Epilogue

EPILOGUE

JACK

1 week later

" T he Proposal ? Really?" Seojun puts his hands on his hips, and Annie grimaces.

"What do you have against Sandy B.?"

"I've got nothing against Sandra Bullock. But that movie can die in a trash fire, in the pits of hell."

"That's intense," Robin comments and takes the VHS tape from Annie, holding it to their chest protectively.

Seojun turns his focus to Robin and narrows his eyes. If he had laser eyes, the tape would be toast, but thank God, he doesn't.

"I'm not watching that movie."

"Why?"

"Because Sandra deserves better than Ryan Reynolds!"

"What do you have against Ryan?" Zeke chimes in, and I turn away from them to finish the popcorn on the stove, tuning them out but laughing anyway.

It's nearly impossible to believe it's been almost two weeks since I met Seojun, yet he has fit so well into my life these past few days that it's as if I've known him a lifetime. Maybe it's because he's an open book, not that I think he knows that. Or maybe it's because he's funny and we went through an interesting adventure together.

Or it's simply fate, and that's that.

He still doesn't know why signing me, my body, worked the way it did and why his attempts to fool me prior to that failed. He's never met anyone who didn't fall for his tricks. So maybe it was fate.

Whatever it is, I'm not complaining. It brought him into my life in a pink blaze, and I wouldn't have it any other way. I wouldn't change the last couple of weeks for all the money in the world. The only thing I hate is not knowing him sooner. It's funny how you can miss someone before you've even met them, but I think…I think that's what I experienced before him. Focusing on my work and my friends to distract me from the emptiness in my life that could only be felt in the dead of night when I was all alone.

And I know Seojun felt the same all his life, definitely after his family abandoned him. He acts like he doesn't care about the truth he discovered, but I know he's hurt by it. He just disguises it with sarcasm, makeup, and pink.

So much pink!

But he'll be okay.

Time heals all wounds, after all, and I'm sure it will heal those too. Or mend them with tons of friendship, a lot of loving, a little popcorn and glitter, and he'll look like a Kintsugi ceramic, where the gold not only glues the pieces back together but makes it all the more beautiful and unique for having been broken and persevering.

The pop and crackle intensify in the pot and I shake my head, grab the biggest bowl in Seojun's kitchen, and fill it with the popcorn. I mix in M&Ms, Skittles, and marshmallows and take it to the living room where Seojun sits crooked, with Shuga on his shoulder and an annoyed expression.

"Jack! Your beaver is attacking me again!"

"It's not a beaver," everyone sings in unison, but I just laugh it off and swap the popcorn for Shuga.

"Good girl," I whisper, scratching her neck before letting her rest on my shoulder.

"Come on. Take a seat!" Annie pats the space between her and Seojun, and I start taking my place when someone clears their throat behind me.

We all turn in unison and find Kevin standing sheepishly in the hallway.

"Kevin!" Seojun jumps from his seat.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to intrude," Kevin replies as Seojun gets to him.

"Is everything okay?"

Kevin bites his lip and looks at the rest of us.

"I was invited to movie night, but if you don't want me here—" He starts to turn, but Seojun jumps in front of him to stop him.

"Of course not. I mean, of course I do. I mean, please join us."

"You don't have to?—"

"I'm sorry I accused you of being a serial killer. I was jumping to conclusions. I tend to do that. I'm working on it, but it's something you'll have to put up with if you work for me."

"You still want me to work for you?"

Seojun huffs.

"Duh! I still have a criminal empire to build."

I clear my throat, and Seojun glares at me.

"What? You're the one who finally called me a supervillain. Are you surprised I'm not giving up the mantle?"

"The mantle? You're not Batman," I tell him.

He huffs again.

"Who would want to be Batman when you can be Catwoman?"

"He's got a point," Annie mumbles beside me.

"Anyway, ignore them. Will you be my sidekick again, Paper Trail? I promise I won't accuse you of bad stuff again. Unless…you know, you do bad stuff."

"I thought you were a supervillain. Supervillains do bad stuff," I shout, and he flips me the bird.

"So?" he asks Kevin instead.

"Of course, Mr. Sinis?—"

"Just call me Sinister. Or even better, Seojun. Except for when we're working on that empire stuff, in which case it's Sinister Seomyeong."

Kevin chuckles and does a little bow, and Seojun embraces him.

"Now come. Join us. We're watching The Proposal ." He does a little gagging noise at the end but it doesn't deter Kevin.

While everyone takes their place, Zeke puts the tape in the VHS player, and Seojun turns the TV on.

"Is that a tape? I haven't seen those in years." Kevin points at the player.

"It sure is," Annie says.

"Which reminds me to ask," Seojun starts. "What is the obsession with VHS tapes? Why not DVDs or even better yet, streaming? I've got killer Wi-Fi up here."

Robin puts their hand up and shrugs.

"I can only watch VHS."

"Yeah, but why? Is it the grainy quality you like…?"

"No, you don't understand. I can only watch VHS. Screens are just blank to me. I can't see anything that's on a screen. Except for VHS for some reason."

"And that's why Lily and I take our favorite movies and TV shows and transfer them to VHS so Robin can enjoy them too."

"Wait a damn minute!" He lifts his hand in the air, and I watch him, waiting for him to probe further. "You guys do series in VHS? Why didn't you say so? We need to start a TV series club. Gossip Girl , anyone?"

I let out a laugh.

I don't know why I ever doubted him. He has an incredible ability to focus on the right thing. Always.

The movie starts playing, and he keeps a bitter expression on his face the whole time. Until Sandra Bullock gets down on one knee to propose to Ryan Reynolds's, and I get an idea.

"Hey, Seojun?"

"Hm?" He turns to me.

"Will you marry me?"

Seojun laughs and elbows my ribs. "Good one."

"I mean it."

"Huh? Why?" His brows furrow and his mouth twitches to the side to show his confusion. "You barely know me."

"Well, why not? I know you well enough."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?"

I smile. "Of course it's a good idea."

"Yeah, but you would say that anyway."

"No, I wouldn't. But no matter which way you look at it, we're good together. We work well as a team. We complement each other. We make each other laugh. What more do we need to know?"

He turns serious for a moment and lets out a deep breath.

"But I'm a criminal."

"Nobody's perfect." I shrug.

"But I'm a villain."

"That's debatable."

"But I'm evil."

I take his hand and raise it between us.

"You're not. You're a good man, Seojun. And I love you."

I kiss the back of his hand without breaking eye contact and catch his lips quirking into a smirk.

"Prove it," he whispers.

I smile back and drop his hand. I pull my sleeve up and offer him my arm.

"Sign me, Mr. Bae. I'm yours."

Seojun raises his eyebrow and purses his lips.

"Nah. I'd rather sign a paper. I do like…singing in the privacy of my own bathroom."

"Okay then." My smile turns into a grin.

"Okay."

I put my hand on the back of his neck, and to the applause and cheering of our friends, our family, I pull him in for a kiss.

The best kiss there ever was.