"So, since we last saw each other, you've had a daughter, you almost got married, and you've become a lawyer, anything else?"

    "I was a professor for a period of time," Hyunjin said.

   "I don't know whether to be surprised or not," Areum said.

     "Why would you be surprised?" Felix asked.

   "Growing up, Hyunjin never listened to teachers and when we got into uni, he didn't listen to professors. Yet he still aced every exam. It frustrated all of them, I'm surprised he'd want to sit through that,"

  "It annoyed your brother the most, especially when his wedding to Jisung was coming around. I started tuning him out because all he would do is talk about Jisung," Hyunjin mentioned.

    Areum's brows drew together, "His brother?"

  "Yeah, uhm, Minho,"

   "Oh, I didn't know he had a brother. I mean even in that brief period where I was around more because you and I were together, he never mentioned it," Areum said.

    Hyunjin pursed his lips and looked at Felix.

   Felix smiled at the woman, "When Minho was in uni I wasn't around much. I was mainly in Pennsylvania,"

     Areum nodded, "So is that how you know each other?"

  "Uh, yeah. We met a couple times here and there," Hyunjin said.

   Viola tilted her head.

    "Hyunjin, dear, why don't you help Areum clear. I would like to show Felix and Viola the plum blossoms out back," the woman said, standing up and walking to the backdoor.

   "I can help clear," Felix said.

    The old woman shook her head, "Nonsense, they can do it. I would like to get to know you more,"

   "We got it," Hyunjin said.

   Felix nodded and stood up following the two to the backyard.

  "So you and him must be really close for you to bring him to meet Mira," Areum said.

   "Yeah, uhm, he was actually my student five years ago," Hyunjin told her, picking up some plates.

    "Really?"

   "Yeah, top of my class and he wasn't even a law student,"

     Areum hummed.

   -

   "So, is that the agreed upon story? That he met you in passing because of your brother?" Mira asked.

   "Uh, for general public yeah, why?" Felix questioned.

   "You seemed bewildered when he told her that,"

    "It is because dad told him, he loves him," Viola chimed.

   Felix pursed his lips.

  "I am not surprised, the least bit,"

   "Mm, with the mistakes I've made regarding him and I, I am," Felix muttered.

   Mira hummed and stopped to look at the flowers on the tree.

   "Perseverance. Purity. Renewal. That is what these flowers represent," she said.

   "That is interesting,"

   "It is because they can start blooming in the winter. Which is also considered the beginning of a new year," Viola said.

   "This one knows her flowers," Mira said, with a soft chuckle.

  Viola smiled, "They also symbolise vitality and hope. For everyone though they can symbolise different things,"

    "You're a lot like your dad, you know, memorising so much information. He still remembers thing I told him when I was eighteen," Felix said.

   "She is, which is nice, but from what I've seen she kind of like you," Mira said.

     Felix pursed his lips.

   "I want a cookie, please," Viola said.

   "I'll go get you one," Felix said softly.

     Viola nodded.

    Felix walked back into the house and into the kitchen.

    Was it despair that filled him? No, it wasn't. He couldn't pinpoint what it was, but it was there and it almost felt like a physical pain.

   He went to back up and leave, but he knocked into a table, causing the plastic cup that Felix had reminded her to not leave at the edge of the table to fall to the floor.

    Just like magnets the two separated.

  It was a punch in the gut to Hyunjin  the look on Felix's face. Eyes shiny with unshed tears and lips pressed together to stop his bottom lip from trembling.

   "Sorry, I didn't mean to, uhm, interrupt. Uh, Vi-Viola wants a cookie," Felix said, quickly grabbing a napkin and a cookie to bring to the girl.

    Just as fast he grabbed it he was leaving.

   "Wait, Felix," Hyunjin was quick to follow him.

    "It's fine Hyunjin, I understand,"

    Hyunjin grabbed Felix's free hand to stop him, "Please, just let me explain,"

   Felix shook his head, "You don't need to it was pretty self-explanatory. You guys were kissing. It is fine, we aren't together and it is fine. I have to go give this to Viola," he said, pulling his hand away and walking to Viola and Mira.

     Hyunjin took a breath, "Fuck..."

    -

   The drive back to the rental was quiet and tense. So tense that Viola could feel something wrong.

    When they pulled in, Felix was the first one out.

  "Did I miss something?" Viola questioned.

   "Uhm, it doesn't matter right now, let's just go in," Hyunjin muttered.

   "You need to talk to him," Karina said, as soon as the two entered.

  Before Hyunjin could say anything, Karina grab two bowls off the counter and pulled Viola to the patio.

   "I really hope that wasn't icecream..." He muttered.

   Shrugging off his jacket he went over to Karina and Felix's room.

    "Can we talk?" Hyunjin asked.

   Silence.

   Hyunjin sighed and entered the room, "We need to talk about what happened,"

   Felix shook his head, "You guys kissed, it doesn't matter. We aren't together, it's not like you cheated,"

    "Felix, to me it does feel like that, because I love you and only you,"

    "Her tongue down your throat sure does say that loud and clear,"

    "So you are upset," Hyunjin said.

   Felix stood up and looked at Hyunjin, "Of course, I am upset, but I know I shouldn't be, because we aren't together,"

  "You have every right to be upset, I told you I love you and then you saw that,"

     "I feel stupid honestly," Felix admitted.

   "Why?"

    "Because she is your age, you've known her your whole life, she's sweet and pretty, on top of all that, you guys have dated, even at lunch you looked like a couple. Yet I was sitting there naively thinking that we actually had a chance,"

    "Because we do have a chance and we always will. Felix, I love you so much, that sometimes it is overwhelming," Hyunjin said.

    "I want to believe you, I really do, but Hyunjin, you were just kissing Areum not two hours ago," Felix stated.

   "Marry me,"

   Felix froze.

  "What?"

  "Marry me, Felix Lee," Hyunjin said, pulling out a small box from his pocket.

   "You can't propose to stop an argument Hyunjin. It-it isn't how it works,"

   "I'm not doing it to stop an argument. I am doing it because I love you. I have been carrying this box around for five years, because I've wanted to ask the question,"

   "Hyunjin, we aren't even dating, we can't get married," Felix stated.

     "Minho and Jisung did it," Hyunjin said.

    "We aren't Minho and Jisung though! You can't just do that,"

   "Why not?"

   Felix let out a breath, "Because this isn't how it is done,"

    "Felix..." Hyunjin said softly.

     "Lorelei Gilmore said it best, it shouldn't be this. It shouldn't be to stop an argument, I know you say it isn't, but it is. There should be a thousand yellow daises, and it should be more than this. I love you, Hyunjin, but this isn't how it should be done," Felix said.

  Hyunjin pursed his lips, "You're right,"

    This was a mess.