It was raining while she was waiting outside of her apartment complex.  Underneath the umbrella, she was carrying a bag of dirty clothes, the clothes she had worn a couple days ago to dinner with her co-workers.  She hadn’t wanted to be standing out here in the rain but Yoo-na talked her into it.  

“If he still wants to take you out after seeing you like that, he’s definitely someone worth taking a chance on,” Yoo-na had reasoned.  

Of course, it had been easy for Yoo-na to say because Ji-won was the one who was ultimately taking the risk.  While she pondered why she was asked to bring her dirty clothes, a black tinted SUV pulled up and the window rolled down. 

“I wasn’t sure if you would be here.  Sorry about the rain.  I didn’t know the weather was going to change like that.” 

He quickly got out of the car and opened the door for her.  He was surprisingly well-dressed in a black suit and tie.  She felt underdressed in her jeans and gray t-shirt and apologized. 

“No, I just got off work so that’s why I’m dressed like this.  Do you mind if we stop by my place first? 

Ji-won’s body tensed just a little, afraid of what he might try to do to her. 

“Um, okay but can I just wait in the car for you or how about I just wait here?” 

Seung-hyun suddenly realized his error and retracted his words. 

“Actually, never mind.  I’ll just make a stop on the way.” 

She got inside the car and they drove in silence.  She was quite shy around people she didn’t know so she just stared out the window and wondered where they were going.  Before too long, Seung-hyun pulled to stop. 

“Can you wait here for me?” 

“Umm, sure.” 

He quickly ran inside and in moments was back out.  To her surprise, he had changed into a black t-shirt and a pair of jeans.  

Ji-won smiled at him and laughed. 

“You really didn’t have to do that.” 

“Nonsense, I am more of a t-shirt and jeans person.”

“If you say so.”  She decided he was a likable character and it set her mind at ease just a little bit. 

Again, they sat in silence until finally Seung-hyun pulled to a stop once again. 

“Let’s go.  We’re here.” 

Ji-won looked up to see they had stopped at a Laundromat.  She was a little confused and then she laughed out loud. 

“What’s so funny?” 

“Really?  This is where you’re taking me?” 

“Where else?  It’s my fault tyou got all that food on you, which is why I also paid for your meal.  It was my order that got all over you, you know.  Obviously this had to be the next step.” 

“You were the one who paid?  I should have done that for you instead.  It was your dinner.  Obviously you didn’t get enough to eat because why else would you be eating at the ahjumma’s little shop.  I could have just done this at home.” 

“Where’s the fun in that?” 

Inside, Seung-hyun took her clothes and threw it in the washer.  She had protested but he wouldn’t let her do anything.  He had even brought along soap and softener.  They sat down and watched the washer splash the clothes around.  Ji-won thought about what a shame it was that there were only two pieces of clothing in the washer.  Had she known, she might have made him wait so she could bring a full load of clothes.     

Seung-hyun kept stealing glances at her as they sat in silence.  Her bangs were pinned to the side with a single clip and she let her hair hang down in the front.  He liked long hair.  

She gathered up her legs onto the chair and abruptly turned towards him.  To avoid being caught, Seung-hyun quickly pretended to be staring at the ceiling.  

“So what do you do?” Ji-won asked, trying to break the uncomfortable silence.  The washer, with its two pieces of clothing continued spinning. 

“I’m a lawyer.” 

“Oh.”  Figures with the suit and all.

“I don’t do very much.  It’s mostly a lot of paper work and a couple of clients.” 

“Sounds interesting.” 

“No it doesn’t.” 

Ji-won laughed and said, “Okay, not so much.” 

“Thanks for to making me feel better about what I do.”  Seung-hyun chuckled. 

Laughing together put them more at ease with each other.  Determined to keep the conversation going, Ji-won asked question after question, inadvertently making him feel like he was giving a testimony in court.  He began to understand why witnesses squirmed on the stand.  

