"Marry me."

She wanted to say yes.  She desperately wanted to say yes.  She loved him.  She wanted to be married to him.  And she wanted to be with him, to see him everyday, to talk to him, to laugh with him.  The thought of not seeing him everyday made her feel empty inside.

"Can I think about it?"  She closed her eyes against the pain in her heart.  She could feel his body flinch as if she had harmed him, which she had.

Shin Hye turned around.   She could see the pain in his eyes.  She hated that she had hurt him.  Reaching out with both hands, she caressed his tense jaw.

"Please don't look at me that way." She pleaded with him.  "I can't stand to see you hurt."

"I love you.  I want to marry you.  I want to be with you.  The thought of not being with you every day hurts my heart."  She rushed out to ease his hurt.

"But I need a little more time.  Please.  We've only met again two weeks ago.  We're still getting to know each other."  She could feel the tears in the back of her eyes as she pleaded with him, trying to make him understand.

"Shhh."  Min Ho took her hands from his jaw and brought it to his mouth, kissing it.  He couldn't bear to see her cry.

It's too early.  He knew he was rushing her.  He hadn't even intended on asking her tonight.  He didn't want to abruptly yank her and Eun Sook out of their safe life.  He had thought to ask her to think about it when he left.  He had intended to leave and come back every weekend…a long distance relationship until she was ready.

He hadn't intended to rush her, but after tonight, after hearing himself say it out loud, he wanted it more than anything in the world. He wanted her and Eun Sook with him when he went back to Seoul.  He didn't want to leave them behind.

"I love you.  I love Eun Sook.  I want us to be a family."  He can't imagine not seeing them everyday.

He could understand her reluctance.  Shin Hye had always been cautious.  He had to always nudge her along.  Sometimes it was frustrating, but the rewards were worth it.  Because once Shin Hye committed, it was forever.

"Think about it."  He won't push her again tonight but he wasn't giving up.  He was going to try his best to convince her.

He kissed her gently on the lips.

"Think about this."  He kissed her again.

"I love you."  He place another kiss on her lips.

"I need you."  Another soft kiss.

"I want us to be a family.  I want to go to bed every night with you and I want to wake up every morning with you in my arms.  I want to go to work knowing that you are in our home safe and sound.  I want to have babies with you. I want to grow old with you."  He closed his mouth over hers again to seal it in.

"Something happened last night?" Omoni had been eyeing her all morning as she puttered around the kitchen.

He didn't bring her home until well after midnight.  She had slept in this morning so here she was in the kitchen trying to keep her mind occuppied.

"He asked me to marry him."  She paused long enough to tell her.

Omoni waited for her to say more.

"I told him I wasn't ready." She sighed into her coffee mug.

"What did he say?"

"He told me to think about it."  And then he kissed her and told her he loved and what he envisioned for their future and that was all she could think about all night in her bed.

"Just like that?"

"Yes."  Just like that. He hid his hurt and hadn't argued with her.

"So what's the problem."

The problem was she could tell he wasn't happy with her answer, but he just accepted it.  Just like everything else.  When she hurt him, he just kept it inside and just accepted it.

"He keeps all his hurt locked up inside of him.  He won't even yell at me.  He just backs off."  She wished he would talk to her, argue with her.  "He's perfect.  A little too perfect.  There are times that I can see hurt in his eyes, but he hides it right away."

"He's afraid of losing you."

"I know."  She knew, but she didn't understand why.  "But why?  Why did I run away from him?  Why didn't I run to him?"

"Maybe you need to ask him."

"I'm afraid.  I'm afraid to learn of my past." She looked at Omoni then.  Her fears reflected in her eyes.

Omoni patted her cheek.  Love shining in her eyes.

"If you want to be happy in your future, you need to stop hiding from your past.  It may be painful, but I have no doubt that he loves you and will help you deal with it."  She wasn't ready to let Shin Hye and Eun Sook go, but she knew they would be happier with Detective Lee.

"He's protective."  She offered another bit of  advice.  "Stop being a victim and maybe he would back off and stop being a hero."

"Appa.  I'm a dragon."  Eun Sook talked animatedly with her hands, just like Shin Hye, he thought.  

"Is that right?"  He grinned at her sweet little face so close to his.  Picking her up in his arms, he waved to the other parents from the playgroup and headed for the meadows for their picnic.

"Yoo Na is a princess.  Ji Hoo is a prince."  She told him about her day.  He had observed most of it while he watched her running around with her friends.  She was very social, drawing all the kids into play.  She was the youngest of the group, but she was the leader on the playground. His chest puffed with pride.  And she was full of energy on the playground.  She was still full of energy.  

He loved her so much, this little person that he and Shin Hye had created.  He couldn't imagine his life without her,  without seeing her everyday, without holding her everyday.  His chest constricted with pain at the thought of being separated from her.

"Why were you the dragon?"  He had been amused at the changes in her her every day.  She was his sweet little princess, but she could also be a energetic little dynamo just like today.

"Because I can roar."  She bragged.  

"Raaaaaawr.  Raaaawr."  Her little hands were claw like as she raised it over her head.

He faked a frightened look and pretended to drop her, causing her to shriek and laugh. 

"That is really scary.  I almost dropped you because I was scared."  He watched her laugh.  There was no fear in her eyes.  She trusted him unconditionally to not drop her.  Such trust humbled him.

"I am a dog too.  Woof.  Woof."  She bared her little teeth.

Min Ho hugged her to him, feeling overwhelmed with love.  He needed her.  He was going to do everything he could to convince Shin Hye to come back to Seoul with him tomorrow.

"I don't want to nap."  Eun Sook pouted.

"Eun Sook.  Lay down and take a nap."  She had been cranky for the last 30 minutes.  He had been trying to get her to take a nap as he had seen Shin Hye do it.  But it hadn't been working.

"I don't want to."  She whined and started crying.  Her face was flushed red.

"Eun Sook."  Finally, he raised his voice, something he never done to Eun Sook. She was as shocked as he was.  She stared at him then burst into tears.  He gathered her in his arms and hugged her to him. Her little body was warm to the touch.  She struggled once before laying her head on his shoulders, her chest heaving with her tears.   He hugged her tight.  His heart was breaking seeing her like this, so helpless and needy.  After a while, he could feel her slump as she fell asleep.

He laid her gently down on the picnic blanket and watched her sleep.  She really was an angel when she slept.  Peaceful and serene.

Shin Hye had to help her Omoni this afternoon so he and Eun Sook were picnicking on their own.  It was just as well.  Their conversations had become more awkward since they were both dancing around the proposal.

He had been trying to ignore the pain his heart.  He had been trying to act like normal, pretending that night hadn't happened.  Except when he was alone.  When he was alone, he let the hurt and resentment take over.  He brooded and he cursed in silence.

He couldn't lose Shin Hye again.  He needed his family.  They were necessary to his survival.  He would still be breathing and functioning but he wouldn't be alive without them.  Closing his eyes, he gave in to his exhaustion from his lack of sleep and his anxiety.

He woke up to find that the sun was beginning to set. It was time to go home.  He looked to where Eun Sook was sleeping.  She was sweating and , tossing about fitfully.

Frowning, he touched her.  She was warm earlier, but now she was burning up.  She was sick and he hadn't known.  Frantic with worry, he immediately picked her up and started running for home. 

Min Ho stared with unseeing eyes into the darkness.  The night sky was reflective of his mood.  It was overcast and the stars were hiding behind it's  dark cloak afraid to come out.

He hated this helpless feeling.  He hated the pain in his chest.  He hated that his heart was breakin