I opened the car door and reached for Jandi's hand to help her out. Together we stood shivering in the cold December air, facing the onslaught of blinding flashes from the paparazzi. I forced myself to smile at the crowd, but all I really wanted to do was admire Jandi in that dress she was wearing. I still remembered the first time I saw her, across the lawns at Highland, dressed in a simple T-shirt and jeans, with a ponytail on the top of her head. It was all I could do not to stop and stare then. I knew she wasn't beautiful according to the standard template, but there was just something about her. Still, if Lauren hadn't dropped her ice cream on my shoe later that day I never would have pursued her or thought about her again. I told her recently I'd never been the same since she kicked me in the head.

We had posed long enough; I looked at Jandi and tugged her hand a bit to suggest moving on. She gave me a smile of relief and we walked into the hotel. It was still a wonder to me that she was here beside me, in Korea, with mother's approval and the company's blessing. Soon after Jandi was injured mother had launched a publicity campaign about the plucky Korean American adoptee that had "saved" me from a knife attack. (More like idiotically threw herself in front of the knife. I would have preferred the knife in my back to seeing it in hers. Ugh. I still couldn't think about it.) At any rate, we now had everyone's blessing to marry, assuming she would say yes if I asked her.

We walked into the hotel and found the room where Jai and Hera's wedding would take place. Lauren and YooJin were already there, so we exchanged greetings and found a place to sit. The ceremony was in Korean, so I bent down and quietly translated for Jandi as it started. She was now double majoring in Korean language and social work, but with only one semester of Korean so far she still needed a translator.

I took her hand and watched her face out of the corner of my eyes as I translated the vows: "love and respect . . . every day, forever." I remembered her face when I mentioned marriage on the hospital rooftop; she blanched like I had asked her to fly to the moon. How did I manage to find the one girl in the world who didn't want to be rich? This long distance thing was killing me. I had stepped down as CEO and transferred to the American branch of Shinwha Corporation to be closer to Highland, but we were still apart more than we were together.

Finally the wedding was over and we all applauded. Jandi turned to me with a huge smile. "What are you so happy about?" I asked.

"They're just so perfect together. And they seem so happy." She wrapped her arm through mine as we stood to go.

"Like us?" I prodded her with my elbow.

She laughed. "Yeah, like us."

I grinned. Maybe she was getting used to the marriage idea.

We moved along with the crowd to the room where the food was set up. The wedding was more than just a wedding: all the high-ranking Shinwha employees had been invited, as well as government officials crucial to our business. I led Jandi around, introducing her as I spoke with business associates. I felt bad she couldn't understand the conversation, but I translated where I could. I tried to send her off to sit with Lauren and YooJin, but she insisted on staying with me.

Finally, business taken care of, we went through the line for some food. "Sorry that took so long. Your feet have to be hurting."

She looked up at me with a teasing grin. "I'm fine. Just don't drop your plate, ok?"

Puzzled, I said, "What are you talking about?"

She laughed. "Jai's party. You were so surprised to see me you dropped your plate, remember?"

I smiled. So that's what she thought? I leaned down so only she could hear me, and said, "I dropped my plate because you looked so beautiful I couldn't even breathe."

She gave me that startled look, my favorite "huh, what?" Jandi facial expression. I smiled and nodded. She still looked skeptical, but we were at the front of the line so I nudged her to take a plate and move on. She'd never believe me, but I thought she was more beautiful than any supermodel I'd ever seen.

With full plates, we joined Lauren and YooJin in the crowd. Bin was there, too, his new Korean girlfriend on his arm. It was rare to find time to hang out with KP4 anymore, so I enjoyed catching up with them. Bin was back in Korea working for his father's construction company. YooJin had started a graduate arts degree at Highland. He claimed it was further education, but we all knew he just wanted to be near Lauren.

As I had coached him to do, YooJin said, "Hey, Joon, when are we going back to Mexico?"

I shrugged nonchalantly as if I hadn't thought about it. "I don't know, in May after finals?" I looked at Jandi to see her reaction; she lit up with a big smile. "How about we invite your parents and Sam this time, too?"

Her eyes widened. "Can we?" I nodded. Her parents and Sam should be there to celebrate with us when she said yes to my proposal. I'd get a yes or die trying.

At long last, the evening was over, and Mother, Jandi, and I piled in the limousine to go back to my house. This was Jandi's first trip to Korea since her injury last spring, and I was worried she might have a hard time, but of course she was completely fearless about it. She and Mother were even getting along pretty well. Mother had changed a lot, though, since the kidnapping. She actually acted like a mother now, instead of my jailor and boss.

We reached the house. Mother quickly said goodnight and left us alone. Jandi sat down on the couch and smiled at me before leaning down to take her shoes off. "Want to stay up all night? I'm leaving in the morning and I'll be all jet lagged when I get home anyway." I nodded; she had read my mind. I didn't want to waste a second sleeping. I could do that after she left.

