"So... You're going to kill her?"

"Abiding the by the law, yes. She did too much evil." Vernon sat back into the couch.

"I mean, isn't death penalty too easy?" Byul copied Vernon, sitting back.

"Easy?" Vernon gave a questioning look.

"Isn't it better to see her suffer in prison?" Byul had many thoughts running through her head, gruesome ways to payback what she did to the Queen, and her relationship with Vernon.

"Oh, and how's Her Majesty?" Byul couldn't help but ask as she did not get the chance to visit the Queen despite being in the same hospital -since she was brought to the village the moment she discharged.

"She's making a speedy recovery. Don't have to worry." Vernon replied. He looked at her, noticing how she lost her healthier glow from the past event. He felt bad instinctively.

"So... You in?" He asked as he leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees.

"In." Byul instantly replied with no hesitation.

Silence enveloped them as they didn't know where to look, shifting uncomfortably and trying to find something else that's amusing to the eye.

After a few moments, Vernon finally found courage to say what he wanted.

"So... How... Have you been?" He stuttered for a bit as the atmosphere slowly got more and more awkward.

Byul snapped her head towards Vernon, staring at him directly in the orbs with her hazel brown eyes.

"I-I've been g-good. Thanks for a-asking. How about y-you?"

"Good..." He trailed off before continuing,"do you think we stand a chance again?" He spoke so softly Byul barely caught what he asked.

"Pardon?" She asked, instinctively inching closer towards him in hopes of hearing him clearer.

"Nevermind, it's nothing." Embarrassed, Vernon turned away, clearing his throat to calm his rapid heartbeats.

Maybe he didn't really have the courage to properly ask her.

Vernon stared into blank space as he berated himself for lacking the courage.

Why Vernon, why couldn't you say it without hesitation?

(A/n: booseoksoon omg Im legit listening to their song while writing 😂 GEOCHIM EOBSHI)"

"Uhm, how long do I have to stay here?" Byul asked, jolting Vernon awake from his self torment.

"As long as Seokmin's grandma permits?" He replied with uncertainty.
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Seokmin's grandmother knocked on the door. Vernon got up from the couch to open the door for her.

"Vernon-ah, you can stay here for the night. It's too late for you to travel back to Seoul at this hour will be dangerous."

"H-here?" Vernon sputtered. Thoughts of staying with Byul made him bubble with happiness.

"You know, you should take your wife back soon. As much as I want you to stay, we need to vacate the house for a family coming back from Seoul." She huffed as she placed her hands on her hips.

Wife... I wish she was still my wife.

"Please don't worry. I'll bring her back as soon as possible. Just for a while longer." Vernon replied with assurance.

"You said so yourself. Don't go changing your mind." She gave a playful smile before taking her leave.

Byul soon came out of the room afterwards. Curious, she asked who was it and what they were talking about.

"Ah, it's just Seokmin hyung's grandmother. She wants us to vacate the house as soon as possible. And she asked me to s-stay with y-you for the night." Vernon cleared his throat at the last sentence.

"O-oh... Well, it's late already and it takes hours to get back to Seoul. You might want to wash up, I can probably get some clothes from Seokmin." Byul excused herself to find the said man.

Mingyu decided to stay with Seokmin and his grandmother.

"You lied to me about her being your girlfriend," Seokmin's grandmother pointed an accusing finger at her grandson before hitting him. "And you," she slapped Mingyu's back hard, "didn't tell me but went with your dear friend's lie."

"HALMEONI! IT HURTS!" Mingyu placed his hand on where he was slapped, rubbing it to soothe the pain.

(A/n: for those who don't know, halmeoni is the romanisation for grandma in korean. But I'm pretty sure you all know)

"Excuse me, but uhm Seokmin, can you lend me a set of your clothes, Vernon doesn't have extra." Byul entered the room in the midst of the commotion so quietly that her voice scared all three of them.

"Aigoo aigoo aigoo if you do that i may die of heart attack." Seokmin's grandmother held her chest as she chided Byul for scaring her.

"YAH! I'm in so much pain today." Mingyu fake sobbed.

"Me too." Seokmin fake sobbed too and the two hugged each other as they wailed their lungs out.

Byul was dumbfounded as she stood there, fiddling her fingers as this was not what she was asking for.

"We were trying to help but this, this is all we get in return." Seokmin cried out.

"Uncle Seokmin, Uncle Mingyu, what are you doing?" Victor came out of one of the rooms, looking as dumbfounded as his mother.

"Seokmin, I asked for a set of clothes." Byul repeated her request.

"I won't give it to you unless you call me oppa." Byul was even more dumbstruck now.

"What is your problem, -oppa." Byul turned away in embarrassed.

"What did you say I didn't hear you."

"I said, oppa." Byul wanted to just slap her forehead and leave but she needed clothes for Vernon.

Victor was now sitting on Mingyu's lap, snickering together.

"Pardon~?"

"OPPA OPPA OPPA okay? A set of clothes please? Goodness gracious."

"Give me a moment." Seokmin laughed loudly as he walked away to the room he was using. He soon came out to hand her a set of the clothes as asked.

"Thank you." She said, exasperated.

"Anytime~ as long as you call me oppa."

"Hah. There won't be a next time. Halmeoni, I'll get going. Have an early night." She left the house and went to hers.

When she entered the house, Vernon just came out of the shower. She cleared her throat as she diverted her gaze and carefully handed the clothes to him.

"Thank you."
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The two laid on the bed, awkward at the close proximity between them and could only stare at the ceiling. If they turn their bodies, they'd be facing each other. With a slight movement, they'd be able to kiss.

Since Victor and Vanessa were sleeping in the other on the floor, they were left with no other choice.

After some time, they both turned at the same time and ended up facing each other. Their breathing increased as their hearts started beating faster and faster.

It reminded them on their first night on the same bed. Even when their hearts were racing, they had kept their neutral face as if they weren't affected.

But anyone would have known.

That then and now, in their eyes, fires of passion and love were burning continuously, and never had it died down.

Even if they deny.