It was already past 5 p.m. when Mina gently shook me awake. Her soft voice called my name, and when I groggily opened my eyes, her adorable pout greeted me.

"Chaeyoung, wake up! It's getting late. We don't even have groceries for dinner," she said, trying to sound stern, though the smile tugging at her lips gave her away.

Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I sat up and stretched. "Why didn't you wake me up earlier?"

"I did," she replied with a sigh. "You just rolled over and hugged the pillow like it owed you money."

I laughed sheepishly. "Okay, okay. Let's go shopping."

Mina asked what I wanted for dinner as we walked to the supermarket, her hand snug in mine. "You decide," I said. "Anything you cook tastes amazing. I trust the Chef Mina special!"

"Flattery won't get you out of doing the dishes later," she teased with a smirk.

At the supermarket, we decided to change our SIM cards to keep our new life private. Mina made a big deal about how I was now only reachable by her, Hyuga, and Gin. "You're under strict wife surveillance," she joked.

After stocking up on groceries, we were heading to the checkout when Mina's eyes caught something in the baby section. A small, knitted pair of baby shoes sat on display, and before I could say anything, she was holding them up, her face glowing with excitement.

"Chaeyoung, look! Aren't these adorable?"

"They are," I replied, smiling at how her eyes sparkled.

"Someday, we'll buy these for our baby," she said softly, her voice full of hope.

"Yeah," I said, stepping behind her and wrapping my arms around her waist. "Someday."

She blushed, nudged me playfully, and we made our way home, laughing and chatting about nothing and everything.

Back at home, Mina decided on Guay Teow and Som Tam for dinner—noodle soup and a salad. While she cooked, I sat nearby, trying to steal tastes when she wasn't looking.

"Son Chaeyoung, behave!" she scolded, swatting my hand away with a wooden spoon.

"Just a little bite!" I pleaded.

"You'll get your fill soon enough," she said, rolling her eyes but smiling.

When dinner was finally ready, the aroma filled the room, and my stomach growled like it was auditioning for a movie. The food was incredible, as always.

"Chef Mina, you've outdone yourself again," I said, slurping up noodles like a kid.

Mina raised an eyebrow and pointed at the table. "It's like I'm eating with a 5-year-old! Look at all these dropped noodles!"

I grinned mischievously. "Soon you'll be a mom, so consider this practice."

She pinched my arm lightly. "If you don't clean up, I'll 'practice' by disciplining you first."

After we finished eating, Mina told me to clean up. I didn't argue. "Don't worry, I'll handle the dishes. You've done enough today. Go rest."

She disappeared into the bedroom, and I got to work. Just as I was rinsing the last dish, I felt arms wrap around my waist. I nearly dropped the plate.

"Holy—Mina! I thought you were in bed!"

She laughed at my startled reaction. "I don't want to sleep alone. I need my cuddles," she said, resting her cheek against my back.

I chuckled and turned around, ruffling her hair. "Give me five more minutes. Then we can cuddle for as long as you want."

After locking the doors and double-checking everything, I joined Mina in bed. As always, she used my arm as her pillow, nuzzling against me like a content kitten.

"Do you miss your family?" I asked her softly.

She nodded slightly. "I do," she admitted. Then, after a pause, she added, "But I can't imagine living without you, Chaeyoung."

Her words hit me straight in the heart. "I'm the luckiest guy alive to have you, Mina," I said, kissing her forehead.

She smiled, closing her eyes. "Don't forget it."

And with that, she fell asleep in my arms, her steady breaths the sweetest sound in the world. This life wasn't perfect, but with her beside me, it felt like it could be.

Months had passed, and Mina and I had settled into our little world, living like a real married couple. Despite the occasional hardships, I found myself enjoying life more than I ever had. I worked at a local restaurant as a waiter, and when they were short-staffed, I'd also pitch in as a delivery guy. It wasn't easy—sometimes I barely got three hours of sleep—but I did it willingly. Mina was everything to me, and I was determined to provide for her and support her dreams, no matter what.

Today was different, though. After weeks of working non-stop, my boss gave me three days off as a reward for my hard work. I was excited to spend the time with Mina. I had been planning a surprise for us—a little trip to explore the beauty of Chiang Ria province, and I had a few things in mind that would make it extra special.

