BASH
"All floors are equipped with ondol and maru as part of hanok," Alex explains to Trinity.
Trinity lifts her chin to look at Alex. "What's ondol?"
"Ondol is an underflooring heating system since Korea has a winter season," I answer her.
"Oh, so it's like a fireplace?" she asks. Her face lights up.
"Yeah, but the main source of the heat in this place is from the outside. There are horizontal flue pipes as a passageway of the heat beneath the flooring. Unlike the fireplace in the U.S, it's placed inside the home with a chimney," Alex explains.
Trinity nods and looks amused. "It's cool, Alex."
***
After our little tour of all the houses, Alex, Edmund, and the driver left us and returned to the city, leaving Trinity and me alone here in the Hanok. He says to contact him if there is an emergency. He has a Hyundai sedan left in the parking area of the house if we want to tour around.
We both sit on the front porch, just taking this moment in. I never imagined this day would happen.
Remind me to give Dad a hug and Mom a massive kiss on her cheek. Maybe this is what he's been trying to tell me earlier.
This time, I will prove to Trinity that I'm not the bully Bash she used to know and that I'm a grown man. I will show her how I felt for her all these years.
"What's with the silence, Bash? You seem in deep thought," she asks.
She's sitting on my left side. I stare into her eyes. I want her to feel that I'm utterly happy that she's with me.
"This place is peaceful. I'm just glad that you agreed with me coming over here."
"You didn't actually ask me to come here with you, but I'm glad that you took me here. I love this place. So, no need to scowl against your dad's ideas." She smiles.
She's just so beautiful. She melts my heart.
I hold her hand on the tea table, plant it to my lips, and kiss each finger. "Yeah, I should thank him big for that."
She clears her throat. Panic grows in the pit of my belly as I feel that she's about to say something.
"About last night. Um." I scan her face to see her reaction.
"I um, I enjoyed it, and um. I loved it," she seems unsure of what to say.
My lips spread to a full grin. I move my head closer to her face, pressing my lips against hers.
She sighs-a sigh of relief. I move my lips slowly, chastely, until she starts kissing me back.
She grips handfuls of my hair as she deepens the kiss. A small moan slips through her mouth when I suck her bottom lip. And my hands are grabbing her ass.
She moves closer to me until she straddles my lap. I slip my tongue freely into her mouth, tasting her again. I want to taste every inch of her, and that's my plan.
We both are panting when we break the kiss.
"Are you hungry?" I plant kisses on the freckles on her face, especially on the bridge of her nose.
She wrinkles her nose.
"What? Don't tell me you're ticklish, Tri?"
She giggles. "Nobody kisses me there, Bash. I thought that was hideous?"
I crease my brows. "Really? Hideous? Your freckles are beautiful, Trinity. They look good on your face. It's not you without them. I love these hideous freckles. Your imperfection makes you perfect in my eyes."
"When did you get a tattoo, Tri?" I look right into her eyes while my fingers trace the tattoo on her left hip.
Her shoulders droop. Her mood changes slightly.
"Tri, I'm not mad if you think like that. In fact, I'm glad you had my name inked on your body." I kiss her lips again.
"I did that before your first vacation. I thought of showing that to you, but you went back to the U.K immediately."
My stomach lurches. "Trinity, I went back because-" I swallow hard, trying to compose my thoughts.
Taking a deep breath, I start, "I saw you kissing someone else at your front door. I thought I shouldn't bother you anymore now that you already have a boyfriend." My heart ached that night. I thought my heart had crashed. That was my first heartbreak.
"Bash, can't that wait after dinner?" Mom yells upstairs when she sees me running from the living room to the front door.
I stop, turning to Mom. I raise the gift bag I bought for Trinity. "I need to give this to her. I might stay there and have dinner with Trinity. I'm sure she's at home. It's the weekend, Mom."
I see Mom sigh, then she nods. "Thanks, Mom. I love you!"
The car stops at the opposite side of Trinity's home later.
It's been a year since what happened between us. I feel nervous all of a sudden.
My heart flutters, and my hands start sweating. I blow a huge breath to control my excitement and my nervousness.
I can do it!
I grip the car's door handle after telling the driver not to bother. He stays in the driver's seat, then a blue car parks in front of Trinity's house.
I stay still when I see the doors open simultaneously. A guy around my age and Trinity get out of the car. Trinity is wearing a blue dress. Her straight red hair falls below her shoulders. Why did she straighten her hair?
They walk together, then stops at the front door. The yellow light makes Trinity's hair look striking. The guy wearing a white button-down cups Trinity's face and kisses her on her lips.
My body slumps back to the seat. I don't notice the gift bag fall from my hand.
My eyes water, but I blink them not to fall. I bite my lower lip, that's already trembling uncontrollably.
"Let's go back home."
"What do you mean?" She furrows her brows.
"I went to visit you. I thought I wanted to apologize, but it hurt like hell to see you kissing someone else." I look down at her red lips.
"I didn't kiss him, Bash. We didn't go out on a date. We had girls' night, and I was a little tipsy. He volunteered to drive me home. So I agreed since we knew each other already."
"Who's that guy?" I demand.
"He's the one who tattooed me," she answers lowly.
"What's his fucking name?"
She almost startles on my lap, eyes wide. "Kyland Wright."
My eyes widen. "That fucking Kyland Wright?"
"Do you know him?" She looks surprised.
"I'm sorry, I shouted." I lower my voice a little bit. "He's the one who tattooed me, Trinity, and he's the bartender at the Night Stalker."
"I know."
"He will pay for what he did that night."