“You’d be surprised,” Tae Hyun muttered under his breath. He clapped his hands together to shake the loose dirt off, essentially clouding the vocalization of his answer.
“What was that?” Yoori asked distractedly, not catching the last comment as she offered Tae Hyun half of the blanket.
“I said the moon is huge tonight,” Tae Hyun said quickly, drawing his eyes down to meet Yoori’s gaze. He then paused and gaped defiantly at the blanket she was offering him. He shook his head, gawking at Yoori’s lavender blanket like it was a fabric contaminated with the plague. “No way would I be caught dead covering that over me.”
Yoori grimaced at his childish antics. “Stop being so stubborn. I know you’re cold. I know I am.” Yes, even under the warm confines of her faux fur jacket, Yoori was still shivering.
Tae Hyun snorted, recalling all the times he had to keep her warm. “Nothing new there.”
Yoori scowled, her eyes growing wide with the fires of hell inside it. She had lost her patience with him. “Hey! You better take half of it! Who do you think will have to slave around and take care of you if you get sick?”
Tae Hyun continued to shake his head, his eyes set on the quiet lake beneath them. He wasn’t listening. “Just keep yourself warm.”
Yoori deduced then that Tae Hyun only refused because he didn’t want to chance her getting sick. He was looking out for her. She shook her head in awe.
What a thoughtful jerk.
She sighed at his abnormal way of being nice and took it upon herself to scoot closer to him. Sometimes you just have to force things on people and that was what she did. She threw half of the blanket over his back. She smiled proudly and wrapped the other half around herself.
“You’re welcome,” she said smugly, pulling the end of his half and her half closer together so that they were almost completely covered.
“Okay, smart one,” Tae Hyun stated dryly. “Now we both have a 50-50 chance of getting sick. Good going. Who the hell is going to take care of who when the plague arrives?”
“Shut up and enjoy the warmth, you cynically considerate person.”
“Just so you know, you’re sleeping outside with the ducks if you get sick.”
“Oh really? I was under the impression that I’ve been sleeping with a duck already,” Yoori said innocently, fluttering her eyelashes at Tae Hyun.
He slowly turned to glare at her when he caught on to what she was insinuating.
Yoori laughed when she saw his appalled face.
Tae Hyun shook his head again and turned away from her with a hidden smile warming his face. “Oh you’re lucky I feel like letting you win tonight.”
“Whatever,” Yoori said happily, satisfied with winning by default.
A brief moment of silence cascaded upon them as they enjoyed the view of the world around them.
“This place is so beautiful,” Yoori voiced breathlessly, staring off into the vastness of the glistening lake and twinkling sky.
“It is a beautiful sight, isn’t it?” Tae Hyun asked, his eyes on Yoori instead of the view before him.
Yoori nodded mindlessly, oblivious to his appreciating stare directed toward her.
She craned her neck upward. Her eyes reflected the moonlit sky. Mumbling to herself, she attempted to count the endless amount of jewels that inhabited the dark canvas above her. She knew her efforts were futile. It seemed like a new star was born every second she spent looking at the sky while attempting a hopeless task. She sighed to herself when an overwhelming realization came upon her. The whole world suddenly appeared so big and vast.
“Doesn’t being in the presence of all of this make you feel like you’re just a speck in the world?” Yoori asked wondrously, her eyes now reflecting the distant horizon.
“Like your problems can seem so small in light of the greatness that is the world around us,” Tae Hyun uttered, understanding what Yoori was talking about. He was also gazing outward at the night’s horizon in awe.
Yoori smiled and nodded. She relished in the night’s cool breeze, her heart feeling light. It had been so long since she felt this carefree in light of all that had happened.
“I have a question for you,” said Tae Hyun intriguingly, focusing his gaze on Yoori.
Yoori turned sideways to face him. She caught the glint in his eyes and eyed him suspiciously. “Shoot,” she said cautiously, wondering if he was going to start with his teasing insults again. She was ready to respond accordingly if need be.
“If you could be anywhere right now…where would you be?”
