This chapter is rated M.

"Mom!" Soo Ryeon surged forward enthusiastically to hug her mom, while Logan remained in the doorway, still trying to process the latest turn of events. Finally, he tentatively stepped forward to offer his mother-in-law a less-than-enthusiastic hug.

"What are you doing here?" Soo Ryeon asked.

"Does a mother need an excuse to visit her only daughter and son-in-law?" Yeo Hee asked. "Besides, tomorrow is Mother's Day, and Stella invited me to come and see the show you're in." She paused to look over the young couple. "You two look nice. How was the reunion?"

"It was so much fun!" Soo Ryeon gushed.

"Yeah, it was great to see everybody. Soo Ryeon and Seo Jin put in a lot of hours to make sure everything went smoothly," Logan added proudly.

"You have to meet Dong Pil's fiancée, Mari," Soo Ryeon continued enthusiastically. "She's a wonderful girl, just perfect for Dong Pil. They're getting married in October."

"Oh, I've already met Mari and the baby," Yeo Hee replied nonchalantly. "Gyu Jin and Sang Ah's girls, too. They're such sweethearts. I babysat for them a few weeks ago so Gyu Jin and Sang Ah could have a date night."

Soo Ryeon's eyes widened. "You see our friends in New York? You take care of their kids?"

"Well, yes," Yeo Hee answered. "Why does that surprise you? You brought us together when you came to visit a couple months ago, remember? It's nice to see your school friends once in awhile—they help me feel closer to you."

"And ease your conscience about not visiting your daughter," Logan muttered.

"Logan." Soo Ryeon's tone warned him to stay out of it, and it was accompanied by a restraining hand on his stomach.

"I visit when I have time," Yeo Hee defended. "You live all the way across the world. It only takes a few hours to go to Greenwich Village and eat at Dong Pil's restaurant or see Gyu Jin and Sang Ah's show. Besides, I enjoy spoiling the little ones. It's fun to play grandma once in awhile. It may be the only chance I get."

Soo Ryeon stepped back as if she'd been slapped. Her hands flew up to cover her mouth, and Logan's thread of control snapped. "'Play grandma'? Maybe you should try playing mom for a change! Your daughter has a right to have you in her life whether she gives you grandchildren or not."

"Logan, this is between me and my daughter," Yeo Hee fired back.

"The hell it is!" Logan's voice rose as he grew angrier. "Your daughter is my wife, and I'm not going to stand back and let you hurt her like this. Do you think Soo Ryeon and I are happy that we haven't conceived? It's been hard on both of us, but particularly on her. You have no idea what she's been through in the past few months. She needs her mother to offer some love, understanding and support, not to make her feel like she's failed you somehow. She deserves better from you, Yeo Hee, and you know it."

"Don't tell me what my daughter deserves," Yeo Hee seethed. "I raised her on my own for ten years after her father died. I worked hard and provided a good life for her. Now that's your job. And if she's unhappy, maybe you should take a closer look at yourself and your marriage before you try to judge me!"

Soo Ryeon stepped between them, glancing at Logan before turning to her mother. "Mom, I'm not unhappy with my marriage, and I didn't marry Logan for financial support. It's not his job to provide for me. He takes care of me because he loves and supports me."

"Are you saying I don't?" Yeo Hee demanded.

"No, I'm not saying that at all," Soo Ryeon replied. "What's happened to you, Mom? Ever since you moved to New York, I feel like…" Her voice cracked and she paused, struggling to control her emotions. Logan stepped forward, reaching for her, but she halted him. "I feel like I'm losing you, just like Daddy."

"Soo Ryeon Shim, don't you dare try to make me feel guilty by bringing your father into this," Yeo Hee shouted.

"What on earth is all the yelling down here?" James and Stella had appeared in the doorway. "What's going on?"

"It's fine, Dad," Logan spoke up. "We all need to turn in for the night. We can talk tomorrow." He glanced at Yeo Hee, who was glaring at him, and then at Soo Ryeon, who was fighting back tears. He touched her arm. "Soo Ryeon?"

