I squinted up at the tallest building on the block, the spring sun warm and bright, almost blinding as it filled my vision. Its warmth touched my skin, and despite the heavy thudding of my heart, a small smile tugged at my lips.

I'd parked as close as possible with the limited spaces nearby, using the short walk across the street to gather whatever courage I could muster. My emotions tangled into one heavy knot, and by the time I reached the glass double doors, my hands were beginning to shake.

The doorman, dressed in a tailored uniform, greeted me with a polite smile as I neared the front desk. I quickly noticed two security guards watching the entrance, the path to the elevators guarded with restricted access.

"Good afternoon, miss. How can I help you?" he asked with a friendly tone.

"Hi, I'm Reva. I'm here–" I began, but his smile grew upon hearing my name and cut in smoothly.

"For Mr. Jeon, I believe?" He offered another courteous smile, and I froze, taken aback. Then, I nodded slowly, words slipping away. "Excellent! Mr. Jeon asked me to let you up if you came, Mrs. Jeon."

I bit down on my bottom lip as my heartbeat quickened, pounding so hard it felt as if it would burst from my chest. He didn't know I was coming, I hadn't told a single soul. Yet somehow, he'd still been hoping, still waiting for me to show up one day. What had I done to deserve the kind of love he held for me?

I shook my head, trying to gather my thoughts as the doorman gestured for me to follow him toward the elevators. He explained how the access chip worked, noting that it would take me directly to Jungkook's apartment if I pressed it to the reader.

As we waited for the elevator, I tapped my foot nervously, watching the numbers tick down slowly to the ground floor. When the doors finally slid open, a woman in her mid-thirties stepped out.

"See you on Monday, Killian," she said warmly as she exited the elevator.

"Everything good up at Mr. Jeon's?" Killian asked in a casual tone.

"Sparkling clean," she replied with a smile, then breezed past security and out into the afternoon sun.

Killian turned back to me, apologized for the interruption, and handed me the access chip. Once the doors closed, I was alone, facing the reality of a twenty-five-story ascent to his apartment.

I had no idea if Jungkook had any plans for his Saturday, but before I could second-guess my choice to come, the doors to his apartment slid open. I stepped into an open space that led seamlessly into the living room, adjacent to a kitchen. My gaze was drawn to the massive floor-to-ceiling windows that lined one side, offering a breathtaking view of the bustling city below.

The apartment had a strangely comforting simplicity to it, as if waiting to be lived in more fully. There wasn't an excess of furniture, just a cozy, oversized sofa and an enormous set of bookshelves across from it. All empty. The space sank into me as I took a cautious step forward, aware that this was still his privacy, whether he'd asked the doorman to let me up or not.

I inhaled deeply and the faint scents of his cologne mixed with lingering traces of fresh cleaning products.

The night before, I'd asked Yoongi if he could send me Jungkook's address, half-expecting him to tell me to ask Jungkook myself. But, true to his nature, he had texted it back within seconds, adding a follow-up asking for his coin back. I'd laughed, replying that the coin was mine now.

As I entered the living room, my fingers brushed the broad leaves of a Monstera plant soaking up the afternoon sun. Suddenly, I heard footsteps approaching from the hall, followed by Jungkook's voice. "Did you forget something, Harper?"

He came around the corner, towel in hand, his eyes widening when they landed on me. The towel froze in midair, his hand suspended as he stopped drying his hair. Even with the subtle weariness in his eyes, he looked as good as ever, bare feet on the floor, casual clothes clinging to him in that effortless way.

This was my favorite version of Jungkook, stripped of the polished veneer he often wore in public, simply and completely himself.

I rubbed my hands against my jeans, the nervous clamminess hard to ignore. But the smile on my lips remained, a determined gesture.

"Reva... hey," he finally breathed, recovering from the shock of seeing me here. His gaze flicked past me, searching for someone. "Harper's not... she's, uh—"

I broke into another smile, stepping forward. Harper had to be the cleaning staff. "I know," I reassured him, glancing back and gesturing with my thumb. "I saw her on her way out."

