“Love begins with a smile, grows with a kiss.” [cr: ZEUS1001]

Their kisses were broken down into many small ones as if both of them were playing a chasing game between lips and tongue. Though no deep kiss was engaged but unity already sneaked in without a note. HyunSeung surrendered his own self to the woman in his arms, sensually coalesce; and she herself reciprocated as sweet and as gentle, felt like both of them was tasting one candy together.

When their lips no longer insisted to linger on each other, their eyes once again found the way back in and the overwhelming awareness of this brand new discovery alone left little room for other terrors. Happiness danced across their face. This time, with both of her small hands, HyunAh cupped his face and shooed away the last resistance by another kiss… a real deep one…….. caused her man flinched, his flesh crawling at the tickling sensation…

HyunSeung thought that moment, he already was drunk not just because of the physical sense by the wine scent in her breath but his soul, tumbled, lost, like a rudderless ship in a storm.

As the kiss was getting deeper by every tiny moment went by, HyunSeung unwillingly broke it for trailing his lips to the smooth skin on her neck…

Gently but firmly, HyunAh fell herself backward a bit to create a gap between them, a small gesture of decline for further intimacy.

“I’m cold.” – She whispered

“Hold on.” – HyunSeung replied with the most warmhearted voice before releasing her to heat their fireplace.

The flame was beautiful. They looked like autumn leaves – red and gold – dancing on her face and cresting his figure when he walked back to the couch.

Sweetly, he settled down next to her, pulled her tiny frame on his lap, for her head now resting on his shoulder in a tight embrace. In such a tranquil night, when all things were said and done, they gathered each other strongly only to listen heartbeats.

“Ah… Why? That night…” – His manly voice echoed in her ears, inquired for the eternal torturous question…

HyunAh tightened her arms around his shouldered and took in a deep breath as if the answer absorbed all the oxygen in the gracious air around them. And after a long moment, she unhurriedly said – “You called my name.”

And the memories unfolded bit by bit, the time that had been held at bay for 5 weeks, the time she had thought would never been allowed freedom – “You… called my name from beginning… to the end. I couldn’t help to get my head clear for figure out why you called my name and kissed me. In that insane moment, I thought that’s the only chance for me to lose myself, for we wouldn’t have to face with the consequence afterward…”

Just like she was watching herself back to that night – “I was not ready to break my chrysalis of consciousness about my past nor ready to face the reality that you only thought of me as a friend… That moment was the only chance to fulfill my silly desire.”

His shoulder then felt an easeful wetness but did not know why it was burning like acid as if his skin absorbed it straight to his heart.

Sublimely, he loosened the embrace for facing her teary face – “If you still feel an uncertainty, then… I’m yours, physically and mentally.”

And their lips again found their way back, captivated again the unspoken sweetness that both of them was fond of.

Until when their senses was swimming for the lack of pure air, HyunSeung unwillingly left her lips and let her head rest blissfully on his shoulder with unifying thoughts… Candor was sometimes only needed to feel…

.

..

…

Undeniable tiresome reflected vividly on her face as HyunAh was waiting for boiling water. Pale sunlight through the gaps between white shade curtains danced gracefully on her skins, successfully distracted the young woman from bored waiting.

“You’re such a beast!” – Murmurs escaped her lips when hand slightly brushed on her ached skin… – “Now I look like being abused!”

The words sounded unkind yet her smiling face belied them in the most vibrant . It’d been a month since that fateful day, the whole thing was too compassionate for her to be intrigued anxious feeling, her bad habit but couldn’t help by any mean. Though she cherished every wild night they had, fascinated by the surprised expression of his friends every single time he had taken her out and adoringly introduced she’s his wife… a dark streak still gradually, circle by circle weaved a thin cobweb around her heart, as if, without solid evidence, something was not at its appropriate place.

The shriek of her water boiler brutally startled her, brought her back to what she was doing, back to the painting was waiting for her to finish.

HyunAh poured the hot water into the cup which already contented a bag of black tea, one of her favourite one and took it out of the kitchen.

…

The door bell rang while she was sliding through their living to her workshop on the way back from getting a steamy cup of Earl Grey. Though she could always retain the calmness most of the time but there certainly were some things she liked less than others, for example, being disturbed in the middle of her own world. What she liked less about it was the feeling of being dragged back to reality and worse, she couldn’t just simply ignore it.

“Hello.” – HyunAh unhappily pushed the button on the security system and the face of a young woman appeared. A woman, she thought, perhaps, had seen somewhere before.

“Hello” – The seem-to-be stranger greeted back. Her voice sounded unflinching but the frustration on her face belied her words.

