Taeyeon~

It had been a few months, yet the apartment still held Jonghyun's lingering scent. Taeyeon had learned to welcome it gratefully, rather than mope about his lack of physical presence.

Because, yes, he never came back. Taeyeon wasn't sure where the half-demon had disappeared to, but she knew that when she came back to look for Jinki's body, it was gone. Replaced by a single flower. There wasn't even a trace of blood anywhere.

"Are you all right, Taeyeon?" Tiffany asked, jerking her back to reality. Taeyeon cleared awkwardly and nodded, pretending to focus back on her computer screen. "Are you still thinking about him? Get over the dude; he ditched you without telling you anything." Maybe Taeyeon had twisted the truth a little bit when she explained to Tiffany, but her best friend had the idea. The taller girl had no idea why Taeyeon refused to move back home and chose to stay in the small apartment, but she didn't understand. The place wasn't a grim reminder anymore, but a pleasant memory.

Although at times, Taeyeon did feel a bit of nostalgia as she lay in what used to be Jonghyun's bed. She wondered what he was doing. She questioned what he was thinking. She worried about whether or not he was still living.

Or if he still remembered her.

"I'm good, and I'm not thinking about him," Taeyeon assured Tiffany with a smile. She was back to work in the office. She preferred typing her stories in the comfort of pillows and sheets, but it was a bit refreshing to be out and about sometimes. "I'm just wondering what I should write about next."

"That last article you did was a hit, so don't worry," Tiffany snorted. "The public totally loved the way you shut down the rumors about the demons. They sent letters agreeing with you and saying how it was obviously all fake and they were relieved. Where'd you get all that evidence?"

Taeyeon grinned at the irony of it and shrugged. She watched as Tiffany rolled her eyes and walked away before she opened her purse. The letter was still there, tucked in the secret folds of fabric.

Taeyeon,

I'm sorry for being such an unforgivable bastard.

Which means I don't expect you to forgive me. Because I'm a bastard.

I'm not doing anything with the place, so you can stay here. Or leave it, your choice. I'm sure you don't even want to look anywhere here again. I don't think . . . I can even forgive myself for what I've done. And I don't just mean Jinki, but also you. I'm sorry for leaving like this. And not just everything else, but anything else.

Jonghyun.

There was no "I love you," but Taeyeon still remembered the way he had said that to her before he ran off. It was so broken, yet earnest. Sometimes, she wanted so badly to just throw the note away. Rip it up, toss it in the trash can, and move on. But she couldn't. She never would be able to.

Taeyeon glanced at the time and smiled softly to herself. She packed up her things and left the building, hesitating for a while beside SM. Her face brightened when Minho stepped out of the front doors, putting on his sunglasses as cameras flashed. He returned her smile when he spotted her and walked up to greet her instantly.

"Is she your girlfriend, Minho-ssi?!" one of the reporters called, followed by the devastated cries of several girls. Taeyeon scoffed, shaking her head as Minho tilted his head.

"I don't think so. I'm pretty sure she isn't," he joked.

"How's modeling?" Taeyeon inquired, ignoring the continuous snapping of pictures.

"It's good. How's Jonghyun? The company got his resignation letter and could never contact him again."

Taeyeon's expression fell. She'd been sick of receiving calls on his forgotten cell phone that asked for his presence at shoots, so she had sent in that letter.

"I don't know. He left me around the time he left SM," she sighed. Minho gave her a sympathetic glance.

"You know, we haven't caught up, really. Do you want to get something to drink? Doojoon and his girlfriend are meeting up with me in a bit."

Se Kyung was probably one of the last people Taeyeon wanted to see. She declined as politely as possible, looking at the building sign one last time before she took off. It was like a walk down memory lane everyday, all the way back to the apartment. Taeyeon sighed as she opened the door, letting down her hair from its ponytail and shaking out the strands tiredly. She dropped her bag at the front and made her way to the couch, eyes closed the whole way.

It was another long day, but it wasn't the worst. The first few weeks were probably the hardest for Taeyeon. With a low groan, Taeyeon rubbed her eyes until they cooperated and opened.

And then she froze.

He was still just as handsome. His hair was dyed now, so that it was a dark tan color and not that dazzling silver. His eyes seemed much calmer than when Taeyeon had last seen him, and his lips were graced with a small smile. And he was still just as short.

"What . . . are you . . . doing here, you jerk?!" Taeyeon shouted, jumping off the couch so she could punch Jonghyun in the chest. His smile was sad as he caught her wrists, and she glared at him through her blurry vision of tears. "You son of a gun - why are you back?"

