My duty was finished for that day. I was heading towards my car parking when Joon arrived "I will drive you today. Give me the key" he extended his hand forward. 
"Whaee? Your car is also here! Who will take that home?" I replied while hiding my keys. 
"Don't forget my dad is going home later!" he snatched away my key & hold my hand "Lets go miss!! You'll never find a better looking guy than me to drive you home!!" 
"Oh Really??" 
"Yep!" He winked at me & started the ignition.

He drove me home & gave a bunch of complaints to grandmom "she doesn't take care of herself!" "She is too careless" "she always jumps around without looking down" & many more!! 
There was no doubt I was going to have a tough evening that day!! He made all arrangements perfectly!!

"Why do you always do that dear?" My grandmom asked when I was lying down on her lap "You need to think about yourself also! Look what you have done today" she was referring to my injured leg.

"Hairmoniii!! I didn't!" I protested immediately 
"Really? Do you think I don't know you?" She was giggling "10 years is a long time but not enough long for me to forget your habit also!!" Her fingers were moving slowly through my hair giving me that piece I was longing for long...

"Hairmoni..." i paused "you know I love you, right? Even if I didn't come here, I didn't contact...you know this right?" 
I was never ever expressive..not even 10 years ago..This sudden confession indeed  surprised her!!
"I know little princess..." She replied "Love is the most amazing gift from god! No matter how hard you try,love is something you can never hide!!" She was smiling.

I looked at her peacefully. There was never even once when hairmoni's words failed to comfort me! This time was no difference.

"But little princess" she gave me this name a long ago & it felt so good to hear it again "Joon told you always j....."

"Don't believe Joon hairmoni!! He always  adds a lots of thing!!" I didn't let her finish! It was obvious I was going to get trapped if i hadn't!

"Yaaa!!! You lier!!" Joon shouted from the doorway  "I didn't add anything! It is you who is like that!!" I had no idea when he  came!

"You'll never learn to knock right?" I tried to avoid that topic but failed miserably..

"Ahh!! So now you are trying to avoid it?" He entered room with Ae Ra  "& miss lier!! This is my girlfriend's room not yours!! So i don't need permission!!"
"Yaa! Miss lier who?? Me??" I protested

"Hey beauty!! He immediately came to grandmom's side completely ignoring me!! "How are you feeling today? Is there any pain?"

This guy never failed to amaze me! No doubt why hairmoni loves him that much! I guess even more than me!!

"Yaa..can't you move? I'm checking on my girlfriend & you are invading our privacy!!" As usual he started joking! 
"Aigoo...my boyfriend nim!!" Hairmoni started now "How was your day? Are you hungry? Do you want me to make you something?" She was successfully adding extra salt to this!! 

"Wah...daebak!! What should I do with this love birds? Do you want a single room?" I was trying to add fuel to the conversation!

"For now,at least,leave us alone!! This room can also do it for now, otteo beauty?" He wasn't the person to let me win! 

"Arasso..I'm leaving you for now. But do it faster! I'm coming back" I left the room with Ae Ra for  bringing the evening snacks for everyone.

After coming back I again went back to grandmom's lap. She was brushing my hair with her fingers...one of the thing i missed the most in Canada!!

"What about a small picnic tomorrow?" Ae Ra suddenly offered.
"That's great!!" I jumped with happiness!
"Your leg So Ra...its not properly healed yet" my grandmom opposed "We will go when you will be perfectly fine"
"Aniyo..please hairmoni.." i pleaded "Lets go tomorrow!! I will be very busy next few days! Pleasee...khajaaa..aaa....jebail..!!" I started whining which always works on her!!

"Let's go preety lady!!" Joon also joined in! "It will be a perfect date for us!" he winked at hairmoni! 
"You people won't let me say no right?" Grandmom accepted her defeat!
"Khumao hairmoni!" We 3 almost screamed! Somehow our childhood was returning back!

We used to hang out a lot in past....me, Joon, Ae Ra, grandmom & unni...In spite of having a huge age differences among us, we enjoyed our company a lot!! 
"Tomorrow's gonna be a great day" i hoped.

