His warmth breath slid over her ear. She turned her head towards him and bumped her nose against his. They both recoiled. And she sighed. Tae was a dream…but he could never date her no matter how much she might like him to. So she would content herself with being his friend today. And his co-laborer. She grinned at him.
Tae cleared his throat. “Are you ready for the whole song?”
Nurlena bounced up and down waking Tatayeon who had fallen asleep snuggled against her chest.
“Yes! I want to hear it all from start to finish!” Lena breathed.
Tae closed his eyes and hummed the intro, then his deep, smooth tone rolled over her releasing serenity into her soul.
“You’re a beauty rare, a maiden fair.
Your long hair dark like cherry bark.
Eyes like black holes, they’re burning coals.
Your lips so red; when can we wed?
“Every glance from your eye speaks.
Yours is the passion my soul seeks.
Cherry blossoms in your cheeks
Would pass the greatest of critiques.
“Waken this heart with all the joy
That you find in this blessed boy.”
When Tae sang ‘blessed,’ he drew it out into two syllables. Bless-ed.
“Your eyes afire with blazing love
Your heart’s the song of morning’s dove.”
Tae hummed and vocalized a little interlude before he launched into the soft chorus.
“You are my cherry blossom.
Floating through the air,
Gliding down without a care.
You are my cherry blossom,
Coloring my world with wonder.
Brightening my day with your soft thunder.
You are my cherry blossom,
Coating the landscape with beauty.
Is this your sacred duty?
You are my cherry blossom,
My cherry blossom.
Do you blush for me?
For only lovely me?”
Another delightful interlude followed before Tae’s low voice introduced the second verse.
“You’re a bloom bright, a shining light.
Your lashes raven, my safe haven.
Eyes a-glowing, sweetness showing,
Your love’s blowing. Where are we going?
“You run on ahead of me
Soaking the ground with your beauty.
You cushion life’s rock hard ground
With your soft presence all around.
“You comfort me with your sweet lips.
You glance at me, and my heart dips.
I find joy in your tender kiss.
Every moment with you is bliss.”
Nurlena was sighing with delight. There was nothing like sitting next to Tae and hearing his beautiful voice wash over her in song. The deep murmur of his voice raised in speech was wonderful enough. But he released Heaven on earth when he opened his mouth in a melody. She opened her eyes to stare at his gorgeously sculpted face as he sang the chorus through again. And her heart longed once more for…things it could never have.
“You are my cherry blossom,” Tae glanced her way and smiled as he sang the next line. “Floating through the air.” His hand lifted and then descended gently in a winding path. Much like an actual cherry blossom might fall. “Gliding down without a care.” His intense, chocolate eyes found hers again. “You are my cherry blossom, coloring my world with wonder.” His eyes held hers for a moment before closing. “Brightening my day with your soft thunder.”
She missed the piercing of those fathomless eyes of his. Still, her own remained trained on his. Ready. Should he open his eyes again and look her way once more.
“You are my cherry blossom,” his head tilted back, Tae sang to the sky now. “Coating the landscape with beauty. Is this your sacred duty? You are my cherry blossom, my cherry blossom.”
He opened his eyes and caught her eye again as he sang, “Do you blush for me? For only lovely me?” Then his face stretched into a slow, sad smile as he improvisationally intoned, “I think you do. Tell me: is it true?”
Her eyes wide and innocent, Lena stared up at him. Completely unaware that her face had just flushed a delightful shade of cherry blossom pink.
