Dahlia

41

It wasn't that hard to look for her.

The reason that Lee Nara agreed to open her shop here was because of the strategic area. There was a park nearer which most people would go to stroll around - alone or with their kids or family, and it was undeniably romantic to go for a date.

"So, why not they come to grab some flowers first for their loved ones?" She once said, having the layout planted in her head as she studied the area.

So, Hyunjae could easily find her at the said park, staring at the group of kids playing rollerblades. She still looked like she was in deep thought which made him wonder the most - what made her worry? Did she think he would throw her gift away?

"That is a big no..." He mumbled before he dragged his feet closer to her, the gift box was firmly in his hand like it was a true gem he had.

Two steps before another two, and little did Hyunjae know, he had jogged to reach her faster. 4 feet in the gap, he took a halt, slightly panting as he did so. Nara hadn't noticed his arrival yet, suddenly, the view of the kids intrigued her more.

Even within this proximity, Lee Hyunjae couldn't find words to say. He had so many to say, he was beyond the happiness one could've imagined but he was worried. Worried that the way he expressed it would be too much.

"Nara," he started slowly, his view changing from looking at her side profile to finally meeting her hazel eyes that still shimmered under the low ambience of the sun.

She looked startled. Probably because he suddenly broke her trance. Her breath looked heavier than usual but then she let out a big lump after knowing that it was only her husband.

"You scared me," she said, rubbing her chest as she blinked once out of relief. When she opened her eyes back, Hyunjae had taken another step closer to her. "How do you find me here?"

He shrugged. "Fate, I guess."

It was then, that Nara noticed the box in his hand, the colour of pistachio standing out too much in her eyesight. She had never contemplated when she chose that box because she knew it was his favourite colour. Only, the reason he liked that colour made her chuckle in disbelief.

"I am into pistachio flavour these days. So, I like its colour."

"You... saw it," she said, not breaking the stare off the box. Her husband hummed to confirm and that was when she trailed her gaze up to his face. "Do you like it?"

The question was spontaneous because she literally, was out of mind. Everything happened too fast that she was unable to comprehend in details. Suddenly, she was summoned by Younghoon to a cafe where they were talking about random things and suddenly she checked her phone while he stepped out and noticed the date on her phone - her period was late.

And then, here she was informing her husband of the finding.

"What kind of nonsense question is that?" He paused as if he was blocking any tears from coming out. Hyunjae opened the box again while biting his thin lower lip but even the pain couldn't stop a loner tear from falling.

How could he not when the content in the box was informing him that he was going to be a father?

It still felt like a dream since the moment he was greeted by the test kit with a positive result back at the shop. Even though he had been running to get here, he was still levitating in the air.

"Nara..." He charged forward, carefully pulling her into his embrace. His eyes were now misty again as he kissed her hair. "I've never imagined that this day would come."

Nara choked on her tears out of the blue - blame the unstable hormones. She rested her head comfortably against his chest, tightening her grasp around his figure.

"I am scared, Hyunjae," she said and slowly her husband broke the embrace, worriedly looking down at her.

The fear Hyunjae saw when he first stepped into the shop, being greeted by her spacing out was back on her face. It was the exact fear that he thought was caused by Younghoon. But, it was merely because of this - the news of her pregnancy.

"Tell me everything welled up inside you," he requested as they settled down on a bench a while later, her hand was firm in his grasp.

Nara breathed out, staring far ahead.

"You're right, this is not me. I shouldn't have done this to prove whoever it was who tried to kill me. I should've just let go and live my life happily with you," she exhaled again. "Now, that I'm carrying another soul with me, it's scared me if I fail."

"Hey..." He squeezed her hand. "You're going to be fine."

"But, Hyunjae... this baby will grow and if I don't finish it faster, Younghoon will absolutely notice and I'm not even sure what will happen next," the worries had come back to her. "Now, I'm stuck. I can't think of anything."

"Nara, look at me," Hyunjae requested and as the female did so, he placed his palm on her warm cheek. "I don't understand why you're worried. You have us to protect you. Besides, this is not your loner battle, I'll be with you until the end."

She then loudly scoffed with quivered lips as she looked up at the clear sky. Another tear escaped and Hyunjae swiftly wiped it out.

"Why?" He asked.

"Being serious doesn't fit your character," she joked under the tension, slightly shrugging.

"Lee Nara, you..." Hyunjae retreated his hands and crossed them over his chest as he squinted his eyes at her.

She laughed. Even with teary eyes and a red nose, she laughed. And that was enough for him to ensure that she was fine. And the laughter that sounded like a lullaby in his ears surely was so contagious that he found himself smiling afterwards.

"Though I have the image of a playful jokester, you need to know that I am serious," he remarked, earning the full attention of his wife. "You're my responsibility and now I have another one to care of. So, can you finally spill to me what are you on? I'll help you, Nara."

His dark orbs that were looking into hers right now were full of hope. She really didn't want him to get involved but Nara finally realized that this thing was out of her hands, that she couldn't handle it alone.

"Can I tell you everything while we walk back? I am craving to smell dahlia," she scrunched her face as she said that.

"Well..." Hyunjae jolted up, extending his hand for her to reach. "Let's go!"

Giggles accompanied their little steps along the pavement until they arrived at the crossroads they formally met when she was Kim Dabin. But, they seemed not to realize the place as Hyunjae was attentively listening to every word of her storytelling.

He was in great shock, he even had goosebumps. The whole story was insane to digest which made him understand why Nara was consumed with negativity and wanted to bring up the truth so badly.

"One life was lost and you nearly lost yours. This was crazy," he scoffed to the sky as they halted at the facade of their shop before proceeding to go in. For, Haknyeon couldn't find out about this.

"I guess, we should wait for the right time to move," she breathed out, clinging around his muscular arm. "And I hope everything will go smoothly until then."

"Of course, it will..." He assured, beckoning her inside. "Let's go get your dahlia."

The two then pushed the door open, and the jingling of the wind chime was heard alerting Haknyeon and another male inside who looked completely taken aback at the sight he saw.

"What... is this, bro?" Kevin dramatically gasped, pointing to the couple's entangled arms. "How long has it been since the last time we met because I was so busy? I decided to stop by today to greet you with a proper 'Hi, I miss you' and this is what I'm looking for. Like when did this happen?"

Kevin rapped in a breath that made all the onlookers feel suffocated just by hearing.

Note: both he and Jacob hadn't known yet that the female was Lee Nara.

"Even after so long..." Nara whispered into Hyunjae's ears. "I still don't like him."