Later that afternoon Namjoon took her back to the park to ride bikes. They spent a leisurely hour enjoying the scenery of the lake and its surrounding forest. Namjoon was planning something special for Breeze on his birthday. Today was just a foretaste. He had already made many preparations. He smiled as he thought of the beautiful heart framing their picture in his bedroom. It reflected her beautiful heart.
Breeze noticed his wide smile causing dimple lines to crease his cheeks. She sighed. He was really her dream come true. She was so thankful to have these few days with him. She’d even become more comfortable around his eomma and sister. She figured Kyungmin must really like her to participate in the farce Namjoon had dreamed up to convince Breeze that she was worthy of him. And his mother was so sweet.
Namjoon and Breeze both inhaled the crisp, clean air. It was a perfect autumn day. Neither of them could think of any other way they would rather spend it than with each other. Namjoon turned toward Breeze as they rode side by side.
“Tell me a secret.”
She laughed. “Isn’t it your turn?” Then she sobered slightly. “I’ve shared 402 pages of my secrets with you.”
He shook his head ruefully. “No, you showed me four hundred pages. I stole the last two.”
She could tell he still felt awful about the whole situation.
“Joonie,” she responded upon further reflection, “in your shoes I too would have pulled the papers from the trash and read them.”
“You would have?”
“Yes. If I had seen something hurting you that badly, I would want to know what it said. Because I would want to heal your heart too. The thing is…I’m not sure you can.”
His heart sank. “That won’t stop me from trying.”
She smiled sadly at him. “I know.” And I love you for it.
She looked around her. “Let’s stop and take a selca.”
He loved that idea. Almost as much as he loved her. He wanted as many pictures of today and this long weekend as possible. His heart slid downhill a little as he thought of all the coming days he’d have to fill without her presence. He would need these pictures then. They would be solace to his soul. For now, he would turn his thoughts to this happier time and fully enjoy it with her.
They stopped by the lake and, with it at their backs, turned towards Namjoon’s phone. He took advantage of the moment to slide his arm around Breeze and draw her near.
Breeze felt a slow heat rising out of his hand and dispersing to occupy entire organs in her body. They were buzzing with joy at his touch. She had been surprised when Joonie had pulled her close to him. She never wanted to leave the sanctuary of that arm embracing her. She felt wrapped up in his love for her. She dared to be bold and leaned her head on his shoulder.
Namjoon smiled to himself as Breeze drew herself even nearer to him. He sighed with contentment before commanding gently, “Say, ‘Cheese!’”
Breeze laughed at the unexpected instruction. Joonie hadn’t grown up in America. Of course, he had mastered the English language. Here was proof.
They both grinned at the camera phone, Namjoon’s dimples popping and Breeze’s sweet eyes lit up with the joy of the moment and the comfort of his arm around her. He snapped the selfie at just the right moment. They would now both forever have a momento of this perfect second in time. He texted her the picture, reluctant to let go of her. She didn’t want to separate from him either.
He turned to gaze down at her. The sunlight was streaming through the trees overhead and painting golden highlights in her hair. She was so beautiful. He gazed down into her twinkling, cerulean eyes and lost himself for several moments as he swam around in their aquamarine depths. So blue…just like the earrings he’d given her. He knew she was wearing them. They looked so good on her.
Without realizing he’d done it, Namjoon turned towards her, encircling her with his right arm now as well. Then he pulled her close until their bodies were snug against each other. If she’d been the same height as him, their faces would have been almost touching. As it was, he could kiss her forehead simply by leaning forward. He gazed down into those azure depths once more. He drank in the vulnerable, aching look in her eyes and covering her entire face and heard an answering cry in his own heart. This was the perfect moment. It was singing along every nerve in his body, sending bliss into his toes. Just the anticipation of a perfect, first…
He bent his head and covered her mouth with his own. Their lips married in a mounting moment of absolute perfection. It was a gentle kiss that wrapped itself around them both in waves. He lingered there on those perfect, rosy, twin beauties that always framed her mouth with such loveliness. Once again, he didn’t want to ever let go.
—
Breeze closed her eyes as Namjoon moved towards her. Her heart had just taken flight. She felt his soft lips press against her own. She could feel tenderness rising out of his soul. It was pouring through his lips into her own and flooding her body with bliss. Riding a wave of euphoria, she tilted her head to receive more of his lips’ love. The melody rising out of her heart was being answered by the harmony spiraling upward out of his.
He had wanted all her firsts. He’d been the first one to look her way with love in his eyes. He’d been the first man to give her a rose. And earrings that matched her eyes, reflecting their glory back to him. He’d been the first to hold her hand. He’d been the first to draw her close in a hug. He’d been the first to pillow her head while she slept all night long. And now he’d been the first to claim a sweet kiss from her.
In this moment they both felt complete. The feeling would fade, but right now it was enveloping them in an ecstasy neither of them had ever experienced or even anticipated. All the self-doubts, all the fears, all the loneliness had to take a backstage seat to the shining star of this moment: the delight of a first kiss entered into slowly.
His lips still moving gently against hers, Namjoon reached up and caressed her cheek with his fingers, sending a thousand shafts of light tingling along every nerve ending in her body. They flowed in beautiful waves, making her body and her heart sing.
“Are you really mine?” he whispered in wonder, his lips brushing against her own to send more shafts of lightning down into her knees. “Or am I just dreaming?”
He smiled against her mouth as his arms tightened around her. It was time for another first. How to do it? He wanted to murmur it against her mouth, but he also wanted to look into her eyes as he declared it. So he settled on a compromise.
Against her lips, he whispered, “Breeze…I—”
Then he pulled his face back just far enough to gaze into her bright blue eyes before finishing, “—love you.”
He stared into those widening, crystal clear eyes and spoke again, the words sailing along every nerve in his heart and making his soul exult. “I love you.”
Then he dipped his head and kissed her again. Just so he could murmur the whole thing against her mouth. “I love you.”
His words melded with their mouths and their hearts. Sliding deep down into her heart. It was the one thing she had always desired the right man to say to her. And she opened up like a blooming cherry blossom and gave her heart completely to him in that blissful kiss. It was perfection. Would they ever top this moment?