Disclaimer: All credit goes to The Literary Dragon!

 

Jiyong rapped on the thick wooden door. The echo of the last knock had barely faded before he rang the bell. The cheerful melody of 'We Wish You A Merry Christmas' sounded through the house. A small giggle distracted him. He looked down at Hojin, bundled up with mittens, hat, and scarf.

"I want to ring the bell!" Hojin stood on his tiptoes, straining to reach the bell. He gave a grunt of frustration. The button was up too high. It was no fun being small.

Jiyong lifted his son level with the doorbell. Hojin poked the bell. It obediently played its tune. With another delighted giggle, Hojin punched the button again and again and again. Every time he did, the song started over.

The door abruptly swung open as Hojin pushed the button for the fifteenth time. Bom glared out at them, holding a thin robe closed over her pajamas. Her long dark hair fell in snarls and tangles to her waist. She did not look happy.

"Do you have any idea what time it is, Jiyong?" she hissed.

"Um. . .morning?" Jiyong flinched a little at the look on Bom's face. Maybe this wasn't one of his better ideas. He pulled Hojin close and away from the bell which he was still merrily hitting. The song finally ran its course and there was quiet.

Bom gritted her teeth. "It's 7 a.m. on a Sunday morning. Normal people are still asleep. What the h-." She broke off what she was about to say with a quick glance at Hojin who was listening to the conversation with interest.

"I am normal," Jiyong protested. "And don't use that kind of language in front of my son."

Bom sighed and leaned against the doorjamb. "It's too early in the morning to deal with you. I don't suppose you would consider going away and coming back later." She saw the stubborn look on Jiyong's face, sighed again, and pushed herself away from the door. "You might as well come in. You're letting all the heat out."

Jiyong grinned as he followed her. Once inside, he looked around with interest. He had never been in Bom's house before. All he knew about her was that she was engaged to the ert, and she was Dara's best friend. And there was a little brother around somewhere.

The house was neat, not excessively tidy, but spartan. There just wasn't a lot of clutter. He could see the end of a model spaceship poking out from under the sofa. On the wall above were pictures of people, Bom and her brother among them. Still holding Hojin, he walked over for a closer look. The biggest portrait in the middle showed a man and a woman with a much younger Bom and Goeun.

"That's a picture of all of us just before mom got sick." Bom's voice came from behind him. Jiyong made a noncommittal sound and studied the picture of the happy family. "Goeun was just a baby. He doesn't really remember her." Bom came up beside him and ran gentle fingers over the image. There was a sad smile on her face.

"I'm sorry," Jiyong said. He fiddled with a loose string on Hojin's shirt. "What about your dad?"

"Dad died in a factory accident two years ago." Jiyong opened his mouth to speak, but couldn't think of anything to say that wouldn't be stupid and meaningless. Bom waved her hand in a dismissive gesture. "He was pretty well insured, but afterwards we found out that he hadn't been well for a while. There were a lot of medical bills. We barely managed to keep the house."

She led the way into the kitchen and started rummaging around in cupboards. Jiyong deposited Hojin in a chair and took one himself. Bom emerged with two cups and a box of teabags. She arranged everything on the counter before filling the kettle with water and setting it on the stove. Sorting through the bowl of fruit next to the sink, she extracted a banana and returned to the table.

"Are you going to tell me why you invaded my house at the crack of dawn?" She handed the banana to Hojin and fixed Jiyong with a stern glare. "Does this have anything to do with the fight you and Dara had?"

Jiyong squirmed under her gaze. "You see, about that," he stammered. He rolled his eyes to Hojin, happily eating his banana. Bom gave him a look that clearly said, 'the things I do for you.'

"Hey, sweet pea," she said to Hojin. "I think its time for Goeun to get up. Why don't you go jump on him and tell him that I said that he is supposed to play with you."

"'Kay." Hojin crammed the rest of the banana in his mouth, dropping the used peel on the table. Bom pointed him in the right direction, and she and Jiyong watched him trot down the hall. A few minutes later there was a muffled cry followed by the delighted laugh of a small child.

"I hate you, big sister!" Goeun's voice drifted into the kitchen.

"If I have to be awake, then you have to be awake!" Bom shouted back. "Just keep Hojin busy for a while!"

The corners of Jiyong's mouth twitched as he tried to keep from laughing. "You should know that Hojin takes everything literally. And I don't think we want to know where he landed when he jumped."

Bom laughed. The kettle whistled and she went to the stove, filling the two mugs with hot water and dropping a teabag in each. She set one before Jiyong before resuming her place at the table.

"So, what's on that walnut you call a brain?"

Jiyong grew silent. He dunked his teabag up and down in the water. "I need your help," he finally said in a voice so low that Bom almost missed it. She did choke on the swallow of tea she had just taken.

Bom coughed and spluttered. Jiyong continued to stare into his mug like it was the most fascinating thing in the world. He frowned slightly in irritation at Bom's reaction.

