Fated To Love You

An Honest Answer

Ih Na was just about to turn on her television set, when she suddenly heard someone banging on her apartment door.

She quickly checked the electronic wall clock that hung right above it, and it read, "10:00 pm". Ih Na hadn't invited anyone over, and it was quite late for any unexpected guests to arrive, but when she looked at the peep hole and saw who her unexpected guest was, she let out a heavy sigh.

Yong Hwa.

"Yeogiseo mwohaeyo (What are you doing here)?" Ih Na asked as soon as she opened the door.

An evidently drunk Yong Hwa let out a sheepish smile as he continued to stand right in front of her.

"Bogoshipda (I missed you)." He answered, which made the latter scoff in reply.

"You know what, you're just drunk and you should be heading home now." Ih Na said, attempting to the close the door on him, but unfortunately, he had stopped her right in time. "Yong Hwa, I'm serious. You better go home right now or I'm calling the police." She added.

Yong Hwa simply laughed at her.

"I guess some things just never change. You're still so cute when you're all flustered like that." He uttered as he pinched Ih Na's cheeks despite her effort to swat his hands away from her.

"I know why you're here." Ih Na said, her voice sounding firm and unfazed. "You're here because you just got conned, you lost a lot of money, and now you're looking for someone who will comfort you and tell you that everything's going to be okay. Majayo (Am I right)?" She added.

"Well, I've got some news for you. I'm not that person anymore, so please, while I'm still calm, leave my apartment and don't ever come back."

Yong Hwa's frustration was evident as he ran his fingers through his hair. When his feet had led him to Ih Na's apartment after a long night of drinking, he actually thought that there would still be a chance for the both of them to get back together. But now, as he stood right in front of her, he knew that the idea was simply far-fetched.

"Who taught you to be all tough like that, huh? That photographer? Lee Rae Won?" Yong Hwa teased sarcastically. "How did he change you into that kind of person anyway? Was it the words that he said? The hugs and the kisses? Oh, right. It must have been his performance in bed."

Ih Na slapped Yong Hwa.

"How dare you!" She said furiously.

"You know what, you're right. I am here because I got conned and my entire life is a mess." Yong Hwa admitted. "I thought that if I would appear in front of your door and say that I was sorry for hurting you, you'd accept me with open arms and that would be it. We could just forget about everything and go back to the way we used to be. I just didn't think you'd give me this hard of a time." He added as a satirical laugh escaped his lips.

"Well, you can't really blame me for thinking that way, you know. I mean, every single time I screwed up and apologized back then, you were always so weak and gullible, thinking that I was capable of changing and being a "better man", but it was all just a load of lies and a load of crap." Yong Hwa said. "Yes, I may have been in love with you at first, but then... you were starting to get boring and needy and annoying and I just didn't want that anymore. Who would, right? But I couldn't let you go because you had the connections, you had what I needed to reach my dreams, so I decided to use you for my own benefit."

"Yong Hwa, gumanhae(Yong Hwa, stop)." Ih Na said as tears fell from her eyes.

"Do you really think someone would actually fall for a woman like you?" Yong Hwa uttered. "There's nothing special about you, Ih Na. You're just a plain jane, a wallflower, so you should be thanking me for even thinking about getting back together with you."

"I might not be special to you, but I am to someone else." Ih Na replied, slowly wiping her cheeks. "Had I known how bad of a person you'd turn out to be, I never should have opened that stupid love letter from years back. You say I'm a plain jane? Well, you're just some sous chef who rose to fame because of my efforts and my connections. Had it not been for me, you would've still been stuck in that restaurant, so you should be thanking me. Not the other way around. Never the other way around."

"You know what, if only I could turn back time and stop myself from meeting you, I would." Ih Na said. "Because you aren't, weren't and will never be worth it, Yong Hwa. This is good riddance, indeed."

Suddenly, Ih Na closed the door to her apartment and walked towards the elevator, leaving a dumbfounded Yong Hwa simply standing there, hoping he could take back what he had just said. He knew he loved her, but in the end, it was his ego that reigned supreme.

"That photographer doesn't love you! You're never going to be happy with him!" Yong Hwa exclaimed, but all this had fallen to deaf ears as Ih Na decided to leave the building without turning back.

Rae Won had just turned off his television set, when he suddenly heard his doorbell ring. It couldn't be his noona nor Bom So, definitely not Yeo Ri, and only one name came into mind.

"Ih Na ya, gweanchanha (Ih Na, are you okay)?" He asked, as soon as he noticed her puffy, red eyes. "Have you been crying? What happened?" He added, worry evident in his voice.

"There's a question I've been wanting to ask you... and I just really need an honest answer." Ih Na said. "Do you love me?"

Despite being taken aback by her question, Rae Won knew that there was absolutely no point in hiding the truth anymore. This very moment felt just like that night outside the noraebang, where he and Ih Na had reached a point of no return. She asked him a question, she needed an honest answer, and Rae Won was going to give her just that because she deserved it. She really did.

"Yes." Rae Won answered. "But why-"

All of a sudden, Ih Na moved in for a kiss. Rae Won was shocked, couldn't quite understand what was going on, but he kissed her back with the same level of intensity and aggression.

Rae Won gently pinned Ih Na against the wall as he went in for another kiss. When he felt her tug on his shirt, he instantly took it off, revealing his well-toned upper body that Ih Na felt with her bare hands. Her warm lips journeyed from his neck down to his chest, and Rae Won could only close his eyes in delight.

When Ih Na took a moment to breathe, Rae Won gently kissed her forehead.

"I'm not going to hurt you. I promise." He uttered, and then continued on to kissing the tip of her nose and then back to her warm and luscious lips.

Rae Won felt a bit hesitant to untie the bow that kept Ih Na's wrap around dress together, but the moment she nodded gently and assured him that it was okay, he pulled it as if it were meant to be untied and carried her into his room.

"Are you sure you really want to do this?" Rae Won asked, his breathing deep and heavy, as their bodies felt like they were scorching in the heat of the moment.

"I want to." Ih Na said, caressing his face as she laid underneath him. "I want you." She added, her ever expressive eyes telling him stories of love and lust.

"I want you even more." Rae Won responded, his voice deep enough to send shivers down her spine.

They made love that night, and the rest was history.