Livid Guardian's Endless Coddling

'Four years old'

Arna was mischief because he wasn't letting her see Rian and Roxy kissing, so she teased him. She really didn't have much recollection of that memory as they were young. 

She probably had thought he kissed her cheek and ran away. She had rubbed her cheek looking at his back thinking why did he run away when Rian and Roxy were still together. 

Anyway, she didn't give importance to barely remembering memories but the one man with her. Her calm breathing was long and deep as she reminded him, "Then you owe me a lot of them." She had kissed him a lot other times, of course, on cheeks, forehead and she had also teased him asking for a kiss.

Her voice came out like a soft feather touch on his ear. So many years, he always thought of holding her, looking at her to his heart's content. So kisses, he can shower them as much as she wants.

The tips of his fingers grazed over her smooth cheeks, looking her in the eye tenderly. Not one, both had longed for each other yet suffered for each other, still, there was no displeasure left between them. What was important was, they were finally together.

"They will be returned… With daily interest." From four years to twenty-five years, with interest in many kisses from seventeen to twenty years, he would need decades to completely pay her back. And he was willing to owe her for his lifetime.

His lips landed on her forehead causing her eyes to flutter close. When she had first confessed to him, they were in his apartment in country S. She wasn't able to hold back, seeing him almost every alternate day. She wasn't strong enough to pretend to be a friend when she clearly knew about her feelings. 

Her sudden confession had shocked him, probably that was a shock of joy which she didn't know. Earning no response, she kissed him on the forehead to show her sincerity that she was being serious and she hadn't confessed to him on a whim.

"I am sorry for making you wait." He knew he was considering his feelings when he hadn't accepted her for so many years. Yet he still lingered around her without letting her move on and making her suffer.

If Arna had lost him after her confession, probably she would have broken down and left the hopes. She was glad he stayed by her and encouraged her as a friend. A small part of her wanted to beat him up for his unacceptance, but she also knew he did everything because of her.

She coiled her arms and hugged him. She was also in the wrong, "Would you have still waited if I hadn't left the country or returned sooner?" She questioned more like a complaint on herself.

He definitely wouldn't have waited, he was sure. He didn't answer her knowing his response would make her feel sad. He wasn't ready to distress her. 

When his hand had involuntarily reached her head without wrapping his other hand, Arna stomped on his shoe, as hard as she could and heard him hiss. She reprimanded, squinting at him, "Should I teach you how to hug?" 

She started to think if he was a dumb unromantic idiot. 'Will my life become boring? For god damn sake his father is a romantic hero, didn't he learn anything from him?'

How could he forget the feisty Arna Morgan? Damning her heel he saw her pouting before she shamelessly asked out, "Ivan, do you know to kiss?" She highly doubted that.

Ivan: "..."

Well, he never kissed anybody. But he didn't feel like there was anything that needed to be known about kissing in this era. This side of hers reminded him of her father who had given him a look, 'A loser.' for wasting so many years.

His hand grabbed her nape and captured her lips, taking her by shock.

'Knock, knock'

Before he could do anything or feel her lips, their first kiss was ruined just like that. Both reacted by turning to the door, gritting their teeth for the disturbance.

A young lady breathed heavily as she reported, "Vice-President Ross, President is looking.…" She realized how they were standing before she froze and stopped breathing.

Arna and Ivan were about to scold her, their eyes fell on the woman who entered behind her.

The anger was replaced with shock and embarrassment. Ivan took his hands away from Arna and stood in attention without knowing whether to face Aria or look somewhere else.

Arna was flustered instead. She wanted to hide. She tried to go right but the wall was there, she turned around to the pantry countertop, then she about to bump into Ivan before she hid behind him to avoid looking at her mother. 

She cried internally for losing their first kiss. She was shocked that she didn't get to feel his lips. Then her face flushed thinking of how to face her mother. She slowly peeked and got caught in her mother's sharp eyes. She hid back again.

Ivan had a hard time keeping his face straight. He couldn't believe he was caught by the President while kissing the President's daughter. It felt like he was caught having an affair especially when Aran hid behind him. Upon that, Arna started poking his back to speak to her mother and get rid of the awkwardness.

Aria was speechless for a moment. She had called Ivan like ten times already, his family was trying to reach him. All secretaries were looking for him and Aria had to check the security tape to reach him. And she found him kissing her daughter.

Should she be glad that the secretary knocked on the door? Or scold her for not waiting after the knock? Or should she get angry at the couple or be happy that they are together now?

The secretary glanced at Aria to make a note of her emotions before she quickly scurried away to stay out of the family matters.

'Did I become a weed among roses?' Aria was speechless at her thought.