Jiyong stirred at the obnoxious ringing of his alarm clock. Grunting, he slammed his hand down on the snooze button and yawned unabashedly. He opened his eyes only to close them back feeling a sharp pain in his head as a result of last night's drinking. For the second time he tried again, but this time it was slow, maybe even tentative. 

The first thing he took notice was the empty space beside him. His eyes wandered languidly around the room before he finally pushed himself up and regarded the place with another tired yawn. The bedroom looked like a complete and utter mess. There were clothes strewn around the floors and there were even empty cans of beer and soju bottles sitting on the nightstand. 

A pair of laced suddenly got his attention. Blinking, he nonchalantly uncovered himself ultimately revealing how startlingly  he was. A flash of surprise spread across his face before he allowed himself a chuckle. He shook his head amusedly at the recollection and headed towards the bathroom to take a quick shower. As he bathed, he couldn't help but laugh again at the memories of yesterday night. God knows how much he loves that woman. No other woman can make him feel those ridiculous butterflies in his stomach unlike her. She somehow manages to do it effortlessly and that's just one of the reasons why he grows more fond of her. 

After he finished showering, he took it upon himself to make the bed and tidy up a little bit. He smiled slightly seeing the room become more tolerable than earlier. Jiyong only hoped that this 'forced' cleaning was going to get him something later. He was inwardly hoping for more laced on the floor but then again, any kind of are good. 

The bedroom lights ticked off as he slung his bag over his shoulder and stalked out the room. At least the living room was clean, he thought ruefully. He noticed how it was always the bedroom that always ends up a mess and he wondered if it's because of their late night drinking traditions. 

Jiyong walked over to the fridge but stopped when he noticed a wrapped sandwich and a lunchbox on the table. He peeled off the sticky note that was stuck on the lunchbox and read it with a forming grin. 

Forgot I had a meeting! Had to

leave earlier than usual ㅠㅠ Sorry

for the mess. I'll make it up to u

later~ Eat plenty, alright? 

Love you ^^

He tucked the note in his pocket and uncovered the sandwich before he noticed the clock. He sputtered noticing that he was going to be late. An annoyed curse escaped his breath when he realized that the alarm that woke him up was from the clock and not on his phone. The alarm on his phone was for him while the alarm on the clock was for her. Another string of curses erupted from his lips when he found his phone sitting on the coffee table, buzzing from the alarm that didn't wake him up.

Jiyong hurriedly put the lunchbox in his bag and shoved the sandwich in his mouth. Her shoes almost tripped him on the way out but he was lucky enough to have fast reflexes. He wore his own sneakers in a hurry and he had no time to wear them properly which made the back of his heels show. With a chomp at the sandwich, he locked the door and ran to the bus stop, hoping that he hasn't missed it yet. 

"Do you guys have any further questions or comments you want to discuss before the bell rings?" 

Jiyong was shaking his leg, already getting impatient. Earlier, he was starting to put away his things but the teacher scolded him for it and he had to stop. He glanced at the room's clock one last time before another annoyed grunt came from him. There was only 3 minutes left and yet the teacher only asked this question now. He was starting to think that their professor deliberately do this just so that they could keep them inside. 

One person raised their hand and Jiyong mentally clamped the questioning student's mouth. "Which do you prefer, boxers or briefs?" 

He scoffed mentally. Why would you ask such a question to an Economics class? 

"Okay, does anyone have something that's related to the lesson for today." Mrs. Park interjected, giving a pointed look to the student. 

Jiyong chuckled silently watching the guy get egged on by his other classmates for such a crude question. The rest were all just like him—everyone just wanted to get out of class already. 

"No more questions?" their professor repeated. Her class readily shook their heads eliciting a resigned sigh from her. There was only a minute anyway and if she was being honest, she wanted to get out of there too. 

And just like that, the bell finally rang. All of her students got up almost immediately and she mentally commended them for being so eager. The professor wished that she could say the same for when they participate in class. She sighed again. 

"Alright before you guys head out, I have your papers here already. Get them from me on your way out and if not, I'm going to throw them away." The teacher announced. Her class shared a spiritless 'yes' and they quickly formed a line in front of her. 

Jiyong waited in line, feeling somewhat sleepy and bored. When he finally got to her, he took his paper in a flash but his professor caught his sleeve, stopping him. Jiyong turned and raised a brow in question. 

