We left home at around 2pm and I decided to bring her to Nami Island. Throughout the bus journey, we chatted and teased each other. Jessica was very curious and kept asking me about the conversations that I had with Uncle Ken.

"Your Appa told me that when you were in middle school, your classmates called you, Ice Princess because of your cold outlook and your deadly glares. He said most of the younger students were afraid of you." I said as I saw Jessica pouting. "But those who were really close to you knew that you're actually quite a clumsy girl." I giggled as Jessica pinched me on my arms.

"I can't believe you and Appa had no other topic to talk about besides me. I can't imagine what other stories Appa had told you and what other secrets he had revealed." Jessica sighed as she looked out the window.

"We did talk about some other serious matters though." I said as I glanced at Jessica who was looking at me curiously. "We're reaching the wharf. Time to get ready to get down and get on the boat." I pointed out the window to show Jessica.

Less than 10minutes of the boat ride, we reached Nami Island as we walked around to enjoy the scenery. We decided to rent a twin bicycle and went round the island until we decided to rest for a while at a bench.

(Boat and bicycle ride)

"Jae, you said that you talked about serious matters with Appa also. May I know about what?" Jessica asked.

"Well, we talked about my Omma, my studies, handling dual degree, my future plans after graduation and about our relationship." I replied with a smile. "Your Appa is just concern about the development of our relationship. From his point of view, even though he's got nothing against our relationship, he felt that we have other priorities that we need to focus on too."

"Other priorities?" Jessica had a frown on her face. "As in our studies, you mean?"

I shrugged my shoulders. "Maybe? In a way, something like that, I guess. Appa Ken is also concern with the direction of our relationship and the progression of it."

********************************

(Flashback a few nights ago)

I was resting by the poolside, on the reclining chair when Uncle Ken came and sat beside me. I smiled at him as both of us silently gazed at the stars.

"Did you know that your Omma used to gaze at the stars too?" Uncle Ken suddenly voiced out as I turned to look at him. "Whenever she has a lot of things in her mind, she will always sit at the bench at our orphanage frontyard and just stare at the stars."

"Omma used to accompany me whenever I feel like stargazing." I said as I smiled at the beautiful memories. "Whenever I miss her or when I have things to think through, the stars will be my companion for the night."

"Jae, can I ask you something. How long have you and Sooyeon got together?"

"Officially coming to 3 months but unofficially, slightly more than 4 months." I replied.

"Let me start off with saying that I'm not against your relationship. I love to see the two of you together. But I'm worried about something. Your priorities. Your dreams. The direction of your relationship. Have you both talk about all these before?" 

"Huh?" There was a frown on my face as I tried to understand Uncle Ken's concern. 

"Do you feel yourself being too clingy on each other, like you have to see each other or spend time with each other everyday? Because that is what I'm seeing. I understand that you both are very in love with each other but what if there comes a time that you can't be next to each other, maybe because of your priorities or your dreams?"

I started to scratch the back of my head as I became more confused. "But Appa Ken, we're not that clingy. For example, right now we've not seen each other for a few days...

"And you're already acting like that's the end of the world." Uncle Ken intercepted my sentence. "I've heard you complaining to Taeyeon about not being able to see or spend time with Sooyeon. You kept messaging each other and almost every night, you'll call her." Uncle Ken's words forced a sheepish grin on my face.

"Look Jae. I'm greatful that you love my daughter a lot. You're exactly like your Appa. He really loves your Omma to pieces. Which was why he was badly distraughted by her death. I can see the similarities between your relationship with Sooyeon and your parents. Frankly speaking, your cheesiness comes from your Appa. I could have diabetes just by looking at the way he treats your Omma. The only difference is Sooyeon is not like your Omma." Uncle Ken paused as he smiled warmly at me. "Sooyeon is my daughter and I'm not trying to talk bad about her but things will need to start changing if you want to sustain the relationship."

"Appa Ken, are you implying that both of us won't last together? You don't have trust in my love for Sica?" I asked with a serious expression.

