Finale: She’s The Bridegroom

Mindara Manaying

“Omm, please reschedule all appointments and meeting for today to next week. I’m taking day off.” My secretary nodded but her eyes were all fixated on Kimhan as if she has never seen such human figure in her entire life. The secretary was the one who managed to find us that morning. According to her, she had a strange instinct about me because she couldn’t reach me via phone call last evening.

“Done staring?” I pluck a finger right in front of her face. Omm was taken back to reality.

“You know each other?” She queried out of blue.

“Pardon?”

“You know Ms. Kimhan? I mean you’re close or something?” It just sounded odd there.

“Yeah…What’s up?” Omm was conflicted when she noticed that I began to do my signature gesture.

“Oh nothing. By the way Ms. Pie, your lipstick gets pretty messed up there. Go fix your look before you leave the building.” Omm said and stifled a smile.

I looked at Kimhan whose face has heated up, flushing red. How could I be that careless?

******

“Come in,” Kimhan trailed after me once I invited her into the house. The entire scenery of my apartment must have mesmerized her because her eyes just couldn’t stop wandering around, taking a grasp of how the place looked like.

“It’s comfy here.” She complimented, flashing her radiant smile at me.

I voluntarily return the smile as if I was enchanted by hers. “You’re the first guest I’ve ever invited here.”

“Wow should I say that I’m honoured.” She played along and I threw her a look.

“Come here, let’s finish what’s undone.” I beckoned to her.

“Are you serious?” It caught her off guard instantly. I saw she gulped nervously, frantic at the thought of what this signal would end up to.

“Aha, gotcha! I’m kidding. Let’s shower and go out for breakfast. I’m starving.” Kimhan’s tensed shoulders eased a little and I heard her let out a soft sigh of relief.

I made my way to the bedroom, leaving the startled one behind. “Kimhan, you coming?” I called from the inside.

“What?” It puzzled her.

“I thought we’re going to shower together?”

“You’re such a tease!”

*******

“Why’d you keep staring at me? My lipstick smeared again is it?”

“No, it’s not. I just miss you.” She paused momentarily. “You’re heavenly gorgeous. It’s like you never aged a bit.” She added the compliment.

“Did you do this to other girls as well?” I played offended.

Kimhan laughed, shaking her head in response. “Pie, do you mind if I ask you to come back to me? Be with me, again?” It was straight to the point, out of the blue.

Honestly I was not prepared even though I have expected such question would come out from sooner or later. Seeing my startled state, Kimhan continued, “I have been thinking a lot for the past years we spent apart. We don’t need legal marriage to prove our kind of love, Pie. Why do we need to have children to ensure we stay together when in reality, married couples with children still left and being selfish? Why we need to do that just for us to look like a normal family in the eyes of the society? I don’t want you to feel that you’re constricted and burdened with the marriage term. I just want you to be yourself and live just the way you wanted it to be. I don’t mind spending my entire life to convince you that I love you with all my heart, Pie. I’ll try my best to make it work for us. That’s more than enough for me.”

“I…I don’t know what to say.” I lost my words just because I had a lot in my mind at once.

“It’s alright. Take your time. Now, eat up. Let’s do something fun today.” Kimhan eased up the tense in the air.

“Does something fun? Like what?” A little feel of excitement sparked inside me all at once for no reason.

“I’m unsure about that. Maybe do something you wanna do but never had the chance to do so. We have a lot to catch up, right?” She said.

“I believe I don’t have anything in mind at the moment. Let’s just go for groceries shopping and cook at home? I miss your cooking.”

“Sure. Anything for you, love.” Kimhan surely knew how to get into my heart by saying so. I found myself smiling like a fool. Is this how it feels to be touched by the sense of love, again?

******

“I like this feeling.” I heard she said.

“Do you mind to elaborate?” I didn’t bother to look up at her because I just love how she played with my hair with that delicate touch. We were cuddling in bed after a pleasant lunch just now. It has been some time since the last time I had a home cook meal. It felt surreal.

“I love this feeling of having you in my arms and spending time with you, just two of us without disturbances.” Kimhan said, pausing momentarily just to give me a kiss on the forehead.

“Me too. I like it so much that you’re here.”

“I hope I found you sooner but you’re too good at hiding and avoiding me. At certain point of life, I thought I almost give up. You gone without a trace and nobody ever talked about you anymore. I was devastated.” Kimhan sighed and I felt she tighten her held around me.

“I didn’t wish to be found. That’s it. I was upset with everything.” I told her.

“I’m sorry…”

“No need to apologize. You did nothing wrong. The problem was with me. I spent an endless time in the past with resentment and grudges towards you, blaming you for the carelessness due to my desperation. I wanted to put the blame on you when all the mistakes were coming from me. I pushed you beyond your limit, I gave you countless hard times and I doubted you for everything you did for us. I realized I was the bad figure in the relationship. I wrecked us apart and I’m sorry because I wasn’t expressive enough to show how much I actually long for you and by the time the realization struck me, it was too late.” I poured out everything I should have told her years ago.

