“Will you be my girlfriend, sweetheart?”

He held out the rose and gave a loving look at Ji Eun. At that time, Ji Eun felt everything around them stopped moving, even the time. The only thing she saw was Min Hyuk kneeling down in front of her with a stalk of rose in his hand. She was shocked, no doubt, because she never expects Min Hyuk would ask her out that fast. Even when she think about it again, they just got to be in the relationship of ‘Eun Min and Min Hyuk Oppa’ for just barely a week. However, the deeper her thoughts were, she realized something, I’ve just been close with Oppa again for just a week?! Why does it felt like it had been months? The fact that she could be even more than comfortable when she was with Min Hyuk made her wonders;

Am I finally able to forget Lu Han? Will Oppa be someone who can protect me forever? Will I be happy if I throw away all the precious memories that I made with Lu Han before, only to have a happier living? Will I… be able to love him even more than how he does?

“Eun Min?”

Min Hyuk’s voice snapped off all the thoughts that had been lingering in her head. It made her realized that Min Hyuk was still kneeling and she didn’t even give him an answer yet. She hesitantly held out her hands and wrapped them around Min Hyuk’s, before pulling him up from that position. But still, she did not take the rose from Min Hyuk yet. Seconds later, she took a step closer to Min Hyuk, making their bodies just a few inches apart before she looked up to meet Min Hyuk’s eyes.

Han Ji Eun, there’s no turning back in what you’re going to say out loud after this.

“Oppa,” she called out softly, making it sounded as if she was whispering before she gently wrapped her hands around Min Hyuk’s and carefully took out the rose from his hold. She makes sure that their eye contacts were not broken even for a second.

“I will,” the loving look and smile that Ji Eun had on her face at that time was one of the most precious things to Min Hyuk that he had ever felt. The happiness, joy, was screaming out of his face, and it didn’t fade even a bit as he wrapped his arms over Ji Eun’s shoulders, hugging her tightly. Feeling secured and relieved, she hugged him back.

When he finally felt contented with the hug, he slowly released Ji Eun from his embrace, but still, he kept his hands on Ji eun’s arms as they made another eye contact. Without even realizing it, the distance between their face slowly becomes closer until finally, there was none. Their lips made contact and their eyelids got heavier as they deepen the kiss. Min Hyuk could not help but to smile when Ji Eun responded to his kiss and Ji Eun could feel he was smiling too when they did. Finally out of breath, they broke it and softly bumped their foreheads with hands around each other’s waist.

“That was my first kiss, Eun Min,” Ji Eun got puzzled for a second, trying to decipher what Min Hyuk had said and let out a chuckle before she jerked her head backwards, producing some gap between their head once again.

“Oppa, are you sure that was your first? You’re lying. It’s not like you’re only seventeen or what, you’re already twenty five,” she continued smiling while still wrapping her arms around his waist. So did him.

“Heyy, I’m saying the truth. That really was my first,”

“Tsk tsk tsk,” Ji Eun shook her head sideways, making Min Hyuk frowned. But then, she wrapped her arms around Min Hyuk’s neck, making their distance even closer.

“Oppa, this is embarrassing, but still, I’ll just tell you. I was twelve at that time and I went to your house to play that evening. But your mom said you were still sleeping, so…. I went into your bedroom. Seeing how adorable you were at that time, I didn’t think much anddd---,”

“And?” he raised an eyebrow.

“I pecked you lips,” she said that quickly and instantly bit her lower lip while looking away from Min Hyuk – felt embarrassed.

“Ohho,” he tilted his head to his right, to meet Ji Eun’s eyes, but she looked to her left a bit more, refusing the eye contact.

“So you’re telling me the shy Han Eun Min back there made a bold move and stole my first kiss?” he asked mischievously.

“A-Ah y-yahh,” she instantly took off her hands from Min Hyuk’s neck and wanted to walk away but he pulled her hand towards him just on time and made her spun around before falling into his arms again. He quickly pecked Ji Eun’s lips, seeing the puzzled look on her face after suddenly being pulled by him like that.

