As the peak season finally died down, life had settled into a more comforting routine for Kim Soo Hyun and Kim Ji Won. Unknowingly, amidst the past whirlwind, Ji Won, always kind-hearted and generous, had taken it upon herself to secretly help Soo Hyun's father, a former popular singer who had fallen on hard times. The most that she could give was to arrange for his father to work as a guard in one of her properties. Not a whole lot, but still she paid him nearly enough to afford the rent, hoping to give him a sense of purpose and stability. Despite his arrogance and unrepentant nature warned by Soo Hyun, she believed in giving him a chance to prove himself was not end of the world

One crisp morning, however, their tranquil sleep in each other's arms ended with a continuous buzz on Ji Won's phone. She only had a minute to stay drowsy before fully awoke to a barrage of notifications with her name already splashed across the headlines, and the news was anything but good.

"Kim Ji Won's Building Security Failure: Guest's Car Broken Into, Valuables Stolen!"

Her heart sank as she read the articles, knowing that her agency was also working hard in their fragile hope to hold things in place. The incident had occurred during the early hours of the morning, precisely during Soo Hyun's father's shift. Panic set in as she realized the gravity of the situation. She quickly called the building's manager.

"Yes, Ms. Kim. It happened around 2 AM. The guest reported the theft at around 7 AM, and we checked the footage. The car was parked in the lot, but the guard was nowhere to be seen. We could not contact him until later, his wife picked up the phone asking to negotiate a make up shift since he skipped today's shift to prepare for their wedding."

Ji Won's mind raced. She locked herself in the bathroom, didn't have courage to tell Soo Hyun unless he found out the news himself, yet he was still sleeping. He would definitely be furious knowing what she had done, and that his father had failed her expectation as well. Soo Hyun's father didn't show up for his shift, prioritizing his third wedding over his responsibilities. Never before had she witnessed Soo Hyun talk her out of something, but her idea of being kind to his father. She now felt a surge of anger and frustration. How could he be so careless and irresponsible?

Just then, she heard Soo Hyun knocking on the door, noticing the distress in his voice. "Ji Won, you inside? What's wrong?"

She hesitated, unsure of how to break the news to him. The ambivalence gnawed at her—should she tell him everything or try to handle it herself? She knew how much his father's behavior hurt him, and this would only add to that pain.

Her silence took a moment too long that Soo Hyun decided to unlock it with the key. In no time, she could see him approaching, closer and closer, concern etched on his face. "Ji Wonie, talk to me. What's going on?"

Taking a deep breath, just right before she was about to burst out the news, Soo Hyun reached for the phone in his pocket. His manager already threw him a random news link.

His eyes widened with rage. "What? Seriously? How did this happen?"

She looked down, her voice trembling. "It happened during your father's shift. He... he didn't show up because he went to prepare his third wedding."

Soo Hyun's expression shifted from shock to anger. "He what? I can't believe this. He's not changed a bit after all! Didn't I warn you not to spare him a chance??"

Ji Won reached out to hold his hand, trying to calm him. "I know you're upset. I am too, especially when it resulted from my decision. But right now, can you not yell at me? I am...so frustrated... The press is all over it, and they're questioning the security of the building."

Soo Hyun took a deep breath, trying to control his temper. "I am sorry, baby. I didn't mean to scare you, but I can't allow anyone to drag your name through the mud, him to be particular. We need to address this publicly."

They quickly drafted a statement. Soo Hyun, despite his anger, was calm and composed as he followed Ji Won to the press conference. The incessant flashing of the camera lights was blinding, and Ji Won could feel the anticipation constricting her throat. With the relentless support from her agency and Soo Hyun, she prudently addressed the issue.

"I am aware of the recent incident at my building. The security lapse is unacceptable, and we are taking immediate steps to rectify the situation. We deeply regret the inconvenience caused to the affected guest and are working with the authorities to resolve the matter. We will ensure the sufficient compensation for the victim and higher security level in the future."

Ji Won made a firm statement with the 90-degree bow to the public, in a flash while bowing down, she slightly turned her head to a side just to meet with his eyes. He had stayed quiet this whole time, watched her, feeling a mix of relief and admiration. His support meant the world to her, especially in such a difficult time. She knew how hard it was for him to stand up for his father, given their strained relationship.

After addressing the press, they returned to the house. Soo Hyun's anger simmered beneath the surface, but his priority was protecting Ji Won.

"I'm so sorry you have to deal with this, Ji Won," he said, his voice heavy with guilt. "My father has always been a problem, and now he's causing you trouble too."

