emotions | love alarm

40 ~

Chapter Forty

*Two Months Later*

"That one looks like a lion, don't you agree?"

"I was thinking it looks like a spoon."

"You lack creativity, Sun-oh."

He laughs gently and leans up on his elbow to look at Ae-ri who is splayed across the grass at the park they were at. She was smiling softly, her eyes squinting a bit against the light, her skin alight under the sun; her eyes seemed to melt into pools of warm honey and he can't help it as he traces the outline of her nose, her mouth, her jaw. 

He slips his arm over her torso and tugs her closer, pressing a kiss to the skin of her shoulder in the process. Ae-ri shivers softly, her body turning to face his. 

"You look so good like this," he murmurs, his fingers coming up to tug on one of her curls. 

Ae-ri gifts him a smile before pressing a kiss to his cheek, lingering for a moment too long to be friendly. Her face stays close as she glances up at him before slipping her eyes over his features softly, "You look better." Her teasing makes him warm. 

Their gazes meet and do not waver. Her eyes were brimming with a tenderness that left him breathless; his eyes showed such a transparent longing and vulnerability she felt her heartbeat in her bones. 

He opens his mouth to speak but she presses a kiss against his mouth, once and briefly, before slipping out of his reach. 

"Maybe it is a spoon."

***

"We should go on a trip."

"To where?" 

"Anywhere," his eyes brighten as she sips on her smoothie and swings her legs on the bench they were at. 

"Hmm, how about Jeju?" she smiles at him, only to soften it when she sees him staring at her. 

"Sounds like a plan," he nods, pinching her cheek softly. 

They look at the sunset simultaneously and release a synchronized sigh at the underlying unspoken issue–what would become of them? It had been two months since the whole interaction with In-ho and despite In-ho's slightly desperate attempts to reconcile himself with her, she wasn't having it. 

She knew what she wanted and yet she didn't know if he wanted her back. 

Sure, Sun-oh had been gentle, patient, and tender in everything that had to do with her but she didn't know if he wanted to take that extra step with her and it was enough to unsettle her peace.

Hmm, fuck it. 

"Sun-oh?"

"Yes, sweetheart?"

He moves his head and then his eyes as he turns his attention to her only to find a look of hesitance on her face. 

He frowns, "What's up?"

She opens her mouth, then hesitates, her eyes uncertain and brow furrowed. His expression softens and he leans closer, holding her hand, "You can tell me anything, I will not judge you nor will I withdraw from you," he affirms, his tone brimming with honesty. 

Ae-ri relaxes under his touch and leans against his shoulder, intertwining their arms before admitting gently, "I really like you, Sun-oh."

His breathing stutters as his body melts under her words and at the way he tenses up, Ae-ri hurriedly attempts to move away, embarrassed. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you uncomfortable," she begins but Sun-oh stops her immediately, hand cupping her jaw, thumb across her mouth. 

"Say it again," he whispers, his eyes brimming with slight disbelief, his fingers slipping over her skin, waiting and wanting. 

She shivers before lilting her head into his touch, pressing a kiss to his thumb before meeting his gaze straight on, "Sun-oh, I like you."

He closes his eyes and feels the words slip through him before tucking a stray curl from her face and kissing her deeply. It only lasted mere seconds but it felt like lifetimes and as he withdraws he feels her tug him back, the action causing his heart to hammer through his entire body. 

"Ae-ri," he sighs softly, her tongue meeting his once and briefly before she presses a kiss to his cheek and nose, pulling away just enough so that she could still look at him. 

"Sun-oh," she smiles in response. 

"I like you more," he confesses, his voice hoarse, but then he shakes his head and swallows, holding her eyes without faltering. "No, sorry, that's not enough–Ae-ri," his throat bobs, he looks at her–really looks–"I love you."

Ae-ri stills completely, his single honest truth hanging in the air between them, spoken with a certainty that made her warm and awoke a soft yawning in her chest. 

Her chest releases a tension it was not aware of holding and she cups his face, brushing over his cheeks before hugging him, her cheek pressed against his gently, "I love you."

Their bodies relax, their hearts free to love with constraints of affection in place; she breathes and she feels him, feels his fingertips pressing against her back, feels his heartbeat against her own. 

They remain entwined until they are comfortable in their vulnerability and renewed tenderness and when they pull away she offers him a mischievous smile, "So what does that make us?"

"What would you like to be?"

"No, you have to pick because I don't know what you are comfortable with. That's why it took me so long to tell you."

"Ae-ri, what? That's why it took me so long to tell you."

"Say sike right now."

He shakes his head and laughs softly before tugging her closer, "It makes you mine."

"Then I am yours," she affirms, her body glowing. 

He brings up her hand to his mouth and presses a kiss against her palm, his eyes gentle, "And I am yours."

The End (?)

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a/n 

i will be forever grateful for the love and community you have all made in this book :)

i loved reading ur comments and ur thoughts and i am sad it is ~over~ but i am glad that i completed it in a way that stays true to my original thoughts for the book

you made this book what it was so thank you dear reader <33 

i might upload short stories about these characters in the future and/or post a what-if such as what if Ae-ri ended up with In-ho teehee

until then farewell and again thank u !