"I think I need to get my ears cleaned out," Bom said when she had regained control of herself. "I thought I just heard you say that you needed my help."

Jiyong's frown turned into a scowl, though he didn't look at her. He pushed his chair back and stood up. "I knew this was a stupid idea. We should just leave."

Bom leaned forward and grabbed his wrist to prevent him from walking away. "I'm sorry, Jiyong. What can I do to help?"

With a heavy sigh, Jiyong sank back into his chair. Absently, he began drawing patterns in a puddle of spilled tea. "I was wrong." He glared at the table when she made a choked sound like the beginning of a laugh. "I shouldn't have hit that jerk. I shouldn't have yelled at Dara. And I shouldn't have walked away."

"What do you want me to do?"

Jiyong looked up for the first time and met Bom's eyes. "I want you to fix it. Tell Dara to forgive me and I promise that it will never happen again."

Bom got up carefully from the table. She walked around to where Jiyong was sitting and, with one hand, smacked him on the back of the head.

"Ow!" Jiyong grabbed his head and turned injured eyes on Bom. "What did you do that for?"

"You really are a jerk!" Bom walked back to her chair and sat down. "You got yourself into this mess and it is up to you to fix it."

"But I don't know how," Jiyong whined. "That's why I came to you."

"I'll help you," Bom agreed. "But nobody can make Dara forgive you except you." She pointed a finger at him to emphasize her point. Getting up, she left the table to rummage in a drawer and returned with a pad of paper and a pen.

"Now," she said, holding the pen poised above the paper. "I'm sure Kiko got mad at you all the time. What did you do to make her forgive you?"

"What does Kiko have-," Jiyong began with a bewildered look on his face. Then, his expression cleared. "Oh. Let me think." He tapped his finger on his chin, his eyes half-closed in thought. "When Kiko was mad, she wanted expensive presents - bouquets of rare flowers, diamond bracelets, fur coats - that kind of thing. Once I had to promise a trip to France before she would let me back in the bedroom." Suddenly, his eyes widened and he sat up straight, placing both hands on the table. "You don't think Dara wants any of that, do you?"

"Dara has much less expensive tastes," Bom assured the agitated young man. "But I think flowers and a present would be a start."

"A start?" Jiyong echoed.

"Take her out to dinner or dancing or to the movies." Bom smiled warmly, her eyes lighting up with enthusiasm for the ideas.

"A movie might be a good idea," Jiyong said slowly, beginning to see the possibilities. "There's this new show out, 'Brother Bear,' that Hojin wants to see and-. What's wrong?"

Bom was frantically shaking her head. "Leave Hojin with a sitter. You and Dara need to go out alone. Got it?"

Jiyong blushed. "Right. Now, what flowers should I get Dara? Does she like orchids?"

^**^

"Miss Park!"

Dara heard the voice but paid it no more attention than the buzzing of a fly. A smile curved her lips. In her current daydream she could see Jiyong standing before her. He wore the tightest pair of jeans and a red shirt that strained across his muscled chest. Maybe he would look better in a tuxedo? Dara frowned as she imagined the switch. No, he looked much better in jeans. He held out his hand to her, his lips moving. Dara leaned forward, trying to hear what he was saying. She could almost make out the words.

"Miss Park!"

What? There was a clatter as Dara jerked out of her daydream, causing the chair to slip and sending her crashing to the floor. Dara blinked up at the teacher from her undignified position. She scrambled to her feet, her face red as she heard the barely suppressed laughter of the other students.

"Do you have a problem, Miss Park?"

"N-no, sir," Dara stammered, trying to cool her heated face. She kept her eyes fixed on the ground. She could see one of the teacher's shoes tapping the floor impatiently.

The teacher sighed. "Well, whatever personal problems you are having keep them home where they belong. When you are in this classroom your mind belongs to me. Do you understand me?" Dara mumbled assent. "Take your seat and pay attention." The teacher returned to the front of the room and Dara slid back into her chair. It wasn't her fault. These lectures were so boring that a root canal began to sound entertaining. As soon as the teacher's back was turned, writing some meaningless facts on the blackboard, Dara slipped back into her much more pleasant daydreams.

"Are you okay, Dara?" A girl asked Dara, her brow wrinkling with concern. Classes for the day were finished. They moved slowly with the crowd of students leaving the building.

"I'm fine, Chaerin," Dara answered. "Why do you ask?"

"You just seem so distant lately." Eri clutched her books to her chest. She looked anxiously at the other girl. "Maybe you should get out more. Go on a date. Have some fun." She frowned at her unresponsive friend. "Dara, are you listening to me? Dara?"

Dara had stopped listening to Chaerin's chatter some time ago. If it hadn't been for Chaerin's pushing, she never would have gone out with Yunho. And her heart wouldn't feel trampled on right now. All around her, students were whispering, shouldering each other, and craning their necks to look at something that was shielded from Dara's sight. Dara frowned and pushed past two taller students who were blocking her path. She stopped so suddenly that Chaerin ran into her.

