"

His reply is interrupted by her tongue in his mouth, latching on to his shoulder she tugs him down slanting her head to delve deeper into his mouth. Fire sears through his skin as she twists her fingers into his thick hair, scratching achingly at his scalp. Driven solely by primal desire he snatches her up, his hands cupping the meat under her ass dragging her up the length of his body.

Without preamble she wraps her legs around his waist, her heat sweltering through the thin material of their uniform. When he slides his hands under her skirt he almost drops her when he meets nothing but bare skin. Bare smooth skin.

Ripping their lips apart he stares at her with blown out pupils.

"Where is....what- I. Mun Yeong."

She only smiles at his whine. Dragging his hand back under her skirt.

"I've been a naughty girl huh? What are you going to do about it?" Heat washes over him at her purposeful words, he'd come unexpectedly at her calling herself a bad girl once and that had been it, she was relentless finding every possible way to milk his kink -her words- and torture him.

He surges at her, sliding his tongue into her simultaneously as his fingers sink into her velvety wet heat. He's forced to swallow her loud gasps as she seductively squirms in his arms.

"Gang-tae, more." She demands.

She's already so wet it's obscenely easy to sink another finger alongside the first, stretching her tight walls.

It takes him a few seconds to realize that she's trying to speak to him, twisting away from his lips. Finally he lets her go, panting into her neck as he thrusts into her over and over and over again. Wet noises ringing in his ears and tightening his pants until his cock is painfully pressing into his zipper.

"Gang-tae, I want you to fuck me."

Those inflammatory words engulf him in an inferno of arousal and hormones, his dick hardening so fast that all the remaining blood in his brain rushes to his groin and he sways unsteadily on his feet. He has to tighten his grip as to not drop her and the feline grin she shoots his way coyly informs him that she knows exactly the reaction those words had on him.

“Do you want to, hmm? Right here in the closet? You’ll probably have to cover my mouth I’ll probably scream because it’ll feel so go--”

His hand slams into her mouth cutting off her ability to render him anymore useless. He glares weakly at her, blaming himself for letting himself be caught off guard this way.

“I’m not going to....do that with you in a closet.” He blushes at her raised eyebrow at his hesitance to use the same vulgar words that she did. She giggles at him, rubbing his cheeks like he’s a much younger child. He balks at the treatment, his penis thoroughly confused.

“You can curse Gang-tae, I won’t tell anyone. You won’t fuck me in a closet? What if I want it though? What if I beg you to turn me around and fuck me so hard that my teeth rattle?”

His dick jumps painfully onboard with every word of filth dripping from her mouth and she snatches his hand bringing it back under her skirt pressing his index finger against her sopping wet core and he tenses as his finger slides in and  then he hears the worst thing possible, a voice right outside and a familiar one to boot.

“Where the hell did he go now and why did I have to look for him? I’m not his keeper.” Jae-su grumbles sounding far too close to them for his liking and he whips his head to tell Mun-yeong they need to be extremely quiet, to not be caught. Before he can get a word out she lifts herself up and grinds back onto his finger, a loud whimper falling from her bitten lips and echoing in the small room. He holds his breath hoping his meddlesome friend missed that but he hears the grumbling stop and the footsteps lurk back to their hidden location and he waits with bated breath.

A second passes by, Mun-yeong tries the move again but he is holding her hip with an ironclad grip placing her back on her feet much to her disappointment.

He almost releases a sigh of relief.

But then Jae-su calls out, “Moon Gang-tae? Are you in there, what are you doing?”

He has no planning of answering, has no feasible way of explaining his circumstance to his best friend right now. He’d been seduced completely, losing his wit and control, if Jae-su had not appeared there’s no telling what he would be doing.

Fucking Mun-yeong until her teeth rattle, his brain supplies.

He silences the voice.

Despite their lack of response Jae-su does not leave, instead the doorknob begins to rattle and then twist and too little too late he tries to stop the metal from being turned.

Suddenly he’s face to face with his friend of ten years, Jae-su’s eye bulging as he takes in the scene, a glance over to the temptress reveals that she is as calm and cool as a cucumber smiling serenely at being caught red-handed per se.

Jae-su speaks first, “What are.....why are you two in here?”

“I was trying to get Gang-tae to fuc--”

“Mun-yeong!”

He shouts her name looking at her in disbelief, her forwardness is one of the things he lo-likes about her but this level of honesty is not necessary right now. But when he looks over at his best friend the fiery rouge on his cheeks reveals this interruption did very little to conceal what they were doing in the closet. He shrinks in embarrassment his own cheeks pinking in commiseration.

“I don’t wanna know! I’m leaving don’t say anything more, you’re both such perverts!” Jae-su runs away from them looking comically horrified, stopping once down the hallway to glare at them before disappearing completely.

“Well...want to continue where we left off?” Mun-yeong drawls easily, rubbing circles into his arms.

He stares credulously at her, only for her to shrug and reply, “What? I’m horny and we were just getting to the good part.”

He shakes his head in decline, staring at her deep in her eyes.

“I already told you, I’m not doing that with you here. You deserve way more than a quick....fuck in a closet. When we have sex I want to remember everything, I want to take my time and enjoy every second.”

This time she is the only whose eyes glaze over, breath hitching as color explodes across her gorgeous face. He almost ravishes her right then and there, her palpable arousal calling to him like a siren’s call.

“You promise?”

She sticks her little pinky out, wiggling it at him and he wraps his larger pinky around her own weaving their promise.

“Now let’s seal it.” She commands, already tugging him into a kiss. Their lips slap together, the sound of their mooch ringing in his ears.

As she draws away, he halts her with a hand on her hip.

“You only seal promises like that with me right?”

She tilts her head in question first before comprehension washes over her features and a devilish glint flashes in her eyes.

Winking at him and twisting out of his hold, she dances away.

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” She teases. He hopes she’s teasing. Jealousy sears in his body and it must show on his face because she practically cackles at him and runs away now, laughing all the way.

“See you later Gang-tae, think about me.” She demands, waving at him with her fingers as she disappears around the corner.

As if he has a choice, he stares down at his erection sending a mental apology to it as he actually goes to the bathroom. Today is turning out to be an exhausting day.

There are more heated makeout sessions in various parts of the school, he can no longer look much of the student body in the eyes but when he has Mun-yeong squirming and panting in his arms. all rationale goes out the window. His mother demands that he leave his bedroom door ajar after the last time she caught them “studying”, in his defense he did invite Mun-yeong over to study. Who knows how they ended up lip tangled on the bed with hands in provocative places, claiming possession didn’t seem to win his any favors with his seething mother. Now whenever his girlfriend is over, his mother finds any reason to check on them, even going as far as to send Sang-tae in to supervise them, it is beyond infantilizing.

Sang-tae commonly barges in, exclaiming, “Hey! I’m here to make sure you babies don’t make any new babies.” With a shit-eating grin on his lips as he obnoxiously sits in between them, beaming smile splattered on his face.

So it goes without saying that he too is horny beyond belief.

Which is how he finds himself searching for Mun-yeong in the halls, but to no avail and no replies to his messages.

He hasn’t heard from her all day, he realizes and worry overrides his desire as he pulls out his phone sending her another message.

Are you in school?

He looks at the screen awaiting her response but nothing comes, the message is marked delivered but not yet read.

He sends another message, Are you okay? Just like the first message, his second is felt unread and unanswered and he walks the all too familiar route to her locker, not sure what he is hoping to find.

Unfortunately his missing girlfriend does not magically appear however he finds the next best thing, her closest friend.

Seung-Jae is leaning against the locker in question, concern etched across her expressive face that is mostly eyes. She has her phone pressed to her ears and he can hear the tiny ringing through the phone as the operator recites that the person she is dialing is unable to get to the phone.

She sighs, head falling towards the ground. He clears his throat finally garnering her attention. Her head snaps up and instantly a smile breaks across her face.

“You!” She all but screams and he steps back taken off guard by her intensity.

He blinks owlishly, “Me?”

“Mun-yeong is absent today. She will be absent tomorrow too if we don’t stop her.”

This grabs his attention, he has no intention of not seeing his girlfriend for that long, his heart can’t take it.

“Why? Is she sick, is something wrong with her?” He replies, checking his phone once more and grunting when there is still no reply.

“She’s not going to reply. You have to go see her. Today. She’s going to try to lock you out but you need to be persistent okay? Don’t be your usual nice polite self unless you’ll never get in.”

His head is swimming from the information and her words do nothing to untangle the web of confusion but before he can prod her for more answers she is already ambling off, with a wave over her shoulder.

“I’m counting on you Moon. Don’t mess this up.”

He stands in shock, rubbing the back of his neck. He can’t walk home with Jae-su today.

Getting up to Mun-yeong’s lavish apartment is simple enough with security seeing him enough to register that he is with her. He still has to sign in but the whole ordeal is far less intimidating than it was all those months ago. He almost feels like he belongs. The marble walls of the elevator do a pretty decent job of swatting that feeling down.  

The ease of his entrance is squandered by Mun-yeong’s refusal to let him in her apartment.

“Mun-yeong? It’s me Gang-tae”

No response.

“Mun-yeong I know you’re there. I can see the lights, please let me in.” At his evidence of her presence the lights are suddenly shut off.

“Well now I know for a fact that you’re home. Open the door. Mun-yeong, open the door.”

“”It’s that time of the year. It’s impossible to get to her, just leave her alone and she will come out when she wants to. She always like this around Christmas.” He jumps at the sudden voice behind him, whipping around to the sunken face of Mun-yeong’s driver and adoptive father, Sang-in.

“Why? Why does she hate Christmas?”

“Why do you like it?”

Immediately he thinks of his mother and his brother and freshly baked cookies and decorations and then it clicks for him.

Mun-yeong doesn’t have any of that, she’s all alone in her beautiful prison.

“Exactly. Her parents never come, they hire people to decorate and Mun-yeong hides away for a few days until she’s ready to face the world again.”

It shatters his heart that this is her normal. So much so that everyone seems to know about this occurrence, Sang-in explaining it to him as if he’s reading the weather report.

“I can drive you to your house. Don’t worry, I will keep her company. I know how to handle her.”

Gang-tae feels his skin bristle at those words, no one can handle his Mun-yeong.  He stands taller, making his decision.

“Call my phone.”

Sang-in looks puzzled at his sudden request looking at him, as if he’s lost his mind and hell, maybe he has but there’s no way he’s leaving Mun-yeong to wallow in her sadness, not alone. She has him now, she never has to be alone ever again.

“Call my phone.” He repeats harder, and finally the man sighs pulling out his phone and following directions.

The all too familiar jingle of his phone rings out loudly and Gang-tae answers it just as loudly, “Oh Ju-ri? You want me to meet you where? What time?

He has to jump back to avoid being hit by the door that bursts open, a seething Mun-yeong on the other side. She snatches the phone from his hand finger set to hang up before she sees the name on the screen, Mun-yeong and a little symbol of a car.

He smiles innocently at the sharp glare she sends first his way and then to her driver who sputters out some nonsense about parking illegally and needing to move his car. Neither one of them acknowledge his departure.

“Go away. I don’t want company right now.”

“That’s too bad. I miss you.” He answers as he pushes his way past her, she attempts to stop him but it is futile and he closes the door behind him.

