EPILOGUE

November 6, 2018.

I stared at my digital clock, eyes stuck on the date. It’s Kris’ birthday.

I sighed to myself and walked to prepare for work. I have something in mind for his birthday but I don’t know if I could execute it well. Not when I’m this nervous.

“Are you alright?” Ahyeon asked me as I walked downstairs. She’s busy preparing for her baby shower with her second child with Kikwang. I’m really happy because as I see them, I am reminded of how true love lasts. And people say there’s no eternity, but I bet with Ahyeon and Kikwang, there definitely is.

I nodded at her question. “I’m very good.” I replied.

She scoffed at me. “Yes, sure. I can see how tensely very good you are.” She said sarcastically while shaking her head.

I rolled my eyes and ignored her statement. Hearing those kinds of statements makes me even more tensed and nervous. I need to shake all these anxiety off me.

I went to the office and saw everyone busy with their work. Kris couldn’t fetch me this morning because he’s in Jeju for a site check. He said he’d be back before lunch.

“Hi, Ashin!” Jungkook beamed as I walked to my desk.

“Hello.” I greeted back.

He leaned over my desk and looked at me, too close that I needed to lean back.

I blinked at him. “What do you need?” I asked him.

He just smiled and stared at me. “Kris is not around.” He said and I raised my brow while waiting for his next words. “Can we grab lunch together?” He asked.

I blinked at his question twice. I was about to answer him but the door opened.

“Stay away from my girl, Jeon Jungkook!”

Jungkook froze in his spot. He slowly looked at Kris who’s towering over him right now. “K-Kris…” He stuttered as Kris’ tantalizing eyes are fixated at his.

“Didn’t you hear me?” Kris asked with a much more powerful and authoritative voice.

Now, this incident just made me remember that Kris is very territorial. He doesn’t want any other guy to lurk around me. He easily gets jealous.

Jungkook immediately ran back to his desk scared, terrified, I don’t know.

Kris rolled his eyes before looking at me. “What was that?” He asked me. Jealousy is shouting from his voice.

I stared back at him and shrugged. “I was taken aback as well.” I wanted to laugh but he’s looking so serious and I suddenly began to grow nervous.

He sighed and placed his palms on my desk, leaning down to meet my gaze at my level. “You know me, Kim Ashin. I don’t know what to do when I see you around other guys.” There was no hint of humor in his voice.

I grew cold. I’m not saying that I don’t like Kris being a jealous brat—in fact, I love him more when he’s jealous—but I get nervous of what he could do to others. He could harm them!

“We’re not doing anything.” I tried to explain.

He bit his lip and sighed. “I know. I know, Ashin…but…damn!” He’s trying to suppress his emotions. From the way he shut his eyes, I can see. I can see how he is suppressing too much.

“Calm down, Kris.” I pouted at him. I don’t know if our officemates could hear us but I don’t want him to mad. I don’t want him angry at anyone. “We’ll grab lunch and dinner together, alright?” I smiled at him as I touched his arm.

He shut his eyes and sighed heavily. “Alright. I’m sorry.” He stared at me with the most passionate eyes I have ever seen. “I just…you know I can’t really handle jealousy well.” He breathed.

I smiled and nodded. “No worries. Let’s just work.” I told him and he nodded, giving me a quick kiss on the forehead before walking to his desk.

Fortunately, nothing bad happened until the end hour of work. Jungkook and everyone else didn’t bother talking to me or to Kris the whole day. Well, it’s not like I need to talk to them anyway.

From: Gina

Done with the prep. Come on now!

I smiled and exited the messaging application after sending her a reply. I walked to Kris and he looks so tired.

“Let’s go?” I asked him.

He looked at me with narrowed eyes. “Where?” He asked back.

I smiled at him as I took his hand and pulled him out of the room. I just wish everything will be alright. I don’t know what face I could show him if something goes wrong.

“Where are we going?” He asked again.

I wanted to frown at him but I didn’t. Doesn’t he know that it’s his birthday today? Why does he seem to forget?

“Just come with me, will you?” I told him and he nodded.

I asked him to sit on my car’s passenger side. Yes, today, I’ll be the driver. “Fasten your seatbelt.” I told him and he did what he was told. I smirked. Good boy.

I couldn’t erase the smile on my face as I drove towards the area. I am still tad nervous but I can handle it. I can’t let this anxiety to eat me up. My love for Kris is better and stronger than any other feeling.

I pulled over the studio that I rented for his birthday. Gina’s already inside. And so are our other friends. All they are waiting is me…and Kris.

“What are we going to do here?” Kris asked me as we hopped out of the car.

I smiled at him and ignored him. “Just follow me.” I told him and walked inside the building. I was walking leisurely and excitedly but when I looked behind me, Kris was not following.

“Kris?” I called but all I got was silence. I walked back and tried to look for him. “Kris?” I called once more but I still got silence.

A pang of pain crossed my heart. I ran to the place where I parked my car but there wasn’t a sign of Kris. Where is he?

“Ashin?”

