ROSIE’s POV

 

 

 

“Oh, you came.”

 

I just sighed while kicking my shoes off near the entrance, as I saw Jihae welcoming me home while brushing her teeth. Her make up were still on, and she clearly arrived just a tad bit earlier than me. I took a glance at a clock on the wall. It was 4 AM already.

 

“How was the shoot?” Jihae asked, helped me with my back pack as I approached the water dispenser to drink.

“It’s fun... but really, it was exhausting, especially in a season like this...” I sighed, and finished drinking.

“You don’t look so happy, actually. Well I wouldn’t expect it to be an easy filming, since it’s Running Man...” Jihae muttered, her voice was muffled a little bit. “When will it be aired?”

“Two weeks from now, I think...”

 

My voice was nothing more than blows of air, as my head grew heavier and headache came.

“Jihae-yah I’m gonna crash.”

“Set your alarm at seven--”

“No, I’ll go first at six... Pilseung-oppa said I will go earlier than you guys. I got a photoshoot... you guys go to the KBS building without me, I’ll catch up...”

“But who will drive you? There won’t be enough time for oppa to drive you-go back-then drive us there..”

“Taekwoon,” I said, with voice as thin as a shredded paper.

 

Jihae sighed, her expression turned dark and worried.

 

“Rosie-ah, you really don’t have to take up all the jobs Jelly assign you to. Remember you can still discuss it...”

 

I shook my head, even though I knew that Taekwoon had said the exact same thing to me just yesterday.

 

And I’m going to respond to her the same way I responded to Taekwoon’s pledge to reduce my activities.

 

 

“Jihae, remember that I have a plan three years from now, right?”

 

Jihae wearily nodded.

 

“Then please just support me. We all wanted the best to happen anyway. We have to be prepared for the future,” I said. I went pass her, and walked into my room.

 

“Are you not going to eat..?”

I shook my head. “G’nite..”

 

 

After the door closed, I just threw myself to the bed.

Every joint in my body felt like they were twisted and broken, every muscle screamed and protested. My head didn’t stop spinning even after I took aspirins. I couldn’t even think of having a bath, as I just have about 2 hours to rest before my tight, non-stop packed schedule takes place.

 

My mind wander to Jihae’s plead, to my plan in three years ahead...

 

Well actually it was Taekwoon’s plan.

For us to get married, one year after he finished his service in the military. At the time he reached thirty years old.

And honestly I was delighted to listen to his plans, which took him a complete one hour to explain.

But, even so, I knew very well that idols wouldn’t make too much income to suffice feeding a family of three, especially when they play easy and reject even small side jobs just because they’re too tired. This thought was the reason why I was so hell-bent on working day and night.

 

I want things to work out, because Taekwoon and I already agreed that, even after getting married, we won’t stop working as singers. And we already stated this wish to both of our groups, and our CEO as well.

 

 

I felt very happy just thinking about it.

Taekwoon, in an all-white tuxedo, standing next to the priest, with Wonshik as our best man...

 

Or better, a traditional Koren wedding ceremony...

With samulnori and buchaechum being performed merrily, in front of the vibrant, colorful and happy guests..

Wonshik as the girukabi, handing Taekwoon the geese as the symbol... Me and Taekwoon exchanging the gourd... and finally, seonghonrye as I was wedded to Taekwoon officially...

 

 

 

 

“Rosie, wake up.”

“Hmm..”

 

A blurry Jung Taekwoon showed up in my focus. He shook my shoulder softly.

“Come on, or you’ll be late. Wash up,” he said, with his usual feathery voice.

 

I grunt lowly, and just sat up as Taekwoon softly caressed my back and helped me undress in front of my bathroom. He tied my hair quickly, and put my clothes into the hamper. Then he helped me into the shower, as he has always been very afraid that I might slipped in the shower, because he knew very well that I’m not much of myself in early mornings.

