“It’s been ten years since I set foot in this house,” Young Do mused as he and his wife stepped out of their car, letting their driver go off to park.

“It hasn’t been ten years, it’s been eight,” Piper corrected. “Remember, we were here for Tan and Eun Sang’s engagement party?”

“Don’t remind me,” he huffed. “I’m still upset they got married before us.”

“They started dating before us; it’s only logical that they get married before us,” Piper debated as the pair walked into the house.

“Though we did have a child before they did,” he added, tossing an impish grin at his wife.

“About to be two,” Hyo Shin’s voice came, and they turned to see Piper’s best friend striding over to greet them. “Are you going to name this one after me as well?”

“He has half my name, remember?” Young Do interjected, a frown beginning to form.

“Relax, Young Do. I’m joking,” Hyo Shin gave him a friendly pat on the arm. “Ten years and you’re still touchy. Tsk tsk.”

“Okay, boys; we’re not in high school anymore.” Piper chuckled. “Honey, I think I see Kim Won over there. Why don’t you go gloat that you’ve taken over the project he began with the Chairman.”

Young Do grinned widely. “She knows me so well.” His phone began vibrating in his jacket pocket, and he sighed when he saw the caller ID. “Aish, Myung Soo again.” Just before he answered it, he pointed a warning finger at his wife, “No alcohol.”

“This isn’t my first child,” she rolled her eyes, the couple going in separate directions.

As Hyo Shin and Piper walked to grab their drinks, he bumped his shoulder with hers. “So you haven’t told me yet; am I getting a niece or a nephew?”

“We only just found out, we don’t know yet,” Piper chuckled, taking a glass of juice from the attendant – who no doubt had been informed of Piper’s pregnancy multiple times, from both Eun Sang and Young Do.

Piper glanced over to Bo Na and Chan Young, still together and still as odd as ever. The cutesy couple had become the workaholic couple, and they sat in front of their laptops at one of the tables.

“What are you talking about?” Bo Na spoke into her phone with her perfect English, and Piper was sure the person on the other line could hear the eye roll as well. “Do you think the gold sponsor is a joke?”

“Detective!” Chan Young answered his phone as well. “This is Officer Yoon Chan Young of Internet Crime Division.”

“Money’s not the problem, boss; I have lots of it.” Bo Na continued speaking, tossing a small wave to Piper and Hyo Shin as they walked past her table.

“Some things never change,” Piper giggled furtively, earning a soft chuckle from her best friend.

They came to a stop at a tall table occupied by Ye Sol. The former bully’s attitude had quieted only slightly, but Piper no longer felt the urge to curb-stomp her. However, that may have been the fact that Piper wasn’t around Ye Sol anymore, rather than any actual personal growth on Ye Sol’s part.

“I heard your debut film was nominated for an award in the Asian Film Festival,” Ye Sol remarked as he and Piper joined her.

“It was a good military love-and-hate drama.” Hyo Shin nodded.

“With an excellent score,” Piper interjected with a proud smile.

“Call me for your sequel,” Ye Sol suggested, always trying to find new acting projects. She spun on her heel waving to her friend, “Lee Bo Na!”

“Don’t forget, Shin Young’s birthday is in two weeks. He will be extremely upset with me if Uncle Hyo Shin isn’t there.” Piper reminded her best friend as Ye Sol walked off.

“I won’t forget; don’t worry,” Hyo Shin chuckled, his eyes scanning the room. “I haven’t seen Parker anywhere; is he coming tonight?”

Piper shook her head. “An emergency meeting came up so he had to fly to France. His fiancée went ballistic.”

Hyo Shin nodded, “I heard Italians are very passionate people.”

“It’s not because she’s Italian,” Piper shook her head. “It’s because she’s crazy.”

Hyo Shin hummed. “Maybe I should turn his life into my next melodrama,” he supposed, earning a soft laugh from his friend.

“You’re still using that funny talent of yours?” Rachel remarked, striding up to their table.

