“Remember to give me a call when you are done.” Eunhye reminded L for the umpteenth time as she gave him a goodbye hug while seeing him out of the house.

It was finally the day. L was going to meet the advisor of the National Sports School together with Mrs Kim, since she was his guardian. And he felt that it was better for another person to be present so as be more objective towards the conditions.

Mr Lee was tasked to drive the both of them to the school since Mrs Kim was going along as well. He looked through the rear mirror and could not help but chuckled as he saw L. “This is such a déjà vu. Six months ago, I was the one who drove Eunhye to the office. Since then, so many things have changed.”

Mrs Kim nodded and laughed heartily as she recalled the meet-up she had with Eunhye that faithful day. Their lives had indeed changed with an additional family member now.

Mr Lee continued as he turned after the junction. “Just like how you are behaving now, Eunhye was on tenterhooks that day too. She was fiddling with her phone so much that I thought she was going to drop it.”

L smiled as he looked out of the window, it seemed like he could understand what she was feeling months back. The feeling of nervousness and fear, yet excited at the same time. He recalled what Eunhye had told him before he left,

“No matter what happens, follow your heart.”

Eunhye strolled along the familiar streets, plugging in her earpiece which was playing her favourite song as she walked. She had decided to leave the house since she could not contain her uneasiness by staying at home.

“Annyeong-haseyo!” She greeted the owner of the music store as she laid her violin case on the table top. “Here for your regular violin maintenance?” The owner asked as he received Eunhye’s violin and walked into his workshop just behind the counter.

“Ne!” Eunhye replied cheerfully as she walked over to the CD corner. Since she had nothing to do at home, she decided to send her violin for maintenance while she could pick up some items for her violin as well as to check out the newly released CDs.

It would be a wiser choice than to let her thoughts run wild while she is at home.

~~

“Thank you very much! See you soon!” Eunhye bowed politely as she turned to the exit of the store. She looked at her watch and realised that she had spent a good few hours inside the store.

She pulled the strap of her bag and left for her favourite café. It would be a good time for her to read a book and relax with a cup of her favourite iced mocha. Engrossed in her own thoughts, she did not hear what was coming behind her.

“Eunhye!”

Junhyung shouted as soon as he spotted the familiar figure at the opposite street. Eunhye did not respond, but continued floating towards the café. “Yah! Choi Eunhye.” No response again, and he knew she could not hear him was not because of the music.

He sped up and gave Eunhye a hard tap on her shoulders, causing her to jump in surprise as she regained from her daze. “Do you know I have called your name for so many times? What were you thinking about again? You should really change this bad habit of yours. You won’t even realise if you got robbed or kidnapped.”

Eunhye rolled her eyes hard at her naggy oppa as she removed the earpiece from her ears. “Oppa, you have to change your nagging habit too. And please have some faith in our country’s security. Plus it’s broad daylight now.”

Junhyung ruffled Eunhye’s hair as he was glad to hear her rebuts, making her arrange her fringe as she pouted at him. This was the Eunhye he had known. Without giving her a chance to retort, he pushed her into the café and ordered their drinks.

They found a table by the window and settled down. “Oppa. I wanted to read alone and enjoy my me-time. But you have spoilt my moment.” Eunhye pouted as she sipped her iced mocha.

“Yah. Are you sick of living? How dare you talk to oppa like that, huh?” He bent forward and pinched Eunhye’s nose which made her flinched as she hit his hand away. “Look at your state now. You look like you need to talk more than to read. Can you even concentrate on the book?” Junhyung leaned on the chair’s backrest.

Hearing his words, Eunhye let out a long sigh. “I know. I can’t hide anything from you. Or rather anyone. It seemed like I’m always the one showing all my feelings on my face, right?” She looked at Junhyung with her puppy eyes which made his heart soften upon it. He gave a light pat on her head, “This makes you who you are, don’t lose it.”

“I will take that as a compliment, oppa.” Eunhye chuckled as she looked out of the window. “I’m just worried about L. I’m worried if the discussion went well. Should I call him? But I might interrupt him, right?” She let out a long sigh again.

Junhyung nodded quietly. “He will call you if he is done, you don’t have to worry.” He lifted his cup of iced Americano and looked at Eunhye. “Anyway, what will you do if he really decides to study abroad?” His question startled Eunhye, this was something she had been feeling reluctant to think about it. But it seemed like she would not be able avoid it anymore.

