Round Twenty-Two

 

“Hi Young.”

 

“Hey, Sunny! It’s good to hear from you. It’s been a while babe.”

 

“Yeah, it has.”

 

“I haven’t seen you at Seventh Heaven and you have been claiming to be busy when I ask you out, so I’m guessing you’re calling me to tell me some bad news.”

 

“You are ever so smart and witty, Young, but I’ve really been extra busy recently. You would know about the grand opening of the resort? It’s happening soon and we’re swamped in work on that.”

 

“Ooh, the lady is praising me, and she’s explaining herself. It must be really, really bad news. Let me guess, Yoong has gotten under your skin?”

 

“Young!”

 

“Haha, you’re thinking dirty Sunny, so he really has gotten under your skin huh?”

 

“Not really.”

 

“And yet you’re calling me to say that we shouldn’t play anymore?”

 

“Yes I am.” Sunny paused for a moment. “I guess you have a point there. He has gotten under my skin a little bit.” She admitted most awkwardly.

 

“I expected as much. Yoong really is serious this time. I’ve never seen him like that before.”

 

“I believe that he is serious now.”

 

“Good. I hope you don’t break his fragile heart.”

 

“He has a fragile heart?” Sunny gasped in disbelief.

 

“Yes he does. He had his heart broken once. Really badly. She was such a b*tch, that woman who broke his heart. I hate her.”

 

“Frankly, I’m surprised to hear that. Is that why he ended up a player?”

 

“More or less, yes…”

 

“And you? Had your heart broken too?”

 

Young laughed. “No. My heart is in one solid piece. It’s never been broken.”

 

“Why do you play then?”

 

“My marriage will be for business so I won’t get to choose my wife. If I don’t play now, I’ll regret it when I’m married. Besides, it would totally if I fell in love with a girl and couldn’t marry her.”

 

“I thought you were falling for me at one point, I was going to stop seeing you then.” Sunny laughed.

 

“Oh, yeah. I thought I was falling for you too. Thanks to Yoong, I didn’t.”

 

“You’re a really good friend Young. Can we stay as friends?”

 

“What kind of a question is that Sunny? Of course you can! I’m always…er…available for some fun, if you know what I mean.”

 

“Young…” Sunny rolled her eyes.

 

“HAHA! Just kidding Sunny. It was fun playing with you though. I’ll probably miss hanging out with you like how we did. The girls at Seventh Heaven are seriously boring me to death now, thanks to you.”

 

“You can always play Twister with them.” Sunny laughed.

 

“Well, that I would like to keep special—to just you and me. I’ve never played that game with anyone else.”

 

“I’m so very honoured Young.”

 

“Heh you better be. Oh man, you’re the best girl I’ve ever played with.” Young heaved a sigh.

 

“You know what?”

 

“What?”

 

“You’re the best guy I’ve ever played with too.”

 

Young laughed. “What about Yoong? He obviously won you over.”

 

“Yoong, He was never in the market to play with me anyway so he doesn’t count.”

 

Young laughed harder. “I like the way you put it Sunny. I shall mourn the retirement of the best player in town.”

 

Sunny laughed along. “When will you retire from being a player?”

 

Young made a face. “When I have no choice but to.”

 

Sunny chuckled. “I wish you the best of luck on that.”

 

“Thanks. You and Yoong have my best wishes.”

 

“Thanks Young.”

 

~~~~~
 

A tall, raven-haired girl smiled as her passport was stamped.

 

“Thanks.” Her sweet voice made the officer smile. She had that effect on the people around her.

 

She boarded the plane and made herself comfortable. Her father had booked her on first class but she had insisted on flying on business instead.

 

“Daddy, business class is good enough. I prefer business class, really.”

 

Her father had relented and his secretary changed the reservation for him.

 

As she looked out of the window of the plane, she wondered what her life would be like, now that her mother had passed away. She had never lived with her father before, except when he visited them—he would only stay for a few days each time. She had apprehensions of meeting her half-sister. She had never met her before and she wondered what she was like. It was unlikely that her half-sister would welcome her with open arms but she hoped that she wouldn’t be too hostile—they were half-sisters after all.

 

