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Eunbyeol awoke several hours later to bright sunshine filtering into her room despite the covering hiding her window from view.  Even before she opened her eyes, she knew it was morning.  She could feel the gentle kiss of those bright rays beckoning her to arise and greet the new day with joy.  But something was stealing that glee from her heart; she was instantly aware of a pain in the back of her head.  

The next thing to which her senses awoke was a solid something under her ear.  And under her fingertips.  Under her entire arm, in fact.  Solid yet soft.  After a moment, she realized that whatever she was lying on was moving slightly.  In a steady rhythm.  

What on earth?

She cracked her eyelids open and gasped as she glanced up and saw Jin’s face relaxed in slumber above her.  That solid something was his chest.  That movement was his breathing.  She had slept cuddled against Jin!  Safe in his arms.  As though one of her many dreams had come to life.

She closed her eyes to steady herself.  She was swooning.  She was right where she had dreamt of being for years.  Of course, it meant nothing to him.  He’d probably pulled her close accidentally in the middle of the night.  Still.  Here she was.  Warmly ensconced in Jin’s embrace.

She soaked in the undeniable pleasure of the moment.  She brushed her nose against his shirt and inhaled his scent.  It flooded her senses with comfort.  Sandalwood.  Pine.  Something spicy that must be Jin himself.  That scent overpowered her with a deep longing she couldn’t even put a name too.  All she knew was that she yearned to spend the rest of her life right here, cushioned by his delightful fragrance.

She snuggled closer into his side and closed her eyes.  For several long moments, she breathed deeply of that delightful fragrance.  Trying to commit it to memory.  So she could retrieve it during the long, cold nights to come.  She would plunge herself deep into this memory each lonely evening she faced in the future.  She would have this one moment to revel in.  So she must completely absorb it now.  

Jin awoke to Eunbyeol hyperventilating.  Her deep breathing was the first thing of which he was conscious.  His eyes flew open as he registered the soft curves of her body pressed against his own, and last evening flooded his memory.  He glanced sharply down at her.

“Eunbyeol, are you okay?” he whispered roughly.

Her eyes flew to his face. 

Was it his imagination, or was she turning a delightful shade of crimson?

“Um.  Yes.”

“You sounded like you were hyperventilating.”

“Uh.  No.  I was doing a deep breathing technique.  It’s, uh,” she grappled for something that sounded reasonable, “it’s a treatment for head wounds.  Helps them heal faster.”

“Really?  Deep breathing for a head wound.  I’ll have to remember that one.”

“Don’t bother,” she muttered under her breath.

“What?”  He grinned down at her.  

She was adorable this morning.  Especially with a rosy face.  He wanted to kiss her lips until they matched her scarlet cheeks.  He reined in his impulse with a sigh.

“Um.  Nothing.”  Why was she embarrassed to be lying in his arms?  He didn’t seem to mind.

His heart began to pound.  “Eunbyeol?”

“Hmm?”  Her eyes met his again.

“I want to ask you something.  You don’t have to give me an answer yet.  Just…please…take my request seriously.  At least, consider it.  Okay?”

Now her heart was hammering.  What on earth was making Jin so nervous?

She scooted herself up on her elbow so that she was hovering over him.  She gazed down into his chocolate orbs.  Beautiful eyes.  A girl could get lost in them if she wasn’t careful.  Eunbyeol was never careful around Jin.  She would delight in losing herself in both his eyes and his embrace.  For all of eternity.  She sighed.  That was unlikely to ever happen.  At least, not again.  This morning was an anomaly.  Just like her.

Jin watched as a deep sorrow invaded her gaze.  “Eunbyeol?  What’s wrong?” 

“Nothing.”  She brushed her grief away with a smile.  “What did you want to ask me?”

She was so beautiful this morning.  Even with that bandage wound around her head.  He smiled at her.

“Have you any idea how adorable you are?” he whispered suddenly.

He watched her gaze fill with astonishment.  “Me?  Adorable?”

“Mm-hmm,” he murmured as his eyes slid down to her lips.  

He wanted to kiss her so badly that he was physically hurting from restraining his impulses.  Maybe someday he’d get to taste those lips if he could ever force his question out through his own.  His gaze met hers again.

“Eunbyeol.  Would you consider marrying me?”

She stopped breathing.  Never in a million years would she have imagined Jin would ask her such a question.  No.  That wasn’t true.  She had imagined it.  Many times.  But long ago, she had ceased to believe it would ever happen.

Her eyes grew wide as she stared down at him.  She swallowed.  “W-why?”

“Because I want to take care of you.  I don’t like you living alone.  I know we’re just friends, but,” his voice tripped over a sudden sob, “when I found you lying in your own blood last night, I thought I’d lost you.”

“Oh, Jin,” her voice softened, “I’m fine.  Really.  You don’t have to marry me.”  Her gaze left his to focus on his chin.  “Marrying me would ostracize you, Jin.  People would think you’re as odd as I am.  I could never do that to you.”

He heard a deep grief welling in her voice.  “Eunbyeol,” he rebuked her, “don’t talk about yourself like that!”

Her eyes flew up to fence with his.  “But it’s true, Jin!  You know how I was pushed to the outskirts of town.  People only seek me out in secret.  Except for a few bold, rich patrons who can afford to set the tone.  Still, their patronage hasn’t been enough to make my services or my company popular.  Though it is what keeps me afloat.”  

Truthfully, she’d been struggling of late to make ends meet.  She hadn’t told Jin that a few of the times he’d brought her fish, she’d been contemplating going to bed without dinner.  Just to make her meager stores last a little longer.  She was still waiting for her garden to produce much this summer…

“You are my best friend.  If you think I would turn my back on you just because you’re different….” His voice trailed off.  “I mean it.  Marry me, Eunie.”

She gasped.  He hadn’t called her that in years.  As she gazed into his dark eyes, her heart tripped along calling her a fool if she refused him.

“Could you really tolerate marrying a girl whom you see as just a friend?  Would you – would you one day be able to bring yourself to the point of sharing this bed with me in truth?” She glanced down at it.  “I wouldn’t want to deprive you of the comforts of a real marriage.”  She could hardly breathe now.  She had never imagined actually speaking to Jin about sex.

His lips quirked upward.  “Are you trying to tell me that you’d not only marry me but also agree to have sex with me, Eunie?”

His voice was teasing her, but each time he’d called her by his childhood nickname for her, she’d completely melted on the inside.  Too bad for Jin that he couldn’t discern that softening.

She wouldn’t meet his eyes now.  “Well,” she whispered as her fingertips picked at his shirt, “marriage does imply sex.  Doesn’t it?”

“Mmm.  It does.”

“You think you could tolerate me?” she asked in a tiny voice that tugged at his heartstrings and made him want to ravish her lips.

“Yes, Eunie, I think I could tolerate you,” he responded as the corners of his lips kept quirking upward to match the affectionate light in his eyes.  A light she was missing since she was still hiding from his gaze.  “More than that.  I think I’d enjoy you.”

That lifted her gaze.  In surprise.  Her eyes collided with his.  “What?”

He couldn’t wait one more second.  He leaned towards her to kiss her lips, but she suddenly jumped backwards.  

“Jin!  I’m sorry!  My bladder is bursting!”  She leapt from the bed and grabbed her chamber pot off the floor before fleeing her bedroom.

Jin sighed.  The moment was well and truly lost.  But he had some hope.  She hadn’t turned him down outright.  In fact, she hadn’t seemed concerned about herself at all.  Only about him.  

Hmm…