[ new version ; edited ]

Seoul, South Korea – December 10, 2016

LEE JIYEON | AYAKA

      Ever since the news that the engagement was cut of by Kai’s father, my family was furious. Not only did they lose a good business engagement with the Kim’s but they know fully well that it affected me. I could still remember the night when my brother called, asking if the news was true and all I could answer was a sad ‘yes’. But what really surprised me the most that night was when he asked if I was okay… if it hurt me that the Kim’s decided to cut the engagement off. At first, I didn’t know where he was getting at, until he said the words that made me cry so hard, “I know that you’re inlove with him, baby. I saw it full well in your eyes. The time when you guys went here in Japan, I already knew that you were inlove. I know that you didn’t know it back then—haven’t realized it but I could clearly see that you were inlove with him. So, I want to ask you… are you okay?” After my brother said those words, I cried to him and told him all the pain that I was feeling and he was nice enough to listen to all my ramblings and sing me to sleep. He helped me through that night and ever since then, he never brought Kai up anymore. He would always talk to me via video call and would make sure that I am fine. And now that he is face to face with the man that hurt his sister, I don’t know what he is capable of doing.

      “What the hell is that guy doing in our house?!” my brother asked, sounding angry, “I thought that he already abandoned you and the engagement?”

      Before I could even react, my brother ran towards Kai and landed a punch right into my boyrfriend’s jaw.

      “Oppa!” I shouted, surprised as I quickly ran to their side and stand on the way between my furious brother and my clueless boy friend.

      “Kenji Lee, what the hell are you doing?!” my mother asked, surprised just like I am as she tried to drag my brother away from Kai.

      “What the are you doing here after abandoning my sister and the engagement?!” he asked, angry as he’ll ever be.

      I am so nervous right now because I haven’t seen my brother this angry before. And as much as I understand him, I couldn’t side with him right now because everything is okay between Kai and me now. My sister and father finally came and joined us in the fiasco—my sister was surprised just like everyone else while my father was eerily quiet and it was creeping and scaring me out. I would have accepted it better if he started scolding me for being such an impulsive woman.

      “Oppa, please let me explain,” I exclaimed as I try to shield Kai away from my brother.

      “Have you forgotten that this is the guy who made you cry for numerous nights?!” he asked, knowing the pain that I felt when the engagement was cut off.

      “I know… I know, oppa,” I mumbled as I sighed, “But please, you need to hear us out.” I exclaimed but my brother just shook his head as he glared back towards Kai. “Kai… and I are together now… for real.” I whispered but loud enough for everyone to hear, “I… I love Kai.” I finally blurted out and all my brother could do was shake his head in disappointment.

      “Tell me you’re kidding,” my brother exclaimed but I just shook my head that got him sighing in disbelief, “I can’t believe this,” he mumbled to himself.

      “A, I think it is me who needs to talk to your family.” Kai finally spoke, earning a glare from my brother and a few stares from the rest of my family.

      “No, my brother will not listen to you especially now that he is clearly fuming mad.” I whispered back to him but as stubborn as Kai gets, he stepped out of my way and faced my brother bravely.

      “I clearly deserved that punch,” Kai mumbled, “But I am not here to hurt your sister anymore. I love Ayaka, and I will fight for our relationship if that’s what I’ve got to do.” He exclaimed.

      “You little—“ my brother was about to punch Kai again when dad shouted, halting everyone’s actions.

      “STOP!” my father shouted as he grabbed oppa away from Kai and went in between them, “Your irrational and compulsive thinking will only do bad rather than good.” My father exclaimed, “Leave the living room, I want to talk with Mr. Kim.” He added, shocking everyone in the room.

      “What?!” oppa asked, surprised as he glared towards Kai.

      “Dad, you can’t—“ I was cut off when my father turned to me, “Leave and go to your room. I’ll call you guys back after our talk.” He commanded, sounding firm for everyone to comply.

      “Dad, please—“ my father cut me once again as he glanced at me, sending me signals to just leave the room, “I will not repeat myself again Lee Jiyeon,” he mumbled, “Honey, take Jiyeon upstairs to her room… Keiko, assist your mother.” He commanded as he finally landed his gaze towards oppa, “And you Kenji, go with them too.”

      “What?!” my brother asked, surprised, “No, I’ll—“ my brother wanted to object but my father was firm in his decision as he glared at my brother.

      “I said, I don’t want to repeat myself Lee Jaehwan. Now, leave, all of you.” My father commanded and all we could do was to obey and leave the two alone.

      I glanced towards Kai one last time but he was just looking down, probably nervous about what my father would tell him.

      “Come on now sweetie,” I was snapped out of my reverie when my mother cooed me, giving me a warm smile as well as a comforting hug.

      I just nodded back as the four of us started descending upstairs. And as soon as we arrived at my room, my sister locked it as my mother led me towards my bed and let me sit down, while my brother started pacing around my room, trying to calm himself down.

      “It’s going to be alright, sweetie,” my mother cooed as she started combing my hair with her fingers.

