Please be advice that the story is not mine and I already ASK for permission to post it. Please visit her website at http://wattpad.com/thedispirit - the author of this story is thedispirit.

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Chapter III

I quickly checked the calendar and confirmed that it isn’t the hoax day wherein they said the world will end. Nope, it’s still November of the 2011th, it’s not yet 2012 so why in the world are there weird things lay in the table? By weird things—I meant food. There are mashed potatoes, a whole turkey, a platter of cheesecake, a group meal of smoked salmons, lobster thermion, chicken curry and my favorite, a bunch of apples coated with chocolate syrup. Yum!

I wanted to devour all of this but I’m still in a state of confusion why in the world there is such food in our dining table. I heard noises from the kitchen so I quickly ran towards the noise and was dumbfounded to find Jiyong in an apron—cooking. He was busy chopping onions, carrots, and other vegetables in a very graceful way. He’s like an expert chef. I bet he can take the pressure in Hell’s kitchen’s seasons.

“Is it your birthday?” I asked. He didn’t look at me and just shook his head. I walked towards him, awing and admiring his work. He’s like a housewife. Goodness, I can’t even chop properly like that.

“Are you inviting guests over?” I asked once again.He shook his head.

“Oh.” I boringly said and yawned. It’s still 6 in the morning and we still have school in an hour. I looked at the ceiling and listened to his chopping and cooking of food. I wondered what in the world he is doing but all I’ll get are silent answers. Maybe if I throw him in a barrel of toxic wastes he’ll become the more ideal husband I want. Just maybe.

“Hey.” I looked at him as he called me not by my name but by a ‘hey’.

“Sorry about yesterday.” He stopped chopping and looked at me. I was caught in a deep trance once again by those deep brown eyes of his. I quickly looked away and cleared my throat.

“Why? You didn’t do anything wrong.”

“I was rude to you.”

Am I hearing what I am hearing? He’s apologizing? And he’s doing these cooking things for me? To make it up to me? Wow. I’m starting to find his good side. “It’s cool. I know you’re under a lot of pressure by saving the world and all.”

I took out our usual plates and utensils and placed it on the dining area. I could still hear his chopping from here. I hummed to myself thinking that I should thank him back by cooking an extravagant dinner later. He cooked a very big breakfast that could feed a whole army. Well, he’s superman so he can eat all of this.

“I’m sorry if you married me.”

I stopped and felt the world shrink around me. I wasn’t able to move because of what he said. What he said was like a stab of a knife in my chest. He doesn’t know anything. I don’t regret marrying him. I’m probably complaining always but I don’t regret a thing. I loved marrying him.

“Jiyong, Don’t—“I turned around and tried reasoning out but I was turned into stone once again by those eyes. He was holding a plate of salad with his other hand while the other one was instantly placed on my cheek. He was an inch away from me and I could hear his deep breaths. The hot electricity flowed inside me again as my brain processed his nearby presence. I didn’t even notice him move from the kitchen to here and shift his hand to my face.

“U—Uh, Jiyong?” I stammered and looked away. No matter what I do. Even if I think about sheep and bunnies, all I could think of is his nearby presence. All I could think of is how he can make me feel so queasy and nervous. My mind became blank as his scent tickled my nose and the portion of my cheek where he touched became numb.

It’s weird.

“Sandara.” He said my name like it’s the most valuable treasure in the world. It made me look back at him. I stared into his deep gaze and caught myself wrapping my arms around him. I pulled him closer until our nose touched. I can’t get enough of his presence. I suddenly felt a weird feeling. Someone just took over my body, I can’t control it. It moves on its own.

“Jiyong—marrying you is never—“

“Hold that thought.” He cut me off and in an instant he was gone. I was hugging the air. I was staring into a void space. The emptiness kissed me back.

He had gone saving the world again.

I sighed and shook my head helplessly. I looked at the delicious food in the table. One moment I want to eat it all up but now—I don’t feel like eating at all. I went to the bathroom and took a quick bath before going to my room, slouching on a chair and burying my face on my palms.

What I had done awhile ago is unbelievable. I was captivated by his presence that’s why I became so impulsive. I actually acted like a flirtatious jerk. I sighed for the hundredth time and raided my closet to find some decent clothes for today’s school. I found a white sweater that shows my belly a little and a pair of fitted jeans. I paired it with a doll shoes and tied my hair into a pony tail.