“So your first kiss was mine and mine was yours?” she slowly nodded at the question. Oh my, this is damn embarrassing! Pabo Han Eun Min, why did you confess it out?!

“If that’s the case, I’m even more than happy to know that you did that. Wahh~ you’re impressive, Han Eun Min,” at that time, Ji Eun felt like her cheeks were burning out of embarrassment. Min Hyuk only laughed hard seeing how red her cheeks were, but inside him, he felt like jumping up high, knowing about what Ji Eun had just confessed.

“So now, should we go and have our first candle light dinner, my lady?” he fixed his arms around Ji Eun’s waist and tilted his head – trying to act cute.

“Should we?” not wanting to lose, she wrapped her arms around Min Hyuk’s neck and asked cutely while blinking her eyes. It made Min Hyuk felt like pecking her lips, but he did not, thinking that Ji Eun might get a heart attack if he suddenly kept attacking her with his kisses. Admitting his defeat, he released Ji Eun from his hold and made his way towards the cake to put it back into the box. After that, we went to Ji Eun again and wrapped his arm around her waist and made their way towards Min Hyuk’s car to go and have their dinner.

LU HAN’S POV

Despite the summer season now, I don’t know why but the night air here at Han River is a bit too chilly. I should have brought my sweater with me. But at least, the warmth from the cup of coffee that I’m holding now helps me to lessen the cold. Sigh. There aren’t many stars tonight. I took a sip of the hot coffee and look up to the dark sky again. You guys are wandering why I’m here at this lonely and dim lane by the Han River alone? I told about this already, but here is the first place I had a date with Ji Eun and today is her birthday.

Damn it Lu Han. It’s Ji Eun over and over again.

I still remember her birthday, of course. Even every year in UK, I would go somewhere quiet and think about her. It hurts, to keep rewinding my memories with her. But tonight, I don’t know why it hurts even more and my heart felt like it is being torn apart. Is it because I really did officially end our relationship? Or is it because I can’t celebrate it with her even though we’re just living in the same country for now?

Happy birthday, Ji Eun. I’m sorry for leaving you, sorry for not trusting you, sorry for being a coward, sorry for making you sick, sorry for making you cry and I’m sorry for everything. I deserve this; I deserve this hurt for my damn reckless action back there.

I know, I should be thinking only about Jia Ying for now, but I’m not ready yet. I’m slowly trying, really. Be happy always Ji Eun. I put down my empty cup on the hard and cold lane before taking out a picture of me back-hugging Ji Eun from my jeans’ pocket and a lighter from another pocket. I give a last long look at the picture and light up the lighter, before slowly drawing the picture in my right hand closer to the lighter that was in my left hand. I just watch the fire that slowly burns down the picture before releasing it from my hand. I spin around without even a look back, just like how I did when I broke up with Ji Eun and make my way towards Se Hun’s car.

END OF POV

It has been a week since Ji Eun’s birthday and everyone in Sweet and Simple including the employer had already know that both Min Hyuk and Ji Eun are dating. Min Hyuk even changed his shifts, just because he wants to have as much as possible same shifts as Ji Eun. Ji Eun couldn’t say anything at his actions, since she doesn’t even know how to be mad at him. For Yoon Mi, she thought that what Min Hyuk did is the right thing. She wants Ji Eun to forget Lu Han completely and she was one of the happiest persons to know Ji Eun dates Min Hyuk.

Meanwhile, Lu Han had been contacting Jia Ying even more frequently, trying to make the gap between them closer. Their conversations were even friendlier and mostly, they would joke around a lot too. Chen knew about Ji Eun and Min Hyuk too, but he kept his mouth shut, not wanting his friends to make a fuss of it and even tell Lu Han. He was not sure how he should react with the thing Ji Eun dates Min Hyuk and also about Lu Han getting closer with Jia Ying. Should I be happy? Yes, I should. But I don’t know why I’m not really happy for these good things. You're weird as ever, Chen.