Yoori inspected his question for double meanings. When she concluded that it was a safe and innocent question, she thought about the answer. She smiled shyly. Her eyes returned to the peaceful waters. “You’ll laugh at me.”
“Yes, I probably will. But what else is new?”
Yoori turned and smacked him on his shoulder disbelievingly. “You’re suppose to say, ‘I promise I won’t!’”
“I don’t make promises I don’t intend to keep,” Tae Hyun stated as though everyone had the same conviction as him. “Now answer the question.”
She bequeathed him one final, bitter glare before giving in. “Anywhere?”
“Anywhere.”
Yoori smiled to herself. “You better hold onto the dock. I’m about to give you a mind-blowing answer.”
Tae Hyun laughed, nodding knowingly. “Oh, I’m sure.”
“Okay. I want to go to Pari – ”
“Paris,” Tae Hyun finished with her.
Tae Hyun’s laugh grew warmer as Yoori blushed. “You’re right, Choi Yoori. I’ve definitely never heard that mind-blowing answer flow out of a girl’s lips before.” He shook his head and continued to smile to himself.
Yoori shrugged lightheartedly. She was unapologetic for her generic answer. “Hey, I can’t help but be honest – ”
“I could take you,” Tae Hyun suddenly interjected, his moonlit eyes falling onto her. There was no sign of teasing in his voice. He was serious.
Huh?
Yoori shook her head upon absorbing his words. She didn’t hesitate to refuse his offer. “But you can’t take me.”
The smile on Tae Hyun’s lips faded slightly. “Why not?”
“I’m saving the honor of seeking Paris for my future soul mate,” she answered with conviction, smiling to herself as she daydreamed about the future when this would occur. Lost in her fantasy world like a hopeless romantic, she was oblivious to any change in Tae Hyun’s countenance.
At her enigmatic answer, the faded smile on his lips lit up with amusement. There was newfound curiosity in his voice. “There’s an honor that goes along with taking you to Paris?”
Yoori nodded, secretly glad that he asked because she wanted to share her thoughts.
“Paris is the city of love,” she began whimsically, a pair of twinkles illuminating her big brown eyes. “You can’t go to Paris unless you’re madly in love with the person who is taking you. And not just the type of love where you tell one another that you can’t live without each other. No…not that type of love. But the type of love that is unconditional—the type that is undying. You know…the type that can withstand anything…one of those once – ”
“Once-in-a-lifetime love,” Tae Hyun instinctively finished for her.
Yoori nodded happily, proud that he read her mind. That was her exact definition.
Tae Hyun’s eyes lit up in interest. It was as if he was beginning to see her in a brand new light. “So that’s what Paris represents to you? A place where you can only go with a ‘once-in-a-lifetime love’?”
Yoori nodded. “That’s why you can’t take me…because we’re not in love. Well, at least not the first trip anyway…because that’s like reserved. But you can take me anytime after I go with my soul mate,” she added teasingly, playfully pushing Tae Hyun’s shoulder with her own. Fulfilling her hopeless romantic desires aside, who would say no to a free trip to Paris?
Tae Hyun nodded, laughing hea
rtily.
“Have you ever been in love, Choi Yoori?” he suddenly asked. His voice did not hide his overwhelming curiosity.
She shook her head, her lips pouting. “That’s why I have silly expectations. I’ve never experienced anything close to it. I just reason that since I haven’t found anyone, I might as well just wait for that one perfect guy to come along, you know? So I don’t have to deal with bullshit. But then again, waiting for that perfect guy is easier said than done. But a girl can dream, right?”
She paused, looking nowhere in particular as she gathered her thoughts. “I imagine falling in love must be nice though, since the whole world frets about it.” She smiled sheepishly at Tae Hyun. “How about yourself?”
He shook his head, almost too quickly. “The concept of love and Paris doesn’t exist in the Underworld nor should it be sought. I’ve never experienced it, never been close to experiencing it, and I personally don’t even want to experience it. Essentially, ‘seeking Paris’ would be a crime lord’s worst mistake. The Underworld will eat him alive if he does.” He smiled bitterly at himself. “The only thing that exists in the Underworld is the war for power. You can’t allow yourself to be distracted with anything else.”
