"Chorong ah, trust me he's just playing with you." I pleaded for her to believe me.

"Oppa, I thought you're different." With that she ran off crying, leaving me standing there paralyzed from what I just heard.

My heart shattered into a million pieces. Different? Am I not good enough for you? I've been here for you, notice my heart already Park Chorong.

~Flashback~

"Don't mess with her, I'm warning you."

"Oh yea? We'll see who will win this bet." His sly smirked was asking for a punch.

"Chorong is not a prize." I said through gritted teeth.

"Well she can be my used trash-" before he could even continue, my fist landed right in his face. I can never tolerate anyone for degrading my close kins, especially Park Chorong.

"YAH YOU! Well I let you pay for this...." Was all I could hear while I turned my back against him.

~Present~

My hands trembled as I watched her backview gets smaller and out of sight. She was so close but out of touch all this while, and I've allowed her to drift further from my grasp.

It wasn't the first time I allowed her to fall for jerks. In fact I allowed her to get hurt so many times because, I'm a coward. Yes, I'm a coward. I'm a coward who doesn't dare to stop her with honesty. Maybe if she knew my heart towards her, or if I had the courage to ask her, maybe just maybe things would be different.

I remembered I first saw Chorong in the Hapkido club, she was so timid and shy. She sat alone at the corner while hugging her body, she didn't talk to anyone and didn't even look up. I was a senior in the club and her frail looking outlook made me want to protect her.

I approached her.

One step.

Two step.

Three step.

"Hey, you don't have to be afraid you know. People here are nice." I tried speaking in my most gentle tone as possible.

She finally looked up and I met eyes with the most beautiful person I've ever seen in my life. Her eyes sparkled so brightly and she gaze through my soul.

I was awestruck.

Ever since then I've secretly looked out for her, she's too delicate and I would do anything to protect her from harm. She was eating quietly alone in the cafeteria and I sat down beside her so that she wouldn't be alone. She was so shy to make friends so I've gotten Bomi and Eunji the friendly two to befriend and take care of her. She was so captivating so I've given her my heart unknowingly.

We were so familiar with each other, in fact too familiar. She calls me at random nights to tell me about her terrible frog nightmares that made her petrified but amuses me. She comes crying in my arms when she lost the Hapkido competitions, her pet dog died and when she broke up with all the undeserving jerks. She lean on my shoulders as she fell asleep carelessly from being so tired from training. We knew each other's flaws and preference a little too well. From her favorite idol as Rain and to her deepest insecurities of not being good enough.

But it was never enough.

No matter how close we were, we were never close enough to be lovers. She was too oblivious and I was too afraid. She was so clueless of my feelings towards her as more than a senior. I was afraid that I might lose her after becoming more than friends, so I chose to suppress my feelings and hide behind the label of a 'senior'.

The thoughts of letting her go in the hands of that bastard, made me so convulsed. I've let her go many times with undeserving people because I was so afraid of confessing my feelings and I allowed her to get hurt countless times. I'm so frustrated at myself, I should have, would have and could have done something if I had a little sprinkle of courage.

I stood still at where I was but she was out of sight. I guess even God got tired of my cowardly love and decided to give me a push. I received a text message from that bastard.

"Wooo someone has failed to convince her~ I'll make her mine tonight, let's see how much you can protect her SENIOR. We'll see how I win her over ;)"

I've got to do something, this sickening bastard would get anyone laid whether willingly or not. And Chorong's purity should not be taint by a dirty bastard like him. It's time for me to up my game. I started running, I ran and ran till I found her at our usual spot beside the lake. She was throwing pebbles again, this cute little idiot always does that when she's upset. I sat beside her.

"Chorong ah," I called out as she turned to face me. Her eyes were glistening from tears. I swallowed a little before continuing. "Do you trust me?"

"Yes Oppa, I trust you."

I grabbed hold of her wrist and pulled her to our destination.

"Oppa-"

"Shhh Chorong ah, I've got something to show you before I lose my courage again." I cut her off before she could even continue.

We finally arrived at the bistro bar I worked at. I made her sit at the front row before the stage before making my way to the piano. I serenade her with a her favorite piano piece which I've learnt specially for her. At the end of the song, she was all smiles. I then signalled for the staff to play the video I've prepared and as the video rolls, her gaze softened as tears slowly clouded up her eyes. The video consists of all of our pictures and my feelings towards her.

"I was a coward who watch jerks win you over and hurt you multiple times, but not this time."

I slowly gotten off the stage and I inched closer towards her.

"Park Chorong, can you be mine to keep now?" I asked and before she could even continue I leaned in and locked lips with her.

As I slowly broke away from the pair of lips I've longed for to taste all this while, she broke the silence. I'm finally brave enough to grab hold of her.

"Oppa, I'm yours."

We walked back hand in hand, it was a new feeling. She was finally mine! Then that bastard appeared again.

"Oh look, the SENIOR and my used trash-" before he could even continue Chorong's hand landed on his face.

"He isn't my senior, he's my boyfriend." She smugly smirked. 

"And you,"she said while pointing at his chest. "Belongs there." She pointed her chin towards the direction of the trash bin.

"That's my girl." 

We headed back to our usual spot beside the lakeside but this time a little different, I had her in my arms not because she was crying and heartbroken but because, she's mine.

"Oppa you know something?" she started off the conversation.

"Hmm?"

"You're a coward." I turned and faced her with a questioning look.

"It took you so long to admit your feelings... You made me doubt whether you liked me as more than friends. And I ended up trying to move on and dating jerks and jerks, that just couldn't compare to you."

She looked to me and I smiled widely over what I just heard.

"Why didn't you look for him after running off earlier?" I questioned back even when I knew the answers. I wanted to hear it from her.

"I..I.. wanted to see the tortoise in the lakes?" She sheepishly grinned

"Liar. The tortoise was scared away by all your pebbles you pabo." I said as I ruffled her hair.

"Hmph." She crossed her arms and pouted, gosh too cute. "Oppa you're a baddie, I came here be-because I... I..."

"You thought of me." I continued for her as she looks at me wide eyed and mouth open, proving that my guess was right.

"I came running here, because I thought to myself. If she's here she still thinks of us and I'll have a shot."

"Heeol I said I was watching the tortoise." She stucked her tongue out at me and tried denying. "And who knows I'll be at the supermarket eating my sorrows away."

"You're so cute when you're-" 

"AIKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKKK OPPAAAA FROGGGGGG!!!!" She screams in her usual dolphin waves and clings on to me. 

"Oh boy, that's the norm." I mumbled as I shooed the frog away.

"Oppa, won't you ever get tired of me leaning on you all the time?" She asked while being in deep thoughts.

"Never. I'm more afraid of you not needing anymore." I couldn't look her in the eyes but sensed her looking at me.

"Oppa, I love you." 

"Anyways don't worry I'll never stop being afraid of those creatures with slimmy skin. You've to take care of me for life."

I pinched both her cheeks as she squirms around like an eel.

"Can't wait to do that!"