《 kisses and apartments 》

please believe me when i say that i'm very, very sorry for not updating sooner. thank you for being kind and patient x (i'll reply to comments on the last chapter and this one asap)

∞

Sean Foster skimmed his eyes absently over the line of people waiting at the arrival gate of Los Angeles International Airport. He was thinking of hailing a cab as he tugged his Rimowa suitcase behind him, and with the other hand, he shifted his Louis Vuitton duffle bag higher up on his shoulder. He was told that this was the way to travel in style.

When he was almost through the exit, a smile entered his view, one he wasn't expecting. Like turning on the radio to find his favorite song, the tune bloomed pleasantly in his chest cavity as she greeted him, the hem of her floral dress fluttering against her legs. She was the most alluring girl he'd ever seen (he'd thought so then, years ago when he'd first met her, and he still thought so now), and he would unabashedly admit that it was part of the reason he was so obsessed with her. She never failed his superficiality.

"You didn't have to come get me." He smiled, glad that she did anyway. "I told you I'd—"

"I couldn't wait to see you!" Flora touched his face as she often did, in a half indulgent, half admiring way that made him feel very much desired. Her fingers were warm. Obeying an impulse, he bent down to meet her in a kiss.

Sean liked how much she welcomed him. Flora's enthusiasm never wavered, and ever since their first kiss, he'd known that he was lucky and he felt chosen. For a while he lost himself in her lips, even though he was faintly aware of the crowd around them.

Flora seemed to be aware, too, and when they broke apart, she glanced at the older woman standing next to them. "I haven't seen my husband for eight months," she explained before they left. Slipping her fingers through his, she led him toward the sliding doors.

"What was that for?" he asked when they were waiting to cross the street.

She shrugged. "I don't know. It sounds more legitimate than saying, 'I haven't seen my boyfriend for five days.' She was staring at us the whole time."

"Who cares? Let her stare."

She smiled. "You're not self-conscious anymore."

"No, and you don't need an excuse to make out with me." They neared her Porsche in the parking lot, and Sean glanced at her. "But whatever you say, dear wife."

Flora chuckled, and a soft glint lit up her eyes. She was still smiling when she handed him the brown paper bag she'd been holding, which he found with delight to be a burger from Five Guys. Sometimes he got the fleeting suspicion that she liked playing house, especially when she jokingly referred to their relationship status as "so married," but whenever he tried to start a serious conversation, she'd quickly dismiss it. She also claimed that she was as uninterested in children as she'd always been, a fact he was more than relieved to learn.

Flora leaned over. "Wanna hear something interesting?"

"Sure."

Her voice dropped to a whisper. "I'm not wearing anything underneath my dress."

"You ran out of clean underwear because I wasn't home?" Sean pretended to make a disgusted face, but this—her picking him up in her car, buying him fast food, and teasing him before they even got home—was everything he dreamed of. As selfish as that sounded, he hoped she stayed his sexy, fun girlfriend for as long as possible. "You could do laundry once in a while too, baby."

Shaking her head, Flora smacked him lightly on the shoulder. "Hey, according to the research I did on Reddit, this is the number one thing boyfriends want to hear when they're getting picked up from the airport. That, and 'I got you a burger.'"

"You did research for this?" Sean stopped and kissed her again before they reached the car. It was only a short walk, but to him, they just couldn't hop in and get home fast enough.

Flora opened the lid of the trunk so he could place his luggage. "So how did it go with Clayton?" she asked.

Clayton was an engineer working for Sean and Fred, but his work performance had been unsatisfactory for months. Fred wanted him to go, and as much as he hated it, Sean had offered to break the bad news. He felt responsible since he was the one who'd brought Clayton on. "Not well. Felt like I was breaking up with him."

"Did you go out for a beer for old times' sake?"

"We did. It was hard to say goodbye. I kept telling myself he wasn't that bad and perhaps we could've given him one more chance."

"From what you told me, his heart wasn't in it," Flora said, settling into the driver's seat. "I know he's your friend and it was fun to have him around, but in the end, you're running a business. If he's not doing his job, you have to let him go."

"Baby, you sound eerily like Fred sometimes."

