French Cup: A Neighborhood Story

Chapter 123: -Kazuya- The Man I Love

Slow songs followed a dance off to the song "Thriller". Seeing Gyeong-Wan dance to it had been an experience that I wanted to see again. To think, he knew those moves. He'd gotten his wish as well, as the ending song to Grease played, the DJ spinning away. We'd sang to that with everybody, and his dimples were so deep as he couldn't stop grinning. I wanted to hold his cheeks, feel his dimples. I did, and he'd turned to me, so shocked. Smiling so gently to me. 

We now danced together to a slow song, my hands still on his cheeks. Adoring him, as his arms were around my waist. We were dancing just like Nikki had said we would. This beautiful power of it, overtaking us. It seemed like a party of only us two, ignoring everyone else now. 

The song "What the World Needs Now" started, and I felt it in my heart. Some people were singing along with it, swinging their glasses. The slow beats of the drum and light tapping of a cymbal, the piano going along gently. People had sang to every song, filling them in. Making them even more special, more personal. 

I was lost in Gyeong-Wan's sweet, puppy dog eyes. Those warm, brown eyes. He was staring into mine. Dancing to song after song, never tired. If this was a dream, should I ever wake up? This dream together, for surely he was real. This was my dream, my daydream, but one I could never have thought of. 

As he spun me slowly, this sweetest of romantic gestures, I sighed in it. Almost floating, like I were in a painting, anything but real life, because this couldn't be real life.

Thinking of that memory that I'd recalled. Dancing with myself on our back patio in early December, how I'd stared up at this hotel. How cold it had seemed, a soldier in the night watching us. Trying to make some kind of order, demanding we be a different way. Missing my friends, wanting those colors to be back, flapping in the wind. The sign that my friends were still there. The romantic lighting in our back patio, the even more romantic music playing. Wishing with all of myself that I wasn't alone.

I'd wanted someone to dance with me. Not just anyone. It had to be someone who truly loved me. True love. I'd wanted a whole life, for a long time. This sweet little bakery I owned, it hadn't felt complete. Something was missing, and I couldn't have guessed how big of a hole there was that needed to be filled. A hole in my heart, needing a puzzle piece to complete it.

As I entered his arms again after the spin, he was staring down at me still. His eyes never left me, only there for me just like those shy ones at the beginning. Always peeking at me, but now he was looking at me full on.

We were here now together. He'd entered my life by chance. My sweet, clumsy boy. But, he wasn't mine yet. 

His hands descended down my back, those strong hands. His fingers, remembering them gripping the knife to cut the chocolate. Teaching him how to do it. His passion for chocolate, just like the first time he'd been interested in it that I'd seen. His fingers scrambling to put back the chocolate boxes that had fallen like dominoes, knocking even more over. Oh, this sweet guy. His sincerity, the beauty in his heart. His pure kindness, his determination and strength. His bravery.

He'd given me everything I'd ever wanted by just being himself. I wanted to tell him that over and over again until he knew it was true. I wanted to tell him so many things. But most of all, I wanted to know all of his stories. There was still so much I didn't know. 

I wanted to start immediately. For so many days, we could be in my kitchen talking. Every day, because French Cup was open every day. It'd never be a long slog, because he would be there talking to me. Learning more about him every day. And I'd learn so much from him, too.

I loved this man. This man I love. All of him. There was nothing I'd sacrifice away about him. Any mistakes, any flaws he thought he had. I'd love them all. I wanted to learn about every single one. I wanted to know him completely.