He smiled before shaking his head. "I've absolute trust in your love for her but I don't want that love to end up being a burden." Once again, I had a frown on my face. "I said earlier, that Sooyeon is not like your Omma. Let me explain my words. Your Omma grew up with hardships. She worked hard for everything that she wanted. Which made her a very independant woman. Even when they were dating during their university time, your Omma was more focused in completing her studies than going out to date. In a way, it kind of helped your Appa who was taking a dual degree at that moment. Even after marriage, when your Appa was held up with work and sometimes had to stay late in the office or even travel out of the country without her, your Omma will give him the space that he needed. My daughter, Sooyeon, on the other hand needs attention. Even though she might look cold on the outside, she's actually quite fragile. Sooyeon grew up with a lot of love from me and her Omma and I think there were times that we pampered her too much." Uncle Ken stopped and paused for a while as he hugged himself after a soft breeze of wind past by..

"Appa Ken, let's go and continue our conversation in the dining area. The night is getting colder and it's not good for your health. I'll get you something warm to drink inside." I said as I stood up and waited for Uncle Ken to move to the glass door.

I made hot chocolate for both of us and placed a cup in front of Uncle Ken who gave smiles and nodded at me. Both of us took a sip each as we enjoyed the drink.

"One of the personality of your Omma that you have is that both of you are sensible. You're good at understanding situations and the needs of the people around you. Just like how you are concerned about the cold night and even made me a hot drink." I smiled at Uncle Ken. "But the disadvantage is that you'll always priortise others than yourself. I've seen how you've taken care care of Sooyeon's needs before and as a father, it does look assuring that my daughter is in good hands. But what if you can't always be there for each other?" Appa Ken pointed at my bandaged ankle.

"Appa Ken, I understand that she's not here during the time I'm injured but that's because she's busy helping Omoni with the wedding preparations. Furthermore, it's just a slight sprain. I can still manage." 

"Love is about give and take, Jae. It's going to be tiring if you're the only want giving. I know that Sooyeon is capable of taking care of you. It's just that sometimes, she lacks the initiative and a bit slow with her reaction." Both of us chuckled at his words. "Have you talk to her about how things will be from now on? As in with you dealing with your dual degree, your futsal practices and the orphanage?"

"I did have a talk with Sica with regards to me getting busy with my studies soon but I didn't realise that I'll be busier than I thought when you mentioned futsal practices and the orphanage." I paused and tapped the dining table with a worried expression. "I will have to learn to manage my time better from now on."

Uncle Ken suddenly laughed as he smiled at me. "See what you just did there? You are already planning to cater to Sooyeon. Won't it be better if you sat down with her, discuss things out and get her to be more involve in your life instead of just preparing everything for her? She needs to be part of the process and not just be at the receiving end. You can't pamper her like that, Jae."

"That's pampering? I didn't see it that way though." I said as I scratched the back of my head again.

"When you have someone doing everything for you, that's pampering." I nodded my head. "Listen, Jae. Both of you are at the age where love will be the best thing that can happen to you but you have to see beyond that. Your studies should be your top priority. Then your dreams. what you want to achieve in your life. I'm not saying that you can't be in love while doing all that. I just don't want the two of you too be in too much into this lovey dovey world until you lose focus on other important things in life. Your family, your friends are also part of your world. Sooyeon grew up in a way where she always had people to rely on and it'll be difficult for her if she starts relying on you too much. She needs to be independant at times and both of you need to learn to give each other spaces to develop yourself. Imagine right now, you're always spending so much time with her and she got so used to it that when you start to get busy, she can't deal with the situation and vice versa. Won't that make you feel burdened?" Uncle Ken looked at me.

"I always thought that if you love someone, you always have to work extra hard to make the person always happy." I replied. "Even though sometimes, it's not the way I want it to be."

"Which is why I said love shouldn't make you feel burdened." Uncle Ken smiled at me. "Jae, I can see that you really love Sooyeon a lot but you don't always have to give in to her. It's like kite-flying. You need to know when to hold on tight and when to let it go loose, once in a while. There's a few things that I want you to promise to me. Firstly, promise me that both of you are going to focus on your studies and graduate. Secondly, don't always give in to Sooyeon. Lastly, take things slow. I believe both of you have your whole life to be in love with each other. Can you at least promise me that?" Uncle Ken looked at me with a serious expression.

