I twirled around, scrutinizing my reflection with a skeptical eye. The dress was white, backless, and dangerously short, the bodice held up by a short string of rhinestones that formed a halter around my neck.

 

“Wow! Jiyong is going to piss himself when he sees you in that!” Bom said.

 

I rolled my eyes. “How romantic.”

 

“You’re getting that one. Don’t try any more on, that’s the one,” she said, clapping with excitement.

 

“You don’t think it’s too short? Mariah Carey shows less skin.”

 

Bom shook her head. “I insist.”

 

I took a turn on the bench while Bom tried on one dress after another, more indecisive when it came to choosing one for herself. She settled on an extremely short, tight, flesh-colored number that left one of her shoulders bare.

 

We rode in her Honda to the apartment to find the Charger gone and Bear alone. Bom pulled out her phone and dialed, smiling when Top answered.

 

“Where’d you go, baby?” She nodded and then looked at me. “Why would I be mad? What kind of surprise?” she said. She looked at me again and then walked into Top’s bedroom, closing the door

 

I rubbed Bear’s black pointy ears while Bom murmured in the bedroom. When she emerged, she tried to subdue the smile on her face.

 

“What are they up to now?” I asked.

 

“They’re on their way home. I’ll let Jiyong tell you,” she said, grinning from ear to ear.

 

“Oh, God … what?” I asked.

 

“I just said I can’t tell you. It’s a surprise.”

 

I fidgeted with my hair and picked at my nails, unable to sit still while I waited for Jiyong to unveil his latest surprise. A birthday party, a puppy—I couldn’t imagine what could be next.

 

The loud engine of Top’s Charger announced their arrival. The boys laughed as they walked up the stairs.

 

“They’re in a good mood,” I said. “That’s a good sign.”

 

Top walked in first. “I just didn’t want you to think there was a reason that he got one and I didn’t.”

 

Bom stood up to greet her boyfriend and threw her arms around him. “You’re so silly, Top. If I wanted an insane boyfriend, I’d date Jiyong.”

 

“It doesn’t have anything to do with how I feel about you,” Top added.

 

Jiyong  walked through the door with a square gauze bandage on his wrist. He smiled at me and then collapsed on the couch, resting his head on my lap.

I couldn’t look away from the bandage. “Okay … what did you do?”

 

Jiyong smiled and pulled me down to kiss him. I could feel the nervousness radiating from him. Outwardly he was smiling, but I had the distinct feeling he wasn’t sure how I would react to what he had done.

 

“I got a few things today.”

 

“Like what?” I asked, suspicious.

 

Jiyong laughed. “Calm down, Butterfly. It’s nothing bad.”

 

“What happened to your wrist?” I said, pulling his hand up by his fingers.

 

A thunderous diesel motor pulled up outside and Jiyong hopped up from the couch, opening the door. “It’s about ing time! I’ve been home for at least five minutes!” he said with a smile.

 

One man walked in backward, carrying a plastic-covered gray sofa, followed by another man bringing in the rear. Top and Jiyong moved the couch—with me and Bear still on it—forward, and then the men sat the new one in its place. Jiyong pulled off the plastic and then lifted me in his arms, setting me on the soft cushions.

 

“You got a new one?” I asked, grinning from ear to ear.

 

“Yep, and a couple of other things, too. Thanks, guys,” he said as the movers lifted the old couch and left the way they came.

 

“There goes a lot of memories,” I smirked.

 

“None that I want to hold on to.” He sat beside me and sighed, watching me for a moment before he pulled off the tape that held the gauze on his arm. “Don’t freak out.”

 

My mind raced with what could be under that bandage. I imagined a burn or stitches or something equally gruesome.

 

He pulled the bandage back and I gasped at the simple black script tattooed across the underside of his wrist, the skin around it red and shiny from the antibiotic he had smeared on. I shook my head in disbelief as I read the word.

 

Butterfly

 

“Do you like it?” he asked.

 

“You had my name tattooed on your wrist?” I said the words, but it didn’t sound like my voice. My mind stretched in every direction, and yet I managed to speak in a calm, even tone.

 

“Yeah.” He kissed my cheek as I stared in disbelief at the permanent ink in his skin.

 

“I tried to talk him out of it, Dara. He hasn’t done anything crazy in a while. I think he was having withdrawal,” Top said, shaking his head.

 

“What do you think?” Jiyong prompted.

 

“I don’t know what to think,” I said.

 

“You should have asked her first, Ji,” Bom said, shaking her head and covering with her fingers.

 

“Asked her what? If I could get a tattoo?” he frowned, turning to me. “I love you. I want everyone to know I’m yours.”

 

I shifted nervously. “That’s permanent, Jiyong.”

 

“So are we,” he said, touching my cheek.

 

“Show her the rest,” Top said.

 

“The rest?” I said, looking down to his other wrist.

 

Jiyong stood, pulling up his shirt. His impressive six-pack stretched and tightened with the movement. Jiyong turned, and on his side was another fresh tattoo spanning the length of his ribs.

 

“What is that?” I asked, squinting at the vertical symbols.

 

“It’s Hebrew,” Jiyong said with a nervous grin.

 

“What does it mean?”

 

“It says, ‘I belong to my beloved, and my beloved is mine.”

 

My eyes darted to his. “You weren’t happy with just one tattoo, you had to get two?’”