Ji Won shook her head, wrapping her arms around him. "Soo Hyun, this isn't your fault. You can't control his actions. Thank you for your support through all these"

He held her close, feeling the weight of her words. "I just hate that you're caught in the middle of this mess because of him."

She looked up at him, her eyes filled with determination. "From now on, we'll make sure the security is tightened and reassure the tenants. And as for your father... we'll figure out what to do."

Soo Hyun nodded, feeling a surge of gratitude for her strength and support. Still, Ji Won knew clearly he was still holding back feelings from within, which could not disappear in minutes. Proactively, Ji Won tied her arms around his neck to softly pull him into a deep kiss. Their lips melted into each other thanks to the gentleness of Ji Won. A kiss might not always be the ultimate solution, but at least it always works to ease Soo Hyun, she bet.

Perhaps the only thing in life that Soo Hyun had truly been keen on was Ji Won. Soo Hyun could only stop thinking once their lips met, unfortunately, their lips couldn't intertwine forever. As soon as Ji Won reluctantly pulled out to get some air, Soo Hyun hesitantly let her back rest on his arms before transferring her to the couch. It may take a while for Soo Hyun to clear his mind.

"Come here, you wanna spend some time on books while I rest inside?", Soo Hyun suggested

"Are you tired? Are you OK?", Ji Won sparked a doubtful sight

A weak smile on his face failed to lie to her, "All good. I'm just sleepy. Forgot my coffee this morning"

Ji Won had no way but nodded full of her understanding. Looking at his back approaching their bedroom, she let out a sigh knowing that her crisis, and probably his dad, still dominated his mind. On top of everything, Soo Hyun's disappointment must have reached the climax since the father that forced his whole childhood to play poker face, now as time progressed, only brought him even more pain and troubles.

Ji Won always wanted to embrace all of his feelings, but she may need some more time to be experienced with them all. For now, her best way to push him out of the bedroom was the aroma of his favorite Tonkatsu. Cooking lifted Ji Won's mood after a chaotic day, particularly because Soo Hyun would always happily enjoy any of her food.

"Wazzup, masterchef", Ji Won could feel Soo Hyun's arms wrapping around her waist

"Heheng, I know you can't resist this sizzling", Ji Won playfully pinched the face resting on her shoulder

"You know what, Ji Wonie? You're always the one that freeze my thought, one way or another", Soo Hyun finally chuckle with his heart, "like for real, I don't know what I'm supposed to think any time I look at you"

"Is it bad or good?", Ji Won turned her head to seek for his eyes

"Only you know how to avoid the bad scenarios", Ji Won could feed a soft peck on her cheek

Just in that moment, Ji Won could hear his growling stomach, she quickly unwrapped his arms to lead him towards the dining table, pulled out a chair for him as if he was the superior, "Okay mister, your comfort food is ready".

Looking at Ji Won sitting by his side, meticulously cutting the Tonkatsu steak to feed him, a frantic day was a distant thought. Seize the moment, yes he definitely should take this one of a kind chance to be pampered by Ji Won.

She served the meat, placing a generous portion on his plate. "You've been my rock through all of this, Soo Hyun. It's the least I can do." Every one of her actions had made not only his mouth full, but also his heart.

Later that night, as they lay in bed, Soo Hyun's thoughts drifted back to the incident. He still felt a deep sense of anger and disappointment towards his father, but Ji Won's presence grounded him, reminding him of what truly mattered.

"Do you think he'll ever change?" he asked quietly.

Ji Won sighed, resting her head on his chest. "I don't know. But we can't let his actions define us or our happiness. We have each other, and that's enough."

He kissed the top of her head, feeling a sense of peace wash over him. "You're right. As long as we have each other, we can get through anything."

They fell asleep in each other's arms, their love and commitment a beacon of strength amidst the challenges they faced. The future was uncertain, but with their unwavering support and devotion, they knew they could overcome any obstacle together.

In the days that followed, Ji Won took swift action to enhance the building's security, including installing new surveillance systems and hiring additional guards. Soo Hyun's father's employment was terminated, and Ji Won made sure to handle the situation delicately to avoid further media attention.

Throughout the ordeal, their bond only grew stronger as they navigated the crisis. At one point, both of them had realized their biggest fear was only if their love somehow terminated. Otherwise, if life gave them lemons, they would just enjoy a great jar of lemonade. 

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- ALRIGHT, A WEEK LEFT TO VOTE FOR KIMKIM!!

- I'll see you guys on Wed