Vengeful Desires

28-

Years ago

Hyun-woo closed one eye and raised his thumb to cover the moon, a playful grin tugging at the corners of his mouth.

Amirah looked up at him, taking in his side profile as she watched a small smile flicker across his lips.

"Do I look that good?" he asked, turning to meet her eyes eventually.

Amirah scoffed softly and folded her arms across her chest, her full Afro puffs swaying gently in the evening breeze as she turned her head away towards the lapping waves.

"Whatever," she muttered under her breath, fighting to suppress a smile of her own.

Hyun-woo chuckled warmly, as he began strolling backwards - hands tucked casually into the pockets of his impeccably tailored slacks.

"Why?" His full lips curved into a devastating grin as intense eyes danced with impish delight. "Is it really that hard for you to just admit you adore me?"

Lifting her chin fractionally, she pointed one finger towards nothing directly in Hyun-woo's trajectory.

"You're going to hit something if you keep walking like that," she teased.

Rather than heed her warning, Hyun-woo simply angled his body infinitesimally closer - leaning down to better meet her upturned gaze as the smile curving his mouth kicked up another rakish notch.

"Is that really what you're worried about right now?" he murmured, voice dropping to a lower register that somehow managed to caress every syllable as his gaze dropped meaningfully to her lips. "Or is this just...a diversion? Hmm?"

Amirah felt her face warming treacherously as she struggled to maintain her composure. Heart thundering in her ears.

"I...w-we should..." she stammered, reflexively gesturing towards the parking lot where his car was visible. "Maybe we should just go to the store, hm?"

Not waiting for him to respond, Amirah began striding towards the vehicle. She could feel the heat of Hyun-woo's gaze lingering on her retreating form like a physical caress.

Only once she'd settled herself into the passenger seat did she dare glance over to find him still standing on the boardwalk.

Hyun-woo simply watched her retreating form with undisguised appreciation, hands still tucked lazily into his pockets as another low chuckle rumbled forth.

Then, shaking his head with a softly muttered "Stubborn woman..."

Some time later, as they wandered the brightly lit aisles of the grocery store in a comfortable silence, the quiet was abruptly shattered by a familiar voice calling out across the produce section.

"Oppa! Hyun-woo oppa, is that you?"

He turned to find Soo-jin approaching, the gauzy fabric of her sundress swirling about her calves as she beamed at him in obvious delight. A handsome young man followed half a pace behind, exuding an air of casual entitlement that seemed to emanate from every indolent line of his posture.

Offering Soo-jin a polite nod of acknowledgment, Hyun-woo's gaze drifted briefly to the stranger at her side before sliding towards their cart and the miscellany of items tucked within.

Soo-jin's lips curved in an equally enigmatic smile as she glided closer, eyes drifting briefly towards the cart Hyun-woo gripped with one hand.

"Doing some shopping alone, I see?"

Hyun-woo opened his mouth to respond, only to falter as he scanned their surroundings in search of Amirah's familiar form.

"No, actually I'm here wi—"