She fell into her deep thoughts and snapped out of it almost immediately. “I will support him, definitely. It is not like he is not coming back anymore.” Junhyung nodded in approval, “That’s it. You have already straightened your thoughts. Follow it. You don’t have to be so troubled over it.” Eunhye laid her cheeks on her both hands on the table with a helpless look. It was easier to be said than done.

“Sorry to break your bubble. But what if he decides to advance his career there and not return. What will you do? Join him there?” Junhyung shot another difficult question to Eunhye. This was what she hated most, and she was not ready to accept it.

Looking at the change of expressions, Junhyung understood immediately. He knew she was not ready to experience another parting, ever since the major one she had with her dead parents. “Aish. He has not even tell you what they have discussed. Don’t think too much. Finish up your mocha and I will send you home.” Junhyung tried to change a topic as he looked at the melancholic look on Eunhye’s face.

Eunhye walked into the house with a heavy heart.

“They are back, L is in Mrs Kim’s room now.” Auntie Jung alerted her as soon as she saw her.

~~

“So… You have met the coach. What’s your decision?” Mrs Kim looked at L who was obviously in a state of confusion. L looked down to his hands, not knowing what to reply. Mrs Kim rested her hands on the wooden work table, “You know this is definitely a good opportunity, right? But of course, this is your life, you should make the decision.”

L took in a deep breath and breathed out heavily. “I know. This is the dream of all athletes. But I will have to leave Korea, will you allow me to go?” Mrs Kim laughed heartily, “Silly boy! Of course I will! I will not want to ruin my own grandson’s future. But then, is that the real issue which is holding you back?” She stretched out her hands and held onto his. “No one can force you to do things which you don’t want to. Consider it for a little bit more first before you make your decision, alright?”

L nodded carefully and looked down. Mrs Kim’s words seemed to have taken an effect on him, assuring what he should do first.

“Knock knock”

The sound of knocking onto the wooden door echoed through the quiet second storey. Eunhye answered the door as soon as she heard it, like as if she had been waiting for it.

Both of them settled down on the platform in Eunhye’s room. L reached out for her hand as they looked out of the window together. “Eunhye ah…” L started, but was stopped by Eunhye. “You don’t have to talk about it if you don’t want to.”

“Ani, I have to. I have to be fair. Granny had told you everything I guess?” He turned to look at Eunhye, her looks were as troubled as his. His heart ached a bit as he recalled his promise to protect Eunhye, to not ever let her feel sad as long as he was around.

Eunhye took in a breath and forced a smile on her face. “Yeah. I’ve heard about everything. You know, you should go. This opportunity doesn’t come so easily and I bet the coach did not give this opportunity to anyone except you.” Hearing her words, L removed his hands from hers and placed it on her shoulders. “I will not be around for at least 3 years, is that okay too? We can’t get to see each other frequently.”

“Silly you! The technology is so advanced now. We can always use face-time or skype to see each other right?” Eunhye tightened the grip on his arms. Even though it ached her heart to see him go, she should not be selfish. L breathed out in disbelief, “It seemed like you can’t wait for me to go? Are you that eager to send me off?” Eunhye pulled L’s hands to calm him down. “It’s not the case, it is because this is really a good chance for you, isn’t it?”

~~

The discussion soon heated up and became an argument in Eunhye’s room. The two women overheard their quarrel at the end of the stairs, but they could not do anything as it was something the couple would have to settle it by themselves.

~~

“What if I decided to stay there for good? I might find a new girlfriend and not come back. Is that alright for you too?” L semi-shouted at Eunhye, it was the only way he could do to show his frustration. Eunhye was taken aback by his sudden retort, it would be the worst scenario which she could ever imagine.

“If… If such things really happen, it… it will happen even if you are in K-Korea right? I can’t stop things from happening.” Eunhye stuttered as she answered him. L shook his head in anger, but more of a disappointment. “You’ve changed. Why are you even treating this as a small issue when I have been feeling worried about it? Your expressions! Why are you pretending to be alright when you are not?”

“L… You are too influenced by your emotions. How could you be so childish? This is your future! I’m not that selfish to hinder you.” She grabbed his arm tightly, the feeling of losing him gushed through her petite body.

L held her hand and pulled it off him. “It seemed like you do not love me as much as I love you. That was why you can just push me away so easily, right?” L shook his head and rushed out the door. Tears rushed up to his eyes as disappointment filled up his body.

Eunhye did not know how to explain, tears could only roll down on themselves yet she did not have the courage to wipe them off. She had really wanted him to go for his own good, she did not want to be his burden.