"You're missing your bibliography again, Jiyong." she said with a frown. "Give it back to me before school ends. I don't want to have to drop your grade because of your forgetfulness. This is the last time, okay?" 

"Yes. I'm sorry." he mumbled, flipping through the pages to see if he really missed them. He scowled inwardly when he realized that his references weren't there. "I'll give it to you around lunch." 

"Just give it to me before school ends." 

"It's fine, I'm free after lunch anyway." He shot back. "I just want to get this done before I forget again." 

His teacher regarded him with an unsure look and he couldn't help but raise a challenging brow at her. In the end, all he got was a sigh and a dismissive wave while saying, "Yeah, yeah, yeah."

Jiyong smiled to himself and headed out the door, absently tucking the essay in his bag and jogging towards the library to finish his paper. 

"Can you believe this guy's already married?" Seungri remarked incredulously, putting an arm on Jiyong only to have it removed in a second. 

"What?" Youngbae laughed, unbelieving. "Are you serious, man? How old are you again?"

Jiyong shrugged, taking a sip of his beer. "23."

"Holy , dude. Why get married so early?" Seunghyun seconded. With that, Daesung took the married man's left hand and examined the simple wedding band he had on his ring finger. The overly excited man then showed it to the rest of them which only earned him more doubtful looks. 

Jiyong took another sip before answering with, "When you find the right one, you just take her and never look back." 

"Since when are you such a romantic?" Seungri chortled, lightly hitting his arm. Jiyong chuckled with him, his eyes taking notice of the glint of his ring. 

Seunghyun rested his chin on his hand and looked at him curiously. They've been friends only recently and hearing such a big revelation made everyone curious as well. "Does she go to our school or what?" he asked.

"Yeah." the latter replied simply. 

"Well?" Youngbae said in a 'duh' tone. "Have we seen her before?" 

"I think so..." Jiyong muttered thoughtfully. "She's in one of my classes." 

"Omo, do you guys sit together and sneak each other love letters in class?" Daesung and Seungri squealed jokingly and the other's laughed. Jiyong snorted, amused. 

Youngbae suddenly hit his arm in surprise. "Yah, are you supposed to be here with us? Won't your wife get mad at us for taking you?" 

"Jiyong's gonna get himself a scolding." Seunghyun hooted. They laughed again while Jiyong just drank his beer quietly with a slight smile on his face.

This was partly why he doesn't bring up his marriage. For one, people question him and then go behind his back, saying that it would never last. He made an effort to always avoid those types of people but in the end, you have to get to know one before you find out if they're with you or against you. And then there's the people who and bring up the topic whenever it was imaginably possible. Those people, he can tolerate. At least they supported him—at least most of them do. Jiyong observed that his friends were of the latter and he couldn't feel any more relieved about that. He didn't want to have to avoid them too. 

"What's her name?" 

He snorted again. "Why in the hell would I tell you?" 

"Aren't we friends?" Seungri wiggled his brows. 

Jiyong flicked his forehead and smirked. "I respect my wife's privacy too much to be giving her name just like that." 

They all made a disapproving noises and disgusted expression. Jiyong however looked triumphant. 

"You're making my toes curl from your cheesiness." Youngbae groaned. 

"You tease, you get cheese." 

"Oh god, now he's making rhymes?" Daesung commented. "Someone make him stop!"

Eventually, they all shared a hearty laugh and a toast for the newly-discovered married man in the group. After the cheers and the playfulness simmered down, the boys were bathed with a calm air as they moved to another interesting topic.

Seungri nudged Jiyong on the shoulder and asked. "So what's being married like?"

He was thoughtful for a moment before pursing his lips and catching everyone's gaze. "It's basically the same as a couple that lives together. Nothing different really... maybe except for the status and the paperwork." he explained plainly. 

"Sure about this girl, Jiyong?" 

"Should be... I've been in love with her since I was 6."

"That's sweet." Seunghyun mumbled albeit dreamily. "You were childhood friends?" 

Jiyong nodded. "Yeah, I guess so. I've known her ever since I was little and I just found myself naturally gravitating towards her when I grew up. I promised her that I was gonna marry her when I was 12 or something, and I proposed to her as soon as I turned 20." he smiled to himself, adding, "Never regretted it." The guys smiled back, mentally telling him that they were happy for him.

