The roaring sound of motorbike’s engine could be heard in front of a particular restaurant, attracting unwanted attentions from people passing by the area. Stopping the motorbike just in front of the door to the shop, the sound died down instantly when the engine was turned off. The person took off their helmet, revealing a guy with raven black hair, tousled in every direction possible but still able to look charming. He slipped off his Ducati and walked towards the restaurant.

The bell above the door to the restaurant chimed as he walked in and as soon as he saw the familiar back of the lady that was sitting a few tables away from where he stood, his lips naturally curved up into a smile. Without a word he ambled to the table, taking his sweet time while thinking of how to surprise the lady that was yet to notice his presence.

“Did you wait long?” he murmured just as he reached behind the unsuspecting lady who had her eyes on her phone while her other hand holding a glass of water, kissing the crown of her head as the question rolled out of his lips.

Soojung flinched out of surprise at the sudden contact, almost spilling the water that she was drinking, before she composed herself quickly. “Hello to you too, Kim Jongin,” Soojung greeted in a mock manner just as she set down the half empty glass of water, rolling her eyes without looking at the newcomer.

Jongin found himself grinning at the tone the lady was using. He then went around and settled in the seat across from Soojung, placing his helmet on the space just beside where his arm settled on. He looked at her with eyes filled with nothing but love but then he received a look of annoyance in return. Jongin raised a brow at the sight of an angry looking Soojung.

“What?” he questioned, already expecting words of scold from her. A scold Jongin had grown accustomed to every time a helmet came into her sight. It was nothing new but Jongin didn’t mind; he still found it amusing to this day.

“You’re riding that thing again,” Soojung huffed, folding her arms over her chest with a disapproving look painted on her face.

Jongin rolled his eyes at her words then despite feeling a little amused, “That thing has a name, Soojung. It’s a motorcycle.” He then added as an afterthought, “And please don’t insult my baby okay? That hurts my heart,” he feigned hurt, putting a hand over his chest to make a point.

“Are you serious right now?” Soojung watched him with an incredulous look on her face. “Yeah, whatever. Where is your car anyway? Are you just going to keep it in your garage forever, huh Kim Jongin?” she asked in a stern tone of voice, eyes practically light up with flames but worry was also evident in her eyes.

“I’ll be stuck in traffic if I use my car and you would have to wait longer then,” Jongin retorted.

“But it’s dangerous,” Soojung retaliated, voice somewhat laced with worry.

“And I know you hate waiting,” Jongin finished, the corner of his lips twitched to form a triumphant smile.

“I’m—“ Before Soojung could even utter more protest, Jongin held a finger up, shushing her.

“Shh! Zip it, I’m right here right now, still in one piece right?“ Jongin shushed, making a zipping motion across his lips and that effectively stop Soojung from saying any more words of protest.

But Jongin was able to catch the words that Soojung muttered under her breath when the lady looked away, “Still dangerous.” And that had Jongin silently smiling.

“It’s fine. I’m fine, still alive, breathing,” he assured, knowing exactly what Soojung had in her mind at the very moment. “Have you ordered?”  He asked, immediately changing the topic and he was more than grateful that Soojung didn’t press on the matter further.

“Yeah,” Soojung replied with a small smile. “I ordered the usual for you by the way,” she added.

“That’s my Soojung,” Jongin cooed softly, eyes filled with mischief as he reached out to pat her head. His hand was swatted away by the lady in an instant and Jongin just laughed it away.

Their foods were served moments later and Jongin didn’t wait long, diving in right away, practically stuffing his face with foods without missing a beat. “How’s work?” he finally spoke after gulping down half glass of water, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. When he looked up, he was met with the sight of Soojung looking at him with an unamused face, clearly not liking his disgusting habit of using his hand instead of a napkin to wipe his mouth, but Jongin just dismissed it away with a lopsided smile.

Soojung dropped the subject then. “The usual. I kind of regretted accepting the promotion, honestly,” she replied, letting out an unsatisfied sigh.

Jongin raised his eyebrow at that. “Why? I thought it’s a good thing since you have your own people to do most of the job,” he remarked playfully.

“You said that as if I don’t do my job,” she huffed in annoyance, plopping another shrimp into .

“I didn’t mean it that way,” Jongin quickly countered, “But yeah, it’s still better than being a CEO,” now it was Jongin’s turn to let out a huff. His words had the lady grinned ear to ear.

“Yeah, I pity you, Kim Jongin,” Soojung said in mock pity, a laugh almost slipping out of her lips.

Jongin rolled his eyes at her mocking words, “Well, thank you so much for your genuine concern,” he said a little too sweetly, every word dripping with sarcasm and a smile gracing his face in mock gratitude.

They had their lunch in silence after that before Jongin decided to break it with a little hesitancy. He was unsure whether telling the lady the newly found information would be a good idea or the other way around. “Soojung,” he started after much thought.

Soojung just hummed as if telling Jongin to continue.

Jongin bit his lower lip, thinking through again. To tell or not to tell. It will be too much for her to take. But then he decided it was best to just tell the lady, it has been a long time anyway. So Jongin gathered up his courage before he spoke up, voice rather cautious. “Sehun’s back,” he supplied that had Soojung froze on her spot, her hands stopped mid-air; eyes grew two times bigger at the sudden news.

It was exactly six years ago when Jongin became a heart broken mess. He looked like a soulless human, a walking dead after he found out about the lady’s feeling towards his best friend, and vice versa. The guy was out of himself after that episode of his life but it didn’t take long for him to recover because he knew better than to mope around and feeling hopeless. He knew Soojung needed him more than anyone else at that moment. Although it hurts him so much, till this day even, he was still always there for her nonetheless, always keeping Soojung company, always being on her side wherever and whenever. Never once did he let the lady felt lonely and there was never a day without him showing his love for her, his affection, his shoulder was always ready for the lady to cry on in a rare day, giving her warm embrace on cold days, and on summer he would always prepare his ears for her complains about the hot weather. He was always there to make sure Soojung had her meals or sleep at night. He was there, always.

