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It was the breeze that woke her. Weird, she was aware, but not surprising. She was never a heavy sleeper anyway. MC slowly opened her eyes, overwhelmed by a strong scent of sea and flowers, blinded by all the white that surrounded her, embraced by the warmth of the one she loved. A soft sigh escaped her lips, and she let herself float in those tender sensations for a minute longer. The light of the rising sun was just now caressing one of her legs, gingerly, as not to disturb her, faintly, as to not burn too bright, and its reflection on the glass of the open window was casting all sorts of colors into their room. She never felt more at peace. She casted a quick glance at her right, fingers moving on smooth skin, passing through silky dark hair, grabbing the white sheet that was covering them with the careful touch of someone that is about to silently slip away. A soft kiss, pressed on soft skin, and a last peek were all that she allowed herself before moving away. She picked a night gown from the chair not far from the bed to cover herself, not because it was cold out (because it really wasn't), but because her body still held the kind of warmth that a good night's sleep gives you. She absent-mindedly brushed her hair with her fingers, for really no reason that she could think of, as she started to head towards the balcony. The touch of the chill wind made her shiver, making her embrace herself in response, but it was the sight that lied before her that made her heart skip a beat and trapped the breath inside her throat. A million of colors hit her all at once, brought to life by the sun that was slowly making its way into the sky, along with a strong scent of salt that the shining sea below was releasing.
"Oh" was all that she could say, hands leaving her body as they moved to grip the railing before her, eyes moving everywhere and hair gently moved away from her face by the breeze.
She had been so scared to leave Korea just a few days ago, as inexperienced as she was, even with the comforting presence of another at her side. She had never left the country before, and actually never wished to. Not that the thought of discovering wonders and living adventures hadn't entertained her a couple of times, but she was just... content with what she had at home. Never really felt like she needed to go anywhere else. But MC now realized how wrong she was, and how much of her reasoning was influenced by her fear of the unknown. The same unknown that was taking her breath away now. The air smelled like nothing she knew, and yet everything she was accustomed to. Was it strange? To feel found and lost at the same time? Italy had been everything she could imagine, and even more. Her hand moved and her fingertips came to brush the soft surface of one of the red flowers (honestly, she couldn't say what type of flower that was) that were decorating the white column at her side. She rubbed the petal between her thumb and index finger, slowly, smiling to herself like a little child. The texture was that of a normal flower, uneven and velvety at the same time, but she was in awe nonetheless. She had never gone anywhere that far, and she was just now touching something that had grown thousands of miles away from her hometown. Something that was tenderly caressed by a sun that knew her as well, yet in a different way. She inhaled the sweet scent of the air once again, sighing deeply a moment later. Her ears were full of the sound of the sea, and her cheeks were feeling the tepid touch of the first rays of sunlight. The sky was pink, a bit orange at places, and some clouds almost resembled the shape of the red flower she was still holding between her fingers. Her eyes lazily moved around, picking up the pastel colors of the buildings that were so oddly placed on top of each other to the point of seeming like a giant and colorful being, intent on climbing the hill and prevent itself from falling right into the hands of the moving sea below. She was still smiling, she noticed, feeling strangely comfortable. For the first time since she arrived, or better yet, since she left Korea, she felt... like she belonged. After all, wasn't this her world as well?
She was so entranced by her thoughts and sensations that she ended up being totally unaware of the presence that was slowly approaching her from behind. She didn’t hear the careful steps, nor she had a chance to catch the fond expression that emerged on a familiar face at the sight of her. At least until a pair of strong arms came to circle her waist, pushing her body against a firm chest that she knew all too well. She softly gasped because of the surprise, but found herself giggling a few seconds later thanks to the lips that were playfully nibbling at her ear.
"Buongiorno" whispered her husband in a kind of sleepy voice, holding her close and sharing his warmth against the still a bit cold air of the morning.
"Buongiorno" she repeated in a whisper, accent way thicker than his and voice unsure.
Jumin Han chuckled, and tenderly caressed her stomach as his eyes went to admire all that was around them. He took a deep breath, probably as touched by all the beauty that was surrounding the both of them as she was when she first took a step into the balcony.
