LOVE IN A SWEET POISON

EPISODE 18

ADALIA

I looked at him surprised, so he already knows. He already knew what I am feeling. So he asked me the question, already knowing its answer BASTARD!

"I umm." I stammered. He looked up at me Expectantly. His eyes sparkling. 'Oh No, Sweety I am not gonna tell it that easy' I internally smirked.

"I- I am Hungry!" I blurted out.

He was stupified by my answer, completely not expecting it. I tried so hard not to laugh out loud at his reaction and tried my very best to put my innocent face. His frozen figure did not move for few seconds. His lips slowly curved into a beautiful smile looking down and chuckling at my answer.

"Smart! But let me see for how long." He whispered getting up from his seat.

I gulped hard, knowing that my resoluion is not that strong when it comes to emotions. Oh, God save me.

Kai went to the busker. I looked at the box, now overflowing with money. I smiled satisfied.

“I think this would be enough, wouldn't it?" He said.

The busker had tears in his eyes.

"Thank you so much, tomorrow is her last day to pay her fee if not she would have been kicked out of the school. She likes to study and wants to become a doctor. Me being her elder brother wanted to support her. If I had not gotten money, she would have killed herself... Thank you for saving my family.” He said tears in his eyes.

I bowed and we left the place. I looked at the time 8:00PM.

"So my Highness, what do you want to have for dinner? Your noble servant at service." He kneeled down dramatically.

"My brave soldier, what is YOUR Well Plan for your Highness?" I laughed.

"My Beautiful highness I got to know you like street foods, can we go the biggest street food market to enjoy the night?" He laughed.

"Lead the way my handsome soldier."

We entered the market, smell of delicious food filling our nose. It was crowed. He held out his arm looking at me. I looked at him raising my eyebrows.

"Its for my Highness safety. We might get lost" he said.

I chuckled and held his arm hesitantly looking at my ring finger. He smiled proudly and pulled me towards a stall.

"Aunty give us chicken feet." He said.

"Please give us more." I said along. Holding his arm tightly.

"Aww Look at these two love birds. As you look so good together I will give you more"Aunty awwed at us.

We shared the delicious chicken feet together. Feeding each other, teasing each other completely forgetting our surrounding and the fact that we are strangers.

It was really strange that how could i be myself and comfortable around him, like we have known each other for our lifetime. I pulled him to the tteokbokki stall.

"This cannot be missed when you are at Street food date." I quoted.

"Exactly." He agreed while he ordered some.

We went to each stalls tasting almost all the street food. We came out holding our stomach.

"I'm so full." I sat on a bench.

"It was a long time since I ate street food. Last time i went was with my grandmother" he said as he sat next to me.

"Really, I go often on dates." I blurted out.

"Dates?" He raised an eyebrow looking at me intently crossing his arms across his chest.

"Ah!! Hehhe. I usually go on a date with my father and he takes me to street markets often." I said.

"Oh. With father. Ok. got it. It's good. With fathers definitely you must go on a date." He stammered. He looked cute.

"Let's return home" I dragged him towards his house.

We walked towards his house talking and giggling our way about the events happened today.

"By the way, you have an amazing voice." I quoted.

"Really? Well I don't think so." He replied humbly.

"Hey its true. Literally everyone was hypnotized by your voice and all the girls over there, I am sure they were head over heels for you." I replied.

"You mean ALL THE GIRLS?" He pressed.

"Yeah." I dragged thinking why is he pressing 'ALL THE GIRLS' Then it stroked me. "I mean, yes! The girls who don't know you." I came up with my best defense.

He chuckled,

"You are really bad at defending yourself." He said laughing.

"By the way your grandmother was so pretty." I said changing the Topic.

"I know; you know what my dream is?" He asked.

"What?"

"To marry someone like my grandmother." He confessed.

I understand him, It's every guys fantasy to marry someone like their mother. But I decided to tease him.

"Really, But I always wanted to marry a gangster." I said.

He looked up at me surprised. A sudden image flashed before my eyes.

["I always wanted to many a gangster" she squealed and jumped off excitedly from her seat struggling to stand straight.]

A dull images of the night flashed before my eyes. I stopped holding my head. He looked at me worried.

"You okay?" He asked me worried.

I tried shaking my head, so I did cause some trouble on the night. That's why Steven was nagging me what and to whom did I speak the next day.

"I'm fine." I assured him.

"But why do you want to marry a gangster?" he asked.