"Mom, dad, we're okay," Soo Ryeon agreed softly. "Go on back to bed." They nodded and retreated, and Soo Ryeon turned to look up at her husband. "Logan, I need to talk to my mom. Alone." He started to protest, but she cut him off. "Please. Go on to bed. I'll be there in a few minutes."

His fingertips stroked her cheek. "Call me if you need me, okay? I love you."

"I love you too," she answered softly. She waited until Logan reluctantly went to his room and shut the door before turning back to her mother. "Okay, Mom, we need to talk."

...~«ώ»~...

Logan intended to wait up for Soo Ryeon, but as the minutes stretched past an hour, the long, stressful day took over, and he changed into pajama bottoms and laid down. Within minutes, he was asleep. He awoke hours later, alarmed when he realized that Soo Ryeon wasn't beside him. He looked at the clock. It was 3:20. He padded through the house, finding his mother-in-law asleep in the guest bedroom, but no Soo Ryeon. Then, following a hunch, Logan pulled on a sweatshirt, grabbed a blanket from the bedroom, and stepped outside. There was no sign of Soo Ryeon, but as he approached the tree house in the back yard, a small sniff confirmed his suspicions. He climbed the ladder into his childhood sanctuary.

"Soo Ryeon?" he called softly to announce his presence.

"In here," came the soft reply. She was huddled in a corner of the tree house, shivering against the cool night air. She'd changed into sweats, washed off her makeup, and let her hair down. Her cheeks revealed that she'd been crying, and she raised her head to regard him miserably.

"Oh, baby," he murmured as he settled next to her and gathered her in his arms. He expected a fresh round of tears when she relaxed against him, but she simply stared forward, her eyes glassy. "I'm sorry I fell asleep before you came to bed," he continued, watching her face. "I was worried when I woke up and you weren't there."

"I couldn't sleep," she confessed dully.

Logan unfolded the blanket and wrapped it around both of them before lifting her face to meet his eyes. "Tell me why."

Something between a laugh and a sob rolled up her throat. "Where should I begin? Mom? Gyo Jin? Or maybe the nightmares?"

"Let's start with your mom," Logan decided. "First of all, I'm sorry for getting upset with her. I'll apologize to her."

"You were right," she mumbled. "But it just… hurt so much to see the two people I love most arguing."

"I'm so sorry, sweetheart," he repeated. "I've had my opinions about your mom for awhile now, but that was the wrong time and method to voice them. And it was wrong of us to put you in the middle."

She touched his face. "Thank you, Logan. I'm sure that's more than I'll get from her."

"Did you two settle things after I left?" he asked.

"Not really," she answered sadly. "I mean, we talked, but it felt like we were just going around in circles. We didn't get to the root of the problem, and frankly, I have no idea what it is."

"Maybe you'll have a more productive talk tomorrow, after you've both had a chance to rest and think," he offered.

She shrugged noncommittally.

"Now, what about Gyo Jin?" he continued. "I told you I'd deal with her."

"I can't stop thinking about what she said," Soo Ryeon admitted softly.

"Don't tell me you actually believe that garbage," Logan challenged.

"In a way, she was just giving voice to the thoughts in my head." She sniffed again, her eyes flitting around the tree house to avoid looking at Logan, as if gathering the strength to speak. Finally, she drew a ragged breath and settled her gaze on him. "I can't help but feel like I've failed you, like not being able to get pregnant makes me less of a wife, less of a woman. I know how much you want a baby."

A heavy sigh escaped from Logan's chest as he tried to keep his frustration in check. "Sweetheart, you are an amazing wife, and nothing could change the way I feel about you. I want to have a baby with you. That part is non-negotiable. Either we do this together, or we don't do it. I didn't marry you just so you could have my babies. I married you because I'm in love with you and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. Yes, I want us to have kids together, but if we don't, I'm still going to love you with all my heart. It doesn't matter what anybody else thinks. What matters is me and you, together, for life." He paused and thought for a moment. "Tell me something. If the situation was reversed… If I was the reason we couldn't conceive a baby, would you leave me?"

