A/N - Action!!! Showtime!!! Let's go~~~~

@thunbii - Just saw your comment as i was about to update!!! Good timing~ Anyhoo, it seems everyone hates Ji-yun now *shrugs* it's okay (after all i DID write her that way), but at least she does make the story more epic!!! You'll all probably hate her even more by the end of this chapter. Lol. 

@womaninmblaq - Haha, i see you got infected by the 'it's war' inspirational moment. Lol. I thought it was fitting when i wrote it ^^ And glad you caught onto it!!! As for ji-yun, oh wells >< I suppose it's unavoidable. 

@reilsm - hello faithful reader *big hug* Yup, yup, Sanghyun knows Ji-eunnie too well!!!! So cute the two of them~ Haha, should i give Sanghyun a mysterious twin and see if Ji-eun can spot the difference? ^^ 

@wookielove - Haha, thanks for that! I look forwards to the day you update as well!!!

@HanSang - Sorry to keep you waiting! Slightly earlier update today!!! (by only like...two hours *shrugs*) 

When i watched the B1A4 ep 4, i laughed so hard at Eunsol's words. It was hilarious, especially when they put that small pic of Thunder at the bottom! Eunsol was adorable in this episode, like Dayoungie after she got over her shyness....only that Dayoungie turned into a minature mafia boss and Eunsol just went crazy ^^ I would've killed to see Doongie's reaction tho~ And i'm STILL searching for an eng subbed version of idol manager >< dying here!!! I mean ep 2 is already out and they still haven't subbed ep 1 o.o 

@ainnurdoongie - Hello sis! Yup, guess i responded to you already even tho i said i would respond today...meh...i'm impatient. But yup, my new goal is to change your mind about Ji-yun and to prevent you from marrying Sanghyunnie. If you did get married...hm...don't think i'd kill you...but...well...kekeke...we'll see ^^ Anyhoo~ Enjoy the chapter!!!

Chapter 36 – Returning to the past, a heart shatters

1 year ago - January 4th 2009...

“Sanghyun-ah?” Ji-yun spoke on the phone. “Yobosaeyo.”

“Ji-yun?” Sanghyun spoke cautiously. He knew who it was from her voice. Though the twins possessed similar voices, they were differentiable by the slightest cadences. Ji-eun always spoke quickly, as if rushed yet with genuine warmth. Ji-yun however spoke like she was treading water – cautiously and with a wall of armor. “How did you get my number?”

Ji-yun spoke confidently. “Ji-eun gave it to me.” She lied.

“Okay, what’s up?”

“I have something to discuss in person.” She said immediately. “Can we go out tonight, for dinner?”

“Uh, what?!” Sanghyun was shocked.

“Can we meet tonight?” Ji-yun reiterated her sentence. “This is important.”

Sanghyun paused for a moment, wondering what was so important that she couldn’t just say over the phone. Then he decided there was harm in doing so. “Okay, fine. I’ll pick you up at 7pm.” He suggested. He might as well get it over and done with. “Is that enough for you?”

“Thank you, Sanghyun.” Ji-yun breathed with relief. “Thank you.”

“Sure thing.” Sanghyun said. “I’ll see you then.”

He closed his phone, still wondering what Ji-yun had up her sleeve. Then he called Ji-eun.

***

A car halted to a stop in from of the Lee household and within seconds, a small figure flew out of the front door. She was dressed in a soft white skirt and blue blouse. It gave her an innocent air whilst at the same time showing off her classic beauty. Despite that, Sanghyun felt no desire to want after that girl.

“Hello, Ji-yun.” He greeted his girlfriend’s sister politely. She in return gave him a shy smile as she scooted into the front seat and smoothed her skirt. Sanghyun gave her a wary glance.

“Where are we going?” Ji-yun asked, giving his a cautious side-glance.

“There’s a restaurant about half an hour from here. One of the trainees at LOEN recommended it.” Sanghyun said, steering the car back onto the road. “We can talk properly on the way there, then. So speak.”

