Epilogue
Nine months later

Jin Ri the bed and opened one bleary eye as she felt the empty space beside her. She sat up and looked around the room. Kyuhyun wasn’t anywhere in sight. There was no sound of the shower running. Placing her feet flat on the carpeted floor, she stood up and grabbed a robe, only to find a note taped on the mirror of their dresser.

She stared at the note, feeling suspicious. Since when did he go for a morning jog? She decided to shrug it off and placed the note back on the dresser. Tidying up the bed, she then opened the curtains, bringing sunlight into the room. Their room had a beautiful view of the city of Tokyo. They were staying in a hotel, where Kyuhyun had a show the night before. He was so tired that he didn’t want to ride a car and travel back to his apartment. She wasn’t supposed to stay with him, but he kept on insisting that she just stay with him. So she did.

Taking in the view of the city, she couldn’t help but smile in contentment. Living in Japan had made her very happy and satisfied, but it was even better now that she had Kyuhyun around. After their reunion under the beautiful cherry blossoms, they talked some more and she decided to take up her old apartment to stay in Japan with him. She became his biggest supporter, going to all his shows and documenting them for him, feeding him delicious food, and picking him up when he was feeling down and was missing everyone back in Korea. Although she knew, as what he had told her, that she didn’t need to make up for the time they had lost, she still did so. He was becoming even more spoiled because of her. But it was the best decision she’d ever made in her life. She couldn’t imagine being so far away from him anymore.

The months they spent together in Japan were the happiest they had been ever since they had met. They tried every restaurant together, viewed the sights together, and just experienced the country’s beauty together. Although there was a lot of times that he had to work and was unable to spend time with her, she never complained because that was the main reason he was there in the first place. She was very proud of him. He was becoming even more popular in Japan, singing his famous solo ballads. What’s more was the fact that he was starting to write his own songs in the native tongue, which he found hard but manageable.

She was so absorbed in reminiscing that she didn’t hear the door open and didn’t hear someone walking in. Shivering slightly, she tightened the robe around her just as someone so suddenly placed their arms around her waist.

“Penny for your thoughts?” a deep voice asked, making her jump. When she realized that it was Kyuhyun, she smiled and leaned her back against his chest. “You’re cold,” he remarked, hugging her tighter.

“Mmhmm,” was her response, snuggling closer to him so he tightened his hold on her.

“You’re supposed to say you’re hot as a response,” he murmured in her ear before giving her right cheek a kiss.

She rolled her eyes and playfully slapped his arm. “Your fans say that enough,” she retorted. “How was your jog?” she then asked, remembering the note.

“What? Oh!” he stammered. “It was good. You know, exercise.”

“You’re not sweaty,” she observed, touching his arm.

“I hung around at the lobby for a while afterwards,” he told her. He leaned forward and gave her cheek another kiss. “Why are you up so early?”

She snorted. “10 o’clock is not early, Kyu-chan,” she countered, pulling away from him. “Which reminds me, we should start getting ready.” He had reserved a special brunch for them at the hotel the night before, for what reason she really didn’t know.

“It’s early,” he murmured. “I want to stay like this for a while.”

“Kyu-chan, you went out for a jog. Aren’t you hot?” she asked.

He snickered. “So you do think I’m hot,” he teased triumphantly. She rolled her eyes. “I like hearing my wife complimenting me, even if it’s only by accident. He grinned proudly, turning her around to face him.

“You say it enough so you really don’t need anyone else to say it,” she countered, rolling her eyes once again. “And stop saying that I’m your wife whenever you feel like it. People might hear and get the wrong idea.”

He smirked. “There’s no one here. Isn’t it nice to pretend?” he teased.

“Hmph,” was her only remark. “We really should be getting ready.” She pulled his hand and led him to the bathroom, pushing him inside so he could start his bath.

His smirk grew into a wide smile. He knew very well why she was acting as such even if she never really said anything, but he didn’t want to give in. Not yet. Instead of closing the bathroom door, he pulled her towards him, tilted her face towards his and kissed her. Stunned, she couldn’t do anything but close her eyes and kiss him back, her hands gripping his shirt.

“What was that for?” she asked in a daze as he pulled away from the kiss. She had kissed him lots of times, but every kiss always felt like the first time. Her mind still went blank and her legs always turned into jelly every single time that they kiss.

“I love you,” he told her sincerely, caressing her hair.

“That’s a greasy invitation, isn’t it?” she warily asked.

“How is saying I love you a greasy anything?” he demanded, looking offended.