 

I just wash myself up absentmindedly, washing my face three times, brushing and came out in just ten minutes. Taekwoon sat on my bed, taking care of things that I will need to carry and put them into a backpack I always carry. As I got dressed, I was quite impressed at the fact that he knew exactly what and where they were normally placed.

 

I was quite unconscious about my fashion that time and only put on a black sweated and my black leather pants with black ankle boots from yesterday. Taekwoon approached me and helped me with my back pack, and in just less than 30 minutes we already bid our goodbyes to Jihae and my members. Taekwoon put his parka back on as I opened the door.

 

“What a busy life,” Taekwoon muttered as the elevator door closed.

I couldn’t help but to laugh.

“Thank you for doing this for me,” I said, facing him.

 

Taekwoon shot me some kind of a stare that I found funny. It was like he was holding back his laughter.

“Come on, love.. Are you not going to give me a morning kiss?” I giggled teasingly.

“You have the sniffles. No.”

“Oh, come on..” I whined.

 

Taekwoon pretended to be annoyed, but he kissed my cold lips anyway.

 

It was so comfortable, having his warm palm on my freezing cheeks, steadying my spinning head.

 

But he suddenly pulled away, and I whined.

“Ugh. Why...”

“Rosie, you’re bleeding!”

“What?!”

 

I quickly put a finger on my nostrils, and immediately saw blood flow out of my nose into my fingers. I was quite taken aback, I thought my runny nose was normal due to the cold air. Taekwoon was already rummaged on my backpack and quickly handed me tissues. I thanked him, and put the tissue in my nostril while shooting a frown at Taekwoon, who seemed a little bit shocked.

 

This was the side I love the most from him. His agility in responding to unexpected situations like this.

 

“You sure you can handle today?” he asked softly.

I snort, just enough to be heard to avoid my bloody tissue jumping out of my nose.

“I’m as healthy as a horse,” I said. “Don’t worry.”

 

Taekwoon sighed, and we walked out of the building into the parking lot.

The damn Corvette was there.

 

“You.. seriously gonna drive me in this?” I asked in disbelief.

Taekwoon shrugged as he got inside. “Why not?”

I sat on the passenger seat and closed the door a little bit too powerfully.

“This will attract attention, honey...”

 

Taekwoon shrugged, again, and drove out of the building area.

 

“I thought girls would love it so much if their boyfriends drove them in a fancy car,” Taekwoon grumbled, clearly annoyed.

 

I instantly felt bad. I didn’t want him to think that I was not thankful for his effort to take care of me.

 

“It’s not like that. I... I really appreciate it, that you did everything for me. Really, I love you and I felt very thankful,” I said, laid my right hand on his thigh. “But, this car attracts unwanted attention. It’s cool, I love it.. but don’t you think it will be uncomfortable to be surrounded by curious people? I thought you were the one most conscious about these stuff.”

“I do understand about it, Rose. It’s just... Let’s just get used to it.”

 

My jaw dropped at his words.

Oh.

Wow.

Taekwoon has obviously changed.

I have always been avoiding doing things that attracted unwanted attention because, well, my boyfriend used to be the one who was super conscious about things like that. I was appreciating his wish to be private.

Now he wants to be open?

 

“Wow...” I sighed. “You obviously have changed so much.”

“What do you mean?” Taekwoon frowned, yet he was focused on driving.

“Are you serious with what you said? Being open and getting used to the public?” I asked him, in a light, normal tone.

 

This time it was Taekwoon’s turn to sigh.

 

“I thought that it has always been your wish to be open to the public, Rose. Besides, bad rumours seem to disappear after we went together for 3 years, which means they have already accepted our relationship.”

“I was appreciating you, your wish and your character, so I was very conscious about everything. But if you want to just... relax and lay back, I’ll follow,” I replied.

 

Taekwoon simply just nodded, and put a hand on my head, patting it.

 

I unconsciously started to smile. Turned out it was just our excessive appreciation towards each other that caused the friction.

“I’m sorry if I bother you too much,” I said, just as Taekwoon finished parking his car in front of my studio, where I will have my photoshoot that morning.

