“The rose beds are beautiful.”
 

    “Thank your mother for that,” Seohyun said. She straightened out the pillows on the couch. “Without her help, those roses would’ve been long gone.”
 

    “So you don’t have much of a green thumb, huh?” Luhan teased.
 

    She nudged his arm and carried on to the kitchen. “Don’t rub it in. Come on. They’ll be arriving soon.”
 

    Seohyun brewed the coffee and inhaled its rich smell now swirling around the room. She set out a tray and took out an assortment of pastries she had been preparing all day, placing each one meticulously in just the right spot. As Seohyun gathered them all in a neat pile, two arms wrapped around her from behind, enveloping her whole in a strong, warm embrace. 
 

    Luhan rested his chin on her shoulder. “‘You may not have a green thumb, but you’re the best when it comes to things like these. Those look delicious.”
 

    “You think so?” She smiled, continuing to pile up the madeleines and macarons. “Too bad. They’re not for you.”
 

    The sound of the doorbell chimed throughout the house, making them both jump in unison. Seohyun broke free from Luhan’s embrace and rushed out of the room, calling behind to tell him to bring the food and drinks to the patio. 
 

    Nearing the door, Seohyun quickened her pace with spritely steps. With a hand on the doorknob, she turned it steadily, peeking through the crack of space letting in the spring breeze. A tall man stood firmly in his place and caught sight of the lady below, innocently gazing up at him.
 

    He bent down to match her height and gave her a bright smile. “Mademoiselle, what are you doing way down here?”
 

    Standing up straight, she giggled and pulled the door wide open. “Sehun!”
 

    He pulled her in for a friendly embrace, smiling at her childish greeting. “Just as cute as ever.”
 

    “Hey, hands off.”
 

    Seohyun turned around as Sehun looked over behind her. Luhan stood at the far end of the room, arms crossed but expression hinting at a playfulness. He walked towards the two of them, brushing off Sehun’s arms around Seohyun, and softly punched him.
 

    “She’s mine. Don’t touch her.”
 

    “Okay, Mr. Stick-in-the-mud,” Sehun shrugged. “But, Mademoiselle, there isn’t any harm in being friendly, right? It was only a simple hug.”
 

    “That’s right.” She patted his back. “I don’t mind.”
 

    Luhan put his arm around her and glared at his friend. “Don’t encourage him. It’ll only strengthen his evil powers.”
 

    Sehun sneered and made his way inside. There was an airy openness to this quaint, little cottage. Windows welcomed light in from every side of the room, as endless views of the surrounding meadow sat behind each one. Blossoms bloomed and grasses grew for miles on end, and this homey abode was here to relish in them all. 
 

    “This is a cozy place you got here,” Sehun said as he walked from room to room. “Wouldn’t mind living here myself.”
 

    “Forget about it,” Luhan scoffed. “There’s a reason why we chose a place as far away from you as we could.”
 

    Seohyun nudged Luhan’s arm, earning an impish smile from him. “Sehun, don’t listen to him. He’s only teasing.”
 

    “I know. No worries. Anyways, how did you guys find such a quiet little place in France?”
 

    “My mother used to live in this town,” Seohyun replied. “Vertain was where it all started.”
 

    Sehun nodded and pulled a chair out for himself on the patio. The couple that had trailed behind him did the same and sat next to each other ever so naturally. The three of them admired the endless landscapes and chatted on and on about each other, things that they’ve missed, things that they plan to do. 
 

    Sehun had a new job: traveling the world. He visited a new country - a new city - almost every week, writing about his experiences and reviewing locations. All his works went directly into several magazines and blogs for people all around the globe to read. He was the paradigm of a free soul, doing and loving whatsoever he chose. It really was a dream job for him. Being so young, he didn’t need to settle down yet. Being so young, he still had an adventurous spirit ablaze inside of him. 
 

    As for Seohyun, her adventurous spirit had dwindled down into a humble, little ember. She didn’t need to travel anymore; all she wanted was to settle down. After that night at the airport - more than a year ago it’s been - Seohyun called off all plans for her modeling career. She only made a few more visits here and there to finish what she had already started. Although it wasn’t the job of her dreams, Seohyun was probably the most well-paid of any model in the industry at the time, and all that money was either saved or spent wisely.
 

    Seohyun was able to pay off all the medical needs for Luhan’s mother. No longer confined to her bed, she was able to move now, was able to walk, was able to live normally once again. The old, rundown flat they once lived in was a thing of the past. She now lived comfortably in a new home of her own within Paris, with no drawbacks and no drafts. 
 

    The rest of the money spent went into her new life with Luhan in a quaint, little cottage in the romanesque town of Vertain. The two hadn’t even needed to talk about it; the desire to live with each other was equally as unchanging and equally as passionate. The two were both the same in each and every way. Both were ardent writers who found themselves at the will of their own inspiration and love for the occupation. Seohyun was an unpretentious poet, as Luhan became a major writer for Vogue, alongside his esteemed cousin and best friend Suho. 
 

    Life had unraveled itself into a seemingly perfect present, everything having worked out for all of them. Luhan’s mysterious past was all revealed and all forgiven, and the family bond he had always wanted with Suho was stronger than he could have ever imagined. They were like brothers. The best of friends they were, and the closer they would become over time. 
 

    The doorbell rang and echoed throughout the house, making all of them glance up as they jumped at the sound. Seohyun smiled at the two men as she and Sehun nodded at Luhan to get the door. He stood up and straightened his clothes out, untwining his fingers from Seohyun’s. Luhan could hear the two’s childish talking as he left the patio; those two always seemed to transform back into children when they were left alone together. 
 

