Chapter Text
The days following Ji Woo’s proposal felt like a dream to Seo Joon. Waking up beside Ji Woo, the cool metal of the ring on his finger a constant, wonderful reminder, filled him with joy. And Ji Woo, for all his calm, seemed lighter now, as though something had unburdened his heart.
They made no formal announcement, savoring these first days just for themselves. The evening they gathered their friends to share the news was filled with warmth and laughter, Ji Woo and Seo Joon’s hands intertwined under the table, sharing looks that needed no words.
But as the winter deepened and the holiday season approached, life began tugging them in different directions. Seo Joon’s work grew busier as he took on a major role in a new drama series, the type that could either make or break his career. Meanwhile, Ji Woo had his own pressures at the restaurant, a new investor pushing to expand the business. Although Seo Joon supported him fully, there was tension in Ji Woo’s voice when he spoke about the project, hints of a quiet war within him about how far he was willing to compromise his vision for success.
The long days turned into late nights, with Seo Joon returning from set as Ji Woo prepared for early mornings at the restaurant. Their time together began to shrink, and the cosy bliss of the proposal seemed more like a fading memory than the new reality it had once promised.
One particularly late night, Seo Joon found himself unable to sleep. The scene he’d just filmed—a tense confrontation between his character and the love of his life—left him feeling raw, the emotions lingering in his mind. Turning over, he watched Ji Woo, his features softened in sleep, and a pang of guilt twisted in Seo Joon’s chest. He missed him, truly missed him. Not just because of their busy schedules, but because he sensed the gap between them growing in other ways, too.
The next morning, Ji Woo woke to find Seo Joon already dressed, the faintest scent of coffee drifting from the kitchen.
“Hey,” Seo Joon greeted softly, carrying two mugs over. “I know you’re in early today, so I made you something.”
Ji Woo took the cup with a grateful smile, though his eyes still looked tired. “Thank you,” he murmured. “You’re usually still asleep at this hour.”
Seo Joon rubbed the back of his neck. “I wanted to see you before you left,” he admitted, then added quietly, “I feel like we’re always missing each other lately.”
Ji Woo’s gaze softened, his hand moving instinctively to Seo Joon’s. “Me too.” He hesitated, looking down at his cup before he spoke again. “I don’t want things to be this way. But I don’t know how to slow down right now.”
“Me neither,” Seo Joon said, his voice a blend of regret and resolve. “But I want to try.”
They sat in silence for a moment, both wishing they had more answers. Finally, Ji Woo broke the silence, “I have a break coming up in a few weeks. We could… get away, just the two of us.”
Seo Joon’s face brightened at the thought. “A weekend together. I’d love that.” He squeezed Ji Woo’s hand, the simple promise bringing them both a sense of relief.
The trip came sooner than they expected. They chose a small cabin near a frozen lake, the kind of place Ji Woo used to visit as a child. He looked lighter there, like he’d slipped into a part of himself that felt pure and whole, unburdened by city demands. And Seo Joon felt it too, the tightness in his chest easing with each passing hour, the simplicity of their time together making everything else feel small in comparison.
In the evenings, they sat by the fire, sharing stories they’d never told each other before. Seo Joon talked about his earliest roles and the fear that he’d never be good enough, while Ji Woo opened up about his own doubts—the countless times he’d questioned whether his work was worth all the sacrifices.
One night, as they sat wrapped in blankets on the porch, Ji Woo finally voiced something that had been lingering in his mind since the engagement.
“Seo Joon,” he began slowly, staring at the snow-dusted trees, “do you ever wonder what forever actually looks like for us?”
Seo Joon turned to him, surprised by the question. “What do you mean?”
Ji Woo sighed, his breath visible in the cold air. “I guess… I wonder if we’re just trying to hold on to something that won’t last. Your career’s only getting bigger, and the restaurant… I don’t know if I’ll have time to give you everything you deserve. I don’t want you to regret choosing me.”
Seo Joon listened, his hand finding Ji Woo’s and holding it firmly. “I know it won’t always be easy,” he said softly. “I know we’ll have to make sacrifices. But that’s what love is, isn’t it? Choosing each other, over and over again, no matter what?”
Ji Woo looked at him, the depth of Seo Joon’s commitment reflected in his eyes. “You make it sound so simple.”
“It is,” Seo Joon replied with a small smile. “Loving you is the simplest thing I’ve ever done.”
In that moment, Ji Woo felt the fears that had been building inside him begin to ease. Seo Joon’s words weren’t just reassurance—they were a promise, one he could trust.
The weekend passed in a blur of shared moments, the worries of the outside world melting away. When they returned to Seoul, they carried a new sense of purpose. Seo Joon approached his work with a renewed focus, determined to balance his growing fame with his devotion to Ji Woo, while Ji Woo took steps to make the restaurant less dependent on him, hiring trusted staff who shared his vision.
Over the next few months, they both faced challenges, but each time they returned home, their commitment to each other made it easier to navigate whatever the world threw at them. And on days when things felt too much, they would slip away to their mountain retreat, returning to the place that had grounded them in what truly mattered.
On one such trip, Seo Joon surprised Ji Woo with an idea. They were sitting by the lake, watching the sunset turn the snow to gold.
“What if,” Seo Joon began, leaning his head on Ji Woo’s shoulder, “we made this place ours? We could buy it, renovate it a little, and come here whenever we need to breathe. Our own little sanctuary.”
Ji Woo turned to him, eyes bright with both surprise and delight. “Are you serious?”
Seo Joon nodded, the corners of his lips curving into a smile. “I’ve never been more serious. Let’s build something together. A place that’s just ours.”
Ji Woo’s heart swelled with gratitude and love. They had once feared losing each other, yet here they were, daring to dream of a future they would build with their own hands.
And as the sun set over their private sanctuary, Ji Woo realised that forever was not something that simply happened. It was something they would create, day by day, together.