⫯ italy

@❀ kang jaehyun 「ᴋɪᴠᴀ」ˢᵒˡᵒⁱˢᵗ "Well, I gotta try to keep up with my model idol husband somehow. It's a good thing I'm good at my job, I can work some magic with a brush." She grinned playfully despite the pinkish hue dusting her cheeks. His hand was warm and soft, and Andria found herself questioning why she didn't hold it more often. She'd have to change that. So many things between them needed to change, she /wanted/ them to change, if she could even consider telling him the truth about her feelings. Sure they were married, but it was arranged by their parents, that didn't guarantee feelings were involved.

His words brought a genuine smile to her lips and she gave his hand a gentle squeeze, moving closer to him. "I agree. I can't imagine how frustrating that must be, to constantly be surrounded all the time. Some time for peace and privacy must seem like a luxury now huh?" A small frown replaced the smile as her brows furrowed in thought. "Have you ever thought about quitting? Being an idol I mean. Living a "normal" life?"

[sorry it's so short :sob:]

@❀ andria kang ᵐᵘᵃ "It's not just because of that. It's a genuine compliment, you know." For some reason, he felt the need to justify the compliment he threw at her. "You are always looking so gorgeous, no matter what you wear or do." It was true after all. He always had a hard time looking away from her every day, especially the sight when she was just waking up and then when she went to the kitchen to grab some water. That unguarded look, and the slightly disheveled hair, just made her even more attractive in his eyes.

Like a real couple. Somehow those words struck hard and he had to admit it made his heart clench a little. So maybe after all of this time, she still didn't think of them like a couple? He almost frowned but luckily he caught sight of her outstretched hand towards him, Jaehyun schooled his expression and masked his feeling with a smile as he took her hand, holding it securely with his own as he led them out of the room and towards the busy street of Rome. If that's the case, he mused, then he had to make this vacation a turning point in their so-called marriage life. What going to happen if nothing changes... well, he could think about that when it's over. For now, he was very determined to make the most of this vacation with her.

Matching his pace with hers, Jaehyun walked beside Andria as he looked around, trying to find a good family restaurant for them to eat all while enjoying the scenery around them, his hand still holding hers and showing no sign of letting it go any time soon. "You know, it's really relaxing to be able to walk around like this. No need to be wary of paparazzi trailing or some crazy fans following us. Ju"st like any normal people, having fun sight-seeing around the town with their lover. I love it.

@❀ kang jaehyun 「ᴋɪᴠᴀ」ˢᵒˡᵒⁱˢᵗ “Of course, the love and attention and care that goes into the meal makes it taste way better.” His grin was contagious and she mirrored with one of her own, albeit with a small blush adorning her cheeks. “Oh, hush. You’re just saying that because you’re my husband.” Andria meant it lightly, as a joke of course, but the underlying possibility of it being true caused her smile to falter ever so slightly. She cleared and tried to subtly press a cool hand to her cheeks in an attempt to bring down the redness threatening to showcase her true feelings before she could even say them.

This trip was going to be longer than she thought if he had such a strong effect on her after all this time, and it was only the first night. Luckily for her, she didn’t notice his own struggle, for if she had, it was possible they might not ever make it out of the room. She nodded at his advice and went to her bag before managing to pick out her own black leather jacket and put it on. “Now we match, like a real couple.” She took another moment to admire him before nodding her head towards the door. “Shall we go take on Italy, my dear husband?” She chuckled, and after a moment of hesitation, she reached her hand out towards him, hoping he’d take it so they could walk hand in hand.

@❀ andria kang ᵐᵘᵃ "A family restaurant would definitely taste better than any restaurant, I think." Her compliment was enough to make a grin appeared on his face. He did kind of hoping that she would complement his style, since he didn't ask for any help when packing his clothing. At least he didn't bring any clothes that might considered ugly or something like a fashion terrorist would wear. "Thank you. You look gorgeous too. I mean, usually you do too but today you just look even more gorgeous than usual."

