JULIETTE

"It's good? Do you like it this way?”

The scent of fills the air in our room and sinks into each other's skin with the way we make love in the middle of the night. I moan a yes close to his mouth moving to the same rhythm with him, sitting on the bed with me on his lap. Tempting fate and playing with fire until our bodies burned, Jinki uses his hands on my waist to guide me towards him, growling, urging me to move faster when I can sense he's close to release too. Our bodies sway to the rhythm of our breaths, quickly as we search for mutual when I can feel it so close. His hair is so long that he tied it into a little ponytail and I take a handful of it as I feel him come inside me, closing his eyes and muffled a growl against my neck as I reach the highest point.

Breathing quickly and heavily, we stay in this position for a moment, taking in each other's gasps as Jinki looks up at me with a smile on his weary face.

"Happy birthday, angel." He pecks my lips, his hands hugging me warmly as he looks at me with eyes full of love.

"Thanks my love." I smile against his lips.

The clock on the nightstand reads 1:40 in the morning, and although Jeremy and I were born at 6 in the morning, it is these 24 hours that I can consider mine, my birthday, our birthday. A minute later, still in his arms and when our hearts calm down, Jinki lays us down on the white-sheeted bed, covering our bodies with the blanket so that when we're looking into each other's eyes, he brushes a lock of my hair out of my face.

“Are you sure you want to celebrate your birthday like this, angel? I know you don't like being around a lot of people."

I chuckle.

“I'm still a bit clumsy when there are too many people around me, but I'm glad to think that we'll be celebrating for the first time together with Jeremy. Since the accident, I have celebrated it by myself because I never liked company, but I know that I have good friends who want to celebrate my birthday by my side too.”

"I know. I'm glad to see so many people love you."

"But no one but you."

Jinki smiles.

"Nobody loves you more than me, that's for sure."

I chuckle as he approaches me, his left arm running up and down my . Although I hadn't said it out loud yet, it worries me to see that he is losing weight: his cheeks are not as round as they used to be, and although I know that he is taking care of himself, it worries me to see these changes in him, I'm worried to think that he does it to look good for others.

"Are you okay, angel?"

"Uh? What?" I look up at him when I realize I've been looking at an empty spot on his chest. "Yeah. I'm okay."

"Just yeah? What is that little head of yours thinking about?”

I smile.

"I'm thinking that I want to do it again."

Jinki laughs this time.

"Your wishes are my commands."

As he leans over me, for a moment, we forget about everything.

But when morning finally comes and the sun illuminates the room, bathing it in its light, I open my eyes and realize that the bed is empty and without him. The clock on the nightstand reads 8:20 in the morning, and I know it's officially our birthday. I stretch out on the bed before getting out of it, putting on my pajamas before leaving the room, but once I enter Jae's room, I'm surprised to realize he's not sleeping either.

However, it is this moment that I hear the muttering downstairs, so I walk to the wooden stairs and down the steps, my hand on the railing until I reach the living room. Jinki is sitting on the couch, smiling at my dad… and at my mom who has Jae on her lap. Although our relationship was healing since Jae was born, my heart would always race when she and I are together, but even so, I sincerely wished for the time when I wouldn't have to worry about being by her side like we did before the accident. In fact, and although many people do not believe it, we were very close.

"Hello, my love." My dad smiles when he sees me walk into the living room, standing up to meet us halfway, engulfing us in a warm hug that makes me feel like a little girl again as I breathe in the nice smell of his lotion. "Happy Birthday, my love."

I smile against his shoulder.

"Thank you, daddy."

When we part ways, I can see my mom a few steps away from us with Jae in her arms.

"Can I give you a hug too?" She asks, and I can see on her face the fear and insecurity that came when we left behind the fights, and the past.

I smile slightly, but my heart trembles at the unknown, and because it's been a while since we hugged when we still really loved each other.

"Of course."

Mom hands Jae over to Dad, who takes him in his arms. I realize I've started to think of her as my mom again, and that makes my heart jump with happiness, so when she approaches me I'm kind of clumsy too, but we both join in a hug.