    As he walked towards the front door, Luhan cleared his voice and turned the knob. Behind the oak entryway was his younger cousin, smiling brightly with arms already open to greet him. The two of them embraced and patted each other’s backs, Luhan ruffling Suho’s neatly combed hair. They were like brothers, alright. It was as if their indifferent attitudes towards one another had never even existed back then.
 

    Luhan looked up in the midst of the friendly welcome to see a second visitor standing idly behind Suho, patiently waiting and offering an amiable smile. Suho gestured towards the woman as Luhan offered a hand to shake. As the two greeted each other for the first time, she introduced herself in a soft-spoken voice.
 

    “It’s nice to meet you,” she smiled. “My name is Jessica.”

____________________________________________________________________________________

    “A candlelit dinner beside a stream?” Sehun asked, exasperated. “If I knew this was gonna be a couples’ night, I wouldn’t have come.”
 

    “Aw, don’t be so down, Sehun,” Seohyun comforted him, patting his arm. “The scenery is beautiful, right? There’s lots to enjoy out here!”
 

    The sun was setting, and the sky was turning into a watercolor of mixed hues of purple and blue. The trees lined the sky as the flowers swayed to the spring breeze. A clear, bubbling stream decorated with stones and fallen branches elegantly winded around the countryside. 
 

    Under an enormous but solitary tree sat a charming gazebo, complete with chairs and a table for them all to fit in. The scene was so picturesque like out of something from a fairytale. A stream of lights dotted and trickled down from the tree, like tiny stars that had fallen from the sky, its light bouncing off from the water to the lush grass. 
 

    The five of them sat down around each other in the gazebo, eyes twinkling with anticipation and delight. Seohyun made an effort to open up to their newest friend, a woman who had recently made her debut in Suho’s life.
 

    “So does he treat you well?” Seohyun asked her. “He doesn’t cause any problems, right?”
 

    “No, not at all,” Jessica answered shyly. “He’s very kind - I can assure you.”
 

    Seohyun giggled and passed the plates around. “That’s good. If there’s ever a problem, just tell me, okay?”
 

    “Hey, Seo,” Suho called. “After all this time, you don’t trust me?”
 

    She set down a plate in front of him and reached for the glass cups. “After all this time, the only thing I can do is trust you.”
 

    As the food was being passed around, Luhan poured the drinks for everyone. The sound of ice clinking in the glasses completed the atmosphere as they all settled into their seats, ready to feast on their dinner. In the midst of the chatter and Sehun’s complaints about being single, Seohyun nestled herself in between the two most important men in her life: her lover and her best friend. 
 

    She leaned over to Suho and whispered into his ear with a singsongy voice, sounding thankful and sweet. “Thank you for everything, Suho. Without your kindness and without your help, I wouldn’t be here right now.”
 

    Suho gave her a dazzling smile. “Anything for you, Seo. By the way, I had something to ask you.”
 

    “What is it?”
 

    “Did you ever find that thing you were looking for? That thing you promised to tell me a long time ago - I never found out. Did you finally find it?”
 

    She gasped, having completely forgotten. “Ah, yes! I did, I did.”
 

    “What was it?”
 

    “Two things,” Seohyun smiled as her voice quieted. “I finally found my two things: a home and love.”
 

    Suho paused and eyed her. After all this time, what she was searching for wasn’t anything materialistic; it wasn’t anything you could buy or you could wish upon. After all this time, what she had wanted were things she had to find for herself - things she had to earn and work towards. After all this time, what she had wanted was simply to belong.
 

    “And as for you,” Seohyun giggled. “Did you find what you were looking for?”
 

    “What do you mean?”
 

    “Love. Do you love her?”
 

    Suho gave a shy smile and glanced quickly to the lady beside him. Jessica was laughing at something, he knew not what of, but her radiant charms were enough to enrapture him. He couldn’t let out any words, only managing to give Seohyun a simple nod.
 

    “You’re so wonderstruck,” she teased. 
 

    The night went on after dinner. After Sehun’s twentieth dinner roll, they had decided it was time to stop eating and go on to explore the place around them. Jessica and Suho strolled down the pathway as Sehun jotted down words endlessly in his notepad back at the table, sneaking in another bread roll or two. As for Luhan and Seohyun, the two of them decided to sit down by the stream, letting the water rush by their feet as they sat side by side together. Seohyun rested her head on Luhan’s shoulder as he wrapped a protective arm around her. 
 

    “Things turned out well, didn’t they?”
 

    Luhan glanced down at her face, watching her eyes follow the lights reflected upon the water. “They sure did.”
 

    “Living life like this, so simple and so quiet - is that okay with you?”
 

    “Why are you asking me? My life’s always been this plain. I think you should be asking yourself that, Miss Celebrity you.” Luhan brushed Seohyun’s cheek and tucked her hair behind her ear. “Is a life like this okay with you?”
 

    “I’ve never been happier.”
 

    “Then it’s settled. We’ll live like this forever.”
 

    Seohyun gave a small laugh. “As long as we’re together, I think I’ll be happy wherever we’ll go.”
 

    She rose up from his shoulder and looked at Luhan. Entranced in each other’s gazes, it was as if the stars glimmered in their eyes, losing themselves within their own thoughts. They leaned in slowly and kissed with a smile. It was as if nothing in the world could stand in their way now, just as long as they were together. As their lips parted, Seohyun and Luhan’s expressions beamed as their hands intertwined in between them. To him, her laugh sounded like silvery bells. To her, his smile looked like the brightest day. If either one had never known what love felt like, they knew now. 
 

    “A new chapter in our lives,” Seohyun said, “I think we can do it.”
 

    Luhan held her face with his hand, taking in the beautiful sight that she was right before his eyes. “Then, let’s start.”




A/N:

The story's finally come to a close. Tell me what you thought about it overall!

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