Seunghyun stood outside the school, holding the bouquet of flowers he’d bought for Seul. It was her graduation day and after a long, admittedly boring, ceremony they were all saying their goodbyes. He watched with a smile as she stood and talked with her friends as Jiyong stood beside her, refusing to let go of her hand. They’d become even more inseparable than before, which was sort of annoying to Seunghyun at first but he had to get over it. His baby sister wasn’t a baby anymore.

“I thought it was you,” a familiar voice said behind him.

He turned, unsure if it was the same person but of course it was. He could recognize that voice anywhere. Chung Hye Mi flashed him that heart stopping smile that he hadn’t seen in 5 years. She was living proof that women do get more beautiful with age.

“Hye Mi,” he searched his mind for something to say, “It’s… been a long time.”

“Sure has,” she looked past him at the group of graduates, “I should’ve guessed Seul was your sister. You guys look so similar.”

“Except Seul is a good foot shorter than I am.”

She laughed. “It’s not like short people choose to be their height, you know.”

He smiled. She was exactly the same. “I didn’t know you worked at the school.”

“Yeah,” she sighed, “I guess I can never really leave this place for good.”

“Do you remember all the times here?”

“I’ve been trying to forget most of them,” she joked, “But I won’t ever forget that day when you started the paint fight in art class and ruined my project. You ruined my straight A streak because of that.”

He rubbed his neck, embarrassed at the memory. “I was bad then. I’ve changed now.”

Hye Mi narrowed her eyes at him. “Once a bad boy, always a bad boy.”

“Honest! I’m not the same Choi Seunghyun you knew 5 years ago. And if you don’t believe me, I’ll prove it.”

“Oh? How?”

“Let me take you on a date,” he said with the grin he used to use to get the ladies to say yes.

She smiled. “You’re such a liar. You’re exactly the same.”

“So that’s a ‘yes’?”

“That’s a maybe.”

---

5 YEARS LATER…

“Another 20 minutes and we can start, alright?”

Seul sat on the couch in the holding room. She nervously inspected her bouquet as her friends incessantly checked her dress. She was getting married. Ask her 5 years ago who she’d marry and she’d never ever have said Jiyong. But now the idea of not spending the rest of her life with him was absolutely out of the question.

“Are you nervous?” Miss Chung— oh, wait— Hye Mi asked as she rested a hand on the bride-to-be’s shoulder, “I know how it feels to be in this position. I was wreck on my wedding day.”

Seul smiled at the memory. “I never would’ve thought you’d marry my brother.”

“I never would’ve thought I’d be pregnant with his kid!” she placed her hand on her abdomen and frowned, “God, I’m going to miss this figure.”

The joke had eased her nerves a bit but not much. She listened to her friends who were chatting away and occasionally shedding a few tears of joy, congratulating her on joining the club. They had been telling her that he was going to propose to her soon. They simply had a feeling. She paid them no mind.

But she could remember all the events leading up to that day…
 

---

“I’m back!”

Jiyong opened the door to their apartment and threw his coat onto the arm of the couch, kissing Seul on the cheek.

“How was your day?” she asked, though she was distracted by her drama.

“Same as any other day, really,” he said noticing that she wasn’t really paying attention, “I’m going to go take a shower, alright.”

“Ok,” she still wasn’t fully listening.

He headed off towards the room. A few minutes later, his cellphone started ringing. She groaned as the drama was getting to the good part but searched through his pockets to for it. Her heart stopped when she felt her fingers graze a velvet surface. She pulled the phone out but also took out a small black box.

“Hello,” her voice was shaking a bit when she answered the phone. It was his mother, “Oh, mom, he’s in the shower right now. But I’ll tell him you called. Yes, I’m doing fine. Alright, you, too. Bye.”

