CHAPTER TEN
2093 Words
"So you will join me?"
"Do I have a choice?" She looked over to the launch area.
"Always."
"Why don't I believe that?"
"Sounds better than the truth. I would not the heck out of you until you do what I want".
"Now that's the Kim Taehyung's I knew was in there".
She looked at him and grinned. "Let's go"
Taehyung hurried out of the car in case she changed her mind.
Knowing that she what's about to share in an adventure that he thought about doing bolstered his mood.
Walking next to her to meet the staff, he fought the urge to slide his hand into her and lock fingers.
After the introductions they headed over to the launch area. As they approached the inflated balloon he felt Jade's hand slipped into his. Her fingers felt cold and her hand had a slight tremor. He squeezed her hand which fitted neatly into his. When she looked over at him he shared an encouraging wink. She had no idea how hard he fought to act the perfect gentleman.
This woman intelligent sarcastic and confident reeled him along like a fish caught by live alluring bait. He was hooked.
He looked up at the clear sky. "The weather is perfect for the ride".
"It's a bit chilly, though". Jade briskly rubbed her arm with her free hand.
"You will see. Once you get in the air the burners will provide a comfortable temperature. I did research." He quickly offered when she made a face at his tidbit."Besides I'll share my jacket with you and even put my arm around your shoulder".
"How gallant of you. Like a night but without all the credentials."
"I hear pure sarcasm."
"I am an expert and do have all the credentials." She nudged him in his side.
The pilot came up to fill them in on the procedures.
"Before we get started there are forms to fill out. There is also a short orientation. Then we'll be sorry like Mary Poppins. I'm Akex your pilot and this is Shabby your guide. I don't multitask well, hence the guide. The pilot joke. He handed them information to read and the necessary paperwork.
Taehyung wanted to warm him that joking wasn't going to do him any favors. He wasn't confident that Jade would lift off.
The pilot continued to explain how we use the fan to blow cold air into the balloon. While the balloon lay on the ground the burners heated the air. Gradually the balloon would rise to an upright position.
As the balloon did just that rising into the correct position, Taehyung glanced over at jade to gauge her excitement level. She stepped closer to him. He read her easy smile to mean that she wasn't going to run back to the car and demand to be taken home.
She didn't resist when he followed his instinct and rested his hand on the small of her back. Her body relaxed along side his. He excelled with a grateful sigh.
They listened to the rules and advisories. However for him staying focus proved to be difficult. The slight breeze didn't help at all. Her hair fragrance from her shampoo flew against his chin. Soft and silky immediately came to mind whenever her thick dark brown hair randomly stroked his face under the influence of the air current.
Finally the pilot signaled that they would be on their way. Along with the other riders they use the steps at the side of the basket. With no graceful way to get into the basket. Taehyung scope Jade into his arms and lifted her over the side.
"You shouldn't be lifting me. I'm too heavy."
Taehyung snorted. "Oh yeah, your as heavy as a gallon of milk."
"If you pull a muscle, I'm going to..."
"What?" Taehyung teased. He loved being so close to her mouth.
"I'm going to say that's what you get for being hard headed."
"Hmm. There's a streak of evil peeking through."
Jade threw her head back and laughed loud and bold.
Now that maneuver almost undid his restraint. How could he have thought she wasn't his type? Well she wasn't the type he usually went after, but he was willing to go along with whatever forces brought them together.
"We'll only be up in the air for an hour," Taehyung explained. The statement was mostly for his benefit. He had an hour to be in close proximity with Jade. Or he had an hour to convince her when their feet touched land that they needed apart two to the day.
"Is that tidbit supposed to comfort me?" She walk the inside perimeter of the basket looking over the sides, Panic etched across her entire body stiffening her muscles.
"Either you think of this only as a measly sixty minutes with the sexiest man alive, or a trailing twenty thousand fifty feet experience hovering in the air with the sexiest man alive. If you have a panic attack, you just might have to show some appreciation for my heroic presence.
"Either option includes you. Seems like a break neck plunge into the danger zone of option A or B."
"I do have danger zone tattooed on my body."
She assess his fully clothed body."Liar."
"Maybe. Maybe not."
She opened her mouth to respond and then shook her head. Taehyung leaned in to whisper in her ear. "Pay attention we may need to know the emergency procedures."
They watch the pilot complete the various safety checks duly participating whenever necessary.
Finally they lifted off with a jolt. Once they were several hundred feet in the air the wind picked up with the surprising gentleness. The basket for the passengers was made of tightly woven wicker strong enough to protect them and still be lightweight and flexible.
Taehyung shared in Jade's nervousness when he stood near the side walls. The average height was about three feet. According to their guide the walls were high enough for passengers to feel secure and low enough for young passengers to easily see over the side.
The height didn't conflict with getting a wonderful view. They stood side by side enjoying the unique view of Seoul and the outlying areas. This sensation of lying over trees, lakes, and streams and a lucky sighting of a herd of deer made the experience unique and inspiring.
