Ningning need not to check the caller id to know who was calling her at the moment. There was only one person in the world who would call out her lack of promptness every time they had the chance. "Where are you? Everyone is already here." The accusing voice of her mother echoes inside the space of her car. 

Here we go again she thought inside her head, her eyes automatically rolling at the statement of her mother. She knew she was running late but does she have to really rub it on her face as if pointing out the obvious would magically slow down time?

"I'm almost there, Mom. I just got caught in traffic." She answered after switching lanes to better maneuver the line of cars in front of her.

"You know damn well traffic is never an excuse. If you're trying to pull a stunt—"

As expected her mother always has a counter for her words but she wouldn't let her ruin her mood because after all it was her day. "Don't you think it's too late for that?" She answered a little sharply than she intended which made the other line silent for a few good seconds.

"Just hurry up. The event is getting delayed because of you."

The voice from the other line sounded a little softer albeit the words that were said. Guilt filled Ningning's chest for a second but it vanished instantly once her eyes landed on the flowers resting on the shotgun seat.

"I'm here, grandpa." Aeri answers reassuringly once the line connects.

"Where? Are you upstairs?" She can already picture him scanning the crowd in search of her. The somewhat raspy voice of his grandfather that rang through her ear was the gentle reminder that he wasn't really getting any younger. 

A sigh escapes her lips. "I'm just outside." From where she was standing she can clearly see the entrance of the building and the upcoming vehicles looking for a parking space.

It was a fair day. The clouds hovering above cover the mid afternoon rays resulting to a cool shade which she preferred on this kind of days. The eventful days she would call it. The days were her heart raced like she was chased by a lion although she was just standing still.

"Do you want me to ask someone to fetch you?"

"You don't have to, grandpa. I'll be there in a minute. Has it started yet?"

"It could wait." There it was. The undeniable love that only a grandfather could give. Aeri instantly looked up at the sky when she felt her eyes starting to get filled with tears. She took a couple of breaths to steady herself so her shaky voice won't tell on her. "You're being too easy on me, grandpa. I know for sure that everyone inside is already looking for us." 

A hum registers in her ears. She bet he was also smiling on the other line knowing enough that his favoritism was showing. "And I apologize for that. I'm aware that it's not in our trait to be late." Aeri continued. 

"Whenever you're ready, Aeri."

Looking at her left hand, Aeri wriggled her fingers out a little trying to remember the light feel of it because it would be the last time it would be empty. Aeri smiled at the thought. "I think I am."

"Honey, I'm sorry for even involving you in business—"

Aeri cuts him off almost immediately. "There's nothing to be sorry about. I was given a choice plus I was clearly aware of what I signed up for and I surprisingly don't regret one bit of it." Her mind wandering back to those times were she felt accepted and understood by the younger girl despite of the unexpected situation that they were thrown into.

"Pops, you there?" She queries when the silence felt too long for comfort.

"Yes hon. I'm just—"

"Don't tell me you're already tearing up? It's not even the wedding yet." She tried teasing up her grandfather to lighten up the situation even though she herself was getting a bit antsy since Yizhou hasn't contacted her at all since yesterday and it was almost half an hour in after three yet her fiancé was nowhere to be seen.

But all of her worries and doubts instantly vanished when a familiar car pulled up just three spaces beside her own vehicle. A joy of relief drew across her face as she let herself relax in her spot.

"Yizhou just arrived. We'll be there in a few. See you, grandpa." She said with a toothy grin which she was certain was also felt by her grandfather just by the way her voice went up a pitch higher.

"Hey." Aeri greeted even before Yizhou could get out of her car. The younger girl quickly frees herself of the seat belt and checks her face one last time on the mirror before facing her fiancé.

"What are you doing here? I thought you were already inside." She answered a bit breathless from all the swerving that she did just to get in the venue much earlier to somehow appease the already brewing head of her mother.

