This has GOT to be one of my all time favorite chapters ever! I hope you enjoy it just as much as I enjoyed writing it. It's really, really sweet!

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              I swear on all the stars in Andromeda that I woke up with a smile. It was like my mind was awake and aware of what day while the rest of me was still asleep. The second I fell out of sleep and into consciousness, my eyes snapped open. I sat up straight like I had all the energy in the world. And, as stated earlier, I was grinning an ear-to-ear smile.

                “Guess what day it is!” I cried blindly, not caring the least bit that it was probably early in the morning and Hyerin and Min Neul were probably still asleep. I received no response, but for a second I didn’t even notice. The sun seemed to shine even brighter than it normally did through the bedroom window. The air smelled sweet. Was everything sparkling, or was it just me? Was I the only one who could hear the chorus of angels?

                Eventually, I heard the silence. My smiling eyes flew to the bed across the room from me. Underneath a mass of white comforter was Hyerin, still sound asleep. My eyes flew to Min Neul’s bed; sure enough, she was curled up in a ball, her long, dark hair spilling over the side of the mattress.

                Never mind them. They obviously didn’t see the importance of this day like I did.

                I kicked the covers, which felt like rich velvet to me, off my legs and leapt out of bed. I waltzed towards the door, stopping briefly to glance in the mirror. I ran my fingers through my messy hair and pinched my cheeks to bring a pretty pink blush to my face. Perhaps I’d go wake up Byunghun this morning with a kiss, a sweet preview of what we’d be doing more of later this day. First thing this morning, Byunghun and I were going out to eat breakfast. That was the first activity we had lined up for this day, this glorious day.

                A magical tune only I could hear was playing in my head as I and gripped the doorknob, which looked to me like it was made of gold and encrusted in diamonds. I was about to throw the door open like it was the Gates of Heaven and stroll out of my room like I was waltzing down the red carpet when I heard a voice. A voice that came from the other side of the door.

                “It’s almost eight-thirty!” a voice whispered. It sounded much like my mother.

                My eyes lit up even brighter. I forced the glorious chorus of angels in my head to cease their angelic singing so I could focus on hearing the conversation happening outside my door.

                “Are you sure you can carry this? It’s rather heavy.” There was my mother’s voice again.

                “Thanks, Mrs. Lee, but I think I’ve got it.” Byunghun’s voice. That, I was certain of.

                “I wonder if she’s awake,” Mother wondered out loud.

                “Probably not, but she won’t mind if I wake her up, right?” Byunghun asked.

                “For breakfast in bed?” Mother asked with a chuckle. “Of course not!”

                As if the smile on my face couldn’t get any wider. I nearly fainted upon hearing those words. Byunghun had made me breakfast in bed today? He was officially the sweetest boy ever to grace this earth, and my life. Quickly, I leapt back into my bed and shuffled under the covers, pretending I was still asleep. I was probably not a very convincing actress, because I was still smiling broadly and my heart was racing so quickly it made even pretending to be asleep a challenge.

                A couple heart-thumbing minutes later, I heard the bedroom door latch open slowly. I squeezed my eyes shut and held my breath, silently listening to the footsteps as they entered the room and slowly made their way to me. I heard Byunghun come to a stop at my bedside.

                I heard him giggle quietly, nervously. A hesitant little mumble escaped his lips as I silently waited for him to speak. I couldn’t see his expression, but I could feel his eyes on me. In my head, I was begging for him to just wake me up already; the suspense was killing me.

                “Um, Kirin,” he coaxed sweetly, finally pushing his nerves aside. “Guess what day it is!”

                I stirred slightly, pretending I was waking up.

                “Hey Kirin,” Byunghun persisted in a sing-song voice.

                I pretended to yawn as I began to roll over slightly. I squinted up at Byunghun, who was indeed standing over my bed with a wide smile on his handsome face. Suddenly, he blurted, “HAPPY ANNIVERSAY, BEAUTIFUL!”

                Finally, I could open my eyes wider and stop pretending. A sharp gasp escaped my lips at the sight of Byunghun standing there, holding a silver tray with a dish of breakfast on it just for me. His orange hair had already been styled and he was already dressed for the day in light colored skinny jeans and a white button-up shirt. A bright blue belt was strung around his thin waist and he wore a simple silver chain necklace and silver stud earrings. His smile was bright and his eyes were the beautiful shape of rainbows.

                “Byunghun!” I gasped, covering my mouth with my hands as I sat up straighter.

                Byunghun beamed as he placed the tray across my lap. “I know we had originally planned on going out for breakfast, but I thought you might enjoy this a little bit more.”

                I surveyed the strips of perfectly cooked bacon and the fluffy pancakes doused in syrup on the white porcelain plate before me. Powdered sugar had even been sprinkled over the pancakes, and a tall glass of apple juice was set on the tray as well. A white cloth napkin sat beside the plate, as well as shining silverware. Perhaps the sweetest part of the display was the red rose that lay on the silver tray like a diamond. “Did you make all of this?” I asked excitedly.

                He sat down on the bed beside me. “Well, I got some help from your mom,” he admitted, glancing down at the tray of my favorite breakfast. “But it was all my idea.”

                I gazed at him with a smile of both admiration and wonder. “You’re the best.”

                “Nahhh.” He blushed and looked away. He secretly stole a glance at my eyes. “You are.”

                “No way!” I protested.

                “No time to argue!” Byunghun cried, picking up a fork. He cut off park of the pancake and held it up to my face. “Now eat!”

