Seokjin opened the door and entered the front house.

He didn’t bother knocking. It was basically his home for the past two days. He’d been living there since Eri’s blood donation from the hospital and only going home late at night to sleep and change, then back here again early in the morning. He didn’t want to let Eri out of his sight. He wanted to be here if she feels some side effects or if her heart acts up again.

Eri all this time, didn’t complain at all. She’d been the perfect patient.

After spending time alone with Eri all day for the past two days, Seokjin felt comfortable and happy. He’d never felt this content his whole life. This is how he wants to spend the rest of his life. He wanted her to move in with him. And he had a ring in his pocket to guarantee that she’ll say yes. And to seal the deal, his new place is done. The team that had been building it for the last few months just notified him that the house is finished and is now move-in ready after the last batch of the furniture were delivered. He used to visit it a few times a week to monitor the progress but ever since Eri arrived in town his focus and attention had been fully on her and he’d actually almost forgotten about it.

Everything was set, but the how and when of his proposal. He plans to put the ring on her pretty finger before she goes back to Seoul, but he hasn't figured out how to do it. She might expect it to be a special celebration with everyone dressed fancily, or she might like it to be intimate with just the two of them just like their date in the pink fields. He patted the blue box in his messenger bag and smiled. Even though he doesn’t know the how yet, he's confident that he’d knocked it out the park with the ring. As soon as he saw the pink, princess cut diamond in the jeweler’s case when he was out of town a few days ago, he knew it was meant for Eri.

Seokjin’s gut tightened as he walked towards the kitchen, and it had nothing to do with being nervous about losing his bachelorhood. His uncle and Miyoung looked exhausted. The two of them sat slumped on the chairs around the dining table.

He dropped his messenger bag on the floor. “What’s going on? Is Eri alright?”

“Rii? Rii’s wonderful.” MIyoung answered.

“Eri is an angel. She doesn’t complain and she rests like she’s supposed to.” Sangwoo added.

“Then…”

Sangwoo lifted his coffee mug and took a sip, then massaged his temple.

“Auntie giving you a hard time uncle?”

“Hard is an understatement.” Miyoung said. “I didn’t know mom is this hard headed and stubborn.”

“She wants to come home because she feels fine already but she’s still under monitor.”

“She’d complain about small things, like the food, the bathroom, the bed, and even insist on walking the hallways in the middle of the night.”

Seokjin stood there listening to Miyoung and his uncle.

“It’s not really about the food, the bathroom or the bed.” The perfect patient, wonderful angel came down the stairs walking towards them, obviously over-heard her sister and step-father’s remarks. “I understand uncle, but Myoung, remember that hospital is the same hospital where dad died.”

Miyoung was taken aback by her younger sister’s reminder. It had been a long time since then.

“Mom had spent countless nights there for months taking care of dad when he was confined there. Not to mention it was also the same hospital that I was bought at and she found out I had heart problems. So no, it’s not just small things. She doesn’t like that place in general because it’s only associated with unhappy memories.” Eri said.

Everyone went silent.

“I’m not telling you all of this to blame, I just want to ask for you to be more patient with her. I’m sure mom is grateful for all your efforts. I’m sure she’d realized how lucky she is to have survived the accident. Because that would mean she still gets to see Miyoung get married, have children, her grandchildren and I’d be able to take her to Paris. All the things that dad didn’t get to experience with us.”

Miyoung’s tears started falling down her face. She had not considered that situation at all. She just thought that their mother should be thankful that she survived the accident with minor injuries and shouldn’t complain about the small things. To think she is the older sister and had been living all this time with their mother, and yet it was Eri that had to point this out for her.

Eri went and patted her sister’s back. “Good. No need to hold back. I’m sure you’re tired. You can complain to me. Cry it out and feel better so you can go back and take care of mom again.” Her sister had always been the emotional between the two of them. Not good at hiding her emotions at all, unlike her.

Miyoung turns and hugs her sister’s waist, sobbing.

“For doing the thing that I couldn’t do all these years, thank you for taking care of mom Myoung.”

Sangwoo and Seokjin looked on to the sisters fondly. They understood each other. How different the past years would’ve been if all those misunderstandings and arguments didn’t happen. But what’s important is the future. And right now, all is well and everything will be fine.

Eri clears . “Uhm, Myoung we can continue this heart to heart tonight, but for now we have to get ready. We can’t be late.”

Suddenly, everyone remembered.

Today is the day the result of the board regarding the Bunhong High School will be out.

It’s the reason why Taehyung was left in charge with Sunhee back at the hospital because both Sangwoo and Miyoung have to be at the school.

===

Eri sat in the front row of the hall with Seokjin and Kii. She kept glancing back over her shoulders. “It looks like everyone in town is here.”

“Did you not expect it to be a full house?” Kii asked him.

“Yeah, since it’s a weekday, a workday. I didn’t even expect you’d be here.” She replied.

“Of course I’d be here. I’ve always been around to either celebrate or comfort you. This time is not an exemption just because you already have your knight in shining armor here.” Kii stated, and Seokjin heard. He was supposed to.

She smiled. “Thank you Kii. I wouldn’t want it any other way.”

Though she was nervous about the outcome of the vote, in case it didn’t go the way she hoped, she’d talked to Dana about setting up an after-hours bus service for single parents like Suhyun who couldn’t afford the time and money for their children to attend the neighboring town's high school.

“They’re here.” Kii informed her about the representatives from the board that would deliver the envelope.

It was her task to read the result aloud for everyone and to preside over a meeting after on what their options were in case the school will be closed.

“Eri.” Miyoung waved her over. “It’s time.”

Sangwoo walked onto the stage, tapped the microphone. “Ladies and gentlemen, let’s give a warm round of applause to our Bunhong High Committee Chairman Han Eri. She’ll be reading the results for everyone.” Then waved the sealed envelope over his head.

Eri walked across the stage to cheers of the crowd gathered below her. She appreciated the cheers but she herself knew that the bigger the hope, the bigger the disappointment. It was nerve wrecking given that the results would impact so many people. She thanked everyone who helped with the proposal and the whole p