I started my day by heading to the supermarket to stock up on groceries. I was planning to cook for her, and I wanted to make sure we had everything we needed. As I walked through the aisles, I couldn't help but notice the baby section. My heart skipped a beat when I saw the same knitted baby shoes that Mina had admired when we first arrived here. She had mentioned how cute they were, and that one day, we'd buy things like that for our own child.

Though we weren't quite there yet—Mina wasn't pregnant—I couldn't help but imagine us as parents. So, with a smile, I picked up the tiny shoes. I wanted to be ready, just in case. Maybe, just maybe, we would start our own little family sooner than we thought.

When I got home, I was greeted with a familiar sight: the two idiots, Gin and Hyuga, had somehow managed to park right in front of our house. My heart leapt. It had been months since we had seen each other—months since life had changed so drastically for all of us. It was a mix of happiness, relief, and pure excitement when I saw them get out of the car. The moment they saw me, they practically jumped on me, wrapping me in a bear hug and bouncing up and down like we were still in junior high.

Mina and Chanda, who had been watching from a distance, giggled. "Hey, we're jealous, stop it!" they teased in unison.

I couldn't help but laugh as I returned the hug, feeling like I was 15 again. Those two idiots had been by my side through thick and thin, and I couldn't believe it had been this long since we'd all been together.

Once we broke apart, I asked what brought them to visit. They grinned and said, "We missed you, and we want a tour of your new place!"

"I'm off work for three days," I said, my smile widening. "How about we all go to Doi Pu Muen tomorrow? I planned on taking Mina, but you guys should join us."

"Sounds great!" Gin responded, his eyes lighting up. Hyuga gave a quick nod of agreement.

That night, Mina and Chanda cooked a delicious dinner together—Mina's Guay Teow and Som Tam were always a hit. After the meal, Chanda and Mina decided to clean up, saying we should enjoy the evening together. Gin, Hyuga, and I grabbed a few beers and made our way to the nearest convenience store.

As we sat there, drinking and reminiscing about old times, Gin and Hyuga reminded me to stay vigilant. "You never know what's coming next," Gin said, his expression serious for once. "Mina's parents are still searching for her. They'll do whatever it takes, and they have power on their side."

Hyuga added, "You've been careful, right? They can't know you're here. We'll be alright, but stay alert."

I nodded, feeling a slight weight in my chest. I had always been careful, but hearing their warnings made me realize how far things had come. "Don't worry," I assured them. "We've got this. Besides, they'd never think we'd be here."

Once the night wound down, we returned to the house, where Chanda and the guys decided to stay at a hotel nearby. "See you tomorrow, moron!" Hyuga yelled from the car window as they drove off, and I threw a playful punch at the air, though I knew he was just trying to get a reaction out of me.

After they left, I locked the door behind us and turned to Mina. "Finally, we're alone. You're mine!" I teased, pulling her into my arms and tickling her. She squirmed and laughed, trying to escape, but I wasn't letting go.

"I miss you," I whispered in her ear, squeezing her tighter.

"Why?" she asked, her voice soft, still catching her breath from the tickling.

"Because every day I'm away from you feels incomplete," I replied, my heart swelling. "I don't want to miss another moment."

She kissed me gently on the lips and smiled. "I miss you more when you're not here," she said, her fingers tracing the curve of my jaw.

I pulled out the baby shoes I had bought earlier and showed them to her. She gasped, her eyes sparkling as she held them in her hands like they were the most precious thing in the world.

"I wish we could have a baby soon," she said, her voice filled with hope and longing.

"Why?" I asked, my heart racing a little.

She paused, then smirked. "Because if I'm pregnant, my parents won't be able to separate us. They'll have no choice but to accept that we're a family."

I chuckled, shaking my head at how clever she was. "Well, for me, I just want our own version of our little princess. Someone who'll look like you—beautiful and perfect in every way."

Mina giggled and tapped my chest playfully. "Or our little prince, who'll have your deep dimple and charm. Let's keep these shoes safe for now, though. They're a reminder of what we'll build together."

I smiled, pulling her closer. "We'll build it all, Mina. One step at a time."

