EPILOGUE Part  8

“I once had a strange dream. It was not long after you started working as a live-in tutor…”

“What kind of dream was it?”

Minhee showed her curiosity, listening intently to Taejun.

“The all-in-one trainer in the gym.”

Minhee nodded.

“You were tied up inside it. Blindfolded with bright red lace…”

Minhee’s eyes widened. Taejun, with a mischievous smile, leaned down and whispered something in her ear, just for her to hear. Minhee’s face gradually turned redder.

When Taejun lifted his head, Minhee bit her lower lip and glared at him. Taejun then pulled something out of his pocket.

Dangling from his fingers was the red lace lingerie Minhee had prepared.

Taejun looked at her with half-closed eyes and smiled languidly.

“So… will my wish come true?”

Minhee, her cheeks as red as apples, stared at Taejun for a long time before lowering her gaze slightly.

“We’ve had dinner… Shall we go exercise now?”

* * *

— Santon. Don’t be sad. Meet Rose on wedding day.

“Yes, I’ll come pick you up in February. Until then, listen well to Grandma and Grandpa.”

— Okay. Santon, you also listen to Miss Minnie.

Taejun glanced at his phone screen and chuckled.

“Alright.”

Minhee poked Taejun in the side.

“…I love you, Rose.”

Taejun muttered awkwardly with an embarrassed smile. Minhee leaned her face into the screen.

“Rose, your Korean has improved so much. Amazing!”

— Miss Minnie! Rose speaks Korean ‘awesome’ well!

In the evening in Korea, Rose, wearing pink pajamas and smiling brightly, resembled Taejun.

“Rose! I miss you so much! I love you!”

— Santon! Miss Minnie! Love you this much! Good night!

Rose made a big circle with her arms and waved energetically.

They video-called Rose twice a week. Thanks to her retired grandparents who cared for her devotedly all day, Rose seemed healthy in both body and mind.

The play therapy that started immediately after the accident seemed to be helping. Last month, the child psychiatrist suggested that considering the severity of Rose’s trauma and her age, it would be good to continue counseling and therapy for about a year.

Because of this, Taejun and Minhee had a long video call with Rose’s grandparents and decided to raise Rose in Korea until next summer.

Recently, as summer vacation ended and school started in Korea, Rose began attending first grade at a nearby elementary school. She had already made many friends thanks to her inherent sociability.

Aster School allowed Rose a one-year leave of absence considering her situation, and arrangements were made for her to transfer to the second semester of second grade next September.

“Shall we head out now?”

“…”

Taejun, with a tense expression, gripped the handle of the suitcase resolutely. The two of them, hand in hand, left the penthouse to meet Minhee’s father.

Minhee thought she was beginning to understand what it meant to become an adult. She didn’t inform her father about the big accident and her injuries. In the past, she would have called him at the slightest pain to whine and seek comfort, but now she didn’t want to cause unnecessary worry.

Instead, she had Taejun beside her. Knowing that a reliable man like a mountain would be with her for life gave Minhee a sense of stability and peace.

When Minhee informed her father about the engagement right after being discharged from the hospital, he was so shocked and flustered that he said he would come to New York immediately to meet Taejun. Minhee, using the excuse of being busy with various things, promised to visit her father in September when they both would have recovered, calming him down.

On the flight to Hilton Head Island, Taejun bombarded Minhee with questions.

“How much does he know about me?”

In fact, Minhee hadn’t told her father much about Taejun beyond some basic information.

The life story that shaped the wonderful man Baek Taejun was too vast and heavy to be condensed into a few words over the phone.

And no matter how close they were, she didn’t want to divulge Taejun’s personal stories unless he mentioned them himself.

“I told him you’re reliable, smart, and a good person. That you love me very much. And that I love you very much too. Dad trusts me, so he trusts and respects my choice.”

“…What will he think about me growing up without parents?”

Taejun thought of his father, who was an orphan, and his maternal grandfather, who had opposed his father until the end.

“I grew up without a mom too. He’ll be proud that you grew up so well on your own. But…”

“But?”