                Giggling, I opened my mouth for Byunghun to feed me the pancake. I swear it tasted twice as sweet and buttery as a pancake normally did. I closed my eyes and savored the taste. “Delicious!” I my lips.

                “Yeah?” Byunghun glanced down at the pancakes. He cut off a piece and fed himself. “Not bad,” he giggled, helping himself to some more.

                “Hey!”I giggled. “My breakfast, not yours!”

                “Hey, I made it!” Byunghun giggled.

                “Yeah, for me!” I laughed.

                “No, actually, I just came in here to show you what a nice breakfast I made for myself,” Byunghun giggled.

                I laughed. “How have I tolerated you for an entire year?”

                Byunghun shrugged. “Maybe it has something to do with this.” He leaned forward and pressed his lips against mine. He lips tasted like syrup. Delicious. Mid-kiss, Byunghun lanced his fingers between mine.

                When our lips parted, he spoke up thoughtfully. “You look pretty in the morning.”

                I shrugged, probably blushing like I always do. “Thanks.”

                “Really pretty,” Byunghun insisted. He hooked my short hair behind my ear. “But you always do.”

                I chuckled. “Stop it,” I insisted.

                “What if I don’t want to?” Byunghun giggled.

                “I’ll make you,” I replied, inching closer to him.

                “Are you going to kiss me?” Byunghun asked seductively.

                “Maybe,” I giggled.

                “That means yes,” Byunghun insisted before he kissed me again.

                “Oh for love of God!” Min Neul muttered with a slight laugh in her voice. “I swear, you two are the cheesiest, sweetest, lovey-dovey couple I’ve ever seen in my entire life.”

                Byunghun scoffed. “Good morning to you too, Min Neul.”

                “Min Neul, be nice!” Hyerin’s voice called from her bed. She lifted the covers off her head and smiled shyly, blushing. “Ooh, I woke up the second I heard Byunghun come in, but I didn’t want to ruin the moment! I think breakfast in bed is an adorable idea, Byunghun!”

                “Thanks,” Byunghun smiled shyly.

                Min Neul tilted her head to the side. “Wait, isn’t today, like, your anniversary or something?”

                “YES!” I cried. My teeth were practically chattering with excitement.

                Min Neul nodded. “That explains the cheesy breakfast in bed and the random morning-make-out-session.”

                “We weren’t making out,” Byunghun insisted.

                “I sure hope not, because that was one horribly bland make out session,” Min Neul yawned, sliding out of her bed.

                “Min Neul!” Hyerin hissed. She turned to face Byunghun and I. “Happy anniversary, you two,” she said sweetly.

                “Thanks,” Byunghun and I said at the same time, smiling back.

                Min Neul pushed her covers off her legs. “Speaking of making out, is Jonghyun up yet?”

                “No,” Byunghun answered with a chuckle, “I think he’s still upstairs with Changhyun.”

                “Perfect,” Min Neul concluded, heading for the door. Before she slipped through it, she turned around. “Oh, and, happy anniversary.”

                “Thank you!” I called, beaming elatedly.

                “I think I’ll get out of here now too,” Hyerin replied, slipping out of her bed. “Have fun today!” she wished happily.

                “We will!” I exclaimed, sick with delight.

                After Hyerin closed the door, Byunghun and I were finally alone for the first time on or anniversary.

                “Did you like your breakfast in bed?” Byunghun asked me timidly.

                “Of course!” I exclaimed. If the tray hadn’t been in my way, I would have thrown my arms around his neck and squeezed him tightly.

                “You don’t think it’s too cheesy?” he asked, obviously second guessing himself thanks to Min Neul’s comments.

                I laughed. “Not at all. It was really sweet.” I leaned forward and pecked his check. “Thank you.”

                That earned a chuckle from Byunghun. His laughter brought a smile to my face. “So if we’re not going out to breakfast today, then what are we going to do this morning?”

                Byunghun shrugged. “Whatever you want to do. I had a few ideas, but I want you to pick.”

                I chuckled, reaching out to place my hand on his. “It’s not my birthday, Byunghun, it’s our anniversary. That means you get to pick too, alright?”

                “Oh fine,” Byunghun agreed with a small smile. “But whatever we’re doing, we’re doing it soon. So finish eating your pancakes and go get ready!”

                I gulped down the rest of my breakfast (with a little help from Byunghun, of course) and hopped out of bed to get dressed. I had planned on taking my sweet time getting ready for the day so I could make myself extra pretty, but Byunghun rushed me right along. I stood in front of the closet for a few moments, surveying the selection of clothes I brought along to America, wondering what to wear. Suddenly, Byunghun came up behind me. He pulled a sleeveless, white babydoll-style top off the rack. “Wear this,” he commanded.

                “Why?” I asked, tilting my head to the side.

                “Because I like it,” he said with a smile.

                I took the hanger from his hands. After selecting a pair of light colored Bermuda shorts, Byunghun ushered me into the bathroom and commanded me to take the world’s fastest shower. Giggling, I obeyed. In no time I was finished showering and had already dried my short hair. My hair used to be so long it reached down to my ribcage, until I chopped it off up to my collarbones. I had cut it off after Byunghun and I broke up because he absolutely loved my long hair. The second we got back together, I instantly regretted it. I knew he liked girls with long hair. He had told me not to worry, though, because he thought I looked adorable with short hair. It was a lot easier to manage, after all. I could dry it and run a flat iron through in less than fifteen minutes. After dabbing on a little bit of makeup and slipping on some sandals, Byunghun and I shuffled towards the front door.