"Happy Birthday, my sweet baby." She whispers sweetly in my ear.

"Thanks, Mom."

When we part, she takes my face in her delicate hands, and without seeing it coming, she places a kiss on my forehead. Her look is kind and tender, and I am about to cry, if we were not accompanied. I smile back, we sit back on the couch, and though we don't talk about it, I can remember past birthdays when Jeremy wasn't around, and I'm glad to think that today, he is with me.

–––––––––– ANGEL EYES ––––––––––

Even though today is my birthday, I am still the president of the company.

As I continue to sit at my desk, I must be glad that the day is slow and not many work to do, not many phone calls to make or people to meet. There are many projects that are already completed, projects that are about to be finished and deals to be closed in South Korea and in other countries as well, and even if it all adds up, I am glad to know I might have someone to help me with them. I just hope Hyorin's brother isn't like her. It was hard to deal with Hyorin while I was in college, so I expected him to be different from her. I was excited by the idea of having someone here who met the expectations of a good boss, someone hard-working who got along well not only with the senior managers of this company, but also with the workers in absolutely all areas.

It is 3:15 in the afternoon when my secretary enters the office.

“Mrs. Lee…” she says, and it's still weird to think that she doesn't call me Miss Juliette anymore, although it seems like it was easier for her to get used to calling me that. "I know her schedule is over for today, but there's a young man outside who says he knows you and was hoping to see you without an appointment."

I find it strange that someone has arrived without an appointment.

"Did he tell his name, Soora?"

"His name is Evan Robinson."

"Who?" The pen I have in my hand slips a few inches. Evan Robinson is in the country, in the city, in my company, and I almost threw up from my nerves. I realize that even sitting down, my legs are starting to shake and my hands are starting to sweat cold. “Yeah, I know him, Soora, but actually I'm already out. Could you tell him to come back tomorrow?"

To my surprise, Soora frowns.

“It's strange, he said that you would say that, but he asked to tell you that it will only be a few minutes. He just wants to say hi."

I swallow. My mouth and throat are suddenly dry.

"Ask him to come in, Soora."

"Okay, Mrs. Lee."

Soora closes the door behind her, and I feel myself sinking into the solitude of my office. Alone, I am alone and although there are people behind that door, I feel that no one can help me if he comes in here with me. I haven't seen Evan in a long time, and yet he manages to unnerve me to the point where I feel like I'm going to faint. To recap, Evan is the grandson of my grandfather's best friend, a doctor who did charity work in Africa when he wasn't working at one of the most prestigious hospitals in London. What I don't understand so far is what he is doing here. Even though Evan is handsome and looks like one of those main characters in old European movies, he doesn't let on his true intentions behind that good boy mask.

It takes him a few minutes to go up and into the office because we're on a very high floor, but it seems like the minutes until he gets here are as quick as the blink of an eye, and even though I'm not ready, I pretend I am when he walks across the door, smiling as if he was genuinely happy to see me. Evan is dressed in a suit as smart as he ever was, as handsome as he ever was, and almost looks like a gentleman behind that warm heart that he shows but is actually fake and unrestrained. Like a wolf in sheep's clothing, he smiles at me, talking animatedly because no one knows his true self.

"Juliette, my God, you are so beautiful." He meets me halfway and hugs me, and I can't wait for him to let go, but I smell him, a sweet fragrance full of lies. "Happy birthday! How much have you grown since we last met?"

"H—Hello." My voice shakes when he finally let’s go, but I don't want to indulge him of hearing me like that. "Yeah. Thank you. A lot of time has passed."

Evan sits in one of the black velvet chairs across from me, and I seat back into my chair when I feel like my legs are about to give out.

"Really, yes. Last time I saw you, you were at a party, you know, the night of the accident. I'm really sorry, really, but I'm glad Jeremy woke up. That is a miracle seriously. I am a doctor but I don't know how something like this happened: it really is a miracle.”

Dad would be pleased to hear him, however, I just want to get as far away as possible.

“And what are you doing in Korea? I thought you were still in London. In fact, my family told me that you lived there with your sister.”

