She stood to stretch the kinks from her shoulders, from hours of tending the various plants lining the sides of the stone terrace. All about her feet were evidence of her labor; pruned off leaves, dead flowers and weeds littered the ground.

She took a deep breath in and closed her eyes, letting the last rays of sunshine bathe her face.

The wind brings with it the faint smell of autumn, all crisp and earthy and verdant with the promise of coolness in the air.

Aside from the birds chirping and the occasional voices carrying from down the street, it is quiet. The house sits far above the hills, distance away from the main road and other neighbors.

She likes the solitude.

She heard the soft steps and the murmur from the doorway.

“Ma’am…”

A glance; behind the girl stood a silhouette, a familiar figure.

“Thank you, Do Han; you may go for the evening.”

They stood against the backdrop of a multicolored skies. Soon the sun will set, displaying its own autumn colors.

“It’s done. Everything’s signed and stamped. I’ve personally handed the documents to the court.” His low tones a murmur as he moved to stand next to her.

“So, it’s finally over.”

She couldn’t help but sound resigned, however expected though this was. She felt more fatigued as ever.

Unconsciously, she straightened her shoulders, as if girding herself.

“I should be relieved, shouldn’t I? After all, this ends everything. But am I really free?”

She turned to look at him. The winds stir the leaves in the breeze, a soft rustling music around them.

He pivoted to face her, and at her words, met her gaze.

“You are only as free as you allow yourself to be,” he said. “Just like we can only be as alone and isolated as we let ourselves, so is the idea of freedom. Ties that bind, particularly family ties, are one of the hardest to tear asunder. No matter how much we think we’ve moved away leaving the past behind, we are never fully unbound. We can only loosen the hold so that we may start anew, without the trappings that mean to hold us back.”

“Unfettered wings give the illusion of freedom, even though one has never been off ground.”

“Do you regret this?” he asks, after a brief silence stretched between them.

“No…. No.” She shook her head for emphasis.

“It’s only business. I can build many more. But I regret losing this family, what little family I had. I couldn’t just give up at the slightest opposition, but even so this stalemate didn’t really fix anything,” she sighed.

Court battles after torturous court battles have worn her out, chipping continuously at her resolve. In the end she retained the majority of the shares of the family legacy, but gave up the actual run of the businesses. As part of the settlement, the Song family corporation with its net worth in the millions, was divided up into 3 parties, limiting her uncle’s control to just a fourth of the share, an independent party holding the other fourth, and leaving her to retain the remaining shares. She still has the upper hand in all major decision making when it involves the Song family brand, but she has passed the helm of running the businesses to her uncle as negotiated.

Everything was specified, down to the minutest detail in those documents now filed in court. She has no worry with Yeon Woo in charge.

“It’s only understandable to feel sad; you’ve worked so hard for this family business all your life. It wouldn’t have been easy to just let it go.”

He continued, “No matter how much you concede, your uncle will never be truly happy, not with you still having the upper hand. But some people are just like that.”

“I suppose…but he has the business now. I have nothing to do with it anymore. To be honest, it was worrisome in the beginning, but I am quite relieved, too.”

“What will you do? Money is not a hindrance. You can travel or retire, even.”

“No. I’m too restless to retire,” she laughs. “I still have grandmother’s house and property to maintain. You remember the attic is full of antiques the family has collected for years. I promised her I will go through them and donate those to the museum under her name.”

“That alone wouldn’t be enough to occupy you. I know you all too well.”

“Perhaps, I will also open a flower shop. Don’t laugh, I’m quite serious! I am still a business woman, after all. Seriously, I want to start a small business, one I can run simply, with no bells or whistles or what-nots. You doubt me?” She asks, a slight smile quirks the corner of her lips.

“Doubt you? Never.” He chuckled.

“You remain a woman of substance; I would be a fool not to see you as such even without any material trappings.”

A second of hesitancy, but then his hand reached over to cover hers that were resting on the railing of the balcony. “I’m glad this is over, selfishly, for myself.”

“I’m still a client, aren’t I?” She smiled at him, at their hands.

“A mere technicality; you forget I am quite good at arguing technicalities.”

His hands are warm as they rest on hers. She turns them over letting their fingers entwine.

The breeze whips her hair around, a silken curtain about her face. She felt rather than saw his fingers catch the errant strands.

“My offer stands. It is only out of consideration for the recent events that I have not pushed for your answer.”

She nodded; his words still cause her heart to skip a beat.

Thrown together due to the circumstances that befell her, it was a wonder she was able to keep her head clear, and her heart in line.

It wasn’t easy, not when love has been freely offered for the taking.

“I have never denied how I felt, just the timing in light of my circumstances.”

“Nothing hinders us now,” he said, and moved to grasp her chin, turning her to face him.

“My life is still complicated; you’ve seen the skeletons that still hide in the family closet. This life we will have together will never be a peaceful one.” Her voice trembled, as she let her heart be mirrored in her eyes, hoping he remains undeterred in his quest.

“I never asked for a peaceful life; but my heart will be at peace being with you.” A pause, a step closer. To her.

“Will you be mine? Will you have me?”

She nodded; a tear fell, but brushed just as quickly by his ready fingers.

A soft kiss, tender lips brushing lightly; a shared breath; a sigh.

“I couldn’t be anybody else’s.”

She felt his smile, right before his head dipped to kiss her again, now with passion, with heat, with unreserved demand.

Behind them the skies are awash with the colors of the sunset, all reds and purples and oranges melding into one another, a painting unequalled from nature to signal the end of the day in anticipation of the new.