I looked at myself in the mirror. I look ordinary. I’m just your typical teenage girl. Nothing more.

I went back to the dining room and still, the unmoved delicious foods were sitting there—waiting to be eaten. I glumly placed each one of them in container and hid them in the refrigerator. I guess I won’t be cooking dinner tonight.

“You burned it!” Bom, my cooking partner, yelled at the top of her lungs which made the other students looked at us. I looked at the colored brown fish on our frying pan. Poor fish, he’s double dead because I carelessly forgot to flip his other part and now the other one is raw while the other is over-cooked.

Who would eat this?

“Ms. Park.” The voice roared inside my head and I turned slowly to face Mrs. Bocher once again. Her eyebrow rose at me in a creepy old lady way and I put on a sheepish smile. She shook her head and sighed disappointedly asking me what in the world happened to me. I’ll tell you what happened to me, I grudgingly mumbled inside me thinking about Jiyong ditching dinner last night and breakfast earlier this morning.

 “I’m sorry, Mrs. Bocher.” That was just all I could say before she gave me a one way ticket to detention—again.

What happened to my last visit to detention, which is yesterday, wasn’t that good. All I did was staring at the clock for two hours while thinking over what I had done. I’ve done nothing wrong. I just happen to be taller than Mrs. Bocher—is that a sin?

Mrs. Bocher asked me to write my reflection on a one whole sheet of paper—back to back. I ended up submitting to her the cleanest paper in the world—empty as her without having an eyebrow. Well, she has a pair—a tattooed one.

“Ah, Mr. Kwon. Late again, eh?” I flinched when Mrs. Bocher mentioned his presence in the classroom. I focused on the fish in our frying pan—I can now imagine the fish talking to me and scolding me that I shouldn’t have let my teenage hormones get over me. “I can’t control it.” I hissed at the fish and Bom looked at me with a puzzled face.

“I—I can’t control the fire.” I reasoned with a weird laugh that made her step backwards and leave my section. Great. I freaked her out. I grunted blowing the extra hair falling on my face back to its original place—but it falls back.

“Since you are late, Mr. Parkers. I’ll pair you up with the trouble maker.” Mrs. Bocher whispered the last two words at the back of my neck which sent me down the chills. I, being the trouble maker, is definitely okay. Being paired with Jiyong in our cooking class? Not so okay—especially after what happened earlier this morning.

It’s awkward.

He stood next to me, looking at the poor over-cooked Mr. Fish.

The fish smiled at me teasingly.

By my reflex, I grabbed a fork and stabbed it in the face. The student gasped and so did Mrs. Bocher. Jiyong just looked at me with questioning eyes. I realized what I had done—I double murdered a fish and I looked stupid.

“U—uh, the fish was still alive.” I laughed in hysteria and they started whispering and murmuring. Oh right, who’ll be alive after they got over-cooked?

Even a fish will be dead by that. I’m being even more stupid.

“Are you okay?” Jiyong stood behind me—closer as he whispered at my nape. Chills ran down my spine and I stared back at the fish, trying to regain my focus and saneness. Why does he have to be so close? It makes me feel queasy and he makes me remember what I did earlier this morning—it makes me want to dive down under the stove and burn myself to death.

“Y—Yeah, I’m good.” I said moving away from him. He just raised an eyebrow and sighed while removing the fish with a fork on its head from the frying pan. I watched him as he transferred poor mister fish to a plate then to the trashcan. I yelped but covered my mouth quickly before I could make another commotion over a dead fish that I think is talking to me.

“Come closer.” He commanded and I followed instantly like a stray dog. I took a step towards him.

“Closer.” He commanded.

I took another step.

“Closer.”

I took another one. He’s three steps away from me. I can’t be closer to him or else teenage hormones will be at fault ones again.

“You’re hopeless.” He gave up and grabbed my wrist, pulling me closer to him. I fell down to his chest which made my heart beat ran faster than ever before. I quickly pulled away and looked at him. His eyes showed no emotion

“S—Sorry.” I focused on the frying pan and noticed that a new Mr. Fish is swimming in oil. The fish smiled at me then winked.

