PUZZLE OF MY HEART

 

SEUNGRI POV

 

Here I am again, away from my fiancé for another business trip here in Thailand, but tomorrow I'll be going back to Korea and I'll be able to spend time with my princess again.

 

Don't get me wrong, I love my job. You see I'm a businessman and I'm partnering with my Thai friends. After the success of my cafes, restaurants and bars in Korea, I thought of expanding right away.

 

I'm like that, once I know my idea will be a success, I act on it right away.

 

But, I've experienced something that actually made me doubt my abilities...  My abilities when it comes to getting a woman, that is.

 

By the way my name is Lee Seung Ri, 29 years of age, one of the most sought after bachelors in South Korea when it comes to the business industry. Some say I'm second to Kwon Jiyong who made his name by creating his own fashion line and some say I'm in line with Choi Seung Hyun, model/actor who has this mysterious aura that makes women swoon.

 

Enough about them and me let me tell you how I met my beloved fiancé Lee Chaerin.

 

Name sounds very familiar right?

 

Yup, you heard me right. Lee Chaerin, famous Korean model who graced every magazine cover from Korea, Japan and even in the US.

 

Why are you giving me that look? Yes she's my fiancé, we are getting married soon and this woman made me doubt how manly I am.

 

I was, take note 'WAS' a ladies' man before. One move of my finger and I can make any girl want me, need me, drool over me and have one hell of a night with me.

 

But everything changed when I met Chaerin.

 

/Flashback/

 

Kwon Jiyong contacted me because he will be launching his new collection and wanted me to cater the food, wine and beverage for the event, he said he loves the food in my restaurant and he is a VIP in almost all of my bars.

 

So we sealed the deal and he promised me that he will endorse my restaurants, cafes and bars.

 

-Day of Food Presentation-

 

We set up the day that we will be presenting the menu of food and drinks to Mr. Kwon and he said he will be coming personally with his business partner Ms. Lee.

 

We have everything set and I specifically came in an hour early to make sure everything is in place, we decided to have this food tasting at my restaurant in Gangnam.

 

Mr. Kwon and Ms. Lee came right on time.

 

I can't take my eyes off of Ms. Lee when she came in with Mr. Kwon.

 

I mean she's beautiful. Blonde hair, cat eyes with y black eyeliner and red lipstick. She was wearing a crisp white button down shirt tuck into a high-waist black pencil cut skirt that stops 3inches above her knees and 4 inch red stilettos. Not much accessories except for a few rings on her fingers and pair of earrings.

 

I was blown away by her beauty and she smiled when I walked close to her and Mr. Kwon to greet them.

 

"Good Morning Mr. Kwon," we shake hands, "and I assume you are Ms. Lee?" I offered my hand and when she offered hers and of course I took it and placed a soft kiss her knuckles. "Pleasure to meet Mr. Kwon's business partner, please follow me Ms. Lee and Mr. Kwon."

 

I ushered them to the private dining area where we will have the food and wine tasting.

 

Mr. Kwon assisted Ms. Lee to her seat, he sat beside her and I sat across them.

 

"Should we start, Mr. Kwon?"

 

He smiled and said, "Just call me Jiyong, there's no need to be very formal. We are of the same age anyway."

 

I smiled back at him. "Alright then and how should I address Ms. Lee?" I asked Jiyong and he looked at her.

 

"You can call me Chaerin," she said while smiling.

 

Music to my ears, damn her voice is y so I smiled back with my handsome smile, the one that makes girls go gaga over me.  But she was already looking at Jiyong and I heard her call him oppa.

 

. My smile did not work on her?

 

Are they together?

 

I cleared my throat and told them we will start and signaled my staff to serve the appetizers.

 

As we wait, Jiyong started up a conversation.

 

"So Seung Ri, have you found someone who you can share your blessings with?"

 

I smiled at him, "No, not yet. How about you?"

 

"Oppa is head over heels about my bestfriend."

 

That voice again, but she just indirectly told me they are not together. YES!!

 

"Aigoo Chaerin-ah, you're ruining my image in front of Seung Ri you know."

 

"Oh not all Jiyong, I kind of envy you. I mean with you being busy and all and you already found someone." I told him in all honesty.

 

Yes, I can get girls in a snap but it's all a one time thing, no one stayed because of who I am. They all just want me for what I am in the society and honestly it's getting lonely.

 

But Chaerin woke up something in me. My heart has not skipped a beat like this since I was born, yes I've had girlfriends but I haven't found 'The One' yet.

 

I guess I can now say the "love at first sight" is indeed true and it's all because of Lee Chaerin.

 

So the conversation went on as well as the food and wine tasting, they have decided which menu to choose and we have finalized everything.

 

And I also found out that Chaerin is single and she said she's too focused on her modeling career and their business to be in a serious relationship.

