It has been a week since Hyun Joong proposed to her. Maia still couldn’t believe it.  It wasn’t the type of proposal she dreamed of but she sure felt great.  She couldn’t wait to break the news to Faith and Martin and decided to call them later during the day.

            “You what?!” screamed Faith over the phone.

            “Yes, I’m getting married” Maia exclaimed. She was overjoyed relaying the news to her friends.

            Faith was ecstatic and so was Martin, who kept on grabbing the phone off of Faith.

            “Oh my God!” Martin exclaimed as well. “You didn’t believe me in the beginning but here you are now, living the dream. I’m so happy for you, friend!” Martin squealed as he was now happily tearing for his friend.

            “Yes, I can’t believe it either.” Maia said as she was also near tearing up. “We still haven’t decided about the date but I really don’t care when. I’m just really happy to be his fiancée. There are a couple of things he needs to fix with his company though, and it might take awhile, so I’m not expecting it to be real soon.” She said over the phone.

            “We’re really so happy for you, Maia” Faith exclaimed sincerely.

            “If you need our help in planning for your wedding, we’re just a call away”

            “Ok and thanks! Uhmm guys, I need to go, OK? I’ll catch up with you again soon”

            “OK, Bye!”

            “Bye!” as Maia hang up her phone.

Hyun Joong on the other hand, broke the news to his manager on his birthday while they were in China. Though, not happy with his decision, his managers congratulated him but cautioned him that they should be silent about it for the next few weeks and devised plans on how to break the news with the president or better yet not inform the president since he has not picked a specific date to get married yet.

His managers instead instructed him to tell the president that he was in fact in a relationship and nothing more.

             Hyun Joong agreed but told the managers that he didn’t want it to be publicized as he wanted it to be a private matter as much as possible. He didn’t want the same thing that happened when he told them about his daughter.

            The press was rather friendly with the news of his daughter, but the news of his marriage or even his relationship would cause a stir in showbiz, had he announce it publicly.

He also had his fans to think of. Through the years, he was in various relationships but he never admitted it publicly. Well, he admitted once but the lady’s identity was never revealed.

 He thought the fans supported him all these years and it was just fair for him to consider them before making the move.  He also knows there are some dangerous fans out there that could literally hurt Maia aside from the verbal abuses that would be directed at her from unhappy fans. This was, in fact, one of the main reasons why he had to hide his relationship with Hye Jung.

He was thankful though, that he didn’t have any issues to solve with his parents as he already told them about Maia eventhough he still haven’t mentioned him marrying.

The only problem now was how he’d tell his boss and Hye Jung. Although there was nothing in his contract prohibiting him from getting married, he still was being careful about his current situation especially now that his agency was considering him to do the drama that has been offered to him two years ago.  “A scandal would be inappropriate at this time.” He thought.

He was also hesitant if he should tell Hye Jung. Although they were over for a few months now, he felt their relationship was still recent and would somewhat seem that indeed he cheated on her if he broke the news to her this early. He then decided to tell her once the timing was right.

In the meantime, he pre-occupied himself with studying acting, honing his singing and dancing skills and working out.

During these times, He was also juggling from coming home to his house and visiting Maia and Ely.  He wanted them to stay at his house but Maia refused.

“We can’t stay at your house and you know that. I know you’ve already told some people about our relationship but…”

“But what?” he argued. “They know we already have a daughter and it’s only fitting for you to stay with me. We’ve already done everything except get married” he continued as he winked at her.

“Do you always have to have it your way? I mean, I think it would be better if we wait until we get married so you won’t have to answer anybody who asks you WHY.”

“I don’t think I owe anybody an explanation why I want to live with you before marriage.”

“Of course you do. In case you forgot, you still haven’t mentioned your situation with your agency’s president. What would he think if he found out? And, you’re supposed to be a role model for those teen agers who idolize you.” Maia told him.

“Ah, I don’t think any teen agers like me. Teenagers liked me way back 2005. Now they are already young adults like me and ahjummas like someone I know” he chuckled. “And I’m not telling them I’m getting married but in a relationship.”

