“Jagiya, we’re here.” Ji Chang Wook said.

“I’ll be right down.” She replied.

“Araso.” Ji Chang Wook said, before hanging up. He moved nervously in his seat and let out a loud exhale. Manager Bang gave him a quick squeeze on his shoulder.

Nam Ji Hyun got on the van quickly, greeting everyone before sitting down beside Ji Chang Wook and giving him a quick kiss on his cheek.

Ji Chang Wook had completed his military service successfully a year ago and since then, the work offers had been pouring in. The public approval for his hard work in serving his country was overwhelming and he found himself the star of many CFs and being courted for several new films with renowned directors. Ji Chang Wook was grateful that his fans still loved and supported him despite the time that he was away in the military. He was also so thankful that he made it through the two years with Nam Ji Hyun’s support.

Ji Chang Wook moved closer to Nam Ji Hyun and put his arms around her. He always enjoyed holding her in his arms. She fit so perfectly in his arms. 

“Where is the apartment?” She asked.

“Itaewon.” Manager Bang replied. “Actually, we are looking at two today.”

“Araso. Are you excited oppa?”

“To be honest, I’m getting a little tired with the search.” Ji Chang Wook said. He had been on a search for a new apartment for some months now and it was starting to get painfully repetitive. The apartments were all starting to look the same.

“We’ll find something!” She said cheerfully.

…

They went through the first apartment quickly. It had the usual trappings of designer furnishing and the like but felt cold and unwelcoming.

“The second one is in a gated community so you will have a lot of privacy and protection from the paparazzi.” Manager Bang said as they made their way to the second apartment.

“That would be good.” Ji Chang Wook responded. After his military service, he was so happy to be able spend time with Nam Ji Hyun. Their time together before his enlistment had been so short. However, there was a complex matrix set up just for their dates just so that they could date in secret without the scrutiny of outsiders. Their cars couldn’t be seen at their respective homes. Ji Chang Wook would get picked up in one car which will bring him to a second location where he would change to another car to pick Nam Ji Hyun. Fortunately, the agency had a rotation of vehicles that they could use incognito. While he knew it was necessary to protect them both, in particular, Nam Ji Hyun, it was also very tiresome. He longed to just ride his bike and pick his girlfriend up for a date, riding through the city just like any ordinary couple.

“Here’s the key card. You just need to tap it in the lift and it will bring you straight up to the apartment.” Manager Bang said, passing the key card to Ji Chang Wook. “I need to take a call so you guys go ahead.”

“Sure.” Ji Chang Wook replied, stuffing his hands into his bomber jacket nervously. “Let’s go, Hyun-ie.”

They boarded the elevator which swiftly brought them to the penthouse unit of the apartment block.

“Wow.” Nam Ji Hyun said as the elevator doors open. The apartment had floor to ceiling windows which looked out to a very lush park and the city beyond. “This is pretty.”

“Do you like it?” He asked quietly.

“I do. Don’t you? The view is spectacular!”

“I do. The view is spectacular.” He said, looking intently at Nam Ji Hyun, rather than the actual view outside the apartment. “Let’s go look at the rooms.”

They walked through two guest bedrooms which also overlooked the view.

“It’s a good size for a bedroom. I think omma will really like it too.” Nam Ji Hyun said.

“She will.” He replied softly, grateful for this person who always had his mother on her mind. Even while he was away in the military, Nam Ji Hyun would call omma regularly and omma would often have dinner with Nam Ji Hyun and her family. He recalled all the telephone calls he had with his omma, with her raving over what a lovely girl Nam Ji Hyun was. At this point, Ji Chang Wook was pretty sure his omma preferred Nam Ji Hyun over him, her one and only son. When he told his omma of his plan for today, she had given him all her blessings.

Ji Chang Wook turned the door handle to the very last room, the master bedroom. Ji Chang Wook felt his heart pounding a million times per second.

Just as he had planned, the expansive room was completely filled with freesias, Nam Ji Hyun’s favourite flower.

She gasped and looked at him.

“What is all this?”

“Happy 1000 days my hyun-ie.”

“Happy 1000 days my love. With apartment search and all the shoots, I thought you forgot.” She replied as she put her arms around his waist for a tight hug.

“I wouldn’t. Saranghae hyun-ie.”Ji Chang Wook whispered as he looked intently into her eyes, his eyes watering very so slightly as he held her close.

“Saranghae.” She replied, tightening her arms around him, burying her face in his chest.

He took her left hand and got down on one knee.

She gasped again, covering with her free hand as tears immediately sprung to her eyes.