It takes a second for his sight to adjust to the darkness of her apartment but when it does he sees the destruction that lays around them, broken glasses and tinsel and Christmas decorations littering the floor. It looks like Christmas threw up on the floor.

He ignores that all and takes her hand. She doesn’t fight him, just stares back blankly at him. Looking as small and lost as she did on her birthday, the first time he saw her like this.

“Mun-yeong. Let’s go.”

Then she reacts, “No. I don’t want to go with you. Just leave. This is what I deserve.”

He squeezes her hand tighter, refusing to let those words settle in the air. “No you don’t , you deserve to be loved. You deserve everything Mun-yeong. Don’t shut me out, please.”

She rips her hand viciously from his grip, hissing like a viper.

“No! I let you confuse you, this is what I deserve. I don’t get to be happy, I should be alone. I don’t need anyone. I’ve been alone my whole life. I was an idiot to think that this would work. You’ll never understand me with your perfect family, why would you want to be with someone as broken as me?

Tears pool in his eyes as he listens to her berate herself, the pain is transparent on her face. The wound from her parent’s abandonment raw and throbbing.

“I hate them! I hate them! Why do they hire decorators? Why remind me that it’s Christmas when I’ll spend it alone,? Why give birth to me if they knew that I would be a burden?!” She is a tempest now, rushing to the perfectly decorated tree in the corner by large gleaming glass windows and he watches with tears streaming down his face as she shoves the tree to the ground, the delicate glass bulbs shattering with the impact.

Then she sinks to the ground as well, shoulders shaking up and down rapidly.

It’s not how he planned it but as he watches her fall apart, all his fears and hesitations fall out the window, there are more important things right now.

“I love you.”

She turns to look at him like he has two heads, her eyes large and wet. Tears aching to fall.

“What?”

“I love you Mun-yeong.”

“....And you realized that right now?” She eyes all disaster all around her.

Now she is crying and he can’t decipher her feelings at all. She is glaring at him as she hiccups on the ground.

“I don’t like you. Why can’t you ever do as you’re told?”

He moves closer to her, bending at the knee until they’re eye level.

“Spend Christmas with me?” He pleads and she simply looks at him before collapsing into his chest. She sniffles into his collar, gripping at the lapels of his uniform before whispering her reply, “I’m scared. Gang-tae I’m scared.”

He has never cared for Christmas, it’s a chance to spend time with his family but nothing too serious, nothing he has ever made plans for. He has always been happy to follow his mother’s lead on everything, but as he stares down at Mun-yeong shaking in his arms, the most precious thing that he has ever had. He makes a silent promise that he will make this year different, this will be a Christmas that she never forgets.

I want to make her happy.

[sweetestlamb]

Teenage Dream Part 3- All I Want for Christmas Is You( Part 1)

Summary: Gang-tae gives Mun-yeong the Christmas she deserves. 

Author Note: Wow. Writing IOTNBO again feels surreal honestly. This is for anyone who was waiting for me to write them again, hi I hope you like part 1 but this is my Christmas gift to @truccieeboo​ who regularly tells me that I am awesome and that I can write whenever I want to and I owe no one anything. I already know that of course but it’s so nice to hear that thought echoed by someone else. I’m happy to be back, hi guys!! 

He hadn't realized it but every moment of their miraculous relationship- he'd been holding his breath, waiting for the other shoe to drop and for Mun Yeong to realize that she was dating a complete and utter nerd. But instead he's consistently greeted by a warm smile and her slight body being flung into his arms.

She doesn't get tired of him and months fly by, the happiest months of his life and suddenly it's Christmas week and he's smiling down at her beautiful face as she hangs off him like a limpet, convinced she's his ultimate gift. They should both be in class but he'd went to the bathroom only to run into her in the hallway, she'd walked over immediately her strut filled with confidence and purpose before redirecting him.

He'd almost tripped over his own feet as she bodily shoved him into a closet he'd never noticed in the hall before.

"Woah where are we going?" He asked over his shoulder as she rolled her eyes and shushed him, pinching his butt and then smirking at his affronted squeal.

"I've been walking around forever trying to accidentally run into you. I'm going to take advantage of this." Her eyes twinkle as he stares with a gaped mouth, it has been a while since their last makeout session and he's just as frustrated as Mun Yeong is. Christmas is always busy for his family with his mother decorating every inch of their humble home, not taking no for an answer.

Sang-tae always swindled his way out of working by complaining about fatigue from work while poking out a tongue when their mom wasn't looking. Leaving most of the heavy lifting to Gang-tae himself, literally their box of ornaments and lights made his arms strain.

He reaches out to gently palm Mun Yeong's face, looking deeply into her eyes.

"I missed you." He breathes out, heart growing three times larger as she smiles until her eyes disappear into perfect crescents. He's only ever seen that particular smile directed at him.

"You're such a sap." She snuggles in closer to him, actions contradicting her words. He holds her tighter, breathing in the intoxicating scent of her shampoo.

She gently sways in his arms, fingers swirling aimlessly on his broadening back. She's told him many times how he makes her feel small, contrarily she makes him feel huge. Like he's important and worth her time.

Again those words are on the tip of his tongue. He can feel them right there, bursting to come out. But fear cripples him and he pushes them back down into an abyss, locking them away with a key.

Next time.

"Okay. We've been nice, can we be naughty now?"

"Wha--"

His reply is interrupted by her tongue in his mouth, latching on to his shoulder she tugs him down slanting her head to delve deeper into his mouth. Fire sears through his skin as she twists her fingers into his thick hair, scratching achingly at his scalp. Driven solely by primal desire he snatches her up, his hands cupping the meat under her ass dragging her up the length of his body.

Without preamble she wraps her legs around his waist, her heat sweltering through the thin material of their uniform. When he slides his hands under her skirt he almost drops her when he meets nothing but bare skin. Bare smooth skin.

Ripping their lips apart he stares at her with blown out pupils.

"Where is....what- I. Mun Yeong."

She only smiles at his whine. Dragging his hand back under her skirt.

"I've been a naughty girl huh? What are you going to do about it?" Heat washes over him at her purposeful words, he'd come unexpectedly at her calling herself a bad girl once and that had been it, she was relentless finding every possible way to milk his kink -her words- and torture him.

He surges at her, sliding his tongue into her simultaneously as his fingers sink into her velvety wet heat. He's forced to swallow her loud gasps as she seductively squirms in his arms.

"Gang-tae, more." She demands.

She's already so wet it's obscenely easy to sink another finger alongside the first, stretching her tight walls.

It takes him a few seconds to realize that she's trying to speak to him, twisting away from his lips. Finally he lets her go, panting into her neck as he thrusts into her over and over and over again. Wet noises ringing in his ears and tightening his pants until his cock is painfully pressing into his zipper.

"Gang-tae, I want you to fuck me."

Those inflammatory words engulf him in an inferno of arousal and hormones, his dick hardening so fast that all the remaining blood in his brain rushes to his groin and he sways unsteadily on his feet. He has to tighten his grip as to not drop her and the feline grin she shoots his way coyly informs him that she knows exactly the reaction those words had on him. 

“Do you want to, hmm? Right here in the closet? You’ll probably have to cover my mouth I’ll probably scream because it’ll feel so go--”

His hand slams into her mouth cutting off her ability to render him anymore useless. He glares weakly at her, blaming himself for letting himself be caught off guard this way. 

“I’m not going to....do that with you in a closet.” He blushes at her raised eyebrow at his hesitance to use the same vulgar words that she did. She giggles at him, rubbing his cheeks like he’s a much younger child. He balks at the treatment, his penis thoroughly confused. 

“You can curse Gang-tae, I won’t tell anyone. You won’t fuck me in a closet? What if I want it though? What if I beg you to turn me around and fuck me so hard that my teeth rattle?” 

His dick jumps painfully onboard with every word of filth dripping from her mouth and she snatches his hand bringing it back under her skirt pressing his index finger against her sopping wet core and he tenses as his finger slides in and  then he hears the worst thing possible, a voice right outside and a familiar one to boot.

“Where the hell did he go now and why did I have to look for him? I’m not his keeper.” Jae-su grumbles sounding far too close to them for his liking and he whips his head to tell Mun-yeong they need to be extremely quiet, to not be caught. Before he can get a word out she lifts herself up and grinds back onto his finger, a loud whimper falling from her bitten lips and echoing in the small room. He holds his breath hoping his meddlesome friend missed that but he hears the grumbling stop and the footsteps lurk back to their hidden location and he waits with bated breath. 

A second passes by, Mun-yeong tries the move again but he is holding her hip with an ironclad grip placing her back on her feet much to her disappointment. 

He almost releases a sigh of relief. 

But then Jae-su calls out, “Moon Gang-tae? Are you in there, what are you doing?”

He has no planning of answering, has no feasible way of explaining his circumstance to his best friend right now. He’d been seduced completely, losing his wit and control, if Jae-su had not appeared there’s no telling what he would be doing. 

Fucking Mun-yeong until her teeth rattle, his brain supplies. 

He silences the voice. 

Despite their lack of response Jae-su does not leave, instead the doorknob begins to rattle and then twist and too little too late he tries to stop the metal from being turned. 

Suddenly he’s face to face with his friend of ten years, Jae-su’s eye bulging as he takes in the scene, a glance over to the temptress reveals that she is as calm and cool as a cucumber smiling serenely at being caught red-handed per se. 

Jae-su speaks first, “What are.....why are you two in here?”

“I was trying to get Gang-tae to fuc--”

“Mun-yeong!”

He shouts her name looking at her in disbelief, her forwardness is one of the things he lo-likes about her but this level of honesty is not necessary right now. But when he looks over at his best friend the fiery rouge on his cheeks reveals this interruption did very little to conceal what they were doing in the closet. He shrinks in embarrassment his own cheeks pinking in commiseration. 

“I don’t wanna know! I’m leaving don’t say anything more, you’re both such perverts!” Jae-su runs away from them looking comically horrified, stopping once down the hallway to glare at them before disappearing completely. 

“Well...want to continue where we left off?” Mun-yeong drawls easily, rubbing circles into his arms. 

He stares credulously at her, only for her to shrug and reply, “What? I’m horny and we were just getting to the good part.” 

He shakes his head in decline, staring at her deep in her eyes. 

“I already told you, I’m not doing that with you here. You deserve way more than a quick....fuck in a closet. When we have sex I want to remember everything, I want to take my time and enjoy every second.” 

This time she is the only whose eyes glaze over, breath hitching as color explodes across her gorgeous face. He almost ravishes her right then and there, her palpable arousal calling to him like a siren’s call. 

“You promise?”

She sticks her little pinky out, wiggling it at him and he wraps his larger pinky around her own weaving their promise. 

“Now let’s seal it.” She commands, already tugging him into a kiss. Their lips slap together, the sound of their mooch ringing in his ears. 

As she draws away, he halts her with a hand on her hip. 

“You only seal promises like that with me right?”

She tilts her head in question first before comprehension washes over her features and a devilish glint flashes in her eyes. 

Winking at him and twisting out of his hold, she dances away. 

“Wouldn’t you like to know?” She teases. He hopes she’s teasing. Jealousy sears in his body and it must show on his face because she practically cackles at him and runs away now, laughing all the way. 