As we sat there, holding each other, I realized that no matter what the future held—whether it was the complications with her parents or the challenges we would face together—nothing could take away what we had. The love, the trust, and the friendship. And, of course, the dreams of one day holding our little one in our arms.

For now, we had each other. And that was enough.

It was 7 AM when Chanda picked us up, the early morning sun shining brightly as we made our way to Doi Chang. Chanda, as always, was full of energy, singing along to her favorite song, clearly in a good mood.

"What a beautiful sunny day!" she exclaimed, her hands gripping the steering wheel as she hummed along to the music.

"I really like this place," she continued, glancing at Gin, who was looking out the window, lost in thought. "The province is so much better than the city. Gin, I'm serious, after you graduate, I want us to live here."

Gin didn't respond at first, still zoning out. We all waited for his reply, but it didn't come. Chanda raised an eyebrow and nudged him hard in the side.

"Hey! Earth to Gin!" she said, her voice a mix of annoyance and playfulness.

Gin, snapping out of his daydream, cracked a wide grin. "I'm just teasing you, my queen," he said, chuckling.

Chanda rolled her eyes dramatically. "Anything you want, my queen? Really? You better watch it," she said, shaking her head.

Hyuga, who had been silent up until now, suddenly piped up from the backseat. "Hey, stop it! I don't like the atmosphere in here," he said, his voice dripping with annoyance.

We all turned to look at him, and Chanda couldn't resist. "You're only saying that because you're the only single one in this group! If you're annoyed, I can always drop you off here," she teased, grinning mischievously.

We all burst out laughing at her statement. Chanda always had a way of getting under Hyuga's skin, and we all loved it.

As we approached Doi Chang, the scenery started to change, and the anticipation of reaching the top began to build. I looked at Mina and asked, "You ready?"

She nodded, and I reached out to take her backpack, but she refused.

"I already have mine," she said firmly.

I sighed, trying again. "I can carry it in front of me. It won't be a problem."

But she shook her head, not budging.

I extended my hand with a playful smile. "May I?"

Mina, after a moment's hesitation, took my hand. Just as I thought we were finally getting somewhere, we heard Hyuga's voice echoing toward us.

"Hey, idiot, are you coming or what?" he yelled.

I glared in his direction. "I don't have any rocks with me right now, but get ready. I'll get back to you later, idiot," I muttered under my breath, grinning wickedly.

When we finally made it to the top, the view was even more stunning than I had imagined. The sunlight bathed the landscape in a warm glow, while the cool breeze made everything feel like paradise. We set up our tents, unpacking all the food we'd brought along for the trip.

Mina stood by the edge of the cliff, taking it all in, and I walked over to her, wrapping my arms around her waist.

"Mina," I said softly, resting my head on her shoulder. "Do you remember the day we went to Doi Pha Hom Pok?"

She nodded, her smile soft and sweet.

"That was the best thing that ever happened to me," I added, my voice low and sincere.

Mina's smile widened, and she leaned her head against mine, clearly moved. But I wasn't done teasing her.

I leaned closer and whispered in her ear, "Do you want to do it again here?"

Mina instantly pinched my ear hard, and I winced. "Ow! Okay, okay, I was just kidding!" But she wasn't done. She continued pinching my ear, and I could hear her muttering "Pervert" under her breath.

I chuckled, but then she slapped the top of my head a few times. "Pervert!" she repeated, walking away from me toward Chanda, who was laughing at the scene.

Gin, Hyuga, and Chanda all stood nearby, watching the exchange with wide eyes. They were clearly shocked at Mina's sudden "brutal side."

Rubbing my sore ear, I winced and whispered to myself, "How I wish I hadn't teased her."

I walked over to where Gin and Hyuga were setting up the tents. Gin couldn't hold back his laughter.

"Bro, she's scary," he whispered, shaking his head. "Now I know why you always obey her. I'd be scared too."

Hyuga, never one to shy away from a joke, added, "Maybe it's best if we just work quietly. I don't want to die in here and have no one find my body. I mean, look at her. She's terrifying."

We all burst into laughter at his dramatic tone, and for a moment, it was just like old times. Even though life had gotten more complicated, we still had each other, and that was all that mattered.

As we worked, I glanced over at Mina, who was talking with Chanda, still a little upset with me. I chuckled quietly. I had to admit, she was adorable even when she was mad, and I was lucky to have her. But I made a mental note to be more careful with my teasing from now on.

