Just A Few Numbers Away

Chapter 80

The Kyoto Sanctuary

​The silence of the Hannam suite had become a physical weight over the last few days.

Aen found herself avoiding the hallway where Carly's laughter usually echoed, and even her work at the Korea Yakult Office felt like a distraction that wasn't quite working.

​But Yoongi had been watching.

He'd seen the way her eyes lingered on their family photo stuck to the fridge, and he'd decided that their first anniversary wouldn't be spent in a house that felt too big.

​"Friday night," he'd told her that morning as they prepared for their day, his voice firm but tender.

"Let's go somewhere after work."

"Okay."

***

​When the workday finally ended, Yoongi picked her up like usual.

They arrived back at Hannam the Hill together, the heavy door swinging open to a suite that felt far too still.

The third night without Carly was the hardest; Aen had caught herself checking the clock at 6:30PM, ready to ask Lana what Carly had eaten for a snack in the afternoon, before remembering the house was just... still.

​She was standing in the kitchen, her gaze fixed on the living room which now felt far too large for just two people, when she felt Yoongi's arms wrap around her waist from behind.

​"Pack a small suitcase, Jagi," he murmured into her hair, his voice a low vibration that grounded her.

"We're leaving in two hours."

​Aen turned in his arms, confused.

"Leaving? Where?"

"It's our anniversary soon, Aen-ah. We're going to Japan."

Aen’s eyes widened, her heart skipping a beat as the word sank in.

"Japan?" she breathed, the thought of a passport and a foreign border feeling surreal.

"But Yoon, we have work on Monday-"

​"We'll be back by dawn on Monday," he said, a hint of his gummy smile appearing.

"I’ve... I've never even been to Japan,"
Aen whispered, the realization making the surprise feel even more massive.

​Yoongi’s gaze softened, his thumb tracing the line of her cheek as he took in her genuine shock.

"I know," he said softly.

"That’s why I chose it for our first anniversary. I wanted to be the one to show it to you."

***

​The transition was a blur of high-speed logistics handled with the quiet precision that only Yoongi’s team could manage.

By the time they reached the private terminal at Incheon, the sun had long since disappeared, leaving only the sprawling, electric glow of the city lights behind them.

At 10 PM, instead of navigating the crowded gates of a commercial terminal, Aen found herself stepping into the hushed, warm luxury of a private jet.

The cabin was a sea of soft leather and dim, amber lighting—a stark contrast to the cold, empty silence they had left behind at Hannam the Hill.

The hum of the engines was a low, steady vibration that felt like it was vibrating right through her bones.

​She didn't even hear him move until Yoongi’s hand found hers, his fingers lacing through hers with a familiar, grounding pressure.