Let's Not Fall In Love

Bonus Chapter: When Are You Going To Make An Honest Man Out Of Me?

Dara involuntarily snorted the coffee out of her nose, splattering some of the brown liquid at both their PJ's at Jiyong's question. He was sliding the breakfast plate in front of her when he just casually dropped the question out of the blue. "When are you going to make an honest man out of me?"

She coughed convulsively trying to get out all the coffee that had made its way into her windpipe. He smiled and tenderly wiped the coffee from both their faces. "Mwo?" was the only word she could say.

"Depends on how you look at it but one could say technically your Grandpa already asked my hand in marriage for you." Jiyong grinned at the speechless Dara. "I'm just waiting for you to honor his wishes."

Dara was stunned to say the least. Her mouth hung open at his audacity to involve her Harabeoji in this. He sure knew when to drop a bomb. She wasn't even able to swallow that first sip of coffee and he had successfully fried her already toasted brain with his question.

He took something out of his pocket then took her hand. "Harabeoji proposed to me with this ring but I feel this would suit you better than me." He slipped the ring on to her left ring finger at the stunned but unprotesting lady before him. Dara still speechless could only stare at the ring that once graced her mom's finger. She could vaguely remember playing with it as a child. She didn't know he had it.

"When will you marry me, Dee? There's no question of will you marry me because I believe that you, just as I do, know that there will be no one else for the two of us, right?" Dara nodded in silent agreement. It was not an embellishment. It was a fact. No sense in denying what they both knew was truth. There was no room for being coy in their relationship.

After an eternity of silence Dara finally said something while wrinkling her nose, "But I don't want a wedding." Instead of looking shocked, Jiyong only grinned and dropped a kiss on her nose.

"I know you don't. I've known that quite well since we were ten." When they were part of the entourage for his cousing's wedding, Dara had spent the whole ceremony and reception griping about how she didn't want to be there. She had sworn she wouldn't subject anyone to this torture if it was her time koto get married. "I'd rather elope." She had said at that time while scratching vigorously at the spot where the garter of her gown was digging on her shoulders.

"I was asking about marriage. Not a wedding." Jiyong smilingly told her.

"Why do you want to marry me, Ji?" Dara asked.

Without skipping a beat he simply said, "Because I am yours and you are mine. I just want to make it official."

They both stared silently into each other's eyes for an endless moment after that. Then a smile slowly crept into Dara's lips when she said, "What do you think about next week?" He grinned happily and kissed her soundly in the lips in wordless affirmation to her suggestion.

A/N: Here's a little bonus chap in celebration of Jiyong's birthday. Head on to my AFF account if you would like to participate in a poll re: their elopement destination. https://www.asianfanfics.com/profile/view/1530009