I sat down beside her; she laid her head on my shoulder, twined her fingers through mine, and curled her feet up on the couch. This was exactly how we had sat looking at the mini Christmas tree from her mom.

Staring forward, she said, "Do you remember?"

I smiled. "I was thinking the same thing."

She sighed. "You were so happy that night. What were you thinking about?"

I thought back and remembered the radiant happiness I had felt. "I was thinking . . . this must be what it's like to have a mother that loves you."

She squeezed my arm and sat silently a minute. Finally I said, "What were you thinking about that night?"

She smiled. "I was memorizing how your hand felt in mine," she flexed her fingers and then squeezed my hand, "and how your shoulder felt beneath my head," she lightly shook her head as it lay on my shoulder. "I knew you'd be gone too soon, but I didn't realize how quick it would actually be."

"What?" Frustrated, I gently bumped her head with my shoulder. "Even then you were already giving up on me?"

She raised her head and smiled. "I was being realistic."

I snorted, still frustrated, and said sarcastically, "Realistic."

She smiled again, laid her head back on my shoulder, and wrapped her other arm around my middle. In a sleepy voice, she said, "I'm glad I was wrong."

Her eyes were closed and I thought she might be falling asleep, but then she said, "I'm awake. Tell me what's going on with your new TV at Shinwha." I wrapped my arm around her shoulders and told her the whole story of the complex negotiations between the design team and the engineering team, watching her face as she slipped off to sleep. I smiled. This is how you stay up all night with me?

I would act put out by it in the morning, but I didn't really care. I just wanted to be next to her, even if she was sleeping. We probably wouldn't see each other again for awhile, and even then it would just be a weekend here and there until summer. I kissed the top of her head as she slept. I missed her like crazy when she was at school. How would I make it through another year and a half until her graduation?

I wanted her to fulfill her dreams, though. My life had been pre-programmed from the time I was born. I liked that she could look at the world and make her own decision of what to do with her life. It almost seemed scary, from my point of view, to have so many options. Jandi just took it for granted, though. If anyone could change the world, it was the girl asleep in my arms right now.

I was getting sleepy, too. I scrunched down in the couch cushions, trying not to jostle Jandi, and laid my head on the back of the couch. I'd just close my eyes for a minute.

Sometime later, I awoke to a punch in the shoulder. "Why'd you let me fall asleep? We were going to stay up."

I opened my eyes and rubbed my shoulder. I loved seeing her face first thing in the morning. I wanted to act mad, but I couldn't even pull it off. I grinned at her like an idiot and said, "How is it my fault you fell asleep?" Before she could respond I grabbed her in a hug, pulling her in front of me, and planted a kiss firmly on her lips. "Good morning, by the way."

She smiled that teasing grin and put a hand on my jaw. "Good morning." She sighed and said, "I have a plane to catch. My rich boyfriend's jet can't cross the Pacific so I have to fly commercial like a commoner or something."

I pulled her close and held on tight. "Don't go then. Just stay here."

I breathed in the scent of her hair as she wrapped her arms around me, hugging me back. "I wish I could," she said, and tried to get up, but I wasn't ready to let go yet and kept holding her tightly. A few moments later she tried to move again; I squeezed her tighter and held her in place.

Another minute later she jumped with surprise and said, "Hello, Mrs. Shinwha." Startled, I released her and whirled around, only to find my mother wasn't there at all. Jandi had already escaped to the other side of the room and gave me a teasing smile. "I have to get packed!"

"Liar!" I called after her as she left. I walked to my room and began to get ready for the drive to the airport. I hated this part – all the long slow minutes leading up to goodbye. Someday she'd be mine, and I would never let her leave me again.

As I drove home from the airport I mulled over the next few months. The proposal had to be spectacular. I couldn't start doing things by halves now. Would she say yes? Most of the time I was pretty confident about her answer, but when I remembered her face the first time I mentioned it I kind of wondered.

Winter and spring dragged along. Jandi and I spoke and texted every day, but missing her was a constant ache. Finally the semester ended and we were on the jet flying to Mexico. Sam had never been on my jet before, so he was full of questions about it, and I enjoyed telling him the specs and showing him all the features.

When we arrived at the hotel and went into our rooms I headed straight out onto the balcony. The first time I had seen her staring at the ocean was when the thought first entered my head: "I have to marry this girl." This time, she was there waiting for me already, one balcony over. She wasn't looking at the ocean at all; she was looking at my door waiting for me to come out.

I smiled. "Miss me already?"

She laughed and nodded. "Yes." Then she turned around and drank in the sight of the ocean. I just watched her, loving that look on her face and wondering if watching her would ever get old. She took a deep breath of the salty air and turned back to me.

"You're taking me back to our island at some point, right?"

I smiled – little did she know. "Yeah, I thought we could eat there tomorrow evening."

She clapped her hands together and grinned. "Can't wait."

The next evening found us chugging toward the island on one of the resort's boats. She was dressed in the same dress she'd worn last time, one I had picked out, although she didn't know it.

