Yong Hwa peered at her from under his fringe, trying to decipher every movements and actions into meaning. They were eating together in his place, Chinese food conveniently put in plates and bowls, green tea in mugs and chopsticks clicking.

It was the first time she had come to his place, and though she was obviously awkward with the whole thing, she carried herself quite normally, as if it was just another visit to her friend’s house.

And it was definitely what he was afraid of. She had said yes, she wanted to be his girlfriend. But he was worried she didn’t get the whole idea of it. There were many differences between friendship and dating, and he was fully aware that he was her first boyfriend. He was also determined to be the last, but it’s too early to say it yet.

She was steadily telling him about her day. Dressing up and getting pretty in the salon was, “It was fun. I think I want to do it often. Not because I have a date but because it’s nice to feel pretty”. Playing the white piano again before going to the seafood restaurant was, “I had to find a way to stop being nervous, you know, Oppa?”, and her expectation to a pleasant evening with Lee Teuk.

“What you did was of course unexpected” she smiled, looking down to her unmoving chopsticks.

“Joo Hyeon?”

She looked up, “Ne?”

“Do you mean it?”

“Mean what?”

“Saying that you don’t mind to be my girlfriend?”

She frowned for a while. “Waeyo, Oppa? Are you changing your mind?”

“God, no. I’m just afraid you didn’t fully grasp the meaning of it all”

“I do. I mean, I understand”

“Why did you say yes? I mean……with me……I’ve never felt that you think of me more than just a friend”

“I…..you’re……I don’t know, I just—“

He could see that she was panicking and looked down again, nervously folding the paper tissues.

“Tell me” he said gently but decisively, “Because before we do anything else, I need to know the reason why you said yes”

“Oppa. It’s because……..I feel happy whenever I’m with you. And I—I have a feeling that you do, too. Like…..you enjoy to be with me? I find myself wanting to make you happy, and I guess, maybe, that was why I said yes”

She was looking at him the whole monologue, which he could sense was very hard to do at the moment, blushing and stuttering, dragging some words and rushing the next.

“Is that……..enough for you, Oppa? My reason?”.

Yong Hwa smiled goofily. “Yeah. That’s enough for me. You sound like facing a difficult examination” he teased, and she pouted dejectedly. “But well, that was cute” he said, before picking up the plates and bowls, carrying it to the sink.

*************************************

Joo Hyeon never thought that washing the dishes, shoulder to shoulder to a guy, would be such an experience. Her heart went faster, hopping and dancing and humming inside her. They were mostly silent but whenever she dared a peek at him, he was smiling wide, until he nudged her with his elbow.

“Wae, Joo Hyeon? Am I that gorgeous?”

She had whined in disgust and he laughed, splashing her with water.

“Oppa! You’re wetting my dress!”

“Serves you right. I've already told you to stay away but you just had to stay close to me all the time so of course you’ll get wet!”

She was so taken by the ridiculous narcissistic statement that he said and attacked back with a splash of water.

They ended up splashing more water, laughing like children until they were breathless.

Once the laughter died down, he took a clean towel and dried her face and hands.

“I don’t want you to get a cold. And I think that your dress is not damaged.”

He was so close, too close.

One second he was wiping her dry in concern, and the next second, he was staring at her, motionless.

He had eyes that told no lies, Joo Hyeon decided. Brown, pure, and magnetic.

She had eyes that read the world and appraised everything, he thought. There was no mistake that those eyes were fully focusing on him that very second, locked and zoomed in.

He had a distinct feeling of dreaming, of wanting to scoop the slim waist to an embrace, pulled her close, and kissing those tempting, tempting lips.

Still, he was sure he didn’t want a fling. He just turned everything from friendly to complicated and he was scared if he kissed her then and there, instead of winning, he’d lose. She might be afraid and fade away. He wouldn’t be able to handle that. He could stand not kissing her tonight. Of course he could. Besides, didn’t someone say, you don’t kiss on first dates?