I nodded my head and give him my sincere smile. "I promise, Appa Ken."

Uncle Ken smiled back at me as he suddenly stood up. "It's getting too late and I'm already sleepy. Take your time to think about what I said. Good night, Jae."

"Good night, Appa Ken. Rest well." I said as I watched him walked up the stairs.

********************************

"Appa really said that?" Jessica looked at me as I ended my story to her.

I nodded my head as I saw Jessica pouting. I put my arms on her shoulders and pulled her closer to me. "What's on your mind right now? What's with the expression?"

"I'm not sure if I should be happy or sad with what Appa said about me. It seems like I'm lacking a lot in his eyes when compared to you. My love is not as good as yours." Jessica sighed as I saw her eyes glittered and her head bowed down slightly.

I quickly went in front of her and squatted. Pulling her chin up, I held her cheeks and pecked her on the lips. "Don't cry. Don't think it in a negative way. Your Appa only wants what's best for you and the both of us. He already said that he love to see the two of us together. He just want to ensure that we last long. And for us to do so, there might be things that we need to change." I said as I smiled warmly at Jessica.

"But Appa is not the one in a relationship. How will he know what's best for us?" Jessica rebutted.

"That's true. So it's up to us to evaluate his words. Sometimes, other people can see what we can't see from the outside. We might be too in love with each other to notice it." I grinned dorkily, causing Jessica to smile a bit. "But there's some truth in your Appa's words that I've to agree to. For example, I really think that I'm becoming too clingy on you which could be both a good thing and a bad thing. When you were not around me the last 2 weeks, I lost interest in almost everything. Even when the other girls were in the house, I rarely join them in any activities. It's like when you're not around me, I can't function well."

"Jjinjja? Is that why you kept messaging me every hour?" Jessica asked as I sheepishly nodded my head. "Omo Jaegi.. That's so cute of you."

"Sica, tell me honestly. Do you think I'm pampering you?" I asked as I stood up to sit beside her.

"Honestly, hhhhmmm...." Jessica just nodded her head without having to said it out loud.

"But there's nothing wrong with pampering someone you love, right?" I asked as I scratched the back of my head.

"I guess what Appa meant is not to pamper me too much. I think I can understand where Appa is coming from now. He didn't want us to be so lost in our own world that we start to neglect other things that matters to us too. Like our family, our friends, our studies and our dreams. Appa wants us to enjoy the moment not by rushing and cramping all of it like we're running out of time. Instead, he wants us to enjoy every moment of it slowly like we have our whole life to do so." Jessica gave me a wide smile as if she had suddenly received the enlightenment.

I giggled and nodded my head as I wrapped my arms around her waist. "Anyway, I've already promised a few things with Appa Ken and I intend to keep them."

"You mean about the graduating, not giving in and taking it slow?" Jessica turned to the side and looked at me.

"Graduating is a must. Appa said not to give in to you always so that is up o my discretion and taking it slow, I guess it'll come naturally once our school schedule is up." I said with a grin as Jessica as Jessica just rolled her eyes at me. "Sicababy, I was just thinking. Should we get married after our graduation, just like my parents?"

"Mwo?!!"

I broke into a fit of laughter when I saw Jessica's shock face. Jessica saw me laughing and kept punching me at my arms, which surprisingly was quite painful.

"Mianhae, Sicababy. I didn't mean to laugh at you. It's just that your expression was too funny. Mianhae, mianhae.." I stopped laughing when I saw her pouting. "Jjinjja, mianhae. By the way, I didn't know your punches are quite strong. I think I'm going to have bruises." I rolled up my sleeve to check on my arm.

"Serves you right for joking around like that. Just in case you've forgotten, my Appa is your boxing instructor." Jessica rolled at me as she stood up and walked to the bicycle. "Let's go back. I'm starting to feel hungry."

