Ring

Chaerin parted her lips slightly as she applied another coat of her favorite Mac lipstick. Compulsively, she readjusted her leather jacket, inhaling a deep breath of air. She was now sitting in her Mercedes Benz, anxiously tracing her manicured fingers along the symbol located on the wheel. The vehicle was currently parked underground at Incheon International Airport where she awaited the arrival of Ash. Nervously, her eyes gazed down at the silver band located on the ring finger of her left hand. She chuckled at the irony. Jiyong gave the customized ring to her on her 21st birthday as a symbol of their friendship.

The lights dimmed in the elegantly decorated ballroom room as friends and family gathered around Chaerin. The candles were now lit on the 3-tier cake Dara thoughtfully designed for her birthday. She happily scanned the space as cheers and roars erupted from the crowd and soon, it was turned into chants of the happy birthday song. Her eyes continued scoping until they landed on Jiyong. Something changed that night; maybe it was the way his gaze landed on hers in the exact moment, or the way his brown eyes twinkled as fire from the candles reflected off of them, or perhaps the crooked smile placed on his lips that momentarily sent flutters in the pit of her stomach. Regardless of whatever it was, something clicked that night. Despite Chaerin’s refusal to recognize it, that was the night she fell for Kwon Jiyong,

As the night elevated, Bom shifted the crowd to a famous club entirely rented for the occasion. Techno beats exploded from the speakers as a local DJ played endless tracks. Laughter and chatter consumed the space and Chaerin’s lips curved into a smile. She was beyond content. This had to have been her best birthday yet. Chaerin was briefly caught off guard when a pair of hands covered her eyes.

“Guess who?” The recognizable voice was husky with a hint of teasing.

She smirked before playing along. “I don’t know, stranger.”

“Hmm, well you better figure it out or this stranger isn’t giving you the present he bought you.” He stepped closer, resting his head against her shoulder. “I’ll give you a hint, he’s the best oppa in the world.”

“Uh…Youngbae oppa?” She joked, hiding her smile.

His hands slowly unwrapped from her and he gasped dramatically feigning hurt. His hands grasped at his chest and his lips puckered into a pout. “That hurt you know.”

She turned her body around and her eyes met Jiyong’s. “You know I love you oppa.” She grinned, stepping into his familiar embrace.

“I have something to give you.” He mentioned as he pulled away from her. “It’s really important actually.” Chaerin quirked an eyebrow inquisitively as Jiyong reached for a little black velvet box situated in his back pocket. “I had this made a while back.” A silver banded ring rested nicely as he opened the box. She inhaled a small sharp breath, completely stunned. The ring had a minimalistic design but her regard was on the small letters engraved inside the band, ‘CL + GD’ it read. “You are so important to me and I am grateful every single day to be able to call you my best friend. Happy birthday my HunChae.” A smile placed on his lips as he lifted his hand to reveal a matching ring wrapped around a finger on his right hand. “Do you like it?” Anticipating her response, Jiyong shifted around anxiously glancing at the wide-eyed brunette.

It wasn’t until Jiyong questioned her had Chaerin realized she had been holding her bre