A warm breeze on my face was slowly waking me from a deep sleep. It would hit my face for a few seconds, stop, and start again. It felt nice, but the stopping and starting was a little bothersome. I opened my eyes and blinked a few times. Hyun Joong was sleeping peacefully beside me. I’d mistaken his breath for a breeze. I smiled. His arms were still wound tightly around my waist.

There was no way I could get out of bed without waking him up. I was stuck. Not that it was bothering me to be stuck in bed with him. I ran my fingers through his hair gently and slowly. I let my fingertips trail down the back of his neck and around, feeling across his collarbone as softly as I could. I felt his face, memorizing it, savoring the feel and the peaceful look in his gorgeous features. My fingers lingered on his plump lips. His lips puckered, kissing my fingers, and I jumped. He shook with a chuckle and opened his eyes. He rolled on top of me and stared at me with a smile on his face.

My cheeks burned with a blush. “What are you looking at?” I whined. I was sure I looked like a mess and I had morning breath. I needed a shower and to brush my teeth. I tried not to breathe on him. It was hard when he was so close to me.

“A beautiful girl,” he said softly, making me feel a full-body-blush. He smiled when he saw it in my face, which only made me blush more.

“Aish, don’t call me beautiful. Get off,” I kept whining.

He didn’t move, but his smile vanished. “Why? Why can’t I call you beautiful?” he asked very seriously.

“I… You… Because. Get ooooooff.” I tried to wiggle and buck him off, but his whole body weight was on me so it wasn’t working.

“Surely you know how beautiful you are, Soo Yun ah.” He trailed his nose down mine slowly. My heart went crazy. “Don’t you?” he breathed.

Slowly, I shook my head. He immediately stopped. He jumped off the bed and pulled me up by my arm. He lead me into the bathroom and turned me toward the mirror, standing behind me. That sight nearly brought tears to my eyes. I looked at him, and then at myself. Sometimes, I thought I was kinda pretty. But I always thought I was fat. I put my arms around my stomach, even though his shirt was baggy enough to cover me up. I looked down so I didn’t have to see my reflection.

I felt his warm hand rest on my jaw, one finger falling just under my chin. His other hand slid down my arm and pulled it away from my stomach. The hand on my face lifted my head so that I’d look in the mirror again.

“Everything from here—” he touched the top of my head with one finger “—to here… is beautiful,” he finished, touching my toes, then standing up behind me again. Tears were filling my eyes now. “Everything in between those two places is beautiful, especially when paired with what’s in here.” He put his hand over my heart. The tears spilled over and ran down my cheeks, feeling cool against my burning skin. “Oh, I didn’t mean to make you cry. I’m sorry.”

He turned me around and hugged me to him. “Thank you,” I whispered, trying not to fully cry.

He pulled back and wiped away the tears that escaped with his thumb. “Are you hungry?” he asked randomly. I looked at him stupidly, making him laugh. “Come on. Let’s go get breakfast.”

I stayed put when he pulled on my arm. He turned around and looked at me with his head a little to one side. “Let me clean up first. Please.” I pressed my lips together, knowing I desperately needed to brush my teeth.

He brushed his thumb across my closed lips, making me part them instinctively. Then he gave me a swift kiss and smirked as he turned and left. I guessed the smirk was for my shock/melted expression. I whimpered before I could gather myself. I the shower water and brushed my teeth really fast to let the water warm up. I was glad Hyun Joong had set out all of my stuff for me. It was just like him to be thoughtful that way. I smiled, stripped down, and stepped under the steaming water to clean myself. It was nice to feel rested and now clean. I dried my hair a little so it would look good when it was totally dry later. I dabbed a little makeup on around my eyes and stepped back from the mirror. Good enough. The clothes I was wearing last night were on a chair outside the bathroom. I got a cute matching set of and a bra and slipped back into those clothes before I ran downstairs to look for Hyun Joong.

Daesung and TOP were in the kitchen, making themselves breakfast. I waved to TOP and he nodded at me. Daesung caught my eyes for a split second before I turned and went outside to the patio. I hadn’t gotten to see the back of the house the day before, except for when it was dark outside. Just off the patio, the beach started. The morning sun was reflecting beautifully off the clear ocean and I spotted Hyun Joong leaning back on an elbow a few yards away. I smiled and stepped onto the soft sand, making my way over to him.

He’d laid out a blanket on the sand and put a bowl of cut up fruit in it and was eating it, watching the waves come up a few feet away. He was wearing a loose, flowy white shirt with khakis and no shoes. He looked so natural and relaxed.

“If you don’t hurry and sit down, I’m going to eat all this fruit,” he said, startling me. I hadn’t realized I’d been standing there, staring at him, until he said that. I blushed and sat down next to him.

He looked over and flashed a smile at me. I shoved a strawberry in my mouth and looked out at the whitecaps crashing on the sand. I hoped he hadn’t seen how hard I blushed before I looked away.

It was nice to sit in silence next to him, watching and listening and feeling our surroundings, filling myself up with delicious, juicy fruits. I was constantly aware of his presence next to me, which I also enjoyed.

I was looking at a sea shell that had just washed up a few feet away when a piece of watermelon appeared in front of my face. I looked at Hyun Joong and he nodded with a smile. I opened my mouth and he popped the watermelon in. He just fed me, I thought, smiling. My heart was hammering, my blood was pumping fast and hard, the sun was warming my skin in a most pleasant way. I was hyperaware of almost everything around me. Hyun Joong reached over and pushed a lock of hair behind my ear, caressing my head softly as he did so. It raised goosebumps on my body and I shivered.

“Are you cold?” he said in an almost husky voice. Before I could answer, he pulled me on top of him and put his arms around me. “Is that better?” he whispered into my ear.

“Hey, what are you doing?” I asked, struggling and pushing against his chest to get up.

His hands slid around my arms and waist. “Be still,” he breathed. I froze.

He moved one arm and put a finger under my chin, lifting my face to look at him. He let out a whimper before he kissed me and tangled his fingers in my hair. He shifted me up so that I was directly over him. He kissed me more deeply and passionately than he had before. It wasn’t as gentle as before either, but it wasn’t at all a bad thing. His hand was knotted in the hair at the nape of my neck, holding me where I was. I slid my arms around his neck, feeling every muscle and bone along the way. He shuddered under me. I pulled away, stifling a whine. His lips trailed down to my neck, leaving feather light kisses all the way down. Every moment close to Hyun Joong was special and intimate. He pulled back and let me breathe. His hands slid down my back and stopped where my pants started. I took a deep, shaky breath. It was no use because my breath was taken away a second later when his eyes were looking into mine, looking all dazed and gorgeous.

I found myself falling in love again. This time, much faster. And I was getting scared.