Ji-yun frowned. She hadn’t expected Sanghyun to get to the heart of the matter so quickly. It defeated the goal she had been aiming for. “Must we rush this evening?” she wheedled.

“Ji-yun.” Sanghyun said sternly. “You said it was important. I want to get this business out of the way first, and then we can enjoy our dinner later.”

Ji-yun sighed at his practicality. “Very well then. I’ve been having problems with my parents and their expectations. I just want to be a singer. I don’t need to be the best; I just want to do something I truly enjoy.”

Sanghyun found himself relaxing as she spilled her private thoughts which Sanghyun could relate to. Indeed he just wanted to be out there singing and dancing. He didn’t need to be at the top. He just wanted to follow his heart.

“You don’t need to listen to everything they say just because they are your parents.” Sanghyun argued.

“Oh, but I do.” Ji-yun smiled sadly. “Because if I don’t become famous enough in three years, then my parents will pull me out of the entertainment industry and that will be the end of it.”

Sanghyun frowned. He didn’t like the stern manner in which the Lee parents conducted their children. He considered himself lucky that his mother supported whatever he and his sister did.

“That’s why I’m going to run away.” Ji-yun declared out of the blue.

“WHAT!?” Sanghyun choked and nearly jerked the car off the road.

“I mean what I said.” Ji-yun continued confidently. “I’m going to leave the house and pursue my dreams on my own. I’ve been accepted into LOEN, you know. They’ll fund my expenses and give me housing, so until I can debut, I’m sure I’ll survive well.”

“But Ji-yun,” Sanghyun’s words came out in a flurry. “They’re your parents and you know they still care for you.”

“I know, but I can’t handle the constant pressure. Ji-eun is stronger than me, but I want to be better. So I’m leaving.”

“But won’t you be lonesome?” Sanghyun couldn’t think of ever leaving his own family behind.

“Perhaps,” Ji-yun’s voice took on a strange hue. “That’s why…I wanted to ask if you’d stay with me.”

“WHAT!?” Sanghyun choked again.

Ji-yun let out a sigh. “How should I say this…? Okay, I’ll just say it. I like you Sanghyun and I want you to be with me. Not my sister.”

Sanghyun thought if Ji-yun didn’t lay off the surprises, his heart might stop beating soon.

“Ji-yun…” he managed to say. “You know I love Ji-eun.”

“Yes,” Ji-yun twisted in her seat to look at him with imploring eyes. “But she is just your first love. Do you really know what love is? Can you really say you’ll be with her ten years from now?”

“I could say the same thing to you.” Sanghyun gripped the steering wheel tightly. “How do you know you really like me? At least I know I fell in love with Ji-eun and that I still love her even after learning more and more about her. But you barely know me?”

Ji-yun just shrugged. “But I can grow to love you more.” She picked at the hem of her blouse. “I want someone to love me the same way you love Ji-eun. I want you to love me.”

Sanghyun sighed and slowed the car down. Parking on the shoulder of the highway, he twisted and looked at Ji-yun straight in the eye. “Ji-yun, listen to me.” He said firmly. “I get that you want to leave home and I get that you want someone to love you, but that someone can’t be me.”

“Why?” Ji-yun’s eyes grew wide with hurt. “We could be great together.”

“Because I love Ji-eun.” He said simply, his eyes softening at the thought of her. “I love her and I just don’t love you. Sure I like you, you’re a great friend but friends are all we can ever be.”

“How do you know?” Ji-yun raged. “I look exactly like Ji-eun, I’m sure you could grow to love me as well if given time.”

However, Sanghyun just shook his head. “No, Ji-yun,” he caught her flailing arms. “I love Ji-eun. Not just her exterior beauty, but her interior one as well. Her personality, her actions…she has qualities that you will never have and it’s those qualities that I love. I can’t just replace her with you just because you look the same.”

