Think It Over
Think It Over
Yeona was left grinning. Of course, she knew he wanted to spend more time with her. It was the same with her.
She invited him to her apartment and offered Iseul more than coffee. She had a box of cinnamon rolls, which she gladly shared it with him.
From inside Yeona's intimate home, she and Iseul sat in front of a round table from her kitchen. They were facing each other, sipping on their coffee when Yeona said, "I know you don't like sweets, but this is better paired with coffee."
"Anything is fine, Yeona. Thank you," said Iseul.
Iseul studied Yeona's small apartment and said, "How come you live alone, Yeona? Didn't you have an aunt in the city?"
Yeona frowned and said, "The truth is. I don't like my aunt... and my cousin. When I became Ms.Yanmei's assistant, I moved out and found a better place for myself. I've suffered enough living with them for three long years since I came to the city."
Seeing the question mark on his face, she said, "It's a long story, Iseul. I really don't want to talk about my aunt's family."
"Try me," said Iseul. He wanted to talk more with Yeona. He did not care what else they talk about.
Yeona looked at her coffee and said, "Iseul, really. It's not important anymore - "
"Okay. It's up to you, Yeona. If you don't like your aunt and your cousin, then... I don't like them too. Just tell me if you want me to take care of them," offered Iseul.
"Pfft! Haha!" Yeona laughed at his suggestion. She drank more of her coffee before saying, "I'd rather just... leave them alone. I'm happy and they are happy too."
Iseul realized that he did not necessarily look back further to Yeona's past, but seeing her brush it off, he concluded it was not important. He just went on and asked for more about her, something the company's human resource department did not have intel on.
"So, Yeona... Have - have you ever dated anyone?" Iseul asked awkwardly. He did not know why he asked but it just came out of his mouth.
Yeona nodded and said, "It was a long time ago."
'Tsk. Tsk. Tsk.' Thought Iseul. 'Somebody used to own her heart.'
It worried Yeona how he frowned after learning she had a past. She smiled and assured him, "Iseul. That was four years ago. It's totally yesterday."
"Right. Right. I wasn't worried about that," he answered. He fixed his tie before revealing his true concern. "I - I really did hope I would be... your first."
Iseul leaned back and realized he indirectly said it. Not that he wasn't being obvious about his intentions, but he meant to ask her properly. He watched as Yeona literally hide her face, her ears turning red.
"Yeona? Can I be honest with you?" Iseul asked.
When Yeona did not answer, he declared, "I like you and for over a year, I've always admired you, secretly looking at you. Yeona, It's because I hid it for so long that I think I can no longer contain it."
Yeona wasn't expecting the sudden confession, moreover, an intense one. She was anticipating that Iseul would take his time, but as it turns out, he admitted his feelings outright.
Iseul was practically sweating. He had asked Ha-joon how to ask her formally last Sunday. Back then, it did not seem difficult, but he realized the actual asking was tougher than he anticipated. He said, "Yeona, will - will you be my girlfriend?"
Yeona looked down on her lap. She was certain that she enjoyed his company, but she had her qualms. She looked up to him and said, "Iseul, can I also be honest with you too?"
"Of course. Of course, Yeona. What - what is it?" Iseul asked. It was because of the way she asked that he felt tense.
"Iseul, I like you too. You thrill me in ways I have never felt before.... but my break-up with my ex was terrible, and I - I really want to be sure that my next relationship is my last because..." Yeona gulped and said, "It's just too painful to go through it again."
"What if you change your mind? What if you find someone else? What if you realized you did not like me as you thought you did?"
Yeona focused her gaze into Iseul's eyes and said, "I want you to think it over before asking me again... and when you do, you have to be really sure."
Iseul's forehead creased. He looked sideways and fell silent for seconds.
He finished his coffee and the cinnamon roll. He asked for a glass of water and after Yeona handed it to him, he gulped it down quickly.
"Yeona," he said after putting down the glass on the table. "After your suggestion and after further consideration. I have come to a conclusion."
"What? Already?" Yeona asked with her eyes widened. "Don't you want to think about it for another week?"
"I'm not a fickle-minded man and I never liked anyone like you before. For a year, I tried to dislike you, but that did not work. I've waited so long and I doubt I can wait another day."
For a year of caging his feelings for Yeona, Iseul thought his liking for her was ready to overflow. He stood up from his seat and walked towards her. He went down on his knees and said, "Yeona, I promise I won't change my mind. I really... really like you... only you and no one else. Will you please be my girlfriend, Yeona?"
Yeona pursed her lips. She studied the expression on his face and thought deeply. After seconds of just looking him in the eyes, Yeona said, "Iseul... can you give me some time to think it over?"
'Think it over. Think it over.' The words repeatedly echoed in his head.
Iseul felt his whole world crumbled and his heart crushed into a million pieces. He thought his throat dried that he barely could talk. He looked down while getting up and said, "I - I understand, Yeona."
His chest felt so heavy that he wanted to leave. He checked for his phone and his wallet, making sure everything was in order before saying, "I - I better leave now."
It was just a moment of dismay, but Yeona felt heartbroken herself. She was the one who asked for more time, but she felt utterly in pain of her decision.
She watched in agony as Iseul weakly walked out of her door, heading toward the lift. Iseul did not turn back to her, not once.
However, as she studied the back of his frame, a worse fear crept into her heart. 'Do I really need to wait? What if I'm wrong?'
Yeona closed her door and ran to him. "Iseul! Iseul!"
When she caught up with him, she gasped and said with difficulty, "I - I've... I've given it much thought and... I've decided... Iseul, I want to take that risk with you."
Iseul felt the needle in his heart had been taken out. He let exhaled dramatically and repeatedly before answering, "Yeona, are you sure? Are - you - sure? You -you don't want to think it over for a week?"
From nervous, Yeona's face turned into a frown, but after a second, Iseul quickly took back his words.
"I - I was joking. You gave me a fright, I thought I should give you one too," he said while giving a mild sneer.
"Iseul, you!" Yeona smacked him in the chest again and again, but in a fraction of a second, she felt his lips over hers. Her counter quickly melted away, tasting the warmth of his mouth.