“I’ll take you home to your place in an hour. Or two. In the meantime though, how about some music?”

“Music?” she asked, surprised and intrigued, though he was moving nowhere and she was still staring at his eyes and lips.

“I have an organ. And a couple of guitars. Play the organ for me. I’ll play the guitar. I’ve been wanting to play a duet with you for a while now. Care to try?”

“Sure. I wonder how we will sound?”

“Let’s find out then, shall we?”

***********************************

The first time they met, Seo Hyeon thought that Yong Hwa was handsome.

The third time they met, she realized that she liked spending time with him.

She was touched with his confession in front of the seafood restaurant, obviously jealous and anxious.

But it was when they played music together that she started to think she was falling for the first time.

She played “Kiss The Rain” in his bedroom, the organ’s tune filling the place. He said she could play whatever she wanted, and miraculously, he followed with his guitar, perfectly in sync.

Is this something normal? Or we really do match?

There was a small problem. The organ was facing his bed, and he sat on the edge. So the whole time they were playing, he kept staring at her, smiling from time to time.

No one told her that a guy’s stare could have such a palpable effect. A tremor of excitement blew through her. She could feel her cheeks getting hotter and she suddenly couldn’t face him as long as she normally could.

However, they sounded lovely together. Perfect, even.

When the song ended, her fingers dangling above the keys, she whispered, “That was……great.”

“I think so, too”

Seo Hyeon looked up, surprised to hear his voice thickening.

“We should do this again some other time. Sometime soon.”

“I agree” Yong Hwa said, putting his guitar on his bed.

“This is late, so I’ll……”

“I’ll take you home.”

“Uh, thank you. But it’s enough to accompany me to the bus stop.”

“I have nothing else to do, anyway. Let me do this.”

“Al—algesseumnida”

They stood side by side at the bus, talking about the places they passed and “Once I did this there” and “Once I ate there……”. In the middle of conversation, Yong Hwa held out his hand, looking solemn and hopeful.

Hesitantly, she put her hand on his and he slowly, very slowly, interlaced their fingers.

She looked wonderingly at their joined hands.

He could feel her trembling in his grasp, but she didn’t let go and held his hand too.

He wished she would lean her head on his shoulder. Yet, he reminded himself that he got so much in a day anyway.

**********************************

Dating Seo Hyeon was like high school all over again. Except it meant a lot more. He found himself always wanting to make her happy and kept her away from harm. He picked her from the library at night and safely drop her at her place and slept well, knowing he had managed to take care of her for one more day.

He found himself telling her about a lot of things. Things he never bothered to tell other girls before. Like his childhood in Busan, his parents and older brother. What they like, what they dislike, the best memories they have. He told her he learned piano too but then decided guitar was more his thing around junior high.

He found himself telling her cheesy things. Like “I miss you”. Something he rarely did to a girl before. He allowed her to nag at him. He reduced his coffee consumption, slept earlier, and worked harder for his graduation.

She was taken to normal dates. Like watching movies, going to cafes, go to the arcade game centers, and the mall. It was not like she never went to those places. But somehow, it was more special because he was with her.

Another surprise came when they decided to have a group dinner in one of the most famous western restaurant in the area.

They sat with Jong Hyun and his cheerful girlfriend, Tiffany. Yoona and Min Hyuk (there might be something more there but everyone decided not to pry) and at last, Jung Shin and his girlfriend, Soo Young. It was the first time they all met.

“Hyeonnie? You’re with Yong Hwa?” Soo Young asked, voice a pitch higher.

“Hyeong, this is your girlfriend?” Jung Shin inquired, eyes popping wide.

“Ne” they both answered in unison.

“But we were going to introduce you!” Soo Yong screeched. “Did you give him her number?” she asked Jung Shin.

“I didn’t, because Hyeong didn’t want to! Hyeong, is this the girl you said you’ve met on the bus?”

