FINAL II

After a few moments, I got up and decided that it is time to enjoy myself more. The boy was right—I came here to have fun…to relive the happiness I and Jiyong shared four years ago, not to sulk.

~A few hours later~

I finally decided to take a break. In the past few hours, I’ve managed to go on many crazy rides, including this rollercoaster type of ride that featured a haunted house. I found it more hilarious than “haunting” though, because during the first few seconds of the ride, some kid threw popcorn at a “ghost,” who happened to be a man with a mask on. He tumbled over and missed scaring the rest of the people.

It is now getting late, and I am now standing before the last ride on my mind—the Ferris wheel. I smiled and held the cotton candy I had just bought not too long ago. I thought it would be nice to enjoy the view from the Ferris wheel while munching on some delicious cotton candy. I happily waited in line, thinking how perfect this day had gone.

I stepped into my assigned cab and immediately prepared myself to savor the moment by ripping off the cover from the cotton candy.

“Excuse me, Miss.?” One of the workers peeked in.

“Yes?”

“Would you mind sharing with someone? Its fine if you don’t want to, but you’re not up yet, so we thought it’d be convenient…and the other people behind this fellow seems to be in groups. You appear to be the only person occupying a whole cab.”

I frowned slightly. I didn’t really want to share, but as you thought it over, I didn’t want to be mean. “Okay then.”

“Thank you very much. As a treat, we’ll let you ride a bit longer.” The worker smiled before leaving. A few seconds after, another person joined me in the cab. It was a male. He was wearing a hat and a rather luxurious looking coat and scarf. I couldn’t see his face, but he looked around the same age as I. I wanted to greet him, but seeing how he completely avoided eye contact, I decided to keep quiet.

The ride started, and I slowly felt the cab being lifted off ground level. I smiled as I excitedly looked out the window while eating my cotton candy, trying my hardest to ignore the aura of awkwardness before me.

Suddenly, the cab came to a jerk and stopped unexpectedly. I squeaked and nearly dropped my cotton candy. I felt something drop on my feet—it is the stranger’s hat. I instinctively leaned over and grabbed it. “Here you ar-” my jaw dropped.

“…Dara?” Jiyong looked at me disbelievingly. “…is it really you?”

I am still too shocked to speak.

He quietly retrieved his hat from my hands. “It’s been a while…” he murmured.

I felt tears leave my eyes and slide down my cheeks. I felt my hands quivering. I felt my face heat up. I am aware of everything around me…except my inability to speak.

He leaned forward and wiped a tear away. “Dara…don-”

I slapped his hand away.

“Dar-”

“HOW DARE YOU!” I hollered. “HOW DARE YOU LEAVE WITHOUT WARNING?” My tears let loose and I begin sobbing.

Jiyong looked down, unable to say anything.

“Four years…FOUR FREAKIN’ YEARS, JIYONG!” I continued yelling. “WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?!”

“…I’m sorry…” he murmured softly and then added even quieter than before, “I didn’t want you to hate me…”

I stopped screaming. “What…?”

“I only left…because I didn’t want you to hate me…” he said, as his eyes met mine, I saw how much sorrow they held. “I…didn’t want you to live with the burden of having to see me…”

I went quiet, cueing him to continue.

“Dara…you deserve so much better than a…fool like me. Even when Tabi and I met about the issue…I couldn’t forgive myself.” He looked down again. “I knew how much he meant to you…I couldn’t forgive myself for almost taking away someone so precious to you…because of the sole reason that I was an idiot.”

I tried to look at him, but he avoided my gaze completely.

“It wasn’t that I didn’t want to talk to you.” He balled his fists. “Every day of those four years…even though I studied and worked hard…you never left my mind. I wanted to talk to you more than anyone…but I was afraid that the only thing we had to talk about…was going to make you hate me.” He paused, as a tear strayed from his eye and landed on his scarf. “I didn’t want to hear those words from you…especially as the last things I’d ever hear you say…”

“Jiyong, I-”

“Dara…for the bad things I’ve done in the past…I suffered the ultimate punishment…” he sniffed slightly, trying to stop himself from crying in front of me. “I lost my sanity…” wiping away a tear, he managed to mutter, “I lost…you.”

I stared at him, completely blown away by his openness.

“I realized everything…too late. I am a jerk to you from the beginning because I thought it’d get your attention and because I wanted to keep others away from you…and then I had no choice but to continue it when Tabi showed up…because you saw no one but him. I wanted to be kind to you too…but I knew you’d become suspicious and question my motives…yet, I wasn’t willing to express my feelings…I was just too proud for my own good…”

“I…” I tried to find the right words to say, but couldn’t.

“I’d understand if you immediately leave after this-”

“Gosh…there you go again!” I interrupted, incredibly frustrated. “Stop assuming things!”

He gave me a perplexed expression.

“You assumed things years ago and left without warning…you assumed who knows how much in childhood…and now…you’re assuming that I’m just going to leave!”

“…you’re not?” He looked surprised.

I sighed. “Jiyong…I don’t hate you. I still keep in contact with Tabi…but he already knew that he wasn’t in my heart anymore at our first meeting. Even though I’ve said it many times…I’ve realized that I never hated you all along. All those times we’ve fought...it usually starts with you caring for me…my anger was just concealing how thankful I really am. My words also hide…how genuinely I cared about you.” I shivered, “gosh, that sounds so corny.”

Jiyong chuckled. “Kind of…”

“Anyways…back to my point. I know I’m not good at this sentimental stuff…but stop assuming these things. I tried contacting you…I even went to the airport-”

“WHAT?”

“YES, I WENT THERE. I KEPT CALLING-”

“Oh my gosh…I wasn’t imagining.”

“YOU HEARD?”

“I heard…but nobody was there…”

“I WAS THERE!”

“What? I turned around and nobody was there!”

“You probably turned around at the wrong time then!”

He snickered. “If you were just a bit taller and more eye-catching, I might have had an easier time and we wouldn’t be in this mess right now.”

I gasped, and about to retaliate when his lips stopped me. My eyes widened.

It is only a quick peck. He leaned backwards again and smirked. “But you’re perfect by my standards.”

“What’s with you being all cheesy all of a sudden?” I joked.

He pouted, “I’m being serious.”

Suddenly, a loud voice came booming. “PEOPLE UP THERE, THE FERRIS WHEEL IS EXPERIENCING TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES. WE’RE SORRY FOR THE INCONVENIENCE. PLEASE HOLD ON A BIT LONGER, WE ARE LOOKING INTO THIS!”

“Oh my gosh, I didn’t even notice we’ve been here for so long. Doesn’t this seem familiar?” I laughed.

“Ya…” he started chuckling. “Our mothers...and we arguing at the highest point of the Ferris wheel.” He rolled his eyes, “it was freezing that day. I hated Ferris wheels ever since.”

“Then why are you on one now? How about the time when we went to this amusement park because I had to make it up to you?”

“Because it meant I could spend time with you, and you couldn’t run away.” He smiled lightly, “even though it was freezing that day…being next to you made it all worth it.”

“This event is basically a repeat of that one,” I grinned.

“Except this time, it’s actually not freezing.” Smirking vaguely, he leaned forward and stopped with merely a few millimeters away from my face. “And you’re here to stay.” As those words were emitted, his lips firmly met mine in a kiss that made everything the both of us had suffered in the past…completely worth it.

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One last CHapter!