Maia punched him lightly on his shoulders. “Ya! I’m only 3 years older than you! How can you call me an ahjumma?!

Hyun Joong laughed aloud and held up his hands in surrender. “ Hahahaha! I didn’t mention you, you just assumed you were the ahjumma.”

Maia shot him an angry glare and held up a fist at him. Hyun Joong got hold of her fist and pulled her to him. He wrapped his arms around Maia and kissed her hair.

“I’m sorry… Though, it would really be nice if you and Ely stayed with me”.

Maia then hugged his waist and looked up at him and said, “Hey, we won’t go anywhere and you’re free to come here anytime you want. I just think it’s better for us to stay this way until then. Besides, I already have a job and it’s more practical for me to stay here.

“You didn’t have to get a job. I would feel so much better if you just stayed with Ely. She’s still so young…”

“I will just try Hyun. I’ll resign if it gets too uncomfortable for Ely.”

“Wait. I just thought of something” Hyun Joong started.

“What is it?”

“You can stay here in the apartment if you promise to take care of Ely yourself…If not, you stay at my house where there is a nanny to take care of her while you work.”

“What? It’s blackmail!” Maia complained.

“It’s only fair, isn’t it? You get what you want, I get what I want.” Hyun Joong said cleverly. “Or…stay here at the apartment but find work later after we marry. Which do you prefer?”

“I’ll have to think about it” Maia said quietly.

She was quite disappointed but she also realized that she should find someone to take care of Ely once she start her work. “Hmmm…looks like you won again Hyun Joong.” She told herself.

“Hmm…Okay.” Hyun Joong murmured still burying his face in her hair..

“Thank you” Maia said as she lifted her head and met Hyun Joong’s lips with a kiss. They stayed that way for awhile. She loves hugs from him because she felt secured. “I love you very much Hyun” she thought.

            “Oh yes, I almost forgot” Hyun Joong said as he broke the hug and took something out from his pocket.

            “I don’t know if you like it but I really had a tough time thinking about what to put in it.” He apologized as he held her wrist and put on her  a silver charm bracelet.

            “You didn’t have to…” Maia said her face blushing.

            “Oh, but I wanted to” Hyun Joong answered back smiling.

            Maia looked at the charm bracelet more closely and noticed the bracelet was made up of differently shaped and differently sized chains. From each chain hang a charm or a trinket or a pendant. She was amazed at how beautiful the bracelet was.

            “Wow! This is beautiful, Hyun. Any meaning to these charms?”

            Hyun Joong smiled and lifted her wrist as he held the golden pendant hanging from the chain. It had a picture of a beach in the center. “This was where we first met, right?” he asked smiling. Maia nodded in agreement.

            “And this…” holding a guitar charm…was why we got closer. I never saw a lady such as you look so y playing the guitar.”

            Hyun Joong explained each of the charm that was hanging from the bracelet and Maia was surprised at how Hyun Joong remembered everything from their first meeting. Aside from the pendant and the guitar, there was also an airplane, a fish, Ely’s picture in another pendant, a mic and a ring.

            The ring took Maia’s interest because it looked like a real one. It was also color silver with 3 diamond-like stones with the middle stone bigger and the two smaller ones encircling the middle stone.

            Hyun Joong noticed Maia looking closely at the ring. He cleared his throat to get Maia’s attention.

            “Are you finished studying your gift”

            Maia looked at him still holding the ring from the bracelet. “This… looks real” she said with curious eyes at him.

            “Ya! Everything from the bracelet looks real, see?” He exclaimed acting irritated as he took her wrist and showed the guitar charm.

            “Yes… but this…”

            “Just…take care of it okay? I’ll really be upset if you lost it.” He cut her short.

 “Of course it’s real, pabo. That’s your engagement ring. It’s real diamond in platinum and it costs a fortune. I’ll get you to wear it on our wedding day” he told her silently.

            “Okay.” Maia said not quite convinced with him. “Thank you Hyun. I really appreciate your gift.” She said sweetly to him.