Date 1: Spa Day

Morning came and Jiyong groaned as he moved his sore body, trying in vain to adjust to a more comfortable position. A general stiffness to his muscles from a physical confrontation not forgotten. The bruises, a physical reminder of the many muscles damaged beneath. He grumbled at the sudden perception of the cool and vacant bedsheets next to him.


“Dara,” he murmured.


When there was no response, he eyes flew open, and he bolted upright in the bed, his body screaming in protest against the sudden movement.


He was about to jump out of bed in search for her when the door to his bedroom opened, ushering in his goddess, dressed in simple white track pants and a pink t-shirt.


“Good morning, handsome,” she cooed, carrying a basket with her.


She set the basket on his nightstand and climbed softly into bed, wrapping her arms tenderly around him and placing soft kisses on his face.


“I didn't know where you were,” Jiyong confessed.


“We already talked about this last night. All that crazy drama is over now. Jason is gone...my memory is back. No more surprises.....bad ones, anyway,” she finished with a mysterious smirk.


Jiyong sighed in relief, and, with a grin, fell back onto his bed, pulling Dara with him. He winced, but kept a firm hold of this absolute dream of a woman.


“So.....date number one,” he asked with a hunger in his eyes, his hands roaming seductively down her sides.


“Uh, I don't think so, sweetie. You're still a mess, so no heavy exertion today. But don't worry, I got date number one covered,” Dara winked.


Jiyong pouted. What he wanted most was to spend the day in bed, getting lost in each other's embrace...exploring, tasting, claiming each other until they collapsed into a happy and exhaustive sleep. But he had a promise and a duty to fulfill, and he'd be damned if he didn't do everything in his power to make a wonderful memory for his butterfly today.


“So, what's it gonna be, D? A picnic, a movie, a romantic getaway?”


“Hold your horses, you'll get your turn,” she chuckled. “I worked out a system while you were sleeping this morning. She reached over the side of the bed and pulled two large bowls and a tall stack of index cards along with two pens.


“This green bowl is the nightly bowl. The red bowl is the advanced planning bowl. We both get to contribute ideas and place them in the appropriate bowl. We pull from the red bowl once a week, ideas from the green every night before we go to bed....unless a red date is to be executed the following day.”


“We go to bed...together....every night?” Jiyong's eyes glimmered.


“Yes, Mr. Kwon. Home is wherever you are. I've waited my whole life for you, been through hell and back to keep you. You don't think I'm about to spend a single night apart from you, do you? I've sent for my things. They should be arriving this afternoon.”


“Wow, you have it all figured out, don't you, Miss Park?” he chuckled, his grin nearly splitting his face in half.


“Damn straight. I told you, Ji. I'm not a damsel. Once I know what I want, there's not much you can do to keep it from being mine.”


“And what is it that you want today, Miss Park?” he asked lovingly.


Dara smiled again and recited, “Today is spa day, handsome boy, let's get you hunkified, if it's even possible to improve on perfection.”


The words were adapted for him, but he recognized the reference immediately.


“You remember that day too?”


“Yes, Ji,” she answered softly.


He smiled and shrugged. “Okay, spa day it is. Which one are we off to?”


“Oh...we're staying right here. I've arranged for in home services. And if you're ready, I'd like to begin.”


She got up abruptly, bringing another pout from him, as she led him by the hand to the bathroom. She had drawn a hot bath with sea salts and bath oils. Turning to face him, she pulled the hem of his shirt, and gingerly removed it, revealing the stubborn bruises that racked his torso. She flinched at the sight of them and tenderly ran her fingers across them before holding his face in her tiny hands and placing a chaste kiss on his lips. She then pulled his boxers down, revealing his glorious manhood that was standing at attention before her.


“Down, boy....you need to let the whole team heal before we get to play,” she playfully addressed .


Jiyong grunted huskily, but Dara would not be swayed. She led him to the bath and had him step in.


“You're not joining me?” he seemed genuinely disappointed.


“Jiyong, I only have so much self control. If I climb in there with you, we're going straight to activities that are strictly prohibited today.”


“Damn, woman. I'm all right.”


“Jiyong,” she pouted. “SPA DAY!” she huffed, and stamped her foot down.


“Okay! Okay! I surrender!” and he climbed into the tub, alone.


