They took the very last flight out from Seoul airport, under the cover of darkness, and hid in plain sight. They met inside the terminal, which was fortunately uncrowded for the flights they were taking. When they reached their gate, they sat unobtrusively facing the span of windows on one side and waited until their turn to board.

Their flight took an exhausting 10 hours. They hid in first class where the accommodations provided relative comfort, and with curtains drawn, some semblance of privacy. He held her hands the whole time even in their sleep.

They stepped off into the beautiful island of Hawaii. The island greeted them with the radiance of a cloudless blue sky and a balmy breeze that kissed the beads of sweat from their brows.

A cab took them to Kahala resort, one of the premier exclusive resorts in the area. Native staff dressed in colorful uniforms draped leis on each guest as they arrived, and were welcomed with refreshing drinks in hollowed coconut bowls.

This was a vacation they both deserved and looked forward to: away from intrusive eyes where they can be at ease and show affection to one another without a thought for others. They walked leisurely along the beach, and looked out into the gorgeous blue water where the sea seems to meld into the blue of the skies until one could no longer discern where the sea and the sky met on the horizon.

Hyung Sik held her hand. There was never a moment when her hands felt abandoned for they were always sheltered in his. They kissed, tasting the salted sea misting from the beach on each other’s lips. They smiled shyly at each other, finally here in this beautiful island in moderate anonymity.

When he suggested this trip, half teasing, she surprised herself by agreeing so quickly. His bewilderment was evident as was his frenzy in making the necessary arrangements. Perhaps he was afraid she would turn around and change her mind. Bo Young knew she had acted rather impulsively, however the anticipation of going away to visit this lovely island was as much a lure as the thought of being away with him.

She knew going on this trip would mark a step forward in their relationship, one she felt she was ready to take.

That evening after a romantic candlelit dinner, they went for another walk on the beach. She wore her favorite blue and white splotched sarong, he in jeans and white tee. Holding hands, they walked as the sun set behind them and the sky casts its magical glow all around.

They stopped by a rocky outcropping where they could rest. Hyung Sik lifted her up to sit on the edge; it was tall enough that she was now within his eye level.

“What would you like for your birthday,” he asked, resting his arms on each side of her seat.

She looked at him in surprise. “Oh but it’s not for another couple of weeks. Besides this trip is present enough. I’m really glad to get away.”

“You sure you don’t want anything? They have such beautiful souvenirs here.”

“Ani. You don’t have to do that. I’m happy.”

“Well, what if I already bought you a present?”

“You did?”

“Mmm, I think it’s nice and you can think of it as a souvenir, even though it’s not like the local jewelry you like to get.” He took a small golden box from his pocket and held it. Inside was a thin circle of gold, with small diamonds set completely around the ring. An eternity ring. He heard her sharp intake of breath.

“The first time I asked, I asked impulsively. And you might have thought I said it carelessly, without thinking things through,” he paused. “But I wanted you to know that this has always been on my mind right from the start, when I first met you. So I’m asking you again now, regardless of the consequences, with all my heart ---

...Bo Young-ie, will you marry me?”

She looked up to see the vulnerability in his eyes, misted with emotions that mirror her own. She could not stop her own tears from falling. She took his hands, the hands holding the ring symbolizing his offering of his heart to her, and whispered without preamble, “yes, a thousand times, yes.”

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.

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Their kiss was passionate. Heated. And as they walked back to their room, turned scorching and frenzied. He stopped to search her face, seeking for her censure; finding none, he exulted in seeing only the same desire reflecting his own.

His mouth claimed hers with an untempered fervor; a kiss that drove all other thoughts far from their minds. She could feel his heart pounding in rhythm with hers, and felt herself burning in the heat of his embrace. Her arms entwined themselves on his shoulders, her limbs suddenly weakened by desire. He lowered her gently on the bed, and continued to lavish her with intoxicating kisses. She felt his hands roam, following the dips and valleys of her body, places no one has touched before. And the short gasps that escaped her lips were uncontrollable, as his lips followed the path of his exploration.

He was tender and fierce, relentless in his quest to own her, to love her as he promised in the way that no one has loved her before. Each touch brought a current that seared her from within, overwhelming her senses. And when they joined, finally becoming one, he kissed her deeply, with a tenderness that belied the urgency that threatened to burst forth from their desires. Several times he brought her to heights she has never scaled before and when she felt like she was on a precipice, teetering on the edge, he looked deeply into her eyes and whispered huskily in her ears, “Let go, my love, I have you.” And with those words, she fell, the crescendo of desire culminating in an explosion that left her shaken to her very core.

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…Epilogue

The buzz of frantic excitement is palpable, as the media and paparazzi competed for a spot behind the velvet rope cords. The whole area is filled to b with fans and sightseers alike and the hum of indistinct conversations could be heard competing with the din of several reporters on their live broadcasts.

Suddenly the noise rose to a fevered pitch as the heavy oaken doors were thrown wide open.

They walked out, all smiles: he in his tailored tuxedo, looking all handsome and debonair, hand in hand with her. She was swathed in a gown of white, her veil pulled back, face flushed and oh so lovely and sparkly as the sequins that winked on her gown. They waved at the crowd, their eyes glowing with love, and at the behest of their screaming fans, amidst the flashing strobes of lights, turned to each other and kissed –their first picture publicly as man and wife.

The End.

Writer note:    Thank you for your undeserved attention. It is my pleasure to share my thoughts with you (I have very lively imaginations, as you can see). I hope you will continue to stand strong and believe in them. And I look forward to reading their REAL love story. Cheers.