The guide explained further how the hot air balloon worked. "Here's your mini science class folks. Hot air rises and cold air sinks. So while the super cold air in the young grocers freezer settles down around the food , the hot air in a hot air balloon pushes up keeping the balloon floating.
"How are you feeling?" Taehyung asked, a bit concerned with how quite Jade had become.
"I'm fine. Guess I got overwhelmed with the beauty of it all. Down there in the heart of things you get caught out up with the small stuff the weeds. Up here when you see the big picture the landscape is so majestic. Makes you realise how small you are in the cosmos." She offered him a small smile. I sound a bit to philosophycal for a Saturday afternoon."
"Notice how warm you feel." The guide interjected.
"Although the mid-day has a slight chill floathing in the hot air balloon has the opposite experience. The barner positioned above our heads with that use flame heats the air inside the balloons envelopes. It's like having a portable sun lamp".
"Do we have to worry about the weather?" Jade directed her question to the guide.
She responded. The pilot gets full edition weather reports from both government and private sources. If you recall the pilots released a small helium balloons to see the wind direction and speed before we lifted off.
Up here layers of wind are going in different directions or moving at different speeds."
Taehyung felt Jade leaned to him. "This ride isn't quite so simple", she said her voice full of wonder.
"Don't think about the physics. Switch your brain to liberal arts and focus on colors and textures".
Taehyung did appreciate the pilot skills in maneuvering the balloon. More than ever he got a kick out of hearing Jade's giggle erupted as the balloon soared and floated. Much too soon though the ride had to come to an end. Their guide explained their descent as they watch the pilot allow the air to cool. The balloon then became heavier than the air giving the palate control of the act and down movements using the burner.
Once they touchdown and exited the basket all the patrons gathered need the office trailer. Everyone chatted excitedly about their common experience sharing memorable moments of their ride. Staffed waited with a champagne toast. For several it was their first hot air balloon ride. Taehyung touch glasses with other customers and save the last clink of glass to be shared with Jade.
Her excitement didn't diminished. Here collected the minutes details. Her eyes sparkled bubbled over about the patchwork beauty of the Seoul Korea land. He couldn't help but laugh when he spied her with several brochures that she save for her best friend her brothers girlfriends and patients. Everyone it seems who crossed her path during the week would be greeted enthusiastically with tales of the hot air balloon ride.
Her joy touch him. The idea had been a huge gamble but it had paid off big time. He tapped his glass with Jade's again and she smiled. Somehow she managed to sip the champagne with the sexiest smile he'd ever seen.
The liquid wet her lips highlighting her mouth with its moist and pucker.
He leaned over and responded. He kissed her with a madcap intention to simply match her pucker with his puckered lips fun and games that's all.
More science and physics came into effect. The innocent kiss exploded the nerve endings in his mouth.
There had to be some law about attraction. Instead of losing sensation as expected from an explosion of the senses his mouth acted as a superconductor sending and receiving sensual erotic message.
Craving more he tested the waters again. This time he discarded the pucker for a lock and load kiss sealing her mouth with tender determination. Every time she responded to his attention he pulled her tighter toward him.
Her parted lips invited him to enter at his own risk. Something basic more than adrenaline more primal and uncivilized, zipped through his blood. It's energy pumped through his system like a fast-moving drug that saturated his heart, soul and body.
She pulled away first. Her chest rose and fell as it she'd completely a fifty minute cardio routine. The cool air now passing between their bodies woke up his senses to semialertness.
"People are looking at us," he mumbled near her mouth.
"They wish that their ride came to this perks." She took her compact out of her purse and checked her face in the mirror. In our case that little moment that will never happen again can be chalked up to the effects of the hot air balloon ride the champagne and the atmosphere. They are all the elements of romance. "That's why i know it won't happen again."
"Don't I get a say?"
"Go ahead, if thats makes you happy." She pointedly wiped off her mouth and reapplied her lip color.
Taehyung laughed. He appreciated that she not only saw the humor. But also was affected by the moment.
"Here is what i have to say as the knight without credentials. I wonder because i really don't know if Jade secretly desires to be kissed again. And i wonder because i really didn't know when or where the next occurrence will be. But my sadness will reach critical levels if I'm unable to ever touch my lips to those soft miracles of hers. I am a hopeful humble man who says that next time he will continue the seduction up close and personal with his mouth and tongue."
"Tsk.Tsk." Jade tutted her tongue. " You poor delusional man. My services are with the physical body. You need my colleague in psychiatry who deals with men stucked in teenage fantasies who tried to seduce their doctors and who think they've got it like that. She patted his face then adjusted her clothes and walked past him to the car.
"Okey Doctor KILLJOY, let's go have lunch." Taehyung wasn't the praying type,but he certainly did pray for another opportunity with Dr. Park Jade.
- Writer