“What can I help you?” – Hyunah asked

“I’m HyunSeung’s girlfriend, Miri. Can I talk to you?” – She said

A pause. HyunAh wasn’t quite sure if she wanted to have a little conversation with his ex. Their problem, in the end, was not hers and she wondered if he felt comfortable in case she took that woman in while he was not around… but a feeling of greed began working its way under her skin. She just couldn’t stand and stare, silently let troubles freely pass in.

They said, hands could think as good as brain, and artist was the best example for the case… Her index finger firmly pressed the button, saying – “Just a moment please.”

…

Miri was invited to the living room while HyunAh excused herself and walked to the kitchen for a drink.

15 minutes had passed by but HyunAh had not been back yet and the longer waiting, the more uncomfortable she might feel. The house was completely in silence and somehow the silence was mocking. The light seemed poorer than the last time she had come here, casting even deeper shadows as if the afternoon wounded down into evening.

She still remembered once HyunSeung described his so-called-wife was a very gentle lady and yes, that’s exactly what she thought right at the moment they had stood tall in front of each other, a very adore young woman but she somehow couldn’t figure out why the tranquility of that woman was the tranquility of… undefined feeling.

After a long moment, HyunAh came back with a tray of tea cups, smiling as she apologized for taking too long preparation, that HyunSeung’s clumsiness had gotten the boiler broken.

HyunAh was wearing a light material creamy dress, dark hair, red lips on porcelain skin… which intrigued a question inside Miri’s head that why this woman even used red lipstick at home?

“Your lipstick color is beautiful.” – Miri complimented, tried her best to ease the awkward environment was dominating both of them.

“Thank you. This is just my ritual every time I need to work.” – She smiled back, simply expressed how grateful she felt for such a lovely comment.

“Where did you buy it?”

“Uhm… I don’t know. HyunSeung gifted me.” – She answered while sipping her tea.

“It suits you.”

“Thank you.”

Silence now…

Miri had thought his wife would have acted unnaturally when she suddenly appeared in front of her door but the reality was not even a bit similar to her imagination. HyunAh or she could secretly called the woman as his so-call-wife sat there, her eyes focus on nothing but the empty space in front of her, as if her mind hadn’t ever devoted its attention for reality, as if nothing could successfully to throw her away from her inner world and Miri’s presence was nothing much a statue which out of expecting popped up in her house. But what’s the worst? That woman did not even try to hide several “weird” bruises on her neck and ies. Miri felt energy was leaving her body… but she’s here to take him back. Those hickey might not his either since HyunSeung did not fancy obvious evidences.

“I come here today to ask a favor from you.” – Miri worriedly fired the first shot of her war.

And again beyond her written fiction, HyunAh only titled her head slightly to express: “Yes?”

“I’m pregnant with HyunSeung’s baby.” – She quickly said, ten fingers knitted together to calm herself.

After a long moment, the wife said quietly and Miri realized in utter bewilderment that HyunAh’s eyes didn’t glint any spark of emotion, not astonishment, not anger, not sadness… only hollow presented in the gleamy reflex.

“Oh… May I ask a favor from you too?” – HyunAh said, oddly calm

“What is it?”

“I don’t know how to explain to you the complexities that we, I mean HyunSeung and I, have to face every day, all due to our family. That’s why I’m asking you let me have the allowance to test the baby’s ADN when he or she reached 10 weeks.” – The wife slowly said.

“What…?” – The ex-girlfriend felt the cat got her tongue but she managed to follow her own chain of words – “It’s just baby. How can?”

“Don’t worry. A friend of mine is doctor. She can keep this case confidentially. And yes, modern technology can do many magic tricks.” – HyunAh said, sipping another gulp of tea as if she was using all of her power to maintain that “hollowed” attitude.

“I cannot let you harm my baby.” – Miri said angrily

“I can assure that it’s safe for your baby…” – HyunAh said, her voice

“I’ll tell HyunSeung about this. You’re a monster!” – Angry voice rose and fell in the large vintage living room, interrupted the other woman’s sentence but in response, the house owner again sipped her tea, threw back a gloomy glance which no way to decipher its meaning…

HyunAh closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them again, Miri started to feel that she was right to open the fire first, that HyunAh was such a kind and stupid lady, who gathered only goodness as pain spread over her delicate face as her lips slightly trembled.

“Can you keep this secret? I wanna tell HyunSeung myself.” – Miri pushed on……

…

HyunAh didn’t know since when Miri got out of her sight and HyunSeung’s dashing face was inches before her, unhiding the worrisome was dancing on his face… She couldn’t remember that whether she had nodded or shaken her head but pain, stupidly, flared within her chest. It’s true or not, she had not known it yet but this could not be secret. Though her heart was fragile but it didn’t have a keen on the self-torture. It’s just not her personality.

“HyunSeung ah…” – She softly said

“Hmmm?” – He answered as his hands had already cupped her pale face.

“Miri came and said she had your child….”

And moisture found its way to cover her vision….

To be continue…