“O-Oppa?”

She finally unclasped but her eyes still widens. Min Hyuk gave a small smile at the latter and straightens his body once again.

“You remember now?” Ji Eun immediately throws herself onto Min Hyuk and hugged him. Min Hyuk was shocked but hugged her back seconds later.

“Why didn’t you tell me earlier? You never know how much I missed you!” she said eagerly and slightly jumping while tightens the hug. Min Hyuk let out a chuckle.

“Yahh, are you sure you missed me a lot? You couldn’t even recognize me even though we’ve been working together. Or, did I become much more handsome that you couldn’t recognize me?” she instantly broke the hug and punched Min Hyuk’s chest once, making the latter winced. She pouted and Min Hyuk pulled her into his embrace again while laughing.

“Okay okay, I’m just kidding. Sheesh, you never change, Eun Min,” she smiled widely in Min Hyuk’s embrace.

LU HAN’S POV

I’m at the amusement park with Jia Ying and we’re here for almost four hours already. We played a lot of games and she sure looks happy playing here. We’re now on our way to a café inside the park, but I somehow sense a familiar figure not far away from me. I stop walking and try to have a better look at the person.

Ji Eun? Wait, she’s with a guy.

 I lock my eyes at Ji Eun, and study her appearance. She looks way gorgeous than before and her hair is long already. I remember her hair was only at her shoulder level the last time we met, five years ago.

Huh?

 She suddenly stops advancing to the front and turns back at the guy. Ughh, what are they talking? Why Ji Eun is clasping and what is he-- kiss? He kissed Ji Eun’s forehead?! I crumple my palms into fists inside my pocket.

What the hell is he--

What? Ji Eun is hugging him? I feel like going towards them and punch the guy on the face but there’s a hand suddenly gripping my arm.

“Ge, what’s wrong? Why you stop walking? The café is just right in front us,” right, I’m here with Jia Ying. I took a last look at Ji Eun before I shake my head at Jia Ying.

“Nothing, let’s go,” I force a smile at her and walk again towards the café. Pabo Lu Han, look, are you sure you can be happy for letting Ji Eun away from you? Why does it hurt when it is actually me who decided to finally end the relationship between me and Ji Eun? Why does it hurt to see her with another guy?

We sit at the inner part of the café and ordered two iced lemon tea and pancakes. While waiting for the food and drinks to arrive, I wandered my eyes and have a better look at the café interior design. I think I stopped breathing for a moment, at the sight of a guy and a girl walking side by side with the girl hugging the guy’s arm into the café.

 Ji Eun.

She looks so happy that I hope she’s actually smiling because of me, not because of another guy. But what I had done to her was making her cried. I made the girl that I love the most cry over and over again because of me. The truth is painful, but that is what I did to her. I feel like going towards her and hug her tight, saying that I still love her, I want her to be only mine, want her to never look at another guy other than me and smile only because of me. Ji Eun-ah…

‘Don’t regret it if she leaves you forever after this.’

 Chen’s words keep on playing on my mind, making my heart throbs and my stomach twisted in pain.

Why does it hurt a lot?

END OF POV

JI EUN’S POV

I just can’t believe this! How come I could not recognize him? Urghh, forgetful Han Ji Eun as always. How come I couldn’t recognize him? Kang Min Hyuk. No wonder I’m flustered every time he’s near me.

“Yahh Eun Min, am I that handsome? Why do you keep looking at me?” crap, I didn’t even realize I’ve been doing that.

“Tchh,” we’re now inside a café in the park, waiting for our drinks to arrive. That eye smile that he has had never change over the years.

“Anyway, how long have you been in Korea? And how on Earth did you know where I work to even begin with?” I crane towards him, with the table in between us and fold my arms before I place it onto the table. He does the same and lightly smiles.

“I’m back here three months ago. I went to our old neighbourhood to meet you, but your mother said that you’ve moved out and live alone. She told me some things about you, including your workplace. So, I thought if I work with you, you would immediately remember me, but sadly, no. Tchh, do I have to call you Eun Min to make you remember me? I’m hurt you know?” I pout at his last sentence. Yeah, there’s no else but only him called me Eun Min, which Eun stands for my name, Ji Eun and Min stands for his name, Min Hyuk.

“Ouch!” I was back to the current moment from the pinch on my cheek, and the culprit is no other than Min Hyuk Oppa.

“Stop acting cute, little girl,” he grins and my cheek at the area he pinched just now. I smile back at him. He stops my cheek as a waitress come towards us and place our drinks onto the table. Oppa thanks her and gives a small smile where she just nods.

