“What are you doing?” L brought his hand to his cheek.

“I’m bringing you back to reality. Kim Aeri’s gone, that’s the truth and she’s never coming back so accept it! I can’t keep watching you live like this anymore. I thought that maybe with time you’d realize that Areum’s not her but I was wrong. Where’s the L I know? The one I fell in love with? What has he become or is this the real you? You can fool everyone but not yourself. You were only pretending to move on.” She paused.

“I never knew exactly how much Aeri meant to you. But after today…I can tell she’s not just a younger sister in your eyes. She’s more than that.”

“Miri…” He reached for her hands.

“I’m your girlfriend yet I’ve never seen you this protective over me before. Although I don’t doubt the feelings we shared, I’m starting to think that I’m not the only one in your heart…” Miri sighed, pulling her hands away from his.

“I think I need some time to think things through…to think about us.” She walked away.

“What are you doing?” Woohyun jumped in. “Go chase her!”

But L didn’t budge.

“Hyung…she’s right.” He sighed once Miri was out of sight.

“What do you mean she’s right?”

“Maybe I haven’t let go of Aeri. Maybe a part of me still wishes she was here.”

Woohyun’s jaw dropped at L’s sudden confession.

“You’re kidding right? Even if Aeri was still here she’d be with Hoya. Not you. You’re getting your emotions jumbled up in your own head. Miri is the one you love, not Aeri.”

“I don’t know any more…” L slid his back down the wall and hit the back of his head against the wall repeatedly.

“If you let Miri go. You’ll regret it. I promise.”

~

That night L tossed and turned in bed as Miri’s voice replayed in his head.

“Ugh.” He sat up frustrated with himself.

“What’s wrong with me!” He ran his hands through his hair.

Then he thought back to Woohyun’s words. “If you let Miri go. You’ll regret it. I promise.”

L gave up trying to sleep and instead he reached for his phone.

To his surprise, he didn’t have any missed calls or messages from Miri.

Then he noticed that Miri had taken down her profile photo – the one with him in it.

For some reason, L felt uncomfortable seeing that.

He wanted to be in her photo.

He wanted to be a part of her life.

L stayed up all night thinking.

Not about Aerum.

Not about Aeri.

But about Miri.

He looked out his window to see the sun peek through and begin to rise.

It was at that instant that he thought back to their first month anniversary date.

And it was on that day that he said the 3 magic words to Miri for the first time – I love you.

L didn’t waste another minute, he grabbed his coat and rushed out his apartment.

He arrived at Miri’s house faster than he had ever done.

Worried that she wouldn’t answer the door, L quietly climbed up to her balcony.

He dialed her number and waited for her to answer.

After about 6 rings she finally answered.

“Hello?”

“Miri. I’m sorry.”

“L…let’s not do this now…I still need tim