                “Whoa, whoa, wait a minute!” Mom cried, flying from the kitchen to the front door. She and Dad had been eating breakfast.

                “What?” I asked, stopping dead in my tracks.

                “I am agreeing to let you two walk around Los Angeles by yourselves, but that does not mean I still can’t lay down some ground rules,” Mother replied, her hands on her hips.

                Oh, Lee Yoonji. Always sensible, always maternal.

                “No talking to strangers. No getting rides from anyone you don’t know. Please don’t wander too far. If you need anything, call me, your father, or Uncle Sunho—”

                “—Okay, Mom—”

                “—and no later than eleven, alright?—”

                “—Yes, Mom—”

                “—and if someone recognizes Byunghun—”

                “—Okay, Mom—”

                “—just make sure you don’t—”

                Byunghun placed a hand on my shoulder. “I’ll take care of her, Mrs. Lee. Don’t worry.”

                That shut my mom up better than anything I could have said. Mom stopped talking and smiled. “Just have fun, okay?”

                It was my turn to smile. This time, my response to her request was genuine. “We will, Mom.”

                “Good,” Mom said with a nod. She opened the front door for us. “Happy anniversary,” she giggled.

                “Thanks!” I cried over my shoulder, my smile brighter than the sun.

                “I’ll have her back before eleven, Mrs. Lee! I promise!” Byunghun called.

                “Thank you!” Mom called as she waved us off.

                As Byunghun and I strolled down the street, growing farther away from the house, I laced my fingers between his and looked up at him. “Are you going to keep that promise?”

                “I have to,” Byunghun chuckled. “I can’t disappoint your mom, now can I?”

                “Right,” I chuckled. “But even if you did, she would still love you.”

                Byunghun shrugged. “She just loves me because I treat you well.”

                I shrugged, copying him. “Well, be thankful that your in-laws like you so much.”

                “My in-laws?” Byunghun laughed. “When did we get married?”

                “Oh, we’re not married yet,” I chuckled, swinging our arms as we walked.

                “You’re right. Chanhee hasn’t given me his approval yet.”

                “Byunghun!”

                Byunghun threw his head back and laughed his angelic laughter to the morning sky overhead. How lucky the sky was to be filled with his laughter. Nature tried to replicate his joyous laughter by rustling the trees with the wind. It tried to copy his bright smile by showing off the shining sun. It tried to compete with his beautiful, smiling eyes by stretching rainbow across the sky. Nature paled in comparison, for Byunghun was more captivating than anything nature could create.

                After the laughter had ceased and stillness had been restored to the air around us, Byunghun squeezed my hand. “Now, what are you in the mood to do today?”

                I shrugged, squeezing his hand back. “Why don’t you tell me what you had in mind?”

                “Well, I was thinking of walking along the Hollywood Walk of Fame,” Byunghun suggested. “We could walk around and look at all the names and see some sights until we got hungry or found a shop to go in.”

                “And then we can go to lunch somewhere,” I continued.

                “Yes, then lunch, then we can do some shopping. And later tonight, I want to take you to a really nice restaurant for dinner.” He glanced down at me and smiled thoughtfully. “And then I have a surprise for you.”

                “You still won’t tell me what it is?” I asked eagerly.

                Byunghun shook his orange head. “Nope. It’s a surprise. But you’re going to love it. I just know it.”

                At that point, we were approaching the city. I loved that about Los Angeles; everything was so close by. You could easily take a walk around the city blocks and do some sightseeing and shopping all in one day. However, Los Angeles had much to offer. It was easily to spend a week’s worth of time wandering around the city and its different districts, seeing everything the city had to offer. I felt at home in big cities. Los Angeles was bigger than Seoul was, but it had that same big-city atmosphere that I loved so much.

                The sky above us was cloudless and the sun was beaming with light. Through my sunglasses, I looked around and smiled. All around us were tall buildings, shops and restaurants. People were walking on the sidewalks, some busy and some taking their sweet time. Shining convertible Ferraris whizzed down the streets, passing Hummers with spinning rims. Towering palm trees casted tin shadows on the gray sidewalks. I could already see some famous stars with famous names adorning the pavement. As I gazed down, I tried to spot a name I recognized. Right now, they were all either movie stars from decades ago or filmmakers I had never heard of before.

                Byunghun wasn’t looking down at the Hollywood stars. He was looking all around at the scene around him. He had the brightest of all smiles pasted onto his face. Through his leopard print sunglasses, he watched the different people pass by him, completely unaware of who he was. He wasn’t a celebrity here. He wasn’t being watched here. To everyone here, he was just a little, orange-haired, Asian boy holding hands with his miniature girlfriend. No one gave us a second glance. No groups of schoolgirls stared at us and whispered amongst each other. Finally, I didn’t feel like I was dating L.Joe, Teen Top’s Mischievous Rapper. I felt like I was dating Lee Byunghun, my boyfriend of one year.

                Suddenly, I spoke up, almost with a giggle. “Well? What do you think?”

                I couldn’t see his eyes, but I knew they were the shape of rainbows. “I missed this,” he said as he glanced around. His smile reflected the sunlight. He looked down at me and squeezed my hand once again. “This is probably the best day of my life.”

                I chuckled. “We haven’t even done anything yet.”

