This Unbreakable Bond : 2 Summer in Seoul (Ch. 11)

     Eli pushed on Val's stomach gently, trying to wake her; she had fallen asleep on his bed, wanting to put his shirt there for him the next day but instead fell asleep with the shirt over her face. It was so cute, even if her legs were halfway hanging off the side.

"Psst...Val...Valerie..."

"Mmmm...go away mom...I'm busy dreaming about Eli..."

"Yea I know, get up. Dream about me later, I need my shirt."

   Val blinked awake, removing the shirt and instantly met with shirtless Eli, standing there tapping his foot. She squeaked and threw a pillow over her head, turning sideways. She could barely handle shirtless Eli when awake.

"Okay, get dressed. In another room. Next door. I won't look. Go."

"Val, chill..." Eli slid in next to her, and she could already tell he still had no shirt on. Against her back, she could feel the rifts in his abs slowly rise and fall. He slid a cold hand around her middle, placing his hand over her belly.

"I've been waiting for this."

   Val was shivering from all the blood rushing to her face, pounding in her head and chest.

"Are you cold?"

"...hands..."

"Oh? My hands? Are they cold?" There was hint of mischief in his voice. "Let me warm them." He instantly put them on her bare stomach with a swift move, and Val combusted.

"GET OFF ME! JESUS!"

"Nah...Its fun torturing you. And it gets you up."

"It gets me something but it sure as hell isn't 'up', Eli Kim."

   Eli exploded with laughter, rolling off of her and putting his shirt on. Meanwhile, Val was screaming on the inside, trying not to melt to death. He poked her butt and she squeaked again.

"I'm dressed now, its safe."

"Its never safe." Val snapped playfully, looking at Eli as he rubbed a hand through his thick black hair. He rolled his eyes and threw her own half of the couple shirt at her.

"Get dressed."

"I'm not pulling your stunt, if that's what you want Eli."

"Why? Jealous?" he smirked, posing.

"Yea, I totally want a solid six pack." Val said sarcastically. "It will really compliment my boobs."

"I could compliment them for you, if you want me to."

"Will you get out so I can dress!?"

"And if I say no?" Eli playfully leaned in, kissing her quickly. She flushed hotter and whacked him. "OUT! OUTOUTOUT!"

--

   Val looked around Gwangjang Marketplace, not knowing where each smell that attacked her nostrils was coming from. There were good scents everywhere; food that was sizzling and barbecuing, fruits with that overripe citrus smell, incense burning somewhere. Val clung to Eli's arm and stared open eyed at everything.

"I hope you're hungry, love."

"ARE YOU KIDDING!?"

"There's so many booths here, I'll let you pick okay?" Eli smiled and ruffled her purple hair. Val looked around and smelled a smoky, rich flavor. She followed her nose to a huge bowl surrounded by people sticking large ladles in and scooping out a yellow broth with strips of meat. Val's stomach growled, and she was about to sit when Eli put a hand on her shoulder.

"Um...Not here."

"Why? It smells freakin DELICIOUS~"

"Its Bosintang..." Eli pointed to a little handwritten sign advertising the stew. Val looked at him until he muttered something almost inaudible.

"...dog."

"...THE HELL!?!??" Val backed up into Eli and grabbed his shirt, eyes wide with disbelief. "You...EAT the poor DOGGIES!? What about Bbo Bbo!? Is he an appetizer!? HUH!?!"

"Love, calm down. There's separate dogs for eating and pets."

"Eli, ITS A DOG. IT COULD BE ANY DOG."

"Okay okay..." Eli was trying to hold his laughter in, leading Val away to another place. "Maybe I will pick them from now on."

"Yea maybe you should."

"I'm going to save the best for last, okay?" He winked at her, putting his arm around her waist and holding her close to him. Val blushed deeply, nodding.

    Hours had passed, and the balance of walking, heat, and food consumption was perfect. Val had been sampling this and that all day, from bitter teas and shaved ice to odd inappropriately shaped ice cream and mysterious meat (luckily none of it had any other purpose than for eating). Val had found some honey cookies that she knew Neko would flip over, and a cat shaped tea kettle for Ama. Alexander, Soohyun, and Hoon had gotten other fresh foods to thank them for their hospitality. Since the market sold other things besides food, Val wanted to look for other random trinkets. She was browsing a basket full of socks before looking up and seeing little silk keychains that sparkled in the sun. The sign was in Japanese.

"Eli, what's that?"

"Hm?" He looked at the sign and studied it. "Oh, that's omamori. We saw those in Japan on our tour. They're little charms that are supposed to be lucky and crap like that."

"I want one."

"Why? They don't work."

"Sh! That's not nice! Hmm..." Val ran off a list of people in her head that she had bought things for so far, then gasped. "Oh! I forgot Jun!"

"You're getting him one of these things?"

"Yeah. See?" She picked up a little pink one. "This one brings love. Maybe it will work."

"Val, that may not be such a good idea right now..." Eli looked serious for once, motioning for her to put the little silk bag down. "Jun is...going through some stuff right now because of love. He may not be ready for that yet."

"What do you mean?"

   Eli sighed. "Jun really liked this girl, she worked in our building. He never EVER stopped talking about her, so we told him one day to fess up and tell her. He asked me, Kevin, and Kiseop, and he tried all of our advice. He found out she was already seeing someone, and then she kinda...did this to his heart." Eli motioned with his foot a grinding, stomping charade.

"No!"

"Yea, rejected him in front of A LOT of people. We saw it too but we didn't say anything."

"Aww..." Val put the bag down, reluctantly. "Poor Jun..."

"We'll find something for him, love. Don't worry. Lets go get that surprise I told you about, hm?" Eli kissed her cheek, but Val's attention was focused on finding something for Jun.

   Eli motioned to a long table and a familiar smell; Ramen.

"Awwww, Eli!!! Its...it was our-"

"-first meal together? Yeah...I can't cook it as great as this place can, I've been DYING to take you. Eat up, Val."

    Val kissed Eli in front of everyone, surrounded by the romantic ambience of dim lights and the sun going down in the distance.

--

   Eli and Val had taken a bus back to the dorms, since both were dead tired, full, and overheated but happy. Val leaned against the window, Eli trying not to nod off as he buried his face in her hair. A familiar sign flickered in the corner of Val's eye that made her jump and squeal: 'Tous Les Jours'

"Eli...ELI!"

"Hm?"

"WE NEED TO GO THERE!"

"Okay. Bus driv-!"

"Shh!" Val put a hand over his mouth. "NO! Not now! Neko and Ama would want to come, they'd kill me if they knew I went without them. Or worse..." Val gasped. "Saw Hyukjae! And then Neko would probably combust and DIE with jealousy. Ama too, especially if Kyu happened to be there. BUT WE NEED TO GO SOON!"

"Okay okay!" Eli chuckled and leaned back in the seat. "I hope you fangirl this much over me, you know. I'm a little jealous."

"Don't be such a baby, Eli." Val teased, grabbing Eli's hand in one of hers. The other grasped a little lucky tassel from the omomori booth, one for love. It had to work. Val was sure of it.