My world stopped when I saw Kim Junmyeon looking at me. Tears are already clouding my eyes but I could recognize my eleventh ex-boyfriend in front of me.

“Are you crying?” Panic was heard from his voice. He held my shoulders. “Why are you crying?” He asked really panicking.

I wiped my tears and moved away from him. If Kris sees this, he’s going to get hysterical yet again. “I’m fine.” I told him and walked back to the building. I don’t know why I am walking towards the building when the center of attention of this event is not here.

Why am I hoping that he’s inside now? Geez! I want him to be there right now!

“Wait! Where are you going?” Junmyeon asked me as he followed me upstairs.

I ignored him and just kept walking until I stopped at the door of the studio that I rented. I turned the knob and sighed. If Kris is not here, then I’d probably just die right now.

But just when I opened the door, the aroma of scented candles enveloped my nose.

A song was playing.

Used to seeing black and white, never really in between.

Waiting for the love of my life to come into my dreams.

The sound of the piano played and I narrowed my eyes. For once I was thinking if I was in the right room. This is not the surprise that I had planned. Why would this happen when I did not plan this?

Everything is shades of gray, never really blues or green.

Needed someone else to turn to someone who could help me learn to see,

All the beauty that was waiting for me.

I was so surprised when I saw all of my exes lined up by two’s, forming two straight lines. They are all looking at me, wearing suits and ties, with roses of different colors on hand.

I was even more taken aback when they started walking towards me, all smiles.

I looked around and saw my parents, Ahyeon and Kikwang standing near Kris’ parents and Sooyoung. Gina was smiling at me as she was holding Song Minho’s hand. She waved at me but I couldn’t get myself to smile.

The boys gave me the roses as they kept on telling me how beautiful or fine I was.

I tried to smile at them—tried because I couldn’t still comprehend what was happening. Why am I getting a surprise?

I looked at the flowers in my hand and was even more shocked when I saw Kris Wu, standing meters away from me, in his grey suit with an enticing smile and a bouquet in his eyes.

You, you put the blue back in the sky.

You put the rainbow in my eyes.

A silver lining in my prayers and now there's color everywhere.

I couldn’t prevent the tears from escaping my eyes the moment he started to walk slowly towards me. My heart is starting to get clouded with all these extreme emotions I am feeling for him.

I love him, even without all this, I love him.

You put the red back in the rose just when i needed it the most.

You came along to show you care and now there's colour everywhere.

I stared into his eyes and noticed the tears forming and starting to cloud his vision too. He looks so handsome like he always does but right now is something even more.

He looks like a prince in those fairy tales I’ve read. All the gods in Olympus would be put to shame with how Kris looks right now.

My life is so predictable, never any mystery.

But ever since you shined the light, all of that was history.

Now, I have a hand to hold and a reason to believe,

There's someone in my life worth living for.

I was hanging around just wishing on a star to put the happiness back in my heart and...

My world seemed to have stopped turning when he was just inches from me. His eyes, oh, his eyes will always be my refuge. It’s like I’m escaping this world when I stare into those dark brown eyes of his.

He smiled at me and I could feel my heart melting. I bit my lip and smiled at him while tears are still falling from my eyes.

Left those hazy days behind me, never to return again.

Now they're just a fading memory.

Coz baby it's all so clear to see the beauty that is waiting there for me.

“Ashin,” he breathed as he gave me the bouquet of red roses he is holding. “I’m sorry for disappearing like a bubble. I just needed to do this…”

My eyes widened when he suddenly knelt in front of me. An instrumental of the song is playing in the background as my heart beats so loud that it’s hard to keep it to myself.

I watched him take something out of his pocket and was shocked to see a small box. Oh no! Is this the moment where…

“Kim Ashin,” he looked up to me and I breathed heavily as tears kept falling. I have never imagined that someone would do this to me for the second time. And I thought it wouldn’t feel this overwhelming like the first but I am wrong.

I must have loved Kris so much that I could feel all these overloaded emotions in my chest right now.

“I know this is long overdue…” he smiled. “I have asked you once years back if you’re going to marry me after we graduate and you said yes. However, things happened and we’ve been away for too long.”

I swallowed a big lump in my throat as I listened to his confession.

“So right now, I’m doing it all over again…” he trailed as he opened the box slowly, showing a ring with a square diamond on top. “Kim Ashin, will you stop being a Kim and start living with me as a Wu?”

I know where this is going. I know that this could happen. But why are all my emotions betraying me now? Why can’t I stay calm and composed?

“What did I ever do to deserve you?” I asked him, crying ugly.

He smiled at me. “You stayed.” He replied. “All you had to do was stay, Kim Ashin. That’s all you could do to make yourself deserve me.”

I sobbed hard as I heard his reply. I have never felt this ecstatic before. I have never felt this happy before.

“Please say yes, Kim Ashin. Please say yes.”

I smiled at him. “Yes.”

He slipped the ring in my finger and hugged me tight. “I love you, Kim Ashin. I know it’s been a rough life. I know it’s been a hard life but I promise that you can share all your troubles with me. You can lean on me every time.”

“I love you, too, Kris. Always.”

*** END ***