AN: Hey, guys! It feels like long time, no see, for this fanfic! Anyways, this oneshot was inspired by the most recent episode, but it’s not specifically about that little fight, as I’m setting it after the proposal (in my fictional world). I decided to put it in here, instead of ‘New Chapter’ because I thought it fit the time frame a little bit better. Consider it as a sort of, half/bonus chapter. As always, I hope you guys enjoy!

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Longevity, n.

-The length and duration of life

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-N-

Naeun was upset. She had come home to the apartment to find Taemin passed out on their bed and the smell of alcohol on his clothes. But that wasn’t what started it. Taemin had missed out on their date with the wedding planner, again, and forgot to call her. She had made the planner wait with her for half an hour, before she had to apologise and resume the planning activities. She could not focus the entire time, and in the end, only made a few small decisions about their wedding. Although Taemin missed out on the appointment, she wanted to plan with him, and wanted his input. She checked her phone several times throughout the meeting, and then once again when she got into her car to drive home. She received a call from Eunji that Key had come home drunk, and Taemin would have probably done the same thing too. She put her head against the steering wheel and sighed, then started up the engines, and drove home.

Naeun was tired, and so she didn’t even bother to make dinner. She just took a quick shower, got dressed and then went into bed, sleeping almost to the edge of her side, and facing away from her fiancé. The next morning when she woke up, it was almost the middle of the day. She knew Taemin would not be there because he and s had a schedule in Japan for the next few days, and they had a flight that morning. She looked to her phone and realised that they would be on the plane right now, but no messages. She found a note by the bedside which read:

Hey, baby…

I’m sorry…about yesterday.

I know you’re tired, so I didn’t wake you.

I’ll talk to you soon…

-Taemin

She didn’t even smile at the note. Even in writing, he could seem distant. There was no ‘I love you’ and he signed it off with his name, instead of Oppa, or another term of endearment that he would use. All she could do now was wait for his call. She didn’t want to initiate it; she wanted him to call her first. Instead, she busied herself with cleaning their apartment, and spending time with her friends, to try and get her mind off of their argument. Could you even call it that? Arguments require some talking, even shouting, but they hadn’t even spoken a word to each other.

-T-

Taemin had been called by his Hyungs to go to a restaurant and have a catch-up. When he said that they were going to be spending time with each other when they go to Japan, they just replied by saying that it would be for work, and they needed to have some bonding time before they went. In the back of his mind, Taemin knew that he had set an appointment with Naeun with the wedding planner to go over some details, but he didn’t want to say ‘no’ to his Hyungs. He just wouldn’t drink, and then leave early, to go meet up with Naeun. Everything would be just fine.

When he got there, his Hyungs were already seated in their favourite booth. There were already four bottles of soju on the table and one of them was already three quarters finished. He sat down and they immediately poured him a drink. The food arrived shortly, and just like old times, they began to talk about their life, their love and everything else in between. Taemin didn’t realise the time passing by after his fourth glass. All he knew was that he had a good time. He got himself a cab, which took him to his apartment, and so he went home drunk. Taemin was so tired that he passed out into the realms of sleep once his head had hit the pillows. He even forgot to give Naeun a call.

The next time he was conscious was the next morning. He had a slight head ache but he could remember what happened the previous day, and guilt washed over him as he saw Naeun sleeping on the edge of the bed. He her hair and whispered an apology to the darkness, then went into the shower to get dressed and get ready for his flight. His manager texted him to say that he would be downstairs in the next few minutes and that he should be ready. Taemin pondered over whether to wake Naeun up and give her a personal goodbye, but he feared seeing the disappointed look on her face, and he didn’t want to leave by seeing her like that. However, he also knew that if he left without a word, she would become even more mad at him. He decided that they could talk when he landed in Japan, and for now, he would leave her a note. That note gave him grief as well. He didn’t know what to write, and when his manager texted saying that he needed to leave now, he scribbled a message and then gave her a quick peck on the forehead and then left.

-N-

Naeun received a text message around the time that she knew they would land. It read:

Naeun-ah, we’ve landed safely. I’ll call you when I get to the hotel.

She put the phone back on the table and then went back to watching whatever was playing on the television. He called her an hour later.

-T-

As soon as Taemin had landed in Japan, he texted Naeun, promising to call her as soon as he got to the hotel. He knew that they needed to talk. The car ride to the hotel was filled with thought about how he was going to start apologising, what he was going to say, and preparing his heart for the hurt, anger and disappointment in her voice. Key pat him on the back and gave him an understanding look.

“Gwaenchanha?”

“Eo.”

“Worried about talking to Naeun?”

“Ne. Hyung, what was it like with Eunji?”

“I remember getting home drunk. Eunji hit me a few times, then yelled at me, and then made sure I got into bed safely. When I woke up, she made me some hangover soup, told me that she was disappointed. I apologised, and then she sent me off to the airport.”

“That’s good. Naeun and I didn’t even get a chance to talk.”

