2025 ; jungwon

CHAPTER 21

Minjoo exhaled heavily once she entered her room. She closed the door behind her, put her things on the table then plopped herself on the soft mattress as she started screaming against the pillows all the while kicking her feet in the air.

"Finally!!!!" She says, too happy that she finally finished the task that was given to her. "Finally, I can enjoy being in here! "

Don't get her wrong, Minjoo enjoyed every second since she arrived at the place. What she meant was, she can finally enjoy and do the things she wanted to do in the island.

Stress-free.

A soft knock was heard in the room causing Minjoo to loosen up and calm down. She rises to her feet and made herself look presentable before opening the door.

A smile immediately crept on her face upon seeing the intruder.

"You forgot your phone in the car. " He says, lifting up the phone mid air

"Oh. " Minjoo took it in his grasp, a bit embarrassed. "Thank you. "

He didn't hear me earlier, did he?

She pursed her lips, standing awkwardly in front of him, hoping that he didn't hear her squealing just awhile ago.

"You alright? " Jungwon, upon noticing the redness on her cheeks, asked with worry. Minjoo instantly nodded, too instant which made the other chuckle. "Okay then, I'll get going now. "

Once again, she nodded as an answer and watch the man turn his back against her to leave the area. Minjoo just silently watches his back, contemplating about the offer the man had told her after fetching her from her last interview earlier.

She sighed. Actually, what is there to contemplate about when she already had that decision the first time she saw him in that certain aquarium in Busan?

I'll always choose to follow you.

So she smiled and called his name before he could even vanish from her line of sight. Jungwon turned around to face her.

Minjoo ran towards him, smiling. She stopped in front of him then nodded. "I'll come. " she says. "You said you'll go hiking, right? I'll come. "

"Are you serious? " He asked, looking at her as if he doesn't believe her. And so she nodded as an answer. "I will spend the night up the mountain, are you sure? "

And once again, she nodded. "I'm certain. I'll go with you. "

-

Deja vu.

Minjoo is getting deja vu throughout the walk on the mountain. The sour yet sweet feeling of the past when they went on top of the mountains in Gwangju, she's having them once again.

But unlike before, she doesn't have that dark odd and heavy feeling of getting caught. Because in this lifetime, they are not being chase.

Because in this lifetime, there is no one that is oppose for the both of them.

What could go wrong?

Indeed, what could go wrong? There is no Min family that is chasing them so what could go wrong in their story in this lifetime?

No matter what Minjoo thinks, she couldn't think of anything that would go against them.

The universe has no one to use to break us this time, my dearest.

"Are you tired? "

Minjoo was snapped back to reality when the man spoke, breaking the peaceful silence between them. She looked at him then smiled, shaking her head.

"No, are you? " She asked back.

Just like what she did, the man shook his head too. "Not yet. I'm just worried that you're tired already and you're just keeping your silence. "

And that made her smile widened. "Well, for your information Mister Lee, I don't get easily tired. "

That was a lie but a truth either. It's a lie because well, she can get easily tired and Haechi, her niece, and her friend Sihye knew that damn well. But it's also the truth since when it comes to him, she doesn't know but she doesn't get tired easily.

Maybe it's because of his presence? Maybe because she loves being with his presence that's why her body is relaxing despite it moving.

"Oh, I see. That's good then. " Jungwon checked his wrist. "Because it might take us two or more hours since we're still far from the top "

I don't mind as long as I'm with you.

"I see, ok. "

Silence followed after that. The only  thing you'll hear was the sound of the dead leaves being crashed as they step on it.

They keep on moving, walking. They would stop at a certain point as the man was worried if the other is already tired and she's just not telling him even though Minjoo assures him a couple of times that she isn't.

They shared stories, jokes around and stuff. And Minjoo couldn't help but to remember the past, compare the situation they are currently in from the past.

It's good. It's blissful. The feeling is so beautiful. Being with someone you love eternally, having to hear his voice and his laughs, having to see his smile and his eyes that glistened whenever the rays of the sun took a peek on it.... When she thought she have lost him that moment when she saw him lying there in the farmhouse, lifeless.... It's beautiful.

It's beautiful to witness his smiles once again.

After a couple of hours, they finally arrived on top of the mountain. And the view is beautiful. It is so breathtakingly beautiful.

Minjoo slowly and carefully dropped the single bag she was carrying before she ran happily towards the edge where a tree is standing.

"It is so beautiful! " She screamed, jumping while admiring the view. She turned her head and looked at man who is putting the bags he was carrying on a big stone nearby. "Jungwon, look! It is so beautiful! "

Jungwon chuckled, shaking his head at the other's cuteness. He walked towards where she is and stopped right next to her.

The sun is now setting. Giving everything around them a warmth hue. And that contributes, making the nature, the view more breathtaking than it already is.

Jungwon nodded in agreement as he roamed his eyes to the view around them.

It is indeed beautiful. And he won't deny that. His gaze darted to her and he smiled.

Yes, the nature around them is beautiful but those are nothing compare to the beauty he is currently looking at.

"Yeah, it's so beautiful. "