Chapter 6: What He Wants

[Jae Wook’s POV]

“Yah!” Dong Hae sneaked up on me after classes the next day. “How did it go with Han Kyung?”

I turned around and grabbed him by the collar.

“Lee Dong Hae…” I snarled.

“Ne?” he squeaked.

“Try that one more time, and I’ll get rid of you once and for all,” I said.

“Araso…” he wheezed, and I let him go.

“You nearly got me killed. Good thing it was just a little bruise.”

“You just need more practice,” he said, and I glared at him.

“Mwo?”

“Nothing… mian,” he quickly said.

“Good,” I said. “Now I need your help.”

“Yes?” he said, in a very eager tone.

“How do I get a girl like Sierra?”

[Han Kyung’s POV]

“Hyung… I’ve dug up some interesting details about that guy you punched out yesterday,” my assistant, Ryeo Wook said.

“And?”

“He’s new in the neighbourhood, but I found out that his family owes some of our ‘funding agencies’ a rather huge sum of money.”

“Really?” I smiled to myself.

“Shall I let them know where he is?”

“It’s okay,” I said as I held out my hand. “We’ll lay low for now. This information will come useful someday.”

“But what about Sierra?” Ryeo Wook reminded me, being the loyal assistant he is.

“He isn’t capable enough to steal her away. If he was, I would’ve been punched out instead,” I laughed and he just smiled at the fact I’d just pointed out.

[Sierra’s POV]

“Hai…” I sighed as I tried to fix my hair in front of my little vanity mirror.

“What’s with all the moaning and sighing?” Hee Chul said.

“Hee Chul… do you think I scare away most of the boys in this school?”

“No… that’s Park Jung Su’s job,” he snorted.

“Come on!” I said and slapped him on the back. “Be serious.”

“Why don’t you ever believe me?” he said as he looked at me wearily.

“Cos you’ve never told me the truth,” I pointed out.

“I do tell you the truth!” he exclaimed. “Since when have I lied? Name me one incident!”

“I can’t remember them all,” I said.

It’s true that he’s duped me for more times than I can remember. If he thinks he can weasel his way out of this one, he’s got another think coming.

“Can’t remember, can you?” he laughed his high-pitched laugh. “You see… there aren’t any incidents worth remembering.”

Just when I was about to blurt out one, I felt someone standing beside us. Hee Chul and I turned look at the person. It was Jae Wook.

“Sierra,” he said.

“Yes?”

“Can you please come with me?” he said.

“Huh?”

“I need you take you somewhere,” he said.

“Where?”

“Must you spoil his surprise?” Hee Chul said, and he looked as excited as Jae Wook; as if he had a hand in planning the surprise.

“Yea,” Jae Wook smiled. “It’s kind of a surprise.”

“What’s with all the secrecy?” I asked him.

“You’ll see,” he said, and he took me hand to pull me off the seat.

“Have fun, lovebirds,” Hee Chul waved as we walked out of the little gazebo we were studying in.

We came to the school gates, and a yellow Ducati Superbike was waiting for us.

“Is this yours?” I asked him.

“Nah… it’s my friend’s” he said.

At least he was honest.

“Hop on,” he said as he handed me a helmet.

“Am I gonna get helmet hair?” I asked him.

“It’s alright,” he winked. “I brought my Gatsby Moving Rubber. We can fix that helmet hair just like that,” he said, snapping his fingers.

I laughed at his little joke, and put the helmet on.

“Now you look hot,” he said.

“Cos you can’t see my face?” I said.

“No… I love a chick in a motorcycle helmet,” he laughed.

I straddled the backseat and put my arms around his waist.

“Feel free to hang on tight,” he said as he revved the engine.

“Don’t mind if I do,” I said. “I’d like to stay alive.”

We sped out of the little lanes that led us away from our school gates and then onto the main street. He wove through the traffic like a pro. I actually felt a little rush of thrill from riding on the bike. Honestly, I’ve never been on a bike before, and if my brothers or father ever found out, there’s a slight chance that Jae Wook will not live to see the daylight.

“Are you alright?” he yelled in his helmet as we got onto the expressway.

“Yea,” I yelled back. “This is fun.”

“Scream if you wanna go faster,” he said.

I threw my hands in the air and screamed as loud as I could before put my arms back around his waist. He laughed and increased the speed of the motorcycle.

Sometime later, we neared a hilly area with the sea in view just over it. Where was he taking me? We came to a stop near a wooden jetty. At the end of it was a little platform, and on it was a checkered table cloth with a picnic basket sitting on it.

“Did you plan this?” I asked him.

“Hmm?” he said as he took off his helmet.

“Did you plan this whole thing?” I repeated.

“I had help,” he smiled as he took my helmet out of my hands and carried it for me as we walked towards the platform.

He had his longish hair bunched up in a ponytail behind his head. I’d just noticed. He looked kinda cute with this hairstyle.

“Sit,” he said as he gestured to the little pillow on the table cloth.

I sat on the pillow and he sat on the other. We sat side by side, looking out at the sea and enjoying the silence and the sound of the sea. Just then, I realized another thing that was different about him today.

“Jae Wook?” I said.

“Hmm?” he replied as he turned to face me.

“Are you wearing contact lenses?” I asked.

He smiled, and nodded. No wonder he didn’t look so nerdy today.

“Want a drink?” he said as he rummaged the picnic basket and fished out 2 glasses and a bottle of apple cider.

He poured out the cider and handed me a glass. It was cold, which meant that his friend had probably put the basket here not too long ago.

“I’m curious,” I said, after taking the first sip. “Who is this friend of yours who has went through such extent to help you prepare this whole surprise?”

“Let’s just call him my little elf,” Jae Wook smiled as he sipped his drink.

“This is a nice place,” I said as we watched the sun set.

“Well… I picked it, if that’s any consolation,” he said.

“Good job,” I laughed and patted him on the back and there was a moment of awkward silence.

“Jae Wook-ya…” I said.

“Ne?” he said.

“Can you at least answer this question?” I said.

“What?” he asked.

“Do you promise to answer?”

“Hmm…”

“Come on,” I said as I held out my pinkie. “Yaksok…”

“Alright… alright,” he laughed and hooked his pinkie with mine. “What is the big question?”

“Why are you being so nice to me? The truth,” I said.

“Erm…” he said, and went silent for awhile.

“You promised,” I reminded him, and he nodded silently.

He gave a loud sigh, after seeming in deep thought for at least a minute.

“Can you close your eyes?” he said.

“Wae?”

“I’m too embarrassed to tell it to your face,” he said. “I can’t tell you with you looking at me expectantly.”

“Why? Is it such a big deal?” I asked him.

I’d suspected that he might like me, and yes, I am coaxing him into telling me that he likes me. Why? The truth was that I liked him a little too.

“Yes it is, so can you please close your eyes?” he said.

“Araso… araso…” I laughed and closed my eyes.

“Well…” he said. “I brought you here… so that… so that I could…” he said, and he suddenly stopped talking.

“You could what?” I said.

Music: Vink - Last Train Home

“Do this,” he said, and I opened my eyes.

His face was right in front of mine, his eyes staring right into mine. I could feel his breath on my lips. He gently cupped my chin, and closed the distance between us to kiss me.

I closed my eyes as our lips met, and I opened my mouth so that he could really, really kiss me. I thought it was my imagination, but when we kissed, I could practically hear fireworks. The sounds got louder, and I opened my eyes. There were real fireworks… they were being fired from a boat some distance away from the jetty.

Music: Shinhwa - Voyage

“Did you plan the fireworks too?” I asked him when we pulled apart for a breather.

“Yea,” he smiled, and we kissed again.