She looked down pointedly at her open robe. Somehow, in the middle of that kiss, he was able to untie her robe, lift her shirt and touch her bare waist. He gave her a sheepish grin then gave her a pleading look. She merely rolled her eyes at him and shoved him inside the bathroom, closing the door afterwards despite his yells of protest.

It took both of them an hour and a half to finish getting ready. Kyuhyun kept on doing unnecessary things like playing games on his phone or on his PMP when he hadn’t even buttoned his polo shirt and hadn’t even combed his hair. To which he remarked that no one would complain if he came out looking like he did. She merely rolled his eyes at this and proceeded to take his phone and PMP away from him, ignoring his gripping objections.

As she put on her jewelry, which consisted of the necklace that Kyuhyun had given her in the past, Kyuhyun suddenly shouted for her from the living room. “Princess! Princess, come quick!”

“What is it?” she asked, rushing outside towards him.

When she reached the living room, she found him sitting on the couch, relaxed, and watching an American movie. He grinned up at her, his polo shirt buttoned and hair fixed. It was like he hadn’t just made her panic a bit, and patted the space beside him.

“This is my favorite part,” he told her excitedly. She sat down beside him and noted that what they were watching was the scene in My Best Friend’s Wedding, where the best friends were on a boat. He reached for her hand as the scene unfolded. She was about to comment on something when he suddenly turned to her and blurted out, “I love you.”

“Kyu-chan,” she giggled affectionately.

“What?” he said defensively, gesturing towards the television. “He said that you should tell someone you love them before the moment passes you by.”

Giggling once more, she leaned towards him and gave him a peck on the lips. “I love you, too.” She then stood up, pulling on his hand. “Come on, we have to go downstairs before we miss your reservation.”

“Do we have to?” he grumbled like a little kid as he stood up.

“You were the one who made the reservation,” she pointed out, chuckling.

Just as they were about to walk out of the living room, he suddenly but gently pulled her to him in a dancing position.

“What are we doing now?” she asked, chuckling, just letting him lead her.

It was then that the characters in the movie started dancing to Just The Way You Look Tonight. Kyuhyun leaned his head against Jin Ri’s and closed his eyes as they moved together, his arms tightening around her waist. There really weren’t enough words to express how he blissful he felt about having her in his life once more.

“With each word, your tenderness grows, tearing my fears apart. With each laugh that wrinkles your nose, it touches my foolish heart. Lovely…” he hummed along. “You look beautiful,” he admiringly went on, taking in her appearance in her pretty, white dress.

“You bought this dress,” she giggled.

“The dress is nothing,” he countered, shaking his head. “You are beautiful.”

She smiled at this and leaned her head on his shoulder, feeling contented. She didn’t know if it was possible, but she really was so very happy. She didn’t think anything could be better than this. She didn’t think anything could be better than being with Kyuhyun.

“Kyu,” she softly spoke, “do you think we’ll always be like this?”

He slightly pulled away to look at her. “No,” he answered, shaking his head, surprising her. “We’ll be even better. I promise.” There was a look in his eyes that made her curious, but she decided to push it aside. “C’mon, let’s not make our brunch party wait.”

~ * ~

She was right. Kyuhyun never went jogging in the mornings.

When he said that he was out for a jog, he was actually doing last minute preparations for the mini-party he had prepared for her. 

As they walked into the room reserved for them, she gave out a very surprised but delighted cry. She found every member of his family and her family present. His mom, dad and sister were there, as were all her cousins with Il Sung. All the Super Junior and Girls’ Generation members were present as well. She had asked Kyuhyun why they were all there, but he merely smiled and gave her a kiss. The celebrities present had mentioned something about a performance that they had to do on that day, while the family members just said that they wanted to visit. It was all very suspicious to her, but she decided to just ignore whatever the reason was because she was so happy to see everyone.

Jin Ri couldn’t help but hug each and everyone of them. All the Super Junior and Girls’ Generation members expressed their happiness at having the two of us back together. The members of both groups only got to express their congratulations through the phone since they never really flew back to Korea after that day. She got teary-eyed at how Kyuhyun’s family welcomed her back with such open arms, as if those five months never happened. It made her want to jump for joy when her family and his family finally met.

As Kyuhyun pulled her to the dance floor for a slow dance, she couldn’t get the smile off of her face. Everyone they cared about so much was in that room with them, and just days before Christmas, too. It was such a wonderful surprise.

“Your face look like it’s about to burst,” he teased, smiling. He could see the glow of happiness in every bit of her and he was happy that he was able to give her that.

“It’ll be all your fault if it does,” she shot back with another happy grin.

“Are you happy?” he asked, looking intently at her. “I know you missed everyone.”

She looked up at him with and loving smile on her face. Leaning her head on his shoulder, she answered, “I’m really so very happy.” She sighed contentedly. “I don’t know what else could be better than this, everyone we love and care about is in this room. I didn’t think we’d get to see them for Christmas.”

He kissed her head. “You know you could always go home,” he gently told her. He was always encouraging her to go back to Korea for a while, although, secretly and selfishly, he felt relieved when she declined the suggestion.

Just like he expected, she shook her head. “My home is with you,” she earnestly declared.

“I’m sorry, princess,” he whispered, tightening his hold on her. Even though he wanted her by his side all the time, he felt bad that he seemed to take her away from everyone else.

She lifted her head to meet his eyes, shaking her head once more. “Don’t apologize for anything,” she lightly chided. “I’ll be wherever you are.” Then she smiled. “So what do I have to do to thank you for all of this? Although, I don’t know if I could do anything that would top this.”

Kyuhyun gazed at her, his eyes traveling from her gorgeous dark eyes, to her cute nose, to her luscious, pink lips. He tenderly squeezed her tiny waist, just wanting to feel her. Jin Ri looked up at him in expectation and he just wanted to kiss and hold her for all of eternity, just like he had promised in the beginning.

“There is something…” he seriously let her know.

“What is it?” she eagerly prodded.

“You could marry me,” he simply but assertively whispered into her ear, then pulling away to watch her reaction closely.

She slightly pulled away to get a good look at him. He knew she was making sure that he wasn’t joking, that he knew what he was saying, that he knew exactly what he was getting himself into. He stilled, not knowing what could happen.

But when she smiled, he let out a relieved breath. He wasn’t sure why but he almost thought that she wasn’t going to say yes, that she was going to think he was moving too fast. He let out a small flustered groan as she giggled at him fumbling over the ring to the point of dropping it on the floor.

It was then that the other people in the room started to notice what was going on. The Super Junior members started clapping and hooting, making the SNSD girls laugh. While the families of the couple watched on in amusement at the obvious fail of the one who was proposing.

He was in the process of putting the ring on the fourth finger of her left hand when she suddenly pulled her hand away.

“Ya!” he demanded, a hint of panic in his voice. “What are you doing?”

“I haven’t even said yes,” she reminded him.

“But you smiled!” he argued.

“Just because I smiled, doesn’t mean I said yes,” she countered, giving him a slanted look.

“Overconfident brat!” a voice that was distinctly Heechul’s, yelled.

The look on Kyuhyun’s face at the moment was a mixture of so many emotions that he ended up looking confused. She giggled at this.

“Ya!” he cried. “You’re playing with me!”

“I saw an opening and had to go for it,” she shamelessly admitted. She paused for a second, giving him a small, teasing smile. “You didn’t have to wait so long, you know.”

“I’m not waiting now,” he responded with a small smile. She beamed at him. “So, what do you say, princess? Will you make me the happiest man on earth?”

“You mean the cheesiest man on earth,” she jokingly corrected. She wrapped her arms around his neck once again. “But yes… I would like that.”

He finally put the ring on her. Without warning, he pulled her towards him, locking her lips in a searing kiss, making her knees wobble and her shivers run down her spine. She clung onto him and he willingly held onto her, which was something he knew he would readily do for the rest of his life.

Their kiss was short-lived, however, as the members of both groups tore them apart, with the family members pretending to scream in protest at the passionate public display of affection. Everyone gathered around them, happily congratulating the newly engaged couple. Amidst all of this, Donghae let out a squeal.

“I can finally call her sister-in-law!!!”

~ * ~

His arms were wrapped around her once more, in a lose embrace, just enjoying the light breeze going through their hotel room balcony. She sighed contentedly and leaned her head back against his chest.

“Do you really want to marry me?” his uncertain tone broke the comfortable silence.

She turned to him, surprise he even had to ask. She smiled. “You know,” she began, holding up her left hand to look at the ring he had put on her. “The first time I wore this ring, I wished that it was you who gave it to me, that it was you I was going to marry.” She met his eyes.

“Well,” he replied, feeling relieved and smirking. “Your wish has now come true. You’re going to be Mrs. Cho, wife of Asia’s biggest Hallyu star.”

She rolled her eyes at his conceitedness but beamed at him contentedly, moving closer to him and wrapping her arms around his neck. 

“I’m going to be Mrs. Cho.”