"Of course not," she replied without hesitation.

"Then why is it different?" he demanded, his frustration spilling over. "How many times do I have to tell you this? How can you still doubt my commitment to you?"

She glared at him through the darkness. "Do you think I haven't noticed how you've pulled back, how you haven't been touching me the way you usually do? Before today… well, ever since my surgeries, it seems like… you're not attracted to me anymore."

He gaped at her, astounded. "How could you possibly think I'm not attracted to you?"

"Well, what am I supposed to think?" she shot back. "You've always made me feel so… so special, so loved. And I don't understand why that's been missing from our relationship, but I miss it. I miss you."

"Oh, sweetheart," he murmured, tipping her chin up. "I owe you an explanation and a big apology. I haven't pulled back because I'm not attracted to you. There hasn't been a moment since we met that I haven't been attracted to you. You are a beautiful, sexy woman, and the thing is, you don't try to be sexy, you just are. You have no idea how much that turns me on. It always has."

She shook her head. "I don't understand…"

"You've had two surgeries in a month's time, and we haven't been able to make love for weeks," he explained. "Even when you were recovering from surgery, Soo Ryeon, I still wanted you. I still craved you. I needed to be with you so badly that I was afraid if I touched you, I would lose control. I didn't want to hurt you, or start something that I couldn't finish."

"But I needed that emotional connection with you," she replied. "Why didn't you tell me?"

His head dropped. "I always try to be strong for you, to be the man you need me to be. I didn't want you to see my weakness."

"Logan, I don't want you to bury your feelings to protect me," she told him earnestly. "I need you to be my husband, to love me and comfort me the same way I love and comfort you." She looked down at her hands, fidgeted with her rings. "We promised that to one another when we got married."

"I know," he sighed. His arm tightened around her shoulders. "I'm sorry, I should have told you why I was acting the way I was. The last thing I ever want you to think is that I don't want you, because I do, every minute of every day."

"Even now?" she asked shyly.

He kissed her temple. "Especially now," he whispered huskily. "I've missed you so much."

She looked up, and his gaze followed hers. She'd opened the "skylight," and the stars twinkled above them. "Well, we're certainly not under the same roof as our parents now."

His eyes widened, belatedly realizing what she was proposing. "But we're outside, out in the open. And it's the middle of the night."

She smiled at him innocently. "So?"

"Are you sure you're ready?" he asked. "I don't want to push you." She nodded, biting her lower lip.

Determined to take it slow despite his body's desperate need for release, Logan lowered his mouth onto hers and kissed her softly. When he felt her tongue brush tentatively against his lips, he opened more fully to her, tilting his head to kiss her more deeply. His palm cupped her breast, and she moaned into his mouth. The erotic sound spurred him on, and he shifted her so she straddled his lap. Soon Soo Ryeon's hands were everywhere—in his hair, up his shirt, fumbling with the drawstring of his pajama bottoms. He grasped her backside and pulled her tight against his erection, and her hips bucked on him in response.

They broke their kiss in a gasp for breath, and clouds of condensation swirled around them as they exhaled. "Soo Ryeon, are you sure about this?" he asked again. "If it isn't right for you..."

"It is right, Logan," she said breathlessly. "Every time we make love is just right, whether it's slow or fast, in bed, in the shower, or in your tree house."

He laughed hoarsely. "I have to confess, in high school, I had the most amazing fantasy about making love to you in here. Back then I could only imagine what it would be like to be with you, but now, knowing you intimately, knowing every inch of your beautiful body, it's even better than my teenage brain could imagine."

She stroked his face. "Show me."

Logan shifted her off his lap long enough to remove his pajama pants and boxers, and swallowed hard as she stripped beside him.

"Leave your sweatshirt on," he instructed softly. "It'll help keep you warm."

