"He really is a typhoon" was the last thought that was in Al's head.His kiss took her breath away.Starting slowly and softly he explored her lips with his tongue and then turned to giving small pecks on her lips and finally with a small peck on the corner of her lips he withdrew.

Though Ryu was calm on the surface,she could see the burning intensity and need in his eyes and a promise of the future.It was only their lips that touched but the way he looked at her made her feel as if he had touched her heart and soul. ​​

Slowly,he bent towards her again and she almost closed her eyes for another kiss but he moved towards her ears and whispered "Congratulations on our engagement dear wife to be.I'll pick you up tomorrow at 10 and we will talk to Ru together..Be ready.Neil will send you home now..take care..sweet dreams."

As he moved back he tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear and after softly caressing her cheek with his finger,he left the room.

Late at night...

A girl was lying on a bed bathed in the moonlight.She was wearing a white Mickey Mouse t-shirt and matching shorts..Though this was a woman in her twenties her thoughts were currently a jumble of her current age and that of a 16 year old first time in love.

Al,who was lying on her bed had no idea of the picture she made.She was continuously caressing her pink lips and lost deep in thought.She had never known that a kiss could be so powerful.She had married at the age of 18..just after high school..her first kiss had been a clumsy one from a boy she had liked and that kiss had made her think that though she had a crush on the boy she was not attracted to him and so she decided it was better wait to than experiment.Then she had married that man..She shuddered at the thought of his kisses..he had been understanding at the beginning but maybe her gut had known that something was wrong with him so her body would reject his advances.Everytime he kissed her so force she wanted to puke.Everytime he did not kiss her or caress her when they were together on their marriage bed as punishment was a relief to her.She was able to bear him physically as he was her husband and it was her duty but somehow the thought of kissing him made her stomach churn..But what she did not realise at the time was that all this had been done by him.He had slowly but surely started abusing her when he had first criticized the way she kissed..instead of guiding her,he had attacked her.During that marriage she had been vulnerable and after her mother's demise,an emotional mess.She had always been a confident person but in that state her confidence had been overshadowed by her muddled thoughts.Cut off from a loving mother,not allowed to pursue her dreams,forced to submit to housework under the guise of her well being, and stripped from financial independence she had remained a shell of her old self.A flower that once had a chance to bloom but was trampled upon carelessly..

Her process of regaining and loving herself had been slow,painful and lonely.But it had given her a deep trust in herself and her capabilities.It had also brought her a best friend who would stand by her and today that best friend had brought her to a new stage in life..a new beginning and a new hope for family.

That kiss had given her a taste of her future.A hope that she had made the right decision in agreeing to marry a stranger...again..

With these thoughts,Alicia fell asleep with her fingers still caressing her lips and dried tear tracks on her face.But even though she had previously slept numerous times with tears in her eyes this time they were a mark of her hope and anticipation of her future rather than the unending despair..Maybe just maybe this typhoon was good for her..He would destroy all the vestiges of her painful past and force her to build a stronger future.