And just at that moment, I heard her stomach growling. I was about to start laughing again when I saw Jessica folding her arms and giving me the icy glares. Instead, I just swallowed my saliva and quickly walked towards the bicycle.

We had just alighted from the boat when Jessica's phone rang. She showed me the caller id and I saw that it was Omoni. Jessica answered the call as we made our way to the bus stop. I was walking behind Jessica as she talked on the phone with her Omma when she stopped suddenly and turned, causing me to almost bump into her.

"Jaegi, Omma asked if we want to join her for dinner?" Jessica asked me as she covered her phone.

"I leave it to you to decide. I'm fine as long as I'm eating with you." I grinned dorkily as Jessica linked her arms with mine and continued her conversation with Omoni until she hung up about 10mins later.

"We'll be having dinner at my place. Omma's cooking." Jessica said as I nodded my head.

It took us about an hour to reach Jessica's house. Uncle Ken was also there as I noticed Jessica behaving alightly differently around her Appa. As we sat down at the dining table, we chatted about general stuff and about the wedding. Uncle Ken said that everything is already settled and just waiting for the day itself. After dinner, Uncle Ken asked me to follow him to the living room while Jessica went to help Omoni with the dishes.

"Jae, did something happen when you both went out today? I don't know why but Sooyeon is giving me a weird vibe at the moment." Uncle Ken asked me as we took a seat at the couch.

"I told her about the conversation that we had before. About your concerns with regards to our relationship." I replied nervously. "I'm sorry. I didn't actually expect Sica to react that way to you. She was actually quite okay after I told her about it though."

"It's okay. No worries. I was just curious as to why she reacted that way. She must have thought that I had belittled her during our conversations." Uncle Ken commented. "But I believe she'll be able to see the whole picture soon."

I nodded my head and was about to say something when I felt a weight beside me and then a pair of arms hugging me by the sides.

"Are you both going to gossip about me again?" Jessica asked as she pouted and rested her head on my shoulders. "And Appa, I'm not happy with you. How can you talk about my shortcomings to Jae? You should have talked to me about it. I know I'm fragile and like to crave for attention but I can also be independant on my own." Jessica folded her arms and glared at Uncle Ken.

"Mianhae, Sooyeon-ah. It was just some random conversation that I had with Jae. I didn't mean to belittle you in front of her and I know what you're capable of. I'm just afraid of Jae pampering you too much that it becomes a habit for her to always be the one giving and you to be always on the receiving end." Uncle Ken tried to explain his words.

"Gwenchana, Appa. I actually understand your intention. I'm just a bit upset that you have these kind of talks with Jae and not me." Jessica bite her lips as she leaned back to me.

"Appa Ken have not seen you for 5yrs already. He's more used to having conversations with me than you at the moment but I believe after the wedding, you'll have more time to spend with him. That's when you'll realise what an awesome dad your Appa is." I said as I patted Jessica on her head.

Omoni came in with a plate of watermelons as decided to watch the tv until it was time for me and Uncle Ken to go back home.

********************************

The wedding went off smoothly as planned. Maybe because it wasn't such a grand event where only closed ones were invited that made it easier to handle the crowd. Appa arrived yesterday night, along with Boa-unnie who can't seem to stop teasing me for what happened last night.

(Flashback at the airport)

I was waiting for Appa's arrival with Uncle Kim, Jessica and her parents. We had been waiting for 30mins when I heard a familiar voice that caused me to facepalmed myself.

"Jae-giya!!!"

I heard Jessica giggling beside me as I turned and gave her a pout. Before I could say anything to Jessica, I was given a headlock by Boa-unnie.

"Yah, yah, yah!!! Boa!! I can't breathe." I tapped on Boa-unnie's arm that was around my neck.

She didn't let go until Appa told her to behave. I turned around and was about to give her a flick on the forehead when Appa nagged at me too. Boa-unnie meronged at me before walking beside Appa as we headed towards a restaurant to have dinner.