“Don’t worry. You can just call her, right? Besides, it’s you and Naeun. You guys will be alright.”

“Thanks, Hyung.”

-T&N-

As soon as he got to the hotel and unpacked, he dialled her number. She picked up on the second ring.

“Yeoboseyo?”

“Oppa…”

“Naeun-ah…I’m sorry.”

“I’m disappointed in you, Oppa…”

“I know…”

“You should have woken me up…we should have talked before you left…”

“I know…I’m sorry…”

The call seemed like they were repeating the same conversation over and over again. Naeun was disappointed with Taemin and Taemin could sense that. He felt really bad, but he didn’t know how he could comfort her from another country, through the phone. In the end, they decided to hang up.

“I’ll talk to you again soon, Naeun-ah…I have to go…”

“Okay…Let’s talk soon…”

-N-

He didn’t call me.

I wanted him to.

I felt lonely.

It’s been three days.

I miss him.

I should have called him.

-T-

I didn’t call her.

I felt lonely.

It’s been three days.

 I miss her.

I’ll be back in Korea tomorrow.

I should have called her.

-T&N-

Taemin got back to the apartment and found Naeun waiting for him. He stood at the entrance into the lounge room and put his bags down. Wordlessly, she got up from her seat and then went over to give him a hug. He was stunned at her action, but returned it, burying his face into the crook of her neck, inhaling her scent, and revelling in the moment that he was back home where he belonged. They stood there in that position for a long time, before the pulled back and Taemin gave her a soft kiss on the lips which she accepted. When they broke the kiss, she tugged on his arm and he followed her onto the couch, where she interlaced their fingers, and then looked into each other’s eyes. Taemin spoke up first.

“I missed you…”

“I missed you too…”

“We need to talk.”

“I know.”

“I don’t know how many times I can apologise to you.”

“It’s okay.”

“No, it’s not. I missed the appointment. I got drunk. I left without talking to you. And even though we decided to ‘talk later’, I should’ve known that it meant that I should call you. I’m sorry. I need you to know that I’m in this for the long haul. Do you remember our first fight during ‘We Got Married’ and our break up?

Naeun nodded her head and then continued to look into his eyes.

“I tried to pacify you the first time by hugging you, trying to hold your hand, doing all the punishments you could throw at me…and then after the break up…I didn’t even run after you…”

“But we found our way back to each other…”

“Still…that’s not the point. I told you this after the episode aired and when we talked on the phone after filming, but I want to say it to you again. I didn’t want to hurt you, and even though I did it with good intentions for you and for our relationship, I don’t think I properly thought things through and I did the thing that I said I would never do. When we went camping, I meant what I said. The things about being truthful to you, wanting to cherish you, and not drinking, they were all true. But I lapsed in judgement four days ago, and I broke all of those things. I broke your trust.”

“I understand you, Oppa. You made a bad call and ended up getting drunk and missing the appointment, but I guess, both of us could have made a greater effort to try to talk things through instead of leaving it to today. I missed you, but I guess I was stubborn in not calling you as well…”

“I’m sorry. Communication is important in our relationship. It was stupid of me, this time, and during those other times, but, I want you to always remember that we can talk about anything…and I will do everything to make it up to you…to make you smile again…and to remind you that you chose me for a reason…that I’m not like those other guys that left you hanging.”

“You’re not like those other guys…”

“I know…but I will make stupid mistakes…and still do stupid things. There’s no excuse…I don’t know what was going on in my head…but I want to get closer and closer to you…if that’s even possible…through the good times and the bad times…”

“We’ve come a long way, Oppa…and that took time…a lot of growing up…a lot of realising things…but we’re doing just fine…”

“I love you, Naeun-ah…now, into the future and for forever. That’s what we promised each other. That’s why I gave you this ring.”

“I know. I love you too…whatever you do…I’ll always try to understand you and forgive you…and I promise that we should always work things out together…”

“We’re making this work, Naeun-ah…I’m determined to make us work…”

“Me too…”

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

Love is like a tyre. It has four spokes (communication, commitment, patience and understanding), that support the rim. Without this support, the tyre would collapse into itself, and the ride will be bumpy, or there would be no ride at all. Sometimes, when it’s well worn, the tyre’s traction will be bad, and the journey won’t be good, but if you change or fix the tyre, the ride will be smoother. Life is like a road, it has bumps, pot holes, it can be made of dirt, or it can be made from the best cement. But on this road you take a journey, in your car. It’s not about how well you steer, it’s about whether the wheels are in good condition. Taemin and Naeun are sitting in the drivers and passengers seat, navigating their lives, with love. The road may not always be smooth, but if the tyres are working, then the ride will go well. Sometimes, conditions will change, and tyres get worn out, but if they adapt to the conditions, the car will work. You don’t need to abandon the car, because the car is still there, in working condition. You just need to fix the tyres. Love isn’t about happiness all the time; it’s about withstanding the trials and tribulations that circumstance throws at in your way. If you love someone, then a fight won’t change that. At the end of the day, the love will still be there.