FIFTY

By six thirty, Seohyun was dressed in a vintage fiery red dress that hang loosely a little above her knees and the almost plunging neckline intensified how good she felt about herself. She ran her hand on her stomach and grinned at the thought that she should be taking this opportunity to dress y before her bump shows.

“Picking up my woman at 7 for dinner.”

That was the message she got that afternoon and she derisively inquired back about the attire only to have a tingling laugh at his reply: “As long as you’re wearing nothing beneath, anything is perfect.”

And she did wear nothing underneath but she didn't tell him that. Despite the little discomfort, it made her feel extremely desirable. Yonghwa surveyed her from head to toe and back again when she arrived at the private room of the restaurant he booked for them.

“I should have paraded you outside,” he whispered near her ear then brushed a kiss on her cheek, “Let’s have a drink at the bar later.”

“How brazen…” Seohyun shrugged as he led her to her seat.

“I’m damn serious here, tiger,” Yonghwa complained when he noticed how she was trying to brush him off.

Weeks have passed since she told him of her pregnancy, since then, he never failed to be with her even if it was only for a few hours when their schedules would be packed. It was all good for some time but there were moments that she was a little exasperated by the way he was fussing all over her.

And today was one of those days.

Seohyun had a busy day that started with a very challenging photoshoot, considering her aversion to mornings, then a fitting session that lasted for almost three hours. Afterwards, she was asked to report to the office for an emergency meeting. With that and her mood, she insisted for him to just meet her in the restaurant. She wanted to see him so much but the need to rest and sleep was greater so she was not really in the perfect mood for their little date.

But, as always, Yonghwa was his usual sweet and cocky self which reminded her so much of those moments that she was trying to fight off her growing feelings for him. And now, a short of year, they have come a long way.

She remembered this place so well along with those others where they would secretly meet. She had never been this happy in her life and it was weird to think that only one person has that power to change her life upside down. Now he was her everything and she could no longer imagine one day not knowing him.

All these melancholy that washed through her though could not fix her distaste of the sight of him was giving her. But she knew she had to play it cool and not to show that too much. “So what’s the occasion?” She asked as she let her fork rake through her salad for the remaining olives she was aiming to discard.

“Nothing,” Yonghwa replied, his eyes glued to her lazy movements then he bended closer and kissed her temple, “It’s been a long time since I took you out on a real date.”

“Glad you noticed…” she muttered under her breath without lifting an eye.

He laughed at her subtlety, “I miss this feisty tiger…”

Seohyun finally looked up from her plate and gave him a small sarcastic grin, “Or you miss the feisty unpregnant tiger?”

“Hey,” he chuckled while catching her hand and clasped their hands tightly together, “Did I do something wrong?”

“I think you do so you’re taking me to dinner,” she replied nonchalantly but with eyes flashing pointedly.

Yonghwa could do nothing but give her another hearty laugh and she obviously hated it. Kissing her knuckles, he replied softly, “I swear to god this pregnancy thing is giving you psychic abilities.”

Seohyun gaped and clicked her tongue, “I knew it.”

At last, Yonghwa caught up and decided that she was not on her best mood that day. He sighed and playfully rubbed her hand between his palms as he looked at her seriously. During the past days, he had been extra careful with her but sometimes he just wish she won’t jump from one mood to the next. It was cute but really driving him crazy. The real struggle of their situation was actually weighing on him so much and he seemed to be getting the real picture of the future.

If life would have been more simple then everything would have been perfect. But all those are wishful-thinking and he knew that the real world for them will never be easy especially in the future— especially now. Seohyun was silent as her one hand continued rummaging her salad with her fork and the other wrapped around his. Her downcast eyes, those small movements of her jaws as she munched on the remaining greens in and the way swallowed gently— everything about her was a sight for him. He wanted this, he wanted this sight even from the first time he saw her in the crowd with the rest of the world. And now, as they were threading to this next and bigger phase of their lives, he wanted it more than anything else.

“Spill so we still have time for damage control.”

Finally, Seohyun spoke and even if her voice was soft, he heard the tinge of sternness there. He let go of her hand and tucked his finger under her chin instead to make her look at him, “Okay, seriously speaking, I know this isn’t the perfect moment for me to be saying this just because we’re pregnant…” he stopped and swallowed as her eyes shifted like she was expecting something that could upset her,  “And I definitely know that it was very unromantic but… you know…”

“Say it, Oppa. I cannot be very patient right now,” she snapped and pulled her hand back.

“I asked the CEO if I can marry you.”

She stared at him, blinked and opened but when no words seemed to come out, she closed it again until Yonghwa cupped her cheeks and his eyes spoke volumes of regret, “I’m sorry for asking their permission first before telling you but—”

She felt like choking. Her heart was beating so fast she wanted to cry. Despite knowing that it can never happen— at least not sooner, at the back of her mind, that was exactly what she wanted. Inside her little fairytale, she wanted for them to have that kind of normalcy that other people enjoy. Seohyun swallowed the lumps in and managed to reply, “You have a legal obligation to your company, I know that… I’m just surprised you asked him,”

“Of course I would to ask!” Yonghwa retorted but his voice came gentler next, “I’m sorry if I was going to ask you to marry me because of the baby.”

She shook her head and smiled, “We made a promise. I can never forget that night, Oppa. You said every day you want to marry me and I am holding that in my heart. A wedding…” the words were beginning to choke her, “I-it’s something I want at the back of my mind but it’s not t