Chapter Fourteen

Mina hisses as she scrolls through her phone.

“Babe…” Chanyeol calls worriedly, feeling helpless. He can’t tell her to calm down and not worry because even himself, he can’t be positive that Aeiyoung is okay.

Actually, he doesn’t know what is going, neither the exact reason for his girlfriend’s panic. But seeing such, Mina filled up with so much anxiety, frustration and panic, it gives him enough reason to be anxious as well. His girlfriend don’t usually behave like she’s been for the past hour, it’s rare when she does. Seeing her that way, however, is rather confronting for him. He feels like he has to do something but he feels just as helpless— as helpless as Mina.

The lady takes a deep, deep breath. They are in Prague with means of relaxing but now, she is in deep regret of making her go to that stupid high school reunion or even mentioning it. She didn’t expect the would be there because if only she knew, then she won’t even have said anything about it.

“Aeiyoung, answer the damn phone!” She growls, stomping her feet in frustration.

It’s more than an hour ago, when she read the message from her best-friend, sent almost fifteen hours ago, telling her that the came back and he was there. She’s also found several missed calls from minutes after that. But she wasn’t able to answer or check any earlier because she put her phone away, to tour around Czech Republic’s largest city, without being interrupted by anything, especially her work. She’s confident that everything is okay and she won’t be needed for a while. But this instance never came to jump inside her thoughts. Since then, it’s been fourteen hours ago since Aeiyoung’s last missed call. She hasn’t received anything else from her. Now that she is desperately contacting her phone, it just keeps on ringing and sometimes, it can’t even be reached.

She worries that Aeiyoung might do something stupid like she did back then and no one is there to support her. Or what if something terrible happened to her? How did she even manage to get out of the situation, if she did. It isn’t like she can call her parents and let them know the situation about something they absolutely have no clue about.

“Ugh,” she growls, “Now her phone is turned off.”

Chanyeol also tries calling the office she works in, just in case, she got to work but it heavily disappoints them to hear that they haven’t heard about Aeiyoung since the day before in their time zone.

She runs her hand through her hair in frustration, feeling panicky about Aeiyoung’s situation at this moment. Lee Yoo is Aeiyoung’s biggest nightmare and she can’t help but feel guilty about what is happening. She shouldn’t have forced her to go there. Then, none of this would happen. If only she knew, if she damn knew!

“Babe, call Sehun.” Chanyeol suggests. Mina turns to him, feeling enlightened. “Didn’t you tell me that the guy she’s seeing is Sehun’s best-friend? Call him and ask for his number. I don’t think he would mind considering this is an emergency.”

By the time he finishes with his last sentence, she is already ringing her cousin. If she can’t be there for her best-friend, at least someone needs to be with her, and the best person for that is no one else but Jongin.

“Se, give me Mr Kim’s number right now.” She demands. She hasn’t got any time to waste.

Sehun, on the other line, frowns, confused at the tone he heard. “Why? What’s wrong?”

“It’s about Aeiyoung. Please just give me his damn number. I need him to go to her. Please.” She begs. She doesn’t realise she is already crying due to her afflicting thoughts for her best-friend.

The male presses his lips, deciding give the said person’s number. Jongin won’t mind if it’s about Aeiyoung and surely, he wants to be involved when it is about her.

“What is happening, Mina?”

“I’ll tell you later. I have to call him, I don’t have time.” She says hastily, hanging up the call and dials the number he gave.

“Please, pick up, pick up.” She chants lowly. After four rings, he picks up and she lets go of the air she’s holding. “Mr Kim, I’m Seon Mina. Sehun’s cousin and Aeiyoung’s best-friend.”

“Yes…...hello?” Jongin answers, baffled at the sudden call he received and at the tensed tone of her voice.

“I need your help.” She states urgently. “It’s about Aeiyoung.”

He jerks up, freezing, “What about Aeiyoung?”

She breathes, begging, “She needs you. Please go to her. She badly needs someone.”

Aeiyoung is crawled up in her bed for hours, long enough she lost track (not that she’s been keeping track of it). Since she got home after that horrendous situation, she hasn’t moved a bit. She’s brought back to that summer when she let darkness surround and dominate over her. Seeing Lee Yoo is like a huge forced time travel for her, as all the memories of the past takes over her, in this very moment.

When the sun has set, she finally decides to get a cup of water in the kitchen. She leans against the fridge, drinking from her glass little by little. The entire house is incredibly dark and mostly the dim lights from the outside streets with a small lamp in the lounge are giving light to its interiors.

