Sequel Part ll

Five days passed like a wind and it is already the final day of the couple’s vacation. Technically, their last day is tomorrow but since they have to catch a flight back to Korea at ten the next morning, it is not really counted as a day.

During those five days, the pair creates more precious memories by visiting all sorts of places such as the beach, Disneyland Resort and a zipline tour in Santa Margarita. Mi Joo has the opportunity to meet Mark’s friends again when they were at a beach in San Diego. It is really pleasant to see them once more. As much as she cannot wait to head back to South Korea, Mi Joo will surely miss the quality time she spent in California over the past few days.

Since today is the day, the guy is feeling all jittery and his heart is beating against his chest loudly even though he tries to calm down by taking long deep breaths. Mark could not possibly mess up this special day which will bore so much meaning to them in the future. He checks one last time that the red velvet box is in the pocket of his dress pants while he waits for Mi Joo who is currently getting ready. Everything must be perfect today.

The girl appears in a simple maroon dress not long after and Mark smiles in delight, watching Mi Joo descends the stairs. The dress looks so plain with only small diamond pieces decorating round the waist. It does not look all that fancy but yet gives off such an elegant vibe. Lovely just the way Mark likes it. Mi Joo’s black stiletto clicks as she walks down, her glossy black hair bounces with each step she takes. She grips her black clutch on her right hand, seeing the glow in Mark’s face when he offers his hand as he helps her with the last step.

“You look beautiful as always,” Mark grins through his words and the girl can only smile bashfully in return. Mr. and Mrs. Tuan are also in awe as they notice the stunning visual of their soon-to-be daughter in-law. They cannot help but admire Mi Joo’s growing beauty especially Mrs. Tuan who look at her dreamily, a sigh unintentionally escaping from her lips.

“I am so happy for you,” Mrs. Tuan says without indicating who she is specifically referring to. She looks at Mi Joo before shifting her attention to her son, giving him a meaningful smile and a pat on his shoulder.

Mark and Mi Joo bid their goodbyes to the two elders before heading out. Mark turns to get one final glance of his parents, only to see his mom silently crying with his dad comforting the woman. She is really so happy.

Being a gentleman he is, Mark pulls the door for Mi Joo to enter before he hops into the driver’s seat and takes off to the restaurant to have their dinner. Spending more than five years with the guy, Mi Joo can tell he is nervous for whatever so reason. The radio is which is something Mark will do to distract his mind off something during a ride.

Plus, given the fact that Mark has been acting all weird and fishy over the past days, only heightens her suspicion. She knows very well that whenever Mrs. Tuan says an ambiguous statement, Mark will stiffen up at her vague words and quickly mention something else instead. Something is definitely going on without the girl’s knowledge and she wonders what is making him so anxious.

“You alright?” Mi Joo asks, a tone of worry can be perceived.

“Yes. Do I not seem alright to you?” Mark questions with a slight chuckle. The fact that Mi Joo can sense something is up certainly doubles the nervousness in his body.

“Mm… Never mind. I cannot wait to eat at the restaurant your friends recommended earlier,” Mi Joo says, changing the topic in an instant. And yes, Mark’s friends accidentally spit out the said restaurant that he is planning to surprise her himself. They have to cover up their mistake by making a bunch of excuses, stating that the restaurant is the best in California when even they themselves did not eat in it before. The first surprise is already spoiled and Mark prays that nothing more can go wrong today.

Mark interlaces his fingers within the girl’s when they reach the destination. He gently guides Mi Joo the way, fear she will get lost in the sea of people. This causes her heart to flutter even after all these years and she beams secretly at his never dying affection towards her.

“Hi, I made a reservation for two under the name Mark Tuan,” Mark informs the manager who leads the way to their reserved table.

The place is packed, considering it is one of the famous fine dining outlets in the area. The couple walks on the carpet which is of a rich burgundy colour that complemented well with the beige walls. The walls itself is filled with abstract paintings and up on the ceiling are modern crystal chandeliers that brightly lit up the space.

Mi Joo sits on the black leather chair which Mark kindly pulls out for her. She is stun with the captivating sight of the restaurant’s interior since she has never seen a place as sophisticated as this before. Mark, a first timer in this restaurant as well is amaze by the breathtaking design and he silently thank his father for he is the one who recommended the place.

After scanning through the menu, Mark calls upon a waiter who begins taking down his order. The waiter excuses himself when he finishes writing and heads to the back of the restaurant to give the order sheet to the chef behind the line.

“May I introduce to both of you our finest wine, the 2005 Hahn Estate Central Coast Cabernet Sauvignon?” another waiter asks politely, showing them the bottle of the said red wine.

“Sure,” Mark answers, allowing the young man to pour the drink onto their wineglasses.

Mi Joo takes a short sip of the alcohol first and immediately nods her head in approval. Though the girl dislikes alcoholic beverages for she has low tolerance and is not fond of the bitter taste, the one she drank stated otherwise. The fruitiness burst once the liquid runs through her tongue and there is a savory aftertaste lingering at the back of . It is of a less tannin and acidity which is just right to the girl’s taste buds but the alcohol level is much stronger than other wines she has before. However, she does not mind about it and have another sip of the delicious drink.

Mark stares at Mi Joo like she is the only one he has his eyes on, his lips tugging upwards at the adorable scene unfolding in front of him. He suddenly remembers the day when he witnessed the girl getting drunk with her only drinking a few cans of beer. The memory comes flooding in unexpectedly and is soon broken when their dinner appears in sight.

“Here is the crab rose pasta and the sirloin steak,” a waiter says as he places the noodle dish in front of Mi Joo while the steak in front of Mark.

The two starts to dig in and not long after, a small squeal can be heard from Mi Joo. “This is really good!” Mi Joo exclaims when she takes a bite of the pasta. The silkiness of the sauce which is mix with cream and tomato base gives off a fresh flavour with a touch of savory to it. The seafood is excellent as it is cooked to perfection. This is perhaps one of the best dishes Mi Joo has ever tasted.

The guy chuckles fain