Are you ready for this?

Before they knew it they had reached In Guk’s parents’ house. He pulled in at the driveway then unbuckled his seatbelt. In Guk was about to get out of the car when he noticed Eunji frozen stiff next to him. She was still strapped to her seat, motionless in fact, probably frozen with fear of meeting his parents for the first time. In Guk places his hand over hers then comforts her by telling her everything will be fine and that she’ll do great. But that’s not what Eunji was shocked by, she saw it.

She saw the ring. 

Well she actually saw the box that was threatening to make its way out of In Guk’s pocket and it was well enough for her to begin to freak out already so you could expect how Eunji would react when he finally pops the question. In Guk hadn’t noticed that Eunji had already seen the ring so he just casually pushed the box deeper into his pocket before getting out of the car. Eunji fumbled with her seatbelt, allowing the strap to fall back into its original position along the body of the car before she clenched her fists and scrunched up her face to calm herself down. It was pretty obvious Eunji was anxious about something but In Guk didn’t know the real reason for it. She stepped out of the car, shut the door behind her then took In Guk’s hand and walked towards the house together. He squeezed her hand in his then gave her a concerned look on how she was reacting, Eunji shook her head to indicate that she was fine and pulled off her boots. In Guk pushed the doorbell and a chime was heard from within, scuttling of footsteps were heard before the door finally opened. In Guk’s mother greeted the couple with full smiles and ushered them into the house to hide from the cold.

They gathered in the living room where the two gave their formal greetings as an official couple to In Guk’s parents before they advanced to the dining room to have dinner. Eunji followed In Guk’s mother to the kitchen to help out with the other dishes while the two men took their seats at the table. There was something fishy with the atmosphere, In Guk’s mother was awfully jumpy, probably because she knew about the proposal but Eunji thought it was cute for her to feel happy for the two of them. Then Eunji paused for a while, was she ready? Ready for this commitment? She snapped out of her daze then carried the last few dishes out onto the table. In Guk watched as Eunji emerged from the kitchen, looking all ‘wifey’. He grinned foolishly to himself then reached for the dish in Eunji’s hands, placing it onto an empty spot on the table. Dinner began and there was an awkward silence hung over them as they ate, Eunji stuffed herself with rice as she was too nervous. She felt that if she ate the dishes, she would bite onto something hard then realize that it was the ring.

After dinner they watched some television accompanied with some chit-chat here and there but that was it, no confession, no proposal. Eunji felt so paranoid and ashamed of herself, here In Guk and his parents were, trying to integrate her comfortably into the family but because of all her paranoia she didn’t see it.

--

Days passed after that whole ‘ring’ incident, Eunji had completely forgotten about it due to her busy filming schedule of ‘That Winter, that Blows’. She knew that In Guk was having his petty jealousy sessions because of the kiss scene and many other scenes with her and Kim Bum but she knew it was just In Guk’s way of playing with her. In Guk on the other hand couldn’t stop thinking about popping the question, he still could not find the ‘right’ moment to ask her, their busy schedules didn’t exactly help with giving him ‘moments’ either. So maybe there wasn’t a right ‘moment’, he needed to make that ‘moment’ happen, with a little planning of course.

--

This is what In Guk came up with.

In order to move my Busan ahjumma, I need to do what I did that made her like me in the first place.

--

In Guk made full use of both of their rest days to carry out his ‘brilliant’ plan. Eunji was extremely exhausted from her busy week so she expected In Guk to come up with something spectacular to help her fight her fatigue. She knew they were meeting up but there wasn’t a specific plan yet so she just lazed around the dorm until In Guk replied her. Eunji was texting her mother when the doorbell rang, Hayoung answered the door but there was no one there, only a blue box on the floor. She picked it up, shaking it to figure out what was inside before bringing it into the dorm. Hayoung noticed something written at the bottom right of the box, ‘은지’ so she automatically hands it over to Eunji. ‘I think it’s from brother-in-law.’ Hayoung says as she exits Eunji’s room. Eunji receives the box, putting it down before her and gazing at it.

‘Where have I seen this before?’

She pulls the cover of the box off then realizes where she had seen this before, WGM. She chuckles at his cheesiness then reads the note inside.

‘Chagiya~ Are you surprised? Keke, anyway I have made this a puzzle for you to see if you are smart enough. So come look for me and there will be a present waiting for you at the end! Here’s your first clue : ‘Where we made our first decisions.’ And hurry! Before I freeze to death!

Eunji quickly puts on something comfortable and casual then sets out on the manhunt for her dork. She surprisingly knew what he was implying by ‘first decisions’ so she went to Lotte World where they first met for WGM, well hopefully.

--

[Lotte World]

Eunji goes to the bench where they sat together for the first episode, those awkward yet unsure feelings that they felt for each other on that day flow back to Eunji. She grins and then spots another blue box tucked away under the bench.

‘Really, what is my dork doing this time?’

Eunji retrieves the box from under the bench then read the next note from inside it.

‘Woo~ my chagiya is smart! So this will get more difficult! The next location will be where you cried for me. Keke~ happy hunting!’