                  **************

The day was as bright as we wanted,as if it were preparing for our picnic by itself as well!! Joon drove us to the riverside park with his new sedan & obviously made our short journey too much enjoyable with his never ending jokes!!

We reached there earlier than expected. Joon helped grandmom to settle down. Me & Ae Ra were carrying our foods & other things to the mattress that was set up for us. 

After a long gossip Joon suggested me to take a stroll there with him. We left AeRa with grandmom & started walking. 

"Pain?" He directed towards my injured leg
"Aniyo...negligible" i replied 

"Yaa! Tell me truly...why is that locket so special? Why do you always attach it with unni's chain?"
"Long story! You don't need to know!" Teasing him at this serious question was a daring job! But i had to do it! Some secrets are better hidden!

"Don't tell me its related to that dream guy?" May be he was just guessing but it hit the exact point!
I was frozen,making his guess too much obvious!

"Omo!!Are you serious?" He started giggling " You even saw that in your dream? Where? Around your lifesaver's neck?" His giggling turned into laughter. 

I knew something like this would happen. That's why i hid its secret from him! 
"Yaa! Don't laugh!" I warned him. 
"Whae? Your dream guy will be sad?" He was constantly teasing me...his all times favourite job without salary!!

As we returned we found our typical Ae Ra, jumping with excitement! 
"Unnii!! oppa!!" As soon as she noticed us she started running "EXO...!!" She almost shouted, panting heavily!!

"Ae Ra aah!! Relax!! What EXO?" Joon tried to calm her down 
"Oppa!! EXO is here!!! For their mv shooting!! Look!! " she turned & directed to opposite side of the lake. It was crowded. Cameras & flashes could be seen from this side even. No doubt someone popular was there!

"I'm going" she immediately started to run again leaving us behind. Destination was obviously the opposite side of the lake!! 
We both came back to grandmom. She was smiling brightly looking at Ae Ra! 

"Left?" She asked as soon as we reached.
"Yes. Her oppa was there" Joon replied "Aishh...i don't know why this girls are so crazy for those boys!" 
"Someone like you can never understand this" i
"Oh really? I am not like you two who fell for someone so random!!" 
"Yaa!! Jugulle? Naa wonje??" I hit him playfully!

"When will you two grow up?" Grandmom stoped us "Listen to me...falling for someone in this age is very normal! But love...Love doesn't grow like this!" 

We stoped & turned towards her. Her eyes were sparkling as if she could feel the memories then!

She continued "Love is one of the most beautiful feelings a person can ever have! & surprisingly you don't even get to know when that person becomes the centre of all your smiles!!" 
We were spellbound. Her words were like magic...as if It were pouring honey to our ears!

"Your grandpa made me fall in love with him with just a single line & thats too before our marri..." 
"Oh wait!!! It was a love marriage?" We almost shouted together without letting her finished. Now this is something we had no idea about!

"Well dear..." she was smiling "It was an arranged marriage standing beautifully on the base of love!!" 

Our curious eyes were focused on her.

"He was the most handsome & popular guy in our area" hairmoni started "He was 4 years older than me. One day while i was returning from school, some guys stopped my way. They were also from that same area." she paused.
"Then?" I was getting too much curious
"From then to now bad boys always causes nuisance! They stopped me for delivering a letter to my friend,with whom one of them was in love!" She chuckled.

"See, you boys are always bad!" I got my chance to tease Joon!
"Yaa!! Your lifesaver is also a boy!!" & he bowled me immediately turning towards grandmom "Hairmoni,don't stop!!"

"I refused but they decided they wouldn't let me go until i agree!" She started again "& then,fortunately, your grandpa was passing by the same road. He came & told the boy 'if you don't have confidence on your own love, let it go! Don't force someone to do something what you are supposed to do by yourself!' After his long counselling they eventually let us go!" She stoped "His words still buzzes on my ear! It was the first time i fell in love with your grandpa & somehow after one year he was standing on the other side of the aisle on our wedding day!!" 

I was mesmerized....hypnotized...It felt like the time had stopped. The sound of the nature was engulfing us.

For the first time ever listened to a real love story!! It wasn't just a story...it was the life of a loving couple sharing themselves together!!

It was the meaning of love... Her smile was adoring it beautifully....providing the living evidence of happiness!!!