"I thought that was your job," she teased, although she did as he suggested.

He pulled her back onto his lap, her legs circling his hips, but left space between their lower bodies. Her moan of disappointment turned into a pleasurable moan as his fingers slipped into the curls between her legs.

"Logan," she gasped, gripping his shoulders tightly and kissing him hard.

"I'm here, baby," he breathed into her mouth as he stroked her intimately. He slipped two fingers inside her and fought for control when he felt how warm and wet she already was. She rode his fingers, trying desperately to satisfy the ache deep inside her.

"More," Soo Ryeon demanded. "I need more."

"Take it easy, sweetheart," he instructed hoarsely. "I don't want to hurt you."

Having no interest in taking it easy, she wrapped her fingers around his penis and smiled as air hissed between his teeth. "Now."

Finally he obeyed, pulling her forward and sliding carefully inside her. For a few moments, neither breathed, neither moved, as they reveled in the overwhelming sensations of being joined at last. The feel of her in his arms, her silky warmth clutching his shaft, nearly drove him crazy.

"Are you okay?" he asked. "Does it hurt?"

"It's perfect," she sighed.

Trying to buy time, he kissed her and thrust slowly inside her. His hands dipped under her shirt and caressed her bare back as her fingers weaved through his hair. It was an incredibly intimate position, with their bodies pressed together, their hands free to roam, and their legs wrapped around one another. After being apart for so long, Logan shook as his held-back urges threatened to erupt like a volcano. He buried his face in the soft skin on the side of her neck.

"Soo Ryeon," he panted. "Oh, baby…"

Sensing his struggle for self-control, Soo Ryeon tilted her hips to meet his thrusts, driving him deeper inside her. The sensation was incredible, and she sped up the pace, urging him to follow her lead. Soon her body began to quiver, anticipating its release, and Logan clutched her tighter, flicking his tongue into her ear.

"Let it go, sweetheart," he whispered. "Remember what I told you last night? I want you to come all over my cock."

His husky voice in her ear drove her to the edge, and she dangled there for a few moments before plunging over into oblivion. Her head fell back as her lips formed a scream that never emerged. Logan held her as she writhed in his lap, caught in the sweet abyss of her orgasm. While her internal muscles continued to spasm around his shaft, Logan resumed his thrusts, no longer able to control the primal force that consumed him. He was desperate not to hurt her, but equally desperate for the release that he'd been denied for so long.

"Are… you… okay?" he forced out in time with his thrusts. "Say… something. Tell me… tell me you're okay."

Soo Ryeon framed his face with both hands, forcing him to look deeply into her eyes. "I'm more than okay, Logan. I'm ready for you. Please, don't hold back. I love you."

Logan's body momentarily relaxed, his conscience eased, before his muscles bunched and tightened once more. The power of his thrusts pushed her up off his lap, but she held his neck tightly to keep their bodies firmly joined. It took only moments before he suddenly froze, buried so deep inside that his tip brushed the opening of her womb. With a long moan, he exploded, throbbing inside her as her walls milked him dry. He relaxed against her, his body nearly limp and completely spent. She held him, running her fingers through his sweat-soaked hair, until his final tremor abated and he gently eased out of her.

As he recovered, his protective instincts quickly returned, and he retrieved their clothing. After they'd redressed, he settled his back against the corner of the tree house, pulled the blanket over both of them and gathered his lover in his arms, kissing her tenderly. She fell asleep quickly, snuggled against him, and he hoped the memory of their love-making would push away her nightmares, at least for tonight. Logan pulled out his phone and set the alarm, and then kissed her hair and went to sleep.

...~«ώ»~...

Their parents were still in bed when Logan and Soo Ryeon crept back into the house and got dressed to go to the show rehearsal. They made it to the school auditorium just before 8:00. Their classmates were already there, with the exception of Gyo Jin Lee.

