Wicked Fate

THIRTYFOURTH CHAPTER

A hard habit to break

Driving on his way to Dara's house, Ji immediately stepped on the breaks when he saw "his date" in sweats running towards the direction of the beach. He was planning for a romantic formal dinner and to find Dara in sweats while he had taken pains to groom himself to look decent enough for a five-star restaurant baffled him.

"What the?!?"

He immediately maneuvered his car towards Dara and saw her eyes widen in surprise the minute she realized it was him. She stopped jogging and waited for him to come down the car.

"Dr. Kwon", she uttered, catching her breath.

"Nurse Park", he greeted formally – as was both their habit, his eyes taking in her flushed face, "I asked you out for a date."

The redness on her face went up another notch and he watched as she grasped for words. "I – I"

"You don't want to go out?", he tried to supplement – more concerned by the seeming onslaught of her stuttering fit rather than feeling disappointed. Was something going on? Why was she jogging?

Dara took a deep breath to steady herself and looked at him apologetically. "Would you be very angry...", she finally began, "... if I told you that I wasn't really sure if I said yes or no?"

Ji felt his heart race up at how her eyes looked straight into him – as though she was not only apologizing but trying to probe into his soul – it was disconcerting and... awkwardly sexy... and what he was thinking was totally inappropriate given the vow he had made with himself tonight about being a "good" boy.

"No", he dragged from his insides, trying to level the effect she had on him, "I won't be angry."

"So I said yes?", she clarified, really bothered by missing out on her answer to his request. Obviously, she has been thinking about this matter for quite some time now. How could she have forgotten this?

He smiled at her, understanding that she didn't mean to be unsure about the answer she had given him when he asked her this morning but had, sadly, forgotten about it. For whatever reason he cannot make out. "Yes you did", he answered.

"Oh no!", she exclaimed in horror and it was then that he saw her take a good look at him from head to toe – affirming to herself that he was looking his best while she was sorely underdressed, "I'm so sorry... sorry."

He reached out to put a hand on her... shoulders – trying not to let his hands roam somewhere else. "It's ok."

"It is?"

"No... not really", he answered with a smile, unable to help himself, as the beginnings of a frown furried her brows, "I was looking forward to a night with you in a little black dress." Dara's frown turned into surprise as he took off his dinner jacket and loosened his tie, "I've been thinking about making this too formal because I was gunning for a really good impression, but I guess I'd forgotten..."

"Forgotten what?"

"That all I want is to be with you so it doesn't matter where it is", he answered and took her hand, "Come with me."

"In only this?!?"

He laughed at her popping eyes "Do you want to take that off?", he asked playfully, "We wouldn't be able to go anywhere if you do."

Rolling her eyes as he noted how she had recovered from the initial surprise and was now going back to her "fight" mode, she pursed her mouth at him. "Are you being coy with me?"