He smiles, as if he can't stop himself.

“I was, yes, but I received an invitation to the hospital that you were building with your friends… sorry, colleagues. In fact, I come from there and I accepted the job this very afternoon. It is a great project, very ambitious and I could not say no.”

Without having had a drink of alcohol, my head is spinning, or is it the place that is spinning? I try to smile, but I need to pull away to think about what's happening, however: I know I can't, I know I have to stay where I am, pretending I'm glad to hear that.

“I had no idea. I heard that they were recruiting doctors from here and abroad, but I didn't know that they would contact you.”

Evan nods.

“In fact, I think it was your dad who recommended me to the board that was in charge, they called me and we arranged an interview, but this hospital that you built promises to be one of the best in the country, you know? Also, you know I like to help people.”

For the second time, I swallow hard. Maybe I should ask Soora for a glass of water.

"Excuse my manners. Do you want a drink?" I ask as I pick up the phone.

“A coffee would be nice.”

I ask Soora for a glass of water and a coffee, black and without sugar, as I know he likes. I wish I didn't know, but because my grandfather and his grandfather are best friends, my family and his were always close to the point where we knew what each other liked.

"So... your sister stayed in London?"

“No, actually Emily has an interview the other week here in Korea. You know that she and I are very close, so when she found out that she was moving me here, Emi looked for a job near me."

I my lips.

“I see, and I see that you guys are still as close as ever…” I try to be polite, and it amazes me that, for a moment, he seems to believe it.

“We're almost as close as you and Jeremy, although I haven't met someone quite like you two yet. Do you remember when we were kids you guys could almost read each other's minds?"

It's always nice to go back to the times Jeremy and I shared, but it wasn't nice to do it with him.

"Yes, I remember." I nod, while slowly so he doesn't see, I let out the breath I'm holding slowly.

To my good luck, Soora knocks on the door and walks into the office with a tray. She is 25 years old, but she is as efficient as someone who has more experience in the field. In a way, it makes me feel like a mom to her because she looks so small, so adorable that no one would think she knows how to handle the job when we're loaded down with it. Soora sets the coffee down in front of Evan, and when she sets the glass of water near me, she smiles and it's comforting even if she doesn't know my heart is pounding like I've run a marathon.

"Do you need anything else, Mrs. Lee?"

I smile back at her.

"No, Soora, thank you very much."

She smiles at us and leaves the office. When the door has closed, Evan looks at me with a curious expression.

“Mrs. Lee? Wow, I've missed a lot, baby. I still find it hard to believe that you're married and have a baby now. To me, you're still the 10-year-old girl I used to watch play with my sister."

“Yeah… I… it's been a long time. Many things have changed since I got married and had my son.”

"You know something, little one?" After taking a sip of his coffee, Evan leans into me, like he's about to share a secret with me. “I hope you don't take it the wrong way, but I always had a crush on you. In fact, I thought your father would marry you to me if you hadn't been engaged to your husband."

He leans back again and I try to think of something funny to say, but the thought of thinking that I might be married to him was scary.

"I saw you as an older brother, so that would have been weird." I say and he wrinkled his nose, and although he sees it as funny, it seems the opposite to me. "Before, I saw you as Jason, you know, like one big brother, then we grew older and we moved away."

“Although I must admit that it hurt me when I saw the news of your marriage on the internet. I didn't think your father would actually marry you to him."

I find it strange that Evan doesn't mention Jinki's name out loud and that he refers to it as him when talking about my husband, but it's something I leave to myself. As I try to smile, I think that this can't be happening, he can't stay. At what point did my friends meet him to be offered a job? It didn't make sense, or maybe it did, but I couldn't see it because my thoughts seemed clouded with fear, a fear I hadn't felt in a long, long time. My heart seems like a wild animal in the way it's pounding in my chest, and my breathing is so fast that I'm afraid my body isn't going to take so many emotions together, but I try to be brave as I keep asking myself, What the hell is going on here?

"Surprised to see me, huh?" He suddenly says, and I have to pretend, to be a good actress so he doesn't see what I'm feeling right now. "You don't seem very happy to see me, honestly, and that hurts a bit."