“See you later Gang-tae, think about me.” She demands, waving at him with her fingers as she disappears around the corner. 

As if he has a choice, he stares down at his erection sending a mental apology to it as he actually goes to the bathroom. Today is turning out to be an exhausting day. 

There are more heated makeout sessions in various parts of the school, he can no longer look much of the student body in the eyes but when he has Mun-yeong squirming and panting in his arms. all rationale goes out the window. His mother demands that he leave his bedroom door ajar after the last time she caught them “studying”, in his defense he did invite Mun-yeong over to study. Who knows how they ended up lip tangled on the bed with hands in provocative places, claiming possession didn’t seem to win his any favors with his seething mother. Now whenever his girlfriend is over, his mother finds any reason to check on them, even going as far as to send Sang-tae in to supervise them, it is beyond infantilizing. 

Sang-tae commonly barges in, exclaiming, “Hey! I’m here to make sure you babies don’t make any new babies.” With a shit-eating grin on his lips as he obnoxiously sits in between them, beaming smile splattered on his face. 

So it goes without saying that he too is horny beyond belief. 

Which is how he finds himself searching for Mun-yeong in the halls, but to no avail and no replies to his messages. 

He hasn’t heard from her all day, he realizes and worry overrides his desire as he pulls out his phone sending her another message. 

Are you in school?

He looks at the screen awaiting her response but nothing comes, the message is marked delivered but not yet read. 

He sends another message, Are you okay? Just like the first message, his second is felt unread and unanswered and he walks the all too familiar route to her locker, not sure what he is hoping to find. 

Unfortunately his missing girlfriend does not magically appear however he finds the next best thing, her closest friend. 

Seung-Jae is leaning against the locker in question, concern etched across her expressive face that is mostly eyes. She has her phone pressed to her ears and he can hear the tiny ringing through the phone as the operator recites that the person she is dialing is unable to get to the phone. 

She sighs, head falling towards the ground. He clears his throat finally garnering her attention. Her head snaps up and instantly a smile breaks across her face. 

“You!” She all but screams and he steps back taken off guard by her intensity. 

He blinks owlishly, “Me?”

“Mun-yeong is absent today. She will be absent tomorrow too if we don’t stop her.”

This grabs his attention, he has no intention of not seeing his girlfriend for that long, his heart can’t take it. 

“Why? Is she sick, is something wrong with her?” He replies, checking his phone once more and grunting when there is still no reply. 

“She’s not going to reply. You have to go see her. Today. She’s going to try to lock you out but you need to be persistent okay? Don’t be your usual nice polite self unless you’ll never get in.” 

His head is swimming from the information and her words do nothing to untangle the web of confusion but before he can prod her for more answers she is already ambling off, with a wave over her shoulder. 

“I’m counting on you Moon. Don’t mess this up.”

He stands in shock, rubbing the back of his neck. He can’t walk home with Jae-su today. 

Getting up to Mun-yeong’s lavish apartment is simple enough with security seeing him enough to register that he is with her. He still has to sign in but the whole ordeal is far less intimidating than it was all those months ago. He almost feels like he belongs. The marble walls of the elevator do a pretty decent job of swatting that feeling down.  

The ease of his entrance is squandered by Mun-yeong’s refusal to let him in her apartment. 

“Mun-yeong? It’s me Gang-tae”

No response. 

“Mun-yeong I know you’re there. I can see the lights, please let me in.” At his evidence of her presence the lights are suddenly shut off. 

“Well now I know for a fact that you’re home. Open the door. Mun-yeong, open the door.” 

“”It’s that time of the year. It’s impossible to get to her, just leave her alone and she will come out when she wants to. She always like this around Christmas.” He jumps at the sudden voice behind him, whipping around to the sunken face of Mun-yeong’s driver and adoptive father, Sang-in. 

“Why? Why does she hate Christmas?” 

“Why do you like it?” 

Immediately he thinks of his mother and his brother and freshly baked cookies and decorations and then it clicks for him. 

Mun-yeong doesn’t have any of that, she’s all alone in her beautiful prison. 

“Exactly. Her parents never come, they hire people to decorate and Mun-yeong hides away for a few days until she’s ready to face the world again.”

It shatters his heart that this is her normal. So much so that everyone seems to know about this occurrence, Sang-in explaining it to him as if he’s reading the weather report. 

“I can drive you to your house. Don’t worry, I will keep her company. I know how to handle her.”

Gang-tae feels his skin bristle at those words, no one can handle his Mun-yeong.  He stands taller, making his decision. 

“Call my phone.”

Sang-in looks puzzled at his sudden request looking at him, as if he’s lost his mind and hell, maybe he has but there’s no way he’s leaving Mun-yeong to wallow in her sadness, not alone. She has him now, she never has to be alone ever again. 

“Call my phone.” He repeats harder, and finally the man sighs pulling out his phone and following directions. 

The all too familiar jingle of his phone rings out loudly and Gang-tae answers it just as loudly, “Oh Ju-ri? You want me to meet you where? What time?

He has to jump back to avoid being hit by the door that bursts open, a seething Mun-yeong on the other side. She snatches the phone from his hand finger set to hang up before she sees the name on the screen, Mun-yeong and a little symbol of a car. 

He smiles innocently at the sharp glare she sends first his way and then to her driver who sputters out some nonsense about parking illegally and needing to move his car. Neither one of them acknowledge his departure. 

“Go away. I don’t want company right now.”

“That’s too bad. I miss you.” He answers as he pushes his way past her, she attempts to stop him but it is futile and he closes the door behind him. 

It takes a second for his sight to adjust to the darkness of her apartment but when it does he sees the destruction that lays around them, broken glasses and tinsel and Christmas decorations littering the floor. It looks like Christmas threw up on the floor. 

He ignores that all and takes her hand. She doesn’t fight him, just stares back blankly at him. Looking as small and lost as she did on her birthday, the first time he saw her like this. 

“Mun-yeong. Let’s go.”

Then she reacts, “No. I don’t want to go with you. Just leave. This is what I deserve.”

He squeezes her hand tighter, refusing to let those words settle in the air. “No you don’t , you deserve to be loved. You deserve everything Mun-yeong. Don’t shut me out, please.”

She rips her hand viciously from his grip, hissing like a viper. 

“No! I let you confuse you, this is what I deserve. I don’t get to be happy, I should be alone. I don’t need anyone. I’ve been alone my whole life. I was an idiot to think that this would work. You’ll never understand me with your perfect family, why would you want to be with someone as broken as me? 

Tears pool in his eyes as he listens to her berate herself, the pain is transparent on her face. The wound from her parent’s abandonment raw and throbbing. 

“I hate them! I hate them! Why do they hire decorators? Why remind me that it’s Christmas when I’ll spend it alone,? Why give birth to me if they knew that I would be a burden?!” She is a tempest now, rushing to the perfectly decorated tree in the corner by large gleaming glass windows and he watches with tears streaming down his face as she shoves the tree to the ground, the delicate glass bulbs shattering with the impact. 

Then she sinks to the ground as well, shoulders shaking up and down rapidly. 

It’s not how he planned it but as he watches her fall apart, all his fears and hesitations fall out the window, there are more important things right now. 

“I love you.” 

She turns to look at him like he has two heads, her eyes large and wet. Tears aching to fall. 

“What?”

“I love you Mun-yeong.”

“....And you realized that right now?” She eyes all disaster all around her. 

Now she is crying and he can’t decipher her feelings at all. She is glaring at him as she hiccups on the ground. 

“I don’t like you. Why can’t you ever do as you’re told?”

He moves closer to her, bending at the knee until they’re eye level. 

“Spend Christmas with me?” He pleads and she simply looks at him before collapsing into his chest. She sniffles into his collar, gripping at the lapels of his uniform before whispering her reply, “I’m scared. Gang-tae I’m scared.”

He has never cared for Christmas, it’s a chance to spend time with his family but nothing too serious, nothing he has ever made plans for. He has always been happy to follow his mother’s lead on everything, but as he stares down at Mun-yeong shaking in his arms, the most precious thing that he has ever had. He makes a silent promise that he will make this year different, this will be a Christmas that she never forgets. 

I want to make her happy. 

[sweetestlamb]

Teenage Dream

Genre: Molasses level fluff and teenage hormones. 

Summary: What if our babies didn't have such traumatic lives and they went to the same high school? Teenage Gang-Tae falls for Mun-Yeong, the moment he sets eyes on her. He just doesn’t notice that she’s not far behind. The misadventures of a boy blindly in love. 