"Not sure if you meant that as a compliment." She reached over to ruffle his hair. "You're too nice for a boss."

"Everyone asked about you, by the way. They wanted to know when we're moving back and I told them it depends on how soon you can finish your assignment here." He climbed his hand over the gearshift lever and landed on her thigh. Her skin was smooth beneath his palm. "After all, I'll follow you anywhere."

She placed her hand on his when his fingertips brushed the hem of her dress. "What are you doing?"

His hand traveled further up her dress. "Checking if you were telling the truth."

She chuckled and swatted his hand away. "Not here. You can find out at home."

"Not even a sneak preview?"

"Sean, eat your burger."

He opened the paper bag and watched the shadows of palm trees sashayed across the dashboard. It was a bright, beautiful day, one of those where he could practically smell the sun. Flora's hair danced as wind flew through the window, and Sean leaned back in the comfort of his seat, feeling grateful that she took him to California with her. His life was pretty much perfect, and more than two years into the relationship, he'd started to believe that the honeymoon phase could last forever.

"There's something I have to tell you," Flora said when they were almost home.

"Hmmm." Sean nodded, biting into the burger he was holding.

"I know I should've told you right away, but I was afraid of how you'd react. I've been thinking of how to tell you this while you were in NYC."

"Okay."

Flora stopped the car in front of their house and turned off the engine."You have to promise that you're not going to freak out."

"I promise."

"I know we haven't talked about this, but I feel like this is the right next step." They got off the car, and Flora started fishing for her keys.

Sean resisted the urge to smirk. Flora was being dramatic as usual, and he was no longer fazed by her grand openings. Trying to startle him was something built in her nature, but it was getting harder and harder to catch him off guard.

She probably bought another home appliance they were never going to use. Last time she delivered such ominous lines, she had bought a Panini maker. When he pointed out they were never going to make enough Panini to make the purchase worthwhile, Flora had thrown a party in honor of the machine, producing a hundred Panini in a single night jut to prove him wrong. He knew he could never win with her and he was okay with that.

"Alright, baby. What did you buy this time? Not a waffle maker, I hope."

"I didn't spend any money."

"Good to know."

Before Flora opened the door to their apartment, she turned to him. "Sean." She swallowed. "How do you feel about becoming a daddy?"

∞

How he hoped she had bought a waffle maker instead. Or maybe ten waffle makers.

A migraine exploded without warning and a string of panicky lines sped through his head, like airplanes accelerating on the runway before taking off.

My life as a young and successful entrepreneur with the dream girlfriend is now over. I'll lose all my friends. She'll never let me touch her again. We'll argue all the time and the baby is going to cry nonstop—can I still call her baby, though? Wouldn't it be confusing with a real baby—hold on. This isn't about you. Don't make this about you. Ask her how she feels. Jesus, how did this happen? We've always been so careful and responsible but I'm now punished with parenthood and she's sentenced with pregnancy oh dear Jesus I won't be 27 for another week and my life is already over. Fuck me.

Sean took an unsteady breath to calm himself. "This is big news," he said, reaching out to hold her hand. He squeezed out what he hoped was a comforting smile. "I want to hear how you feel about it."

"I'm excited," Flora said, turning the doorknob. "I've always wanted a—"

The unmistakable sound of a dog bark came from the living room. Sean glanced at Flora with his heart skipping erratically. "A dog," she finished.

Sean closed his eyes and let out a long, ragged breath, then he pushed the door open. Running toward them were not one but two giant Huskies, one black and one gray. They barked up at him and rubbed their paws on his jeans as if they knew him already. The black one had its tail pointing up, and then it went into a wag.

Flora leaned down and she was all smiles."Meet your daddy."

"Jesus. I thought..." Sean rubbed his temple, still recovering from the horror. "And please don't call me daddy. That word gives me an erectile dysfunction."

"Alright, fine. This is Mr. Foster," she said to the dogs before turning to him. "Aren't they the cutest? They look like direwolves!"

Sean blinked. "They're Siberian Huskies."

"I know. I adopted them from the animal shelter Jess is volunteering at. When I went to see her this weekend, she gave me a tour and I just...I couldn't possibly leave them there." Flora's sentences were rushed, indicating she was worried about what he would say. "She said if they weren't adopted by the end of the month, they'd be euthanized."