Ji-yun crumpled. “But…” she sobbed, her shoulders shaking. “Why…”

Sanghyun let go of her hands which fell to her lap. “I can understand the feeling of wanting someone else to be your exclusive partner, the person who will always be one your side. But that such person can’t be me because in my heart, Ji-eun will always come first. If I were your boyfriend, I wouldn’t treat you right.”

He started driving again and soon enough the bright lights of a nearby restaurant illuminated the car. Ji-yun raised her face, trying to hold back the tears.

 “Let’s have dinner.” Sanghyun said in a calm, controlled tone. “I want us you to forget about what happened. I want you to rethink your running away plan. I want you to treasure what you have right now.”

“You don’t understand…” Ji-yun sniffed. “It’s lonely...It's painful...”

“I understand the feeling of being alone.” Sanghyun took one hand off the wheel to take Ji-yun’s and grip it warmly. “I was alone until I met Ji-eun. But even before then, I had family and they are the one thing you should treasure. So don’t take them for granted. Even if they may seem like obstacles right now, I’m sure you have the talent and-“ he chuckled here. “-and the stubbornness to make it far.”

“No…” Ji-yun murmured. “You still don’t understand. Time is ticking for me…”

“Time?” Sanghyun was confused by her sudden change of subject. “What do you mean?”

Then he was distracted as a figure in the distance became clearer. Ji-yun stilled as she saw her mirror image – her worst nightmare.

“Ji-eun is waiting for us.” Sanghyun confirmed her fears. “I told her about our talk. She was worried about you as well. So let’s all have dinner and start anew. As friends, okay?”

Ji-yun gripped the hem of her blouse, feeling her anger build up. What Sanghyun was saying hurt her. He didn’t understand. None of them did! And seeing Ji-eun, hearing from Sanghyun that she knew everything and had nonchalantly left earlier on her supposed ‘errand’ sent waves of resentment throughout Ji-yun.

They had all known about this. They had all planned this. She bet that like a hidden puppet master, they had all been laughing whilst controlling her from behind the scenes.  

“You’ll find love and acceptance someday, but it’s not today.” Sanghyun continued, seemingly oblivious to her growing rage. “You have to be patient. Love can’t be rushed.”

Ji-yun wiped away her tears to watch her sister in the distance as the car drew them closer. She watched her sister walk over to another woman who had fallen down and watch her kneel with that kind gaze of hers. The gaze that Ji-yun never seemed to be able to produce despite the fact they had the same face. Sanghyun was right: they may both have the same outer appearance but Ji-yun knew that on the inside they couldn’t have been more different that night and day. 

“Let’s go get dinner then,” Sanghyun said warmly. “Tomorrow I’m sure everything will be better.”

Hot needles stabbed at Ji-yun’s heart and the tears fell. Love couldn’t be rushed? Tomorrow would be better? What was he saying?  Tomorrow would just be as painful and as lonesome as always. Why couldn’t Sanghyun see how much he meant to her?! Perhaps it had just begun as a plan to fill the empty hole in her heart, but now his presence was filling her head with his love. Love that was directed to her sister.

 “Better?” she whispered mockingly. “Tomorrow?”

Sanghyun turned his head to look at her, his eyes filled with confusion. 

But Ji-yun could only see pity in his eyes. She had spilled her heart. He knew she was lonesome, knew she wanted someone to be there for her and yet he was still pushing her back to the boundaries of mere friendship. It made her hands fist and her heart burn.

Ji-yun gritted her teeth and leaned over.

“Then, oppa.” She whispered in a sweet yet dark voice. “I would rather if tomorrow never came.”

In one swift movement, she swung her leg over and pressed down hard on the accelerator. Her hands gripped Sanghyun’s and jerked the steering wheel off course. With a screech, the car raced forwards towards where a horrified Ji-eun stared at the monstrous metallic beast and where a tiny white-faced woman lay on the ground.

And then, with a resounding crash that sounded like the world had been torn into two, the car collided with the pillar of the taxi stand in a horrific tearing of metal and concrete that seemed to promise that indeed, there was no such thing as tomorrow.

A/N - Cliffie! Next chapter shall be even more emotional! Anticipate it~~~