Second Chance at Love

Chapter Forty-Two

"Don't leave me, Rielle; I am still so much in Love with you. We're back together, right, Rielle?"

The following morning came, and Rielle prepared to go for breakfast. She wore ripped jeans and rolled sleeves light blue blouse, which she tucked in the front of her blouse. She sat by the glass wall and read the menu when the waiter offered her a plate of green salad (her favorite dish) and a plate of frittata, roasted sweet potatoes, and chorizo hash, accompanied with yogurt. Rielle was surprised by the breakfast she served, and the waiter again said, "On the house, ma'am." Then Hyun-Ki walked across a table not too far from her, holding his cup of coffee and a newspaper. He sat facing Rielle but at a distance and nodded to her raising his cup. He was pretending to read the newspaper but looking at Rielle, hiding his face behind the newspaper. Rielle finished her meal a bit longer and walked straight to the path near the waterfalls. A man wearing a security uniform was somehow tracing her path inconspicuously so as not to threaten her presence. When she turned to another area, another uniformed man was again around the vicinity. From the looks of it, she thought that she was like a celebrity surrounded by bodyguards ready to protect her when in a threat. Hiding her smile with a hint of humor, she walked past them as if ignorant of what these men were doing. She thought Hyun-Ki must have instructed them to watch her so no man would come near her, just like the incident two days ago. And she was happily grateful for what Hyun-Ki was doing.

She was walking along the poolside, and only a few people were around, either swimming or lying on the pool couches. She thought the pool was inviting, so she returned to her room and changed into a swimsuit. She had the swimsuit Hyun-Ki bought in Cebu, so she decided to wear it again, then wrapped her body with the sarong and put on her sunglasses. She sat on the pool couch, rubbed herself with the sunscreen lotion, and then lay there to bask under the sun's morning rays. After an hour, she decided to sit by the pool and dipped her feet in the water. While doing this, she saw Hyun-ki in a swimming trunk, standing by the pool and looking at the water, then dived in.

Rielle looked at Hyun-Ki and could not avoid admiring his lean sexy body. She was thinking how he missed him, his gentleness and warmth as he held her close to him, and while at a loss in her imagination, she was pushed accidentally by a toddler who was playfully running around, and Rielle panicked. She was flailing her arms above the water when Hyun-Ki saw her helplessly panicking. A lifeguard was about to run to her and dive when Hyun-Ki got hold of her and brought her up to the poolside. Hyun-Ki held her close and was about to renew her when she suddenly coughed out some water that entered her lungs during her panic.

Rielle was in tears because of her fear in the water, drowning and panicking trying to save herself, and the shame she felt because of her situation in the water. Hyun-Ki kept her in his arms and raised her to bring her away from the pool. He led her to the pool couch when the toddler with his mom came near Rielle, apologizing to her. Rielle smiled sweetly at the boy and brushed his hair, assuring him she was all right.

"Look at me. I'm okay now, so no worries, okay? If not for this handsome man, I could have drowned!" Rielle held Hyun-Ki's hand as he pointed him to the toddler. Hyun-Ki was thrilled when Rielle held his hand.

"She's all right now. Next time don't be so close to the pool because you might also fall in there, okay?" Hyun-Ki held the toddler on his lap to assure him, then let him go. He gazed back at Rielle with a gentle, concerned look.

"I want to return to my room, Hyun," Rielle requested to Hyun-Ki. He gladly and gently held her around in his arms as he assisted her in ascending the stairs. Hyun-Ki unlocked her door, stood there, and watched while Rielle got inside her room.

"Are you all right, now, Rielle? I mean, I won't leave if you still need me." Hyun-Ki said while feeling concerned about Rielle's condition. Rielle held his hands, walked back, pulled him to get inside the room, closed the door, and stared closely at each other; Rielle spoke meekly, "Would you like to leave me, Hyun?" Hyun-Ki felt a flutter inside him; his heart was like a drum beating a thousand beats. He brushed Rielle's hair with his fingers, then touched Rielle's face, and lifting her chin, he slowly moved his lips to hers, and once their lips touched, he opened his mouth a little to Rielle's mouth, gently and slowly, as if it was their first time to kiss. Hyun-Ki pulled Rielle close to him, and Rielle submissively entangled her arms around him.

They kissed longer, feeling those emotions that wrapped them together, then Hyun-Ki whispered, "Don't leave me, Rielle; I am still so much in Love with you. We're back together, right, Rielle?" Rielle replied, "Even when I deny how I feel for you, Hyun, I can never escape from the truth that yes, I am still in Love with you. I love you, too, Hyun." Hyun-Ki's feeling was so high he could never imagine; it was like he was on top of the world.

They embraced tighter, not wanting to let go; both felt so emotional they couldn't keep their tears from falling, consumed by their intense Love for one another.

In the early morning of Rielle's third day at the resort, she was packing her things for her return to the city. Her vacation was over, but she felt renewed, and her feeling of bliss was all over her now that she and Hyun-Ki were back in each other's arms again. She was also anxious about how her new chosen field of work will turn out, thinking if she had made the right decision. Will she last as a simple bank teller if she was lucky to be hired as one, or will she go back to her usual line of work as a secretary or as an Executive Assistant to the CEO? She was too focused on thinking about her new preferences when a knock on her door came.