Sean's heartbeat slowed down reluctantly to a more normal range. He didn't like what he was seeing, but considering the alternative, he deemed himself off the hook. "You could've discussed this with me first," he said. "This isn't like buying a new sofa."

"You were in a meeting when I called," Flora said.

Sean shook his head. "This is a big decision. You have to be absolutely sure you're ready for the responsibility, not to mention they're high maintenance. Who's going to take them out twice a day for the exercise they need?"

"I figured you could take them when you jog in the morning, and I'll take care of the evening shift."

"Huskies shed excessively. You're going to get dog fur all over your expensive coats and they'll chew your designer shoes to shreds." Sean sat down on the floor, and the gray dog came over to lick his hand, as if reuniting with an old friend. He ran his fingers over the dog's soft fur around the neck. It whined and closed its eyes. "If you really wanted a dog, why couldn't you have gotten a Labrador instead?

"We'll set rules."

"I told you specifically that I didn't want any pets. You know I had a dog before and I vowed never to get another one." It was too painful for him when Dog died, and he didn't want to shower his love and tears on an animal again. "Baby, I love you, but I'm a tiny bit mad at you right now."

"I know, I'm sorry." Flora knelt down next to him and stroked the black dog, which was missing an ear, on its back. "He's deaf," she said, her eyes soft, and then she pointed to the other. Sean had noticed a limp when it came over. "He was hurt in an accident so he doesn't run very well. No one's ever going to adopt them, Sean, and I know you love dogs."

"That's exactly why I don't want them," he said stiffly. He patted the gray dog, which was now almost sitting on his lap, and sighed. "They're so beautiful."

"They are."

"I'm going to call them Android and iOS."

"You're not!" Flora gasped. "I was planning on naming them Dolce and Gabbana."

"They don't look Italian to me." Sean squinted at the two dogs. "Maybe we should just call them Husky One and Husky Two. Or Dolce and Two, so we each get to name one."

Flora exhaled. "I love you, but Dolce and Two doesn't make any sense."

"Life doesn't make sense, baby."

"I'm going to be so embarrassed when people ask us what their names are."

Sean laughed. He was getting used to having the dogs already and it had only been ten minutes. "Jess is still spending a lot of time on volunteer work, isn't she? Jake said she went on a mission last year and was gone for five months."

"Yeah, and when she came back, she stayed at his place for a whole week. He also adopted a cat when she asked him to," Flora said. "Any idea what's going on with them?"

"No, but Jake's blowing up my phone with pictures of his cat."

"He's going to be the kind of dad who makes fanpages for his kids."

"Agreed. Can't imagine it right now, but something tells me he'll really enjoy the job someday."

Flora peered at him before diverting her gaze. "I scared you earlier, right? I'm not pregnant, but what was going through your head?"

Studying her face, he chose his words carefully. "I was just thinking I'd do whatever you want to do," he said, which was the truth. "I'll listen to you and be supportive."

"Oh, I know you'll be supportive. There's no doubt about that," she said. "But you weren't happy. I bet you were thinking something along the lines of 'fuck my life.'"

Damn. "I wasn't."

"Don't worry." Flora tossed him a smile, the kind of smile that showed she saw through everything and was still willing to be tolerant. She reached out to pat the dogs again. "You're still young, successful, and childless, and with two dogs, you're now more desirable than ever."

"Flora." He watched the dogs lick her fingers. "Were you disappointed that I wasn't more excited?"

"No," she said. "Why would I be? I hate babies."

"Are you sure?"

Her large hazel eyes didn't blink when she looked up. "Absolutely."

∞

Sean stepped in the kitchen with Dolce and Two at his heels. He was wearing a purple tee with the letters NYU printed on top, which clung to his body after his morning jog. He was met by chaos as he scanned the cups and plates scattered across the counter, and there was a distinct burnt smell in the air.

"Wow." He breathed, surveying the scenario. "What's this?"

Flora whipped around, her hands flying to her face. "Oh my God. You're back already!"

"You made breakfast?"

"No." She exhaled. "I made a mess. I made a complete fool of myself."

