After Dark (Prompts)

Be With You - 22

A/N: so sorry for the delay! I thought I would finish yesterday but birthday stuff prevailed and I enjoyed like I should! 😊 thanks for all the greetings over on Twitter. Sending love to you all!!!

Expect another update later ❤️❤️❤️

—

Im Cheol-Ryung woke up early the following day. Happily, he noted that there was a heavy weight on his chest and someone snuggling to his side, molding her body even closer to his.

Ha Chae Yoon.

He smiled, pulled her closer and kissed the top of her head. Tugging at her earlobe, he gazed at the features of her face that he could see from that vantage point.

His fiancée.

He was initially worried that she might feel like this was going too fast. He would have waited if she wanted to take it slow there was no question about it. But, he was glad she said yes.

Because he had been sure about them some time ago.

He had been planning as to how and when he could pop the question when he received the call from Hwa-ryung's mother inviting him to meet because she would be in the city.

"Good evening, Mother. How have you been?" Im Cheol-Ryung greeted.

"I'm good. Thank you for meeting me while I'm in town," Kim Ra Hee said, as she took her seat.

They met up at one of the restaurants Im Cheol-Ryung knew from before that she preferred. When he accepted her invitation, he knew this would be a good place to go.

Cheol-Ryung learned that Kim Ra Hee was back in Seoul to finalise paperwork on some of her properties. Since she was determined to stay away from city and live near the coast, she didn't see the need to keep real estate in the city and sold off all of it. Because the documents and meetings with lawyers and brokers took a few hours, Kim Ra Hee thought it best to stay the night.

Because he was the only one she knew in the city, Kim Ra Hee invited Im Cheol-Ryung to dinner. Perhaps because she didn't want to feel lonely or perhaps because, as she said, there were some things only the two of them knew of and the affinity she felt for Cheol-Ryung would never fade.

"You look well, Cheol-Ryung," Kim Ra Hee noted.

"Thank you," he returned, graciously.

"There is a lightness in you that I have not seen in a while," she observed. "Are you seeing someone?"

Im Cheol-Ryung was surprised at how Kim Ra Hee picked that up. Because of their conversation the last time they met, he was unsure how she would take the news but denying waa not an option. "There is someone," he said, cautiously.

In addition to Kim Ra Hee's reaction, Im Cheol-Ryung was careful, not because he was not proud to be with Ha Chae Yoon, but he did not want to presume that they were actually together. He had fallen for her and they had already spent an amazing night but should he assume that that was it? That he was her boyfriend? That she was willing to commit or be in a relationship with him?

He didn't want to presume.

Forcing himself to focus on Kim Ra Hee, he realized the older woman was smiling kindly. "That is good to hear. You're young. You should give love and relationships another try."

Im Cheol-Ryung was shocked to hear that since she sent a very different message the last time. "I promise that I won't forget about Hwa-ryung and my baby," he felt like adding.

Kim Ra Hee nodded. "I know."

Deciding to be honest, he asked, "You do? I'm sorry it's just that you said before that you worry about people moving on and forgetting their loved ones who have passed."