Gang-Tae let his best friend tow him into the their recent hangout spot, Subways, around the corner from their high school. It was always bustling with kids their age after classes were dismissed, most of his classmates came here to relax or the brainiacs would use it as a spot to continue their studying. Gang-Tae alternated between both category depending on the day, he wanted to have a high ranking to impress his mother and older brother, Sang-Tae. But studying all the time was tiring and made him stressed out about all the material he didn't know. He also wanted to impress her. The prettiest girl in their grade and probably all of Korea. Ko Mun-Yeong. He sighed thinking about her, her lustrous chin length hair perfectly curled around her beautiful face, those dark eyes framed by long lashes, her aquiline nose that made her face even more interesting and finally those rosy plush lips. She was the smartest girl in their class, quiet and confident, he read all of her short stories in the school newspaper. His recent favorite was a story she had written about a young boy who learned that bad memories could be helpful for emotional growth. All of your life experiences crafted who you are, if you only remembered the good then you wouldn't have empathy or coping devices when something went askew. She had a unique way of looking at the world and he couldn't stop the crush he had developed on her if he had a choice. She was the whole package,beauty and brains. Unfortunately, this resulted in her immense popularity, which made her unapproachable, there were barely any moments that she was without a crowd of people. Students hanging off her every word, and with the warm timber of her voice he couldn't fault them. Her voice filled all his dreams. Especially the riskier ones. He didn't mean to think of her in such a manner, tried his upmost to respect her, but in the depths of his slumber his imagination created scenarios that made him wake up tangled in moist sheets. Shaking those memories off, he joined the conversation his classmates were having around him, "We need to study for Mr. Kan's science test, if I bring home any more low grades my mom promises she will lock me up in the basement with textbooks." He groaned in agreement, he hadn't done his best on the last exam either and desperately need to do well this time around. They all agreed that this was the best course of action, opening their textbooks to the correct section. The study session went by in a blur, they took a quick break to get sandwiches as brain fuel and then went back to studying. Before, he knew it his head started to feel heavy, he jerked up, taking a big gulp of soda trying to wake himself, it was a short term fix and soon he stopped fighting and laid his head on the table. His classmates voices white noise in the background, he drifted off into a light sleep. Minutes passed by before he was shaken awake by Jae-Su, "Moon Gang-Tae! Are you sleeping? You always slack off when it's time to studying...", he groggily rubbed his sleep laden eyes and then he felt lightning rush through his body. There she was. Alone. Casually sitting, her cute nose in another book, before she checked the time and began to pack up, collecting her trash and without full awareness, he stood with her. "Where are you going? Moon Gang-Tae! We're not done studying!" Jae-Su exasperated voice shouted after him, as he haphazardly snatched all his belongs and raced after her. She hadn't noticed him yet. Peacefully crossing the street, her delicate hands gripping the straps of her book bag, he had ached so many times to offer to carry it for her, to carry her books to class for her and maybe get a smile in appreciation. If there was one thing that made her even prettier, it was her smile. She had the kind of smile that could light up a room. He would do anything if it meant seeing that smile. He stalked closely, it felt invasive following her this way without her consent, the last thing he wanted to do was made her uncomfortable. He raised his fingers through his fringe, hoping his quick nap hadn't completely ruined his hair and with a deep inhalation both for courage and necessity, he called out "Hey....excuse me... um hey." Although he had trailed her for this very purpose he still wasn't mentally prepare to meet her eyes when she turned around. Curiosity and then recognition running through them. A small smile graced her lips as she tilted her head in concession, hands now clasped in the center of her body. Wow. She is even prettier in person, up close. Look at those eyes. They are the prettiest eyes I've ever seen. I could die right now knowing I saw those ey-- "Yes?" Her voice cut through those his traitorous thoughts and he snapped back to reality. She has started to nibble on her lips, question still in her eyes and his mouth felt like a dessert, dry and brittle. He thinks of what he can say that won't scare her away, he doesn't think professing his undying love is right for their first conversation. Maybe their third. Maybe he can ask her what she thought about the school lunch today, what did kids there age even talk about? He feels like an alien in his own body, screaming at himself to say something, anything before she loses her patience and walks away. But all his months of wanting and wishing hadn't prepared him for this moment. In all his dreams, they magically got together and there was none of this overwhelming sea of awkwardness that he was currently drowning in. Say something. Anything!! "I...um I like....you...r um... I like your outfit!" He blurted out, immediately wanting to smack himself in the face, she was wearing the damn school uniform! The same uniform that thousands of other students wore, she was going to think he was a moron and walk away. He had wasted his first impression. Starting to plan his exit, he opened his lips to apologize for wasting her time, he should have just kept watching her from afar, anything was better than this humiliation. But then, she started to giggle, the most melodic soothing giggle, his eyes snapped up from their permanent spot on the ground, to see her covering her mouth with her dainty hands, soft pink nail polish this week. He couldn't believe she wasn't gone. She was here giggling. At something he said. Granted what he said was ridiculously stupid but it didn't matter because she was giggling. He made Ko Mun-Yeong giggle. He wanted to shout it from a rooftop. "Oh this?" She tugged at her uniform collar, "It's one of a kind." With a twinkle in her eye, she knocked him off his metamorphic feet. Laughter burst out from his winded lungs and she laughed with him, shifting comfortably on the heels of her feet. "I know you, I've seen you at school. Moon Gang-Tae? That's your name right?" She knew his name. He tried not to show how much she was knocking his world off balance. He was able to muster up a shaky nod in agreement. "So what did you want to say to me Moon Gang-Tae?" She inquired, checking her watch once again. "I....um....do you have to be somewhere?" He asked in return, hoping he wasn't getting in her way. "My driver, Sang-In was supposed to pick me up but he messaged saying I should just head home on my own." She responded and without a second though his mouth said, "I can walk you. It's dark, I don't ....um what anything to happen to you. I mean if you want me to, I'm using sure you can walk home on your own and..." "Okay." She cut off his rambling, turning to continue her trek as he stood frozen. "Are you coming?" She looked back over her shoulder, and he ran to catch up out of breath and not from his sprint. They walked in silence, his brain racing, disbelief that he was really walking next to her. Maybe he was still asleep in Subways? How could this be reality? He looked over and her, turning his head away when he found her eyes already on his face. Absently, he wondered if he had food on his chin or something, that would be just his luck. Casually, he wiped at his face pretending to have an itch. "Do you always walk girls home? Everyone always says you're so nice but I didn't know to this extent." She teased, making his cheeks redden in shame and pride. He didn't feel very nice right now, he was doing this for his own selfish purposes. After a long pause he broke his silence, "No. This is my first time walking someone home." He answered honestly, knowing that most boys his age had done much more than walk a girl home, but he was as his older brother Sang-Tae described a "hopeless romantic". He knew that other girls at school liked him, or at least found him attractive. He wasn't bad to look at, and he had enjoyed a growth spurt over the summer, making him taller than most boys in his grade and all of the girls. After months of convincing, the basketball coach had convinced him to join their team and that had increased his popularity overnight. But none of those girls were Ko Mun-Yeong. He was polite but never flirty, there was only one girl that had taken a hold of his heart. "Honored to be your first." He blushed at her words, his mind instantly sinking to the gutter. She looked at him as if she knew exactly what he was thinking but thankfully did not comment. Suddenly she stopped, looking up at a high rise building, he quickly realized that they were in the more affluent part of town, with modern buildings and luxury cars. He tried not to be intimidated. He failed, spectacularly. "This is me." She pointed at the sleek building. "Oh. Okay. Get inside safely." He said with a downward shift of his lips, he had hoped that this walk would never end. He hadn't garnered the courage to say anything to her during the rest of the walk. Just quick glances to confirm that she was still there and he hadn't lost his mind. She walked towards large glass doors, before turning back, "Thank you for walking me home, Moon Gang-Tae." She said, beatific smile on her face. He was too stunned to respond and then she was gone. His heart raced as he jogged home, grin on his face, he felt untouchable. Tossing his shoes and book bag at the entrance, he bounded into his house. He heard voices in the kitchen, his mom and Sang-Tae. He rushed to join them for dinner. "What's got you so happy?" His brother instantly questioned him, string bean hanging from his lips. Gang tried to tame his smile, not wanting his too perceptive brother to find out anything. He was always so embarrassing when it came to girls. "Nothing, nothing. I just had a great day." His mom turned around with a smile, "That's great sweetie, how about you go wash up and help your brother set the table?" Knocking Sang-Tae's hand that reached for another string bean. His brother always got hungriest right before they ate dinner. As he washed his hands, with soap and water, his brother swaggered in with a knowing smile on his face. "Okay, who is she?" He dropped the bar of soap at the question, putting all his focus on washing his hands. Giving it his full attention. With a war cry, his brother grabbed him and easily put him in a headlock, he wriggled trying to free himself, splashing water on his brother to counter his attack. "Tell your big brother, there are no secrets in this house!" Sang-Tae shouted ruffling his hair and he groaned at the rough treatment, until his mother's voice called out, "Boys come for dinner, stop playing in the bathroom. You would think I'm raising toddlers..." With one final twist, his brother set him free. "You'll come to me in due time, little brother. " Dinner was delicious as usual, he feigned fatigue to escape early, eager to relive the day. Thoughts of her smile filled his dreams.                     

                       <3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3 Nerves churned in his stomach as he nodded and hmmed to whatever Jae-Su was talking about, he had already berated him for quote, "Abandoning him like a stray animal to fend for himself." And after his fifth apology, he had ultimately tuned him out, he had bigger things to worry about. Like how he was supposed to act now? He didn't know if walking her home had changed anything? Was he allowed to say good morning to her now? Or did she want him to act the same as before, strangers who didn't acknowledge each other. He didn't want to do the wrong thing. And he couldn't ask Jae-Su, who had adamantly declared that they didn't need girls because they led to the decay of friendship. The only person he could think to ask was his brother, but he didn't want to deal with his smug smirk, You'll come to me in due time little brother. There had to be an easy way to know if a girl wanted you to say good morning to her? Maybe he could say good morning to other girls and use their reactions as a gauge for how Mun-Yeong would respond? He was so consumed in his thoughts that he didn't that the object of his thoughts was right in front of him. "Good morning Moon Gang-Tae." Tripping over nothing, he reached out to grab Jae-Su for support. She had said good morning to him. She was standing with her best friend, Seung-Jae, a quirky girl known for her eccentric style, who always had loads of buttons and stickers on her bag. Before, he could locate his tongue and answer she continued cheekily, "Do you like my outfit today too?" She turned around as if on her own personal run way and his cheeks scorched with the embarrassing memory. He groaned placing his head in his hands. Jae-Su and Seung-Jae both looked on in confusion. With a lift of her lip, she clutched her books to her chest, walking off to her class. "What was that about?" Jae-Su chased him down, as he shook his head, too bashful to explain that particular incident. The day dragged, he was itching to see her again. He wondered what she was doing right now? Definitely not thinking about the idiot who had complimented her uniform. He would never live that down. But still he smiled, it was almost as if they had an inside joke. It was safe to say that he didn't learn anything today, all of his brain capacity busy thinking about his next encounter with Mun-Yeong. Jae-Su had left as soon as school ended, leaving him by himself and he stalked the hallways hoping to accidentally run into Mun-Yeong but after the third lap he gave up, sighing in disappointment. Pushing the school doors open, he squinted his eyes as at the influx of bright light. Due to this light he didn't see the figures, a few places ahead of him. He saw her before he heard her. "I don't need you to wait with me. I would prefer to wait alone." Mun-Yeong. And she sounded.....annoyed. He walked closer, instinctively yearning to protect her from whoever was bothering her. A male voice responded, Gang-Tae vaguely recognized it, Daniel Choi, he was one year above them and the school's heart throb. He even had his own fan club, according to the flyers around school they met on Mondays and Fridays. "It's no problem, I could never leave a pretty girl like you alone on the street, who knows what creeps are out there?" He answered, magnanimously, moving further into Mun-Yeong's personal space. Gang-Tae watched her take a step back. The look in her eye reminded him of his neighbor's cat right before he scratched you for daring to pet him. "You mean like creeps who don't take no for an answer and pester girls who aren't interested, creeps like that?" Daniel laughed, humorlessly, reaching out a hand as if to grab her and Gang-Tae moved before he registered the intent, "Don't touch her." "Don't touch me." They uttered at the same time. Her eyes cut to Gang-Tae in surprise and maybe a bit of relief. Daniel yanked his hand out of his grasp, snidely looking at him, "This has nothing to do with you Moon, mind your business." He stood between them, shielding Mun-Yeong's body with his own. "She said she didn't want you to wait with her, how about you respect that and leave her alone?." He didn't know what was coming over him, he had never been in a fight before. Never even argued with anyone, but he knew in this moment he would do anything it took to maintain her safety. Daniel eyed him, annoyance clear on his face, lips snarling before he rolled his eyes and scoffed, "She's not even that hot. Not worth all this trouble." With that dig, he turned away stomping down the sidewalk until they lost sight of him. Gang-Tae took a deep breath to control his anger, before turning back to Mun-Yeong. "Are you okay?" He briefly scanned her body, she looked fine, perfect actually. Finally she spoke, "Yeah I'm fine. He was just very persistent." "I'm sorry." He apologized, wishing he could have been there sooner, whenever she needed him he wanted to be there, it felt natural to protect her almost like his body was made for it.  "Why? You didn't do anything." "I'm still sorry." She laughed breathlessly, "You really are nice, huh? Probably why you're so popular with the girls." He knew she was teasing him now, her nosed crinkled in the cutest way when she did, but he ached to ask her if she was part of that group. He would trade in all those girls for a chance with her. He was too much of a coward though so instead he said, "What are you waiting for?" She jostled her books in her hands, trying to find a comfortable position, "My driver again, he said there was traffic but he would be here soon." Wordlessly, he extended his hands, gesturing at the heavy textbooks in her hand. She looks back with a blank stare and he almost retracted his hands, but then she leaned forward, placing them in his hands. The tips of their fingers brush during the exchange and he wonders how long he could reasonably go without washing his hands. His mother would have his head. Like their walk the other night, they lapse into silence. He clutches her textbooks to his chest as if they were the finest jewels. He can faintly smell her intoxicating scent lingering on them. Then he recalled her newest story in the school paper, "Zombie Kid", he had tried showing it to Jae-Su but he had denounced it once the mother gave the child her limbs, calling it cryptic and weird. Gang-Tae thought it was brilliant, raw and thought-provoking. Like all her short stories, they had a message if you were willing to look past the surface. "I liked your story. Zombie Kid." He forced the words out, desperate not to waste a second opportunity with her. " You did? Did you get the message?" He nodded, meeting her eyes, "Love is truly what everyone wants, not just to sate their base desires." She lit up  at his answer, excitedly replying "Seung-Jae said I should have probably left out the cannibalism but I thought it served its purpose. Fairy tales should help us wake up from our sugar coated dreams and face reality."

