I woke up the next morning with a headache so fierce that I had to stumble my way into the bathroom for a hot shower to ease the pain. Almost twenty minutes later the pounding had finally stopped and I left the shower to wrap a thick towel around myself, breathing in the damp air around me. I wiped the condensation from the mirror and noticed that my lips were somewhat puffy, probably from falling asleep with my face stuffed into my pillow.

Such was the punishment for crying myself to sleep after staying up half the night. I was irritated beyond belief, my feelings all confused and jumbled up. One minute I was angry, the next minute I was apologetic. Then I was mentally kicking myself for feeling sorry even though I hadn't done anything wrong. Maybe I had reacted badly to TaekWoon's revelation, maybe I had gone too far, but in that moment, I had doubted myself.

It was my own fault, suddenly getting married to someone that I didn't really know. Especially to someone who led such a life, one that I wouldn't even begin to know how to act in. I thought back on the day before, and how I had acted after we'd left the adoption agency.

TaekWoon had been quiet since we'd left the Welfare Society and I had been stewing in my own thoughts, still trying to absorb the fact that in just one day JaeHyun had officially become my son and the man I had married wasn't who I'd thought he was. TaekWoon had been sending me looks ever since we'd begun walking in Gangnam but I had avoided his eyes, afraid I would say something that I would later regret.

"I know you didn't eat this morning because you were so nervous. There's a nice place close by here, we could get something to eat to celebrate."

"I don't think that's a good idea," I broke in quietly.

TaekWoon looked at my face and nodded once, his own expression seeming to mimic my feelings. I didn't know how to deal with the hurt I was feeling and what I needed most was time alone to process all that had happened. I was worried, more than I had ever been worried about anything before. At this point JaeHyun was technically mine but the adoption committee still had the ability to remove him from my care if they believed I was an unfit parent.

And what could be more unfit than not knowing who you'd married? How could I honestly depend on TaekWoon now that he'd lied to me? I felt that he'd broken my trust and I wasn't sure how to go back to normal. More than anything I wished he'd never lied to me in the first place. I wanted to kick myself for trusting someone else when it came to Jae.

"Imani, look at me," he whispered as he came to a stop in the middle of the street. More pain laced those four words than I had thought possible and I felt hot tears building up in my eyes as I finally looked up at him.

"I'm sorry Imani, I'm so sorry." He held out his hand to me, reaching for me with a look of pleading on his face. But no matter how much I wanted to take it, I didn't.

"I know you are," I told him and kept walking to the bus stop that would take me back to my apartment.

All last night and even this morning, I couldn't get TaekWoon out of my mind. I had become so attached so quickly, had wanted so much more for the us that had barely begun. I could get high off of his cologne and the care in his eyes, off his dreams and dogged determination. Everything about him made me feel different, more than I was before. The fact that I was his wife still sent tingles of pleasure through me whenever I thought of it. He cared about me and about my son and had done more for us than anyone.

The truth was that I wasn't ready to let him go. And so I came to the conclusion that I couldn't worry about what might happen, I could only think about what I would miss out on if I let his stardom affect who we were becoming. I wanted more than anything to forget that he had lied to me, that he had broken my trust. But that was impossible, so I'd do the next best thing. I would forgive him and from this day on make sure there were no more secrets between us.

I pulled out my phone from my back pocket and opened up a new message.

"Are you still moving in today?"

I waited nervously as the screen said the message was delivered. What if he didn't respond, what if he thought it was better to leave off like we did? I had been cold to him; maybe he didn't want to deal with me anymore.

I barely breathed until three dots appeared indicating TaekWoon typing a message. Finally, the words came.

"I'll be there in an hour. Text me the address."

I let out a sigh of relief and flopped happily down onto my couch.

TaekWoon walked into my apartment carrying two large suitcases, his eyes looking at everything but me.

"I've got a few more things out in the car," he told me as he set the suitcases down near the front door.

We stared at each other, neither one of us saying anything in the middle of the living room. I cleared my throat nervously, needing to break the tension.

"This feels a little awkward," I admitted and TaekWoon blew out a breath.

"Yeah, it does. I guess we need to talk."

I averted my eyes as he looked at me, nerves keeping me from speaking.

"I know what I did was wrong Imani," he said, his voice quieter than usual. "I shouldn't have lied to you."

"Then, why did you do it?" I asked on a sigh, more disappointment leaking into my voice then I'd wanted.

"I guess I was just scared... You're special to me Imani and I like you. I didn't want anything getting in the way of that."

"Why would you think anything would change? No matter what you do on stage, you're still you right?"

A sardonic smile appeared on his face then, and he let out a little laugh.

"Yeah, you'd think so, but other people change once they know. Sometimes it's because they want something from me, other times they want me to help them get what I have. It's exhausting trying to figure out people's motives all the time. I liked just being TaekWoon with you."

