Paradise With You

The sunlight pierces through the muted room, waking Ri Jeong Hyeok from his deep slumber. The love of his life comes into view and he can't help but smile like an idiot. Seri's bare face accentuates her captivating features; it is his favorite look of hers. With him, Seri was not the feisty CEO of a multi-billion dollar company, she was simply his wife.

A strand of hair obstructs his view of Seri's angelic face and he gently tucks it behind her ear. With the nuisance out of the way, her plump and alluring lips come into sight and he just can't help but give them a peck. He then continues with his favorite way of waking her up: a succession of soft, tender kisses all over her face, each one filled with the endless love he fails to articulate with his words alone.

It is her turn to giggle. She turns to bury her face into the crook of his neck, inhaling his comforting, masculine scent that she now associates with home.

"Good morning Seri-yah," he softly whispers into her ears.

"Good morning Ri Jeong Hyeok," his name rolling off her tongue as if they were her favorite three words to say.

"Wake up, Seri-yah. Or we won't be able to do all the things you had planned for today."

If she thought coffee was addictive, his voice was her most powerful drug.

"Carry me" she whines; and he willingly obliges.

Laughter fills the bathroom as his tickles cause her to drop the freshly squeezed toothpaste in the sink right before it reaches her mouth. Her ingenuine annoyance, visible in the mirror, only adds to his amusement as he lets out a wholehearted laugh, a sound he rarely makes but always the loudest with her.

Carrying the weight of his deflection on his back has not been easy, but it was moments like these that made it all worth it. Today marks their fifth year together. Five years since the day they exchanged rings in her room amidst all the uncertainties and one year since they exchanged the vows that ended them all. So, every year on the same day, not only do they celebrate Seri's existence, they also commemorate the love that allowed her to feel alive.

The morning quickly passes as the lovers lose themselves in these blissful moments. For their wedding anniversary this year, they had decided to have their getaway on the other side of the world. With the ancient and humbling island known for its white sandy beaches, emerald-blue water, and rugged, black chains of volcanoes, Hawaii was a sight to behold. The destination was perfect for any couple looking to get lost in their own paradise.

Yoon Seri's passion for planning out every single detail was apparent in both her work and at home. According to her itinerary, today was day three of their week long getaway and they would be going tandem paragliding at exactly 2 PM. The Four Seasons Resort they were staying at was located on Lanai, a different island from Honolulu. Considering how the private flight back to the main island would take at least an hour, time was not on their side this morning.

"Ri Jeong Hyeok! Look what you did, it is already noon! We don't even have time to go down and eat lunch, we're going to be late!"

"It's okay, go get ready. I will call for room service."

Their 4,000 square feet Alii Royal Suite included a kitchen and Ri Jeong Hyeok wanted to put it to good use. Unbeknownst to Seri, he had quietly packed his drip coffee pour-over set for her to try the world-renowned Kona coffee, a delicacy cultivated only in Hawaii. As soon as he poured the hot water in the freshly roasted ground coffee, its heady aroma envelops the entire room.