I wish it hurt you seriously.

“I was just surprised to see you here. I didn't think we would see each other again." I mean it, although apparently I wasn't so lucky.

Evan nods sadly, almost as if he feels what it's like to be sad.

“I thought I would see you at my grandfather's birthday a while back, do you remember? You were in California, but you didn't stop by to say hello.”

I remembered: I had lied saying that my stomach hurt and Jinki and I were left to take care of my brother's children.

"I didn't feel up to going to a party."

Evan raises an eyebrow.

"Are you sure it wasn't because of me?"

I clear my dry throat, wishing I didn't, but I can't help it.

"Why would it be for you?"

“Because you're afraid of me…” Evan leans forward again and my heart races.

For a moment I thought this would end badly.

"Angel?" Really, out of the blue, Jinki walks into the office (because he's the only one who can get in unannounced if I'm alone) and stops at Evan, who looks at him with the smile as he stands up to greet him "Hello…"

Jinki and he meet halfway.

“Hello, nice to meet Juls' husband. I'm Evan Robinson, a childhood friend of Juliette's, my pleasure." Evan speaks perfect Korean, and he holds out his hand and Jinki shakes it, but out of the corner of my eye I notice that Jinki hasn't stopped looking at me.

“It is a pleasure to meet a friend of my wife. I'm Lee Jinki, my pleasure." Jinki lets go of his hand and walks over to me. "Hello, Angel."

Jinki places a kiss on my cheek and stays close, but not too close now that we have a viewer. However, his presence is like a protective blanket around me.

"Well, now that Juls is with her husband, I'm leaving." Evan smiles. “I guess I'll see you tonight, Juliette. Your father invited me to your birthday party, I hope you don't mind."

I just want him to go away.

"Of course not. We'll see you there."

Evan nods.

"Bye, Jinki."

I see Jinki smile at him, but it's not a full smile.

"Bye." Like a good boy, Jinki says goodbye to him as he waves. As I watch Evan leave, I feel like it will take my heart a few minutes to return to its normal rhythm, but something in me (my fear), like a forest fire being put out by fire, manages to extinguish when I see him close the door behind him. "Who is he and why don't we like him?"

Jinki turns to look at me, and I pretend that he's crazy, although I'm surprised that Jinki was able to notice in less than a minute what no one seemed to guess in a lifetime.

“You're crazy, why shouldn't I like him? We have been friends since we were children…” I lie, and I did not know that this lie would bring consequences in the future, but I will tell that later. “Where did you leave my son and why is he not with you?”

Jinki narrows his eyes as he watches me for a second, but in the end, like everyone else, he seems to believe me.

“My mom came to stay with him. I told her that she should come at 7 but she wanted to be with her grandson, so she is at home with him while I pick you up.”

"That is very kind of you, gentle knight." I smile, and Jinki laughs as he gets dangerously close to me.

"It is, right?"

Before I can react, his right hand simply snakes around my waist, over my dress, and slams me into his well-defined body, pressing his lips to mine in a kiss that makes me catch my breath. The panic I felt being with Evan disappears as the seconds go by, and it makes me forget why I started to panic in the first place when I feel the softness and sweetness of his lips against mine, as if someone had spilled honey on them. My body seems to go up in flames and believes to be forever young as his free hand rests on my face, caressing my left cheek with the delicacy that characterizes him. The feeling of his lips against mine tickles my chest, it's like pure adrenaline, like a roller coaster that only goes up, like an anxiety that suddenly eats away at my soul when I look into his warm eyes at the moment we separate.

"We are going home now?" I ask, and he nods as he his lips.

"Let's go home."

When I break away from him, I walk over to the floor near my desk and grab my jacket, bag, and phone. Jinki is waiting for me with an outstretched hand, because he loved to go everywhere holding hands, and I chuckle as I walk up to him and take his warm hand.

We both leave the office and I stop for a minute at Soora's desk.

“Go home early, Soora. No staying up late, okay?"

She laughs.

"Yes, Mrs. Lee."