He blinked, processing, and then seemed to catch himself. "Sorry, I didn't mean... I mean, Killian should have told me you were coming up, I—" He cut himself off with a quick shake of his head. "No, actually, I wanted you to be able to come up whenever you wanted. Or needed. I told him that."

He stumbled over the words, a little flustered but so earnest that my heart softened, seeing how much he wanted to be clear. He was anxious, clearly concerned about saying the right thing and reassuring me.

This man.

"Yeah, thank you for that," I said softly, meaning every word.

I appreciated everything he did more than he could know, more than I could ever express. No one else had ever done these things for me so naturally, as though they were second nature. But for Jungkook, these gestures came easily, like a lifeline he extended without hesitation to those he cared about.

People might see him as distant or unapproachable, but I knew better. It was a mask he wore for the public, a shield for everyone except the people closest to him. I remembered how I'd once mistaken his confidence for arrogance in those early days before our wedding, back when he was just the man I was being pushed to marry.

The memories of him teasing me, his self-assured smirk, the smug tone that seemed so designed to get under my skin, flashed through my mind. I'd spent more time plotting ways to wipe that look off his face than I cared to admit. Yet somewhere along the way, that very smile had become my favorite thing in the world. It was strange to think how something that had once annoyed me so deeply now held a warmth I couldn't imagine losing.

"Of course," he replied, his gaze fixed on me with such intensity that it made my heart flutter. It was as if he was still processing that I was really standing here, only inches away.

I bit down on my bottom lip, feeling the warmth rise to my cheeks under his unwavering stare, and looked away, trying to focus on the empty bookshelves across the room instead. But the fresh, clean scent of soap lingered in the air, drifting over to me in soft waves.

My eyes fell on a familiar set of books on the middle shelf, and I couldn't help but smile. They were first editions of The Lord of the Rings—a gift I'd hunted down for weeks before his birthday last year. Jungkook had been thrilled when he opened them, even though he wasn't usually much of a reader. Watching those movies had always been his guilty pleasure, and I'd wanted to surprise him with something special.

I took a small step closer to the shelves, reminiscing when he finally spoke. "The books are, uh, a little different than the movies. Not wildly different, but...more extensive, maybe?" His tone was casual, but there was a slight hesitancy as if he was searching for the right words.

"I told you so," I replied, grinning.

"You're always right," he chuckled, and I felt a soft warmth settle between us.

"Not this time," I mumbled, almost to myself, the words slipping out before I could stop them. He didn't seem to catch it, but his brow furrowed slightly, sensing something.

Before he could say more, my eyes caught on another book on the shelf, one that looked new, its spine uncreased. The title was unfamiliar, and I reached out to pick it up, but Jungkook's voice stopped me.

"I...wanted to kill some time," he explained, rubbing the back of his neck with a sheepish smile. "I asked the girl at the bookshop if she could recommend something. She handed me this and told me she was reading it too, said it was 'so good.'" He made air quotes and laughed at himself, looking somewhere between amused and embarrassed.

"And?" I tilted my head, intrigued by his expression.

He sighed, shaking his head. "Let's just say she and I definitely do not have the same taste in books. If I'd known she was recommending me a fantasy porn with men who grow tails, I would've run right out of there."

I broke into laughter, unable to help myself, and he shrugged, grinning as I wiped away a tear. His cheeks flushed as he laughed along, rubbing his neck a little harder, his earlier tension gone in the silliness of it all.

"It's your fault for not asking about specifics," I teased, and he shrugged again, a hint of playful frustration in his eyes.

"I guess books aren't really my cup of tea. I'll just stick to my movies instead," he replied, and I took a step closer, closing the distance between us until we were just a few feet apart. I tugged the straps of my bag higher on my shoulder, looking up at him.

"I actually rewatched them a few weeks ago," I said, and the surprise on his face was immediate, a small smile forming on his lips.

