>Lia<

"Are you ready?" Gi Kwang-goon asked me.

I swallowed hard and nodded. My pulse raced frantically.

He stood in front of me and looked into my eyes. "I promised that I wouldn't let anything hurt you."

I nodded again.

"I'll go in first." He jumped into the swimming pool.

I watched him. My heart was beating wildly in my chest. My hands were sweaty and my legs felt wobbly. I took in a deep breath to calm myself down.

Gi Kwang broke through the surface, shook the water out of his hair like a dog, and looked up at me. "Come in, Lia."

I crouched down at the edge of the pool. He opened his arms and I wrapped mine around his neck. I buried my face at his shoulder as he pulled me in. The cold water that hit me brought back painful memories. I trembled violently.

"Shh... I'm here, Lia. I'm here." Gi Kwang's voice lessened the trembles. "You're safe with me."

He continued to murmur comforting words in my ears until I calmed down. It took some time.

"You're okay?" He asked.

I brave myself and pulled away from him to look into his eyes. "I'm fine."

"We'll get use to the water like this first," he said. "Let's talk."

"What do you want to talk about?"

 "Hmm.." He gazed up at the moon. "How did you know how to play soccer so well?"

We were on a vacation with Beast on a beach, to celebrate Gi Kwang-goon's birthday. That afternoon, we played soccer by the waves. Separated into two groups, Gi Kwang, Me and Junhyung were in one group. Yoseobie, Doojoon and Hyun seung in another. Dongwoon became the referee while holding onto a video camera. My team lost, because Yoseobie and Doojoon cheated. They'd always pick me up around the waist and threw me back whenever I had the ball.

"Remember when I told you I had to spy on Daniel?"

He nodded.

"To spy on him, I had to fake an identity, act like I was sixteen and joined a girl soccer team. Daniel was the assistant coach. It was a part time job for him. He loved soccer and played well, that was why he became the assistant coach. He's sick in the head, that was why he was the assistant coach of a girl's soccer team. While I was there, I learned a few good skills."

Gi Kwang looked at me weirdly. "How did the assistant coach and the student ended up making out?"

I shrugged. "I was supposed to get close to him. Be his favorite student. It ended up being too close."

"What about your brother?"

"He didn't have to spy at that time. Lucas dealt more on drug trafficking. Make sure that they arrived safely at the right places."

I think Gi Kwang heard the pain in my voice, because he said, "I'm sorry you lost your twin brother."

I looked up and stared at the moon, trying to hold back tears.

"Can I ask you what were his last words to you? If that's okay?"

I nodded. "When I was holding him in my arms as he bled to death, he said," I paused and swallowed hard. "He said: Lia, when I'm gone, get the hell out of here. Run away from dad. Don't ever work like this anymore. I won't be here to protect you." I trailed off. Tears were at the brim of my eyes.

"Is that all?" Gi Kwang asked softly.

I shook my head. "Then he said: I've never told you I love you before, right twin? I love you, you know." I remembered the blood in his mouth, all over him. "He used every last strength he had to sit up and kissed my forehead." The tears slipped out.

Wiping away the tears on my cheeks, he said. "I wish I've met him."

I smiled. "He was a really cool guy, you know. He was good at dancing, like you. Only, better."

"Seeing how good his twin sister is, I have no doubt he was better than me."

I was startled that he said that. "Wow. Lee Gi Kwang admits he's not the best dancer in the world. What time is it now? What date is today? What day is today? I have to record this down!"

He kissed the tip of my nose. "Don't push it, beautiful."

I laughed. He joined in. When the laughters dried up, he straightened his back.

"It's time," he said. "To go under water."

I'd forgotten that we were in the pool. My pulse sped up. He saw the fear in my eyes.

"Don't worry, Love. I'm here, right? Just remember that when I'm here, nothing can touch you. You are safe with me. Look into my eyes and don't ever look away. Even when we're under water, just keep looking into my eyes."

 I nodded.

"Ready?" I nodded again. "On the count of three. One, two, three."

When the water rushed over my head, I couldn't help it. I shut my eyes and started panicking, struggling around. Strong hands tightened around me and then tapped my cheek. I didn't open my eyes and kept trashing violently.

Then, suddenly, I felt lips pressed against mine. Shock made me paralyze. Someone kissed me. And kissed me and kissed me. When the kiss finally stopped, I gasped and realized we were already above water.

"Lia, Gwaenchana?" Gi Kwang-goon asked me.

I coughed a little. "Oh, gwaenchana. You?"

"I'm alright." He tucked my wet hair behind my ears. "I told you to keep looking into my eyes, didn't I?"

"Mian. I can't help it."

"It's okay. I understand. Do you want to try it again?"

I didn't want to. But I had to. I didn't want to live in fear of the pool forever.

 "Yes."

"This time, don't close your eyes. Even if the water sting your eyes, don't close them. Look at me, okay?"

"Okay." I stared into his eyes.

"Good. Just look into my eyes."

I stared and stared and stared. The love in his eyes was unmistakable. I felt warm all over.

"Ready? By the count of three. One, two, three."