~~~~~
 

“Hi.” Young smiled at the pretty girl who was seated across the aisle from him.

 

She smiled politely. “Hi.”

 

“Are you flying to South Korea for business or pleasure?”

 

“I’m afraid it’s neither.”

 

“Intriguing. Mind telling me why you’re going to South Korea?”

 

The girl smiled and shook her head. “It’s nothing really. I’m just going back to live my family.”

 

“So you are from South Korea.”

 

“No. I’m American. I was born in America but my dad is Korean.”

 

“I see. Have you ever been to South Korea?”

 

“No, this will be my first time in South Korea.”

 

“In that case, it would be my pleasure to show you around town and to bring you to all the fun places. Here, call me if you need a guide.”

 

Young held his business card in his hand, extending it towards her. She smiled and took it politely, looking at his name before slipping it into her pocket.

 

“Sure, Young ssi.”

 

“Please, call me Young. I know that you are probably thinking of tossing the card out the moment you leave the plane but I would like to urge you to keep it. You’re new to the country and I think you could use a friend.”

 

She was a little taken aback by his accurate reading of her thoughts and his bluntness. On top of that, his charming smile was also fairly disarming to her.

 

“I know the best places to hang out in town. I could show you around, it’s no problem at all.”

 

“Be careful what you wish for. I may just take you up on this offer.”

 

Young laughed. “If you take up my offer, your first dinner will be on me. How’s that sound?”

 

“It sounds like you do this all the time.”

 

“What do I do?”

 

“Pick girls up on flights.”

 

Young laughed. “I’m just being friendly. I won’t deny that you’re pretty and I’m attracted to you because of that but there’s nothing wrong with getting to know someone new, is there?”

 

“Well, if you put it that way, no, there’s nothing wrong with what you’re doing.”

 

Young grinned. “That’s good to hear. It would be even better if I hear from you when you’re ready for some fun in Korea. What’s your name?”

 

“Krystal, with a K.”

 

“That’s a nice name. It suits you and your crystal clear eyes.”

 

“Thanks.”

 

“It was nice talking to you. Call me if you want some fun.” Young winked at Krystal before standing up to retrieve his bag from the overhead storage compartment. He sauntered off the plane, whistling a happy tune. Whatever unpleasant feelings he had when he was told that there was no more room in first class for him had been dispelled. If he hadn’t flown business class, he wouldn’t have met her. He grinned to himself. Suddenly, flying business class didn’t seem so bad after all.

 

~~~~~

 

Jessica couldn’t believe her ears. She finally knew why her mother had been in such a horrible mood for the past few weeks. She stared at her father most incredulously.

 

“Daddy, you can’t be doing this to us.”

 

Mr. Jung heaved a heavy sigh and Jessica thought that he suddenly looked so much older than before.

 

“Sica, I would never want to put you through a tough time. You know that, right? I really have no choice. Her mother is dead Sica. Can you take pity on her, just a little bit?”

 

“Why didn’t you tell me earlier Daddy? Why? This is too much for me to take. She’s on the plane right now? She’s going to be here in less than a day.” Jessica squeezed her eyes shut, willing it to be a bad dream—a really bad dream—but when she opened her eyes, her father still looked at weary as before and her ability to breathe had flown out the window.

 

“Sica…” Mr. Jung’s voice cracked. “I didn’t tell you about it because your mother asked me not to. She didn’t want you to be affected by this and she was trying to stop me from bringing her back.”

 

Jessica’s head snapped up and her eyes pierced through her father’s. “Mummy knew about this? She knew that you had a woman and a daughter in America?”

 

Mr. Jung nodded slowly, afraid of the way his daughter would react to this new bit of information.

 

“Oh my gawd. I have the most insane parents in the world. I can’t believe that Mummy knew about your affair all this time and did nothing about it. Does she know about the other women as well?”

 

Mr. Jung nodded slowly again. “Yes, she knows…” He closed his eyes, not wanting to see the pain that was flashing in Jessica’s glistening eyes.

 

“I…can’t…believe…this…” Jessica chocked back her tears as she fought to keep her composure. “Mummy knew about all of your affairs and yet she pretended not to know? Was it for me? Did she do it all for me?”

 

“Sica, she pretended so that our family could stay together. You did the same. All we want is for this family to stay together and stay strong.”

 

“Daddy, there’s no point in our family staying together if everyone is hurting so bad. You and your affairs are killing us.”

 

“Sica, I’ve stopped it since a couple of years ago. You know that. But I really can’t ditch my daughter, no matter what.”

 

Jessica’s glare intensified and her eyes were as fiery as the sun on the hottest noon in summer. “I can’t and I won’t live with her. If you want to bring her back here, I’m leaving.”

 

“Sica, please. I love you. Don’t make this difficult for us will you?”

 

Jessica laughed like a maniac. “Daddy, you’ve got to be kidding me! You of all people, are asking me not to make things difficult? Do you realize how difficult you have made things for us? You are an , Dad. You and your women! You and that bastard daughter of yours! Fine, if you love her so much and can’t ditch her, I’ll make things easier for you. DITCH ME! I HATE YOU ANYWAY!”

 

Jessica stood up, looking angrier than she ever had in her entire life. Knives and daggers were shooting out from her fiery red eyes. Her father was speechless—he was too shocked by the intensity of her fiery. She exited his study room and slammed the door—hard. The impact of the door slamming shut pierced right through her father’s heart and his tears began rolling down his cheeks.

 

“Sica, my poor girl…” He cried. “I’m sorry.”
 