He smiled at her, blown away by her mind. He’d never met anyone like her before.  Suddenly, a car pulled up at their feet, tires screeching and a man in a suit jumped out, "My dearest apology, Ms. Ko, I'm sorry to keep you waiting. I hope it wasn't too much of a bother." He proceeded to collect her bag, and open the car door. "Oh, but I see a friend waited with you. " He looked expectedly at Gang-Tae with clinical eyes, "This is Moon Gang-Tae. He's the nicest boy in my grade." She answered for him, he coughed choking on his own spit. Was nice a good thing? Did girls like nice boys? "Is that so? Well thank you for waiting with Ms. Ko. Would you like a ride as well?" The man offered but he shook his head in refusal, it was such a small space to occupy with Mun-Yeong, he wasn't quite ready for that. "Okay, well we need to get going. Thank you again." And Gang-Tae turned to return Mun-Yeong's textbooks, gently placing them back in her arms. "Thank you Gang-Tae, I'll see you tomorrow." She beamed up at him, hopping into the car, her uniform skirt bouncing distractedly with the movement and he watched it drive away. He smiled all the way home.                               <3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3 It was their first game of the new season, coach had been putting them through the ringer, lap after lap, drills until they were sweaty messes on the ground. Gang-Tae wasn't particularly competitive, but he did enjoy the discipline and team building that came with sports. The best team was only as good as their weakest link, coached had drilled that into them, especially the first practices when they were all finding their footing. A fight had broken out because someone had been upset that the ball hadn't been passed to him, claiming that he was the better shooter. Coach Hwai had made them all run 10 extra laps, stating that they suffered as team and won as a team, they would practice until everyone was great shooters. There was literally no "I" in team. They had learned that with sweat and tears. He sat on the bench, stretching, usual nerves in his stomach but also excitement, above all he enjoyed basketball. He searched the stands looking for his brother, he had taken the day off work to watch his first game, his mother hadn't been able to do the same. But she had woken him up with favorite breakfast and a kiss on the cheek for good luck. He spotted Sang-Tae, in the back row, frantically waving at him, proud smile stretched across his face. He hadn't been able to find Mun-Yeong after classes, he had no intention of inviting her to the game, that was too much pressure but he had wanted to let her know that he wouldn't be able to wait with her today. After the first time, it had become a routine, he would wait with her for her driver, Lee Sang-In, and he would happily hold her textbooks. Most times they were silent, sometimes they would talk about their day. He was still extremely shy around her, finding himself tongue twisted at random moments. Still in disbelief that he was allowed to be this close to her. But he loved listening to her, the excitement in her voice infectious when she talked about new ideas for her short stories. How could someone so beautiful also be so smart? It just didn't seem fair. He had given up finally after looking for her for fifteen minutes, coach would have his head if he was late for the game. He sighed, hoping she made it home safely, tensing at the thought of Daniel bothering her again. With a shrill blow of the whistle, the game started with a blur of passes, dribbling and shots. He tried his best to pace himself, taking deep breathes, not wanting to get winded too soon. Suddenly, the ball was in his hands and quickly scanning the court to see if anyone was in a better position than him, seeing that no one was he took the shot. The ball easily slid through the hoop. 2 points. He pumped his fist in the air before turning with exuberant pride, needing to know if his brother saw that and that's when he met the eyes of Mun-Yeong. She was with a group of girls that he had seen at school, but her face was the only one that stood to him. Had she gotten even prettier since yesterday? She cutely waved the pompoms the school provided to everyone in the stands at him, mouthing "Wow." Her lips looked lovely forming around each letter. He didn't feel his team mates pats of congratulations and forgot to look for his brother. It was a struggle after that, he was hyper-aware of her presence and he couldn't focus. He dropped the ball so many times his teammates stopped passing it to him. It was like his first practice, all over again, nerves shooting up and down his skin, his heart beating like a drum, boom, boom, boom.  Half time was a blessing. "Okay team, we're looking good but I need to see more passing. Remember this about teamwork so use each other. But don't be afraid to take shots, you shouldn't be looking for anyone specific, everyone here is capable." He sighed in relief when he wasn't singled out, albeit prematurely, "Moon, I don't know where you are but you need to get your head back in the game. Go for a walk and come back ready." "Yes Coach." His first stop was the bathroom, to splash water on his face. He glared at himself in the mirror, pointing at his reflection, "What are you doing? This is not how we get the girl. Get it together. You can do this." Then with one last shake, he left the bathroom only to collide with Mun-Yeong. She stumbled backwards and impulsively he reached out to steady her by her shoulders, when she looked balanced he pulled his hands back, suddenly shy, he was all sweaty and gross. "So I was waiting for you outside and you didn't show up, when I came inside I heard all the noise coming from the gym and I found out you had a game. How come you didn't tell me?" She inquired, eyes glimpsing down his body, so fast he almost missed it,  she was probably disgusted by how sweaty he was. "I'm sorry. I tried to find you to tell you I couldn't wait with you. Are you okay? Did anyone bother you?" His fist clenched at the idea. She shook her head side to side, "No you worrywart I was fine on the sidewalk, I was just curious why you didn't tell me about your game. Did you not want me there?" He detected....hurt in her voice but that couldn't be right, right? "I..um.. well." He stuttered over his words scared to tell her how much he wanted her everywhere with him but how distracting she was and how much he liked her. He was saved from saying any of that by his brother bursting out from the doors, "Little brother, why are you hiding out here? The game's going to start again soon, your coach looks like he's going to pop a vei--" Sang-Tae paused noticing Mun-Yeong, looking back and forth between them. "Now who might this be? Little brother you didn't tell me you had a pretty girlf-" He ran over, clasping his hand over his brother's big mouth before he would finish that sentence. "Shut. Up." They started to push each other, his brother licking his hand to free himself, ew, he shoved him in retaliation before his brother grappled him into his signature headlock. He tapped in concession until he was freed, only to see Mun-Yeong's retreating back. "Gosh, you're so annoying." He puffed at Sang-Tae looking longingly at her back, not wanting to leave their conversation like that, he hadn't even gotten a chance to explain himself. Hadn't built up the courage to tell her his true feelings yet, he was working hours to it. Slowly. Molasses dripping in summer slow. "Hey miss, with the short hair? I'm sorry I didn't mean to interrupt." Sang-Tae called out, ignoring his punches, beckoning her back. She stopped. Then turned back towards them, as he shuffled awkwardly, not comfortable conversing with her around other people, much less his brother, who knew what would come out of his mouth? When she reached them, Sang-Tae offered his palm, "I'm Gang-Tae's older brother, Moon Sang-Tae and you are...?" She politely shook his hand with a sweet smile, "I'm Ko Mun-Yeong." "Are you two just friends or..." He mischievously glanced between them, his eyebrow wriggling up and down.  "Can you stop? This is why I don't introduce you to anyone." He grumbled, shooting apologetic glances at Mun-Yeong. I'm so sorry my brother is an idiot, please don't stop talking to me.  "We're friends, your brother has a knack for showing up right when I need him, some would say it's destiny." Nose crinkle. She was teasing again. Sang-Tae looked at him with mock awe, "Oh helping ladies in distress huh? I'll take credit for that little brother, you clearly learned that from me." Then one of his team mates slammed the gym doors open, calling his name, there was two minutes until the second half started. Half time over and he didn't feel any more prepared to be back on the court. He started to walk away, unsure of what to say to Mun-Yeong, so instead choosing to run, but his brother had other plans in mind. He grabbed his jersey, bodily yanking him back. "Now miss Mun-Yeong, are you superstitious? Little brother here looks like he could use some luck, he seems a bit distracted. Would you be willing to help him out this time?" He watched her head tilt inquisitively before she answered, "Sure, how can I help him?" "Well, of course a good luck kiss." Gang-Tae felt his brain go offline, shut down. There was no way his brother had actually said what he thought he heard. Sang-Tae was not that crazy. He must have heard wrong. "He's just joking", he smacked his brother, hard, in the stomach, "He has a sick sense of humor, I'll just be going, I'll see you both aft--" "Okay, if you think it'll help." She answered resolutely, calmly approaching him, catching his wrist in her small hand. He held in a gasp. His eyes fixated on her lips, the same lips that had starred in his dreams. He’s never kissed anyone before, but thoughts of doing that with her kept him wake at nights, tossing and turning. At one low point, he had even considered kisses his damn pillow to have some sort of practice for the real thing. 

He couldn’t breathe, it was like all the air had been sucked from the room and his vision blurred until all he could see were her lips. Moving closer, she lifted herself on the tips of her toes, looking like a real ballerina in her black ballet slippers. Her hands taking a hold of his shaking shoulders for balance, and finally soft as a butterfly’s wing, her lips met his cheek. She pressed a little bit harder and with a mwah, it was over. 

Words escaped him. 

“I hope that was enough luck.” With that those final words and a wave, she sauntered away. 

He let out the breath he had been holding in, touching his warm cheek, before turning to his brother in shock and pure jubilation, and did he already say shock? 

“See little brother, I told you all you needed to do was come to me. She seems nice, make sure to keep being a gentle man, impress her.” Sang-Tae clapped him hard on the back, before dragging him back into the court, his legs felt like they jelly.  

They lost the game. He really didn’t care. 

                                                 <3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3

Mun-Yeong hadn’t come to school today, it was her birthday and as usual she was missing. He hoped that meant she had plans with her parents, everyone knew about her parents, her father was a renowned architect known for his amazing skyscrapers in the heart of Seoul and her mother was a famed mystery writer, consistently on the bestseller’s list. Clearly, she had inherited her mother’s passion for words, her own short stories were read by everyone in the school. 

He was sure that her birthday was a huge spectacle in her house, with a banquet of food and gifts that spilled to the floor, she always came in the day after with a new trinket. Gold earrings, a ruby hair pin that made her hair look glossier than normal, designer boots, obviously all birthday gifts. 

That knowledge made him wilt in chagrin as he thought of the measly gift he had gotten for her, when he had mentioned it was her birthday to Sang-Tae he had all but dragged him out the house to purchase a gift for her. “You can’t not get her a gift, haven’t you ever courted a lady before?”  He blushed recalling, the answer was clear, he had never courted anyone and Mun-Yeong was not just anyone, she was perfection.  It was intimidating to say the least. He also wasn’t completely sure what they were? After the kiss incident, they had continued on as normal. 