I nod and after saying goodbye, Jinki and I walk towards the elevator. I call the elevator that would take a few seconds to return from the ground floor.

"Mrs. Lee: how I love that name." Jinki smiles. "Everyone should call you that."

I chuckle. The elevator opens and we both step inside. When the doors close, I press the button for the first floor.

"That's very possessive, you know?" I scoff, but he dodges my comment.

Jinki keeps looking at the screen where the floors are shown, and he smiles like a child.

“I love when people call you Mrs. Lee.”

I wrinkle my nose.

"You're not listening to what I'm telling you." I pretend to be outraged, letting go of his hand because I know that would be enough to make him react.

He looks at his empty hand and then at me, regarding me with the sadness of a great actor.

"Yah, your hand should be here with mine."

I put my hand back on his.

"Are you happy now?" I laugh because I want to kiss him, and I wish we were home in the privacy of our bedroom, but I know we're in a place where there are cameras.

Already on the 1st floor, the doors open and I see the workers, the receptionists and those who seem to come to make an appointment with me, walking from one side to the other as they wait for their turn. I take a few seconds to bow to those who say goodbye to me, walking away from the place until I go out the front door. Jinki's car is parked in the driveway, and he opens the door for me like he has since we met again. He walks around the car and gets in the driver's door, turns it on, and in a few seconds, we're back on the highway heading home.

“Just as a warning: Kibum is already at home waiting for you, and Minho says that Sam is there too.”

For about two seconds, I pout.

“I feel like they experience on me. Sometimes I wonder why I let them dress me like a doll."

Jinki laughs. His light brown hair is almost straight when he doesn't have a schedule to follow.

"If it helps you, for me you are the most beautiful doll in the world."

I chuckle.

"It's hard for me to trust your words considering that you love me madly."

"Yes, I love you madly." He nods seriously. “But it is also true that you are a beautiful doll.”

For a few seconds as I think about his words, I wonder why we haven't talked about Hyemi yet. I'm sure Jinki would never cheat on me, but for some reason, I felt it necessary to clear things up about her even after she and I had also talked, but no one took the first step to do so.

30 minutes later, we got home.

Jinki parks the car in the driveway, turns off the engine and locks as we get out. When I find the key to our house in my bag, I open the door and we find Jinki's mom playing with Jae on the velvet carpet that covers the whole room, talking to him so that he does too: but Jae hasn't said yet his first words. Jinki's mom holds him in her arms as we close the door, and when Jae and I exchange glances, I can see the happiness in his eyes as he recognizes who I am.

Jae puts her toys aside and walks over to me, muttering things I still don't understand. My baby runs to me at the last second, and I, kneeling in front of him, take him in my arms as we come together for a hug. I kiss from his cheek to his neck and make him laugh, and his eye smile deepens as he hugs me back.

"What has my sweet baby been doing?" I walk with him to the living room, and hold him on my lap after greeting Jinki's mom who was talking to Sam and Kibum. "Who loves you, my love? I love you, I love you…”

I sit on the couch next to Jinki, with Jae on my lap as he doesn't want to let me go either.

“You have exactly 20 minutes…” Kibum says, looking at the clock on his phone.

"Just 20 minutes to be with my son?"

“It was you who wanted to throw a big party in your own house.”

The patio of our house is large and ready, and the fairy lights that have been strung from the dining room to the outside are going to shine beautifully when we turned them on.

"Isn't there time to cancel it anymore?"

"Not anymore, angel." Jinki laughs.

"What do you think of that, my love?" I ask Jae, who still hasn't wanted to get off my lap. He looks at me with his autumn eyes, and I'd do anything to keep him this happy.

It would actually be a quiet party, with some waiters delivering drinks and snacks here and there. But It is now that I realize that I only wanted to have a good time with my family and friends, who had taken the trouble to come here just to celebrate my brother and me. With that in mind, I wished everything would go well.

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Hello everyone. It's been a while since I updated this story but I hope you still read it. Like I said before, I'm not ready to let go of this story yet so you'll continue to see updates from time to time. Thank you. X O X O -V.