~~~~~
 

The door sounded as though it was about to be broken down—it was being knocked so hard.

 

“COMING!” Yul yelled as he put his book down and rushed to open the door before it was seriously damaged. He was surprised to see a dripping wet Jessica when he opened it.

 

“Sica bab—”

 

He didn’t have the chance to finish his question. Jessica had bulldozed into him, crushing her lips on his, kissing him with hunger and fervor. He tried to pull her away.

 

“What happe—”

 

Jessica pushed back against him and her lips silenced him once again, engulfing him. Her wet clothes clung to her body and she shivered from the cold but she was in too much pain to care. She pushed Yul to the couch, kissing him more and more aggressively with each step. Her hands found the hem of his t-shirt and tugged it up. She pushed Yul onto the couch and he gasped in shock as he fell onto it. Her lips descended upon him once again and soon he lost all sense and control…

 

~~~
 

She his pleasure spots on his chest, causing him to gasp hard. His reaction brought a smile to her face as she nipped him lightly with her teeth.

 

“Sica, what’s wrong baby?” he managed to ask in between gasps and pants.

 

“Shh, Don’t ask… Don’t,” Jessica whispered. Her hands wandered across his chest, finding the most sensitive tips and gave them a good flick. “Does this feel good?”

 

Yul could barely respond—he felt so aroused yet worried at the same time. A loud moan unwittingly escaped his lips and Jessica smiled. She lowered her lips back onto his chest, making full use of her lips, teeth and tongue to provide him the highest level of pleasure she possibly could.

 

Her hands found their way to his southern region and caressed him. He jerked from the sudden and unexpected contact but her hands didn’t stop rubbing him through his shorts. It wasn’t long before he was straining against his shorts, aching to be freed. Her fingers locked on the waistband of his shorts and the next thing he knew, he was stark and very, very hard.

 

“Oh my Sica baby… Ooh…” Yul was on the verge of losing his mind from the intense pleasure that Jessica’s hands were giving him. She clamped her lips on his, silencing him, seducing his tongue with hers. He responded and together, they danced the dance of seduction with their lips and tongues.

 

His hands grappled with her buttons and soon, her blouse hung open, revealing her milky white skin underneath. One glance at her bra-cladded chest was enough to raise his desire through the roof. He indulged himself in her bosom, kissing and nipping the swell above the cup of the bra. She moaned and clutched his head to her chest, wanting more, demanding more.

 

She shrugged off her blouse, reached behind her and unfastened her bra, letting it slide down her arms and onto the floor, joining the heap of clothes that was down there. Her back arched, presenting her bosom to him and he lost no time in giving them his undivided attention. His fingers flicked, pinched and pulled her into a feverish frenzy. She moaned louder and louder as his manipulation of her body continued to intensify her pleasure more and more.

 

“Yul, I want you,” Jessica panted.

 

“You already have me, Sica.” Yul gazed into her dark, dark, glistening eyes and he knew that she was not her usual self.

 

“I want to feel you. I want to feel this—” Jessica squeezed and he gasped. “…in me. I need you tonight, Yul. I need to be with you.”

 

Yul looked deep into her troubled eyes and nodded. He then lowered his head to her chest, loving her in the most physical way he could, giving her the most pleasure he could. And in that way, making her feel as loved as he could. He ed her shorts and tugged it down with her .

 

“Mine,” he growled in her ear, sending tingles down her spine as his hand showed her what it meant to be his.

 

“Ooh…” Jessica moaned loudly, unabashedly from the most delicious sensations that Yul delivered by hand. She jerked and bucked, impatient to have him fulfill her in the most fulfilling way.

 

Yul kissed her hard as he his hips. She moaned into him as his tongue started to dance with hers, sending her temperature rocketing sky high. And then he began to move. Each pull and push sent the most awesome adrenaline rush zipping all around her and she couldn’t think anymore. She clung onto his shoulders for dear life as he sped up. She met him for , feeling each and every move that Yul made.

 

Yul grabbed her and hoisted her up into a vertical position and she wrapped her arms tightly around his neck as together, they felt the earth tremor from within, erupting into the most dramatic molten lava, demolishing everything in its path.
 

