One year.

Twelve long months of bittersweet embraces and stolen kisses.

It was a night for celebration but her heart was heavy. She mustered a smile on her face as she stood in front of the mirror. She wore a midnight blue dress ending just above her knees. On her feet was a pair of silver sandals, her hair falling on her back in soft waves styled in a half ponytail. Her cheeks were a healthy blush and her skin glowed.

Her eyes were a different story. She knew how the night would end. It pained her to do so but she was left with no option.

She would hurt him.

And when tomorrow comes, she would bleed but she would welcome the pain.

A car honked outside. He had arrived. She went down the stairs, walking carefully, head held high. The door opened and he came inside. It was ironic how he had access to all. He even had his own spare key to her apartment.

She gave him her all.

"Ga Eul-ah", he said, his voice a man stunned from the beauty that was her.

"Yi Jeong", she uttered his name, her lips quivering from the effort to smile.

"You look beautiful tonight." He took her in his arms as he bent his head low to capture her lips in a sweet kiss.

His forehead leaned on hers, his eyes looking at hers with so much love.

'Is that what you're really feeling for me Yi Jeong?', she implored to herself knowing she would never get an answer.

They rode the car in silence. She couldn't help but feel helpless as he reached out his hand to hold hers, the other on the steering wheel. He brought her hand to his lips to give it a chaste kiss. She smiled at him.

She would treasure tonight and store it away in the recesses of her mind, unblemished.

They arrived at the hotel and together they walked to the restaurant, his arms wrapped around her waist protectively. All throughout the night, his eyes were only on hers. His mobile phone was switched off as he wanted no one to disturb them. This was the woman who had ensnared his heart, the woman who had taught him that it was okay to let go.

She looked at him, her eyes desperately memorizing every detail from his warm eyes to his heart breaking smile.

He cut his meat with precision, his hands, long and straight. He chewed slowly, his mouth that of a connoisseur. He cut her steak for her, feeding her every now and then, stealing little bits and pieces from her plate. She laughed and let go. She wanted this happiness to last. Refusing to let the bleak future mar the night.

He watched her sip her wine, her lips cherry red. He wanted to taste the wine on her lips. He watched as her hands held the stem of the glass daintly. The whiteness of her throat was displayed as she drank the liquid. Her skirt hiked as she sat beside him. He drank his wine, his blood hot, lust raging in his veins. This need for her was overwhelming him but it was something he now wanted to accept. He reveled in its grasp.

She was beautiful and she was his.

How ironic that he wanted to push her at first, denying the feelings that stirred within him. He denied until he could take it no longer. Funny how now he was admitting it. He grinned to himself as he looked at her, his dimples visible?

"What?", she asked him, noticing that he was looking at her as if wanting to devour her.

He laughed softly at her, moving his head from side to side indicating it was nothing to concern herself about.

He could feel her smooth legs beside him, stirring feelings he has gotten used to ever since they got together. She was a grown woman, curves and all. She was no longer the cute little high school girl he met years ago. She was a woman and he was only a man tied to his desires.

And he desired her.

He wanted her not because he wanted to make her his conquest but because he wanted to be as close as he could get to the woman who was now a part of him. It was the feeling of possessiveness and so much more. This feeling that was eating up his entire being. Perhaps it was the emotion he was trying to avoid ever since his first brush of it many many years ago with that one person who broke his heart.

He took her hand, leading her outside to the parked car after the dinner they shared. He drove effortlessly despite one of her hands in his grasp letting go only when he had to. They arrived at a small quaint italian ice cream shop they frequented. He knew she liked ice cream and he had grown to love the treat as well. He bought three scoops for her and for him refusing to let her pay for it. She wasn't the type that wanted him spending for her but he was chivalrous and he would not let her pay a single penny.

"I never thought we could last this long.", she said as they sat on the bench in the park beside the shop. His eyes stared straight ahead, reminsicing the memories that only she alone could bring up.

"I thought you would've been tired of me already seeing as how there are so many women flocking around you.. And..", she stumbled on her words, her mouth refusing to say the other woman's name.