“Oh yeah, didn’t you know?” Hyo Shin quipped, “You don’t have internet at work?”

“I’m busy preparing for the show.” She told him. “I don’t have time to look at that.”

“You want to come to the premiere?” He wondered.

“No, I don’t like movies.” Rachel gave a small shake of her head.

“Then come to see me.”

Rachel demurred. “I’ll think about it.”

“You guys flirt so weird,” Piper shook her head at the pair. “I’m going back to my husband.”

She turned, stepping away from the table as she scanned the room for her other half. She spotted him, phone to his ear, as he strode around the large stairwell. Myung Soo must have been talking Young Do’s ear off.

“Why check my schedule for your army leave?” Young Do spoke curtly to his scatterbrained friend. “Stop calling me! Bye.”

He came to a stop at the table where Kim Won was standing, and when Young Do spotted his wife coming to join him, the same small smile from when they first started dating came across his lips.

“Myung Soo?” Won wondered, referring to the caller. “Is he a corporal now?”

“Sergeant,” Young Do corrected. “He’s going through a lot of trouble because he enlisted so late.”

“I’m so glad you got your required duty out of the way early,” Piper remarked, absentmindedly holding her hand to her stomach.

“Are you two pregnant again?” Won asked with a smile, eyeing the flute of juice in Piper’s hand.

“Don’t worry, it’s not going to affect his work,” Piper chuckled. “Especially since he’s not the one who’ll have to suffer for nine months.”

“I’ll be in charge of JJ Convention Jeju starting this month.” Young Do elaborated his wife’s statement, finally able to commence his gloating. “Are you looking forward to it?”

“Your father should be concerned.” Won teased.

“Now I want to do even better,” Young Do smirked, turning to see his once enemy standing in front of them. “Tan is here.”

“You’re here,” Won gestured over to another part of the house, “Father’s in his study.”

Tan nodded, “But, before I go see him,” he turned to Piper, “Congratulations. Eun Sang told me the good news.”

“Thank you,” Piper gave a small giggle. “I hope she didn’t mind being the second person to find out, since last time I got in trouble for telling her first.”

“I’m your husband,” Young Do interjected.

“She’s my best friend,” Piper defended. “If it makes you feel better, you always found out before Hyo Shin.”

“Aigoo, this girl,” Young Do playfully knocked her head back gently with a finger.

“Hey, I’m pregnant,” she swatted his hand away.

“You’re pregnant, not made of glass,” he teased back.

“Why did I marry him?” Piper wondered aloud, the large smile never leaving her face.

“I’m sure my good looks had something to do with it,” Young Do teased.

“Yeah, and your modesty too.” She rolled her eyes, nudging her husband playfully in the side before turning to Tan. “Where are you hiding my best friend, huh? Go bring Eun Sang-ah down here so I can get away from all this boring business talk.”

Tan chuckled, “She’s upstairs; I’ll go get her.” He promised, patting the shoulder of his wife’s best friend lightly.

It was surprising how much had changed in ten years, and how much had stayed the same. Piper had her two best friends always at her side. Young Do was prickly as ever when it came to business matters, but at home he became world’s best husband and father.

Young Do and Tan had become friends, thought they never managed to be as close as they once were. Young Do and Eun Sang had even managed to be friends – not close ones, but there were no more lingering looks or wistful feelings on either end. In fact, she had taken to teasing him about the fact that his son had Young Do under his tiny finger, and if he and Piper had a daughter he’d be doubly in trouble.

When they were eighteen, they laughed, cried and fought with everything they had in them. Now, they took every day as it came, treasuring each moment with their friends and family. The passions of their youth had gone, but were replaced by something more stable.

Piper looked up at her husband, a smile across her face as she looped her arm around his waist. He leaned down and kissed her on the forehead, and then her cheek, before his lips moved to her ear.

“If you’re not too tired tonight, do you want to try making a twin?” He whispered.

Perhaps not all the youthful passion had gone.