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.

His beautiful heart. I wanted to know everything that was inside there.

Staring up into his eyes. There was so much around us, so many people moving. Loud noises, chattering. But, I only heard the music. His heart was silently beating in here, and that was my music, too.

He was my daydream. And what a beautiful daydream he was.

"Um," he said. I leaned in closer, hearing him. He was speaking quietly. He smiled at me, and I was smiling back. Matching him. Wanting to, but what a sincere smile was on my face. He had me until the end of time with that smile, everything about him. "Um, I wanted to say..."

I nodded, encouraging him. Maybe, learning more about him would start now. I was eager to.

"Um, I wanted to say." He was shy, just like always. My arms squeezed him harder, showing him how much I adored him. He smiled more at this. "You've introduced me to so much. I don't know how I could ever tell you how grateful I am. Just over a month ago, I had no idea any of this existed, but you showed it to me. You were like the white rabbit from Alice in Wonderland. Um, my white rabbit."

I let out a small adoring noise, thinking about that. Trying to take in the enormity of it, but he wasn't done. Not by far. I wanted to listen to him all night. Getting just what I'd wanted. His side of the story.

"We've gone through so much together, and I know we're going to experience even more. Um, I want to. I really want to."

We'd stopped dancing, standing there together, just in an embrace now that we weren't dancing. Holding each other. All around us, the voices were lifting. Singing the song about sweet love. 

"You're the most amazing person I've ever met," he went on. "I can't fathom how amazing you are. You're cute and innocent, but also the smartest person I've ever met. The bravest. I'm always impressed by you. How you lead everyone. Do you know how amazing you are?"

My mouth was slightly open. Taking this in. What he thought of me. My breaths were coming quicker, my heart starting to pound at what he was saying. His words about me, his sincerity on his face. Those eyes, showing me his deep truth.

"You're the most beautiful person. Inside and out. When I first met you in the darkness that morning, I couldn't even see you fully. But, I knew you were beautiful. I had to follow you. I'd never felt that way about someone before. It's like it was meant to be. I'd met my destiny, and I don't think it was by chance. I was put there for some reason, and when I found you I knew why."

The tears in my eyes were making all the crystals around us sparkle and glitter. Making him look so beautiful. Glowing around him, shining around him.

"You changed my life," he said, his voice getting quieter, more shy. "You transformed it. There aren't any words I can say that would ever express how I feel about you. I followed you to French Cup, and you showed me so many things. You showed me how to make chocolate. I never would have thought I'd have a passion for it, but I do. I know I was meant to help you make chocolate. You've helped me so much. So, now I'm helping you. Oh, I'm babbling..."

Staring into his beautiful eyes as they were locked onto mine. Telling me these most beautiful things. How much I wanted to tell him the same. How precious he is, how special. Wanting to tell him, to begin to. Everything I'd wanted to tell him, planning to tell him in the future, but now he was saying these things to me. 

"You taught me how to make coffee. I'm not good at it yet. I don't even like coffee-"

The warm heat of his lips made my breath catch. Diving into this, head first. Everything I'd wanted to do since I'd met him. Interrupting his words, but there were no words that we'd need. Breathing out as I pressed my lips to his, their moisture, this shape, my whole universe. Feeling all of him. They pressed against mine, growing hungrier. They parted slightly, and I only went deeper. Needing all of him. All of him. His breath on my face, his small sounds. The sounds of this, my everything. I didn't need anything else.

His hands slid up my body, as my hands met the sides of his face. Feeling his cheeks moving as he kissed me, exploring him this way. Searching, this passion he had for me. All of his words were right here. No need to say any more. If he just kissed me like this, I'd know it all. And he'd know everything about me, too.

My hand met his soft hair as the other played on his neck gently. The slowness of his lips, taking me in, finding out more about me. His arms around my upper back, holding me close. How much we both wanted this. His love was bare, and I was taking it into my heart. Guarding it. He'd never have to be alone again. We were as one, finally as one. No need to say "I love you". With this kiss, I knew already. His refusal to end it was all the answer I needed.

As we parted, I gazed up at him. His face was a dumbfounded one, but it was just like him. My shy boy. No doubt, I must have looked similar. But, we were in it together. 

I breathed in, so deep. Sighing in my feelings for him. My passion. I felt him breathe in, too. Recovering from the kiss, but oh he was in for another one. Right after this.

"I love you," I told him with all of myself. Everything inside of my own heart, releasing every piece of it. Giving it to him, because there was no doubt in my mind that he'd protect it. There was every certainty inside and now on the outside: I loved him. I'd never loved anyone or anything more. I'd go anywhere with him. He was my family, my home. My sweet, sweet home.

"I love you, too," he answered, and oh his eyes were shining. Filling up, but so were mine. 

As the last strains of the song around us resounded up into the atmosphere, I held his beautiful face in my hands. This precious man I love. My dream, my everything. And he took me into the most gorgeous, long, magical kiss that there ever was.

What a wonderful future we'd have together, making our home. Our beautiful home, of French Cup. 

                                                                                       ~The End~