PRESENT DAY

A knock sounded at my door--two sharp raps, a pause, then two more raps. That’s MiJoon’s code.

I opened the door just a crack in case HeeSoo had come with him.

There he stood--thankfully alone--with his brown hair hanging over his round eyes. He needed a haircut.

“What is it?” I asked hoping he wouldn’t see the residual signs of distress on my face. I tried to smile for his sake. My cute dongsaeng was the only person I would have done it for.

“It’s a secret noona,” he curled his finger as he beckoned me closer.

I bent over and leaned my head towards him, and he loudly whispered, “Omma invited Mr. Lee to dinner.”

I reared back. “No.”

He nodded. “I heard omma talking to him on the phone just a few minutes ago.”

“Thank you MiJoon-ah,” I sighed.

“Also, ShiYoon hyung is here,” he added matter-of-factly.

ShiYoon? Here? I became uneasy. “Does Hee--I mean--does omma know ShiYoon is here?”

“No,” he shook his head. “She was in her room, and hyung is in the entryway waiting for you.”

“Thank you MiJoon,” I said, this time with more sincerity.

He stuck out his hand. “Noona, do you have some money? I want to buy an ice cream at the market. Please?”

Then he hit me with that winning smile I could never resist. I took a couple small bills from my wallet and handed them to him.

“Thanks noona! You’re the best,” he yelled as he ran down the hall with his prize.

I couldn’t help but smile. My dongsaeng was so cute! He was the one person I’d miss when I left tomorrow for--

I stopped. No. Tomorrow I would not be leaving for Jeju and Bora-do. The despair struck me again. Then I remembered ShiYoon was waiting for me.

I carried Alma out with me as a source of strength.

“I set up a target,” he said. “You should come out and shoot with me.”

Archery. Another thing my step-mother despised which made me love it all the more.

Just then Alma decided to turn my back into her personal slide. About half way down she decided it was a little too steep and she dug her claws into my skin. I jerked at the sharp pain, and she lost her balance, but being a cat, she landed on all fours perfectly sound. Me on the other hand. . .

My sock lost traction on the wood floor so I began to spin and with the force of it I felt myself falling. From the corner of my eye I saw ShiYoon lunge forward. He grabbed me about the waist in time to slow my fall. For a moment our eyes met as he held me in a dip then all at once he pulled me to my feet.

Through the wall I heard the sound of HeeSoo coming our direction.

“Let’s go,” I whispered.

I threw on my shoes and ran just outside the house. I pressed myself against the wall and tried to quiet my breathing. I looked beside me. ShiYoon hadn’t followed.

“Where has that girl gone?” The annoyance in HeeSoo’s voice quickly disappeared when she saw who stood in the entryway. “Oh my! Yoon ShiYoon! What a pleasant surprise! I was just looking for my darling Ki-Ti. Have you seen her?”

“Not today Mrs. Kim. Maybe she took a walk to the market with MiJoon.”

“You’re probably right. Thank you ShiYoon-ah. You are a dear boy,” she paused and lowered her pitch as the chuckled, “Oh my! But you aren’t a boy anymore now are you? You certainly are getting more handsome by the day ShiYoon-ah.”

I closed my eyes. I was about to hurl from shame.

“I’ve asked Ki-Ti to invite you to dinner several times since your mother and sister left for Seoul, but she has failed every time. I hope you don’t misunderstand. I do want you here ShiYoon-ah,” her voice was sultry, “I want you very much.”

It was not the first time in my life I wished I could bury myself in a hole far, far away from this shameful woman.

“I appreciate the thought Mrs. Kim, but I’ve been busy with company matters. Perhap another time I can come. Now if you’ll excuse me. . .”

“Very well. But you know I’ll hold you to that promise, ShiYoon-ah. One of these nights you will be at my side.”

A moment later and ShiYoon stood beside me. I trembled with anger and shame. I wished I could apologize for my step-mother, but to apologize would mean acknowledging her indecent behavior, and I couldn’t do that. I threw up a glance at ShiYoon. His cheeks were flushed and his lips sealed together, but when he looked at me his eyes were kind.

“As I was saying,” giving me a quick smile, “the target is set up. Shall we?”

“That is exactly what I need right now.”

The target was stapled to a large bale of hay. Two bows and two quivers sat beside a tree stump. Everything looked like it always did when we shot together. But I was so angry with HeeSoo that I couldn’t hit anything remotely near the target. ShiYoon on the other hand nocked an arrow, eyed the target, and released his grip. It hit the target with a thunk.

“Ready to talk?”

I picked up another arrow and imagined my step-mother’s face on the target. I released the arrow. It hit the bale of hay but not the target.

“What has your step-mother done this time?”

His second arrow hit the target in the same fashion as the first.

“She just doesn’t understand me or my dreams or my desires,” I said as I picked another arrow from my quiver. “She wants to marry me off so she can be rid of me, but you know how I feel about marriage.”

This time my arrow landed in the grass.

“Yes, I do.”

“How many times would you say I’ve said I will never marry?”

He smiled a half-smile. “I’ve lost count.”

“Give me an estimate then.”

He sighed as he thought about it, “I would guess you’ve said it about two dozen times. . . since Easter.”

“And do you believe I’m being serious?”

“Yes, I do.” ShiYoon’s jaw was set as he stared at the arrow resting on his bow.

“See! How is it that HeeSoo can’t get it but you, my only friend, can?”

He flinched and the arrow fell off his bow. His head jerked to the side to look at me, his eyes glinting like steel. Then he turned his view to the target.

“Only your friend? I think I deserve a better title than that!”

“Like what?”

“Oh I don’t know.” He grabbed the arrow and nocked it. When he released it, it flew true and struck the target soundly. “Perhaps, The Giver of My Heart’s Desire.”

An outraged laugh burst from me. “The Giver of My Heart’s Desire?! Pfft! I will never call you that Yoon ShiYoon!”

“And why not?”

“Well first of all it’s ridiculous--”

“No it’s not! I’ve earned it.”

“And just how have you earned it?” I demanded.

“I gave you your cat, and she is the thing you love most in this world,” he gestured to the ball of gray lying in the grass nearby. “Therefore, I have given you your heart’s desire.”

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