Credits: fabrications

11| Cotton Candy
 

“You should be making babies”
-Haneul
 

KIM SOOJIN’S TEXT MESSAGES AFTER THE KISS 
 

SooJin: Are you sleeping?
Haneul: Yes.
SooJin: Crazy b1tch. Ke ke. Haneul, I’ve done something wrong.
Haneul: You’re the b1tch! What did you do? Did you him? Ke ke.
SooJin: No way! I’m not crazy like you. Ke ke. Let’s just say that I’ve done something which I’m not supposed to do and I can’t ever tell anyone about it but it’s just wrong. What should I do, Haneul-ah?
Haneul: I’m sleepy and you’re making me even sleepier. Tell it in a simpler way for me to understand.
SooJin: What would you do if you’ve done something wrong but you can’t tell anyone about it?
Haneul: Yes.
SooJin: What?? What yes? Are you still awake?
SooJin: Haneul!! Are you asleep already?
SooJin: Yah Choi Haneul! Don’t you dare sleep on me!!
SooJin: I guess you’re really asleep, huh?
SooJin: Goodnight, Haneul. Sweet dreams.
SooJin: What time is your bus tomorrow?
SooJin: Silly me! Ke ke. I forgot that you’re already asleep.
SooJin: Are you really asleep or you’re just acting?
SooJin: I guess I’ll stop talking to myself now. 
SooJin: Goodnight, Haneul.

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

Oh My God!
What had just happened?
Did I just kiss him on the cheek?!!!

Kim SooJin, what the he.ll are you thinking?!!!!

I stole a glance his way. He was still sleeping peacefully; his handsome face oozing a somewhat childlike innocence. I sighed of relief, knowing that he didn’t even realize that I had kissed him.

I tossed and turned to the other side, with my back facing him. I stared at the wall in front of me in the darkness. My thoughts were going wild, trying to find a valid reason as to why I did it. Without realizing, my forehead was already moistened with sweat.

I was puzzled as to why I was feeling the way I did. I mean, he and I had already kissed before this thus a peck from the cheek shouldn’t be any issue.

Really, why did I even do what I did?
Was it Haneul’s crazy idea that drove me to do it?

I was so confused.
I put a hand over my chest, trying to calm my pounding heart.

I let out a deep sigh and turned my head to steal another glance at Mr. Kwon. He was still deep in his sleep. Lucky for me, unless if I tell someone, no one else will know what had happened tonight. I will carry this to my grave.

Because I know, some things are better left unspoken.

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

I was at a fancy restaurant. A long table with a variety of dishes stood before me. I felt myself drooling just by looking at the delicious food. Bits by bits, I shoved each food inside my mouth, feeling the bliss once I savoured the taste in my mouth. I was in the midst of eating the beef steak when a monkey came and slapped my upper arm. Annoyed that my blissful moment was interrupted, I began to punch the monkey repeatedly.

“Miss Kim, stop it! Wake up!” the monkey said, sounding eerily enough like my boss slash fake fiancée slash y creature slash sleeping partner.

“Shhh...” I said, slapping its head. Then, I reached out to cover its mouth when it wouldn’t stop protesting. I was surprised to find how smooth its face was; it was almost human-like. Back in the village, the monkeys were always furry and disgusting. 

“How come you can talk? And you talk so much! You’re a monkey. Monkeys aren’t supposed to talk, only humans do!” I said, still covering its mouth.

The human-like monkey pushed my hand away in disgust. “Aish,” it muttered angrily, leaving me alone and I got to enjoy my food again. I was happily chewing my half-eaten steak when....

*SPLASH*

I immediately jerked awake when I felt the cold water hitting my body; it was the feeling of being poked by a thousand needles. “ARGHHHHH!!!!” I screamed, jumping out of the bed, “I’m going to DIE~!!” I cried, rubbing my body all over.

“You’re not going to die, Miss Kim. It’s just water,” said one stern voice.

I looked up and my gaze met with the cold eyes of Mr. Kwon. He was looking at me with an irritated expression on his face. He was holding a bucket in his hands.

How could he do that to me? I haven’t even done anything wrong to him and yet he had started my day with splashing me with water while I’m asleep. Now, he looked like he was ready to eat me alive, like I had done something really bad.

Well, well. Apparently, someone still has his in a twist.

“What have I d-d-done n-n-now?” I shivered, rubbing my upper arms for some warmth.

Mr. Kwon didn’t say anything. I thought I saw his face softened for a bit but it might only be my imagination.

“You bit me in your sleep, Miss Kim, that’s what you did,” he said, reaching for the comforter on the bed and he threw it at me.

I caught it perfectly and immediately began to wrap myself around it. “Wh-what do you mean by ‘You bit me in your sleep?’?” I scoffed. “Surely, I didn’t do that,” I snorted, thinking about how ridiculous his accusation was. It’s not like I’m a dog.