HIs eyes followed her movement and was extremely surprised at what happened. Andria wasn't a type who would just touch him mindlessly like that but boy, the feeling of her soft hand against his hard-earned abs was making his brain went haywire. Even after she said her reason behind the unexpected action, Jaehyun still couldn't say anything and just nod. That touch was enough to bring back the memory of their one-night stand, back before they got married. The way she moaned, panted, begged and quiver underneath him were still planted deep inside his brain because he knew that he might never see those side of her anymore. Luckily, her question managed to pull himself back to earth and not playing that memory more than he should, not when they were about to leave the hotel. It would be embarrassing to walk around with a hard-on. "H-huh? yeah, maybe a jacket would be nice. It's already getting cold after all. I don't want you to get sick during this trip."

@❀ kang jaehyun 「ᴋɪᴠᴀ」ˢᵒˡᵒⁱˢᵗ The ride was filled with small talk, both agreeing to go exploring for their food and Andria found her thoughts drifting again until they reached their room. She couldn’t help the small wince when she noticed the rose petals, though it was more at the resulting blush that decided to make an appearance as well. Suddenly the awkwardness was back and she absolutely hated it. “It’s…” She turned to see his retreating back and let out a soft sigh. “Okay…”

Assuming he want to do the same, she used the time to take her own shower and stood under the water as if it would wash away all the awkwardness and weird feelings she had. Perhaps now was the time to tell him about her past feelings. But were they still in the past? Andria wasn’t sure herself, and what if he asked her? She didn’t want to lie to him but the truth was she didn’t really know. With a sigh, she left the shower and dressed simply, her favorite pair of jeans and blue and white crop top.

His voice startled her as she finished up some light makeup and thought for a moment, her lips subconsciously pursing as she stood. “I think pasta makes the most sense right? Or maybe we can find a family restaurant and see what they recommend? When in Rome right?” She chuckled softly and made her way over to him, a smile still on her face. “You look amazing, by the way. You always have been able to make anything look amazing.”

As she reached him, she noticed a piece of string on his shirt and without thinking, a hand reached out to pull it off of him. As a result, her hand brushed against him, though covered with the shirt, she was still able to feel the definition of his abs. She quickly pulled her hand away and cleared , looking away as yet another blush erupted on her cheeks. “S-Sorry. You had something on your shirt. Anyways, pasta sounds good, we should go on that stroll before it gets too dark yeah? Do you think I should bring a jacket?”

@❀ andria kang ᵐᵘᵃ "Heh. That I could relate." He chuckled when she mentioned stretching her legs. Sure they got a business seat but still it couldn't be compared to the feeling when their foot is on the ground. However what happened next surprised him as he stared at her with wide eyes after hearing how her stomach growled, as if on cue, his own started to grumble as well resulting in loud laughter coming out from him. "Oh God, that's embarrassing! hahaha, I guess finding food is the priority now since obviously, our tummy demands it." Jaehyun grinned "And let us just leave it to fate? It could be our own little adventure. The adventure of finding delicious food. Although since we're in Italy, I doubt we would find something that isn't delicious. And let's get some ice cream too?"

As they talked, the car ride finally came to a full stop in front of their hotel lobby, the staff was all ready to greet them and even the check-in process was pretty smooth soon enough they were escorted to their room by the bellboy who also helped with their luggage as well. Their room was pretty spacious and the rose petals shaped into heart inwardly made him cringe. 'Well, it is a honeymoon suite after all. Obviously, they would do such a thing.' But after that though, he just realized that there was only one bed and his eyes quickly scanned for another comforter that he could use at night. 'My self-control would be in danger if I keep sleeping on the same bed as her throughout this trip.' so when he found a quite large sofa in the living room Jaehyun sighed in relief. Once the bellboy left, he turned to her and pointed to the sofa "You can have the bed, I'm fine with taking the sofa here, plus is in a separate area, so you don't have to worry." It was not because he hated her but he was afraid that his walls of self-control would crumble leaving none behind and he didn't want to make it more awkward than it already was.