"Just" I smiled at him dropping the topic. Scene of that night kept coming back blurry. O God, I messed up to the point that asked some stranger to marry me. My train of thoughts were disturbed by an aunt's voice.

"Son?"

The aunty living at the first floor came out.

"Aunty how are you?" Kai asked her.

"I'm good. So you are here again for your grandma's birthday ah? Did you meet her?" She asked him.

"Yes Aunty I met her. We came to get her blessings." He smiled.

She look at me from head to toe.

"So you brought your girlfriend with you too." She asked.

"I'm no-"

"Yes Aunty."

I stopped, why isn't he denying.

"That is really good, come inside for a moment." She offered which we accepted gladly. We went inside her house. Aunty gave us a small invitation.

"I know it is sudden, but it's my son's marriage tomorrow. I definitely want you two to attend." She smiled.

He looked at me and I nodded my head in Approval.

"Sure Aunty. why not. After all its like my brother's marriage. If you want, I'll be the best man." He showed his cute smile.

I smiled at him. It felt good when he considered my comfortableness too.

"Make sure you bring her too" she pointed at me.

"Sure Aunty, we will be there.” I reassured.

"Perfect, you guys had dinner? Why don't you join us?" She offered.

"Aunty, we are just returning from dinner, please excuse us." He said.

We bowed and left the house.

I sat at the balcony, reminding each and every moment I encountered in life. I sat at the balcony, reminding each and every moment I encountered in life. After a very long time, i missed my whole family. A very happy and contented middle class family.

A very big family with my grandpa, grandma, two uncles, two aunty, brother, Jihoon, mom, dad and me. 11 members in a single house living happily at the outskirts. That unforgettable day when we lost the most lovable members of our family in a terrible accident. Just leaving me, brother, jihoon, dad, mom and aunty alone. The whole family slumbered into darkness when mom passed away. Brother leaving the house. I wonder where is he, what is he doing, is he taking care of himself? Will he ever return back home? Thinking about him makes me miss him more. After brother left the house, meeting Yohan. He gave immense strength when my family was completely down with depression and no motivation to move forward in life anymore.

Those days with no technology, we playing happily in the village ground with no traces of worry about money, future. Eating cotton candies while walking along the bridges. Just happy with what we had. It was same with the family too. No extravagant clothes, no expensive cars, No expensive meals, a very small house filled only with happiness and Love. It gives immense disappointment when we see people running behind money expensive clothes, cars, dining at extravagant restaurants. These things may show your social status but does those really makes them HAPPY? If that is what they think, then they are very wrong. Maybe People might get satisfied seeing others jealous over them. But that is not LIFE. That is not HAPPINESS. Moving to Seoul, a big city... These things really affected us. Happiness does not lie in materialistic things. It is the smile we see on others and knowing that we are the reason behind that smile. That is why my father started Han-Yak, to sell medicines on less rate to people really in need. And creating medicines on natural basis without using any chemicals. Though Han-Yak was started at the intention to provide quality natural made medicines to people. Mr. Smith's intervention in our business totally changed the game. My father was so naive that he really believed Mr. Smith is helping us to reach many people but later understood that we was just using us for his business. Betrayals. Backstabings.Losing Trust, Loyalty. It was too much to take. The day when he broke up with me. With NO reasons. when we broke our partnership with his family. I snorted, People i love dearly always leave me at some point. Like brother left the house, mom passing away, grandpa and grandma's death. Yohan leaving within years with no traces of his where abouts. My beloved boyfriend breaking up with me. Looks like really should not love people from my heart. they always end up leaving me. I looked up at the person sleeping on the bed. Will he also leave me at some point? Are these feeling's are not gonna last long? I asked these to myself as I slumped into the couch. I told him that I would take the couch today. It's fair that way. I took a deep breath calming my racing heart. Things which are meant to be ours will stay with us. If it is not then it was never ours. I convinced myself and closed my eyes trying to sleep. The sooner I closed my eyes. My fathers image filled my head. Gosh I miss him, is he OK? The information Yohan shared filled me. Was that all to my benefit? Speaking of Yohan, I saw him after 10 long years And it felt good to see him again, just that he is scary and intimidating as always. I chuckled.. Whatever it maybe, as long he is happy and healthy. I am FINE. My eyes dropped slowly taking me to dream land where I was a small child happily playing with my brother, Yohan and Jihoon. With my family Sitting in the grassland smiling at us.My FAMILY, the place where I belong. Which is now No More.