Miranda opened her eyes as the sun filtered through the curtains of her bedroom window teasing her eyes open.

Five more minutes.

She thought to herself and closed her eyes and buried her face in her pillow, she was craving for warmth so she moved and pressed closer to the man beside her. His arm automatically tightened around her waist and pulled her towards him in his sleep, she sighs. She gave in to the temptation and went back to sleep.

It may have been a little bit later when she woke up to his kisses, he was giving her feather kisses on her face and down her neck and shoulders, “Good morning.”

She frowned and groaned a protest.

“Five more minutes.” She mumbled and tried to snuggle back in her pillow, she heard his soft laugh.

“Sorry for tiring you out, hon. But your alarm is going off.” He whispers to her ear before nibbling at it, she heard her alarm at that moment but her eyes were so heavy she can’t even take a peek at him.

She blindingly moved her arm in search for her phone to turn off her alarm. She was not having much of a success, so Siwon propped himself up and grabbed her phone to turn the insistent ringing off. He chuckled when she mumbles a thank you and went back to snuggling her pillow with her back to him. He grins as he drops a kiss on her shoulder. “You’re welcome.” She stayed silent, already back asleep.

He wanted to leave her alone but he couldn’t help himself, she had kept him away for almost a week since she abruptly left, when she still didn’t give him a call yesterday and all his calls went straight to voicemail, he decided he couldn’t let her birthday pass without talking to her. He got Carol, her assistant to tell him the ranch’s address and flew in after his schedule that day.

“Hon, you said that you have to be at the orphanage at ten.” He ran his hand up and down her back, his fingers softly making a trail. “It’s already eight-thirty.” He grinned when she moaned on her pillow.

“Leave me alone.” She whines her head turns towards him; she sleepily glared at him “This is all your fault! I told you I needed to wake up early!” she tugs at the sheets to cover her head but he tugs it back down, she whines, “Honey!”  

He laughs, “It’s half your fault, if you’d just called me back just as you said you would, I wouldn’t have been desperate to see you. I missed you, and if you didn’t open the door looking like you did last night, I wouldn’t have jumped you.” He grins but suddenly turned serious, “I certainly hope you don’t go around opening doors in those kinds of outfits.” He said to her sternly.

She frowns, already half wake, “I normally don’t have people demanding to be let in in the dead of the night! What was I supposed to do? Make you wait while I changed into something appropriate for opening doors?!” she sits up while hugging the sheets to her, “Argh! You are so annoying!” she angrily brushed her hair with her fingers and glares at him.

Siwon laughed out loud, he couldn’t help it, he found her very cute when she gets mad and she lets her guard down. He pounced at her and attacked her with a hug and started kissing her surprised mouth. Laughter bubbled out of her after she got over the shock and kisses him back.

When he was trying to push her back to the bed, she moved and flipped him to the bed and straddled him, he grins, she smiled seductively and her brow arched, “I thought you said I have to get ready to leave.” She laughs and tries to pull away from him but he sat up and secured her to him.

“Not right now, you don’t.” He grazed his teeth on her sweet spot and she gasps.

“No fair!” she tries to push him away but he had other ideas.

“It’s because you don’t play fair, my love.” He said to her before kissing her fully on the mouth. When she tore her lips away for air, she smiles.

“How about we multi-task,” she runs her fingers on his hair and bites her lip, “We can do this in the shower.”

He growled and flips her on her back, she giggles against his lips but gasps when his hand moved downward, “You don’t call the shots here. Whatever I say goes, are we clear on that?” he smirks when her jaw dropped down and she hissed a breath.

“I didn’t hear you.” He traced his nose on her neck.

Miranda whimpered between pants, “Yes, I said yes!”  She grabbed at his shoulder.

He nibbles at her lips, “That’s what I thought.”

Miranda had to call her godmother to tell her that she couldn’t make it on time; she had an unexpected guest so she will see her in the afternoon instead. Carmen only agreed when Miranda said yes to her bringing her “guest”.

“Alright, ninang. I’ll see you in a bit.” She rolls her eyes, “Yes we will, don’t worry. Okay, bye.” She hangs up and looks up at the person staring at her.

“Stop that!” she pointed at him, “You are turning into a creeper.” She had to cover when she yawned; she glared at him when he chuckled.

Siwon already volunteered to drive, Miranda wanted a driver with them but he insisted, he told her that he will allow one on his drive back to Manila for his flight in the evening.

They were having brunch, her housekeeper showed up just as Miranda was about to make food. She had to introduce a smiling Siwon to the woman. Her housekeeper offered to cook for them; she suggested that they take a walk around the ranch while she prepares the meal.

Siwon got a grand tour of the ranch; she showed him the stables and the other facilities and a bit of the grounds. She also introduced him to Roberto and his family and a handful of the ranch hands.

On the drive to the orphanage, Miranda was trying not to be nervous, she still haven’t told her godmother of her involvement with Siwon although the older woman knows of their friendship and that they appear on a reality show in Korea. She got teased insistently especially when the nun got to see their episodes. She doesn’t know how to introduce him, does she introduce him as her friend or as her boyfriend.

The term is still alien to her, when he arrived at her doorstep last night; she was so surprised that she didn’t know how to react to him, so she asked a barrage of questions instead. She was not prepared when he kissed her instead and brought her to her room, although she didn’t really complain after that. They were able to talk, he explained what happened and made it clear to her that he intends to keep her by his side for as long as time would allow. She apologized for her way of coping with things and she also told him about her conversation with Carmen. She remembers asking him,

“Can I ask you something? I want you to answer me truthfully.” She was facing him, they both propped themselves up on the headboard. She was looking at him in the eye.

“Yes, go on.” He nods as he plays with her fingers.

“Do you think this is worth it? Wait let me finish.” She said when he tried to open his mouth to reply. He nods again.

“You already know that I am not like other women, I am what other people would call damaged goods, I will always be insecure and I will be demanding a lot of your patience without my knowing it. I can’t do this to you, this isn’t fair.”

She tilts her head to the side and smiles sadly. “I can’t promise you a whole lot, I’m still trying to find myself, I thought I already had a handle on things but I realized I don’t, there are certain things that still baffle me and most of the time my first instinct is to step away and be wary. You have to know that I do care about you, I really do. I love you. That’s why I can’t risk hurting you.” She leans back on the headboard, “Back at the library I actually felt relieved that I heard you rant on the phone; I thought half the work was already done.”

She looks down, “I was just waiting for you to tell me that it was over, I couldn’t even get mad at you because all that I heard actually rang true in my ears. Even if you say that you weren’t talking about me, I realized that’s how I am to you.”

“No you’re not!” he said to her heatedly, “Miranda, I want you to listen to me. You didn’t do anything wrong, I chose you, I love you, even if you went away I would still love you. I am not asking you to spare me the hurt, I want all of it.” He cups her face, “I want all of you. The way you make me laugh, the way you drive me up the wall, when we argue over things, the way you love me back, the way you make me feel alive. I want all of those.”  Tears fell from her eyes; he wipes them away and gathers her close.

“I fell in love with you without even knowing it, nobody asked me or forced me to feel this way. I just do. So please don’t worry about me getting hurt. I signed up for this; I am prepared for the hurt that will come with the joy of being with you. I am happy when I am with you. When you kiss me, it’s all worth it. When you hold me, it’s all worth it, when you smile only at me.” He pecks at her lips, “When you look only at me, it’s worth it.”

“You are perfect for me. I don’t want anybody else but you. If I had to do it all over again, I would still insist on you.” He pressed his forehead to hers and nuzzles he cheek.

“Let me make up for all the hurt you’ve been through, I couldn