                “Well, then, let’s do something!” Byunghun reached into his pocket and pulled out his little, silver, digital camera. He turned it on and held it up. He rested his elbow on my shoulder and posed the way he always did, with his fingers in the shape of a V. I smiled broadly and copied him, making the V-sign and pressing up against him. Byunghun snapped the picture. The bright flash light up our faces, but it was no match to our smiles.

                We took a long walk on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. When we came to a tourism booth, we contemplated taking a guided tour of it. We decided not to, though, and instead decided that we would have more fun walking along the path ourselves. Our prediction proved correct, because we talked and laughed as our feet glided over the stars. Every so often we’d stop and point to one of them and snap a picture. We stopped on Mickey Mouse’s star and took pictures with it. We walked until we reached Elvis’s, which was also took pictures with. We stopped on Britney Spears, Donald Trump, Sylvester Stallone, The Beatles, and even Winnie the Pooh.

                “Even Pooh gets one?” Byunghun exclaimed, glancing wide-eyed down at the star engraved with the cuddly honey-bear’s name.

                I laughed and looked down at the star; the tips of our toes were touching. “Well, he has been in the entertainment business for a long time.”

                Byunghun nodded, chuckling slightly. “I think Teen Top deserves one of these.”

                I laughed. “I’d love to see that.”

                “I can picture it,” Byunghun replied, looking thoughtfully up at the sky as if it was a projector for image he saw in his mind. “Teen Top’s star would be right in between Elvis’s and Madonna’s.”

                I threw my head back and laughed a hearty laughter. “I suppose it could happen,” I said, as we started to continue our walk down the sidewalk. The stars stretched as far as the eye could see, one after another like a parade.

                “Anything’s possible,” Byunghun responded optimistically. He swung our arms as we walked side-by-side. “Whataya say we get something to eat? I’m starving.”

                I took a glance around. “Well, we’re in luck. There are all kinds of little places to eat some lunch.”

                “Pick the nicest place,” Byunghun insisted.

                “The nicest?” I asked.

                “Yup.” Byunghun nodded vigorously. “Somewhere nice and expensive.”

                “Expensive?” I repeated. “How come?”

                “ Today is a special day!” Byunghun exclaimed, throwing his free hand in the air. I giggled at his enthusiasm.

                Byunghun and I settled on a little café on the corner of Hollywood Avenue. It was a two-storied restaurant with a balcony on the second floor where you could overlook the streets of Hollywood while eating an overpriced lunch. And that’s exactly what Byunghun and I did.

                After waiting about fifteen minutes to get a table on the balcony, Byunghun and I followed a well-dressed waiter holding two menus up a swirly, iron staircase. He led us to our table, which was in the far right-handed corner of the balcony. We had a perfect view of the streets below us, and in the distance we could even see the Hollywood sign. The waiter handed us the menus and explained the daily specials for today. Italian wedding soup was the Soup of the Day, and the chef’s special was a salmon and almond salad with the restaurant’s signature dressing. Byunghun ordered Coke and I ordered lemonade. After the waiter scribbled down our drink orders, he his heels and walked away.

                The second Byunghun and I were alone, I smiled broadly. “Byunghun, this is amazing!”

                “I know!” he exclaimed, looking out at the scene over the twisted iron railings of the balcony. I watched his dark eyes turn the shape of rainbows as they fell upon the Hollywood sign standing majestically in the distance. Those nine letters overlooking the city of Los Angeles were a symbol of dedication, determination, and dreams. Everything Byunghun stood for. People came to Hollywood to show off their God-given talents and hopefully make their dreams come true. Millions of people around the world dreamed of being famous, through music or movies or television. The dream only came true for a small portion of those dreamers. I let my eyes fall the orange-haired boy across the table from me, who was still staring out at the Los Angeles landscape. He once had a dream and stopped at nothing until it became a reality. He was one of the lucky ones.

                I considered myself one of the lucky ones as well. No, I had not become a world-renown singer or an award-winning actress. I could barely hold a note and I had no desire to become a movie star. I had, however, made my dream come true. I fell in love with Lee Byunghun and I somehow managed to make him love me back. Now I believed that was a miracle.

                Byunghun’s eyes were still the shape of rainbows when he turned his head to look at me. “You know, this is the first time I’ve taken you out to eat.”

                Warmth washed over me at that moment, and I knew it wasn’t from the California sun. “You’re right,” I smiled.

                Byunghun was still smiling. “I told you I’d make everything up to you.”

                “Why are we still talking about that?” I asked. “You don’t have anything to make up to me.”

                “No, I do,” Byunghun insisted without hesitation. “That’s why I want today to be perfect.”

                Looking into his eyes, I knew he was sincere. I was beginning to think the fight we had had brought us closer. It made me realize we were strong enough to withstand anything. Funny how the one thing that broke us down had actually made us stronger.

                “Today is perfect,” I said, equally as sincere as he had been.

                Byunghun smiled his thousand-watt smile. “See anything on the menu you like?”

                My eyes fell from his face to the open menu before me. I honestly hadn’t even looked at what meals this restaurant had to offer; I had been staring at Byunghun instead. I flipped to the page of sandwiches and wraps and let my eyes bulge out of my skull. “Wow! Check out the prices!”

                Byunghun opened the menu before him. His dark eyes looked over the selection of meals, looking unmoved. “What about them?”

                “They’re a little high, don’t you think?” I asked. “Eighteen bucks for a BLT?”

