After Hera // Joo Seokhoon × Bae Rona AU 🌃✨💫

6//Promise

Year 2022
New York, USA
Seokhoon & Rona's Apartment

'Yes... I'm okay, It's a little bit colder now but I can manage. Yeah bye.'

Seokhoon peeks and comes behind Rona as she hangs up the phone

'Who was that?'

Rona awkwardly smiles

'My dad'

Sensing Rona's awkwardness, Seokhoon leans forward to backhug her.

'Is he asking about you?'

Rona relaxes and smiles as she leans into his arms

'Yeah, he was asking me if I needed warm clothes since winter is fast approaching here.'

Seokhoon nods and doesn't ask anymore since he know Rona still feels somewhat uncomfortable with her biological father.

'I cooked dinner, Let's eat before it becomes cold.'

Rona changes the topic and turns around to look at her boyfriend, she tips her toes and pecks him and smiles. She then heads off to the kitchen to get the dinner she prepared.

Seokhoon was left frozen, stupidly in love after 1 peck. He had already kissed Rona so many times but everytime she initiates the intimacy between them his heart beats like crazy.

He snaps out of it and heads straight to the counter to help her get the food to the dining table.

It has been exactly a year and a half since they started to live in America, which means they haven't been back in South Korea since then. Suryeon has occasionally visited them a few months ago but It looks like both of them are not yet ready to go back home even for a little visit.

Understandable since they still hold the traumatic and saddest memories from there.

Seokhoon thinks back to the time they were about to leave and come to the US.

FLASHBACK

Rona, in full black looks down at her mother's grave. She was holding a bouquet of white lilies and a mix of violet lavender. A smile is on her face but a few droplets of tears escape from her hazel eyes.

'Eomma.... I might not be able to visit you everytime anymore. I'll be leaving today. I hope you won't be lonely, Suryeon Ajumha said she'll be visiting you occasionally so don't feel too lonely..... I'll be going with Seokhoon so don't worry too much, I'll follow my dreams now. Just like what you told me. '

Rona kneels down and places the bouquet on top of the black marble top, she smiles and strokes her mother's picture but the tears continue to fall down her eyes. For a moment she weeps with her head bowed down, but she soon recovers and smiles at the gravestone as if her mom was looking at her.

A pair of hand holds her shoulders and helps her up, Seokhoon was behind her and embraces her shoulder with his arm. He smiles and looks at the gravestone.

'Don't worry too much eommo-nim. I'll be taking good care of Rona for the rest of my life. She'll be okay and I promise to be good to her.'

Rona smiles at his words and wipes her tears.

'We'll go now eomma, Our flight is in a hour. I love you.'

She stares at her mother's picture for a while but a little reassurance from Seokhoon, They both walk away from the gravestone whilst hugging each other.

FLASHBACK ENDS

Before her mother had died, Seokhoon had a conversation with her and he remembers clearly asking for permission to date and court Rona. Yoonhee, of course gave her blessing but also made Seokhoon promise.

'I hope you promise to love her, protect her and take good care of her if something were to happen. But most of all make her happy, I couldn't do that much as a mother. She had a miserable and sad childhood'

Looking back, Seokhoon promised to make her happy and protect her. He glances to the girl wearing her white nightgown beside him and smiles. He leans in and pecks her cheeks causing her cheeks to redden and her actions to freeze.

He then chuckles at her reaction and takes the soup.

'Revenge for making my heart beat so fast.'

He laughs and heads to sit on his chair.