STILL CHEN'S POV

Okay, let’s get serious.

I fixed my voice where she raises an eye brow.

“So…. Anyway, did you by any chance meet Lu Han? He just got back here about three weeks ago,”

Okay, what’s with the frown, Ji Eun?

“What do you mean by got back? Was he being somewhere out of Korea before this?” Uh-oh. Bad starter, Chen .I forgot Ji Eun didn’t know about it.

“Sort of. So, did you?” she releases a sigh.

“Yeah, I think so,” huh?

“What do you mean ‘I think so’?”

“He did not admit he was Lu Han, but I’m pretty sure it was him though. Whatever, it doesn’t matter to me anymore,”

“What do you mean ‘doesn’t matter’?” this really doesn’t sound good.

“I’m giving up on him. If he even acted not to know me, then it really means everything between us is over. I’m not going to keep this one-sided love anymore, I’m tired. Five years, Chen. I waited for him for freaking five years, but what did I get? Nothing. He ends everything between us for real when we met few days ago. I’m not going to wait for him anymore,” I got shut by her words.

Really Lu Han, you’re gonna regret what you did.

“He might be having some problems, Ji Eun,”

“What kind of problems? I don’t think he would ever say that even if he is having a problem. If he still loves me, he won’t leave me, not for the second time,” her voice starts getting tense. Ji Eun-ah, it’s not like that...

“I don’t want to talk about him anymore, Chen. It’s over, between Lu Han and me. He’s only my past that I wish I could forget,” she said the last four words almost in a whispering manner. You’re doomed, Lu Han. I can’t help you anymore.

“Okay Ji Eun, whatever you say,” I take a glance at my watch. Oh damn it.

“Damn it, I’m late,”

“Huh? Why?”

“My mom told me to come back home before six and it is almost six right now. We got some guests for dinner tonight,” I gulped down my drink as quick as possible.

“H-Hey, slow down. You’re going to get choke soon!” her voice sounds panic. I wipe off my mouth with the back of my palm after I finish the drink.

“I’m fine. Sorry Ji Eun, I wish to talk more, but time is jealous of us,” she chuckles, maybe at my statement. Luckily I finished my cake already.

“It’s okay. Hope to see you around again,” both us stand up simultaneously from our seat.

“Hope so. Anyway, can I have your phone number? I changed mine, so I lost yours,” I get my smartphone out from the pocket.

“Sure,” after we exchanged our phone numbers, we walk out side by side.

“See you again, Ji Eun,” I pocketed my hands and saw her nodding. We separate our ways after that.

END OF POV

After Chen left, she got inside the café again to take her things before she took a bus and headed home. After she arrived home, she opened her backpack to get her key from inside of it. Sigh. The clanking sound from the keys could be heard as she inserted the key into the key hole. Click. She pushed the door open to enter and shut it behind her before she slowly slides down with her back of body keep in contact with the door. Just as she fell on the floor, she hugged her knees close to her chest – crying. She clutched her blouse – at her heart area – tightly.

She’s lying if she says she already forgets Lu Han just after a week passed by. How could she forget about Lu Han? The guy that she has been waiting for five years to return, the guy that she keeps on loving on even when he ended their relationship, the one that is everything for her. How could she do that in just a few days? It’s impossible.

“Why Lu Han, why? Why you keep on appearing even when we didn’t even meet? Leave me alone, Lu Han. Get out from my mind, from my heart. Please, I beg you,” she closed her eyes as she said it while crying. It’s hard for her to forget Lu Han, he keeps on appearing in her dreams, in her mind and she can’t lie to her heart that has been longing for Lu Han. It makes it harder for her because she just talked about Lu Han to Chen. She really wants to stop thinking about Lu Han, because the more she thinks, the stronger her love for Lu Han. The stronger the love, the more pain she’ll experiences.

She stayed in that position for almost an hour. It somehow becomes a daily routine for her – to cry over Lu Han. Life must go on, but it’s not as simple as how we say that. Her tears just slipped down without warnings every time a glimpse of him come across her mind. She did promise herself that she’ll somehow forget about the one guy, and she’s trying, hard. She’s been busying herself to distract her mind and heart from Lu Han. It does somehow help to distract her, even if it is not much, it still does.

