Chapter 251 - Comeback (11): Let's Go Home

"How did you know about this place anyway?" Mirae asked. It was late evening by the time they had left the meadow. Surprisingly, no one else was there the whole day except for them. KJ had shown her the whole park. It was much larger than she had thought since it had taken them hours to explore it all. 

But they were so absorbed in each other that they had lost track of time. They were now walking on the footpath, holding their hands. They had their masks on in case if paparazzi were nearby but it did not really matter to them. 

"It belongs to an old acquaintance," KJ replied. "I had once collaborated with him on an album and it became a huge hit. So as a favor, I called him up this morning before heading to your office and requested him to let us use it for today." 

Mirae smiled and leaned on his shoulder. "Where are we going now?" she asked curiously. 

"To a restaurant nearby," he replied. "For an early dinner." 

Upon the mention of dinner, Mirae realized how ravenous she was. Her stomach grumbled loudly. She was embarrassed as KJ let out a laugh which won him a sharp pinch on the arm. 

"Don't laugh!" she scolded him. "It's because of you I hadn't eaten anything all day! You kept on distracting me with wild kisses!" 

"You weren't complaining," he smirked proudly but upon her tenacious glare, he immediately shut up. 

A small outdoor restaurant appeared in front of them. It was a cozy little place with rows of round tables set outside for the guests. There was an open kitchen where the cooks were masterfully showing off their live cooking skills. The meat on the grills sizzled as an aroma of spices mixed with barbecue hit them. 

Mirae felt her mouth water as they entered the restaurant. A server welcomed them upon entering. 

"Welcome to Rosario's," she greeted. "Let me show you to a table." 

She guided them to a small table which was situated next to a mini stage. The restaurant was not too packed and the guests were busy with their dinners so no one looked at them much. 

"This is such a nice place," Mirae commented in wonder as KJ drew her a chair. She took her seat and KJ strode over to sit next to her. 

"It is," he agreed. "My friend who owns the meadow told me about it so thought we'd check it out."

A server came up to their table. "Would you like to make an order now, sir and madame?" he asked politely. 

"What's your special?" KJ asked. 

"We have freshly flown in some tuna today, so I would suggest our Tuna Sticks for appetizer," the server suggested. "And for the main course, I would suggest our Salmon Steak and Clam with Rice. For dessert, our Apple Pies are very popular with locals." 

"Sounds good," Mirae said. KJ nodded and placed the orders. The server bowed and went towards the kitchen. 

KJ shifted his chair closer towards Mirae and grabbed her hand to play with her finger. 

"How are the preparations for your new album?" she asked. She could not help but notice his tired eyes. He was coming late every night after long hours at the studio or was busy constantly with the promotions. His erratic schedule was worrying her. 

"I'll be fine," he said, brushing against her fingers. "This is nothing. I'm used to all this." 

He was absentmindedly playing with the wedding ring on her finger. 

"But you're not taking care of your health at all!" she pointed out. "I'm worried, KJ. What if you get a panic attack again?" 

Just remembering his last spell of panic made her shudder. He took on too many responsibilities onto his shoulders and his panic disorder will get worse if he did not reign himself. 

"I'll cut down on my schedules," he said. "I've already had Psycho cancel all my appearances which require me to shoot after eight pm. No more long hours." 

Mirae held his palm, smiling from beneath her mask. Just then, a young girl came up to them, fidgeting nervously. They looked up. 

"Ummm…are you Kwon Jiwon?" she squealed. 

They looked at each other. "Umm…" KJ started. There was no point in lying. 

"Yes," he admitted. Mirae watched in surprise as he took off his mask. 

"And you must be his wife!" the girl exclaimed at Mirae. "The Nation's Couple!" 

Her excitement caused the other guests to look their way. Soon, their table was bombarded by some of the guests. 

"You guys look so much more beautiful in real life!" one teenager cried out. "Can I have a selfie?" 

"Oppa, can I have your autograph?" 

"Unnie, you're so pretty! Can I take a picture?" 

Even though the couple were being intruded upon, they were polite to the fans. These people were leaving them positive comments and a lot of love. KJ gracefully took pictures and signed them. No matter how coldly he treated people at times, he was always nice to his fans. The scene was new to Mirae, who watched as her husband behaved cordially with his fans. Some were even asking her for autographs, which she signed happily. 

It was the first time she saw KJ interact with his fans. He was not vain nor rude to them. These were people who showered him with a lot of love over the years and he was truly grateful to them. Treating them rudely would be like insulting him. 

"Here you go miss," he said, handing the last fan a signed autograph. The fan smiled and thanked him a lot. She then turned to Mirae and said, "Unnie, you're amazing too! Thank you for protecting our idol! All of us at our fansites love you!" 

She beamed at Mirae before leaving. 

"Looks like you've gained a following too," KJ said. 

"They're amazing," Mirae stated, smiling. "Your fans. They've stuck with you from thick and thin." 

She, too, had taken off her mask. The guests ogled at them but they did not care. Their pictures were trending worldwide as the pictures of their locked hands went viral in seconds. The whole social media was erupting as the oblivious couple finished their dinner. 

They were gazing so lovingly at each other that all the onlookers felt shy yet overwhelmed with joy. 

"I want someone to look at me like the way KJ looks at our sister-in-law TT," one user tweeted. 

"I realized that I'm gonna die alone coz KJ set the bar too high for me #NationsCouple," another user commented. 

"It's like a fairy tale #NationsCouple. " 

"They are so pure and precious #NationsCouple." 

Meanwhile, Mirae bit her lip. The day had been so perfect and yet, there was a dread in her heart. She was reluctant for this moment to end. 

KJ noticed her worry. Wiping his lips with a tablecloth, he asked her, "What's the matter?" 

"I'm thinking of what's about to happen," she admitted. "I'm afraid KJ. What if we don't make it through? What if the Cartel gets to us? What if all this ends in a blink?" 

She felt a chill down her spine just thinking about it. KJ held her hand firmly. 

"We will make it through," he promised her. "All of us. Those bastards won't be able to harm us. And I am not gonna leave you. No matter what." 

Ignoring everyone's eyes on them, he leaned over to give her a small kiss. 

Mirae felt his lips linger on hers for a few seconds before backing away. His hands felt warm and safe. 

"I'll tell the server to bring the dessert," he said. But Mirae shook her head. 

"Let's skip dessert," she spoke out, her face turning red. "Let's go home." 

"How come you don't want-" 

Mirae clasped her palms tightly around his, unable to meet his eye. 

"Let's go home," she repeated, a little suggestively. 

Finally, it hit him. Lifting her chin, he made her look straight at him. "There won't be any backing off," he whispered. 

She was blushing but determined. "I know," she whispered back.