                Byunghun chuckled slightly. “Babe, don’t worry about it. I have a job, you know,” he insisted with a wink.

                Byunghun ended up ordering a grilled chicken salad with his Pepso and I ordered the BLT with my lemonade. The simple salad and sandwich were served like they were gourmet dinners. Byunghun and I ate our lunch with smiles on our faces, talking and laughing. It felt so good to be with Byunghun—just Byunghun. I knew he had been worried about us being able to spend some time alone, and to be honest, I had been too. I love Min Neul, Hyerin and the boys, but nothing could beat spending the afternoon eating a practically gourmet lunch, overlooking Hollywood with the most beautiful boy in the entire world.

                We finished up lunch and Byunghun paid for it. He wouldn’t let me see the bill, but I imagined it was rather expensive. Before we left, Byunghun generously threw some bills on the table and led me down the staircase. We exited the restaurant and stepped back onto the sidewalk lined with Hollywood stars. Byunghun casually took my hand in his as we began walking.

                “Thank you for taking me to lunch,” I said sweetly, hugging his arm.

                Byunghun beamed as he glanced down at me. “You don’t need to thank me.”

                I shrugged. “You’re so sweet,” I gushed thoughtfully.

                “See? I can be a good boyfriend after all,” Byunghun chuckled.

                “You’re the perfect boyfriend,” I promised, blushing slightly.

                 “Well then, not only am I a perfect boyfriend, I’m also the perfect shopping partner.” Byunghun stopped walking and glanced into the shop we were standing in front of. The large shop windows showed off a collection of sweet sundresses and other unique accessories. Byunghun motioned for us to pull over and go inside. I didn’t hesitate; the little boutique looked rather charming, and I was curious to look inside. Byunghun opened the door for me like a gentleman, bowing before me. I giggled as I strolled into the store, Byunghun close on my heels.

                Inside, the boutique was filled with delicate looking dresses, handmade scarves, uniquely beaded jewelry and studded handbags. Byunghun followed me as I wandered around looking from treasure to treasure. He knew just what I liked. He watched me casually look through a rack of eyelet dresses in various colors. He pulled a coral pink one off the rack and held it up. “This is pretty,” he suggested.

                I lightly touched the dress, imagining myself wearing it. I could certainly wear it out to dinner with my family, or even on another date. “It is pretty,” I agreed.

                “Great,” Byunghun said conclusively. “It’ll look great on you.”

                “Byunghun,” I said softly, “just because I like it doesn’t mean I need it.”

                “But I like it,” he insisted. “And I’ll buy it for you.”

                “You don’t have to,” I protested.

                “Well, I’m going to.”

                I chuckled, taking a step closer to him. “You’re really sweet.”

                Byunghun shrugged. “I told you, today is a special day. It’s my job to make you happy.”

                “You already make me happy,” I admitted.

                “Well then let me make you happier,” Byunghun insisted with a sweet smile.

                We wandered around the store a little longer. Byunghun offered to buy practically everything I touched. After a while I told him that that was unnecessary; he pouted, which just made me laugh. He paid for the dress and we made our way out of the boutique and back onto the sidewalk.

                We went on nearly every store we passed. Each and every one of them. We stopped in a costume store and took pictures with some masquerade masks. We watched tropical fish swim around their tanks and pet the puppies for sale at a pet shop. Byunghun bought himself three new pairs of sunglasses from an accessory shop. I got a caramel colored clutch purse with a bow on the front and turquoise bead earrings. Byunghun bought a silver necklace with a snake pendant.  We stopped at a street artist’s stand and got a caricature of us drawn. The artist had down Byunghun with a bumpy nose and tiny eyes and me with a ridiculously wide smile. We had laughed when we saw it, and the artist seemed pleased with our reaction. Our arms were full of shopping bags by the time it was four o’clock. The sun was still high in the sky and not a single cloud had invaded the bright blue sky overhead. As Byunghun and I sat on a bench and our ice cream cones, I couldn’t help but smile. Today was turning out better than I could have ever imagined.

                “What are you smiling at?” Byunghun chuckled, noticing the grin I was trying to conceal.

                “Everything,” I confessed, realizing it was useless to hide my delight. “Today has just been an amazing day.”

                “It’s going to be even better,” Byunghun teased. “Just you wait.”

                “What are we doing tonight?” I asked eagerly.

                “I said it’s a surprise!” Byunghun laughed.

                “Tell me!” I pleaded.

                Byunghun shook his orange head. “Sorry babe, it’s a secret. You’re going to love it though. I promise.”

                I pouted playfully and looked down at my half-eaten strawberry ice-cream cone. “Can you give me a hint?”

                Byunghun scratched his chin. “Well, I’ll give you one hint, but that’s it. Okay?”

                “Okay!” I responded quickly.

                Byunghun chuckled. “Alright. We might be staying out later than eleven.”

                “But my mother said to be home by eleven,” I said sadly.

                Byunghun smirked. “We’ll see about that.”

                Suddenly, I wasn’t even feeling hungry anymore. I was dying to know what Byunghun had in mind for us tonight. Where were we going? What we were doing? I wished Byunghun would give me the answers to all of my questions, but I knew he wouldn’t comply. I wished it was later on the night so the mystery of tonight would be revealed. If only there was a way to speed up the time.

                Byunghun finished up his chocolate cone. “Well, it’s four o’clock now. How about we do a little more shopping, then go to dinner?”

