Evenstar

55. The Proposal

It had been a long but enjoyable day for Dae Eun. She woke up before dawn for the photo shoot and interview outside Paris, and it was like a breath of fresh air. She relished being in green fields again, out in the open air feeling the freshness of everything around her. Taehyung was with her the whole time, always nearby to assure her when she got nervous or didn't understand what the staff were asking her. When the shoot ended they went back to the apartment and everyone, except Taehyung and his Manager Se-Jun, got ready for the UN dinner. She wore the gold lace dress Taehyung had given her and he liked it so much.

"I'll fetch you later," Taehyung promised, kissing her cheek as they all departed for the convention center. She wished he could come with them but only the delegates were invited.

Dae Eun couldn't imagine not being with her oppa everyday anymore, and not sleeping beside him at night. Those nights had sealed her to him. They only slept in each other's arms and the most he did was kiss her, but it strengthened her bond with him so much that she now felt uncomfortable when she wasn't with him even for a short period of time.

In two days they would be back in Korea, and they would have to go their separate ways again - she would return to her life in Geumsan and he back to his life in the limelight. She didn't know what the next steps would be, if they could even risk being seen together in public. She knew he wouldn't want to repeat the cycle of criticism and hate, for her sake. But she was happy, at least, that they were both recovering well. The trauma was gone and there was reason to hope that things could still change for the better.

At the UN dinner, the delegates around them looked so handsome and beautiful in their formal evening wear, and they joked among themselves that even farmers such as they knew how to dress up once in a while. The food served was organic, fresh and very delicious. And Dae Eun knew she would miss this gathering too of people who shared their same interests and values, and who wanted to return the world to more natural and ethical agricultural processes.

Even Kyubok Harabeoji was feeling sentimental that night. This assembly had given him a new perspective. Though he was reluctant at first to join them in this trip, he was glad he stepped out of his comfort zone. He realized that the world was in need of healing, from the lowly farm hand to the highest official of a nation - everyone was in search of a way to ease their bodies and minds of pain and suffering. His was a gift that he thought to share only to a few, but he would do better from now on. Maybe he could put up a school in Geumsan and invite students from all over to learn from him.

When the dinner program ended, everyone rose to applaud the organisers of the event. And they stayed a while to fellowship with the other delegates from different countries, promising to keep connected and share their experiences. They took a lot of pictures with all the summit participants, including the UN Secretary General and the ambassadors from different countries. 

As they made their way out, they found the lobby filled with delegates. Dae Eun wanted to stay and chat with them too, but her heart was already pining for Taehyung. She checked her phone and found his message saying he would wait for her at the lobby. She looked around and tried to find him amid the crowd. Cheul-Soo found him first, and pointed her to his direction with a wide smile on his face. When she looked she was surprised. He was holding a bouquet of red roses, looking up to where they were standing on the staircase to the lobby.