Beneath the Hierarchy | Hierarchy - Kim Rian

Epilogue Part 2 - Awaiting New Beginning

_______________________________________

~~~~~*~~~~~

It's been six months since Jia and Rian's magical wedding, and today marked another chapter in their life—a regular day, but filled with love and warmth, just like every other. Their days had settled into a beautiful routine, where love wrapped them like a comforting blanket.

Rian had left for Jooshin Group early in the morning, the chairmanship demanding his time and attention. Jia, on the other hand, had a different plan for the day. She headed over to Hera's house to pick her up. Today wasn't just about work; Jia, Hera, and Jaeyi were secretly planning a surprise birthday party for Rian, which was only a week away. The surprise had to be perfect, and with the help of Kangha, Woojin, and Jihoon, they were working behind the scenes to make sure everything would run smoothly.

"Ready for some party planning?" Jia grinned as Hera slid into the passenger seat.

"You know it! Jaeyi is already excited about sneaking around," Hera laughed, her eyes twinkling with excitement.

The two soon met up with Jaeyi, Kangha, Woojin, and Jihoon at a cozy café. There, the group huddled together, exchanging ideas and finalizing details for the party, making sure Rian remained completely unaware. As the meeting ended, Kangha jokingly said, "I've got eyes on him at all times. He won't suspect a thing." Woojin and Jihoon, sitting beside him, nodded as Woojin playfully adding, "Just make sure you don't give it away, Jia."

Jia chuckled, "I'm the queen of secrets, don't worry!" But there was a sparkle of excitement in her eyes—she couldn't wait to surprise Rian.

After the planning session, Jia, Hera, and Jaeyi decided to spend the rest of the day together. Life had gotten so busy with work, but moments like these were rare treasures. They headed to one of Moon Group's luxurious shopping malls, indulging in some much-needed girl time. Though Jia and Hera saw each other every day—working side by side—Jaeyi's duties at Jaeyul Group often kept her tied up, and they hadn't spent time together like this in a while.

As they strolled through the elegant corridors of the shopping mall, Jia reflected on how life had changed for all of them. Hera was now engaged to Woojin, something Jia and the others had expected long before it happened. On the day of Jia and Rian's wedding, Hera had caught the bridal bouquet—a moment that Jia had purposefully orchestrated by throwing it directly toward her. It was then that Woojin seized the opportunity, pulling out a ring and proposing to Hera on the spot, making her gasp in surprise. It was only Hera who was stunned though, as everyone else in their circle had been in on the plan. Woojin had planned it all along.

"Still can't believe you threw that bouquet right at me," Hera teased as they passed a jewelry store. "You guys were all in on it, weren't you?"

Jia smirked, "You needed a little push. Plus, we all knew Woojin had been waiting for the perfect moment. You can thank me later!"

Jaeyi joined in with a grin, "It was about time, though. Now it's Kangha and I who need to think about that next step, but we're taking our time."

Jia smiled warmly, looking at her best friends. Life had been busy, yes, but full of love. She was happy seeing her friends, Hera and Woojin, newly engaged, and Kangha and Jaeyi, who were cherishing their time together in a steady, happy relationship.

It was a day that reminded Jia how far they had all come, and how precious these moments were. Even though Rian's birthday surprise was around the corner, these small moments of joy, laughter, and love filled her with contentment. And though they all led busy lives now, with each of them achieving success in their own paths, they still had each other to lean on. That, to Jia, was the true gift of life.