"Good morning," Gyu Jin called, gathering everyone around him. "Sang Ah and I have put together a tentative order for the show, and we're going to rehearse the group numbers first, starting from the end and working backwards. When we're rehearsing numbers that you aren't involved in, you can take a seat in the audience, or find a quiet spot to rehearse your individual numbers. We hope to be able to do a full run of the show around 11:00, and then break for lunch before the show. For the group numbers, we'll do a simplified version of the original choreography so no one hurts themselves." The group laughed nervously. "Okay, we're going to start with 'We're All in This Together' from Senior Year. After that we'll move on to 'Everyday' from Midsummer's Night, followed by the group numbers from our earlier musicals. Sang Ah, let's do a quick warm-up, and then we'll dive right in."

An hour later, the group had finished the first song and was well into 'Everyday.' Despite the inadequate amount of sleep Soo Ryeon had gotten, she was energized by her body's memory of the dance steps and the joy of singing with Logan again. After their long-overdue talk and early-morning rendezvous in the tree house, she felt wonderfully close to him again, and the smoldering heat in his eyes as he sang to her revealed that he felt equally connected.

As Gyu Jin went over the next set of dance moves, the doors at the back of the theater burst open, and Gyo Jin paraded in. Her entourage was smaller this time, with her manager, assistant, and one bodyguard flanking her.

Ji Gun nudged Dong Pil. "Dude, was Gyo Jin in some big blockbuster movie that I don't know about? Because it seems like she's the only one who thinks she's famous."

"No, she's just the president of her own fan club," Dong Pil answered sardonically.

"I bet she hates that Gyu Jin and Sang Ah are more successful than she is," Seo Jin interjected. "She's pretended to be famous so long that she actually believes it."

Gyu Jin leaned over the edge of the stage to speak to his sister quietly. "Gyo Jin, you're late. We've already learned two of the group numbers. You have a lot of catching up to do."

"Oh, I'm not performing with them," she announced as if her former classmates were utterly beneath her. "I'm a professional, Gyu Jin. I'm bringing in my own back-up singers and dancers for the show. They'll be here at 10:30, so you'll need to be off the stage by then."

"Gyo Jin, this is supposed to be a representation of our years at Daegu high school, presented by our class, not some random performers you've shipped in from Vegas," he argued. "And you seem to be forgetting that Sang Ah and I are professionals, just like you are. We put this show together, and unless you do the group numbers like everybody else, you're out. You can use all your props and fog machines and whatever else you've got up your sleeve for your solo number, but for now, you've got some choreography to catch up on. What's it going to be?"

She glared at him, angry enough to spit nails, but he refused to back down. Finally she stomped her foot petulantly and flounced up the steps, taking her place center stage.

"Actually, you're over here," Gyu Jin corrected, pointing off to the side. She stomped again, and Gyu Jin winked conspiratorially at Sang Ah. Obviously his experiences working with temperamental actors in New York had taught him how to deal with his sister, the most temperamental of them all. She sulked her way through the rest of the song, only perking up at the end when she stood next to Dong Pil and grabbed his hand. As soon as the music ended, though, he pulled away and retreated, and she fumed that he no longer fawned over her as he had in high school.

...~«ώ»~...

After they finished learning their last group number, Logan and Soo Ryeon went to the choir room to go over their music for the show. They would be singing the lead parts in 'Everyday,' and in addition, Sang Ah had combined 'What I've Been Looking For' from Twinkle Towne and 'Just Wanna Be With You' from Senior Year into a beautiful duet medley. The first song represented the show that had cultivated their blossoming relationship and witnessed the first blush of their love, and the second song commemorated their final duet as a couple on the Daegu high school stage. Until now.

The years seemed to melt away as they sang together, and Logan couldn't take his eyes off the woman in front of him. Their voices blended seamlessly—they always had, he realized, because they were soul mates, meant to sing together. He'd never met any woman who rivaled her, on stage or in life, and it made the lyrics he sang more real: "I've never had someone that knows me like you do, the way you do. I've never had someone as good for me as you, no one like you. So lonely before I finally found what I've been looking for."