"Are you complaining?" Jonghyun murmured softly, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"N-No. I don't think so," Taeyeon replied quietly, taking a few steps back. She ignored the flash of hurt in his dark eyes as she clutched the fabric of her pants in her fists. "Where have you been? Why are you choosing now to be here? Wh-Why did you leave?"

"I've been around, to answer the first question," Jonghyun answered lightly, turning towards the TV and kneeling down. He opened the drawer and pulled out the gun Taeyeon had left there, weighing it in his hands. "I actually came back here once or twice. The first time was for this thing." He put the gun back down and closed the dresser. "I considered being an idiot again, but I remembered what you told me, so I didn't. I burned Jinki. I figured it was the least I could do for him. Tossed them in the ocean we used to go to all the time. It was nice."

Taeyeon stared at Jonghyun dumbfoundedly, unsure of how to respond.

"I chose to come back now because - well - I was ready. I know I sound stupid, because you were probably ready since the start for me to return, but things changed. I was confused and scared. If I could hurt my best friend like that, what if I hurt you?" Jonghyun let out a humorless laugh. "But I could never do that, I realized that. I care for you too much."

"Liar," Taeyeon muttered, as much as her brain was telling her otherwise. But her heart was hurting.

"I'm not lying. That was why I left, Taeyeon," Jonghyun mumbled, stranding up as he turned back to stare at her. His expression was pleading. "I'm going to sound selfish but . . . have you forgiven me?"

Yes.  "Maybe."

A small grin broke out on Jonghyun's face, and Taeyeon couldn't help the smile that curved her lips in response.

"I'm human."

Her eyes widened. "What?"

"I don't know how. I stayed demon for a few days after Jinki died, and I was in a panic. I was trying my best to stay hidden from everyone, and it was so difficult. Then I passed out, and the next time I woke up, I was human. I felt different. I just knew that I was fully human that time. When I tried to turn, it didn't work. I tested it out on the next full moon, and I felt no dying thirst for blood. It was amazing. Oddly different, but amazing."

Calculations ran through Taeyeon's mind, and her eyes met with Jonghyun's as realization sparked.

"Jinki?" Jonghyun nodded. "I - his demon - when he died, his demon blood killed the demon part of you? What?" Taeyeon whispered.

Jonghyun shrugged and slumped against the couch, placing a wad of bills on the table. Taeyeon looked at him questioningly. "I got a job. I wanted to be able to support us." Taeyeon's insides tingled at the mention of the word 'us.' "This is for all the bills you probably had to pay while I was gone. And I added a bit of extra to compensate for my lack of involvement in your life, although I deeply regret it myself."

Taeyeon stared at the money, speechless. She picked it up and threw it back at Jonghyun, seething. "Are you trying to buy back my forgiveness?" Her heart skipped at how hopeless he looked.

"No. I don't know anymore. I'm human, and that's all I've ever wanted, Taeyeon, but then I met you. And I want more, because I'm a bastard, like I said. A greedy bastard. I want you." Jonghyun buried his face in his hands, the bills sliding off of him and onto the floor. Taeyeon swallowed, hands shaking. "I can't say sorry enough, Taeyeon . . ." Jonghyun's breath hitched, and she knew he was crying. With an exasperated sigh, Taeyeon threw her arms around Jonghyun in an effort to comfort him. Why couldn't she just be stubborn for a bit?

Jonghyun immediately sank into her touch, and it felt weird to be the stronger of the two for once.

"You know I would never leave you like this. You were watching me while you were gone?"

Jonghyun sniffed. "Would it sound creepy if I said yes?"

"Sort of, but it's okay."

"I love you," Jonghyun whispered.

Taeyeon beamed, burying her face into Jonghyun's shoulder as she laughed genuinely, for the first time in months. "I love you, too."

A/N:

Wow, this ending was completely rushed, unlike the time it took to post it.

I am so sorry.

I will give no excuses.

Here, read my soul, I poured it into this chapter

Just kidding, though.

It's super late and I'm super tired and I still need to update my other story.

Praise Onew.

But he died in this story so.

Pray for Onew.

I don't know, I'm tired.

Did you know that I finally got Korean BBQ?

Like, the one in the dramas where they put the meat on the grill and drink soju as they cry about their broken hearts?

Yeah, I got that, but without the beer because I'm not a drinker.

Cheap, all-you-can-eat meat. That is life.

Thank for reads.

Donate for grammar help^^^

Sorry for the weird author's note.

This is the end of the story, but I might do an epilogue or more explanations if there's good feedback, I guess? I've been really busy lately, OTL, guys

Plus I have no gifs because my internet is slow. Yay for broken laptops~

For those who are still reading this after the SUPER LONG WAIT,

SARANGHAEEEEE~~~~~