Paradise (18+ Hyunjin SKZ)

Dinner

Hyunjin leans in to speak low as the waiter steps away from the table.

"Sa-rang, this is the most beautiful restaurant I've ever been to." He looks around the space, noting the wait staff who seem to be standing just within motioning distance, awaiting their call. "But why is it empty?" She giggles a little.

"They aren't actually open tonight, but I know the owner." She smiles across the table. He looks surprised.

"How well do you know him?" he asks, probably not aware of what it sounds like he's implying. She shakes her head.

"She- is a friend of the family." She smirks back at him. He blushes a little embarrassed at the assumption.

"Oh, yes, of course. What family?" he presses further. She arches her eyebrow as she stares back at him, taking a sip off her drink before she decides how to answer.

"I can see that you want more answers. I thought tonight would be about fun," she warns. He back pedals.

"Oh, I don't want to ask you anything you don't feel comfortable answering. But, it's my first date. Our first date. I'd like to get to know you better." He smiles at her and his smile is disarmingly gorgeous. For a moment, she forgets her resolve as she studies the outline of his full lips.

"My family are very wealthy Hyunjin. I think you may have realized this." He nods. "We own a number of properties, and a number of businesses. I don't. I'm just a daughter," she explains.

"But, everyone here seems to treat you like some sort of royalty," he says, looking over at the wait staff who are trying to avoid making eye contact with him. She shakes her head.

"I'm not a princess if that's what you're thinking. Well, not in a blood line sense," she laughs as an idea comes to her. "I want to be here with you, because I really like you, and this week is a sort of gift, where you get to have a first date with a girl, and I get to do what I want without my family making decisions for me." She waits to see how he will react to her declaration. He smiles and nods, realizing this really is OK. He knows enough to feel safe with her. He knows enough to feel free to express his desire for her, and the only thing he really wishes he could change is the fact that this will all come to an end tomorrow when her 'week' she promised him, is up. He swallows hard, just as the waiters come from the kitchen with trays and approach the table.

Several plates are placed in front of them and Hyunjin looks over the delicately arranged food, feeling the hunger inside him growing. This might be the first full meal he's had in days, in between bites of fruit, a half of the breakfast she made, and her, his needs have been satisfied, but he's eager to taste what the chef has prepared just for them. He takes the first bite and feels the intensity of the flavor on his tongue. He almost moans at the taste in his mouth and she smiles up at him, giggling a little.

"Oh this is so good." He digs in as she laughs watching him relish the food. His eyes roll back in his head.

"I've seen that same expression on your face quite a few times this week." She arches her eyebrow suggestively and he laughs, covering his mouth and blushing a little at the meaning behind it. He looks at her, the orange and pink of the beautiful sky splashing colors across her face as her hair blows softly in the gentle breeze. He's struck with an idea. He puts his fork down and raises his camera, cautiously, pointing the lens at her. He watches her reaction very closely as he slowly raises the camera towards his eye. She watches his actions, giving nothing away and as his eyes meet hers they ask for permission. She smiles softly and nods very slightly. He quickly puts the camera to his eye and focuses the image on her face as she drops her eyes for a moment, hesitating. He waits, holding the camera in place. She raises her eyes to him, and he clicks the shutter the instant her eyes meet his through the lens, feeling a jolt of the intensity of her stare. He gasps a little and lowers the camera to smile at her, biting his lip. She fights back a smirk, knowing just what he must be thinking of.

"You should eat before it gets cold," she suggests and he nods obediently and puts the camera aside to return to his meal, but his mind is now somewhere else.

***

As the plates are cleared away, Hyunjin looks over at the setting sun and the beach beyond.

"I'd love to take some pictures of the sunset," he tells her. She nods to a waiter and then rises up from her chair, smiling at him.

"Come with me then," she says as she holds out her hand for him to take. He gets up from the table, taking her hand with his camera in the other and he looks back to see the waitstaff clearing the table. He wonders why no bill has been paid and why no one seems to wonder at where they are going. He steps down from the patio into the warm sand and she bends down to take off her heels. She carries them as she pulls him along on a path that seems to be trailing farther from the restaurant.

"Where are we going?" he asks. She turns and smiles at him, looking as though she's still keeping secrets.

"Just down the beach a little way. You can take pictures along the way if you like," she explains as she leads the way. He raises his camera and takes pictures of the sky as the colors begin to morph and the clouds turn deep red. He swings the lens over to capture her walking away from him on the long trail of the beach, empty of any other person, or any other structure, making it feel very isolated. He turns back to see the restaurant receding into the background as he follows after her. He runs to catch up and he walks beside her.

They've been walking for nearly 10 minutes and he's still unsure where they are going, but, she seems to have a plan and he trusts her. She stops as they near a fenced area oddly positioned in the middle of the beach running from the palm trees lining the shore down to the water. It looks hastily placed, and not permanent.

"Here," she tells him. "It's best if we stay right here," She puts her shoes down not far from the fenced area and she sits down in the sand, reaching her hand up to him. He takes her hand and sits down next to her, putting his camera down, careful to keep the lens out of the sand.

"What are we doing here?" he asks, looking around.

"We are going to watch the sunset, and the moon rise," she tells him.

"But why here, the sunset from the restaurant would have looked the same," he questions. She shakes her head.

"Sometimes Hyunjin, you just have to trust that you can have these once in a lifetime experiences, if you just stop questioning them," she says as she leans over and kisses him.