THANK YOU SO MUCH ☺

--

"Kamsahimnida," said the deep voice that haunted Sandara's sleep for so many a night.

The old woman turned her back to leave, while, Kwon Jiyong straightly walked towards her. She couldn't even move. She frantically released her breath when she felt her chest tightened.

She blinked. Expecting the figure in front of her to fade away any moment.

But the figure still remained in front of her, staying and staring at her. Her heart began to race. And she knew she was shaking. Jiyong reached for her hand. Still not herself, she willingly offered her hand, lightly pulling her towards him.

For a while, they remained in that position, just staring at each other. Hungry eyes struggling to gain the most ground.

Sandara recovered first. "W-why are you here?" she asked. She noticed the stubble growth on his face. He'd lost weight too. The pain in seeing him again cut through her. As if there is something choking inside her chest. "I-I mean, how did you find me here?"

Jiyong didn't immediately answer, he remained staring on her face, as if searching for what changes in her.

Then his brows furrowed and lifted his hand to touch her left cheek. He was trying to remove the white thing on her cheek but couldn't completely take it off.

"Paint," he said, a little bit confused. "And there's paint all over your hair too." he then lifted her hand which he is holding to find more traces of paint there. Then he touched her palm after. "Calluses..." he shook his head and asked in a voice filled with anguish. "What have you been doing, Sandara Park?"

quivered in what she thought a smile. "I was painting...the fences." her eyes hungrily searched his face. Just like what he was doing.

"You were painting picket fences?" he said unbelievingly. Then he groaned emotionally and gathered her close against him. With all emotions, he embraced her tightly to the point of making breathing hard for her.

Sandara closed her eyes. She wanted to drown herself with his warmth. She wanted to make herself believe that all of these are real. That this is not a product of her own imagination...for wanting him so much and missing him terribly.

And when he claimed her lips, she sobbed. Jiyong quickly released her lips to cupped her face with his hands gently.

"Oh, god, don't cry, jagiya. Please don't cry." his voice filled with agony as he wiped her tears with his fingers.

And Sandara, despite herself was suprise to see that there were mists in his eyes too. Did he miss her too? Just as she missed him?

She then lifted her hand to touch his face, touching the growth of stubbles that darkened his face. "How long has it been since you last shaved?" she asked softly, loving him so much with all her heart and soul.

Jiyong caught her hands and kisses them. "It doesn't matter," he whispered and said in a broken voice. "I'd give half of my life if I am to be spare from the agony of the last three months, Dara." then he was kissing her temple...her hair...the tip of her nose. "I will never ever let you go again."

"Ji..."

"I do love you, Sandara."

Sandara stiffened. "W-what are you saying?" she suddenly released herself from his arms, and stared at him with disbelief.

"I love you. I love you so," Jiyong repeated, then he furrowed when he saw the contempt in her eyes.

"You love me? Why? Because I'm--was a ?" she asked bitterly. "Because your assumptions were wrong about me?"

Jiyong put his finger under her chin and raised her lovely face to him. "One certainly doesn't love a woman because of her ity, my beloved," he said softly. "Love grows from within one's heart. And I have loved you even when I believed you to be a vamp and a tramp. My pride kept me from recognizing my own feelings."

Sandara was speechless. She does not know how to answer that. Sincerity burned in those dark eyes. Hope started to spring from her heart.

Jiyong pulled her back in his arms. "I guess I started loving you when I saw you on TV hounded by medias. On the surface, I hated you. But deep inside I wanted to protect you from those hounds. Or perhaps it started at the night of Lee's party. Or maybe during those times when you were asleep on my bed in the cabin. It doesn't matter when it happened. What matters is I love you."

"T-that can't be true," she whispered. Happiness leaped in her chest like flames.

"It's the truth, Dara," he continued. "I was a fool to delude myself that if I made you mine, had you once and for all, all what I have been feeling about you would die instantly. I was wrong. One night wasn't enough...I want you in my life. When I came home that night and found you gone, there was something inside me that fled too...I felt so empty. That I know I wouldn't be a whole person again."

Sandara slowly rested her forehead on his chest then sobbed. "Oh, Ji."

Jiyong planted a soft kiss atop her head. "It is true that I love In Na. And she gave me one hell of a reason to haunt you. So I can keep you in the island...in my arms, thinking I could keep you there forever. And I die a little every time Jaejoong come into the picture."

"Ji..." Sandara looked up to him. "About Jaejoong--"

"He's your cousin."

Her eyes slightly widened at this. "You knew? He told you?"

"Jaejoong and his mom." He smiled at her tenderly. "She had known it all along. She had been waiting all along for Jaejoong to reveal it to her personally."

Relief flooded her that she felt weak. "I don't want her to hate me because I am my father's daught