After taking a quick shower and changing into something more comfortable, aka white t-shirt, black jeans, and a leather jacket to top his shirt and a silver necklace, Jaehyun found himself on the balcony, looking over the city. His mind filled with thousands of things to do in Rome and where to visit next. They have a week, after all, to explore Italy as much as they want and hopefully, during this trip, he could erase that awkwardness that is sometimes too strong until it kinda suffocates him. He wanted them to be at least back to where they were back in high school, at least. No, he wouldn't dare hoping that she would fall in love with him but that shouldn't stop him from trying. After all, Andria might be stuck with him for the rest of her life. He didn't want her to feel like she was being caged, bound to a loveless marriage until the end of her time. Looking at his wedding ring which he had never taken off even once, except when he was showering since he was afraid it might slip off and lose it, Kang Jaehyun could only hope that he still had that charm he had back in high school. Steeling his resolution to his heart, he walked back inside to her. "So what do you want to eat? Pizza? Pasta? Or should we try our luck and try to find a Korean or Chinese restaurant around?" Jaehyun grinned, knowing that the last part was quite an impossible task if they didn't know which part of the Rome they are staying right now.

@❀ kang jaehyun 「ᴋɪᴠᴀ」ˢᵒˡᵒⁱˢᵗ It had always fascinated her how quickly and easily he seemed to fall into his role as her husband as if it was always meant to be that way. It was strange because Andria never considered marriage in her life. She was far too focused on her career and worked too much to be a good wife, but it was her parents' wish to not see her so lonely. Was she though? She supposed it wasn't ideal, coming home late at night to an empty apartment, though even with her shared house with Jaehyun, that was often still the case with their differing schedules. But there was a difference she could admit. There were subtle things around the house that often told her when he had been home and it sometimes made her smile.

Home. If someone asked her to pinpoint exactly when she started to feel that way about their shared space, she honestly couldn't tell them. She /does/ clearly remember the first time she realized it though. It was a particularly rough day at work, and she just kept thinking about how great it would be to get back home. Until then, she had always considered the space as "the house" or even as Jaehyun's, seeing as it was his parents who had found the place, though her own apparently had helped in purchasing the place. A wedding gift, they had explained to them when handing over the keys, so that they wouldn't have to worry about buying a home on their own.

The awkwardness again. Why was she having so much trouble engaging with him? It wasn't like they hadn't hung out before or interacted. They had even been friends, and while they always did their own thing, Andria could admit that he had always been someone she treasured. But the last time she saw him before their engagement and subsequent marriage, she was drunk and slept with him. It was embarrassing to say the least, especially when despite her drunken state, she could clearly remember every kiss, every touch, every feeling. She never would admit it out loud, at least not yet, but she had always had a small crush on him. That's why she never had an issue with hanging out with him so much or going to prom. They never dated, of course, she couldn't handle the rejection, so she was perfectly fine with just being friends.

Over the years, her feelings faded into the abyss, practically forgotten until that fateful night. But after sleeping with him, she started to reminisce and it brought back all those feelings in full force. Perhaps /that/ is why she was so awkward all the time. This was an arranged marriage, there was no love involved, it was business. How could she bring herself to tell her husband that she had a crush on him when they were teenagers? This was going to be a long trip, she could feel it in her bones. "A stroll would be great. I've been dying to properly stretch my legs since the flight." Her stomach chose that moment to growl and she chuckled sheepishly, awkwardly scratching at her left cheek. "Maybe I'm a little hungry too. Should we look up a place to try to walk to or just leave it up to fate?"

@❀ andria kang ᵐᵘᵃ that soft smile, the same smile which had gotten kang jaehyun into a smiling fool himself ever since in high school. being in the same neighborhood as Andria in LA, it was nothing strange when they found themselves next to each other in the dining table on family dinners or community dinners together to when he mustered up all his courage to ask her to be his prom date which his family wouldn't stop bragging on how their son managed to get a gorgeous lady like her to be his date. although their path were swerved onto different direction when kiva's parents had to move from the down because of his father's job, jaehyun thought that they would never crossed path anymore. if people ask, were they tigether as a lover? the answer would be no. They never labeled their relationship nor exclusively seeing each other. he had his own circle of friend, mostly together with the other baseball players in their school and she with her own clique, though it always irked jaehyun whenever his teammates talked about her and most of the time it wasn't a nice things about her body though when they were separated, little by little the memory of her was slowly disappeared through the time.

