We’re back at the market on Rue de Montorgueil early the next morning, since it's another shopping day. Similarly to Khun’s apartment, coming here with him now feels totally different. Ever since yesterday, I’ve been experiencing the world in a new light.

We enter the long street hand in hand, and I observe that it’s fairly quiet today. Most of the merchants are still setting up, and there are shutters still tightly drawn over most of the shops and cafes. Khun once told me that he prefers it like this, because not many people get in your way - plus the chef in him likes to have first pick of the fresh fruit and vegetables.

Khun spots a man that he recognizes and rushes over to greet him. From his appearance, he looks like one of the shopkeepers from around here, making his way to his business for the day. I don’t really know who he is, so I wait for Khun on the side of the pavement a little further back, leaning against the corner of a mini market.

As I wait, I pull out my phone from my pocket. It's a habit I picked up from my older sister years ago, since she fiddles with her phone when she’s idly doing nothing too. As I key in my passcode, the date on the display catches my eye.

10th February.

I start humming happily to myself, I must have picked a song up on the radio without realizing it, and think.

That means it’s Valentine's day in four days, I smile. I look at my phone's wallpaper - it's a selca from a few weeks ago, taken in this very market. We’re both grinning wildly, arms around each other's shoulders, heads so close that they’re touching. I think one of us told a joke at that particular moment, causing both of us to crack up just as I pressed the button.

I should do something for Khun for Valentine's, I decide, though I’m not entirely sure what. Think, Wooyoung! You’re in a market which has pretty much everything in it, you should have plenty of ideas!

I rack my brains for what I could possibly do, trying to draw every moment of the last few months to the front of my mind. Then it strikes me.

I remember a time just a few days after I had arrived, there was a scary confrontation with a customer that Ji-eun had graciously rescued me from. I’d retreated to the kitchen pretty quickly after she’d appeared. It was back when Jennie was still here.

It was something she had said that apparently stuck with me all this time, and that’s when I knew what I was going to do.

I recall her taking great care over a particular dish that day, and she had said, “Bouillabaisse. It's Khun's favourite menu item.”

Bouillabaisse. I remember now; whilst Khun had taken to teaching me everything about food, it was one of the last dishes he had imparted knowledge onto me with. He said then that it is his favourite. I chuckle because I remember that Nichkhun was hesitant to teach me it, since he didn’t want to ruin his favourite food. I had to practically beg him!

I won’t have a chance to come back here before then, I think. I hear Khun approaching again and I redeposit my phone into my pocket. I’ll have to find some way of buying the ingredients without him noticing. I don't even know what goes in it... How am I going to do that...?

I smile at him as he reaches my side. “Nice chat?” I ask, raising my brow as I reach for his hand again. I swear I have to keep making physical contact with him because it still hasn’t sunk in yet.

He nods as we resume our slow walk down the road. “That ahjussi has helped me out a few times in the past,” he says, nodding to the elderly man again as we pass him.

We stop at a small stall that sells coffee. We’ve taken to doing that on our more recent trips to the market, since the air is still chilly and hot drinks tend to warm us through. I don’t think I need it today however, because with Nichkhun at my side I already feel warm enough.

Khun passes me a paper cup filled with whatever drink. I always let him choose since coffee is his thing, after food of course. I notice that his fingers are suddenly cold after we’d stopped holding hands. I instinctively reach out to hold his arm, covering his hand with my palm.

“Why are you so cold?!” I exclaim with a laugh, placing my cup and his on the counter next to us. I take both his hands into my own now, pulling him closer to me.

He laughs too, “I don’t know, Youngie, I was fine until you let go of my hands.”

“Well if it makes you this cold, I’m not letting go of you again!” I joke, eliciting a chuckle from Khun.

I’ve pulled him so close to my body that our faces are extremely near. So much so that if I leaned any closer, our noses would probably touch. I’m filled with a sudden affection for him again, and I’m glad it's so early because I know we’d both be embarrassed if anyone other than the lady who owns the stall, whom we both know quite well as frequent customers, were around.

I nuzzle my nose against his cheek, and he lets out a sigh, so I smile and press my lips to his rosy skin. I can’t help but show him so much love - ever since he kissed me back last night, something within me knows that both his heart and mind are slowly being pieced back together. I know we have a long way to go, but it's a massive step in the right direction.

I’m still holding on to his arms, clinging for dear life as I pull away. He looks at me and I finally see it - that loving look in his eyes, that look of endearment which means I’ve successfully edged my way inside of his built up defenses. I’ve made it.

I open my mouth to speak, to point something out - anything - but I’m abruptly interrupted by someone who is neither Khun or the shopkeeper.

“Oh? You’ve moved on that fast then.” It’s a nasty snarl from behind my back, a cold voice that even I have come to recognize. From the way Khun’s face becomes crestfallen, his eyes losing that loving look which I had waited so long to receive, I don’t even have to turn around to see who it is.

“A- Alex,” Nichkhun’s voice falters and his nervous look returns. I mentally curse, because just when we observe progress being made, this guy has to show up and tear it all down again. How did he even know we’d be here at this hour?!

I spin on my heel, slipping an arm protectively around Nichkhun's waist. I feel him tense up, not at me but at the intruder who has so rudely interrupted us. I squeeze his side hoping to reassure him, though I remember to be gentle about it.

My attitude towards Alex however is less than kind. “What?” I confront, almost barking at him with an equally cold tone. Khun flinches in my arms, and I make a mental note to apologize to him later for scaring him. He’s still recovering from a controlling relationship, after all.

“Are you his new toy then? Really, Khun, another one to throw away when you get tired of him?” His lip curls upwards into a snarl and I can practically feel Khun grimace. I wonder just how many times he’s had these confrontations in the past.

“Stop it, Alex!” Nichkhun cries, grappling for my hand for support, “He’s not a toy, he’s my boyfriend. He’s a lot damn better than you ever were.”

I can see that there are tears forming in his eyes, which have become glossy, and his voice quivers when he speaks, but he persists. “I never got tired of you. If anything you were tired of me, look at how many people you slept with! How could I continue living like that, knowing I was going to marry someone who didn’t even care about me?”

I let go of Khun’s waist and rub my hand over his back, encouraging him to continue. “Just leave us alone now, Alex. Move on already.”

Alex huffs, clearly not expecting Khun to rebuke him as much as that, and eventually backs off. Once he’s out of sight, I turn to face Nichkhun and see that he has let his tears fall.

I drag him into a hug, shushing him and quelling his sobs, rubbing his shoulders and patting the back of his head. I pepper his face with tiny kisses, from his forehead and the tip of his nose, to his cheeks which have become damp from tears.

“Shush, Khunnie,” I whisper between kisses, taking his face between my palms, “You don’t have to cry. You did so well standing up to him, baby…”

He smiles a bittersweet smile at me, chuckling through his tears, “I suppose I did, didn’t I?”