 

Before they left, Jiyong shook my hand and slipped a small piece of paper on my hand and gave me a mischievous grin and winked.

 

He ain't gay because like Chaerin said, he is head over heels over his girlfriend and he even showed me a picture of his girlfriend, Dara noona. Jiyong told me she’s older.

 

I opened the folded piece of paper and read what is written.

 

No need to thank me, I saw how you look at Chaerin. But one tip, she's one fierce woman. Good Luck! Let's be friends from now on as well.

 

He actually gave me her number and I was grinning like a psycho after reading Jiyong's short note and of course, I saved her number right away.

 

-2 Days Before the Event-

 

*phone ringing*

 

"Lee here."

 

"Hey Seungri, Jiyong here!"

 

"Oh Jiyong, what's up bro?"

 

Oh I forgot to tell you, we have about two months before the event and after the food and wine tasting the four of us, Jiyong, Dara, Chaerin and myself have been hanging out every weekend and also a few short messages and phone calls between me and Chaerin. So I can say we are all friends now.

 

"Where are you bro?"

 

"At home, why?"

 

"Want to have brunch with me and the girls?"

 

I grinned. "Sure! When you say girls, Dara noona and Chaerin right?"

 

"Of course, who else do you have in mind?"

 

"No one, tell me where bro."

 

"Chaerin's house, I'll text you the address after we hang up."

 

"Ch-Chaerin's house? Jiyong-ah!!"

 

"You heard me right bro, she'll cook us brunch and I'll tell you now, you might fall even deeper after we eat. I'll text you the details and oh, go there asap! I'll spare you a few minutes alone with her. Bye!"

 

Then the line was cut off.

 

Ah!!! That bastard!!! Does he think I can't make a move towards Chaerin on my own? Pfft. Pffffft.

 

That is bull-  wait no I actually can't! I go all mushy knees whenever I see her!

 

Gaaaaaaahh!!! Where did my mojo go?!?!?!??

 

Man up Lee Seung Ri!

 

I took a quick shower, put on my jeans, white shirt, plaid red polo, fedora and sneakers and grabbed my car keys and drove to the address Jiyong texted me.

 

She lives in a condo unit just like that of Cheon Song Yi's in You Who Came from the Stars.

 

Here I am standing in front of her condo unit getting mushy knees again.

 

You can do this SeungRi, you can do this!!! Jiyong wanted me use those spare minutes to ask Chaerin to be my date for his event since it'll be an advertisement for my part, too, he told me I should be in the event.

 

My ever trusted assistant Minji can take care of managing our staff, she's been with me since day one.

 

I rang the doorbell and heard her voice on the intercom of her door lock system.

 

"Hi Chaerin!" I waved and smiled at the small camera.

 

"Oh Seung Ri, I'll unlock the door and just come in, ok? I can't leave the food for too long. It might burn."

 

I heard a click and I welcomed myself to her house.

 

"Chaerin~"

 

"I’m in the kitchen!"

 

I found my way to her kitchen and there she was standing in front of the stove cooking, only wearing a tank top, shorts and house slippers.

 

"Can I help you with something?"

 

"Uhm, can you get that dish for me in the second cabinet from your left and kindly wash and dry it for me?"

 

"Okay."

 

She then turned to me and smiled, "Thank you!"

 

I did tell you she's beautiful right? But seeing her without make up, I can't think of the word I wanted to say right now plus her hair is in a ponytail so you can see her whole face.

 

Damn she's... PERFECT.

 

I can get used to this everyday when I wake up.

 

Baaaaabooooo~ how will that happen if you don't make a move, you bastard!!

 

I got the dish she told me to get for her, washed and dried it and moved closer to her.

 

"Here you go."

 

"Uhm one more favor please~~" she said while pouting a bit and I just wanted to hug her and peck her lips but I must control myself.

 

I smiled my most handsome smile. "No problem, what is it?"

 

She smiled back. "Can you put the hash browns in that dish please? Thank you~~"

 

"Shall I put in on the table after as well? I asked her while looking at her.

 

She nodded while flipping the pancakes she's cooking and said a soft "Ah-uh."

 

So I did what she asked me to do and placed the dish on the table and went back to the kitchen.

 

She placed the last pancake on the dish beside the stove and said "Done!" in a sing song way.

 

Ok now is the time, Seung Ri.

 

"Uhm, Chaerin.."

 

She turned to me while removing her apron.

 

"Hmm?"

 

"I, uhm, I was... aah, I was wondering if you can be my date on Sunday, you know, for the launching...”

 

"Oh, uhm ok... Sure."

 

"Really? I mean, it's going to be an actual date, Chaerin."

 

"So, you like me, huh?" she said but her expression is blank.