"Does it still hurt?" Jessica asked as she rubbed the back of my neck. I shook my head and smiled at her as we linked our arms and followed the rest.

During dinner, I was seated beside Jessica with Boa-unnie opposite me at one table while the 4 elderly were at a table beside us.

"Jae-giya, I will sleep over at your place tonight okay." Boa-unnie said with a grin.

"Wae? Don't you always sleep at the hotel?" I asked with a poker face and continued eating.

"Because I forgot to make reservations. So Uncle Park said I could sleepover at the house."

"Okay. You can sleep at the movie room at the attic." Once again, I replied with a poker face.

"But I want to sleep with you in your room, on your bed." Boa-unnie said with puppy looking eyes.

"Andwae!!" I suddenly replied with a firm gaze and a slightly raised voice. Jessica reacted by placing her hands on my thighs. Even the 4 elderly turned to look at us.

"Boa, I've already told you on the plane. You have to prepare to use the movie room if you want to sleepover." I heard Appa said as he chuckled.

"But why? It's not as if we've never slept together before." Boa-unnie folded her arms and looked at me as I continued to stare at her.

"Slept together, yes. But never will it be on my bed, in my room." I replied, still with the same firm tone and the same gaze.

"Even Taeyeon and Yuri had not slept on her bed before." Appa commented as I heard Omoni asking why was that so.

I was about to stop Appa from explaining but it was too late when Appa continued talking. "She told me before that her bed is only for her and her future partner to sleep on."

I could feel my whole face turning red with embarassment as I looked down and bite my lips with my hands covering my face. I only let go of my hands when I felt Jessica tapping me on my thighs. I looked up at her and saw her sweet smile.

"Since when did you decide not to allow others to sleep on your bed?" Jessica asked but before I could reply her, I heard Uncle Kim's voice.

"If I'm not wrong, since 7yrs old. When she came back from a short trip to the States, I heard her telling Taeyeon that she will only allow the angel with leopard prints to sleep on her bed." Uncle Kim answered with a poker face.

Once again, my face turned red as Appa explained to Uncle Kim that the angel with leopard prints was actually Jessica. I was rubbing my temples as I heard Boa-unnie chuckling in front of me.

"Yah!! This is all your fault. Why didn't you book your hotel room in advance?" I said as I gritted my teeth at her.

"Actually, I've already booked the room. I only asked to find out why you've never allowed me or anyone else to sleep on your bed before." Boa-unnie meronged at me.

"Aishhh..." I rolled my eyes at her as I heard Jessica giggling. When I thought that everything was over, I heard Uncle Kim continue talking.

"Oouuhhhh... So the girl that she had been talking about from the age of 7yrs old was Jessica? Daebak! At last, Taeyeon and Yuri can stop listening to her talking about that angel. Did you know that Jae had been talking about it until she was almost 15yrs old?" Uncle Kim said as everyone turned to look at him. "Everytime when she saw things that had leopard prints on them, she would always say this sentence, 'I wonder how my angel is right now' and it came to a point where Taeyeon and Yuri hated anything to do with leopards or leopard prints."

At that moment, I looked up the ceiling and wished that I could disappear into thin air as Boa-unnie started to laugh out loud at me.

(Present time)

"Hey, Jae. We heard what happened last night from Boa. Too bad me and Yuri were not there." Taeyeon said as grinned dorkily at me.

"We could have helped you out." Yuri added on before the both of them chuckled at me.

"Are the two of you bullying my Jaegi?" Jessica appeared behind them with folded arms and deadly glares.

"Anni, anni." The two of them replied as they shook their head instantly while I laughed at their scared expression.

"Appa asked me to call everyone for a group photo. They are waiting for us in front of the church. Go and look for your girlfriends and be there in 10mins time." Jessica said as she held out her hands for me to hold.

As I walked away from Taeyeon and Yuri, I meronged at them even though I saw them mouthing the word 'whipped'. 'Well, it doesn't matter if I'm whipped. As long as it's Jessica, I guess I'm fine with it.' I giggled at my own thoughts as I enjoyed being dragged around by Jessica.