It was Sungho's death anniversary. A year had passed since the tragic accident that shook Y/N's world and took away her once lover. On a cold morning in January, Y/N stood in front of Sungho's grave, a bouquet of fresh white lilies in her hands. The cemetery was quiet, the snow covering the ground in a white blanket, muffling all sounds except for the soft rustling of leaves in the breeze.
Jay stood next to her, holding the umbrella above their heads, protecting them from the light drizzle that had started falling. He was proud of her, and he loved her so much he wanted to share every moment, even the difficult ones. And he knew how much Sungo's love meant for her. Six years with someone was too long to easily let go of the memories and emotions tied to them.
He had spent a month with Y/N in Busan, but he could never forget her or move even if he wanted to. Squeezing her hand gently, he watched her put the bouquet on Sungho's grave. "Hey," Her voice was barely more than a whisper. "It's been a year since you left us, Sungho. A year of missing you every day, a year of learning to live without you." Jay listened to Y/N's words, his heart aching for the pain she had endured over the past year.
When she turned to him with glistening eyes, he gave her a reassuring smile and kissed her forehead. "It's okay, sunshine. He knows you still carry him in your heart."
Y/N nodded, leaning against his shoulder. "I wish he could have met you. I think he would have liked you."
He intertwined his fingers with hers, staring at the name engraved on the tombstone. "Mr. Sungho," He started, making Y/N raise her head to look at him. "I wish I could have met you, but I believe life works in mysterious ways. There are a lot of things I would like to say, but most of all, I'd like to thank you for loving Y/N and for being a part of her life. But now that I have the chance to love her, I hope you can find peace in knowing that she is in good hands, that I'll do everything in my power to make her happy and protect her."
Y/N's tears fell down her cheeks while she smiled. "Are you asking for his permission?" Her question made Jay smile faintly and wipe her tears.
"I'm not asking for his permission to love you, sunshine. I already did, and I don't think I can ever stop," He whispered while she leaned against his touch. "But I also don't want him to haunt me in my dreams. You know I have a vivid imagination, and I wouldn't want to start having ghostly encounters in the middle of the night."
She found herself chuckling through her tears, finding comfort in Jay's words. "You're really something else. Well, I fell in love with you, so I should have known what I was signing for."
Jay's smile grew wider as he looked at her, his love for her shining in his eyes. "You fell in love with me?" He asked, gently tapping her nose with his finger. "Damn, I must be the luckiest man on this planet."
Y/N playfully swatted his arm. "Don't let it get to your head. "You're lucky, but you're not that lucky."
Jay pretended to gasp dramatically, his hand over his heart. "Ouch, that's harsh, sunshine. Here I am, pouring my heart out at a graveyard, and you're not even giving me top-tier compliments." Then he smiled and wrapped his arm around her shoulders, pulling her closer. "But you know what, Y/N? I'll take it. As long as I have you in my life, I'm the luckiest man, even if I don't get the grand compliments."
"I'm glad you're here with me, Jay. You've made this day a little bit easier." She nestled her head against his shoulder and the two of them stood there for a while, staring at the grave and the lilies that adorned it. The rain continued to fall gently, but at that moment, it felt like the world had paused just for them. He held her close and closed his eyes for a moment while listening to the soft pattering of raindrops on the umbrella above them.
He had promised to be with her on the sunny and rainy days, and he was going to love her. Oh, he was going to love her with all his heart, not just on the easy days but on the hardest ones too.
When the two of them went back to her place, he watched as she took off her coat and scarf, setting them on the couch. His presence in her life was seen in his favorite books set on the coffee table, his toothbrush next to hers in the bathroom, and his clothes hung in her closet. A month had passed since he came to Seoul but felt like they had always been a part of each other's worlds.
"It's been a month," He spoke, making her let go of a contented sigh as she leaned against him on the couch. She rested her head on his shoulder, her fingers gently tracing patterns on his hand.
"Do you want to go back to Busan?" Y/N's question hung in the air for a moment before he let out a sigh that carried a lot of emotions.
"I do," He turned his head slightly to press his lips to her temple, the kiss lingering for a few seconds. "I want to go back to Grandma, to everyone there. But sunshine, I don't want to be anywhere that you're not."
"Can you live with me in Seoul?" She whispered, her voice filled with hope and vulnerability. "Forever?" Y/N had been carrying this question in her heart, unsure of how to bring it up, but now, with the rain softly drumming on the windows, it felt like the right moment to lay her feelings bare.
"Do you want to live in Seoul forever?" His question made her smile softly while she looked up at him with a warmth in her eyes that melted his heart.
"As long as I'm with you, I could live anywhere," She replied, her fingers interlocking with his. "But Busan holds your heart and mine, so I want to go back with you. I want to build a life together there, with you. We can make it our home, Jay."
Jay couldn't help but feel overwhelmed with love for this woman who had entered his life like a gentle breeze, slowly but surely taking root in his heart. He brushed a strand of hair away from her face and cupped her cheek with his hand. "Forever sounds perfect with you, sunshine." In a moment, he pulled her on top of him, his hands going under her shirt as he held her close.
And he kissed her. Without warning, without permission, without even deciding to do it, but simply because he couldn't have done anything else. He needed the feeling of her against him, the taste of her lips. It belonged to him, and he never wanted to let go of it.