“From the first time we met, I knew you were special. You were always on my mind. Since our first day, I knew you were the one for me. You have made me so very happy, Jagiya, so very happy. I really don’t know how I lived all those years without you. Thank you for being with me even while I was away for so long and never giving up on me. I want to build a life together here with you. Please be mine forever. Please let me love you and take care of you for all the days of our lives. Saranghae Nam Ji Hyun.”

The flurry of words spilled out from Ji Chang Wook. He had been practicing all week for this. He learned more complex lines throughout his entire career as an actor, but none were as difficult as these. He gingerly took out a distinctive red box with gold wordings from the pocket of his bomber jacket.

“Saranghae Ji Chang Wook. I love you so much.”

“Wait, is that a yes? You didn’t say yes. Is it a no? Oh my goodness, this is even scarier than I could ever imagine!”

“Yes, you idiot! Of course it’s a yes! A thousand times yes!” She said quickly, hitting him slightly on the shoulder.

“Ouch. I didn’t even show you the ring yet!” He replied with a half sulk on his face.

Nam Ji Hyun laughed happily. Ji Chang Wook couldn’t help but laugh along with her. So much for the perfect and romantic proposal he had envisioned in his mind to sweep Nam Ji Hyun off her feet. He knew in his heart that this proposal filled with their usual banter and laughter was basically the perfect one for them.

“Do you want to see it?”

“Of course I want to see it!”

Ji Chang Wook opened the Cartier box to reveal a sparkling diamond solitaire with a diamond halo sitting on the platinum band.

Nam Ji Hyun smiled brightly at Ji Chang Wook and stretched her left hand out to him. He smiled back and put the ring on Nam Ji Hyun’s ring finger. The ring fit perfectly.

“Is it too big?”

“What? Doesn’t it fit perfectly? I took your other ring from your place the other day just to make sure it was the right size!”

“No wonder! I had been searching high and low for it! And I meant the diamond. I have small hands and it looks very big.”

“Does it? I was told this is a good size! Plus I want everyone to know that you are mine. Do you want to change it?” He asked, slightly disappointed.

Nam Ji Hyun looked again at the ring and back at Ji Chang Wook.

“No, no, you chose it. I love it.”

“Hyun-ie.” He murmured, as he pulled her into his arms, kissing her gently.

“Saranghae.” She whispered, tiptoeing to kiss him back deeply. Their tongues danced as their hands held each other tightly. They stood there in the room filled with the scent of freesias and the glorious views surrounding them, lost entirely in each other’s kiss.

...

After what seemed like an eternity, they gingerly pulled away. Nam Ji Hyun smiled happily at Ji Chang Wook.

“So this was a set up?”

“Well, I’ve been planning this for months. I ordered the ring after your graduation. They needed time to find the perfect diamond.”

“And the house viewing?”

“I already bought this apartment. When I saw it, I knew I wanted it to be our future home for the life we will build together.” He said. “And where we will start our family.”

“What?”

“Start a family….” He repeated quietly as he trailed off. “Unless you don’t want to, then we definitely don’t have to.”

“Ji Chang Wook! You need to tell me these things! You can’t be running off and secretly buying apartments for our future home without me! I would very much want to be involved in this decision.” She chided him.

“And as for starting a family….” She paused, “Nothing would make me happier to have you as the father to our babies.”

“Jagiya!” He exclaimed as he pulled her in and hugged her tightly.

…

They made their way down in the lift, holding hands and looking gleefully at each other.

“I need to tell my parents. And my Unnie.”

“They already know. I took them out for dinner last week to ask for permission. Your Unnie too.”

“You did?”

“I did! It was so scary! But your parents and unnie were very nice to me.”

“This is why they have been acting strange and cagey all week. I was telling them about the house viewing today and it seemed like they couldn’t get out of the conversation fast enough.”

Manager Bang smiled at the two as they came out from the lift lobby, taking a quick glance at the ring which sat comfortably on Nam Ji Hyun’s ring finger.

Ji Chang Wook took his good friend’s hand and engulfed him in a bear hug while Manager Bang laughed heartily and said “It’s about time!”

“It’s about time indeed.” Ji Chang Wook replied with a big smile.

Nam Ji Hyun smiled happily at the two old friends. 

“Congratulations Ji Hyun-yang.”

“Kamsahamida Manager Bang-nim. I’m sure oppa would not have done all this without your help.”

“I may have pointed him in the correct direction regarding the ring, thanks to my wife.”

“Thank you! It’s amazing, isn’t it?” Nam Ji Hyun said, lifting her hand up and admiring the ring again.

“It is.” Ji Chang Wook replied, looking directly Nam Ji Hyun. His love, his fiancé, his forever.