“When I first told him, he said I was too young to get married… He called you a ‘thief.’ He still thinks of me as a six-year-old, even though I’m almost twenty-six.”

“Haa…”

Taejun rested his elbows on his knees and buried his face in his palms. The age difference was something he couldn’t change no matter how much he tried. Having recently turned thirty-three, the seven-year age gap had become eight.

‘It’s true. I am a thief.’

Any man trying to take a daughter like Minhee would deserve to be called a thief.

“Don’t worry too much. Once Dad meets you, he’ll quickly understand why I love you. My dad may act stern, but he’s actually really kind. It’s a secret, but… he cries more than I do.”

Minhee covered her mouth with her fingertips and giggled. She looked so cute and lovable that Taejun couldn’t resist pulling her into a deep kiss.

* * *

Upon arriving at the airport, the deep blue sky and the summer weather nearing 90 degrees Fahrenheit, along with tall palm trees, greeted them.

While Minhee was glad to see the familiar island scenery, it also reminded her of her teenage years when she felt hurt and timid. Unconsciously, she tugged at Taejun’s hand as they walked side by side. Taejun, thinking she had something to say, tilted his head affectionately towards her.

When Minhee silently linked her arm with his, clinging to his solid arm, Taejun stroked her cheek with his large hand and kissed the top of her head. The anxiety that had been swirling in Minhee’s mind quietly disappeared.

“Dad said to come to the restaurant for dinner. Is that okay?”

“Yeah. It’s fine.”

Taejun opened the passenger door of the rental car he had reserved in advance. It was a luxury silver sports car, the kind you’d only see in movies.

Minhee, riding in a car driven by Taejun for the first time, watched him, captivated by how well his sexy appearance, with his jacket off and tie loosened, matched the car, without feeling bored.

It took her a while to realize that he was navigating to the restaurant without any GPS. Taejun, who had locked himself in the study for days saying he was doing ‘research,’ seemed to have memorized all the information about Hilton Head Island.

“I’m thinking of buying a house here.”

Taejun tapped the steering wheel and glanced sideways at her, then reached out to gently hold her hand.

“What kind of house?”

Minhee looked at Taejun with wide eyes.

“Since we’ll be coming here often, I thought it would be nice to have a house we can use like a vacation home.”

“…”

“Lopez has arranged a meeting with a real estate agent for tomorrow afternoon. If you don’t want it, we can cancel.”

The house Minhee lived in with her father was a small, two-bedroom detached house of less than 1000 square feet. When they would come here with Rose in the future, there wouldn’t be a suitable place to stay. The thoughtfulness of Taejun, who planned to buy a house for frequent visits, choked her up.

“…Yeah. Okay. Thank you, Taejun.”

Without a word, Taejun interlocked his fingers with hers and changed the subject.

“Have you decided whether to go to that party we talked about?”

Around this time, Rosewood High School held Homecoming.

It was an annual event attended not only by students but also by parents and alumni. During the day, they had sports matches with rival schools, and in the evening, there was a dance party. The ‘Alumni Night’ party, akin to a reunion, was also held on this day every year.

Minhee had recently received an invitation to the Alumni Night via email. It was an email she usually sent straight to the trash, but this year she hesitated and clicked on it. The timing of her visit coincided with the date, and even though she RSVPed just in case, she wasn’t sure if she’d have the courage to attend.

“I’m not sure yet. I’ll think about it a bit more before deciding.”

“Alright. Do what you want. Whatever it is, don’t force yourself to do things you dislike.”

Taejun pulled her intertwined hand to him and kissed the finger with the engagement ring.

Minhee pondered for a moment.

‘If Taejun is by my side, I think I’ll be okay.’

The bright afternoon sun reflected off the silver sports car hood, scattering dazzlingly. Soon, the familiar restaurant sign came into view. A bright red neon sign reading ‘Sushi’ was prominently displayed on the flat building front.

Taejun parked the car in the restaurant parking lot. Then he put on his jacket and straightened his tie, adjusting his appearance.

Minhee’s heart raced with excitement to show Taejun to her father quickly.

“Let’s go!”

Minhee grabbed Taejun’s hand as he took a deep breath, pulling him along.