Greetings in the hallways when they crossed paths, he had started walking her to her class in the morning, happily carrying her books and helping her store them in her homeroom locker. The first time he had felt everyone’s eyes on him in the classroom, as if their presence had paused all conversations in the room. Whispers erupting, “Oh my god are they dating?” “She has never let anyone carry her books before!” “Didn’t she turn down Daniel Choi?” 

Mun-Yeong had acted on as if she didn’t hear the gossip surging around her, instead placing a warm hand on his cheek, thanking him for his help. She sent him off with a honeyed smile, “Thank you. I’ll see you later?” 

He nodded. Walking away, touching his cheek in wonder, again. 

Then it became a routine. He would show up early, waiting for her and carry her books to class, savoring her little touches of gratitude. A warm hand on his cheek, syrupy sweet smiles, eating it all up like he was starved for affection. 

But maybe that’s how friends behaved when they were of opposite sexes, he’d never had a female friend besides Nam Ju-Ri but that was different they barely spoke, he would just find her staring at him at odd times. He didn’t think too much about why. 

Whenever he thought of Mun-Yeong touching others the way she did with him, the urge to punch something came over him. Preferably whoever else was getting her attention. But he never saw her with other boys. Despite all the attention she received, she seemed ignorant to their interest. 

As he caught sight of Seung-Jae he snapped out of his thoughts, he needed to ask her a favor. She was on the phone has he approached her, voice soft but audible, “I’m sorry, do you want me to come over? I can be there in ten minutes..” She trailed off as she turned around to find him standing there. Her eyes lit up as if she had just conjured an extraordinary idea. “You know what, let me call you back. Destiny just showed up.” 

His face twisted in confusion at her words, but he didn’t question her, still thinking of the favor he needed to ask. 

“Moon Gang-Tae, what a pleasant surprise, do you know that today is a very special day?”

Great, they were already on the right track. 

“Yes, I know. I wanted to ask you a favor actually.” 

He had gotten closer to Seung-Jae as a result of hanging out with Mun-Yeong, she was nice and fiercely loyal to her friend. He was happy that Mun-Yeong had a friend like that, at times her other “friends” didn’t seem completely genuine. 

“A favor? What favor? I have something I want to ask you too.” 

She swung her arms, inquisitive look on her round face. 

He clumsily reached into his back, pulling out a box that was wrapped with shiny paper and a simple silver bow. It was thin and rectangular in shape. 

He handed it to Seung-Jae, “Can you...um if you don’t mind, can you give this to Mun-Yeong? It’s nothing special but I wanted to give her a gift.” He mumbled under his breath.

Seung-Jae slowly took the box, surveying it with spacious eyes, illustrating why Mun-Yeong’s playful nickname for her was Bambi. 

“I want to counter your favor with a different favor. Can you bring this to Mun-Yeong yourself?”

He stood silently, perplexed by her question. Why would he do that? He’s never been inside Mun-Yeong’s house, the few times her driver didn’t show up and he walked her home, he had simply done that, walked her home. He would stutter out a quick goodbye and be on his way. 

“You really don’t know huh?” She looked at him like he was the stupidest person on earth before sighing and whispering under her breath, “This guy is really something else.” 

This was hands down the most confounding discussion he had never had. 

“Just take it to her yourself, trust me.” She pushed the box back into his hands, rolling her eyes at him before striding off, “Don’t just stand there. Bring it to her, now.” 

That was how he found himself at the sleek building, twisting his fingers, he didn’t even know how to get to Mun-Yeong. With trepidation, he finally entered going to the front desk, he had never been in a place this fancy. 

“Good afternoon sir, how may I help you?”

“Um...I..um..well.” He floundered over his words, cursing Seung-Jae for placing him in this predicament. Until he got a savior in the form of a snappy, loud driver. 

A strong hand landed on his shoulder and with a jolt, he twisted around, to the calculating eyes of Mun-Yeong’s personal driver, Mr. Lee. 

“Moon Gang-Tae was it? What are you doing here?” 

He felt minuscule under the intense gaze and it took all of his fortitude, not to look away, it felt like a test he couldn’t afford to fail. 

“I am...um I came to bring Mun-Yeong a birthday gift. I know today is her birthday.” 

Mr. Lee’s hand tightened on his shoulder, he quietly winced in pain and then the hand was gone. And he was rewarded with a slight curve of the lip, it was too small to call a smile but it was on its way. 

“Is that so? Okay.” Mr. Lee then turned to the smiling worker at the front desk, and within second he was given a name tag that he carefully placed on his uniform shirt. Moon Gang-Tae. He was informed to go to the sixtieth floor, only one elevator took you there. 

“Don’t hurt her.” Mr. Lee said with iron in his voice, and his steps echoed on the marble floor as he stomped away. 

Gang-Tae stood speechless at his words, hurt her. He would never dream of it. He didn’t have the capacity to even think of hurting her. He was counting the seconds until she decided this friendship was no longer worth her precious time, on that day he would know pain like no other. But him hurt her, inconceivable. 

He shuffled outside the glamorous door, it looked more expensive than everything in his own home. He knew that Mun-Yeong came from wealth, but to see it so visibly was daunting. 

With his heart in his throat, he brought his shivering fist up, curled his fingers and knocked. First softly and when that went unanswered he knocked harder. 

He heard movement behind the door and then she appeared. Looking like a fallen angel in all black, she donned a short black dress with long sleeves and a short pleated shirt, gold buttons shined remarkably on her chest. On her creamy long legs were knee-high socks, his brain stopped and then reset at the sight. 

“Gang-Tae? What are you doing here?” She pulled him in the lavish space, all smooth marble and hard wood. Everything was neat and organized, it looked like something out of an architectural design magazine. 

She looked up at him with dewy eyes and that’s when he noticed the slight red that rimmed them as well. She had been crying and on her birthday, why? That was unacceptable. 

Instinctively he reached out with sure hands, brushing against her eyes, “You’ve been crying? Are you okay?” He yearned to draw her into his arms and fight whoever had made her cry on this special day. 

Her head descended as she rubbed at her eyes, before looking back with a joker smile, only the corners of her mouth moved, “I’m fine. Just had something in my eye.” The lie settled in the air and he allowed her this moment of dishonesty. Sometimes it was hard for him to put his true feelings into words too. Pushing her wouldn’t yield the desired outcome. 

“Anyway, what are you doing here? Did you come to check on me? How did you even get in? I haven’t added you to the guest list yet.”

Yet.  She had plans to add him to some exclusive list, he straightened up in satisfaction. 

“Happy Birthday Mun-Yeong, I brought you a gift.” He pulled the box from where he had it hidden in his pocket, looking away as he pressed it into her hands. 

She gasped, looking between him and the box, unraveling the box and lifting the cover. If he had been looking at her, he would have seen the tears that filled in her eyes, the soft o that formed on her lips, the way her body melted as she saw his present. 

Unfortunately he missed all that. 

On a plush bedding, laid a gold pen, besotted with small diamonds, on the very top sat a larger diamond that sparkled with the natural light that filtered into the room, as she turned it over, her own named stared back at her in looping letters, Ko Mun-Yeong. 

Her silence was unsettling. 

“I know it’s not much....but when I saw it I thought of you. You write such beautiful words, I thought it was..fitting that you have a worthy pen.” 

Silence continued. 

Until there was a whimper and suddenly he had an armful of crying Mun-Yeong. He stood paralyzed as she clutched to him, fingers twisting in his uniform shirt, her tears wet on his chest. Delicately, he brought his arms up to encompass her, trembling fingers on her back and she grounded in closer and that broke his resolve, he wrapped her up tightly, ever so carefully stroking her hair. 

His own heart felt shattered as he felt her break apart in his arms. 

“It’s okay. Don’t cry. Everything is going to be okay.” 

He uttered those words to her, they were lies even to his ears. He was not okay. He needed a minute for his brain to catch up with everything that was occurring. But his drive to protect her overrode his drive to protect himself. 

She tearfully started to talk, “Every year, they tell me they’ll be here. That we’ll eat together as a family, I get so excited. Everyone thinks it’s great having rich parents, but I never see them. I spend all my time alone in this huge apartment, the only person I ever eat with is Sang-In. Then the day after gifts show up, pretty empty gifts that mean nothing to me. I just want...”

The sentence is left incomplete, but the rest is clear, want my parents. I just want love. Zombie Kid becomes clearer. 

“I’m sorry. I’m so sorry.”  He lets her cry into his shirt, until her whimpers peter off. She doesn’t leave his arms, but he feels her head lifting and he glances down to meet her gaze. 

“Gosh, I’m so sorry I cried all over you.” 

“I didn’t mind, I’m glad I was here to be your tissue.” He means it with all his heart. 

She lets out a wet laugh, “You are the most ridiculous person I’ve ever met.” 

You’re the most amazing person I’ve ever met. One day he’ll say it out loud. 

“I’m relieved my awful gift didn’t make you cry, my brother always says I’m a horrible gift giver.” He reaches back to scratch his neck nervously. 

She looks back down at the pen with wonder-filled eyes, “I love it. It’s the best gift I’ve ever received, every time I write I’ll think of you.” 

Their eyes meets and its as if there is a gravitational pull, she grabs his shoulders and he finds himself leaning down bridging the gap between them, their lips inching closer and closer together, his heart thumping out of his chest, he’s sure she can hear it. She licks her delectable lips, now millimetres away and then his stomach grumbles loudly. The sound loud enough to smack them out of the moment, he violently blushes, wishing that he would sink into the ground. 

Her light giggle permeates the air and as he watches the joy on her face, his shame fades, he would be the butt of every joke if it meant seeing her smile. 

                            <3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3

He hadn’t expected her to agree, actually hadn’t even meant to ask her, but as usual when around her his brain wasn’t able to function properly. That’s how he found himself inviting her for dinner at his house. Her enthusiasm was unanticipated therefore he knew that he couldn’t rescind the invitation after seeing her elation.  

Alas, they got on a bus and ventured off to his house, he was too terrified of her driver to accept her offer to have him drive them, and once she had put on heeled boots he knew he wouldn’t let her walk the distance. 

Her beauty did not go unnoticed on the bus ride, several times he found himself seething at random men who deemed it appropriate to devour her with their eyes. He didn’t notice her knowing smile as he had placed his body directly behind her, shielding her from their hunger gaze. 

It was with a huge sigh of relief that they finally exited the bus and made the quick walk to his humble abode. Their fingers brushing, the temptation to clasp her hand in his was astronomical. But he fought it off, too much of a coward for something so bold and revealing. 

His house was nothing compared to her luxurious apartment but still her first words were, “It’s lovely.” And his... fondness grew, if that was even possible. 

They both removed their shoes at the door, and his mother’s voice shouted out at the familiar sound, “You’re home a bit late, we were just about to start eating without you.”

He’d thought of calling ahead and asking threatening Sang-Tae to be on his best behavior, he knew they would both make a big deal about this, he’d never brought a girl home before, and never thought his first would be the girl of his dreams but his life was out of control lately. But he’d gotten distracted by the creeps on the bus and defending Mun-Yeong had taken priority. 