“Yeah, wae? You look shocked!”

“Of course I am! We were going to arrange you both for a blind date! Remember two months ago? I said I want to introduce you to a friend of Soo Young? It’s her! It’s Seo Joo Hyeon!”

Yoona gasped because she remembered. “Soo Young Eonnie, you were going to introduce Hyeonnie to Yong Hwa?”

“I was! Omo! How come they just meet each other like that after refusing to be introduced by us? What a coincidence! It’s like……fate!”

Yong Hwa and Seo Hyeon looked surprisingly to each other’s face, looking full of wonder in their expressions.

“I think this awesome news deserves a toast” Jung Shin announced. “To my Hyeong who finally got the right girl.”

“And to my Hyeonnie who finally starts dating!” Yoona added.

Yong Hwa whispered to her ear, “Don’t date anyone else.”

She blushed and nodded, before clicking her glass with the others.

***********************************

Yong Hwa had kissed many girls before, but he was very sure that his fist kiss with Seo Hyeon will forever be unforgettable. They were already dating for two months, and he had resisted the urge many, many times because he thought she was not ready yet.

And then the moment finally came.

They were spending time at the Seoul Forest. Watching street performers and eating the lunch that she cooked herself. “I’m not good with cooking but I’m learning now, Oppa. Yoona Eonnie said this was fit to be eaten so you don’t have to worry”. He had chuckled and gratefully finished everything. Afterwards, they walked together, her hand linked with his and they talked between nothing and everything.

Suddenly, the rain appeared. Mild drops at first, before quickly turning into hard rain.

Unintended, they happened to run against the way everybody ran, and sought refugees under an old oak tree.

They were drenched by then. He was busy drying her face with his sleeves and she repeatedly asked, “Oppa, gwaenchana?”

And suddenly, he stopped drying her face and just held it, admiring her without being fully aware.

She was silent too, looking at him with eyes that spoke more than all the romance novels could describe.

He bent his head and placed his lips on hers, savoring the first touch. Her lips felt soft and damp from the rain. He stopped to see that she was mesmerized, closing her eyes as if she was within a dream.

“Joo Hyeon-ah”, he called, watching her opened her eyes, “saranghae…….”.

With that he hugged her waist, covered her body with his, leaned her on the tree, and kissed her with the longing since he felt after he first laid eyes on her. He would always remember that day, kissing her under the rain, water pouring down from heaven, her hands clutching his jacket before she hugged him tight and kissing him back. Her breaths felt warm on his tongue, and he took everything he could get from that kiss, needing it to never end. She made soft, sighing sounds when he started to slowly feel her body, her dress glued tight after being drenched.

In the future, he would always recall this moment, when he first ran his lips on her neck and shoulders, rain surrounding them and the smell of grass, leaves, and nature intoxicated him.

She didn’t know how long they stood there, kissing each other like the world ceased to exist. He felt impatient yet sweet, determined yet loving. She knew she was being devoured but the truth was, she was with him in every second, lost in his arms and the whispers of love and her name. He kissed hard, gently, soft, and greedy, all at the same time. She found herself opening up for him, moving her neck to the side to give him access, yielding to his touches and demands.

Afterwards, he hugged her, feeling her trembling from the temperature.

“You’re going to catch a cold” he murmured, lips on her ear.

“I guess I would.”

“I’m giving you medicine the second we reach my place.”

“Okay.”

“But as long as it’s still raining and we can go nowhere, I’m just going to hug you like this”

She clutched his jacket and closed her eyes.

“Oppa?”

“Hm?”

“Saranghamnida.”

The last word resulted in more kisses.

The sky kept pouring water, until it finally stopped after a while, showing sunshine and fresh air for earth. 

What a lovely, lovely summer day. 

***********************************

Author's Note : 
 

5 July 2012

Hope you like it and pray for me that I won't be late for work.