~~~

 

Yul looked into her glistening eyes lovingly and brushed the stray strands of hair away from her face. He tucked her hair behind her ear and leaned down to kiss her ear lobe, neck and shoulder.

 

“What’s the matter baby?” His eye brows were furrowed as he looked at her again.

 

Jessica ran her fingers across his eye brows. “Don’t frown…”

 

Yul relaxed his face. “Tell me.” He pulled her closer to him and wrapped his arms around her, running his fingers lightly over her .

 

Scalding, hot tears began rolling down Jessica’s cheeks. “Daddy is bringing my half-sister back home to live with us.”

 

Yul was shocked to say the least. “Your half-sister…from America…”

 

Jessica nodded and hugged Yul tighter than before. Her slender body shook and her shoulders heaved as she broke down and sobbed like the world was coming to an end. Yul didn’t know what to do except to hold her close and hug her as tightly as he could without suffocating her.

 

~~~~~
 

“Sica baby…” Yul cooed in her ear as he rubbed her back comfortingly. “I love you, Sica.”

 

Jessica buried her face in the nook of his neck, nuzzling her nose into the little dip at the base of his neck. She breathed deeply, inhaling his scent deep into her system.

 

“I love you too, Yul. Thanks for loving me.” Jessica sniffed.

 

“Mmm…” Yul buried his nose into her luscious curls and took in a great, big whiff of her scent as well, the scent that he loved so much. “It’s my pleasure.”

 

They smiled into each other eyes and a moment later, Jessica burst into cute, girly giggles—the kind that sent Yul’s blood racing. “It’s…your…pleasure…” Jessica said in between her bouts of giggling. “I’m…your pleasure.”

 

Jessica laughed out loud over her own little joke as Yul watched her in amusement. He loved her late reaction to funny things, even when he didn’t really know what she was giggling about. He couldn’t help smiling as Jessica fell onto her side on the couch, giggling uncontrollably. The sight of a giggly Jessica who happened to be completely bare was too much for him to handle.

 

He leaned down over her and kissed her belly button, kissing his way up through the valley of her chest, neck and finally, claiming the lips that were rather swollen from their lovemaking earlier. Her giggles turned into moans and it wasn’t very long before the room resounded with the sounds of their loving once again.

 

~~~~~

 

“Yul…”

 

“Hmm?” Yul’s fingers traveled up and down her arm idly as they cuddled after their second round of loving.

 

“Can I move in with you?”

 

Yul stiffened and shifted himself to face her. “Sica, please don’t run away from your family.”

 

“Yul, there’s no way I’m living with that bastard.”

 

“Shh!” Yul pressed his finger on her lips, silencing her. “Don’t call your sister that.”

 

“She’s not my sister!” Jessica raised her voice, getting agitated over the term used.