Satisfied, Dara resumed her professional voice. “I'm going to get the rest of the spa treatments ready. Just soak for a bit.”


Jiyong closed his eyes, smiling to himself as he remembered the first time he had seen her in this very bath tub. He decided he would write 'bathe together' as one of his date suggestions.


“I'll be bathing you today, Mr. Kwon,” Dara interrupted his fantasy with her soft declaration.


She took a giant loofah and squirted some body wash into a foamy lather. She rubbed his back and arms and chest, gently mimicking the sensations he had given her with her sponge baths back in the hospital. She squirted more body wash in her palm and washed his face. She got some shampoo and worked his hair into a soft lather before rinsing it clean.


“Would you like to soak some more or are you ready to step out?”


“Mmm.....depends on if I can talk you into joining me,” he sighed.


“Jiyong, don't tempt me. Come on! I have face packs!”


Jiyong chuckled. Dara's excitement for beauty products was nothing compared to her passion for food, but it was adorable, nonetheless. He struggled to think of anything else besides as she gently patted him dry with a towel. Was she lingering in his groin area to ? Or was she struggling with her lust just as much as he was?


“Okay, Mr. Kwon, step this way,” she said huskily, answering his silent questions. He was tempted to take her right there on the bathroom floor, but determined to see this spa date through for the sake of this memory.


Having dressed him in charcoal grey lounge pants and a white tee, Dara regained her composure and set her attention to the wide array of facial products strewn on his dining table.


“Compliments of Etude House Cosmetics, Mr. Kwon. Let's try the aloe infused green tea pack!”


He chuckled as she sat him down on the sofa and placed a pack on his face. The pack was cooling and actually refreshed him. She followed suit with her own pack. Waiting for the packs to have their most beneficial effect, Dara brought over the stack of index cards. They both began to write furiously their date ideas and in a blink of an eye, both bowls were filled with an ample amount of suggestions.


The time rang and Dara peeled off the masks from their faces, rubbing in the cooling gel.


“I can see why Chaerin is so addicted to these. My face feels great!”


Dara giggled at his enthusiastic response and sighed happily. “Now back to your bed. It's time for hands and feet.”


Jiyong nodded happily and followed her back to the bedroom. As instructed, he laid down on his stomach, his face turned sideways. He heard the basket being moved and a chair being pulled in. Then he felt Dara's tiny but strong fingers massaging his hand. She took a bottle of massage oil from the basket and kneaded his fingers and palm. Jiyong groaned appreciatively, and for first time that day, the reason wasn't ual.


“You have a gift, D. This feels amazing,” he mumbled into his pillow.


She smiled and moved onto the other hand, before finishing with his feet. Jiyong was so relaxed, he had to struggle to stay awake.


“Why, Mr. Kwon....are you falling asleep on me?” she teased.


“Hmmmrrrrphmm,” he managed as the sleep took over.


He woke to the scent and heat of Salon Pas patches. Dara had placed them all over his back in his slumber. He rubbed his eyes and checked the time. He had slept for two hours. With extreme guilt, he padded out to the living room.


“Sorry,” he mumbled.


“What for?” Dara asked waiting for him at the dining table. A delicious spread of food had replaced the beauty products.


“Mmm....what smells so good?”


“I got tired of waiting for you for dinner. So I ordered in. You recognize it?”


He looked at the table more closely....kimchi stew, rice, steamed egg, bulgogi, a variety of side dishes, and some fish....his eyes shot up and met her gaze.


“In honor of the first night I spent at your place.”


“ You have an amazing memory, D.”


“ You are an amazing memory, Jiyong.”


She walked over to him and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into a sweet kiss. He sighed happily against her lips, relaxed and refreshed and voraciously famished.


“ I'm starving!”


“Hey, that's my line!”


They laughed together and dove into the food, talking the rest of the night away.


As they got ready for bed, Dara picked up the green bowl and offered it to Jiyong. He fished around, hoping desperately for a -themed date. He read the card with an almost despairing voice.


“ Movie rental and popcorn.”


Dara chuckled. “Don't worry, Ji. Dates don't have to last all day. There's always room for other activities ONCE you're fully recovered.”


Jiyong grumbled and wrapped his arms around her waist falling onto their bed once more.