“I’m tired!” His deep and gruff voice suddenly caught her attention.

Looking at him, she lightly swatted his arm and frowned. “You’re the one who brought me here. Why are you complaining?”

Seung Hyun had already stopped walking and he looked like he was about to throw a fit with that deep pout and furrowed brows. He tilted his head back and sighed—trails of sweat dripping down his temples and neck. The sun was brightly shining above and Lisa noted that despite the sweat and childish pout, he looked incredibly handsome under the sun. It was unusual for her to be with him outdoors and in broad daylight. So that sight in front of her was something that made her heart skip a beat.

They had only been hiking for almost two hours in one of the rocky ridges that stood between Italy and Switzerland. It was mid-June and summer was about to arrive in the region. With their schedules completely free for a week, the two of them finally went on a trip together without their managers or other friends. It was the very first time they did so and that constant anxiety about being discovered didn’t disappear even when they both arrived in Lake Como in relative quiet and anonymity.

Three days in and Seung Hyun suddenly wanted to go hiking with a personal guide. The middle-aged Italian man was currently looking at them in amusement. There were only the three of them in the guided tour and it was the best option they had—still careful if someone would recognize them even in a faraway place like this.

“Drink water.” Lisa quickly fished out the small container from her bag and handed it to him.

Seung Hyun drank almost half of the water and then released a deep sigh—surveying the scenic view of Sasso Gordona on their right.

“I deluded myself thinking I’m actually physically fit for this.” He said with a straight face and that made her laugh out loud.

“It’s not that difficult, oppa!”

He rolled his eyes and then motioned for the guide to continue walking ahead of them. The older man resumed talking about the history of the place and Lisa was completely immersed—ears on the guide’s accented voice, eyes on the nature… one foot over the other repeatedly as they continued the gradual uphill path towards the summit of Monte Generoso.

Once they reached their destination, the guide had finished talking and Lisa took the opportunity to photograph the scenery. There were also a few other tourists nearby, but no one really paid any attention to them. And Lisa thought that was a good thing. The majestic 360-view of the whole region, the summits of Lombardy and Piedmont, the Pre-Alps and Lake Como in the distance… everything took her breath away for a lack of better term. As she reveled at the beauty of nature right in front of her, Seung Hyun simply stood beside her—his soft gaze taking in the same picturesque view she was seeing. She snapped a few photos of him and he just let her with a smile on his lips.

“I’ll take a photo of you two.” The guide said before they began their way back to San Fedele Intelvi.

Taking the camera in Lisa’s hand, the guide positioned himself a few feet away from them. Lisa hugged Seung Hyun’s waist as he put an arm around her shoulders. Smiling widely for the camera, a few shots were taken of them with the exceptional view and rolling clouds in the background. The guide was also grinning when he gave her camera back—his remark making her blush while Seung Hyun playfully nudged her side.

“Beautiful couple.”

They spent the rest of the day cooped inside the villa Seung Hyun had rented. It was a newly-built modern villa that boasted the famous Lake Como. The minimalist white walls and full-length glass windows actually reminded her of Seung Hyun’s own house in Seoul—only the space and view were different.

The downtime was something she needed after three whole days of doing just about everything. From sightseeing, dining out, water sports, hiking, and the other activities in between… Lisa finally found the time to sit on the plush couch and catch up with her family and friends. As she chatted with Chae Young, Seung Hyun’s deep voice called her from the bedroom.

“Lalisa…”

Sighing, she put her phone down and stood up from the couch—already expecting a request she couldn’t say no to. She knew he was going to complain about his sore muscles. No matter how childish he was being at that moment, she couldn’t help but simply let him whine. That had always been a part of his many charms. Over a year in their relationship and she still couldn’t understand how someone who looked mature and intimidating be such a baby at times. She thought she was childish with others… but Seung Hyun was on another level entirely.

She found him lying on the bed—his cheek slightly squished with a pillow since he was lying on his front. He gave that puppy dog look and she tried to keep a poker face.

“Massage me, please…”

“It’s not for free.” She crossed her arms across her chest and looked at him pointedly. “What will I get from it?”

“Me.”

