ONE HEART 4 STRINGS || Joshua ||SVT ff ||18+

-49-

Playlist for this chapter

- A thousand years - Christina Perri, Steve Kazee
- To you - Seventeen
- Forever and ever and Always- Ryan Mack
- Bring me back- Miles Away, Claire Ridgely
- Anyone - Justin Bieber
- Darkest Hour - Astrid S
- Million Days - Sabai, Hoang, Claire Ridgely

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NOTHING, absolutely nothing, prepares you for life like life itself. Who would have thought my life would go through so many twists and turns in just a year? Remembering the very first time I set foot in Korea, ready for a fresh start but definitely not ready for everything I had to deal with.

Seated across from Joshua as he sets the table for a quiet starlit seaside dinner, watching him smile sweetly with the waiter while giving instructions is a heartwarming sight. I've come to realize and accept that no matter how much we might try, there are some things we cannot fight off, and for me, I cannot fight off this thing between Joshua and I. We've both tried, others have tried, but here we are.

It's funny how love hits you when you least expect it. Joshua, this man, this man is the most extraordinary chapter of my life's story. I've lived a million lives with him in just a year. I have cried, I have been hurt, I have been tried, and most importantly, I have known love because I crossed paths with this man.

We've weathered the tempests, navigating the highs and lows with such an unspoken understanding. His warm and gentle hand on mine became my lifeline, guiding me through the darkest of hours and illuminating the path for us.

And somehow amidst this funny and tumultuous journey, I've come to realize just how deep we run. This thing between, everything we share, it's been written in the stars during creation. Joshua, my rock, his presence in my life has become a symphony of serendipity. Joshua is a melody I never knew my heart yearned for.

He is my everything, everything. For every time I tried to run away, he only pulled me closer. Yesterday, today, and forever, it'd always be him.

We arrived in Bali yesterday afternoon after a seven-hour flight that felt like twenty hours. I was so anxious and excited to be here. I'm not sure if Joshua ever closed his eyes all through the flight because every time I woke up, he was staring at me, looking away from the book he was reading. After landing at Bali's Ngurah Rai International Airport, the next hour was spent traveling by an arranged car (courtesy of father) to Jimbaran and locating our private Suite in one of the most beautiful luxury resorts my eyes have ever seen.

I guess he was worn out by the time we had our luggage moved to our suite. We both fell asleep right after a warm shower because it began to rain the moment we set foot in Jimbaran. We woke up hours later to the growling of both our tummies and headed straight to dinner, settling for a delicious seafood platter.

Joshua turned 29 today. My angel turned 29 in my arms and nothing could be more heartwarming than waking up to his beautiful and peaceful face as he slept, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips as he rested his head on my chest. The fruitcake cake I ordered arrived just in time to get him out of bed. He blew the candle and made a wish, he also asked me to make a wish because we were not together for my birthday. And that's how I knew he and Jeonghan's secret tradition on my birthday - they always shared a cake.

I arranged for our driver to take us to Ubud after breakfast for touring lush and serene landscapes and cultural charms. I'd booked us a private painting session at a private art cafe mother had told me about. She and dad had visited and my favorite photo of them was painted here even though they both looked like two lost quokkas. I don't know what we both look like but I know I tried my best in making a beautiful painting of the man in front of me even though he might have put in more effort in painting mine.