How It Should Have Ended Part2 (The Continuation)

Chapter 8

"Did you know about this?" She directed her question at Ga Eul.

"Yi Jung just told me this morning," Ga Eul replied. "He didn't want me to know sooner so my reaction would be 'natural'." She made an air quote as she said the last word.

Jan Di had to agree. It made sense. A thought popped into her head and she whipped around to face Woo Bin.

"Wait, did you set the golf club on fire so you could move the venue here?"

Woo Bin pretended to look hurt. "Hey, what do you think I am? A crook?"

"No, no. I just..." She turned away, embarrassed.

"There was a small fire," Yi Jung stated. Then he grinned. "A bon fire. They have it there all the time." He looked around admiringly. "Semiwon Garden was always where we planned it to be." He pointed at Ji Hoo. "Well, where he's always planned it to be." He made a sweeping gesture with his arm over the ponds around them. "His lotus paradise."

It was true. Semiwon Garden was a botanical garden solely focused on lotus flowers. It wasn't small either – it was a massive garden. A real lotus paradise. Jan Di had heard of it before, but had never been there...until now.

She shook her head. "I can't believe you guys managed to secure this place."

"Woo Bin owns this," Ji Hoo stated casually. Woo Bin just gave a nonchalant shrug.

So when he said he knew the owner...

Woo Bin looked pleased with himself. "I told you the owner was a pretty cool guy."

...

Jan Di gave Ji Hoo's hand a gentle squeeze. She thought of him planning all this despite his busy schedule and her heart fluttered wildly in her chest.

Then she realized he never actually got to propose and her eyes went wide in panic.

"What's wrong?" Ji Hoo leaned closer to her.

"Can we go for a walk? I need to talk to you." She whispered in his ear.

Ji Hoo nodded and the two of them stood up and started walking towards the ponds.

"I'm sorry I ruined your proposal," she walked holding his hand. Her eyes caught sight of something odd floating on the pond.

What is that? She thought.

It looked like a shoe. A man's dress shoe. She looked around and there was only the one shoe. How odd. Why would there be a shoe here?

"I guess I got a little ahead of myself." Ji Hoo looked at her apologetically. "I didn't want to pressure you. I guess you weren't ready."

She shook her head quickly. "No, it's not that." Then she cocked her head to the side and eyed him questioningly. "Whatever happened to waiting until your residency was over?"

He raised his shoulders slightly. "I got impatient." He stepped in front of her, took both her hands in his, and looked down at the ground. "I know we said we'd wait, but I just couldn't do it anymore." He looked up and gazed intently into her eyes. "I want to look forward to coming home from a long day of work knowing you're there waiting for me." His lips curled into a playful smile. "I want to wake up at 3am, roll over, see your face, and know that I'm right where I'm supposed to be."

Jan Di's cheeks reddened, but she managed a shy smile. Then she remembered another part of their reason to wait. She debated asking him about it for a few minutes.

"What about Jun Pyo?"

Ji Hoo had told her he wanted to make amends with his friend.

Ji Hoo's face turned pensive. "I went to see him," he began, and Jan Di's eyes widened in shock. "It was the main reason I went abroad." He ran a hand through his hair. "I had to chase him around the States, but I eventually caught up to him."