But it was as if fate liked to toy around with them. jaehyun who was so stressed about his first world tour, decided to released some tension by coming to a bar downtown and it was when he met her again. Face more mature than before, but the smile stayed the same like before. Andria was nothing like before but at the same time there was still a sense of familiarity in her which made him feel like home. A lot of drinks and grindings later they found themselves tangled under the same sheet on the same bed the next morning with their clothes scattered all around the hotel room. both of them agreed to put it behind them only to met each other again during the dinner time when their family announced that they would be married to each other and what surprised him the most was when his father told him that they got the green light from Lotus' CEO for him to get married to avoid any dating scandal that might happened. Not even until three months later, he found himself as a married man but they didn't have time for a honeymoon as he had to go on the world tour again followed by the Kcons here and there while she was busy expanding her make up brand as well.

Now two years later, things had finally slowed down enough for them to actually go on a honeymoon, well their parents were the ones who responsible of booking the tickets and hotels and all, saying that they wanted to have at least one grandchild before they passed away. The thought alone was enough to turn jaehyun's face red as ever since their one night stand with each other, he had never touched her like that again nor even kiss her, well for the exception was during the wedding ceremony. And now, his will would be tested to the max during this trip since his and her mothers were delightful enough to tell them that they've booked a honeymoon suite, completed with it's own jacuzzi to ensure the romantic atmosphere inside the room or like what they said "to enlighten the mood." Clearing his throat, jaehyun return andria's smile with his own "I've been here before but only for work. I left the morning after the concert so I didn't really have time to explore this city. After we take a little break at the hotel, do you want to take sa stroll around the hotel? Who knows we might find a nice place to eat."

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@❀ kang jaehyun 「ᴋɪᴠᴀ」ˢᵒˡᵒⁱˢᵗ If there was anything Andria hated more than anything, it was awkwardness. So of course that's exactly what her marriage had to consist mostly of. To be fair, she did work a lot, some may even say too much, and his own schedules led to them not really being able to spend as much time together as they should have. Their marriage was still relatively new, and the public exposure of said marriage was even newer still. It was different, having her colleagues congratulate her, having to show off the ring. The biggest part of it that she dreaded was the questioning of her "love story" and the resulting awkward silence and subtle judging when they find out it was an arranged marriage. "'People still do that? You must be rich.'" She wasn't. It was pure luck that Andria ended up marrying an old friend, but it didn't make it any less awkward. How do you suddenly become a wife to someone you haven't seen or spoken to since high school? And when you finally /do/ see each other again...well she couldn't deny he had always been rather attractive. Time had been surely kind to Kang Jaehyun, and having worked with him, she knew that his good looks weren't just from editing and makeup. Still...

Andria was brought out of her thoughts at his question, not even realizing that she had been silently following him. She cleared and shifted in her seat before letting out a soft sigh. "It was definitely a surprise, but I was able to quickly make some calls and send some messages to arrange for things to be covered while I'm gone. But yes, I actually am looking forward to this. It's been a long time since I've been on a vacation if I'm honest, and I'e never been to Italy before." She turned to give him a soft, genuine smile. "What about you?"

@❀ andria kang ᵐᵘᵃ "Benvenuto in Italia! Welcome to Italy, Mr. and Mrs. Kang."

Their driver greeted just as the two of them coming out from the terminal after a long immigration process. Kiva smiled and shook the driver's hand just before turning to his wife. This was supposedly their long delayed honeymoon due to his job and getting permission to take a long break was not easy. Even though they already made their marriage public, he still had to be careful since who knows what those crazy fans might do to her when they saw them together. He reached for her suitcase and said, "Let me." before dragging the suitcase with him, following the driver to the car which would take them to the hotel by the beach they rented for the vacation. After getting inside the car and had it drive off towards the hotel, he turned to look at her. The awkwardness was definitely still there as even though they are married, they still sleeping in different rooms, but Jaehyun couldn't deny the attraction he felt for Andria, but then again who wouldn't like a woman like her? She's smart, has a pretty smile, a good cook and beautiful; plus she has a great personality too which brought curiosity to him as of why she would agree to marry someone like him on the first place even though it's from an arranged marriage because of their parents. "So" he started, "Are you looking forward to this trip? It's kinda a last-minute decision too. I'm sorry if this messed your schedules up."