Taeyeon blinked.

That was her first reaction upon hearing what Jiyong just asked.

She blinked once more. And a few times more, just staring at Jiyong who’s looking back at her tenderly, making sure that what’s happening is real.

Because truthfully, it felt like a dream to her.

“Jiyong…” she stuttered, whereas Jiyong just smiled at her.

She wanted to say yes. She wanted to say yes so badly.

All of her memories came flooding back in a flash.

Taeyeon and Jiyong’s first meeting, backstage where they just politely greeted one another.

Then came their first conversation just a few weeks after the meeting.

Then they met again, and they decided to trade phone numbers. And the rest was history.

Is she willing to give everything up for this?

What if things don’t go as planned, and they end up separated and distant, because they can never go back to this state, even if they want to?

Is she up for that situation to happen—if it was to happen?

There was a reason she found comfort in Jiyong. Though she knows that she considers him more than just a friend, or a best-friend, or whatever. And she knows that he knows about it too.

Jiyong himself knows what he wants, and it’s Taeyeon. And he openly lets Taeyeon know that.

She was never uncomfortable with him despite their unknown status. How they can fool around like the best friends that they are, and treat one another like lovers, that they also are.

Seeing them, people tend to question their status. Well, more like admire them. How can two people just be that comfortable with one another? Everyone wished they’d find someone like Taeyeon to Jiyong, or the other way around.

But the thing is, they weren’t exactly in a relationship. But they know about their feelings to one another.

“Promise me you’ll never leave me.” Jiyong said, offering his pinky finger as he leaned back against the wall. The two were up on Jiyong’s penthouse’s roof, a bottle of half-empty vodka in between them. “Because I can never imagine the pain of losing someone I’m in love with.”

Taeyeon just looked at Jiyong, her vision slightly dazed from the alcohol she consumed. But she reached to him and intertwined her pinky finger with his.

“I can never leave the person I love most.”

She found ultimate comfort in Jiyong because for the first time, she was not scared of having to love one another and leave it at that.

And it’s all because she knows that loving one another itself is more than enough.

She was just about to finally make her statement, but her intention was interrupted by a loud exclamation from downstairs.

Seunghyun’s, that is.

Jiyong’s eyes went to full-on alert mode.

He knows very well that Seunghyun is not the type to scream and shout around. He knows very well that Seunghyun would only increase the volume of his voice when he’s scared–terrified, and panicked.

Jiyong immediately stood up, pulled Taeyeon’s hand and head to the stairs. Both of them jogged downstairs, both of them having quick impulsive thoughts regarding what might have just happened.

“Steph!”

Without further delay, once Jiyong and Taeyeon reached the base floor of the yacht, Taeyeon ran towards Seunghyun, who’s carrying Stephanie bridal style just by the edge of the yacht. Both of them are soaked, and the two lifeguards of the yacht are also helping Seunghyun. From this situation, Taeyeon knew something has happened to Stephanie in the water.

Jiyong followed, heartbeat beginning to race. “What happened?!”

Heart feeling like it’s about to go out of his chest, Seunghyun was too overwhelmed to reply Jiyong’s question. He laid Stephanie down on the ground. “Steph!” he exclaimed, slightly shaking her.

Taeyeon’s breath hitches, “She’s unconscious?! Is she breathing?” she panicked, crouching down.

Drifting away from her consciousness, Stephanie felt her head extremely heavy. Like that feeling you’d get when you’re staying up and you’re already drowsy, and you would close your eyes and fall asleep. She felt people calling her name, shaking her, slightly patting her in the face, but she felt so exhausted to even acknowledge those indistinct acts.

Then she felt something pressing her chest and her stomach. She can’t make out whether what’s happening was real, or was it just a part of her imagination. She felt blockage in her nasal, and then something so soft on her lips, forcefully pulling her back awake.

Stephanie got up in reflex and coughed the seawater that she’s ingested, and sighs of relief were able to be heard.

“Oh my god, thank God you’re okay!” Jiyong exclaimed, his tone worried and panicked. He patted her back, but not for long, since Taeyeon pulled her into a very tight hug.

“What the hell was that, Steph?!” the girl cried. Stephanie just remained in the same position, head a little too dizzy to move nor speak.

“I tripped and hit the yacht’s exterior,” she answered weakly.

Taeyeon’s heart races by the thought of such accident to happen to Stephanie. “What were you thinking?!”

Seunghyun just observed what’s happening in front of him. One of the lifeguards walked towards him, “Are you injured anywhere?”, which Seunghyun answered with a no calmly. “You should check her wellbeing instead.” he continued, pointing at Stephanie.

The lifeguard nodded and made his way towards Stephanie who was still trying to regain her consciousness back, whereas his colleague were walking to them carrying a first aid box.

Taeyeon let Stephanie out of her hug, knowing that her friend needs to be checked. The girl just stayed silent, but she was looking for something–two things, to be exact.

Seunghyun observed Stephanie’s movements, and how she was checking her left hand, and how she let out a sigh, knowing something’s missing.

It’s the ring she wears everyday. He thought, noticing its disappearance in the girl’s hand. He doesn’t know its importance to Stephanie, but he’s sure that it is something significant to her.

Stephanie closed her eyes as the two lifeguards were treating a few bruises on her arms and legs due to the hard hit with the yacht’s exterior.

Please Subscribe to read the full chapter