The night came as Auntie Jung was filling up a bottle of homemade sweet rice wine. She gently opened the fridge and placed it carefully at the corner. It was meant to be a gift for one of Mrs Kim’s old time friend.

She reached out for the black marker in the cupboard to label the bottle in case anyone got it wrongly. “Aish, there is no more ink at such a point of time?” She tried scribbling it on a piece of paper but the ink had already dried up.

“No one will drink it accidentally right? It is already so late and I’m usually the first to be awake the next day.” Auntie Jung assured herself as she put the bottle back and whipped the black marker into the bin before returning to her room.

~~

Eunhye trotted down the stairs, still feeling bitter about their earlier argument. They have not spoken since the afternoon and she could not fall asleep no matter how much she forced herself to.

Each time she wanted to apologise, she would feel that it was not her fault since she was just talking sense into him even though she knew she was a little bit harsh.

Eunhye sighed and opened the fridge to be welcomed by the cooling air. She randomly grabbed a bottle by the side and poured herself a cup of the drink without even looking what she had taken.

She screwed the cap back onto the bottle and took a hearty gulp as she walked to the dining area. “Hmm? This drink taste pretty sweet? But what’s that weird taste?” She mumbled to herself, not knowing that the “drink” she had was none other than the sweet rice wine which Auntie Jung had placed earlier.

Before she could react, the view in-front of her turned blurry and a dash of giddiness hit her. Eunhye’s head fell onto the table and she had no strength to hold herself up. She did not know she was already drunk with just consuming half a cup of the sweet rice wine.

Her low tolerance on alcohol was already starting to take effect as she started blabbering with her head placed on the table, with the strong sense of drowsiness over taking her body.

~~

L switched off the lights to the toilet as he stepped out. He looked at the door of Eunhye’s room and sighed a bit after recalling their argument. They really needed some time to cool down.

As he strolled back lazily to his room, the lights at the first storey caught his eyes. “Who could it be? It’s already this late. Did Auntie Jung forget to switch off the lights?” He trotted down the stairs to switch off the lights, but something else caught his eyes instead.

Eunhye was on the table.

“Why are you sleeping here? You will catch a cold.” L walked over to get a better look of Eunhye, but all he could hear was inaudible blabbering from her. “Something’s not right.” He reached out for the cup which was in-front on Eunhye. He lifted it up and smelled the beverage, “Pabo.”

Even though he was still feeling pissed over the argument, he could not help but to chuckle at Eunhye’s silliness and her intolerance in alcohol. L looked at Eunhye’s slightly reddened face and picked her up in bridal style into his embrace as he carried her back to her room.

~~

He carefully placed her on the bed and covered her up with a warm blanket. “You are really a pabo. How could you just drink without looking?” L stood up and turned to leave when Eunhye’s blabbers became clear out of a sudden.

“Yes! I’m a pabooo. Kim Myungsoo is a pabo too!” Eunhye hiccupped as she continued. L was caught by surprise and he turned back to face his cute girlfriend. “I don’t know what you are so… so a-angry about. You think I won’t feel… feel sad if you l-leave? Pabo! R-really pabo!”

L’s heart softened as he listened to what Eunhye said. People say, you would speak the truth when you are drunk. He looked at her and touched her cheeks, seemed like it was all true.

“If you… you don’t go, not only will you feel regretful. I-I will too, g-granny and everyone w-will too! You are the one w-who still don’t under… understand me.” A tear rolled off from the corner of her eye as she fell into a deep slumber after finishing her last sentence.

L raised his thumb and wiped her tear off Eunhye’s face. He finally knew that she was feeling as terrible as he was. He understood what he should really do after hearing Eunhye’s heartfelt words. He tucked her soundly in bed, making sure that she would not catch a cold even if she squirmed around in her sleep.

L sat at the corner of Eunhye’s bed, looking at how soundly she was sleeping. He knew he should not disappoint the people who loved him deeply. They had so much hope and expectations from him and it would be too much of him to let them down just because of his immature worries.

He moved quietly up to her face and laid a soft kiss on Eunhye’s forehead. He smiled and left the room confidently because he knew the decision in his heart already.

And the fact that his girlfriend would definitely get a bad hangover the next day.

Dear readers!

I'm finally back with a new chapter!

This is the second last chapter of this story already. T.T

This chapter is slightly longer, so I hope it makes up for the wait.

Really sorry for the delay and please look forward to the finale chapter!

And please look forward to the sequel too which I'm still planning for.

Please comment, subscribe and upvote!

Thank you very much! :D:D