Chapter 16

A Thousand and One

She was half-running, taking two steps at a time. Still flushed from the sun and the wine she had earlier, she whirled from table to table until she reached this flight of stairs. Unmindful of Jiyong, she stepped into the room and tried to unhook her wedding gown. She was in a hurry.  She saw Tabi earlier.  It was definitely Tabi…her Tabi. She will find him.

"Here, let me help you." He offered closing the door behind him.

"Thanks, but you don't have to. Mother and Ama will be here any minute." She said, waving him off.

"They're busy." he replied grinning pushing her to face front while he moved his hands up to where the hook rests.

"And you're not." She grinned back, pushing him away and snatching the dress off his hand.

"Right." He nods as he stepped forward.

"Where are you going?" She stopped and turned suddenly just outside the bathroom door.

"I'm helping you get dressed, remember?" he pushed the bathroom door open. “ I would not mind if you just change here, you know.” A soft smile was playing dangerously at the edge of his lips.

"Goodness! You are persistent!" she huffs

"That's the first thing I learned in business school." He shrugged "Never give up." He smiled playfully. "Now hurry before they start looking for us." He urged her, pushing her gently towards the door. She was still crying her protest when they heard somebody knocking.

"Fix yourself first, I'll go get it." He instructed, closing the bathroom door behind him.

"Hi. Sorry to interrupt." The guest said, taking the liberty to invite himself in. “Is Dara here?”

She stopped the very second she heard the voice from the other door. It was no mistaking but damn it, she was in her chemise almost on her wedding day and yet she was thinking of another man. "Who is it?" Dara hollered.

"The Duke of Choi." He hollered back.

That is it! She swung the bathroom door open, "Tabi!" she screamed. She looked stunned, she was breathless. "I was beginning to worry you couldn't wait until tonight." He teased

"Oh Tabi." he caught her by the waist. “Tabi.” All thought left her and yet emotions fill her.  She wanted to breathe him in. She felt crazy.

"I was afraid you might leave again. I miss you so much, so very much it's killing me." She planted a kiss near his ear and another and another, she could just keep on going.

"Easy...Youngbae is here." Only then did she notice that Seungri and Youngbae had already joined them.

"I don't care. You are way cuter anyway." As she wraps her arm around him once again and whispered something in Seunghyun's ear to which he roars in laughter. "I could eat you with mustard!"

"Hey! hey! Behave yourself; you certainly wouldn't want your husband to get the wrong idea, would you?" Youngbae said prying her off his brother while Seungri has his hand on Jiyong’s shoulder. Her eyes widened.  She just married the guy over an hour ago.

"Aren't you going to introduce us?" Jiyong finally asked without any expression.

"I thought you've met?" she asked her voice hitched a little. She can feel the spike of adrenaline in her body. She gulped, felt dry and her hands sweat.

"Not formally." he replied.

"Tabi I would like you to meet my husband, Kwon Jiyong." she obliged.  She saw Jiyong smile, it was soft, friendly. He held out a hand for her and like metal to magnet she reached out to hold his.  Seunghyun smirked, Dara made a face.

"Jiyong, this is Seunghyun Choi. Bae's older brother." she quips her eyebrow arched.

"Whoa!" Seunghyun exclaimed. "Did you hear that? I am reduced to nothing more than your brother now."

This time it was Youngbae's turn to laugh. "Correction...my older brother"

"Well, what ever happened to the man of her dreams, the sun in her sky and the best bud in the whole wide world?"

"Who left me with nothing more that the sun mural on my ceiling.  I waited like you promised.  You never called me! Not one freaking ring!  " She snapped.

Youngbae groans, "Must you remind her now?" he eyed Dara suspiciously.

"Somebody has to do the dirty work around here." Seunghyun was looking at her.

"Huh! You've abandoned that post a long time ago! You were gone for more than 3 effing years Tabi. You! Left! Me!" she reached in to hit him on the head.

Seunghyun leaned back and caught her by the arm when she drew back. "You know you can never get away with it." he smiled pulling her forward pinning her hands on her back.

"I just had this sudden urge to hit you...like some message from heaven." she mocked

"You never lost your spunk, I see." he smirked.

"I made sure I had them on before I went here!" she stamped on his instep.

"Stop it!" He lifted her with one arm still restraining her other hand.

"You're no longer in the position to tell me what to do." she glared.

“I like this position” he further, arching an eyebrow at her.

“I waited for you.  I waited for so long damn you.” She growls nearly choking. “Let me go.” She kicked his shin.

"I deserved that." he said without smiling "But aren't you too old to keep acting like a brat?"

"I hate you."

"I know." he then address the others "Will you please leave us for a while, we need some privacy. We have to settle a score."

"Good luck." was all that Seungri said and ruffled Dara's hair.

"Don't worry." Youngbae addressed Jiyong "You wouldn’t want her with so much garbage.  Let her dump it on him first." And he went out of the door.

Once the door closed, he set her on her feet and devoured her. He was not expecting him to lose it. He is a man of control at least for the past couple of years without her, his passions tamed. But he lost it like a man without proper sustenance faced with his very last meal, he never realized how hungry he was. He heard her sob and yet she answered him with equal passion their emotions raging.  They break off and she started to cry… really cry, her gut wrenching and her head throbbed.  Seunghyun held her as he whispers her name over and over.

  When her sobs subsided he sat her on the bed and began fluffing all the pillows, taking his time and making sure that the bed is comfortable. "Come here, sit with me." he said patting the empty space beside her.

She scooted beside him "I was really beginning to hate you." She hit him with a pillow.

"I know. That is one of the reasons why I came back." he replied. “Aren’t you suppose to be in bed with Jiyong?” he chortled.

“Damn you!” she hit him again. "Where have you been?" she asked

"Somewhere in the East." he replied

"Not good enough." She said brandishing the pillow on his face. "Try again." She was holding on to it now.

"With Ama."

"All this time?" she asked somehow grateful.

He nodded. "What took you so long?" She moved in to his arms now. “I saw your picture on the papers once. Le Mans last year.”

“I was at Le Mans, just watched though.”He gave her a peck on the forehead. "I did not want to cloud your better judgment, though I don't see how it could possibly get any murkier."

"Had I known, I would have done this sooner." She pouted.

"I was afraid of that, but I've got to hand it to you. This could possibly be the biggest political marriages the country has seen in the last decade or so but you choose to invite 30 people."

"Father would rather have 30 guests than a thousand minus the bride."

He held her closer. "Ama told me about the accident."

"It was an accident just like what Ama said." she avoided his eyes.

'But trying to jump off your window was never a good stunt."

"I was trying to buy time."

"Trying to kill yourself was stupid." he said firmly. "You've cause me way too many sleepless nights."

"I'm sorry."

"No. I should be sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you by leaving, but staying would have caused you far greater pain. I know it was unfair when I left Angela to your care but I somehow hoped you'd be able to forget me with them around."

" I can never be angry with you for too long, but the forgetting part was a little difficult, especially with your brother and Angela around." she tried to laugh."How did you learn about today?"

"I got this in the mail." he handed her something from his jacket. It was her wedding invitation.

"Mother." she concluded

"…And Ama. I wanted to know if the rumor was true."

"That I am pregnant?"

"That you finally found someone to occupy your time, your mind and that empty space in your heart. I know I've messed up but I'm willing to make it up with you and Angela. " He moved her closer and planted a kiss on her temple. "I saw her today. What have you been teaching that kid?" he frowned a little

"Things a learned from you." she smiled.

A/N:  I think we have moved forward :) I am glad that now we have Seunghyun :) Again sending you Daragon and Tabisan love.

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