"It's wonderful, isn't it?" MC asked, the faint smile on her lips still present.
"Not as wonderful as you are, my dear. Your beauty compares to no other."
MC slowly moved her head to the right, just low enough to meet his gaze, and lifted a brow with a skeptical expression showing on her features. Jumin looked back at her, hair messy and eyes sparkling because of the strong sunlight. He was beautiful, and his skin was soft, and his left cheek still carried the pink marks of the bedsheets, and MC loved him so much. She loved all that she saw in that moment, and all that she had seen before, and all that she was sure she would see in the future.
"Too cheesy? I heard someone say it in a soap opera."
"Of course you did."
MC turned her back to the beautiful view she had been admiring for quite a while, and moved her hands to rest on the warm chest of the man that was holding her close. Jumin carefully lowered his head, and his forehead went to touch hers. She heard him breathe deeply, and she smiled. They remained like that for several moments, birds chirping, waves crashing, heartbeats in total synch, the distant sound of a flute coming from the old town.
"Sei la cosa più bella che mi sia mai capitata..." he spoke, in a barely audible voice, her heart purring at the sound of words she did not know, and that yet were enough to make her crave the touch of his lips.
They kissed, firmly but sweetly, their mouths morbidly pressed together as they enjoyed the warmth and comfort of one another. She found herself grasping at his white shirt, while he angled his face slightly to a side in order to feel her a bit more. A faint gasp escaped her lips when cold fingers suddenly brushed her cheek, promptly muffled by yet another kiss of his. He hummed quietly, and her body reacted to the music that was his voice. They parted, and Jumin was smiling. Fondly, happily, serenely. The sight made her melt, because it was so rare to see him truly relaxed and comfortable in his own skin. She could not wish for anything more, to be in any other place, to live any other life, to love any other person. They did not speak, and yet a story worthy of them was told in a single glance.
They remained there, her head comfortably placed on his shoulder and his hands lovingly tracing the lines of her back. They watched as the little colorful city sprung back to life, the sun making its way higher into the sky - but still not high enough to erase the pinkish color that the clouds almost seemed to be made out of. A gentle breeze started playing with MC's hair, pushing a strand of it on her nose and blinding her for a couple of seconds. She laughed, feeling childishly entertained, and she instinctively raised a hand to her face to remove the obstacle. But Jumin stopped her by gently grabbing her fingers, keeping her still. She tried to stare at him in confusion, but her dark locks were making it way harder to look at him. He moved, leaving MC’s side for a brief moment, and just as she was about to open her mouth and ask him what exactly was he planning on doing, she felt the touch of something velvety. The flower. The flower she had held between her fingers was now gently resting against her right ear, keeping her hair from falling back.
"Dipladenia." he explained to her, lifting her chin to better admire his work. "A flower of perseverance and tenacity."
Fitting, she thought. They had been equally perseverant and determined in pursuing their love, in healing his afflictions, in finding the right balance to make their lives worth living. And they were. They were worth all the challenges she could think of, all the pain and fatigue anyone could put her through, all the enemies that could run to face her. She knew she would've fought them all.
"Thank you. Thank you for bringing me here, Jumin. I know it took a lot of convincing, but... I'm glad."
And she really was. Happy, satisfied, not afraid anymore. Not trembling in front of the unknown, but shivering in awe because of its wonders. She carefully touched a petal of the flower that was still in her hair, just as Jumin moved forward to place an affectionate kiss on her forehead. A soft meow broke their comfortable silence, and they both smiled when a splendidly white cat came into view. Elizabeth The Third walked between them, her tail sinuously embracing their legs, her little face pressed against Jumin's ankle. MC lowered herself to gently pick the cat up, scratching under her chin while she purred and holding her close to her chest as Elizabeth enjoyed the attention. Jumin took in the sight that laid before him. A beautiful shining sea, a bright rising sun, the powerful red color of small flowers, and the shapes of the ones he loved the most. His chest swelled. He wasn't alone anymore.