(Yuri POV)

Ye-jin and I were left in awkwardness. I remembered how she confessed her feelings and tried to stop me from leaving the town. She cried when I rejected her telling her that I was not ready for any relationship. She had loved me for a long time but I felt guilty for not returning back her feelings. Then, I just introduced a wife to her. I was feeling terrible already.

 

“How are you, Yuri?” I heard her asked me after some time. I looked up to her and she was staring at me with amusement in her eyes.

 

“I am good. How about you?” my simple replied to her and asked her back.

 

“Relax, Yuri. I am not angry nor mad. Why don’t we go to the garden?” she casually asked me and I nodded. There were swings in the garden and we decided to sit. I looked up on my room’s veranda. If SIca would come out and looked down, she could see us.

 

“Your wife is beautiful”, she said and I saw her staring on nothing particular. “And cool too”, she added and smile. I averted my gaze on her and looked ahead.

 

“She was a regular customer in a café I worked at. I was just so captivated from the moment I laid my eyes on her, and it was the same moment that I realized…”, she cut me with, “You were not straight as you thought”, she finished my very brief love story.

 

“Yeah. How about you? Any boyfriend or perhaps a girlfriend?” I looked back and asked her. She looked back at me and chuckled.

 

“I am waiting for you. I should have followed you to Seoul. But, I guessed I am late”, she said and looked down on her lap.

 

“Don’t worry I am not your other crazy admirer, I know where I should be. I will move on from you”, she added and heaved a sigh.

 

“Of course, you are not like them, you are one of my best friend here.” I simply agreed. “I am sorry and I hope you find the one for you”, I sincerely told her.

 

“Are you happy?” she asked and looked at me in the eyes.

 

“I am”, I shortly answered her and she just nodded.

 

“Min-ho is stupid. He should not cheated on you but I had to admit I was not remorse when you guys separated. We had known him as a flirty boy. Tsk, and I still could not believe Vivian and him are together. I am now a godmother of their daughter.” She was casually telling me, though I had known it already as my mother would still update me during my calls on her, I nodded on her.

 

“The 3 of us were inseparable during childhood until middle school. And look us now, Min-ho is having a family, you have a wife, and I am hopelessly single. Life could be cruel sometimes.” She said more in her whinny voice. I laughed on her statement.

 

“Hi, aren’t you done? Come and join us now”, she said looking up in the direction of my veranda. I saw Sica was smiling and waved at us. She nodded and went back inside. After few minutes, she came with snacks on hand. She motioned us to go to nearby lanai.

 

My Princess and Ye-jin were surprisingly comfortable talking to each other. They talked as if I did not exist. Ye-jin would share my misfortunes and crazy antics during childhood, and Sica would laugh. They kept talking continuously and jumping from one topic to another. I excused and left them when Sica shook her head when I asked if she was done with the packing. When I was done packing, I brought our luggage downstairs. They were still in the lanai talking.

 

“Sica-baby, it’s almost time”, I simply looked at her in the eyes and she immediately frown. I guessed she does not want to go home yet, as she was having a good talk with Ye-Jin.

 

“Sorry, Ye-Jin, we did not bring our car, we have to take train back to Seoul.” I explained to Ye-Jin as she looked confused.

 

“Why don’t we go back tomorrow at dawn, the trip here was not that long, and I am sure the trip back will not be that long.” Sica negotiated and looked with her begging eyes.

 

“I don’t mind staying long but remember your Secretary called you yesterday. You have scheduled video conference tomorrow at 10am. Can you manage?” I casually reminded her schedule. She frown with my statement and seems totally forgot about it. She heaved a long sigh.

 

“It’s okay, Jess, I will visit you at Seoul then continue our chat”, Ye-jin held Sica’s hand and she looked like consoling a child.

 

“Promise”, Sica childishly shown her pinky finger to seal the promise. I chuckled on her antics.

 

“Promise”, Ye-jin giggled on their childishness and hooked their pinky fingers together. I rolled my eyes on both of them.

 

(Jessica POV)

We had an early dinner with the whole family including Ye-jin. We talked more over the table, and by the time that we have to go, Umma was crying already. She kissed both my cheeks and hugged me tightly. Appa and Oppa embraced me as well. I kissed and hugged Mama, and did an ‘I love you and take care’ sign language that I learned from Yuri. I thank all of them as I felt home and part of their family during the duration of my stay.

 

“Take care, Jess. I will see you when I visit Seoul. If Yuri become handful, remember my advice”, Ye-jin whispered while she hugged me and kissed my cheeks afterwards.