"Next time," I said to myself, "I'll just keep my mouth shut."

But I couldn't help it. I had always loved teasing Mina, and deep down, I knew she liked it too—at least when she wasn't pinching my ears off.

The sunset was breathtaking. The sky painted in hues of pink, orange, and gold, as the warm glow cast a magical spell on everything around us. The mountain air was cool, but the heat from the setting sun still clung to our skin as we sat together, admiring the view. It was peaceful up here, the kind of tranquility you only get when you're far away from the noise of the world.

"Hey, I guess that five years from now, we should come back here again!" Gin said, his voice full of enthusiasm as he leaned back against a tree.

I smiled at his words, the thought of returning here with everyone a comforting one. "Yeah, together with our kids," I replied, my heart swelling at the idea.

Hyuga laughed from where he was sitting, his head tilted back as he soaked in the last rays of sunlight. "Oh, it's easy for you guys to say that because you already have a girlfriend," he teased, his tone light but with a hint of mock jealousy.

Hyuga snorted, rolling his eyes as he lounged on the grass. "I thought you had a girlfriend?" Mina asked, her voice full of confusion as she turned to him.

Hyuga gave a sly grin. "Well, girlfriends," he emphasized the word girlfriends with an exaggerated tone. Mina's eyes widened in surprise, and everyone else burst into laughter.

"Yeah. I have three of them," he said nonchalantly, "So it's really hard for me to choose which one to be with."

We all laughed louder, the absurdity of his statement making everything feel light-hearted and carefree.

"I thought you broke up with Youko and Mai?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

Hyuga scratched the back of his head sheepishly. "Nope. It's really hard to hurt their feelings, you know?"

"Idiot," Gin and I said in unison, both shaking our heads at his ridiculousness.

Hyuga just shrugged, a cheeky smile on his face.

"Okay, let's promise each other something," I said, my voice steady but serious as I looked around at all of them. "In five years, let's come back here to Doi Chang, and we'll watch this beautiful sunset again."

They all nodded in agreement, their expressions thoughtful as the weight of the promise settled between us. We shouted "Yes!" in unison, the sound echoing across the mountain, filled with laughter and excitement. It was hard to describe the happiness I felt at that moment—surrounded by friends who had been with me through thick and thin, all of us looking forward to a future we hadn't fully seen yet.

Gin, as usual, was the first to break the silence. "So let's meet again here after five years!" he said, grinning like a child who had just made the best plan in the world.

Hyuga rolled his eyes but smiled, shaking his head. "I guess I have no choice but to say yes, as long as you two are here," he replied, raising a brow at us.

I turned to Mina, who was sitting beside me, looking out at the horizon. "Mina," I said softly, "I guess by that time, we'll have our own baby. And we'll bring him or her here the next time we climb up this mountain."

She turned to me, her eyes glowing with warmth. She smiled gently, a soft, loving smile that made my heart flutter. "Our own version of little Chaeyoung," she said, her voice tender and full of hope.

I chuckled, feeling a rush of affection. "Yeah, our little one. Maybe they'll even have your beautiful smile."

Gin, who had been standing up, pulling out his knife, suddenly shouted, "Alright! We need to write our names here on this tree so we can't forget our promise! And later, we can add the names of our kids!"

With that, he started carving his name into the bark of a nearby tree. The rest of us followed suit, each one of us taking turns to write our names on the sturdy trunk, a mark of our friendship and our bond. As we carved our names, I couldn't help but imagine what the future would be like—what our lives would look like in five years, and how our families would grow.

After we finished, we stood there for a moment, all of us taking in the beauty of the moment. The sun had set, and the world was slowly darkening, but we didn't need the light to see the smiles on each other's faces.

We were all looking forward to the future, to seeing each other again in five years, right here in this same spot, with our future kids.

Our future little Mina or little Chaeyoung.

And when that day came, we would remember this sunset and this promise—a promise that, no matter where life took us, we would always come back together, and the bond we shared would never fade.

As I turned to Mina, who was standing next to me, her hand in mine, I felt a deep sense of peace. The future was uncertain, but one thing was for sure—we would face it together. And in five years, we'd return to this place, not just as