flicker of flame

18. tied that bind

At 6 PM, Lena stepped out for shopping, preparing for the next day's wedding. She felt someone watching her from below. Shocked at first, she soon smiled and headed down.

Luke: "Shopping?"

Lena smiled, her expression warm yet questioning.

Luke (in his mind): *I really want to hear the words 'I love you' from your mouth, to see that love reflected in your eyes... But...*

He broke the silence, "Shall we go?"

They both got into the car and visited several shops. Luke was visibly unsatisfied with most choices, but Lena loved the dresses she saw.

"What?" he asked, noticing her glaring at him.

"We came to buy something for me, remember?" she replied, slightly annoyed.

"Yeah, sweetie..." he trailed off, smiling playfully.

Lena finished trying on another dress, and Luke smirked, "No, if you look too cute or pretty, Vyn's relatives might think you're the bride. But I know... you're my bride."

She gave him a sharp glare, as if to say, *Should I kill him right here?*

"It's almost 8:00 PM and we still haven't bought my dress," she pouted.

Luke stepped closer, his voice low as he whispered into her ear, "Don't pout like that... It reminds me of the bathtub with you."

Lena's eyes widened as she stared at him, momentarily speechless. Luke smiled, adding softly, "Nothing can make you look more beautiful. You already are..."

Her heart fluttered, cheeks burning a little, but she quickly snapped back to reality and rolled her eyes, trying to hide the warmth she felt.

"I'm hungry," she said, breaking the gaze between them, her voice a little softer than usual.

Luke smirked, his eyes still lingering on her. "Hungry, huh? Should we grab something, or do you want me to cook for you?"

She looked at him, raising an eyebrow. "You? Cook? I doubt that," she teased, trying to lighten the mood.

He chuckled, "Don't underestimate me. I make a mean bowl of instant noodles."

Lena laughed, the tension between them easing as she playfully nudged his shoulder. "Fine, let's grab something before you try to poison me with your cooking."

Luke rolled his eyes, and they headed to the restaurant together. Lena placed her order confidently in Korean, choosing spicy shrimp crackers, japchae, and chicken for herself, while ordering Samgyeopsal for Luke. He watched her closely, admiring the way she spoke the language with ease.

"Cut the Samgyeopsal," Luke said suddenly, causing her to pause in surprise.

"You used to love it," she asked, curious.

"I did," he responded with a warm smile, "but not anymore."

*What's gotten into him lately?* Lena thought to herself, baffled by his recent behavior.

Luke leaned back, grinning. "Wow... you even know my favorite foods. I'm flattered."

Lena smirked. "Actually, it's my favorite too."

Luke smiled to himself, but didn't respond. They both dug into their food, enjoying the meal together. Surprisingly, the meal turned into a friendly competition, both determined to clear their plates. Neither of them backed down, and in the end, they declared it a tie, leaving no food behind.

Luke carefully served the shrimp to Lena, even feeding her a few bites, which left her momentarily speechless. She excused herself to the restroom, using the brief moment alone to collect her thoughts. Standing in front of the mirror, she stared at her reflection, her mind whirling.