Arya was still dumbfounded at that moment. Everything was moving too fast. It was like a roller coaster ride. All she wanted to do right now, was to call Kay and laugh out hard like a crazy person, but she was still with Ryu.
"Why are you so quiet?" Ryu asked.
"It didn’t dawn on me yet," she murmured while she looked at her hand that was still held by Ryu, as they walked around the park. He was quite fast with touches.
Ryu laughed, then suddenly stopped and looked at her. "Do you want me to help you? So, being my real girlfriend dawn on you?" He said teasingly.
Arya got what he was trying to imply, so she immediately reacted and said, "Hey, what is this, sealing a statement with a kiss? You did not even ask me. You just said ’Arya I want you to be my girlfriend for real’."
Ryu grinned and said, "Sorry, but I’m not used to asking. Whenever I want something I make sure I get it."
’What is this? He did not even blink while he said the words.’ Arya thought inwardly and she was irritated.
"You’re the most brazen, arrogant, most direct man I’ve ever met in my whole life." She blurted out while her face crumpled.
"I just heard what I wanted to know," Ryu said as he shrugged his shoulders.
Arya wanted to say the words: ’I don’t want to.’ or ’In your dreams.’ But it was unwise to do so. She was almost there, a few more steps to complete the job. Circumstances were helping her. It was like ill fate.
But still, she asked, "What if I don’t want to be your girlfriend?"
Ryu sighed deeply and looked into her eyes.
"Please, don’t ask me to woo you first. Can we spare wasting our energy and time on that, because I really don’t believe in wooing thing? That’s just for puppy teenagers, it’s a phony, where both sides will just show their best to get on the good side of others." Ryu was frowning as he explained his thoughts.
Arya raised an eyebrow, "I did not mean you to court me. What I meant was that I don’t want to be in a relationship with you."
Ryu just looked at her intently, "Do you hate me?"
Arya just shook her head as an answer. Ryu smiled and said, "Then, it’s settled. We are officially in a relationship from now on."
"But I don’t want..." Again, Arya’s words of protest were silenced by Ryu’s lips.
This time, the kiss was intense and deeper. Unconsciously, Arya closed her eyes and her knees suddenly weakened. Ryu must have felt that because she felt his arm quickly encircle her waist while his hand supported her nape.
She was so consumed by the kiss that unknowingly she was kissing him back as her arms encircled his neck.
She was not sure if it was his way of kissing, or it was purely just him, but Arya was almost drowning with the new feeling that Ryu was immersing in her.
Her eyes were still closed when Ryu released her lips. He chuckled and said, "Your lips don’t lie." He was grinning with pleasure when he noticed Arya’s face blush out of embarrassment.
Arya, on the other hand, wanted to smack her own lips for betraying her. Ryu pinched her nose, then released her and locked her palm with his once more. "Let’s have our first date here," Ryu announced. Arya just remained speechless as she lacked words because of embarrassment.
Ryu made a call on his mobile and in just minutes a picnic set-up was arranged with various Japanese dishes, from savory eats to sweet treats.
’Yozakura’ that was their term for cherry blossom at night. The paper lanterns and lights gave off an ethereal glow for the blossom, adding a romantic ambiance on their night picnic.
’He’s definitely a hustler. He is very good at treating a girl,’ she thought inwardly as she observed Ryu. He acted like a good boyfriend who took care of his girlfriend. He was very caring. He even fed her some of her favorite food.
Arya couldn’t help but exclaim, "You’re so good at this, such a playboy."
Ryu just laughed and answered, "Hey, don’t judge me yet. I’m not usually kind. You’re just lucky that I had my eyes on you."
Arya pouted her lips as she thought to herself, ’Yeah, I am so lucky and doomed at the same time.’
They were sitting beside each other and enjoying the flowering cherry blossom trees. Ryu poured her some sake. It was a truly relaxing time. For the first time in her life, Arya enjoyed a night, just being with someone.
She was not worthy of his nice treatment at all and she was feeling guilty right now.
’Should I tell him my situation, should I confess everything? How would he react? What would he do? What if the impact would be negative? Was she willing to take that risk for Ryu? How about her family then?’
There were lots of things to consider.
Then, her mobile phone rang and it was her Mom.
"It’s my Mom," She said to Ryu before she excused herself to take the call.