I sat on Jiyong’s bed like a nervous patient in a hospital waiting to find out if they have cancer or not as Jiyong pondered whether to tell me the cure for the curse. He said I wouldn’t like what would have to be done in order to break the curse. What did he mean by that? Worrisome thoughts ran through my mind. What if I have to kill him? What if he has to kill me? Oh God... I just want to know! Jiyong suddenly plopped down on the bed beside me, placing his large paw on my tiny hand.

He sighed. “You ready for me to tell you how to break the curse?”

“Of course, yes. Just tell me please!” I half-commanded him.

“Okay. You won’t like it, but here it is.” I leaned in closer to him in anticipation, my head resting on his broad shoulder. “The witch told me that if I wanted to break the curse, I would have to become one with the a woman whom I’m madly in love with and the woman would also have to love me back. She cackled while saying that no woman would ever love me and I believed her for a thousand years. Who could ever love a monster? But then you came along, Chaerin.” Jiyong gave me a broken smile. “See? You wouldn’t want to do that Chaerin. But that’s okay I don’t mind being like this as long as you’re with me.”

My face was hot with a blush. “Wait. When say you would have to become one with a woman do you mean like...” I searched his face for an answer. Jiyong nodded.

“Yeah that’s what I mean.”

I shrieked. “Oh my. Oh my. Oh my.” The blush on my face spread until it covered every square inch of skin. “I don’t know about something like that...”

Jiyong kissed the top of my head gingerly. “Like I said, you don’t have to. I’d rather stay a monster forever than make you unhappy Chaerin.”

“What if we do it quick?”

Jiyong’s eyes widened in shock. “What?”

“What if it’s only like one of those in and out things that I hear about on TV? Would that work?” I asked.

It became Jiyong’s turn to blush. “Wow, Chaerin I didn’t know that you knew about those kind of things,” he chuckled.

“Eh well... you know television today, so inappropriate ha!”

“I’ve never watched television before.”

“Of course.”

“I have found some magazines that display those kind of actions out here though...”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah.”

An awkward silence passed between us. I really didn’t want to do it quick or at all for that matter. I want my first time to be special and I was planning on waiting until or if I got married. The more I thought about...it, the more I actually started wanting it. I imagined Jiyong’s claws tangled in my hair, his soft paws running across my bare skin. Mmm... Ah! Stop thinking such dirty thoughts Chaerin! Maybe I should become one with him... It is for Jiyong’s sake after all. But he said that he wouldn’t care about his appearance as long as he is with me. My internal debate raged inside my head. Yes. No. Yes. No. Yes! No! Yes... I gulped. I have to do this for Jiyong’s sake. I love him isn’t that enough? Isn’t that why it’s called “making love?” Wait! What about protection? Don’t we have to use some sort of protection so that he can’t plant a seed in my garden so to speak? Didn’t my health teacher pass out these rubber things to the whole class when we were learning about practicing safe....ugh! I can’t even think about that word! My health teacher said those things protected seeds from being planted. Ack! Too bad I didn’t have one! Oh well I guess...

“Chaerin?” Jiyong’s voice jolted me out of my internal debate.

“Y-yes Jiyong?” I sputtered, flashing him a mechanical smile. I wonder if he knew what I was thinking about...

“If breaking the curse is too awkward for you, we won’t do it okay?” He ruffled my hair with his paw and started to get up from the bed.

“No.”

“Wh-” My lips landed hard on Jiyong’s. “Don’t go,” I whispered seductively on his lips.

“Chaerin, do you really want to?” Jiyong asked.

I brushed my lips against his. “Yes I do, for your sake and because I love you more than anyone.” A hungry growl rumbled in Jiyong’s chest. He wants me...

“Okay, Chaerin, if you’re sure we can-” I stopped him short, pulling him back down onto the bed, on top of me.

I stared straight into his glowing amber eyes. “Yes I’m sure. I want you Jiyong. I love you.”

“I love you too Chaerin, so much!”

Jiyong’s lips crashed onto mine, his tongue making its way into my mouth, my tongue doing the same to him. I reached out to the side of the bed where a lamp was glowing dimly and clicked it off letting Jiyong take every part of me in sweet ecstasy...