chaptertwo

"In The Ranch"

EXCERPT FROM HWANG MI-YOUNG'S DIARY:

May 30, 1945

Dear diary,

The day is a bit tiresome today but at the same time happiness filled me. Andrew had fetched me from home and took me to what I think is a ranch. A slow smile spread in my lips as he began to contract the owner to rent two horses. I haven't rode a horse for many months now. He chose a brown stallion, an adult one that can handle fast marathons. As for me, a female white one since I wanted a gentler runner. Both of us galloped in the 2-km oval, as we faced the dusty way while guiding our horses to the finish line. We even agreed to have a race and as expected Andrew won with his brown stallion. I do marvel his appearance while riding the beast. He was like a prince ready to save a damsel in distress. And I wished I am that damsel.

***

Tiffany rubbed her temples as she rose from the bed. She expected to wake up in her own time, as she thought it was only a dream but no! As it happened, she was still in the past, lying down on the bed as her grandmother. She wondered what have caused such event to happen. She never believed in time travelers nor fantastical things. But now she thought she might, after all how can anyone explain the unfolding drama.

She knew well what would happen now. A horse-back riding with that Andrew Choi. For a moment, she cursed the entire affair. She doesn't know how to ride a horse! And she was not willing to learn it either. She was afraid to learn new things, especially if it concerns animal things. But looking at the brighter side, she can be with Andrew for at the very least, several hours.

She shook her head as if brushing away the recent thought. She cursed herself for even thinking about him. Why does she want to spend time with him? For heaven's sake, they just met a day before not to mention the fact that he was a heartbreaker. Why does her heart beats fast everytime she thought of him? Why does she have butterflies in his stomach everytime she sees him? Was that because he's handsome? She shrugged the thought. She had seen various handsome guys in the present but this is the first time, she felt this sensation. It was as if she was smitten off him.

A knock then distracted her train of thoughts. She turned her head to the wooden double doors and shuffled towards it. Twisting the knob, she opened it, revealing a not so tall girl in another Korean dress, smiling at her.

“Miyoung-ah! You should wake up earlier!”

Tiffany still felt uneasy whenever someone calls her by her grandmother's name. Apart from that obvious problem, she doesn't recognize the girl before her, nor she had expected to. She was in the past okay?

She resisted the urge to ask the girl who she was. That may arouse suspicion and that's the last thing she wanted. A girl that was presuming she has an amnesia or mental-illness. She just smiled and bowed before her as she followed the girl to the dining room.

Upon stepping her foot on the dining room, she found two men there, both dressed in tuxedo and formal outfits. Both have the same bulk and truth be told, both hot.

“Oh Mi-young. She's here!” exclaimed Chansung while taking a bite on some chicken fillet. “Have some!”

The other man stood, bowing as he offered Tiffany a seat, showing off his gentleness. Tiffany smiled. You can't find gentlemen these days. The group talked while they eat. Tiffany soon learned that the girl who came early in these morning, knocking at her door was her bestfriend, Taeyeon. She was not even surprised. The girl has an outgoing personality that her grandmother would surely like.

After eating breakfast, the group turned themselves on the living room, laughing as they exchanged banter. But before that, she ran herself a cold bath first, making sure that she would fell refreshed when talking to her newfound friends.

As expected, Andrew had invited her in the ranch for some sort of horseback riding. Half of her wants to refused and the other wants to come over. The refusing hard-headed half was reasoning that she doesn't know and wasn't willing to go horseback riding. While the other, the outgoing and open-minded one pursues her to go and learn with, as it turned out the guy who makes her go nuts.

She decided to follow her open-minded self and came over with Andrew. Her more sensible side was now going crazy, as if jumping out of joy. It was as if it was happy to be with him.

Riding an ancient Volkswagen, which was rarely being used in some fancy getaways, they marched on the roads to the ranch. While sitting in car's tan upholstery, she can't helped but notice how handsome Andrew was. His narrow-bridged nose was indeed perfect and his eyes were glittering like that of the city lights in her time. For the third time, she cursed herself. Why is she thinking about those things?

Soon, the gates of the ranch appeared before them. She winced upon seeing the horses in the place. They were wilder than she thought, running in high speeds and jumping on high hurdles. She paled. How can she handle those beasts?

Andrew, noticing the pallor, turned to her and asked. “Miyoung-ah, what's the matter?” He said, as he turned away momentarily to get the clearance for the horse rental. “Weren't you excited to play your favorite sport?”

Tiffany paled once more. She wanted to say that she was not Miyoung. That she was not in the right time. That she doesn't know how to ride horses and that it's not her favorite sport. But it is always just WANT, she can't say it aloud.

Andrew took her wrist and led her to the stable to choose their horses. And as anticipated, he chose two horses; a white female stallion for her and a brown male one for him. She wondered if her inability to ride horses will change the events.

With the two horses, her grandmother's fiancé brought her to the oval, as he fixed all the things they needed. “Let's go Miyoung!”

Tiffany feared the worst. She remembered one line in her grandmother's diary.

We even agreed to have a race and as expected Andrew won with his brown stallion.

A race? How can she bear it? She snickered as Andrew began his chore on jumping in the stirrup. “Now. Ride yours Miyoung.”

Tiffany hesitated. She had to make an excuse if not her life would be depended on this horse. She glanced at the horse. It seemed calm but she was not taking any chances with entrusting her life. Especially not in a race.

She shook her head at him. “I feel quite delirious. I don't feel well.”

“But you looked stronger earlier.”

“I don't know.” She reasoned, displaying a perfect pale face of illness. “I think I can't ride any horse right now.”

Andrew nodded. “Okay. Well guess. You won't enjoy this trip. You can't control and maneuver a horse with your recent status. But-” Then his eyes sparkled in brainstorm. Tiffany wondered what he is up to but she comforted herself. Surely it's not a race whatsoever. He smiled at her, which sends Tiffany blushing. “You can ride with me.” He glided himself backwards from the stirrups center, offering a space for her.

Tiffany almost fell off her knees. Ride with him? Ludicrous! But she can't deny it. Her brain looked for anymore excuses but found none. She sighed. She must endure this. She hopped to the horse and rode with him, their bodies were barely a centimeter apart.

Surely, he can hear my heartbeat.

She thought it was bad then, riding with a heartbreaker but then she enjoyed it and a familiar heart-beating disturbed her rib cage once again as he put his chin directly above her shoulders.

Here it goes again. My heart beats faster once more.

*****

Author's note: Omo. We have a new poster. Thanks to my wonderful co-author ddilfany. Anyway, thanks for reading the story. Comments are much appreciated