"Really?"

"Yeah," I admitted. "I mean, I tried to watch them, but they reminded me of too many things, so I had to stop."

The memories rushed back, vivid and bittersweet. I recalled crying so hard that my vision blurred, unable to see the screen through the tears. Those movies had brought back memories of Jungkook. Our little date where he had made me sit through the extended versions, the way he had almost kissed me afterward over burgers. It felt like a lifetime ago, yet the emotions were as raw as ever, making me acutely aware of how nervous and flustered I had been back then.

Jungkook's face fell as he stared at his feet, a heavy silence enveloping the apartment. The only sound was the rhythmic ticking of a clock somewhere nearby, each tick echoing the fleeting moments. It felt as if time itself was counting down the limited days, minutes, or even seconds we would have had left if I hadn't taken this chance.

Tick tack, Reva. Make your choice.

We always left things unfinished, convinced we had all the time in the world. But just like Jungkook had once told me, there wasn't always a second chance in life. Sometimes, every good thing we could have had was taken from us by choices we made ourselves.

All this time, I believed I was taking matters into my own hands, making decisions for myself for the first time in my life. But now I realized I was only working against myself, against my own happiness, against a future I had always longed to embrace in peace.

Gathering my courage, I took another step toward Jungkook, compelling him to lift his gaze to meet mine. The hope he had clung to seemed to evaporate into thin air, leaving behind a line of weariness etched between his brows. I reached into my bag and pulled out the file that held the weight of our future.

I felt Jungkook's breath hitch as he recognized the divorce papers he had served me a few days ago. I understood why he had chosen to be the one to file, we had discussed it thoroughly with our lawyers. But standing here now, the implications of that decision felt heavier than ever.

"This is why I came, actually," I began, clearing my throat to steady my nerves.

"Is there something wrong?" Jungkook asked, a sad expression flickering across his face as he watched the papers in my hand. He was trying not to reveal how much it affected him, but I could see the tension in his posture.

"Yeah, a lot of things," I replied, taking the divorce papers out of the expensive spring file.

"I can ask my lawyer to go over it again. Just let me know what you want changed," he said slowly, his voice barely above a whisper.

Then our eyes met, and in that moment, I knew for certain that this was the future I was meant for. He was the man I wanted for a lifetime and more.

"You would do anything I ask of you, won't you?" I questioned, shaking my head with a smile that felt desperate. Desperately in love.

His answer came instantly, with a certainty that made my heart race. "Yes."

I nodded in recognition, fully aware that this would be his answer. With that thought anchored in my mind, I tore the papers in two, my gaze locked onto his.

Jungkook was the first to break eye contact, surprise and confusion dancing in his beautiful brown eyes as he watched the fragments flutter to the ground, scattering around us like dead leaves and petals falling from a tree in autumn. But we were in spring now, new flowers were meant to blossom. A new beginning.

"I don't understand," he mumbled, his eyes searching mine for clarity.

I smiled at him through my flowing tears and trembling lips. But they weren't tears of pain, despair, or yearning. They were tears of relief, a telling realization that I was finally on the right path toward happiness.

"What your mother did was monstrous and hurt me on a level I can't even put into words," I began, watching as anger sparked in Jungkook's eyes. He tensed, but I kept going. Today, I needed to say everything. "I thought I'd never forget what she did. And maybe I won't. But I'm certain you won't either. Yet you still chose to stay, to fight for us, even knowing it might remind me of what happened. She hurt you too, and that's why I'll never forgive her. But I won't give her the power to be a part of my future. I won't let her destroy the beauty we have, everything we've built together."

Jungkook's gaze softened, as if my words were slowly unraveling the walls between us.

"I don't want space," I continued, "and I don't want a divorce either. I don't want to watch the extended versions of Lord of the Rings if it means you won't be there to quote every line with me. I don't want to wake up knowing you're not lying next to me. I don't want to look back and regret losing you, especially when it was in my power to keep you. All I want...is you. Because I love you."