He bit back a smile. Flora always exaggerated, which he found endearing. He planted a quick kiss on her mouth and stopped by the stove. "Pancakes. I love pancakes!"

"You can tell they're pancakes? You, my love, have a lot of imagination." She set her hands on her hips. "They're not ready yet."

"How about this batch?" He pointed to an uneven-shaped pile sitting on top of a plate.

"Those are eliminated. Don't even touch them."

Ignoring her protest, he picked up a piece by his hand. It was cold, soggy and stiff at the same time. The texture was all wrong. He folded it into a roll and took a huge bite, making an appreciative sound as he chewed, raising his eyebrows.

The pancake was even worse than he imagined, hard as marble and icy like it, too. It made a nasty damp at the pit of his stomach.

Flora shook her head. "Don't say anything. You're a terrible liar." She nodded toward a small dish of blueberries. "By the way, I forgot to add those in the mixture."

He shrugged. "Doesn't matter." He picked up a handful of blueberries and popped them into his mouth before feeding her some. "How early did you get up?"

"As soon as you left the house."

"Thank you for doing this." He wrapped his arms around her. "I was planning on taking you out for brunch, but this is awesome."

"This sucks, Sean." She sighed as she pulled away, sitting herself down on the stool. "We eat out all the time and I want to cook things for you, too."

Sean leaned back against the counter as he popped another handful of blueberries into his mouth, contemplating. Flora didn't have to say it, but he understood. She was worried about not living up to Heather's standards, and the scrambled eggs and creamed bagels his ex used to make for him had started to matter more to Flora than to him. To Sean, it was a light, sweet memory he'd long since moved on from, but to Flora, it was a legend that haunted her.

Those two years apart hurt her more than she let on, Sean realized. Even though Flora had a string of flings and affairs, they were like balloons that were bound to pop or deflate. She had no trouble finding boyfriends but the hardest time finding love, and Sean remained the singular significant relationship in her life, "the one and only," as she put it.

Heather, however, was an alternative ending, a crude reminder of how close they were to losing each other for good. Sean had no way of erasing the past, but from the moment they got back together, he made sure he did everything right. Time was on his side, after all, and he had the whole future to make it up to Flora.

Surely after so many days filled with kisses, dates, surprises, presents, and being together, days spent in New York, Paris, and now Los Angeles, she would know that he didn't just settle for this role. He loved her madly and she was the one and only to him, too.

Flora held out her left wrist. "Look. I burnt myself while I was flipping the stupid pancakes."

He brushed his fingertip gently against the red mark. "Next time don't get up so early for me, okay? I love that you're doing this, but I don't want you to tire yourself out."

"I think we need to buy a waffle maker."

He laughed. "Are you hungry? Let me take a shower first and we'll go out. I'll clean up later."

Flora nodded.

"We can try that place you like...the one with cinnamon lattes and avocado toast."

"That sounds a lot better than homemade pancakes. Thank God I didn't make too many. Hey, can you Google 'how to save failed pancakes' later and see if you can turn it into something less repulsive?"

Sean smiled. "I'm on it."

"They make cooking breakfast seem so romantic in movies."

"Well, they're right," Sean said, picking her up so she could sit on the counter. Flora amidst this mess was a sight to wake every forgotten romantic sense in his body, and he thought she couldn't be more perfect. She leaned down to meet his lips, and they made out until the last piece of pancake lost its warmth. Sean shoved two more pieces of those into his mouth before heading off to the bathroom.

∞

Flora sighed and put down her phone, tired of scrolling through the online listings of apartments. "All the ones I like are for sale only."

After eight glorious months in California, where Sean improved his surfing and she did her cardio up and down Rodeo Drive, Flora learned she was wanted back in New York. Sean had given up his old apartment (along with her beautiful walk-in closet) when they moved, but now, with two dogs and a growing set of possession, they needed to find somewhere larger.

She skimmed longingly over the web page once again, at a single-family detached home, with en-suite bedrooms, walk-in closets, a spacious yard, new wooden floors, and a fireplace. Even though this one wasn't up for rent, it wouldn't hurt to dream a little. Sort of like trying on a dress she knew she wouldn't buy.

