Ever since the night of the ball, the two had been inseparable. Hoseok never wanted her to leave his store, and Chris dreaded going back to work every day. But amidst all that, they cherished every moment spent together.

Today, the pair were in Hoseok's greenhouse, listening to the rain hit the glass relentlessly. However, the soft thuds were nothing in comparison to the immense banging in her chest. Chris couldn't shift her gaze from him as he sat on the bench, facing her cross-legged. His hands were flying around as he talked about how excited his family was now that his father was going to get treated finally.

She was so happy for him.

But, somewhere along the way, somewhere between the time Hoseok's eyes turned to the sun's rays itself and the sides of his mouth folded in to form the oceans of gold that were his dimples, Chris had tuned everything out.

And all that filled her mind was how she must have saved an entire nation in her past life, or how her lucky stars must have aligned all in one go for her to find this amazing man.

The man who hands happiness, joy, sincerity and warmth so freely, to everybody he encounters.

Chris watched as his eyebrows started to furrow then, and she snapped herself back to reality.

"Are you listening to me?" he asked, and when her vision came to, she immediately grinned at the small pout he was wearing.

"I'm sorry," she shook her head, not able to rid herself of her smile as she reached out for one of his hands to hold, "Continue."

His lips pulled up at its edges when she did this, eyes falling to their connected hands.

"Do you know you shine like the sun when you smile?" the words had fallen out of Chris's mouth without her permission.

But looking at the way his eyes widened as he looked up to her, she didn't regret saying it.

"It's true," tilting her head, "You glow like starlight; it's one of the most beautiful things about you."

That might have been one of the rare times she'd ever seen the way roses crept up his cheeks in the form of a blush.

"Sunshine," she whispered, waiting for him to meet her eyes. And when he did, the air was whipped from out of her lungs, yet again. Her sun. The sun who she would always find herself running back to, the sun that she would continue to revolve around. "I lied when I said I like you."

His face fell, "Huh?"

"Because what I feel for you is so much more, Hoseok. It's always more with you, you know?"

He couldn't speak then, and she had to admit she loved knowing she could render him speechless.

"I love you," when she said it, however, her voice was laced with some feeling she couldn't put her finger on.

She didn't understand why her voice trembled as she spoke then, why her heart started to race, and Chris felt like she had dived under water again. Why couldn't she breathe?

The look of shock that flashed on Hoseok's face then somehow made her heart sink.

Perhaps she shouldn't have said that?

Maybe she shouldn't have been pushing all these intense feelings onto him at once.

"Actually," she quickly added, looking down from him and trying to pick at the seat, "Forget I said that, please, I'm sorry, this might be moving too fast, I didn't want to-"

"Chris-" he cut her off, pinching her chin and lifting it so that they were looking into each other's eyes again.

Badum.

Badum, badum, badum.

The sound of the rain hitting the glass immediately tuned out and she could hear nothing above her heartbeat.

"Can I kiss you?"

A few heartbeats passed then, Chris blinking as the words sunk in.

He didn't say anything, waiting for her reply.

Continuing to blink up at him, she nodded, head tilting up ever so slowly.

But before she could finish, his lips captured hers.

Chris knew what it was like to be in Hoseok's presence, the way the light that glowed from inside him reached into her, too. Chris knew what it was like to be in Hoseok's embrace; with his arms around her telling her that she's home.

But this feeling transcended all of that.

Maybe time stopped, maybe Chris just forgot that anyone else even existed. Because at that moment, it was only her and him.

The thudding in her chest continued, while the warm sensation of his lips against hers contradicted it all. Her mind was spinning, was this really happening?

Were those really Hoseok's fingers curling around her neck? Was that really Hoseok's warm breath fanning over her cheeks every time they tore apart?

Opening her eyes a little, she sneaked a look at the man in front of her, just to make sure this wasn't a product of her imagination.

He seemed to have felt her looking, for he tore from her slightly, opening his eyes too.

"I love you, too, Chris," a smile bloomed across his lips, "That day I almost ran you over with my tractor, all those months ago I really thought it would be the last time I'd ever see you. But here I am, an idiot who loves you so damn much it's crazy."

Her shoulders shook as she chuckled, lifting a hand to place on his cheek before leaning in to kiss him again. Softer, this time. It was as if he was all the beauty in the world, and she couldn't believe he was hers.

"Chrisoula," she whispered between kisses, "That's what my name is."

"Hmm?" taking a deep breath, Hoseok tipped his head back a little, "Chrisoula?"

"Yeah," she bit her lip as she listened to the way her name sounded painted in his voice, "Strange, isn't it?"

"Chrisoula," he repeated, "Chrisoula."

Giggling, she nodded, "You're saying it right."

She couldn't deny she loved the way it sounded; it was as if the name was made to be said by him.

"It's beautiful."

"Thank you," she looked up at the rain above them, finding herself shy all of a sudden, "It means-"

"Golden," he cut her off, and this made her look down at him, "I know."

"You do?"

"It suits you," he hummed, taking a piece of hair that had fallen in front of her eyes and threading it over her ear, "My golden flower."

Before he could say anything else, Chris cupped his cheeks and tiptoed to pull his lips on hers again.

My golden flower.

That's when she realised why admitting to him that she loved him was so difficult. Why it set her heart on fire and made her feel like she was underwater.

Because this time, when she had said those three words, she meant it.

Oh, she meant it with every fibre in her body, every vessel and every bone.

And she wanted to make sure he knew. 

thank you for reading! the next chapter is the last, omg :( isn't that crazy!!

ahhh but i have a smol surprise afterward so :')

thank you for reading, angels!! i hope ur all well, i love you so much!