“Hi mom, actually.... um I have a...guest.” 

“Oh, is it Jae-Su? Come on in sweetie, I made more than enough food, he can join us.” 

Then he heard Sang-Tae join in, “No, tell him to go eat at his house. He’s always here, doesn’t he have his own family? Little punk.” 

He heard his mother’s resounding smack and Sang-Tae’s answering cry of pain and he walked further into his house, Mun-Yeong following closely behind with folded hands in front of her. He’d never seen her nervous before. 

All of  a sudden, her hand grabbed onto his arm, stalling his progression. He looked at her in question, watching as she nervously fixed her already faultless hair, “How do I look? Do I look okay?” 

She couldn’t be serious. He searched her face for the joke but found nothing but earnest honesty. That took his head for a spin, she didn’t know she was perfect. Wow. 

“You look pretty.” He found himself saying exactly what was on his mind for once, and was instantly glad about his decision, she rewarded him with the most brilliant smile, he desperately hopelessly wanted to kiss it and see if it tasted as mouthwatering as it looked. 

“Listen, it’s not that I don’t like you but you gotta eat at your house.....”  Sang-Tae’s voice trailed off as he rounded the corner and his eyes landed on them, then settling on just Mun-Yeong, his eyes widening in shock and then mischief. Gang-Tae mentally groaned. 

“Brother you brought your pretty...lady friend! How wonderful! Why didn’t you say so? She is always welcome here, come in, come in. Don’t spend all evening in the doorway.” He watched as his brother took Mun-Yeong by her shoulder, guiding her into the house, excitement bubbling in his voice. 

He followed behind them. 

Dinner was loud as usual with his family, he was scared that she would feel overwhelmed but after a few wide-eyed stares she joined the ruckus. Answering all of Sang-Tae’s ludicrous questions and politely complimenting his mother’s cooking, causing her to blush and wave it off.  With a heavy heart he realized that the most important people in his life were all in this room. He blinked away the happy tears that gathered in his eyes as he slurped his noodles. 

“So Mun-Yeong, you look beautiful today.” His mother gestured at her outfit, “Is it a special occasion? Or..”  She nodded and quietly stated, “Yes. Today is my birthday.” 

Gang-Tae watched more questions wash over his family’s face. Why was she spending it here with them? Why wasn’t she with her family? But with a quick slap of his hand on the table, he got their attention and firmly shook his head, no. They understood. 

“Well, thank you for joining us on such a special day. We should sing for you.”

His mother found some candles in a drawer and they stuck it in a cupcake, with only the soft glow from the candle, they sang for her, all ignoring the wetness that swam in her eyes.  Happy birthday to you. 

He waited with her outside, an old jacket of his wrapped around her slender figure, he’d noticed her shivering and shed the jacket immediately to give to her, ignoring her arguments. Lifting her hand and placing it on his stomach, “It’s okay I run hot.” Her fingers had trembled at bit on his stomach, sudden heat in her eyes as well before she drew her fingers back. 

Mr. Lee had sounded surprised that she was not home but had agreed to come collect her. 

The wind blew as they waited for him, sitting on the steps at the entrance of his house. She looked so small swimming in his jacket. His eyes darkened with desire seeing her wrapped up in him. 

“Usually, I spend my birthday alone, ignoring Sang-In and Seung-Jae because I want to believe my parents are going to show up. It’s always so shitty, but today, it wasn’t shitty at all. That’s thanks to you. You always show up when I need you.” 

He tried to decipher the emotion brimming in her eyes, but couldn’t quite place them, he had to be projecting, it was impossible that she was looking at him, the way he looked at her. His brain and his heart warred, screaming opposite messages rendering him lost. 

Then in the blink of an eye, he was found. 

Easily closing the distance between them, her lips found his, a soft press, skin against skin, time slowed down and all he could hear was their staggered breathing. He felt his body move on auto pilot, his hand reaching out to cradle her head, deepening the kiss, her mouth slide open and his tongue slithered in. Her taste exploded on his taste buds and he was eager for more. Her hands sunk into his thick hair, tugging softly, bursts of pain shot through his scalp and he moaned in pleasure. She crawled into his lap and he held on for dear life, pulling her back when she shifted away, lifting her easily and swallowing her gasp. 

They pulled apart with puffy wet lips, the desire in her eyes hitting him like a tidal wave. 

“Where did you learn to kiss like that? How many girls are you saving?” She panted out teasingly, but he could hear an edge of truth in her voice, he blushed both at her inquiry and how unbelievably sexy she sounded. 

“No one. Just you. It’s always been just you.” 

“Good.” And he was pulled into another mind-melting kiss. 

                     <3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3<3

Suspended. For a week. Principal Oh had scolded him until his ears were scarlet, he’d sat squirming as the man berated him for using his fists instead of his words. His mother was not going to be happy with him, his grades were subpar at most, Mun-Yeong had tried tutoring him but they often got..distracted and most session would end with someone’s tongue in the other’s mouth. It was the absolute best. 

Jae-Su had also not been happy with him, “You’re my best friend what I am going to do without you for a week? Why did you have to punch him? What’s wrong with you lately?”

He hadn’t meant to really, it was like his body went primal and when he came back he was smashing in Daniel’s pompous face. He’d stayed late for practice, Mun-Yeong seeing him off with a warm kiss and “Have a good practice” and he still wasn’t used to that, the fact that he got to have that. Her kisses and her hugs and her smiles. They were all gifts and somehow he’d been lucky enough to be on the receiving end of those precious things. 

That’s when he had heard the voice, “You know she’s just trying to make me jealous right? There’s no way she’d choose you over me, girls like her they enjoy the chase.” The smarmy voice invaded his ears and he walked around him, pushing back his angry and insecurity. He, himself had thought similar ideas before, wondered what a girl like her could see in a guy like him? But she was steadfast, always quick to praise him and tell him what a great boyfriend he was, how happy he made her.  Soon, her words soaked into his skin and he started to believe her. He clung to that now. 

“Or maybe she likes slumming it, has some weird fantasy about being with someone beneath her. Bet she likes it roug--” And he never got to finish that disgusting sentence because Gang-Tae’s fist interrupted, slamming hard into his mouth, Daniel grabbed his face in shocked pain and suddenly they were wrestling limps on the ground. Coach had been the one to break them up, all of his basketball teammates looking on in awe, in pure disbelief at the participants of the fight. 

He sighed at the memory, it wasn’t his proudest moment, he was of the mindset that fighting didn’t solve anything but damn it had felt good to knock the smug smile off that bastard’s face. He could eat shit in the nicest way possible. 

However, now with time process, he was definitely second guessing his sporadic decision, how would Mun-Yeong feel about his fighting? She had mentioned on many occasions that she hated men who acted like women were a prize to be fought over, that’s why she loved how calm and rational he was. He groaned. 

He was so lost in his thoughts, that he missed the knock at his door. Then he jumped as it turned to pounding. He dropped the towel filled with ice that he was using to ice his knuckles and went to the door, cautiously pulling it open. 

Mun-Yeong instantly pushed her way in, speedily removing her shoes, before taking his hand and dragging him into his living room. She shoved him into the couch before plopping next to him. 

The stark anger on her pretty face shifted to worry when she saw the various bruises on his face, his lip was busted and he had a cut next to his right eye. it stung a little but he had carefully cleaned it when he got home, employing all the first aid techniques his mother had taught him. 

“I heard you got suspended! What happened? Why didn’t you call me right away? Who were you fighting? Are you crazy?” She fired off question after question, voice raising in octave after each other and he placed a finger on her lips to stop the diatribe of words. 

“I can’t answer your questions, if you keep asking me new ones.” 

She scoffed crossing her arms but quieted down, looking at him expectedly, okay go ahead, explain. 

“Well as you heard I got into a fight. I’m not proud of that but he had it coming, I would do it again.” He answered with conviction, her eyebrows lifted in surprise at his eyes. 

“What were you fighting about?”

The one question he didn’t want to answer. He loathed the idea of being another neanderthal in her eyes, someone who couldn’t control themselves and lashed out like a child. That wasn’t who he was, but his actions today said otherwise. The last thing he wanted was for her view of him to be altered. Losing her would break him, he knew it. 

But he also couldn’t lie. When they had stumbled into this relationship, she’d made him swear that no matter how painful it may be, she always wanted the truth in its entirety. Up until today, that had been an easy request to honor. 

So he stayed silent. 

She moved closer, gentle fingers brushing over his bruises, pulling back as he winced. “Tell me, why did you fight today?”

With a quiet plead he begged, “Please, I don’t want to.” 

With finality she responded, “It was about me then, you fought someone trying to defend me.”

His head snapped up to look at her- how an earth did she know?-  expecting to see disappointment and instead he was met with....passion? She took his silence as agreement and her next words knocked him off his feet, “I know I shouldn’t but I find that really.....hot.” 

He gaped at her and suddenly, she lunged at him and he was knocked onto his back on the couch, her body smashed against his. “Will it hurt if I kiss you?” She breathlessly asked and he grabbed her neck, pulling her into a heated kiss. Wet tongues twirling and stroking, her breath hitched when he grabbed her waist, dragging her impossibly closer. Wet smacks reverberated in the room and he hissed when he felt her cool fingers creep under his shirt, nails scratching across his abs. 

The first time she’d seen him shirtless, she had gasped and then reached out with a bold hand, caressing his skin, “Mmmm all mine.” His cheeks had burned but he hadn’t argued, he was all hers, there was no competition. 

But they hadn’t gone beyond kissing yet, she would eagerly reach under his shirt during their make out sessions but he had yet to return the favor, despite her encouragement. He was scared of his own reaction. 

She loved bulldozing over his comfort zone though and seeming emboldened today she leaned back, he missed her body on his instantly, suppressing his own sad whimper, he raptly watched her.  She plucked his hands from there stationary position on his sides and lifted them, then slowly she brought them closer to herself. Soon the destination became clear. 

Her breast. 

His hands tense in fear and anticipation, before he felt the soft mounds underneath his hands. Electricity rapidly moved through his fingers. “Touch me.” She whispered with a sultry look from beneath dark lashes and he squeezed. 

She easily climbed into his lap, rejoining their lips, forcing his mouth open with her tongue, as she moaned at his hands exploration of her breast, he could feel her hard nipples through the thin material of her uniform shirt. She began to grind on his him, he realized with thunderous clarify that he was hard, all of the blood surging to his burgeoning erection. 

Instinctively, he grinded up into her, moving one hand to tug her skirt up and out of the way, groaning at the sudden heat he could feel though her panties. She was panting, bobbing in his lap, as they grinded through their clothes. 

Wet mouths met over and over, until they just hovered over each other’s lips, breathing into each other as their bodies met in harsh collisions. She was moving faster now, grinding with intent as he roughly handled her breasts and he felt the moment she reached euphoria, she threw her head back, nails digging into her shoulder as she shuddered in his arms. 

He watched her face intently, her pretty red lips, her eyes closed in pleasure and that was all it took to push him over the edge, his orgasm knocked him back, his vision clouded up and he groaned at the warm stickiness in his pants. 

“Next time we’ll do that with less clothes.” 

He mewled at her words, too spent to become hard again so soon. 