Hearing the bitterness in his voice while he explained the rules of the Underworld to her, it seemed as if he was reminding himself of that fact rather than educating Yoori.
Yoori’s smile dropped. She couldn’t help but feel disappointed with his answer. “So you just plan on being consumed with the shadows of the Underworld?”
“I plan on keeping myself alive and becoming the most powerful figure in the Underworld,” he corrected. “Everything else is secondary to that goal.”
Yoori nodded weakly, finding it challenging to ignore the discontent in her heart. Tae Hyun always struck her as the type of guy who had always been inherently “good” – it was just that he got caught up in some bad dealings. This was probably why she was always so protective and caring toward him. It was disappointing to hear him be so dismissive to such a normal—and she believed necessary—human desire.
Tae Hyun gave her a small smile. It was his way of trying to lighten the tension forming between them when he caught the disapproving spark in Yoori’s eyes.
“You’ll tell me what it feels like, right? When you find Paris?” His voice was hopeful—bittersweet even.
Yoori gave him a sad smile. Her heart was still hopeful that Tae Hyun would someday escape from the shadows of the Underworld and find someone who would change him for the better.
“I know you’re not seeking Paris…but things might change in the future and you might happen upon it without having to look for it.” Her sad smile turned into a genuine one. “How about we both make a pact to let the other know when Paris has been found?”
They were no longer talking about the city itself.
Tae Hyun took a moment to think about the proposition. When it seemed like he would decline, he suddenly agreed and said, “Sounds like a plan.”
Yoori nodded in approval. A comfortable silence passed between them. The air had since gotten warmer for her. Satisfied with his concurrence, she pulled up her bent knees, folded her arms over them, and rested her chin on her crisscrossed arms. Her eyelids were starting to feel heavy.
“You’re sleepy already?” Tae Hyun asked quietly, watching as her eyelids slowly closed.
“No…” she muttered, shaking her head weakly. “I’m just resting my eyes…”
Though the day wasn’t as strenuous for Yoori, she was still recovering from the night prior. It seemed as though the fatigue was catching up with her. Her body was shutting down, needing rest to recuperate. A few minutes later, she was beginning to doze off.
Tae Hyun shook his head while smiling gently at Yoori. His amused eyes took note that Yoori was about to fall into the land of dreams.
An idea suddenly came to him. He knew this was the opportune time to ask Yoori something she would otherwise avoid answering in her conscious state.
“What’s your one wish tonight, Yoori?” he whispered softly, purposely keeping his voice low so she didn’t wake up entirely.
Yoori was silent for several breaths, and Tae Hyun thought she had already fallen asleep. A few seconds later, she replied in such a low voice that he wouldn’t have heard her had he not been paying close attention.
“...I want us to both find Paris,” Yoori answered as she slowly drifted into unconsciousness.
“What would be your one wish?” she managed to mutter out before she was finally gone to the world.
It was underneath the tranquility of the night’s sky and at the warmth of being beside Tae Hyun that Yoori fell asleep before she ever had the chance to hear Tae Hyun’s answer.
“Will you disappear with me?”
03: Boomerangs
“I knew I shouldn’t have eaten that second corndog you offered me.”
“Are we seriously going at this again?” Tae Hyun asked breathlessly as he ran out of the lake house with a furious Yoori trailing right behind him.
Leave it to Tae Hyun and Yoori to spend a perfectly nice day sightseeing around town and ending it with a dinner conversation that erupted in a big argument.
The conversation started out pleasant enough. They were sitting at an Italian restaurant, waiting for their dinner when Tae Hyun informed Yoori that she fell asleep while they were sitting on the dock. She figured that much. He said that since he didn’t want to wake her, he took the liberty of carrying her home. At this realization, Yoori nodded, blushed and thanked him for being so chivalrous. The pleasantries ended when their Italian dishes arrived and Tae Hyun made an off-handed comment about how sore his arms were. That was when all hell broke loose.