"How long have you guys been going out?" 

"She always pushed me away at first—"

"You're not her type?" Daesung interrupted. 

"Yeah, something like that." Jiyong agreed, continuing, "She didn't see me as a man at the start because we've always been childhood friends. It took me a good year and a half before I finally proved myself and we started dating when I was 17." A somber look replaced his smile as he recalled the past. "We had a really rough start because of our parents found out and we broke up because of it." 

"But then we reconnected about a year later and the attraction we had from back then never faded. We dated again and thankfully my parents respected my decision since I was able to convince them that I was mature enough. But... things are still pretty rough with my folks and I." 

"You're parents must be really protective." Daesung exclaimed. To think that his parents let him freely date when he was younger and then there's Jiyong who wasn't even allowed to date the girl he loved. Daesung never felt more privileged in his life. 

"I was a real pain in the back then and went through that rebellious teenage phase so it made them all the more strict. I can't say I'm surprised, really." Jiyong said. "All I knew was that I loved her. I never really looked too far into the future unlike my parents did which was why they wanted us separated." 

"They don't like her?" 

"It's not that they don't like her, it's just... the circumstances back then were bad and everything just blew over—" The sound of his loud ringing phone interrupted him. Mindlessly, he looked at the screen, not noticing the nosy man beside him. 

"It's his wife~!" Seungri half whispered, half yelled. 

Jiyong glared at him before picking it up and stepping out for some privacy. 

"Jiyong?" 

"Yeah, it's me. Is there something wrong?" 

"No..." she prolonged the word making him chuckle. "I'm just wondering when you'll be back." 

Jiyong watched the street lights from outside the drinking tents and focused on the calming sound of his wife's voice. "Do miss me already?" he teased and it made her scoff. "Alright, I'll head home. Give me a couple of minutes, okay?" 

"You don't have to leave early because of me. They'll think that I'm too clingy." she whined.

"You are clingy." 

"Says the man who bit my shoulder when I tried to remove myself from him this morning." 

"I can't help it if my body moves on it's own accord." he smirked. "You of all people should know that... just like last night."

 "Y-YAH!" he loved making her so flustered. "This is not the time to make nasty jokes, Kwon Jiyong!" 

"I'd say they're pleasurable—"

"Jiyong!" she scolded and he laughed. "Just get home... I miss you already." 

"Clingy." 

"I even brought home takeout for us." she faked a sob. "And now I'm eating alone and it's all your fault!" 

Jiyong glanced back over to the guys and found them talking amongst themselves. "Did you not get my text?" 

"I was only able to read it right as I got home." she toyed with the noodles in front of her. "I even got your favorite." 

"Alright, I can't leave you alone for long. You might set the house on fire like last time—" 

"For the millionth time, it was the stove's fault and not me!" she shrieked. "If you have anyone to blame, it's the manufacturers."

"Denial is the first step to acceptance, babe." All he got was a stubborn 'hmph' and it made him smile. "I'll just say goodbye to my friends. Do you want me to get anything while I'm out." 

"I just want you to come home..." 

His heart thumped loudly in his chest just as his body warmed from her statement. Having dated for two years and being married for three, Jiyong still felt the same for her as he did the first time he fell in love. He tightened the hold on his phone and pressed his face closer to it, hoping that he could hear more clearly. 

"I'll be there in a couple of minutes." he said softly. "I love you." 

"Love you too. Get home safely, alright?"

Jiyong then pocketed his phone and quickly made his way back to the table to get his coat and backpack. The guys looked at him teasingly but he paid them no mind. "Want you home already?" Youngbae asked. He nodded, smirking when they groaned. Jiyong bid his farewells and quickly exited out the shop.

It was turning into winter pretty soon and he could already feel that chill in the air. It was already close to 10 in the evening, he noticed. Many shops were still open since it was a Friday that day. He couldn't help but look at every decoration and every intricate details of his surroundings with fascination. It was close to Christmas hence why he was suddenly feeling so festive at the moment. 

His eyes landed on a makeshift flower shop on the side of the street. Noticing her favorite flowers, he walked over to it without a second thought and greeted the old lady with a hearty smile. 

Her ears perked up at the sound of the door and she instantly scurried towards him. 