 

“Okay, your half-sister. She’s your Dad’s daughter, Sica, no matter what.”

 

“Why are you talking like my Dad? I thought that you of all people would be as angry as me about this. The audacity of her to come and live with us, knowing full well that she’s a bast—“

 

Yul kissed her hard but briefly, cutting her off. “Sica I don’t like to hear these words coming from you.” He looked sternly into her eyes.

 

“But that’s what she is! Look up the definition in an online dictionary.”

 

Yul couldn’t help but to chuckle at Jessica’s obstinacy. “I know what the word means, but it’s the way you say it. So full of hatred and rage. I don’t like to see you like that. I want you to be happy and to be happy. You have to learn to forgive.”

 

“Yul, Let me move in with you for a little while at least. She’s arriving today. I need more time to get myself ready.” Jessica looked pleadingly into Yul’s eyes, willing him to agree to her request. “I’d really love waking up to see your face beside mine too…” She shifted her leg, nudging him in the process and smiled coyly.

 

Yul shook his head resignedly; ever since he met Jessica, his resolve and principles have been compromised somewhat. “Only if your Dad is agreeable.”

 

Jessica bristled at the mention of her father. “I’m not his daughter anymore. He’s made his choice and it wasn’t me.”

 

“Sica.” Yul’s voice was firm. “Your Dad loves you, you know that right? He’s human and he’s made mistakes, but he loves you. Even I can see that.”

 

Jessica sighed. Yul was as obstinate as she was and she knew that he wasn’t going to cave in. then a thought struck her. “I’m curious, have you forgiven your Dad, Yul?”

 

Yul nodded. “Yes I have. I could never hate him anyway, he’s my Dad. I was angry with him but I’ve forgiven him.”

 

Jessica looked deep into Yul’s warm eyes and teared. “Okay, I’ll talk to Daddy tomorrow but please let me stay here tonight.”

 

Yul’s heartstrings were tugged in all directions—Jessica looked so miserable and vulnerable—and he finally relented.

 

“Just for tonight, Sica.”

 

Jessica smiled sweetly and heaved a sigh of relief. She kissed his bare chest tenderly. “You’re not leaving me in the lurch.”

 

“I would never.” Yul pinched her nose lightly, smiling at her yelping and scrunching up her face in response. He planted a firm kiss on her lips. “You’re mine forever.”

 

~~~~~
 

“You know, I could get used to this.”

 

“And you’ll have me to thank for it.”

 

“Yes, I do. Thanks!”

 

Hyoyeon laughed and bit into the steamed goguma.

 

“When can you bring me to the uncle who sells these awesome gogumas? Every time you bring them to me, I lose two da—er, treats.”

 

“I told you that he is very irregular. He happened to set up his stall today so I got it as soon as I knew his stall was open.”

 

“Well, thanks anyway. I really love these gogumas. They are the best steamed gogumas I have ever eaten.”

 

“Thanks!” Hyoyeon grinned from ear to ear.

 

Hyun looked at her strangely. “What are you thanking me for? It’s not as if you are the one who made them.”

 

“Er, no but I’m the one who brought them to you!”

 

Hyun laughed. “Okay, if you want to claim credit for that, I guess you deserve it too.”

 

They sat on the grass, chomping away on the steaming gogumas, each thinking their own thoughts for a while.

 

“When will you ever be able to have dinner with me?” Hyoyeon asked suddenly.

 

“Actually, I think I’m available this Friday. I am off work early as soon as my interview ends and Young and Yoong haven’t been going out to Seventh Heaven that much lately so I guess, we can have dinner on Friday!”

 

“Really?” Hyoyeon sat up, looking very hopeful all of a sudden.

 

Hyun nodded solemnly. “Yes, really.”

 

“That’s great! There’s a place selling fantastic goguma that I’ve been dying to bring you to but they’re only open in the evening. We could go there.”

 

“Okay! It’s a da—er treat then!” Hyun grinned from ear to ear, looking very relaxed and much younger than usual.

 

Hyoyeon giggled as she was amused by his exuberance towards gogumas. “Yes, it’s treat 148.”

 

“I can’t wait!”

 

~~~~~