She’s on her way back to her room when she hears someone knocking in the front door. It’s odd that whoever the person behind that door is not using the doorbell. She takes another step towards where she’s heading earlier when she hears the call of her name.

Aeiyoung’s eyes widen at the familiarity of the voice she’s hearing. She continues to hear the voice asking for the door to be opened. Is he really here? Is Jongin really here? All this will be a dream if the voice behind that door belongs to the person she wants to be with. Because… he can’t be here. He doesn’t know anything. He’s not supposed to be here. He can’t see her like this – the anguished and despairing lady she is back then, during her teenage years, is back.

“You’re here, aren’t you?” She hears him, his tone is full of worry, desperate as though in despair.

Slowly and quietly, she walks to the door, holding over the knob but not yet turning it. What if this is all just a dream and once she opens the door, he’s not there. What if this is not a dream, but rather a hallucination?

She closes her eyes, mustering up all the courage and fortitude she can get before gently opening the door.

When the door swings open, he sees his girl and he feels a hard pang and heavy weight pressuring over his chest. She’s not okay. No, she’s not ing okay. The bags under her eyes, the redness and lifelessness in her gaze, her pale face, dry lips, and the dreariness in her aura and stance clenches Jongin’s heart in a tight, suffocating knot. She’s in this state and he wouldn’t even know if not for her best-friend who called him, pleading for him to go to her because she needs someone. She needs him. Regardless of the desperate request, Jongin will still go to her. He has too see her. And now that he has, here she is, breaking right before his eyes.

“Hey…” she greets, her voice cracking. She swallows and faintly asks, “What…what are you doing here?”

She shouldn’t be asking this to him, he thought. Her eyes are hopelessly yelling out for help, but still, here is she, trying to put a mask on, appearing to be okay when she’s not, for crying out loud.

He meets her eyes sincerely yet with so much intensity and affection. He answers with his warm, honey-like voice. “I thought you needed me─”

By the time he finishes what he’s about to say, she already let her façade fall, wrapping her arms around his frame, breaking down quietly. Yes, she needed him badly. She was just too gutless to call and ask for help.

Aeiyoung doesn’t care anymore. He’s already seen her like this, there’s no point of acting strong. If anything, all she feels now is relief. Holding him like this confirms to her that she isn’t dreaming — nor she’s in any type of hallucination. This is real. Jongin is here for her. She’s not tormentingly alone anymore.

With that, Jongin momentarily freezes but his arms automatically claim and surrounds around her waist. When he hears her sob, he tightens his hold, pressing her closer to him. He lets her cry, letting her release everything that have accumulated inside her since she ran out of the restaurant at the reunion. Aeiyoung feels as though she can breathe now. She’ll be fine ─ now that Jongin is here. She knows she’ll be fine.

They stand there, behind the door, until she has calmed down. The male didn’t mind at all, they can stand there for as long as the lady wants, until she’s okay and he wouldn’t care by a bit. She swallows and pulls herself out his embrace. He releases her, cupping both side of her cold cheeks warmly, drying her wet stream of tears with his thumbs. He smiles at the sight of her face — it’s better than the first minute he saw it.

Aeiyoung holds his right hand, taking it off her face to draw him to the lounge. “I’m sorry for crying on you.” She apologises when her eyes land on his white long sleeve dress shirt that is drenched with her tears. “I’ll go to Mina’s room. I’m sure her boyfriend has left some new shirt you can use for now.”

But before she can even take her first step, Jongin tugs her back. He doesn’t want her to go anywhere. “I’m fine.” He says silently. When he meets her eyes again, he can’t help but pull her back to his embrace. He softly traces the helix of her ear with his thumb, saying softly. “Don’t worry about me. Let me be the one to do that for you tonight.”

As much as she is at ease and contended at his presence, her swollen eyes fall, lids too heavy and painful to blink. “I’m tired…and sleepy.” She mumbles quietly.

“Then we’ll get you to bed.”

She looks up at him, searching for security. “You’re not going to leave?”

He shakes his head. “No.” How can he? He curls her hair behind her ear, staring straight to her orbs, he whispers firmly, “I’ll stay here.”

He takes her to her bedroom, assuming it’s the one which door is ajar. He lets her lay on her unmade bed comfortably, putting the blanket over her. Noticing the tint of insecurity in her somnolent eyes, he reassures, “I won’t leave until I know you’re okay.”

