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Now, we sat on the little balcony at the bistro table, French windows thrown open and eating room service as if we had the entire day to ourselves.

“My room didn’t come with robes,” I grumbled, running my fingers over the soft, fluffy robe I’d borrowed. His room had been stocked with two. He wore the other.

“My room is better,” he smirked, raising his eyebrows at me as he brought his cup of coffee to his lips.

“Show off,” I muttered, rolling my eyes even as I fought a smile. I picked up a croissant, picking at it as I looked out over the view below us.

“You’re thinking so loudly for so early in the morning, jagiya.”

I huffed a small laugh. “Just wondering what to do for the next couple of days before the tour breaks. And then, what to do until Dubai.”

“Did you schedule anything?” he asked, popping a grape into his mouth.

“Do I ever?” I scoffed, and he smiled as he chewed.

“That’s my girlfriend,” he said proudly, his eyes crinkling at the sides.

He loved calling me that. He said it at every opportunity. I rolled my eyes as I shoved a bite of pastry into my mouth to hide my pleased grin.

“Spend it with me,” he said after a few moments.

My head spun round. “The time before we leave?” I clarified, watching the way his expression seemed to flicker before settling into something more careful.

“And after,” he said.

“After?” I repeated carefully.

Jihoon nodded. “The days before we leave Poland. And then… after. Spend the break with me.”

His chin tipped up as if he expected me to refuse, and he was bracing for it.

“Alright.” I popped another bite of pastry into my mouth.

He coughed, choking a little, waving me off when I asked if he needed help.

“Yes?” He wheezed, and I had to bite back a laugh.

“Did you expect me to turn you down?” I teased.

“Yes!”

I laughed and pushed a glass of water across the table to him. I watched him with a small smile as he sipped the water and wiped the tears off his pink cheeks, waiting for him to stop spluttering. Then, with a hammering heart I disguised with an almost-indifferent tone I said, “What about after that?”

Jihoon looked back at me, frowning slightly as he dabbed his lips with a napkin. “After what? The break?”

“No,” I said quietly, and then swallowed nervously. “After, after.”

Jihoon was silent as his eyes darted over my face. “After, after?” he repeated slowly. “After… the tour?”

I shrugged again. “We kept saying we’d talk about it. Now we have the time.” I picked up my glass of water and took a sip, trying to banish the way my mouth had suddenly gone dry.

Jihoon’s expression had gone still. Stuck somewhere between nerves, and something lighter. As if he didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. But then he cleared his throat, and his face took on a more composed expression.

“What do you want to do, Kaiya?” he asked carefully, as if he had plenty of thoughts, but they all hinged on my decision.

I thought about my answer for a few moments. There really was no simple answer. “I want to stay with you,” I said after a while. No logistics, or countries. Just the most basic version of the truth.

Jihoon’s face broke into a wide grin that trembled for a moment before he composed himself.