He watched how she would push her glasses back onto her nose even though they weren’t falling.  He sensed it was from being nervous.  He liked how she would sometimes tuck her hair back behind her ear even though it was already behind her ear.  He liked that she wanted to know more about him.  They discussed their interests, dislikes, family and other things.  When the washer had come to a complete stop, they paid no mind to it; they simply continued their conversation forgetting what they were really doing there in the first place. 

Each had been so engrossed in the conversation they forgot about the clothes.  By the time they remembered, the manager was already kicking them out because he was closing the Laundromat early for his daughter’s birthday.  Even with Seung-hyun’s pleading, the manager had refused to let them dry the clothes but he did provide them with a couple coins so they could find another place to do the drying.  Because it was already getting late, they didn’t have time to find a dryer so she was going to have to dry them at home. 

 “Sorry we didn’t get a chance to dry your clothes,” Seung-hyun apologized while opening the passenger door for her. 

“It’s okay.” Ji-won smiled and held up the bag containing her clothes, “I can do it by myself.”  

The rain was still falling so he used his suit jacket from the back seat to cover them while they walked up to the front of her apartment building.  She had ensured him it would be alright but, again, he had insisted.  His wool jacket was soaked when they entered the building.  He was going to have to take it to the dry cleaners rather than the Laundromat. 

I wonder if I can convince her she has to go with me?

“Thanks for a great night.  I haven’t had such a great conversation in a while.”  

Ji-won turned toward him and waved. 

“I had a wonderful time.  We should do this again some time, soon.” 

“I’d like that.”  She smiled at him and began walking to the elevator.  

He walked away with a smile on his face but he had wanted to kiss her all night.  He had not been able to find the right moment.  The flow of the conversation had been going so wonderfully without any awkward pauses in which he could sneak a kiss.  With the night over, there probably was no longer a right moment.  Out in his car, he sat and contemplated for a while.  Looking down at the passenger seat, he saw her umbrella and immediately ran back into the building. 

The doorman, who had watched Ji-won and Seung-hyun enter together and saw the smile on Seung-hyun’s face when he left, shouted, “She’s on the fifth floor!”  The doorman had wondered how long it would take the young man to come back inside.     

Inside the elevator, Seung-hyun’s mind raced… 

“2^ndFloor” 

…trying to think of an excuse… 

“3^rdFloor” 

…forgetting he had the umbrella in his hand… 

“4^thfloor.” 

Wait, what room was she–

“5^thfloor” 

The elevator doors opened and someone was standing in front of the doors.  The person turned around and Seung-hyun found himself facing the woman he had come up to find.  His mind went blank.  

Ji-won had met a neighbor on the way up so was still stuck in the hallway and was just about to leave when the elevator doors opened.  She hadn’t expected to see him so soon, yet there was Seung-hyun in the elevator.  He was holding her umbrella in his hand.  

“My umbrella!”  Ji-won exclaimed and jolted Seung-hyun’s mind back. 

“You forgot this in the car.”  He handed it to her.  

“I forgot I even had it.  Now I feel even worse about your jacket getting all soaked.”

“No, it’s okay.” 

“Well, thanks again.”  She started to walk off again.  Without inviting him, again. 

Seung-hyun decided to be bold and reached out for her hand.  Surprised, Ji-won turned around, thinking he had one last thing to say to her.  Rather, he pulled her into the elevator with him and the doors closed behind her.  The elevator began its descent but Seung-hyun reached behind Ji-won and pressed the stop button; the elevator came to an abrupt halt. 

With both hands on her neck, he leaned in and felt her breath quicken.  Their lips met and he could feel her pulse beating against has palm; it was beating faster and faster.  He kissed her once and kissed her again, longer. 

The initial nervousness that reverberated throughout her body disappeared.  Her entire body was engulfed by flames. Her eyes were closed.  Her heart was racing.  Her lips were tingling.  She needed air.  She couldn’t stop.  She didn’t want to stop. When he pulled away, she grabbed onto the front of his shirt and pulled him back for another passion-filled kiss.

(writer's block has hit and will likely post the remaining chapters but crossing fingers the block will go away...thanks for reading)