Aeiyoung nods with her last bit of energy as her lids completely shuts. The male gently sits on the edge, holding her hand. It feels so cold, it worries him but it subsides when he feels her squeeze his hand. So, he stills there. It pains him to see her like this. He feels a little helpless in the dark as he doesn’t know what happened to her to be in such state and situation. She looks worse than the time she’s dwelling over the guilt she felt after rejecting Kangjun albeit unlike then, he won’t let now last that long.

If only he can take her pain for her… if only, but Jongin knows that part of life is pain. Comes with pain is suffering and it needs to be experienced. Seeing her like this, he can sense that they both are similar. They both have wounds and scars in their hearts they would hide from everyone. And just like everyone, they would need refuge to hold and continue on. One can only last for so long alone, but perhaps, this is what his mother has been saying all along: Pain are more bearable when you share it with someone. Jongin didn’t understand what she meant but now looking at the lady he loves, he’s come to a point understanding her words. If Aeiyoung will share her pain with him, it will lessen the load in her heart and it’ll make her happier. And that’s what he wants. He loathes to see her suffering because she doesn’t deserve it. No one does.

Feeling the absence of his touch, Aeiyoung flutters her eyes open. She sees him standing, his back facing her, with his phone over his ear. As her other senses slowly wake up, she hears vaguely, “Yes, cancel everything on my schedule tomorrow. – All of it can wait. ─ I don’t care, it’s not our loss if they withdraw. They need us more than we need them. ─ That’s it. Goodbye.” She feels her heart swell but in relief. Jongin didn’t leave. He stayed. He’s still here.

Shortly after, she smells the aroma of a food around. She turns to her side and sees a bowl with warm soup. Carefully, she gets up and that’s when the male realises she’s awake. He turns and smiles at her, “Hello… How are you feeling?”

“Okay.” She answers with a very soft tone. “How long have I slept?”

He looks at his watch, “About three hours.” He’s still wearing the same thing he did earlier. He takes a seat back on the edge of her bed and reaches for the bowl over the bedside table. “I called and got Mikyeong to prepare something for you. You need to have something in your stomach.”

She smiles appreciatively. “Thank you for staying.”

“I told you I won’t leave.” He says warmly. “Here, let’s get you to eat.”

Aeiyoung looks at him, pondering over how Jongin hasn’t even asked what happened to her as he saw her in vulnerability. All he did since he came was soothe her heart, promising her that he’ll be there no matter what. She realises it’s only unfair if she’ll keep him out in the dark. For everything he’s done and shown, he deserves to know everything, from the reason why she fears relationships to the point seeing her in such condition. The coldness she felt when she was alone all washed away, replaced with warmth when he appeared right in front of her eyes.

Placing her hand over his wrist, she stops him, making him look up to meet her gaze. “I’ll eat later. I have to tell you something.”

Jongin wordlessly responds and places the bowl back in the table. If she has decided to tell him something... anything, he won’t stop her. Because he wants to know what’s wrong.

Aeiyoung moves across the bed, closer to the headboard, giving enough space for him to sit on comfortably next to her. With pillows behind her back, she hugs her bended knees and leans her head back. Jongin settles himself, relaxed, ready to listen for whatever she has to say. They are sitting a hand away from each other. He gives a patient and solemn look.

She swallows, starting, “I know… I know you’re wondering why I fear so much to be in a relationship and why I feel so undeserving to be loved by other people.” She stops for a second, continuing, “Back in high school, just before I turned seventeen, I met this guy. His name is Yoo. Lee Yoo. He’ s popular in school, especially with girls. He’s no different from a typical teenager. And me, I was just the smart, genius girl in school, who everyone befriends with, carrying hopes that I can raise their grades for them. Unlike Mina, they wanted to be friends with me because I was the Top One Ji Aeiyoung. And just like everyone of them, Yoo approached me. He talked to me, but what was different was that he did gestures that made my heart flutter. He treated me like I’m just a simple me. He made me feel important, special, like I’m the most loved girl in the world. Being a girl back then who never felt something like that before, I fell for him. He protected me, he was everything, my everything–” Aeiyoung stops, clenching her eyes together. It’s harder done than thinking about it.

