Unlocking the Doc's heart (Lee Minho FF) ✓

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𝐂 𝐡 𝐚 𝐩 𝐭 𝐞 𝐫 - 𝟒𝟖
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Y/N's POV
"You must come back for the vendemmia in September during the harvest." Grandpa said when he took me back to the house.

To my relief, whatever Grandma and Leeknow had been talking about while me and Grandpa had been on a walk seem okay as they both looked relaxed now.

"It's hard work and a long day, but there's nothing more satisfying than picking the grapes when they're perfectly ripe and knowing that in years to come you're still going to enjoy the wine."Grandpa said.

"Leeknow's introduced me to your award-winning wine." Y/N said. "And it's fabulous."

Grandpa looked pleased. "My children and grandchildren are carrying on the family traditions. Though some have branched out. Leeknow's dad with his architecture and Leeknow being a doctor."

"And I get to meet Chan tomorrow." I said."I've heard so much about his food."

"He deserves that Michelin star." Grandpa smiled. "And he'll be the first to tell you, he started learning in the kitchen at his grandmother's knee."

"I remember teaching him how to tell when pasta is cooked and how to make a simple tomato sauce of butter, tomatoes and Grandma said joining our conversation. "He always wanted to know, why does this herb taste differ ent from this herb, and what happens if you swap one ingredient for another. And he paid attention to how you present food to make it look as good as it tastes. I knew he'd go far."

By the end of the afternoon, I felt very much part of this warm, noisy, happy family; even more so in the evening, when I helped to set a massive table in the garden and carry large dishes of food to place in the centre, and everyone sat down to share bread, pasta, salad and wine.

Leeknow was right in the middle, the youngest members of the family were climbing over their Uncle Renzo and chattering away to him and he looked really happy.

Seeing Leeknow here in Italy with his extended family made me realise how much I had fallen in love with him.

Lee Minho was a kind, gentle man with an enormous heart a heart he'd kept guarded, though now he'd let me see exactly who he was and where he belonged. And I really wanted to be with him.

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Leeknow's POV
As a family man I loved having all the little ones chattering to me and wanting me to tell them jokes and stories.Hearing all about their favourite cat or dog.

But at the same time I was so aware of how much I missed my little girl. She'd be one of the youngest here, but she'd be right in the middle of them, chattering away and laughing and playing. So my happiness here was bittersweet, I was glad I'd brought Y/N to meet my family but at the same time I couldn't help feeling how much Eunha was missing out on.

I miss her so much

Next Day

It was a real wrench to leave the villa, the next morning.

"Enjoy Italy, and tell Chan we love him." Grandma said, giving Y/N a hug.
"And thank you, Dear." She said, holding Y/N close. "Because of you, our Leeknow is smiling again. That's so good to see."

"Leeknow's's special." Y/N said simply. "And he's changed my life, too."

"Good. Now, you promise me you'll come back for the harvest, even if it's only for one day." Grandpa insisted.

"We will......" Y/N promised.

"And you remember what I said, Leeknow." Grandma added.

"Yes, Grandma."I said and gave her a hug.

Whatever I had discussed with Grandma, I hadn't chosen to share it with Y/N, and she didn't want to push the subject.

I put on a pair of sunglasses and shepherded her to the soft-top car. "Let's go." I said.

When we had driven around Italy, the roads were flanked by more vineyards and olive groves, it was still too early to check into the hotel, so we left our luggage in the hotel's store-room for later and went exploring .

"You took me to see the around Korea." I said. "Now I'm taking you to see around Italy."

I took Y/N around Italy, visiting different tourist sites and parks. It had been nearly an hour since we started our small tour around Italy.

"Wow....... Italy is indeed such a beautiful place." Y/N exclaimed.

" Now I have to take you to the most romantic place in Italy." I said.

I led her through the streets to an unassuming archway, which led into a small cobbled courtyard. Inside, the walls were completely covered with serio bles of names and labels and sticky notes and sticking plasters.

"This is La Casa di Giulietta." I said. "Juliet's house"

She glanced up at the protecting rectangle built of brick and white stone. And the famous balcony " I presume this is where Juliet declaimed "Oh, Romeo, Romeo, wherefore art thou, Romeo?" She said.

"The house itself is fourteenth century, but the authorities made the balcony from a seventeenth century sarcophagus and installed it on the house less than a century ago." I said with a grin. "And obviously Juliet was fictional but the house belonged to the Capello family, which is about as close as you can get to Capulet. It's still a nice thought, though. Celebrating love."

Some of the courtyard was covered in ivy, and in one corner there were locks inscribed with lover's initials. "It's to seal their love." I told her. "And if you put a note on the wall here, they say your love will last for ever."

She shared a glance with me and my heart suddenly started beating fast.

I hadn't said the three little words and neither had she but I was pretty sure that we both felt the same. That over the last few weeks we had learned to trust each other, to trust ourselves and to trust to love again. There were still moments where my sadness returned but maybe in time she'd help heal that.

"Maybe we should follow the tradition,' Y/N said.

"We should" I agreed, and took a pack of sticky notes and a pen from my pocket.

She blinked, not quite believing this.
"Are you telling me you came prepared?"