"Well, if that's the case," Sean said from the armchair a few feet away, his face gorgeously tanned as a result of spending too many afternoons at the beach, "let's buy one."

Flora blinked. "We're talking about an apartment."

"I know."

"You said it like, 'well, let's add a side of fries.'"

"I only like the ones for sale, too," Sean said, "and I'm tired of moving. Considering we're staying put in New York in the foreseeable future, buying an apartment seems like a logical step."

Flora started to smile, loving the sound of it more and more by the second."That's a huge commitment."

He smiled back at her. "Yeah, but I assume you're sticking around for a while."

Flora nodded. "You're not getting rid of me that easily. But just so we're clear...who gets the apartment if the unthinkable happens and we break up?"

Sean frowned. "You're so romantic, aren't you, baby? I love how you're practical like that." He took a sip of his coffee. "You get the apartment, and I get Dolce and Two, of course."

"Dolce and Gabbana," she corrected. "And you're not allowed to break up with me. The only way you're ever going to become an ex-boyfriend is by becoming my husband."

Sean laughed. "You're the one who mentioned it. Don't talk about breaking up again, not even hypothetically."

He said he would put the apartment under her name, just like the dogs were hers, too, and added that he also belonged to her. Flora played along, pretending that all she was concerned about was real estate rights.

She didn't miss how he chose to ignore the husband comment, though.

∞

Since Flora and Sean were still living in Los Angeles at the moment and the distance was a nuisance, Fred found them a top agent and offered to screen the apartments first. He would e-mail them URL links and pictures with his comments underneath. Flora felt extremely blessed that Fred had the best taste she'd ever seen when it came to apartments.

Her first choice was Manhattan, preferably somewhere in the West Village, but she knew they had better luck at the outer boroughs considering they wanted space.

----

Fred

To Flora, Sean

Subject: Re: loft apartment in Soho

check this out. it's a little out of Seany's budget but Flo might be interested

----

Flora

To Fred, Sean

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'll never be the same after seeing this. I'll live in constant sorrow if I can't own this place. My life will cease to have meaning.

----

Sean

To Flora, Fred

This isn't "a little" out of my budget. I'm not Sean Parker.

Can't afford this since my money's all tied up. Unless Fred wants to buy me out?

----

Fred

To Sean, Flora

If you need a loan,

Don't ask me.

(jk I'm here to help.)

---

"I have my trust fund," Flora said that evening when they got back home. Sean's company was worth millions, but she understood he was horribly short on cash unless he started selling stocks and shares. "Not to mention my parents would be more than happy to help us with the down payment."

"Do we really need two bedrooms?" he asked from the kitchen, where he was washing the romaine lettuce they were to have for salad.

"That way we won't need to get our family members a hotel room every time they visit, and your friends don't have to sleep on the living room floor."

He sighed over the running water. "Yeah, but I really don't want to involve your parents."

Even though it was exactly what she expected him to say, the sentence still landed a little too hard on her chest. "It makes me sad when you say things like that. Feels like you want to distant yourself." Like you don't think of them—me—as family.

"No, baby, it's not that. I simply think we shouldn't buy what we can't afford. It has nothing to do with my pride or anything."

"But the thing is, we can afford it." Flora leaned against the counter, crumbling a slice of feta cheese before sprinkling it over the salad.

"You mean you can, but I—"

"I got this. Let me," she said. "Please let me buy an apartment I love and you can pay me back with your body."

He groaned. "That doesn't make me feel better, at all."

She put her arms around his waist and smiled up at him. "Sean."

He let out a defeated sigh before kissing her on the top of the head. "Can you let me think about it?"

----

Sean

To Fred

Please stop showing pictures of extravagant lofts to Flora. STICK TO THE BUDGET.

----

Fred

To Sean

I hate that word. Budget.

You're no fun.

----

"I have something to tell you," Flora said, tucking her feet underneath her on the sofa.

"I have something to tell you, too," Sean said. "But you go first."

"Okay. I found a house in Queens. It's not new, and kind of modest, but it's well-kept and cozy and I think you'll like it. It's not too expensive, either. Liz said she could drive around the area first and check it out."

