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Even as the images started to fade he never forgot anything about her.
He never could forget her pink lips. Her long hair. The gentle smile she threw his way whenever she caught him staring at her.
Which was often.
The beauty marks on her skin, the way she bit her lips when she was pensive, when she twirled her hair when she was nervous.
The way the sunlight reflected off her skin when they were outside laying in the grass. The way the moonlight illuminated her and made her look radiant as ever.
He remembered it all.
He loved it all.
She had chosen him.
"It's always been you, Jihyun."
He remembers that day so vividly. The day she ran into his embrace and refused to leave. The day she burrowed herself into his heart and made him alive again.
He still can't believe it.
But he would never give it up.
--
The memory he clings to the most is the night of their first time. He was rubbing her back and smiling, listening as her quiet breathing had started to lull him to sleep.
She stirred and looks up at him, reaching up to his cheek to guide him to kiss her. Her lips were soft and warm and pink and they brought him to his knees every time.
"Wait," she said. "Wait right here, I'll be right back."
She leapt off the bed and walked out of their room. His eyes never left her body; the way her hips swayed, the way her hair moved as she walked.
He was so in love.
He pulled the sheets up to his neck and smiled to himself.
The sheets smelled of her.
This was his heaven.
He closed his eyes and let sleep take him over.
He felt a weight dip on the bed and a soft giggle.
"Jihyun~" she cooed.
He bit his lip and smiled. "Aren't you tired, my love?"
Click.
"Stay like that, don't move baby!"
Click. Click.
She was kneeling in front of him and taking photos.
"Huh, what?" He asked as he rubbed his eyes.
"You are so photogenic, my god."
His face turned bright red.
"God you are so...stunning."
He looked up at her and smiled, laughing after she had taken his picture.
"Is it my turn now?"
"No! You take my pictures all the time," she pouted. "It's my turn to admire you."
She straddled him and focused the lens, playing with the settings like he had taught her to. She was becoming quite the wiz with the camera, but she never really got to use it much.
He was still taking pictures all the time.
Of her.
And nature.
But mostly of her in nature.
He moved to push his hair out of his eyes but she stopped him and took another picture.
"Let's see how it turned out!"
She laid down next to him and browsed the files, praising him for being so naturally beautiful in each one.
She was so cute. Too cute. He swore he would die from it one day.
"Let me take one of you, please?"
She shook her head.
"How about one of us?"
"One" turned into about 30 pictures, each with a different pose that she had insisted trying. As he looked at her while she picked out her favorites, his heart swelled. She was perfect and made him in turn feel like he mattered. Like he had a purpose.
"Hey wait I-" she started as he took the camera out of her hands and placed it on the nightstand, and before she started again he silenced her with a kiss, wrapping his arms around her and combing his hands through her hair.
"You know," he starts. "I meant what I said earlier."
"Huh?" she asked. Her lips were pink and her face was flushed. He would never get over that sight.
"About kissing you everywhere."
That brought the color back into her face.
"O-oh?"
"Mhmm," he was teasing her now. "And I think there were some spots I missed..."
--
"What do you think of that?" He had asked one day. It was a lazy Saturday afternoon, too rainy outside for a walk or a photo shoot, so TV and cuddling was the next best thing. A gossip show was on and they were both laughing and making fun of the antics that appeared on screen.
"Hmm, what?"
"That, the ring."
A famous couple had just gotten engaged and the hosts were debating how much the ring had cost and what dress the bride would wear.
"Ah, it's nice I guess?"
"You guess?"
"I mean..." she sighed. "The size or price of the ring doesn't matter, right? It's the gesture and meaning behind it. A ring from a coin machine in a grocery store means the same thing, as long as the same intentions are behind it, right?"
"I see," Jihyun commented. "I better return the $50,000 ring I just bought for you."
She looked up at him and stuck her tongue out.
"Oh now I'm definitely returning it," he yelled before tackling her to the couch and tickling her sides.
--
"Need some air?" came a voice from behind.