“You are a stalker then, for following me,” he let out a chuckle.

“Well, I don’t mind being your stalker. I remember you being my stalker back there,” I could feel my cheeks blush from that. Why he still remember that? He let out another chuckle, making me cupped my face with my palms – to cover the red shades that are getting more visible on my cheeks.

“Oppa~ don’t laugh~” I whine. I do realize I’m always childish like this with Oppa.  Actually, he is my childhood friend, or to be exact, my first love. As cliché as it sounds for liking your own friend, it’s true. I would follow him around a lot, but I never told him I like him. Are you crazy? He would instantly leave me if he knows that! But he and his family moved to Japan when I was fourteen, where he’s fifteen and we lost contact ever since that and don’t ask me why, because me myself don’t know why.

“Okay, I won’t laugh anymore. But why are you blushing? Do you like me back there?” wait, what? What did he just asked? Did he know? I open my mouth to answer back, but was stopped by his words.

“It’s okay. I don’t care even if you like me,” I frown at him and just watch him sips his drink right after he said that. He doesn’t care? What does that means?

“Stop frowning and finish your drink. It’s getting late already,” I was caught off guard for a moment but I nodded at him before I finish up my drink.

END OF POV

After that, they went back to the booth where they left the teddy and Min Hyuk drove Ji Eun home.

“So you were lying when you said you didn’t know where I live before this?” Ji Eun turned her body towards Min Hyuk as she asked that, making the latter laughed.

“Of course I am. And the thing that I asked if you live alone too,”

“Mwoyaaa Oppa~” she leaned against her seat while folding her arms against her chest and pouted – unsatisfied about the fact he lied to her making Min Hyuk emitted another laugh.

“Heyy, if I tell you that I knew that, you’ll get suspicious of me. And you never know how hard it was to resist myself from calling you Eun Min, you know?” he then pinched Ji Eun’s cheek where she lightly screamed out of shock from the sudden pinch.

“Who told you to do so? I never did,” she stuck out her tongue at Min Hyuk, making the latter chuckled from the cute action of her.

“Heyy, I just want you to recognize me without me giving you any hints, okay? But duhh, you never did. Look, I even put up this small panda on the dashboard. I thought you would immediately remember when you see the EM initials on it,” he craned forwards and grabbed the small panda on the dashboard before placing it on Ji Eun’s lap.

“Ahh! That’s why I feel that this panda is somehow familiar. You still have this? Dae~bak,” the panda was given by Ji Eun for Min Hyuk on the day he was going to Japan. The EM initials stands for Eun Min.

“Of course, you gave that to me, why would I throw it away?” he ruffled Ji Eun’s hair, making her pouted. He stopped his car as they arrived in front of Ji Eun’s house and both them unbuckled their seatbelts.

“So, I’ll see you again at Sweet and Simple tomorrow?” Ji Eun gave a smile and nodded at Min Hyuk before she turned her body to her right to open the car door. Just as she wants to step out of the car, Min Hyuk grabbed her at the wrist; making her fell on her seat again where he immediately leaned in and pecked Ji Eun’s right cheek, making the latter widen her eyes.

“Don’t stop liking me, Eun Min,” Min Hyuk mumbled but Ji Eun could still hear that.

“W-Why?”

“Because I like you too, ever since before. But I didn’t tell you because I thought we would feel awkward if I told you about it,” Min Hyuk sheepishly smiled while rubbing the back of his neck. Wow, I never thought so. Ji Eun gulped her saliva with a blank look on her face as she kept on looking at Min hyuk.

“Never mind, don’t feel burdened by that. Get into your house and don’t forget to have your dinner, okay?” Min Hyuk ruffled Ji Eun’s hair again, making her pouted for the nth times at the sight of her slightly dishevelled long hair.

“Arasseo~ don’t forget to have your dinner too. Drive carefully Oppa,” he gave a small smile while nodding. Ji Eun stepped out of the car and stood at the side, waving at Min Hyuk as he drove away. After Min Hyuk’s car was out from her sight, she slightly dazed off as she went inside her house with her left palm on her left cheek – where Min Hyuk pecked before while her right hand hugged around the teddy. 

AUTHOR'S NOTE

I am aware that actually Lu Han is older than Min Hyuk, but in this story, I make it otherwise ^^ It's just a fiction all the way though. But urghh, I could sense cliche all the way in this story. //mentally bang head on the wall//