Jiyong stood at the entrance to the schoolyard, just like in her daydream. He wore a handsome dark suit and in his arms he carried a dozen red roses. He smiled at her where she stood frozen in the middle of the yard. In several swift strides he crossed to her side. Girls sighed and cast envious looks Dara's way. Boys muttered and grumbled when they found that their girlfriends were no longer paying attention to them. Dara snapped out of her shock when Jiyong shoved the flowers at her. She reflexively grabbed the bundle, dropping her books in the process.

Jiyong colored slightly and bent to scoop up her books. "Do you like them?" he whispered. Dara glanced at the slightly mangled roses she was clutching. She raised them to her face to take a sniff.

"They're beautiful," she breathed. Jiyong relaxed and reached out to grab her arm.

"Let's go." He tugged, but she resisted.

"Where are we going? And why should I?" Dara was aware of the crowd they were attracting. She tried to pull away.

"I made reservations. If we don't hurry, we'll be late." He looked at the students watching their conversation and lowered his voice. "Please? We need to talk."

"What about Hojin?" Dara made one last effort to stall. She wasn't going to drop everything for any man, not even Jiyong.

"Your mom's watching him. I think she's planning to spoil him. They were talking about making cookies and drinking hot chocolate when I left." He turned those irresistible violet eyes on her. "Please? I promise that if you still want to leave after you hear what I have to say then I'll take you right home." Dara nodded and allowed herself to be led to Jiyong's car, ignoring the renewed whispers behind her.

"But, Jiyong," Dara exclaimed once they were belted in and he had pulled into traffic. "I'm not wearing the right clothes to go to a fancy dinner." She looked down at her school uniform. Jiyong managed to keep one hand on the wheel while he reached into the back seat, extracted a bundle of red cloth, and dropped it in her lap. All without taking his eyes off the road.

"Your mom got this out of your closet. It's the outfit you wore when Hojin and I came for dinner the first time." He took his eyes off the road long enough to grin at her. "You can change when we reach the restaurant. But I think you look beautiful, no matter what you wear."

Dara was still blushing at the compliment when they pulled into the parking lot and when she disappeared into the restroom to change. She blushed again when she saw the appreciative look on Jiyong's face. He escorted her to their table and politely held her chair for her. An attentive young waiter appeared a moment later to light the candle in the middle of the table. Jiyong picked up a bottle that was sitting in a bucket of ice.

"Wine?" He reached for her glass. Dara's hand on his arm stopped him.

"That's sweet, Jiyong," she said. "But I'm not old enough to drink wine. I'm only 19."

Jiyong blushed. "Sorry, I wasn't thinking." He put the bottle back in the bucket. "Can I get something else for you?"

"Later." Dara settled back in her chair. "You said that you wanted to talk. So, I'm listening."

"I'm sorry." Jiyong spoke to his place setting.

"What was that?" Dara leaned forward to hear better.

"I'm sorry." Jiyong looked up her. Dara was startled at the emotions she saw swirling in his eyes. "I was a jerk and I overreacted. Can you find it in your heart to forgive me?"

"Why should I forgive you?" Dara demanded, her expression hard and determined.

Jiyong in a breath to snap at her, but remembered what Bom had told him. 'Whatever you do, don't yell at her. She was very upset when you left. If you want her back, then you'll have to apologize like your relationship depends on it because it does.'

"I'm an idiot." He kept his eyes locked on hers, willing her to feel his sincerity through his gaze. "I don't deserve someone as wonderful as you. But, I'm willing to admit my mistakes." He grinned ruefully. "Maybe I'll even learn from them. I was scared that Jojo would take you away from me. Just when I realized how much I cared for you."

Dara reached out to touch his cheek gently. "Silly boy," she said fondly. "Yunho is a friend, but he is nothing compared to what I feel for you."

Jiyong grinned. The orchestra struck up a waltz. He stood and walked around the table. Dara looked uncertainly at the hand he held out to her.

"Would you care to dance?"

Dara smiled and allowed Jiyong to lead her out onto the floor. He carefully arranged their hands and began a slow sway around the dance floor.

"Ouch!" Dara winced as Jiyong trod on her toes for the third time. He was frowning in concentration. She could hear him counting under his breath. "I take it you never learned how to dance?"

He stumbled over his own feet. "Only what Bom could teach me in an afternoon. Kiko wanted to mingle, not dance." He landed on her toes again. Dara pulled him to a stop in the middle of the dance floor.

"I'm impressed." She looped her arms around his neck and smiled at him. "You apologized and you learned how to dance. What could make this evening more complete?"

"I can think of one thing." Jiyong bent down and brushed his lips against hers. She made a soft whimper and he obligingly continued the kiss, making it deeper. The orchestra, the crowded tables, everything faded into the background. They each held the other close, both having the same thought.

'This evening is perfect.'

 

------------ 3rd and last update for today! I promise I'll update again tomorrow hehe. I'm planning to finish this story by the end of my holiday! Uni is just so hectic :(