                “Sounds good,” I agreed, standing up. Byunghun and I began walking on the sidewalk again. This time, instead of holding my hand, he slipped his arm around my waist.

                “I want to go somewhere really nice for dinner tonight,” Byunghun said. “Some place really elegant.”

                I glanced downward. “Byunghun, we’re not really dressed for an elegant dinner.”

                “Look around, Kirin, there are a dozen shops around here,” Byunghun exclaimed. “We can buy something to wear.”

                I laughed and shook my head slowly. “What, are you made of money?”

                “I wouldn’t say that,” Byunghun chuckled, “But I’ve got enough to pay for some little black dress and a pair of heels and a nice dinner. And luckily, I’ve got a beautiful girl right here who I would be honored to take to dinner tonight.”

                A smile spread across my lips and I beamed up at Byunghun. “What did I do to deserve you?”

                Byunghun smiled. “Nothing. You’re just naturally perfect.” He motioned to a large, upscale clothing store we were walking past. “Now, are you going to help me pick out a nice tie to wear tonight?”

                I stood in the lobby of Hatfield's, an upscale French restaurant, in strappy black sandals with three-inch stiletto heels. So far, my feet weren’t in pain and I could walk without making a fool out of myself. Give me another hour or so on these stilettos, and I’d surely need Byunghun to carry me. Still, I was feeling fine. No, I was feeling better than fine, I was feeling magnificent. I felt confident in my black mini dress. It had a high neckline but it showed the right amount of leg. It was form-fitting, sleek, and y. I wasn’t used to looking like this, but I had never felt more confident. Byunghun stood beside me, looking equally as sleek in slim black pants, a shiny black belt, silver dress-shirt and skinny black tie. He looked exceptionally handsome when he was out of his usual skinny jeans and baggy t-shirt. His thin frame allowed to him to pull off dress clothes perfectly. Not even his dyed orange hair could tarnish how handsome he looked. I found it even harder than it normally was to take my eyes off of him.

                “Lee, table for two?”

                That was Byunghun and me. As we made our way through the crowd, I was thankful we had ditched all of our shopping bags in the restaurant’s coat closet. Byunghun and I stood before the host, who eyed us up and down. He grabbed two menus and motion for us to follow him.

                He led us through a maze of elegantly decorated tables. Each had been adorned with a crisp, white tablecloth, fine glass china and enough silverware at one place seating to sustain all twelve people back at the house. The waiter politely pulled the chair out for me, to which Byunghun smiled at. As he looked around, he seemed impressed with himself. He had successfully managed to get his girlfriend in a little black dress and take her out to an upscale restaurant in Hollywood, California, for their one-year anniversary. At only seventeen, he felt exceptionally proud of himself.

                “Can I interest you in any of our fine wines this evening?” the waiter asked.

                Byunghun and I exchanged glances. “Excuse me, but, we’re only eighteen,” Byunghun spoke up politely. If you didn’t know better, you wouldn’t guess that Lee Byunghun was an eighteen-year-old boy who lived in South Korea, where he was a member of a teen idol group. He practically spoke without an accent. He looked like a young, wealthy, American man.

                “My apologies, sir,” the waiter bowed. “In that case, please take a look at our non-alcoholic beverage menu.”

                Byunghun and I both ordered water with lemon, which was served to us in elegant, curvy glasses. The rims had even been dipped in sugar, just like fancy martinis. Byunghun raised an eyebrow from across the table as the waiter set the glasses down on our table. He seemed to be asking me if dinner was impressing enough for me. My answer was in my broad smile. Byunghun ordered us an appetizer; calamari, one of his favorites. The friend pieces of squid were served on a bed of decorative green leaves on an ornate silver platter. I giggled as I watched his eyes grow twofold. The second the waiter left us alone, Byunghun inelegantly dove in to the calamari.

                “Hey!” I laughed. “That’s no way to eat at a restaurant like this?”

                “But it’s sooo gooood,” Byunghun mumbled, not bothering to swallow before speaking.

                Once the calamari had been devoured, mostly by Byunghun, the waiter came back to take our dinner orders.

                Byunghun held out his hand, gesturing to me. “Ladies first,” he charmed.

                I ordered steamed chicken , served with asparagus and topped with gravy for thirty-five bucks.        Byunghun ordered filet mignon for forty. Our elegant dinners were served on ornate silver dishes and were adorned with all kinds of fancy garnishes. I closed my eyes as I bit into a sliver of chicken, letting all the rich flavors wash over my taste buds.

                Byunghun was watching me as I took the first bite. “How’s it taste?”

                “Amazing,” I gushed, opening my eyes.

                “Excellent.” He held up a forkful of filet mignon to his mouth and ate it right up. He audible moaned “        “Mmmmm” as he swallowed the portion of medium-rare meat. He cut off another piece and held it out for me across the table. “You have to try some.”

                I leaned forward and bit off the piece of neat from Byunghun’s elegant, silver fork. The filet mignon was perfect seasoned and perfectly tender. “That’s delicious!”

                “I know. Everything here is just so amazing.” He blushed slightly as he gazed at me. “Including you.”

                I tried to suppress my smile, but it was useless. “No, you’re amazing. Thank you for the amazing day. I’ve honestly never had more fun in my entire life.”

                “The day’s not over yet, babe,” Byunghun smirked. “Don’t forget about the surprise.”

                I playfully groaned. “Why can’t you just tell me?”