Magical. That's how Soo Ryeon had always described what it was like to sing with Logan. His silken voice curled around her like a warm breeze, and the intensity in his eyes threatened to turn her knees to rubber. She loved that man more than anything. The words that Sang Ah had written ten years earlier still rang true: "Through every up, through every down, you know I'll always be around. Through anything you can count on me." Logan had proven, over and over again, that she could count on him. "…Just wanna be with you, only you. No matter where life takes us, nothing can break us apart…"

Soo Ryeon blinked back tears as Logan took her hand and sang the bridge: "The sun will always shine, that's how you make me feel. We're gonna be alright, 'cause what we have is real, and we will always be together…"

She took a breath to join him on the chorus when the door burst open.

"Logan, we need you in the auditorium," Ji Gun told him. "Blondie fell in her ridiculous high heels and she says she hurt her ankle. She asked for you."

"Of course she did," Logan muttered before turning regretfully toward Soo Ryeon. "Do you want to wait here? I'll be right back."

Their hands were still joined, and she laced her fingers with his. "No, I think it's time I staked my claim."

Logan grinned. "That's my girl."

...~«ώ»~...

Gyo Jin was laid out on the stage with a small crowd surrounding her. Her manager and bodyguard hovered over her fretfully. She whimpered dramatically when Logan pushed through the onlookers to kneel beside her, but her eyes narrowed when Soo Ryeon followed behind him.

"Where does it hurt?" he asked.

She pointed to her right ankle. "I twisted it while I was rehearsing. Oh, I hope it's not broken! So many people are counting on me…" She twisted a lock of her blonde hair around her finger and fanned herself.

Logan lifted her foot carefully and examined it while Gyo Jin continued to whimper and whine. Other than some redness, it showed no sign whatsoever of trauma. There was no way it was broken.

"It might be broken," Logan announced, glancing at her manager. "I suggest taking her to the ER and having it x-rayed."

"But Logan," Gyo Jin frowned, "can't you just ice it and wrap it up for me? This is your area of expertise, isn't it?"

"It is, but with your career in entertainment, you just don't want to take any chances," Logan replied, trying hard to sound grim and serious. "I think you should get it checked, and the sooner, the better. If you try to keep using it and suffer additional trauma, you could be out of work for weeks."

Her manager paled as Gyo Jin's frown deepened. This wasn't going at all the way she'd planned it. "Well, Logan, you know best. Could you maybe go to the hospital with me and explain to them what the problem is?"

Logan managed to look regretful as he pushed to his feet. "Oh, I'm sorry, Gyo Jin, but Soo Ryeon and I still have quite a bit of rehearsing to do before the show. We aren't professional performers like you are. Besides, after her fainting spell yesterday at Lava Springs, I want to stay close to her and make sure she's not pushing herself too hard. She is my first priority, after all." He slipped his arm around his wife's shoulders and pulled her tight against his side.

"Thank you, honey," Soo Ryeon played along, sliding her arm around his waist. "It's nice to know that I have such a wonderful husband to take care of me."

"Sis, I think Logan's right," Gyu Jin chimed in. "You can't take chances with your health when you have your show in Vegas to think about."

Gyo Jin's manager had heard enough to convince him that Gyo Jin's entire future, and his livelihood, depended on how quickly they could get her to the hospital. Signaling her bodyguard, the two men picked her up and hustled her toward the door. She protested the whole way, ordering them to release her, but the decision was out of her hands.

Gyu Jin reached out to shake Logan's hand. "Well played. Calling my sister's bluff like that was pure genius."

"Thank you." Logan finally allowed the grin he'd been fighting to spread across his face, and he winked down at Soo Ryeon. "Are you able to finish rehearsing, my dear? I wouldn't want to push you too hard."

She giggled. "I think I'll manage," she answered wryly.

"Okay, everybody," Gyu Jin said loudly. "Let's get back to work."