The last words fell like drops of rain, quiet but unmistakable. Jungkook froze, his eyes widening as he took in the full weight of my confession. I wiped the fresh tears spilling down my cheeks with my sleeve, watching as he opened his mouth to speak. But I was already filling the silence.

"I know I hurt you, and I'm sorry if I ever made you feel like it was your fault because of my selfishness. It was never your fault, and I'm sorry it's taken me this long to say all of this, and if you want me back—"

"Reva." His voice cut through, raw and raspy. "Come here."

But it was Jungkook who closed the distance between us, his steps quick and sure, reaching me in the blink of an eye. His arms wrapped around me, pulling me against his chest with fierceness. It was as if he, too, had been waiting an eternity for this moment, as if he were holding on to something he feared might disappear if he let go. And, honestly, it felt like it had been that long. Because as he held me close, I could finally breathe again. I could live again.

I buried my face in his chest, my tears flowing freely as wave after wave of emotion crashed over me. But he was my anchor, holding me steady in the storm. My fingers tightened around the fabric of his shirt, soaking in the warmth radiating from his body, feeling it seep into my very bones. Every fiber of my existence.

This was where I was meant to be. In his arms, wrapped in a cocoon that shielded me from every dark and painful thing in the world.

Jungkook's fingers slid gently through my hair, his other arm pulling me closer to him. I wasn't sure how long we stood there, clinging to each other. But it didn't matter. How foolish I'd been to think that letting him go might somehow make things easier, that walking away could ever bring me any kind of real happiness. I could see now that it would have only left a void, an empty ache that nothing could ever fill.

"My love," he whispered as my tears began to slow, and I sniffled softly against his chest.

He gently pulled back, just enough to tilt my chin up, his gaze locking onto mine. His eyes roamed over my face, absorbing every detail as if he were seeing me for the first time. A small, beautiful smile played on his lips, and he brushed the back of his hand tenderly across my cheek, wiping away my tears.

"I've spent every moment longing for you. You're my beginning and my end, the one dream I'd give up everything for, even if it meant having only one moment with you. There's nothing in this world or the next that could make me yearn for you any less. For as long as there's breath in my body, I'll keep loving you. Every heartbeat, every moment. You'll always have all of me."

I smiled even as an ugly sob broke out of me and Jungkook wiped the last of my tears away. His words healed every shattered piece of my heart, wrapping it in a warm blanket. He leaned his forehead against mine, his breath warm and steady as he closed his eyes, holding me as if I were the most precious thing he'd ever touched.

"I love you. I missed you so much," I whispered, my voice barely a breath.

"I love you more," he replied, bringing both hands to cradle my face. His eyes softened, dark and intense, as he murmured, "And I really want to kiss you right now."

I smiled, my heart thundering as I answered, "Then why are you waiting?"

He didn't need any more encouragement. His lips met mine with an urgency that held a tenderness beneath it that told me everything words couldn't. Each brush of his lips wiped away every pain and bridged every distance between us, finally calling me home.

This man holding me so tenderly made me want to love him loudly in front of everyone and then quietly, just between us. The vows of his love ran deeper than any vow of betrayal ever could. I wanted to give Jungkook the world, but my world was him, a universe wrapped in his embrace.

And when I looked into his eyes, the city lights faded into insignificance, no longer my favorite sight in the world. If I was the moon, he was all the stars dancing around me.

THE END

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A/N: AHHHH we finally made it!!! I can't believe that this book has now come to an end. I'm so happy for finally finishing it (took me only two years to do so 🤡) but I'm also sad at the same time. I loved Reva and Jungkook, they have grown on me. It feels like I know them, as if they are real. Letting them go will be very hard for me 🥹 I hope you guys enjoyed this book as much as I despite the long waiting between every chapter. There will be an epilogue and a reflection chapter so don't delete this story from your library yet! I love you all and thank you so much for the support and love 🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍🤍