"That was amazing!" Hope exclaims as they're removing their safety harnesses. A started shriek has them looking up at the people jumping off, while the boat nears the drop-off point.

"Do you want to rest for a bit or move on to the next activity?" Jongin asks, gathering their things from the locker,

"Let's eat first, so you can take your motion sickness pill." Hope states.

Jongin presses a kiss on her temple while linking their fingers.

"I know just the place." Jongin surprises her, as they head in the opposite direction of their car.

After a 10 minute walk, Jongin pulls her into a homey eatery and immediately places an order without having to look at the menu,

"You've been here before?" Heeyoung asks, as they're waiting for their food while Jongin sets the table for them.

"We've visited this place quite often." He explains.

"So pretty!" Hope silently wonders at the beautiful view,

"Are you ready to talk about why we ran away?" Jongin finally asks, now that they're up in the sky and Heeyoung has no means to avoid the conversation,

Heeyoung stills, exhaling as she turns to look back at Jongin, "My mother hates me. Nothing new, first it was Byun Namjin, now her."

"I promise you, Auntie doesn't hate you." Jongin assures her,

"I'm sure you'll also hate me considering you're friends with Byun Baekhyun." Heeyoung scoffs,

"Heeyoung." Jongin starts,

"Not now. I just want to enjoy this view right now, we can talk after." Heeyoung stops him.

~

After removing the safety suits, Jongin points Heeyoung towards the picnic tables which give them a good view of the valley and forest below.

"Heeyoung, I could never hate you. Even at my angriest, I've never felt anything negative towards you." Jongin starts, grabbing her fidgeting hands, "We've been through many things together and whatever you're worried about, I assure you, it wouldn't make me see you in a negative light."

The soft look Jongin gives her, has Heeyoung spilling all her secrets regarding her revenge project. The revelation leads to her pouring her heart out about how much her mother's reaction hurts and the fact Aeyoung raised her hand on her because of Byun Namjin. That was one of the few times, her mother or anyone has ever slapped her. Confessing everything relieves Heeyoung to the extent she's unable to walk without Jongin supporting her.

~

"Do you want to shower first?" Jongin asks, walking into their hotel room.

"I would much rather prefer a bath." Heeyoung mumbles. Jongin pecks her forehead and heads to the bathroom,

As she steps into the tub, Jongin strips of his clothes and though Heeyoung is greedily watching, the second he turns to her, she looks away. Her bright red cheeks giving away her indecent thoughts. Jongin chuckles, patting her head as he heads for the shower stall.

By the time, Heeyoung is ready to leave the tub, Jongin is brushing his teeth at the sink and he returns the favor by watching her dry and dress.

"What's with this feeling of deja vu?" Heeyoung mumbles, reaching for her toothbrush.

"Heeyoung," Jongin sighs, reaching over to pull the still woman into his arms, "I know how much Byun Namjin hurt you. It's not my place to judge your decisions. They're your shares and how you use them is on you. I promise I'm not angry with you. I know you're feeling overwhelmed and I simply wanted you to have space and time to process your feelings. I'm not pulling away." Jongin assures her, pressing a kiss to her head and he relaxes feeling her getting comfortable in his arms.

Heeyoung starts trailing kissing over his chest, with her hands slipping under his shirt,

"Heeyoung." Jongin warns, as Heeyoung pushes him on his back to straddle him,

"I want you. I wanted you that night at the apartment, but I need you right now, Jongin." Heeyoung kisses him as Jongin flips them over.

 "Heeyoung," She tries to ignore the lady, but another call of her name has her pausing,

"Mother." Hope coldly greets, refusing to look at Aeyoung,

"I'm not here to discuss your project. But, I just want my sweet Heeyoung back." Aeyoung cries,

"That's unfortunate, Mother. Sweet Heeyoung died while trying to protect her comastose mother." Hope snaps, walking away without another glance.

Aeyoung tries to follow after her but she's not given access to Heeyoung's floor.

The security guard by the elevator winces when the screen beeps red for the 5th time. However, he can't over-ride commands as he watches Aeyoung head up to Haechan and Bomi's floor.

"Jae will be back soon." Hana announces, reading through her texts.

"Yay!" Jayden cheers, high-fiving Hope from his seat on Taehyung's lap,

Though their relationship is slightly strained, Jayden has managed to worm his way back into Hope's heart, though she continues to deny it.

Heeyoung's relationship with her mother, on the other hand, is very much sour. They're both stubborn in their ways.

"With the way you're glowing, anyone would think you're waiting for your boyfriend's return?" Seol jokes, though their friends don't appreciate her humor. However, Hope is busy drooling over her handsome boyfriend, who unfortunately is seated on the other side of the room.

They're currently at an event and Hope is stuck being Hyungsik's proxy.

Her drooling is interrupted as someone blocks her view, "Would you care for a dance?" The handsome face is the only reason she's unable to snap at him.

"Seriously?" Hope glances between Taehyung and the male,

"I can't miss the chance to dance with the second gorgeous woman in the room." He jokes, getting a laugh from Heeyoung,

"Second?" Heeyoung asks, watching the male glance in a certain direction before looking down at her,

"Oops?"

"I guess, you'll have to suffer the consequences of dancing with the second gorgeous woman." Hope teases, taking the male's hand and heading to the dance floor. She catches Jongin's narrowing eyes where her partner has his hand on her . Jongin scowls at her, but Heeyoung chooses to ignore him.

"How are you this evening?" The male asks, making sure to keep a respectable distance from her, going as far as simply hovering his hand over her back,

"I'm fine and how are you, Kim Mingyu?" Hope smiles at the taller,

"Good, now that I get to dance with a gorgeous woman." He answers, though his eyes keep straying somewhere behind her.

