[ C H A P T E R   F O U R T E E N ]

Meeting each other’s family and friends weren’t really awkward for them anymore. In fact, it was something they’ve done so often now that it felt like a natural thing to do. Eric would often visit Yongsun’s parents and had meals with them because her parents love him a tad bits too much, and she’d always joined his whole family for meals whenever they came to Korea because his parents love her a tad bits too much as well. So often they’d find themselves on a vacation with each other’s family, and so many times they both would feigned being hurt that their family was loving the other person a little bit too much. 

Yongsun might have lose counts over how many times her mom asked if she could bragged to her friends about Eric, and she might have freaked out a little every single time.

Over the time, they both sort of lose count over how many times they’ve met each other’s family, and how many time they’ve been given the we’re not forcing you two to get married soon, but that’s exactly what we’re doing look, but they never said it out directly and both Eric and Yongsun just pretended to be oblivious as well. 

It wasn’t that they didn’t want to — Yongsun swore if she could get married tomorrow, she would but every time the thought of marriage came to mind, her first and foremost thought was on her members. She knew how their careers worked in this industry, she had seen it all with other girl groups, and Yongsun would hate to ruin it all for the girls even though they were no different from their families either. 

    “We’re serious.” Hyejin would always told her on any typical day during their schedule. A mini fan in one of her hand, and a chopstick in another hand. Crossing her feel on the chair so she could comfortably started on her meals, she continued, “You two are halfway through 30s now, and it’s not too good to get married too late, you know. We also want to become someone’s aunts.” 

    “We never really tell you these, but these days every time we came across adorable baby stuffs, we might have already bought a few in advance for you guys.” 

Yongsun remembered choking on the noodle she was slurping, and the girls would just watched her like it was the most normal thing ever. Of course they wanted kids, but someday. They’re in their 30s now, they’re both aware of that, but having kids? Yongsun thought maybe Eric would agreed with her that they might preferred spending some more time together for now. 

But, Byul always had a different opinion to marriage. Every time the topic of marriage was brought up, she was the most optimistic about it, saying that it was time for a change, and if no one in the entertainment industry was willing to do it first, then perhaps they should be the first group to do so.

    “Who said women can’t work after they got married?” Byul grumbled. She reached her hand out to pick the soondae far over the left corner, and carefully popped it into so she won’t ruined her lipstick. “Why can normal women worked after they got married, but when it’s a girl group member getting married, they acted like we’re suddenly no longer qualified for our job?” 

    Yongsun raised her brows at the rather irritated younger woman sitting next to her. “I understand where you’re coming from, but this is Korea’s entertainment industry we’re talking about. People can’t even take the fact that we also date like every other human beings.” 

Deep down, Yongsun was secretly hoping that they would be different. She believed they got to where they are right now because their fans appreciated the musics and performances they’ve put out so far, and she hoped by chances even if their marital statuses changed in the future, if they could still produced the same quality musics and performances, she hoped their fans would still be there for them.

    “Then, just get married in secret.” 

It was Wheein’s voice that caught their attention. They stared at her like she was being absolutely absurd, and she gave them back a what look before continuing that just because they’re celebrities, it doesn’t mean that they’re obligated to announce everything in their private lives for the public to know, and Yongsun had to agreed with her for that — she eventually decided that maybe the topic of her own marriage was still too early to be discussed when her sister would be the one getting wedded in a few weeks, so Yongsun left it at that. It was never something they both have discussed together before, and it felt weird to her that people around her were already on the talk about it, but by chances, if they were really going to get married sometimes later, maybe Wheein’s idea doesn’t sound too bad to her.

Eric had been at her apartment for almost the entire evening today, helping Yonghee loaded some of her stuff into the delivery truck to her newlywed house. She wasn’t entirely going to live there yet until they got married, and Yongsun didn’t know what she was rushing for with some of her stuff already sorted and delivered, but she was happy for her nevertheless — her only biological older sister found someone who would be sharing the rest of her life with her, and she couldn’t be happier for her even though she’s been feeling really weird at the thought of no longer sharing a house with her anytime soon. 

Yonghee was having dinner with her fiancé this evening, so Yongsun and Eric had the whole house to themselves. Sitting across from each other, they silently ate the food they ordered because cooking felt like a hassle after being busy for almost an entire day. 

    “Have you ever thought about how similar your mom and I are?” 

    Eric looked up at her in surprised. Swallowing the food he was chewing, he asked, “Appearance wise? I mean, we're all quite surprised that you both have similar dimples on your chin.” 

    “No, I know we resembled each other a little bit. But, personality wise, we’re very similar. We’re both very organized and by the book, and we're not very openly romantic either.” Placing her hands under her chin, she tilted her head confusedly at him. 

    “Maybe that's why she loves you so much.”

    Yongsun shrugs. "Really? I thought maybe it was because we're probably somehow related."

Eric chokes on the last bite of food he was eating. Shooting her a quick glare, he gulps his water down to soothe the shooting pain coming up his nostril and Yongsun just giggles. She loves teasing him, and she loves that although he never really complains about it, his reactions were still fun to see. 

    “Will you be living alone when your sister moved out?”

    “Yeah, I guess so. I don’t want to move back in with my parents, you know how our jobs can be with it ending sometimes at 4am, sometimes at 7am the next day and I don’t want to be a burden on them.” 

    “Move in with me.” 

    This time, she was the one to choke on her food. Glaring at him, she jokingly snapped at him, “Are you getting back at me for earlier?”

    “No, I’m serious. Move in with me, live with me.” 

It was his serious expression that got her flustered and continuously blinking like she couldn’t register if he was really joking or serious. 

    Her voice trailed when she spoke again. “Are you like, in some way, asking me to marry you right now?” 

    “I mean, you could put it that way.” His voice unwavered, and Yongsun had a feeling he was really serious about this. “But if you want an exact answer, yes, I want to marry you.” 

She coughs, this time she wasn’t even sure if there was food inside or not, she was too shock to register anything. They’ve been dating for a little bit over two years now, and although it was as long as the duration they used to stayed apart, Yongsun wasn’t sure if now was really the timing for them to get married — of course, she wants to marry him. She wants to spend the rest of her life with him, and she would be over the moon if she’s given the chance to.

But, she’s scared. 

Yongsun had no idea how many minutes she has spent just staring at him without being able to utter even a single word. Her words completely lost every time she tried to say something back, and her mind start circulating a million different thoughts — what if this is too early for them and history repeats itself again in their relationship? What if he realized that she wasn’t really the right one once they started living together and he’d regretted his decision?

She swallowed the non-existing food inside in hope to swallow all the negative thoughts swirling around her head as well. Maybe, it wouldn’t be as bad as she imagined it to be. Surely marriage life won’t all be pretty and sparkles of joy, but they’ve passed the end once, and if they could worked it out before, there was nothing they couldn’t work out together again this time. Maybe, getting married might not be that bad of an idea.

Maybe she needs to talk to the girls and gets their opinions on this as well. 

    “Can I think about this first?”