The world rights itself when she comes close, her raven hair swaying with the wind as she walks, those chocolate eyes glimmer with the sunshine, her smile rivaling the early wisps of sunrise. She is perfection personified, my Lingling.
"Captain? You're here early.", her teasing grin makes you smile harder.
"I'd rather wait than make you wait, baobao. You know that.", you answer as you take her things from her hands.
"You're so impossibly cute. Anyway, where are you taking me?", she excited. Her little hops makes your heart pound ten times harder.
You woke up earlier than the sun this morning. It's Valentine's day and being a proud member of the downbad society you had a plan months ago for your girlfriend.
"It's a secret!", you winked at her. Reveling in the cute blush on her cheeks.
"Here baby let me put this on you.", you take the helmet and carefully fastened it on her head. She's just standing there holding on to your jacket like a puppy.
"You good?"
She nodded while humming. Her eyes crinkling in the corners from smiling a little too hard.
You help her to your motorcycle before riding after her. Her arms automatically wrap around your waist before squishing her cheeks against you back.
"You smell good, baobao.", you hear through the intercom.
You laughed because you're usually the one smelling her. "I do?"
"Yes. Yes. I love your smell.", sniffing harder that you can hear her through the intercom.
"Good. You bought me this perfume, you know.", still giggling along her.
You drove to your cabin near the lakes, one of your favorite spots when you both have time to unwind. The same one you bought when you decided to stay.
"A secluded cabin??"
"Why?"
She gasped, hands splayed across your stomach. "Oh my! I thought you'll surprise me with a sweet date! You just want me alone and then you'll take my femininity and my dignity!"
"What??", you laughed out loud.
"My innocence, baby! You're a master seductress! I can't believe you!", smacking your back repeatedly.
You parked your motorcycle beside the house still laughing your ass off because of your woman.
You hopped down the motorcycle, trapping her on the seat. "Baby. First of all, we have already done it. There's no innocence left in both us. Second, can you please wait for the surprise? I promise it's sweet."
Her eyes glimmer in mischief, "Oh no. The big bad woman is here to take my innocence away. I should definitely scream for help. Help!"
You're laughing as you took off her helmet, silencing her pretend screams with a kiss. "This big bad woman will woo you off your feet. Let's come in, baobao."
With her hands locked in yours, you both made your inside.
She was greeted with lego flowers covering every inch of possible space, streamers and balloons. You might have went overboard. Your hands still hurt from the countless hours you spent assembling all the lego flowers. Your calloused hands working on tiny lego pieces for hours on end.
You hear her gasp before whipping her head around to meet your eyes. Her eyes land in the lego bouquet in your hands. Her eyes started to fill with tears, lips trembling as she try not to cry.
"Surprise baby! I know you're allergic to flowers so I made these. I've always wanted to give you flowers. I love you. Happy Valentine's, my love."
"My heart. You're making me cry!", as she took the flowers from you hands.
"No. No. Don't cry baby.", you wiped away stray tears gliding across her cheeks.
"I love you, my heart. Happy Valentine's day.", leaning for a kiss. Sweet and gentle as you held her face in you hands, running your thumb across her mole. When you separated she looked a little dazed, like a little lovesick puppy making you want to squish her cheeks forever.
"Come. I even cooked for us!", grinning at her as you lead her to the table.
"Really?"
"Yes. Remember when I went missing every few hours during the weekends? I went to a crash course culinary school. I wanted to cook your favorites.", grinning like a proud kid.
"Oh no! I got mad at you for that! You weren't telling me where you're going but that's what you've been doing all along?"
"Yes. Yes. But it's okay, I'd rather you get mad at me than ruin the surprise." You touch her hand, reassuring her it's okay.
"Oooorm. I'm sorry baobao."
"It's okay baby. Let's eat. Here.", scooping some food on her plate. She gratefully accepted, eyes twinkling with happiness at every food put on her plate. Your adorable little foodie.
Her eyes went wide as she took a bite, "Oh my God. This is so good! I should wife you up and make you cook for me all the time! You can be the captain in the kitchen."
You choked on your water, her nonchalant comment stunning you momentarily.
She quickly stood up, patting your back softly as you struggle to breathe. "Are you okay baby?"
"Y-yeah. Water went the wrong pipe. I'm good. I'm good."
She reluctantly sat down, eyes worried as she stared at you.
You chuckled finding her little pout adorable. "I'm really okay. Don't worry."
The dinner went smoothly, Lingling entranced with every dish made sure to compliment you generously while giving you countless pecks on your cheeks rendering you speechless and flustered.
But the lingering fear at the back of your mind lingers. The ring on your jacket seems heavy and hot to touch. Terrifying but hopeful.
You have no chance to second guess so, you cleared your throat while Ling is in the middle of a compliment session. She looked up at you, hands busy fussing with the legos you gave her.
"Baobao? I have one more thing to give."
"What? Babe. This is already too much."