After freshening up in the bathroom, she’d dragged him into his bed, snuggling into his arms, he started to pull away knowing that this was a dangerous game they were playing, they couldn’t fall asleep. His mother was accepting but even she would not want two horny teenagers in bed in her house. She soothed him, “Don’t worry, I’m not staying I just want to cuddle a little. I set an alarm, I’ll leave soon. Just hold me.”

He wrapped her up in his arms, as she placed her hand and head on his chest. Fingers rapping on his chest before she fell into a deep slumber. He watched her sleeping face in awe, she was his girlfriend and they had just...did that on the couch. 

He felt his own eyes getting heavy with sleep, and soon started to drift off too, for once not having any dreams, because his biggest dream was already a reality. 

[sweetestlamb]

Stronger Part 4 (A New Day Has Come)

Summary: Mun-yeong spends some time with someone important and a gets a surprise.

Author's Note: Got an annoying comment on this story yesterday and it motivated me to write lol so thanks! Hope you guys like and comments, that motivate me even more 😉🥰 nothing like love to drive out hate! The story is coming to an end unfortunately, I'm thinking 2 more chapters maybe three. If I had time I would drag it out for 9 😂😂 but schools start Monday so there goes my life. Happy reading y'all.

Solitude gripes at her insanity, tearing her apart until she succumbs to the thoughts that plague her mind of her inadequacies and how insignificant she is to those around her.

Being around Sang-tae oppa fills a portion of the void in your chest but his presence only reminds her further of another that she's dreadfully missing, his messages overflow her phone now. Taking a swift turn from condescending to something sweeter and more pleading. It takes every ounce of restraint in her body not to open them, relying on the bits she can see in the previews. Fully turning a blind eye to him is beyond difficult for her, every atom of her being is calling out for him.

She has dragged herself from the car too many times, desperate to run to him and soothe his pain, eager to see what he wants to talk about, maybe just maybe he's ready to apologize and unclench the clamp he placed on her heart that day on the beach.

But.

What if he isn't? What if he wants to share more of his past with her in the hopes that she'll overlook all that came before. In the past that might have been the case, she had been ever forgiving, something that only he was privy to. But his words ring in her ears- one time event, get lost- invading her dreams and taking the place of her mother's floating figure terrorizing her nightly.

Somewhere along the way she realized that she puts him first, his emotions and comfort have taken precedent over her own and when she'd searched what exactly that meant the answer made her head spin.

A four letter word that most humans will experience except Ko Mun-yeong.

She's much too selfish and destructive to be ever love or be loved by another, she knows that know. When he'd finally opened up to her, there'd been a plethora of emotions that clawed to the surface and vengeance had been one of them, it wasn't enough that he was sharing his darkest secrets because of everything she'd been through to get there. It was as if he'd stabbed her in the chest, left her bleeding only to return and patch up her wounds, too much had occurred and the scarring remained.

So she left in the middle of the night, abandoned that godforsaken place, stuffing expensive fabrics in a vintage Louis Vuitton luggage set, eager to escape the dead silence that rang out in the castle without the Moon brothers pumping life back into it.

In the end she didn't go far, finding a guest house that reminded her of that brief getaway with him, she paid for the week and turned off her phone fielding persistent check in calls from Sang-in. Gang-tae hadn't tried to call merely texting that they should talk and it was almost laughable that despite his seeming desperation he still seemed reluctant to go the full mile. Only her deep rooted sadness stopped her from chuckling at her circumstances, what a tragic mess.

She didn't let his current persistence fool her, fool me once shame on you fool me twice, well everyone knew the rest. It was time she stopped looking like a fool. Regardless of what she felt for him she knew that that this couldn't be, he'd been right all along.

I hope I never see you again.

So much heart ache could have been prevented if she'd heeded his warning. So she was doing it now, her anger had fizzled off tempering into bitter acceptance.

He would give up soon enough, that was his style.

The woman in charge of the guest house steers clear of her and the first day she lays carelessly on the bed roll, not even bothering to comb her hair. Simply, being. It's intoxicating and new, her phone remains turned off tossed to the side as she thinks about nothing- ignoring the way that nothing something has deep sad eyes and a bowl hair cut. She's trying to think about nothing and that's what counts.

She has food delivered and it's strange to eat something that isn't a Subway sandwich after all the food Sang-in as been bringing her and temporarily guilt forms in the pit of her belly, he's probably going crazy trying to locate her but she's just not ready. She's still tired. Bone chilling fatigue.

The next day she walks down a dirt road, her long white dress dragging on the ground, dirtied but the thin material allows a passing breeze to wash across her body and she's content, staring at the sky and thinking of nothing. She spots a lone bird sitting in a tree and wonders if all the other birds have left it behind, whether it has nowhere to go and no one to see. Then she berates herself for worrying about a bird, all this time alone is pushing the limits of her sanity.

The days bleed into each other, dawn folding into dusk with watercolor skies and earthy morning dew.

She tries to write but it's hard to get any words down that aren't depressing and she can't think of any morals or lessons besides don't let anyone in.

Then she tries her hand at drawing, a portrait of her twisting a deer's neck.

The guest house keeper asks her if she hates bears the next day and that's the end of that endeavor.

The week is coming to an end and she's no where closer to knowing what to do, maybe it's time to go back to Seoul, leave this all behind like a bad dream.

When she finally deems herself mentally prepared she turns on her phone, pinging and vibrating from all the forlorn messages, sputtering in her hand as she watches in shock. As expected Sang-in has called and messaged and threatened, she smirks at his empty threats, heart slightly warmed.

Ju-ri, Seung-jae, Sang-tae, and him. All their names flash on her screen. Surprising her, as she'd never expect them to notice her disappearance. Much less reach out to her. Strange. But she writes it off, maybe Sang-in had roped them all into it. With trepidation she opens her messenger and responds to one, keeping a promise, with a few presses and a selfie she sends the message and closes the phone with a sigh.

Done.

The next day the clouds are smoggy ash grey in the sky, darkening the skies into something fierce and she pulls on a sweater and forgoes an umbrella welcoming the storm. Electricity swelters in the thick air causing a sheen of sticky perspiration to cling to her skin. She dons a simple sleeveless mini dress and sandals, trekking to the familiar dirt road.

She walks for hours, aimlessly without a care or worry in her head. Thoughts of him still push their way in at times but she's come to accept that as her baseline, once she returns to Seoul he will be nothing but a faint memory of the time she dreamed too big.

The first drop of rain on her skin makes goose pimples explode across her flesh, fat and chilled as they cascade from the atmosphere. Turning her head up towards the heavens she grins bitterly at nothing, her whole life has been nothing but rain, the moment is oddly fitting.

Mud splatters to her feet coating her toes in sloshy brown that slides between her toes, drenched from the downpour she slowly walks back no haste in her movement, steady footsteps despite the speed of the rain as it pelts against her.

The guest house comes back into sight as she meanders to the gate, vaguely remembering that she'd pulled it shut yet the doors now swing open. Blaming that on the rain she steps through, pulling it shut behind her continuing to stride to the steps.

As she hears the sliding door she eyes catch a figure blurry through the watery sheet in front of her eyes, the voice calling her name stops her in her tracks, no longer able to pretend that it's a mirage.

Her eyes aren't deceiving her, there he is. Once again finding her in the rain, except this time she doesn't need to be saved, she'll be the one doing the saving. For them both.

She takes him in, the rain soaking his hair flat onto his face, clothes plastered to his body as he stands eerily still, dark pools intensely taking her in as well.

After the slight hiccup, she continues walking taking off her sullied sandals and tossing them to the side and then she places her hand on the door, prepared to enter and forget what she saw. Ignorance is bliss.

"Mun-yeong."

All he has to say to get her heart pounding like a drum, she screams in her mind. That time spent apart should have made this easier, why didn't this feel easy? All the fatigue that she'd been running from hits her like a freight train crashing through her passive wall.

"Get lost."

He moves to block her way and her rage simmers below the surface.

"I've been worried about you. We all were so worried. You can't just leave like that, why did you go without saying anything?" His voice is wavering between anger and something softer, more human that makes his voice crack on the last syllable.

"Move."

She's not ready to assess what his being here means, what his voice and his concern mean. None of it makes sense and she's going to file it all under: unexplained phenomenon.

"Can't we talk first, please?"

"I don't want to talk." She sidesteps him, reaching once more for the door.

"Mun-yeong let me explain, let me make this right. I'm sor--"

"Shut up. I said I didn't want to talk. Go back you saw me, I'm alive you don't need to say anything more."

She's not sure she'll be able to contain herself if he says anything else, she's already dangling off the cliff. She can't allow herself to fall and burst apart.

"No! Why are you pushing me away? I need you! I told you I needed you I meant that, you can't just run away damn it."!

She stares blankly before her throat croaks and laughter tumbles from her lips. Deep belly chuckles that shake her body viciously.

Then quick as a switch the laughter stops.

Diamond hard gaze locked on his bewildered face before she speaks, "You think you're the only one who wanted? Do you? I wanted you to stay. I wanted you to fight for me, to let me in. I wanted you to see that I was hurt and apologize and mean it. You think a kiss is enough, you think telling me everything is enough after you break my heart? It's not!" Her voice pierces through the cacophonous drone of the rain beating the world, crying its heart out.

He jolts at her pained cries, fingers reaching for her but she immediately moves out of reach feeling naked and raw under his stare.

You broke my heart.

She's shown too much of her cards already, it's too late to bluff.

So she'll take a page from his book.

Throwing the door open and slamming it shut, holding it tight.

He doesn't try to open it. She sighs in relief leaning back against the hard wood, feeling all the fight evacuate her body.

He's probably gone. You pushed him too hard. Who are you to reject him? No one else will ever tolerate you.

Her thoughts don't scare her, just like Gang-tae had chosen his brother and the life he knew she was doing the same, choosing herself and the loneliness she'd grown accustomed to. Why give him another chance to throw her away he was clearly capable of it, it was only a matter of time she wouldn't change. Couldn't change. Immovable object.

The rain falls and falls, washing everything away and making the world anew. She lays on her back wondering how far he's gotten in this downpour. How had he even found her? All questions she'll never get the answers to.

Sleep tugs her eyelids shut as her thoughts swirl until they too fade to black.

Hands held high over her head, she pulls her tired bones feeling the tension melt with each stretch. Gathering clothes to take a much needed bath she carelessly tugs the door open only to jump back when he almost tumbles into her room.

What.

"What? What are you doing here?" She shrieks, avoiding collision by the barest inch.

"Waiting for you."

She blinks at him, taking in his drenched clothes-noting his shivers- and the dark circles that sink into the skin beneath his eyes, resembling a raccoon.

Had he slept outside all night? And if he had was he insane, why didn't he go back home?

"Why didn't you go back? Are you crazy? You can't sleep outside in the rain!"

She blushes at her outburst, slapping a hand over her traitorous mouth. He merely looks at her, she overlooks the tender glint in his eyes.

Stepping forward he grabs her hand, she fights to pull her appendage away but he tightens his grip which contrasts immensely with the softness in his eyes.

Voice like warm honey he answers, "Because you're here and I.....need you. I'm not going anywhere."

The sun shines brightly outside as a new day rises somewhere in the distance a lone bird's call is answered by another.