“You started it when you insinuated that I was fat!” Yoori argued, rushing to catch up after they descended down a slope of grassy hills. “I may have gained about six pounds since I’ve met you but that gives you no right to make fun of me, you in-shape person. No one asked you to carry me home. You could’ve just woken me up!”
“I didn’t insinuate that you were fat,” Tae Hyun argued back, his voice expressing his aggravation. “All I said was that my arms hurt. It was you who misunderstood and blew things out of proportion.”
Turning around, he mindlessly reached his hand out to help Yoori when he saw her struggling to race down the hills. She took his hand without a moment’s hesitation.
A teasing grin overtook his face once Yoori was safely balanced on the flat grassland. “And only six pounds? Wow. That definitely means I have to feed you more.”
Yoori scoffed at his last comment, thinking it was another one of his insults.
“Nice outdoor shoes by the way,” he added, glancing down at her flip-flops before releasing her from his grip and walking away.
“Thanks,” Yoori replied automatically. She paused when she registered that his comment was actually sarcastic. Before she had a chance to yell at him for being rude, he had already begun to disappear from her sight.
She ran after him. Her toes clasped onto her white flip-flops while her hands held up her long emerald prairie skirt. She struggled to keep up while her long black hair grazed over the fabric of her white tank top.
“Augh, what a jerk,” she muttered to herself, almost tripping over when her flip-flops flew off and landed in a small ditch.
When the day began, Tae Hyun gave her something to look forward to when he mentioned a surprise he had planned for later. Since they spent so much time arguing at the restaurant, he was now in a rush to tend to his surprise. Evidently to Yoori, this surprise was time sensitive, hence the acceleration of their legs and the impending heart attack she was about to be doomed with because she was so exhausted.
“Tae Hyun!” she shouted while panting, her lungs begging for her out of shape self to stop overworking it. “Will you please slow down?”
A frustrated Tae Hyun stopped at the sound of her cry. He whirled around and ran back to her. His short-sleeved white sh
irt and khaki pants glowed in a modest gold tone in response to the setting sun.
Yoori stared wide-eyed when he came closer. “Eh, eh, eh! What are you doing? Not this again!” she shouted, backing away when she realized that Tae Hyun was running toward her with that look in his eyes. It was a look that said: “Well, if you can’t hurry up…”
“No, no, no,” she whispered. “I’m just kidding! I can walk fast. I can walk – ahh!”
Without uttering a word of warning, Tae Hyun’s arms had already slipped behind Yoori’s back and underneath her knees. In an instant, he was carrying her again.
“This is fast becoming an annoying trend,” Yoori muttered, her eyes forming into annoyed slits.
He laughed and pulled her closer against his body. The scent of his cologne surrounded her. “Trust me, slowpoke. Before the day is over, you’re going to wish I never let you go.” He finished that statement with a wink and a laugh that tickled every fiber within Yoori’s body.
Ignoring the warm current that electrified her, Yoori rolled her eyes at his words. She suddenly pushed at his chest and made an abrupt jump from his arms. As soon as her feet landed on the grass, she looked back at Tae Hyun, stuck her tongue out at him and ran ahead.
“I don’t need you to always come to my rescue, Prince Charming,” she voiced playfully, pulling up the long hem of her skirt. She picked up speed. “Now hurry up, slowpoke! Show me the surprise before the sun sets!”
Though there was pain shooting up her legs, Yoori refused to show it. Tae Hyun had good intentions but she was sick of being babied. The stubborn feminist within her had had it. She could take care of herself; she didn’t need him coming to her rescue all the time.
Amused with her dramatic display of independence, Tae Hyun merely smiled and laughed. Placing both of his hands in his pockets, he caught up with her. If the expression on his face gave any indication, he was definitely pleased with her behavior.
“Eh, for what it’s worth,” he began, nudging her occupied arms. “After holding you for a bit, my arms aren’t hurting anymore. I think touching you may have healed my pain.”
The Fall of Gods (A Welcome to the Underworld Novel, Book 2) Page 3