You turned around and smiled. It was a cool evening outside and the sun had just started to set. Jumin had organized a dinner with everyone at one of the best restaurants in the city and while the conversation had been fun and the food had been amazing, you found yourself wanting to go outside and check the view out. The sun was setting, enveloping the balcony and the inside of the restaurant in a warm golden glow. The city looked spectacular from up here.
But Jihyun looked better.
"I just wanted to come and see it for myself you know?"
He nodded and walked over to you, wrapping his arms around your waist and kissing your cheek before resting his chin on your shoulder.
"It's so beautiful, right?"
"It is," you responded. "Want to take a picture?"
Jihyun shook his head. "I just want to exist in this moment."
The two of you stood like that for a while, just enjoying the view and combined noise of the patrons inside and the bustle of the city.
"I love you so much," he whispered.
"And I love you."
"No it's just..." He was smiling against your neck and he gripped you tighter. "You really have no idea."
You turned to look at him, how could you not know? He told you every day how much he adored you. He went out of his way to text you and let you know he was thinking about you.
"Jihyun, I-"
"I just...I don't mean to interrupt but I just...you've been wonderful. I wake up to you every day and I feel so alive. For the first time I feel like I have a real purpose.
For the first time in a long time I look forward to each day we have together. I look forward to making meals and laughing at shows and even hearing you sing when you think I can't hear you."
You were so red right now. What was he doing?
"You don't get angry at me for having poor eyesight. You help me and you're understanding and you never ask for anything in return."
You turned to look at him, pushing his hair back from his face. His eyes were soft and glistening.
"All I've ever wanted is you."
"And you have me forever," he said with a smile before reaching into his cardigan pocket.
Oh.
He got down on one knee.
Oh.
He had a clear plastic container with a red lid in his hands. It looked like he was so nervous he might pass out at any moment.
"You had said this was ok, a while ago. As long as the meaning was there. I mean to spend the rest of my life making you feel as happy and alive as you've made me. So," he asked, removing the lid, revealing a small diamond ring, silver with designs around the stone. "Will you marry me?"
You gasped.
What else could you say?
"Yes!"
He smiled and grabbed the ring out of the container, almost dropping it on the ground but managing to slowly slide it in your finger. He kissed the ring, the back of your hand, and the palm of your hand before slowly standing up and cupping your cheek in his hand before guiding you into a soft kiss.
You broke apart and giggled. "Which coin machine did you get this out of?" you joked.
He smiled and wiped his eyes on the back of his sleeve. "A special one just for you."
You stood on your tip toes to kiss him again but you were interrupted by clapping.
It seems that the rest of the RFA members were standing by the door leading to the outside and had been watching the entire time. Yoosung even had Jihyuns camera around his neck. Jaehee was dabbing her eyes with a tissue and Zen was looking like he might break at any moment.
"You know," Luciel started. "I have to say that was adorable. But I call dibs on being the flower girl."
Jihyun rolled his eyes and sighed. "We'll see about that, won't we?"
Luciel shrugged. "I don't really see any takers, unless Elly can pull a dress off better than I can."
--
Luciel was indeed the flower girl on your wedding day, looking as beautiful as ever as he walked down the isle flinging rose petals in every direction.
Jihyun had insisted on having the wedding sooner than later because he didn't know how bad his eyesight was going to get.
"I want to see you walk down the isle. That could be my last memory on Earth and it would be enough for me," he had commented.
So as you walked down the isle, dress trailing behind you, towards him, you bit your lip and smiled. He looked so beautiful, so happy.
And as you stood there facing each other you noticed his eyes watering as he stared into your eyes.
"You're beautiful," he mouthed.
"And you're all mine," you mouthed back.
The vows were exchanged and when it was time for you to say 'I do', you got a little choked up.
But his voice actually broke when he said it.
--
Jihyun would never forget her. The way she looked that day or that night, or the many nights he spent worshipping every curve, every plane of her body. He'll never forget her reading to him when words started to fade away or having her describe the sunset to him.
"It's purple and pink tonight, you can still see it right?"
He would nod. But it wasn't what he was looking at.
It was her.
It's always been her.
And he believes it now.