 

Taekwoon nodded.

“I like it when you do.”

I snort.

What.

 

Taekwoon just grinned at my disbelief, and gave me a quick kiss.

“Come on. You’re gonna be late.”

 

He took me into the studio, even carrying a dozen coffee in boxes for the staffs at the photo studio. I could clearly tell that almost everyone was shocked by Taekwoon’s presence, but at least they were impressed that he actually prepared something for them, even though he didn’t even work with them. Even he mentioned to ‘take care of her, she’s a dongsaeng.’ I almost snort at that line. But he really did work his charm. Everyone treated me three times nicer and I could hear the female staffs gossiping, wanting to have a boyfriend like him...

 

 

 

 

 

“Rose, we’re done here,” Jihae called for me, as I was busy positioning cakes, canapes, drinks, the champagne and every other small things around the set in the private VIP lounge I rented for Taekwoon’s special day, with the help of the banquet staff.

 

The lounge was placed on the 20th floor of a luxury hotel in the middle of Seoul. It was private, and opened up to a private balcony which was separated from the room only by tempered glass window, with an elegant, minimalistic style interior, and has a private bar. I also requested for the black grand piano to be left there, near the glass windows, elegantly being shone by the dim, standing lights.

 

Jihae had done a good job in decorating the place with balloons with Gain’s help, because Eunhee has a drama shooting schedule she couldn’t skip. I quickly nodded and ran towards her.

“That’s really great, thanks babe. So.. everything’s done, the cake’s ready, candle’s ready, Gain got the camera allright...” I exhaled nervously. “We’re set. We just have to wait for the family...”

“Rose!”

 

All of the sudden, I was in Jihae and Gain’s embrace.

“What...?”

“You lost consciousness for a slight moment,” Jihae explained, as Gain left and ran, asking for water to the bartender. “Are you alright?”

 

I shook my head a little, and still felt that the ground was spinning under my body.

 

“Maybe I’m just... sleep deprived, that’s all...” I muttered, trying hard to sit.

Jihae sighed.

“When was the last time you sleep enough?”

“I don’t know... three days ago?”

“You stupid horse... Are you sure you can do this?” Jihae helped me up, as Gain handed me a glass of water.

I nodded, and drank water as much as I could.

“I just hope I would be awake to see Taekwoon, hahaha...”

“That’s not funny, Rose.”

 

 

Right then, the door opened.

 

“Oh unnie you came!! Oh, good evening eomonim, abunim!”

 

The long-anticipated arrival of Taekwoon’s sister, mother and father startled me, who was kind of flustered in taking care of the surprise birthday party. Even though I did got some help from my members.

 

I bowed deeply towards Taekwoon’s parents and his second sister, who brought her child along, Minyeol.

 

“Oh, long time no see, Jihwa-yah,” Taekwoon’s mother greeted me using my real name, as we exchanged kisses on the cheek. I bowed deeply to Taekwoon’s father, who greeted back with a warm smile, even though he never talked much, just like his son, and just directly helped himself to sit on the nearest couch.

 

“Did you do this by yourself? What can I help you with?”

“It’s really been a long time too, eomonim, and you really look beautiful in that dress. Oh, no, please just rest, everything’s done, we just have to wait for Taekwoon-oppa to arrive...”

“I really thank you for taking care of my son,” Taekwoon’s mother said. “I’m glad he has someone who loves him so much.”

 

I couldn’t control my burning cheeks.

 

“Thank you so much to let me love someone as wonderful as your son, eomonim.”

She smiled, and I helped her to sit next to Taekwoon’s second sister, who was feeding Minyeol small cakes which I had prepared in that VIP lounge that I rented.

 

“Unnie, how are you?” I approached my future sister-in-law, Taekwoon’s second sister, who was feeding her son a small chocolate cake.

“Hello, Jihwa,” she smiled, and we hugged lightly. She always use my real name whenever we met. “I’m sorry my sister couldn’t make it here, trouble at work she said.”