"Well, just humor me? I have something to say first."
"Okay.", she nodded, eyes looking at you with affection, lips stretched into a smile.
You carefully took your guitar tucked in the corner of the room. Your hands shake as she you sat down beside her.
"I practiced this a while back. This song has always reminded me of you, of how everything is set into motion when you came into my life. Happy Valentine's, baobao."
(Movement- Hozier)
I still watch you when you're groovin'
As if through water from the bottom of a pool
You're movin' without movin'
And when you move, I'm moved
You are a call to motion
There, all of you a verb in perfect view
Like Jonah on the ocean
When you move, I'm moved
When you move
I'm put to mind of all that I wanna be
When you move
I could never define all that you are to me
So move me, baby
Shake like the bough of a willow tree
You do it naturally
Move me, baby
You are the rite of movement
Its reasonin' made lucid and cool
I know it's no improvement
When you move, I move
You're less Polunin leapin'
Or Fred Astaire in sequins
Honey, you, you're Atlas in his sleepin'
And when you move, I'm moved
When you move
I can recall somethin' that's gone from me
When you move
Honey, I'm put in awe of somethin' so flawed and free
So move me, baby
Shake like the bough of a willow tree
You do it naturally
Move me, baby
So move me, baby
Like you've nothin' left to prove
And nothin' to lose
Move me, baby
Ooh, ooh, ooh
Oh baby, oh baby
Move like grey skies
Move like a bird of paradise
Move like an odd sight come out at night
Move me, baby
Shake like the bough of a willow tree
You do it naturally
Move me, baby
So move me, baby
Like you've nothin' left to lose
And nothin' to prove
Move me, baby
So move me, baby
Shake like the bough of a willow tree
You do it naturally
Move me, baby
You open your eyes to Lingling, tears streaming down her pretty ace as she looked at you with so much love. There, right in her eyes, the answer to your question. No doubt of the love she has for you, no hesitation, no fear.
You sat your guitar down before taking her hands.
"Baobao. My number one girl. I've loved you long enough to understand what it truly means. I love you, in the simplest of terms but in the most complex array. You give me the drive wake up every morning just to see your smile. Your light has driven away all the dark days. I know that years wouldn't always be kind to us. I know there will be days that we'll argue and make up and argue again but, there's no one else I'd rather do it with than you. I'll love you on the bright days and even harder on the dark days. I hope you know that my life has been complete right at the moment I met you. My body, my life, my soul belongs completely to you. I hope to spend the rest of this life beside you, just doing the most mundane things, making you laugh and making you the happiest woman in the world."
You took the ring from your jacket before kneeling down in front of her. "My Lingling, marry me?"
Her eyes close as she cried harder all while nodding at you. "Yes! Oh. Baobao. Yes! I'll marry you." She hugged you almost toppling the both of you over. You're laughing and crying, heart bursting with love. You held her tighly, tight enough to calm her down, tight enough to remind both of you that this is real.
You're both sitting down on the ground, smiling at each other and wiping each other's tears. You took her hand and carefully put the ring on her finger. The emerald stone glinting in the dim light, her birthstone.
"I do have a gift for you too, you know."
"Huh? What is it?", you took her hand and lifted her up to her feet.
She smiled at you with mischief before rummaging through her purse. She approached you hands behind her back.
"You always steal the thunder, baobao. You asked me out for a date first then, asked me to be your girlfriend then, asked me to move in with you and now, to marry you.", she presented you her gift. A ring, rose gold with and an emerald stone in the middle. Your birthstone.
"I was gonna ask you to marry first but you beat me to it." , she giggled all while your heart expands in your chest.
"I love you with all my heart. I put all my trust in you and all of my love. I wish to spend the rest of my life with you too. I want to wake up everyday next to you and come home to your arms. There's no one else that can love the way that you do and there no one I can love the way that I love you. You are heaven sent to me, a gift from the Creator. Baobao, I couldn't be more grateful for your life. Accept my ring captain?"
You nodded, the words clog in your throat as the emotions seem too much to handle. The ring fit nicely in your ring finger, the same glimmer on hers.
"Oh God. I love you too much. What do I do?", you joke at her.
"I don't know, spend the rest of your life with me?", she raised her eyebrow at you.
"Oh I will. Don't get tired of me, okay?"
"Never. I promise, besides you already put a ring on it. Good job, Kornnaphat.", she held her hand up before smiling widely at you. Her face painted with pure joy.
You took her in your arms, your whole world all in your arms, "Yeah. Good job indeed."
You held her face, tracing her cheeks with your thumb before leaning in for a kiss. Her lips a perfect fit yours, destined to be a pair. You feel her soften against you, surrendering to your warmth, to the undeniable love and something entirely fated. You both spent the night making love, marking each other body and soul, whispering confessions of love and promises for the future. With Lingling by your side, the future that lays ahead has never felt so right and so complete.
Both of your journey coming full circle, right where it belongs.