Sean's eyebrows rise and fell. "In Queens? That sounds great, but I thought you wanted to live in Manhattan."

"I want to live with you. Preferably somewhere with a price range you feel comfortable about."

As per usual, Flora couldn't be sure of Sean's thoughts when his expression remained stoic. "Do you love the place, though?" he asked. "Compared to your Soho dream?"

"Well, I'm not overly passionate about it, but I wouldn't mind living there. I...like and admire it. It seems like a reasonable choice. I guess I can learn to love it?"

Sean's lips tilted up at the corner. "Sounds like arranged marriage when you put it like that."

"I realized I was probably too idealistic before. You're right, my head was too far up the clouds. Do you wanna see pictures?"

He shook his head. "No."

"Why? I'm pretty sure you'll like—"

"We should trust your gut instincts," Sean said. "Buy a place you love. It doesn't necessarily have to be the one in Soho, but it has to be somewhere you feel sure about, at least."

"Okay," Flora chuckled. This was unexpected. "But you should know I only feel sure about pricey items. I tell myself when in doubt, buy the most expensive one," she joked.

"That's okay, because I figured out a way to make money."

"How?"

"Well, as you know, several video game companies have expressed interest in MsMorgan. I never responded before, because MsMorgan was supposed to be mine and I didn't wanna share...the app, I mean, not you." He glanced at her, and his eyes stayed on her face, looking all serious and sexy. "Although I can't deny I feel really protective of you, too."

Flora's mouth went dry. It had been almost ten years and his gaze still burned her like a torch in a haystack.

"But since I've been so busy running the company with Fred," Sean continued, "I don't pay MsMorgan enough attention. There are bugs to be fixed and features to be updated. Lately I've been thinking if letting her go means she'll end up in better hands. I don't know. Maybe she'll even get better outfits. What do you think?"

"How much are they offering?"

"Enough to buy you an apartment you can't wait to move in."

Flora gaped. "That much?"

Sean nodded. "They'll probably want to change the name, though."

"I say sell the app."

"You sure made up your mind fast." He smiled. "I love how you're so practical."

"We both know you built that app for me," she said, "and that's what matters. No one can take away the significance of it. Besides, Ms. Morgan will always be yours, with or without a fancy new apartment."

Sean pulled her closer, letting her head rest on his shoulder. "That's what I thought. Let's get you your dream apartment, then. The real Ms. Morgan trumps over the virtual one anytime. "

Flora closed her eyes with contentment. "Thank you."

He rubbed his palm over the back of her head, threading his fingers through her hair. "Don't thank me," he said, and she could hearing the smile in his voice. "Pay me back with your body."

∞

"I'm so happy you guys are back!" Elizabeth tipped back her head and downed the tiny glass of pomelo sake in front of her. "New York is dreadfully boring without you."

"You miss my remarkable cooking, right?" Flora laughed. When dinner started, she had introduced it as sukiyaki, Nabemono style. She loved tossing out Japanese phrases with her questionable accent to show off how worldly she was.

To her relief, her guests had marveled over the Japanese hot pot. It was a delicious yet simple dish of meat and vegetables boiled in sweet soy sauce. Her old roommates, Liz and Carrie, were here in their new apartment, as well as Fred, Melissa, Priya and Seo-Jun from Sean's office. They had gathered in their living room for a small house-warming party.

"It's so tasty," Carrie said.

"Enjoy it while you can," Sean said, glancing over at Flora with a teasing glint in his eyes. "The electromagnetic oven and the flat pan are brand new, but I'm pretty sure this is the only time we're ever going to use it."

"No way," Flora protested. "We're going to have sukiyaki every week for the rest of our lives. You'll see what a wise investment this is."

"I shall look forward to that." Sean smiled, getting up to clear the table. When he disappeared off to the kitchen, Flora followed, leaving their guests to enjoy the rest of the pomelo sake.

The dirty bowls and plates clanked when Sean set them down in the sink. Flora opened the refrigerator door, taking out a large box gingerly. She lifted the lid to make sure the cake was in perfect shape.