She takes a deep breath and continues, “Soon enough, we got into a relationship and he didn’t change at all. He did the same things he did before us happened. If not, he just did it all better. I was the naïve girl who believed in everything he said and showed. So, I was willing to surrender everything because I know he loved me. A little over three months into the relationship, I gave myself to him. All of me. And the very next day after that night, I did not see him. I saw him next was at school, it was our last week for the school year and in front of everyone, I found out that all of it, all he did was for a show of entertainment, to him, to his friends and eventually for the whole school body. I was the target of the bet and Yoo was the player. He even had photos of us of that night for everyone as proofs. He played on me.” She breaks down. “The whole world shattered on me, Jongin.” She cries, trembling.

She’s shaking and Jongin reaches to hold her. He can’t bear seeing her like that. “I was such a fool. I had no face to show everyone.” She sobs. “Ever since then, it only proved to myself that I’m never ever worth loving. That no one will love me. That everyone is going to hurt me. No matter how they prove themselves to me. That I’ll never be happy.” She catches her breath, inhaling deeply from the very bottom of her lungs, “After that, I isolated myself from everyone. I locked myself in my room and I was so depressed. I was so miserable. So, I tried killing myself. I overdosed. I could’ve died if Mina didn’t rush me to the hospital on time. My parents doesn’t know anything about it. They were already living far away from me and regardless, I didn’t want them to know anyway. I didn’t want to bring another load of burden. All they know is that I was brought to the hospital but it wasn’t because I tried ending my life. I told them it was because of fatigue. I was adamant telling them not to come to me since I’m okay and that I was discharged. I insisted that it would only be a waste of time if they do. And, Mina’s parents were there as my guardians who signed the papers. They weren’t going to do it if I had not promised to see a psychiatrist. And I’m thankful they kept it a secret from my parents and they stood as mine when I needed them. I’m okay now but the trauma is still there. And though, I’m not suicidal anymore, what happened then is still affecting me.”

Jongin is listening carefully as he hugs her tightly, his lips pressed on the side of her head. Everything he heard clenched and broke his heart. For every sentence she spoke, he felt his heart crack. His heart is so heavy that it can drop to the ground and shatter for her. And she had to carry and endure this all these years, for something she never deserved.

“And I saw him again in our high-school reunion. No one expected he’d be there but he was. And he hasn’t change. Seeing him again–” Her voice cracks. Jongin shakes his head. She doesn’t need to say any more. Now, he understands where all her fears and insecurities are coming from. He kisses the top of her head and closes his eyes, taking all her pain. He comes to know that he, himself, is crying, too. Revealing all of that, recalling such a painful memory isn’t easy but Aeiyoung did, for him. What she did was a huge step, and Jongin is glad that she did; because then, she doesn’t have to suffer alone.

After a while, continuously brushing her hair with his fingers soothingly, still hugging her to his chest, he speaks, “I’m sorry you had to go through that.” Aeiyoung looks up. He’s not looking at her with pity but with tenderness. “Now, you’ll never go through that again. For as long as I’m here, none of such will happen to you. This, I promise.” He vows.

They stay in that position completely forgetting about the time ticking. When she shifts, it’s then when he remembers she has to eat. So, as much as he hates it, he lets her go and turns to get the bowl. “It’s still warm. I know you don’t feel like eating, but please, eat.”

With a small smile, Aeiyoung nods and lets him feed her. Taking in the first spoon, she looks at him. “How is it?” he asks.

“It’s good, really good.” Jongin curves his lips reverently. Thanking his housekeeper inside his head.

She holds her hands out to take the bowl, she clears . “I can do it. It’s okay.” She says softly, slightly hoarse and raspy, still recovering from all her cries earlier.

Jongin nods, “Okay.” He gives her soup, reminding her to be careful just in case it is too heavy for her. When it’s stable in her hand, he gets off the bed. Seeing that, the lady is about to panic but he turns and tells her, “I’ll just go and get you some water.” She visibly relaxes. “I hope you don’t mind me touching your kitchen?”

Aeiyoung eyes back on the bowl, and notices it’s not theirs. He must’ve asked Mikyeong to bring over more than just food. She flickers her gaze to him, “No, I don’t. Feel free.”

“Alright, I’ll be back.”

Within two to three minutes, Jongin comes back with a glass of water, and crawls over the bed to give it to her. She drinks, almost finishing it, hydrating herself from all the tears that she released in the past hours. When she’s finished with it, he places it over the bedside table and sits back next to her.

“You’re not going to eat?” She wonders, with inquiring swollen eyes.

