Jessica POV

*8th-of-December,-Las-Vegas-Nevada*

Hesitation to go back... Definitely, that's how she feels. The way Kim Hyoyeon redirects her gaze away with just a reminder of her memory of Choi Sooyoung, obviously depicts her true feelings.

I know her hardship. It's been the very same thing I kept on having until now.

--

"Have I ever told you how much I love you?"

I chuckled, "Yeah, a thousand times already like you're totally obsessed with me."

A smile formed on his face as he looked at me warmly. "Then, have I ever made you feel how much I love you?"

I caressed his face. "Yes, you do. Like a million times."

He kissed my forehead. "And I'll never get tired of doing so."

"Why do you always love to drown me with your cheesy remarks like you're still courting me? I'm already your girlfriend, Mr. Im. You don't have to do that anymore."

"I will never stop until you're completely mine."

"But, aren't I already am?"

He shook his head, "No. I describe that moment when I'm already there at the altar, waiting for you on our exchange of wedding vows."

I cupped his face with my hands. "Then, so be it." I closed the gap of our faces and had my lips locked with his. In return, he engaged us in another passionate kiss.

The loving look on his eyes, the soft and caring touches and the warm and secure feeling he's been giving me. With all those, I completely feel his sincerity, his love for me.

No one has ever made me feel this way.

Yoong broke our kiss and rested his forehead on mine. "Please, accept me."

"But, I already did."

He didn't respond and just returned a smile. I know that meant to be a disagreement on what I said.

Everyone else may say I'm a mind reader and that, no one can ever read through mine. Yet, again, he was the only one who could do that.

This guy...

He sees through me...

"Stay with me, Jessica." He reached for my hand and kissed it. "I promise you happiness. I assure you that you will not regret it if you'll stay."

...Ever since the very first day we met.

I thought he will be the answer to my struggle. I thought he will be the one that will save me from my despair. It turns out he's the one keeping me to stay.

So, then, I had to lie. I had to do it to break free. I had to hurt him.

---

"I am tired. So, sick and tired of begging for your love. I had enough."

"This will be the last time that I will care about you. This will be the last time that I will ing give a damn about you! Because, from then on, you will be nothing to me but just a piece of trash of my past. The one that I will laugh about for how ing stupid I am for falling in love with someone like you!"

"Thank you? No, I never will. You only brought nothing to my life but pain. Call me an or whatever but… I wish the same for you."

"Goodbye… and I hope I'll never get to see you again."

--

Those words... I can never forget those he told me.

I inflicted pain on him so much. But, the pain I got in return from that deed turned out to be thousand times even more hurtful.

My plan has back-fired, indeed.

---

"Jessica?" Hyoyeon called and had successfully snapped me out from my thoughts.

"Y-yes?"

She looked at me with worriment in her eyes, "I will go back to Korea just as you want me to be. I promise you that."

Kim Hyoyeon sure is a good friend. She knows when to in. She knows when to distance herself. Even if she couldn't exactly tell what I've been thinking, she can easily notice the way I am feeling.

I tried to give her a sincere smile, "I want you back there permanently, Hyoyeon. I gave you enough to get your whole family to return there."

"You are really so bossy. Why do you always think you can just order us around to follow whatever you want?"

"You don't like it here."

"I… No, I do!"

"No, you don't."

"Obviously enough, you're struggling here... This is not your home, Hyoyeon. Seoul is where your home is. We only have one last semester left to finish so continue it. After that, I assure you, you can raise your family on your own better than having a blue-collar job here."

"Yeah… you do have a point there."

"So, you're finally agreeing with me to leave this place for real?"

"Yeah. I will."

"…"

"Thanks again for the money, Jess."

Few minutes later, we have arrived in front of her apartment. Yet, before we could even get out of the car, my phone suddenly rang. It was a call from one of my agent. "Hello…?"

"Ms. Jung. Good news."

"You found him…?

"It's confirmed. He's here in Mountain-view Hospital."

"Okay, got it…" I ended the call and returned my gaze to Hyoyeon. "I'm sorry but I can't stay for long. I have business to do."

"Oh, okay." She went out of the car then, bid goodbye. "Bye, Jessica."

"Bye."

"When will we see each other again then?"

"I may try to visit if I'll ever have free time to spare."

"So uhhmm... can I get your contact number then? You know... for some reason, we might n---"

"It's better for you not to contact me at all."

"Oh, okay..."

"Don't worry. I have my ways to find you."

"A-alright. Thanks for the ride, by the way. And take care."

"You too."