A WEEK AFTER

LU HAN’S POV

I just had my dinner and now, I’m lying on the bed while scrolling down my phone. My phone suddenly vibrates and a phone call comes in. After confirming about the caller’s identity, I pick it up.

“Hello?”

“Lu Han, you are still going to stay in Korea right?” huh? I put away my phone from my right ear for a second before bring it back to where it was before.

“Yes. Why?”

“Good, because Jia Ying will be coming to Korea next two days,”

“WHAT?!” I jolt up from my lying position and automatically fold my legs onto the bed. I take a glance at Se Hun, who stops doing his thing for a second and jerk his chin upward, asking why. Oh right, I’m living with Se Hun and his family. Since actually, Se Hun is my cousin.

“Tsk. Why are you so shocked?”

“B-But why? Why is she coming here?”  I frown.

“She’s on semester break and I told her parents about you being in Korea. So they thought maybe you could look after her during her stay there. She’s going for a vacation,” Sigh.

“For how long?”

“Just for a week,”

“Okay then, but where is she going to stay? You’re not going to say she’ll be living here too, aren’t you?”

“Of course not! Her parents already booked a hotel room for her,” I release a relieved sigh. What? Of course I’m relieved. She’s a girl and it’s inappropriate for her to stay here with us.

“Okay Mom, I got it. Tell me the details about her arrival later, because I’m afraid I would forget it if you tell me right now,” I bring my right hand onto my forehead and massage it for a few seconds.

“Okay darling,” I hiss in annoyance.

“Mom~”

“Okay okay, sheesh. It’s my right to call my boy ‘darling’. Take care Lu Han,”

“Okay, take care too. Love you, Mom,”

“Love you too,” just after I end the call, Se Hun stands up from his seat at his study table and walk towards my direction before he sits on the bed too.

“What’s wrong?” Sigh.

“Jia Ying is coming in two days, for a week. She’s on semester break and will enjoy her break here,” I slump my body onto the bed again and rest my right arm on my forehead with my phone is still in my grab.

“Jia Ying? Is this the same Jia Ying that you told me before?” I roll my eyes even though I know he didn’t see it.

“Obviously, Se Hun,”

“So what’s the big deal? It’s not like she’ll be here for almost a month,” the big deal is about Ji Eun, you kid. I’m lying if I say I’m not guilty for doing that to Ji Eun. I am, and I’ve been living with guilt towards her ever since I asked her for a break up. The look on her face that day we met last few days is still rewinding in my mind. The hurt, the pain. I wish to make it all fade away, but it is not leaving my mind.

“Ow! What the hell was that for?” Se Hun snaps me back to reality with a slap on my shoulder. I glare at him and he glares back.

“I was talking to you just now, and you just keep dazing off. What the heck, Hyung. If you are going to keep on dazing off like these for the rest of the days you are here in Korea, you better go back to UK,” 

Gulp.

“Do you think I don’t know what you are thinking about? If you feel guilty, then why did you do that at the first place? As if I don’t know you are just equally feeling the pain that Ji Eun Noona is feeling,” Se Hun said the last sentence in an almost a whispering manner as he stands up from the bed and walks towards his study table again. I follow his steps with my gaze and sit down on the bed again.

“I’m afraid it will be too late for you to regret it by now, Hyung. It’s not like your marriage with Jia Ying is already confirmed. Both of you are still trying to know each other better and it’s not like if you refuse to marry her, it will make you a bad son. I’m sure uncle and auntie did that because you said you didn’t have a girlfriend anymore – for five years. You’re such a coward, Hyung,”

Wow, never know this little kid could talk about things like this.

Sigh. What Se Hun said is true. I’m not even sure I’ll really end up marrying Jia Ying or not. But being a son who never has the heart to let my parents down, I just could not help but to just shut my mouth about it. Mom and Dad knew I coupled with Ji Eun before, but I told them we broke up already once we’re in UK.

The reason I broke up with Ji Eun, I’m afraid of long-distance relationship. I’m afraid she will somehow find someone that is way better than me to be by her side while I’m away. Yes, I’m afraid of the pain to be dumped and left by her.

Then, is dumping her making you feel less pain?