...~«ώ»~...

The run-through with the entire group went smoothly, thanks to Gyu Jin's organization, and everyone chatted about the show as they sat outside on the grass, eating sandwiches that Dong Pil had brought. They grew increasingly excited as the parking lot began to fill with cars, and soon it was time for the opening curtain. Gyo Jin still hadn't returned from the hospital, so Gyu Jin pushed back her solo number in case she arrived in time to perform later in the show.

At precisely 1:00, Gyu Jin stepped out from behind the curtain and made a short speech, welcoming the audience and acknowledging the presence of their guest of honor, Ms. Da Mi. The audience cheered, and the show began. Logan and Soo Ryeon's first number was about halfway through the program, so they sat backstage to watch the performances from the musicals before Twinkle Towne. The backdrop was an eclectic mix of old set pieces that the men had pulled out that morning—a moon, a tree, a row of houses, a camel, a car, and even a small section of the balcony from Senior Year.

They were two songs away from 'Everyday' when Logan glanced at Soo Ryeon and saw her hands fidgeting in her lap.

"Nervous?" he asked, covering her hands with his.

"A little," she admitted.

He chuckled softly. "You get up in front of a room full of students and lecture every day. This should be a piece of cake compared to that."

"Talking about the law and singing onstage with a bunch of people staring at me are two very different things," she told him seriously.

He tilted her chin up. "Remember what I told you at our first audition? Keep your eyes on me, and we'll do this together, okay?"

She nodded and offered him a smile before pushing to her feet. "I guess I'd better get to my spot. We can't have you singing a duet by yourself."

He stood beside her and dropped a quick kiss on her forehead. "See you soon. I'll be the guy with the big smile on his face, singing a love song to his wife."

"And I'll hopefully be the one who doesn't freeze up or faint," she smiled. She tilted her chin up for a kiss, and then headed off to her opening mark.

A few minutes later, Logan stepped onto the stage alone and got an encouraging nod from Sang Ah at the piano. She began the familiar tune, and Logan cleared his throat before raising the microphone to his mouth.

"'Once in a lifetime' means there's no second chance, so I believe that you and me should grab it while we can."

From the back of the auditorium, Soo Ryeon's sweet voice took over. "Make it last forever and never give it back."

He answered, holding her gaze as she walked toward him. "It's our turn and I'm lovin' where we're at, because this moment's really all we have."

As Soo Ryeon reached him and took his hand, he saw tears glistening in her eyes. But she smiled, and he knew she was okay, just lost in the lyrics and the memories. He squeezed her hand as he led her up the stairs.

"Every day of our lives, wanna find you there, wanna hold on tight. Gonna run while we're young and keep the faith…"

Soon they were joined by their friends, who came in from the back and the sides, just as they had at Lava Springs. When they finished the song, the audience came to their feet, cheering loudly. Ms. Da Mi, who was seated in the front row, swiped a handkerchief across her eyes.

Logan and Soo Ryeon's duet received an equally enthusiastically response, as did the duet that Gyu Jin and Sang Ah performed, one that they had written just for the occasion. Before they knew it, it was time to line up for 'We're All in This Together' from Senior Year. This time, instead of announcing their future plans, each of them would step forward and share what Ms. Da Mi meant to them.

Ji Gun went first. "Ms. Da Mi taught me to keep an open mind about things that are new and different. If you look at things objectively, they may turn out to be not so bad."

He stepped back as Seo Jin stepped forward. "Ms. Da Mi gave me opportunities to lead and organize, and helped me to broaden my interests and expand my résumé."

Gyu Jin came next. "Ms. Da Mi believed in me and encouraged me to pursue my interest in choreography. She gave me guidance and instruction that were invaluable in my continuing studies."

He gestured to Sang Ah, and she stepped up. "Ms. Da Mi trusted me to write music for several Daegu high school musicals, and gave me the confidence in myself and my work to continue writing as a career."

