Chapter Twenty-One: Good Friends Who Can Kiss

By the time Liu Yunfei arrived in New York, it was already past eight in the morning. He knew that at this hour, Park Minji would usually still be lazing in bed. From the Jade Light Slip, he took out a piping hot serving of soy milk and fried dough sticks. Ever since he'd discovered Park Minji's fondness for these, especially her love for sweet soy milk, Liu Yunfei had bought several portions in advance and stored them in the slip—all purchased from the shop in front of his family’s apartment building. After all, it was impossible to find fried dough sticks in America.

He knocked gently at the door. “Who is it?” came Park Minji’s languid voice. “Still not out of bed, you little sleepyhead?” Liu Yunfei replied.

Hearing it was him, Park Minji cheered, “Xiao Yunfei, you’re here!” She hopped out of bed to open the door. Only when she noticed Liu Yunfei’s odd look did she glance down and realize she was wearing nothing but her bra and underwear. Flushed with embarrassment, she scolded him coquettishly, “Come in, stop staring, you rogue.” She dashed back to the bed, wrapping herself tightly in a blanket.

“Come on, sleepyhead, get up and eat breakfast,” Liu Yunfei said, his cheeks tinged with red as well.

“I don’t want to. I’m not feeling well today,” Park Minji pouted.

Liu Yunfei grew concerned. “Are you sick? Where does it hurt? Should we go to the hospital?”

“It’s not an illness, I just don’t want to get up. Stop asking so many questions. You always say I nag, but you’re even worse,” Park Minji grumbled, her face growing even redder as she muttered something under her breath.

“Alright, alright, I’ll feed you then.” Liu Yunfei sat at the edge of the bed, poured out some soy milk and took a sip before holding the cup to her lips. Park Minji didn’t refuse; she glanced at him, then at the soy milk, and took a sip. Somehow, it tasted especially sweet today.

“Why did you only bring breakfast for me? Aren’t you eating too? Is it poisoned or something?” Park Minji teased, giggling as she handed him half of the fried dough stick she’d already bitten into.

“I’ve already eaten. This is the third time I’ve had breakfast in the past hour.” Liu Yunfei grimaced. He realized he’d been eating more frequently lately—starting in Saudi Arabia, then in Huangjiang, and now New York—unable to refuse at any stop.

To avoid the awkwardness, he changed the subject. “Don’t Koreans usually sleep on the floor? Why are you sleeping on a bed?”

“Ha! You’re so silly. Not all Koreans sleep on the floor. In Korea, whether it's a basement or a high-rise, every room has underfloor heating. There are temperature controllers, and we lay down tatami mats. It’s very warm in winter. In the countryside, where there’s no underfloor heating, people sleep on beds or heated brick platforms. When I first came to America, I wasn’t used to sleeping on beds either. I could never fall asleep at night, always worried someone was hiding under the bed, but I’ve gotten used to it now.”

“Move over, let me rest here for a bit, too.” With that, Liu Yunfei leaned back on the bed, propping his hands behind his head. “Why do you always call me Xiao Yunfei? Are you so much older than me?”

“I am! I’m three years older than you, Xiao Yunfei,” Park Minji replied with a hint of pride.

“Oh, so you’re old Minji. Have you ever dated anyone? You’re twenty-one already and haven’t dated—such a waste of youth!” Liu Yunfei teased her deliberately.

“Youth, huh? My youth is like a green fruit on the tree, not yet ripened by the sun but forced to mature. It’s a bit sour, really. What about you? Have you dated a lot? Are you very experienced?” Park Minji pouted.

Liu Yunfei thought for a moment. “I’m not sure if it counts. Back in middle school, what did I know about love? We didn’t really date, just kissed once, and then she dumped me.”

Park Minji was quiet for a while, then asked softly, “What does a kiss feel like? I’ve never kissed anyone.”

Sensing her melancholy, Liu Yunfei changed the topic. “Minji, I’m rich now. How about I take you to a Chinese restaurant for a feast at noon?”

“I told you, I’m not feeling well. Besides, if we’re going out, we should go to a Korean restaurant.”

“You seem fine to me. Where exactly do you feel unwell?” Suddenly, a thought struck Liu Yunfei, and he burst out laughing. “Oh, don’t tell me you’re on your period?”

“Ugh, you jerk! Even if you know, you shouldn’t say it out loud—you pervert, you big jerk!” Park Minji’s face turned crimson as she pounded his shoulder with her small fists. Liu Yunfei laughed and dodged, letting her hit him until she tired out, then caught her soft little fist, marveling at how delicate it felt.

Panting from their play, Park Minji’s cheeks flushed, and her lips pouted ever so slightly. Liu Yunfei gazed into her eyes, unable to resist leaning in to press his lips gently against hers. Park Minji closed her eyes, and Liu Yunfei tasted her lips softly, his tongue gently exploring until hers timidly met his.

“What does a kiss feel like?” Liu Yunfei asked when they parted.

“I don’t know—I didn’t feel anything,” she replied.

So Liu Yunfei kissed her again, this time lingering longer.

“Be my girlfriend, Minji,” Liu Yunfei said as he finally let go, gazing into her eyes.

“No, I can’t. That would only bring harm to you,” Park Minji’s eyes brimmed with affection that Liu Yunfei could plainly see, but there was also a flash of fear.

“Why? How could it harm me? Don’t you like me?”

“It’s not that, Yunfei. You don’t understand, and I can’t explain. I can’t be your girlfriend. I’m sorry.” Park Minji withdrew her hand, wrapped herself tighter in the blanket, and lowered her head, looking every bit the aggrieved, gentle Korean woman.

“Why? Tell me. I have money now, and no one can stop me. I really like you, I love you. As long as you love me too, we can be together—no one, nothing can keep us apart.”

“You’ll understand someday. Let’s not talk about this anymore, okay? If you still want us to see each other often, please don’t bring it up again, alright?” Park Minji’s resolve seemed firm.

Liu Yunfei was disheartened. He sat on the edge of the bed, not asking any further, and took out a cigarette to light. Being rejected by the woman one loves is hard enough, but the worst part was that Park Minji obviously liked him, yet still refused. What secret could she be hiding? What difficulties were weighing her down? Liu Yunfei was confident he could overcome any obstacle now.

But he decided to try again. “Minji, you have no idea—I’m not afraid of any challenge. I could even defeat a vampire if I had to. And I’m rich, I have two hundred million dollars on me right now. Most importantly, I love you. I’m willing to share any burden, to overcome any hardship together, to trample any road beneath our feet. I’m not an ordinary person. If you have any difficulties, you can tell me. Don’t doubt my abilities. Unless you don’t love me, I can’t think of any reason that could keep us apart.”

Park Minji seemed moved by his words; she was struggling inside. That curse had tormented her for over twenty years—it was the reason she’d never dared to fall in love. She had always suppressed her feelings, avoided letting herself like any boy, and shied away from any who liked her, terrified of the curse hurting someone she loved. When Liu Yunfei appeared, she tried to resist, but he was like her fated nemesis—utterly irresistible.

The curse had already come true twice, each time taking away someone she loved most. She couldn’t let it happen a third time. Taking a deep breath, Park Minji steeled herself. “Isn’t this enough? Can’t we just stay good friends, Yunfei? I beg you.” Seeing the dejection in his eyes, her heart softened again. “At most, I’ll agree to be your good friend who you can kiss.”