"Hush", he said, placing his finger on her lips.

"Tonight is our night.", he intoned.

He shivered as he felt her breath on his finger, bringing out feelings he was trying to control. She bestowed a kiss on that finger as he stared in wonder at this woman that had so changed his views on the world. He took her face in one hand and kissed her softly on her forehead.

They finished their ice cream in silence, taking their time to watch the stars in the sky. They talked about the past: Jandi, Junpyo, his estranged brother, Jihoo, and Wonbin. They avoided talking about things that they know would only ruin the night for them.

"How is Jun Pyo holding up?", she asked him. Jun Pyo was halfway across the globe taking care of some business matters. Yes. Goo Jun Pyo has now taken over the Shinhwa group of companies and she knew that Jan Di was missing him each time he had to go to one of his business trips across the globe.

"He's holding up fine, I think.", he said. "Though he mops around sometimes. It's your friend's fault. She refuses to accompany him."

"Are you crazy?", she said. "She has a job here. She can't just leave anytime she wants to, considering the number of times Jun Pyo needs to go travel."

He himself has just came back from Australia after staying there for three days to settle some ruins that were rumored to contain a few Korean treasures. He met up with Jun Pyo who has been there since a week or so ago.

She was again reminded by the gap between them. Silence ensued.

She felt the heaviness in her eyes, her heart in pain. This is how it has always been. She was standing on eggshells. Each thing that she would say, she had to think carefully otherwise there would be consequences to pay.

She wanted to be open to him and she wanted the same honesty with him too. She wanted to tell the world that she was with him but she couldn't. It took her so long to finally free herself.

She hated what she had become because of their relationship but she can't find it in her heart to hate him too because she was a woman in would not come easy and she was willing to pay the price so that he could have his happiness. It was not her right to chain him to her.

She could feel the raindrops on her head as the rain started to fall on them. He noticed it and hurriedly grabbed her hand, despite the ice cream to bring them to the safety of his car. The rain fell in heavy drops as if the heavens were crying. She ran with him, the moment, to be remembered forever.

She suddenly stopped, jolting him from his run. She touched her cheeks, feeling the moisture in them.

She knew.

It wasn't just the rain.

"Ga Eul?", he turned to her, his face looking at her worriedly. She would get sick if they stayed outside in the rain for long. And as if she broken from her trance she looked at him, shaking her head, she came closer to him to wrap her arms around him.

Under the crying sky with the stars as their witness, Yi Jeong could no longer hold it in. He had to have a taste of her before he started going crazy. He tilted her head up to welcome his lips as they came crashing down on hers. She tasted sweet and he was intoxicated.

He nipped her lips lightly, toying. He ran his tongue in between her lips, coaxing her to open up to him. Her tongue snaked out to play with his. She moaned softly and the sound rang in his ears. He growled and like a possessed being kissed her long and hard. He wanted to devour her completely but here and now was just not the right place. But he couldn't stop. His hand cupped her nape to keep her in place as he kissed her open-mouthed.

She felt her knees go weak at his assault. "Let's go Yi Jeong-ah", she said and proceeded to drag him with her running in the rain to the car that would take them to Yi Jeong's penthouse. They entered the car, their clothes dripping wet. Ga Eul knew he kept a duffel bag at the back seat of his car where hand towels would be at. She reached for the bag in the backseat, fishing for the pristine expensive towel.

Yi Jeong stared at her and his breath quickened. Ga Eul had finally grown up. He could see the outline of her breasts from the blue material that clung tightly to her skin. He could see her fair skin and he wanted to run his tongue, wanting to taste.

His pulse quickened and he could feel his blood raging.

She was attractive and he couldn't help but stare. The short dress plastered to the tops of her thighs enticing him.

She looked at him and her breath lodged in her throat at the way he was looking at her. She could see his hunger, his need far more than what she was accustomed to. He had always respected her. Yes they kissed but he was always careful with her as if she was a fragile doll that would break at a single touch. They touched and kissed yes but this intensity in his eyes was something so new to her.

She shivered.

And it wasn't from the cold.