“Oh, it’s fine.”

“And, also, sorry for troubling you with my brother.”

“Ah... really, unnie. I love him. How could he trouble me.”

“Jihwa-yah, you know how he is,” she started gossiping with me. “Is he, you know, affectionate enough?”

 

I laughed at her worried expression.

“Unnie, your brother is the best. In everything, and I mean, everything,” I sad, giving her a wink.

 

At first, she looked a little bit shocked, yet slowly, laughter came out of her.

“Ah, you’re jjang, Jihwa yah!”

 

I giggled, and squatted next to her son, who was busy playing with his toy car.

 

“Hello, Minyeollie.”

“Auntie Hwa!” Minyeol greeted cutely, and he immediately grabbed the edges of my red hair. “You look like ... a tomato!!”

I burst out laughing, and Taekwoon’s sister smiled with somewhat a guilty expression.

“I’m sorry, he had just been able to speak and... you know...”

“Nah, it’s okay, unnie. Can I carry you, Minnie? Can I? Come on here you handsome one~”

 

Minyeol happily jumped into my embrace and I easily carried him up.

 

“You surely grow bigger, boy!”

“I like Aunty Hwa, omma!” Minyeol exclaimed, with a big grin that showed his chocolate-tainted lines of teeth. “She looks like a tomato, and I like tomato!”

 

I giggled, and kissed his cheeks multiple times while talking with him. Jihae and Gain came out of the storage room at the corner of the lounge and happily greeted Taekwoon’s family. I noticed that Jihae and Gain was somewhat nervous at meeting my future in-laws, but, as usual, Jihae and Gain adapted quickly and soon was talking comfortably with Taekwoon’s sister.

 

I let Minyeol blabber while playing with my hair, which I had just dyed into red-wine color due to my comeback theme, while unconsciously staring at Taekwoon’s parents. Taekwoon’s mother brought a cup of coffee and served her husband, and Taekwoon’s father would smile occasionally. They talked in low tone, with soft smile, and sometimes hearty laughter came out.

 

Taekwoon’s mother must have been a beauty back in her youth, I thought to myself. Even at her old age, she looked really sweet, cute, active and caring. And Taekwoon’s father somehow raised respect in me. Even though he was a small man in stature, had just started to balden and never talked much, I noticed a certain strong aura coming out of him, just like how all military man did. He really reminded me of my grandfather.

 

As I played with Minyeol, I took glances to my wristwatch, and noticed that, if everything went as planned, Taekwoon and VIXX members would arrive in about half an hour from now. I carried Minyeol and let him take jellies from the serving table.

 

“Jihwa-yah, when will Taekwoon come?” Taekwoon’s mother suddenly stood up and held my shoulder softly.

I quickly looked down to her, as she stood only as tall as my shoulders.

“Hakyeon-oppa was with him and said that they’re already close by, he texted my friend earlier. I think they will arrive soon,” I said, still carrying Minyeol.

 

Taekwoon’s mother hummed, and took Minyeol, who exclaimed ‘no, I want to be with auntie!’ from me.

 

“Well then, shouldn’t you fix your appearance first?” she said, while calming Minyeol down.

 

I was too surprised by those words, I couldn’t even react. And Taekwoon’s mother seemed to understand. She smiled.

 

“Because I want you to be the one to take my son away from me... Be as beautiful as you can,” she whispered at my ears.

 

 

I was blown away with her words.

I couldn’t respond, I couldn’t even emit any sound.

 

My eyes were b with tears, and smile crept upon my lips.

 

I couldn’t control myself, and I hugged Taekwoon’s mother.

 

 

“Thank you....”

 

And I could feel her warm hands embraced me back.

The hands who had raised the man that I loved, the arms that carried a certain Jung Taekwoon for almost half of her life.

 

The hands that had welcomed me.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

AGAIN, SORRY FOR THE LONG DELAY!

I'm blushing while finishing the next chapter.