Anytime Ever After [IU & KimSoohyun Fanfic]

33. 46 seconds

"What happened here? Did you two do something?" Aira asked as she felt something strange happened in the room.

"We are just talking. What else could we do? Duh?" Alex answered innocently that Sage coughed from her act. Then the two stood up from their seats.

"So I guess our time is up." He then opened his arms, cueing a hug, which Alex happily obliged.

"I missed you and I'll miss you, wifey."

"See you soon, husband." Then whispered, "Belated happy birthday too. Remember, I'm waiting."

"You always give me the best birthday gifts. I love you, Ms. Waiting."

"I love you too, Mr. Waiting. On my birthday, okay? My turn. Promise me."

"Promise! But why did I become Mr. Waiting?"

"Because you waited for me since 2013?" Alex said. Then added, "And aren't you waiting again for your military discharge?"

"Okay. I'm Mr. Waiting then. And I'm waiting for my next vacation..."

Aira coughed. "The two of you are hugging for 46 seconds already. Not normal for "friends". And many ants are on their way here already. We really have to go."

The two broke free from their bear hug and walked to General Yoon's office to properly bid goodbye. He instructed Sage to properly send Elle and her team off on his behalf.

The three were talking about trivial things while walking to Alex's car. Sage also gave a mini-tour along the way. When they saw the car, Sage opened the door for them. He greeted Alex's second male manager, Mr. Jung, then Elvz and Annie who were seated in the back row. Aira hopped in first. Alex was the last one, so she sat in the first seat beside the open door.

"Thank you for coming all the way here. You did very well. I'm proud."

"That's my belated happy birthday to you, Mr. Kim. See you soon and take care always. Fighting!"

"Yes, Ma'am. Mr. Jung, drive safely... always." And when he faced Alex again, he kissed her, which shocked the four ladies inside the car including Alex herself. Sage could not stop himself anymore.

He already scanned the area as he opened the door earlier if there were people nearby. When the area was clear, and he surely knew that he could block the camera with himself, he made his move confidently.

"See you. Take care, okay. Eat well. Sleep well. Text me when you get home." Then he stole one more kiss, this time a lingering one with his eyes closed, as if breathing her in, and whispered "I love you" before he closed the door and stepped away from the car.

Mr. Jung started driving while Alex kept her window open, waving him goodbye. Sage gave her a salute in return.

When the car made a turn, and Sage could no longer be seen, she then closed her window. Alex felt like crying but was interrupted with,

"Waaaaaaah!"

"Omgggg!"

Elvz and Annie finally recovered their senses and shrieked out loud.

"What the hell, Alex! Was that what I thought that was?" Elvz gasped in astonishment.

"I was not the person who received the kiss but, why did I feel it too? Waaah!" Annie added while touching her lips.

"Alex, we deserve an explanation!" Elvz then demanded with glaring eyes.

"Calm down, okay? It was just a kiss on the forehead. A sign of respect." Aira tried to dodge the hit for Alex's sake but with a slight chuckle.

"Sign of respect solely for Alex? Then he should have kissed me too. I'm older than him. Don't you think it makes perfect sense, Ms. Aira?" Elvz replied incredulously while maintaining her hawk eyes on Alex.

"It is what it is, girls." Alex finally commented confidently while flipping her hair and smiled.

The drive on the way back to the city became a noisy one. The two didn't stop teasing and interrogating Alex. At the end of the day, they just knew that they were in a relationship, but not as a married couple. Their secret is safe with her team. It is better that way too because they could cover them up in the future, she thought.

When Alex got home, she immediately took a shower then slumped on her bed and continued texting Sage while he is still allowed to use his phone. He told her that he asked his comrades for a copy of her performances earlier and he would surely watch it every day.

After texting her husband, Alex put down her phone on her bedside table and touched her forehead. She still felt his lips on it. They've kissed a hundred times already, but a simple kiss there was enough to make her feel his presence, more of like he made his presence known to her again.

Absence surely makes the heart grow fonder, she thought as she hugged Sage's pillow in her sleep.

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