      “I’m scared of what dad might do…” I exclaimed, feeling my heart beat faster as possible scenarios started playing in my mind.

      “You know that your father won’t do such things,” my mother exclaimed as she tucked my hair behind my ears.

      “Well, if my father won’t, then I will,” my brother exclaimed, earning him a glare from my mother who was trying really hard to comfort me.

      “Stop it Kenji,” my mother exclaimed, trying to control everyone in the room.

      “No, mom!” he exclaimed, his voice rising higher, “I just can’t sit here and watch that hurt my sister’s feelings again!” he shouted as he pinched the bridge of his nose as he tries to calm himself down.

      “Ken, you’re not helping with that loud voice of yours.” Keiko-eonni exclaimed, trying to help ease the tension.

      “You guys don’t know how much Jiyeon cried so much that night. You weren’t the ones who heard everything that that bastard made her feel and wasn’t man enough to consider her feelings. You guys weren’t the one who heard her cry herself to sleep!” my brother shouted, losing every bit of temper he was trying to hold and I was there, tears streaming down my face as I started hiccupping because of the overwhelming emotion that I was feeling.

      “Stop it Ken!” my sister shouted as she went in between my brother and me, “Stop shouting. We can resolve all of this by being calm, okay? Can’t you see that Jiyeon’s upset right now and she doesn’t need you to add to that.” She reasoned out but my brother just looked down but what shocked us the most was when he punched the wall beside him, causing me to whimper.

      “Lee Jaehwan, enough!” my mother shouted, standing up, furious at my brother.

      I couldn’t help myself but to cry so hard from everything that was happening. It’s my first time seeing my family fight like this and it is all because of me. My father is downstairs, probably disappointed with the decision that I did; my mother might be too but she’s just too sweet to tell me. My sister is probably torn right now because of what’s happening. And then there’s my brother… who is clearly mad about what I decided on. He’s really furious about the idea of me being in a relationship with the man that hurt me.

      “Kenji, will you stop?! Everyone is being pumped up because of how you’re acting!” my sister exclaimed, breaking her calm personality as she tries to figure things out.

      “Enough!” I shouted, making my voice heard for the first time.

      Silence suddenly engulfed us, freezing the three people inside my room. I shook my head as I wiped the tears from my face.

      “Ayaka…” mom called, probably surprised by my outburst.

      “Please…” I mumbled as I looked towards the three people in front of me, “Mom, oppa… eonni,” I called as I stared at their eyes one by one as I called them, “I love Kai,” I announced, earning me a sigh from everyone.

      “Jiyeon-ah—“ my brother was about to speak but I quickly stopped him as I looked down.

      “Oppa, I love Kai very much.” I muttered, “I know that he once hurt me but he wasn’t even aware of how I was feeling that time. That was my choice to leave him. I chose to leave him that’s why the engagement was cut off… I chose to leave him because I was scared—scared of the inevetible.” I mumbled as I sat back on my bed and buried my face onto my palms, “I was scared that he wasn’t feeling the same. But now… we finally had the courage to tell each other what we’re really feeling.” I exclaimed as I looked back into their eyes, “And now, I feel so happy—a different kind of happy.” I told them, boring my eyes into theirs as I let my emotions out, “This happiness that I’m feeling is the very first of its kind. It’s foreign to me but I know that it is good for me.” I muttered as eonni finally smiles and sits beside me, “I want this happiness, mom, oppa,” I smiled, “Please, let me have this happiness.”

      “Ayaka, let me remind you that—“ I quickly cut my brother again as I stood up and went to his place, holding his hands.

      “He hurt me.” I exclaimed, finishing what he was about to say, “Yes, he did.” I added as I smiled, “But that was because of my fault. I was hurt because I was a coward—we were both a coward. But now that we finally found the courage to let our emotions out, those pain were wiped away with the happiness that we bring to each other.” I muttered, “Kai might have hurt me but I chose to give him a second chance because I know he deserves it.”

      My brother shakes his head in confusion as he tries to get away from my eyes but I quickly hugged him, not letting him away from my grasp.

      “Ayaka,” my brother called.

      “I know how much you love me, oppa,” I started, “And I also know how much you want me to be happy.” I mumbled as tears started streaming down my face, “And this is my happiness… Kai is my happiness and I’ll be happy with him.” I finished as my brother finally sighs and hugs me back without saying any other word.

Author's message ♥

Heyy sweetcheeks! Another chapter here! I'm really sorry for not updating as much as possible since I was really busy because of my summer classes and since it is almost ending, I have more time to update and to draw some ideas for Always and Forever. The is coming soon so I hope you guys would stay and finish reading this book until its epilogue. And I know that there are plenty of plot holes in this book and that is because it is unedited. I'm really sorry about that but don't worry, since I'll be editing this book once I finish everyhting! Anyway, I hope you guys liked the chapter and if you do, please do comment and tell me what you think! And if you're not subscribed yet, click the subscribe button and also, please do upvote! These things means alot to me! I love you all so much!

xoxo, Jihyun ♣

Jeremiah 23:24 - "Do not I fill heaven and earth?" declares the Lord.