Then it was Logan's turn. "Ms. Da Mi taught me to explore my talents and interests, regardless of what others think. To chase my dreams. All of them." He glanced back, reaching for Soo Ryeon's hand. "And I learned that spotlights and applause are so much better when you share them with someone you love." He twirled Soo Ryeon, just as he had ten years before, and stepped back in line.

Soo Ryeon smiled. "Ms. Da Mi helped me to believe in myself and be more confident in my abilities. I learned that with the right co-star, anything is possible."

Each performer took their turn, and by the time the last person stepped back into place, Ms. Da Mi was weeping openly. Gyu Jin led her up onto the stage, and Sang Ah handed her an enormous bouquet of flowers. She turned to face the audience and received a standing ovation. When the thunderous applause finally died down, Gyu Jin announced the reception that would take place in the lobby, and with that, the show was over.

...~«ώ»~...

As they mingled in the lobby, Soo Ryeon realized that she'd left her camera in one of the dressing rooms, and so she excused herself to retrieve it. She was on her way back to the party when her path was blocked by the murderous apparition of Gyo Jin Lee. She had crutches tucked under her arm, and a sizeable bandage on her foot.

"Gyo Jin, how are you feeling?" Soo Ryeon asked as sincerely as she could.

"It's a good thing you're a lawyer, Soo Ryeon, because I'm going to sue Logan for making me miss the show," Gyo Jin spat. "He knew my ankle wasn't broken, and he sent me to the hospital anyway."

"He was just being careful," Soo Ryeon defended. "Besides, there's obviously something wrong with your ankle, or you wouldn't be on crutches."

Gyo Jin rolled her eyes. "It's just a precaution. My stupid manager is convinced that I'm going to get hurt and lose my show, and then he'll lose his commission." She glanced around at the empty hall. "I can't believe Gyu Jin didn't hold the show for me. I'm sure it was no good without me."

"It wasn't your show, Gyo Jin," Soo Ryeon replied sharply. "The show was for Ms. Da Mi, and she thought it was wonderful. Why does everything have to be about you?"

"Oh, this from the woman who's selfishly keeping Logan from having a family," Gyo Jin shot back. "If you really loved him, you'd…"

"I do love Logan," Soo Ryeon interrupted. "With all my heart. And whether we have a family or not is none of your business!"

"Come on, Soo Ryeon," Gyo Jin challenged. "Logan gave up a lot to be with you—his life in Daegu, a scholarship at Daegu University, a basketball career, a chance at fame. And now you're making him give up having a family too."

"The only thing I've ever given up for Soo Ryeon is my heart," Logan put in as he approached from behind them. He took his place beside Soo Ryeon and slipped an arm around her waist. "I don't regret any decision I've made, and I'm happy with the life Soo Ryeon and I have built together. People make choices when they love each other. They don't hold each other back; they support and encourage and build each other up."

"Oh, please," Gyo Jin snorted. "I feel like I'm watching a daytime talk show. What's underneath all the rainbows and sunshine and flowers, Logan? Are you really as happy as you pretend to be?"

"Absolutely," he replied without hesitation. "I love my wife, Gyo Jin."

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, you already said that."

"Well, I'm going to keep saying it until you get it. Soo Ryeon and I will have a family together, one way or another. But I would rather have her and no kids than to have kids with you or any other woman in the world. Soo Ryeon is the only woman for me. I am hopelessly, passionately, irrevocably in love with her, and mark my words, that will never change. And unless you stop acting like a spoiled child, the only one that will ever love you like that is you."

Gyo Jin's jaw dropped, and for once, she was at a loss for words. Finally, she turned and hobbled back down the hallway, away from the party, away from the stage, and away from the Lees.

"Good riddance," Logan muttered as he watched her retreat. He turned to face his wife. "Are you okay?"

She smiled, the kind of smile that melted his heart. "Absolutely."

He reached out and surprised her by singing softly. "Take my hand, together we will celebrate every day."

Her fingers laced with his, and together, they went to rejoin the celebration.