"I was waiting for you to arrive." Aeri was glad she didn't stutter but either way she knew her fiancé already know how she was feeling just by the heat creeping up on her cheeks which expressed her approval of her attire. The younger girl was wearing a full white suit just like what Aeri use to wear whenever she goes to work. The only difference was the cropped top she was wearing inside her blazer which showcase her fit stomach. Her newly dyed brown hair was tied in a low lazy ponytail that made her facial features pop.

"Here, I don't know which color you like so I got all the available ones." This time she didn't try to fight the smile that was making its way to her face. Yizhou got her a bouquet of different colored roses which she thought matched well with her white dress that stops just above her knees.

As if by nature, Aeri bends down a little to place a quick kiss on her fiancé's right cheek. "Thank you, they're lovely." She muttered. Her eyes were now fixed at the flowers on her hand as her recent action finally registered on her mind.

"Is this why you are late?" Aeri asked trying to clear the dead air between them. 

Yizhou nodded. "Shall...Well shall we go?" She stutters still in shock at the thought that Aeri was the first one to initiate the kiss. And it certainly didn't help that the older girl was wearing a tight fitting dress that hugged her curves in the right places which made her head spin a little since it was very different from the usual attires that she's used to seeing her whenever she picks her up.

A chuckle echoed all throughout the parking lot. "Breathe for a second, Yizhou." Aeri placed her hands on top of the girl's shoulders to keep her in her ground. 

"I'm late what are you talking about." Yizhou urged. But instead of moving, Aeri comforted her with a smile. With slight quivering hands, Aeri brushed away the few creases that managed to land onto Yizhou's coat. "There we go." She murmured after tucking a stray strand of hair behind Yizhou's ear which made the latter's breath hitch at the unexpected contact.

"Perfect." She breathes out once satisfied with her work as she holds her fiancé at an arms length.

Yizhou was never the one to be loss for words and she guess she still wasn't when she accidentally blurts out, "Mom's going to kill me for being late." instead because her mind went into overdrive as she continuously tried to find the right words to say but ended up spitting the most mediocre thing that ruined the atmosphere.

Aeri shrugged. "Let's be late together then." She offered her hand which Yizhou took gladly and after what felt like hours they walked hand in hand towards the building where both of their families were waiting.

Stable silence. That's what greeted Jimin everytime Mr. Jung opens the car door for her so she could take her seat beside Minjeong after her sessions with Dr. Lee twice a week. She had insisted that it was fine. That her mother could drive for her but Minjeong being Minjeong, well there was nothing she could really do when she was already seated on their living room waiting for her to come down.

Jimin wouldn't admit it but somehow she felt grateful that Minjeong was the one to accompany her to her schedules. Having Mr. Jung behind the wheel and Minjeong beside her before and after the sessions was the assurance that she somehow needed that everything will be alright. And for the most part, she wouldn't be burdened by the long silence that would inevitably fall upon her and her mother. 

However the silence that came with Minjeong was something familiar. It was something that has been there ever since that day she was introduced to the swimming team last year. It was a subject very much foreign to her but after all the chasing and pinning with the younger girl, Jimin gradually learned the language to which Minjeong unknowingly taught her. Subtle touches, uneven breaths, sudden blushes, eye movements were just some of the branches that Jimin mastered to read just by being beside the vice president.

"Are you hungry? Shall we eat before I take you home?" Minjeong asked. Eyes focused on the road in front of them.

Jimin stared at her. An amusing smile playing on her lips. "Are you trying to make me fat? We just literally ate before I went in with Dr. Lee." 

Gift giving in the form of food was probably the most dominant among Minjeong's love languages that it overshadowed the other ones which she couldn't get herself to express with ease. Jimin learned this over the course of time.

Minjeong shrugged. "I haven't thought of that but that's not a bad idea either." She shifted on her seat, her eyes landing on the window watching the houses they were passing by. "Just so guys would stop fawning over you whenever I'm not