Chapter 16 – Lovebirds

[너와 그리고 난 약속했지

첫 번째 손가락 걸고

나를 보며 오늘부터 우리에겐

좋은 일들만 있을 거라고

You and I, we promised

With our fingers

You looked at me and said

From now on, only good things will happen]

“Lady Yu! He is here again!”

The servant exclaims excitedly, as two other servants follow suit, all of them speed walking to her room. Jimin scoffs, it’s almost as if they are more excited than her.

As soon as they reached the door, all three quickly fuss over her hair and outfit.

“Oh, your hair needs to be this way, Lady Yu.”

“There is a wrinkle here, Lady Yu.

“Are you going on a date, Lady Yu?”

“What is his name?”

“Argh, he is so cute!”

“Lady Yu, will you two kiss?”

“Come on, I’m sure with Lady Yu’s old fashioned ways, they haven’t even held hands yet!”

“What, no, Lady Yu looks innocent but they always say the most innocent girls are the most…”

“Ahem.”

Madam Baram interrupts the servants as she motions for all of them to leave the room. The girls frown as they leave. Jimin lets out a chuckle.

“I apologize for their behavior, my lady. It isn’t often that a boy comes over to the Yu Residence.”

Jimin merely smiles, completely understanding how charming her boyfriend can be anyways.

“It’s alright. Oh, how do I look?”

She asks as she nervously waits for a response from the older woman. The older woman politely reaches forth and adjusts her braid carefully before stepping back respectfully.

“There, you look very beautiful, Lady Yu. I’m sure he will think the same.”

“You think so? I sure hope so.”

“Yes, now that I take a closer look at him, he really looks like someone I used to know.”

“Oh, who is it?”

Jimin asks, curious as to who would resemble her boyfriend. Was it someone she knew? It is very unlike of her servant to say much about others so it puzzled her when she notices Madam Baram stiffen a bit at the question before putting on her signature smile, one that she would always wear when she’s working.

“Well, I must be getting old, my lady. I can hardly recall who he reminds me of. Anyways, off you go now, enjoy your date.”

“Hmm…I’m curious though. You should let me know once you remember.”

“I will do so, my lady. You should go now, wouldn’t want to keep your pretty boy waiting.”

“Yes, indeed. Thanks again, Madam Baram.”

Jimin happily replies as Madam Baram accompanies her to the main door. She briefly sees the older woman staring at Jeongmin for the longest time before she bows her head.

“I trust that Lady Yu will be in your care, Lord Kim.”

“Yes, please be assured that I will return her by evening.”

Almost immediately, Jeongmin offers her a hand, guiding her into his carriage and Jimin didn’t miss how Madam Baram’s eyes were on Jeongmin the whole time.

She finds it exceptionally odd since for as long as she can remember, Madam Baram hardly takes any interest in anyone but she doesn’t think too much of it. Maybe her beloved servant has simply mistaken Jeongmin for someone else.

∞∞∞

“Do you like it?”

She hears Jeongmin asks with a gentle smile, hand taking hers as she exits the carriage. Jimin nods enthusiastically, eyes focused on the beautiful view in front of her, which is none other than a huge flower garden.

“How did you find this garden? It’s so beautiful.”

Jimin says in wonder as Jeongmin takes her hand, guiding her as they enter the garden, their path decorated by an abundance of different colored flowers. There were roses, tulips, lilies and even sunflowers.

He didn’t answer her but she isn’t too bothered, instead she is in complete awe at the scenery around her. Jeongmin did however, let out a small smile as he guides her to their destination.

She unconsciously smiles at that.

She shyly holds onto his hand tighter than before and sees him turning around with another smile, completely intertwining their fingers. He then turns back in front, caressing her hand with his thumb gently.

Jimin feels lightheaded.

She unknowingly lets out another smile as she quickens her pace. She takes this short time to admire his back view, thinking of how charming he looks with that black hair, and relishes in the fact that no amount of flowers will ever compare to the pretty boy in front of her.

Her pretty boy.

The soft sounds of water splashing from a distance wakes her from her thoughts. Jimin realizes that they have arrived at an aesthetic picnic setup, complete with a serene view of a waterfall nearby.

“Well, do you like it?”

He asks with doubt evident in his eyes. She lets out a loud chuckle in response.

“I love it.”

Jimin corrects him as she quickly sits down on the white cloth. She sees Jeongmin sitting right after and finds herself smiling at how he keeps fidgeting with his hands. She wants to ask, are you nervous? Because I am too, but then he quickly straightens himself and speaks up.

“My mother asked me to bring you here.”

Jeongmin says with a smile and slowly lets out a chuckle.

“I really don’t mean to be cheesy but she came to me in a dream and insisted that I bring you here. ”

“Oh, in a dream?”

“She passed away giving birth to me.”

He says with a sad smile. Jimin nods knowingly and reaches forward to cup the pretty boy’s face, caressing his soft cheeks with care.

“I’m sorry to hear that, I know how you feel. My mother passed away too when I was little but at least I got to know her.”

Upon hearing that, she sees his eyes widen and he quickly pulls her in for an embrace.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know that.”

“You wouldn’t have known. My parents aren’t on good terms. It was an arranged marriage. She loved someone else.”

Jimin recalls briefly as she thinks back to the times when her mother and her would sit together in silence, in the big study room, her mother continuously knitting away while little Jimin drew on her canvas.

“My mother loved knitting. She always knitted and for some reason, she only used blue threads, which is why I began to like the color.”

“Like mother, like daughter, I guess.”

Jeongmin says, in an attempt to brighten up the mood. Jimin nods and realizes that the mood of the date had grown somewhat melancholic. She quickly pulls away and gives him a kiss on his lips. Jeongmin looks perplexed.

“It is our first date, let’s not talk about sad things.”

She says with a big smile, as she leans in to place yet another kiss on his lips. She notices how his face visibly reddens.

“It’s okay, I actually want to know more about you.”

“Well, I’ve told you enough. Now it’s your turn, Kim Jeongmin.”

Jimin says playfully with a pout, crossing her arms in front of her chest. She notices how he visibly stiffens when she calls out his name but almost as if he knew she noticed, he quickly moves to kneel on one knee.

Before she can even ask why, he takes out a box and opens it quickly to reveal a very interestingly shaped sapphire necklace.

“She told me to give you this.”

She hears him say with a bri