It was. It was covered in fondant icing, showing a giant guy in a suit, sitting among the many iconic buildings in Manhattan, including the Chrysler Building, the Statue of Liberty, St. Patrick's Cathedral, the New York Public Library, and the Guggenheim. On the front, a line in cursive font read, "CEO of Manhattan."

"Thanks so much for doing this," Sean whispered. "Fred said he doesn't celebrate his birthday, but he'll definitely appreciate this."

"I know he won't go for a surprise party, but who can say no to a chocolate fondant cake?"

Flora thought this would be a nice gesture. Fred didn't want to make a big deal out of it, but spending it with a few of their close friends in the comfort of their home should be a delight. She set the candles one after the other and adjusted them, first the red "two" and then the blue "eight."

"I wonder when Fred's going to find someone he likes," she said.

"He did. He's been seeing this girl...her name is Grace, I think."

"Really? Why didn't he bring her here, then?"

Sean shrugged. "He says they're not 'quite there yet', whatever that means."

"I hope we get to meet her soon. I'm super curious." Flora opened one of the kitchen drawers to find a lighter. "Maybe we can go on a double date?"

"Where does this obsession come from? You really don't get tired of double dates."

Flora laughed, thinking of all the ones they'd been on already. She was grateful to have the privilege of sharing so many memories with him, and the best part was they were making new ones along the way.

Sean caught her eyes and grinned, then he stole a glance over at the living room, where everyone was looking the other way. He snaked his arms around her waist and pulled her to him, hugging her from behind.

That felt insanely good.

"I love you so much," he purred, burying his face against the nape of her neck. "And you make the best sukiyaki."

"I told you. I can be a great cook when I feel like it."

"You're the best." His voice was thick with emotion as he kissed the side of her face. "I can't imagine living without you."

"I can't, either. Who's going to do laundry if—"

"I want to be with you for the rest of my life."

Flora placed her hands over his, her fingers tracing over his knuckles. Sean said sweet things to her rather often, but this time he sounded different. Like he had an epiphany.

Like he made a decision.

She turned to stare up at him. His eyes were dark and earnest, and she was sucked in along with all her reserves. A flush crept up her skin.

"Sean," she blurted. "I love you. Let's get married."

He blinked. His muscles tensed almost immediately. Like hitting pause in the middle of a song, the moment passed, and now it looked as if all the pomelo sake had evaporated from his pores.

Flora could tell she said the wrong thing. She read him too well, and it was easy to distinguish between shocked silence and touched silence. In this case, there was no debate. How ironic it was that this was the one time she hadn't planned on startling him.

"You want to get married?" he asked quietly.

I don't want to get married. I want to marry you. Huge difference.

She let out a nervous chuckle. "I mean, like, I wouldn't mind getting married. Since we already share two dogs and an apartment. Wouldn't you feel more comfortable since everything is registered under my name?"

"Is that what you're worried about?" His face relaxed.

"Yeah, I just wanna make sure you're, like, protected by law...or something," she stuttered.

He laughed. "Do you honestly think I care about that? I've never felt more comfortable. Or happier. All I need is your word." He took her hand and pressed her palm against his face, looking cute and slightly vulnerable. "Promise you'll always want me?"

Flora crumbled inside uselessly. "I promise."

Leaning over, Sean delivered a quick kiss before he started lighting up the candles. His lips left a warm glow on hers. Through flickering flames, Flora watched him—so handsome and so totally hers, yet there was still a part of him that felt unattainable to her. And despite all the memories and promises, there was still a tiny part of her that was afraid.

Afraid of asking questions and getting answers. Afraid of losing him.

He looked up, caught her staring at him, and his eyes crinkled up around the corner when he smiled. "Let's not keep our guests waiting."

Nodding, Flora picked up the cake and carried it to the living room.

When he smiled at her like that, she felt herself falling in love with him all over again. And at the same time, she reminded herself never to bring the marriage thing up again.

∞

this chapter is dedicated to the lovely @graceisgone for the fabulous cover (which matches my current one beautifully!)

i hope you enjoyed the read! thank you for being so tremendously supportive and i love you all so much. once again, let me assure you a happy ending is on its way. as i'm sure you can all guess, the chapter is a buildup to the next one, which will be titled, *spoiler*

kisses and engagement rings 💍