 

"Uhm, yes, I do. A lot."

 

"Well, I already said yes and I'll be rude if I take it back right?"

 

"Well, its ok if you don't want to..." I looked down and sighed a bit.

 

"No!" I can hear panic from her voice. "I mean, i-it’s a date."

 

I looked up at her and smiled, "I'll pick you up at 6pm then?"

 

She nodded and smiled a shy smile then the door bell rang.

 

"I'll get it, uhm, can you..." she was looking at the stack of pancakes on a dish.

 

"On the table? Sure." I smiled at her and she smiled back at me and I think I just fell even deeper and we haven't eaten yet. Jiyong, you're totally wrong.

 

So we had brunch, talked, laughed and I can say Chaerin has something for me, too, and Jiyong is grinning at us the whole time.

 

Yup, I got this one right here, I'll make sure she's the one I'll take home to omma.

 

-Day of the Event-

 

Its 4pm and here I am picking what suit to wear.

 

"Hyooong, help me pick a suit jebal!!"

 

Seung Hyun hyung laughed at me. "You should have picked what you will wear earlier not 2 hours before you pick up the girl of your dreams."

 

"Tsk Tabi, just help your cousin pick a suit! Aish never mind, I'll help him." said Bom noona, Seung Hyun hyung's wife.

 

Yes, the model/actor Choi Seung Hyun is my cousin. His mom and my mom are sisters and yes, he is married to his childhood sweetheart, Park Bom who is a singer under YG Entertainment.

 

They decided to get ready for the event at my place because I live near the venue.

 

"No need to wear anything elegant Seung Ri-ah, all you have to do is show Chaerin who you really are."

 

"This would be nice…" she picked a navy blue D Squared suit, white shirt and patterned gray tie and simple black leather shoes.

 

"All set Riri-ah!" Bom noona said.

 

I hugged her and she hugged me back while giggling. "Ah noona, what would I do without you? I wish you are my cousin and not hyung."

 

"Ya! Take back what you said Seung Ri!" hyung shouted and threw a pillow at me.

 

"You can't blame him yeobo, we'll never know maybe this girl will be the one she'll bring home to auntie."

 

Hyung pulled noona away from me. "I'm your husband, you should be on my side." he earned a slap on the chest from noona.

 

"Uwah! It's already 4:30 pm, you two should get ready too. I'll see you later at the launching!"

 

So I took a bath, brushed my teeth, shaved, styled my hair and wore the suit noona picked for me and left to pick up Chaerin.

 

I parked the car in front of her condo building and called her first.

 

"Yeobeseyo? Seung Ri-ah?"

 

"Hmm, Chaerin?"

 

"Can you come up please, I need help..."

 

"Huh? Waeyo? Are you ok?" I was already out of my car and was half running towards the elevator "Chaerin-ah? Chaerin-ah!"

 

"Calm down. I'm fine SeungRi-ah."

 

"You sure? I'm on your floor now."

 

The door to her condo opened and she asked me to come in quickly and so I did.

 

I panted a bit. "You got me worried, I thought something happened to you. What kind of help do you need?"

 

She looked at me. "Zip me up."

 

"Huh?"

 

She turned and I saw her white dress was not zipped up and I can totally see her skin colored bra.

 

"Zip me up please, I tried doing it on my own but it seems like the zipper is stuck."

 

I walked closer to her and with sweaty and shaky hands, I pulled the zipper down and bit and zipped her up completely.

 

"A-all done."

 

"Thanks and sorry, did I set the mood of out first date awkwardly?" she asked.

 

"Well, first you made my knees turn mushy when I first saw you and you made my heart skip a beat, too. Second, you made me question my mojo because for 6 weeks I can't find the guts to ask you out and now that I'm picking you up for our first date, you got me worried because I thought something bad happened to you, not that I was intended to see it, but I saw your bra and you asked me to zip up your dress."

 

She just looked at me dumbfounded and all she can say was...

 

"Seungri... I--"

 

"I won't let you out of my sight, no, I won't let you out of my life, Lee Chaerin..."

 

She just blinked cutely at me basically trying to process what I just said.

 

/End of Flashback/

 

Basically after two months of dating, we became official. Yes, she still made me suffer for two months. I proposed to her a year after we became official and she moved into my house a month after we got engaged and next month we'll get married.

 

-Arriving home from Thailand-

 

"Yeobo I'm home!!!"

 

"Come upstairs yeobo ppalli!!"

 

"Wae?"

 

I ran upstairs to our room "Chaerin?"

 

"Bathroom!!!"

 

I walked in to our bathroom and she was standing in front of the sink looking down at something.

 

I hugged her from behind and asked what she was looking at and I froze after I realized what the 3 plastic rectangles are, all lined up on the sink counter.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

"Seungri... I'm pregnant."