Hope laughs, when someone pushes Mingyu causing him to grip her waist to not fall on her. They look back to see a slightly drunk couple spinning circles around the floor, 

"I'm sorry. He's quick to remove his hands, though Heeyoung glances towards to see Jongin standing up,

"You're not going to get my approval by simply asking me to dance with you, Kim Mingyu." Hope gets to the point, watching the model anxiously try and failing to defend himself.

"I know you're seeing my Jungha. You attended the same academy and university. I'm surprised, no one's connected the dots sooner." Hope surprises him,

"You knew?" Mingyu asks,

"I try to be aware of matters that concern my family. So, be careful Mr.Celebrity. I know how your lifestyles are and if you so much as make her cry, I will destroy you and that's a promise." Hope sweetly warns him, just as Jongin stops behind Mingyu.

"Move." Jongin politely shoves Mingyu away and takes Heeyoung in his arms,

"Why are you torturing me?" Jongin groans, checking Heeyoung out in the backless dress along with a long slit revealing her right leg,

"Me?" Heeyoung innocently blinks at him, "I did no such thing."

"Heeyoung, I feel if I see anyone else so much as glance at you, I'll tear them apart. Please don't tempt me." Jongin states, carefully navigating them towards the exit,

"Jongin." She warns, glancing at her friends, but they're all busy socializing and no one really notices them slip away.

"Let's go." He pulls them towards the elevator.

Once they're alone, he pushes her against the wall and rests his forehead on her shoulder, "Do you have any idea what you're doing to me?"

Heeyoung chuckles, running a hand through his hair, "Probably the same thing as you're doing to me."

Jongin groans and starts peppering kisses along her collarbone.

"If someone walks in.." Heeyoung warns, pulling him away from her. He gives her a half-hearted glare as he steps back but makes sure to keep a tight grip around her waist.

All their friends are aware of the two reconnecting, but they're unaware of how much their relationship has progressed as Heeyoung has unofficially moved in with Jongin. The couple prefers their privacy and would rather not have everyone up in their business.

Thankfully it's a short ride and Heeyoung visible relaxes stepping out of the machine, though her relief is short lived as Jongin throws her over his shoulder.

"Jongin!"

"I don't like watching other men leering at my w-girlfriend." Jongin says, kicking the hotel door closed behind him while carrying Heeyoung through the room. He tosses her on the bed and begins taking off his suit jacket.

"Do you know how temped I was to let everyone know about us?" Jongin asks,

Heeyoung sighs and reaches up to grab him by his tie and pull him on top of her, "Would it help knowing, I was thinking of your reaction when I got dressed?"

Heeyoung removes his tie and pulls him closer and presses their lips together.

~

Three words echo through the room as sleep takes over.

"I love you."

"Good morning." Jongin greets a yawning Heeyoung as she slowly wakes up,

"What time is it?" She asks, seeing the CEO dressed for work.

"I have an early meeting. I had Emmett bring you a change of clothes." He informs her, pointing to the bag on the dressing table.

As her mind clears, the more Heeyoung tenses as she stares after Jongin cleaning up their discarded clothes from the previous night.

"Thank you." She softly replies and her boyfriend beams at her and with one last kiss, he's out the suite.

As soon as the door shuts behind him, she's reaching for her phone.

"Where are you?" Her nervous tone is obvious even over the phone and by the time she's leaving the hotel, there's a car waiting for her.

"I screwed up." Hope states, once she's comfortably seated,

"How?" The driver asks,

"In the throes of passion, three words might have slipped out." Hope mumbles, eyes focused on her nails.

Taehyung purses his lips, "Was there reciprocation?"

Hope shakes her head, while Taehyung smoothly navigates through the streets.

"Are we upset because of the lack of reciprocation or the words themselves?" Taehyung asks, letting her think over his words as he drives.

~

Taehyung sighs, watching his best friend head to the elevator without a single pause and that's all he needs to know. He watches her hit the button for his floor and keeps quiet as they go directly to the kitchen.

"You have to stop letting your head control your emotions." Taehyung starts, pulling out a stool behind the island while Hope spreads out the takeout Taehyung picked up on the way to the hotel.

When she remains silent, He asks, "Do you though?"

When she gives him a questioning look, He clarifies, "Do you love him?"

Hope deeply sighs, "I don't know."

"What do you know?"

"I like waking up with him. I love seeing him smile, especially if it's because of me. I love the way he looks at me, his eyes, Tae. They're so fu*king expressive. He makes me very comfortable and the fact I can cry with him." She softly chuckles, the look on her face giving away her emotions.

"I think that translates to, You're in love with him." Taehyung pats her hand, though she looks conflicted at his words.

"What are you doing with him?" Taehyung startles her, "Jongin is good for you. He's. Hope, we've been through this cycle too many times, but they all end with you going back to him. If that's any indication on your feelings for him."

Hope keeps staring at her best friend, unsure on how to react,

"I've grown to care for Jongin, but if you don't plan on continuing your relationship, then break up. Don't lead him on. Don't give him false hope. He doesn't deserve a relationship where he's not cherished." Taehyung warns her,

"I'm not leading him on, Tae. I genuinely care for him. I want to make him happy. I want to stay with him. I need him in my life. That's what I want, but what about him?" The anger in her tone slowly fades away as her fears about the relationship surface,

"Don't you ever compared Jongin to Byun Namjin. They are two completely different people." Taehyung snaps,

"Do you think I don't know that?"

"Knowing and Understanding are two different constructs, Hope." Taehyung reminds her, before changing the topic to her birthday party being hosted at Eddy and Hana's.

Hope is thankful for the change in topic, but as she's headed out the door, Taehyung stops her.

"Don't let your fears, stop you from what could have been." Taehyung advises.