Jongin smiles and shakes his head. “No, you finish it. Don’t worry about me.”

During the three hours she was asleep, he unwillingly let go of her hand to give Gyo and Mikyeong a call to bring over some casual clothes he can change with and some food for him and Aeiyoung. Everything he requested came in an hour and he ate the food for himself, still watching her closely. He hasn’t changed to his comfortable clothes yet as the minute he finished eating, he quietly made some personal and necessary phone calls.

She finishes, taking the very last sip. Jongin, feeling satisfied, takes the bowl from her. Aeiyoung gives a grateful smile, bobbing her head once.

“Is it all too much for you?” She asks softly. “We haven’t known each other for long but here you are, filled up with my…” Her voice trails off when she sees his gaze change. “Jongin…” She calls.

“If anything, Aeiyoung,” he starts, looking at her earnestly, “I am happy that you let me in.” She feels his hand holding hers. It’s so warm. “What you did wasn’t easy. And I felt that as you recall every bit of memory of what happened then, it’s all coming back to you. It’s a part of your story you want to grievously forget and yet, you recalled – for me. I am grateful that you didn’t push me away and you gave the shot of letting me understand you.”

She sighs, “I just feel like there’s this whole lot of burden within me and if you’re going to stay with me, you’re going to have to deal with it.” She looks at him warily. “I want you to be aware of what kind of woman you’re getting yourself involved with. This is just one of the many scars I have to carry with me for the rest of my life.” She clutches his hand. “And I won’t blame you if you decide to leave, now at that not so much has passed. I don’t want you to regret staying with me.”

“No.” He says firmly, his gaze at her dark, serious but sincere. She hears him breathe as gently rationalises, “Aeiyoung, I’m not a perfect person. I’ve did things in the past and people would hate me for it. In fact, until now, I hate myself for it. And it might change the way you look at me once you get to know.” He continues before the lady can react and think so much of what he said. This is about her and not him. “I have scars, too. We all do. Some might be bigger than the others but it doesn’t make it any less. It all matters.” He lifts her chin up when she’s about to look down. He looks straight to her orbs. “And, to me, you are more important than the weight of the scars you are carrying. And I would carry them with you if that’s the way I can stay by your side. I’m not going to give you up just like that. No way. I am not going to leave you because of that. I’m staying.” He asserts. “I will stay.”

It’s been around ten years since Aeiyoung last decided to personally trust someone. It could be the way his eyes looked at her as he was speaking those words, the sincerity she heard in his tone, or perhaps, it was the way he held her so securely that she felt within her heart how genuine his means are. Aeiyoung isn’t sure, but maybe it’s time for her to give the trust she hasn’t given anyone all these years – maybe, it’s time for her to trust Jongin and turn her back from everything that is stopping her. Aeiyoung just wants to be happy, like everyone else.

Without any word, Aeiyoung leans forward and wraps her arms around his neck. She mumbles the quiet words of thank you against his shoulder.

They are both leaning against the headboard, cozily side by side, in tranquil silence, when her clouded thoughts have finally cleared out, curiosity enters her mind. “By the way, how did you know that I was here and I was in that condition?”

Their hands are softly entwined with each other when she feels his thumb rubbing the top of her hand gently. “Mina gave me a call. She’s really worried about you.”

Aeiyoung holds her breath. Her phone. Her best-friend must be really worried about her. She’s about to get up to look for it when Jongin holds her back. “It’s okay.” He coos. “I gave her a call back when you were asleep. She knows you’re fine.” It’s only then he relaxes.

Mina is supposed to be enjoying her stay in Prague with her boyfriend but Aeiyoung was too preoccupied to consider that earlier. She shouldn’t have made her worry but as soon as she got out of the situation with her ex-boyfriend, she called her due to adrenaline. She was panicking and she knew it’s only her best-friend she can run to. And when Mina wasn’t answering after several attempted phone calls, it was only then she realised that she must be enjoying around the city. She figured that she shouldn’t bother her for now and let her be. She forgot about the potential that Mina would panic and worry so much about her, especially after the appalling and horrendous deed she did back then.

“Thank you for doing that.” She says softly. “She would’ve panicked a lot, especially the last time it happened, I tried killing myself.”

With pleading and warm eyes, he entreats, “You’re not going to do anything like that again, right?”

Aeiyoung presses her lips and shakes her head, answering. “I won’t.” She promises, “I won’t do such thing ever again.”