 

“It’s something I always said I would do when I met The One. I met you … I went and got the tats.” His smile faded when he saw my expression. “You’re pissed, aren’t you?” he said, pulling his shirt down.

 

“I’m not mad. I’m just … it’s a little overwhelming.”

 

Top squeezed Bom to his side with one arm. “Get used to it now, Dara. Jiyong is impulsive and goes balls to the wall on everything. This’ll tide him over until he can get a ring on your finger.”

 

Bom’s eyebrows shot up, first to me, and then to Top. “What? They just started dating!”

 

“I … think I need a drink,” I said, walking into the kitchen.

 

Jiyong chuckled, watching me rifle through the cabinets. “He was kidding, butterfly.”

 

“I was?” Top asked.

 

“He wasn’t talking about anytime soon,” Jiyong hedged. He turned to Top and grumbled, “Thanks a lot, .”

 

“Maybe you’ll quit talking about it, now,” Top grinned.

 

I poured a shot of whiskey into a glass and jerked my head back, swallowing it all at once. My face compressed as the liquid burned down my throat.

 

Jiyong gently wrapped his arms around my middle from behind. “I’m not proposing, babe. They’re tattoos.”

 

“I know,” I said, nodding my head as I poured another drink.

 

Jiyong pulled the bottle from my hand and twisted the cap on, shoving it back into the cabinet. When I didn’t turn around, he pivoted my hips so that I would face him.

 

“Okay. I should have talked to you about it first, but I decided to buy the couch, and then one thing led to another. I got excited.”

 

“This is very fast for me, Jiyong. You’ve mentioned moving in together, you just branded yourself with my name, you’re telling me you love me … this is all very … fast.”

 

Jiyong frowned. “You’re freakin’ out. I told you not to freak out.”

 

“It’s hard not to! You found out about my dad and everything you felt before has suddenly been amplified!”

 

“Who’s your dad?” Top asked, clearly unhappy about being out of the loop. When I didn’t acknowledge his question, he sighed. “Who’s her dad?” he asked Bom. Bom shooked her head dismissively.

 

Jiyong’s expression twisted with disgust. “My feelings for you have nothing to do with your dad.”

 

“We’re going to this date party tomorrow. It’s supposed to be this big deal where we’re announcing our relationship or something, and now you have my name on your arm and this proverb talking about how we belong to each other! It’s freaky, okay? I’m freaked out!”

 

Jiyong grabbed my face and planted his mouth on mine, and then he lifted me off the floor, setting me on the counter. His tongue begged entrance into my mouth, and when I let him in, he moaned.

 

His fingers dug into my hips, pulling me closer. “You are so ing hot when you’re mad,” he said against my lips.

 

“Okay,” I breathed, “I’m calm.”

 

He smiled, pleased that his plan of distraction had worked. “Everything’s still the same, babe. It’s still just you and me.”

 

“You two are nuts,” Top said, shaking his head.

 

Bom playfully smacked Top’s shoulder. “Dara bought something for Jiyong today, too.”

 

“Bom!” I scolded.

 

“You found a dress?” he asked, smiling.

 

“Yeah,” I wrapped my legs and arms around him. Tomorrow it’s going to be your turn to be freaked out.”

 

“I’m looking forward to it,” he said, pulling me off the counter. I waved to Bom as Jiyong carried me down the hall.

 

 · · ·

 

Friday after class, Bom and I spent the afternoon downtown, primping and indulging. We had our nails and toes done, errant hairs waxed, skin bronzed, and hair highlighted. When we returned to the apartment, every surface had been covered with bouquets of roses. Reds, pinks, yellows, and whites—it looked like a floral shop.

 

“Oh my God!” Bom squealed when she walked through the door.

 

Top looked around him, standing proud. “We went to buy you two flowers, but neither of us thought just one bouquet would do it.”

 

I hugged Jiyong. “You guys are … you’re amazing. Thank you.”

 

He smacked my backside. “Thirty minutes until the party, babe.”

 

The boys dressed in Jiyong’s room while we slipped on our dresses in Top’s. Just as I fastened my silver heels, there was a knock on the door.

 

“Time to go, ladies,” Top said.

 

Bom walked out, and Top whistled.

 

“Where is she?” Jiyong asked.

 

“Dara’s  having some trouble with her shoe. She’ll be out in just a sec,” Bom explained.

 

“The suspense is killin’ me, butterfly!” Jiyong called.

 

I walked out, fidgeting with my dress while Jiyong stood in front of me, blank-faced.

 

Bom elbowed him and he blinked. “Holy .”

 

“Are you ready to be freaked out?” Bom asked.

 

“I’m not freaked out, she looks amazing,” Jiyong said.

 

I smiled and then slowly turned around to show him the steep dip of the fabric in the back of the dress.

 

“Okay, now I’m freakin’ out,” he said, walking over to me and turning me around.

 

“You don’t like it?” I asked.

 

“You need a jacket.” He jogged to the rack and then hastily draped my coat over my shoulders.

 

“She can’t wear that all night, Ji,” Bom chuckled.

 

“You look beautiful, Dara,” Top said as an apology for Jiyong’s behavior.

 

Jiyong’s expression was pained as he spoke. “You do. You look incredible … but you can’t wear that. Your skirt is … wow, your legs are … your skirt is too short and it’s only half a dress! It doesn’t even have a back on it!”<