"It's so cold out there." he remarked, teeth chattering uncontrollably as he hugged her back and buried his face in her hair. 

She soothed his back just as a shiver erupted from him. "This is why I wanted you home already." she said, leaning back only to have her eyes land on the bouquet he was holding. Smiling, she patted his cold cheek but the man refused to open his eyes. "Is that for me?" he heard her say cheerfully. 

He looked down at her, eyes glittering with amusement. "Is your name Sandara?" and she nodded fervently. Jiyong smiled. "Then I'm sorry, Miss. This isn't for you." He almost burst out laughing when her face fell almost immediately. Noticing this, Dara hit him on the chest and walked away, only to have his arms wrapped tightly around her waist. She glared at him one last time before he turned her around and handed her the bouquet of white irises. 

"I'm home." 

Dara tiptoed up to meet his lips and smiled. "Welcome back." 

Jiyong walked over to the coffee table where she put their take out while Dara took out the dying irises on a vase and replaced them with the new ones. Her thumb grazed on the soft petal fondly before she sat beside him, resting her head on his shoulder. 

"Did you get my paper, babe?" he asked, focusing his attention to the variety show on TV. 

Dara nodded and offered him a spoonful of takeout which he gladly took. "Aren't you lucky to have such a considerate professor?" she teased. 

He snorted. "You take whole points off for using too many commas and one-letter spelling mistakes."

"I'm a teacher. I'm supposed to help you learn from your mistakes, not enthuse you to make more." she shot back. "And you of all people should start listening to their wife's lectures. You were spacing out again."

A slight pout formed on his lips and it made her laugh. He brushed her hair away from her face and muttered, "I was thinking of you." 

"I'd like it if you think of me and the lesson that I was teaching today." she chuckled, shaking her head. "What were you thinking about anyway?" 

Jiyong locked eyes with her, wearing an impassive face. "You in that skirt." she rolled her eyes. "Me taking that skirt off. Us in your office like last time—" Dara covered his mouth, her face bright red and her eyes mirroring horror. Jiyong finally burst out in laughter though what he said was partially true.

"You're too young to be thinking of things like that!" she scolded. 

He chuckled, catching her wrists when she tried to hit him again. "I married you so we can do things like that now, right?" he teased. 

Her face slightly fell. "I hope you didn't marry me just because of that..."

"Dara." he tipped her chin and kissed her softly. She let herself look at him at first before she finally closed her eyes and savored the feeling. Eventually, her arms s around his neck just as Jiyong put her on his lap, straddling him. With one last caress on the cheek, he slowly pulled away and looked at her with sincerity. "I married you because I love you and I didn't want to let you go."

Dara however still looked unsure. 

"I loved you ever since I could remember. The world may look down on us but the only thing that matters is what we think. I love you Dara." he kissed her forehead. "I'd do anything just to always have you by my side." 

He would do this every time and it always made her tear up. He caressed her face once more before he interlocked their hands and pressed it to his lips. Without another word, Dara cupped his face and kissed him onto which he responded immediately.

They were normal as a couple but the only thing that really set them apart was their of 7 years. There may be some that are in far bigger s like 10 years or even 20 years but that still doesn't change the fact that she was seen as his guardian. Jiyong's parents trusted her with taking care of their son whenever they were out and to hear that their son had strong feelings for her didn't sit well with them. They believed that he had been seduced by her—that she had tempted him somehow when he was still much younger. But the reality of it all was that the young man just fell in love. From an innocent crush, to genuine attraction, to a resilient love—he experienced it in all kinds and it had always been her.

The older woman on the other hand, was against it at first too. How can you find yourself seeing the kid you babysat for years in a romantic view? Dara had no business in wanting to be his romantic partner but the boy was persistent. He'd often visit and give gifts to her as well as walking her home from college despite being in junior high. Jiyong would always prove to her how much he loved her even though she would deliberately date others just to fend him off. And finally, after years of trying to court her, Dara said yes although a little reluctantly. 

It was only when he got into an accident because of her that everything changed. His parents threatened her to stay away because of the incident and they were forced to separate. From then, Dara moved to another city and another college but that was when she realized what she was missing. She missed Jiyong and it ached her to know how many days she'd wasted on him. You'll only really know if you love someone if you let them go and she knew then that she really loved him. 