Hyun-Ki was leaning against the wall by Rielle's room, texting on his cell phone, when a bellboy knocked to carry her things to the waiting van. Rielle saw beside Hyun-ki his travel bag. "Are you leaving now, Love? I thought you'll stay on for another week?" asked Rielle curiously. "Yes, I'm leaving with you. I cannot stay on because I have no reason to." Hyun-Ki held her chin. "I'd only miss you, and I don't want to feel lonely." Hyun-Ki gazed at her eyes filled with rapture that made her heart race with a deeper meaning, like saying, 'I can't live without you, too.'

While descending the stairs, Benny and his wife, Sophia, were waiting for them. Sophia was holding a bag of souvenirs for Rielle to bring home. She kissed Sophia on the cheek, and Benny would like a kiss too, but Hyun fenced his arm on his face laughing. "Your wife is here, and you still want a kiss from Rielle?" teased Hyun. Benny scratched his head, frowning. "What is bad about getting a kiss on the cheek, ha-ha-ha!" Benny chuckled.

Hyun-Ki clutches Rielle's hand with a thrill of overwhelming emotion as they get in the van, and until they are on the plane, Hyun-Ki doesn't want to lose his grip on Rielle. The lovers were like a new married couple coming from their honeymoon, and they couldn't stop staring at each other. Then out of the blue, Hyun-Ki asked Rielle, "Where are you applying at, Sweetheart?" he was very eager to know.

"I'll let you know once I get the job; Love, okay?" Rielle said, and to stop him from asking more questions; she closed her eyes as if to take a nap.

After a few hours of air flight, Junie was surprised to see Rielle with Hyun-Ki, and as he looked at his boss, he never had seen him so happy and gratified.

"Where to now, Sir? Are we going straight to your condo?" Hyun-Ki felt annoyed with Junie's question. He avoided the term 'condo' because everything was in disarray when he turned berserk after his quarrel with Rielle.

"Let us bring Rielle home first, Junie; she's exhausted." Hyun-Ki worried because once Rielle found out what happened to his condo, Rielle might get upset.

A few hours later, Mrs. Calma was on the patio and was about to go inside the house when she heard the sound of a car stopping in front of her gate. She was hesitant at first because she wanted to be sure, so Mrs. Calma waited for the doorbell to ring, and when it did, she moved fast, thinking it could be Rielle. And much to her surprise, Hyun-Ki was in front of her with Rielle behind him. "Surprise, mom!" Rielle hugged her mom, misty-eyed, knowing how her mom felt about Hyun-Ki.

"Oh my God, Hyun-Ki! You're back." was all she could say, and Hyun-Ki hugged Mrs. Calma gently. "Yes, ma'am, Rielle and I already settled our differences, and we're very much okay now," Hyun-Ki explained joyfully.

That evening, after Hyun-Ki left, Rielle and her mom rested on the sofa. Rielle was wrapped in her mom's embrace, recounting the peculiar but funny encounter she and Hyun-Ki had, which led them back into each other's arms.

"So now, my dear, does it mean you're back as Hyun-Ki's Executive Assistant?" Mrs. Calma asked curiously. Rielle thought for a bit, then spoke. "No, mom, we talked about it already, and he somewhat agreed to my decision. He told me he won't hire an EA anymore because that was mine, and he said no one can take my place." Both were quiet for a while then Rielle continued. "I'll work in a field where I could be happy, Hyun-Ki agreed, and he said, whatever makes me happy, he'll be there to support me."

Her sisters, Donna and Zia, were so glad to see her back home, and they couldn't believe it when Rielle told them that she and Hyun-Ki had reconciled. Donna remembered a letter that Attorney Drew gave her; the letter was for Rielle.

"Drew gave that to me a few minutes ago while driving me home." Donna smiled with a glint of joy in her expression.

"Drew? You're going out with him, sis?" asked Rielle, grinning. "Since when?"

"He started picking me up from work after you introduced us two weeks ago, and it became his habit of inviting me to dinner before bringing me home." She beamed.

"I knew it! I saw that sparkle in his eyes when he gazed at you. I felt he had finally found his girl, and it was you, Donna. Look at that. Finally, you found yourself a man!" Rielle grinned from ear to ear.

"So, I'm left here still single since birth!" Zia said teasingly, and all of them comforted her. Then Rielle remembered the letter, so she immediately opened it, anxious about what it said there. She jumped with joy when she came for a final interview tomorrow for the position of bank telling.

Rielle called Hyun-Ki over the phone, telling him of her final interview.

"I'm glad about your news, Sweetheart. What time is your interview?" asked Hyun-Ki with a sad tone. "I should be there around 9 am." Replied Rielle. "I'll be there to pick you up rather than taking a cab so that you won't be late," Hyun-Ki said. "O-o-oh Hyun-Ki, what was that tone? You sounded dejected---please be happy for me, ha?" Rielle was trying to soothe Hyun-Ki with her tender voice.

The following day, Rielle wore corporate attire to look like she'll fit in as a bank teller but at the same time had mixed feeling about her interview. Hyun-Ki arrives to fetch Rielle to bring her to the bank she has a discussion. Hyun-Ki was giving her a sticky stare while clasping her palm.

"Whatever be the turn-out of your interview, Rielle, let me know; okay, Sweetheart?" Hyun-Ki was looking at her with a tinge of glum on his face. "Please, Hyun, be happy for me, ha?" pleaded Rielle. "Let me know, Rielle, okay? Let me pick you up when you finish the interview, no matter what time that could be." Hyun-Ki assured Rielle.