Anya:
Taeho’s been staring at me throughout breakfast and I’m starting to feel a little embarrassed. I must have over-dressed. Maybe it’s my makeup? It’s hard to say, but his eyes haven’t left me for a second and I don’t know what to make of it.
Since we met, I’ve noticed his style is on the luxe side. Sporting his signature woollen long-coat over a tight turtleneck shirt and slacks, with his diamond-studded Rolex flashing in the sunlight, it’s clear this man has serious style. It’s become quite obvious that even if he was not engaged, he’d be out of my league. Not that there is a league considering I’m not looking, and he’s not available, of course.
He turns to face me, his jawline sleek from his morning shave but says nothing.
“Is something wrong?” I ask.
“What? No. Why?” He answers too quickly, whipping his head back towards the road.
“You keep staring at me and I’m wondering if I made the wrong wardrobe choice or something.”
“Um…” he says, running his hand through his shower-damp hair. “Sorry, I was… I was trying to see out your window, you just happen to be in my line of sight.”
This cracks me up. What a ridiculous lie.
“So, you’re saying you’d be looking here even if I wasn’t sitting in this seat?”
“Uh … yeah!” He smirks.
“OK, fine. I’ll buy it. But only if you stop looking in this direction. Thanks,” I say, matching his smile.
He keeps his eyes on the road, and clears his throat, but I can see his lips curl at the corner of his mouth. I wonder what’s going through his mind, right now. There have been enough clues, that I can tell he’s attracted to me. But he has a fiancée, and I wonder how she would feel if she knew Taeho was driving me to school and bantering with me like this. Of course, we are only talking. And he’s allowed to talk to me—and other women—even if he’s taken, right? It’s the twenty-first century, after all. Women and men can be friendly and platonic. Right?
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Except, maybe I don’t want to be friendly and platonic.
“You look great, by the way,” he says, cutting into my thoughts, and I blush. His compliment is unexpected, but welcome. I haven’t exactly felt good about the way I looked for a while. I’ve struggled mentally with my own self-image after the break-up, and looking back, I think my ex’s overt criticism lowered my self-esteem over time. I didn’t realize how low I felt until I was out. I can’t even remember the last time Lucas complimented me in such a natural way as Taeho just has.
We take the last right turn into Haebyeon College and I hurry to get out of the car after saying a quick thank you. My cheeks are on fire, and I don’t want him to see the effect he has on me. He’s been nothing but gentlemanly this entire trip, but I can’t stop my heart fluttering when I’m around him. I was never supposed to see him again. Now I have to deal with trying to ignore this growing crush. How long is he even going to be staying at his place, anyways?
I’m in a daze as I hurry away from the car after a quick thanks and accidentally bump into another student. He seems a bit young, but he has a compact physique that feels quite… robust on impact. I drop my books and immediately apologize.
He helps me pick up my things and mumbles something in Korean. I tell him I’m not fluent and he smiles.
“So you’re taking an elective, I’m assuming?” His English has an Aussie flavor.
“Yeah, I’m new,” I say.
“Where’s your class? I can walk you there.”
“No, I’m OK, thanks.”
“Ah, come on. It’s the least I can do,” he insists.
Before I can reply, I feel an arm flung around my shoulder and look up to see it belongs to Taeho. He speaks to the other guy in Korean, and even to my untutored ear, it sounds similar to the words he used with the flight attendant two days ago. The student suddenly deflates, bows to me, swiftly apologizes, then walks away.
Taeho leads me in the opposite direction and towards the entry of one of the college’s buildings.
What the hell just happened?
?Sky Mincharo