 “Whoa.” I said leaning closer to the frying pan. The fishes are actually gesturing at me. It’s like they’re talking to me or wanting to tell me something. I guess it’s just my imagination. Weird. I leaned closer observing the smiling fish.

 “Watch out!”

In an instant I was enveloped again by his divine vanilla scent and we fall back to the floor. He was on top of me and I was lying between his manly arms. I shut my eyes real hard as I heard an exploding and shrieking noise.

Above all the noise, his voice was all I could hear. He was calling my name and asking if I was okay—I can’t open my eyes for I was afraid and shocked at the same time. Many things ran into the blank mind of mine. Those fish—were they just my imagination? Who in their right mind would think that a fish will smile at them? But I swear I saw them smile and wink at me. I even saw another fish waving at me while they swim in the oil. This is getting weirder and weirder.

“Sandara? Are you okay?” his velvet voice like soft cotton echoed inside my ears. I gently opened my eyes and his deep brown gaze hugged my soul. I’ve never seen his face like this before. I’ve never seen his face with a frown before. I’ve never seen his eyes full of emotion before. I’ve never heard his voice like this before.

I’ve never heard him so worried before.

“I—I’m fine.” I sat up when he finally got off on top of me. I looked around and the students were all under their desks. I looked at our section and it was on flame. Mrs. Bocher was busy covering her precious face and so does the others that no one noticed that the stove was on fire—blue fire.

“W—what’s that?” I uttered as Jiyong pulled me up to my feet. His hand was cold like ice and his face became stiff. When I finally managed my balance, he moved closer to me, wrapping his arms around my waist. “What did you see? Why did you lean to the frying pan?” his voice was colder now—it’s not like the velvet one before when he asked if I was alright. His voice was somehow more protective now. 

“You’ll just laugh if I say it to you.” I pouted crossing my arms over my chest. He shook his head and grabbed my shoulders, making me face him. My heart leaped out of my chest as his power ran into me again. I gulped and locked our eyes together.

“Tell me.” He commanded and I exhaled deeply.

“Don’t laugh.”

Of course he wouldn’t laugh. That guy never laughed before. I haven’t seen him laugh before. And I wish I could. And I hope I could be the reason for his laughter if ever soon enough he’ll show happiness.

“T—the fishes are…smiling at me.” I made a serious face and looked at him. No sign of amusement or laughter. I felt relieved that he didn’t find it funny instead; he actually took it really serious. His jaw clenched and so did his fists. He raised his right hand, palms open, and focused on the fire. In a split of second, the fire was gone and everything turned back to normal, except the marks of burn on the stove and table in our section. The students and Mrs. Bocher got out of their hiding placed and they all sighed in relief when they saw that no one is hurt.

“Let’s go.” Jiyong dragged me along outside not waiting for Mrs. Bocher’s permission for us to leave early. I was stuck looking at our intertwined hands as he dragged me to nowhere, his hands are cold and hard like steel. I could also feel him shivering and his nervousness. I wonder why he’s so—afraid.

“Jiyong, we still have classes.” I informed him but he just nodded. I grunted and followed him. For now, I should feel irritated because he’s just dragging me anywhere he wants—but I feel happy. I’m alone with him this very moment. I looked at the ground then to my feet; I was already running just to keep up with his dragging. I don’t know where we are and I did not care. My knees are still weak because of the explosion that happened and I’m starting to hear sirens from fire trucks and the yelling of kids even though the fire is already out. Good thing no one is injured. But it’s weird that at the exact moment I leaned was the exact moment the stove exploded.

“Hold on.” We stopped. I looked up at him and gasped when I saw him in his superman suit. He changed so quickly that I didn’t even notice it. He didn’t let go of my hand but he got to change to his suit. I wonder what other abilities he has.

“Jiyong how did you—“

“Ask me later, for now…” he paused and lifted me up, carrying me like a princess. I looked at him—being this close to him makes me want to stare at him all day.

“I want you to be safe.” He lastly said before he flies up in the sky with me in his arms.

I don’t know if it’s his power to me is just great because he is superman or his power running through my veins is just strong because he is Kwon Jiyong.

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Smells fishy?!