Fate at a Distance

Happy Day

The sun was just about to set and the waves  gently crashed at the foot of the bedrock on which they stood. It was everything and more to make for a romantic sequence. But then, the early spring breeze decided to be unkind.

So here they were, having a much needed respite before filming the next scene, enjoying the view of the vast Pacific, as they stood side by side, a few feet from the ridges of the island.

"Tell me what songs you like to listen to."

"Wow, that's random," Bo Young responded dryly.

With that comment, In Guk felt his heart tighten in his chest. Whether it was a heart attack or just another bout of fleeting tension, he wasn't sure anymore. It  just felt surreal to be on that side of her infamous great wall.

But he got to hear the answer.

"I'm really curious," he smiled as he tilted his head adorably to his right. That should persuade her.

"Arraseo," she conceded rather quickly. She had learned in the past few months that it was impossible to give no attention to this goof ball. "Are you asking as a musician or just generally curious?"

Whoops. He did not expect that question at at all, did he? How would he tell her that he just ran out of excuses to talk to her off take?

"Does that affect your answer?" He asked back, not wanting to put her off with his overt eagerness.

"In a way. I have to give an impressive answer to your musician self," she chuckled.

For the millionth time since they first met, his heart skipped a beat again. It just kept happening whenever she made that sound, more so when she was being candid like this. She was notorious for her methods in keeping her guards up, but when she shared her thoughts it was always forthright. An intelligent woman through and through,  and he kept finding himself getting drawn without any chance of retracting.

"Let's say, both," he managed to answer accordingly, hoping she didn't notice the long pause he had to take to keep himself from short-circuiting.

"Hmm. I listen to Sara Bareilles a lot. Have you heard of her?"

"I have. I know a few of her songs. She plays the piano, too, just like you."

"Right," Bo Young muttered. Of course he knew she played the piano. When did he ever fail to let her know that he paid attention? "How about you? I know you favor ballads and R&B," she threw the question right back at him, deliberately adding that last remark to let him know that she paid attention, too.

As it seemed, her observation made him blush. But now was not the time to get all shy and mushy. He had it all planned out, had it all rehearsed in his head so many times. He had hoped for her to ask him the same question before he even did. It was the perfect opportunity, and he couldn't afford to let it go to waste.

"Lately, I've been listening to a song called Falling in Love at a Coffee Shop," he answered, not letting the disquiet in his chest overtake. "Have you heard of that song?"

"No, I haven't."

Alright. That was his cue.

So he took a deep breath then took her right hand in his, with a silent prayer that she would not pull it away. The thought of her recoiling from his touch did not exactly help him remain calm.

But it must've startled her, so much so that she didn't even budge. She just stared at him with wide eyed anticipation, not really knowing what to expect.

"It goes like this," he mumbled, then cleared his throat before he started pouring his heart out through the song.

I think that possibly
Maybe I'm falling for you
Yes, there's a chance that I've fallen quite hard over you
I've seen the paths that your eyes wander down
I want to come too
I think that possibly
Maybe I'm falling for you
No one understands me quite like you do
Through all of the shadowy corners of me
I never knew just what it was about this old coffee shop I love so much
All of the while, I never knew...
All of the while, it was you...

Her eyes remained fixed on him even after he was done crooning. Not saying anything with words, but her scrutinizing gaze disarmed him yet again.

After a long time, In Guk had opened up his heart again. Like an exposed nerve bleeding out, the only thing that could patch him up hung in the very words he waited to come out of Bo Young's lips.

Please say something. Anything, he kept praying in his head.

And by some miracle, she did.

"It's beautiful," she said almost inaudibly. It must be his euphonious voice that made her quite emotional, because right now, she couldn't find her own rational voice. All she could think about was how he looked at her as he sang, and how adored it made her feel.

"It is, isn't it?" He smiled at her affectionately. It perfectly sums up what I feel for you."

And there it was. The wrecking ball of her great wall.