We went under. The urge to close my eyes was so strong that I almost did. But the intense love in his eyes made it hard for me to look away. I stared into his eyes and felt myself drowning in his love rather than drowning in the pool. I felt calm under the water for the first time ever.

We broke through the surface.

"You did it, Lia." Gi Kwang said proudly.

"I did it," I repeated. Wow. I did it. I really did it.

"Now, whenever you go under water, just remember what you see in my eyes. You did it, Lia! You really did it!" Gi Kwang twirled me in circles and I laughed.

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The weeks that passed felt like days to me. Before I knew it, it was already three months since I came back. As promised, Gi Kwang-goon treated me better this time. Everyday, he would kiss me when he woke up, when we went to work and when we got back home. I got to know him better; his favorites, his habits and what he hated. I knew that when he was angry at me, he would call me Garfield. Once that Garfield word flew out of his mouth, I knew to just keep quiet and let him nag. But if he crossed the line, I would curse him coffee stealer pyeontae, and we would start screaming at each other faces. Once I got tired of screaming, I stalked off. Gi Kwang-goon would apologize and we would be in love again.
  "I don't want to go," he said, burying his face in my hair from behind.
  I glanced back at him. "Why not?"
  "I don't want to leave you." He tightened his arms around my waist and cuddled me closer. It was making it hard for me to wash the dishes. "Can't you take leave from work for three days and follow us to Japan?"
  "I can't. I have a big meeting in two days." Wiping my hands dry, I turned around and hooked my arms around his neck. He looked at me with wide eyes and pouted lips. I smiled. "You won't die. It's only three days."
  "I won't die, but it's going to be hell! I'm going to miss you like crazy."
  "I'm going to miss you too. But what can we do? It's your job."
  He scrunched up his face. "Eottoke, Lia? I really, really don't want to go this time."
  "Why? What's wrong, Gi Kwang-goon?"
  "Molla. I feel uneasy."
  "Uneasy, why? Of what?"
  "I don't know. I really don't want to go."
  I cupped his face in both of my hands and gazed into his eyes. "Stop worrying, Gi Kwang-ah. And do your best on the showcase, okay? Tell me all about it when you get home."
  He teared up suddenly, then embraced me tightly.
  "Ya, Gi Kwang-ah. Waeguerae?"
  He shook his head. I held him close and comforted him as best I could. Rubbing his back soothingly. We spent the next few hours desperately trying to get as close as possible before Gi Kwang had to leave. This would be the first time since I came back that we were sleeping apart.
  Two hours later, I led him to the door, our hands tightly intertwined. I faced him.
  "Have fun. Take care of yourself. Eat three meals a day, okay? Have enough sleep. And take care of Beast too. Call me before you go to sleep at night."
  He stared at my face without answering, his eyes big and troubled. His mouth turned down. I let out my breath and pulled him to me, wrapping my arms around him. His hands went around my back and he held me close.
  "I'll be waiting for you to come back to me," I said into his ear.
  "I don't want to go," he whispered.
  "Gi Kwaaaang."
  He pulled back and looked at me. "But I will go because you told me to."
  "That's my man."
  He still had that troubled look on his face, even though he tried to hide it. He rested his hand on my cheek.
  "I love you." Without waiting for my reply, he kissed me.
  I sighed. The kiss was soft, gentle and sweet. But then he cupped my cheeks with both hands and deepened the kiss. It turned rougher, hungrier and desperate. It was as if he was afraid this was our last kiss, and he was taking it as much as he could.
  I broke off the kiss and stared at him. "Gi Kwang, Gwaenchana?"
  He looked down. "I'm sorry. Sorry."
  I grabbed his hands. "Gi Kwang."
  "I'm fine, Love. Don't worry about me." He brushed his lips against mine lightly. "I love you, Park Lia. I will do anything to protect our love." He brushed his lips against mine again. "And I will protect you and love you till the day I die. You know that, don't you?"
  I giggled. "Why are you saying this suddenly? You're only going to Japan for three days, Gi Kwang-ah. Within 74 hours, you'll be back with me again."
  He didn't answer. Instead, he kissed me again. The doorbell rang then and we broke apart.
  "Kaja." I pulled on his hand and opened the door.
  Yoseobie stood outside with his backpack. "Gi Kwang, you ready? We need to go down now."
  "Arasso." He put on his shoes.
  I went to Yoseobie and whispered. "Do me a favor? Take care of Gi Kwang, will you? Make sure he's okay all the time."
  He frowned. "Waeyo?"
  "Just, make sure he enjoy this journey."
  "Oh. Arasso. I'll try my best, L."
  "Kumawo, Yoseobie. Have a safe trip."
  Gi Kwang stood up and we hugged for the last time before he had to go.
  "I miss you already," he said.
  "Hang in there. Still 74 more hours to go."
  We broke apart and I watched Beast and the manager went into the elevator. I waved them off. I didn't like how Gi Kwang-goon was looking at me. He was wearing a hurt, troubled look that stuck at the back of my head. I wouldn't be able to forget that look he gave me.

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