Just A Few Numbers Away

Chapter 120

The Eve of the Vows

Three days after the arrival, ​the Hannam The Hill apartment had finally settled into a restless quiet.

Outside, the skyline of Seoul was a tapestry of shimmering lights, but inside, the air held the faint, comforting scent of the ginger tea Aen's mother had brewed earlier.

The balikbayan boxes were neatly tucked away, the guest rooms had begun to feel lived-in, and the chaos of the arrival a few days ago had smoothed into a steady rhythm.

Aen's family was resting, conserving their energy after a few busy days of finalized dress fittings, logistics meetings, and managing the initial shock of the Seoul cold.

​Around 2:00 AM, Aen found herself wide awake.

The heavy silk of her duvet felt restrictive, her mind racing through a checklist of tomorrow's vows.

Whether it was the lingering nausea that still seemed to flare up at odd moments or the adrenaline of the upcoming ceremony, she couldn't stay in bed.

She slipped out of the covers, careful not to wake Yoongi, and headed toward the kitchen for a glass of water.

​She didn't expect to see the stove light on, casting a warm, amber glow across the dark kitchen island.

Her father was sitting at the small breakfast nook, a single mug of tea steaming in front of him, looking out at the city lights.

​[Author's Note: For this scene, Aen and her father are speaking in Bisaya, their native dialect, though it is translated in English here for the readers.]

​"Pa? Why are you still up?" Aen whispered, pulling her robe tighter against the hush of the house.

​Her father looked up, a soft smile crinkling the corners of his eyes.

"Just thinking, anak. It's a big house. A quiet house."

He gestured for her to sit.

"I was just remembering when you were Carly's age, running around with your messy hair. Now, you're here. In Seoul. In a whole different country."

​Aen sat across from him, her heart swelling.

"Are you worried, Dad? About me staying here?"

​"I was," he admitted, reaching across the table to pat her hand.

His touch was steady, the same hand that had walked her through every milestone of her life.

"But I've watched him these past few days. I saw him skip dinner that first night because he was too busy watching your face, making sure you were okay. I saw how he held you when you came out of that room. And I've watched him with Carly-that little girl is safe with him. It was the same, when he came with you back home a year ago on your birthday. "

He paused, his voice thick with emotion.

"I used to worry if a man known by the whole world could ever truly belong to just one family. A man who forgets he's a superstar just to be a nurse for my daughter... that's a man I can leave you with."

​"He's good to us, Dad," Aen murmured, a stray tear escaping.

"He's been our anchor."

​"I know. Now go back to sleep," he teased gently, wiping her tear with his thumb.

"You have a long walk down an aisle tomorrow, and I don't want to have to carry you because you're too tired."

***

​When Aen slipped back into the bedroom, she found the bedside lamp glowing dimly.

The room was cool, a sharp contrast to the warm kitchen.

Yoongi sat propped against the headboard, with his glasses on, scrolling through his phone.

The blue light of the screen reflected in his lenses was making him look studious and soft.

​"You're awake," she whispered, climbing back into the warmth of the blankets.

​"I felt the cold spot where you were supposed to be, Jagi," Yoongi said, his voice low and raspy with sleep.

He pulled her toward him until she was tucked firmly against his side, resting her head under his chin.

She could hear the steady, rhythmic thrum of his heart, a sound that had become her favorite lullaby.

​He was quiet for a moment, his hand tracing lazy patterns on her arm, before he spoke again.

"I actually went looking for you a few minutes ago. I got as far as the hallway and saw you at the nook with your Dad. You both looked like you needed the moment, so I just came back and waited."

​Aen shifted, looking up at him in the dim light.

​"You did? He likes you, you know," she teased, her voice muffled by his chest.

"He told me he's finally ready to leave me in your care."

​"I hope so. I've been practicing my 'respectful son-in-law' face for almost two years now," Yoongi huffed a soft laugh.

He went quiet for a moment, his grip tightening just a fraction.

"Are you nervous, Aen-ah? About tomorrow? It's different from when we just signed the civil papers at the city office. Back then, it was just a legal formality between us, the government and the Soulmate System. But tomorrow... tomorrow is the real 'I do' in front of everyone."

​Aen leaned her forehead against his shoulder.

The moonlight hit the sharp line of his jaw and the softness in his eyes that he only ever showed her.

​"I'm not nervous about being your wife, Yoon," she said firmly.

"Since the day we signed those papers, I am yours. I'm just... I want to be enough for you, Yoon. Not because I'm your soulmate, but because you chose me despite my past. I want this ceremony to be the peace you deserve after everything we've been through together. I want our families to see that we didn't just survive it-we built something real."

​Yoongi went still, his hand pausing its rhythm on her arm.

He took a breath-a shaky, profound sound.

He leaned down, pressing his forehead against hers, his thumb tracing the line of her jaw to keep her focus entirely on him.

​"You were always enough," he whispered, his voice thick with a conviction that left no room for doubt.

"I didn't choose you because of a 'past' or a 'future,' Aen-ah. I chose you because of who you are when the cameras are off and the world is quiet. Tomorrow isn't just about proving anything to anyone. It's for the world to see us finally coming home to each other."

​He kissed her brow, his voice dropping to a low, sleepy rumble.

"Close your eyes, Jagi. In twelve hours, I'm walking you down that aisle."