I got up, annoyed when the door bell won’t stop ringing. Seriously, this person will wish he or she did not touch the bell at the first place. I stomped up to my apartment front door and ‘peeked’ out through the security camera screen to see the face of the intruder to my peaceful night reading. My mouth let out a sigh when I saw his face on the screen waving like a child who just got his candy as if he could see me looking at him. I threw open the door, my face annoyed.

   “What do you want, Howon?”

   “Yah, I told you not to call me that. It’s Hoya, you grandma”

   “Whatever. What do you want?”

   “Ouch. Can’t a boyfriend visit his own girlfriend? Don’t be such a joy killer, Jing jing”

He ruffled my hair and barged in without even asking for my permission.

   “Yah, since when I have become your girlfriend, you numskull?”

     His face appeared shocked at my statement but he crashed on the sofa anyway. A picture of ease. I swore this guy was such a drama queen sometimes even when he went around holding up his calm Busan man theatricals.

   “Since I confessed a few days ago”

He said rather calmly. I raised my eyebrow.

   “And did I accept?

   “I wasn’t sure of that. You left without saying anything. So I take it as a yes”

I was about to throw another word of argument when he sweep me off the floor and threw me on the sofa before he managed to snuggle beside me. His toned arms surrounded my waist tightly like a cage. I tried struggling my way out, whining a few curse words to him but he just secured his arm even tighter as if he was snuggling a doll.

   “Yah, Jing jing. Stop whining and just relax will you?”

My ears felt hot and I started blushing hard as he whispered the dangerously close.

     After a while of more struggling (and cursing) and whining, I finally decided to give up and stare at the blank television in front of us. He was definitely not asleep yet as his hands were busying themselves playing with my finger. I felt this overwhelming feeling in my stomach as he did that. What is this?

   “Yah, numskull”

   “Yes, Jing jing”

   “Why are you troubling yourself and go around doing this?”

   “Because I like you, silly”

   “And why is that?”

   “Do I need a reason to like you?”

   “There must be something that draw you in to like a person”

   “Hmm, because you’re that person? Because you are you. Is there another reason besides that? I would like to know too”

My heart twitched when I heard that. There was only silence as I took his words in.

 I covered my ears as I heard them quarrelling again. This time the shouting and cursing got even louder. Drops by drops of clear tears rushed down my cheeks as I hugged myself and hid under the makeup table in my room. My safe place. It wasn’t long before I heard some glasses being smashed and the front door slammed hard. I crawled out and peeked outside via the window. I saw my dad punched the gate door and caused the lock to break at the sudden impact. Hell, I could even hear him curse his way out. Suddenly, my thoughts went to my mother. How is she? It’s been extremely quiet after dad left. I rushed downstairs, worried that something bad might have happened but drew a thankful sigh as I saw my mother treating her bruised head with an ice pack, muttering some words under her breath.

   “That crazy bastard. I really thought that he truly loved me. Haha, guess that true love really doesn’t exist”

Since then, I stopped craving or searching for love. I don’t even believed in it. I don’t even believe happy endings existed and I’m pretty much content the way I am now. At least, it could not hurt me as it hurt my parents.

      I was brought back to the present when Howon nudged me gently.

   “Yah, Jing jing. Are you dead or what? It felt quite funny when you stopped whining”

His words got a little chuckle from me.

   “Why? Do you like my whining that much, numskull?”

I could feel a smirk crept up his face as I said that.

   “Frankly speaking, I do. It’s what intrigued me to you at the first place”

The overwhelmed feeling in my stomach was back again as my reddened with heat. Weird numskull. How can he likes someone just because she whines?

   “Hoya?”

   “Hmm?”

   “Did you really mean it?”

   “What?”

   “Everything you said, do you really mean it?”

He did not answer right away, instead he turned me around effortlessly to face him, his two orbs looking at mine as if they could see right through them. His expression was soft when he leaned closer and touched his forehead with mine.

   “More than ever” He whispered.

   “Well, you better be, boyfriend. Because I am going to give up now”

I pushed his forehead away and quickly made my run but somehow he was able to catch me and spun me in the air. Happiness clearly painted on his face as I coaxed my heart to give this a try. Love, I am going to give it a shot.