Somehow mountain trekking didn’t seem as attractive when you’re warmly in bed between clean and crisp sheets in the arms of someone you love. We ended up casually eating brunch and leaving with our backpacks way past lunch time for the national park. It had rained the night before, I hadn’t really noticed, so the ground was rather muddy and the foliage damp throughout the trail. I inhaled that moisture laden air that I loved, thick with a fresh mountain scent and step by step made my way up with Ji Yong at my side.

“You won’t believe the view up there,” he told me. “It’s absolutely amazing.”

“I believe you,” I said smiling. It was a silent period for the both of us, each lost in their own thoughts. I kind of get why people say there’s a meditational factor in all this hiking, it really just makes you insanely calm and so liberated. Layer by layer I shed away my worries and my insecurities and returned to a more simple-minded me, someone who wasn’t frantically trying to get a solid footing in a new life.

“We’re here…” Ji Yong said. I barely heard his words because I had realized it first and was already stunned speechless. We were facing a half ruined stone fortress perched at the top of one of the mountains and surrounding it was a 360 degree viewing of the mountains along with its valleys.  The sun was low, barely touching one of the adjacent peaks in the west, and it casted a looming shadow on the entire park. It wasn’t scary; if anything it emphasized the grandiosity of the scenery and somehow created a deep sense of humility within me. A sight like this was what made me feel small and inferior.

“Dae…bak…” I whispered.

“That’s what I’ve been trying to tell you.” He held out his hands towards me and I intertwined my fingers with his. Like that we walked toward the fortress and just stood near it wall taking everything in.

“I wouldn’t be surprised if a thousand years ago someone saw the exact same thing as we are right now. Everything feels so… untouched,” I commented. Ji Yong didn’t reply, but I could feel him fidget a little and then finally nod beside me in agreement. Suddenly, his hand slipped out of mine and he started to walk away from me a little. I watched him a little confused, as Ji Yong began to awkwardly pace around everywhere, constantly combing his fingers through his hair and incessantly muttering under his breath.

“Ri Ah!” he suddenly said.

“What?” We stared each other for a little while, before he broke off the gaze then started to frantically walk around once more. What is wrong with this man?

“No, no. I’m serious this time,” Ji Yong said once again. “Ri Ah.” Slowly he walked back towards me, who was now leaning against the low wall a little tired and amused at just watching him going through some sort of personal crisis for the last ten minutes.

“What?” I replied. He pulled me up with both hands so I was now standing, and I watched as he took off his bad and rummaged through it. And then I saw it, and I stopped breathing. That small black velvet box that you only see in movies, it was now placed on the palm of his hand. Ji Yong was now kneeling in front of me, opening it right in front of my eyes to reveal a diamond and black onyx ring; our birthstone. This couldn’t be real. Involuntarily my hands started shaking and I felt as if my legs were going to give way from the pure insanity that this situation was.

“Ri Ah-ya…” Ji Yong began for the third time, his voice almost a rasp. “I don’t even know what I should start with; I’m seriously going crazy right now. This… I’ve never felt anything like this before.”

“You are crazy…” I heard him laugh a little after I said that, but it wasn’t long before his face turned serious once more.

“These past couple of years, I’ve lost you and I’ve come close to almost losing you so many times, you know that right? When that happens, I’m overcome with the most frightening feeling in the world. I honestly don’t think I’ve ever felt that scared in my life. And I… I don’t ever want to feel that way again. So be with me Ri Ah, and all the tears, all the pain that I’ve put you through, I’ll spend the rest of my life making it up to you. I’ll make you the most loved and happiest woman in the world. I promise you.” Ji Yong looked straight into my eyes and smiled a little. “Lee Ri Ah, could you do me the honor of marrying me and making me the happiest man in the world?”

The silence was probably killing him but I had so much thoughts rushing through my head. I’ve only just arrived here and we’ve only just restarted our relationship once again. My life was nowhere back on track and the public could only take so much of Ji Yong’s breaking relationship news at once. There were his fans, his career, his girl group…

“Yes,” I answered tears in my eyes. “Yes, I want to marry you.” Ji Yong grabbed my left hand and slid the beautiful black and white ring on top of our existing one. Once he stood up, I just crashed into his arms and together we held each other tight giddy with our newfound happiness. Our duties and obligations, our problems, they weren’t ever going to end and if we were to wait there would never be a ‘right’ or ‘perfect’ time. It would always be now or never and I wanted to choose a life with him now so that we could face life together as a pair. And you know, two heads joined by marriage are always better than one… or whatever.

“Thank goodness.” I heard him breathe a sigh of relief and I couldn’t help but chuckle.

“Why were you so nervous? It wasn’t like I could say ‘no’ to you. The worst answer you’d probably get would be ‘wait’.”

“I never know what’s going on inside that head of yours. It’s like a whole other incomprehensible language.”

“Good, let’s keep it that way,” I decided. “But I seriously… I never saw it coming. Since when did you plan to do all this?”

“Since the first time I saw you.” I pulled away from him and frowned a little and he changed his answer. “Since you grabbed my shirt and said ‘Take me with you’; when you said that I just knew that that was it. I had to stay with you and protect you. If I had the ring, I would’ve asked you then and there.”

“In London?”

“I’ve never seen you more honest about your feelings.”

“As if you didn’t know how I felt about you. I’m a very expressive lover.”

“Physically maybe, verbally not so much,” Ji Yong said.

“You make me seem like a fiend. Fine, you want me to be more verbal?” I asked, smirking, and then leaned up to whisper in his ear. “When we get home…………”

“You’re absolutely horrible,” Ji Yong whined once I had finished my little speech.

“So just continue to imagine that little scene, because it’s not going to happen.”

“Ya… that’s just mean.”

“It’s late. We should be waking our way back down.”

“I can’t believe you.”

“Come now darling,” I said and grabbed his hand, ignoring his complaints. “I’m hungry.” Like a good child, Ji Yong immediately followed after me.

On the drive back to Seoul my eyes couldn’t help but look at the shiny round thing which was now on my hand. With all the frenzy that was going on when he proposed I didn’t have time to fully appreciate it. The ring was unique, that was for sure, and I had never seen an engagement ring quite like it in all my life. I don’t know, but I also wouldn’t have expected any less from something chosen by Ji Yong.

“Do you like it though?” Ji Yong asked me possibly after noticing that I was still staring at it an hour into our ride. I scoffed, as if the huge smile on my face wasn’t big enough of a clue, he just had to ask on top of that. I was too happy to play push and pull though.

“I couldn’t have asked for anything more beautiful. Its custom made isn’t it?”

“We went through so many designs Ri Ah, it wasn’t even funny.”

“I feel sorry for the ring designer. I know how you get.”

“So do I,” he agreed. “But he’s a good friend so his tolerance level is a little higher than normal.”

“I’m crazy happy right now, I don’t really think this day could get any better,” I said, sinking back into the soft leather seat.

“But there’s one more surprise left.”

“Oh? What is it?”

“You’ll see,” Ji Yong said and then just turned up the radio before saying another word. 

AN: My wonderful and patient readers, I'm so sorry for the long wait. I hope this chapter makes up for it =D!