"In the evening..."
"Let's have dinner at home, I want to cook for you!"
Liu Xin'an has been organizing everything today, although these weren't particularly troublesome preparations, Bae Juhyun felt his sincerity deeply.
So by evening, Bae Juhyun decided to put in some effort herself.
Cooking a meal to express her love was something she could manage.
Liu Xin'an didn't refuse, but he couldn't help but chuckle softly.
It was hard to say if Bae Juhyun would still feel like cooking later; based on his understanding of her, he thought she probably wouldn't be in the mood to cook.
As they stepped out of the mall, a cold wind blew, making Liu Xin'an shiver, dressed somewhat thinly. He instinctively sniffed.
Predictably, Liu Xin'an, showing with his whole body that he was cold, was scolded by Bae Juhyun: "Seriously, it's cold, isn't it?"
"A little bit..."
"Come on, aren't there extra clothes in the car? Something thicker."
"Yeah... there should be in the trunk, I keep them there regularly."
Bae Juhyun glared fiercely. He knew there were thick clothes, yet he didn't bother to get them!
With that, she extended one of her fair hands while the other rested on her slim waist, striking a rather haughty pose: "Give me the keys, I'll get them for you."
"Get in the car first, we'll talk about it when we get out."
"Really..."
Mumbling, Bae Juhyun got into the car, while Liu Xin'an couldn't help but curl his lips as he settled into the driver's seat.
Miss Bae's scolding didn't end with the car starting; finally finding an opportunity to criticize Liu Xin'an, she wasn't about to let it slip by easily.
So it wasn't until the car parked in the familiar underground garage that Bae Juhyun contentedly stopped her lecture, opened the car door and stepped out, reminding Liu Xin'an before closing the door.
"Open the trunk, I'll get the clothes for you~"
"Bang."
The passenger-side door closed, and Liu Xin'an nodded at Bae Juhyun outside the door, pressing the trunk button while reaching into the small storage compartment beside him.
Feeling that familiar small square box, he took a deep breath and opened the car door.
The sound of the car door opening made Bae Juhyun, who had just walked near the trunk, look up discontentedly.
"I told you I'd get it for you, just wait in the car..."
The familiar scolding didn't last long; soon, Bae Juhyun's voice abruptly stopped, replaced by a high-pitched shriek.
"Ah!!"
In front of Bae Juhyun's eyes was a trunk full of purple roses, embraced by snippets and memories she and Liu Xin'an shared over the past two years.
Several clay figurines were molded into likenesses of her and Liu Xin'an, starting from chatting across balconies to later becoming glued together...
A row of clay figurines instantly made Bae Juhyun's eyes well up with tears.
She wasn't naive; she knew this was a surprise prepared by Liu Xin'an.
Footsteps approaching made her bite her lip, and just when she was about to scold Liu Xin'an for preparing so much, his steady yet noticeably nervous voice sounded in her ear.
"You know... I don't really understand romance..."
"You said your biggest wish wasn't something flashy, but to live like ordinary people... so I thought, you'd like this."
"..."
"Uh... the clay figurines I made myself, secretly when you weren't around. Just Jianli remarked I have a talent for crafting, I'm actually considering a career change; maybe I'll become a popular craft YouTuber, hahaha..."
Bae Juhyun's expression gradually changed, she slightly raised her head, gazing at the visibly nervous man in front of her.
The Liu Xin'an she remembered was someone with nerves of steel.
Moreover, Liu Xin'an had no reason to be nervous around her...
Nervous around her?
Why would Liu Xin'an be nervous around her?
As she pondered, Liu Xin'an became increasingly incoherent.
"Juhyun, we've been together for two years now."
As these words came out of his mouth, Bae Juhyun's bright eyes instantly turned misty.
She seemed to have guessed the man's next words, raising her hand incredulously to cover her lips that couldn't hide her smile.
Her teary eyes looked at him, revealing emotions that Liu Xin'an couldn't decipher.
"I'm very grateful for having you by my side during these two years... We hardly ever argued, never had a cold war, and every day with you was joyful."
"These two years spent together have made it impossible for me to live in a world without you..."
"Oh! Of course, I'm not asking you to give up your work... I love Bae Juhyun, and I also love Irene of Red Velvet. Your radiant presence on stage is something I'll never forget."
"Uh..." Liu Xin'an took a deep breath, his evasive eyes inadvertently glancing at the woman whose eyes were already filled with tears.
Her tearful appearance made his heart ache, and those chaotic emotions dissipated in that instant.
He seemed to regain his calmest self, and with another deep breath, Liu Xin'an pulled out the fist he had been clutching in his pocket all along.
Then, his hand opened, revealing a delicate little square box in front of Bae Juhyun.
His gesture, she naturally understood.
Liu Xin'an closed his eyes as he took out the small box, then opened them again moments later.
This time, the previous nervousness, anxiety, all vanished; only endless sincerity and deep affection remained.
"Juhyun, if you're willing... ah!"
The emotions he had finally built up, along with his right leg about to kneel down, were met with a sharp kick from Bae Juhyun.
The next moment, the woman in front of him demonstrated such quick reactions that his mind couldn't keep up.
In one step, Bae Juhyun seized the small opened box from his hand at once.
Then, Bae Juhyun took out the ring sparkling brightly, and without hesitation, wore it on her left ring finger.
Finally, she reached into the trunk to take out a conspicuous purple rose.
And this rose, Bae Juhyun handed it to him.
Liu Xin'an froze.
The teary-eyed Bae Juhyun flashed a dazzling smile.
"Liu Xin'an!"
"...Ah?"
"Will you marry me?"
Liu Xin'an didn't hesitate for a moment; he reached out to pull the woman in front of him into his embrace with such force as if intending to merge her into his body.
"Yes!"
"Cough cough..." The excessive force made Bae Juhyun cough lightly as she struggled a bit, then raised her head to show another bright smile.
"This time there's no hesitation."
Liu Xin'an grinned, lowering his head to affectionately rub his nose against her cheek.
He seemed to understand Bae Juhyun's meaning.
"Both the confession and proposal... were initiated by you."
"Heehee~"
The softly laughing Bae Juhyun finally realized what she had agreed to with the man, burying her head in his chest, reluctant to lift it up.
"Xin'an..."
She called his name softly.
"Yes?"
"I love you."
"I love you too."
"Let's get married."
"Alright."
...
(The End)