                “Because it’s a surprise!” my boyfriend cried. “You’re going to love it. I know it. Now quit complaining and eat your expensive chicken!”

                We chatted and laughed and had the time of our lives. I threw my head back and laughed to the crystal chandeliers overhead. Byunghun’s were shape of rainbows nearly the entire time. So far, dinner was the highlight of the entire day. I ate almost the entire chicken ; skinny little Byunghun ate his entire filet mignon. Though we were both stuffed, we ordered dessert. When the waiter set a large chocolate and caramel tart coated in chocolate ganache before us, Byunghun’s chocolate-colored eyes grew twofold once again. We ended up pushing our chairs closer together and ate the dessert with one spoon. Byunghun put an arm around me as he fed me the first bite. The chocolate tasted twice as rich and the caramel tasted twice as sweet, and it definitely wasn’t because of the gourmet ingredients. I closed my eyes, loving not only the feeling of chocolate melting in my mouth but the feeling of Byunghun so close to me. When I slowly opened my eyes, Byunghun was inches away from my face. He didn’t care that were in a five-star restaurant with other people surrounding us. He leaned in and softly kissed me on the lips. His kiss tasted like chocolate.

                “Your bill, sir?” the waiter asked when the dessert had been devoured.

                “Yes, please,” Byunghun said. He took the black leather book from the waiter and opened it up. He seemed unfazed by whatever amount dinner had totaled up to. “Is that all?” He simply reached into his pack pocket, pulled out his wallet, and stuffed some bills into the booklet. He closed it, and handed it to the waiter. Byunghun glanced up at him with shining eyes, obviously feeling a little arrogant for paying for the pricy meal entirely with cash.

                “Thank you, sir,” the waiter bowed. “Have a wonderful night.”

                “No, thank you,” Byunghun replied. “And you have a wonderful night as well.” He stood up and threw some more bills on the table, leaving a hefty tip. He and glanced at me. “Ready to go, babe?”

                “Of course,” I replied. Byunghun smiled and held out his hand. I took it gladly, and we made our way through the dining hall. We stopped at the coat rack and picked our shopping bags back up before exiting the restaurant.

                Outside it was much warmer than inside the air conditioned restaurant. I tilted my head up to the sky, which had started to fade to a darker shade of blue. The sun had almost begun to set, and a few scattered clouds had drifted in. Byunghun slung an arm around me, which brought my attention from the sky to his handsome face.

                “Did you enjoy dinner?” Byunghun asked, a smug smile on his face.

                “I sure did,” I responded gratefully. “Thanks for taking me out. Today has been amazing.”

                “Well, we still have one more thing to do,” Byunghun replied with a smile.

                “You’ve spent enough money today!” I chuckled. “What else could we possible be doing?”

                “The surprise,” Byunghun responded. His glanced down at me. “And it won’t cost a dime.”

                The anticipation was building inside me, threatening to burst. “Show me the surprise already! Please?”

                “We’re going to it. Right now,” Byunghun said matter-of-factly.
                “We are?” I asked, looking around.

                “Yup,” Byunghun nodded. We kept walking down the street until we were nearing the end of it. It was growing darker outside, so I couldn’t exactly tell where we were going. Byunghun seemed to know exactly where we were going, though. Soon enough, we were walking on a long stretch of road that let out onto a main highway. On the other side of the road were rows of gigantic bushes, which usually meant that the beach was on the other side of the bushes.

                Curiosity was growing inside me. I felt a small smile creep onto my face. “Byunghun, where are we going?”

                “Can’t you tell what’s across the street?” Byunghun teased.

                “The beach?” I asked curiously.

                Byunghun gripped my hand tighter and smiled. “The beach.”

                We crossed the highway when the traffic had ceased. When we had reached the other side, we walked parallel to the bushes until we reached a small opening. Wooden steps led down to the sand below.

                Byunghun held my hand tightly as he led me down the wooden steps. When we reached the bottom, I paused to take my stilettos off. The sand felt cool beneath my feet, and I could already feel the breeze from the ocean on my face. Byunghun took off his dress shoes and socks and cuffed the bottom. He had already un-tucked his silver button-up. He ran a hand through his orange hair, letting the ocean breeze blow it back into place. He smiled softly as he took my hand again. We began walking parallel to the water, which perfectly reflected the splendid colors of the sunset. The sun seemed to dipping into the water. The sky faded from steel blue to a magnificent orange. I’d never seen more picturesque sunset in my entire life. Sunsets were always beautiful to look at on land, but over water, it was twice as beautiful. All was calm except for the soft rustling of palm tree leafs and the soft waves that crashed onto the shore. A seagull was chirping somewhere in the distance, but other than that, the only audible sound came from the Pacific.

                “Byunghun,” I breathed out, practically breathless. “This is absolutely beautiful.”

                “Yeah?” Byunghun asked, glancing sideways at me, watching my expression. “I thought you’d like this.”

                I turned my attention from the setting sun to Byunghun’s peaceful face. The beauty of the sunset competed with Byunghun’s beauty, but Mother Nature couldn’t out-beautify Mother Lee’s creation. “It’s absolutely breathtaking!”

                “I’ve always wanted to do this,” Byunghun confessed softly, gazing at the sunset. “I figured this would be the perfect ending to a perfect day.”

                I took a step closer to Byunghun. “Today was perfect,” I said so softly it was practically a whisper. “Thank you.”

