When Xin Xiamu urged him back at home, Li Qiao had left to meet Yu Kim with utmost conviction. He had a resolute stance. No matter what he had to make his feelings clear today.
But now that he stood right outside Yu Kim"s apartment, he was hesitating. He suddenly realized that he had no idea what to say to her. He kept pacing in the corridor anxiously trying to sort out his words.
"Sir, what are you doing here at this time?" He stopped pacing as he heard Yu Kim"s voice from behind. Apparently, she was coming back from the market and he figured that since she was holding a few shopping bags in hand.
Whatever words he had come up with were suddenly flown away in the wind and he stood there gawking at her like an idiot. "Sir?" Yu Kim called again with concern.
"Ahem!" Li Qiao coughed a bit as he was startled awake. "I-I..." he stammered a bit trying to come up with an excuse. "Can I get a gla.s.s of water?"
Yu Kim gave him an odd look. Did he come all the way just to drink some water? She didn"t voice out her suspicion and unlocked the door, asking him to follow her.
While Yu Kim went to fetch some water for him, Li Qiao settled himself on the couch. After giving the gla.s.s of water, Yu Kim took a seat on a single-seat sofa. Looking at her waiting for him to finish the water, Li Qiao drank it in slow motion.
It was now or never kind of situation for him. Why? Because he knew if he left without saying anything today, he really won"t be able to say it ever again.
"Kim!" Li Qiao called her first name softly taking her by surprise.
"Yes, Sir?" She answered in a daze.
He pursed his lips and pulled out a ring from inside his wallet. Yu Kim stared at that platinum ring with a heavy heart. Although it was a beautifully designed ring, she still hated that ring because of the significance it held. She knew he"s been carrying that ring with himself for years and when someone asked him who is it for? He had replied with, "Someone I love the most in this world."
He flipped the ring in his hand and asked, "Do you know what this ring is?"
"You"ve never told me. How would I know?" She tried her best to sound polite but she still couldn"t hide her jealousy.
"It"s for the girl I wanted to marry for a long time now." Li Qiao chose to ignore the fact that she was fuming just by seeing the ring. "Oh, right! I never really told you about the girl I love. Did I?"
"Do you think I want to know? Isn"t it enough that you can"t see my love for you? Why do you have to break my heart by being this ruthless?" She was feeling indignant but she still managed to say politely, "No, you haven"t."
Li Qiao smiled a bit seeing her biting her nails. She always did that when she was really mad at something. "Ah, I really wanted to tell her how I feel about her but then again, I thought my words might not justify my feelings for her."
"Is she that amazing? How is she so amazing that you can"t even find words to describe her?" She bit her nails even more fiercely.
Li Qiao stared at the ring in his hand and continued, "The moment I met her and she smiled at me bashfully, I knew I was in deep trouble. Whenever I saw her smile, the sky... No, no, I mean the whole world seemed to have lit up. The way her dewy eyes accentuated her beauty made me breathless." He inhaled a cold sigh as he added, "Being in love is quite weird, right? I always felt giddy whenever I caught her staring at me through the crowd." He smiled at the memory as he went on, "And at being caught, she"d always smile back in embarra.s.sment.
Listening to such sweet words, Yu Kim had the urge to cry. "Why couldn"t he use such sweet words for me?"
"I fell in love with her without even realizing it. She is bossy and domineering but I never really mind when she chided me as if it was her right to do so. When she chose this ring, I just felt it in my heart that it was meant just for her." He could see her face getting paler as her body trembled. "Anyways, I came here for your suggestion." Yu Kim suddenly quirked her brow inquiringly. "I"m planning on proposing her and making her mine. What do you think I should do?"
That was the last blow to her heart. Yu Kim felt her heartbeat getting disoriented and she had to take deep breaths. "Marriage? Until today, she was just in his heart and it hurt me this much. How will I survive if she actually came to stay right beside him? Wuwu... It"s harder than I thought it"d be." She was crying inwardly but she still had to show him a congratulatory smile.
"How can I be of help, sir?" It took every ounce of her dignity to ask such a simple question.
"Do you think I should get on one knee to propose?" Li Qiao stared straight at her face trying to intimidate her.
"Every girl likes that. I"m sure, she won"t be any different." Yu Kim clenched her fists where he couldn"t see them.
"Hmm..." Li Qiao hummed to respond and got down from his couch to get on his one knee right before the couch where she was sitting. "Let me check something." Saying this, he held her small hand and put the ring on saying, "Wow, it fits perfectly."
"It does..." Yu Kim agreed as her heart felt like drowning in the abyss of sadness.
Li Qiao turned her hand a bit to examine it as he remarked, "It even looks good in your hand."
"It really does..." Yu Kim couldn"t help but say since the ring really looked like it was hand-made just for her. Her fair delicate hand complimented the platinum ring perfectly.
Li Qiao lowered his head to hide the smile that had bloomed on his face, seeing her turning sour with each pa.s.sing minute. "Do you think she"ll say yes when I"ll put it on her finger?" He asked with his eyes staring into hers.
Yu Kim averted her eyes away as they stung with tears threatening to fall. Her throat burned as she felt choked up. "Who would say no to Mr. Li Qiao? I"m sure she"ll say yes."
Li Qiao pinched her chin making her face him but she didn"t lift her eyes until he asked, "So, should I take this as your "yes"?"
Yu Kim was stunned as she lifted her eyes to look at his face with a perplexed expression. "Huh?"
"You said, she"ll say yes when I put it on her finger. I just did and now, I"m asking; is it your "yes"?" Yu Kim felt like her mind was playing tricks with her. She must be really desperate to hear these words from him otherwise why would she mistake this as him proposing her?
"Haha..." She laughed awkwardly as she said, "You almost got me."
Li Qiao rolled his eyes at her slow-witted reaction and his hand went on the back of her head as he pulled her face closer to himself. Only about a few inches away from each other, he whispered, "Have I ever been a humorous person?" Before she could answer, her lips were sealed by his in an overwhelming kiss.