She took her time following that familiar presence that had been with her for a very long time already. That same presence that can take up every space of her being, with or without her memories; it had always been him. Even though she knew that he was waiting for her, she was scared. Not only did she deny her feelings for him the entire time she lost her memories but she entertained an old feeling unconsciously. She was feeling so much regret at that moment, just trying to imagine the pain Jaejin had to bear all these time: Looking at her from afar without knowing his existence, knowing his existence but completely ignoring him and chose to be with someone else, ignoring that she had all along. She wondered and wondered, if she still deserved his love.

She nervously took her time in walking that path that would lead to the other half of her heart. It had grown so longing and lonely without the other but those hearts knew that they had to solve those broken puzzles before completely being whole again.

He was in the study, with music plugged in his ears as his thoughts and heart raced to complete anxiety; what’s going to happen next? He thought to his self. He breathed in deeply as if his life depended on it, all of his confidence was gone as of now. Everything had been about Seunghyun and no Jaejin, where did her heart go?

His thoughts were caught up with endless questions, he didn’t even notice that she was there already, looking at him from the door. Seol noticed that he was still unaware of her presence so she let her guard down and let her presence filled the room making Jaejin shot a look at her at that instant.

When their eyes met, she hid her presence then again, their hearts pounding as if wanting to break free and join the other half.

“Seol,” He whispered as if relieved to see her finally but the moment of relief was too short when he remembered Seunghyun. His eyes were reflecting his inner turmoil and she sensed what Jaejin was probably thinking.

“Hey,” She replied softly and sat on then chair in front of Jaejin, his eyes not leaving her any second, as if trying to read her mind and actions about her decision, his anxiety growing more and more every second.

They were caught in a staring game as if trying to read each other’s thoughts and intentions, trying to feel where would a conversation lead to. Both were too scared to speak. The silence was deafening. The tension was rising. It was unbearable for the love that had been separated for far too long. It was utterly depressing, the way the two of them hesitated as they stared at each other.

The two noticed they were looking at each other’s face for too long. Seol broke out into a stifled laugh and Jaejin followed, both finally looking away, only to return their stares at the other. Finally, the tension was broken.

Jaejin let out a breath. He stood up, gathering all his will power and pulled Seol into an embrace in which she slowly melted in his arms, clinging unto him as if there was no tomorrow. Her arms were wrapped around his neck, his face buried on her head, trying to make his self believe that she was finally back in his arms despite everything that happened. They stayed unmoving, stayed quiet, and just let the moment sink in. Finally, after everything, they still ended up wanting to be in each other’s arms.

Slowly, Jaejin broke off the hug and faced her, looking at her with utmost disbelief that he was holding her again. She smiled softly, feeling rather shy by the way he was staring. He cupped her face, his thumb caressing her now red cheeks.

“Aren’t you staring for too long?” She and he immediately smiled into a grin. He leaned forward for a kiss but she backed away. Jaejin’s hold on her was now gone, a short distance was only in between them, only a hand away but suddenly she felt so far as his heart felt like was crushed into bits. He was left hanging; he can feel his insides weakening. He was left with one conclusion with her beahavior.

“So you chose him?” He mumbled, inaudible for human ears.

“No.” She answered simply and he looked back at him. She saw his hurt eyes staring back at her and wondered. “The moment you leaned in, all I see is you and her. You, giving her those kisses that is supposed to be mine.” Her tears started gathering long ago as they neared to fall. She bit her lip and tried to hold back the tears. “I trusted you.” She said in such a heart breaking tone that made Jaejin die inside. “But you slept with someone else.” A tear managed to escape from her eye and she wiped it away and held her tears back again.

He was out of words, not sure if what he would say would be helping him or would make things worse. He just looked at her with sorry filled eyes and she just stared back. She let out a shaky breath, a tear or two fell again and she wiped them clean again like the first time.

“But then again, as much as I wanted to blame you I can’t.” She continued saying. “You had to bear all the longing on your own.” She wrapped her arms around his neck again and buried her face on him as she started to cry and Jaejin held her tightly.

“I’m sorry. I’m really sorry. I’m sorry.” Jaejin whispered in between his cries and Seol just hugged him tighter.

“I’m sorry you had to bear all the pain on your own. I’m sorry I became too selfish. I’m sorry I hurt you and even Seunghyun. I’m sorry I—“

She was cut off by his lips crashing into hers. She instinctively moved around his lips that were so familiar to her and the room was silenced by their lips that were intertwined by a sweet reconciliation. He pulled away and stared at her again, right in the eye.

“I can take any pain for you.” He said to her and she smiled instantly. “Will you take me back?”

She hugged him again he hugged back. “Only if you forgive me for those times I was with Seunghyun.” She asked him and a tiny smirk formed on his lips upon hearing her words.

“I always wondered why you treat Seunghyun so differently than everyone else, even more over me sometimes. I always ended up concluding that because he’s your best friend but then I suddenly remembered, the first time we met you, you wouldn’t even look at us and you only had eyes for him.” He stated as if pointing out something and she shrugged as she let go of him.

“I was only a kid back then.” She defended.

“Really now?” He stared at her but she looked away, avoiding his accusing stare. Jaejin didn’t stop staring at her, knowing very well that she was not telling him something and at the same time he found teasing Seol amusing.

“Okay okay, he was my first crush.” She admitted in defeat and Jaejin folded his arms as if interrogating Seol. “But I noticed he was too oblivious about it and that I would always be his best friend and then yeah I met you and everything is history.” She explained and pouted. She frowned at Jaejin for making her remember.

“So does that mean, if Seunghyun realized his true feelings earlier…”

“Naaahh.. I would’ve fallen for you either way.” She said confidently and he laughed out loud because of it. She pouted and stared at him as he laughed. “It’s not every day that I say this kind of things out loud and you laugh at me hysterically like that.”

He pulled her into a hug again and comforted her. “I’m sorry. I was just so happy and relieved and…” He paused for a while and looked back at her. “I just love you…so much..”

She was caught off guard as those words passed her ears. It was as if her breathing stopped for a while, as if her heart forgot to beat, as if her mind forgot to think. It took a while before she finally processed what those words were and slowly, her face softened and looked at him lovingly, tears nearing to fall because of happiness. “I love you too.” She replied sweetly and if his heart can burst out from happiness, it would’ve been a goner by now. After five years of not hearing those words come out from her lips, it was like a sweet melody as it passed through his ears and went straight to the bottom of his heart, filling everything about him completely.

“I missed hearing that.” He was smiling widely at her, contented of her being in his arms at the moment. “And most of all, I missed you. Can you say it again?” He almost sounded like as if he was pleading.

She looked away for a while, her face a burning red as she looked back at him softly and whispered the words, “I love you.” It sounded so clichéd for her but she didn’t mind. If those few words can make him happy, she was willing to say it over and over again and yet it cannot even match up to the times she fell for him over and over again as well. She lost count already on how many times he took her breath away, how many times her heart skipped a bit, how many hours she spent thinking of him.

He gave her a quick peck on the lips and grinned evily at her. She instantly knew Jaejin was up to something as she prepared herself to hear it. “Now let me clean your lips.” He then crashed his lips on hers and she happily kissed him back, their tongues moving around together with their beating heart. For quite a while, their lips remained unseparated, even the author lost track.