She hung up and stared at the box in her hand, completely ignoring her drama now. Swallowing, she flipped up the top of it. It was the biggest diamond she’d ever seen. But the ring was so… hideous. She knew for a fact that Kwon Jiyong was the most stylish person she knew so she didn’t comprehend why he’d chosen this ring. 
Nevertheless, she began to tear up. He bought her a ring. He wanted to marry her! Choi Seul was going to become Kwon Seul and get married at only 22!

“Seul,” he came out of the room, towel drying his hair, “Who called?”

She rushed to put the box back in his pocket. “Oh, um, it was your mom. I told her you’d call back.”

He nodded, sitting next to her on the couch. He noticed that she was wiping her eyes often. “Are you crying?”

“Huh? No,” she quickly lied, “This drama is just really sad.”

She waited in anticipation for him to pop the question but in the end, he just fell asleep next to her. She brushed it off. Jiyong was very much into surprises so he probably wanted to make it extra special. So she waited. And waited. And waited.

It’d been 2 weeks and still nothing.

By this time she was a bit annoyed. She didn’t like all the waiting! If he’d come to her right at that moment and propose they elope, she’d say yes in a heartbeat. She just wanted to marry him. But nothing. Jiyong moved about as if he hadn’t had anything on him.

“Why are you pouting like that?”

He stared at her with an amused smile. She’d been very pouty and stubborn with him for the past few weeks. He didn’t mind it really. She was cute when she was angry.

“Pouting?” she feigned innocence, “I’m not pouting.”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m positive.”

He didn’t quite believe her but he proceeded on. “Well, I want to get your opinion on this ring I bought.”

Her eyes widened and she stared at him. “Ring?”

“Yeah,” he reached over and opened a drawer, pulling out the ring she’d found in his coat pocket, “I bought it for my mom. Is it alright?”

All of her hopes had been crushed right then and there. Her slightly irritated mood increased even more. “No. Take it back.”

“I was having second thoughts about it, too,” he stared at her when she wouldn’t meet his gaze, “Jagi, are you mad at me?”

“No.”

“Really?”

“No.”

“Is that the only answer you’re going to give me?”

“No.”

He sighed dramatically. “Maybe I should just die because my beautiful, smart, amazing girlfriend doesn’t love me anymore.”

Her angry expression softened slightly as she finally looked over at him.

“What’s the point of living if Choi Seul hates me?”

“I don’t hate you,” she mumbled.

“No, no,” another dramatic sigh, “You shouldn’t lie about it. I get it. You’ve finally grown tired of me. “

She fought back a smile at his stupid act. It was moments like these she remembered why she hadn’t actually grown tired of him. He just put her in a good mood.

“Hey, I saw that!”

“Saw what?”

“That smile you’re trying to hide,” he said with one of his own.

“Whatever.”

“Why are you being so mean today?”

She sighed. It wasn’t his fault she’d jumped to conclusions. “I don’t know. I’m sorry for taking it out on you.”

“You should grant me one wish since you hurt my feelings so bad.”

She laughed. “Anything.”

“Go on a date with me.”

A date with Jiyong? That meant some sort of surprise was in store. They spent almost every waking moment together but when he added the word date to the mixture, it meant that there would be something special. On their 2^nd anniversary date, he had bought her a charm bracelet that documented all their time together. When he took her on a date for her birthday, he had convinced her they were simply going to go for a walk in the park but she instead found an elaborate picnic set up in the grass. She waited with bated breath for what he had done this time.

“Oppa.”

They were lying in bed, bathed in complete silence. She laid her head on his bare chest and listened to his heart beat as she drew lazy circles across his stomach with her finger. She smiled softly whenever his heart rate seemed to pick up.

He placed a kiss atop her head. “What is it?”

“Where are we going for our date?”

“Just dinner.”

“I think you’re lying to me.”

“Well, I think you’re cute.”

“Aish,” she pinched him on the side and he flinched away from her, “I’m serious”

“And so am I.”

“I swear I’ve never met someone who makes me simultaneously want to hurt them and love them at the same time as much as you.”