That made her chuckle and he burrowed his face on the pillow—cringing at how cheesy that sounded coming from him. Lisa went on the bed and just did what she was good at. He rarely asked for a massage so this was something unusual between them. He was quiet the entire time she kneaded his muscles through his clothes—working on the tense and sore parts of his shoulders down to his legs.

“This is nice.” He suddenly said and she unknowingly nodded.

“Me massaging you? Or us being alone together like this?”

“Both.”

She smiled as she worked on his hamstrings. “This is the first time we’ve spent this much time together without anyone else.”

He hummed and she gently patted his before massaging him there as well.

“Don’t press too hard.” He whined again and she did the exact opposite. Seung Hyun yelped and wormed his way out of her hands in mock anger. “My buttcheeks also hurt!”

That left her in hysterics as she lied down to hug him.

“Oppa…” She said once her laughing fit disappeared.

“What now, you evil woman?”

She would never get tired of the feeling of him pressed against hers. The warmth of his body always gave her both comfort and security. No matter how much she tried to find the reason for it, she would always resort to one thing. With a soft sigh, she gently kissed his neck and he slightly stiffened.

“Chan rak khun.” She whispered and he already knew what she meant when he tilted her face up and kissed her lips—then noticing the tears that were welling in her eyes.

“What is it?”

She shook her head and clung to his shoulders. “I’m just happy. Thank you for bringing me here.”

“Do you love it here?” The way he asked that question made the butterflies in her stomach come alive.

He sounded so gentle, hopeful… happy.

“Yes. It’s very peaceful and beautiful.”

Just imagining a life in a faraway place such as this one felt like a dream. “I don’t know how much you rented this villa but it’s perfect.”

Seung Hyun hummed. “If I buy it from Sotheby’s, it’s around 3 million dollars. The same amount I bought my villa in Seoul over a decade ago.”

“But this place is bigger.”

“Yes.” He chuckled. “So it’s not much if you think about it.”

She huffed. “Not much? That’s a lot of money!”

“It’s an investment. Like all the paintings I buy.” The humorous tone didn’t disappear but Lisa was still having a hard time accepting just how much Seung Hyun could spend. They never talked about money because she knew they didn’t differ much in that aspect. But she would be a cheapskate when compared to him.

“I know the realtor for this place. Just one e-mail and this villa is mine.”

She lightly hit his arm and sat up—the annoyance and amazement mixing which eventually made her confused.

“Are you really serious, oppa? You’re going to buy this place?”

His lower lip jutted out as he tilted his head back. The way he waggled his eyebrows once and the smirk appearing on his face…

He was indeed serious.

Lisa sighed and stood up from the bed. Walking towards the wall-sized glass windows, she looked at the view in front of her: from the magnificent mountains to the abundant greenery, especially the famous lake with its blue waters. From a distance, she could see the surrounding villages with the colorful and dramatic architecture—she could just imagine the quaint and charming cobbled streets she walked with him yesterday.

It was an enchanting place so far away from the peering eyes of people who could easily judge them.

“Let’s go out for dinner.” He lazily got up and stretched his limbs. “I’m hungry. Last to get ready will pay.”

Their eyes met for one second and she quickly ran to the bathroom with him following right behind.

The evening air was quite chilly as they walked towards a local restaurant nearby. Hand in hand, Lisa appreciated the fact that she was able to do this with him outside. There was something very reassuring about the fact that even though they passed by strangers, those people remained just that… mere strangers and nothing more. Only two more days and she wouldn’t be able to do this with him. In all honesty, because of that reason… she felt especially clingy and needy.

And Seung Hyun spoiled her rotten.

He had booked a reservation in an upscale restaurant hours prior. The space was quite small and gave a very cozy and intimate atmosphere with its stone walls and wooden interior. Seated near the windows overlooking the lake, they ate comfortably—talking about everything and nothing. He had received an offer for a movie which would be filmed in autumn… right after their group’s world tour would end. She was proud of him and the offers for him were countless after winning an award last year. It was something that truly opened a lot of opportunities for him to take on more challenging roles. But that meant even lesser time to spend with each other.

“Are you sure you’re okay with it?”

His question brought her back to reality. She hadn’t caught what he was saying for a while and so she sheepishly smiled.

“What were yo