Forbidden Flame: Jeon's Choice

It was a hot summer afternoon on the island of Jeju. The sun beat down in its relentless fury as the humidity hung in the air waiting for a breeze to free it from its prison. I sat on one of the beach chairs, sweating profusely with no one in sight who could be my savior and bring me an ice cold beer.

I was here for my father's birthday party and had to suffer in silence because he forbade me from bringing my girlfriend. He said it would be disrespectful and that I should be ashamed. I couldn't believe it; she was a part of my life since I met her as a child. She took care of me all these years, protected me and loved me, despite the fact that my father didn't approve. He wanted someone who didn't know anything about me to be by my side—someone who knew how to act like a politician's son. Kim wasn't suitable, so he made sure we didn't see each other anymore.

It had been five years since I last saw her and those five years seemed like an eternity. My love for her burned brighter than ever before and I knew I had to do something about it.

She was always there for me and even when I treated her poorly, she never gave up on me. She always wrote me letters knowing I wouldn't respond to them, yet she continued writing them as if saying "I'm still here." But now that I was home again she wasn't here waiting for me—she was hiding from my father's wrath like the good soldier she was. If only she knew how much I needed her right now... but first, I needed to find her.

As soon as I arrive at the hotel where everyone is staying at, I ask some maids if they've seen her around and they point out towards the garden where she often went to read or stare off into space whenever something was bothering her.

I slowly walk down the stone path leading towards the garden when suddenly a hand grabs mine and pulls me behind a big tree that stood just outside of the garden. Kim's face is close to mine and without hesitation, our lips meet in a passionate kiss that seems to last forever until both of us pull away gasping for air. "Five years," she says breathlessly, "it's been five years." She kisses me again but this time more hungrily than before and I return it with everything that lies within me.

"I love you," she whispers into my ear after pulling away from my lips once again, "I always have." Her fingers run through my hair lovingly and caress my face gently while kissing me with such passion that it makes my head spin. All this time we have kept our love hidden from everyone but now that she has revealed herself to me it will be impossible for us to conceal our feelings anymore. It's amazing how liberating it feels being able to hold Kim in my arms once again—an action that used to feel so dangerous we had to keep our relationship secret but now feels natural like breathing on its own accord or sleeping when we're tired without having to worry whether we're going to oversleep or not show up at work because of exhaustion. No longer will we have to hide our feelings or worry about what others might say about us because we both know deep down inside that nothing anyone can say will change how we feel about one another.

"You know," she says softly while stroking my hair lovingly while looking into my eyes, "you're father hates me--"

"And you hate him too," I interrupt taking her hands in mine and squeezing them tightly as if holding on for dear life. My heart breaks every time Kim tells me how much respect she has for him despite his treatment towards us both during our childhood but also how much he reminds her of Jung-Sook (her sister). It must be hard for her not being able to voice out all those negative things about him because deep down inside she knows he isn't evil—he is just blinded by his own ambition which Jung-Sook fed him with since he was young—"so why are you still protecting him?"

"Because he is your father," she says softly while looking down at our intertwined hands guiltily while avoiding eye contact with me, "and no matter how much he hates who you are he'll always love you." Her words hit home harder than any arrow ever could because they ring true even though they should be impossible given who my father really is--a person so evil he'd kill anyone who stood between him and his goal even if it meant killing his own son if necessary because no one can stand against him once he sets his mind on something, especially with regard to politics—but despite all that Kim won't give up on him just yet because deep down inside she doesn't want him dead...and neither do I...but maybe things will change once everyone finds out what kind of monster he really is...