Back in the village, I sleep with my younger sister every night. Never once had she complained about me biting her, although I must confess, sometimes I may accidentally kick her off the bed but that’s another story.

Nope, my sister, SooMin had never said anything about me biting her. Mr. Kwon must be dreaming.

Mr. Kwon folded his arms across his chest, burning me alive with his glare. If he wasn’t so good looking, I swear to God, I’d poke his eyes with a fork. It was really annoying to be glared at when you’re being accused of doing something that you didn’t do.

“Did you dream about eating steak?” he asked.

My eyes widened with surprise. “Yes,” I nodded, “But how did you know?” I asked. 

“How can I NOT know?” he said icily, “You bit me and said ‘Steak, I love you. You’re so juicy and tender. You’re MINE!’” he said in a whiny voice. I guess he was imitating me.

I scratched my head. What y creature had said does sound like what I would definitely profess to a steak. Yes, my love affair with steak goes way back.

Sh1t! 
Don’t tell me that I had really bitten him? God, this is humiliating. I kissed him the night before and I bit him in the morning after? 

Oh my God!
Kim SooJin, you sound like a beast!

I tried my best to keep a straight face although I knew that I was facing a battle that I surely was going to lose. “I didn’t do that,” I said, “And besides, you have no proof that I did!”

“Will this be proof enough?” he asked as he came closer and showed me the multiple bruises, in the form of bite marks, on his forearms. “Miss Kim, you crossed over the barrier between us. I pushed you to the other side for so many times but you didn’t budge. Then, you drooled on my shirt and bit me and slapped my head repeatedly!” he said, pointing towards the big wet drool spot on the shoulder of his shirt, “You’re one violent person to sleep with.”

Damn. His every word felt like bullets to me.
My whole body were curling due to the immense embarrassment that I was facing.

“Mr. Kwon?”
“What?”
“I need to shower.”

I needed to get away as quickly as I could. I tried to run towards the bathroom with the heavy comforter still wrapped around my body but failed horrendously. Not only did I trip, I even hit my head with the tiled floor when I fell.

Mr. Kwon squatted down beside me, eyeing me with mockery in his eyes. “Tried to get away, didn’t you?” he asked.

I cringed.

“How are you going to run now, Miss Kim?” he said as his face inched closer to my face. 

I bit my tongue, in my attempt to stop myself from saying anything stupid.

Just about then, the door flew open.

“Omo, did we interrupt anything special?” I heard Umma asking excitedly.

“No, we were just-” Mr. Kwon tried to explain but was cut off by Haneul’s high-pitched shriek.

“You were about to kiss her, weren’t you? That’s why you wrap her in that comforter, so that she can’t run away, right?” she asked excitedly and then cocked her head towards Umma, “I think we should leave them alone for a while longer.”

“No, I didn-” Mr. Kwon tried to say but again he was cut off, this time it was by Umma’s loud clap.

If I wasn’t so dead embarrassed, I would have yelled till their ears bleed and then proceed to shove those two psychos out of the house.

“You’re right!” Umma exclaimed excitedly. “Bye, guys! Have fun!”

Have fun???
What is this? Some theme park?!!!

With that, the door closed with a loud bang, leaving me and Mr. Kwon alone again in the room.

“UMMAAAAAAA!!!”

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

It was a hot sunny day in Seoul and we were at the busy Seoul bus station downtown. 

Mr. Kwon looked so out of place with his expensive suit and I could see sweats already forming on his forehead. Instinctively, without thinking, I took out a tissue to dab the sweats off his face. He caught my wrist in the midst of it, mumbling an awkward ‘thank you’ before taking the tissue off my grasp and letting go of my wrist. He dabbed his sweat swiftly, looking elsewhere when he said quietly, “You don’t have to do that Miss Kim.”

I blushed, embarrassed by my own ‘motherly’ instinct. 

“Omo, that is so SWEET, SooJin-ah!” Umma exclaimed excitedly, “I have taught you well.”

I had forgotten that we had an audience consisting of Umma and Haneul standing before us, watching our every move with their hawk-like eyes. They were taking the bus back to DongHae Village and Mr. Kwon had generously volunteered to send them to the bus station. Personally, I think he only did that because he wanted to make sure that the two have boarded the bus and truly have left Seoul.

“Why are you still calling her Miss Kim? You should call her SooJin,” Haneul nagged in that annoying voice of hers. This bipolar so-called best friend of mine; one moment she was out to get Mr. Kwon for herself, the next moment she went all out for me and Mr. Kwon to get together. She didn’t really make any sense, not that she ever did before. “Besides, you two should be making babies by now,” she continued.

“Exc-excuse me?” Mr. Kwon stuttered.
“You know, babies?” Umma chirped in, wiggling her eyebrows excitedly. “By the way, what did you t