The Heart Of Life

Epilogue 1

It's been a week since he came back home, to their home in Seoul, from Hanawon. If he's being completely honest, he didn't find the education very useful, at least for him. Even as he grew up in a vastly different political and economic system from South Korea in the last thirty years, Jeong-hyuk belonged to the upper class. Privileged enough he was, that he didn't have to experience the widespread poverty that afflicted his country. Being able to study abroad was also one of the perks, which had opened his eyes and mind to a whole new, different world.

Hence, he wasn't a stranger to using a smart phone, or opening a bank account, or using the subway. Years spent with Se-ri, he was used to the lingo that she speaks, subconsciously adopting some of her South Korean accent. The one thing he had been looking forward to was obtaining his identity card and driving license, because he only had one thing in mind

It takes Se-ri by surprise when Jeong-hyuk shows up at her office, his handsome face peeking through her office's door - with his soft, jet black hair brushed back neatly, dressed impeccably in a dark blue three piece suit.

It is still beyond Se-ri's belief that Jeong-hyuk is at Seoul, with her, in the flesh. She doesn't need to hide him like a clandestine traveller. She doesn't need to create a new identity for him. He is not here on borrowed time, but with her indefinitely. He is not a figment of her imagination that will shatter into a thousand pieces like a fragile piece of glass once her fingers touches him.

"What are you doing here?" she comments in lieu of greeting, her bright eyes full with wonder. "Where's Eun-a?"

"You miss her more than you miss me," he flashes a mock pout, moving towards her in large strides, eventually taking a seat on her work desk.

"What is this being jealous of your daughter Ri Jeong-hyuk -ssi." Closing the document she's reading, she folds her arms, a smug smile playing on her lips.

Jeong-hyuk breaks into a small smile. "She's at your parents place." Habitually, he reaches for her hand, twining his fingers with hers. "Do you have time to bunk off today?"

"If it's for you, I have all the time in the world," Se-ri replies, flaunting her half-moon crescent eyes as she tucks her hand into the crook of his elbow.

As they walk out with linked hands from her office to the carpark, there are respectful bows and stares and whispers. Jeong-hyuk swears when they pass by Mr. Hong, there's a twinkle of tears in his red-rimmed eyes. He is transported back in time to when he first stepped into her company's building, but this time he's able to hold her hand, subtly announcing to the world that this amazing woman is his, chest swelling with overwhelming pride.

It seems that Se-ri shares the same sentiment because she tosses out a joke. "Maybe I should hire you to be my bodyguard again."

He leans down to murmur in her ear. "The moment that I fell for you, is the moment that I chose to become your bodyguard forever."

She melts at his words. "Ri Jeong-hyuk -ssi, it's not appropriate to say such things in public," glaring at him with a small girlish pout on her lips, earning a wide-eye stare from her husband, "it's only going to make me cry and spoil my hard earned reputation."

"Yes, daepyonim," he chuckles with a teasing tone, to which she swats playfully at his arm.

He keeps their destination a secret in spite of her incessant questions. But as he navigates his way on the road with the help of the GPS, it becomes more and more apparent that he's driving them to the City Hall. The realisation hits her like a rolling wave. "Are we -going to...?" is all Se-ri manages to say because she's starting to choke up with tears swirling in her eyes, gleaming under the warm, dazzling afternoon sunlight.