Part19: Forever Begins With You

INTRO

Four years of love have passed,

yet the memory of their first kiss remains.

The sunset, the confession—

every moment lingers, untouched by time.

The years have changed them,

but their love has only grown stronger.

Now, standing on the edge of a new beginning,

will they take the next step forward?

"WORK"

Three years since Angelo's graduation.

Now, here he is—

at work, in front of his laptop,

lines of code filling the screen.

He types effortlessly,

but his mind wanders.

What if he never met Kate again in college?

Would his life be the same?

No, he knows it wouldn't.

Every day, he thanks God for her—

his loving, beautiful, and brilliant girlfriend.

She is his greatest blessing,

his greatest motivation.

And soon, she will be his greatest commitment.

A plan he has long kept in his heart

is finally unfolding.

Slowly, carefully, perfectly.

Because when you love someone,

you don't just dream of forever—

you build it.

"OUR HOME"

Kate arrives home, exhausted but content.

She stands at the gate,

gazing at the house before her.

No—their house.

She still can't believe it.

With her earnings as an accountant

and Angelo's as a developer,

they built this place together.

A home they both dreamed of.

"Ahh... a place to come home to after a tiring day.

Our place."

The thought makes her cheeks warm.

"It feels like just yesterday

when we finally moved in.

We made it so far…

But this is only the beginning.

With him by my side,

there's nothing to be afraid of."

And just like that,

an image of Angelo fills her mind.

"With him, nothing can scare me."

She smiles.

Then, a voice from behind—

"What are you doing outside?"

Before she can turn around,

warm arms wrap around her.

"I'm home, my love."

"MY LIFE"

Angelo drives home after work,

but the sight of Kate at the gate makes him pause.

She stands there, deep in thought,

completely unaware of his presence.

He parks a little farther away.

He wants to surprise her.

The thoughts he had this morning return to him.

This is it.

This is the life he wants forever.

A life where he comes home to her.

A life where she stands beside him,

not just as his love,but as his wife.

He steps out of the car,

quietly approaches her from behind,

then—

"What are you doing outside, my love?"

She turns,

and before she can answer,

he wraps his arms around her.

"It's cold out here."

He holds her tighter.

"I'm home."

Kate rests her hand on his head, smiling softly.

"Welcome back, my love."

"GETTING READY"

Unbeknownst to Kate,

Angelo has been preparing something in secret.

He has been busier than usual,

but it's not just work keeping him occupied.

Every free moment is spent

on calls, errands, meetings—

all leading up to this moment.

And now,

the hardest part of his plan is here.

Angelo finds himself standing at Kate's family home,

about to have a conversation

that will change everything.

"ASKING PERMISSION"

He had called in advance,

asking for the perfect time to speak.

And now, as he sits before Kate's parents,

he feels his heart pounding.

He knows this house well,

but tonight, it feels different.

Yet, he doesn't let his nerves show.

He takes a deep breath,

gathers his courage,

and speaks.

"Mother, Father…

I've been thinking about this for a long time.

Today, I stand before you,

not just as Kate's boyfriend,

but as a man ready to take the next step.

I want to continue being her source of happiness,

to hold her hand for the rest of my life.

May I have the honor of your blessing?"

Silence.

Then—sudden laughter.

Kate's mother shakes her head, smiling.

"My goodness.

Here I was, wondering why you needed our time so urgently."

She reaches out, guiding him to sit between them.

"It's been seven years since you two started dating.

Do you think we would ever oppose this?"

Kate's father chuckles.

"Honestly, I admire your effort,

but you never needed our permission.

Our actions should have made it obvious—

we've already accepted you as family."

Her mother nods, then smirks playfully.

"But still, if you're asking officially…

Then yes, Angelo.

You have our blessing."

Angelo exhales, relief washing over him.

Kate's father pats his shoulder.

"We've already taken you as our son.

Now, go make her the happiest woman in the world."

Kate's mother grins.

"Though, I can't guarantee she'll say yes."

Angelo laughs nervously,

but deep inside,

he knows her answer.

"MORE CONFIDENT"

Angelo drives home,

a smile tugging at his lips.

For the first time,

he feels more confident than ever.

This is it.

The last step.

Kate's answer—

the final piece to complete his plan.

All his hard work,

all his careful preparations,

it all leads to this moment.

He hums as he drives,

his heart light,

his excitement growing.

Tonight, everything changes.

"THE DAY!"

Night falls by the time Kate arrives home.

She opens the gate—

and freezes.

Before her lies a path of rose petals,

lined with soft candlelight.

At her feet,

an arrow points toward the path,

with a note beside it:

"Walk here."

She smiles, finding it adorable.

Without hesitation, she follows the path.

When she reaches the doorstep,

she notices a small table beside the door.

A bouquet of roses rests upon it,

along with a note:

"Carry me."

Her heart flutters.

She picks up the bouquet,

inhales its scent,

and blushes at the little hearts and emojis drawn on the note.

"What awaits me inside?"

She wonders, gripping the bouquet tightly.

She pushes the door open.

Inside, the rose path continues,

guiding her into the living room.

Then, it stops.

And suddenly—

The TV turns on.

A video begins playing.

Moments of their love story appear on the screen—

Their first sunset together.

A kiss scene.

Graduation.

Moving into their home.

Every date, every cherished memory.

And then—

Angelo's voice echoes from the speakers.

"MY LOVE"

"Hello, my love.

How was work today?

Are you tired?"

"Did my little surprise make you happy?"

"Actually…

I've been meaning to ask you this lately."

"Did I make you happy?

