2025

[Seoul Hospital]

“Okay, okay. Look, maybe it’s best to go by couple?” Simonsays said, Kim Doyoung beside her as they tried to moderate the conversation that was going on. Bunny was on the hospital bed with Jeno at the side, the woman cooing at the two infants that came out of her body, Jeno laying his head down.

Simonsays' story was a hit when Haechan published it, the woman ecstastic—it became even popular when people realized that the stories were based on real people. Kim Doyoung was very proud of his wife and supported her in whatever she wanted to do.

Now, what Simonsays wanted to do now was write a book of epilogues of what happened after everyone got together. Surely, relationships were not perfect and they were bound to run into problems. After congratulating Yuta on his upcoming marriage, they all took a seat, using the hospital room as a meeting place.

She sat beside her husband, all her muses sitting in front of her—she would start with Mark.

He was the first story in her book.

“How was it, Muffin?” she finally asked, Mark turning red when she asked what happened when he came back from Canada. “How did you react when he finally came back after that one-year exchange program?”

There was a scoff from the side from Jung Jaehyun and his wife, New York smirking. They seemed like they knew something, Muffin warning her brother to not say anything. New York was the one who spoke, chuckling to herself.

“It was awkward to see them together,” New York said, her eyes on the younger couple. “Guy high-fived her when they saw each other at the airport.”

“I was flustered!” Mark moaned, covering his eyes. “It was really weird—”

“He gave my number out to multiple men. I know he did that before he got together with me but…” Muffin’s voice trailed, rolling her eyes at her boyfriend. “It really is hard, you know. Transitioning from best friend to lovers. I couldn’t even hold his hand because he would be stiff as a rock—”

“I was just being careful—”

“He was being too careful,” Muffin butted in, glaring at her boyfriend who scrunched his nose up at her in a cute pout. “And he kept asking me if I wanted to break up with him!”

Mark turned red, pulling his girlfriend to him to shut her up. Jaehyun frowned at Mark before he raised his eyebrow at him.

“You wanted to break up with my sister?” Jaehyun asked, Mark shaking his head violently. New York slapped Jaehyun’s shoulder, giving him a warning gaze. “Ouch, what?”

“Don’t get mad at him, even you asked me if I wanted to break up with you,” she reminded her husband, Jaehyun blinking. New York exuded boss power and everyone knew that Jaehyun and her were always bickering, their personalities so similar. Jaehyun was possessive and New York was stubborn, and everyone chewed on their lips as they watched the married couple stare each other down.

Jaehyun was the one who looked away, an arm wrapping around New York’s waist to show her that he stood down.

“Tell us about it,” Doyoung finally said, Simonsays preparing to write down the details.

“It’s just, you know. Old habits die hard.” Jaehyun shrugged, New York scoffing.

“He would take a 360 degree back to me, he said.” she pressed. “Didn’t know that his personality would also take a 360-degree turn. Guy literally tried to control me the same way he did when I was back in New York. Couldn’t do this, couldn’t do that—”

“To be fair, she would do things that would take her away from me,” Jaehyun grumbled. “She was so busy; she didn’t have time to spend with me. After class, she’d go to the internship. After the internship, instead of spending time with me, she would go and study more—”

“It was for our future—”

“We wouldn’t have a future at that rate. We would have broken up,” Jaehyun said back and once again, they glowered at each other. “I felt like I was dating a ghost. Even now, I want kids and she’s like… No, she wants to get her doctorate! By the time we have kids—”

“I can’t have kids, Jaehyun,” New York argued. “My boss overworks me too much.”

Jaehyun paused, furrowing his eyebrows. “You work for me.”

“Exactly. Get the hint,” she snapped and everyone blinked. “Besides, I’ll only have kids when Jisung gets a girlfriend—”

New York said this about her brother as if it would never happen and Simonsays paused, her pen stopping over the pages. She looked up at Jisung who was beside Yuta, New York’s younger brother slowly standing up.

“Uh…. I have news for you, Noona,” Jisung whispered, his hands trembling. “So…”

“Are you going to tell her about your story?” Simonsays quipped, New York’s eyes widening. Jisung had told Simonsays about his story and the fact that he had a girlfriend wasn’t known information.

“What does she mean?”