He smirked slightly. “Well, about that last part…”

In a second he had her pinned underneath him as he trailed kisses down her jaw. She laughed when he’d made his way to her neck. She’d never get used to the tickling feeling it left whenever his eyelashes fluttered against her skin as his lips lowered down over it.

“J-Jiyong,” she could feel herself losing to him. He knew exactly what he was doing.

“Hmm,” his voice reverberated through her skin and she felt herself losing her train of thought.

“This isn’t over,” she moved slightly away from him as he made sounds of protest, “You don’t win because of this.”

He smiled. She’d never get tired of that smile. “Just shut up and make love to me.”

---

The entire day, she felt oddly happy. She woke up feeling like she was walking on air. She got dressed and went out, still feeling blissful. But then at 4 PM, that happiness turned into panic. She had been picking out an outfit for her date and nearly settled on one when her phone chimed, indicating she’d gotten a text. She smiled when she saw it was from Jiyong:

Dress nicely tonight! We’re going to that really fancy restaurant on the other side of town.

She had no one but herself to blame for believing him when he said it would be a simple date. She spent forever trying to pick a dress before choosing a nice black one that she’d only worn twice. She curled her hair, applied make up and slipped on a pair of heels. For all the effort she put in, this better be a damn good date.
The restaurant was gorgeous, though, and she understood why he’d stressed that she dress nicely. She stood in awe of the place as she wondered where her boyfriend could be.

“Choi Seul?”

She turned around to find a waiter looking at her expectantly. “Oh, yes. That’s me.”

“Please follow me, ma’am.”

She noticed they were going past all the tables. “Um, where exactly are we going?”

“There’s a special table for you right this way.”

He led her up a flight of stairs and down a hall. She saw some petals that were scattered on the ground and the waiter motioned her to continue down the path. She followed it in a daze and gasped when she saw where it led her to. A glass room that had a view from the windows and a clear night sky above it. It was illuminated by some candles and a single red rose sat in a vase on the table.

“How is it? Too much?”

She spun around to find Jiyong, dapper in his suit and tie, standing near the door. Seul could only stare at him. He looked really handsome.

“Do you really make that much money as a lyricist for YG?”

He laughed slightly. “I had to ask my boss for a few favors doing this one.”

“For just this one date?”

He walked closer to her and took her hand in his. “This one date is very important. Much more important than all the other dates combined.”

He led her over to the chair at the table and sat her down. “You spoil me way too much, Jiyong.”

“It’s not spoiling if you deserve it,” he said with a smile that made one of her own appear on her face, “I know I say it to you all the time and, hopefully, it hasn’t lost meaning to you but I think you’re the most beautiful girl in the world.”

She blushed. “It’s still nice to hear that one.”

“I love you.”

“I love you, too.”

“I really mean it,” there was something in his voice that she couldn’t quite place as though he were trying hard to convince her of something, “I’ve been in love with you since I first met you. I don’t think I have to tell you about how messed up I was before but I’m a better person because I met you. You’re the reason I wake up feeling like the happiest man on earth in the morning. You’re the inspiration for everything I write. You’re the only one I see in a crowded room. You’re my princess. I love you, Choi Seul. I loved you 5 years ago, I love you now and I’ll love you 5 years later.”

She saw him reach into his jacket pocket and pull out a small box revealing the most beautiful ring she’d ever seen. Her breath caught in as she realized what was going on. “Oh my god…”

He got down on one knee. “Give me permission to love you forever. Will you marry me?”

---

The door to the waiting room suddenly swung open to reveal Seunghyun. He looked even more nervous than Seul did. Her friends all hurried out of the room to go get their seats and Hye Mi followed close behind, giving her husband a quick kiss before heading out.

“Are you ready?” he asked extending his hand.

She had been ready for a long time. “Of course.”

“Well then it’s time to get married Mrs. Kwon.”

fin.