We reached the dropoff point and they lowered the ramp into the shallow water. I bent over to take off my shoes and held them in my hands as I waded in. I turned around to grab Jandi's hand and she was just standing there, above the water line, shoes still on. I held my hand out, assuming she needed something to hold onto while she took her shoes off, but she just shook her head at me.

"I want a piggyback. You realize we managed to get to the couple ring stage without you giving me a piggyback? Isn't that against Korean law or something?" She gave me that sassy smile.

I grinned – don't threaten me with a good time. Still, as I handed my shoes to her I said, "You watch too many K-dramas."

She took my shoes; I turned around and leaned down a bit and she hopped onto my back. "No doubt. I have a good excuse, though; I'm learning Korean."

I waded through the shallow water to the shore, wanting to make the moment last. "You're not using subtitles?"

She laughed, and the sound of it right in my ear was intoxicating. "Of course I am! I'd never know what was going on otherwise."

I laughed along with her and bent down so she could stand in the dry sand. I took her hand and started to walk, but she pulled back and handed me my shoes. I took them, and she promptly lifted her foot and took one shoe off, then the other.

"Now you're taking your shoes off?" I asked testily.

"I don't like sand in my shoes." She grinned at me again, just daring me to say anything, and pulled me forward along the beach, walking backwards in front of me. She was always a surprise. I thought I'd had this evening all planned out, but as usual she was completely in charge.

We rounded the bend, and there was the table and Tae Woong ready to serve dinner. Jandi yelled "Alfred!" and ran over to give him a hug. I shook my head and kept walking. Mother would have killed me if I'd ever acted like that with the servants, but Jandi befriended everyone she met.

We had a delicious dinner by the ocean. Tae Woong served and then quietly disappeared after dessert. The sunset was magnificent that night, and Jandi asked me how I had arranged for it.

As the sun dipped below the horizon we were surrounded by darkness. Jandi grabbed my hand across the table and said, "Um, do you have a light or something? It's pretty dark."

I grinned and reached into my pocket for my remote control. I pushed the button and all the trees on the island lit up with white Christmas lights. Jandi gasped, her mouth open. Definitely worth all the special permits and the weeks of labor that had gone into making this happen.

I got up, knelt down at her side, pulled out the blue Tiffany box with the ring, and asked quietly, "Jandi James, will you marry me?"

She was still gaping at the lights, her hands on her cheeks. "It's so beautiful!"

I hung my head, frustrated. "Ok, but can you answer the question?"

She tilted her head and looked down at me quizzically. "You don't know the answer?"

Seriously, this girl. "How would I know the answer? Last time I mentioned marriage you went white as a sheet and almost broke up with me!"

"I was like 3 minutes cured of amnesia at the time! Plus I was recovering from a knife in my back." She rubbed the scar on her back and glared at me.

I gestured helplessly. "I know! But still, you didn't exactly like the idea. I'm hoping you like it now but I really don't know unless you tell me."

She grabbed my chin and looked at me like I was a doddering old uncle with dementia. She leaned close to my face and said, "Yes."

I had never felt so relieved and grateful in all my life. "Yes? You mean it?"

She smiled and it took my breath away. "Yes. Today – yes. Tomorrow – yes. Forever – yes."

Relieved, I leaned in for a kiss but she wiggled the fingers of her left hand in front of my face before I could get there. She said, "You forgot something."

I laughed and reached down to take the ring out of the box. I carefully slid it on her finger, just waiting for her to stop me with conditions or something, but she just quietly admired the ring on her finger and then flashed me a brilliant smile.

I remembered the other gift I had prepared and stood up to dig the paper out of my pocket.

"What are you doing?" she asked.

"One more thing." I unfolded the paper, smoothing the creases with my hand, and grabbed her hand to pull her up and in front of me so we could look at the paper together.

"What's this?" She looked at it a minute and then said, "Is this Spanish? I can't read Spanish. What is this?"

I pointed to the one line of English on the entire paper and she read it aloud. "Jandi Island? What does that mean?"

"It means this island is now called Jandi Island, and it belongs to you."

Her jaw dropped and she whirled around to face me. "You bought me an island?"

I grinned at the disbelief on her face. "Well, technically I already owned it and just transferred it to your name."

"Why?"

"Because you're taking on so much by marrying me. I wanted a place we could come and just be us, you and me, where Shinwha doesn't exist and doesn't matter."

She smiled and grabbed my hand. "Good answer." She pulled me over to a fallen log, stepped onto it so that she was up on my level, looped her hands around my neck, and said, "You really didn't know I'd say yes?"

"You're making fun of me right now?" I leaned my forehead against hers.

She laughed and replied, "You're an idiot, Joon Shinwha."

I smiled, gazing at her face inches from mine, lit only by the twinkle lights. I would love and protect this girl for as long as I lived. "As long as I'm the idiot you're going to marry." I wrapped my arms around her and pulled her towards me for a kiss.