Has my love been enough?"

"Because for me, your love has always been enough."

"You are my first love,

and you will also be my last."

"That is why I planned all of this today—

to ask you something important."

"You know what?

I have never forgotten a single detail of our relationship."

"From the moment we shared a sunset and a kiss...

to our graduations, our first home together,

every date, every moment in between."

"I have kept every memory close to my heart."

"In fact, I've written so many letters

just to make sure I never forget any of it."

"And in every letter, you are the center of my story."

"Because that's what you are, Kate—

the center of my life."

"My love."

"I could never picture myself without you by my side."

"My little gangster Kate."

"My bold senior, the one who dared to approach me first."

"The one beautiful enough to capture my attention from miles away."

"The one strong enough to keep our love standing tall."

"No matter what you wear, you are the most beautiful to me."

"I knew from the start

that I could never let you go."

"So I did everything to keep you close."

"Even though I can't handle spicy food, I still eat it for you."

"Even though horror movies aren't my thing, I still watch them with you."

"I'm not forcing myself—

I'm just happy to experience the things that make you happy."

"Because that's what I want most of all."

"To be your main source of happiness."

"And now, my love…"

"For the last time, may I ask you something?"

"THE PROPOSAL"

"So for the last time, may I ask you something?"

The video fades to black.

The TV turns off.

Soft, romantic music fills the air,

its gentle melody wrapping around Kate like a warm embrace.

Then—

she sees him.

Angelo steps forward,

his eyes locked onto hers.

Tears blur her vision.

The video, the memories, the words he spoke—

they had stirred something deep inside her.

Her past with him flashes before her eyes,

every moment they had shared,

every milestone they had reached together.

He reaches out,

his fingertips brushing against her cheek,

gently wiping away her tears.

"I never meant to make you cry, my love,"

he whispers.

His voice is warm, tender—

filled with the kind of love that has no end.

"Kate..."

He takes her hands, holding them close.

"Your hands are so soft… and they will always stay in mine."

Then, he lifts them to his lips,

pressing a soft kiss against her knuckles.

"I think it's finally time for us to have a clear status."

His voice carries steady resolve,

but there's a tremor of emotion beneath it.

"My love…

You know how I always wanted to call you my wife so proudly?"

"I can't wait any longer to do so.

"Kate gasps as he slowly lowers himself to one knee.

Her heart pounds.

She watches, breathless,

as he pulls a small box from his pocket,

his hands trembling slightly.

The lid flips open.

Inside, a rose gold ring gleams,

shimmering under the candlelight.

"I have dedicated this moment to you."

"It would be my greatest honor to be your lifetime partner—

to be the one who grows old by your side."

"I can't picture my life without you, Kate."

"So here I am..."

His voice is steady now,

his love and devotion shining through every word.

"May I have this chance?

Will you marry me?"

"YES"

Kate's exhaustion from work—

gone.

The rose path at the gate.

The bouquet of roses at the door.

The video of their love story.

His heartfelt poem.

And now, him—kneeling before her.

It all feels surreal.

Everything crashes into her at once,

her heart swelling,

her emotions overflowing.

She had long imagined this moment.

She had even thought of planning her own proposal.

But this—

this is perfect.

The words he spoke, the effort he put in—

it only proved what she already knew.

She had always known how much Angelo loved her.

What he didn't know…

was that after discovering the letters he wrote for them,

she had secretly continued reading them,

one by one.

Every word,

every memory,

every feeling he poured into those letters—

she felt it all.

And she, too, loved him just as much.

She looks down at him,

still kneeling,

visibly shaking.

How could I ever say anything but yes?

Yes to a life with him.

Yes to all the love he's given me.

Yes to forever.

Tears filled her eyes as she smiled.

"YES, I will marry you."

Kate's voice is soft yet firm, filled with certainty.

The moment the words leave her lips,

Angelo's face lights up.

His eyes shine with joy,

his relief so visible it almost makes her laugh.

With slightly trembling hands,

he slides the ring onto her finger,

the rose gold band gleaming under the warm light.

Then, he stands—

closing the distance between them.

He cups her face gently,

leans in,

and presses a soft, lingering kiss against her lips.

It's brief,

but it holds the weight of a thousand emotions.

Then, without hesitation,

he pulls her into his arms.

A deep, tight, unrelenting embrace.

As if letting go was never an option.

"Thank you…" he whispers against her hair.

Again. And again.

Kate smiles, feeling his warmth,

his arms wrapped so securely around her.

She hugs him just as tightly.

No more words are needed.

In this moment—

they have everything.

"AFTER THE HUG"

After holding each other for what felt like forever,

they finally pulled away,

their hearts still racing.

Kate tilted her head, grinning.

"You were shaking so much. Were you that scared I'd say no?"

Angelo let out a soft laugh,

rubbing the back of his neck.

"Terrified. But I would've asked again and again until you said yes."

Her eyes widened slightly before she playfully threw small punches at his

chest,

overwhelmed by the romantic excitement.

He caught her wrists,

laughing as he pulled her closer.

Both of them were completely lost in the moment—happy, in love, and ready

for their future together.

Then, Kate leaned in, standing on her toes to whisper in his ear,

"I was actually planning to propose to you too… but you beat me to it."

She pulled back with a teasing smirk, watching his eyes widen in surprise.

Angelo blinked.

"Wait, seriously?"

Kate just giggled, a thought setting deep in her mind.

"Soon… I'll be his wife."

OUTRO:

With the proposal complete,

the final chapter begins.

From lovers to husband and wife—

here they come.