Girl tell me how you feel, what your fantasy oh

I see us on a beach down in Mexico

You can put your feet up, be my senorita

We ain't gotta rush just take it slow

You'll be in the high life

Soaking up the sunlight

Anything you want is yours

I'll have you living life like you should

You say you never had it so good

B.o.B. was blasting through my headphones as I finished my run on the treadmill. The gym on campus was mostly empty, as it was the last day of finals and some students had tests all day. I had completed my last class earlier in the morning and, after taking a much needed nap at my apartment, needed to blow off some steam. I'd studied hard, too hard, and was looking forward to the next month off for winter break.

As I finished the last quarter mile of my five mile run I pushed the Stop button, leaning over the bar to catch my breath. I found that running was a good cathartic activity, and lately when I let my mind wander it was filled with surprisingly good thoughts. I hopped off with my towel, dabbing as much sweat from my forehead as I could when I felt a tap on my shoulder. "Hey there, Soojung."

I took my earbuds out and greeted Justin, the TA in one of my seminars. With over a hundred students in the course I had no idea he even knew who I was. "Hey, how are you?"

"Good, good. All done with finals?"

"Sure am, try not to give me too bad of a grade, please?" He flashed me a flirtatious smile and squeezed my upper arm. "Don't worry about that, you always do great work. I'm glad I ran into you. I've been wanting to ask you out all semester, but, you know, they kind of frown upon TAs dating students. But now that classes are done, do you maybe want to go grab some coffee?"

"That's a nice offer, but I've heard her husband has a real mean, jealous streak." Sehun appeared next to me, kissing the top of my head as Justin's face started to turn red. "Oh, man. I'm sorry, I didn't know you were married."

I leaned into his side as he handed me a bottle of water. "That's okay, it was a few days ago."

"Congratulations. No hard feelings?" Sehun scowled as I elbowed him in the ribs and gave Justin a genuine smile. "None at all. Have a good break, okay?"

"You too." Justin headed to the back of the gym towards the locker rooms as wrapped my arms around my husband's waist. "You are so unbelievably rude."

"He's just lucky he walked out of here with two unbroken arms, touchin' my woman." I raised on my toes to kiss him as he captured my bottom lip, biting it gently. "Mine."

"So possessive."

"in' right, Mrs. Oh." We had gotten married at the courthouse the day after we got our license. There were no flowers, no string quartet, and no white dress. We were in and out in half an hour, stopping by our favorite café for lunch before we spent the rest of the night – and most of the next day – in bed. We had that disgustingly sweet newlywed happiness I'd seen in movies and read about in books but never thought I'd have in my life. "How much longer do we have to wait until we get an actual ring on that finger? Maybe then other guys will stop hitting on my wife."

I had already purchased his wedding ring, I was planning on surprising him on Christmas morning - a white gold band twisted into Celtic knots, three inset emeralds strewn throughout, reminiscent of his green eyes. "I just want to wait until we tell my dad and your parents. I don't want to surprise them like that, with no preparation beforehand. As soon as we get back from Texas next week, we'll go get rings, okay?"

He grumbled quietly but conceded, steering us toward the exit. "Fine, but I'm not promisin' I won't murder the next guy who hits on you. What else do we have to do before we leave tomorrow?"

"We set up Austin's dogwalker, and the car is all packed...can we stop by my parent's house before we go home? I need to grab some books."

He shot me a stern look. "Soojung, you promised. No working."

"I'm not going to do any work, but I don't know the next time I'll be able to get over there and I need them for next semester." I entwined my fingers with his as we crossed the parking lot to our separate cars, as he drove to meet me for a workout after I finished my exam. "Pretty please?"

"Darlin', I just love it when you beg. Go, I'll meet you at home. Don't take too long." The ism hidden in his voice made my skin tingle. "Do you want to eat out tonight?"

"As opposed to all the other nights you don't eat out?"

"Dirty girl." He smacked me on the before I got into my car. "I'm gonna that mouth of yours as soon as you get in the house."

"Then I'll be sure to start stripping as soon as I reach the porch." He bent down to kiss me goodbye. "Good girl. I love you."

"Right back at ya, Mr. Oh." He shut the door, tapping on the window with his fingertips before heading to his truck and letting me pull off.

***

I parked my Subaru in the garage of my parents red brick colonial, a little confused to discover my father's car in there as well, since it was in the early evening of a work day. I went through the door that led to the kitchen from the garage, throwing my keys on the counter, a sense of unease washing over me. I hadn't been back since my mom's wake, and my father was in the process of renovating. The once all white kitchen was now home to mahogany cabinets with dark granite, the walls painted a muted beige. There was a new island where the sink was moved, three barstools on the opposite side. It was more masculine and warm, and a surprising change from the sterile environment prior.

Though not as startling as the woman who walked out of the pantry.

She was reading the label on a box of quinoa, reading glasses perched on her bare, olive-toned face. Her black hair was twisted into an elegant bun, and she wore a colorful, paisley apron over her black pinstriped pantsuit. She finally looked up, a bright smile spreading across her face when she saw me. "Uh...hi?"

"Oh my gosh..." She came around the island to where I was standing, a waft of Chanel no. 5 floating past my nose as she gathered my hands in hers, holding them firmly. "You are even more beautiful than your pictures! Oh, and I look an absolute mess."

"I'm sure I look worse? I just finished at the gym." I didn't know what else to say to her. My dad strolled in at that moment, cutting our introduction short. "Ah, Soojung, this is a pleasant surprise. I see you've met Ronnie."

"In the process of." She gave me a hug, catching me off-guard with the sudden show of affection. "Byron, she is absolutely beautiful."

"Yes, she is." He placed a kiss her on her temple and went to the wine fridge to select a bottle of Sauvignon Blanc. "We are about to sit down to dinner, would you care to join us?"

"I don't want to interrupt, I just came to grab some books." Ronnie's face lit up when my father made the suggestion. "Oh, yes! Please stay. I've made entirely too much food for the two of us, and I want to hear all about you. Your dad is always raving about how wonderful you are."

He is? "I just have to make a phone call, excuse me." I walked past them as my dad poured her a glass of wine, whatever she was saying making him laugh. I dug out my cell from the pocket of my hoodie and called Sehun, who picked up after the second ring. "Why are you not in our bed right now, woman?"

"Because my needs a break, you addict. Also, I'm with my dad, and whom I am going to assume is his new girlfrien