Jongin gives a small smile and presses his lips on the side of her head. She willingly leans into him. “I think it’s time for you to sleep again. It’s really late.” He whispers.

She pulls herself slightly, “What about you?” He can’t leave.

“I’ll go and sleep outside in the couch. I told you, didn’t I? I won’t leave you tonight.”

She shifts and protests, “You can’t sleep in the couch.”

“It’s fairly big.” He reasons. “I can sleep there for a night.”

“No.” She looks at him and proposes, “Sleep in the guest r–” She stops when she remembers their guest room isn’t even prepared for him properly. “I’m going to prepare the guest room for you.” She’s about to get up and he holds her back.

“Aeiyoung, it’s okay. I can sleep on the couch. It’s not a big deal.” He reassures, when she blurts out.

“Then, sleep with me.”

He blinks at her, thrown off-guard at her sudden assertiveness.

“I know you won’t do anything. Besides, my bed is big and it’s much comfortable here than out there.” When he doesn’t say anything, she asks, “Hmm?”

“Aei–”

Already sensing he’s going to disapprove, she cuts him off with, “Please? I won’t offer if I’m not okay and comfortable with it.”

Giving in, he nods, “Okay.” Aeiyoung beams. “But I need to change. I can’t sleep with these clothes.”

She tilts her head. “You have clothes?”

“Yes, I got Gyo to bring in some, along with the food Mikyeong made.”

“Okay, change then. The bathroom is there.” She points, still with an exhausted but relaxed voice. “I’ll get the bed ready.”

As Jongin gets up to change, Aeiyoung proceeds and cleans the bed, ready for both of them to lie in. Within less than five minutes, Jongin comes back and she’s already sitting on the right side of the bed.

“You washed up?”

Aeiyoung nods, “I just washed my face. I look horrible and my face is so swollen.”

He crawls and settles himself as two pillows divide them. It’s true, her face is swollen and her eyes are particularly puffy but she doesn’t look horrible. He brings a pillow over his lap and looks at her. “You look fine.” He says quietly, not missing the tone of indication that she looks more than fine. She’s still looks beautiful.

Blushing, she looks down and Jongin can’t help but smile. Aeiyoung isn’t just beautiful, she’s more than that.

“Good night?” he prompts, just in case she blushes any redder.

Shyly, she responds, “Good night.”

Their backs face each other, conscious of either’s presence, sleeping on the same bed. The night is darker and later but Aeiyoung is unable to sleep. Not wanting to disturb the male, she softly turns and carefully gets up, propping on her elbow to peek at Jongin. When she sees him sleeping, she sits on her bottom and hugs her knees, and watches him sleep.

Grateful. Aeiyoung ponders if that word is even enough to express how utterly thankful he is towards Jongin. Kim Jongin has everything in his palm. He has everything. He didn’t need to do everything he did for her. There are many ladies out there, ready to love him without any burdens or afflictions like her – less scarred women who would match him better. Getting those ladies would be less hassle than pursuing her and yet here he is, in front of her, joining and supporting her.

Although as much as she wanted him to stay and not leave, she didn’t expect he really would take that extra step. That extra step which won’t matter so much to other people but matters to her the most. Jongin stayed and joined her as she swam through her fears and haunting past. What did Aeiyoung do to deserve someone like him? He isn’t obliged to do everything he did but he still did. He only said he likes her once but all his actions proved it hundred times more.

It’s strange, if someone asks her. She let him in, revealing open of her tormenting story. She won’t do it, she wouldn’t do so. But there is something in him, that made her do it without hesitation. She’s unsure if it’s the security, comfort or warmth she felt whenever she’s with him but whatever that is, Jongin is different. She can’t define it but she knows it.

Aeiyoung still feels scared despite his apparent assurance but after tonight, she decides to fight and put aside all her fears. She wants to face and commit to her feelings towards him. What he’s done is more than enough for her to take that risk of getting hurt. And if ever she does get hurt in the future, she’ll face it with a stronger heart. She won’t let anything debilitate her anymore. She’ll face whatever’s on the way with a more mature and valiant heart; for as long as she takes the chance of freely expressing what she feels from him, for as long as she doesn’t let anything stop her from now on.

“Need some hand?”

Aeiyoung jumps with a squeal and turns. She beams softly as Jongin is leaning against the kitchen counter with his arms crossed. Seeing her bright aura, he can’t help but feel delighted. Ji Aeiyoung is back, if not, is it safe to say it’s even brighter than he had ever saw of her.