                “No, Kirin, thank you.” Byunghun wrapped his arms around my waist and pressed his forehead to mine. “One year ago today, I managed to gather the courage to tell you how I felt about you. I had no idea how you would respond. I honestly thought there was no way a girl like you would like me back. I’ve never been good with words, and especially not good at talking to girls. You completely changed that. I still can’t believe what we’ve been though and everything we’ve done. I can honest to God say that this past year has been the best year of my entire life. And even though you haven’t technically been my girlfriend for a full year, I’ve loved you for a full year. And that has to count for something.”

                I was at a loss for words. I opened my mouth to speak but no words came out. I felt like falling to my knees and letting dozens of tears spill from my eyes. Feeling Byunghun’s arms around me and hearing him say those words, those sincere, heartfelt words, to me was the best feeling in the entire world. I couldn’t match Byunghun’s sweetness. No words I came up with could top what he just told me. Instead, I pressed my lips against his and pressed my body tightly against his. Byunghun picked me up and spun me around letting the ocean wash over his feet. He spun me around a few times before setting me back down on the sand. I never took my lips off of his. He never dropped his arms from my waist. He held me tightly and I kissed him tightly. I wanted to melt right there in his arms, just like the waves melted back into the ocean.

                 Hand in hand, Byunghun and I walked along the edge of the ocean, enjoying the feeling of the damp sand beneath our bare feet. Every so often the waves would spill over onto the sand, wrapping our feet in its cool waters before retreating back to the ocean. We kicked and splashed in each other in the ankle-deep water. We swung our arms together as we walked. We talked about everything and nothing. We chased each other across the sand, kicking up little sandstorms behind us with every step we took. Byunghun would catch me by wrapping his arms around my waist and spinning me around and I would pounce on him with a hug from behind. By the time the sun had dipped dangerously low into the water, Byunghun and I were lying on the sand.

                I kissed him softly. I only took my lips off his to let three words pass my lips. “I love you.”

                “I love you too,” Byunghun said back. By this time, his black tie was hanging limply around the back of his neck and the silver buttons on his shirt had been almost entirely ed. He had pushed his sleeves up to his elbows, and the front of his shirt was a little wrinkled. Funny how he had looked so handsome and polished earlier in the evening, yet so raw and messy now. Still, he looked amazing sitting on the sand beside me, his arms resting casually on his bent knees. His orange hair blew softly in the ocean breeze, and his dark eyes reflected the bright tones of the sunset. But the words that came out of his mouth next were even more amazing than he looked. “Always have, always will.”

                As expected, Byunghun and I stayed out later than eleven. It was nearly midnight when we came tiptoeing through the front door. Downstairs, the door to my parent’s room was shut. A sliver of light shone from the bottom of the door to the girls’ bedroom. Min Neul and Hyerin were probably still awake; Min Neul was probably listening to music and Hyerin was probably reading. Upstairs, though, we couldn’t tell if anyone was still awake. Byunghun and I stood at the foot of the staircase, realizing we’d have to part ways. In the darkness, I watched Byunghun smile and quickly peck my cheek. Good night, his lips read before he snuck up the stairs.

                I tiptoed down the hall and slowly opened the bedroom door. As expected, Hyerin was lounging on her bed in her pajamas, flipping through what looked like a spiral bound notebook. She smiled slyly as she watched me shuffle into the bedroom. “Lee Kirin,” she chuckled, setting down the notebook. After casting a quick glimpse of it, I saw it was one of Minsoo’s sketchbooks. “Nice of you to join us.”

                Min Neul looked up from the screen of her iPod. “Daaaamn, you seriously broke curfew!”

                I felt my face turn red. I plopped the shopping bags down on the space beside my bed. “Do my parents know?”

                Hyerin shrugged. “They turned in a little before eleven. But I doubt they expected you to really be back by eleven.”

                “What on earth did you two do all day?” Min Neul asked, eyeing me up and down. “And nice dress.”

                I briefly looked down at my little black dress, which had a little bit of sand in the creases. I dusted it off. “Oh, we went on a walk, went shopping, ate some lunch, hung out, went to an amazing restaurant for dinner.” I looked directly at Hyerin, anticipating her response, “and went on a walk on the beach at night!”

                “No way!” Hyerin exclaimed excitedly, closing the sketchbook in her lap.

                “That’s cute,” Min Neul added. And by cute, she meant cliché.

                “It was amazing,” I gushed, fishing through my drawers to find some sweats. “It was totally a surprise! The sun was setting and it was so beautiful and...and…” I let myself trail off, reveling in the memories. “It was just amazing.”

                Min Neul raised a sly eyebrow. “Just the two of you, walking around on the beach at night…on your anniversary…with no one else around…in the dark…”

                I launched a throw pillow at her. “Oh, nothing happened!”

                “I knew it,” Min Neul chuckled, launching the pillow back at me.

                “Aw, this is just so romantic!” Hyerin squealed.

                I pulled a plain gray t-shirt over my head and sat cross-legged on my bed. “It was amazing. Byunghun is such a romantic at heart.”

                “I wouldn’t expect that from him,” Min Neul spoke up thoughtfully, placing her iPod on the nightstand beside her.

                I shrugged, a gleaming smile on my face. “There’s a lot you don’t know about him.”

                As I tucked my legs underneath my white comforter, Hyerin flicked the switch on her beside lamp. Just like that, darkness flooded into the room. I watched the illuminated numbers on the clock beside me change from 11:59 to 12:00 before I closed my eyes, officially setting the California sun on this perfect day.