The stigma behind their age and background played devil's advocate on her at first but in the end, no one can control how you feel for someone. You either let go or give in. She let go at that point—too coward to fight for her feelings and too scared of the consequences. 

On a happenstance in a grocery, Dara saw Jiyong a year later and the latter happen to catch her gaze. He was 19 then and she was already 26. Time had passed since they're last meeting yet the feelings they had for each other still lingered, now only stronger. The feelings that she had kept locked up and hidden deep inside instantly opened at the mere sight of him. 

"Dara...?" he muttered, slowly walking up to her, eyes unblinking. "Sandara Park?" 

She just stared at him right then. Her lips quivered as her body stilled when he reached out to touch her. She couldn't say a word. She couldn't even manage to make a peep. She was too shocked, too overwhelmed to see him right in front of her. The Kwon Jiyong back then looked too pure and his features were still very much child-like and innocent. The Kwon Jiyong she was seeing right now proved to be a juxtaposition of his past. His height seemed to have doubled and his features grew rougher and sharper. His once lanky figure turned lean and his shoulders were now broader than ever. He looked like a totally different person yet the way he looked at her was the same.

Dara forced herself to smile. Don't get her wrong, she was really happy to see him. But the man in front of her—the man that got away but came back—the sight made her well up with tears. And the next thing she knew, she was in his arms just like before.

Just like how it was meant to be.

He petted her head gently just as she snuggled closer to him on the bed, relishing his warmth. His other hand glided down to the bare curves her body and it brought tingles down her spine making her moan. Jiyong smiled down at her, kissing the tip of her nose while she hid herself back under his chin.

"What did you guys talk about earlier?" she asked, her voice slightly hoarse from earlier... events.

He toyed with a lock of her hair saying, "They found out I was married and they asked about it." 

Her brows shot up in surprise and she sat up to get a better look at him. The blanket that once wrapped around her chest slipped off her body like silk, showing her torso. Unconsciously, his eyes darted down but she tipped his chin and gave him a pointed look. Jiyong just smiled innocently. 

"What did you say?" she asked curiously but there was a hint of apprehension in her voice. Noticing this, he took her by the waist and pulled her closer with her back to his front. He kissed her sholder softly and she turned her head to him, mentally asking him for an answer. 

"I didn't say your name." he started. She was about to apologize like usual but he stopped her, "I know how you feel, Dara. Once I'm out of there, we'll be free to act however we want. Don't beat yourself up because of this, okay?" 

"I just..." she sighed. "I wish I wasn't your professor. You must feel really uncomfortable, right?" 

He shook his head, his lips pursed in thought. "It's kinda like roleplay," Dara glared at him. "But PG-13 and I get slaved—not ually, but I'd also go with that if you're down." he wiggled his brows and she rolled her eyes. He laughed and gave her a loud smooch on the neck making her giggle. "Besides, I know how much you love your job. Don't let me stop you. Plus, I also like seeing you in action. I don't appreciate the call out from earlier."

"Call out from what?" she questioned, amused.

He frowned, pinching her arm making her yelp. "You called me out for packing up early. There were like 5 others who were doing the same but I was the only one who got scolded." he said defensively. "I should be the one with the best treatment there." 

She snorted. "Participate, work harder, and listen better and you should be able to get the best treatment there." she chuckled. "You'll get the same treatment as everyone else, my husband." 

"But I'm the only one you ever bully." he complained. 

The mischievous glint in her eyes made him smile. "Because you're the only one that catches my eye."

Suddenly, she tensed when she felt something behind her. Dara looked up to see his half-lidded eyes and him biting his lip. She was about to speak but it was replaced by a surprised squeal when he laid her back on the bed while he hovered over her. The smile that he had on his face made her blush all of the sudden and she got even more flustered when he called her cute. He laughed, holding her wrist gently and placing it over his chest where she could feel her racing heart. 

Dara gazed at him, somewhat fascinated while the latter dropped down to place a chaste pack on her head. Slowly, her hand trailed down to his chest and his hand came behind her nape, positioning her for another heated kiss. 

They were safe in each other's arms. Alone together, they were free to say, to touch, and to feel anything they want with no holds barred. They were each other's paradise, each other's secrets, and each other's treasures. And in their home lie all the memories and moments that they shared together through the good and the bad. This was there home. This was there haven.

And in their arms was the place that somewhere only they will ever know.