 

“Thank you, Ye-jin. Don’t worry I will take care of Yuri and will love only her”, I whispered back to her. She stiffened in my words and I hugged her tighter. I kissed and winked at her after. She just shyly nodded her head. I knew she love Yuri and she was a good sport. I mentally wished her to find a good person for her to love and back.

 

It was already 10pm when we arrived here in Seoul. I proceeded inside my office and turn on my laptop. I did not check anything since we left and did not intend to, even though I had hand phone and Yuri has laptop at their home. No work on vacation policy was strictly implemented. I did not want to worry myself but when my Secretary called me yesterday, it only meant important. I informed her that I would be out of town, and automatically she would not bother me unless it was urgent. My father had instructed her to set a schedule for video conference as soon as I came back per se. I heaved a long sigh as I felt unexplainable uneasiness forming in the pit of my stomach. I was supposed to stay for 4-6 months only here in Korea but it has been more than a year already. I had mentioned to them my relationship as soon as Yuri and I got official. My mother was enthusiastic and already met Yuri on one of our live conference but my father never said anything.

 

I was planning to talk to father about settling down here in Korea. I was on under negotiation on selling and/or transferring the main office of my fashion line here. It was exhausting and strenuous to be working almost 24/7 because of the time difference. It was also futile to be holding a position which I could not perform well. So, better give up and start anew. Besides, there were possible options like working in one of our businesses here, or establish new fashion line. Furthermore, I really wanted to settle down here in Korea, with Yuri. And, Yuri does not know anything about it yet.

 

(Yuri POV)

“So, you want to settle down?” I carefully asked my Princess as we cuddled on the bed. It was past 12mn and we were still both awake. She was deeply troubled and would not sleep until she told me about everything on what she just read in the email sent to her by her secretary.

 

“We will have our union ceremony soon”, I added.

 

“Stupid, what I meant ‘settle down’ is to live here in Korea for good, and with you. Not necessarily and specifically by marrying me”, she smacked my chest.

 

“Ohh”, I held her hand and interlaced our fingers. It was always fit perfectly and I smiled contentedly.

 

 “When do you want to go back to U.S.?” I asked her while kissing her knuckles.

 

“I am not sure yet, let see what happen on conference tomorrow.” she hugged me tighter.

 

“There are re-organizational and merging happening in your family company, of course, you should be there if you were holding an important position”, I said to her. “What is your position there?” I asked while caressing her arms.

 

“Audit Head, but since I left, the position was vacant and they hired temporarily someone that will help our Assistant Audit Head.”, she explained her position.

 

“How you manage your own business then holding a pivotal position such as yours?” I asked in wonder.

 

“Yuri, as I was saying earlier, I am thinking of telling father to look for my replacement. Then, I am selling of the fashion line or transferring the main office her in Korea”, she seriously said and looked at me. “It’s very tiring, you know”, and placed her head on my chest again.

 

“Well, giving up your position is giving up helping your family business. You can’t sell your fashion line, you built it, as you said before, with your sweat and blood and took mostly of your youth. Transferring the main office could be the most fitted but U.S. market is a lot of bigger and more convenient in any business transaction. All these decisions you were making is for the name of love. You wanted to be with me here in Korea, wow, I am flattered and honored”, I stated and I hushed her when she was trying to say something.

 

“I am not done yet.” I added, “I am hurt now because you did not ask for my opinion sooner. Anyways, you are forgiven. If you have to go back to U.S., I could be with you. My responsibilities here are not as heavy as yours. I had been thinking a lot too, you know, I did not like seeing you so tired and stressed almost every day. I am not even sure if you were eating properly the whole day you were here alone. I am just here for you, wherever and whenever, I am with you.” I lovingly hugged her as I continued my little speech.

 

“You meant, you are willing to come and live with me in the U.S.? It will not be a vacation of weeks or months. We might live there for a long time and Korea will be a vacation place only.” She asserted on possibilities.

 

“It is the most right thing to do. We cannot be selfish.” I implied to her. She looked at me and started to shed tears. She kissed me passionately and I replied lovingly.

 

“I love you so much. You are not only the most understanding and patient but the most sensible person I know.” she uttered in muffled voice as she placed her face on my chest. We were engaged on silence after, then I felt her drawing circles on my abs and it was a habit of hers already, and it was arousing me abruptly. I went on top of her and kissed her sensually.

 

“I already told you before not to play with my abs”, I swiftly blamed her and she looked at me bemused. I caressed her sides and thighs sensually and she arched up her body.

 

“I need you”, I added while I stared at her deeply. She smirked and wrapped her arms and legs on me.