Kimhan didn’t immediately react but let a soft sigh. “It’s alright, honey. I understand you were just shock with what was happening. It was just too much, I believed. If I were you, I would freak out to death too. It wasn’t your entire fault. I should have considered your state and reputation before I accepted the offer but I didn’t. I was selfish too because I was as desperate as you were during that time. Let’s just assume that it was fate that brought us together.” Kimhan soothed me.

“Anyway, I’ve been wondering this for quite some time. Why did you quit teaching?” Kimhan couldn’t wait and I knew she would be asking.

“I planned for it. At first I ask P’Van a favour; that’s for him to write me a supporting letter for a transfer. I wished to come back to the city. However then, I changed my mind. I came back to your place that day to discuss with you about the matter. I thought, well perhaps if I were to work on my own, I don’t have to worry about society discrimination. I wanted to tell you that ‘let’s get out of here. We can start fresh. We can begin where nobody cares about us. I want a future with you.’” I told her.

“And the incident happened.” Kimhan continued after me, finishing the narration. I nodded in agreement.

“I was hurt, jealous to be true, when I witness everything. I wanted to explode but I couldn’t. I was mad, upset and even felt like a fool for having such futuristic thought. I just…” I couldn’t finish my words when suddenly Kimhan claimed my mouth with hers, quieting me down with a kiss.

I held my breath, unprepared by that sudden move. She let me go when she noticed I was about out of breath. It wasn’t long until she claimed my mouth with hers again. There she began, making me insane with her enchanted kiss. I knew it was just a consoling kiss at first but seconds later it heated up to another level. It’s the combination of ‘I miss you’ and ‘I’ve been craving for you’ for so long but I guessed the later was a stronger force. Last night scene filled my mind, reminded me how she would taste like. Now that we have the room to ourselves, nothing could stop us anymore.

“I love you.” Kimhan paused, making an eye contact with me.

“I’m all yours.” I lost in her stare.

With that being said Kimhan waited no longer. I felt her warm breath down my neck as she gave me soft kisses all the way to my collarbone. I sighed softly, counting the seconds before I completely losing my mind. I felt Kimhan’s hand sneaking to the edge of my shirt, slowly lifting it up above my chest. The accidental touch on my caused my breath to hitch. It was like an activated button, the sanity inside me has gone.

“I’ve never done this…”I muttered but I didn’t stop her.

“You want me to stop?” She asked, concerned but I shook my head. She could have seen my face turned red. Kimhan smiled, claiming my lips all over again. “Just take it easy, okay?” She whispered and without I realized it, she already shoved my shirt away, leaving me half there.

******

It was late in the evening when the strike of light blinded my sight momentarily. “Hey, you awake?” Kimhan’s voice caught my hearing. I searched for her just to find out that she was staring at me from a distance. She made herself seated comfortably at the couch nearby the bed.

“I must have passed out.” Kimhan let out a soft chuckle upon hearing me.

“I supposed you had a pleasant long nap.” She said, making her way to my direction. “I got to go,” Kimhan blurted all of sudden.

“But you just got here. Could you please stay for another day?” I pouted and the feeling emptiness started to fill in.

“I got works to do back at the farm. I promise I’ll come back .” Kimhan consoled me with a forehead kiss. She has been doing it a lot lately. I liked it so much that I couldn’t resist.

“You know I’m not letting you walk away for what you have done earlier.” I threatened her with a look.

“And just so you know, I am not letting you go anywhere either. Not anymore. I’ll see you soon, okay? Be a good girl,” Kimhan replied and the waiting game began.

******

It has been two weeks after we reconciled yet I barely heard much from Kimhan since she decided to go back to her place. We texted sometimes but she would be gone for hours before she could reply me. I started to become furious but managed to keep it at bay. I should have understood her job scope. She wasn’t sitting around like me, pleasantly in air-conditioning room. She was at field, vast, humid and sweaty.

“Omm, did you receive anything? Something anonymous or anything for me?” I queried as soon as the secretary made her way into my private office.

“I’m afraid I don’t quite understand what you mean by that but yes today someone sent you a parcel.” Omm said. I hurriedly walk to her side just to see what she brought me.

“Do you know the sender?” I queried, careful at once for it might be dangerous to me.

“It’s written, Flora King here, clearly stated that it’s just a bouquet of flower. Maybe it’s from one of your suitors.” Omm said, checking it twice for me.

I cringed inside at the mention of suitors.

“Alright. Thanks anyway. You may leave now.” I rushed her out because I already knew who the sender was. It must be Kimhan.

‘Roses are red, violets are blue. In the entire world, there’s no one prettier than you.’ I read the message on the card. Cheesy!