Soojung still didn’t make a move, not even an inch; hands still mid-air holding the silverware, probably too stunned to hear that very familiar name after so many years. Jongin looked at her face and he didn’t know what to feel. He had expected Soojung to forget Sehun a long time ago but it seemed like his assumption was wrong. Soojung still loves Oh Sehun. She always has and always will. The guy could hear the sound of his heart breaking, shattering into pieces as he looked at the still frozen lady across him.

Jongin took a deep breathe then, trying to calm himself before he would burst, “Are you—“ he started, swallowing the lump in his throat that he didn’t even know was there, heart pounding as the question slipped out of his mouth. “Are you going to meet him?” he asked, words coming out in a cautious voice.

Soojung seemed to snap out of her trance at his voice, head snapping up to look at Jongin. “Who?” the lady asked innocently, face feigning ignorance.

“Sehun,” Jongin stated despite himself thinking it was not such a great idea but it was too late and his curiosity got the best of him.

“Why would I?” Soojung asked, smiling but Jongin knew better than to ask more because Soojung was already close to crying as tears lined her eyes, and it broke Jongin’s heart to know that he couldn’t do anything, he couldn’t mend the broken heart and that the only one person who can fix it would always be Oh Sehun and Oh Sehun alone.

Silence engulfed them all of a sudden, a suffocating one at that and Jongin wasn’t sure what exactly he had to do to break the silence that was thick that even knife could cut through it. It was when the background music turned to a new one that Jongin found himself laughing, empty and humourless.

It’s tearin’ up my heart when I’m with you

But when we are apart I feel it too

And no matter what I do I feel the pain

With or without you

Why did it have to be this out of all the songs that were there to be played? He cursed mentally because he knew exactly what the next lyrics would be and Jongin didn’t like it one bit.

Baby I don’t understand

Just why we can’t be lovers

Things are getting out of hand

Tryin’ too much but baby we can’t win

There was the urge to cry, a whimper was already at the back of his throat but Jongin fought it, swallowing hard, not even letting a slightest sound came out of his lips. He wouldn’t cry, not when Soojung was there in front of him. He never wanted Soojung to witness him cry. No, this was not the time for that. Soojung needed him now.

Let it go if you want me girl let me know

I am down on my knees

I can’t take it anymore

Jongin then do what his mind told him to. He walked around the table, taking the seat next to Soojung and instinctively wrapped his arms around her in an embrace. He let the lady buried her face over his chest as his chin rested on the crown of her head. He could immediately smell the aloe vera that was her shampoo and the pleasant smell somehow managed to calm his nerves. They stayed like that for what felt like a lifetime, no words needed at the very moment.

Tearin’ up my heart and soul, all right

We’re apart I feel it too

And no matter what I do I feel the pain

With or without you

***

“How are you feeling?” Jongin asked, settling himself beside Soojung. He handed the lady her portion of ice-cream and started eating of his own. They were at a park, occupying a bench that had the best view of the open place. Jongin thought that Soojung needed some fresh air after that shocking news, therefore he decided that it was best to be at a park that was thankfully just a five minutes’ walk from where they had their vehicles parked.

“Okay,” Soojung murmured before eating her vanilla ice-cream.

Jongin looked at her then. “It’s okay to say you’re not, Soojung. I’d understand you know,” told Jongin in a soft voice, mirroring Soojung’s action afterwards, eating his portion of chocolate flavoured ice-cream.

“I’m fine, really,” Soojung said in what she hoped to be convincing, offering the guy a smile but Jongin was not one to lie, not when he had seen that smile several times before.

“If you say so,” Jongin shrugged, deciding that it was best to end it at that.

But then the wheel of his mind rotated, the thoughts of the two meeting again sprang to his mind. What would Soojung do if they meet? Will they confess their feelings to each other? Will Soojung accept Sehun back to her life? Will they be together after all these years? Will he be alone now? He honestly hadn’t thought about this. He never actually thought Sehun would come back to his homeland after all these years and Jongin honestly hadn’t thought he would be facing this reality this soon – though six years was a very long period of time.

Jongin didn’t know how long they were there, just sitting in silence while enjoying the summer breeze but the sun was already setting by the time he took notice of his surroundings. It was when he turned to look at the lady beside him that Jongin finally realized that Soojung had fallen asleep. He scooted closer then, and unlike six years ago, this time Jongin didn’t take a second to place Soojung’s head over his chest as he wrapped one arm around her, watching as the sun slowly disappeared into the horizon as he closed his eyes.

Author's Corner:

Hmm yeah as you can see theres a six years skip because I want to end this fic with 10 chapters (or less) before it get out of hand. But I kind of made a sudden plan to write something that happened to them within that six years but I will write it as bonus chapters later after I finish with the story. (don't worry, most of them will not be angst).

I apologize if this chapter is a little less interesting (not that the prev. chaps are any better) because I was distracted by my brother who decided that it was okay for him to spend two hours in my room talking about food while I was writing this. And then my room decided to be cold out of nowhere (it didn't help that my desk is situated just in front of the air-conditioner -.-) so I don't know... I feel like this chapter lacks something. Lol and yeah, this has not been proofread yet because it's almost 3AM and i'm freezing so yeah.

The lyrics was one of NSYNC's songs bytheway, tearin' up my heart. Ijammedtothatsongwheniwassmallbecausethatswhat90'skidsdo.