My heart thumped in my chest as his words sank in, and for some reason I felt almost guilty for being angry at him.

"Well, I know now. There's no point in staying angry."

"Then where do we go from here?"

I stepped closer to him then, and this time I held out my hand. He took it quickly and I smiled at his eagerness.

"We make a promise not to lie to each other anymore, and we do better."

"Ok. I can do that, I promise."

"And...I want to see you perform," I tugged on his hand when he tried to squirm away.

"Why do you want to see me on stage? There's nothing special about it."

"That's not true. I know this TaekWoon but I want to know the other one too." I have him my best grin and smiled wider when he covered his eyes with his free hand.

"I'll see what I can do. But don't smile at me like that, then I'll never be able to tell you no otherwise."

"That's the idea," I told him with a wink.

As I watched, TaekWoon brought in box after box of his things, more than I had anticipated that he could own. As he went back outside for yet another box, curiosity got the best of me and I opened the one nearest to me. I was shocked to see that it was full of headphones, CD's, DVDs, and all sort of small items that seemed to have no real purpose; the minimalist in me was screaming to throw it all away. TaekWoon came back in and dropping the last box, let out a long sigh.

"All done," he said quietly, his voice slightly winded.

"TaekWoon, I said you could move in but what is all this stuff?"

"They're the things I need," he said in that sweet voice of his and I almost believed him. He had the most unusual voice; it was smooth, warm, and somehow calming, like my favorite raspberry tea with a lot of sugar. His words sent shivers through my body and naughty thoughts through my head, but I cleared my throat and pushed them aside.

"What I meant is that a lot of it seems unnecessary. Like in this box," I pointed the one in front of me and showed it to him, "Why do you need ten pairs of headphones? They're all the same brand too."

"I might lose a pair; those are my backups."

"And the coffee machine?" I asked looking into another box. "I already have one in the kitchen."

He let out a snort then and I had to do a double take, surprise making me giggle at the most indelicate sound I'd ever heard him make.

"That thing you have in the kitchen it not a coffee machine. It's a teapot that just happens to be able to make coffee." He stood and went to the box with the coffee maker, and with care lifted it from its box.

"This is an espresso machine, and it creates a life-giving substance. I probably need this more than anything else."

He lifted the heavy-looking machine easily, holding it to his chest as he placed it gently on the kitchen counter. He put my own "teapot" in a cabinet.

"Now listen," I said nervously as more and more of his belongings began to replace my own existing knick-knacks that I grudgingly admitted were somewhat inferior to TaekWoon's own. "This doesn't mean that all my stuff gets put away, we have to compromise on some things."

"Of course," he replied smoothly as he added a stack of books to the collection on my shelf, placing his own small rabbit bookends on the ends and making the whole shelf stand out. "I won't move anything you don't want me to."

"Of course, you wouldn't," I teased a with a smile. TaekWoon answered with one of his own and I felt the young girl inside of me swoon at the sight.

To hide my reaction from him, I went back to the boxes on the floor.

"Oh my God, what is all of this?"

"Ugh, clothes," he said with another smile in my direction.

"No no, I get that they're clothes. What I don't get is why they're all the same colors. Just black, blue, and white. Even your shoes!"

"Well, those are my favorite colors," he said defensively. "I look good in them."

"I know but we should definitely get you something else, something that will pop. Let's go shopping later!" I was excited at the thought of dressing up TaekWoon, someone who managed to look good in everything.

"But I don't want to pop," he said in a whiny voice that I'd never heard him use before. it was beyond cute, and I made it my new mission in life to make him talk in that voice at least once a day.

"You have so many clothes though, I'm going to have to make some more space for your things," I said looking around at the suitcases and not acknowledging his complaints.

"Maybe I brought too much. I always have so many clothes because of sponsors. Do you want me to help you with the closet?"

"Yeah, you can work on the drawers in the bedroom. I'll do the closets."

As I entered my walk-in closet, and began shifting my winter clothes back to one side of the closet, suddenly TaekWoon slammed the dresser drawer closed, his face bright red.

"What's wrong?" I worriedly asked, coming over to him.

"Th-that drawer has your stuff in it. I think I should let you do it." He said while backing away quickly.

"What do you mean, silly? All of them have my stuff inside." I reached around him to open it and TaekWoon turned his head away. I understood why when I was met with the sight of my panty drawer. This time I slammed it closed and with a loud cough told TaekWoon that I would handle this dresser.

Embarrassment was eating away at me and I couldn't even look at him. On the outside I was calm, but inside I was dying. Oh God, he's seen everything. Imani how could you be so careless, I scolded myself. How are you two going to live together if you can't even keep him from seeing your underwear?