“No, I just have this one last thing and we’re ready to eat.”

Jongin nods, not insisting. He finds himself a seat at the dining area where Aeiyoung already had everything prepared. Too bad he didn’t wake up any earlier. If he did, he would’ve seen the sight of Aeiyoung cooking.

“What time did you wake up?” he asks when she sits in front of him, placing the last plate of dish at the centre.

“About two hours ago.” She recalls. “Fill yourself up. I have something to tell you after… again.” But this time, it isn’t as dark as previously.

Jongin stills at the last sentence, wondering what that could be? Without a word, he picks up his chopsticks and starts feeding himself.

Aeiyoung gingerly watches the male eat what she cooked. Ever since last night, before falling to sleep, she decided to fully accept Jongin in her life. Jongin mentioned he has his fears too, but that didn’t let him stop from doing things to express what he feels for her. And last night, she determined to be like that too. After all, it’s only her fears caused by her past relationship that is stopping her. She has decided to leave it there because Yoo and Jongin are two different people. Despite the existing anxiety, Aeiyoung is ready to take her feelings for him on board.

The suspense is killing Jongin. He wants to know what she has to tell her. But he decides to finish his breakfast and fill himself like Aeiyoung said. When he’s finally finished, he asks her softly, “What is it that you have to tell me?”

Truth to be told, Aeiyoung doesn’t know how to start. She wants to tell him that she likes him too but so out the blue? If she’s going to confess to him, she wants to do it right. But the question is, how? Dear, she’s too inexperienced for this kind of things.

She feels her heart thump inside her fast and hard. She takes a deep breath in attempt to calm it, but it doesn’t work. She presses her lips and looks at him nervously. She starts faintly, “Remember what you told me at your favourite Japanese restaurant?”

Jongin bobs his head. How can he forget? “I do.” He answers deeply yet delicately. “I told you I like you.” But really, now, he’s long over liking her. He loves her. But he’ll hold back saying that, for now.

Aeiyoung holds her breath. She nibbles on her bottom lip as he stares at her earnestly. And it’s so warm she can melt. “And I told you that I was scared.”

“And I’m willing to wait.” He adds, “No matter how long that will take.” Now, that he knows the reason, he’s even more willing to wait for her until he banishes all of those fears and alter it to hope.

But what he hears next stops his heart as she smiles, asking a question. “Can I put an end to that wait?”

All of him freezes, he lets her words sink in. “You mean…?”

She nods her head with her naturally tinted cheeks. “I like you too, Kim Jongin.” She confesses. “And I don’t want to be scared anymore.”

An instant smile of glee appears. He can’t believe it. He feels like he’s dreaming. Ecstatic, he asks, “Then, would like to be my girlfriend?” She’ll say ‘yes’, right?

She reaches to hold his hand. “I’d love to.” She answers. “I’d love to be your girlfriend.” Jongin lets go of the air he’s holding. The same time, Aeiyoung stands to walk around to him, not letting go of his hand. She only lets go when she hugs him by the neck. She pulls out to look at him, asking, “Are you happy?”

“I’m very happy.” He says. “I’m beyond happy.” He expresses, hugging her by the waist, making her sit over his lap. Aeiyoung briefly squeals and soon, giggles.

“Thank you for waiting.” She says. “You waited so patiently.”

“I can wait longer. If I have to, for you.” He replies sincerely. “But now that you said that, thank you for saying yes.” He hugs her tighter, mumbling on her shoulder. “Thank you for liking me back.”

He looks at her dreamily as she plays with his hair. He can finally and officially call Aeiyoung, his girl and proudly show and flaunt to everyone that she is the woman he loves, his angel and cure.

“I think I need to get up now.” She says quietly.

Jongin frowns slightly, quite as though he’s a brat.“Why?”

“You have to go to work, don’t you?”

He shakes his head. “I’m taking the day off today. I’ll spend the day with you.” He holds her chin between his forefinger and thumb tenderly. “Especially now that you are my girlfriend.”

Aeiyoung giggles again. “Okay. I’ll call work. I’ll take another day off as well.”

Jongin grins. He’s too happy. He can’t even remember when he last felt it but he loves it. Aeiyoung and him, are finally together. She’s worth it. And even if he has to wait longer, and she didn’t say yes now, he wouldn’t mind especially if this is how worth and fulfilling it feels like. But she said yes, he can’t express the bliss he’s feeling.