Really? You want me to go to the hospital? She thought as Eunji left Lotte World and reluctantly made her way to the hospital.

--

Eunji walked along the corridor where they shared their first hug, where she cried her eyes out for In Guk, where her tears fell to the floor. At the door of the ward there was another blue box, this time it was much smaller though. She picked it up and read the next note.

‘Do you remember the first time you cried for me? My heart ached so much then. Keke, I promise not to let another tear fall from your eyes again okay! Here’s your next clue : Our first kiss. Chagiya hwaiting!’

‘Our first kiss? AH! ’ Eunji ran out of the hospital and went to their WGM home. She was really expecting something big from In Guk after making her run all across Korea just to find where he is. So from the WGM house to the theatre where Eunji had her Legally Blonde musical and even to that secluded park in some part of Korea, Eunji had practically just relived their whole journey as a couple in a day. The final location was where the couple announced their relationship to the world, it wasn’t the best location to have the proposal but it was quiet and away from the public’s eye.

--

Eunji had finally reached the last location, as the taxi pulled up at the entrance of the filming site she noticed bright lights in the distance and true enough there were some Christmas lights around the entrance. Eunji paid for the fare then got out of the cab, giving out a deep breath and watching the smoke curl and disappear into the night sky. She took each step very cautiously, realizing that this might be it, he will finally ask her. How would she respond? How would he react to her response? Individual rose petals lined the path she took, what was going to happen? She reached the doors of the building, on it there was a post-it. Eunji peeled it off the door and read it aloud

‘Let’s have a mind like a rose.” (let’s be sharp like the thorns and be open like the bud)’

She grinned, that was her motto in life, to make this life the best one’s she’ll every experience.

Pushing open those heavy doors again, she was greeted by the fragrant aroma of roses. Roses, roses everywhere, it felt as if she was in a dream. Petals floated down around her as she walked into the building towards the lighted room. Then a silhouette appeared from that lighted room and she knew it was In Guk because of that familiar figure. He had a guitar in hand and began strumming the tune of ‘Lucky’, the song he had performed on SBS Go Show and the song that he sang to her. Eunji giggled at In Guk’s limited Engrish pronunciation but was still extremely touched by this whole event. Yes, she had said she didn’t want any cheesy events for her proposal but somehow when In Guk prepared all this for her, it felt so perfect and not cheesy at all, she was kinda glad he did this actually. Then the music stopped and a different tune was played, this time it was In Guk’s new single ‘I Can’t Live Because of You’ and he emerged from the room as he sang the lyrics. Eunji stopped in her tracks as In Guk walked towards her, extremely shy and blushing non-stop during the song. Soon, the two were face to face, In Guk stopped strumming, leaving the room in complete silence. He grinned at her then adjusted his fingers about the neck of the guitar and strumming the last tune, ‘All For You’. This time they sang together, their voices killing that deadly silence and the harmony resonated within the building. They were in their own little world, one where only the two of them existed and their voices were the only sound made in that world. The song ended and In Guk shifted the guitar to his back, finally pulling out that familiar box and pulling the cover back to reveal that long-awaited ring. He got down on one knee then looking up at Eunji’s face said the most touching words she had ever heard.

“Jung Eunji, we met as two strangers in this world through Korea’s most unexpected hit drama ‘Reply 1997’. But unlike other dramas, ours didn’t stop there, it continued and ventured along a long and difficult road. For my whole life, I’ve been looking for the person who is attached to the other end of my red string and after the days I’ve spent with you, I have unravelled that red string and found that person, you. Our love story is a little different from Yoonjae and Shiwon’s, we might not end up fighting a lot or pulling each other’s hair but one thing I’m certain of is that we will be happy, together. Love stories are like fairytales, there’s no saying what happens during the story but one thing for sure is that there are always happy endings. So what do you say, would you like to be my happy ending?”

Eunji’s heart wrenched a little after those words etched themselves into her heart and she realized that there was no more uncertainty within her, she had found the person at the end of her red string as well. Eunji gives In Guk a firm nod and he places that ring on her finger.

‘I love you, wifey.’

‘I love you too, Gukkie!’

--

A new chapter of their lives is being written as we speak, the real story of Seo In guk and Jung Eunji has just begun. What happens next? Children? We may never know but the journey together with them has been long and eventful.

Now, if only this could happen in real life.. 

HEY GUISE! IM SO SORRY FOR THE SUPER LATE UPDATE OKAY. I'VE BEEN REALLY BUSY WITH SCHOOL AND STUFF. :\ 

So here it is! Chapter 16 and also the last chapter of Our Love After Reply 1997. NOOOOOOOO! Well guise, it has honestly been a really great journey with you guys and the story of Eunguk! I'm so happy that all of you have enjoyed this story! Don't worry I will be back. i'll be back~~ Maybe with a sequel to this or a brand new one! Thanks for all the support you have given me it really means a lot! I LOVE ALL YOU GUISE! AS MUCH AS I LOVE EUNGUK! NEVER NEVER EVER STOP LOVING REPLY AND EUNGUK OKAYS! 

SEE YOU GUISE!

LOVE, Eunguk1997!